reason of the Darkness that it is under the Power of it can neither discern the Excellency of the Spiritual and Heavenly Things which are proposed unto it nor have any Affections whereunto they are proper and suited so that the Soul should go forth after them Hereby this Prejudice becomes invincible in their Souls They neither do nor can nor will admit of those things which are utterly inconsistent with all things wherein they hope or look for Satisfaction And Men do but please themselves with Dreams and Fancies who talk of such a reasonableness and excellency in Gospel-Truths as that the Mind of a Natural Man will discern such a suitableness in them unto it self so as thereon to receive and embrace them Nor do any for the most part give a greater Evidence of the Prevalency of the Darkness and Enmity that is in Carnal Minds against the Spiritual Things of the Gospel as to their Life and Power than those who most pride and please themselves in such Discourses Sect. 55 2dly The Mind by this Darkness is filled with Prejudices against the Mystery of the Gospel in a peculiar manner The hidden Spiritual Wisdom of God in it as Natural Men cannot receive so they do despise it and all the parts of its Declaration they look upon as empty and unintelligible Notions And this is that Prejudice whereby this Darkness prevails in the Minds of Men otherwise knowing and learned it hath done so in all Ages and in none more effectually than in that which is present But there is a Sacred Mysterious Spiritual Wisdom in the Gospel and the Doctrine of it This is Fanatical Chimerical and Foolish to the wisest in the World whilst they are under the Power of this Darkness To demonstrate the Truth hereof is the Design of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 1 2. For he directly affirms that the Doctrine of the Gospel is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery that this Wisdom cannot be discerned nor understood by the Wise and Learned Men of the World who have not received the Spirit of Christ and therefore that the things of it are weakness and foolishness unto them And that which is foolish is to be despised yea Folly is the only object of Contempt And hence we see that some with the greatest Pride Scorn and Contempt imaginable do despise the Purity Simplicity and whole Mystery of the Gospel who yet profess they believe it But to clear the whole Nature of this Prejudice some few Things may be distinctly observed Sect. 56 1. There are two sorts of Things declared in the Gospel First Such as are absolutely its own that are proper and peculiar unto it Such as have no footsteps in the Law or in the Light of Nature but are of a pure Revelation peculiar to the Gospel Of this Nature are all Things concerning the Love and Will of God in Christ Jesus The Mystery of his Incarnation of his Offices and whole Mediation of the Dispensation on the Spirit and our Participation thereof and our Union with Christ thereby our Adoption Justification and Effectual Sanctification thence proceeding in brief every thing that belongs unto the Purchase and Application of Saving-Grace is of this sort These things are purely and properly Evangelical peculiar to the Gospel alone Hence the Apostle Paul unto whom the Dispensation of it was committed puts that eminency upon them that in comparison he resolved to insist on nothing else in his Preaching 1 Cor. 2. 2. And to that purpose doth he describe his Ministry Ephes. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Sect. 57 2. There are such Things declared and enjoyned in the Gospel as have their Foundation in the Law and Light of Nature Such are all the Moral Duties which are taught therein And two things may be observed concerning them 1. That they are in some measure known unto Men aliunde from other Principles The inbred concreated Light of Nature doth though obscurely teach and confirm them So the Apostle speaking of Mankind in general saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God is manifested in themselves The Essential Properties of God rendring our Moral Duty to him necessary are known by the Light of Nature And by the same Light are Men able to make a judgment of their Actions whether they be Good or Evil Rom. 2. 14 15. And this is all the Light which some boast of as they will one day find to their disappointment 2. There is on all Men an obligation unto Obedience answerable to their Light concerning these things The same Law and Light which discovereth these things doth also enjoyn their Observance Thus is it with all Men antecedently unto the Preaching of the Gospel unto them In this Estate of Gospel superadds two things unto the Minds of Men. 1. It directs us unto a right performance of these things from a right Principle by a right Rule and to a right End and Purpose so that they and we in them may obtain acceptance with God Hereby it gives them a new Nature and turns Moral Duties into Evangelical Obedience 2. By a communication of that Spirit which is annexed unto its Dispensation it supplies us with strength for their Performance in the manner it prescribes Sect. 58 Hence it follows that this is the Method of the Gospel First It proposeth and declareth things which are properly and peculiarly its own So the Apostle sets down the constant Entrance of his Preaching 1 Cor. 15. 3. It reveals its own Mysteries to lay them as the Foundation of Faith and Obedience It inlayes them in the Mind and thereby conforms the whole Soul unto them See Rom. 6. 17. Gal. 4. 19. Tit. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 3. 18. This Foundation being laid without which it hath as it were nothing to do with the Souls of Men nor will proceed unto any other thing with them by whom this its first Work is refused it then grafts all Duties of Moral Obedience on this stock of Faith in Christ Jesus This is the Method of the Gospel which the Apostle Paul observeth in all his Epistles First He declares the Mysteries of Faith that are peculiar to the Gospel and then descends unto those Moral Duties which are regulated thereby But the Prejudice we mentioned inverts the Order of these things Those who are under the Power of it when on various accounts they give admittance unto the Gospel in general yet they fix their Minds firstly and principally on the things which have their Foundation in the Law and Light of Nature These they know and have some acquaintance with in themselves and therefore cry them up although not in their proper place nor to their proper end These they make the foundation according to the place which they held in the Law of Nature and Covenant of Works whereas the Gospel allows them to be only necessary Superstructions on the Foundation But resolving to give unto Moral Duties the
least the main parts if not the whole of Religion consists in Moral Vertue though it be altogether uncertain what they intend by the one or the other These are they who scarce think any thing intelligible when declared in the words of the Scripture which one hath openly traduced as a ridiculous Jargon They like not they seem to abhorre the speaking of Spiritual Things in the Words which the Holy Ghost teacheth the only Reason whereof is because they understand not the things themselves And whilest they are foolishness unto any it is no wonder the terms whereby they are declared seem also so to be But such as have received the Spirit of Christ and do know the Mind of Christ which profane Scoffers are sufficiently remote from do best receive the Truth and apprehend it when declared not in the Words which Mans Wisdom teacheth but which are taught by the Holy Ghost It is granted to be the Wisdom and Skill of men further to explain and declare the Truths that are taught in the Gospel by sound and wholsom words of their own which yet all of them as to their Propriety and Significancy are to be tryed and measured by the Scripture it self But we have a new Way of teaching spiritual Things sprung up among some who being ignorant of the whole Mystery of the Gospel and therefore despising it would debase all the glorious Truths of it and the Declaration made of them into dry barren sapless Philosophical Notions and Terms and those the most common obvious and vulgar that ever obtained among the Heathen of old Vertuous Living they tell us is the Way to Heaven but what this Vertue is or what is a Life of Vertue they have added as little in the Declaration of as any Persons that ever made such a Noyse about them Sect. 79 2 That ambiguous Term Morall hath by Usage obtained a double Signification with respect unto an Opposition unto other things which either are not so or are more than so For sometimes it is applyed unto the Worship of God and so is opposed unto Instituted That Religious Worship which is prescribed in the Decalogue or required by the Law of Creation is commonly called Moral and that in Opposition unto those Rites and Ordinances which are of a superadded Arbitrary Institution Again it is opposed unto things that are more than merely moral namely Spiritual Theological or Divine So the Graces of the Spirit as Faith Love Hope in all their Exercise whatever they may have of Morality in them or however they may be exercised in and about moral Things and Duties yet because of sundry Respects wherein they exceed the Sphear of Morality are called Graces and Duties Theological Spiritual Supernatural Evangelical Divine in Opposition unto all such Habits of the Mind and Duties which being required by the Law of Nature and as they are so required are merely moral In neither sence can it with any tolerable Congruity of speech be said that Moral Vertue is our Holiness especially the whole of it But because the Duties of Holiness have the most of them a Morality in them as Morall is opposed to Instituted some would have them have nothing also in them as Moral is opposed to Supernatural and Theological But that the Principle and Acts of Holiness are of another special Nature hath been sufficiently now declared Sect. 80 3 It is as was before intimated somewhat uncertain what the great Pleaders for Moral Vertue do intend by it Many seem to design no more but that Honesty and Integrity of Life which was found among some of the Heathens in their vertuous Lives and Actions And indeed it were heartily to be wished that we might see more of it amongst some that are called Christians For many things they did were Materially good and usefull unto Mankind But let it be supposed to be never so exact and the Course of it most diligently attended unto I defie it as to its being the Holiness required of us in the Gospel according unto the terms of the Covenant of Grace and that because it hath none of those Qualifications which we have proved Essentially to belong thereunto And I defie all the men in the World to prove that this Moral Vertue is the summe of our Obedience to God whilest the Gospel is owned for a Declaration of his Will and our Duty It is true all the Duties of this Moral Vertue are required of us but in the Exercise of every one of them there is more required of us than belongs unto their Morality as namely that they be done in Faith and Love to God through Jesus Christ and many things are required of us as necessary parts of our Obedience which belong not thereunto at all Sect. 81 4 Some give us such a Description of Morality as that it should be of the same extent with the Light and Law of Nature or the Dictates of it as rectified and declared unto us in the Scripture And this I confess requires of us the Obedience which is due towards God by the Law of our Creation and according to the Covenant of Works materially and formally But what is this unto Evangelical Holiness and Obedience Why it is alleadged that Religion before the Entrance of Sin and under the Gospel is one and the same and therefore there is no difference between the Duties of Obedience required in the one and the other And it is true that they are so far the same as that they have the same Author the same Object the same End and so also had the Religion under the Law which was therefore so far the same with them But that they are the same as to all the Acts of our Obedience and the Manner of their Performance is a vain Imagination Is there no Alteration made in Religion by the Interposition of the Person of Christ to be Incarnate and his Mediation No Augmentation of the Object of Faith No Change in the Abolishing of the Old Covenant and the Establishment of the New the Covenant between God and Man being that which gives the especial form and kind unto Religion the Measure and Denomination of it No Alteration in the Principles Aids Assistances and whole Nature of our Obedience unto God The whole Mystery of Godliness must be renounced if we intend to give way unto such Imaginations Be it so then that this Moral Vertue and the Practice of it do contain and express all that Obedience materially considered which was required by the Law of Nature in the Covenant of Works yet I deny it to be our Holiness or Evangelical Obedience and that as for many other Reasons so principally because it hath not that respect unto Jesus Christ which our Sanctification hath Sect. 82 5 If it be said that by this Moral Vertue they intend no Exclusion of Jesus Christ but include a respect unto him I desire only to ask whether they design by it such an Habit of Mind and such Acts
hereby animated and capable of all Vital Acts. Hence he could move eat see hear c. for the natural Effects of this Breath of Life are only intended in this Expression Thus the first Man Adam was made a Living Soul 1 Cor. 15. 45. This was the Creation of Man as unto the essentially constituting Principles of his Nature Sect. 11 With respect unto his Moral Condition and Principle of Obedience unto God it is expressed Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make Man in our own Image after our likeness and let them have dominion so God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him He made him upright Eccles. 7. 29. perfect in his Condition every way compleat fit disposed and able to and for the Obedience required of him Without Weakness Distemper Disease contrariety of Principles Inclinations or Reasonings An universal Rectitude of Nature consisting in Light Power and Order in his Understanding Mind and Affections was the principal part of this Image of God wherein he was created And this appears as from the Nature of the thing it self so from the Description which the Apostle giveth us of the Renovation of that Image in us by the Grace of Christ Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And under both these Considerations we may weigh the especial Operations of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 First As to the Essential Principles of the Nature of Man it is not for nothing that God expresseth his Communication of a Spirit of Life by his breathing into him God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life The Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same onely the one Expression is proper the other metaphorical wherefore this breathing is the especial acting of the Spirit of God The Creation of the Humane Soul a Vital Immortal Principle and Being is the immeate Work of the Spirit of God Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life Here indeed the Creation and Production of both the essential parts of Humane Nature Body and Soul are ascribed unto the same Author For the Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same but several Effects being mentioned causeth a repetition of the same Cause under several names This Spirit of God first made Man or formed his Body of the Dust and then gave him that Breath of Life whereby he became a living Soul So then under this first Consideration the Creation of Man is assigned unto the Holy Spirit for Man was the Perfection of the Inferior Creation and in order unto the Glory of God by him were all other things Created Here therefore are his Operations distinctly declared to whom the perfecting and compleating of all Divine Works is peculiarly committed Sect. 14 Secondly We may consider the moral State and Condition of Man with the Furniture of his Mind and Soul in reference unto his Obedience to God and his enjoyment of him This was the principal part of that Image of God wherein he was created Three things were required to render Man idoneous or fit unto that Life to God for which he was made First An ability to discern the Mind and Will of God with respect unto all the Duty and Obedience that God required of him as also so far to know the Nature and Properties of God as to believe him the only proper Object of all Acts and Duties of Religious Obedience and an all-sufficient Satisfaction and Reward in this World and to Eternity Secondly A free uncontrolled unintangled disposition to every Duty of the Law of his Creation in order unto living unto God Thirdly An ability of Mind and Will with a readiness of complyance in his Affections for a due regular performance of all Duties and abstinence from all Sin These things belonged unto the integrity of his Nature with the uprightness of the State and Condition wherein he was made And all these things were the peculiar Effects of the immediate Operation of the Holy Ghost For although this Rectitude of his Nature be distinguishable and separable from the Faculties of the Soul of Man yet in his first Creation they were not actually distinguished from them nor superadded or infused into them when Created but were concreated with them that is his Soul was made meet and able to live to God as his Sovereign Lord Chiefest Good and Last End And so they were all from the Holy Ghost from whom the Soul was as hath been declared Yea suppose these Abilities to be superadded unto Man's Natural Faculties as Gifts supernatural which yet is not so they must be acknowledged in a peculiar manner to be from the Holy Spirit For in the Restauration of these Abilities unto our minds in our Renovation unto the Image of God in the Gospel it is plainly asserted that the Holy Ghost is the immediate Operator of them And he doth thereby restore his own Work and not take the Work of another out of his Hand For in the New Creation the Father in the way of Authority designs it and brings all things unto an head in Christ Ephes. 1. 10. which retrived his original peculiar Work and the Son gave unto all things a new consistency which belonged unto him from the beginning Col. 1. 16. So also the Holy Spirit renews in us the Image of God the original implantation whereof was his peculiar Work And thus Adam may be said to have had the Spirit of God in his Innocency He had him in these peculiar Effects of his Power and Goodness and he had him according to the Tenor of that Covenant whereby it was possible that he should utterly lose him as accordingly it came to pass He had him not by especial Inhabitation for the whole World was then the Temple of God In the Covenant of Grace founded in the Person and on the Mediation of Christ it is otherwise On whomsoever the Spirit of God is bestowed for the Renovation of the Image of God in him he abides with him for ever But in all Men from first to last all Goodness Righteousness and Truth are the Fruits of the Spirit Ephes. 5. 9. Sect. 15 The Works of God being thus finished and the whole frame of Nature set upon its Wheels it is not deserted by the Spirit of God For as the preservation continuance and acting of all things in the Universe according to their especial Nature and mutual Application of one unto another are all from the powerful and efficacious Influences of Divine Providence so there are particular Operations of the Holy Spirit â—â—nd about all things whether meerly Natural and Animal or also Rational and Moral An Instance in each kind may suffice For the first as we have shewed the Propagation of the succeeding Generations of Creatures and the annual Renovation of the Face of the Earth are ascribed unto him Psal. 104. 30. For as we would own the due and just Powers
execution of his Office as the King and Head of the Church is included in these words But his first Sanctifying Work in the Womb is principally intended For those Expressions a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch out of his Roots with respect whereunto the Spirit is said to be communicated unto him do plainly regard his Incarnation And the Soul of Christ from the first moment of its Infusion was a Subject capable of a Fulness of Grace as unto its habitual Residence and Inbeing though the actual exercise of it was suspended for a while until the Organs of the Body were fitted for it This therefore it received by this first Unction of the Spirit Hence from his Conception he was Holy as well as harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. An Holy Thing Luke 1. 35. radically filled with a Perfection of Grace and Wisdom Inasmuch as the Father gave him not the Spirit by Measure John 3. 34. See to this purpose Our Commentary on Heb. 1. v. 1. p. 17. see John 1. 14 15 16. Sect. 2 Thirdly The Spirit carried on that Work whose Foundation it had thus laid And Two Things are to be here diligently observed 1. That the Lord Christ as Man did and was to exercise all Grace by the Rational Faculties and Powers of his Soul his Understanding Will and Affections For he acted Grace as a Man made of a Woman made under the Law His Divine Nature was not unto him in the place of a Soul nor did immediately operate the things which he performed as some of old vainly imagined But being a perfect Man his Rational Soul was in him the immediate principle of all his Moral Operations even as ours are in us Now in the Improvement and Exercise of these Faculties and Powers of his Soul he had and made a Progress after the manner of other Men. For he was made like unto us in all things yet without sin In their Encrease Enlargement and Exercise there was required a Progression in Grace also And this he had continually by the Holy Ghost Luke 2. 40. The Child grew and waxed strong in Spirit The first Clause refers to his Body which grew and increased after the manner of other Men as v. 52. He increased in Stature The other respects the confirmation of the Faculties of his Mind he waxed strong in Spirit So v. 47. he is said to increase in Wisdom as in Stature He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continually filling and filled with new Degrees of Wisdom as to its Exercise according as the Rational Faculties of his Mind were capable thereof an increase in these things accompanied his years v. 52. And what is here recorded by the Evangelist contains a Description of the Accomplishments of the Prophesie before mentioned Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And this Growth in Grace and Wisdom was the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit For as the Faculties of his Mind were enlarged by Degrees and strengthened so the Holy Spirit filled them up with Grace for Actual Obedience Sect. 3 2. The Humane Nature of Christ was capable of having New Objects proposed to its Mind and Understanding whereof before it had a simple Nescience And this is an inseparable adjunct of Humane Nature as such as it is to be weary or hungry and no vice or blameable defect Some have made a great outcry about the ascribing of Ignorance by some Protestant Divines unto the Humane Soul of Christ Bellarm. de Anim. Christi Take Ignorance for that which is a moral Defect in any kind or an unacquaintedness with that which any one ought to know or is necessary unto him as to the Perfection of his Condition or his Duty and it is false that ever any of them ascribed it unto him Take it meerly for a nescience of some things and there is no more in it but a denial of Infinite Omniscience nothing inconsistent with the highest Holiness and Purity of Humane Nature So the Lord Christ sayes of himself that he knew not the Day and Hour of the End of all things and our Apostle of him that he learned Obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. In the representation then of things anew to the Humane Nature of Christ the Wisdom and Knowledg of it was objectively increased and in new Tryals and Temptations he experimentally learned the new Exercise of Grace And this was the constant Work of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature of Christ. He dwelt in him in fulness for he received him not by measure And continually upon all occasions he gave out of his unsearchable Treasures Grace for Exercise in all Duties and Instances of it From hence was he habitually Holy and from hence did he exercise Holiness entirely and universally in all things Sect. 4 Fourthly The Holy Spirit in a peculiar manner anointed him with all those extraordinary Powers and Gifts which were necessary for the Exercise and Discharging of his Office on the Earth Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good Tydings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison unto them that are bound It is the Prophetical Office of Christ and his discharge thereof in his Ministry on the Earth which is intended And he applies these words unto himself with respect unto his Preaching of the Gospel Luke 4. 18. For this was that Office which he principally attended unto here in the World as that whereby he instructed Men in the Nature and Use of his other Offices For his Kingly Power in his Humane Nature on the Earth he exercised but sparingly Thereunto indeed belonged his sending forth of Apostles and Evangelists to preach with Authority And towards the End of his Ministry he instituted Ordinances of Gospel-Worship and appointed the Order of his Church in the Foundation and Building of it up which were Acts of Kingly Power Nor did he perform any Act of his Sacerdotal Office but only at his Death when he gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour Ephes. 5. 2. wherein God smelt a Savour of Rest and was appeased towards us But the whole course of his Life and Ministry was the Discharge of his Prophetical Office unto the Jews Rom. 15. 8. Which he was to do according to the great Promise Deut. 18. 18 19. And on the Acceptance or Refusal of him herein depended the Life and Death of the Church of Israel v. 19. Acts 3. 23. Heb. 1. 1. John 8. 44. Hereunto was he fitted by this Unction of the Spirit And here also is a distinction between the Spirit that was upon him and his being anointed to Preach which contains the Communication of the Gifts of that Spirit unto him As it is said Chap. 11. 3. The Spirit rested on him as a Spirit of Wisdom to make
Preheminence in their Minds they consider afterwards the peculiar Doctrines of the Gospel with one or other of these Effects For 1. some in a manner wholly despise them reproaching those by whom they are singularly professed What is contained in them is of no importance in their Judgment compared with the more necessary Duties of Morality which they pretend to embrace and to acquit themselves of the trouble of a search into them reject them as unintelligible or unnecessary Or 2. they will by forced Interpretations enervating the Spirit and perverting the Mystery of them square and fit them to their own low and Carnal Apprehensions They would reduce the Gospel and all the Mysteries of it to their own Light as some to Reason as others to Philosophy as the rest And let them who comply not with their weak and carnal Notions of things expect all the contemptuous Reproaches which the proud pretenders unto Science and Wisdom of old cast upon the Apostles and first Preachers of the Gospel Hereby advancing Morality above the Mystery and Grace of the Gospel they at once reject the Gospel and destroy Morality also for taking it off from its proper Foundation it falls into the Dirt whereof the Conversation of the Men of this Perswasion is no small Evidence Sect. 59 From this Prejudice it is that the Spiritual Things of the Gospel are by many despised and contemned So God spake of Ephraim Hos. 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of the Law but they were counted as a strange thing The things intended were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great manifold various things of the Law That which the Law was then unto that People that is the Gospel now unto us The Torah was the intire Means of God's communicating his Mind and Will unto them as his whole Counsel is revealed unto us by the Gospel These things he wrote unto them or made them in themselves and their Revelation plain and perspicuous But when all was done they were esteemed by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is also the Gospel a thing forreign and alien unto the Minds of Men which they intend not to concern themselves in They will heed the things that are cognate unto the Principles of their Nature things morally Good or Evil but for the hidden Wisdom of God in the Mystery of the Gospel it is esteemed by them as a strange thing And innumerable other Prejudices of the same Nature doth this Darkness fill the Minds of Men withal whereby they are powerfully and as unto any Light or Strength of their own invincibly kept off from receiving of Spiritual Things in a spiritual manner Sect. 60 Again the Power and Efficacy of this Darkness in and upon the Souls of Unregenerate Men will be farther evidenced by the Consideration of its especial Subject or the Nature and Use of that Faculty which is affected with it This is the Mind or Understanding Light and Knowledg are intellectual Vertues or Perfections of the Mind and that in every kind what-ever whether in things Natural Moral or Spiritual The Darkness whereof we treat is the Privation of Spiritual Light or the want of it And therefore are they opposed unto one another You were Darkness but are Light in the Lord Ephes. 5. 8. It is therefore the Mind or Understanding which is affected with this Darkness which is vitiated and depraved by it Now the Mind may be considered two ways 1. As it is Theoretical or Contemplative discerning and judging of things proposed unto it So it is its office to find out consider discern and apprehend the truth of Things In the Case before us it is the duty of the Mind to apprehend understand and receive the Truths of the Gospel as they are proposed unto it in the manner of and unto the end of their proposal This as we have manifested by reason of its Depravation it neither doth nor is able to do John 1. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 14. 2. It may be considered as it is practical as to the Power it hath to direct the whole Soul and determine the Will unto actual Operation according to its Light I shall not enquire at present whether the Will as to the specification of its Acts do necessarily follow the determination of the Mind or practical Understanding I am at no more but that it is the directive Faculty of the Soul as unto all Moral and Spiritual Operations Hence it follows Sect. 61 1. That nothing in the Soul not the Will and Affections can will desire or cleave unto any good but what is presented unto them by the Mind and as it is presented That Good what-ever it be which the Mind cannot discover the Will cannot chuse nor the Affections cleave unto All their actings about and concerning them are not such as answer their Duty This our Saviour directs us to the consideration of Mat. 6. 22 23. The Light of the Body is the Eye if therefore thine Eye be single the whole Body shall be full of Light But if thine Eye be evil the whole Body shall be full of Darkness if therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness As the Eye is naturally the Light of the Body or the means thereof so is the Mind unto the Soul And if Darkness be in the Eye not only the Eye but the whole Body is in Darkness because in the Eye alone is the Light of the whole so if the Mind be under Darkness the whole Soul is so also because it hath no Light but by the Mind And hence both is Illumination sometimes taken for the whole Work of Conversion unto God and the Spiritual Actings of the Mind by the Renovation of the Holy Ghost are constantly proposed as those which precede any gracious Actings in the Will Heart and Life as we shall shew afterwards 2. As the Soul can no way by any other of its Faculties receive embrace or adhere unto that Good in a saving manner which the Mind doth not savingly apprehend so where the Mind is practically deceived or any way captivated under the Power of Prejudices the Will and the Affections can no way free themselves from entertaining that evil which the Mind hath perversly assented unto Thus where the Mind is reprobate or void of a sound Judgment so as to call God Evil and Evil Good the Heart Affections and Conversation will be conformable thereunto Rom. 1. 28 29. And in the Scripture the deceit of the Mind is commonly laid down as the Principle of all Sin what-ever 1 Tim. 2. 14. Heb. 3. 12 13. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Sect. 62 And this is a brief Delineation of the state of the Mind of Man whilst unregenerate with respect unto Spiritual Things And from what hath been spoken we do conclude that the Mind in the state of Nature is so depraved vitiated and corrupted that it is not able upon the proposal of Spiritual Things unto it in the Dispensation
means unto Men in the state of Sin if they are not complyed withal is sufficient on the grounds before laid down to leave them by whom they are rejected inexcusable so Isa. 5. 3 4 5. Prov. 29. 1. 2 Chron. 36. 14 15. Joh. 2. That the effect of Regeneration or Conversion unto God is assigned unto the Preaching of the Word because of its efficacy thereunto in its own kind and way as the outward means thereof 1 Cor. 4. 15. James 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Sect. 10 2ly We may consider what is the Nature and wherein the Efficacy of this Moral Work doth consist To which purpose we may observe Sect. 11 1. That in the use of this Means for the Conversion of Men there is preparatory unto that wherein this Moral Perswasion doth consist an Instruction of the Mind in the knowledg of the Will of God and its duty towards him The first regard unto Men in the Dispensation of the Word unto them is their Darkness and Ignorance whereby they are alienated from the Life of God This therefore is the first End of Divine Revelation namely to make known the Counsel and Will of God unto us see Matth. 4. 15 16. Luk. 4. 18 19. Acts 26. 17 18. Acts 20. 20 21 26 27. By the Preaching of the Law and the Gâ—spel Men are instructed in the whole Counsel of God and what he requires of them And in their Apprehension hereof doth the Illumination of their Minds consist whereof we must treat distinctly afterwards Without a supposition of this Illumination there is no use of the Perswasive Power of the Word for it consists in affecting the Mind with its Concernment in the things that it knows or wherein it is instructed Wherefore we suppose in this Case that a Man is taught by the Word both the Necessity of Regeneration and what is required of himself thereunto Sect. 12 2. On this Supposition that a Man is instructed in the knowledg of the Will of God as revealed in the Law and the Gospel there is accompanying the Word of God in the Dispensation of it a powerful perswasive Eâ—â—â—cacy unto a complyance with it and observance of it For Instance Suppose a Man to be convinced by the Word of God of the Nature of Sin of his own sinful Condition of his danger from thence with respect unto the Sin of Nature on which account he is a Child of Wrath and of his actual Sin which further renders him obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and the Indignation of God of his Duty hereon to turn unto God and the way whereby he may so do there are in the Precepts Exhortations Expostulations Promises and Threatnings of the Word especially as dispensed in the Ministry of the Church Powerful Motives to affect and Arguments to prevail with the Mind and Will of such a Man to endeavour his own Regeneration or Conversion unto God rational and cogent above all that can be objected unto the contrary On some it is acknowledged that these things have no effect they are not moved by them they care not for them they do despise them and live and die in rebellion against the Light of them having their Eyes blinded by the God of this World But this is no Argument that they are not powerful in themselves although indeed it is that they are not so towards us of themselves but only as the Holy Spirit is pleased to act them towards us But in these Motives Reasons and Arguments whereby Men are in and from the Word and the Ministry of it urged and pressed unto Conversion to God doth this Moral Perswasion whereof we speak consist And the efficacy of it unto the end proposed ariseth from the things ensuing which are all resolved into God himself Sect. 13 1. From an evidence of the Truth of the things from whence these Motives and Arguments were taken The Foundation of all the Efficacy of the Dispensation of the Gospel lies in an evidence that the things proposed in it are not cunningly devised Fables 2 Pet. 1. 16. Where this is not admitted where it is not firmly assented unto there can be no perswasive Efficacy in it But where this is namely a prevalent Perswasion of the Truth of the Things proposed there the Mind is under a Disposition unto the things whereunto it is perswaded And hereon the whole Efficacy of the Word in and upon the Souls of Men is resolved into the Truth and Veracity of God For the things contained in the Scripture are not proposed unto us meerly as true but as Divine Truths as immediate Revelations from God which requires not only a rational but a sacred Religious respect unto them They are Things that the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. There is a proposal unto the Wills and Affections of Men in the Things so assented unto on the one hand as Good Amiable and Excellent wherein the chiefest Good Happiness and utmost End of our Natures are comprized to be pursued and attained and on the other of things Evil and Terrible the utmost Evil that our Nature is obnoxious unto to be avoided For this is urged on them that to comply with the Will of God in the proposals of the Gospel to conform thereunto to do what he requires to turn from Sin unto him is good unto Men best for them assuredly attended with present Satisfaction and future Glory And therein is also proposed the most noble Object for our Affections even God himself as a Friend as reconciled unto us in Christ and that in a way suited unto his Holiness Righteousness Wisdom and Goodness which we have nothing to oppose unto nor to lay in the Ballance against The way also of the Reconciliation of Sinners unto God by Jesus Christ is set out as that which hath such an Impress of Divine Wisdom and Goodness upon it as that it can be refused by none but out of a direct enmity against God himself Unto the enforcing of these things on the Minds of Men the Scripture abounds with Reasons Motives and Arguments the rendring whereof effectual is the principal end of the Ministry On the other hand it is declared and evidenced that Sin is the great Debasement of our Natures the Ruine of our Souls the only Evil in the World in its Guilt and Punishment that a Continuance in a state of it with a Rejection of the Invitation of the Gospel unto Conversion to God is a thing foolish unworthy of a rational Creature and that which will be everlastingly pernitious Whereas therefore in the judgment of every rational Creature Spiritual Things are to be preferred before Natural Eternal Things before Temporal and that these things are thus disposed of in infinite Goodness Love and Wisdom they must needs be apt to affect the Wills and take the Affections of Men. And herein the Efficacy of the Word on the Minds and Consciences of Men is resolved into the Authority of God These Precepts these Promises
did not Originally thus create our nature a Condition worse and inferiour unto that of other Creatures in whose Young Ones there are none of these disorders but a regular complyance with their natural instinct prevailes in them And as the dying of multitudes of Infants notwithstanding the utmost care for their preservation whereas the young ones of other Creatures all generally live if they have whereby their nature may be sustained argues the imputation of sin unto them For Death entred by Sin and passed upon all inasmuch as all have sinned so those irregular Actings peculiar unto them prove sin inherent in them or the Corruption of their Nature from their Conceptions Sect. 4 Secondly with the Increase of our natural Faculties and the strengthning of the members of our bodies which by nature are become ready instruments of unrighteousness unto sin Rom. 5. 13. this perverse Principle acts it self with more evidence frequency and success in the production of Actual sin or inordinate actings of the Mind Will and Affections So the wiseman tells us that Childhood and Youth are Vanity Eccl. 11. 10. The Mind of Man in the state of Childhood and Youth puts it self forth in all kinds of vain Actings in foolish Imaginations perverse and froward Appetites falseness in words with sensible effects of corrupt Inclinations in every kind Austin's first book of Confessions is an excellent comment on that Text wherein the Vanity of Childhood and Youth are graphically described with pathetical self-reflecting complaints concerning the Guilt of sin which is contracted in them Some perhaps may think light of those ways of Folly and Vanity wherein Childhood doth or left alone would consume it self that there is no moral evil in those Childish Innocencies That Good Man was of an other Mind Istane est saith he innocentia puerilis non est Domine non est Oro te Deus meus nam haec ipsa sunt quae a paedagogis magistris a nucibus pitulis passeribus ad Prefectos Reges aurum praedia mancipia haec ipsa omnino quae succedentibus majoribus aetatibus transeunt lib. 1. cap 19. This is not Innocency it is not so The same Principle and Habit of Mind carried over unto riper Age and greater Occasions bring forth those greater Sins which the lives of Men are filled withal in this World And who is there who hath a serious Reverence of God with any due apprehension of his Holiness and a clear conviction of the Nature of Sin who is not able to call over such Actings in Childhood which most think meet to connive at wherein they may remember that perversity whereof they are now ashamed By this means is the Heart prepared for a further Obduration in Sin by the confirmation of native Obstinacy Sect. 5 Thirdly unto those more general irregularities Actual sins do succeed such I mean as are against the remaining light of Nature or committed in Rebellion unto the dictates and guidance of our Minds and Consciences the Influence of those Intelligencies of Moral Good and Evil which are inseparable from the faculties of our Souls For although in some they may be stifled and over-born yet can they never be utterly obliterated or extinguished but will accompany the nature of Man unto Eternity even in that condition wherein they shall be of no other use but to add to and increase its misery Amongst those we may call over one or two Instances Lying is such a sin which the Depravation of Nature in Youth is prone to exert it self by and that on sundry Reasons not now to be enquired into They go astray from the womb speaking lies The first Inducement of our Nature unto Sin was by a Lye and we fell in Adam by giving credit thereunto And there is in every Sin a particular Lye But speaking falsly contrary unto what they know to be true is that which Children are prone unto though some more than others according as other vicious Habits prevail in them whose Actings they foolishly think to thatâ—h over and cover thereby This that holy Person whom we instance in acknowledgeth and bewaileth in himself Non videbam voraginem turpitudinis in quam projectus eram ab oculis tuis nam in illis quid jam me turpius fuit fallendo innumer abilibus mendaciis paedagogum magistros parentes amore ludendi studio spestandi nngatoria Lib. 1. Cap. 19. I saw not O God into what a gulf of filth I was cast out from before thee for what was more filthy than I whil'st out of love of Playes and desire of looking after vanities I deceived Teachers and Parents with innumerable Lyes And this the good man was afterwards exâ—eedingly humbled for and from it learned much of the vileness of his own nature And we find by experience that a sense of this sin oft-times accompanies the first real Convictions that befal the Souls of men For when they seriously reflect upon themselves or do view themselves in the Glass of the Law they are not only sensible of the nature of this Sin but also how much they indulged themselves therein partly whil'st they remember how on the least occasions they were surprized into it which yet they neglected to watch against and partly understanding how sometimes they made it their business by premeditated falshoods so to cover other sins as to escape rebuke and correction The mention of these things will probably be entertained with contempt and scorn in this Age wherein the most prodigious wickednesses of men are made but a sport But God his Holiness and his Truth are still the same what-ever alternations there may be in the World And the holy Psalmist seems to have some reflection on this Vice of Youth when he prayes that God would take from him the way of Lying Of the same nature are those lesser Thesis in despoiling their Parents and Governours of such things which they are not allowed to take and make use of for themselves They rob their Father or Mother and say it is no transgression Prov. 28. 24. So saith the same Person furta etiam faciebam de cellario parentum de mensis vel gula impuitante vel ut haberem quod darem pueris ludum suum mihi quo pariter delectabantur tamen vendentibus He sometimes stole from his Parents either to gratify his own sensual Appetite or to give unto his Companions In such instances doth Original Pravity exert it self in Youth or Childhood and thereby both increase its own power and fortify the Mind and the Affections against the Light and Efficacy of Conviction Sect. 6 Fourthly As Men grow up in the state of nature sin gets ground in them and upon them subjectively and objectively Concupiscence gets strength with Age and grows in violence as persons arrive to Ability for its Exercise the Instruments of it in the faculties of the Soul Organs of the senses and members of the body growing every day more serviceable unto it and
of the sanctification of the Spirit For such fruits of secret Atheism doth the world abound withall But our principal Duty in this world is to know aright what it is to be Holy and so to be indeed Sect. 7 One thing we must premise to clear our ensuing Discourse from Ambiguity And this is that there is mention in the Scripture of a Twofold sanctification and consequently of a two-fold Holiness The first is common unto Persons and Things consisting in the peculiar Dedication Consecration or Separation of them unto the Service of God by his own Appointment whereby they become Holy Thus the Priests and Levites of Old the Arke the Altar the Tabernacle and the Temple were sanctified and made Holy And indeed in all Holiness whatever there is a peculiar Dedication and Separation unto God But in the sense mentioned this was solitary and alone no more belonged unto it but this sacred separation nor was there any other effect of this Sanctification But secondly There is another kind of Sanctification and Holiness wherein this Separation to God is not the first thing done or intended but a Consequent and Effect thereof This is real and internal by the Communicating of a principle of Holiness unto our Natures attended with its Exercise in Acts and Duties of Holy Obedience unto God This is that which in the first place we enquire after and how far Believers are therein and thereby peculiarly separated and dedicated unto God shall be afterwards declared And unto what we have to deliver concerning it we shall make way by the ensuing observations Sect. 8 This whole matter of Sanctification and Holiness is peculiarly joyned with and limited unto the Doctrine Truth and Grace of the Gospel for Holiness is nothing but the implanting writing and realizing of the Gospel in our souls Hence it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 24. The Holiness of Truth which the Truth of the Gospel ingenerates and which consists in a conformity thereunto and the Gospel it self is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 1. The Truth which is according unto Godliness which declares that Godliness and Holiness which God requireth The prayer also of our Saviour for our Sanctification is conformed therunto John 17. 17. Sanctifie them in or by thy Truth thy word is Truth And he sanctified himself for us to be a sacrifice that we might be sanctified in the Truth This alone is that Truth which makes us free John 8. 12. that is from sin and the Law unto Righteousness in Holiness It belongs neither to nature nor the Law so as to proceed from them or to be effected by them Nature is wholly corrupted and contrary unto it The Law indeed for certain Ends was given by Moses but all Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. There neither is nor ever was in the world nor ever shall be the least dram of Holiness but what flowing from Jesus Christ is communicated by the Spirit according to the Truth and promise of the Gospel There may be something like it as to its outward Acts and effects at least some of them something that may wear its Livery in the world that is but the fruit of mens own Endeavours in Compliance with their convictions but Holiness it is not nor of the same kind or nature with it And this men are very apt to deceive themselves withal It is the design of corrupted Reason to debase all the glorious mysteries of the Gospel and all the concernments of them There is nothing in the whole Mystery of Godliness from the Highest crown of it which is the Person of Christ God manifested in the flesh unto the lowest and nearest effect of his Grace but it labours to deprave dishonour and debase The Lord Christ it would have in his whole person to be but a meer man in his Obedience and suffering to be but an Example in his doctrine to be confin'd unto the Capacity and Comprehension of Carnal Reason and the Holiness which he communicates by the Sanctification of his Spirit to be but that Moral vertue which is common among men as the fruit of their own Endeavours Herein some will acknowledge that men are guided and directed to a great Advantage by the Doctrine of the Gospel and thereunto excited by motions of the Holy Ghost himself put forth in the Dispensation of that Truth but any thing else in it more excellent more mysterious they will not allow But these low and carnal imaginations are exceedingly unworthy of the Grace of Christ the Glory of the Gospel the mystery of the Recovery of our Nature and healing of the wound it received by the entrance of sin with the whole design of God in our Restauration into a state of Communion with himself Moral vertue is indeed the best thing amongst men that is of them It far exceeds in worth use and satisfaction all that the Honours Powers Profits and Pleasures of the World can extend unto And it is admirable to consider what instructions are given concerning it what expressions are made of its excellency what Encomiums of its use and beauty by Learned contemplative men among the Heathen the wisest of whom did acknowledge that there was yet something in it which they could onely admire and not comprehend And very eminent instances of the practice of it were given in the lives and conversations of some of them And as the examples of their Righteousness Moderation Temperance Equanimity in all Conditions rise up at present unto the shame and reproach of many that are called Christians so they will be called over at the last day as an Aggravation of their Condemnation But to suppose that this Moral vertue whatever it be really in its own nature or however advanced in the imaginations of men is that Holiness of Truth which Believers receive by the Spirit of Christ is to debase it to overthrow it and to drive the souls of men from seeking an interest in it And hence it is that some pretending highly a friendship and respect unto it doe yet hate despise and reproach what is really so pleasing themselves with the empty name or withered Carcase of vertue every way inferiour as interpreted in their practice to the Righteousness of Heathens And this in the first place should stir up our diligence in our enquiries after its true and real nature that we decive not our selves with a false appearance of it and that unto our ruine Sect. 9 It is our Duty to enquire into the nature of Evangelical Holiness as it is a fruit or effect in us of the Spirit of Sanctification because it is abstruse and Mysterious and be it spoken with the good leave of some or whether they will or no undiscernable unto the eye of carnal Reason We may say of it in some sense as Job of Wisedom whence cometh Wisedom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the
by their own Fear which is the inseparable Adjunct of it so are they taught the Filth of sin by their own Shame which unavoidably attends it To instruct us herein is one End of the Law and the Gospel For in the Renovation of the Law which was added to the Promise because of Transgressions Gal. 3. 19. and in the Institutions annexed unto it God designed to instruct us further in them both with the Wayes whereby we may be freed from them In the Doctrine of the Law with the Sanction and Curse of it and the Institution of Sacrifices to make Attonement for sin God declared the Nature of Guilt and its Remedy By the same Law and by the Institution of sundry Ordinances for Purification and cleansing as also by determining sundry Ceremonial Defilements he makes known the Nature of this Filth and its Remedy To what End were so many Meats and Drinks so many Diseases and Natural Distempers so many external fortuitous Accidents as touching the Dead and the like made Religiously unclean by the Law It was to no other but to teach us the Nature of the spiritual Defilement of sin And to the same End together with a Demonstration of the Relief and Remedy thereof were the Ordinances of Purification instituted which as they were Outward and Carnal purged those Uncleannesses as they also were Outward and Carnal made so by the Law But Internal and Spiritual things were taught and presigured hereby yea wrought and effected by vertue of their Typical Relation to Christ as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9. 13 14. For it the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heyfer sprinkling the unclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And hence the whole Work of Sanctification is expressed by opening a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness that is the purging of them away Zech. 13. 1. So is it in the Gospel where the Blood of Christ is said to purge our sins with respect to Guilt and to wash our Souls with respect to Filth Yea so inseparable is this Filth from sin and Shame from Filth that wherever abides a sence of sin there is a sence of this Filth with Shame The very Heathen who had only the workings of their own Minds and Consciences for their Guide were never able to quit themselves from a sence of this Pollution of sin And thence proceeded all those wayes of Lustration Purgation and Cleansing by Washings Sacrifices and Mysterious Ceremonious Observances which they had invented It remains therefore only that we enquire a little into the Reasons and Causes why this pravity of sin and discrepancy from the Holiness of God is such a Defilement of our Natures and so inseparably attended with shame For without the Consideration hereof we can never understand the true Nature of Sanctification and Holiness And it will also then yet further appear how openly they betray their prodigious Ignorance of these things who contend that all Grace consists in the Practice of Moral Vertues And we may to this Purpose observe Sect. 3 1 That the Spiritual Beauty and Comeliness of the Soul consists in its Conformity unto God Grace gives Beauty Hence it is said of the Lord Christ That he is fairer or more beautifull than the Children of Men and that because Grace was poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. And when the Church is furnished or adorned with his Graces he affirms her to be Fair and Comely Cant. 1. 5. chap. 6. 4. chap. 7. 6. Christ by washing of it takes away its spots and wrinkles rendring it beautifull that is Holy and without blemish Ephes. 5. 27. And this Beauty Originally consisted in the Image of God in us which contained the whole Order Harmony and Symmetry of our Natures in all their Faculties and Actions with respect unto God and our utmost End That therefore which is contrary hereunto as is all and every sin hath a Deformity in it or brings Spots Stains and Wrinkles on the Soul There is in sin all that is contrary to spiritual Beauty and Comeliness to inward Order and Glory and this is the Filth and Pollution of it 2 Holiness and Conformity to God is the Honour of our Souls It is that alone which makes them truely Noble For all Honour consists in an Accession unto Him who is the only Spring and absolute Possessour of all that is so in whom alone is Originally and Perfectly all Being and Substance Now this we have alone by Holiness or that Image of God wherein we were created Whatever is contrary hereunto is base vile and unworthy This is sin which is therefore the only base thing in Nature Hence it is said of some great Sinners that they had debased themselves to Hell Isa. 57. 9. This belongs to the Pollution of Sin that it is base vile unworthy dishonouring the Soul filling it with shame in its self and contempt from God And there are no Persons who are not absolutely hardened but are in their own Minds and Consciences sensible of this Baseness of sin as they are also of the Deformity that is in it When mens Eyes are opened to see their Nakedness how vile and base they have made themselves by sin they will have a sence of this Pollution not easily to be expressed And from hence it is that sin hath the Propertyes and Effects of Vncleanness in the sight of God and in the Conscience of the sinner God abhorrs loaths it accounts it an abominable thing as that which is directly contrary to his Holiness which as impressed on the Law is the Rule of Purity Integrity spiritual Beauty and Honour And in the Conscience of the sinner it is attended with Shame as a thing deformed loathsome vile base and dishonourable See Jer. 2. 26. In all in whom it is I say unless they are blind and obdurate it fills them with shame I speak not of such as are little or not at all spiritually sensible of sin or any of its propertyes who fear not because of its Guilt nor are disquieted by its Power not acquainted with its Fomes or Disposition to evil and so not ashamed of its filth much less of such as are given over to all uncleanness with Delight and Greediness wallowing in the pollution of it like the Sow in the Mire who not only do the things which god abhorreth but also have pleasure in them that do them But those I intend who have the least real Conviction of the nature and tendency of sin who are all in one Degree or other ashamed of it as a filthy thing And a Casting off of outward shame that is so from its Object or Shame with respect unto the Conscience and Judgement of Humane Kind as those doe who proclaim their sins as Sodom and hide them not is the highest Aggravation of sinning and Contempt of God and the casting out of
Ray of Supernatural Light The Light of a Natural Conscience will convince Men of and reprove them for actual sins as to their Guilt Rom. 2. 14 15. But the meer Light of Nature is dark and confused about its own Confusion Some of the Old Philosophers discerned in general that our Nature was disordered and complained thereof But as the Principal Reason of their Complaints was because it would not throughout serve the Ends of their Ambition so of the Causes and Nature of it with respect unto God and our Eternal Condition they knew nothing of it at all Nor is it discerned but by a Supernatural Light proceeding immediately from the Spirit of God If any therefore have an Heart or Wisdom to know their own Pollution by sin without which they know nothing of themselves unto any Purpose let them pray for that Directing Light of the Spirit of God without which they can never attain to any usefull Knowledge of it 2. Those who would indeed be purged from the Pollution of Sin must endeavour to be affected with it suitably to the Discovery which they have made of it And as the proper Effect of the Guilt of sin is Fear so the proper Effect of the Filth of sin is Shame No man who hath read the Scriptures can be ignorant how frequently God calls on men to be ashamed and confounded in themselves for the Pollutions and Uncleannesses of their sin So is it expressed in Answer unto what he requires O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God because of our Iniquities Ezra 9. 6. And by another Prophet We lye down in our shame and our Confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Jerem. 3. 25. And many other such Expressions are there of this Affection of the Mind with respect unto the Pollution of sin But we must observe that there is a Two-fold shame with respect unto it 1 That which is Legal or the product of a meer Legal Conviction of Sin Such was that in Adam immediately after his Fall And such is that which God so frequently calls open and profligate sinners unto A shame accompanyed with Dread and Terrour and from which the sinner hath no Relief unless in such sorry Evasions as our First Parents made use of And 2 There is a shame which is Evangelical arising from a mixed Apprehension of the Vileness of sin and the Riches of Gods Grace in the Pardon and Purifying of it For although this latter gives Relief against all terrifying discouraging Effects of shame yet it encreaseth those which tend to genuine self-Abasement and Abhorrency And this God still requires to abide in us as that which tends to the Advancement of his Grace in our Hearts This is fully Expressed by the Prophet Ezek. 16. 60 61 62 63. I will remember my Covenant with thee in the Dayes of thy Youth and I will establish unto thee an Everlasting Covenant then shalt thou remember thy Wayes and be ashamed and I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God There is a shame and Confusion or face for sin that is a Consequent yea an Effect of Gods renewing his Covenant and thereby giving in the full Pardon of sin as being pacified And the Apostle asks the Romans what Fruit they had in those things whereof they were now ashamed Chap. 6. 21. Now after the Pardon of them they were yet ashamed from the Consideration of their Filth and Vileness But it is shame in the First sence that I here intend as antecedent unto the First Purification of our Natures This may be thought to be in all men but it is plainly otherwise and men are not at all ashamed of their Sins which they manifest in Various Degrees For Sect. 12 1 Many are senceless and stupid no Instruction nothing that befalls them will fix any real shame upon them Of some particular Facts they may be ashamed but for any thing in their Natures they slight and despise it If they can but preserve themselves from the known Guilt of such sins as are punishable amongst Men as to all other things they are secure This is the Condition of the Generality of men living in sin in this World They have no inward shame for any thing between God and their Souls especially not for the Pravity and Defilement of their Natures no although they hear the Doctrine of it never so frequently What may outwardly befall them that is shamefull they are concerned in but for their Internal Pollutions between God and their Souls they know none 2 Some have a Boldness and Confidence in their Condition as that which is well and pure enough There is a Generation that is pure in their own Eyes yet are they not washed from their Filthiness Prov. 30. 12. Although they were never sprinkled with the pure Water of the Covenant or cleansed by the Holy Spirit although their Consciences were never purged from dead Works by the Blood of Christ nor their Hearts purified by Faith and so are no Way washed from their Filthiness yet do they please themselves in their Condition as pure in their own Eyes and have not the least sence of any Defilement Such a Generation were the Pharisees of Old who esteemed themselves as clean as their Hands and Cups that they were continually washing though within they were filled with all manner of Defilements Isa. 65. 4 5. And this Generation is such as indeed despise all that is spoken about the Pollution of Sin and its Purification and deride it as Enthusiastical or a fulsome Metaphor not to be understood 3 Others proceed farther and are so far from taking shame to themselves for what they are or what they doe as that they openly Boast of and Glory in the most shamefull sins that Humane Nature can contract the Guilt of They proclaim their Sins saith the Prophet like Sodom where all the People consented together in the Perpetration of Unnatural Lusts. They are not at all ashamed but Glory in the things which because they do not here will hereafter fill them with Confusion of Face Jerem. 6. 15. Chap. 8. 12. And where once Sin gets this Confidence wherein it compleats a Conquest over the Law the in-bred Light of Nature the Convictions of the Spirit and in a word God himself then is it ripe for Judgement And yet is there a higher Degree of shamelesness in sin For 4 Some content not themselves with Boasting in their own Sins but also they approve and delight in all those who give up themselves unto the like Out-rage in Sinning with themselves This the Apostle expresseth as the highest Degree of shameless sinning Rom. 1. 32. Who knowing the Judgement of God that they which Commit
positive Effect upon the Soul which we now enter upon the Description of nor absolutely in Order of Nature Yea much of the Means whereby the Holy Ghost purifieth us consisteth in this other Work of his which now lyes before us Only we thus distinguish them and cast them into this Order as the Scripture also doth for the Guidance of our Understanding in them and furtherance of our Apprehension of them Sect. 2 We therefore now proceed unto that part of the Work of the Holy Spirit whereby he Communicates the great permanent positive Effect of Holiness unto the Souls of Believers and whereby he guides and assists them in all the Acts Works and Duties of Holiness whatever without which what we doe is not so nor doth any way belong thereunto And this part of his Work we shall reduce unto two Heads which we shall first propose and afterwards clear and vindicate And our First Assertion is That in the Sanctification of Believers the Holy Ghost doth work in them in their whole Souls their Minds Wills and Affections a gracious supernatural Habit Principle and Disposition of Living unto God wherein the Substance or Essence the Life and Being of Holiness doth consist This is that spirit which is born of the Spirit that new Creature that new and Divine Nature which is wrought in them and whereof they are made partakers Herein consists that Image of God whereunto our Natures are repaired by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we are made conformable unto God firmly and steadfastly adhering unto him through Faith and Love That there is such a Divine Principle such a gracious supernatural Habit wrought in all them that are Born again hath been fully proved in our Assertion and Description of the Work of Regeneration It is therefore acknowledged that the first supernatural Infusion or Communication of this Principle of spiritual Light and Life preparing sitting and enabling all the Faculties of our Souls unto the Duties of Holiness according to the Mind of God doth belong unto the Work of our first Conversion But the preservation cherishing and encrease of it belongs unto our Sanctification both its Infusion and Preservation being necessarily required unto Holiness Hereby is the Tree made good that the Fruit of it may be good and without which it will not so be This is our new Nature which ariseth not from precedent Actions of Holiness but is the Root of them all Habits acquired by a multitude of Acts whether in things Morall or Artificial are not a new Nature nor can be so called but a readiness for Acting from Use and Custom But this Nature is from God its Parent it is that in us which is born of God And it is Common unto or the same in all Believers as to its Kind and Being though not as to Degrees and Exercise It is that we cannot learn which cannot be taught us but by God only as he teaches other Creatures in whom he planteth a natural Instinct The Beauty and Glory hereof as it is absolutely inexpressible so have we spoken somewhat to it before Conformity to God Likeness to Christ Compliance with the Holy Spirit Interest in the Family of God Fellowship with Angels Separation from Darkness and the World do all consist herein Sect. 3 Secondly The Matter of our Holiness consists in our Actual Obedience unto God according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace For God promiseth to write his Law in our Hearts that we may fear him and walk in his Statutes And concerning this in general we may observe two things 1. That there is a certain fixed Rule and Measure of this Obedience in a Conformity and Answerableness whereunto it doth consist This is the Revealed Will of God in the Scripture Micah 6. 8. Gods Will I say as revealed unto us in the Word is the Rule of our Obedience A Rule it must have which nothing else can pretend to be The secret Will or hidden Purposes of God are not the Rule of our Obedience Deut. 29. 29. much less are our own Imaginations Inclinations or Reasons so neither doth any thing though never so specious which we do in Complyance with them or by their Direction belong thereunto Col. 2. 19 20 21 22. But the Word of God is the Adequate Rule of all Holy Obedience 1 It is so materially All that is commanded in that Word belongs unto our Obedience and nothing else doth so Hence are we so strictly required neither to add unto it nor to diminish or take any thing from it Deut. 4. 2. Chap. 12. 32. Josh. 1. 7. Prov. 36. 6. Revel 22. 18. 2 It is so formally that is we are not to do only what is commanded all that is commanded and nothing else but whatever we do we are to do it because it is commanded or it is no part of our Obedience or Holiness Deut. 6. 24 25. Chap. 29. 19. Psal. 119. 9. I know there is an in-bred Light of Nature as yet remaining in us which gives great Direction as to Moral Good and Evil commanding the one and forbidding the other Rom. 2. 14 15. But this Light however it may be made subservient and subordinate thereunto is not the Rule of Gospel Holiness as such nor any part of it The Law which God by his Grace writes in our Hearts answers unto the Law that is written in the Word that is given unto us and as the first is the only Principle so the latter is the only Rule of our Evangelical Obedience For this End hath God promised that his Word and his Spirit shall alwayes accompany one another the one to quicken our Souls and the other to guide our Lives Isa. 59. 20. And the Word of God may be considered as our Rule in a threefold Respect 1. As it requires the Image of God in us The Habitual Rectitude of our Nature with respect unto God and our Living to him is Enjoyned us in the Word yea and wrought in us thereby The whole Renovation of our Natures the whole Principle of Holiness before described is nothing but the Word changed into Grace in our Hearts for we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God The Spirit worketh nothing in us but what the Word first requireth of us It is therefore the Rule of the inward Principle of spiritual Life and the growth thereof is nothing but its increase in Conformity to that Word 2. With respect unto all the Actual Frames Designs and Purposes of the Heart All the internal Actings of our Minds All the Volitions of the Will all the Motions of our Affections are to be regulated by that Word which requires us to Love the Lord our God with all our Minds all our Souls and all our Strength Hereby is their Regularity or Irregularity to be tried All that Holiness which is in them consists in their Conformity to the Revealed Will of God 3. With respect unto all our outward Actions and
to have others pray for their Souls and expiate their sins when they were gone out of this World These and the like other innumerable pretended Duties may be judged condemned exploded without the least fear of deterring men from Obedience 2 That wherever there is this Principle of Holiness in the Heart in those that are Adult there will be the Fruits and Effects of it in the Life in all Duties of Righteousness Godliness and Holiness For the main Work and End of this Principle is to enable us to comply with that Grace of God which teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. That which we press for is the great Direction of our Saviour make the Tree good and the Fruit will be so also And there can be no more vile and sordid Hypocrisie than for any to pretend unto inward habitual Sanctification whilest their Lives are barren in the Fruits of Righteousness and Duties of Obedience Wherever this Root is there it will assuredly bear Fruit. Secondly It will appear from hence whence it is that men propose and steer such various Courses with respect unto Holiness All men who profess themselves to be Christians are agreed in words at least that Holiness is absolutely necessary unto them that would be saved by Jesus Christ. To deny it is all one as openly to renounce the Gospel But when they should come to the practice of it some take one false Way some another and some Actually despise and reject it Now all this ariseth from Ignorance of the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness on the one hand and Love of Sin on the other There is nothing wherein we are spiritually and eternally concerned that is more frequently insisted on than is the true Nature of Sanctification and Holiness But the thing it self as hath been declared is deep and mysterious not to be understood without the Aid of spiritual Light in our Minds Hence some would have Moral Vertue to be Holiness which as they suppose they can understand by their own Reason and practise in their own Strength and I heartily wish that we could see more of the Fruits of it from them But real Moral Vertue will hardly be abased into an Opposition unto Grace the Pretence of it will be so easily and is so every day Some on the other hand place all Holiness in superstitious Devotions in the strict Observance of Religious Duties which Men and not God have appointed And there is no end of their Multiplication of them nor measure of the Strictness of some in them The Reason why men give up themselves unto such soul-deceiving Imaginations is their Ignorance and hatred of that only true real Principle of Evangelical Holiness which we have discoursed For what the World knoweth not in these things it alwayes hateth And they cannot discern it clearly or in its own Light and Evidence for it must be spiritually discerned This the Natural man cannot doe 1 Cor. 2. 14. And in that false Light of Corrupted Reason wherein they discern and judge it they esteem it foolishness or Fancy There is not a more Foolish and Fanatical thing in the World with many than that internal habitual Holiness which we are in the Consideration of And hence are they lead to despise and to hate it But here the Love of Sin secretly takeâ— place and influenceth their Minds This universal Change of theâ—â—oul in all its Principles of Operation into the Image and Likeness of God tending to the Extirpation of all sins and vitious Habits is that which men fear and abhorre This makes them take up with Morality and superstitious Devotion any thing that will pacifie a Natural Conscience and please themselves or others with a Reputation of Religion It is therefore highly incumbent on all that would not wilfully deceive their own Souls unto their Eternal Ruine to enquire diligently into the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness and above all to take care that they miss it not in the Foundation in the true Root and Principle of it wherein a mistake will be pernitious Thirdly It is moreover evident from hence that it is a greater matter to be truely and really holy than most Persons are aware of We may learn eminently how great and Excellent a Work this of Sanctification and Holiness is from the Causes of it How emphatically doth our Apostle ascribe it unto God even the Father 1 Thess. 5. 23. Even the God of Peace himself sanctifie you It is so great a Work as that it cannot be wrought by any but the God of Peace himself What is the immediate Work of the Spirit therein what the Influence of the Mediation and Blood of Christ into it hath been already in part declared and we have yet much more to adde in our Account of it And these things do sufficiently manifest how Great how Excellent and Glorious a Work it is For it doth not become Divine and Infinite Wisdom to engage the immediate Power and Efficacy of such glorious Causes and Means for the producing of any ordinary or common Effect It must be somewhat as of great Importance unto the Glory of God so of an Eminent Nature in it self And that little Entrance which we have made into an Enquity after its Nature manifests how Great and Excellent it is Let us not therefore deceive our selves with the Shadowes and Appearances of things in a few Duties of Piety or Righteousness no nor yet with many of them if we find not this great Work at least begun in us It is sad to see what trifling there is in these things amongst men None indeed are contented to be without a Religion and very few are willing to admit it in its Power Fourthly Have we received this Principle of Holiness and of spiritual Life by the gracious Operation of the Holy Ghost there are among many others three Dutyes incumbent on us whereof we ought to be as carefull as of our Souls And the First is Carefully and diligently by all Means to cherish and preserve it in our hearts This Sacred Depositum of the New Creature of the Divine Nature is entrusted with us to take care of to cherish and improve If we willingly or through our neglect suffer it to be wounded by Temptations weakened by Corruptions or not exercised in all known Duties of Obedience our Guilt is great and our Trouble will not be small And then Secondly It is equally incumbent on us to evidence and manifest it by its Fruits in the Mortification of corrupt Lusts and Affections in all Duties of Holiness Righteousness Charity and Piety in the World For that God may be glorified hereby is one of the Ends why he indues our Natures with it And without these visible Fruits we expose our entire Profession of Holiness to reproach And in like manner is it required that we be thankefull for what we have received Sect.
Understanding That Grace which proceeds from especial Love will carry along an holy quickening sence of it and thereby be excited unto its due Exercise And we do what we can to famish and starve our Graces when we do not endeavour their Supplyes by Faith on that Spring of Divine Love from whence they proceed Sect. 48 3 Seeing we are chosen in Christ and predestinated to be like unto him those Graces of Holiness have the most evident and legible Characters of Electing Love upon them which are most Effectual in working us unto a Conformity to him That Grace is certainly from an Eternal Spring which makes us like unto Jesus Christ. Of this sort are Meekness Humility Patience Self-denyal Contempt of the World Readiness to pass by Wrongs to Forgive Enemies to Love and doe Good unto all which indeed are despised by the most and duely regarded but by few But I return Sect. 49 Secondly The especial procuring Cause of this Holiness is the Mediation of Christ. We are not in this Matter concerned in any thing let men call it what they please Vertue or Godliness or Holiness that hath not an especial Relation unto the Lord Christ and his Mediation Evangelical Holiness is purchased for us by him according to the Tenour of the Everlasting Covenant is promised unto us on his Account actually impetrated for us by his Intercession and communicated unto us by his Spirit And hereby we do not only cast off all the Moral Vertues of the Heathens from having the least concernment herein but all the Principles and Dutyes of Persons professing Christianity who are not really and actually implanted into Christ. For he it is who of God is made unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. And this he is on several Accounts the Heads whereof may be called over Sect. 50 1 He is made unto us of God Sanctification with respect unto his sacerdotal Office because we are purified purged washed and cleansed from our Sins by his Blood in the Oblation of it and the Application of it unto our Souls as hath been at large declared Ephes. 5. 26 27. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14. All that we have Taught before concerning the Purification of our Minds and Consciences by the Blood of Christ is peculiar unto Gospel-Holiness and distinguisheth it Essentially from all Common Grace or Moral Vertues And they do but deceive themselves who rest in a Multitude of Duties it may be animated much with Zeal and set off with a Profession of the most rigid Mortification whose Hearts and Consciences are not thus purged by the Blood of Christ. Sect. 51 2 Because he prevails for the actual sanctification of our Natures in the Communication of Holiness unto us by his Intercession His Prayer Joh. 17. 17. is the blessed Spring of our Holiness Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth There is not any thing of this Grace wrought in us bestowed on us communicated unto us preserved in us but what is so in Answer unto and Complyance with the Intercession of Christ. From his Prayer for us is Holiness begun in us Sanctifie them saith he by thy Truth Thence is it kept alive and preserved in us I have saith he to Peter prayed for thee that thy Faith should not fail and through his Intercession are we saved to the uttermost Nothing belongs to this Holiness but what in the Actual Communication of it is a peculiar Fruit of Christs Intercession What is not so what men may be made partakers of upon any more general Account belongs not thereunto And if we really design Holiness or intend to be Holy it is our Duty constantly to improve the Intercession of Christ for the Encrease of it And this we may do by especial Applications to him for that Purpose So the Apostles prayed him to encrease their Faith Luke 17. 3. And we may do so for the Encrease of our Holiness But the Nature of this Application unto Christ for the Encrease of Holiness by vertue of his Intercession is duely to be considered We are not to pray unto him that he would intercede for us that we may be Sanctified For as he needs not our minding for the Discharge of his Office so he intercedes not Orally in Heaven at all and alwayes doth so Vertually by his Appearance in the Presence of God with the Vertue of his Oblation or Sacrifice But whereas the Lord Christ gives out no Supplyes of Grace unto us but what he receiveth from the Father for that End by vertue of his Intercession we apply our selves unto him under that Consideration namely as he who upon his Intercession with God for us hath all stores of Grace to give us supplyes from Sect. 52 3 He is so because the Rule and Measure of Holiness unto us the Instrument of working it in us is His Word and Doctrine which he taught the Church as the great Prophet of it The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. The in-bred dictates of the Light and Law of Nature in their greatest Purity are not the Rule or Measure of this Holiness much less are these Rules and Maxims which men deduce partly right and partly wrong from them of any such use Nor is the Written Law it self so It is the Rule of Original Holiness but not the adequate Rule of that Holiness whereunto we are restored by Christ. Neither are both these in Conjunction the Dictates of Nature and the Law written the Instrument of working Holiness in us But it is the Doctrine of the Gospel which is the Adequate Rule and immediate Instrument of it My meaning is That the Word the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ in the Preceptive part of it is so the Rule of all our Obedience and Holiness as that all which it requireth belongeth thereunto and nothing else but what it requireth doth so and the Formal Reason of our Holiness consists in Conformity thereunto under this Consideration that it is the Word and Doctrine of Christ. Nothing belongeth unto Holiness materially but what the Gospel requireth and nothing is so in us formally but what we doe because the Gospel requireth it And it is the Instrument of it because God maketh use of it alone as an external Means for the Communicating of it unto us or the Ingenerating of it in us Principles of Natural Light with the Guidances of an awakened Conscience do direct unto and exact the performance of many material Duties of Obedience The written Law requireth of us all Duties of Original Obedience and God doth use these things variously for the preparing of our Souls unto a right Receiving of the Gospel But there are some Graces some Duties belonging unto Evangelical Holiness which the Law knows nothing of Such are the Mortification of sin Godly Sorrow daily Cleansing of our Hearts and Minds not to mention the more sublime and spiritual Acts of Communion with God by Christ with all that
Divinely inspired by him consisted in the Revelation of those Duties of Holiness which although they had a general Foundation in the Law and the Equity of them was therein established yet could they never have been known to be Duties in their especial Nature Incumbent on us and Necessary unto us but by his Teachings and Instructions Hence are they called Old and New Commandements in distinct sences such are Faith in God through himself Brotherly love Denyal of our selves in taking up the Cross doing Good for Evil with some others of the same Kind And how a great part of Evangelical Holiness consists in these things is known Besides he also teacheth us all those Ordinances of Worship wherein our Obedience unto him belongs unto our Holiness also whereby it is enlarged and promoted This I say is the Nature and End of the Prophetical Office of Christ wherein he Acts towards us from God and in his Name as to the Declaration of the Will of God in his Commands And it is our Holiness which is his only End and Design therein So it is summarily represented Tit. 2. 10 11 12. Sect. 10 There are three things considerable in the Doctrine of Obedience that Christ teacheth 1 That it reacheth the Heart it self with all its inmost and secret Actings and that in the first place The Practice of most goes no further but unto Outward Acts the Teachings of many goe no further or at best unto the Moderation of Affections But he in the first place requires the Renovation of our whole Souls in all their Faculties Motions and Actings into the Image of God 1 Joh. 3. 1. Ephes. 4. 23 24 25. 2 It is Extensive There is nothing in any kind pleasing to God conformable to his Mind or complyant with his Will but he requires it nothing crooked or perverse or displeasing to God but it is forbidden by him It is therefore a perfect Rule of Holiness and Obedience 3 Clearness Perspicuity and Evidence of Divine Truth and Authority in all Sect. 11 First Hereby I say the Doctrine of Christ for universal Obedience in all the Duties of it becomes to be absolute every way compleat and perfect And it is a notable Effect of the Atheistical Pride of Men that pretending to design Obedience at least in Moral Duties unto God they betake themselves unto other Rules and Directions as either more plain or full or efficacious than those of the Gospel which are the Teachings of Christ himself as the great Prophet and Apostle sent of God to instruct us in our Duty Some goe to the Light of Nature and the Use of Right Reason that is their own as their Guide and some adde the Additional Documents of the Philosophers They think a Saying of Epictetus or Seneca or Arrianus being wittily suited to their Fancies and Affections to have more Life and Power in it than any Precepts of the Gospel The Reason why these things are more pleasing unto them than the Commands and Instructions of Christ is because proceeding from the Spring of Natural Light they are suited to the Workings of natural Fancy and Understanding but those of Christ proceeding from the Fountain of Eternal spiritual Light are not comprehended in their Beauty and Excellency without a Principle of the same Light in us guiding our Vnderstandings and influencing our Affections Hence take any Precept general or particular about Moral Duties that is materially the same in the Writing of Philosophers and in the Doctrine of the Gospel not a few preferre it as delivered in the first way before the latter Such a Contempt have men risen unto of Jesus Christ the Wisdom of God and the great Prophet of the Church When he entred upon his Office the Voyce came from the Excellent Glory This is my Beloved Son hear him This succeeded into the Room of all those terrible Appearances and dreadfull Preparations which God made use of in the giving of the Law For he gave the Law by the Ministry of Angels who being meer Creatures he manifested the Dread of his own Presence among them to give Authority unto their Ministrations But when he came to Reveal his Will under the Gospel it being to be done by him in whom dwelt the Fulness of the Godhead Bodily and who was intrusted himself with all Divine Power he did no more but indigitate or declare which was the Person and give us a Command in General to hear him And this he did with respect unto what he had fixed before as a Fundamental Ordinance of Heaven namely that when he should raise up and send the great Prophet of the Church whosoever would not hear him should be cut off from the people A Complyance therefore with this Command in hearing the Voyce of Christ is the Foundation of all Holiness and Gospel Obedience And if men will be moved neither with the Wisdom nor Authority nor Goodness of God in giving us this Command and Direction for our Good nor with the Consideration of the Endowments and Faithfulness of Jesus Christ the Son of God in the Discharge of his Prophetical Office nor from the Remembrance that it is He and not Epictetus or Seneca or Plato to whom at the Last Day they must give their Account so as to take him alone for their Guide in all Obedience unto God and Duty among themselves they will find when it is too late that they have been mistaken in their Choyce Sect. 12 Let us suppose if you please at present for the sake of them who would have it so that all our Obedience consists in Morality or the Dutyes of it which is the Opinion of as one well calls them our Modern Heathens from whence or whom shall we learn it or to whom shall we goe for Teaching and Instruction about it Certainly where the Instruction or Systeme of Precepts is most plain full perfect and free from Mistakes where the manner of Teaching is most Powerfull and Efficacious and where the Authority of the Teacher is greatest and most unquestionable there we ought to apply our selves to Learn and be guided In all these Respects we may say of Christ as Job said of God Who teacheth Like him Job 36. 22. Then probably shall we be Taught of God when we are Taught by him The Commands and Precepts of Duties themselves which are given us by the Light of Nature however improved by the Wits and Reasons of contemplative men are many wayes Defective Sect. 13 For 1 The utmost Imaginations of Men never reached unto that wherein the Life and Soul of Holiness doth consist Namely the Renovation of our lapsed Natures into the Image and Likeness of God Without this whatever Precepts are given about the Moderation of Affections and Duties of Moral Holiness they are lifeless and will prove useless And hence it is that by all those Documents which were given by Philosophers of Old the Nature of no one individual Person was ever renewed what Change soever was wrought
on their Conversation But that this is plainly and directly required in the Doctrine of Obedience taught by Jesus Christ as the great Prophet of the Church I have sufficiently proved in this whole Discourse 2 Very few of the Precepts of it are certain so as that we may take them for an undoubted and infallible Rule There are some general Commands I acknowledge so clear in the Light of Nature as that no question can be made but that what is required in them is our Duty to perform Such are they that God is to be loved that others are not to be injured that every ones Right is to be rendred unto him whereunto all Reasonable Creatures do assent at their first Proposal And where any are found to live in an open Neglect or seem to be Ignorant of them their Degeneracy into Beastiality is open and their Sentiments not at all to be regarded But goe a little further and you will find all the great Moralists at endless uncertain Disputes about the Nature of Vertue in general about the Offices and Duties of it about the Rule and Measures of their Practice In these Disputes did most of them consume their Lives without any great Endeavours to express their own Notions in their Conversations Sect. 14 And from the same Reason I suppose in part it is that our present Moralists seem to care for nothing but the Name Vertue it self is grown to be a strange and uncouth thing But what is commanded us by Jesus Christ there is no room for the least haesitation whether it be an infallible Rule for us to attend unto or no. Every Precept of his about the meanest Duty is equally certain and infallibly declarative of the Nature and Necessity of that Duty as those of the greatest and that have most Evidence from the Light of Nature If once it appears that Christ requires any thing of us by his Word that he hath taught us any thing as the Prophet of the Church there is no Doubt remains with us whether it be our Duty or no. 3 The whole Rule of Duties given by the most improved Light of Nature setting aside those that are purely Evangelical which some despise is obscure and partial There are sundry Moral Duties which I instanced in before which the Light of Nature as it remains in the lapsed depraved Condition of it never extended it self to the Discovery of And this Obscurity is evident from the Differences that are about its Precepts and Directions But now as the Revelation made by Christ and his Commands therein is Commensurate unto Universal Obedience and gives Bounds unto it so that there is no Duty of it but what he hath commanded and it is sufficient to discharge the most specious Pleas and Pretences of any thing to be a Duty towards God or Man by shewing that it is not required by him so his Commands and Directions are plain and evidently perspicuous I dare challenge the greatest and most Learned Moralists in the World to give an Instance of any one Duty of Morality confirmed by the Rules and Directions of the highest and most Contemplative Moralist that I will not shew and evince that it is more plainly and clearly required by the Lord Christ in the Gospel and pressed on us by far more effectual Motives than any they are acquainted withall It is therefore the highest Folly as well as Wickedness for Men to design plead or pretend the Learning Duties of Obedience from others rather than from Christ the Prophet of the Church Sect. 15 Secondly The Manner of Teaching as to Power and Efficacy is also considerable unto this End And concerning this also we may say Who teacheth like him There was that Eminency in his personal Ministry whilest he was on the Earth as filled all men with Admiration Hence it is said that he taught with Authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. and another while they wondred at the Gracious words which he uttered Luke 4. 22. And the very Officers that were sent to apprehend him for Preaching came away astonished saying Never man spake like this Man John 7. 46. It is true it was not the Design of God that Multitudes of that hardned Generation should be Converted by his personal Ministry John 12. 38 39 40. as having another to fulfill in them by them and upon them yet it is evident from the Gospel that there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Power and Glory accompanying his Ministerial Instructions Yet this is not that which I intend but his continued and present Teaching of the Church by his Word and Spirit He gives that Power and Efficacy unto it as that by its Effects every day it demonstrates it self to be from God being accompanyed with the Evidence and Demonstration of a spiritual Power put forth in it This the Experiences Consciences and Lives of Multitudes bear witness unto continually They do and will to Eternity attest what Power his Word hath had to enlighten their Minds to subdue their Lusts to change and renew their Hearts to relieve and comfort them in their Temptations and Distresses with the like Effects of Grace and Power Sect. 16 What is in the Manner of Teaching by the greatest Moralist and what are the Effects of it Enticing Words Smoothness and Elegancy of Speech composed into Snares for the Affections and Delight unto the Fancy are the Grace Ornament and Life of the Way or Manner of their Teaching And hereof evanid Satisfaction temporary Resolutions for a kind of complyance with the things spoken with it may be some few perishing Endeavours after some Change of Life are the best Effects of all such Discourses And so easie and gentle is their Operation on the Minds of men that commonly they are delighted in by the most profligate and obstinate Sinners as is the Preaching of them who Act in the same spirit and from the same principles Thirdly Whereas the last thing Considerable in those whose Instructions we should choose to give up our selves unto is their Authority that must be left without further Plea to the Consciences of all men whether they have the highest Esteem of the Authority of Christ the Son of God or of those others whom they do admire and let them freely take their Choyce so they will ingenuously acknowledge what they doe Sect. 17 Whereas therefore the great End of the Prophetical Office of Christ in the Revelation he made of the Will of God in the Scriptures in his personal Ministry in the Dispensation of his Word and Spirit continued in the Church is our Holiness and Obedience unto God I could not but Remark upon the Atheisme Pride and Folly of those Modern Heathens who really or in pretence betake themselves to the Light of Nature and Philosophical Maxims for their Guidance and Direction rather than to him who is Designed of God to be the great Teacher of the Church I deny not but that in the Ancient Moralists there
God Author of our Sanctification 322 3 God how he is the God of Peace 323 3 All good in the Scripture ascribed to the Holy Spirit 470 15 A good man who he is 515 516 29 No good in us but what is wrought by the Holy Spirit 11 13 The good Spirit and the Holy Spirit the same 38 12 Good Spirit of God over-ruling the Devil 112 18 Gospel how abused and despised 223 36 Apprehension of Gods Goodness in the Light of Nature not sufficient to reconcile men to him 229 47 No true Apprehension of the Divine Goodness but in Christ. 229 48 Nature of the Gospel with respect unto the Objects of mens Lusts and Desires 233 54 Things peculiarly belonging to the Gospel or its own Things 234 56 Things known in the Light of Nature further manifested in the Gospel 234 What the Gospel superaddes unto Moral Duties 235 57 Gospel sent for the Accomplishment of the Decree of Election 524 11 Nature of Gospel Precepts 535 6 Grace taken two wayes in the Scripture 164 7 Grace how really efficient in Conversion 264 23 Grace of the Gospel overthrown by asserting it to be a Moral Suasion only 265 23 Nature of Converting Grace explained 268 27 Grace victorious and irresistible 270 30 Grace internal not resisted 271 34 Grace produced by a Creating Act. 275 40 Grace and Nature opposed 322 3 All Grace depends on continual Influences from God 344 6 All Grace Originally in Christ. 362 Things wrought in a way of Grace prescribed in a way of Duty 379 Grace excited by Afflictions 392 Sin and Grace cannot bear rule in the same Person at the same time 429 25 Grace and Nature opposed 322 3 Grace how it frees the Soul from spiritual Incumbrances 436 36 Grace how communicated from Christ unto Believers 457 70 Administration of Grace not equal at all times 547 24 Graces acted and exercised in the Oblation of Christ. 144 Graces which are our Duties not absolutely in our own power 322 2 Graces of Holiness improved into Glory 328 10 All Graces excited unto Exercise by the Holy Ghost 341 5 Graces whose Exercise is Occasional onely how they are encreased 343 6 Graces eminently making us like unto God 513 23 Graces declaring our Conformity to God 515 28 Growth in Grace and Wisdom how ascribed unto Christ. 138 2 Growth in Holiness compared unto that of Trees and Plants 346 8 Growth of Holiness secret and indiscernible 347 8 Growth in Holiness an Object of Faith 351 10 Growth in Holiness enjoyned unto us and required of us 339 4 Growth in Holiness an Access towards Glory 511 21 H. Habit of Holiness antecedently necessary to every Act of Holiness 416 8 Habit of Grace preserved by the constant Influences of the Holy Spirit 417 10 Habit of Holiness not acquired but preserved in a way of Duty ibid. Habit of Holiness permanent in its Inclination 427 23 Habits encline unto Acts of their own kind for a certain End 423 15 Infused Habits of Grace proved 280 50 Intellectual Habits the Nature of them 415 8 Habitual Vncleanness equal in all 378 Habitual Pollution inconsistent with any Holiness ibid. Habitual Grace necessary unto all Acts of Obedience 548 26 Tongues and Hands of the Prophets guided by the Holy Ghost 105 10 Harmony between Grace and the Command 551 33 Head of the Church first respected in the New Creation 128 1 The Heart what it signifies and how it is depraved 212 17 Stony Heart how taken away 277 43 New Heart promised what it is 277 44 418 11 Heart the meaning of it in the Scripture 367 Historical Books of the Scripture written by Divine Inspiration 113 19 The Holy Spirit how both Lord and God 6 4 Holy Spirit the onely Author unto us of all spiritual Good 11 12 The Holy Spirit known by his Operations 21 24 Holy Spirit so called from his immaterial substance 34 9 The Holy Spirit so called first because he is essentially holy 35 36 9 10 Holy Spirit called holy from his Work 36 10 Holy Spirit in what sence called the Spirit of God 38 13 Holy Spirit how called the Spirit of the Son 39 14 The Holy Spirit an Eternal Infinite Intelligent Person 46 47 48 49 c. 7 8 9 10 c. The Holy Spirit hath a spiritual substance and subsistence of his own 54 18 Why the Holy Spirit never Appeared in the Person of a Man 55 18 The Holy Spirit the Author of the Ministry of the Church 61 26 The Holy Spirit the Object of mens Actings in Religion 62 28 The Holy Spirit not a Quality or Vertue of the Divine Nature 64 30 The Holy Spirit expresly called God 64 31 The Holy Spirit given of God and how 80 3 The Holy Spirit compared unto Fire and Water and why 88 13 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 The Holy Spirit the Promise and Legacy of Christ. 124 6 The Holy Spirit the Spirit of the Son as well as of the Father and what followeth thereon 130 8 Actings of the Holy Spirit not ascribed unto him Exclusively 130 9 The Holy Spirit supplyes the bodily Absence of Christ. 158 5 Holy Spirit worketh by Means ordinarily 187 25 The Holy Spirit the immediate Sanctifier of all Believers 337 15 The Holy Spirit promised with respect unto his Effects 357 2 Holy Spirit the principal efficient Cause of the Mortification of Sin 481 15 c. Holy Ghost how the Power of the most High 132 No Holiness but by the Gospel and the Grace of it 325 8 Holiness passeth over into Eternity and Glory and how 328 11 Holiness glorious in this Life 329 12 Holiness all that God requireth of Believers 330 13 Holiness commanded in a way of Duty promised in a way of Grace 336 14 Holiness in its true Nature 338 2 Holiness how it is encreased in Believers 340 4 Holiness may thrive where its growth is not discerned 350 10 Holiness pleaseth God wherever it is 361 5 No Holiness beyond the bounds of Relation to Christ. 363 6 Holiness of God wherein it consists 374 4 Where the Principle of Holiness is there will be the Fruits of it 421 All Holiness derived from Christ. 450 451 c. Evangelical Holiness an effect of the Covenant of Grace 459 75 Holiness of God how an Argument of the Necessity of Holiness in us 500 5 Holiness not absolutely of the same use under the New Covenant and the Old 503 9 Holiness necessary unto the future Enjoyment of God 504 13 Holiness the highest Excellency whereof our Nature is capable 509 18 Holiness the Design of God in Election 521 3 Vniversal Holiness how required in the Precepts of the Gospel 535 6 Necessity of Holiness 537 9 Moral Honesty not Holiness 363 6 The Host of Heaven what it is 70 6 Host of the Earth 71 6 Humane Nature of Christ derived no evil from the Fall of Adam Reasons thereof 136 1 Sanctification of the Humane Nature of
Î ÎΕΥΜΑΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ OR A DISCOURSE Concerning the HOLY SPIRIT WHEREIN An Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it Vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches THE Nature also and Necessity of Gospel-Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are Stated and Declared By JOHN OWEN D. D. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom LONDON Printed by J. Darby for Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet MDCLXXIV To the Readers AN account in general of the Nature and Design of the ensuing Discourse with the Reasons why it is made publick at this time being given in the first Chapter of the Treatise it self I shall not long detain the Readers here at the entrance of it But some few things it is necessary they should be acquainted withal and that both as to the Matter contained in it and as to the mannâ—r of its handling The Subject Matter of the whole as the Title and almost every Page of the Book declare is the Holy Spirit of God and his Operations And two things there are which either of them are sufficient to render any Subject either difficult on the one hand or unpleasant on the other to be treated of in this way both which we have herein to conflict withal For where the Matter it self is abstruse and mysterious the handling of it cannot be without its Difficulties and where it is fallen by any means what-ever under publick contempt and scorn there is an abatement of satisfaction in the Consideration and Defence of it Now all the Concernâ—â—â—s of the Holy Spirit are an eminent part of the Mystery or deep Things of God For as the knowledg of them doth wholly depend on and is regulated by Divine Revelation so are they in their own Nature Divine and Heavenly distant and remote from all things that the Heart of Man in the meer Exercise of its own Reason or Understanding can rise up unto But yet on the other hand there is nothing in the World that is more generally despised as foolish and contemptible than the things that are spoken of and ascribed unto the Spirit of God He needs no furtherance in the forfeiture of his Reputation with many as a Person Fanatical estranged from the conduct of Reason and all generous Principles of Conversation who dares avow an Interest in his Work or take upon him the Defence thereof Wherefore thâ—se things must be a little spoken unto if only to manifest whence Relief may be had against the Discouragements wherewith they are attended For the first thing proposed it must be granted that the things here treated of are in themselves mysterious and abstruse But yet the way whereby we may endeavour an acquaintance with them according to the 〈◊〉 of the Gift of Christ unto every one is made plain in the Scriptures of Truth If this Way be neglected or despised all other wayes of attempting the same end be they never so vigorous or promising will prove ineffectual What belongs unto it as to the inward frame and dispoâ—â—tion of Mind in them who search after Understanding in these things what unto the outward use of Means what unto the performance of Spiritual Duties what unto conformity in the whole Soul unto each discovery of Truth that is attained is not my present Work to declare nor shall I divert thereunto If God give an opportunity to treat concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit enabling us to understand the Scriptures or the mind of God in them the whole of this way will be at large declared At present it may suffice to observe that God who in himself is the eternal Original Spring and Fountain of all Truth is also the only Sovereign Cause and Author of its Revelation unto us And whereas that Truth which Originally is one in him is of various sorts and kinds according to the Variety of the things which it respects in its Communication unto us the ways and means of that communication are suited unto the distinct Nature of each Truth in particular So the Truth of things natural is made known from God by the Exercise of Reason or the due Application of the understanding that is in Man unto their Investigation For the things of a Man knoweth the Spirit of a Man that is in him Neither ordinarily is there any thing more required unto that Degree or Certainty of knowledg in things of that Nature whereof our Minds are capable but the diligent Application of the faculties of our Souls in the due Use of proper means uâ—â—o the Attainment thereof Yet is there a secret Work of the Spirit of God herein even in the Communication of Skill and Ability in things Natural as also in things Civil Moral Political and Artificial as in our ensuing Discoursâ— is fully manifested But whereas these things belong unto the Work of the Oâ—dâ—â—eâ—tion and the Preservation thereof or the Rule and Government of Mankind in this World meerly as rational Creatures there is no use of Means no Communication of Aids spiritual or supernatural absolutely necessary to be exercised gâ—â—ntâ—d about them Wherefore Knowledg and Wisdom in things of this Nature 〈◊〉 â—stributed promiscuously among all sorts of Persons according to the roâ—â—tion of their Natural Abilities and a superstruction thereon in their diligent Exercisâ— without any peculiar Application to God for especial Grace or 〈◊〉 serving still a Liberty unto the Sovereignty of Divine Providence in the disposal of all Men and their Concerns But as to things supernatural the Knowledg and Truth of them the Teachings of God are of another Nature and in like manner a peculiar Application of our selves unto him for Instruction is required of us In these things also there are Degrees according as thâ—y approach on the one hand unto the Infinite Abysse of the Divine Essence and Existence as the eternal Generation and Incarnation of the Son the Procession and Mission of the Holy Spirit or on the other unto those Divine Effects which are produced in our Souls whereof we have Experience According unto these Degrees as the Divine Condescension is exerted in their Revelation so ought our Attention in the Exercise of Faith Humility and Prayer to be encreased in our Enquiries into them For although all that Diligence in the Use of outward Means necessary to the Attainment of the Knowledg of any other Useful Truth be indispensibly required in the pursuit of an Acquaintance with these things also yet if moreoover there be not an Addition of Spiritual Ways and Mâ—ans suited in their own Nature and appointed of God unâ—o the receiving of Supernatural Light and the Understanding of the Deep Things of God our labour about them will in a great measure be but fruitless and unprofitable For although the
Ghost And whilst in the substance of what is delivered I have the plain Testimonies of the Scripture the Suffrage of the Ancient Church and the Experience of them who do sincerely believe to rest upon I shall not be greatly moved with the Censures and Opposition of those who are otherwise minded I shall add no more on this Head but that whereas the only Inconvenience wherewith our Doctrine is pressed is the pretended difficulty in reconciling the Nature and Necessity of our Duty with the Efficacy of the Grace of the Spirit I have been so far from waving the Consideration of it as that I have embraced every Opportunity to examine it in all particular Instances wherein it may be urged with most appearance of Probability And it is I hope at length made to appear that not only the necessity of our Duty is consistent with the Efficacy of God's Grace but also that as on the one hand we can perform no Duty to God as we ought without its Aid and Assistance nor have any encouragement to attempt a course of Obedience without a just Expectation thereof so on the other that the Work of Grace it self is no way effectual but in the compliance with in a way of Duty only with the leave of some Persons or whether they will or no we give the preheminence in all unto Grace and not unto our selves The Command of God is the Measure and Rule of our Industry and Diligence in a way of Duty And why any one should be discouraged from the Exercise of that Industry which God requires of him by the Consideration of the Aid and Assistance which he hath promised unto him I cannot understand The Work of Obedience is difficult and of the highest Importance so that if any one can be negligent therein because God will help and assist him it is because he hates it he likes it not Let others do what they please I shall endeavour to comply with the Apostle's Advice upon the Enforcement which he gives unto it Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure These things with sundry of the like Nature falling unavoidably under Consideration have drawn out these Discourses unto a length much beyond my first Design which is also the occasion why I have forborn the present adding unto them those other Parts of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer or Supplication in Illumination with respect unto the Belief of the Scripture and right understanding of the Mind of God in them in the Communication of Gifts unto the Church and the Consolation of Believers which must now wait for another Opportunity if God in his Goodness and Patience shall be pleased to grant it unto us Another Part of the Work of the Holy Spirit consisteth in our Sanctification whereon our Evangelical Obedience or Holiness doth depend How much all his Operations herein also are by some despised what Endeavours there have been to debase the Nature of Gospel-Obedience yea to cast it out of the Hearts and Lives of Christians and to substitute an Heathenish Honesty at best in the room thereof is not unknown to any who think it their Duty to inquire into these things Hence I thought it not unnecessary on the occasion of treating concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Sanctification to make a diligent and full enquiry into the true Nature of Evangelical-Holiness and that Spiritual â—ase unto God which all Believers are Created unto in Christ Jesus And herein following the Conduct of the Scriptures from first to last the Difference that is between them and that Exercise of Moral Virtue which some plâ—ad for in their stead did so evidently manifest it self as that it needed no great Endeavour to represent it unto any impartial Judgment Onely in the handling of these things I thought meet to pursue my former Method and Design and principally to respect the reducing of the Doctrines insisted on unto the Practice and Improvement of Holiness which also hath occasioned the lengthning of these Discourses I doubt not but all these things will be by some despised they are so in themselves and their Declaration by me will not recommend them unto a better Acceptation But let them please themselves whilst they see good in their own Imaginations whilst the Scripture is admitted to be an Infallible Declaration of the Will of God and the Nature of Spiritual Things and there are Christians remaining in the World who endeavour to live to God and to come to the enjoyment of him by Jesus Christ there will not want sufficient Testimony against that putid Figment of Moral Vertue being all our Gospel Holiness or that the Reparation of our Natures and Life unto God do consist therein alone In the last Place succeeds a Discourse concerning the necessity of Holiness and Obedience some regard I confess I had therein though not much unto the ridiculous clamours of malevolent and ignorant Persons charging those who plead for the Efficacy of the Grace of God and the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as though thereby they took away the necessity of an Holy Life For who would much trouble himself about an Accusation which is laden with as many Convictions of its Forgery as there are Persons who sincerely believe those Doctrines and which Common Light gives Testimony against in the Conversations of them by whom they are received and by whom they are despised It was the Importance of the Thing it self made peculiarly seasonable by the manifold Temptations of the dayes wherein we live which occasioned that Addition unto what was delivered about the Nature of Evangelical Holiness seeing if we know these things happy are we if we do them But yet the Principal Arguments and Demonstrations of that Necessity being drawn from those Doctrines of the Gospel which some traduce as casting no good Aspect thereon the Calumnies mentioned are therein also obviated And thus far have we proceeded in the Declaration and Vindication of the despised Work of the Spirit of God under the New Testament referring the remaining Instances above-mentioned unto another occasion The Oppositions unto all that we believe and maintain herein are of two sorts First Such as consist in Particular Exceptions against and Objections unto each particular Work of the Spirit weather in the Communication of Gifts or the Operation of Grace Secondly Such as consist in Reflections cast on the whole Work ascribed unto him in general These of the first sort will all of them â—all under Consideration in their proper Places where we treat of those especial Actings of the Spirit whereunto they are opposed The other sort at least the principal of them wherewith some make the greatest noise in the World may be here briefly spoken unto The first and chief Pretence of this Nature is That all those who plead for the Effectual Operations of the Holy Spirit
22. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him For they are all immediate Effects of Divine Power So when he cast out Devils with a word of command he affirms that he did it by the Finger of God Luke 11. 20. that is the Infinite Divine Power of God but the Power of God acted in an especial manner by the Holy Spirit as is expresly declared in the other Evangelist Matth. 12. 28. And therefore on the Ascription of his Mighty Works unto Beelzebub the Prince of Devils he lets the Jews know that therein they blasphemed the Holy Spirit whose Works indeed they were v. 31 32. Hence these mighty Works are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers because of the Power of the Spirit of God put forth for their working and effecting see Mark 6. 5. Chap. 9. 39. Luke 4. 36. 5. 17. 6. 19. 8. 46. 9. 1. And in the Exercise of this Power consisted the Testimony given unto him by the Spirit that he was the Son of God For this was necessary unto the Conviction of the Jews to when he was sent John 10. 37 38. Sect. 7 Sixthly By him was he guided directed comforted supported in the whole Course of his Ministry Temptations Obedience and Sufferings Some few Instances on this Head may suffice Presently after his Baptism when he was full of the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness Luke 4. 1. The Holy Spirit guided him to begin his Contest and Conquest with the Devil Hereby he made an entrance into his Ministry and it teacheth us all what we must look for if we solemnly engage our selves to follow him in the Work of Preaching the Gospel The word used in Mark to this purpose hath occasioned some doubt what Spirit is intended in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 1. 12. The Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness It is evident that the same Spirit and the same Act is intended in all the Evangelists here and Mat. 4. 1. Luke 4. 1. But now the Holy Spirit should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drive him is not so easie to be apprehended But the Word in Luke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes a guiding and rational Conduct And this cannot be ascribed unto any other Spirit with respect unto our Lord Jesus but onely the Spirit of God Matthew expresseth the same effect by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 4. 1. he was carried or carried up or taken away from the midst of the People And this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that Spirit namely which descended on him and rested on him immediately before Chap. 3. 17. And the Continuation of the Discourse in Luke will not admit that any other Spirit be intended And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness namely by that Spirit which he was full of By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in Mark no more is intended but the sending of him forth by an high and strong impression of the Holy Spirit on his Mind Hence the same word is used with respect unto the sending of others by the powerful impression of the Spirit of God on their Hearts unto the Work of Preaching the Gospel Matth. 9. 38. Pray you therefore the Lord of the Harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also Luk. 10. 2. that he would thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest namely by furnishing them with the Gifts of his Spirit and by the Power of his Grace constraining them to their Duty So did he enter upon his Preparation unto his Work under his Conduct And it were well if others would endeavour after a conformity unto them within the Rules of their Calling 2. By his assistance was he carried triumphantly through the course of his Temptations unto a perfect Conquest of his Adversary as to the present Conflict wherein he sought to divert him from his Work which afterwards he endeavoured by all wayes and means to oppose and hinder 3. The Temptation being finished he returned again out of the Wilderness to Preach the Gospel in the Power of the Spirit Luk. 4. 14. He returned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee that is powerfully enabled by the Holy Spirit unto the discharge of his Work And thence is his first Sermon at Nazareth he took those Words of the Prophet for his Text The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because he hath anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor Luke 4. 18. The issue was That they all bare him Witness and wondred at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth v. 22. And as he thus began his Ministry in the Power of the Spirit so having received him not by measure he continually on all occasions put forth his Wisdom Power Grace and Knowledg to the astonishment of all and the stopping of the Mouths of his Adversaries shutting them up in their Rage and Unbelief 4. By him was he directed strengthned and comforted in his whole Course in all his Temptations Troubles and Sufferings from first to last For we know that there was a confluence of all those upon him in his whole Way and Work a great part of that whereunto he humbled himself for our sakes consisting in these things In and under them he stood in need of mighty Supportment and strong Consolation This God promised unto him and this he expected Isa. 50. 7 8. 42. 4 6. 49. 5 6 7 8. Now all the voluntary Communications of the Divine Nature unto the Humane were as we have shewed by the Holy Spirit Sect. 8 Seventhly He offered himself up unto God through the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. I know many Learned Men do judge that by the Eternal Spirit in that place not the Third Person is intended but the Divine Nature of the Son himself And there is no doubt but that also may properly be called the Eternal Spirit There is also a Reason in the words themselves strongly inclining unto that sense and acceptation of them For the Apostle doth shew whence it was that the Sacrifices of the Lord Christ had an Efficacy beyond and above the Sacrifices of the Law and whence it would certainly produce that great Effect of purging our Consciences from dead Works And this was from the Dignity of his Person on the account of his Divine Nature It arose I say from the Dignity of his Person his Deity giving sustentation unto his Humane Nature in the Sacrifice of himself For by reason of the indissoluble Union of both his Natures his Person became the Principle of all his Mediatory Acts and from thence had they their Dignity and Efficacy Nor will I oppose this Exposition of the words But on the other side many Learned Persons both of the Ancient and Modern Divines do judg that it is the Person of the Holy Spirit
especial part of this his Offering up himself That this was wrought in him by the Holy or Eternal Spirit was before declared And it is frequently expressed as that which had an especial Influence into the Efficacy and Merit of his Sacrifice Psal. 2. 8. He humbled himself and became Obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross. And when he offered up Prayers and Supplications though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. That is he experienced Obedience in Suffering It is true that the Lord Christ in the whole course of his Life yeelded Obedience unto God as he was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. But now he came to the great Tryal of it with respect unto the especial command of the Father to lay down his Life and to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa. 53. 10. This was the highest Act of Obedience unto God that ever was or ever shall be to all Eternity And therefore doth God so express his satisfaction therein and acceptance of it Isa. 53. 11 12. Phil. 2. 9 10. This was wrought in him this he was wrought unto by the Holy Spirit and therefore by him offered himself unto God 4. There belongs also hereunto that Faith and Trust in God which with fervent Prayers Cries Supplications he now acted on God and his Promises both with respect unto himself and to the Covenant which he was sealing with his Blood This our Apostle represents as an especial Work of his testified unto in the Old Testament Heb. 2. 13. I will put my trust in him And this 1. respected himself namely that he should be supported assisted and carried through the Work he had undertaken unto a blessed Issue Herein I confess he was horribly assaulted until he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful Tryal his Faith and Trust in God were Victorious This he expressed in the Depth and Extremity of his Tryals Psal. 22. 9 10 11. and made such an open Profession of it that his Enemies when they supposed him lost and defeated reproached him with it v. 8. Matth. 27. 43. To this purpose be declared himself at large Isa. 50. 7 8 9. So his Faith and Trust in God as to his own supportment and deliverance with the accomplishment of all the Promises that were made unto him upon his ingagement into the Work of Mediation were victorious 2. They respected the Covenant and all the Benefits that the Church of the Elect was to be made Partaker of thereby The Blood that he now shed was the Blood of the Covenant and it was shed for his Church namely that the Blessings of the Covenant might be communicated unto them Gal. 3. 13 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise Faith in God as appears fully in his Prayer which he made when he entred on his Oblation John 17. Now concerning these Instances we may observe three Things to our present purpose 1. These and the like gracious Actings of the Soul of Christ were the Wayes and Means whereby in his Death and Bloodshedding which was violent and by force inflicted on him as to the outward Instruments and was penal as to the Sentence of the Law he voluntarily and freely offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God for to make Atonement And these were the things which from the dignity of his Person became Efficacious and Victorious Without these his Death and Bloodshedding had been no Oblation 2. These were the things which rendred his Offering of himself to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smâ—lling Savour unto God Ephes. 5. 2. God was so absolutely delighted and pleased with these high and glorious Acts of Grace and Obedience in Jesus Christ that he smelt as it were a Savour of Rest towards Mankind or those for whom he offered himself so that he would be angry with them no more curse them no more As it is said of the Type of it in the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. God was more pleased with the Obedience of Christ than he was displeased with the Sin and Disobedience of Adam Rom. 5. 17 18 19. It was not then the outward suffering of a violent and bloody Death which was inflicted on him by the most horrible wickedness that ever Humane Nature brake forth into that God was atoned Acts 2. 23. Nor yet was it meerly his enduring the Penalty of the Law that was the means of our Deliverance But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a Sacrifice in these Holy Acts of Obedience was that upon which in an especial manner God was reconciled unto us All these things being wrought in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost who in the time of his Offering acted all his Graces unto the utmost He is said thereon to offer himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit by whom as our High Priest he was Consecrated Spirited and Acted thereunto Sect. 10 Eighthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Lord Christ whilst he was in the State of the Dead For here our precedeing Rule must be remembred namely that notwithstanding the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine in the Person of the Son yet the Communications of God unto it beyond Subsistence were voluntary Thus in his Death the Union of his Natures in his Person was not in the least impeached but yet for his Soul or Spirit he recommends that in an especial manner into the Hands of God his Father Psal. 31. 5. Luke 23. 46. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit for the Father had ingaged himself in an Eternal Covenant to take care of him to preserve and protect him even in Death and to shew him again the Way and Path of Life Psal. 16. 11. Notwithstanding then the Union of his Person his Soul in its separate State was in an especial manner under the care protection and power of the Father preserved in his Love until the Hour came wherein he shewed him again the Path of Life His Holy Body in the Grave continued under the especial care of the Spirit of God and hereby was accomplished that great Promise That his Soul should not be left in Hell nor the Holy One see Corruption Psal. 16. 10. Acts 2. 31. It is the Body of Christ which is here called the Holy One as it was made an holy Thing by the Conception of it in the Womb by the Power of the Holy Ghost And it is here spoken of in contradistinction unto his Soul and opposed by Peter unto the Body of David which when it died saw Corruption Acts 2. 29. This Pure and Holy Substance was preserved in its Integrity by the overshadowing Power of the Holy Spirit without any of those Accidents of change which attend the dead Bodies of others I deny not but there was use made of the Ministry of
Angels about the dead Body of Christ whilst it was in the Grave even those which were seen sitting afterwards in the place where he lay John 20. 12. by these was it preserved from all outward Force and Violation But this also was under the peculiar care of the Spirit of God who how he worketh by Angels hath been before declared Sect. 11 Ninthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit in his Resurrection this being the compleating Act in laying the Foundation of the Church whereby Christ entred into his Rest the great Testimony given unto the finishing of the Work of Redemption with the satisfaction of God therein and his acceptation of the Person of the Redeemer It is on various accounts assigned distinctly to each Person in the Trinity And this not only as all the external Works of God are individed each Person being equally concerned in their Operation but also upon the account of their especial respect unto and interest in the Work of Redemption in the manner before declared Unto the Father it is ascribed on the account of his Authority and the declaration therein of Christ's perfect accomplishment of the Work committed unto him Acts 2. 24. Him hath God raised up having loosed the Pains of Death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it it is the Father who is spoken of And he is said as in other places to raise Christ from the Dead but this he doth with respect unto his loosing the Pains of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with a little alteration of one Vowel signifie the Sorrows of Death or the Cords of Death For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Sorrow of Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Cords of Death see Psal. 18. 4. Psal. 116. 3. And these Sorrows of Death here intended were the Cords of it that is the Power it had to bind the Lord Christ for a season under it For the Pains of Death that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tormenting Pains ended in his death it self But the Consequents of them are here reckoned unto them or the continuance under the Power of Death according unto the Sentence of the Law These God loosed when the Law being fully satisfied the Sentence of it was taken off and the Lord Christ was acquitted from its whole Charge This was the Act of God the Father as the Supream Rector and Judg of all Hence he is said to raise him from the Dead as the Judg by his Order delivereth an acquitted Prisoner or one who hath answered the Law The same Work he also takes unto himself John 10. 17 18. I lay down my Life that I may take it again no Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again For although Men by violence took away his Life when with wicked hands they crucified and slew him Acts 2. 23. Chap. 3. 15 Yet because they had neither Authority nor Ability so to do without his own consent he saith No Man could or did take away his Life that is against his Will by Power over him as the lives of other Men are taken away for this neither Angels nor Men could do So also although the Father is said to raise him from the Dead by taking off the Sentence of the Law which he had answered yet he himself also took his Life again by an Act of the Love Care and Power of his Divine Nature his living again being an Act of his Person although the Humane Nature only died But the peculiar efficiency in the reuniting of his most Holy Soul and Body was an Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. He was put to death in the Flesh but quickned in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was restored to Life by the Spirit and this was that Spirit whereby he preached unto them that were disobedient in the dayes of Noah v. 19 20. or that Spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets from the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. by which he preached in Noah unto that disobedient Generation 2 Pet. 2. 5. whereby the Spirit of God strove for a season with those Inhabitants of the Old World Gen. 6. 3. that is the Holy Spirit of God To the same purpose we are instructed by our Apostle Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you God shall quicken our Mortal Bodies also by the same Spirit whereby he raised Christ from the Dead For so the Relation of the one Work to the other requires the words to be understood And he asserts again the same expresly Ephes. 1. 17 18 19 20. he prayes that God would give his Holy Spirit unto them as a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation v. 17. The Effects thereof in them and upon them are described v. 18. and this he desires that they may so be made Partakers of that by the Work of the Spirit of God in themselves renewing and quickning of them they might have an experience of that exceeding greatness of his Power which he put forth in the Lord Christ when he raised him from the Dead And the Evidence or Testimony given unto his being the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead is said to be according to the Spirit of Holiness or the Holy Spirit Rom. 1. 4. He was positively declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit This also is the intendment of that Expression 1 Tim. 3. 16. Justified in the Spirit God was manifest in the Flesh by his Incarnation and Passion therein and justified in the Spirit by a Declaration of his acquitment from the Sentence of Death and all the Evils which he underwent with the Reproaches wherewith he was contemptuously used by his Quickning and Resurrection from the Dead through the mighty and effectual working of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 Tenthly It was the Holy Spirit that glorified the Humane Nature and made it every way meet for its Eternal Residence at the Right Hand of God and a Pattern of the Glorification of the Bodies of them that believe on him He who first made his Nature Holy now made it Glorious And as we are made conformable unto him in our Souls here his Image being renewed in us by the Spirit so he is in his Body now glorified by the Effectual Operation of the same Spirit the Exemplar and Pattern of that Glory which in our Mortal Bodies we shall receive by the same Spirit For when he appears we shall be like him 1 John 3. 2. seeing he will change our vile Bodies that they
enabling unâ—o all Acts of Holy Obedience and so in order of Nature antecedent unto them then it doth not consist in a meer Reformation of Life and Moral Vertue be they never so exact or accurate Three things are to be observed for the clearing of this Assertion before we come to the Proof and Confirmation of it As 1. That this Reformation of Life which we say is not Regeneration or that Regeneration doth not consist therein is a necessary Duty indispensibly required of all Men. For we shall take it here for the whole course of Actual Obedience unto God and that according to the Gospel Those indeed by whom it is urged and pressed in the room of Regeneration or as that wherein Regeneration doth consist do give such an Account and Description of it as that it is or at least may be Foreign unto true Gospel-Obedience and so not contain in it one Acceptable Duty unto God as shall afterwards be declared But here I shall take it in our present enquiry for that whole Course of Duâ—â—â—s which in Obedience towards God are prescribed unto us 2. That the Principle before described wherein Regeneration as passivâ—ly considered or as wrought in us consists doth alwayes certainly and infallibly produce the Reformation of Life intended In some it doth it more compleatly in others more imperfectly in all sincerely For the same Grace in Nature and Kind is communicated unto several Persons in various Degree and is by them used and improved with more 〈◊〉 care and diligence In thâ—se therefore that are adult these things are inseparable Therefore 3. The difference in this Matter 〈◊〉 unto this Head We say and believe that Regeneration consiâ—s in Spirituali Renovatione Naturae in a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature Our Modern Socinians that it doth so in Morali Reformatione vitae in a Moral Reformation of Life Now as we grant that this Spiritual Renovation of Nature will infallibly produce a Moral Reformation of Life so if they will grant that this Moral Reformation of Life doth proceed from a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature this difference will be at an end And this is that which the Ancients intend by first receiving the Holy Ghost and then all Graces with him However if they only design to speak ambiguously improperly and unscripturally confounding Effects and their Causes Habits and Actions Faculties or Powers and occasional Acts infused Principles and acquired Habits Spiritual and Moral Grace and Nature that they may take an opportunity to rail at others for want of better Advantage I shall not contend with them For allow a new Spiritual Principle an infused Habit of Grace or gracious Abilities to be required in and unto Regeneration or to be the Product or the Work of the Spirit therein that which is born of the Spirit being Spirit and this part of the Nature of this Work is sufficiently cleared Now this the Scripture abundantly testifieth unto Sect. 20 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature This New Creature is that which is intended that which was before described which being born of the Spirit is Spirit This is produced in the Souls of Men by aS Creating Act of the Power of God or it is not a Creature and it is superinduced into the essential Faculties of our Souls or it is not a New Creature for what-ever is in the Soul of Power Disposition Ability or Inclination unto God or for any Moral Actions by Nature it belongs unto the Old Creation it is no New Creature And it must be somewhat that hath a Being and Subsistence of its own in the Soul or it can be neither New nor a Creature And by our Apostle it is opposed to all outward Priviledges Gal. 5. 6. Chap. 6. 15. That the production of it also is by a Creating Act of Almighty Power the Scripture testifieth Psal. 51. 10. Ephes. 2. 10. And this can denote nothing but a New Spiritual Principle or Nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God No say some a New Creature is no more but a changed Man it is true but then this Change is Internal also yes in the Purposes Designs and Inclinations of the Mind But is it by a real Infusion of a new Principle of Spiritual Life and Holiness No it denotes no more but a new course of Conversation only the Expression is Metaphorical a New Creature is a Moral Man that hath changed his Course or Way For if he were alwayes a Moral Man that he was never in any vitious Way or Course as it was with him Matth. 19. 18 19 20. then he was alwayes a New Creature This is good Gospel at once overthrowing Original Sin and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Doctrine I am sure was not learned from the Fathers whereof some used to boast Nay it is much more fulsome than any thing ever taught by Pelagius himself who indeed ascribed more unto Grace than these Men do although he denied this Creation of a New Principle of Grace in us antecendent unto Acts of Obedience And this turning all Scripture-Expressions of Spiritual Things into Metaphors is but a way to turn the whole into a Fable or at least to render the Gospel the most obscure and improper way of teaching the Truth of things that ever was made use of in the World Sect. 21 This New Creature therefore doth not consist in a new course of Actions but in renewed Faculties with new Dispositions Power and Ability to them and for them Hence it is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He hath given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Divine Nature is not the Nature of God whereof in our own Persons we are not subjectively Partakers And yet a Naâ—ure it is which is a Principle of Operation and that Divine or Spiritual namely an Habitual Holy Principle wrought in us by God and bearing his Image By the Promises therefore we are made Partakers of a Divine Supernatural Principle of Spiritual Actions and Operations which is what we contend for So the whole of what we intend is declared Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness It is the Work of Regeneration with respect both to its Foundation and Progress that is here described 1. The Foundation of the whole is laid in our being renewed in the Spirit of our Mind which the same Apostle else-where calls being transformed in the Renovation of our Minds Rom. 12. 2. That this consists in the participation of a new saving Supernatural Light to enable the Mind unto Spiritual Actings and to guide it therein shall be afterwards declared Herein
consists our Renovation in Knowledg after the Image of him who created us Col. 3. 10. And 2. the Principle it self infused into us created in us is called the New Man v. 24. That is the New Creature before-mentioned and called the New Man because it consists in the universal change of the whole Soul as it is the principle of all Spiritual and Moral Actions And 1. it is opposed unto the Old Man vers 23. put off the Old Man and put on the New Man vers 22 24. Now this Old Man is the corruption of our Nature as that Nature is the Principle of all Religious Spiritual and Moral Actions as is evident Rom. 6. 6. It is not a corrupt Conversation but the Principle and Root of it For it is distinguished both from the Conversation of Men and those corrupt lusts which are exercised therein as to that Exercise And 2. it is called the New Man because it is the Effect and Product of God's Creating Power and that in a way of a New Creation see Ephes. 1. 18. Col. 2. 12 13. 2 Thess. 1. 11. and it is here said to be Created after God v. 24. Now the Object of a Creating Act is an instantaneous Production What-ever preparations there may be for it and dispositions unto it the bringing forth of a new Form and Being by Creation is in an instant This therefore cannot consist in a mere Reformation of Life So are we said herein to be the Workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Ephes. 2. 10. There is a Work of God in us precedeing all our good Works towards him For before we can work any of them in order of Nature we must be the Workmanship of God created unto them or enabled Spiritually for the performance of them Sect. 22 Again This New Man whereby we are born again is said to be created in Righteousness and true Holiness That there is a respect unto Man created in Innocency wherein he was made in the Image of God I suppose will not be denyed It is also expressed Col. 3. 10. You have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him Look then what was or wherein consisted the Image of God in the First Man thereunto answers this New Man which is created of God Now this did not consist in Reformation of Life no nor in a course of vertuous Actions For he was created in the Image of God before he had done any one good thing at all or was capable of so doing But this Image of God consisted principally as we have evinced elsewhere in the Uprightness Rectitude and Ability of his whole Soul his Mind Will and Affections in unto and for the Obedience that God required of him This he was endowed withal antecedently unto all voluntary Actions whereby he was to live to God Such therefore must be our Regeneration or the Creation of this New Man in us It is the begetting infusing creating of a new saving Principle of Spiritual Life Light and Power in the Soul antecedent unto true Evangelical Reformation of Life in Order of Nature enabling Men thereunto according unto the Mind of God Sect. 23 Hereunto accords that of our Saviour Luk. 6. 43. A good Tree bringeth not forth corrupt Fruit neither doth a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit compared with Matth. 7. 18. The Fruit followeth the Nature of the Tree And there is no way to change the Nature of the Fruit but by changing the Nature of the Tree which brings it forth Now all Amendment of Life in Reformation is but Fruit Matth. 3. 10. But the changing of our Nature is antecedent hereunto This is the constant Course and Tenor of the Scripture to distinguish between the Grace of Regeneration which it declares to be an immediate supernatural Work of God in us and upon us and all that Obedience Holiness Righteousness Vertue or what-ever is good in us which is the Consequent Product and Effect of it Yea God hath declared this expresly in his Covenant Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Jer. 31. 33. Chap. 32. 39 40. The Method of God's proceeding with us in his Covenant is that he first washeth and cleanseth our Natures takes away the Heart of Stone gives an Heart of Flesh writes his Law in our Hearts puts his Spirit in us wherein as shall be evidenced the Grace of Regeneration doth consist The Effect and Consequent hereof is That we shall walk in his Statutes keep his Judgments and do them that is reform our Lives and yeeld all Holy Obedience unto God wherefore these things are distinguished as Causes and Effects See to the same purpose Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. Col. 3. 1 5. Ephes. 2. 10. Chap. 4. 23 24 25. This I insist upon still on supposition that by Reformation of Life all Actual Obedience is intended For as to that kind of Life which is properly called a moral course of Life in opposition to open Debaucheries and Unrighteousness which doth not proceed from an internal Principle of Saving Grace It is so far from being Regeneration or Grace as that it is a thing of no acceptation with God absolutely what-ever Use or Reputation it may be of in the World Sect. 24 And yet further This Work is described to consist in the Sanctification of the whole Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thess. 5. 23. And if this be that which some men intend by Reformation of Life and Moral Vertue they must needs win much esteem for their clearness and perspicuity in teaching Spiritual Things For who would not admire them for such a Definition of Morality namely that it is the principal Sanctification of the whole Spirit Soul and Body of a Believer by the Holy Ghost But not to dwell longer on this Subject There is no description of the Work of Regeneration in the Scripture in its Nature Causes or Effects no Name given unto it no promise made of it nothing spoken of the Wayes Means or Power by which it is wrought but is inconsistent with this bold Pelagian Figment which is destructive of the Grace of Jesus Christ. The ground of this Imagination that Regeneration consists in a Moral Reformation of Life ariseth from a denial of Original Sin or an inherent habitual corruption of Nature For the Masters unto the Men of this Perswasion tell us that what-ever is of vice or defilement in us it is contracted by a custom of sinning only And their Conceptions hereof do regulate their Opinions about Regeneration For if Man be not originally corrupted and polluted if his Nature be not depraved if it be not possessed by and under the Power of evil Dispositions and Inclinations it is certain that he stands in no need of an inward Spiritual Renovation of it It is enough for such a one that by change of Life he renounce a custom of sinning and reform his Conversation according to the Gospel which in himself he hath power to do
themselves with respect unto the mind is that they are foolishness In themselves they are the Wisdom of God 2. Cor. 2. 7. Effects of the Wisdom of God and those which have the impress of the Wisdom of God upon them and when the Dispensation of them was said to be foolishness the Apostle contends not about it but tells them how-ever it is the foolishness of God 1 Cor. 1. 15. which he doth to cast contempt on all the Wisdom of Men whereby the Gospel is despised And they are the hidden Wisdom of God such an effect of Divine Wisdom as no Creature could make any discovery of Ephes. 3. 9 10. Job 28. 20 21 22. And they are the Wisdom of God in a Mystery or full of deep mysterious Wisdom But to the Natural Man they are foolishness not only although they are the Wisdom of God but peculiarly because they are so and as they are so for the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God Now that is esteemed foolishness which is looked on either as weak and impertinent or as that which contains or expresseth Means and Ends disproportionate or as that which is undesirable in comparison of what may be set up in competition with it or is on any other consideration not eligible or to be complyed with on the terms whereon it is proposed And for one or other or all of these Reasons are Spiritual Things namely those here intended wherein the Wisdom of God in the Mystery of the Gospel doth consist foolishness unto a Natural Man which we shall demonstrate by some Instances Sect. 32 1. That they were so unto the Learned Philosophers of old both our Apostle doth testifie and the known Experience of those first Ages of of the Church makes evident 1 Cor. 1. 22 23 26 27 28. Had Spiritual Things been suited unto the Minds or Reasons of Natural Men it could not be but that those who had most improved their Minds and were raised unto the highest exercise of their Reasons must much more readily have received and embraced the Mysteries of the Gospel than those who were poor illiterate and came many degrees behind them in the Exercise and Improvement thereof So we see it is as to the Reception of any thing in Nature or Morality which being of any worth is proposed unto the Minds of Men they are embraced soonest by them that are wisest and know most But here things fell out quite otherwise they were the Wise the Knowing the Rational the Learned Men of the World that made the greatest and longest opposition unto Spiritual Things and that expresly and avowedly because they were foolishness unto them and that on all the accounts before-mentioned and their opposition unto them they managed with Pride Scorn and Contempt as they thought foolish things ought to be handled Sect. 33 The profound Ignorance and Confidence whence it is that some of late are not ashamed to Preach and Print That it was the Learned Rational Wise part of Mankind as they were esteemed or professed of themselves the Philosophers and such as under their Conduct pretended unto a Life according to the Dictates of Reason who first embraced the Gospel as being more disposed unto its Reception than others cannot be sufficiently admired or despised Had they once considered what is spoken unto this purpose in the New Testament or knew any thing of the Entrances Growth or Progress of Christian Religion in the World they would themselves be ashamed of this folly But every day in this Matter Prodeunt Orators novi stulti adolescentuli who talk confidently whilst they know neither what they say nor whereof they do affirm Sect. 34 2. The principal Mysteries of the Gospel or the Spiritual Things intended are by many looked on and rejected as foolish because false and untrue Though indeed they have no reason to think them false but because they suppose them foolish and they fix upon charging them with falsity to countenance themselves in judging them to be folly Whatever concerns the Incarnation of the Son of God the Satisfaction that he made for Sin and Sinners the Imputation of his Righteousness unto them that believe the effectual working of his Grace in the Conversion of the Souls of Men which with what belongs unto them comprize the greatest part of the Spiritual Things of the Gospel are not received by many because they are false as they judg And that which induceth them so to determine is because they look on them as foolish and unsuited unto the rational Principles of their Minds Sect. 35 3. Many plainly scoff at them and despise them as the most contemptible Notions that Mankind can exercise their Reasons about Such were of old Prophesied concerning 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and things at this day are come to that pass The World swarms with Scoffers at Spiritual Things as those which are unfit for rational noble generous Spirits to come under a sense or power of because they are so foolish But these things were we foretold of that when they came to pass we should not be troubled or shaken in our Minds Yea the Atheism of some is made a means to confirm the Faith of others Sect. 36 It is not much otherwise with some who yet dare not engage into an open Opposition to the Gospel with them before mentioned For they profess the Faith of it and avow a Subjection to the Rules and Laws of it But the things declared in the Gospel may be reduced unto two Heads as was before observed 1. Such as consist in the confirmation direction and improvement of the moral Principles and Precepts of the Law of Nature 2. Such as flow immediately from the Sovereign Will and Wisdom of God being no way communicated unto us but by Supernatural Revelation only Such are all the Effects of the Wisdom and Grace of God as he was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself the Offices of Christ his Administration of them and Dispensation of the Spirit with the especial Evangelical Supernatural Graces and Duties which are required in us with respect thereunto The first sort of these things many will greatly praise and highly extol And they will declare how consonant they are to Reason and what Expressions suitable unto them may be found in the Ancient Philosophers But it is evident that herein also they fall under a double Inconvenience For 1. mostly they visibly transgress what they boast of as their Rule and that above others For where shall we meet with any at least with many of these sort of Men who in any measure comply with that Modesty Humility Meekness Patience Self-denial Abstinence Temperance Contempt of the World Love of Mankind Charity and Purity which the Gospel requires under this Head of Duties Pride Ambition Insatiable desires after Earthly Advantages and Promotions Scoffing Scorn and Contempt of others Vanity of Converse Envy Wrath Revenge Railing are none of the Moral Duties required in the Gospel And 2. no pretence of
of Pelagius that a supposition hereof renders all Exhortations Commands Promises and Threatnings which comprize the whole Way of the external communication of the Will of God unto us vain and useless For to what purpose is it to exhort Blind Men to see or Dead Men to live or to promise Rewards unto them upon their so doing Should Men thus deal with stones would it not be vain and ludicrous and that because of their Impotency to comply with any such proposals of our Mind unto them And the same is here supposed in Men as to any Ability in Spiritual things Answ. 1 There is nothing in the highest Wisdom required in the Application of any Means to the producing of an Effect but that in their own Nature they are suited thereunto and that the Subject to be wrought upon by them is capable of being affected according as their Nature requires And thus Exhortations with Promises and Threatnings are in their kind as Moral Instruments suited and proper to produce the Effects of Faith and Obedience in the Minds of Men. And the Faculties of their Souls their Understandings Wills and Affections are meet to be wrought upon by them unto that End For by Mens rational Abilies they are able to discern their Nature and judge of their Tendency And because these Faculties are the Principle and Subject of all actual Obedience it is granted that there is in Man a Natural remote Passive Power to yield Obedience unto God which yet can never actually put forth it self without the effectual working of the Grace of God not only enabling but working in them to will and to do Exhortations Promises and Threatnings respect not primarily our present Ability but our Duty Their End is to declare unto us not what we can do but what we ought to do And this is done fully in them On the other hand make a general Rule that what God commands or Exhorts us unto with Promises made unto our Obedience and Threatnings annexed unto a supposition of Disobedience that we have power in and of our selves to do or that we are of our selves able to do and you quite evacuate the Grace of God or at least make it only useful for the more easie discharge of our Duty not necessary unto the very being of Duty it self which is the Pelagianism Anathematized by so many Councils of old But in the Church it hath hitherto been believed that the Command directs our Duty but the Promise gives strength for the performance of it Sect. 18 3. God is pleased to make these Exhortations and Promises to be Vehicula Gratiae the means of communicating Spiritual Life and Strength unto Men. And he hath appointed them unto this end because considering the Moral and Intellectual Faculties of the Minds of Men they are suited thereunto Hence these Effects are ascribed unto the Word which really are wrought by the Grace communicated thereby Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. And this in their Dispensation under the Covenant of Grace is their proper end God may therefore wisely make use of them and command them to be used towards Men notwithstanding all their own disability savingly to comply with them seeing he can will and doth himself make them effectual unto the end aimed at Sect. 19 But it will be further objected That if Men are thus utterly devoid of a Principle of Spiritual Life of all Power to live unto God that is to repent believe and yeeld obedience is it righteous that they should perish eternally meerly for their disability or their not doing that which they are not able to do This would be to require Brick and to give no Straw yea to require much where nothing is given But the Scripture every-where chargeth the Destruction of Men upon their wilful sin not their weakness or disability Answ. 1. Mens Disability to live to God is their sin What-ever therefore ensues thereon may be justly charged on them It is that which came on us by the Sin of our Nature in our first Parents all whose Consequents are our sin and our misery Rom. 5. 12. Had it befallen us without a guilt truly our own according to the Law of our Creation and Covenant of our Obedience the Case would have been otherwise But on this Supposition sufficiently confirmed else-where those who perish do but feed on the Fruit of their own Wayes Sect. 20 2. In the Transactions between God and the Souls of Men with respect unto their Obedience and Salvation there is none of them but hath a Power in sundry things as to some degrees and measures of them to comply with his Mind and Will which they voluntarily neglect And this of it self is sufficient to bear the Charge of their eternal ruine But 3. No Man is so unable to live unto God to do any thing for him but that withal he is able to do any thing against him There is in all Men by Nature a depraved vitious habit of Mind wherein they are alienated from the Life of God And there is no command given unto Men for Evangelical Faith or Obedience but they can and do put forth a free positive Act of their Wills in the rejection of it either directly or interpretatively in preferring somewhat else before it As they cannot come to Christ unless the Father draw them so they will not come that they may have Life wherefore their Destruction is just and of themselves This is the Description which the Scripture giveth us concerning the Power Ability or Disability of Men in the State of Nature as unto the Performance of Spiritual Things By some it is traduced as Fanatical and senseless which the Lord Christ must answer for not we For we do nothing but plainly represent what he hath expressed in his Word and if it be foolishness unto any the Day will determine where the blame must lie Sect. 21 Secondly There is in this Death an actual cessation of all Vital Acts. From this defect of Power or the want of a Principle of Spiritual Life it is that Men in the state of Nature can perform no Vital Act of Spiritual Obedience nothing that is spiritually Good or Saving or Accepted with God according to the Tenor of the New Covenant which we shall in the second place a little explain The whole course of our Obedience to God in Christ is the Life of God Ephes. 4. 18. That Life which is from him in a peculiar manner whereof he is the especial Author and whereby we live unto him which is our End And the Gospel which is the Rule of our Obedience is called the words of this Life Acts 5. 20. That which guides and directs us how to live to God Hence all the Duties of this Life are Vital Acts spiritually Vital Acts Acts of that Life whereby we live to God Sect. 22 Where therefore this Life is not all the Works of Men are Dead Works Where Persons are dead in sin their Works are dead
thereunto So that to say there is no Disposition unto Spiritual Life in any Unregenerate Person is to make them all equal which is contrary to Experience Answ. 1. There is no doubt but that Unregenerate Men may perform many external Duties which are good in themselves and lie in the order of the outward Disposal of the means of Conversion Nor is it questioned but they may have real Designs Desires and Endeavours after that which is presented unto them as their chiefest Good But so far as these Desires or Actings are meerly Natural there is no Disposition in them unto Spiritual Life or that which is Spiritually Good So far as they are Supernatural they are not of themselves For 2. Although there are no preparatory Inclinations in Men yet there are preparatory Works upon them Those who have not the Word yet may have Convictions of Good and Evil from the Authority of God in their Consciences Rom. 2. 14 15. And the Law in the Dispensation of it may work Men unto many Duties of Obedience much more may the Gospel so do But what-ever Effects are hereby produced they are wrought by the Power of God exerted in the Dispensation of the Word They are not educed out of the natural Faculties of the Minds of Men but are Effects of the Power of God in them and upon them For we know that in the flesh there dwelleth no good thing And all Unregenerate Men are no more for that which is born of the flesh is flesh 3. The Actings thus effected and produced in Men Unregenerate are neither Fruits of nor Dispositions unto Spiritual Life Men that are spiritually dead may have Designs and Desires to free themselves from dying Eternally but such a desire to be saved is no saving Disposition unto Life The Nature Causes and Means of Regeneration CHAP. V. 1. Description of the State of Nature necessary unto a right understanding of the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration 2. No possibility of Salvation unto Persons living and dying in a state of Sin 3. Deliverance from it by Regeneration only 4. The Holy Ghost the peculiar Author of this Work 5. Differences about the Manner and Nature of it 6. Way of the Ancients in explaining the Doctrine of Grace the present Method proposed 7. Conversion not wrought by Moral Swasion only 8 9 10. The Nature and Efficacy of Moral Swasion wherein they consist 11. Illumination preparatory unto Conversion 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. The Nature of Grace morally effective only opened not sufficient of Conversion 19 20. The first Argument disproving the working of Grace in Conversion to be by Moral Swasion only 21 22. The Second 23 24. The Third 25. The Fourth 26 27 28. Wherein the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration positively doth consist the use and end of outward means 29. Real internal efficiency of the Spirit in this Work 30 31 32 33 34 35. Grace victorious and irresistible the Nature of it explained 36. Proved 37 38 39 40. The manner of God's working by Grace on our Wills further explained Testimonies concerning the Actual Collation of Faith by the Power of God 41 42 43 44. Victorious efficacy of internal Grace proved by sundry Testimonies of Scripture 45 46 47 48 49. From the nature of the Work wrought by it in Vivification and Regeneration 50 51 52 53 54. Regeneration considered with respect unto the distinct Faculties of the Soul The Mind 55. The Will 56 57. The Affections Sect. 1 UNto The Description we are to give of the Work of Regeneration the precedent account of the Subject of it or the State and Condition of them that are to be Regenerated was necessarily to be premised For upon the knowledg thereof doth a due Apprehension of the Nature of that Work depend And the occasion of all the Mistakes and Errors that have been about it eiâ—her of old or of late hath been a misunderstanding of the true state of Men in their lapsed condition or of Nature as depraved Yea and those by whom this whole Work is derided do now countenance themselves therein by their Ignorance of that state which they will not learn either from the Scripture or Experience For Natura sic apparet vitiata ut hoc majoris vitii sit non videre as Austin speaks It is an Evidence of the Corruption of Nature that it disenables the Minds of Men to discern their own Corruption We have previously discharged this work so far as it is necessary unto our present purpose Many other things might be added in the Explication of it were that our direct Design Particularly having confined my self to treat only concerning the Depravation of the Mind and Will I have not insisted on that of the Affections which yet is effectual to retain unregenerate Men under the Power of sin though it be far enough from Truth that the whole Corruption of Nature consists therein as some weakly and Athologically have Imagined Much less have I treated concerning that encrease and heightning of the Depravation of Nature which is attracted by a Custom of sinning as unto all the perverse Ends of it Yet this also the Scripture much insists upon as that which naturally and necessarily ensues in all in whom it is not prevented by the effectual transforming Grace of the Spirit of God And it is that which seals up the Impossibility of their turning themselves to God Jerom. 13. 23. Rom. 3. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. But that the whole Difficulty of Conversion should arise from Mens contracting an Habit or Custom of sinning is false and openly contradictory to the Scripture These things are Personal Evils and befal Individuals through their own default in various Degrees And we see that amongst Men under the same use of means some are converted unto God who have been deeply immersed in an habitual course of open sins whilst others kept from them by the Influence of their Education upon their Inclinations and Affections remain uncoverted So was it of old between the Publicans and Harlots on the one hand and the Pharisees on the other But my design was only to mention that which is common unto all Or wherein all Men Universally are equally concerned who are partakers of the same Humane Nature in its lapsed Condition And what we have herein declared from the Scriptures will guide us in our Enquiry after the work of the Holy Spirit of Grace in our Deliverance from it Sect. 2 It is evident and needs no further confirmation that persons Living and Dying in this Estate cannot be saved This hitherto hath been allowed by all that are called Christians nor are we to be moved that some who call themselves so do begin to laugh at the disease and Despise the Remedy of our Nature Among those who lay any serious and real claim unto Christianity there is nothing more certain nor more acknowledged than that there is no Deliverance from a state of misery for those who
are not delivered from a state of sin And he who denies the necessary perishing of all that live and dye in the state of Corrupted Nature denies all the use of the Incarnation and Mediation of the Son of God For if we may be saved without the Renovation of our Natures there was no need nor use of the New Creation of all things by Jesus Christ which principally consists therein And if Men may be saved under all the Evils that came upon us by the fail then did Christ dye in vain Besides it is frequently expressed that Men in that state are Enemies to God alienated from him Children of Wrath under the Curse and if such may be saved so may Devils also In brief it is not consistent with the Nature of God his Holiness Righteousness or Truth with the Law or Gospel nor possible in the nature of the thing it self that such persons should enter into or be made possessors of Glory and Rest with God A Deliverance therefore out of and from this Condition is indispensibly necessary to make us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in Light Sect. 3 This Deliverance must be and is by Regeneration The Determinaof our Saviour is positive both in this and the necessity of it before asserted Joh. 3. 3. Except a Man be born again or from above he cannot see the Kingdom of God Whatever sense the Kingdom of God is taken in either for that of Grace here or of Glory hereafter it is all the same as unto our present purpose There is no Interest in it to be obtained no Participation of the Benefits of it unless a man be born again unless he be Regenerate And this Determination of our Saviour as it is absolute and decretory so it is applicable unto and equally comprizeth every Individual of mankind And the Work intended by their Regeneration or in being born again which is the Spiritual Conversion and Quickning of the Souls of Men is everywhere ascribed unto them that shall be saved And although Men may have through their ignorance and prejudices false Apprehensions about Regeneration and the Nature of it or wherein it doth consist yet so far as I know all Christians are agreed that it is the way and means of our Deliverance from the state of Sin or Corrupted Nature or rather our Deliverance it self For this both express Testimonies of Scripture and the Nature of the thing it self put beyond Contradiction Tit. 3. 3 4 5. And those by whom it is exposed unto scorn who esteem it a ridiculous thing for any one to enquire whether he be Regenerate or no will one day understand the necessity of it although it may be not before it is too late to obtain any Advantage thereby Sect. 4 The Holy Ghost is the immediate Author and Cause of this work of Regeneration And herein again as I suppose we have in general the Consent of all Nothing is more in words acknowledged than that all the Elect of God are sanctified by the Holy Ghost And this Regeneration is the Head Fountain or Beginning of our Sanctification virtually comprizing the whole in it self as will afterwards appear However that it is a part thereof is not to be denied Besides as I suppose it is equally confessed to be an Effect or Work of Grace the Actual Dispensation whereof is solely in the hand of the Holy Spirit This I say is in words acknowledged by all although I know not how some can reconcile this Profession unto other notions and sentiments which they declare concerning it For setting aside what Men do herein themselves and what others do towards them in the Ministry of the Word and I cannot see what remains as they express their loose Imaginations to be ascribed unto the Spirit of God But at present we shall make use of this general concession that Regeneration is the Work of the Holy Ghost or an Effect of his Grace Not that we have any need so to do but that we may avoid contesting about those things wherein Men may shrowd their false Opinions under general ambiguous Expressions which was the constant practice of Pelagius and those who followed him of Old But the Scripture is express in Testimonies to our purpose What our Saviour calls being born again John 3. 3. He calls being born of the Spirit ver 5. 6. because he is the sole principal efficient Cause of this new birth For it is the Spirit that quickneth Joh. 6. v. 63. Rom. 8. 11. And God saveth us according to his mercy by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. whereas therefore we are said to be born of God or to be begotten again of his own will John 1. 13. Jam. 1. 18. 1 John 3. 9. it is with respect unto the especial and peculiar Operation of the Holy Spirit Sect. 5 These things are thus far confessed even by the Pelagians themselves both those of old and those at present at least in general nor hath any as yet been so hardy as to deny Regeneration to be the Work of the holy Spirit in us unless we must except those deluded Souls who deny both him and his Work Our sole Enquiry therefore must be after the manner and nature of this work for the nature of it depends on the manner of the working of the Spirit of God herein This I acknowledg was variously contended about of old and the truth concerning it hath scarce escaped an open Opposition in any Age of the Church And at present this is the great Ball of Contention between the Jesuites and the Jansenists the latter keeping close to the Doctrine of the principal Ancient Writers of the Church the former under new Notions Expressions and Distinctions endeavouring the Reinforcement of Pelagianism whereunto some of the Elder School-Men led the way of whom our Bradwardine so long ago complained But never was it with so much Impotence and Ignorance traduced and reviled as it is by some among our selves For a sort of Men we have who by stories of wandring Jews Rhetorical Declamations pert Cavillings and proud Revilings of those who dissent from them think to scorn and banish Truth out of the World though they never yet durst attempt to deal openly and plainly with any one Argument that is pleaded in its defence and confirmation Sect. 6 The Ancient Writers of the Church who looked into these things with most diligence and laboured in them with most success as Austin Hilary Prosper and Fulgentius do represent the whole Work of the Spirit of God towards the Souls of Men under certain Heads or Distinctions of Grace And herein were they followed by many of the more sober School-Men and others of late without number Frequent mention we find in them of Grace as preparing preventing Working Co-working and Confirming Under these Heads do they handle the whole Work of our Regeneration or Conversion unto God And although there may be some Alteration in
Method and ways of Expression which may be varied as they are found to be of Advantage unto them that are to be instructed yet for the substance of the Doctrine they taught the same which hath been preached amongst us since the Reformation which some have ignorantly traduced as novel And the whole of it is nobly and elegantly exemplifyed by Austin in his Confessions wherein he gives us the Experience of the Truth he had taught in his own Soul And I might follow their footsteps herein and perhaps should for some Reasons have chosen so to have done but that there have been so many differences raised about the Explication and Application of these Terms and Distinctions and the Declaration of the nature of the Acts and Effects of the Spirit of Grace intended in them as that to carry the Truth through the intricate perplexities which under these notions have been cast upon it would be a longer Work than I shall here ingage into and too much divert me from my principal intention I shall therefore in general refer the whole Work of the Spirit of God with respect unto the Regeneration of sinners unto two Heads First that which is preparatory for it and secondly that which is effective of it That which is preparatory for it is the Conviction of sin This is the Work of the Holy Spirit John 16. 8. 9. And this also may be distinctly referred unto three Heads 1 A Discovery of the True Nature of Sin by the ministry of the Law Rom. 7. 7. 2 An Application of that discovery made in the Mind or Understanding unto the Conscience of the sinner 3 The Excitation of Affections suitable unto that Discovery and Application Acts 2. 37. But these Things so far as they belong unto our present Design have been before insisted on Our principal Enquiry at present is after the Work it self or the nature and manner of the working of the Spirit of God in and on the Souls of Men in their Regeneration And this must be both negatively and positively declared Sect. 7 First The Work of the Spirit of God in the Regeneration of sinners or the quickning of them who are dead in trespasses and sins or in their first Saving Conversion to God doth not consist in a Moral Swasion only By Swasion we intend such a perswasion as may or may not be effectual so absolutely we call that only perswasion whereby a Man is actually perswaded Concerning this we must consider 1 What it is that is intended by that Expression and wherein its Efficacy doth consist and 2. prove that the whole Work of the Spirit of God in the Conversion of sinners doth not consist therein And I shall handle this matter under this Notion as that which is known unto those who are conversant in these things from the writings of the ancient and modern Divines For it is to no purpose to endeavour the reducing of the extravagant confused Discourses of some present Writers unto a certain and determinate stating of the things in difference among us That which they seem to aim at and conclude may be reduced unto these Heads 1. That God administers Grace unto all in the Declaration of the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel 2. That the Reception of this Doctrine the Belief and Practice of it is enforced by Promises and Threatnings 3. That the things revealed taught and commanded are not only good in themselves but so suited unto the Reason and Interest of Mankind as that the Mind cannot but be disposed and enclined to receive and obey them unless overpowered by Prejudices and a Course of Sin 4. That the Consideration of the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel is sufficient to remove these prejudices and reform that Course 5. That upon a compliance with the Doctrine of the Gospel and Obedience thereunto Men are made partakers of the Spirit with other Priviledges of the New Testament and have a Right unto all the Promises of the present and future Life Now this being a perfect systeme of Pelagianism condemned in the ancient Church as absolutely exclusive of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be fully removed out of our way in our present Discourse though the loose confused expressions of some be not considered in particular For if the Work of our Regeneration doth not consist in a Moral Swasion which as we shall see contains all that these Men will allow to Grace their whole Fabrick falls to the ground of its own accord Sect. 8 1. As to the nature of this Moral Swasion two things may be considered 1. The Means Instrument and Matter of it and this is the Word of God the Word of God or the Scripture in the Doctrinal Instructions Precepts Promises and Threatnings of it This is that and this is that alone whereby we are commanded pressed perswaded to turn our selves and live to God And herein we comprize the whole both the Law and the Gospel with all the Divine Truths contained in them as severally respecting the especial Ends whereunto they are designed For although they are distinctly and peculiarly suited to produce distinct Effects on the Minds of Men yet they all joyntly tend unto the general end of guiding Men how to live unto God and to obtain the enjoyment of him As for those Documents and Instructions which Men have concerning the Will of God and the Obedience which he requires of them from the Light of Nature with the Works of Creation and Providence I shall not here take them into Consideration For either they are solitary or without any super-addition of instructive Light by Revelation and then I utterly deny them to be a sufficient outward means of the Conversion of any one Soul or they may be considered as improved by the written Word as dispensed unto Men and so they are comprized under it and need not to be considered apart We will therefore suppose that those unto whom the Word is declared have antecedaneously thereunto all the help which the Light of Nature will afford Sect. 9 2. The principal way of the Application of this means to produce its Effect on the Souls of Men is the Ministry of the Church God hath appointed the Ministry for the Application of the Word unto the Minds and Consciences of Men for their Instruction and Conversion And concerning this we may observe two things 1. That the Word of God thus dispensed by the Ministry of the Church is the only ordinary outward means which the Holy Ghost maketh use of in the Regeneration of the Adult unto whom it is preached 2. That it is every way sufficient in its own kind that is as an outward means For the Revelation which is made of God and his Mind thereby is sufficient to teach Men all that is needful for them to believe and do that they may be converted unto God and yeeld him the Obedience that he requires Hence two things do ensue 1. That the use of those
to convert themselves no more than Arguments can prevail with a blind Man to see or with a dead Man to rise from the Grave or with a lame Man to walk steadily Wherefore the whole Description before given from the Scripture of the state of lapsed Nature must be disproved and removed out of the way before his Grace can be thought sufficient to be for the Regeneration and Conversion of Men in that Estate But some proceed on other Principles Men they say have by Nature certain Notions and Principles concerning God and the Obedience due unto him which are demonstrable by the Light of Reason and certain Abilities of Mind to make use of them unto their proper End But they grant at least some of them do that however these Principles may be improved and acted by those Abilities yet they are not sufficient or will not eventually be effectual to bring Men unto the Life of God or to enable them so to believe in him love him and obey him as that they may come at length unto the enjoyment of him at least they will not do this safely and easily but through much danger and confusion wherefore * God out of his Goodness and Love to Mankind hath made a further Revelation of himself by Jesus Christ in the Gospel with the especial way whereby his Anger against Sin is averted and Peace made for Sinners which Men had before only a confused Apprehension and Hope about How the things received proposed and prescribed in the Gospel are so good so rational so every way suited unto the Principles of our Beings the Nature of our intellectual Constitutions or the Reason of Men and those fortified with such rational and powerful Motives in the Promises and Threatnings of it representing unto us on the one hand the chiefest Good which our Nature is capable of and on the other the highest evil to be avoided that we are obnoxious unto that they can be refused or rejected by none but out of a bruitish love of Sin or the efficacy of depraved Habits contracted by a vitious course of living And herein consists the Grace of God towards Men especially as the Holy Ghost is pleased to make use of these things in the Dispensation of the Gospel by the Ministry of the Church For when the Reason of Men is by these means excited so far as to cast off Prejudice and enabled thereby to make a right Judgment of what is proposed unto it it prevails with them to convert to God to change their Lives and yield Obedience according to the Rule of the Gospel that they may be saved And no doubt this were a notable Systeme of Christian Doctrine especially as it is by some Rhetorically blended or Theatrically represented in feigned Stories and Apologues were it not defective in one or two things For first it is exclusive of a supposition of the fall of Man at least as unto the Depravation of our Nature which ensued thereon and Secondly of all real Effective Grace dispensed by Jesus Christ which render it a Phantastick Dream alien from the Design and Doctrine of the Gospel But it is a fond thing to discourse with Men about either Regeneration or Conversion unto God by whom these things are denyed Sect. 27 Such a Work of the Holy Spirit we must therefore enquire after as wherey the Mind is effectually renewed the Heart changed the Affections sanctified all actually and effectually or no Deliverance will be wrought obtained or ensue out of the Estate described For notwithstanding the utmost improvement of our Minds and Reasons that can be imagined and the most eminent proposal of the Truths of the Gospel accompanied with the most powerful enforcements of Duty and Obedience that the Nature of the things themselves will afford yet the Mind of Man in the state of Nature without a supernatural Elevation by Grace is not able so to apprehend them as that its Apprehension should be Spiritual Saving or Proper unto the Things apprehended And notwithstanding the Perception which the Mind may attain unto in the Truth of Gospel-Proposals and the Conviction it may have of the necessity of Obedience yet is not the Will able to apply it self unto any Spiritual Act thereof without an Ability wrought immediately in it by the Power of the Spirit of God or rather unless the Spirit of God by his Grace do effect the Act of willing in it Wherefore not to multiply Arguments we conclude That the most effectual use of outward means alone is not all the Grace that is necessary unto nor all that is actually put forth in the Regeneration of the Souls of Men. Sect. 28 Having thus evidenced wherein the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Regeneration of the Souls of Men doth not consist namely in a supposed congruous Perswasion of their Minds where it is alone 1. I shall proceed to shew wherein it doth consist and what is the true Nature of it And to this purpose I say 1. What-ever efficacy that Moral Operation which accompanies or is the Effect of the Preaching of the Word as blessed and used by the Holy Spirit is of or may be supposed to be of or is possible that it should be of in and towards them that are unregenerate we do willingly ascribe unto it We grant that in the Work of Regeneration the Holy Spirit towards those that are Adult doth make use of the Word both the Law and the Gospel and the Ministry of the Church in the Dispensation of it as the ordinary means thereof yea this is ordinarily the whole external means that is made use of in this Work and an efficacy proper unto it it is accompanied withal Whereas therefore some content that there is no more needful to the Conversion of Sinners but the Preaching of the Word unto them who are congruously disposed to receive it and that the whole of the Grace of God consists in the effectual Application of it unto the Minds and Affections of Men whereby they are enabled to comply with it and turn unto God by Faith and Repentance they do not ascribe a greater Power unto the Word than we do by whom this Administration of it is denied to be the total Cause of Conversion For we assign the same Power to the Word as they do and more also onely we affirm that there is an Effect to be wrought in this Work which all this Power if alone is insufficient for But in its own kind is it sufficient and effectual so far as that the effect of Regeneration or Conversion unto God is ascribed thereunto This we have declared before Sect. 29 2. There is not onely a Moral but a Physical immediate Operation of the Spirit by his Power and Grace or his powerful Grace upon the Minds or souls of Men in their Regeneration This is that which we must cleave to or all the Glory of God's Grace is lost and the Grace administred by Christ neglected
Reason and common Sense that what-ever be our Duty and Power herein yet these Expressions must denote an Act of God and not ours the substance of what we contend for is granted as we shall be ready at any time to demonstrate It is true God doth command us to circumcise our Hearts and to make them New But he doth therein declare our Duty not our Power for himself promiseth to work in us what he requireth of us And that Power which we have and do exercise in the progress of this Work in Sanctification and Holiness proceeds from the infused Principle which we receive in our Regeneration for all which Ends we ought to pray for him according to the Example of Holy Men of old The Manner of Conversion explained in the Instance of Augustine CHAP. VI. The outward means and manner of Conversion to God or Regeneration with the Degrees of Spiritual Operations on the Minds of Men and their Effects exemplified in the Conversion of Augustine as the Account is given thereof by himself Sect. 1 AS among all the Doctrines of the Gospel there is none opposed with more violence and subtilty than that concerning our Regeneration by the immediate powerful effectual Operation of the Holy Spirit of Grace so there is not scarce any thing more despised or scorned by many in the World than that any should profess that there hath been such a Work of God upon themselves or on any Occasion declare ought of the way and manner whereby it was wrought The very mentioning hereof is grown a Derision among some that call themselves Christians and to plead an interest or concern in this Grace is to forfeit all a Mans Reputation with many who would be thought wise and boast themselves to be rational Neither is this a practice taken up of late in these declining times of the World but seems to have been started and followed from days of old possibly from the beginning yea the Enmity of Cain against Abel was but a branch of this proud and perverse Inclination The Instance of Ishmael in the Scripture is Representative of all such as under an outward profession of the true Religion did or do scoff at those who being as Isaac Children of the Promise do profess and evidence an interest in the internal Power of it which they are unacquainted withal And the same practice may be traced in succeeding Ages Hence Holy Austin entring upon the Confession of his greater sins designing thereby to magnify the Glory and Efficacy of the Grace of God in his Conversion provides against this scorn of Men which he knew he should meet withal Rideant saith he me arrogantes nondum salubriter prostrati elisi per te Deus meus ego tamen confiteor tibi dedecora mea in laude tua Confess lib. 4. cap. 1. let Arrogant Men deride or scorn me who were never savingly cast down nor broken in pieces by thee my God yet I will confess my own shame unto thy praise Let none be offended with these expressions of being savingly or wholesomely cast down and broken of God For in the Judgment of this great person they are not Fanatical We may not therefore think it strange if the same truth the same practice and profession of it do still meet with the same Entertainment Let them deride and scorn it who were never humbled savingly nor broken with a sense of sin nor relieved by Grace the Holy Work of Gods Spirit is to be owned and the truth to be avowed as it is in Jesus Sect. 2 Of the Original Depravation of our nature we have treated sofar as is needful unto our present purpose Yet some things must yet be added concerning the Effects of that Depravation which will conduce unto the right understanding of the way and manner whereby the Spirit of God proceedeth for the healing and removal of it which we have now under especial consideration And we may observe Sect. 3 1. That the Corrupt Principle of sin the native habitual Inclination that is in us unto evil worketh early in our natures and for the most part preventeth all the Actings of Grace in us Though some may be sanctified in or from the Womb yet in order of nature this native Corruption hath first place in them for a clean thing cannot be brought out of an unclean but that which iâ— born of the flesh is flesh Psal. 58. 3. The Wicked are estrangâ—d from the Womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lyes It is to no purpose to say that he speaks of wicked Men that is such who are habitually and profligately so For whatever any Man may afterwards run into by a course of sin all Men are Morally alike from the Womb and 't is an Aggravation of the Wickedness of Men that it begins so early and holds on an uninterrupted course Children are not able to speak from the Womb as soon as they are born Yet here are they said to speak lyes It is therefore the perverse Acting of Depraved nature in Infancy that is intended For every thing that is irregular that Answers not the Law of our Creation and Rule of our Obedience is a Lye And among the many Instances Collected by Austin of such irregular Actings of nature in its infant-state one is peculiarly remarkable Confess lib. 1. cap. 6. Paulatim sentiebam ubi essem voluntates meas volebam ostendere eis per quos implerentur non poteram itaque jactabam membra voces signa â—imilia voluntatibus meis pauca quae poteram qualia poteram cum mihi non obâ—emperabatur vel non intelligendo vel ne obesset indignabar non subditis Majoribus liberis non servientibus me de illis slendo vindicabam This he again repeats cap. 7. An pro tempore illo bona erant flendo petere etiam quod noxie daretur indignari acriter non subjectis hominibus liberis majoribus hisque a quibus genitus est multisque preterea prudentioribus non ad nutum voluntatis obtemperantibus feriendo nocere mihi quantum potest quia non obeditur imperiis quibus perniciose obediretur Ita imbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens est non animus infantium Those irregular and perverse Agitations of mind and of the Will or Appetite not yet under the Conduct of Reason which appear in Infants with the Indignation and little self-Revenges wherewith they are accompanyed in their disappointments when all about them do not subject themselves unto their Inclinations it may be to their hurt are from the Obliquity of our nature and effects of that depraved habit of sin wherewith it is wholly possessed And by the frequency of these lesser Actings are the mind and will prepared for those more violent and impetuous motions which by the improving of their natural Capacities and the incitation of new Objects presented unto their Corruptions they are exposed unto and filled withal God
Disquietment of Mind fear of Ruine and the like see Acts 2. 37. Acts 24. 25. But this I must not enlarge upon Sect. 21 This therefore is the second thing which we observe in God's gracious Actings towards the Recovery of the Souls of Men from their Apostacy and from under the Power of sin The principal efficient Cause of this Work is the Holy Ghost the preaching of the Word especially of the Law being the Instrument which he maketh use of therein The Knowledg of sin is by the Law both the Nature Guilt and Curse belonging to it Rom. 7. 7. There is â—herefore no Conviction of sin but what consists in an Emanation of Light and Knowledg from the Doctâ—ine of the Law with an Evidence of its Power and a sense of its Curse Other Means as Afflictions Dangers Sicknesses Fears Disappointments may be made use of to excite stir up and put an edge upon the Minds and Affections of Men yet it is by one means or other from the Law of God that such a discovery is made of sin unto them and such a sense of it wrought upon them as belongs unto this work of Conviction But it is the Spirit of God alone that is the principal efficient Cause of it or he works these effects on the Minds of Men. God takes it upon himself as his own work to reprove Men and set their sins in order before their eyes Psal. 50 21. And that this same Work is done immediately by the Spirit is expresly declared John 16. 8. He alone it is who makes all means effectual unto this End and Purpose Without his especial and immediate Actings on us to this End we may hear the Law preached all the Days of our Lives and not be once affected with it Sect. 22 And it may by the way be worth our Observation to consider how God designing the Calling or Conversion of the Souls of Men doth in this holy wise Providence over-rule all their outward Concernments so as that they shall be disposed into such Circumstances as conduce to to the end aymed at Either by their own Inclinations and Choice or by the Intervention of Accidents crossing their Inclinations and frustrateing their Designes he will lead them into such Societies Acquaintances Relations Places means as he hath ordained to be useful unto them for the great ends of their Conviction and Conversion So in particular Austin aboundeth in his Contemplation on the Holy Wise Providence of God in carrying of him from Carthage to Rome and from thence to Milan where he heard Ambrose preach every Lords-day which proved at length the Means of his through-Conversion to God And in that whole Course by his discourse upon it he discovers Excellently as on the one hand the variety of his own Projections and Designes his Aymes and Ends which oft-times were perverse and froward so on the other the constant guidance of divine Providence working powerfully through all Occurrences towards the blessed End designed for him And I no way doubt but that God exercised him unto those distinct Experiences of Sin and Grace in his own Heart and Wayes because he had designed him to be the great Champion of the Doctrine of his Grace against all its enemyes and that not only in his own Age wherein it met with a fierce Opposition but also in all succeeding ages by his Excellent Labours preserved for the use of the Church see Confess lib. 5. cap. 7. 8 9 c. Tu spes mea in terra viventium ad mutandum terrarum locum pro salute animae mea Carthagini stimulos quibus inde avellerer admovebas Romae illecebras quibus attraberer proponebas mihi per homines qui diligebant vitam mortuam hinc insana facientes inde vana pollicentes ad corrigendos gressus meos utebaris occulte illorum mea perversitate cap. 8. Thou who art my hope in the Land of the Living that I might remove from one Country to another for the Salvation of my Soul didst both apply goads unto me at Carthage whereby I might be driven from thence and proposedst Allurements unto me at Rome whereby I might be drawn thither and this thou didst by Men who loved the Dead Life in sin here doing things outragious there promising things desirable to vain Minds whilst thou to correct and reform my ways didst secretly make use of their frowardness and mine Sect. 23 3. It must be granted that many on whom this work hath been wrought producing great Resolutions of Amendment and much Reformation of Life do lose all the Power and Efficacy of it with all the impressions it had made on their Affections And some of these wax worse and more profligate in sinning than ever they were before For having broken down the Damm of their restraints they pour out their lusts like a Flood and are more senseless than ever of those Checks and Fears with which before they were bridled and awed 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. 22. So the person lately mentioned declares that after many Convictions which he had digested and neglected he was grown so obdurate and sensless that falling into a feaver wherein he thought he should die and go immediately unto Hell he had not that endeavour after Deliverance and Mercy as he had many years before on lesser dangers And this perverse Effect is variously brought about Sect. 24 1. It is with most an immediate product of the power of their own Lust. Especially is it so with them who together with their Convictions receive no Gifts of the Holy Ghost For as we observed their Lusts being only checked and controuled not subdued they get new strength by their Restraint and rebel with success against Conviction Such as these fall away from what they have attained suddenly Math. 13. 5. 21. One day they seem to lye in Hell by the Terror of their Convictions and the next to be hasting towards it by their sins and pollutions see Luke 11. 24 25 26. Hos. 4. 6. cap. 6. 4. 2. This Apostacy is promoted and hastned by others As 1. such as undertaking to be Spiritual Guides and Instructers of Men in their way towards Rest who being unskilful in the Word of Righteousness do heal their wounds slightly or turn them out of the way Seducers also it may be interpose their crafty deceits whereby they lye in wait to deceive and so turn Men off from those Good ways of God whereinto they would otherwise enter So it fell out with Austin who beginning somewhat to enquire after God fell into the society and heresy of the Manichees which frustrated all the Convictions which by any means he had received 2. Such as directly and that perhaps with importunity and violence will endeavour to draw Men back into the wayes of the World and the pursuit of their lusts Pro. 1. 11 12 13 14. So the same Person declares with what earnestness and restless importunities some of his Companions endeavoured to draw
Light that shines by the Gospel from Jesus Christ into our Souls begins to undeceive us in this matter And there is no greater Evidence of our receiving an Evangelical Baptisme or of being baptized into the spirit of the Gospel than the clear Compliance of our minds with the Wisdom of God herein When we find such constraining motives unto Holiness upon us as will not allow the least subducting of our Souls from an universal attendance unto it purely on the Ends of the Gospel without respect unto those now discarded it is an Evidence that the Wisdom of God hath prevailed against that of the flesh in our minds Wherefore Holiness with the fruits of it with respect unto their proper Ends which shall afterwards be declared is all that God requireth of us And this he declares in the tenor of the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect This is that and this is all that I require of thee namely thy Holy Obedience for all other things wherein thou art concerned I take them all upon my own Almighty Power or All-sufficiency as he sayes elsewhere that the whole of Man is to fear God and keep his Commandements And the consideration hereof taken singly and by its self is sufficient with all that have any regard unto God or their own Eternal welfare to convince them of what importance these things are unto them Sect. 13 6 But neither yet are we left in this matter merely under the Authority of Gods Command with an Expectation of our complyance with it from our own Ability and Power God moreover hath promised to sanctifie us or to work this Holiness in us the Consideration whereof will give us yet a nearer Prospect into its nature He that requires it of us knows that we have it not of our selves When we were in our best condition by nature in the state of Original Holiness vested with the Image of God we preserved it not And is it likely that now in the state of lapsed and depraved nature it is in our own power to restore our selves to re-introduce the Image of God into our Souls and that in a far more eminent manner than it was at first created by God What needed all that Contrivance of Infinite Wisdom and Grace for the Reparation of our nature by Jesus Christ if Holiness wherein it doth consist be in our own Power and educed out of the natural faculties of our Souls There can be no more fond Imagination befall the minds of men than that defiled Nature is able to cleanse it self or depraved Nature to rectifie it self or we who have lost that Image of God which he created in us and with us should create it again in our selves by our own endeavours Wherefore when God commandeth and requireth us to be Holy he commands us to be that which by nature and of our selves we are not and not only so but that which we have not of our selves a Power to attain unto Whatever therefore is absolutely in our own Power is not of that Holiness which God requireth of us For what we can do our selves there is neither Necessity nor Reason why God should promise to work in us by his Grace And to say that what God so promiseth to work he will not work or effect indeed but only perswade and prevail with us to do it is through the pride of Unbelief to defie the Truth and Grace of God and with the Spoyls of them to adorn our own Righteousness and Power Now God hath multiplyed his Promises to this purpose so that we shall need to call over only some of them in way of Instance Jerem. 31. 33. I will put my Law in your inward parts and write it in your hearts and will be your God and ye shall be my People Chap. 32. 39 40. I will give them one Heart and one Way that they may fear me for ever and I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them V. 25. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness V. 29. I will also save you from all your uncleanness The whole of our Sanctification and Holiness is comprized in these Promises To be cleansed from the Defilements of sin whatever they be to have an Heart inclined disposed enabled to fear the Lord alwayes and to walk in all his Wayes and Statutes accordingly with an internal habitual Conformity of the whole Soul unto the Law of God is to be sanctified or to be Holy And all this God promiseth directly to work in us and to accomplish himself In the Faith of these Promises and for the fulfilling of them the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians as we observed at our Entrance That the God of Peace himself would sanctifie them throughout whereby their whole Spirits Souls and Bodies might be preserved blameless to the coming of Jesus Christ. And hence is evident what we before observed that what is absolutely in our own power is not of the nature of nor doth necessarily belong unto Holiness whatever it be The best of the Intellectual or Moral Habits of our minds which are but the natural Improvement and Exercise of our facultyes neither are nor can be our Holiness nor do the best of our Moral Duties as meerly and only so belong thereunto By these Moral Habits and Duties we understand the Powers Faculties or Abilities of our Souls exercised with respect and in Obedience unto the Commands of God as excited perswaded and guided by outward Motives Rules Arguments and Considerations Plainly all the Power we have of our selves to obey the Law of God and all that we do in the pursuit and exercise of that Power upon any Reasons Motives or Considerations whatever which may all be resolved into fear of Punishment and hope of Reward with some present satisfactions of mind on the Account of Ease in Conscience within or outward Reputation whether in Abstinence from sin or the Performance of Duties are intended hereby and are not that Holiness which we enquire after And the Reason is plain even because those things are not wrought in us by the power of the especial Grace of God in the pursuit of the especial Promise of the Covenant as all true Holiness is If any shall say that they are so wrought in us they do expresly change the nature of them For thereby those Powers would be no more natural but supernatural and those Dutyes would be no more meerly Moral but Evangelical and spiritual which is to grant all we contend for
indulged unto vitiates the whole Spiritual Health and weakens the Soul in all Duties of Obedience 2 There are some things required of us to this End that Holiness may thrive and be carryed on in us Such are the constant use of all Ordinances and Means appointed unto that End a due Observance of Commanded Duties in their Season with a Readiness for the Exercise of every especial Grace in its proper circumstances Now if we neglect these things if we walk at all peradventures with God attending neither to Means nor Dutyes nor the Exercise of Grace as we should we are not to wonder if we find our selves Decaying yea ready to dye Doth any man wonder to see a person formerly of a sound Constitution grown weak and sickly if he openly neglect all Means of health and contract all sorts of Diseases by his Intemperance Is it strange that a Nation should be sick and faint at heart that Grey-hairs should be sprinkled upon it that it should be poor and decaying whilest Consuming Lusts with a strange Neglect of all envigorating Means do prevail in it No more is it that a Professing people should decay in Holy Obedience whilest they abide in the Neglects expressed Having vindicated this Assertion I shall yet adde a little further Improvement of it And 1. If the Work of Holiness be such a Progressive thriving Work in its own nature if the Design of the Holy Ghost in the use of Means be to carry it on in us and encrease it more and more unto a perfect Measure then is our Diligence still to be continued to the same End and Purpose For hereon depends our growth and thriving It is required of us that we give all Diligence unto the Encrease of Grace 2 Pet. 1. and that we abound therein 2 Cor. 8. 7. abounding in all Diligence and not only so but that we shew the same Diligence unto the End Heb. 6. 11. Whetever Diligence you have used in the attaining or improving of Holiness abide in it unto the End or we cast our selves under Decayes and endanger our Souls If we slack or give over as to our Duty the Work of Sanctification will not be carryed on in a way of Grace And this is required of us this is expected from us that our whole Lives be spent in a Course of diligent Complyance with the Progressive Work of Grace in us There are three Grounds on which men doe or may neglect this Duty whereon the Life of their Obedience and all their Comforts do depend 1 A Presumption or Groundless Perswasion that they are already perfect This some pretend unto in a proud and foolish Conceit destructive of the whole Nature and Duty of Evangelical Holiness or Obedience For this on our parts consists in our willing Complyance with the Work of Grace gradually carryed on unto the measure appointed unto us If this be already attained there is an End of all Evangelical Obedience and men return again to the Law unto their Ruine See Phil. 3. 12 13 14. It is an excellent Description of the Nature of our Obedience which the Apostle gives us in that place All Absolute Perfection in this Life is rejected as unattainable The End proposed is Blessedness and Glory with the Eternal Enjoyment of God and the Way whereby we press towards it which comprizeth the whole of our Obedience is by continual uninterrupted following after pressing reaching out a constant Progress in and by our utmost Diligence 2 A foolish Supposition that being interested in a state of Grace we need not now be so solicitous about exact Holiness and Obedience in all things as we were formerly whilest our minds hung in suspense about our Condition But so much as any one hath this Apprehension or Perswasion prevailing in him or influencing of him so much hath he cause deeply to question whether he have yet any thing of Grace or Holiness or no. For this Perswasion is not of him who hath called us There is not a more effectual Engine in the hand of Sathan either to keep us off from Holiness or to stifle it when it is attained nor can any thoughts arise in the Hearts of men more opposite to the nature of Grace For which cause the Apostle rejects it with Detestation Rom. 6. 1 2. 3 Weariness and Despondencies arising from Oppositions Some find so much difficulty in and Opposition to the Work of Holiness and its Progress from the Power of Corruptions Temptations and the Occasions of Life in this World that they are ready to faint and give over this Diligence in Dutyes and Contending against Sin But the Scripture doth so abound with Encouragements unto this sort of Persons as we need not to insist thereon CHAP. III. Believers the only Object of Sanctification and Subject of Gospel Holiness 1 Believers the only Subject of the Work of Sanctification 2 How men come to believe if Believers alone receive the Spirit of Sanctification 3 The principal Ends for which the Spirit is promised with their Order in their Accomplishment 4 Rules to be observed in praying for the Spirit of God and his Operations therein 5 That Believers only are Sanctified or Holy proved and confirmed 6 Mistakes about Holiness both Notional and Practical discovered 7 The Proper Subject of Holiness in Believers Sect. 1 THat which we are next to enquire into is the personal Subject of this Work of Sanctification or who and of what sort those Persons are that are made Holy Now these are All and Only Believers All who unseignedly believe in God through Jesus Christ are sanctified and no other Unto them is Evangelical Holiness confined It is for them and them only that our Saviour prayes for this Mercy Grace or Priviledge Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth And concerning them he affirms for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth v. 19. And whereas in the Verses foregoing he had immediate Respect unto his Apostles and present Disciples that we may know that neither his Prayer nor this Grace are confined or limited unto them he addes Neither pray I for these alone that is in this Manner and for these Ends but for them also which shall believe on me through their World v. 20. It was therefore the Prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ that all Believers should be sanctified and so also was it his Promise John 7. 38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water But this he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive And it is with respect principally unto this Work of Sanctification that he is compared unto flowing and living Water as hath been declared before It is for Believers the Church that was in God the Father and in Jesus Christ that is by Faith 1 Thess. 1. 1. that our Apostle prayes that the God of Peace would sanctifie them throughout chap. 5.
unto the whole New Creation not only of Power and Rule but of Life and Influence God hath given him for a Covenant to the People and communicates nothing that belongs properly to the Covenant of Grace as our Sanctification and Holiness doe unto any but in and through him And we receive nothing by him but by vertue of Relation unto him or especial Interest in him or union with him Where there is an especial Communication there must be an especial Relation whereon it doth depend and whence it doth proceed As the Relation of the Members unto the Head is the Cause and Means why Vital spirits are thence derived unto them We must be in Christ as the Branch is in the Vine or we can derive nothing from him Joh. 15. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Whatever any way belongeth unto Holiness is our Fruit and nothing else is Fruit but what belongeth thereunto Now this our Saviour affirms that we can bring forth nothing of unless we are in him and do abide in him Now our being in Christ and abiding in him is by Faith without which we can derive nothing from him and consequently never be partakers of Holiness in the least Degree But these things must be afterwards spoken unto more at large It is therefore undenyably evident that Believers only are sanctified and Holy all others are unclean nor is any thing they doe Holy or so esteemed of God Sect. 6 And the due Consideration hereof discovers many pernitious mistakes that are about this matter both Notional and Practical For 1 There are some who would carry Holiness beyond the Bounds of an especial Relation unto Christ or would carry that Relation beyond the only Bond of it which is Faith For they would have it to be no more than Moral Honesty or Vertue and so cannot with any Modesty deny it unto those Heathens who endeavoured after them according to the Light of Nature And what need then is there of Jesus Christ I can and doe commend Morall Vertues and Honesty as much as any man ought to doe and am sure enough there is no Grace where they are not yet to make any thing to be our Holiness that is not derived from Jesus Christ I know not what I do more abhorre An Imagination hereof dethrones Christ from his Glory and overthrowes the whole Gospel But we have a sort of men who plead that Heathens may be eternally saved so large and indulgent is their Charity and in the mean time endeavour by all means possible to destroy temporally at least all those Christians who stoop not to a complyance with all their Imaginations 2 Others there are who proceed much further and yet do but deceive themselves in the Issue Notions they have of good and evil by the Light of Nature As they come with men into the world and grow up with them as they come to the Exercise of their Reason so they are not stifled without offering violence to the Principles of Nature by the power of sin as it comes to pass in many Ephes. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Rom. 1. 31. Chap. 2. 14 15. These Notions therefore are in many improved in Process of time by Convictions from the Law and great Effects are produced hereby For where the Soul is once effectually convinced of Sin Righteousness and Judgement it cannot but endeavour after a Deliverance from the one and an Attainment of the other that so it may be well with it at the Last Day And here lye the Springs or Foundations of all the Morall Differences that we see amongst Mankind Some give themselves up unto all Abominations Lasciviousness Uncleanness Drunkenness Frauds Oppressions Blasphemies Persecutions as having no bounds fixed unto their Lusts but what are given them by their own Impotency or dread of Humane Laws Others endeavour to be Sober Temperate Just Honest and Upright in their dealings with a sedulous performance of Religious Dutyes This difference ariseth from the different Power and Efficacy of Legal Convictions upon the Minds of men And these Convictions are in many variously improved according to the Light they receive in the Means of Knowledge which they do enjoy or the Errors and Superstitions which they are misguided unto For on this latter account do they grow up in some into Penances Vowes uncommanded Abstinencyes and various Self-macerations with other painfull and costly Dutyes Where the Light they receive is in the generall according unto Truth there it will engage men into Reformation of Life a Multiplication of Dutyes Abstinence from sin Profession Zeal and a Cordial Engagement into one way or other in Religion Such Persons may have good Hopes themselves that they are Holy they may appear to the World so to be and be accepted in the Church of God as such and yet really be utter strangers from true Gospel Holiness And the Reason is because they have missed it in the Foundation and not having in the first place obtained an Interest in Christ have built their house on the sand whence it will fall in the time of trouble If it be said that all those who come up unto the Dutyes mentioned are to be esteemed Believers if therewith they make Profession of the true Faith of the Gospel I willingly grant it But if it be said that necessarily they are so indeed and in the sight of God and therefore are also sanctified and Holy I must say the contrary is expresly denyed in the Gospel and especial Instances given thereof Wherefore let them wisely consider these things who have any Conviction of the Necessity of Holiness It may be they have done much in the pursuit of it and have laboured in the Dutyes that materially belong unto it Many things they have done and many things forborn upon the Account of it and still continue so to doe It may be they think that for all the World they would not be found among the number of unholy persons at the Last Day This may be the Condition of some perhaps of many who are but yet young and but newly engaged into these wayes upon their Convictions It may be so with them who for many dayes and years have been so following after a Righteousness in a way of Duty But yet they meet with these two evils in their wayes 1 That Dutyes of Obedience seldom or never prove more easie familiar or pleasant unto them than they did at first but rather are more grievous and burdensome every day 2 That they never come up unto a satisfaction in what they doe but still find that there is somewhat wanting These make all they do burdensome and unpleasant unto them which at length will betray them into Backsliding and Apostasie But yet there is somewhat worse behind All they have done or are ever able to doe on the bottom upon which they stand will come to no Account but perish
with them at the great Day Would we prevent all these fatal evils would we engage in a reall thriving everlasting Holiness let our first business be to secure a Relation unto Jesus Christ without which nothing of it will ever be attained To close this discourse I shall only from it obviate a putid Calumny cast by the Papists Quakers and others of the same Confederacy against the Grace of God upon the Doctrine of the free Justification of a sinner through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. For with a shameless Impudence they clamour on all by whom it is asserted as those who maintain Salvation to be attained through a meer External Imputation of Righteousness whilest those so saved are unclean and unholy as the Quaker or negligent of the Dutyes of Righteousness and Obedience as the Papists and others slanderously report For the frontless impudence of this Calumny is sufficiently evident from hence that as we assert Sanctification and Holiness to be peculiar only unto Believing justified Persons that is that Faith and Holiness are inseparable habitually or actually or in both regards so in like manner that all such Persons are infallibly sanctified and made Holy Sect. 7 All Believers and only Believers being sanctified and made Holy What it is that is sanctified in them or what is the proper Seat and Subject of this Work is in the next place to be declared For it is not a meer External Denomination as things were called Holy under the Old Testament nor any transient Act nor any series or Course of Actions that we plead about but that which hath as a reall Being and Existence so a constant abiding or Residence in us Hence he that is Holy is alwayes so whether he be in the Actual Exercise of the Dutyes of Holiness or no though an Omission of any of them in their proper season is contrary unto and an impeachment of Holiness as to its Degrees Now this subject of Sanctification is the Entire Nature or whole Person of a Believer It is not any one Faculty of the Soul or Affection of the Mind or Part of the Body that is sanctified but the whole Soul and Body or the entire Nature of every Believing Person And hereby is the Work of Sanctification really distinguished from any other meer common Work which may represent it or pretend unto it For all such Works are partiall either they are in the Mind only by Light and Notions of Truth or on the Affections only in Zeal and Devotion or on the Mind and Conscience in the Convictions of Sin and Duty but further they proceed not But true Holiness consists in the Renovation of our whole Persons which must be demonstrated 1 That our entire Nature was Originally created in the Image of God I have proved before and it is by all acknowledged Our whole Souls in the Rectitude of all their Faculties and Powers in order unto the Life of God and his Enjoyment did bear this Image Nor was it confined unto the Soul only The Body also not as to its shape figure or natural use but as an Essential part of our Natures was interested in the Image of God by a Participation of Original Righteousness Hence the whole Person was a meet Principle for the Communication of this Image of God unto others by the means of Natural Propagation which is an act of the entire Person For a Person created and abiding in the Image of God begetting another in his own Image and Likeness had by vertue of the Covenant of Creation begotten him in the Image of God also that is had communicated unto him a Nature upright and pure 2 By the Entrance of sin this Image of God so far as it was our Righteousness and Holiness before him was utterly defaced and Lost. This also I have sufficiently evidenced before It did not depart from any one Power Part or Faculty of our Souls but from our whole Nature Accordingly the Scripture describes 1 the Depravation of our Natures distinctly in all the Powers of it In particular the Corruption that ensued on our Minds Wills and Affections upon the loss of the Image of God I have before declared and vindicated And 2 in reference unto the first Actings of all these Faculties in things Moral and Spiritual the Scripture addes that all the Thoughts and Imaginations of our Hearts are evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. All the Original first Actings of the Powers of our Souls in or about things Rational and Morall are alwayes evil For an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit That which is lame and distorted can act nothing that is straight and regular Hence 3 All the Outward Actions of Persons in this State and Condition are evil unfruitfull works of Darkness And not only so but the Scripture 4 in the Description of the Effects of this Depravation of our Nature calls in the Body and the members of it unto a partnership in all this Obliquity and Sin The members of the Body are Servants unto Vncleanness and Iniquity Rom. 6. 19. And the engagement of them in all the Course and Actings of Depraved Nature is particularly declared by our Apostle out of the Psalmist Rom. 3. 12 13 14 15. They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood in all wayes of evil This being the State of our whole Nature in its Depravation our Sanctification wherein alone its Reparation in this Life doth consist must equally respect the whole Some suppose that it is our Affections only in their Deliverance from corrupt Lusts and Prejudices with their direction unto Heavenly Objects that are the Subject of this Work For the Mind or rational Intellectual Power of the Soul is in its self they say pure noble untainted and needs no other Ayd but to be delivered from the Prejudices and Obstructions of its Operations which are cast upon it by the Engagements and Inclinations of corrupt Affections and a vitious course of Conversation in the World received by uninterrupted Traditions from our Fathers from whence it is not able to extricate or deliver it self without the Aid of Grace But they have placed their Instance very unhappily For among all things that belong unto our Nature there is not any one which the Scripture so chargeth this Depravation of it upon as the Mind This in particular is said to be fleshly to be Enmity against God to be filled with Vanity Folly and Blindness as we have at large before evinced Nor is there any thing concerning which the Work of Sanctification and Renovation is so expressly affirmed as it is concerning the Mind It is declared by the Renovation of our Minds Rom. 12. 2. or being Renewed in
the spirit of our Minds Ephes. 4. 23. that we put on the New man that is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. with other Expressions of the like nature It is therefore our Entire Nature that is the Subject of Evangelical Holiness For to manifest in particulars 1 Hence it is called the New Man Ephes. 4. 24. Put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and Holiness As the Principle of Sin and corrupted Nature in us is called the Old Man for no other Reason but that it possesseth all the Active Powers of the whole Man so that he neither doth nor can do any thing but what is influenced thereby so this Principle of Holiness in us the Renovation of our Natures is called the New Man because it possesseth the whole Person with respect unto its proper Operations and Ends. And it extends it self as large as the Old Man or the Depravation of our Natures which takes in the whole Person Soul and Body with all their Faculties and Powers 2 The Heart in the Scripture is taken for the whole Soul and all the Faculties of it as they are one Common Principle of all Morall Operations as I have proved before Whatever therefore is wrought in and upon the Heart under this Consideration is wrought upon the whole Soul Now this is not only said to be affected with this Work of Sanctification or to have Holiness wrought in it but the principal Description that is given us of this Work consists in this that therein and thereby a New Heart is given unto us or created in us as it is expressed in the Promise of the Covenant This therefore can be nothing but the possessing of all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls with a New Principle of Holiness and Obedience unto God 3 There is especial mention made of the effecting of this Work on our Souls and Bodies with their Powers and Faculties distinctly This I have already proved in the Declaration of the Work of our Regeneration or Conversion to God which is only preserved cherished improved and carryed on to its proper End in our Sanctification The Nature also of that spiritual Light which is communicated unto our Minds of Life unto our Wills of Love unto our Affections hath been declared Therefore doth it follow thence unavoidably that the whole Person is the Subject of this Work and that Holiness hath its residence in the whole Soul entirely 4 We need goe no further for the proof hereof than unto that Prayer of the Apostle for the Thessalonians which we insisted on at the beginning of this Discourse 1 Thess. 5. 23. The God of Peace himself sanctifie you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout that is in your whole Natures or Persons in all that you are and doe that you may not in this or that part but be every whit clean and Holy throughout And to make this the more evident that we may know what it is which he prayes may be sanctified and thereby preserved blameless to the coming of Christ he distributes our whole Natures into the two Essential parts of Soul and Body And in the former he considereth two things 1 the Spirit 2 the Soul peculiarly so called And this distinction frequently occurrs in the Scripture wherein that by the Spirit the Mind or Intellectual Faculty is understood and by the Soul the Affections is generally acknowledged and may evidently be proved These therefore the Apostle prayes may be sanctified and preserved Holy throughout and entirely and that by the Infusion of an Habit of Holiness into them with its Preservation and Improvement whereof more afterwards But this is not all Our Bodyes are an Essential part of our Natures and by their union with our Souls are we constituted individual Persons Now we are the Principles of all our Operations as we are Persons Every Moral Act we do is the Act of the whole Person The Body therefore is concerned in the Good and Evil of it It became a subject of the Depravation of our Nature by Concomitancy and Participation and is considered as one entire Principle with the Soul of communicating Original Defilement from Parents unto Children Besides it is now subject in that Corruption of its Constitution which it is fallen under as a punishment of sin unto many disorderly Motions that are Incentives and Provocations unto sin Hence sin is said to reign in our mortal Bodyes and our Members to be servants unto unrighteousness Rom. 6. 12. 19. Moreover by its Participation in the Defilement and Punishment of sin the Body is disposed and made obnoxious unto Corruption and Destruction For Death entred by Sin and no otherwise On all these Accounts therefore it is necessary on the other hand that the Body should be interested in this Work and Priviledge of Sanctification and Holiness And so it is 1 By Participation For it is our Persons that are sanctified and made Holy sanctifie them throughout and although our Souls are the first proper Subject of the infused Habit or Principle of Holiness yet our Bodyes as essential parts of our Natures are Partakers thereof 2 By a peculiar Influence of the Grace of God upon them also as far as they have any influence into Moral Operations For the Apostle tells us that our Bodyes are Members of Christ 1 Cor. 3. 15. and so consequently have influences of Grace from him as our Head 3 In the Work of Sanctification the Holy Ghost comes and dwells in us And hereon our Bodyes are the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in us 1 Cor. 3. 19. And the Temple of God is Holy although I confess this rather belongs unto the Holiness of peculiar Dedication unto God whereof we shall treat afterwards And hereby 1 are the Parts and Members of the Body made Instruments and Servants of Righteousness unto Holiness Rom. 6. 19. do become meet and fit for to be used in the Acts and Dutyes of Holiness as being made clean and sanctified unto God 2 Hereby are they disposed and prepared unto a blessed Resurrection at the Last Day which shall be wrought by the Spirit of Christ which dwelt in them and sanctified them in this Life Rom. 8. 10 11. Phil. 3. 20 21. 2 Cor. 4. 14 16 17. Our whole Persons therefore and in them our whole Natures are the Subject of this Work and true Holiness invests the whole of it Now whether this universal Investiture of our Nature in all the Faculties and Powers of it by a new Principle of Holiness and Obedience unto God whereby it is renewed unto his Image do belong unto that Morall Vertue which some so plead for as to substitute it in the Room of Gospel-Holiness they may do well to consider who are the Patrons of that Cause For if it doth not then doth not it self belong unto that Holiness which the Gospel teacheth requireth promiseth and communicates whatever else it be And moreover it is practically worthy consideration that men
Persons by whom these things are derided but conclude from it that those who are unacquainted with it in some Degree of sincerity are wholly uninterested in that Evangelical Holiness which we enquire after We need not therefore further labour in the Confirmation of that concerning which the Testimonyes of Scripture are so multiplyed and whereof we have such undoubted Experience Sect. 4 Secondly The Nature of this Defilement of Sin must be enquired into Ans. 1 By some it is reckoned unto Guilt For whereas the inseparable Effects of Guilt are Shame and Fear whereby it immediately evidenced it self in our first Parents and shame in particular is from this filth of sin it may be esteemed an Adjunct thereof Hence sin was said to be purged by Sacrifices when its Guilt was expiated And Christ is said to purge our sins by himself that is when he offered himself a Sacrifice for us Heb. 1. 3. And therefore it is granted that so far as the Filth of sin was taken away not by Actual Purification but by Legal Expiation it is sin with its Guilt that was intended But the Scripture as we have shewed intendeth more hereby even such an internal inherent Defilement as is taken away by real actual Sanctification and no otherwise 2 There are some especial sins which have a peculiar Pollution and Defilement attending them and which thereon are usually called uncleanness in a peculiar manner The ground hereof is in that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 18. Flee Fornication Every sin that a man doth is without the Body but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body All sins of that Nature have a peculiar Defilement and filth accompanying them And Holiness is sometimes mentioned in an Opposition unto this especial Pollution 1 Thess. 4. 3. But yet this is not that which we enquire after although it be included in it as one especial kind of it That we now consider alwayes inseparably attends every sin as sin as an Adjunct or Effect of it It is the uncleanness of all sin and not the sin of uncleanness which we intend And for the discovery of its proper Nature we may observe 1 That the Pollution of Sin is that Property of it whereby it is directly opposed unto the Holiness of God and which God expresseth his Holiness to be contrary unto Hence he is said to be of purer eyes than to behold iniquity or to look on evil Hab. 1. 13. It is a thing vile and loathsome under the Eyes of his Holiness Psal. 5. 4 5 6. So speaking concerning it he useth that pathetical Dehortation O do not that abominable thing which my soul hateth Jerem. 44. 4. and with respect unto his own Holiness it is that he sets it forth by the names of all things which are vile filthy loathsome offensive every thing that is Abominable It is so to him as he is infinitely Pure and Holy in his own Nature And that Consideration which ingenerates shame and self-Abhorrency on the Account of the Defilement of sin is taken peculiarly from the Holiness of God Hence it is that Persons are so often said to blush to be ashamed to be filled with Confusion of Face to be vile to be Abased in their own sight under a Sense and Apprehension of this filth of sin 2 The Holiness of God is the Infinite Absolute Perfection and Rectitude of his Nature as the Eternal Original Cause and Pattern of Truth Uprightness and Rectitude in all And this Holiness doth God exert as in all he doth naturally and necessarily so particularly in his Law which is therefore Good Holy and Perfect because it represents the Holiness of God which is impressed on it God might not have made any Creature nor given a Law which are free Acts of his Will But on supposition he would do so it was absolutely necessary from his own Nature that this Law of his should be Holy And therefore whatever is contrary unto or different from the Law of God is so unto and from the Holiness of God himself Hence it followes 3 That this Defilement and Pollution of Sin is that Pravity Disorder and shamefull Crookedness that is in it with respect unto the Holiness of God as expressed in the Law Sin is either Original or Actual Original Sin is the Habitual Inconformity of our Natures unto the Holiness of God expressed in the Law of Creation Actual Sin is our Inconformity to God and his Holiness expressed in the particular Commands of the Law The Nature of all sin therefore consists in its Enmity its Inconformity to the Rule Now this Rule which is the Law may be considered two wayes which give a Two-sold respect or inseparable Consequent or Adjunct unto every sin 1 As it expresseth the Authority of God in its Precepts and and Sanction Hence Guilt inseparably follows every sin which is the Respect it induceth on the sinner unto the Law upon the Account of the Authority of the Law-giver The Act of sin passeth away but this Guilt abideth on the Person and must do so untill the Law be satisfied and the sinner thereon absolved This naturally produceth Fear which is the first Expression of a sence of Guilt So Adam expressed it upon his sin I heard thy Voyce and was afraid Gen. 3. 10. 2 The Law may be considered as it expresseth the Holiness of God and his Truth which it was necessary from the Nature of God that it should doe Hence there is in sin a peculiar Inconformity to the Holiness of God which is the Macula the spot stain and filth of it which are inseparable from it whilest God is Holy unless it be purged and done away as we shall shew And this is inseparably attended with shame which is the Expression of a sence of this filth of sin So Adam upon his sin had his Eyes open to see his Nakedness and was filled with shame This is the Order of these things God who is the Object of our Obedience and Sin is considered as the Supreme Law-giver On his Law he hath impressed his Authority and his Holiness Sin with respect unto his Authority is attended with Guilt and this in the Conscience of the sinner produceth Fear As it respects the Holiness of God it is attended with Filth or uncleanness and this produceth shame And the Ultimate Effects of it are on the first Account Poena Sensus on the other Poena Damni This therefore is the spot the stain the Pollution of sin which is purged in our Sanctification The perverse Disorder and shamefull Crookedness that is in sin with respect unto the Holiness of God And herein there is a real filthiness but spiritual which is compared with and opposed unto things materially and carnally so Not that which goeth into a man Meats of any sort defile him saith our Saviour but that which cometh out of the Heart that is spiritually with respect unto God his Law and Holiness And as men are taught the Guilt of sin
inward shame with respect unto the Divine Omniscience the highest Evidence of a Reprobate Mind But in all others who have more Light and spiritual Sense it produceth shame and self-abhorrency which hath alwayes a respect unto the Holiness of God as Job 42. 5 6. They see that in sin which is so vile base and filthy and which renders them so that like unto men under a loathsome Disease they are not able to bear the sight of their own sores Psal. 38. 5. God detesteth abhorreth and turneth from sin as a loathsome thing and Man is filled with shame for it it is therefore filthy Yea no tongue can express the Sence which a Believing Soul hath of the uncleanness of sin with respect unto the Holiness of God And this may suffice to give a little Prospect into the Nature of this Defilement of sin which the Scripture so abundantly insisteth on and which all Believers are so sensible of Sect. 6 This Pravity or spiritual Disorder with respect unto the Holiness of God which is the shamefull Defilement of sin is two-fold 1 That which is Habitual in all the Faculties of our Souls by Nature as they are the Principle of our Spiritual and Moral Operations They are all shamefully and loathsomely depraved out of Order and no way correspondent unto the Holiness of God Hence by Nature we are wholly unclean who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean And this uncleanness is graphically expressed under the Similitude of a wretched polluted Infant Ezek. 16. 3 4 5. 2 That which is Actual in all the Actings of our Faculties as so defiled and as far as they are so defiled For 1. Be any sin of what Nature it will there is a Pollution attending of it Hence the Apostle adviseth to cleanse our selves from all Pollutions of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. The sins that are internal and spiritual as Pride self-Love Covetousness Unbelief have a pollution attending them as well as those which are fleshly and sensual 2. So far as any thing of this Pravity or Disorder mixeth it self with the best of our Dutyes it renders both us and them unclean Isa. 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Raggs 2 ly This Uncleanness as it is Habitual respecting our Natural Defilement is equal in and unto every one that is born into the World We are by Nature all alike polluted and that to the utmost of what our Nature is capable But with respect unto Actual sins it is not so For in them it hath various Degrees and Aggravations even as many as sin it self hath 1 The Greater the sin is from its Nature or Circumstances the greater is the Defilement wherewith it is attended Hence there is no sin expressed under such Terms of filthiness and abhorrences as Idolatry which is the greatest of sins See Ezek. 16. 36 37. Or 2 There is an Aggravation of it when the whole Person is defiled as it is in the Case of Fornication before instanced in 3 It is heightned by a Continuance in sin whereby an Addition is made to its Pollution every Day and which is called Wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. I have in this whole Discourse but touched upon this Consideration of sin which the Scripture so frequently mentions and inculcates For as all the first Institutions of Divine Worship recorded therein had some respect hereunto so the last Rejection of obstinate sinners mentioned in it is Let him that is filthy or unclean be filthy still Revel 22. 11. Neither is there any Notion of sin whereby God would convey an Apprehension of its Nature and an Abhorrency thereof unto our Minds and Consciences so frequently insisted on as is this of its Pollution And in order to our use of it unto the Discovery of the Nature of Holiness we may yet observe these three things 1 Where this Vncleanness abideth unpurged there neither is nor can be any true Holiness at all Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. For it is universally opposed unto it it is our unholiness Where therefore it is absolute and purified in no Measure or Degree there is no Work of Sanctification no Holiness so much as begun For in the purging hereof it makes its entrance upon the Soul and its Effects therein is the first Beginning of Holiness in us I acknowledge that it is not in any at once absolutely and perfectly taken away in this World For the Work of purging it is a continued Act commensurate unto the whole Work of our Sanctification And therefore they who are truely sanctified and Holy are yet deeply sensible of the Remainder of it in themselves do greatly bewayl it and earnestly endeavour after the removal of it But there is an initial real sincere and as to all the Faculties of the Soul universal purging of it which belongs to the Nature and Essence of Holiness begun and carryed on though not absolutely perfected in this Life And men who pretend unto a Grace and Holiness that should consist in Moral Vertue only without a supposition of and respect unto the Purification of this Pollution of sin do but deceive their own Souls and others so far as any are forsaken of God to give credit unto them The Vertues of men not purged from the Vncleanness of their Natures are an Abomination to the Lord Tit. 1. 15. 2 Unless this uncleanness of sin be purged and washed away we can never come unto the Enjoyment of God Nothing that defileth shall in any wise enter into the New Jerusalem Revel 21. 27. To suppose that an Unpurified Sinner can be brought unto the blessed Enjoyment of God is to overthrow both the Law and the Gospel and to say that Christ dyed in vain It is therefore of the same importance with the Everlasting Salvation of our Souls to have them purged from sin 3 We are not able of our selves without the especial Aid Assistance and Operation of the Spirit of God in any Measure or Degree to free our selves from this Pollution neither that which is Natural and Habitual nor that which is Actual It is true it is frequently prescribed unto us as our Duty We are commanded to Wash our selves to Cleanse our selves from sin to Purge our selves from all our Iniquities and the like frequently But to suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have Power of our selves to do is to make the Cross and Grace of Jesus Christ of none Effect Our Duty is our Duty constituted unalterably by the Law of God whether we have power to perform it or no seeing we had so at our first Obligation by and unto the Law which God is not obliged to bend unto a conformity to our Warpings nor to suit unto our sinfull Weaknesses Whatever therefore God worketh in us in a Way of Grace he prescribeth unto us in a Way of Duty and that because although he do it in us yet he also doth it
they are else they are alwayes Chastisements and Correction respects Faults And it is our safest course in every Affliction to lodge the Adequate Cause of it in our own Deserts as the Woman did 1 King 17. 18. and as God directs Psal. 81. 30 31 32. Lament 3. 33 34. And this is one Difference between his Chastiments and those of the Fathers of our Flesh that he doth it not for his Pleasure Heb. 12. 9 10. Now a View of sin under Suffering makes men loath and abhorre themselves for it and to be ashamed of it And this is the first step towards our Purifying of our selves by any Wayes appointed for it Self-pleasing in Sin is the highest Degree of our Pollution and when we loath our selves for it we are put into the Way at least of seeking after a Remedy 2 Afflictions take off the Beauty and Allurements of all Created Good Things and their Comforts by which the Affections are solicited to commit Folly and Lewdness with them that is to embrace and cleave unto them inordinately whence many Defilements do enensue Gal. 6. 14. This God designs them for even to wither all the Flowrings of this World in the Minds of men by discovering their Emptiness Vanity and Insufficiency to give Relief This intercepts the disorderly entercourse which is apt to be between them and our Affections whereby our Minds are polluted For there is a Pollution attending the least inordinate Actings of our Mind and Affections towards Objects either in their own nature sinfull or such as may be rendred so by an Excess in us towards them whilest we are under the Command of Loving the Lord our God with all our Minds Souls and strength and that alwayes 3 Afflictions take off the Edge and put a Deadness on those Affections whereby the Corrupt Lusts of the Mind and Flesh which are the Spring and Cause of all our Defilements do act themselves They curb those Vigorous and Brisk Affections which were alwayes ready press'd for the service of Lust and which sometimes carry the Soul into the pursuit of sin like the Horse into the Battail with Madness and Fury They are no more such prepared Channels for the Fomes of Concupiscence to empty it self into the Conversation nor such Vehicles for the spirits of Corrupted Lusts and Inclinations God I say by Afflictions brings a kind of Death unto the World and the Pleasures of it upon the Desires and Affections of the Soul which render them unserviceable unto the Remainder of Defiling Lusts and Corruptions This in some indeed endures but for a season as when in Sickness Wants Fears Distresses Losses Sorrowes there is a great appearance of Mortification when yet the strength of sin and the Vigour of Carnal Affections do speedily revive upon the least outward Relief But with Believers it is not so but by all their Chastisements they are really more and more delivered from the Pollutions of Sin and made Partakers of Gods Holiness 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 4 God doth by them excite stir up and draw forth all the Graces of the Spirit into a constant Diligent and Vigorous Exercise and therein the Work of cleansing the Soul from the Pollution of sin is carried on A time of Affliction is the Especial season for the peculiar Exercise of all Grace For the Soul can then no otherwise support or relieve it self For it is cut short or taken off from other Comforts and Reliefs every sweet thing being made bitter unto it It must therefore live not only by Faith and Love and Delight in God but in some sence upon them For if in their Exercise Supportment and Comfort be not obtained we can have none Therefore doth such a Soul find it necessary to be constantly abounding in the Exercise of Grace that it may in any measure be able to support it self under its Troubles or Sufferings Again there is no other Way whereby a Man may have a sanctified Use of Afflictions or a good Issue out of them but by the assiduous Exercise of Grace This God calls for this he designs and without it Afflictions have no other End but to make men Miserable and they will either have no Deliverance from them or such a one as shall tend to their farther Misery and Ruine And so have we taken a View of the First Part of our Sanctification and Holiness which I have the more largely insisted on because the Consideration of it is utterly neglected by them who frame us an Holiness to consist only in the Practice of Moral Vertue And I do not know but what hath been delivered may be looked on as Fanatical and Enthusiastical Yet is there no other Reason why it should be so but only because it is taken from the Scripture Neither doth that so much insist on any Consideration of Sin and Sanctification as this of the Pollution of the one and the Purifying of it by the other And to whom the Wisdom and Words of the Holy Ghost are displeasing we cannot in these things give any satisfaction And yet I could easily demonstrate that they were well known to the Ancient Writers of the Church and for the substance of them were discerned and discussed by the Schoolmen in their Manner But where men hate the Practice of Holiness it is to no Purpose to teach them the Nature of it Sect. 10 But we may not pass over these things without some Reflections upon our selves and some Consideration of our Concernment in them And First Hence we may take a View of our own State and Condition by Nature It is usefull for us all to be looking back into it and it is necessary for them who are under it to be fully acquainted with it Therein are we wholly defiled polluted and every way unclean There is a Spiritual Leprosie spread all over our Natures which renders us loathsom to God and puts us in a state of separation from him They who were Legally unclean were separated from the Congregation and therein all the Pledges of Gods Gracious Presence Numb 5. 2. It is so Virtually with all them who are spiritually defiled under that Pollution which is Natural and Universal they are abhorred of God and separated from him which was signified thereby And the Reason why so many Laws with so great severity and exactness were given about the Cleansing of a Leprous person and the Judgement to be made thereon was only to declare the Certainty of the Judgement of God that no unclean person should approach unto him Thus is it with all by Nature and whatever they do of themselves to be quit of it it doth but hide and not cleanse it Adam cured neither his Nakedness nor the shame of it by his Fig-leaves Some have no other Covering of their Natural Filth but outward Ornaments of the Flesh which encrease it and indeed rather proclaim it than hide it The Greatest Filth in the World is covered with the greatest Bravery See Isa. 3. 16. 17.
testifieth unto but withall I must adde that as to the proper Nature or Essence of it no Mind can apprehend it no Tongue can express it none can perfectly understand its glory some few things may be added to illustrate it Sect. 13 1 This is that whereby we have Vnion with Jesus Christ the Head of the Church Originally and efficiently the Holy Spirit dwelling in him and us is the Cause of this Union But formally this new Principle of Grace is so It is that whereby we become members of his bones and of his flesh Ephes. 5. 30. As Eve was of Adam she was one with him because she had the same Nature with him and that derived from him which the Apsotle alludeth unto so are we of him partakers of the same Divine Nature with him Thus he that is Joyned unto the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. that is of one and the same spiritual Nature with him Heb. 2. 11 14. How excellent is this Grace which gives us our Interest in and Continuity unto the Body of Christ and to his Person as our Head It is the same Grace in the kind thereof which is in the holy Nature of Christ and renders us one with him 2 Our Likeness and Conformity unto God consists herein For it is the Reparation of his Image in us Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10. Something I hope I apprehend concerning this Image of God in Believers and of their Likeness unto him how great a Priviledge it is what honour safety and security depend thereon what Duties are required of us on the Account thereof But perfectly to conceive or express the Nature and Glory of it we cannot attain unto but should learn to adore the Grace whence it doth proceed and is bestowed on us to admire the Love of Christ and the Efficacy of his Mediation whereby it is renewed in us but the thing it self is ineffable 3 It is our Life our spiritual Life whereby we live to God Life is the Foundation and summe of all Excellencies Without this we are dead in Trespasses and sins and how we are quickened by the holy Ghost hath been declared But this is the internal Principle of Life whence all Vital Acts in the Life of God do proceed And whereas we know not well what is the true Form and Essence of Life Natural only we find it discern it and judge of it by its Effects much less do we know the Form and Essence of Life Spiritual which is far more Excellent and Glorious This is that Life which is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. In which words the Apostle draws a Veil over it as knowing that we are unable steadfastly to beholds its Glory and Beauty Sect. 14 But before I proceed unto a further Description of this Principle of Holiness in its Effects as before laid down it may not be amiss practically to call over these general Considerations of its Nature and our own Concernment in this Truth which is no empty Notion will be therein declared And First We may learn hence not to satisfie our selves or not to rest in any Acts or Duties of Obedience in any good Works how good and usefull soever in themselves nor howsoever multiplyed by us unless there be a Vital Principle of Holiness in our Hearts A few honest Actions a few usefull Dutyes do satisfie some persons that they are as holy as they should be or as they need to be And some mens Religion hath consisted in the multiplying of outward Duties that they might be meritorious for themselves and others But God expressely rejecteth not only such Duties but the greatest multitude of them and their most frequent Reiteration if the heart be not antecedently purified and sanctified if it be not possessed with the Principle of Grace and Holiness insisted on Isa. 1. 11 12 13 14 15 16. Such Acts and Duties may be the Effects of other Causes the Fruits of other Principles Meer Legal Convictions will produce them and put men upon a Course of them Fears Afflictions Terrors of Conscience Dictates of Reason improved by Education and confirmed by Custom will direct yea compell men unto their Observance But all is lost men do but labour in the Fire about them if the Soul be not prepared with this spiritual Principle of habitual Holiness wrought in it immediately by the Holy Ghost Yet we must here observe these two things 1 That so far as these Duties be they of Morality or Religion of Piety or Divine Worship are good in themselves they ought to be approved and men encouraged in them There are sundry wayes whereby the best Duties may be abused and misapplyed as when men rest in them as if they were meritorious or the matter of their Justification before God For this as is known is an effectual Means to divert the Souls of sinners from Faith in Christ for Life and Salvation Rom. 9. 31 32. Chap. 10. 3 4. And there are Reasons and Causes that render them unacceptable before God with respect unto the Persons by whom they are performed as when they are not done in Faith for which Cain's Sacrifice was rejected and when the Heart is not previously sanctified and prepared with a spiritual Principle of Obedience But yet on neither of these grounds or pretences can we or ought we to condemn or undervalue the Duties themselves which are good in their own nature nor take off men from the performance of them yea it were greatly to be desired that we could see more of the Fruits of Moral Vertues and Duties of Religious Piety among unsanctified Persons than we doe The World is not in a Condition to spare the good Acts of bad men But this we may doe and as we are called we ought to doe When men are engaged in a course of Duties and good Works on Principles that will not abide and endure the triall or for Ends that will spoyl and corrupt all they doe we may tell them as our Saviour did the Young man who gave that great Account of his Diligence in all Legal Duties one thing is yet wanting unto you you want Faith or you want Christ or you want a spiritual Principle of Evangelical Holiness without which all you do will be lost and come to no account at the last Day The due Assertion of Grace never was nor never can be an Obstruction unto any Duty of Obedience Indeed when any will give up themselves unto such Works or Actings under the Name of Duties and Obedience unto God which although they may make a specious shew and appearance in the World yet are evil in themselves or such as God requireth not of men we may speak against them deny them and take men off from them So Persecution hath been looked on as a good Work men supposing they did God good service when they slew the Disciples of Christ and men giving their Goods unto pious Uses as they were called indeed impious Abuses
15 Secondly As This Principle of Inherent Grace or Holiness hath the Nature of an Habit so also hath it the Properties thereof And the first Property of an Habit is that it inclines and disposeth the Subject wherein it is unto Acts of its own kind or suitable unto it It is directed unto a certain End and enclines unto Acts or Actions which tend thereunto and that with evenness and Constancy Yea Moral Habits are nothing but strong and firm Dispositions and Inclinations uuto Moral Acts and Duties of their own kind as Righteousness or Temperance or Meekness Such a Disposition and Inclination therefore there must be in this new spiritual Nature or Principle of Holiness which we have described wherewith the Souls of Believers are in-laid and furnished by the Holy Ghost in their Sanctification For Sect. 16 1. It hath a certain End to enable us whereunto it is bestowed on us Although it be a great Work in it self that wherein the Renovation of the Image of God in us doth consist yet is it not wrought in any but with respect unto a further End in this World And this end is that we may Live to God We are made like unto God that we may live unto God By the Depravation of our Natures we are alienated from this Life of God this Divine spiritual Life Ephes. 4. 18. we like it not but have an Aversation unto it Yea we are under the Power of a Death that is universally opposed unto that Life For to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8. 6. that is it is so with respect unto the Life of God and all the Acts that belong thereunto And this Life of God hath two parts 1 The outward Duties of it 2 The inward Frame and Actings of it For the First Persons under the Power of Corrupted Nature may perform them and doe so but without Delight Constancy or Permanency The Language of that Principle whereby they are Acted is Behold what a Wearyness it is Mal. 1. 13. and such Hypocrites will not pray alwayes But as to the Second for the internal actings of Faith and Love whereby all outward Duties should be quickened and animated they are utter strangers unto them utterly alienated from them With respect unto this Life of God a Life of spiritual Obedience unto God are our Natures thus spiritually renewed or furnished with this spiritual Habit and Principle of Grace It is wrought in us that by vertue thereof we may live to God without which we cannot do so in any one single Act or Duty whatever For they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. Wherefore the first Property and inseparable Adjunct of it is that it enclineth and disposeth the Soul wherein it is unto all Acts and Duties that belong to the Life of God or unto all the Duties of holy Obedience so that it shall attend unto them not from Conviction or external Impression only but from an internal genuine Principle so inclining and disposing them thereunto And these things may be illustrated by what is contrary unto them There is in the state of Nature a Carnal Mind which is the Principle of all Morall and Spiritual Operations in them in whom it is And this Carnal Mind hath an Enmity or is Enmity against God it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. that is the Bent and Inclination of it lyes directly against spiritual things or the Mind and Will of God in all things which concern a Life of Obedience unto himself Now as this Principle of Holiness is that which is introduced into our Souls in Opposition unto and to the Exclusion of the Carnal Mind so this Disposition and Inclination of it is opposite and contrary unto the Enmity of the Carnal Mind as tending alwayes unto Actions spiritually good according to the Mind of God Sect. 17 2. This Disposition of Heart and Soul which I place as the first Property or Effect of the Principle of Holiness before declared and explained is in the Scripture called Fear Love Delight and by the names of such other Affections as express a constant regard and inclination unto their Objects For these things do not denote the Principle of Holiness it self which is seated in the Mind or Understanding and Will whereas they are the names of Affections only but they signifie the first Way whereby that Principle doth act it self in an holy Inclination of the Heart unto Spiritual Obedience So when the People of Israel had engaged themselves by solemn Covenant to hear and do whatsoever God commanded God addes concerning it Oh that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandements alwayes Deut. 5. 29. that is that the Bent and Inclinations of their Hearts were alwayes unto Obedience It is that which is intended in the Promise of the Covenant Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one Heart that they may fear me which is the same with the new Spirit Ezek. 11. 19. The new Heart as hath been declared is the new Nature the new Creature the new spiritual supernatural Principle of Holiness The first Effect the first Fruit hereof is the Fear of God alwayes or a New spiritual Bent and Inclination of Soul unto all the Will and Commands of God And this new Spirit this Fear of God is still expressed as the inseparable Consequent of the new Heart or the writing of the Law of God in our Hearts which are the same So it is called Fearing the Lord and his goodness Hos. 3. 5. In like manner it is expressed by Love which is the Inclination of the Soul unto all Acts of Obedience unto God and Communion with him with Delight and Complacency It is a Regard unto God and his Will with a Reverence due unto his Nature and a Delight in him suited unto that Covenant-Relation wherein he stands unto us Sect. 18 3. It is moreover expressed by being spiritually minded To be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace Rom. 8. 6. that is the bent and inclination of the Mind unto spiritual things is that whereby we Live to God and enjoy Peace with him it is Life and Peace By Nature we savour only the things of the flesh and mind Earthly things Phil. 3. 19. our Minds or Hearts are set upon them disposed towards them ready for all things that lead us to the Enjoyment of them and Satisfaction in them But hereby we mind the things that are above or set our Affections on them Coloss. 3. 3. By vertue hereof David professeth that his Soul followed hard after God Psal. 63. 8. or inclined earnestly unto all those Wayes whereby he might live unto him and come unto the Enjoyment of him Like the Earnestness which is in him who is in the pursuit of something continually in his Eye as our Apostle expresseth it Phil. 3. 13 14. By the Apostle Peter it is compared unto that natural inclination which
and strengtheneth continually by effectual supplyes of Grace from Jesus Christ disposing enclining and enabling the whole Soul unto all Wayes Acts and Dutyes of Holiness whereby we live to God opposing resisting and finally conquering whatever is opposite and contrary thereunto This belongs Essentially unto Evangelical Holiness yea herein doth the Nature of it Formally and Radically consist This is that from whence Believers are denominated Holy and without which none are so or can be so called Sect. 36 Secondly The Properties of this Power are Readiness and Facility Wherever it is it renders the Soul ready unto all Dutyes of Holy Obedience and renders all Dutyes of holy Obedience easie unto the Soul 1. It gives Readiness by removing and taking away all those incumbrances which the Mind is apt to be clogged with and hindred by from Sin the World spiritual Sloth and Unbelief This is that which we are exhorted unto in a way of Duty Heb. 12. 1. Luke 12. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 13. chap. 4. 1. Ephes. 6. 14. Herein is the Spirit ready though the Flesh be weak Mark 14. 35. And those Incumbrances which give an unreadiness unto Obedience to God may be considered two wayes 1 As they are in their full power and efficacy in persons Unregenerate whence they are unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 13. Hence proceed all those prevalent Tergiversations against a Complyance with the Will of God and their own Convictions which bear sway in such persons Yet a little slumber a little sleep a little folding of the hands to sleep Prov. 6. 10. By these do men so often put off the Calls of God and perniciously procrastinate from time to time a full Complyance with their Convictions And whatever particular Dutyes such Persons do perform yet are their Hearts and Minds never prepared or ready for them but the incumbrances mentioned do influence them into spiritual Disorders in all that they doe 2 These Principles of Sloth and Vnreadiness do oft-times partially influence the Minds of Believers themselves unto great Indispositions unto spiritual Dutyes So the Spouse states her case Cantic 5. 2 3. By reason of her Circumstances in the World she had an unreadiness for that Converse and Communion with Christ which she was called unto And it is so not unfrequently with the Best of men in this World A spiritual unreadyness unto holy Dutyes arising from the Power of Sloth or the Occasions of Life is no small part of their sin and Trouble Both these are removed by this spiritual Power of the Principle of Life and Holiness in Believers The total prevailing Power of them such as is in persons unregenerate is broken by the first Infusion of it into the Soul wherein it gives an habitual fitness and Preparation of Heart unto all Dutyes of Obedience unto God And by various Degrees it freeth Believers from the Remainders of the Incumbrances which they have yet to conflict with and this it doth three wayes As 1 it weakeneth and taketh off the bent of the Soul from Earthly things so as they shall not possess the Mind as formerly Col. 3. 2. How it doth this was declared before and when this is done the Mind is greatly eased of its Burden and some way ready unto its Duty 2 It gives an insight into the Beauty the Excellency and Glory of Holiness and all Dutyes of Obedience This they see nothing of who being unsanctified are under the Power of their Natural Darkness They can see no Beauty in Holiness no form nor Comeliness why it should be desired and it is no wonder if they are unfree to the Dutyes of it which they are but as it were compelled unto But the spiritual Light wherewith this Principle of Grace is accompanyed discovers an Excellency in Holiness and the Dutyes of it and in the Communion with God which we have thereby so as greatly to encline the mind unto them and prepare it for them 3 It causeth the Affections to cleave and adhere unto them with Delight How doe I love thy Law saith David my delight is in thy Statutes they are sweeter unto me than the Honey-Comb Where these three things concurr that the Mind is freed from the powerfull Influences of carnal Lusts and Love of this World where the Beauty and Excellency of Holiness and the Dutyes of Obedience lye clear in the Eyes of the Soul and where the Affections cleave unto spiritual things as commanded then will be that Readiness in Obedience which we enquire after Sect. 37 2. It gives Facility or Easiness in the Performance of all Dutyes of Obedience Whatever men do from an Habit they doe with some kind of Easiness That is easie to them which they are accustomed unto though hard and difficult in its self And what is done from Nature is done with Facility And the Principle of Grace as we have shewed is a new Nature an infused Habit with respect unto the Life of God or all Dutyes of Holy Obedience I grant there will be Opposition unto them even in the Mind and Heart it self from sin and Sathan and Temptations of all sorts yea and they may sometimes arise so high as either to defeat our purposes and intentions unto Dutyes or to clogge us in them to take off our Chariot-wheels and to make us drive heavily But still it is in the Nature of the Principle of Holiness to make the whole Course of Obedience and all the Dutyes of it easie unto us and to give us a Facility in their Performance For 1 it introduceth a suitableness between our Minds and the Dutyes we are to perform By it is the Law written in our Hearts that is there is an Answerableness in them unto all that the Law of God requires In the state of Nature the great things of the Law of God are a strange thing unto us Hos. 8. 12. there is an enmity in our Minds against them Rom. 8. 7. There is no suitableness between our Minds and them But this is taken away by the Principle of Grace Thereby do the Mind and Duty answer one another as the Eye and a lightsome Body Hence the Commands of Christ are not grievous unto them in whom it is 1 Joh. 5. 3. They do not appear to contain any thing uncouth unreasonable burdensome or any way unsuited to that new Nature whereby the Soul is influenced and acted Hence all the Wayes of Wisdom are unto Believers as they are in themselves Pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 3. 17. The great Notion of some in these dayes is about the suitableness of Christian Religion unto Reason And to make good their Assertion in the principal Mysteries of it because Reason will not come to them they bring them by violence unto their Reason But it is with respect unto this renewed Principle alone that there is a suitableness in any of the things of God unto our Minds and Affections 2 It keeps up the Heart or whole Person unto a frequency
hath neither the Root of it nor any Fruit that doth so much as resemble it But it is to be lamented that such Multitudes of Rational Creatures living under the Means of Light and Grace should so vainly and wofully delude their own Souls That which they aim at and intend is to have that in them whereby they may be accepted with God Now not to insist on what will absolutely frustrate all the Designs of such persons namely their want of Faith in Christ and an Interest in his Righteousness thereby which they are regardless of all that they project and design is as farre beneath that Holiness which God requireth of them and which they think hereby to obtain as the Earth is beneath the Heavens All that they do in this kind is utterly lost it will never be either a Righteousness unto them or an Holiness in them But this Deceit is frequently rebuked God only by his Grace can remove and take it away from the Minds of Men. Sect. 41 2 And we may Learn hence not to be imposed on by Gifts though never so usefull with a plausible Profession thereon These things go a great way in the World and many deceive both themselves and others by them Gifts are from the Holy Ghost in an especial manner and therefore greatly to be esteemed They are also frequently usefull in and unto the Church For the Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto men to profit withall And they put men on such Duties as have a great shew and Appearance of Holiness By the help of them alone may men pray and preach and maintain spiritual Communication among them with whom they do converse And as Circumstances may be ordered they put sundry persons on a frequent performance of these Duties and so keep them up to an Eminency in Profession But yet when all is done they are not Holiness nor are the Duties performed in the strength of them alone Duties of Evangelical Obedience accepted of God in them by whom they are performed and they may be where there is nothing of Holiness at all They are not indeed only consistent with Holiness but subservient unto it and exceeding promoters of it in Souls that are really Gracious But they may be alone without Grace and then are they apt to deceive the Mind with a pretence of being and doing what they are not nor doe Let them be called to an Account by the Nature and Properties of that Habit and Principle of Grace which is in all true Holiness as before explained and it will quickly appear how short they come thereof For as their Subject where they have their Residence is the mind only and not the Will or Affections any further but as they are influenced or restrained by Light so they do not renew nor change the Mind it self so as to transform it into the Image of God Neither do they give the Soul a general Inclination unto all Acts and Duties of Obedience but only a Readiness for that Duty which their Exercise doth peculiarly consist in Wherefore they answer no one Property of true Holiness and we have not seldom seen Discoveries made thereof Sect. 42 Least of all can Morality or a Course of Moral Dutyes when it is alone maintain any pretence hereunto We have had Attempts to prove that there is no specifical Difference between Common and Saving Grace but that they are both of the same Kind differing only in Degrees But some as though this ground were already gained and needed no more contending about do adde without any Consideration of these petty distinctions of Common and Saving Grace that Morality is Grace and Grace is Morality and nothing else To be a Gracious Holy man according to the Gospel and to be a Moral man is all one with them And as yet it is not declared whether there be any Difference between Evangelical Holiness and Philosophical Morality Wherefore I shall proceed to the Second Thing proposed And this is further to prove That this Habit or Gracious Principle of Holiness is specifically distinct from all other Habits of the Mind whatever whether Intellectual or Moral Connate or Acquired as also from all that Common Grace and the Effects of it whereof any Persons not really sanctified may be made partakers Sect. 43 The Truth of this Assertion is indeed sufficiently evident from the Description we have given of this spiritual Habit its Nature and Properties But whereas there are also other Respects giving further Confirmation of the same Truth I shall call over the most important of them after some few things have been premised As 1. An Habit of what sort soever it be qualifies the Subject wherein it is so that it may be denominated from it and make the Actions proceeding from it to be suited unto it or to be of the same Nature with it As Aristotle sayes Vertue is an Habit which maketh him that hath it Good or Vertuous and his Actions good Now all Moral Habits are seated in the Will Intellectual Habits are not immediately affective of Good or Evil but as the Will is influenced by them These Habits do encline dispose and enable the Will to act according to their Nature And in all the Acts of our Wills and so all external Works which proceed from them two things are considered First the Act it self or the Work done and Secondly the End for which it is done And both these things are respected by the Habit it self though not immediately yet by vertue of its Acts. It is moreover necessary and natural that every Act of the Will every Work of a Man be for a certain End Two things therefore are to be considered in all our Obedience 1 The Duty it self we doe and 2 The End for which we doe it If any Habit therefore doth not encline and dispose the Will unto the proper End of Duty as well as unto the Duty it self it is not of that Kind from whence true Gospel Obedience doth proceed For the End of every Act of Gospel Obedience which is the Glory of God in Jesus Christ is Essential unto it Let us then take all the Habits of Moral Vertue and we shall find that however they may incline and dispose the Will unto such Acts of Vertue as materially are Duties of Obedience yet they do it not with respect unto this End If it be said that such Moral Habits do so incline the Will unto Duties of Obedience with respect unto this End then is there no need of the Grace of Jesus Christ or the Gospel to enable men to Live unto God according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace which some seem to aim at Sect. 44 2. Whereas it is the End that gives all our Duties their special Nature this is two-fold 1 The next and 2 The ultimate or it is particular or universal And these may be different in the same Action As a man may give Almes to the poor his next Particular End
our great Exemplar as there was never the least shew of variableness from the Perfection of Holiness for he did no sin neither was there any guile found in him yea in him was Light and no Darkness at all so were all his Graces all his Actings of them all his Duties so absolute and compleat as that we ought to aim no higher nor to propose any other Pattern unto our selves And who is it that aiming at any Excellency would not design the most absolute and perfect Example This therefore is to be found as unto Holiness in Christ and in him alone Sect. 56 And Secondly He is appointed of God for this Purpose One End why God sent his Son to take our Nature upon him and to converse in the World therein was that he might set us an Example in our own Nature in one who was like unto us in all things sin only excepted of that Renovation of his Image in us of that Return unto him from Sin and Apostasie of that Holy Obedience which he requireth of us Such an Example was needfull that we might never be at a loss about the Will of God in his Commands having a glorious Representation of it before our Eyes and this could be given us no otherwise but in our own Nature The Angelical Nature was not suited to set us an Example of Holiness and Obedience especially as to the Exercise of such Graces as we principally stand in need of in this World For what Examples could Angels set unto us in themselves of Patience in Afflictions of Quietness in Sufferings seeing their Nature is incapable of such things Neither could we have had an Example that was perfect and compleat in our own Nature but only in One who was Holy Harmless Undefiled and separate from Sinners To this End therefore among others did God send his own Son to take our Nature on him and therein to represent unto us the perfect Idea of that Holiness and Obedience which he requireth of us It is evident therefore that these two Considerations of an Instructive Example that is hath a moral aptitude to incite the Mind unto Imitation and that it is instituted of God unto that Purpose are both found Eminently in this of Christ. Sect. 57 But there is yet more in this matter First as God hath appointed the Consideration of Christ as an especial Ordinance unto the Encrease of Holiness in us so his Holy Obedience as proposed unto us hath a peculiar Efficacy unto that purpose beyond all other Instituted Examples For 1 we are often called to behold Christ and to look upon him or it is promised that we shall do so Isa. 45. 22. Zech. 12. 10. Now this beholding of Christ or looking on him is the Consideration of him by Faith unto the Ends for which he is exhibited proposed and set forth of God in the Gospel and Promises thereof This therefore is an especial Ordinance of God and is by his Spirit made effectual And these Ends are two 1. Justification 2. Salvation or Deliverance from Sin and Punishment Look saith he unto me and be saved This was he on the Cross and is still so in the Preaching of the Gospel wherein he is evidently crucifyed before our eyes Gal. 3. 1. lifted up as the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness Joh. 3. 14 15. That we looking on him by Faith as bearing our sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 1. 24. and receiving the Attonement made thereby Rom. 5. 11. may through Faith in him be Justified from all our Sins and saved from the Wrath to come But this we intend not For 2 He is of God proposed unto us in the Gospel as the great Pattern and Exemplar of Holiness so as that by Gods Appointment our beholding and looking on him in the Way mentioned is a Means of the Encrease and growth of it in us So our Apostle declares 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. That which is proposed unto us is the Glory of the Lord or the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Chap. 4. v. 6. that is God gloriously manifesting himself in the Person of Christ. This are we said to behold with open face The Veil of Types and Shadowes being taken off and removed Faith doth now clearly and distinctly view and consider Jesus Christ as he is represented unto us in the glass of the Gospel that is the Evidences of the Presence of God in him and with him in his Work Purity and Holiness And the Effect hereof is that we are through the Operation of the Spirit of God changed into the same Image or made Holy and therein like unto him Sect. 58 Secondly There is peculiar Force and Efficacy by the way of Motive in the Example of Christ to encline us unto the Imitation of him that is not to be found in any other Example on any Occasion whatever Because 1 Whatever is proposed unto us in what he was or what he did as our Pattern and Example he was it and did it not for his own sake but out of free and meer Love unto us That pure Nature of his which we ought to be labouring after a Conformity unto 1 Joh. 3. 3. and which he will at length bring us unto Phil. 3. 21. he took it upon him by an infinite Condescension meerly out of Love unto us Heb. 2. 14 15. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. And all the Actings of Grace in him all the Duties of Obedience which he performed all that glorious Complyance with the Will of God in his Sufferings which he manifested proceed all from his Love unto us Joh. 17. 19. Gal. 2. 20. These things being in themselves truely Honourable and Excellent yea being only so the Holiness and Obedience which God requireth of us consisting in them being by the Appointment of God proposed unto our Imitation in the Example of Jesus Christ how must it needs influence and prevail on gracious Souls to endeavour a Conformity unto him therein to be as he was to do as he did seeing he was what he was and did what he did meerly out of Love unto us and for no other End And 2 Every thing which we are to imitate in Christ is other wayes also beneficial unto us For we are in its Place and Way even saved thereby By his Obedience we are made Righteous Rom. 5. 19. There is no Grace nor Duty of Christ which he did perform but we have the Advantage and Benefit of it And this encreaseth the Efficacy of this Example For who would not strive to obtain these things in himself of whose being in Christ he hath so great Advantage Sect. 59 In this Regard also therefore is the Lord Christ made Sanctification unto us and is the Cause of Evangelical Holiness in us And certainly we are the most of
thence proceeding as have the Properties before described as to their Causes Rise Effects Use and Relation unto Christ and the Covenant as are expressely and plainly in the Scripture assigned unto Evangelical Holiness Is this Moral Vertue that which God hath predestinated or chosen us unto before the Foundation of the World Is it that which he worketh in us in the pursuit of Electing Love Is it that which gives us a new Heart with the Law of God written in it or is it a Principle of spiritual Life disposing enclining enabling us to live to God according to the Gospel produced in us by the effectual Operation of the Holy Ghost not educed out of the natural Powers of our own Souls by the mere Applications of external Means Is it that which is purchased and procured for us by Jesus Christ and the Encrease whereof in us he continueth to intercede for Is it the Image of God in us and doth our Conformity unto the Lord Christ consist therein If it be so if Moral Vertue answer all these Properties and Adjuncts of Holiness then the whole Contest in this matter is whether the Holy Spirit or these men be wisest and know best how to express the things of God Rationally and Significantly But if the Moral Vertue they speak of be inconcerned in these things if none of them belong unto it if it may and doth consist without it it will appear at length to be no more as to our Acceptance before God than what one of the greatest Morallists in the World complained that he found it when he was dying a mere empty Name But this fulsome Pelagian Figment of an Holiness or Evangelical Righteousness whose Principle should be Natural Reason and whose Rule is the Law of Nature as explained in the Scripture whose Use and End is Acceptation with God and Justification before him whereof those who plead for it the most of them seem to understand no more but outward Acts of Honesty nor do practise so much being absoluely opposite unto and destructive of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being the mere Doctrine of the Quakers by whom it is better and more intelligibly expressed than by some new Patrons of it amongst us will not in the Examination of it create any great Trouble unto such as look upon the Scripture to be a Revelation of the Mind of God in these things CHAP. VII Of the Acts and Duties of Holiness 1 Actual inherent Righteousness in Duties of Holiness and Obedience explained The Work of the Holy Spirit with respect thereunto 2 Distribution of the Positive Duties of Holiness 3 Internal Duties of Holiness 4 External Duties and their Difference 5 Effectual Operation of the Holy Spirit Necessary unto every Act of Holiness 6 Dependance on Providence with respect unto things Natural and on Grace with respect unto things Supernatural compared 8 Arguments to prove the Necessity of Actual Grace unto every Duty of Holiness 15 Contrary Designs and Expressions of the Scripture and some men about Duties of Holiness Sect. 1 THE Second Part of the Work of the Spirit of God in our Sanctification respects the Acts and Duties of Holy Obedience For what we have before treated of chiefly concerns the Principle of it as habitually resident in our Souls and that both as unto its first Infusion into us as also its Preservation and Increase in us But we are not indued with such a Principle or Power to Act it at our pleasure or as we see good but God moreover worketh in us to will and to doe of his own good pleasure And all these Acts and Duties of Holiness or Gospel Obedience are of two sorts or may be referred unto two Heads 1 Such as have the Will of God in Positive Commands for their Object which they respect in Duties internal and external wherein we do what God requireth 2 Such as respect Divine Prohibitions which consist in the Actings of Grace or Holiness in an Opposition unto or the Mortification of Sin And what is the Work of the Holy Spirit what is the Aid which he affords us in both these sorts of Duties must be declared Sect. 2 The Acts and Duties of the First sort respecting Positive Divine Commands fall under a double Distinction For 1. They are in their own Nature either Internal only Or 2. External also There may be internal Acts of Holiness that have no external Effects But no external Acts or Duties are any part of Holiness which are only so and no more for it is required thereunto that they be quickened and sanctified by internal Acting of Grace Two Persons may therefore at the same time perform the same Commanded Duties and in the same outward Manner yet may it be the Duty of Evangelical Holiness in the one and not in the other as it was with Cain and Abel with the other Apostles and Judas For if Faith and Love be not acted in either of them what they do is Duty but Equivocally properly it is not so Sect. 3 1. By the Duties of Holiness that are internal only I intend all Acts of Faith Love Trust Hope Fear Reverence Delight that have God for their immediate Object but go not forth nor exert themselves in any external Duties and in these doth our spiritual Life unto God principally consist For they are as the first Acts of Life which principally evidence the Strength or Decayes of it And from these we may take the best Measure of our spiritual Health and interest in Holiness For we may abound in outward Duties and yet our Hearts be very much alienated from the Life of God Yea sometimes men may endeavour to make up what is wanting with them by a multitude of outward Duties and so have a Name to live when they are dead wherein the true Nature of Hypocrisie and Superstition doth consist Isa. 1. 11 12 13 14 15. But when the internal Actings of Faith Fear Trust and Love abound and are constant in us they evidence a vigorous and healthy Condition of Soul Sect. 4 2. Duties that are external also are of two sorts or are distinguished with respect unto their Objects and End For 1 God himself is the Object and End of some of them as of Prayer and Prayses whether private or more solemn And of this nature are all those which are commonly called Duties of the first Table all such as belong unto the Sanctification of the Name of God in his Worship 2 Some respect Men of all sorts in their various Capacities and our various Relations unto them or have Men for their Object but God for their End And among these also I include those which principally regard our selves or our own Persons The whole of what we intend is summarily expressed by our Apostle Tit. 2. 12. Sect. 5 Concerning all these Acts and Duties whether internal only or external also whether their proper Object be God or selves or other Men so far as they are Acts of
not yet agreed about The Socinians contend that the Doctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ doth overthrow the Necessity of an Holy Life The Papists say the same concerning the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification The same Charge is laid by others against the Doctrine of the gratuitous Election of God the almighty Efficacy of his Grace in the Conversion of Sinners and of his Faithfulness in the Preservation of true Believers in their state of Grace unto the End On the other hand the Scripture doth so place the Foundations of all true and real Holiness in these things that without the Faith of them and an Influence on our Minds from them it will not allow of any thing to be so called Sect. 2 To examine the pretences of others concerning the suitableness of their Doctrines unto the Promotion of Holiness is not my present Business It is well that it hath alwayes maintained a Conviction of its Necessity and carryed it through all different Perswasions in Christianity In this one thing alone almost do all Christian agree and yet notwithstanding the want of it is if not the onely yet the principal thing whereby the most who are so called are ruined So ordinary a thing is it for men to agree for the Necessity of Holiness and live in the Neglect of it when they have so done Conviction comes in at an easie rate as it were whether men will or no but Practice will stand them in pains cost and trouble Wherefore unto the due handling of this matter some few things must be premised As First It is disadvantageous unto the Interest of the Gospel to have men plead for Holiness with weak incogent Arguments and such as are not taken out of the Stores of its Truth and so really affect not the Consciences of men And it is pernicious to all the Concerns of Holiness it self to have that defended and pleaded for under its Name and Title which indeed is not so but an Vsurper of its Crown and Dignity which we shall afterwards enquire into Secondly It is uncomely and unworthy to hear men contending for Holiness as the whole of our Religion and in the mean time on all Occasions express in themselves an Habit and Frame of Mind utterly inconsistent with what the Scripture so calls and so esteems There is certainly no readier way on sundry Accounts to unteach men all the Principles of Religion all Respect unto God and common Honesty And if some men did this only as being at variance with themselves without Reflections on others it might the more easily be borne But to see or hear men proclaiming themselves in their whole Course to be Proud Revengefull Worldly Sensual Neglecters of Holy Dutyes Scoffers at Religion and the Power of it pleading for an Holy Life against the Doctrine and Practice of those who walked unblameably before the Lord in all his Wayes yea upon whose Breasts and Foreheads was written Holiness unto the Lord such as were most of the first Reformed Divines whom they reflect upon is a thing which all sober men do justly nauseate and which God abhorres But the further Consideration here of I shal at present omit and pursue what I have proposed Thirdly In my Discourse concerning the Necessity of Holiness with the Grounds and Reasons of it and Arguments for it I shall confine my self unto these two Things 1 That the Reasons Arguments and Motives which I shall insist on being such as are taken out of the Gospel or the Scripture are not only consistent and compliant with the great Doctrines of the Grace of God in our free Election Conversion Justification and Salvation by Jesus Christ but such as naturally flow from them discover what is their true Nature and Tendency in this matter 2 That I shall at present suppose all along what that Holiness is which I do intend Now this is not that outward Shew and pretence of it which some plead for not an Attendance unto or the Observation of some or all Moral Vertues only not a Readiness for some Acts of Piety and Charity from a superstitious proud Conceit of their being Meritorious of Grace or Glory But I intend that Holiness which I have before described which may be reduced to these three heads 1 An internal Change or Renovation of our Souls our Minds Wills and Affections by Grace 2 An universal Compliance with the Will of God in all Duties of Obedience and Abstinence from Sin out of a Principle of Faith and Love 3 A Designation of all the Actions of Life unto the Glory of God by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel This is Holiness so to be and so to doe is to be Holy And I shall divide my Arguments into Two sorts 1. Such as prove the Necessity of Holiness as to the Essence of it Holiness in our Hearts and Natures 2. Such as prove the Necessity of Holiness as to the Degrees of it Holiness in our Lives and Conversations Sect. 3 First then The Nature of God as revealed unto us with our Dependance on him the Obligation that is upon us to Live unto him with the Nature of our Blessedness in the Enjoyment of him do require indispensibly that we should be Holy The Holiness of Gods Nature is every where in the Scripture made the Fundamental Principle and Reason of the Necessity of Holiness in us Himself makes it the ground of his Command for it Levit. 11. 44. For I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be Holy for I am Holy So also Chap. 19. 2. Chap. 20. 7. And to shew the everlasting Equity and Force of this Reason it is transferred over to the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy God lets them know that his Nature is such as that unless they are sanctified and Holy there can be no such Entercourse between him and them as ought to be between a God and his People So he declares the Sence of this Enforcement of that Precept to be Levit. 11. 45. I brought you out of the Land of Aegypt to be your God ye shall therefore be Holy for I am Holy Without this the Relation designed cannot be maintained that I should be your God and you should be my People To this Purpose belongs that Description given us of his Nature Psal. 5. 4 5 6. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in Wickedness neither shall Evil dwell with thee The Foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all Workers of Iniquity Thou shalt destroy them that speak Lying the Lord will abhorre the Bloody and Deceitfull man Answerable unto that of the Prophet Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Evil and canst not look on Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. He is such a God that is such is his Nature so pure
and prompt them unto not to endeavour after that universal Holiness which alone will be accepted with him is a deplorable Folly Such men seem to Worship an Idol all their dayes For he that doth not endeavour to be like unto God doth contrarily think wickedly that God is like unto himself It is true our Interest in God is not built upon our Holiness but it is as true that we have none without it Were this Principle once well fixed in the Minds of men that without Holiness no man shall see God and that enforced from the Consideration of the Nature of God himself it could not but influence them unto a greater Diligence about it than the most seem to be engaged in Sect. 15 There is indeed amongst us a great Plea for Morality or for Moral Vertue I wish it be more out of Love to Vertue its self and a Conviction of its Vsefulness than out of a Design to cast Contempt on the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel as it is declared by the faithfull Dispensers of it However we are bound to believe the Best of all men Where we see those who so plead for Moral Vertues to be in their own Persons and in their Lives modest sober humble patient self-denying charitable usefull towards all we are obliged to believe that their Pleas for Moral Vertue proceed from a Love and Liking of it But where men are proud furious worldly revengefull profane intemperate covetous ambitious I cannot so well understand their Declamations about Vertue Only I would for the present enquire What it is that they intend by their Morality Is it the Renovation of the Image of God in us by Grace is it our Conformity from thence unto him in his Holiness is it our being Holy in all Manner of Holiness because God is holy is it the acting of our Souls in all Duties of Obedience from a Principle of Faith and Love according to the Will of God whereby we have Communion with him here and are lead towards the Enjoyment of him If these are the things which they intend what is the matter with them why are they so afraid of the Words and Expressions of the Scripture Why will they not speak of the things of God in Words that the Holy Ghost teacheth Men never dislike the Words of God but when they dislike the Things of God Is it because these Expressions are not intelligible People do not know what they mean but this of Moral Vertue they understand well enough We appeal to the Experience of all that truely fear God in the World unto the contrary There is none of them but the Scripture Expressions of the Causes Nature Work and Effects of Holiness do convey a clear experimental Apprehension of them unto their Minds Whereas by their Moral Vertue neither themselves nor any else do know what they intend since they do or must reject the common received Notion of it for Honesty amongst men If therefore they intend that Holiness hereby which is required of us in the Scripture and that particularly on the Account of the Holiness of that God whom we serve they fall into an high Contempt of the Wisdom of God in despising of those Notices and Expressions of it which being used by the Holy Ghost are suited unto the spiritual Light and Understanding of Believers substituting their own arbitrary doubtfull uncertain Sentiments and Words in their Room and place But if it be something else which they intend as indeed evidently it is nor doth any man understand more in the Design than Sobriety and Vsefulness in the World things singularly good in their proper place then it is no otherwise to be looked on but as a Design of Sathan to undermine the true Holiness of the Gospel and to substitute a deceitfull and deceiving Cloud or Shadow in the Room of it Sect. 16 And moreover what we have already Discoursed doth abundantly evince the folly and falshood of those clamorous Accusations wherein the most important Truths of the Gospel are charged as inconsistent with and as repugnant unto Holiness The Doctrine say the Socinians of the Satisfaction of Christ ruines all Care and Endeavours after an Holy Life For when men do believe that Christ hath satisfied the Justice of God for their Sins they will be enclined to be careless about them yea to live in them But as this Supposition doth transform Believers into Monsters of Ingratitude and Folly so it is built on no other Foundation than this that if Christ take away the Guilt of Sin there is no Reason in the Nature of these things nor mentioned in the Scripture why we should need to be holy and keep our selves from the Power Filth and Dominion of Sin or any way Glorifie God in this World which is an Inference weak false and ridiculous The Papists and others with them lay the same Charge on the Doctrine of Justification through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us And it is wonderfull to consider with what virulent Railing this Charge is managed by the Papists so with what scorn and scoffing with what Stories and Tales some amongst our selves endeavour to expose this sacred Truth to Contempt as though all those by whom it is Believed must consequently be Negligent of Holiness and good Works Now although I deny not but that such men may find a great Strength of Connexion between these things in their own Minds seeing there is a Principle in the corrupt Heart of man to turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness yet as shall in due time be proved this sacred Truth is both Doctrinally and Practically the great constraining Principle unto Holiness and Fruitfulness in Obedience For the present I shall return no other Answer unto those Objections but that the Objectors are wholly mistaken in our Thoughts and Apprehensions concerning that God whom we serve God in Christ whom we Worship hath so revealed his own Holiness unto us and what is necessary for us on the Account thereof as that we know it to be a foolish wicked and blasphemous thing for any one to think to please him to be accepted with him to come to the Enjoyment of him without that Holiness which he requireth and from his own Nature cannot but require That the Grace or Mercy or Love of this God who is our God should encourage those who indeed know him unto Sin or countenance them in a Neglect of Holy Obedience to him is a monstrous Imagination There are as I shall shew afterwards other invincible Reasons for it and Motives unto it But the owning of this one Consideration alone by them who Believe the Grace of the Gospel is sufficient to secure them from the Reproach of this Objection Sect. 17 Moreover from what hath been discoursed we may all Charge our selves with Blame for our Sloth and Negligence in this Matter It is to be feared that we have none of us endeavoured as we ought to
of this World makes men Earthly minded their Minds and Affections grow Earthy carnal and sensual But of all Kinds Divine Love is most effectual to this purpose as having the best the most noble proper and attractive Object It is our Adherence unto God with Delight for what he is in himself as manifested in Jesus Christ. By it we cleave unto God and so keep near him and thereby derive transforming Vertue from him Every Approach unto God by ardent Love and Delight is Transfiguring And it acts it self continually by 1 Contemplation 2 Admiration and 3 Delight in Obedience 1. Love acts it self by Contemplation It is in the Nature of it to be meditating and Contemplating on the Excellencies of God in Christ. Yea this is the Life of it and where this is not there is no Love An heart filled with the Love of God will Night and Day be exercising it self in and with Thoughts of Gods glorious Excellencies rejoycing in them This the Psalmist exhorts us unto Psal. 30. 4. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness And Love will do the same with respect unto all his other Properties See to this purpose Psal. 63. throughout And this will further our Likeness unto him our Minds by it will be changed into the Image of what we Contemplate and we shall endeavour that our Lives be conformed thereunto Sect. 26 2. It works by Admiration also That is the voyce of Love How great is his Goodness how great is his Beauty Zech. 9. 17. the Soul being as it were ravished with that View which it hath of the glorious Excellencies of God in Christ hath no way to express its Affections but by Admiration How great is his Goodness how great is his Beauty And this Beauty of God is that sweetness and holy symmetry of Glory if I may be allowed to speak so improperly in all the Perfections of God being all in a sweet Correspondency exalted in Christ which is the proper Object of our Love To see infinite Holiness Purity and Righteousness with infinite Love Goodness Grace and Mercy all equally Glorified in and towards the same Things and Persons one Glimpse whereof is not to be attained in the World out of Christ is that Beauty of God which attracts the Love of a Believing Soul and fills it with an holy Admiration of him And this also is a most effectual Furtherance of our Conformity unto him which without these steps we shall labour in vain after Sect. 27 3. Again Love gives Delight in Obedience and all the Duties of it The common Instance of Jacob is known of whom it is said that his seven Years Service seemed short and so easie to him for the Love he bare to Rachel He did that with Delight which he would not afterwards undergoe for the greatest Wages But we have a greater Instance Our Lord Jesus Christ sayes concerning all the Obedience that was required of him Thy Law O God is in my heart I delight to do thy Will And yet we know how terrible to Nature were the things he did and suffered in Obedience to that Law But his unspeakable Love to God and the Souls of men rendred it all his Delight Hence follows Intension and Frequency in all the Duties of it And where these two are Intension of mind and spirit with a Frequency of holy Duties both proceeding from Delight there Holiness will thrive and consequently we shall do so in our Conformity to God In brief Love and Likeness unto God are inseperable and proportionate unto one another And without this no Duties of Obedience are any part of his Image Sect. 28 Secondly There are Graces which are Declarative of this Assimulation or which evidence and manifest our Likeness unto God I shall instance only in two of them 1 And the first is such as I shall give many Names unto it is its Description as the Scripture doth also but the thing intended is one and the same This is Goodness Kindness Benignity Love with Readiness to do good to forgive to help and relieve and this towards all Men on all Occasions And this also is to be considered in Opposition unto an evil Habit of Mind exerting it self in many Vices which yet agree in the same general Nature such are Anger Wrath Envy Malice Revenge Frowardness Selfishness all which are directly opposite to the Grace of Holiness at present instanced in and pleaded for And this I fear is not so considered as it ought to be For if it were it would not be so common a thing as it may be it is for men to plead highly for the Imitation of God and almost in all they doe give us a full Representation of the Devil For as this universal Benignity and Love to all is the greatest Representation of the Nature of God on the Earth so is Fierceness Envy Wrath and Revenge of that of the Devil Would we then be like unto our Heavenly Father would we manifest that we are so unto his Glory would we represent him in and unto the World it must be by this frame of spirit and Actings constantly suited thereunto This our Blessed Saviour instructs us in and unto Matth. 5. 44 45. A Man I say thus Good his Nature being cured and rectified by Grace thence usefull and helpfull free from Guile Envy and Selfishness Pride and Elation of Mind is the best Representation we can have of God on the Earth since the Humane Nature of Christ was removed from us Sect. 29 This therefore we are to labour after if we intend to be like God or to manifest his Glory in our Persons and Lives unto the World And no small part of our Holiness consists herein Many Lusts Corruptions and distempered Passions are to be subdued by Grace if we design to be Eminent Strong Bents and Inclinations of Mind to comply with innumerable Provocations and Exasperations that will befall us must be corrected and discarded Many Duties be constantly attended unto and sundry Graces kept up to their Exercise The whole drove of Temptations all whose force consists in a pretence of care for Self must be scattered or resisted And hence it is that in the Scripture a Good man a Merciful man an usefull liberal man is frequently spoken of by way of Eminency and Distinction as one whom God hath an especial regard unto and concerning whom there are peculiar Promises When men live to themselves and are satisfied that they doe no hurt though they doe no good are secure selfish wrathfull angry peevish or have their kindness confined to their Relations or otherwise are little usefull but in what they are prest unto and therein come off with Difficulty in their own minds who esteem all lost that is done for the Relief of others and the greatest part of Wisdom to be cautious and disbelieve the necessities of men in a word that make Self and its concernments the End of
Condition Nothing is more certain than that the latter Resolution will be infallibly Destructive if pursued of all the Everlasting Concernments of our Souls Death and Eternal Condemnation are the unavoidable Issues of it No man giving himself up to the Conduct of that Conclusion shall ever come to the Enjoyment of God But in the other way it is possible at least that a man may be found to be the Object of Gods Electing Love and so be saved But why doe I say it is possible there is nothing more infallibly certain than that he who pursues Sincerely and Diligently the Wayes of Faith and Obedience which are as we have often said the Fruits of Election shall obtain in the End Everlasting Blessedness and ordinarily shall have in this World a Comfortable Evidence of their own personal Election This therefore on all Accounts and towards all sorts of Persons in an invincible Argument of the Necessity of Holiness and a mighty Motive thereunto For it is unavoidable that if there be such a thing as personal Election and that the Fruits of it are Sanctification Faith and Obedience it is utterly impossible that without Holiness any one should see God the Reason of which Consequence is apparent unto all CHAP. III. Holiness Necessary from the Commands of God Necessity of Holiness proved from the Commands of God in the Law and the Gospel Sect. 1 WEE have evinced the Necessity of Holiness from the Nature and the Decrees of God Our next Argument shall be taken from his Word or Commands as the Nature and Order of these things do require And in this Case it is needless to produce Instances of Gods Commands that we should be Holy it is the concurrent Voyce of the Law of Gospel Our Apostle summes up the whole Matter 1 Thess. 4. 1 2 3. We exhort you that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God so you would abound more and more for you know that Commandment we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the Will of God even your Sanctification or Holiness whereunto he addes one special Instance This is that which the Commandments of Christ require yea this is the summe of the whole Commanding Will of God The substance of the Law is Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Levit. 11. 44. the same with what it is referred unto by our Saviour Matth. 22. 37 39. And whereas Holiness may be reduced unto two Heads 1 The Renovation of the Image of God in us 2 Vniversal Actual Obedience they are the summe of the Perceptive Part of the Gospel Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Tit. 2. 11 12. Hereof therefore there needeth no further Confirmation by especial Testimonies Sect. 2 Our Enquiry must be What Force there is in this Argument or whence we doe conclude unto a Necessity of Holiness from the Command of God To this End the Nature and proper Adjuncts of these Commands are to be considered that is we are to get our Minds and Consciences affected with them so as to endeavour after Holiness on their Account or with respect unto them For whatever we may doe which seems to have the Matter of Holiness in it if we do it not with respect unto Gods Command it hath not the Nature of Holiness in it For our Holiness is our Conformity and Obedience to the Will of God and it is a Respect unto a Command which makes any thing to be Obedience or gives it the formal Nature thereof Wherefore as God rejects That from any place in his Fear Worship or Service which is resolved only into the Doctrines or Precepts of Men Isa. 29. 13. so for men to pretend unto I know not what Freedom Light and Readiness unto all Holiness from a Principle within without Respect unto the Commands of God without as given in his Word is to make themselves this own God and to despise Obedience unto him who is over all God blessed for ever Then are we the Servants of God Then are we the Disciples of Christ when we doe what is Commanded us and because it is Commanded us And what we are not influenced unto by the Authority of God in his Commands we are not principled for by the Spirit of God administred in the Promises Whatever Good any man doth in any Kind if the Reason why he doth it be not Gods Command it belongs neither to Holiness nor Obedience Our Enquiry therefore is after those things in the Commands of God which put such an indispensible Obligation upon us unto Holiness as that whatever we may be or we may have without it will be of no Use or Advantage unto us as unto Eternal Blessedness or the Enjoyment of him Sect. 3 But to make our Way more clear and safe one thing must yet be premised unto these Considerations And this is that Gods Commands for Holiness may be considered two wayes 1 As they belong unto and are Parts of the Covenant of Works 2 As they belong and are inseparably annexed unto the Covenant of Grace In both respects they are materially and formally the same that is the same Things are required in them and the same Person requires them and so their Obligation is Joynt and Equal Not only the Commands of the New Covenant do oblige us unto Holiness but those of the Old also as to the Matter and Substance of them But there is a great Difference in the Manner and Ends of these Commands as considered so distinctly For 1 The Commands of God as under the Old Covenant do so require universal Holiness of us in all Acts Duties and Degrees of them that upon the least Failure in Substance Circumstance or Degree they allow of nothing else we doe but Determine us Trangressors of the whole Law For with respect unto them whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is Guilty of all James 2. 10. Now I acknowledge that although there ariseth from hence an Obligation unto Holiness to them who are under that Covenant and such a Necessity of it as that without it they must certainly perish yet no Argument of the Nature with those which I insist upon can hence be taken to press us unto it For no Arguments are forceable unto this Purpose but such as include Encouragements in them unto what they urge But that this Consideration of the Command knoweth nothing of seeing a Complyance with it is in our Lapsed Condition absolutely impossible and for the Things that are so we can have no Endeavours And hence it is that no man influenced only by the Commands of the Law or first Covenant absolutely considered whatever in particular he might be forced or compelled unto did ever sincerely Ayme or Endeavour after universal Holiness Sect. 4 Men may be subdued by the Power of the Law and compelled to habituate themselves unto a strict Course of Duty and being advantaged therein by a sedate Natural Constitution desire
of Applause Self-Righteousness or Superstition may make a great Appearance of Holiness But if the Principle of what they doe be onely the Commands of the Law they never tread one true step in the Paths of it Sect. 5 2 The End why these Commands require all the Duties of Holiness of us is that they may be our Righteousness before God or that we may be Justified thereby For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doth those things shall live by them Rom. 10. 5. that is it requires of us all Duties of Obedience unto this End that we may have Justification and Eternal Life by them But neither on this Account can any such Argument be taken as those we enquire into For the deeds of the Law no man can be justified If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand Psal. 130. 3. So prayes David Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal. 143. 2. Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 2. 16. And if none can attain the End of the Command as in this sense they cannot what Argument can we take from thence to prevail with them unto Obedience Whoever therefore presseth men unto Holiness meerly on the Commands of the Law and for the Ends of it doth but put them upon tormenting Disquietments and deceive their Souls However men are indispensibly obliged hereby and must Eternally perish for want of what the Law so requires who do not or will not by Faith comply with the only Remedy and Provision that God hath made in this Case And for this Reason are we necessitated to deny a Possibility of Salvation unto all to whom the Gospel is not preached as well as unto those by whom it is refused For they are left unto this Law whose Precepts they cannot answer and whose End they cannot attain Sect. 6 It is otherwise on both these Accounts with the Commands of God for Holiness under the New Covenant or in the Gospel For 1 Although God in them requireth universal Holiness of us yet he doth not do it in that strict and rigorous way as by the Law so as that if we fail in any thing either as to the Matter or Manner of its performance in the Substance of it or as to the Degrees of its Perfection that thereon both that and all we doe besides should be rejected But he doth it with a Contemperation of Grace and Mercy so as that if there be an universal sincerity in a Respect unto all his Commands he both pardoneth many sins and accepts of what we doe though it come short of Legal Perfection both on the Account of the Mediation of Christ. Yet this hindreth not but that the Law or Command of the Gospel doth still require universal Holiness of us and a Perfection therein which we are to do our utmost Endeavour to comply withall though we have a Relief provided in sincerity on the one hand and Mercy on the other For the Commands of the Gospel doe still declare what God approves and what he doth condemn which is no less than all Holiness on the one hand and all Sin on the other as exactly and extensively as under the Law For this the very Nature of God requireth and the Gospel is not the Ministry of Sin so as to give an Allowance or Indulgence unto the least although in it Pardon be provided for a multitude of sins by Jesus Christ. The Obligation on us unto Holiness is Equal as unto what it was under the Law though a Relief be provided where unavoidably we come short of it There is therefore nothing more certain than that there is no Relaxation given us as unto any Duty of Holiness by the Gospel nor any Indulgence unto the least sin But yet upon the Supposition of the Acceptance of Sincerity and a perfection of Parts instead of Degrees with the Mercy provided for our Failings and Sins there is an Argument to be taken from the Command of it unto an indispensible Necessity of Holiness including in it the highest Encouragement to endeavour after it For together with the Command there is also Grace administred enabling us unto that Obedience which God will accept Nothing therefore can avoid or evacuate the Power of this Command and Argument from it but a stubborn Contempt of God arising from the Love of Sin Sect. 7 2 The Commands of the Gospel do not require Holiness and the Duties of Righteousness of us to the same End as the Commands of the Law did namely that thereby we might be Justified in the sight of God For whereas God now accepts from us an Holiness short of that which the Law required if he did it still for the same End it would reflect Dishonour upon his own Righteousness and the Holiness of the Gospel For First if God can accept of a Righteousness unto Justification inferiour unto or short of what he required by the Law how great severity must it be thought in him to bind his Creatures unto such an exact Obedience and Righteousness at first as he could and might have dispensed withall If he doth accept of sincere Obedience now unto our Justification why did he not do so before but obliged Mankind unto absolute Perfection according to the Law for coming short wherein they all perished Or shall we say that God hath changed his Mind in this matter and that he doth not stand so much now on rigid and Perfect Obedience for our Justification as he did formerly Where then is the Glory of his Immutability of his Essential Holiness of the absolute Rectitude of his Nature and Will Sect. 8 Besides Secondly what shall become of the Honour and Holiness of the Gospel on this Supposition Must it not be looked on as a Doctrine less Holy than that of the Law For whereas the Law required absolute perfect sinless Holiness unto our Justification the Gospel admits of that to the same End on this Supposition which is every way imperfect and consistent with a multitude of Sins and Failings What can be spoken more to the Derogation of it Nay would not this indeed make Christ the Minister of Sin which our Apostle rejects with so much Detestation Gal. 2. 17. For to say that he hath merited that our imperfect Obedience attended with many and great sins for there is no man that liveth and sinneth not should be accepted unto our Justification instead of perfect and sinless Obedience required under the Law is plainly to make him the Minister of Sin or one that hath acquired some Liberty for sin beyond whatever the Law allowed And thus upon the whole matter both Christ and the Gospel in whom and whereby God unquestionably designed to declare the Holiness and Righteousness of his own Nature much more Gloriously than ever he had done any other way should be the great means to darken and obscure them For in and by them on this Supposition
God must be be thought and is declared to accept of a Righteousness unto our Justification unspeakably inferiour unto what he required before Sect. 9 It must be granted therefore that the End of Gospel Commands requiring the Obedience of Holiness in us is not that thereby or thereon we should be Justified God hath therein provided another Righteousness for that End which fully perfectly absolutely answers all that the Law requires and on some Considerations is far more Glorious than what the Law either did or could require And hereby hath he exalted more than ever the Honour of his own Holiness and Righteousness whereof the External Instrument is the Gospel which is also therefore most Holy Now this is no other but the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us for he is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 4. But God hath now appointed other Ends unto our Holiness and so unto his Command of it under the Gospel all of them consistent with the Nature of that Obedience which he will accept of us and such as we may attain through the Power of Grace and so all of them offering new Encouragements as well as Enforcements unto our Endeavours after it But because these Ends will be the Subject of most of our ensuing Arguments I shall not here insist upon them I shall only adde two things in General 1 That God hath no design for his own Glory in us or by us in this World or unto Eternity that there is no especial Communion that we can have with him by Jesus Christ nor any Capacity for us to enjoy him but Holiness is Necessary unto it as a Means unto its End 2 These present Ends of it under the Gospel are such as that God doth no less indispensibly require it of us now than he did when our Justification was proposed as the End of it They are such in brief as God upon the Account of them judgeth meet to command us to be Holy in all Manner of Holiness which what Obligation and Necessity it puts upon us so to be we are now to enquire Sect. 10 First The first thing considerable in the Command of God to this purpose is the Authority wherewith it is accompanyed It is indispensibly necessary that we should be Holy on the Account of the Authority of Gods Command Authority wherever it is just and exerted in a due and equal Manner carryeth along with it an Obligation unto Obedience Take this away and you fill the whole World with Disorder If the Authority of Parents Masters and Magistrates did not oblige Children Servants and Subjects unto Obedience the World could not abide one moment out of Hellish Confusion God himself maketh use of this Argument in general to convince men of the Necessity of Obedience A Son honoureth his Eather and a Servant his Master if I then be a Father where is mine Honour and if I be a Master where is my Fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you Priests who despise my Name Mal. 1. 6. If in all particular Relations where there is any thing of Superiority which hath the least parcel of Authority accompanying of it Obedience is expected and exacted is it not due to me who have all Authority of all Soveraign Relations in me towards you And there are two things that enforce the Obligation from the Command on this Consideration Jus imperandi and Vis exequendi both comprized in that of the Apostle James ch 4. v. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy 1. He who commands us to be Holy is our Sovereign Law-giver He that hath absolute Power to prescribe unto us what Lawes he pleaseth When Commands come from them who have Authority and yet are themselves also under Authority there may be some secret Abatement of the Power of the Command Men may think either to appeal from them or one way or other subduct themselves from under their Power But when the Power immediately commanding is Sovereign and absolute there is no room for Tergiversation The Command of God proceeds from the absolute Power of a Sovereign Legislator And where it is not complyed withall the whole Authority of God and therein God himself is despised So God in many places calleth sinning against his Commands the despising of him Numb 11. 20. 1 Sam. 2. 30. the despising of his Name Mal. 1. 6. the despising of his Commandement and that in his Saints themselves 2 Sam. 12. 10. Sect. 11 Being then under the Command of God to be holy not to Endeavour alwayes and in all things so to be is to despise God to reject his Sovereign Authority over us and to live in Defiance of him This state I suppose there are few who would be willing to be found in To be constant Despisers of God and Rebels against his Authority is a Charge that men are not ready to own and do suppose that those who are so indeed are in a very ill Condition But this and no better is the state of every one who is not holy who doth not follow after Holiness Yet so it is propose unto men the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness press them to the Duties wherein the Exercise of it doth consist convince them with Evidence as clear as the Light at Noon-day that such and such Sins such and such Courses wherein they live and walk are absolutely inconsistent with it and irreconcileable unto it yet for the most part it is but little they will heed you and less they will doe to answer your Exhortations Tell the same Persons that they are Rebels against God Despisers of him that they have utterly broken the Yoke and cast off his Authority and they will defie you and perhaps revile you But yet these things are inseperable God having given his Command unto men to be Holy declared his Sovereign Will and Pleasure therein if we are not so accordingly we are not one Jott better than the Persons described Here then in the first place we found the Necessity of Holiness on the Command of God The Authority wherewith it is accompanyed makes it Necessary Yea from hence if we endeavour not to thrive in it if we watch not diligently against every thing that is contrary unto it we are therein and so far Despisers of God and his Name as in the places before cited Sect. 12 This therefore evidenceth unto the Consciences of men that the Obligation unto Holiness is indispensible And it would do well if we alwayes carryed this formal Consideration of the Commandement in our Minds nothing would be more prevalent with us unto Watchfulness in Holiness as nothing doth more effectually render what we doe to be Obedience properly so called Forgetfulness hereof or not heeding it as we ought is the great Reason of our loose and careless Walking of our Defect in making a Progress in Grace and Holiness No man is safe a Moment whose Mind by any
Grace which will ascertain unto us our Eternal Election with our Effectual Vocation whereon we shall obtain an assured Joyfull Entrance into the Kingdom of Glory Sect. 24 3 This Administration of Grace and spiritual Strength is not equally Effectual at all Times There are Seasons wherein to Correct our Negligences in giving place to our Corruptions and Temptations or on other Grounds to discover unto us our own Frailty and Impotency with other Holy Ends of his own that God is pleased to withhold the powerfull Influences of his Grace and to leave us unto our selves In such Instances we shall assuredly come short of answering the Command for universal Holiness one way or other See Psal. 30. 6 7. But I speak of ordinary Cases and to prevent that slothfulness and Tergiversation unto this Duty of complying with all the Commands of God for Holiness which we are so obnoxious unto Sect. 25 4 We do not say That there is in the Covenant of Grace spiritual Strength administred so as that by Vertue thereof we should yield sinless and absolutely Perfect Obedience unto God or to render any one Duty so absolutely Perfect If any such there are or ever were who maintain such an Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us as should render our own personal Obedience unnecessary they doe overthrow the Truth and Holiness of the Gospel And to say that we have such supplyes of Internal Strength as to render the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification Unnecessay is to overthrow the Grace of the Gospel and the New Covenant it self But this alone we say There is Grace administred by the Promises of the Gospel enabling us to Perform the Obedience of it in that Way and Manner as God will accept And herein there are various Degrees whereof we ought constantly to ayme at the most Compleat and so to be perfecting Holiness in the Fear of the Lord. And where we signally come short of the best Rules and Examples it is principally from our Neglect of those Supplyes of Grace which are tendred in the Promises Sect. 26 5 There is a Two-fold Gracious Power Necessary to render the Command for Holiness and Obedience thereunto easie and pleasant 1. That which is Habitually Resident in the Hearts and Souls of Believers whereby they are constantly enclined and disposed unto all Fruits of Holiness This the Scripture calls our Life a New Principle of Life without which we are dead in Trespasses and Sins Where this is not whatever Arguments you constrain and press men withall to be Holy you do as it were but offer violence unto them endeavouring to force them against the sixed Bent and Inclination of their Minds By them all you do but set up a Damme against a Stream of Waters which will not be Permanent nor turn the Course of the stream contrary to its natural Inclination Unto such the Cemmand for Holiness must needs be grievous and difficult But such a Disposition and Inclination or a Principle so inclining and disposing of us unto Duties of Holiness we have not in nor of our selves by Nature nor is it to be raised out of its Ruines For the carnal Mind which is in us all is Enmity against God which carrieth in it an Aversation unto every thing that is required of us in a way of Obedience as hath been proved at large And yet without this Habitual Principle we can never in a due Manner comply with any one Command of God that we should be Holy Want hereof is that which renders Obedience so grievous and Burdensome unto many They endure it for a Season and at length either violently or insensibly cast off its Yoke Light and Conviction have compelled them to take it on themselves and to attend unto the performance of those Duties which they dare not omit But having no Principle enabling or enclining them unto it all they doe though they do much and continue long therein is against the grain with them they find it difficult uneasie and wearisome Wherein they can be any Pretences countenance themselves in a Neglect of any part of it or Bribe their Consciences into a Complyance with what is contrary unto it they fail not to deliver themselves from their Burden And for the most part either insensibly by multiplyed Instances of the Neglect of Duties of Obedience or by some great Temptations before they leave the World they utterly leave all the Wayes of Holiness and Respect unto the Commands of God or if they continue any it is unto External Acts of Morality which pass with Approbation in the World the inward and spiritual part of Obedience they utterly Renounce The Reason hereof I say is because having no Principle within enabling them unto a Complyance with the Commands of God with Delight and Satisfaction they grow grievous and intolerable unto them So unto many on the same Ground the Worship of God is very burdensome unless it be borne for them by External Additions and Ornaments Sect. 27 2. There is an Actual Assistance of Effectual Grace required hereunto We are not put into that Condition by the Covenant as that we should be able to doe any thing of our selves without Actual Divine Assistance This were to set us free from our Dependance on God and to make us Gods unto our selves The Root still bears us and the Springs of our spiritual Life are in another And where both these are there the Command is Equal not onely in it self but unto us and Obedience unto it as easie as just Sect. 28 6 And both these sorts of Grace are Administred in the New Covenant suited unto the holy Obedience it requires 1. For the first it is that which God so frequently so expressely promiseth where he sayes that he will take away the Heart of Stone and give us an Heart of Flesh that he will write his Laws in our Hearts and put his Fear in our inward parts that we shall fear him and never depart from him that he will circumcise our Hearts to know and love him Which Promises and the Nature of the Grace contained in them I have before at large explained It is sufficient unto our present Purpose that in and by these Promises we are made partakers of the Divine Nature and are therein endowed with a constant Habitual Disposition and Inclination unto all Acts and Duties of Holiness For our Power followeth our Love and Inclinations as Impotency is a Consequent of their Deceit Sect. 29 And here we may stay a little to confirm our principal Assertion Upon the Supply of this Grace which gives both Strength for and a constant Inclination unto Holy Obedience the Command for it becomes equal and just meet and easie to be complyed withall For none can refuse a Complyance with it in any Instance but their so doing is contrary unto that Disposition and Inclination of the New Nature which God hath implanted in themselves So that in them to Sin
is a purging of Sin which consists in the Legal Expiation of it in making Attonement Heb. 1. 3. But the purging of a Sinner or of the Conscience is by Real Efficiency in Sanctification which is here declared to be one End of the Oblation of Christ. So where he is said to wash us from our Sins in his own Blood namely as shed and offered for us Rev. 1. 5. it is not only the Expiation of Guilt but the Purification of Filth that is intended Sect. 4 The Way and Manner how Holiness is Communicated unto us by vertue of the Death and Oblation of Christ I have shewed before at large and shall not therefore here again insist upon it I shall only observe that Holiness being one especial End for which Christ gave himself for us or Offered himself unto God for us without a Participation thereof it is impossible that we should have the least Evidence of an Interest in his Oblation as to any other End of it And as for those who are never made Holy Christ never dyed or Offered himself for them I cannot understand what Advantage it is unto Religion to affirm that the most of them for whom Christ dyed as a Priest or offered himself an Oblation to God shall have no Benefit thereby as to Grace or Glory and incomparably the most of them without any especial Fault of their own as never hearing of him Neither can I find in the Scripture a double Design of Christ in giving himself for Mankind towards some that they may be redeemed from all Iniquity and purified to be his peculiar Ones towards others that they may yet be left under the Guilt and Power of their Sins And it evacuates the force of the Motive unto the Necessity of Holiness from the Consideration of the Oblation of Christ where men are taught that Christ offered himself a Sacrifice for them who are never made Holy Wherefore I say no unholy person can have any certain Evidence that he hath an Interest in the Oblation of Christ seeing he gave himself to purifie them for whom he was Offered Sect. 5 The Intercession of Christ which is his second Sacerdotal Act hath also the same End and is Effectual to the same Purpose It is true he doth Intercede with God for the Pardon of Sin by vertue of his Oblation whence he is said to be our Advocate with God to comfort us in case of Surprizals by sin 1 John 1. 1 2. But this is not all he designeth therein He Intercedes also for Grace and supplyes of the Spirit that we may be made and kept Holy See John 17. 15 17. Sect. 6 Secondly As to the Prophetical Office of Christ the Church or Men alone are its immediate Object and of all the Acts and Duties of it He is therein Gods Legate and Ambassador his Apostle and Messenger unto us Whatever he doth as a Prophet he doth it with us and towards us in the Name of God And there are two Parts or Works of Christ in this Office relating onely to the Doctrine he taught 1 The Revelation of God in his Name and Love in the Mystery of his Grace and Goodness of Truth by his Promises that we may believe in him 2 The Revelation of God in his Will and Commands that we may obey him For the first wherein indeed his Prophetical Office was principally exercised see John 1. 18. Chap. 1. 2. John 17. 6. The Revelation of the Preceptive Will of God made by Jesus Christ may be considered two wayes 1. As he was peculiarly sent to the House of Israel the Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of the Promises of God unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. 2 With respect unto the whole Church of all Ages 1 The first which took up much of his personal Ministry in the Flesh consisted in the Declarations Exposition and Vindication that he gave unto the Church of Divine Precepts for Obedience which had been given before God had from the Beginning and in especial Manner at the Promulgation of the Law on Sinai and the ensuing Expositions of it by the Prophets given Excellent Precepts for Holiness and Obedience But the People unto whom they were given being carnal they were not able to bear the spiritual Light and Sence of them which was therefore greatly Veyled under the Old Testament Not only the Promises but the Precepts also of the Law were then but obscurely apprehended Besides the Church being grown corrupted there were solemn Expositions of Gods Commands received amongst them whose sole Design was to accommodate them unto the Lusts and Sins of men or to exempt men if not totally yet in many Instances from an Obligation unto Obedience to them Our Blessed Saviour applyes himself in the Discharge of his Prophetical Office with respect unto the End of the Command which is our Holy Obedience unto both these in the Declaration of its Excellency and Efficacy Sect. 7 And first he declares the inward spiritual Nature of the Law with its respect unto the most secret Frames of our Hearts and Minds with the least Disorder or Irregularity of our Passions and Affections And then secondly he declares the true Sence of its Commands their Nature Signification and Extent vindicating them from all the corrupt and false Glosses which then passed current in the Church whereby there was an Abatement made of their Efficacy and an Indulgence granted unto the Lusts of Men. Thus they had by their Traditional Interpretation restrained the Sixth Commandment Thou shalt not Kill unto actual Murder and the Seventh Thou shalt not commit Adultery unto actual Vncleanness as some now would restrain the Second Commandment unto the Making of Images and Worshipping them excluding the primary Intent of the Precept restraining all Means and Manners of Worship unto Divine Institution How in his Doctrine he took off these Corruptions we may see Matth. 5. 21 22 27 28. Sect. 8 Thus he restored the Law to its pristine Crown as the Jews have a Tradition that it shall be done in the Dayes of the Messiah Herein did the Lord Christ place the Beginning of his Prophetical Office and Ministry Matth. 5. 6 7. He opened unveyled explained and vindicated the Preceptive part of the Will of God before Revealed to the End that by a Complyance therewith we should be Holy The full Revelation of the Mind and Will of God in the Perfection and Spirituality of the Command was reserved for Christ in the Discharge of his Office And he gave it unto us that we might have a perfect and compleat Rule of Holiness This therefore was the immediate End of this Work or Duty of the Office of Christ. And where we Answer it not we reject that great Prophet which God hath sent to which Excision is so severely threatned Sect. 9 2 The second part of this Office or the Discharge of it with respect unto the Church of all Ages which takes in the Ministry of the Apostles as
Mistakes about Ability to comply with Gods Commands 544 20 Abuse of the best Duties Possible 398 13 Abuse of spiritual Gifts 1 1 Abuse of Eternal Love devilish 525 14 Acquaintance with the Pollution of Sin necessary 394 11 Every Gracious Act of the Will wrought by the Holy Spirit 470 10 Difference between the Act of the Spirit in forming the Humane Nature of Christ and the Act of the Son in assuming it 133 12 To be acted by the Spirit what it is 468 11 How the Holy Prophets were Acted by the Spirit 104 10 All Actings of the Person of the Son of God towards the Humane Nature voluntary 129 6 Actings of the Holy Spirit not ascribed unto him exclusively 130 9 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 External Actings of one Divine Person towards another of what sort 46 5 All Actions internal and external to be tryed by the Word 412 3 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 All Acts of Natural Life from God 465 6 No Vital Acts under the Power of Death Spiritual 246 21 Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of Christ a Creating Act. 132 Two-fold Event of Mens falls into Actual Sins 291 292 7 8 Actual Sins how they spring from Original Sins 289 5 Actual supplyes of Grace necessary to the Mortification of Sin 486 23 Actual assistance of Grace necessary unto Obedience 548 27 Adam how he had the Spirit of God in the state of Innocency 76 14 Adam had many things revealed unto him 100 6 Adherence and Assimulation Effects of of Love 496 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Admiration an effect of love 514 26 Administration of Grace not equal at all times 547 24 Advantage and Priviledge in the Participation of the Gifts of the Spirit 83 7 Advantage of the New Testament in our Access to God 155 2 Advantage of Duties vitiated in their Performance 249 28 Great Advantage of spiritual Experience 342 Affections wrought upon and excited by Convictions 200 18 Affections fixed by Grace on spiritual things 201 18 Affections when renewed work sensibly 353 Affections how depraved how sanctified 285 57 Affections the Means of Convictions 294 13 Afflictions how they purge away sin 391 9 Afflictions how sanctified and made usefull ibid. Various Aggravations of the Defilement of Sin 379 Aggravations of sin in them who have received a Principle of Grace 549 29 All personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Alienation from the Life of God what it is 216 22 Alienation of the Minds of men from the Gospel on what Ground 233 54 Allusion unto Local Motion in sending of the Spirit whence taken 84 8 Angels Gods Host. 70 6 Ministry of Angels about the Body of Christ when dead 147 10 Anointing at the Inauguration of Governours what it signified 117 The Spirit of Antichrist what it is 41 17 An Anti-Spirit set up in Opposition to the Spirit of God 19 23 Apostasie of the Church in several Ages with respect unto the Persons of the Holy Trinity 24 27 Apostasie of Christian Churches in the Rejection of the Holy Spirit and his Work 25 27 Apostasie from beginnings of Conversion how brought on 300 24 Appellations or Titles of the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 34 9 Appearances of the Holy Spirit under visible Signs 52 15 Appearances of Persons in Divine Visions 108 14 All Apprehensions of Divine Operations to be tryed by the Rule of the Word 187 Apprehension of Eternal danger from the Law before Conversion 308 31 Application of the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin 371 1 Application to the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin and the Nature of it 387 388 389 s. 5. 400 405 Applications of the Death of Christ unto the subduing of Sin wherein it consists 494 495 36 Arguments in Prayer for the further Communications of the Spirit 359 4 Weak Arguments for Holiness prejudicial to it 498 2 Arguments to prove the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost 47 48 c. 8 Articulate Voyces in Divine Revelations how formed 106 12 Internal Assistance of the Spirit of God necessary to every Act of Obedience 465 5 Assumption the only immediate Act of the Person of the Son towards the Humane Nature 129 4 Assurance accompanying Divine Revelations 104 10 Assurance of Success and final preservation an Encouragement to Duties of Holiness 529 21 Assurance of the End an Encouragement unto the use of the Means 530 23 Attonement or Satisfaction not required of Sinners 331 13 False Wayes of making Attonement the Ground of all Superstition ibid. Vain Attempts for the Mortification of Sin 478 8 Auricular Confession an Invention to accommodate the Inclinations of all Flesh 380 Authority in giving the Spirit respects his Gifts and Grace 81 4 Authority of God gives Efficacy to the Word 259 13 Authority of God to be alwayes considered in his Commands 537 10 Sense of the Authority of God to be carried into all our Occasions 542 17 B. Baalam how a Prophet and how a Sorcerer 110 17 Baptized into the Name of the Holy Spirit as into the Father and Son 51 14 Baptisme of Christ the time of his being anointed unto his Prophetical Office 139 140 5 Baptism is not Regeneration 179 15 All that are duely Baptized are not Regenerate 180 16 Baptism how it expresseth our Sanctification 371 2 Baptism washeth not away Sin virtute Operis operati 380 Beauty of the Soul in its Conformity unto God 376 5 Beginning and Ending of the Gift of Prophesie 100 6 Beginnings of Holiness small like seed 340 4 Beginning of Good from our selves a Pelagian Fiction 467 9 Believers alone receive the Spirit in what sense 82 5 Believers much unacquainted with the Nature of Holiness and their own interest therein 327 10 Believers the only Subject of Sanctification 356 6 Benefit and use of the Word Preached 341 5 Benignity and Charity the great Resemblances of God 515 28 Blasphemy of the Jewes against the Name of Jesus 3 3 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 64 29 Blindness of may about the Nature of Sin 479 11 The Blood of Christ how it cleanseth from sin 384 3 The Blood of Christ that purgeth sin is the Blood of his sacrifice 385 4 Blood in Sacrifice both Offered and Sprinkled 385 4 The Blood of Christs Sacrifice alwayes in the same condition as to Efficacy 386 Boasting and Despondency prevented by the same Means 345 6 Bodily strength given by the Spirit of God 118 24 Bodily Absence of Christ how supplyed by the Holy Spirit 161 6 Body of Christ formed of the substance of the Blessed Virgin Reasons thereof 132 The Body how depraved by Sin 366 The Body how sanctified 368 Bounty expressed in pouring forth the Spirit 87 13 The Spirit how called the Breath of Gods Mouth 39 13 How God Breathed into
114 20 Matter of Holiness wherein it consists 411 3 Means assigned in the Wisdom of God for the Recovery of fallen Man 8 9 Due Means to be sued in coming to the knowledge of Christ. 151 14 False Means rejected ibid. Means of Regeneration various 177 10 Vse of Means towards Persons unregenerate 244 16 Measures of the Gift of the Holy Spirit 95 21 The Spirit not given by Measure to Christ. 140 Mediation of Christ the only procuring Cause of Holiness 444 49 Christ a Mediator in what sence 451 62 Mediation of Christ confined unto his Offices 554 2 Merit inâ—â—nsistent with Grace 332 13 Merit destractive unto Holiness 505 14 Metaphors not to be faigned in the Scripture 57 21 Metaphor in the Expression of sending the Spirit 84 8 Meteors when created 72 8 Method of the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration 189 26 Method of the Gospel in declaring the Matters contained in it 235 58 Method of Divine Revelations to be believed 523 9 The Mind Depraved in things Natural and Moral 209 12 The Mind as the leading Faculty of the Soul how Corrupted 211 15 The Mind affected with Darkness 236 60 Carnal Mind in all Man-kind by Nature 243 14 Mind as the Conducting faculty of the Soul how Depraved 181 51 Mind to be renewed 367 Wofull Disorder of the Mind in a Natural Condition 567 2 Impotency of the Mind to receive spiritual Things 210 13 To be spiritually Minded what it is 424 18 Ministration of the Spirit renders the Gospel effectual 11 11 Ministration of the Spirit or how he is ministred 85 9 Ministers how called by the Holy Ghost 62 26 Ministers Duty to inquire into and declare the Nature of Regeneration 188 26 Ministry of the Gospel how the Ministry of the Spirit 122 3 Ministry of Angels about the Body of Christ when dead 147 10 Ministry of the Word its use in Conversion 257 9 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Miracles Effects of the Power of the Holy Ghost 114 21 No Mere Man the real Subject of a Power of working Miracles 115 21 Miraculous Operations in Christ by the Power of the Holy Ghost 141 6 Misery of Defiled Sinners 394 10 Misery of Man in this World not renewed by Grace 566 1 Moral Condition of Man by Creation 75 11 Moral Vertues and Endowments in Civil things wrought by the Holy Spirit 118 23 Moral Impotency of the Mind wherein it consists 225 41 Moral Vertue its worth and Excellency 325 326 8 Moral Vertue is not the Holiness of Truth 326 8 Moral Habits the Nature of them 416 8 Moral what is intended thereby 460 79 Name and Nature of Moral Vertue examined 459 78 Moral Operation and Efficacy of Dutyes for the Mortifying of sin 490 29 Moral Vertue what intended thereby 506 15 Morality improved by Grace no way hindred 181 17 Morality or a Course of Moral Duties not Gospel Holiness 440 441 c. To mortifie sin what it signifies 474 3 Mortification of Sin the Nature of it explained 473 1 Mortification an alwayes present Duty 475 5 Mortification progressive 479 10 Moses the first who committed Divine Revelations to writing 113 19 No local Motion in the sending of the Spirit 84 8 Motives unto Religious Worship taken from what God is unto us 44 2 Motives unto the Purification of Sin 391 8 Example of Christ our great Motive unto Holiness 449 58 Principal Motive unto the Mortification of Sin what it is 489 19 Moving on the Face of the Waters 72 8 Mistake of sundry ancient Translations 30 3 Mystery of Holiness 326 9 Mystery of the Cleansing of Sin by the Blood of Christ. 399 Mystical Body prepared for Christ by the Holy Ghost 321 1 N. The Name Spirit with the several Significations of it in the Scripture considered 28 2 The Name Spirit how peculiar to the third Person in the Trinity 34 9 The Name of God denoting his Being and Authority proper to each Person in the Trinity 50 12 The Nature of God the Foundation of all Religion 43 2 Nature of Prophesie of Old 100 5 Humane Nature of Christ derived no Evil from the Fall of Adam Reasons thereof 136 1 Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ in the Womb. 137 1 Divine Nature in Christ acted not as his Soul 137 2 The Divine Nature what it is 184 21 Nature of the Common Work of the Spirit explained what 198 13 Our whole Nature the subject of Sanctification 323 3 Nature of Holiness not to be comprehended by Natural Reason 326 9 Nature of Merit wherein it consists 332 13 Nature lapsed and depraved not able to repair it self 335 14 Nature of Decayes in Holiness 353 Nature created in the Image of God 365 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 True Nature of spiritual Liberty 434 34 Nature of God the onely infinite Fountain of Holiness 451 63 Holy Nature of God the Original Reason of the Necessity of Holiness in us 499 3 The Nature of that Holiness which God requireth of us revealed in Christ. 502 7 Some things clear in the Light of Nature 560 13 The Natural Man who he is 217 24 Natural Impotency of the Mind wherein it consists 225 40 Necessity of Changes in the Work of Grace 353 3 Necessity of Holiness acknowledged by all 498 1 Necessity of Holiness notwithstanding Gods readiness to pardon sin 518 33 Necessity of Holiness arising from Gods Command 533 2. 553 37 Neglect of known Duty ruinous to the Life of Holiness 250 10 New Act of especial Grace required unto every particular Duty 430 28 New Creation how effected by the Holy Spirit 95 1 Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation greatly to be considered 121 1 New Creation the Work whereby God designed to glorifie himself principally in this World 126 8 New Creation how assigned unto the Father Son and Spirit dictinctly 126 9 New Creature what it is and wherein it consists 183 20 New Man what it is 367 New Nature wherein it consisteth 411 2 Nine sorts of spiritual Gifts 6 7 7 Nocturnal Visions and Dreams the same 107 13 Nothing to be done in Obedience without Aids from Christ. 466 8 Nourishing of the Creation the Work of the Holy Spirit 73 9 O. Obedience of Christ gave Efficacy to his Oblation 144 Obedience without Merit Foolishness to Carnal Reason 334 13 Obedience with respect unto Rewards and Punishments not servile 541 15 Object of Christs Priestly Acts God himself 555 3 Objects of the Life of Innocency and the Life of Grace in Christ different 242 10 Objects of Creating Acts not in potentia before their Existence 273 37 Objections against the Progressive Nature of Holiness answered 349 350 c. 10 Objections against the Necessity of Holiness from the Decree of Election removed 522 523 c. How the Lord Christ sanctified himself to be an Oblation or Sacrifice 143 9 Oblation of Christ
whence voluntary and meritorious 146 9 Obligation unto Holiness no less under the Gospel than under the Law 535 6 All Obstacles removed by effectual Grace 270 30 Obstinacy and Stubbornness of the Heart by Nature 277 45 Obstructions of the Growth of Holiness 350 10 Occasions of spiritual decays in Grace 354 How Christ Offered himself to God through the Eternal Spirit 143 8 Office of Witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ discharged by the Holy Spirit 149 13 One singular Spirit of God declared in the Scripture 33 8 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 Operations of the Spirit called the Spirit by a Metonymy 33 8 Divine Operations of all sorts ascribed to the Holy Spirit 59 24 All Divine Operations ascribed unto God absolutely 68 1 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ of two sorts 128 2 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ notwithstanding its personal Vnion with the Son 129 3 Operations of the Holy Spirit in Conversion suited unto the Powers of our Souls 270 31 Two-fold Operation of Christ as Three in One 162 Opening of the Heavens what it signifies 52 15 Opinions in the Primitive Church falsly fathered on spiritual Revelations 15 19 Opposition to the Spirit of God and his Works with the Grounds of it 21 25 Pretences of Opposition unto the Spirit of God examined 21 25 Oppositions against the Church suppressed by the Spirit of God 78 16 No Opposition between Gods Commands and his Grace 167 Vniversal Opposition between Sin and Grace 477 7 Order of Divine Dispensations dependeth on the Order of the subsistence of the Divine Persons 39 14 Order of subsistence of the Holy Spirit in the Blessed Trinity 66 33 Order of Operation depending on the Order of Subsistence not the Order of Promination ibid. Outward Order in the Church of no use without the Presence and Work of the Spirit 158 4 Order in Subsistence gives Order in Operation 162 Order of the Mind in its first Creation 212 15 Order of the Gospel inverted by Prejudices 235 58 Order of Precedency in the Acts of Sanctification 410 1 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Original of all things in their several kinds 73 9 Original of the Spirits Acting in all his Works towards the Church 89 15 Where Original Sin is denyed Regeneration cannot be effected 186 24 Original Order of our Souls wherein it consisted 568 6 Outward Manner and wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 P. Pains of Death how loosed towards Christ. 147 11 Vanity of Papal Inventions for the Purification of Sin 379 380 Partial departure of the Spirit from any 91 19 Partial Works deceitfull 369 Two Parts of the Life of God 423 16 Particular good End not sufficient to render a Duty Good or Holy 441 44 Peace with God preserved by Sanctification 323 3 How God sanctifieth us as the God of Peace ibid. Pelagius his Artifices 177 9 Doctrine of Pelagius 183 20 Pelagianism renewed 255 5 Pelagianisme reduced unto its Head 256 7 Difference between Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians 262 19 Pelagian Grace inconsistent with Prayer 265 24 Pelagius his Prayer 266 25 Pelagian Grace rejected 458 73 Pen-men of the Scripture whether all holy 111 18 Pen-men of the Scripture not left unto the use of their own Natural Abilities 114 20 Sinless Perfection not attainable in this Life 547 25 Persecution of Erring Persons vain and fruitless 19 20 23 Person of the Spirit and his Operations distinguished 33 8 Third Person in the Trinity whence called the Spirit 34 9 Person of the Father the Fountain of the Trinity 38 13 Some things not proper to a Person assigned to the Holy Ghost in what sence 48 9 The Person of the Holy Spirit not poured out but his Gifts and Graces 87 13 Every Divine Person Author of the same Work 68 1 The Person of Christ how the Fountain of all Grace 455 The whole Person of a Believer the subject of Sanctification 365 Divine Persons succeeded not to each other in their Operations 70 3 Manifestation of the distinction of Persons in the Divine Nature a great End in the Work of the New Creation 155 2 All Personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Personal Vnion or the Subsistence of both the Natures of Christ in one Person the necessary Consequent of Assumption 129 5 Personality of the Holy Spirit from John 14. 15 16. 60 61 25 Perswasive Efficacy of the Word Preached 258 12 Perswasion conferres no Strength 262 21 Perswasions enable not men to convert themselves 266 25 Perswasions of Perfection ruinous to Holiness 355 Pharisaical Confidence 397 12 Wise Philosophers of Old the greatest Despisers of the Gospel 221 222 Physical Operations of Grace proved 269 29 Pleas for Balaam answered 111 112 19 Pleas of Pelagians 263 21 Vain Pleas for the Power of Free-will in Opposition to the Aids of the Spirit 471 15 Pleas for Holiness by unholy persons uncomely and dangerous 498 2 Pleas for Moral Vertue examined 506 15 Pollution or spiritual Defilement in Sin 372 3 Pollution of Sin that property of it whereby it is opposed to the Holiness of God 374 4 Habitual Pollution inconsistent with any Holiness 378 Pouring forth of the Spirit 86 11 Pouring forth of the Spirit alwayes respects the times of the Gospel 87 12 Power ascribed unto the Holy Spirit 58 22 Powers and Operations of Secondary Causes to be owned 77 15 Power of the Mind with respect unto spiritual things examined 216 23 Power in the Mind by Nature to discern spiritual things 221 30 Power of spiritual Darkness 227 43 Power of Darkness in the Devil 228 45 Powers and Duties of the Mind 236 60 Power unto Obedience in the State of Innocency 241 8 Power in Natural men beyond what they do or will use 245 20 Power in the Faculties of Nature as Corrupted 250 29 Power of the Word to prevail on the Souls of Men whereon it depends 258 13 Spiritual Power in the Habit of Holiness 432 31 Commands of the Covenant respect the Power administred in the Covenant 432 30 Spiritual Power wherein it consists 432 31 No Power in Believers unto Duties of Holy Obedience without assistance of the Spirit 465 c. Power administred by Christ enabling us to be Holy 502 8 No Power given by one Covenant to fulfill the Commands of the other 544 20 All power unto Obedience from Grace 546 22 Two-fold power necessary unto Obedience 547 26 Practice of Moral Vertue not Gospel Holiness 459 77 Pravity of Sin with respect unto the Holiness of God Two-fold 377 6 Praying for the Spirit prescribed as our Duty 123 124 5 Difference between the Prayers of Wicked men and of Believers 164 6 Prayers of the Church prove Effectual Grace 265 24 Prayers for Grace and Holiness of what Nature 348 349 9 Prayer for the Holy Spirit in what sence 357 2
Prayers of Believers for the purification of Sin how influenced by the Spirit of God 384 3 Prayer for Light to discern the Nature of Sin necessary 395 Prayer how a Means of purging Sin 400 13 Prayer weakeneth Sin and how 492 32 Preaching of the Word by the Holy Spirit 119 27 Preaching of the Gospel provided for and disposed by the Holy Ghost 209 10 Precepts of the Law not clearly understood before the Coming of Christ. 557 6 Preeminence of our Nature wherein it consists 509 18 Prejudices against spiritual things from Darkness 232 53 Prejudices against the Mystery of the Gospel what they are and whence they arise 234 55 Work preparatory unto Conversion 192 3 Works of the Spirit preparatory for the New Creation 98 2 Preparatory Works for Conversion on men not preparatory Inclinations in them 251 30 Preparatory Work unto Conversion wherein it consists 256 6 Presence of Christ by his Spirit what it is and wherein it consists 159 Preservation of the Creation by Divine Providence 77 15 Preservation of Grace a glorious Work 348 9 None can preserve their own Grace 345 6 Pretences of Opposition unto the Spirit of God examined 21 25 Pretences of Moral Vertue unto Holiness disproved 462 False pretences unto Holiness 327 10 Prevalency of the Word whereon it depends 260 15 Pride the poyson of the Age. 527 16 Acts of Christs Priestly Office 555 3 Principle of spiritual Life antecedent unto Moral Reformation of Life 185 22 Principle of Obedience how wrought in us of God 276 42 Principle of spiritual Obedience how renewed in us 280 50 A Principle of Eternal Life in Holiness 329 12 Priciple of Holiness in it self 346 8 Principle of Sanctification or Habit of Grace wrought in Believers by the Holy Spirit the Nature of it 411 2 Principle of Holiness in what sence called an Habit. 416 9 Principle of Holiness described ibid. Principle of Holiness in Believers the same in kind in all Believers distinct in degrees 417 10 Where the Principle of Holiness is there will be the Fruits of it 421 Principle of Holiness enclineth the Heart unto Acts and Duties of Holiness universally 425 19 Principle Dispositions and Effects of Sin 476 6 All false Principles of Obedience will admit of Reserves for Sin 425 19 Priviledge of one man above another on the Account of Holiness 510 19 Spirit proceedeth from the Son 39 14 Procession of the Holy Spirit of what sort 88 89 14 15 Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son 89 15 Two-fold Natural and Voluntary ibid. Dignity of Professors wherein it consists 511 20 Progress made by the Lord Christ in the Exercise of his Humane Faculties 137 2 Mortification Progressive 479 10 Promise of the Holy Ghost unto whom it is made 10 10 Promise of the Spirit of God unto the Church rendred useless by some 23 26 Promise of the Spirit under the Gospel unto all Believers 123 4 Promise of Christs presence with his Church how accomplished 158 5 Promise of God when respected in a due manner 337 14 Promises and Exhortations how effectual 245 18 Promises how to be mixed with Faith 400 Especial Promises annexed unto especial Duties 552 35 Promises a great Encouragement unto Holiness 553 36 Proper Ends of the Knowledge of Christ Love and Conformity 152 16 All properties of the Divine Nature ascribed unto the Holy Spirit 66 32 The properties of God most gloriously represented in Christ. 501 6 Prophets of Baal who they were and why so called 14 17 A Prophet what the Name signifies 101 8 Prophets how they enquired into their own Prophecies 100 5 Tongues and Hands of the Prophets guided by the Holy Ghost 105 10 Prophets established in the Church all Holy 111 18 Prophecy the first eminent Gift of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament 99 5 Beginning and Ending of the Gift of Prophecy under the Old Testament 100 6 Prophecy in its Exercise Two-fold 101 8 General Nature of the Gift of Prophecy 102 9 Prophetical Office of Christ its Acts and Objects 556 6 Propositions of the Gospel to be believed of what Nature 524 12 Purgatory a great Engine for the Ruine of Souls 381 Faith how it purgeth the Soul 390 8 Purging of Sin commensurate unto the whole Work of Sanctification 378 To purifie our selves from all Sin our Duty 398 13 Purification the first of Sanctification 370 1 Means of Purification if duely used the Soul is kept from Defilement so as to be alwayes accepted with God 407 Purification the End of Christs Oblation 555 Legal Purifications Types of real Sanctification 371 2 Putting of Spirit on men and what is signified thereby 85 10 Q. Quakers mistakes and failures about Mortification 488 26 Quakers strangers unto true Mortification 489 26 Qualifications for the Receiving of Gospel Gifts unto Edification 359 Spiritual Quickening an Act of Almighty Power 279 49 The Queen of Heaven 71 6 R. Rage against the Spirit of God 24 26 Enthusiastical Raptures no Means of Conversion 186 25 Readiness unto Holy Obedience whence it proceedeth 435 36 Readiness in the Minds of Believers unto all Duties of Obedience 464 5 Real Work of Grace and Holiness in the Hearts of Believers 452 66 Reasons and Causes why the Mysteries of the Gospel are esteemed Folly 222 34 Reasons why the Growth of Holiness is hardly discerned 351 10 Corrupted Reason depraves the whole Mystery of the Gospel 325 8 Weakness of Humane Reason to instruct us unto Obedience 559 13 To Receive the Grace of God what it is 80 3 What is required to the Receiving spiritual things in a spiritual Manner 219 29 Receiving of the Spirit how Antecedent unto Faith 358 3 Rectitude of Mans Nature wherein it consisted 76 14 Reformation of Life is not Regeneration 181 17 Reformation of Life upon Convictions wherein it comes short of Holiness 201 19 Regeneration wrought under the Old Testament but not clearly as to its Nature 174 6 Regeneration not a Metaphorical Expression of Amendment of Life 175 Regeneration in the Nature of it clearly revealed in the Gospel 176 8 Regeneration as to the Kind of the Work the same in all that are Regenerate 177 10 Regeneration infallibly produceth Reformation of Life 182 19 Regeneration the only Means of Delivery from the state of Sin 254 3 Regeneration the Work of God not our own 285 57 Regenerate Persons alone have the Promise of the Spirit for their Sanctification 358 Rejection of Christ the the last fatal Fall of the Church of the Jewes 25 27 Relation of the Person of the Holy Spirit unto the Father and the Son 89 15 Relation the Ground of Communication 363 5 Reliance on the Blood of Christ for Cleansing an Act of Faith 389 No Relief by Christ for unholy Persons 564 21 Religious Worship is the due Application of our Souls unto God according to his own Manifestations of himself 44 3 Religious Obedience due to the Holy Spirit as unto the Father and Son
well as of the Father what followeth thereon 130 8 The Spirit how and when given by Christ. 157 3 The Holy Spirit supplyes the Bodily absence of Christ. 158 5 How the Spirit glorified Christ. 161 The Spirit that is born of the Spirit what it is 173 3 Holy Spirit worketh by Means ordinarily 187 25 Things of the Spirit of God what they are 218 26 Holy Spirit the immediate Author of Regeneration 254 4 The Holy Spirit the immediate Sanctifier of all Believers 337 15 The Holy Spirit promised with respect unto his Effects 357 2 The Spirit that is formed in Believers what it is 418 12 Holy Spirit the principal efficient Cause of the Mortification of Sin 481 15 c. Vse of Spiritual Gifts 2 1 Abuse of Spiritual Gifts ibid. Spiritual Gifts their Author Nature Vse and End 5 6 7 4 5 6 7. Spiritual Mercies all from the Holy Spirit 125 7 No spiritual Good in any one by Nature 166 10 Spiritual Troubles by some despised 197 10 Spiritual and Natural how opposed 217 25 Spiritual things Foolishness unto men of corrupt Affections 233 53 Spring of spiritual Life in God 246 22 Spiritual Life what it is and wherein it doth consist 246 23 Spiritual things how spiritually to be discerned 282 53 Spiritual Life wherein it consists 419 13 Spiritual things how they are to be taught 460 78 Spiritual Life and Natural compared in their Powers and Acts. 465 7 Work of the Spirit towards the Humane Nature of Christ in the State of the Dead 146 10 State of Regeneration the same in all 179 14 Strength by spiritual Aids from the Holy Spirit 383 Strength administred in each Covenant to fulfill its tearms 545 21 Stupidity in sinning 397 12 Variety of Style in the Holy Scripture whence it proceedeth 114 20 Moral Suasion not the onely Means of Conversion 256 257 c. 7 8 Submission to the Will of God how acted in the Sufferings of Christ. 145 Submission to the Will of God promoted by thoughts of Eternal Love 527 17 All Sufficiency unto Obedience from God none in our selves 467 9 Suitableness between the Mind and Duty from Grace onely 437 Sun Moon and Starres the Host of Heaven 71 6 Supererogation the Vanity thereof 333 13 Supernatural principle of holiness wrought by the Holy Ghost 414 5 Suppositions of a State of Grace may be abused 355 Surprizals with a Spirit of Prophecy 86 11 Symbolical Actions how enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 T. Teaching by the Holy Ghost 59 25 Advantages in the Teachings of Christ above all others 559 12 How the Spirit teacheth us to pray 349 9 Temptations how they hinder and how they further the Growth of Holiness 352 Tempting of the Spirit wherein it consists 63 28 Testimony of the Spirit unto Christ with its Efficacy 150 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Thankfulness for Cleansing from sinne 403 Three things required to render man meet to live to God 76 14 Things represented in Vision to the Prophets 108 14 Things against the Light of Nature not really enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 Three things required unto the Writing of the Scripture 113 20 Things supposed unto the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church 155 2 The same things ascribed unto the Holy Spirit and unto Men in what sence 168 9 Things in the Power of our own Wills required in order unto our Regeneration 193 4 Things of the Spirit of God what they are 218 26 Spiritual Things Foolishness unto men of corrupt Affections 233 53 Tongues and Hands of the Prophets guided by the Holy Ghost 105 10 Mistake of sundry ancient Translations 30 3 Doctrine of the Trinity the great Foundation of all Religion 45 4 The holy Trinity revealed in the New Creation 126 8 Troubles wherein we stand in need of Consolation of two sorts 360 Truth a Grace expressing the Image of God 517 31 Tryal of Prophets and Prophecy under the Old Testament two-fold 18 22 Two-fold State of all Mankind 205 2 Two-fold Work of the Spirit in Sanctification and Supplications answering each other 348 9 V. Vanity of all Pleas and Pretences against the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost 49 10 Vanity of the Mind what it is and wherein it consists 211 15 Vanity the Nature and Causes of it in the World 213 18 Vanity of Papal Inventions for the Purification of sin 379 380 Valuation of the Means of Cleansing from sin 403 14 Various Significations of the Name Spirit 30 31 32 33 2 3 4 5 6. Variety of Duties required unto the Mortification of Sin 490 28 All Vertue of the especial Operation of the Spirit of God 77 15 Moral Vertues and Endowments in Civil things wrought by the Holy Spirit 118 23 Moral Vertue is not the Holiness of Truth 326 8 Vertues to be imitated in Christ. 450 59 Name and Nature of Moral Vertue examined 459 78 Moral Vertue what intended thereby 506 15 View by Faith of the Blood of Christ as sacrificed and the Efficacy thereof 389 6 View of Sin under suffering usefull 392 View of the State of Nature necessary 393 10 Vindication of the true sence of the Law by Christ. 557 7 8 Vine and Branches their mutual Relation and In-being 456 70 No Violence or Force offered unto the Will by Grace 271 33 Prophetical Visions by the Representation of things to the outward senses 107 14 Visions and Representations of things of two sorts 108 14 What is required to render Visions Divine Revelations 109 14 No Vital Acts under the Power of Death spiritual 246 21 Vivification what it is 279 49 Divine Voluntary Actings constantly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 49 10 Articulate Voyces in Divine Revelations how formed 106 12 Unalterable Decree of God that no unholy Person shall be saved 521 4 Guilt of Unbelief notwithstanding Natural Impotency 273 37 Unclean the same with Vnholy 370 Things unclean by the Law why made so 375 Uncleansed sinners can never come to the Enjoyment of God 394 10 Uncleansed Sinners can have no Communion with Christ. 406 16 Unction of Christ unto his Prophetical Office 139 4 Understanding with all the proper Acts of it ascribed unto the Spirit 55 19 The Understanding the use of it and how it is depraved 212 16 Understanding corrupted as to the Object of its Acting 281 52 No unholy Person can ever enjoy God 505 13 Vanity of Unholy Persons pretending an Interest in the Mediation of Christ. 562 19 Unholy Persons how of all others they dishonour Jesus Christ. 563 20 Personal Union or the subsistence of both the Natures of Christ in one Person the necessary Consequent of Assumption 129 5 Union with Christ notwithstanding the Defilement of Sin how possible 406 16 Union with Christ by Vertue of the New Creature 407 Union with Christ wherein it consists 419 13 Union with Christ and the Nature thereof 453 66 Whether Union goe before Sanctification and in