a deluding conclusion we have eaten and drunken where Christ was present and his Saints present therefore the Lord should open to us and Christ hath preached and his faithful Prophets in our hearing in our streets therefore should we be admitted into the Bridegroomes chamber Luke 13. 25. What can then be builded on this I was at the Lords Supper where undoubtedly Christ was in his influences of life I did swear a covenant to God I preached the Gospel I heard ordinarily such a Preacher in whom undeniably the Spirit of God spoke and was intimately acquainted with him and loved him dearly and shall that man be saved and I thrust in hell The great errour is men try not their wayes principles motives and ends Now as touching influences of grace it is not as when the same hand smites upon the string of the harp well tuned and on another string of the harp that is mistuned it 's the same word that sounds in the ears of these in the visible Church but not the same spirit of grace in the same saving influences that act upon the heart yea the spirit leaves the heart of some to its own deadness and acts upon others to bring them to wonder to be amazed and astonished and leaves them there and acts upon a third sort to leave a strong conviction and a work of humiliation upon them but it does no good it 's nothing above a law-work mixt with some letter of the Gospel and the Spirit works in some a lively sound work of saving grace and the same word is the common instrument in all So our Saviours enumeration of four sorts of hearers takes in all Matth. 13. How many wonder and despise and persecute Luke 4. Mark 7. Mark 9. Matth. 12. John 11. Acts 3. Acts 4 c. 2. Influences of the spirit saving and lively are called by the names of the Fathers drawing of the Bridegroomes drawing John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. the Spirits leading Rom. 8. 14. the Lords teaching Isa 54. 13. John 6. 45. the blowing and breathing of the wind upon the garden Cant. 4. 16. the Lords quickening in his way Psal 119. 37. the Lords circumcising of the heart Deu. 30. 6. the Lords opening of the heart Acts 16. 14. the Lords instructing and speaking to men with a strong hand Isa 8. 11. the Lords power in believers not inferior to that by which he raised his Son from the dead and quickens the dead that are in the graves Eph. 1. 18 19 20. Joh. 5. 25. But no such showres of influences go along with a meer gift which is eminent in many exercised to the ful to the good of the Church yet such builders of the ark for saving of others perish themselves in the waters 3. If we consider the Lords intention this is clear Did ever the Lord decree or promise to bring any to heaven by the gift of prophecie of wisedome of learning and arts whether the men believe or not or does the husbandman so labour the ground for the growing of the bramble as for the growing and flourishing of the vine-tree or for the thistle and the briar as for the wheat What can Christ make out of a preaching Judas never given to him of the Father nothing he never believing but to send him to his place Assert 6. In one and the same spiritual acting of praying and believing the spirit and the flesh may concurre not as formal principles for the flesh and corrupt nature is no formal principle of praying in the spirit and of believing the holy Ghost useth no such tooles but the flesh concurres by way of retarding and weakening of the acts of praying for it is of the flesh onely that our praying is not with that deepness of humble sense of want with that strong desire with that fervour of believing that becomes So corruption concurs in the worke as the broken thigh or legge in the halting horse as halfe a tooth in eating not as a formal principle of motion Hence the influences of grace must be accommodate to our gracious actings that are mixt he is a meek Spirit who is willing to sigh in a Saint beside the body of sin which casts in something of our sinfull corruption to retard the work 2. In the same prayer the spirit and the flesh speak at once or by turnes Jer. 15. 15. prayes in the spirit O Lord thou knowest me remember me and visit me and revenge me of my persecuters take me not away in thy long-suffering know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke 16. Thy words weâ—e found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart But in the same prayer the spirit in his suspended influences as it were resting lies by and the flesh mixes in it self v. 18. Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed wilt thou be altogether to me as a lyar and as waters that fail Calvin saith we must distinguish betwixt the doctrine yea I adde the prayer that is from the spirit and the sinful complaint in the prayer from the flesh So Job complains spiritually 10. he acknowledgeth and adoreth the power of God which poured him out as milk and crudled him like cheese cloathed him with skin and flesh and fenced him with bones and sinews and gave him life and favour v. 9 10 11 12. Yet the flesh almost casts all down and makes him to lose his thanks v. 18. Wherefore hast thou saith he brought me forth out of the womb O that I had given up the ghost and no eye had seen me Compare Jobs sad complaint with his triumphing faith in looking through so many hundred years to his living Redeemer and Kinsman who shall stand the last man upon the earth v. 25 26. Then are we taught to difference betwixt influences from our sinful flesh and his holy Spirit and to beware of mixing our clay with the Lords pure fountain actings of his Spirit and not to adulterate and vitiate his wine with our rotten water It looked like the zeal of God in the disciples to desire to call for fire from heaven to burn the Samaritans old and young it was a cruel end merciless thing to refuse Christ and his disciples lodging O but saith Christ rebuking them Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Pray that God would rebuke the flesh while ye pray and try your own spirit and take heed to it 2. Rest not on a gift nor upon the literal stirring and bastard heat that comes from a gift or upon literal tears that often flow from a weakened fancy in prayer Esau both runs and was hot in his hunting for the blessing and sought the blessing with teares but there were here no influences of the spirit of grace Esau Heb. 12. was a prophane man Assert 7. It may be a child of God may be deluded in a particular thinking
p. 270 How men naturally complain of sin original 271 We do not so much as by strength of nature we may do and we adde to our own lameness and then we unjustly complain of God for our sinful impotencie ib. That spirit as the spirit lays no obligation on us but to move in Scriptural duties 276 No violence but from our selves hinders us to believe ib. God loves using of external means pro tanto ib. How far we may act to fetch the wind and to get influences ib. We are not to judge of our selves by occasional enlargednesse or deadning of the heart for the time cap. 9. p. 280 Enlargedness of heart and influences are near of kin 281 Branches of enlargedness of heart ib. Influences on the Angels and the glorified ones 283 Many straitned and dead ones reproved 284 Prayer begets holy dispositions to pray and heavenly dispositions to pray begets prayer and faith c. cap. 10. p. 287 Holy acts begets holy acts and holy dispositions beget holy dispositions ib. The Lord so frames his precepts and promises as our actings are suitably required to his influences 288 The differences of the 1. spiritual estate 2. of the temper 3. of the condition 289 What Davids present disposition was 291 The doubling of words noteth 1. certainty 2. addition of assurance 3. fieriness of affection ib. It s fit to make an eike to the holinesse of influences which the Lord offers to us 292 We may speak to God and professe in prayer the sincerity of our heart to God and the causes why 294 Its hard to guide well grace and glory so long as sin dwelleth in us ib. The Lords giving of grace layes bands on him to give more grace and to adde new influences to old 296 What a heart the repenting thief and what a heart Hezekiah brought out before the Lord in his dying ib. â— properties of holy dispositions 298 Dispositions spiritual are seeds of holy actings ib. Zeal bringeth forth holy actings 299 Heavenly dispositions are real helps to holy actings ib. Properties of heavenly dispositions to act under indispositions ib. A disposition counterworking a disposition 300 The spirit in an heavenly disposition at length prevaileth ib. 8 Pride and 9 Wordly mindedness hinder influences of grace lovelinesse and heavenly mindedness promote the same p. 362. c 10 Bastard zeal 11 Vncleanness 12 Malice 13 Wordly sorrow hinders the contrary graces promote influences p. 395 c. 14 Wordly and false joy 15 False love p. 398 c 16 Ignorance and hatred of the Gospel p. 400 17 Wrestling against providences obstruct the influences of God p. 402 God by his influences first acts and stirs by order of nature and in the same moment of time we act and stir without any violence p. 404 18 Heavenly and spiritual thoughts and considerations draw along heavenly influences as unclean thoughts do the contrary p. 405 Keep the oyl of the spirit clean if you would have heavenly influences to fall on the spirit p. 407 We are to act both morally and physically with the spirit p. 408 Prayers conclude not soveraignity ib Other impediments of influences from the mind will and affections p. 4. c. 4. p. 409 Heritical light ib A corrupt will p. 410 Hating of Christ and his grace obstruct influences p. 411 Diverse actings of the spirit in the Spouse sick of love for Christ hold forth influences the spirit as is cleared by the song of Solomon p. 412 Hating of Christ p. 414 The soul loathing of God ib The spirit gives no influences where there is no knowledg p. 415 Influences of the spirit are connatural to the spiritual man ib Sensuality and influence of the spirit are inconsistent ib Soul desires after God have sweet influences p. 416 Spiritual joy speak strong influences p. 417 Literal crying should not exceed the impulsion of the spirit within ib How hope and audacity hinder or promote influences p. 419 Moral acting cannot avail us whithout real influences of the spirit p. 420 Frequent acts of faith promote influences of the spirit ib Hope promotes influences p. 421 Sinful boldness obstructs influences ib Anger hindereth influences p. 422 How Elisha could not prophesie by reason of anger The influences of Musick therein ib A meek spirit is a fit work-house for influences of grace and high revelations instanced in Mosâ—s the man Christ John the beloved disciple p. 423 Horror and unbelieving fear an impediment of influences p. 425 Influences are considered two waies 1. Physically 2. Morally how men resisted the spirit p. 4. c. 5. p. 426 The Lord seeks not our consent to the first infusion of a new heart p. 427 We are married to Christ before we consent to be married p. 430 The Lord determines free will and doth no violence ib We are unexcusable in not doing our duty though the Lord deny his necessary influence p. 432 God acts in all both by the immediate influence of his power and of his person p. 433 The Lord most particularly leads his own p. 435 Two sort of causes one in fieri for the producing of and giving being to a thing another in facto esse for the preserving of the same in being God is both waies the cause of gracious actings ib. The right missing is to misse influences not of gifts and of common grace only but of special grace p. 436 A reprobate can no more miss the special guidance of the sanctifying spirit then a horse can miss the wings of an eagle that are not due to him ib Of the giving of the heart of God p. 437 We are more our own by law and less our own by Gospel ib Christ cares more for his own body then the members care for themselves p. 438 Christ care is rather now more when he is glorified then lesse ib. We vainly think that the habit of grace is given to be our justification and that as a dispensation from sin ib Inability to do without grace is pretented both by the lawless bankrupt and by the humble convert but for divers ends ib The unrenewed man would have come down to his way p. 343 There is a sad threatning against not using of outward means though no promise be made to the using of only outward means p. 344 The opposition made by hypocrites is only in the outward gate p. 345 Reprobates resist not the formal acts of regeneration p. 346 Mr. Baxters order of repentance p. 347 Doubts and reasons against Mr. Baxters new remedying law of grace made to all mankind p. 349 Vniversal redemption extols nature and free will and makes a moral season which heals not nature all the graces that the Gospel owns p. 352 The law teacheth but healeth not p. 357 Our formality in praying ib How nature beginneth and the spirit acteth on and with our literal acting p. 3. c. 14. p. 358 Some truth we must first physically hear and consider before we believe p. 359 Though it be true if the
faithfully acquit himself in the duty of his Office for by office he conferrs influences 2. It s to question his nature whether the Head shall inlive its members CHAP. IV. The necessity of influences of Grace Of the Soveraignty of God in dispensing influences IT is easie to determine that there is a sort of necessity of the Lords bestowing influences upon all natural causes of this before In so far as willing and nilling are acts of second causes in the same sphere with natural causes there seems to be no more reason for denying influences to nilling and willing simply yea or for literal hearing and praying then for plowing and sowing except that here God acts in a dreadful way of Justice toward Pharaoh and other reprobates in leaving them to the actings of their own heart only it may be said that God finding his child under deadness and acting in a dead and literal way as he hath bowels of compassion toward his chosen under the evil of sin that are ready to be drowned he joynes his help of influences seeing his own goe about duties with wrestling and pain since he knows some one way or other they must be over the water and helped otherwise they cannot stir 2. As there are some saving graces from the Mediator so must there be some mediatory influences bestowed covenant wayes upon the chosen of God But 1. Free goodness and not natural necessity made the world and that same freedome intervenes in continuing being and acting in creatures which act by nature Fire casteth heat the Sun light and influences the Sea ebeth and floweth by nature yet there must also be a free new commission sealed from eternity to every acting of nature he commandeth the Sun and it riseth not forbideth the fire to cast out heat and it obeyeth Job 9. 7. Heb. 11. 34. Dan. 3. 27. and it is an obliging and an indearing of the heart to God to come dayly under new debt and multiplied free gifts and it renews acts of love in us as fresh actings of salvation flow whether it be new deliverances Psal 18. 1 2 6 7. Psal 116. 1 2 3 4. or new acts of keeping faith from drying up in the fire 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. so as you being tried as gold verse 8. y◠love having not seen him 2. It extracts acts of praying sense of spiritual slownesse seems to pray Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run and sense of spiritual dulnesse Psal 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 3. Hence comes humble relying upon God when faith is put to believe that at every stirring of the members and at every lifting of the foot for a new step the head must stir in heaven and let down new influences of life and the bottles of Heaven and well of life must let down new flowings of rain every moment upon the withered garden if as much rain fell in one day as would suffice the earth for seven years and a man might eat so much at one meal as he should neither be hungry nor thirsty for five years there should not be such dayly dependance upon new influences for rain and dew dayly and for our dayly bread this day We can but 4. hence but believe the infinite wisedome of the Lord who well knows how to husband and steward his showres for in the man Christ they are continual John 8. 29. He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor dismissed me for I do always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that please him When ever we do what is displeasing to God the Father of Christ leaves us out of the depth of his soveraignty of dispensing influences Christ was never so morally deserted 1. As the Lord would have a falling law Adam to whom he denied influences that nature might be nature so he also would have a standing and never sinning-Adam that grace might appear to be grace 2. Upon supposition that the second Adam is God man it was impossible but the man Christ in all his actions moral should want influences or ever sin or be left alone of the Father but he must always do the thing that pleaseth the Father nor is there any murmuring to be against the dispensation of deepest wisdom why we have not at our pleasure influences of grace that we should never sin as the man Christ never sinned 3. Say we could see no reason the thing is notire the Lord acts in the first elect Angels that they never sin he denied in the first fall influences to the reprobate Angels and since the Lord hath condemned them and tied them with chains of darknesse that their whole actions except the acts of intellectual being and living and the acts of knowing believing desiring fearing c. in the substance of the act should be only moral and only sin in all the substantial circumstances John 8. 44. Satan was a man-slayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stood not in the truth being created in the first truth adhering to God 1 John 3. 8. the Divel sinned from the beginning hence he is called 1 Peter 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary party in law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may drink over So that though there be in men actions of the phansie as to claw the head rub the beard actions of the vegetative life to grow to age to decline in old age senescere pubescere adolescere that are under no Law and so no sins yet all Satans actions are moral these excepted of which we spoke and influences to moral actions granted to reprobate men as to gives alms to go and hear the word visit the sick and imprisoned are denied to Satan Some men are also 2. Reprobate to good works Tit. 1. 16. and cannot believe and here is soveraignty that God works in some vessels of mercy to will and to do not in others 3. As touching the measure of grace and the degrees of saving influences the Lord walketh in a latitude of freedome all men have not alike measure of saving grace and faith 4. His freedome shines in the work of conversion John Baptist is filled with the holy Ghost from the womb Luke 1. 15. but 2. the woman of Samaria Matthew Zachaeus Magdalen Abraham Saul go on in a wretched state of nature for some considerable tract of years and then are visited with influences of life and 3. the Thief that was crucified with Christ upon the Cross in his outgoing is converted and not till then except the soveraign liberty of God silence us no other reason can occur of these things to mans understanding 4. In the Saints this liberty is clear fewer falls in Joseph then in David and so he must be nearer to dayly influences to the one then the other So the Lord left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that
make use of it as he pleaseth but the saving acting of the Spirit is not in every mans power 3. The command is a Rule and Object of our Faith and gives me not strength to obey but the heavenly disposition and saving acting are not the object but the efficient cause which addeth strength to obey the command craves the debt its true its impossible to pray in faith without the acting of the Spirit it follows only that it s so impossible that we are also guilty and unexcusable in our virtual desiring that it may be so We are wounded but we love to shed our own bloud As also in the Regenerate there is never an utter withdrawing the habit of grace keeps the heart warm and loves to be blown upon and stirred even under actual ceasing of breathings Obj. 2. When there is an utter ceasing of the spirit it would appear that the spirit forbids us to lift at his work until the Spirit the only Master of work be there himself Ans One of the three is ever a work either the Father is waiting till the Son pray John 14. or the Son is commanding the breathings of the Spirit It is some casual work that the sinner is the passive object of the Spirit there is never an utter ceasing of the Spirit There are some habitual stirrings of the Seed of God under the ceasing of actual influence as the ripe Apple enclines to fall off the Tree when there is no shaking of it the Ship is a mending in the Shore when she sails not and if it were no more but one of the three is a working about a Child of God it s not to be despised For who knows the thoughts of Christ and his pleading in Heaven for such as suffer the evil of affliction for Christ And if a believer wrestle under deadnesse Christ much more is a work to help a more spiritual sufferer to wit one that is as it were a patient under sin and flesh and the withdrawing of God Obj. 3. There is no Commandment in the New Testament for the doing of half a Duty to wit to pray and not to pray in Faith and Fervour therefore we cannot be commanded to pray when the Spirit withdraws his influence without which the Duty of necessity must be lame and broken Ans It follows not for there is less of the Gospel in the command as a command for in either Law-command or in Gospel-precept the Lord commands whole and unbroken obedience and in it God seeks somewhat which he lost in Adam which we are obliged to doe and he is under no Law to give us grace to obey And as is said we are willing to want his help where the command should put us to a humble missing and mourning for our wants and a distrusting of our own strength and a weeping over our broken condition and a high prizing of our surety and his strength 2. It s a part of command that we go about the bulk or body of the duty and gather together the dry bones and wait humbly until he command the Wind and Spirit to blow on them and we sin in omitting of half a command Obj. 4. His yoak is easie and his Commandments are not grievous but if it be not in our power to pray when he withdraws his Commandments shall be unpossible and his yoak heavy Ans His command is easie by the grace of God and love of Christ the Wheels move sweetly when Grace and Love oyls the Soul and yet it no more hinders that we cannot pray when he withdraws then the burning of the Fire and the rising of the Sun which are works of Nature most easie and sweet are possible when the Lord forbids the Fire to burn and the Sun to rise his Gospel commands actu primo of themselves are sweet but under withdrawings hard and legal Obj. 5. Praying and seeking of God at set and fixed hours were not lawful For if we cannot pray but when the Spirit moves us we cannot say we shall pray at any hour for we cannot tie the Spirit 's joyning to our hours and again if we are to pray at any hour we please we use the habit of grace and supplication when and as we will as a Musitian may sing when he will or not sing Ans 1. We have not any question now about religious set hours such as the morning and evening Sacrifice or the three hours of prayer used by David Morning Evening and at Noon Psal 55. 17. and Daniel chap. 6. 10 11. Acts 3. 1. Acts 10. 3 9 10. and the godly Jews for by no divine Precept are we tied to such hours Papists abuse the Scripture to Canonick hours But in Christian prudence we may fix a time to reading praying conferring on the Word and to other sacred duties yet do we not tie the Spirit 's joyning to our hour the man Christ set a night apart for praying and so did Jacob for wrestling by tears with the great Angel Genes 32. 24. Hos 12. 3 4. without limitting the Spirit in his influences to any time nor yet will it follow that we use the habit or spirit of grace and supplication when we will for sanctified will is to set the time and to actuate it self by the habit of grace And the same Argument shall conclude that the Husbandman who sets a time for plowing and sowing must limit the Lord to joyn his influences For except the Lord build the house they labour in vain who build it though they set days to the hired Masons Except the Lord keep the City the Watch-man watcheth but in vain though times be set to the hired Watchers It s in vain to rise up early Psal 127. 1 2. and it s as impossible to plow build watch rise early without the common influence of God the first cause as it is to pray in Faith without the special breathing of the Spirit of grace Yet Libertines and Antinomians will not say that they sin in setting a time for building plowing watching these seem considerable about hours of praying 1. Though we fix an hour it becomes Faith to await the Angels moving of the water and when the Lord adds his influences to step in and joyn our strength cheerfully and with humble praises to him who draws 2. When there is a bentness of heart such a day or such a fixed hour to pray build not too much upon the appointment and promises of our own heart to say to morrow I le do wonders by prayer remove mountains 1. It s good here as in a purpose of going to a City to continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain to say in a trembling subordination to God as James counselleth chap. 4. 13 15. If the Lord will we shall live so to say if the holy soveraignty of grace breath fairly and strongly I le do well in praying yet not I but his grace and if the wind of
I say not inherently or personally for Christ's satisfaction is not a meer dying nor meer suffering for beasts may die and suffer much But such a dying and such a suffering for 1. Christ's dying and satisfying hath an excellency from the subject God-man who dyed Act. 20. 28. 2. It hath an excellent qualification from the patience submission willingness of God-man the like wherof could be in no simple Man in no Angel in no Creature for the personal influence of God was in him his obedience As for the damned in Hell their satisfaction is of another nature different from Christ's is only satispassion and pure torment not holy willing suffering as the Law requires sinless sufferings as contradistinguished from active obedience How be it the Law moral doth require patient and submissive suffering without dispairing or blaspheming in any reasonable Creature for the holy Law cannot but condemn sin and blasphemy adhering either to our acting or suffering Nor 6. Let it be said to the undervaluing of the righteousness of God through faith that inherent righteousness is the full end of Christ's bloud when in the state of glory there shal be no more pardoning of sin but perfect inherent holiness For 1. that inherent holiness in the estate of glory is not perfect legal holiness nor the formal cause of our justification in glory because all the glorified once sinned and so for eternity are such as have violated the Law 2. Our righteousness from the time forward shall not only be inherent for the righteousness of God is an everlasting righteousness Dan. 9. 24. and how that robe of Christ's surety-righteousness shall in the state of glory be laid by as an old useless garment and the robe of inherent righteousness in lieu of it put on for ever The Scripture does not speak What men without Scripture speak we care not 3. Nor is our inherent righteousness only either the adequate end of Christ's bloud or of faith and labours as if God intended as his only end to make us eternally Law-righteous whereas he shall eternally delight in us and lead us in glory as those that are freely redeemed in the bloud of the Lamb for the Lamb shall be the everlasting righteousness of all crowned with glory Rev. 4. 8 9 10. Rev. 5. 11 12 13. Rev. 7. 14 15 16. 3. Soveraignty challengeth submission to the will of God in doing and in suffering because it is his obliging will we fail not a little in the former when we pray because the Mast of the Ship is broken and death is at the bedside and we hear the Word because it is the fashion and abstain from fornication and from other works of darkness and put on a sort of holiness not because it is the will of God even our sanctification as for eating drinking sleeping waking they are spiritually minded who doe not these things for nature and lust but as wel-pleasing to the Lord and find a convincing and perswading reason in the holy commanding will of the Soveraign Lord why they ought to be done upon a spiritual account and the other is no less spiritual for many are sick and die many are poor and persecuted for weldoing because they cannot chuse but so it must be not because as Peter saith 1 Pet. 3 17. So is the well of God in a spiritual account to them for when holy Soveraignty hath laid on the necessity of dying of sickness and pain and a gracious spirit shall close with that this is spiritual patience 4. Because the Lord hath a dominion over second causes and as it were a strong lock upon all Creatures to open and sâ—ut at his pleasure and he puts a seal upon Sun and Stars Job 9. 7 8 9. that they cease and shine or shine not or go down we are to put our Amen and Seal to Soveraignties decrees I rise early and there is no bread ah Lord I lay in a soft bed and there is no sleep in the night but pain Say Amen Lord the Fig-tree blossoms not this year yet I will rejoyce in the Lord Hab. 3. 16 17. Soveraignty hath so appointed there is nothing but rolling of garments in bloud and captivity and spoils yet pray thy will be done in the Earth as it is done in the Heaven CHAP. VIII Divers Particulars in which Soveraignty appears 1. SOveraignty and the glorious liberty of God appears in 1. His Decrees 2. The Works of God especially 1. Of Creation 2. Of common Providence 3. Works of more special Providence 1. Works of Justice 2. Works of Free-grace The Soveraignty of his Decrees is 1. In these two solemn and celebrious Decrees of Election and Reprobation He loved Jacob and hated Esau before ever the children had done good or evil Rom. 9. this is a humbling thought to clay graciously disposed which dare not contradict the Soveraign potter The Lord might have appointed my chair before the Throne and my eternal crown to Judas and to Pharaoh and the same Lord might so have ordered as the furnace of the traitor Judas in Hell should have been my furnace in Hell 2. O what depth of love did the King chuse me or did he once name my name and write me for life eternal This is a hardning thought in the fallen Angels and reprobate men that they strive against and hate the providence permitting their fall and sin but doe neither strive against nor hate their permitted fall and sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why doth he yet notwithstanding of his irresistible Decree find fault with our sin why doth he not blame his own Decree who hath resisted his will a graceless soul will flee upon eternal Decrees and Events that belong to God but is never humbled for sin and remission of duties The gracious soul is much upon these thoughts O the freedome of the eternal emanations of free grace and the depth of the outgoings of Soveraign justice and does mournfully complain of its own sinful actings Psal 51. 1 2 3 4 5. we are to say Amen to his way Soveraignty is not our Rule clay is not to watch over the Lord's acts of holy Soveraignty but in point of submitting to the opened and revealed Decrees but is to eye the rule watch over the heart in point of duties 2. All things to be and never to be are written in his book Psal 139. 16. the number of David's members all the hairs of the head are numbred Matth. 10. 30. all the piles of dust and sand all the drops of dew rain hail snow all the drops of the sea rivers lakes fountains of the Earth Isa 40. 12. Pro. 30. 4. all the ounces and dram weights of the hills and mountains are exactly weighed as in ballances and numbred by holy Soveraignty all the blasts of wind gathered in his fists Prov. 30. 4. he knows how many inches and spans are in the Earth from East to West and in the compass and circle of
cannot be so strictly said that there is the tie and band of a proper condition lying upon the father though it doth lie upon the son And however the ways of the holy Lord be equal yet are they far above our ways and we are to be silenced at the bottomless depth of holy Soveraignty he lays obligations to duties upon us and is free from the debt of paying or bestowing the sum of gracious influences without which we willingly cannot perform these duties upon us and he may justly crave what we cannot pay when our impotency to pay is both our own and also goes along with our elective free chusing and hearty willingness and rejoycing not to pay and to want the sum which only the Lord can of free grace give us O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Rom. 11. 33. To this head also I refer 4. That Soveraignty which hath place in chusing and calling Nations as Israel because he freely loves Deut 7. 7. Israel and their seed not other Nations Deut. 10. 7. he saith preach to Macedonia not to Bithynia and though afterward the Gospel came to Bithynia many deservedly perished old and young ere it came 5. It is admirable Soveraignty how many thousand possible plagues and evils he holds off such as millions of pests and diseases of Egypt and evil beasts Deut. 7. 15. Lev. 26. 6. why the Bones of Christ are not broken why a Dog stirs not a tongue against Israel why one only World not athousand worlds were created he appoints how long what number of minuts hours or years his own shall be in the Furnace the Lord stands beside as Master of the work eyes the melting what quantity of Hony or of Gall shal be in the Cup how many hours ye shall weep how many days or hours the Candle of the Almighty shall shine on your Tabernacle Then be humble when he shines and submissive at the time and measure of sufferings the evils that are holden off us before in their causes they be prepared when we know not should teach us to adore Soveraignty A friend that takes our defence when we are absent and an Advocate who answers for the sick and far distant client and not knowing that his cause is called and debated yea for an heir sucking the Breasts does call for much love and esteem Christ's care shines for Peter and the winnowed believers when he prays and intercedes that their faith fail not when they know not any such thing for a hid love moves much The Lord fences us we not knowing any such thing from drowning and our children in floods deep wells from burning quick from a Hell of torment in every tooth finger bone sinew artery lith member of the body of our selves of father mother son daughter and from spoyling captivity imprisonment gravels guts botches convulsions palsies possessions by Divels madness terror and agony of mind as many children drowned be not quick killed in the womb and perished in the first world and hundreds and millions of the like possible destructions are decreed to pass by me and you and do fall upon others by holy Soveraignties appointment 6. The due timing of the worlds Creation and of all things of time is from admirable Soveraignty why the world had not being ten thousand millions of imaginary ages sooner or so many ages later and from whence came this In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth is a depth of Soveraignty its wonderful Angels and souls of Men are created eternal time cannot wast them the body of man though a creature drawn out of the same nothing is not so There is a Plant that grows a year only there is a Flower that smiles a moneth another three moneths some Roses are green in March some in May some in June only and there is a Tree that grows an hundred years The like disparity there is of the life of Beasts and Birds He hath appointed a time for every purpose under Heaven a time to be born a time to die and accordingly are there several outgoings and influences of the Lord. As 1. He will not have all the four Monarchies flourish at once in there rose and bloom but one to be greater another lesser as all Rivers are not alike nor can all Conquerors be victors at one time 2. The Lord lands some children after three moneths sucking laughing weeping others live some days in the Womb and the Womb is their grave yet often eternity is a recompence for want of time and that is Gold for Iron and Copper others sail fourscore and a hundred years and never find a gracious harbour We fret because the wicked live long and prosper because we forget that Soveraignty hath determined how many hours wicked men shall laugh how many talents or stone weights of the Earth they shall have and because the Bride weeps when shall the night be gone and the day dawn and the King come there is a sort of account rendred of this by John who had been prophecying of all the Vials of wrath to be poured on the Earth especially under the Anti-Christs reign Behold he comes quickly Rev. 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. We complain of circumstances which are well timed by infinite wisedone should sickness and botches come upon Job when poverty had gone before Doth the Lord give an account of the substance or of the circumstances of his actions Job 33. 11. this ounce of Gall must be in or nothing the Child must be drowned in a Fountain and River when there are none to help Job was absent when God laid the corner stone of the Earth 4. The Lord times his actions of deliverance well when our strength is gone Deut. 32. 36. Gal. 4. 4. Exod. 12. 42. Jer. 29. 10. but we do badly time our sins They tempted him and provoked him but when at the red Sea and in the Wilderness Psal 78. 17. Exod. 14. Psal 106. 7. It was untimous sinning in such straits when their very moneth was come so as they could not fly from his hand CHAP. IX Of the Soveraignty of God in the works of Creation and Providence in other considerations 1. IN regard of the Lord's manner of working 2. And of his end of working 3. And of his omnipotent arm 4. Of his holiness he could not in greater wisedom have created things for nothing can be added to infinite wisedom and goodness so infinitenesse was at the creating of a worm as at the creating of the Angel Gabriel but in regard of things created he could have made a more perfect world then this and the Angel-nature mans nature the Sun Birds Beasts of more excellency as touching perfection both of nature and accidents then these that now are But here Soveraignty hath place 2. The foot should not complain why made he not me the head
they were born There is a temper of solid walkers by faith enjoying much peace yet not acquainted with great Spring-tydes nor with extreme low ebbs of the outlettings of the holy Ghost I speak not of Moses as a Prophet who saw God and whom the Lord knew face to face Deut 34. 10. 3. Some are led through fewer slips and fals as John the disciple who leaned on Jesus bosome excepting his fall of Angel-worship and some other few he seems not to be so high bended as Peter who in Satans place disswaded Christ from the working of our Redemption denyed the Lord with cursing did fouly Judaize Gal. 2. 4. And it were hard to make all the Prophets of Jonah's mould whose fear to preach to great Niniveh was extreme and yet his courage of faith and patience to be cast in the Sea with his own advise and consent was as great and his cruel selfishness to desire that all Niniveh old and young should be destroyed rather then his prophetical honour should be darkned in the least shews what a piece of man he was and his justifying his anger against God for a blast of wind on his head and the withering of a poor herb a gourd do all hold forth that God leads some in a way of influences beside the rest O how is our meek Lord troubled and to speak so cumbred to bear all our manners sinful tempers and humours 5. Nor are all Saints of the altitude of Elias his zeal a man much and wholly for God and fervent in prayer yet he seems to challenge more zeal to himself for the slain Prophets digged down Altars broken Covenant then was in the holy Lord himself and so prays that God would take away his life as if he were the last man of the true Church of God living on Earth and yet we read in all his sufferings no apprehension of the anger and indignation of God such as was in others 6. None are so trailed through Hell and fiery indignation as Job David Jeremiah Heman there appear in them some habitual mistakes of the love of God or rather because sinful acquired habits are scarcely to be found in the renewed more fixed inclinations to apprehend wrathfulness and Law-dispensation in God and few are led this way and the outlettings of influences of grace must be various here 7. Neither should it be strange if we might place Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and others in a seventh class who had their own complainings One saying my leanness my leanness another fasting and walking in sackcloth for the sanctuaries desolation and yet most submissive to the holy dispensations of God In all which another mans compasse is not our rule of sayling nor is the Lord 's various dispensation to his children which is ordered by his decree and will of pleasure not by his commanding and approving will the Scripture rule that we are to follow in looking after Influences Every one would submit to be ordered of God he hath almost a various way of leading his own if the same compleat ransome the same Promises the same Guide and Steersman to Heaven be mine and the same hope of glory yet the manifestations of God the love visits the influences of grace are hardly the same It s then a faulty ground of some never one was like me none of my condition in the world since the Creation Every one thinks their own hell on earth the only hell 2. Nor should Christians be unwilling to know the spiritual condition one of another you may fall upon some in your very course and kind It s like David Psal 71. 7. Heman Psal 88. 15. the suffering Church Lam. 1. 12. Psal 102. 6 7. Elias 1 King 19. 10. Isaiah and Christ and the children of Christ who were wonders and signs Isa 8. 18. Heb. 2. 13. who were there alone as worlds wonders might judge themselves like no other though the man Christ could not mistake his own spiritual estate as to their case spiritual and God's dispensation towards them 8. The Soveraignty of God's dealing with consciences in the Old and in the New Testament is to be observed It is not 1. To be denyed but the desertions under the Law in some respect were more fiery and legal the typical dimness and darkness made them to see less love and more Law and lesse of Christ the seat of mercy and more of the curse and of wrath as the night darkness renders spirits and dreadful things more terrible 2. It was the purpose of God to awe generally that people more with Law-fear and bondage then his people under the New Testament But it is a wicked doctrine of some Anabaptists and others that all desertions are under the N. Testament cried down and gone and it is our legal mistake say they that works trouble of conscience under the N. Testament and an exercise of such as are under the Covenant of works though it may be said law-sorrow pursued these of the Old Testament but the Saints now are less passive and more active in pursuing sorrow according to God yet in another respect because of greatness of light and Gospel experiences and a higher measure of illuminations and spiritual presence in more abundance is promised and prophecied As that all shall be taught of God the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Isa 54. 11 12 13. Isa 11. 6 9. Ezec. 36. 26 27. Isa 44. 1 2 3 4. Joel 2. 28. Zech. 12. 10. under the New Testament therefore the desertion is the sadder Thirst near to the fountain is more intollerable so we read not in the N. Testament of one like unto Job chap. 3. c. 6. c. 16. c. 19 nor of such as David Psal 6. Psal 38. nor of Heman Psal 88. nor of the Church Psal 77. Psal 102. yet is there nothing harder then that of Paul 2 Cor. 1. we cannot say whether it was his persecution at Ephesus or some great sickness yet it is a most sad tryal ver 8. 9. 1. We was pressed out of measure 2. Above strength 3. In so much that we dispaired even of life 4. But we had the sentence of death in our selves and what ever be the kind for even Christ had so much the more sorrow at the withdrawing influences of the comforts that immediately flowed from the God-head personally united and this was Christ's hell in part therefore we are to look upon desertions in the song of Solomon as prophetical and relating to the desertions in the New Testament in the which the rise of the grief is not so much from the apprehension of sin legally tormenting as from the sense of the want of the sweet comforting presence of God and of the wel-beloved Christ yet there is as much in that of pain as in
thou wilt not let them goe Deut. 32. 6. Doe ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Psal 95. 10. Forty years long have I been grieved with this generation it 's a people that do erre in heart they have not known my wayes So saith Elias to Ahab 1 King 21. 20. Thou hast sold thy self to work evil in the sight of the Lord. Psal 4. 2. O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame how long will ye follow vanity and seek leasing Psal 58. 4. They are like the deaf adder which stoppeth her eare 5. which will not hearken to the voice of the charmer And because we are ready to excuse our selves from our impotencie the holy Ghost beares this upon them as a charge Jerem. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye do good that are accustomed to do evil 2 Pet. 2. 14. Having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease to sin Deut. 29. 2 3. 3. Threatnings and curses are charged upon every one who abides not in all that is written in the book of the Law to do it Deut. 27. 26. And yet it 's beyond controversie that no flesh can keep the Law so as it requires else Jesus Christ died in vain Gal. 3. See Deut. 28. 4. We are not freed from an obligation to obey and run even we who are renewed in the spirit of our mind because the Lord drawes not For charges and commands are layed upon us under indispositions yea the Lord speaks to such as lived in suffering times who could not choose but they must be in much heavinesse Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes again I say rejoyce So speaks he to weak ones Eph. 6. 10. My brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might So speakes Christ to fainting John when in a swoon he could not command himself Rev. 1. 17. Fear not I am the first and the last And to the perishing disciples Mat. 8. 26. Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith And the mourner is most indisposed to believe Isa 50. 10. He that walkes in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay on his God We are bidden be upon the wing and ready though we be dumpish and indisposed 1 Thess 5. 17. To obey that pray without ceasing in all things give thanks Yea under all contrary dispositions and habits of unbelief we are to act Isa 41. 14. Fear not worm Jacob. 2. Our very graves owe living to God our sinful deadness ought to yield to Christ living in us our heaviness ows rejoycing to him as the night is to remove at the dawning of the day and the cloud is to dis-appear and vanish at the out-breaking of the Sun-light 3. We are to pray under deadnesse as David doth Psal 119. Quicken me in thy way quicken me in thy righteousness quicken me according to thy word c. v. 37 40 88 107 156 159. Deadnesse when David had much of the fulnesse of God hath been creeping on seven times and he seven times prays for quickening like one that is every hour in a swoon out of one swoon he falls in another he makes signs to such as are neer by to be comforted with wine and apples as the Spouse Cant. 2. 5. And therefore this is but a childish shift I am dead and indisposed and therefore will not pray nor believe nor hear nor goe about any such duties Because you are dead and indisposed are you therefore lawlesse and freed of all debt of duties which are imposed by either the Law of God or 2. the constraining love of Christ or 3. bonds and ties laid on you by the free grace of Christ and the state you are in being now translated from death to life Object I le goe about duties when I am free and spiritually disposed Answ 1. What warrant from the Word to delay duties that by present obligation of the Law of God are to be done while it is to day lest hardness of heart come on 2. What assurance can any man have tomorrow or the next hour more then the present hour when deadnesse is on that he shall be master of the Spirits breathing on him to fetch spiritual dispositions Now omission of praying and of other duties is a hainous sin Can sin be a hire to purchase or buy the breathings of the Holy Ghost Did ever man get sweet accesse to God through the Mediator Christ in prayer who delayes praying because he wants a praying disposition And can the Lord welcome in the Mediator Christ the man who fathers the sinful omission of prayer and other duties upon the holy Spirit of God Loose Professors delay their repentance upon this when they are old and a dying they shall be more fit for repentance 3. An indisposition to pray is a great affliction to a godly soul and the so afflicted is to pray to remove that indisposition and to seek in prayer a spiritual disposition to pray and that pray continually is not pray only when a spiritual disposition to pray is on for that should be far from praying continually and that Psal 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble suffereth no such exception Pray to me in trouble but not except ye be spiritually disposed For it hath this good sense call and pray in the day of trouble and in the hour when the spirit is under the soul-trouble of desertion and indisposition and when the Lord hides his face and shines not So the want of a spiritual disposition is the frowning of God upon the soul and it 's an ungracious heart which will not pray when the Spirit in his shining influences withdraws And therefore 4. It 's not the Spirit of the Lord but the spirit of Satan which suggests any such carnal arguing I have no heavenly disposition for the present therefore I will not pray for the Spirit of the Lord quickens men to duties and that is known to be a spirit from hell that weakens men in praying or in any duties CHAP. V. Influences of grace are due to the Saints by promise 2. Some are plagued with plenty of means 3. The scope of the place Deut. 29. 3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen c. opened 4. The nature of the Lord's promise of influences 5. The efficient causes of influences from the Father and from the Son influences on the Man Christ 6. Influences from the Father how they are ours 7. Influences from the Son Christ which are promised to us how they are ours THere is another way of fetching influences of grace when we carefully use former grace as our Saviour saith to him that hath shall be given And so grace shall bring more grace Sowen wheat brings forth more wheat Psal 119. 1. Blessed are they that walk in the law of the Lord they shall doe no
rejoyce and blossome as a rose 5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deaf shall be unstopped 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desart 7. And the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of waters in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes And that all this is a prophecie of showres of influences of grace upon the holy people under the New Testament is clear v. 8. And an high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the way faring men though fools shall not erre therein 9. No lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall goe up thereupon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there Were all the stones and rocks of a a Land turned into gold it should prove that the Sun had most strong influences on that land The stony hearts under the New Testament are changed into new hearts Ezek. 36. 26. and a people of hard mettal of iron and stone transformed into precious stones Carbuncles Agats Saphires and that made true All thy children shall be taught of God Isa 55. 11 12. This doth evince that the influences of God shall be mighty in those who believe under the New Testament even the exceeding greatness of his power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places Such things say that such as live under the Gospel would say what a change is made in them The Gospel finds you stones and iron and leaves you stones and iron O but that is sweet Christ found me clay and now I am gold as the man John 9. 25. One thing I know that where I was blind now I see 1 Tim. 1. 13. Once I was a blasphemer a persecutor an injurious person but I obtained mercy Ah it 's a hard condition born an heir of wrath dying worse then an heir of wrath for sin original and the habit of wickedness was but a little brook when the reprobate man was born but when he dies it 's a mighty river and a great sea What hath the Gospel done to you It 's more then the power of the Sun it 's a strong influence of God the first cause that makes clay gold and common earth silver and copper and brass Many cannot tell where Christ found them and where they are now 2. If there be such summer-showres of heavenly influences under Christ how is our fleece dry And many are rained upon green and the bones flourishing like an herb and a lilly and thou art dry This is not seen prophaneness is exceeding prophane and is twice yea seven times prophaneness under Gospel-influences The Gospel-devil is fiercer and more a devil to speak so then the Indian devil O but the Gospel makes a sad eik to wickedness Gospel-swearing Gospel-whoring Gospel-drunkenness are worse then Sodoms filthiness Matth. 10. 15. There is an unperceived vengeance that cleaves to every Judas the man who is long in Christs company and sees and heares what Christ does and what he sayes his traitory is twice yea seven times traitory Spilt and rotten wine is a worse liquor then fountain-water some water is better then some wine 3. How blessed then is that this man and this man was born in Sion To be born and dwell in a Land where Christ dwells speaks mercy To be a plant of a young Vine where the garden of red wine is must be a mercy to be a plot of ground that Christ plows to be a branch that the Father of Christ purges that it may bring forth more fruit is an incomparable mercy You might have been born in China in America in Brasilia where Satan dwels but ye were born in a land of Vine-trees and Olive-trees To be born in the Church though men despise it and in covenant with God and to be baptized is to be born in Paradise in the borders of heaven for there is the Gospel and the Prince who both can promise and give Heaven 6. Divis Some are influences for the habit others for the act of grace Influences for the habit as Isa 44. 3. I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring A land that raines showres of rain and milk and raines down showres of glory and grace must be the glory of all lands and it must needs be an excellent and a glorious Sun that shines upon that land 2. There are influences for heavenly dispositions Christ speaks and opens the Scriptures to them and their hearts burn within them Luke 24. 32. Every word of Christ casts in a fiery coal of love Every fitting down under the Apple-tree brings sweetness he hath influences by which he brings on love-sickness Cant. 5. 7 8. Christ casteth in a praying disposition on Saul Behold he prayes Acts 8. and casts in a mourning disposition on the woman that washed his feet with teares and a disposition of love she loved much so she weeped over Christs feet and kissed them and wiped them with the hair of her head He cast in a hearing disposition in Mary Luke 10. A love-sickness after Christ in the Spouse Cant. 2. a mourning disposition on Peter he weeps bitterly 3. There are influences by which Christ acts in us and the spirit acts in us to will and to doe Phil. 2. 13. and the spirit groanes and prayes in the Saints Rom. 8. 26. Christ by his influences makes some one new work or other what he hath done in you Are ye a dry Eunuch and the heath in the wilderness and are ye the dried up fig-tree and withered up by the root neither leaves nor fruit God will blast brambles and cast them over the hedge and deny Sun and rain to them Some there be on whom Christ never acted as Christ they are in the shadow all their life and never saw nor felt the Sun 7. Divis There be some influences proper to the head Christ some peculiar to the members O what rare actings upon the Son Psal 45. 2. Grace is poured in thy lips v. 7. God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness Isa 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclame liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound 2. To proclame the acceptable year of the Lord. In which words are holden forth the influences of the Lord in their fulness the anointing of the spirit of the
the disposition of the heart see what hearts ye can bring out before the Lord its true the repenting thief could not as Hezekiah say Lord I have walked before thee with a perfect heart or as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith yet the crown is laid for love and such as love his appearance though all cannot wind up to be such fighting souldiers as Paul was the repenting thiefs flock was small his race short yet what he wanted of inherent grace that Hezekiah and Paul had he had it of free righteousness and Christ crucified was the gloriation of both David brings not out his fixed heart in his extream danger as building his peace on it the influence of works on justification and peace is not causative no more then the poor bride can say she hath put a debt upon the bride-groom to love her with marriage love because she wears his golden chains his bracelets and jewels it s the bridegrooms comliness that he puts upon her nor can roses and lillies say our Creator is our debtor oweth us love because we are subjects bearing his colours smell vertue and beauty of the Creator What would the rose be if the Creator should take all from it he gave to it We know such a rock to be covered with water therefore its full sea here is smoke therefore here is fire And ah what a heart in death can the unrenewed man bring forth before the Lord except he say Lord I was never in Christ Lord I never wept for sin Lord I never did a good work for Christ but all for my self Lord I prophesied in thy name but I was never born again but hated all those that were born again 2. How strongly may the believer argue who hath any heavenly fixedness of heart or any thing of Christ in him It s a sort of holy obligation with reverence that he shall bring forth to acting all his own holy dispositions it speaks an ingaging of holy unchangeableness that he shall perfect the good work he hath begun but be not ye lazy and do not ye sleep and say God shall do of all his grace that is a strong argument that the man who habitually uses such logick hath nothing to do with Christ Ah the Spirit will do whether I will or not and in the mean time thou livest a sensual beast know that thou but foments lies of the holy Ghost Jude puts these two together v. 19. sensual not having the Spirit and before v. 8. Likewise all these filthy dreamers defile the flesh dreaming and filthiness are conjoyned Men dream the influences of grace shall go along with their dispositions for good and they are but natural dispositions at the best and the Lord never said he would perfect nature and finish works of nature that are begun in swinish dreamers woful secure dreaming destroys external professors men will not awake neither are they afraid of that condition but a trembling professor is the surest and safest professor Verse 7. I will sing and give praise V. 8. Awake my glory awake psaltery The fourth point in the text tells us what this fixedness of heart produced in David I will sing so we are led to the rest of the characters and properties of the heavenly disposition of fixedness for it brought forth holy actings as singing of praise and awaking of his gift and grace which flow from holy dispositions hence the second property of holy dispositions 1. Once grace brings forth another and so holy dispositions holy actings faith and trusting in God brings forth claiming of God as the mans own Psalm 16. 1. In thee do I put my trust Hence v. 2. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord. The disposition of believing brings forth speaking Psalm 116. 10. I believed therefore I spake 2. A disposition of loving God brings forth praying Psalm 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength 3. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised Hannah Jonah Hezekiah David the afflicted soul Psalm 102. graciously sad and heavy pray and call on God in that case 3. The disposition of felt mercy brings forth praises Psal 30. 5. O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave v. 3. Hence that Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness 4. David's joyful disposition to glory in the Lord brings forth his dancing before the Ark with all his might and his constancy therein to be yet more vile before the Lord what ever Michol said to the contrary and this is most sutable to the nature of heavenly dispositions motion comes kindly from the wheels when they are oyled the heavenly dispositions oyles and anoints the soul and renders the powers more active as they anointed wrestlers of old to make them more nimble and active in wrestling 2. The very intention apointment of God speaks so much God hath ordained heavenly dispositions for heavenly actings as he hath appointed the plant to be a tree the seed to be growing corn bread the Lord sends a praying disposition on David as a seed of praying a praising disposition that he must rise at midnight and praise Psalm 119. 62. and prevent the dawning and the night-watches to cry and pray v. 147 148. And an hoping disposition on Job that when he is dead bones lying in a bed he must profess his perswasion to see his living Redeemer stand the last man on the earth and desires his words were printed in a book and graven with a pen of iron and lead in the rock for ever Job 19. 24 25 26 27. And dispositions on Elihu to plead for the Lords Soveraignty so as if he should hold his tongue he should give up the ghost his belly should burst like new wine-bottles Job 32. 19. And Job must plead for God and for his own integrity that he was not an hypocrite as his friends slanderously said his disposition pressing him so as he saith Job 13. 19. Who is he that will plead with me for now if I hold my tongue I shall give up the ghost And the Lord gives such a disposition of zeal for God to Moses though he was a man of a meek disposition that he breaks the two Tables of stone containing the written law when he heard of the peoples worshipping of the golden calfe and such a heavenly self-denying disposition to prophecie on Jacob that in his testament he curses his two sons Simeon and Levi for their unjust anger against the Sichemites and there is such an impression of zeal and a feaver against Idolatry on Pauls spirit at Athens Acts 17. that he must dispute against their false gods Nor are we to think that holy dispositions are but as sailes to the ship and wings to the bird which adde no strength to the
young should it not be ill with the health of many Some cures are worse then the diseases there is a sickly and unnatural thirst on some persons sick of a feaver it would be ill with them if either abundance of wine or a fountain of water were at their bed-side the choise and elective faculty of the sick mans mind is often as sick as his body Let me not then be my own comforter but let the Spirit of infinite wisedome enjoy his own office and be the other comforter whom the Father sends in Christs name Q. May not such as are sick of love pray for sense and comfort Answ There are some relative mercies that the Saints may pray for and if they be denied praise and blesse the Lord for the denial of them because we often pray for sense comfort full assurance not as they are acts of gracious duties which were good but as they are taking and alluring rewards and wages before we doe our work Q. 2. Is not languishing pain in love-sickness after Christ an evil to be prayed against Answ No question we may pray against swooning and fainting of the life of God and may pray for the contrary comfort but with submission to infinite wisedom Some diseases are so diseases as some fluxes and some fevers as they are also medicinal helps of health and healthy and lively diseases The Lord and nature under the Lord gives excellent medicine who knows but Hezekiah's running botch which was otherwise deadly was a natural help to his fifteen yeares health and life which followed Look not on the holy Lord when he is acting as a Physitian as if he were acting as a Judge Want with good will the sense and comfort that the Lord would have you want in his infinite wisedome Obj. But whatever we pray for we are to pray for it with submission and a reserve to holy soveraignty as well as we are to pray for sense and comfort Answ It is a doubt and a great one whether with alike submission we are to pray for that which is bonum honestum and a gracious duty as we are to pray for bonum jucundum that which is pleasant or the reward of a duty Hence the question Whether it be lawful to pray for saving influences of grace and how far whether conditionally or absolutely Hence the first Assertion Assert 1. Whatever the clay suites from the potter it should be suited 1. With that general submission or rather subjection which all creatures as creatures owe to their Creator Hence the clay cannot contradict the potter though but a sinful man and say why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9. 20. 2. A negative submission is far required as the contrary to wit a chiding and contending with the Lord in any case whether he give or deny influences is unlawful it 's sin to reply on the contrary to judge or misjudge God v. 20. Isa 45. 9. Woe to him that strives with his Maker See the word in the Hebrew Assert 2. It is most lawful to seek influences of grace for duties at all times 1. The Saints doe pray for influences Psalm 119. 25. Quicken me according to thy word 27. Make me understand the way of thy precepts 29. Grant me thy law graciously 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 35. Make me to goe in the paths of thy commandements Cant. 1. 4. Draw me 2. We may pray that God would withdraw his influences from sinful actings Psalm 119. 29. Remove from me the way of lying Psalm 141. 4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity Matth. 6. 13. Lead us not into temptation 3. Influences to will and to doe are promised in the covenant of grace Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 32. 39 40. Ezek. 36. 27. and so doth Christ promise the Spirit and his teaching John 14. 26. convincing John 16. 7. guiding v. 13. Then we may suit from God what he promises to give 4. Our will is to be conform to the holy will of God in his law Rom. 12. 2. 1 Thess 4. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Then may we seek necessary helps for these actings 5. Christ commends praying for the Spirit Luke 11. 13. Matth. 6. 9. John 16. 23. and James is clear in it Jam. 16. 6. and therefore he commands also praying for the saving operations of the Spirit and his influences Assert 3. There is a two-fold contradicting of the Lords will One by way of replying striving and challenging the Lord as doing unequally This is condemned in the cited places Rom. 9. 10. Isa 45. 9. There is another humble contradicting in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 26 27. In wrestling Jacob when the Lord sayes Let me goe Gen. 32. 26. In Moses interceding Exod. 32. 10 11 12. Yea when Christ commands the disciples to watch and in order to watching citeth the Prophecie of Zechariah c. 13. who foretold that the flock should be scattered and that they should sinfully forsake and deny their Master he also charges them to contradict that permissive will and decree of God by which it was ordained that the Lord shall withdraw his influences from Peter and the rest of the disciples that their sinful weaknesse might appear therefore suppose the Lord say it 's my decree and will to deny influences of grace to us in such particular actings it 's the Lords mind that we should humbly contradict that holy will and desire and pray in the contrary nor can the Lord command the reasonable creature to will or not to desire saving grace for so the holy Lord should command sin yea to desire and pray for grace is our duty commanded in the Law and by Christ Matth. 6. 12 13. Luke 11. 13. even when we pray that the Lords name may be hallowed his kingdome come and his will to be done by us and others cheerfully Matth. 6. 9 10 11 12. we desire to be kept from sin and to have grace in all things to obey the Lord though we know that he denies his saving influences to us and to many others Assert 4. With this holy contradicting of the Lord will is conjoyned an humble submitting to the Lords denying of saving influences without a sinful counter-working of his holy will now revealed or without charging folly or unequal dealing upon the Lord. For 1. His own grace is his own grace and he is free of all debt and obligation to give gracious influences to Angels or men as also grace to use the measure of grace given is rather to be sought then a large measure 2. There is in love-sicknesse for Christ a weakness of the soul and a fainting for the want of Christ and this may come from the apprehended curse and anger of God for sin which is a disease after conversion that the child of God may be sick of So David Psal 6. 1. Lord rebuke me not in thine anger
the wound green the tender hand of Christ lovingly and compassionately binds up such broken ones Isa 61. 1. Psal 147. 3. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds and bones easily know their own place of bones when his hand puts them in place 4. Iron is the strongest and hardest of mettals yet being hot in the furnace receiveth any impression or figure and bones yield to the smiting of the hammer which it doth not when it 's cold and stiff when the cross hath graciously melted and softened the soul then it receives influences of grace and is ready to receive as Saul Act. 9. 6. trembling and aâ—tonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to doe The proud self arrogant spirit will not receive nor lodge impressions of grace from heaven be not then high-minded but fear otherways there shall be no rain on you and you shall not be ingraffed in Christ 9. Worldly mindedness and savouring of the things of the flesh keeps the soul both under deadness and distance from God the light of glory and the heart and conversation in heaven brings forth that which hath a strong influence of grace with it Phil. 3. 20 21. We look from heaven for our Saviour the Lord Jesus who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body when the soul is in heaven and we all 2 Cor. 3. 18. with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord we are neer to the receiving of the aspects of the glorified Redeemer But such as mind earthly things whose God is their belly Phil. 3. 19. can no more receive influences of grace then earth-worms or the Serpent that eateth the dust neither can heaven and the life to come have an impression in the gracious influences of God upon a wretched man who worships clay and hath no heaven but gold how can influences of God be received in the heart of an Idolater Heavens glory upon the soul is so transparent that bread and hunger had no influence upon Moses for forty days when he was in the mount with God and then rays and influences of glory could not but besweetly received on the soul it 's clear in such as stand and live before the throne who are under the eternally shining summer Sun and receive eternally influences of glory Rev. 7. 15. the Lamb leading them they serve God night and day in his Temple v. 16. and see his face Rev. 22. 4. and reign for ever and ever v. 5. and the Disciples forgot bread and garments yea and houses for themselves to dwell in for the three tabernacles were for Christ and Moses and Elias not to shelter them from frosts and rain and hail for they feared not the like injuries to glorified bodies the Disciples say It 's good for us to be here and so it 's good for us to part with houses with ships with fishing with nets with plucking of ears of corn or buying of bread yea it 's good to part with Ordinances preaching to the Jews or Gentiles with working of miracles healing the sick or casting out of divels influences of glory were as connaturally received in the soul that is neer God and heavenly minded as the Moon and Stars receive light from the Sun and dry fewel receives fire where clay and the earthy and drosy part of the Lords creation and his foot-stool can receive no light at all so if earthly mindedness have fixed a seat in the affections the spirit of grace and glory cannot shine through gross and earthy hearts give us corn wine and oyl and the influences of the lovely countenance of God say worldlings we do little value whereas it is night and winter and hell for a child of God when the Lord withdraws influences of faith and feeling loving rejoycing and neer communion with God worshippers of God never miss gracious influences when the soul is sick after Christ influences of God for the high praise of Christ abound Cant. 5. 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. and Psal 63. 1. when the soul thirsteth for God and the heart and flesh cry out for the living God Psal 88. 1 2. and the soul panteth as the hart for the water brooks for God Psal 42. 1. which are crying signs of a heart in heaven then influences of grace like an high spring-tyde and like a full river flow most abundantly even to the satisfying of the soul as with marrow and fatness and to the tongue praising of God with joyful lips and the remembring of God in the bed in the night-watches Psal 63. 4 5 6. and to the extolling of the Lord as God and King Psal 88. 1 2 3. and the breaking of the heart and bones when God is reproached Psal 42. 3 10. 10. Fiery zeal hinder influences burn the Samaritans with fire from heaven say the Disciples O Paul say fiery followers of the Law would destroy the Law of God and have Christ and grace all but received ye the spirit or his influences by the Law ye know not the wild-fire of revenge and the spirit of anger that leads you saith Christ to the Disciples even to the mild beloved disciple John Luke 9. 54. Come saith Jehu and see my zeal for the Lord liar come see my zeal for Jehu and for Jehu his new Kingdom but there were here no influences of the spirit of grace for 2 Kings 10. 31. Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin Therefore Jehu his fire in killing Baal's priests and Achab's seed being from false principles carnall and selfe ends and called by the holy Ghost Hos 1. 4. blood-shed and murder to be avenged of God must come from bastard influences And when our saviour rights the fire of zeale in John and James he condemnes the Spirit and the influences that made them so brutishly to startle Luke 9. 55. 2. He reduces them to the faith and sound believing of his coming in the world which was to save mens lives not to destroy them v. 56. it 's a notable healing of the too hot blood that is in fierie zeale to believe soundly the meekness of Christ therefore would hot and wild-fire influences be well tried whence they come from Heaven or from Hell for so some who kill the Lords Apostles judge then if sparkles of fire can come from heaven John 16. 2. when it is nothing so Ophni and Phinehas are publickly zealous for the Lord Moses meek in the injury done to him by Miriam and by Core and Dathan and his is fiery against the golden calf in the Lords cause hence influences from God set them a work and eat them up as zeal for the Lords house eat up David Psalm 69. 9. Psalm
unrenewed and full and extream at only that which is a worldly good thing the spirit is yet carnal and no saving influences can be there in the regenerate the affections are like two contrary rivers when the one river is full at the flowing in of the sea the river in the contrary coast is low and ebb so joy sorrow love desire c. as the Spirit prevails Rom. 7. as the flesh prevails in its motion so are they up in their fleshly exorbitancies and low in their motions and flowings toward God v. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. but the joy spiritual at the coming and receiving of the Gospel Acts 8. 5 6 7 8. the joy of believing Rom. 15. 13. the joy of the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. Matth. 5. 12. the Joy in the midest of heaviness if need be for a season which is unspeakeable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1. 6 7 8. the joy in suffering under reproaches and the spoyling of our goods Heb. 10. 33 34. Acts 5. 41. 1 Thes 3. 9. the Joyingin Christian walking Phil. 4. 4. the joy of the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and the like are all fruits of the spirit and have necessarily conjoyned with them heavenly influences to receive the Gospel Acts 8. to beleive with peace of mind Rom. 15. 13. to hope for glory Rom. 5. 2. Matth. 5. 12. to be comforted under heaviness even to love the holy afflicter 1 Pet. 1. 5 8. to all patience in suffering Heb. 10. 33 34. Acts 5. 41. to walke chearfully in our Christian course Phil. 4. 4 5. all which must be wanting in the false and bastard joy of the world and the like may be said of desire the more men waste their desires in worldly objects the less of the Spirit have they as these two are excellently conjoyned Psalm 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsels and afterward receive me to glory Influences in perseverance in the way of God by Gods counselling and leading are here insinuated and beside that a spiritual desire v. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in the Earth there is none I desire beside thee 15. Self-love is a note of Apostates in the last days 2 Tim. 3. 2. and of men in the state of nature where self-love prevails above the love of God for natural men make themselves the god of gods and the god of their false gods Exod. 20. 4. Judg. 2. 19. Psalm 81. 8. Amos 5. 26. Hos 13. 2. there be men who make themselves their last end it 's contrary to all true holiness and sanctification and so to all acts and influences of the Spirit for it is the proper work of the Spirit to make us holy and he bears the name of the holy Ghost and of the spirit of sanctification upon that reason and therefore where self is the mans god what room is left to holiness and to the influences of grace and where the love of God is spread abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost which is given Rom. 5. 5. and hath a seat in the heart John 21. 15. John 14. 15. Deut. 10. 12. Deut. 6. 4 5 6. Deut. 30. 6. as the habitual fear of God hath also what doubt is there but the Lord shall joyn actual influences of grace to his owne spiritual habits which should put us to self-denial and to be less wedded to the love of our selves and more to love the Lords Word Law and Testimonies Psalm 119. 11 47 72 97 127 128 c. to love Jesus Christ his cause and Gospel more then our own life Matth. 16. 25 26. then houses brethren sisters father mother wife children or lands Matth. 19. 29. Matth. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26. and where this habit of love prevailing in the heart is the Lord denies not actual influences to his own sincere followers and strength of grace to seal his truth with their blood Rev. 12. 10 11. Heb. 11. 33 34 35. Heb. 10. 32 33 34. and when self-confidence and self-love and carnal fear of losing life present prevails by reason of a temptation as is clear in Peter and the Disciples who deny and forsake Christ contrary to their undertaking Matth. 26. 31 32 33 34 35 v. 56 69 70 71 c. the Lord justly withdraws the influences of his spirit 16. The ignorance of the Gospel and the loathing of Christ renders all Pagans who hear the rumour of Christ but receive him not and all Reprobates within the visible Church in a worse condition then rocks and desarts are in for Sun clouds and rain send influences in them but the malignity and driness and coldness of the soil is the cause why they do not spring and blossome as the gardens and meddows but though the Lord send common helps to such Pagans and unbelievers yet it is justice that the Spirit in his influences should be a stranger to such as live strangers to the Son of God for the Son and Spirit go not contrary ways to their operations Carnal professors who study only a form of godliness and aim not at the power of godliness and do but bear the bare letters and outward bulk of baptism and the sound of the word preached and hate Christ and persecute the godly that are chosen by him out of the world come under the name of the world who cannot receive the Spirit nor his influences John 14. 17. and have a spirit of their own the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. this spirit is their tutor and guide and such as are out of Christ are led by the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. and are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now can these two spirits the Spirit of God and the Divel lodge in one and the same dwelling and exercise their several operation on the same soul No. 17. The sad freatings and wrestlings at the providence of God incapacitates men for influences of grace thrice Psalm 78. the people are said to tempt the Lord and especially in asking meat for their lust v. 18. can he provide flesh for his people v. 20. and the Spirit of the Lord so tempted le ts not out his sweet and saving influences upon such as wrestle with his holy dispensations was there more of the Spirit letten out to Israel for murmuring at the red sea or less yea less Exod. 15. for after that they murmured again at Morat Exod. 14. and in the wilderness of Sin Exod. 16. 1. yea forty years in the wilderness Psal 95. 9 10. They tempted God and did erre in heart and that with their first murmuring in Egypt was a provoking cause of Gods withdrawing his Spirit all these forty years is called v. 8. The day of temptation for to tempt God is a great wickedness he who welcomes all dispensations with godly submission and can bow to his Lords will
feet He saw a throne set in heaven and one sate on the throne and he that sate was to look upon like a Jasper and a Sardine-stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne and four and twenty seats round about the throne and four and twenty Elders who cast down their crowns before him that sate upon the throne c. 4. and the armies in heaven in earth and under the earth praising him He saw in the visions of God the seven Angels which poured the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth He saw Babylons fall the vision of the last Judgment the Bride the Lambs wife adorned with the glory of God He saw the new Jerusalem the golden structure of it the street of gold the twelve ports the wall the foundation of precious stones the river of water of life the tree of life Moses never saw such glory 3. Hence see we that there may be a sinful incapacity on our part and that the pure in spirit see God Mat. 5. and that grace keeps the soul like a calm sea without storm and wind and that if we would be near God we would keep the heart clean and pure We are to beware of grudging and act these three duties 1. Trust in the Lord. 2. Delight in the Lord. 3. Hope patiently for him Psalm 37. 1 2 3 4. There may be an earthquake in the zeal of a meekned Elias there was no godly men on earth left but himself as his angry zeal said to him and the Lord knew 7000. besides him The Lords way of appearing to Elias 1 Kin. 19. taught him some other thing for the Lord was neither in the strong wind that brake in pieces mountaines and rocks nor in the earthquake nor in the fire but in the still small voice v. 11 12. The Spirit was not of God which would call for fire from heaven in the disciples to burn villages and men women and children quick because they refuse lodging to Christ and his disciples for therefore meekly saith Christ and gravely Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of 56. For the Son of man came not to destroy mens lives but to save them You know not that these flamings of the fleshes wild-fire came not from heaven for they smell not of the meek Son of man nor savour they of his saving message No doubt the disciples thought their sparks were kindled at a fire from heaven but that fire came not from God seldom does the Lords Spirit dwell and act in his saving influences in an angry fiery spirit grace meekens hell and hellish passions in the renewed Saints There are no passions in the glorified and perfectly meekned ones who stand before the throne but such as are pure and unmixed fire for the everlasting praises of God Hence showres of influences eternally rain on them night and day without ceasing Isa 6. 2 3 4 Rev. 4. 8. The 6th impediment of heavenly influences is from fear 2 Tim. 1. 7. We are to stir up the grace of God in us and his gifts not from a legal fear For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. Then we take up the Spirit of law-bondage and law-fear of our own will that spirit of fear is not of Gods giving or choosing but it is of our choosing Rom. 8. Such as are led by the spirit of God are willing followers v. 15. For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father It 's like the devils are uncapable of influences of grace because of the horrour and slavish trembling fear that is upon their conscience they be ever under the law of works never under grace no not so much as in offer Matth. 8. 29. Jam. 2. 19. Faith and the spirit of adoption to pray to believe influences of grace is the remedy of this So are we to believe perseverance and that God shall give influences of grace to the end Psalm 23. We shall have waterings and the believers well shall never run dry Psal 104. 33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live Psal 104. 33. Psal 146. 1. Psal 52. 8 9. Then he knew of a stock and a new furniture in heaven suppose his own well should go dry CHAP. V. Some properties of Influences of grace 1. That they are invincible and irresistible 2. Of free grace 3. Done by the Lord with a principality of causality 4. Immediately both by the immediation of vertue and of the Lords own presence Influences are considered 1. In the first moment of conversion 2. In perseverance 2. God seeks not our consent to our first conversion 3. We are maried to Christ before we consent to the mariage 4. How the Lord determines free-wil without offering violence to free wil. 5. Gods dominion is equally over free-wil and all natural causes 6. God acts in all both by the immediate influence of his power and also of his person 7. The Lord most particularly leads his own 8. What is the right missing of Influences 9. We are more our own by the Law and less our own by the Gospel 10. Christs care and the members care IT is easier here to know what is not to be said as touching the irresistibility and strength of gracious influences above our free-will then what to say But Influences are considered two wayes 1. Moral'y 2. Physically 1. As they are common to all who hear the word in the visible Church 2. As influences are peculiar to the elect in the business of conversion Assert 1. Common moral influences that goes along with the word preached may be resisted for the Jewes alwayes resisted the holy Ghost speaking in the Prophets Acts 7. 51 52. Zech. 7. 11. But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped the ear that they should not hear 12. Yea they made their hearts as an adamant-stone lest they should hear the Law and-the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit to the former Prophets Then the reprobate may and doe resist the immediately inspiring spirit in the men of God writing and speaking that word 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. and the assisting spirit also in the Pastors It 's dreadful in the lower actings of God in the word to despise the Spirit and to give him battel in his first approaches I called and ye refused Prov. 1. 24. Isa 65. 1 2 3. A contradicting of and a warring against the Spirit at the first face is much to be feared O tremble to speak against or to counter-work the Spirit at all 2. Influences proper to the Elect are so also to be looked on 1. In the first moment of conversion 2. In the work of perseverance In the first moment of conversion the sinner prevents not Christ none dead in sins and trespasses ever sent or
himself in person but by a Deputy who represents his person and Princes being far distant the sea intervening transact matters of peace and warre with other Princes and States by their Ambassadors and Legates whom they send For God is said to be with Moses mouth not onely giving him eloquence and a tongue but the Lord spoke in him to Pharaoh Exod. 4. 15. I will be with thy mouth and with Aarons mouth and teach you what to doe Gen. 46. 4. Fear not Jacob to goe down to Egypt I will go down with thee into Egypt And I will surely bring thee up again my power shall be with thee to protect thee my wisedome to lead thee this had been much but he meets with Jacobs fear ah I goedown to Egypt God is not in that Idolatrous Land Fear not saith he I the Lord in person shall go with thee to bless thee to act in thee Jer. 1. 19. They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee Why For I am with thee to deliver thee Immediatione suppositi God was Jeremiah's immediate deliverer for v. 18. he had promised before to be with Jeremiah by the immediation of his power and grace For behold I have made thee this day a defenced city an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole Land c. The Lord is present by the gracious mettal of zeal faith invincible courage he put in his Prophet So Christ Luke 24. 49. Behold I send the promise of my Father unto you What will he be away himself then No for he saith Matth. 28. 29. to the same disciples Loe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am with you alway even unto the end of the world 2. The Spirit acts in his own John 14. 17. He dwels with you and shall be in you v. 26. He shall teach you all things John 16. 13. He will guide you in all truth 3. Psal 73. 24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel He may doe that though absent by infusing into the Prophet the habit of wisedome nay he is nearer hand v. 2. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand That is more then power 4. The action of leading that is ascribed to God is his only action Deut. 32. 12. So the Lord alone led Jacob and there was no strange God with him Now the eyes legs wisedome and will of the guide and leader are the travellers It 's true he led them by right hand of Moses but who then shall lead Moses for Moses needed a guide as they Isa 63. 12. Yea but he was leader in person himself He led them through the deep as an horse in the wilderness that they should not â—â—umble Now a horse is not led by giving him power to guide himself but the leader holds the bridle and directs the way to the horse So the Lords Christ's gentle driving of the ewes with lamb and Christ's carrying the lambs in his bosome Isa 40. 11. is an action immediate of Christ and his Spirit The warmness of life that comes from Christ's own bosom and from the Spirit spreading warm love abroad in the heart speaks the personal acting of the Son and Spirit So drawing John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. speaks the nearness of the Father of Christ and of Christ in his acting 5. This is to be considered There are two sorts of causes on in fieri another in facto esse The Creator in a manner is but half a cause the father begets a son the carpenter builds a ship the Mason raises up the frame of a goodly house But the son lives when the father is dead the ship sailes thousands of miles and the house stands hundreds of years when the carpenter and the mason are far from them for they are causes in fieri onely the making of houses and ships But there are some causes doe more The soul is a cause of the living man and when the soul is removed the man dies the face looking on the glass is the cause of the image both in its production and conservation remove the face and the image vanisheth away the Sunne is the cause of day-light which is transfused through the aire from the East to the West When the Sun goes down to another Horizon day-light vanisheth away because the Sun not by a deputy and by vertue communicated to another is the cause of the aires enlightning but is the cause of day-light both as touching the creating of it in fieri and as touching the preserving of it or in conservari facto esse So is God the cause of all creatures both as touching being and continuation being the Lord made all things and when they are made the house of heaven and earth should return to nothing if the Lord should withdraw his causative influence But in a special manner the Lord is every waâ— the cause of grace of our spiritual life and of all our actings of grace The new life should turn to nothing if Christ withdraw his gracious influence and it is that our poor little image and spiritual breaths are in his hand both touching production and conservation by his graces breathing Hence if the Angel of his presence goe with us his hand in our right hand Psal 73. 23. let us say 1. As Moses after the Lord had promised Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence goe not with me carry me not hence Ah who refuse a journey except God goe with him and be at his right hand and fixes the mind on this I will not goe to the pulpit as a Minister nor to the bench as a Judge nor to the field as a souldier except the Lord lead me and hold me by his right hand Doe ye misse influences of grace and the leading of the Spirit in a spiritual way of eating sleeping waking buying journeying It is good Obj. I cannot stir without God and his influences that I know Answ The sparrow and the raven the lyon and the wolf cannot stir without Gods influences of nature Ah that is poor and hungry Many have no more help of God to be lead in eating and drinking for God then the raven and the lyon Obj. I cannot pray nor hear without the influences of God Answ Ah you miss influences of God as concurring with a gift but ye miss not his gracious and saving influence to pray and hear in faith and feeling to concur with the Spirit of grace 2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and cast out devils without a common influence of a God with his gift and that is all your missing The renewed man misses that which in a manner is his due as a renewed man and that is the presence of the spirit of grace in his acting If a horse want a leg he shall soon miss it when he comes to running for four legs are due to him by nature but the horse in running misseth not the wings of an eagle for wings are not
comfortable necessity which lies on Christ to confer influences of grace Influences not fundamental not simply necessary Influences of grace for the habit of saving grace and influences for a gift How we may know when we act pray or hear c. from a gift and when we act from a grace Some pray from a meer gift when they mistakingly imagine they pray from the saving habit of grace the mistake is habitual in hypocrites only actual hic nunc in sound Believers Grace sanctifies the gift used in all due and spiritual circumstances but the gift can never fanctifie grace The same word but not the same influences act upon all within the visible Church We are not to rest upon the actings from a gift but watchfully to try when we act from a gift and when we act from a grace Calvin praelect in Jerem. 15. 18. distinguendum inter ipsam doctrinam quae pura fuit inter ipsos homines prophetas nunc autem dum in seipsum descendit propheta fatetur se agitari multis cogitationibus quae carnis infirmitatem redoleant nec careant omni vitio Differences betwixt the influences of grace and these of glory The habit of grace is a permanent disposition The habit of grace is given through the merit and grace of Christ From the habit of grace we perform suitable actings Vital actions flow from supernatural habits The differences of the habit of grace from other habits We are to follow holy resolutions with prayer 2. Godly trembling and 3. Faith The falshood of vowes A strong habit of grace produces easy and connatural and strong acts of grace Actions supernatural and influences suitable are some way due to the habit of grace Sometimes the habit of grace is qualified with heavenly dispositions We should pursue the dispositions of grace when they are added to the habit with spiritual actings We are to stir up the habit of grace thoughâ— deadned The Lord by insusing the habit of grace comes under some necessity to give suitable influences thereunto Divers necessities under which the Lord is to confer influences of grace Christ advocates for the elect yet not converted to bring them in to himself John 17. 6 9 10. The Spirits office puts him under a necessity of giving influences Vses from the Lords necessity of giving gracious influences First to frame doubts about predestination tâ— life and to miss eternall love before we miss inherent saving grace is Satans method Whether the habit of grace may cease in the regenerate from all its operations The habit of grace is not eternal The habit of grace ceaseth not How many acts we may bring out of the habit of grace There is a consenting to the temptation which is a wishing that our lust and Gods Law might both stand and a virtual wishing that the Law of God had never had being Eight evidences that in the regenerate the saving habit of grace never ceaseth from omitting some influences What dispositions spiritual are and how they differ from the habits of grace Get heavenly dispositions and influences follow connaturally Dispositions are not ever alike but various and changeable Evidences that dispositions goe and come Spiritual dispositions are different from the affections There are heaven'y dispositions in the as well as in the affections Bad spiritual dispositions creep on on the children of God There is some acting and life under much deadness in the â—egenerate Many sweet spiritual actings may be under indispositions No agreement betwixt these two champions the flesh and the Spirit It 's fit to go about duties under indispositions Less of sweet real influences and more of moral influences from the word makes obedience the more perfect We can tell the actings of the spirit when they are on and after they are over and gone Differences betwixt spiritual heart-burnings of the love of Christ and literal heat 1. Difference Feeling may be stronger after actings of the spirit are gone 〈◊〉 Difference Spiritual â—arning of heart leaves some impression◠〈◊〉 which literal heat 〈…〉 〈…〉 4. Difference There is sweet leading no violence spiritual in heart-burnings for Christ it s not so in the literaâ— heart 5. Difference The heavenly beat goes along with the Scriptures open and applied not so the literal heat Hence considerable differences betwixt motions of the Spirit and loose Ensiasms Literal heat is all upon the letter and forms not so as the spiritual heat David was Ps 119. and a believer may be under some straitning A true and a false missing What straitning is and whence it is Divers sorts of straitnings Rules to be free of straitning and to get enlargement of spirit Every heaviness is not weakness of faith How far we may undertake obedience upon supposal of grace How dispositions necessarily fetch influences We have not assurance to be delivered from sin hic nunc How we are to rely on God for influences What enlarging of heart David speaks of Psal 119. 32. We cannot engage in our strength or habitual grace to run in the ways of the Lord. Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre c. opened What use we are to make of our inability to run except God enlarge the heart How men naturally complain of sin original We do not so much as by strength of nature we may do and we add to our own lameness and unjustly complain of God for our sinful impotency The Spirit as the Spirit lays no obligation on us but to move in Scriptural duties No violence but from our selves hinders us to believe God loves using of external meanes pro tanto How farre we may act to fetch the wind and to get influences Branches of enlargedness of heart Mr. Leigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 active eructare evomere tanquam ebrium Metaph. depromere producere Influences on Angels and the glorified ones Many straitned and dead ones reproved Prayer begets heavenly dispositions to pray and heavenâ—y dispositions to pray beget prayer and faith c. Holy acts beget holy acts and holy dispositions beget holy dispositions The Lord so frames his precepts and promises as our actings are suitably required to his influences The differences of the 1 Spiritual state 2 Of the temper 3 Of the condition What Davids present disposition was The doubling of words or sentences noteth certainty 2. Addition of assurance 3. Freeness of affection It 's fit to make an eike to the holiness of influences which the Lord offerâ— to us We may speak to God and profess in prayer the sincerity of our heart to God and the causes why It 's hard to guide well grace and glory so long as sin dwells in us The Lords giving of grace laies bands on him to give more grace and to add new influences to old What a heart the repenting thief and what an heart Hezekiah brought out before the Lord in his dying 2. Property of holy dispositions Dispositions spiritual are seeds of holy actings Zeal