instinct and they do not depend upon the consent of the will or discourse of reason The latter kind of these lustings are such which have gained or gotten the consent of the will unto them and hereby they conceive as James speaketh Jam. 1.15 i. e. are made pregnant like a woman that is with Child so have such lustings as these the Act or Deed it self of sin in their womb or bowels Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished i.e. actually or externally perpetrated or committed bringeth forth death Then when lust hath conceived c. This clearly supposeth that there is or may be a lust or lusting which in this respect is Virgin like hath no corruption of the act of sin in it wherein the act of sin is not formed or shaped This kind of lust we speak of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek word expresseth it the first motion or moving of nature in a man which is exerted or put forth before a man intends thinks or knows any thing of it This kind of lust may be troublesome unto a man and find him inward exercise and work more than enough to suppress it as it riseth that so the will and consent may not touch it or come at it yet this is not the lusting of the Flesh which doth much obstruct the Spirit in his way or prejudice the souls being filled with him Paul was a man that was abundantly filled with the Spirit and yet he saith that he knew that in him that is in his Flesh as he interprets dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 And that he saw ver 23. i. e. discerned felt or perceived another Law in his members warring against the Law of his mind and bringing him into captivity i. e. endeavouring to bring him into captivity to the Law of sin which was in his members meaning unto it self by an Hebrew kind of Dialect which many times uses and repeats the Antecedent for the Relative I thank my God saith the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 1.4 alwaies on your behalf for the grace of God not for his grace which is given unto you c. So again Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body maketh encrease of the body meaning of it self See also Luke 3.19 Now the Apostle saying That in him i.e. in his flesh there dwelt no good thing meaning but abundance of that which is naught or dangerous according to the Rule often upon occasion delivered unto you viz. That Adverbs of denying signifie the contrary of these words with which they are joyned implies and signifies that the fleshly part of him which he calleth his members ver 23. i. e. his body was ever and anon occasioning his spirit or soul being so near in conjunction with it to bubble or put forth in some vain foolish or sinful desire or other which made him work without end partly in lamenting over himself by reason of them and their mingling themselves with all his services and spiritual actings and doings Partly in a solicitousness and careful watching over his heart or will lest they came to be confederate with them in respect of this turmoil he still had with his flesh and body ver 24. He crieth out O wretched or miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body or from a body of death i.e. From a body that worketh or createth all sorrow trouble and care to me I thank God saith he through Jesus Christ our Lord meaning that that deliverance from that body of death he speaks of which was procured unto him by Jesus Christ and which he had in his eye as coming apace towards him provoked him to a signal thankfulness unto God for his grace towards him in such a deliverance and so concludeth the Chapter So then with my mind I my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same person I or he or that man that is I serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of sin With my mind I my self serve the Law of God that is yield obedience unto it with an intent and desire hereby to honour it with my mind I my self thus serve it In this Discourse Paul maketh a plain opposition between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I and my self or between him and himself affirming that he did many things which he himself did not and was resolved not to do I man may be said in the general and common language to do whatsoever he doth upon any terms whatsoever viz. what he doth causelesly what he doth contrary to the desire of his soul and which he doth thorough violence of temptations c. But a man himself cannot in emphaticalness of expression be said to do any thing but what he doth with his heart and soul with a full and free consent of his will c. And so our Apostle who was very far from flattering himself yet acquits himself from that which was done by him contrary to the bent and frame of his heart and without consent of his will by casting it upon sin that dwelt in him i. e. that sinful weakness which kept possession of his Flesh Now if I do that which I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me It is no more I meaning that all the while he did that which was evil and sinful for him to do with his entire will and full consent it was he himself that did it and not the sin or sinful weakness that dwelt in him but now saith he since the frame of my heart and bent of my will standeth against that which I do in this kind from hencesorth I may truly speaking Evangelically discharge my self from the doing of it and arraign that weakness which inseparably hangeth upon me as the Author and Actor of it I have stood somewhat the longer upon the opening of this passage of the Apostle because I desire with as much evidence and satisfaction as may be to make out this unto you that so you need not be discouraged in the course or way of your endeavours to be filled with the Spirit by such kind of lustings of the flesh within you as these we have spoken so much of though they should still haunt and follow you in as much as you have heard that he that was filled almost to the brim with the Spirit was notwithstanding obnoxious to such a lusting Such Lusts as these do not intoxicate bewitch or drink up your Reason Judgments or Understandings but they may remain whole and intire unto you them notwithstanding for any spiritual work or service and consequently for comporting with the Spirit of God in order to his filling you with himself But Secondly Those words of James Then when Lust hath conceived Sect. 14 it bringeth forth sin c. as plainly shew that Lust also may be so intreated and dealt with as to be made pregnant and big with the
will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Page 164 Abide in me Ver. 15.4 5. and I in you he that abideth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruit Page 197 198 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father Ver. 15.26 even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Page 164 c. He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Ver. 16.14 Page 216 217 218 And now Father Ver. 17.5 glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Page 136 c. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me Ver. 8. and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they believed that thou didst send me Page 516 c. And when he had said this Ver. 20.22 23. he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Page 173 c. Men and Brethren Acts 1.16 this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas Page 176 And when they heard that Acts 4.24 they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Why did the Heathen rage c. Page 176 Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Page 42 177 Why have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Ver. 9. Page 177 For in him we live Ver. 17.28 and move and have our being Page 86 We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Ver. 19.2 Page 228 Behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem Ver. 20.22 Page 43. c Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 Page 68 Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations Rom. 4.18 Page 105 Giving glory to God Ver. 20. Page 105 c. For I know that in me Ver. 7.18 that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Page 299 But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Ver. 23. and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members Page 299 For as many as are led by the Spirit Ver. 8.14 c. Page 295 We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Ver. 15. Abba Father Page 505 c. The Spirit it self bearing witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Ver. 16. Page 504 c. And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came Ver. 9.5 who is over all God blessed for ever Page 189 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Ver. 10.9 c. Page 48 But fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Ver. 12.11 Page 14 Rulers are not a terror to good works Ver. 13.3 but to evil Page 68 Attending continually upon this very thing Ver. 6. Page 68 For the Spirit of God searcheth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Page 171 231 232 233 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Page 171 For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of 1 Cor. 9.16 for necessity is laid upon me yea woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Page 353 354 Wherefore Tongues are for a sign not to them that believe 1 Cor. 14.22 but to them that believe not but Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them that believe Page 406 c. Therefore 1 Cor. 15.38 my Beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the Work of the Lord for asmuch as you know your labour is not in vain in the Lord Page 112 113 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 but our sufficiency is of God Page 242 For whether we be besides our selves it is to God 2 Cor. 5.13 or whether we be sober it is for your cause Page 43 44 Having therefore these Promises 2 Cor. 7.1 let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Page 133 134 Your Zeal hath provoked very many 2 Cor. 9.2 Page 47 He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly 2 Cor. 9.6 and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Page 544 For the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong Holds Page 430 431 There was given to me a thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 the Messenger of Sathan Page 492 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 c. so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Page 252 269 Bear ye on anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 Page 50 51 For he that soweth to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 c. Page 290 Which is his body Eph. 1.23 the fulness of him that filleth all in all Page 131 For this cause I bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3.14 15 16. Of whom the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Page 58 59 60 That ye might being rooted and grounded in love Ver. 17 18. may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height c. Page 71 72 73 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth Ver. 4.29 30. c. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Page 12 13 304 305 Knowing whatsoever good thing any man doth Ver. 6.8 the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Page 112 Many waxed confident by my bonds Phil. 1.14 Page 47 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 13. for it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure Page 158 Who shall change our vile body Phil. 3.21 c. Page 122 123 That in all things he might have the preeminence Col. 1.18 Page 122 Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Page 10 11 12 God who counted me faithful 1 Tim. 1.12 putting me into the Ministry Page 35 36 I obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern Page 33 For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 but will heap up Teachers according to their own lusts
as his own expression is seeking whom he may devour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. whom he may devour at once 1 Pet. 5.8 and with as much haste as possible may be meaning by filling them with all unrighteousness with uncleanness love of this world fearlesness of God and of his Laws Precepts and Commands For he namely Satan hath no other weapons to destroy men and women withal but these And in these and in these only lye his murthering and devouring attempts So that where he meets not with one that is greater and stronger than himself to oppose him And there is but one to stand in his way of whom the Apostle John gives this testimony That he that is in you namely the Saints is greater than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 I say When he meets not and is not encountred by this Spirit of God that is stronger than he Yea if this Spirit have not advanced in his strength and assistance by the means before spoken of to some good degree in the hearts and souls of men He namely the evil one is very likely to prevail yea and questionless will prevail over men and fill the hearts and inward parts of men with all unrighteousness covetousness love of the world c. and with all manner of sinful inclinations dispositions and propentions which will be their ruine For sin as the Apostle James testifieth when it is finished bringeth forth death Jam 1.15 When it is finished i. e. impenitently persisted in unto the last it certainly bringeth damnation or eternal destruction upon men Or if you will thus Sin when it is finished or perfected that is when it is raised hath much of strength and power in the heart and soul of a man and when they are full of sin Then it is apt and likely to bring forth death the workings and operations thereof incline and tend strongly that way yea and will certainly issue in Death as was even now hinted if it be not stopped in its way by a more than ordinary care and diligence to make resistance against it Now that Satan or the evil Spirit will certainly prevail with men and women to fill themselves with him or with his fruits unless they be filled or in a way of filling themselves with the Spirit of God is evident upon these two gradual considerations taken together First Sect. 4 If men shall be found to be wholly destitute and devoid of the Spirit of God and as it were altogether flesh so that they have not wherewith to oppose or to make any resistance against the devil or evil Spirit in any kind or at least to any considerable degree Then is it no marvel if he prevail over men For that which is flesh in men whether we take it for that which is properly so called the body or outward man considered simply as such or whether by flesh we mean that which is born of the flesh according to our Saviours expression Joh. 3.6 i.e. inordinate desires sinful inclinations and lusts that are ingendred and occasioned by the flesh I say in both these considerations whether we take the flesh either litterally or metaphorically it is wholly confederate with Satan against the soul and spiritual life of man ready to open unto him and comport with him in all his dangerous and destructive applications of himself unto them and consequently such men that are only flesh or full of it receive the Laws of their minds from the inspiration thereof and are not furnished with any principles wherewith to oppose him and as it is said concerning John the Baptist That they that persecuted him did unto him whatsoever they listed (a) Mat. 17.12 Mar. 9.13 Even so the Scriptures speak of or concerning such persons as we are now treating of That Sathan carrieth them captive at his will (b) 2 Tim. 2.26 and filleth them with what kind of lusts and uncleanness he pleaseth yea and to what degree he pleaseth When men are filled with the Holy Spirit so that it acteth with much strength and vigour in them and that they are subdued and brought under the power thereof the Scripture is used to speak of them as wholly diabled and debilitated to sin So the Apostle Paul speaketh concerning himself and of such others that were made partakers of the same anointing with him For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 So on the contrary they that are filled with the spirit of the devil have nothing in them but what is born of the flesh and therefore they can do nothing for but against the truth no not in their own souls judgments and consciences still comporting with Sathan against the truth and their own peace and comfort But It is a Question perhaps of no easie resolution Whether there be any person man or woman under heaven who is wholly destitute of the Spirit of God unless it be those which have blasphemed the Spirit of God and have stumbled at that stumbling stone which will certainly not only break but grind all to powder which shall fall under it That sin which is the seed of immortal eternal and irreconcileable hatred and alienation between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of him whosoever he be that hath committed it I mean the sin against the Holy Ghost I rather at present incline to the affirmative part of the Question and do conceive That there is no person of mankind who from or after his first enlightening by the Spirit of God upon and after his coming into the world under the guilt of any sin or sins whatsoever except that sin only before excepted that is at any time untill the day and hour of his death wholly bereaved of the presence and assistance of the Spirit of God with him Of which my apprehensions I have as I remember heretofore given some account and may possibly have occasion to speak more largely unto it hereafter But for the present Whereas some in the Scripture are said not to have the Spirit Jude the 19 verse sennsual not having the Spirit a Scripture formerly made use of upon another occasion I answer the meaning is not as if they had no degree or presence Sect. 5 or no assistance of or from the Spirit of God within them But this by not having the Spirit is meant That there was no appearance of the exercise of the Spirit is meant That there was no appearance of the exercise of the Spirit of God in them They appeared unto the judgments of men as such who had not the Spirit their lives and conversations were such which did not shew forth any presence of the Spirit of God in them A person in the Scripture Phrase is said not to have that which he doth not make use of or improve or that which he doth not seem to have For unto every one that hath saith our Saviour Mat. 25.29 shall be given and he shall
great Office and Dignities of the Priesthood as became the Honour and Holiness and Majesty of it then the Priesthood should never have been translated from him And so Acts 27.24 Paul saith that an Angel of God appeared unto him bidding him to be of a good courage God had given him the lives of all that were in the Ship with him Now though this was absolutely delivered unto Paul by the Angel yet in the 31 verse it appears that it was a conditional promise for saith Paul to those in the Ship concerning the Mariners except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved And so Ezek. 33.13 When I shall say unto the righteous man he shall surely live that is when I shall declare it as my positive and real purpose and intention yet if he shall trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity notwithstanding this promise of mine in his iniquity he shall dye And indeed more generally all the threatnings of destruction denounced by God against wicked and ungodly persons you shall find them more generally I say if not constantly delivered in positive and absolute forms of speech 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shall inherite the Kingdom of God Here you see that this threatning against wicked men is deliver'd absolutly And yet we all know that there is a Condition of repentance included which intervening keepeth off the threatning from being executed upon the offender If a man be a covetous person or an unclean person the threatning goeth forth against him absolutely and yet through the grace of the Gospel if this person shall repent and turn him from the evil of his ways he shall not be excluded from the Kingdom of God Jonah 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be destroyed yet we know that forty and twice forty daies passed over their heads and yet the City not destroyed The reason was because the threatning was but Conditional though not a letter or tittle of it did appear unto Jonah untill the event declared it So that when by authority of our Saviour his declaration of that great Law of heaven mentioned touching the Holy Ghosts proceedings and treatings with men in and about the great matters of their Salvation we teach and affirm that the Holy Ghost still advanceth or retreateth in the souls of men as his entertainment is either kind or unkind We do not intend to affirm either that there never was or that there never will be any case wherein he will not take liberty to act above the line of that grace which is stretched over the world in that Law But only thus as hath been already touched that the Law mentioned so understood as has been opened is the common Law it is all the Law God would have the world to take notice of in particular and according unto which he would have men expect measure from him and from his Spirit If sometimes he acts by another Law this is but Lex horae as the Jewish Doctors are wont to call a Precept or Law given man in an extraordinary Case the Law of an hour whereas the other is Lex seculi the Law of an Age and this doth not reflect any error falshood or disparagement upon the general Law Secondly Sect. 13 We have oft signified upon occasion that God in Scripture treatie frequently applies himself unto men in such usages and forms of transactions as are ordinarily found amongst men themselves and used by them in their occasions yea and walking with them by the same principles and notions of reason and equity which are in request amongst them and generally owned by them and practised by those of them that deal any thing regularly Thus because amongst men a Covenant or Deed in writing is made good in Law by a Seal regularly affixed to it therefore God will seal his Covenant likewise And so because amongst men an Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife therefore God also because he would put an end to all doubtings jealousies and troublesome debates in the minds of men concerning his truth and faithfulness in his Word and great Promises of the Gospel he swears too So likewise in Laws enacted by men this being a common and standing principle Lex non curat particularia the Law doth not regard and take notice of particular or extraordinary Cases Laws are made and ought to be made only for ordinary Cases for Cases of ordinary and frequent occurrence or concernment amongst men There may be a Constellation or meeting together of such Circumstances once or at some one time which are not like to be found in the same Position again for many Ages after And so may constitute a case extraordinary like unto which another may not fall out in many Generations Therefore men do not nor indeed well can make Laws for the regulating of such Cases but leave all such to be regulated by the known and general principles of common Equity together with the Soveraign Law the good and benefit and welfare of the Publick for which the ordinary and standing Law was made So that in case the benefit of a variation or digression from the standing Law be manifestly expedient for the good and safety of the Publick the standing Law is not thereby violated or broken And doubtless it was the very intention of the Law-makers themselves that their Law calculated for the regulating ordinary cases only in such cases as these I mean extraordinaries should be waved So that now upon the account of the benefit and safety of the Publick men may walk contrary to the Letter of the Law and yet be blameless and no transgressours of the Law In like manner when God maketh general Laws and Rules and declares them unto the world that these are they by which he will move and act and treat with the children of men his intent is notwithstanding to leave these Laws to be regulated by himself according to the exigency and requirement of the general good and publick benefit of mankind which by his wisdom he is able to estimate and judge of knowing how to regulate all his proceedings with men as well in extraordinary as ordinary cases for their profit in conjunction with his own glory Thirdly Sect. 14 As there is nothing ought to cause a suspension of or variation from any general Law justly and equitably made and established amongst men but only that soveraign or supreme Law of Laws the good and benefit of the Society of men for which the Law it self was established So neither doth God or the Spirit of God at any time or in any case take liberty to digress or vary from his common and standing Law but only when some grand necessity either of the glory of God or the benefit and accommodation of men intervene And as in case those who are Law-givers amongst men could have
foreseen such a case or cases wherein a suspension of a just and good Law could be necessary it would not have been their wisdom nor for the interest of the people to make mention of it in their Law but to leave the regulation of such cases to that supreme Law we speak of In like manner when the Holy Ghost cometh in unto or falls upon any person man or woman on the sudden when they have been formerly and untill then vain loose and prophane it is upon some special and weighty occasion and of high importance for the benefit of the generallity of men not so much for the benefit of any single or particular person no but for matter of greater consequence and more comprehensive than the good or benefit of any one I say when ever God varies from a general Rule it is alwaies in order to the benefit and relief of the communities of men as for example for the preserving and keeping alive in the judgments and consciences of men some great principle of truth one or other which was ready to dye and so be lost in those parts of the world where his providence so acted Now to preserve and keep such a principle alive in the souls and consciences of men if God shall appear in an extraordinary manner or the Holy Ghost work out of course it is a sign that it was not likely to be preserved by any other means or however not by any means so proper or so well consistent with the wisdom of God as this For that is to be minded when there is any ordinary way or means to accomplish any end as to instance in our present case to preserve and keep alive any great truth then and in such cases God never betaketh himself to that which is extraordinary But as to the business in hand an instance may be in the Apostle Paul his Case he giveth this account of Gods going out of his ordinary way of Grace in bringing him unto himself viz. That it was for the benefit of men yea of such men who were not like to be wrought upon otherwise For this cause saith he I obtained mercy not so much for mine own sake principally but that in me Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterward believe on him to eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 As if he should have said God in vouchsafing that extraordinary grace to me in my conversion in bringing me to the knowledge of Christ did not look so much on my salvation nor upon the great benefit that I should receive from it but was pleased to pitch upon me that he might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe he speaks here of his own Countrymen the Jews that were called or to be called to believe on Christ And because God would give an advantage unto them for their believing being a stubborn and stiff-necked Generation a people that had desperately rebelled against the Gospel he was pleased to set this Apostle as a Pattern for them that when they had such a Pattern before them they might conceive thus with themselves There was a man every whit as wicked as we as unworthy as great an enemy to Christ and the Gospel as we yet he was called and with a high hand of acceptation received therefore doubtless we may trust in him and expect that if we will subject to him and come in and accept of mercy we shall be received into grace and favour also So now if there can be any such instance produced in our daies or in the places where we have conversed viz. That any extraordinary thing hath been done for men in a way of a real and through repentance and conversion for a seeming repentance and conversion may be in many where true repentance is seldom wrought but if I say there can be the truth and reality of any such unusual work of the Holy Ghost demonstrated doubtless there was or is some great principle one or other some important truth in a declining condition in those parts and places where any such extraordinary power of God and of his Spirit doth appear and it is to keep alive and in power and authority such a Doctrine As for instance it may be the free grace and mercy of God and that readiness in him to entertain and receive Sinners when-ever they shall return unto him this great truth I say may be so weakened in the judgments and minds of men that it may need more than an ordinary confirmation And so that men have no cause to be jealous of their former courses as if these having been so wretched and vile they might repent and yet be cast out from God Again That wicked men have as much right unto as much to do if not more with the Promises of the Gospel as Believers themselves and so that persons that have not been so or so humbled or terrified by the Law may as lawfully yea and as truly believe as those that have been in the greatest terrours of Conscience by means of it Now for the relieving and reviving of such Evangelical Principles and Conclusions as these and the like in the hearts and Consciences of men there may possibly be some extraordinary working of the Holy Ghost in and about the conversion of some man or some few Fourthly Sect. 15 When God beginneth or first entreth upon a new kind of Dispensation or series of Providence or Administrations in the world the first instance or example of such a kind of dispensation is not to be indeed in some particular Cases cannot be regulated by such Laws unto which the subsequent practice of the same Administrations are to be governed afterwards I say the first Dispensation in any kind cannot be a reasonable or perfect measure by which all other after Administrations are to be measured Men of reason and learning have delivered this for a Maxime Primum in unoquoque genere est excipiendum That the first of every kind of things is to be excepted meaning from the Common Law of the rest So that in this case God doth go along with men in their own manner of proceedings To make the observation clear When God gave being to the first man Adam intending by him the propagation of great numbers of men he did not observe the decrees or Laws of nature or natural production which he doth in giving life and being to other men So when he began that Church the members of which were afterwards numerous even the whole Nation of the Jews he appeared unto and called Abraham in somewhat an extraordinary manner This was the first beginning the head of that kind of dispensation in the world For God had not a peculiar Church raised out of any stock or generation in the world before it was to him the beginning of Churches No marvel then that he should begin this Church after another manner and in a method somewhat
expression Jam. 2.13 rejoyceth against judgment in one sense so doth judgment rejoyce against unmercifulness in another But how or in what sense mercy rejoyceth against judgment we have opened unto most of you formerly upon another occasion * In a Sermon entituled Mercy in her Exaltation we shall briefly remind you of it again Mercy is said to rejoyce against judgment because a person that is conscious to himself that he is of a merciful disposition and that he hath abounded in works of mercy stands upon a ground of advantage to be made or to become confident that God will not deal severely by him or destroy him It is a frequent Dialect in Scripture to attribute that to the abstract or form which properly belongeth to the subject as qualified therewith Charity saith Paul beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 That is not only inableth but effectually also enclineth the person who is the subject of it to do all this meaning that a person endued with Charity doth the one and the other So mercy rejoyceth against judgment that is a person in whom mercy resideth is qualified and strengthened hereby to rejoyce against judgment that is not to be afraid of judgment whether by judgment we understand an appearing before God to be judged or that Condemnation which God threatneth in his Word against wicked and unbelieving men which frequently passeth under the name of judgment it cometh much to one Now to rejoyce against a person or a thing that is terrible in it self and unto others of the same nature and condition with us imports or rather supposeth and includes a kind of neglect or non-fearing of it in him who is said thus to rejoyce Rejoyce not against me oh mine Enemy Mic. 7.8 that is Do not despise me or look upon me as if I were a People or Nation forsaken of my God because I am brought low and afflicted please not your selves over-much with my present distress be not too confident as if I should never recover out of this afflicted state and condition And as mercy in this sense is said to rejoyce against judgment so may judgment in a sense little differing be said to rejoyce against unmercifulness because of all other kind of sin or sinners it will prevail and magnifie it self against these the Judgments of God will handle unmerciful men most terribly or according to that of James in the same place he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy They that shut up their bowels of compassion as John speaketh 1 Joh. 3.17 against their Brethren that have need lye under this judgment of darkness in common with other wicked men viz. to think that God is like unto them Psa 50.21 Therefore being regardless of other mens miseries and no waies enclined to acquaint their souls with the sufferings and sorrows of any but their own they are apt to transform or change in their imaginations the glory of the most gracious and merciful God into the similitude of their own hard-heartedness towards others and so must needs be under a most sad disadvantage to apprehend and believe those most glorious things which the Gospel speaketh concerning the love and mercy and tenderness of compassion in God towards men Which yet must be clearly apprehended and steadily believed to invest the hearts and souls of men with the blessed priviledge of being lift up to Heaven upon the wing of Gospel-Consolation So then of all kind of offenders and transgressors in the World men that are straight of bowels and uncompassionate are the most uncapable of part and fellowship in the Consolatory Enjoyments of the Gospel those especially that are fullest of spirit and life the Gospel every where lowring and frowning upon them staving and beating them off from all hopes and conceit of finding mercy at the hand of God or of Salvation but only upon the change and turning of their hearts within them upside down Yea Thirdly and lastly persons in any kind who despise their waies as Solomon's expression is Pro. 19.16 who live at peradventure Sect. 10 and as we use to say hand over-head who do not narrowly and tenderly ponder all their paths lest any of them should be found too light Neither are such as these like to eat of that choice fruit that groweth on that tree which is in the midst of the Paradise of God nor to be fed with the marrow and fatness of the Gospel Consolations The reason is because it is a thousand to one but they who shall despise their waies and resolve to walk on in such and such courses de bene esse and as it were upon proof when no Letter of the Law presently and expresly riseth up against it I say it is a thousand to one but that they will be polluted in some or other of their paths and however the very neglect of enquiring at the mouth of God in the Scriptures what is his mind concerning us in all our actions and waies must needs grieve the good Spirit of God within us as indeed every practice yea and omission also doth about which his interest lieth to instruct and direct us if recourses be not made unto him accordingly Now if men shall pitch upon a course ex tempore and as we lately expressed it hand over-head and not consult with him about the goodness or lawfulness thereof this is enough to intangle us with the guilt of grieving the Spirit of God And if the good Spirit of God in men be still grieved and not again in time relieved and recovered from under this Passion certain it is that all this while men are in no capacity at all to be carried up by him into the Mount of the Gospel where the glory of the Consolations thereof shineth No if the Spirit beginneth to withdraw himself from men or forbears his wonted activeness and employment and stirring in them and doth as men who in time of solemn sorrow and grief are wont to retire themselves from their wonted company and employments Now they are in a very ill capacity and much disqualified for the enjoyment of the Consolations of the Gospel in their strength and glory Men will never be mightily strengthened as the Apostle speaketh in the inward man but by the Spirit of God nor will they ever be mightily strengthened there by him when he is grieved or upon any other terms than when he is highly pleased with the deportments and comportments of men Now these things being so first that neither men addicted to this present World secondly nor men of straight and hard bowels nor lastly men that despise their waies in any kind are meet subjects or vessels prepared to receive the waters of life from the Gospel where they are richest and sweetest and most quickning to the soul It plainly followeth that without a very great presence of the Spirit of God they are not like to arrive at or to obtain
subjection to the Law Nor yet again is it any Character or property of a Legal Ministry if we take the word Legal in any disparaging sense to promise the Love and Favour of God Life and Salvation to those that shall be found the exactest observers of the things required by God in the Law in the Moral Law especially if such obedience proceed from that Faith which worketh by Love for the Ministry both of the Lord Christ and so of the two Apostles mentioned made many Promises upon these terms viz. upon keeping of these Commandments All or the greatest part of the Beatitudes as they are called pronounced by our Saviour in the entrance upon his Sermon on the Mount Mat. 5. of which we lately spake are but so many Promises made unto persons duly observant of things commanded in the Law As when he saith Blessed are the Meck blessed are the Merciful blessed are the Peace-makers c. Now Meekness Mercifulness and Peace-making c. are holy dispositions with their proper fruits and actions commanded in the Law So again Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my Commandments ye shall continue in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Now his Commandments are no other but the very self-same things which are commanded in the Law of God Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments i. e. that hath them in his mind in his life and conversation he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him c. So that still we see that the Promises are made unto the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 2.6 7 10. where the Apostle speaking of God saith that he will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing i. e. by keeping the Commands of God seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life but to them that are contentious c. indignation and wrath By such Passages as these it doth evidently appear that both the Ministry of the Lord Christ and of the Apostle Paul was full of these Promises unto moral qualifications or unto obedience unto the Law Thus then we see that a Ministry is not to be termed Legal in any reprovable sense upon the account of any the three properties mentioned nor yet upon the account of them all though concurring in one and the same Ministry as indeed they ought yea and must if they will be faithful and are like to edifie men in faith and holiness Very like it is that the persons now under censure Sect. 13 do ignorantly asperse that Ministry as Legal against which they seek a quarrel upon the pretense of one or other or all the three particulars specified But the Ministry that deserves that imputation of being Legal to add this briefly by the way is first and most properly such which teacheth Justification i. e. Remission of sins by Works i. e. by the merit of Works for otherwise Faith is a Work and so called by our Saviour himself Joh. 6.29 But to Preach Justification by Faith is not to Preach Legally but most Evangelically For that was the Master vein of the Ministry of Paul viz. to avouch and prove that Justification was to be obtained by Faith in Jesus Christ whereas they the Jews held that it was to be obtained by observing and keeping the Law Now though to Preach Justification by Faith alone as was even now said be not to Preach Legally but Evangelically yet to Preach it by Faith sensu meritorio as if Faith were the meritorious cause of Justification is either to Preach Legally or upon an account every whit as bad and as repugnant to the tenour of the Gospel Secondly That Ministry may in a sense be termed Legal which like unto Pharaoh's Taskmasters in their hard dealings by the Israelites exacteth the full Tale of Brick from men yet gives them no straw whereof to make them I mean which is continually in a manner pressing men unto duties yea the hardest of duties binding the heavie burthens of the Law upon the Consciences of men with the Iron bands of sharp reproofs and sore threatnings seldom or never ministring unto them the rich and high encouragements of the Gospel whereby both their hearts and hands might be strengthened and all that which is distasteful to the flesh in such works and waies be drowned and taken away They that require of men to do Angels work I mean do high and excellent services to God should feed them with the food of Angels they had need have the highest encouragements even such as are in the Gospel They that require of men to be as fruitful and as zealous in serving God and men as Paul was who laboured to promote the interest of God and men more abundantly than they all as himself saith they must endeavour to lift them up higher as high as the third heaven for there doubtless it was that Paul learned that nobleness greatness and worthiness of spirit there he learned to act after another manner of Rate than all the men of the World besides who never came there as he had done The way to draw out mens hearts and souls and all that is within them in serving God and men doing good to their Generation is as far as possible to raise in them the consolation of the Gospel then shall you bring the World under your feet and when that shall be under your feet then shall you be able to lift up your hands to any of the Commands of God But untill men are full of the hope of the life and glory and great things of the World which is to come every good work and way will stick with them and combate with their souls and spirits whereas give men but felicity enough and then if their eyes will do you any service they will pluck them out and give them unto you But this only by the way to give a little light whereby to estimate a legal Ministry which is a Word or Phrase used by many but rightly understood by very few Thirdly Such a Ministry may be termed Legal which sendeth men forth about their spiritual business in their own strength without informing them and that plainly that without Jesus and his Spirit they can do nothing For the gift of the Spirit unto men and so also the Doctrine of Prayer upon which God doth convey his Spirit is Evangelical Received you the Spirit by the hearing of the Law c. therefore they who teach men that they have no need of the Spirit or of the gracious assistance thereof but that they may do things in their own strength are in a sense Anti-Evangelical Teachers Fourthly and lastly That Ministry also may not unproperly be called Legal which bindeth over to Condemnation where the Gospel doth not that concludeth or shutteth men up under Sin and Wrath where the Gospel doth not or that shall make any stricter bands of
that are as bad as these that may have a standing in the hearts of men and have place and room to abide there There is the same Reason and Consideration of all other Purposes Intentions and Designs that are of such a particular and limited nature as this But that design or engagement which in the present Motive we commend unto you viz. to be filled with the Spirit is more comprehensive and where it hath taken the heart or soul with strength and power it extendeth its Jurisdiction and Command to all a man's Thoughts Purposes Counsels mental Agitations Ends and Aims whatsoever Regulating Restraining Ordering Umpiring setting up and casting down according to the exigency and import of it This is the very nature of this design that he that hath espoused it hath upon the matter threatned all vain Thoughts all loose Cogitations he hath threatned them all with ruine and destruction and with the casting them out of his heart for ever The Reason hereof is because the nature of this Engagement is such that it cannot be effectually promoted or carried on but by a diligent and vigilant superintendency and inspection over all a man's thoughts and all that stirreth or moveth or that is conceived in him For the Spirit taketh check and is grieved at least to a degree at every connivance or indulgence of any thing that is impertinent unsavoury and foolish inordinate or irregular in the heart or inward part of a man and must have nothing cherished favoured or so much as tolerated here but what is sober holy just and every waies conformable to the Law and Mind of God otherwise he will not advance or lift up himself in the mind and soul of a man upon any such terms as he is ready to do when he is pleased and accommodated to his mind in all things It is true it is not the meer conceiving or rising up of foolish vain and irregular thoughts in the heart or mind of a man or woman which is distasteful to the Holy Ghost so as to offend or grieve him for then he should take pleasure in no man whatsoever but it is the indulging of them and when nothing is done to suppress them it is not simply their rising up in the minds of men but the approving of them or at least the not endeavouring to suppress them which causeth the Spirit of God that he will not cannot work mightily Eph. 4.29 30. Where the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians that no corrupt communication should proceed out of their mouths He adds And grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Corrupt Communication doth argue that the root of bitterness within a man is let alone and winked at for otherwise if it had been taken while it was a lust while only in the bud it would never have proceeded so high let therefore no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouths and grieve not the holy Spirit c. When foolish dispositions are let alone they will grow as weeds which if plucked up whilest young would keep from seeding So if Lust and sinful motions be rejected at first coming they will never shew themselves out of doors Therefore when any person man or woman shall have espoused that most honourable and heavenly design we speak of of being filled with the Spirit if they be loyal and true to their Espousals in this kind they must and cannot but abstain from and suppress all absurd foolish and extravagant thoughts On the contrary It is very considerable that these importune and troublesome Guests or Inmates we speak of vain wilde foolish and impertinent motions and thoughts will hardly ever be reduced or brought to leave the mind or soul of a man unless it be by the interposure of some-great and worthy design cordially entertained and resolved on by the Soul there is hardly any other course will do it And when any man or woman shall for some tolerable time have practised this suppression and rejection of vain and foolish thoughts as they arise and put forth in them they shall for the future have less and less trouble with them they will not be so apt to rise in that heart or soul which is not wont to give them entertainment where they are like to die as soon as they begin to live Even as weeds by oft removing and cutting their roots are quite killed in time their root is discouraged and dieth or as hurtful flocks of Birds by being oft frighted or driven away from the Corn grow weary of coming there where they are continually frighted and not suffered to have any rest or peace Thus we see the truth of the Motive in hand viz. Sect. 3 That the very exercise of the heart mind and soul about the business or engagement of being filled with the Spirit is of a rich and excellent concernment unto you not only in reference to the grand prize or end of being filled with the Spirit but also in respect of other services it will do you by the way It will as you have heard put you upon another blessed exercise I mean to keep your hearts and minds free from a troublesome and ignoble Rabble of foolish vain unprofitable and noysome thoughts Let us only for a close of this Motive weigh and ponder a little of how happy and worthy a consequence and concernment it is for men and women to have ease and freedom in this kind to be delivered from such cogitations and thoughts which are apt without end to infest and molest their minds and hearts which ought to be a Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in being good for nothing but to dishonour pollute and defile wherever they come and to put by their betters My Brethren to make you see of what great concernment it is to you you may please to consider that your minds and understandings are the most noble and divine part of our nature and the puttings forth of them are the best Trees in our Orchard and those that will bear the best and largest fruit Now then for these to give out their strength in things that be unprofitable and not only so but in that which annoyeth molesteth and defileth a man is so great an imbasement of them and will turn to so great damage and loss that it cannot in reason but be apprehended a mighty accommodation to be free from the cause hereof Now then inasmuch as we are not born free nor can be free in this kind but by much labour My Brethren If any of you as it is said of Lot that he vexed his righteous soul with the unclean Conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 have vexed your souls with these impure thoughts and malignant cogitations if you have been truly sensible and have taken knowledge of them it is impossible but that you should much lament the loss and damage your minds and understandings do you when they bring forth such rotten
any Angel or Spirit that he proceedeth out of or from God the Father then haply this will not prove the Holy Ghost to be one and the same God with the Father that is the most high God For as for that word indeed our Adversaries do marvellously please and gratifie their weak Disciples with it Sect. 11 falling foul and uttering evil speeches against several kinds of expressions which the Scriptures themselves speaking of God as three and one do invite and lead men unto Now because these things cannot be explained nor made sutable to the minds of men by any thing found in the Creature that should answer them they fall foul upon them and say that they are nothing but devices tricks and subtilties of men which they say are contrary to Principles of Reason and Understanding Whereas the truth is they are things that are most rational and of an elevating nature unto those who understand them whose Element they are who are versed in the traversing of such curious questions and mysterious speculations I say they are most rational unto them and admit of the most curious debates But that which in the general may satisfie the meanest capacity concerning the Three in One we may thus conceive That according to the Nature Essence or simple Being of every thing whatsoever such likewise is the Modus or manner of that respective Being For there is nothing that hath a simple Being but it hath a Modus or a particular manner of Being according to which it is or hath its subsistence Now this Modus or manner of Being or subsistence take it where you will it alwaies follows the Being as the shadow doth the body or substance whose it is For Essence or Being is one thing but the manner of its subsistence this is another If you cannot so well consent unto this at the first view yet you will find upon a diligent enquiry that the Notion is true viz. That every thing hath a manner of Being as well as a Being it self and that this Modus or manner of Being is something which is distinct from the Essence or Being it self Now then look as things are more excellent in their simple Essence and Nature so have they a more excellent Modus or manner of Being than such things whose Nature and Essence are beneath and less noble and excellent in the order of Creatures So now if we shall carry up this Rule or Principle unto God and apply it unto his Essence and Being it will be no manner of offence to any man's Reason and Understanding that he should not be able to comprehend how or after what manner the Divine Nature and Essence doth subsist Because his Essence is so infinitely above and differing from all created Essences or Beings Otherwise we shall conceive rudely of God and pollute his Nature and bring him down from what he is and mingle him amongst finite and limited Creatures if we shall seek for any parallel or likeness of his Being And if so then we must conceive that the manner of his Being is of the same kind and commensurable unto his Being it self A peculiar and appropriate manner of subsisting which is not to be parallelled in the subsistence of any finite Being whatsoever And besides we have the help and light of Scriptures to help us in this namely to find out what manner of subsistence this is that is One in Three This I say we have from the Scriptures And though some men do undertake to make it to be nothing but what is very agreeable to the Principles of Reason and Understanding that is in man to cnceive that there should be such a subsistence in the Divine Nature Yet for this we shall not undertake nor advance so high in such a mystery as this is Only this is clear and the foundation is as a Rock under our feet that there must be a peculiar Modus or manner of Tubsistence appropriate to the Divine Essence or Being which doth not parallel nor cannot be matched by the whole Creation And that it may be thus as well as any otherwise I think is as clear as the other For whatsoever you will imagine or whatsoever your Understandings should project unto you to be the peculiar manner of this subsistence most certain it is that it will be as hard to explain and bring it down to the capacity and apprehension of men as the Being it self which is infinite or as the subsistence of Three in One. Sect. 12 I shall only add a few more Testimonies from the Scriptures wherein the Deity or Godhead of the Holy Ghost shineth as light at the noon day and then proceed to shew the fallacies and other weaknesses of those pretenses wherein our Adversaries rejoyce so much as if they were Arguments above Answer and so put an end to our present debate The first Scripture shall be Joh. 20.22 And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained First When Christ breathing upon his Disciples said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Is it tolerable to imagine that his meaning should be Receive ye an Angel or the supreme Angel That by the Holy Ghost here he doth not cannot mean the gifts of the Holy Ghost so called but the gift of the Holy Ghost himself appears 1. From the nature of the Symbol or outward sign which Christ useth in communicating or giving the Holy Ghost unto them viz. That inflation or breathing upon them The Holy Ghost himself is elsewhere compared unto the wind which is a kind of breathing or moving of the air and fitly so may be partly because his manner of proceeding from the Father and the Son is by way of spiration or breathing i.e. The ineffable and inexplicable manner of his proceeding amongst all created things or things intelligible unto men is best resembled by or comes nearest unto a spiration or breathing Partly also because as the original or first cause and so likewise that which becomes of the wind or that which is done by the wind is very secret unto men So is the first spring or original of the Spirits entring or coming into men as likewise the end which the Spirit makes with men into whom he cometh are great secrets hidden mysteries unto the generality of men very hard and dissicult and of an abstruse definition and demonstration This our Saviour Joh. 3.8 describes by the nature of the wind The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit It is very likely that God made this same material World in such a shape as he hath now done and such and such Creatures as now are made And so such Laws for these Creatures to act and move by and
furnished and endued them with such properties and qualities as now he hath done That so there might be fit resemblances to train and nurture up the Minds Understandings and Reasons of men in the knowledge and apprehension of the mysteries of Christ and the great things of Eternity And I make no question but that God in Nature hath contrived and ordered the matter so with that Creature which we call the Wind that it poseth and troubles all the Philosophers that though they hear the sound of it yet not any one of them can give an account of it what it should be and whence it should come and when once it is up in motion why it should Fall Nay God hath so ordered the original of the wind and things appertaining to it at least to the Vnderstandings of men that they should not be able to give so steady an account of the rising and falling of it as they are to do of the rising and setting of the Sun that so there might be a kind of rising advantage administred unto men to conceive the better of the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God and of his Transactions and manner in doing matters with the Creatures So that now we see the Holy Ghost himself is resembled with the wind and very aptly so may be but the gifts of the Holy Ghost neither are in Scripture nor with any commodiousness of resemblance can be resembled by breathing or by wind therefore by the Holy Ghost in the place in hand cannot be meant the Gifts of the Holy Ghost but the Person of the Holy Ghost himself Again this might be made to appear further by comparing herewith several other places of Scripture by which it is evident that it was the Holy Ghost himself that was to be given unto the Apostles and to be and to abide with them Mar. 13.11 Joh. 14.16 17. So grieve not the Spirit quench not the Spirit Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 besides other places Now then if Christ said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost there is no question but they did receive him they I mean all those to whom he thusspake Now if he were a created Angel or meer Creature how could more than one receive him at once Especially how could he be in and remain with many at the same time when these shall be dispersed and scattered up and down the World in Nations and places far distant as the Apostles we know soon after were We never read nor heard of any more than one Holy Ghost as was observed therefore the Argument in hand cannot be put off with common Evasions viz. That the Holy Ghost might be in the Apostles though never so remote at one and the same time by his Deputies or Vicegerents other inferiour Angels under his command or the like For 1. we have no ground in Scripture to conceive any such power given unto one Angel over another as that any one should be at the command or disposal of his Fellows Besides when Christ said to his Disciples Receive ye the Holy Ghost if it be supposed that there is but only one Holy Ghost and certain I am that the Scripture supposeth no more and that this Holy Ghost could be but only in one of them at the precise time of Christ's so speaking unto them which must likewise be supposed if the Holy Ghost be a finite and created Angel then it undeniably follows that though Christ indifferently said to all his Disciples Receive ye the Holy Ghost and indifferently breathed upon them all yet that he gave him unto one only and that the rest had some other Angel given unto them not the Holy Ghost We might likewise reinforce it from the words following touching the power of remitting and retaining sin conferred at the same time upon the Disciples when they received the Holy Ghost from hence I say we might re-assert our former Argument for the Divinity of the Holy Ghost viz. His power to forgive sins For the power of forgiving and retaining sins being given unto the Apostles upon their receiving of the Holy Ghost plainly sheweth that Primarily and Authoritatively it resideth in the Holy Ghost himself and that it was derived unto them only in a Ministerial way and as they were to be acted and guided by him in the administration and exercise of it And if the case were so with the Holy Ghost as our Adversaries conceit it to be viz. The Holy Ghost himself should only have a power by way of Commission from God and ministerially to forgive sins and that he is or must be regulated and bound up in the exercise of this power by his Commission as well as the Disciples were by theirs Then why might not they baptize in their own Names as well as his Besides if the Holy Ghost were Commissionated by God to forgive sins he had no power to give Commission either to the Apostles or any other to transact the same work it being a general and known Rule and this very equitable that he that is Deputed or Commissionated by another having a lawful Authority so to depute to transact any business hath no power to depute or substitute others in his stead for the transacting the business committed unto him Another Scripture or pair of Scriptures evincing the same great Truth with the former that without controversie the Holy Ghost is truly God is Acts 1.16 compared with Acts 4.24 In the former place Peter speakech thus Men and Brethren this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas c. In the latter place the Disciples express themselves thus And when they heard that they life up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is Who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said Why did the Heathen rage c He who in the former place is termed the Holy Ghost is styled in the latter Lord and God who made Heaven and Earth and the Sea c To say that God may be said to speak by the mouth of David because he gave order unto the Holy Ghost to move David so or so to speak is to oppose the direct and clear Letter of the Scripture with a man 's own thoughts and these weak and groundless If it had been said that God by the mediate or intervening motions of the Holy Ghost spake so or so by the mouth of David it had been somewhat colourable for our Adversaries purpose and indeed no more or if there were any such expression to be found in all the Scripture that God spake so or so one thing or other to any person by the mediation of the Holy Ghost this had been somewhat though less than the other But now the constant tenour of the Scripture speaking as to the point in hand being either that God spake or the Lord spake or