our sin and folly when we are negligent herein All Believers are no doubt in some measure convinced hereof not only from the Testimonies given unto it in the Scripture but also from their own Experience And there is nothing in themselves which they may more distinctly learn it from than the Nature and Course of their Prayers with the workings of their Hearts Minds and Affections in them Let profane Persons deride it whilest they please it is the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Grace that enables Believers to pray and make Intercession according to the mind of God And herein as he is the Spirit of Supplications he copyeth out and expresseth what he worketh in them as the Spirit of Sanctification In teaching us to pray he teacheth us what and how he worketh in us And if we wisely consider his working in our Hearts by Prayer we may understand much of his working upon our Hearts by Grace It is said that he who searcheth the Hearts that is God himself knoweth the mind of the Spirit in the Intercessions he worketh in us Rom. 8. 27. There are secret powerfull Operations of the Spirit in Prayer that are discernible only to the great searcher of Hearts But we also ought to enquire and observe so far as we may what he leads us unto and guides us about which is plainly his work in us I do not think that the Spirit worketh Supplications in us by an immediate supernatural Divine Afflatus so as he inspired the Prophets of old who oft-times understood not the things uttered by themselves but enquired afterwards diligently into them But I do say let the proud carnal World despise it whilest they please and at their peril that the Spirit of God doth graciously in the Prayers of Believers carry out and act their Souls and Minds in Desires and Requests which for the matter of them are far above their natural Contrivances and Invention And he who hath not Experience hereof is a greater stranger unto these things than will at length be unto his Advantage By a diligent Observance hereof we may know of what kind and nature the work of the Holy Ghost in us is and how it is carryed on For how in general doth the Holy Spirit teach us and enable us to pray It is by these three things 1 By giving us a spiritual Insight into the Promises of God and the Grace of the Covenant whereby we know what to ask upon a spiritual view of the Mercy and Grace that God hath prepared for us 2 By acquainting us with and giving us an Experience of our wants with a deep sense of them such as we cannot bear without Relief 3 By Creating and stirring up desires in the new Creature for its own Preservation Encrease and Improvement And in Answer unto these things consisteth his whole work of Sanctification in us For it is his effectual Communication unto us of the Grace and Mercy prepared in the Promises of the Covenant through Jesus Christ hereby doth he supply our spiritual wants and sets the new Creature in Life and Vigour So are our Prayers an Extract and Copy of the Work of the Holy Spirit in us given us by himself And therefore by whomsoever he is despised as a Spirit of Supplication he is so as a Spirit of Sanctification also Now consider what it is that in your Prayers you most labour about Is it not that the Body the Power the whole Interest of Sin in you may be weakened subdued and at length destroyed Is it not that all the Graces of the Spirit may be renewed daily encreased and strengthened so as that you may be more ready and prepared for all Dutyes of Obedience And what is all this but that Holiness may be gradually Progressive in your Souls that it may be carryed on by new Supplyes and Additions of Grace untill it come to Perfection Sect. 10 It will be said perhaps by some that they find neither in themselves nor others by the best of their Observation that the Work of Sanctification is constantly Progressive or that Holiness doth so grow and thrive wherever it is in sincerity For as for themselves they have found Grace more vigorous active and flourishing in former dayes than of late the streams of it were fresher and stronger at the Spring of Conversion than since they find them to be in their Course Hence are those complaints among many of their Leanness their Weakness their Deadness their Barrenness Nor were many of the Saints in the Scripture without such Complaints And many may cry Oh that it were with us as in our former Dayes in the dayes of our youth Complaints of this nature do every where abound and some are ready to conclude upon this Consideration that either sincere Holiness is not so growing and progressive as is pretended or that indeed they have no interest therein Yea the like may be said upon a diligent Observation of others Churches and single Professors what Evidence do they give that the work of Holiness is thriving in them doth it not appear rather to be Retrograde and under a constant Decay I shall so far consider and remove this Objection as that the Truth which we have asserted suffer not from it and so be left as an empty Notion nor yet those altogether discouraged who come not up unto a full compliance with it And this I shall doe in the ensuing Rules and Observations 1 It is one thing what Grace or Holiness is suited unto in its own nature and what is the Ordinary or Regular way of the procedure of the Spirit in the work of Sanctification according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace Another what may occasionally fall out by Indisposition and Irregularity or any other obstructing Interposition in them in whom the work is wrought Under the first Consideration the Work is thriving and progressive in the latter the Rule is liable to sundry Exceptions A Child that hath a Principle of Life a good natural Constitution and suitable food will grow and thrive But that which hath Obstructions from within or Distempers and Diseases or Falls and Bruises may be weak and thriftless When we are Regenerate we are as New-born Babes and ordinarily if we have the sincere milk of the Word we shall grow thereby But if we our selves give way to Temptations Corruptions Negligences Conformity to the World is it any wonder if we are lifeless and thriftless It suffices to confirm the Truth of what we have asserted that every one in whom is a Principle of spiritual Life who is born of God in whom the work of Sanctification is begun if it be not gradually carryed on in him if he thrive not in Grace and Holiness if he go not from strength to strength it is ordinarily from his own sinfull Negligence and Indulgence unto carnal Lusts or Love of this present World Considering the time we have had and the Means we have enjoyed what grown
Degree as Universal Sincerity doth require But it may be yet said that indeed hereby he makes us Pure and prevents many future Defilements yet how is Soul freed from those it had contracted before this work upon it or those which it may and doth unavoidably afterwards fall into for as there is no man doth good and sinneth not so there is none who is not more or less defiled with Sin whilest they are in the Body here in this World The Apostle answereth this Objection or Enquiry 1 Joh. 1. 7 8 9. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But if Sin be in us we are defiled and how shall we be Cleansed God is just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness But how may this be done by what means may it be accomplished The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Sect. 3 2 It is therefore the Blood of Christ in the Second place which is the Meritorious procuring and so the Effective Cause that immediately purgeth us from our sins by an especial Application of it unto our Souls the Holy Ghost And there is not any Truth belonging unto the Mystery of the Gospel which is more plainly and evidently asserted as hath in part been made to appear before The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. He hath washed us from our sins in his own Blood Revel 1. 5. The Blood of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works that we may serve the Living God Heb. 9. 14. He gave himself for his Church that he might wash and cleanse it Ephes. 5. 26. To Purifie to himself a peculiar People Tit. 2. 14. Besides whatever is spoken in the whole Scripture concerning purifying the Unclean the Leprous the Defiled by Sacrifices or other Institutions of the Old Testament it is all Instructive in and Directive unto the Purifying Nature of the Blood of Christ from whence alone these Institutions had their Efficacy and the Vertue of it is promised under that Notion Zech. 13. 1. And this the Faith and Experience of all Believers doth confirm for they are no Imaginations of their own but what being built on the Truth and Promises of God yield sensible Spiritual Relief and Refreshment unto their Souls This they believe this they pray for and find the Fruits and Effects of it in themselves It may be some of them do not it may be few of them do comprehend distinctly the Way whereby and the Manner how the Blood of Christ so long since shed and offered should cleanse them now from their sins But the Thing it self they do believe as it is revealed and find the use of it in all wherein they have to do with God And I must say let Profane and Ignorant Persons whilest they please deride what they understand not nor are able to disprove that the Holy Spirit of God which leadeth Believers into all Truth and enableth them to pray according to the Mind and Will of God doth guide them in and by the working and Experience of Faith to pray for those things the depths of whose Mysteries they cannot comprehend And he who well studyeth the things which he is Taught of the Spirit to ask of God will find a Door opened into much spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge For let the World rage on in those Prayers which Believers are taught and enabled unto by the Holy Ghost helping of them as a Spirit of Supplications there are Two things inexpressible 1 The Inward Labouring and Spiritual Working of the Sanctified Heart and Affections towards God wherein consist those Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. God alone sees and knowes and understands the fervent Workings of the New Creature when acted by the Holy Ghost in Supplications And so it is added in the next words Vers. 27. An he who searcheth the Hearts knoweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the meaning of the Spirit what it savours and inclines unto It is not any distinct or separate Acting of the Spirit by himself that is intended but what and how he works in the Hearts of Believers as he is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication And this is known only unto him who is the Searcher of Hearts and as he is so And he knoweth what is the bent frame inclination and acting of the Inward Man in Prayer from the Power of the Spirit which they themselves in whom they are wrought do not fathom nor reach the Depth of This he doth in the Subject of Prayer the Hearts and Minds of Believers the Effects of his Operation in them are inexpressible 2 As to the Object of Prayer or things prayed for he doth in and by the Word so represent and exhibit the Truth Reality Subsistence Power and Efficacy of spiritual Mysterious things unto the Faith and Affections of Believers that they have a real and Experimental sence of do mix Faith with and are affected by those things now made nigh now realized unto them which it may be they are not able Doctrinally and distinctly to explain in their proper Notions And thus do we oft-times see Men low and weak in their Notional Apprehension of things yet in their Prayers led into Communion with God in the Highest and Holyest Mysteries of his Grace having an Experience of the Life and Power of the Things themselves in their own Hearts and Souls And hereby do their Faith Love Affiance and Adherence unto God act and Exercise themselves So is it with them in this matter of the actual present purifying of the Pollutions of sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ the Way whereof we shall now briefly enquire into Sect. 4 1. Therefore by the Blood of Christ herein is intended the Blood of his Sacrifice with the Power Vertue and Efficacy thereof And the Blood of a Sacrifice fell under a double Consideration 1 As it was offered unto God to make Attonement and Reconciliation 2 As it was sprinkled on other things for their Purging and Sanctification Part of the Blood in every Propitiatory Sacrifice was still to be sprinkled round about the Altar Levit. 1. 11. And in the Great Sacrifice of Expiation some of the Blood of the Bullock was to be sprinkled before the Mercy-seat seven time Levit. 16. 14. This our Apostle fully expresseth in a great and signal Instance Heb. 9. 19 20 21 22. For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the People according to the Law he took the Blood of Calves and of Goats with Water and Scarlet-wooll and Hyssop and sprinkled both the Book and all the People saying This is the Blood of the Testament which he hath enjoyned unto you and almost all things are by the Law purged with Blood Wherefore the Blood of Christ as it was the Blood of his Sacrifice hath these two Effects and falls under this double Consideration 1 As he offered himself by the
the Church until it was accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4 5 8. They would have been again embracing his humane Nature and rejoycing in it But as he said unto Mary touch me not John 20 17. to wean her from any carnal consideration of him so he instructs them all now to look after and trust unto the Promise of the Holy Ghost Hence is that of our Apostle though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5. 16. For although it was a great Priviledg to have known Christ in this World after the flesh yet it was much greater to enjoy him in the Dispensation of the Spirit And this was spoken by the Apostle as the Ancients judge to rebuke the boasting of some about their seeing the Lord in the Flesh who were thereon called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he directs unto a more excellent knowledg of him It is in vain pretended that it was the Apostles only and it may be some of the Primitive Christians who were concerned in this Promise For although the Holy Ghost was bestowed on them in a peculiar manner and for especial Ends yet the Promise in general belongs unto all Believers unto the End of the World For as to what concerns his Gracious Operations whatever the Lord Christ prayed for for them and so promised unto them as the Spirit was procured for them on his Prayer Joh. 17. 16 17. he prayed not for it for them alone but for them also which should believe on him through their word John 17. 20. And his Promise is to be with his always even unto the End of the World Math. 28. 20. As also that wherever two or three are gathered together in his Name there he would be in the midst of them Math. 18. 20 which he is no otherwise but by his Spirit For as for his Humane Nature the Heavens must receive him until the times of the Restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. And this one Consideration is sufficient to evince the importance of the Doctrine and things which concern the Holy Spirit For is it possible that any Christian should be so supinely negligent and careless so inconcerned in the Things whereon his Present Comforts and future Happiness do absolutely depend as not to think it his Duty to inquire with the greatest Care and Diligence into what our Lord Jesus Christ hath left unto us to supply his Absence and at length to bring us unto himself He by whom these things are despised hath neither Part nor Lot in Christ himself For if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. Sect. 11 Secondly The great work of the Holy Ghost in the Dispensation and Ministration of the Gospel unto all the Ends of it is another evidence unto the same Purpose Hence the Gospel it self is called the Ministration of the Spirit in opposition to that of the Law which is called the Ministration of the Letter and of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministry of the Spirit is either that Ministry which the Spirit makes effectual or that Ministry whereby the Spirit in his Gifts and Graces is communicated unto Men. And this is that which gives unto the Ministry of the Gospel both its Glory and its Efficacy Take away the Spirit from the Gospel and you render it a dead Letter and leave the New-Testament of no more use unto Christians than the Old-Testament is of unto the Jews It is therefore a mischievous imagination proceeding from Ignorance Blindness and Unbelief that there is no more in the Gospel but what is conteyned under any other Doctrine or Declaration of Truth that it is nothing but a Book for men to exercise their Reason in and upon and to improve the things of it by the same Faculty For this is to separate the Spirit or the Dispensation of the Spirit from it which is in Truth to destroy it And therewith is the Covenant of God rejected which is that his Word and Spirit shall go together Isa. 59. v. 20. 21. We shall therefore God assisting manifest in our Progress that the whole Ministry of the Gospel the whole Use and Efficacy of it do depend on that Ministration of the Spirit wherewith according to the Promise of God it is accompanied If therefore we have any concernment in or have ever received any benefit by the Gospel or the Ministration of it we have a signal Duty lying before us in the matter in hand Sect. 12 Thirdly There is not any Spiritual or Saving-Good from first to last communicated unto us or that we are from and by the Grace of God made Partakers of but it is revealed to us and bestowed on us by the Holy Ghost He who hath not an immediate and especial Work of the Spirit of God upon him and towards him did never receive any especial Love Grace or Mercy from God For how should he so do Whatever God works in us and upon us he doth it by his Spirit He therefore who hath no Work of the Spirit of God upon his heart did never receive either Mercy or Grace from God For God giveth them not but by his Spirit A disclamure therefore of any Work of the Spirit of God in us or upon us is a disclamure of all Interest in his Grace and Mercy And they may do well to consider it with whom the Work of the Spirit of God is a Reproach When they can tell us of any other way whereby a Man may be made Partaker of Mercy and Grace we will attend unto it in the mean time we shall prove from the Scripture this to be the way of God Sect. 13 Fourthly There is not any thing done in us or by us that is Holy and Acceptable unto God but it is an Effect of the Holy Spirit it is of his operation in us and by us Without him we can do nothing For without Christ we cannot Joh. 15. 5. And by him alone is the Grace of Christ communicated unto us and wrought in us By him we are Regenerated by him we are Sanctified by him are we Cleansed by him are we Assisted in and unto every Good Work Particular instances to this Purpose will be afterwards insisted on and proved And it is our unquestionable concernment to enquire into the Cause and Spring of all that is Good in us wherein also we shall have a true discovery of the Spring and Cause of all that is Evil without a competent knowledge of both which we can do nothing as we ought Sect. 14 Fiftly God lets us know that the only peculiarly remediless Sin and way of sinning under the Gospel is to sin in an especial manner against the Holy Ghost And this of it self is sufficient to convince us how needful it is for us to be well instructed in what concerns him For there is somewhat that doth so which is
the edification of the Church Ephes. 4. 10 11 12 13. The owning therefore and avowing the Work of the Holy Ghost in the Hearts and on the Minds of Men according to the Tenor of the Convenant of Grace is the principal part of that Profession which at this day all Believers are called unto Sect. 5 4. We are taught in an especial manner to pray that God would give his Holy Spirit unto us that through his Aid and Assistance we may live unto God in that Holy Obedience which he requires at our hands Luk. 11. 9 10 12 13. Our Saviour enjoyning an importunity in our Supplications v. 9 10. and giving us encouragement that we shall succeed in our Requests v. 11 12. makes the Subject Matter of them to be the Holy Spirit Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him v. 13. Which in the other Evangelists is good things Mat. 7. 11. because he is the Author of them all in us and to us Nor doth God bestow any good thing on us but by his Spirit Hence the Promise of bestowing the Spirit is accompanied with a Prescription of Duty unto us that we should ask him or pray for him which is included in every Promise where his sending giving or bestowing is mentioned He therefore is the great Subject Matter of all our Prayers And that signal Promise of our Blessed Saviour to send him as a Comforter to abide with us for ever is a Directory for the Prayers of the Church in all Generations Nor is there any Church in the World fallen under such a total Degeneracy but that in their Publick Offices there are Testimonies of their ancient Faith and Practice in praying for the coming of the Spirit unto them according to this Promise of Christ. And therefore our Apostle in all his most solemn Prayers for the Churches in his dayes makes this the chief Petition of them That God would give unto them and increase in them the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit with the Spirit himself for sundry especial Effects and Operations whereof they stood in need Ephes. 1. 17. Chap. 3. 16. Col. 2. 2. And this is a full conviction of what importance the Consideration of the Spirit of God and his Work is unto us We must deal in this Matter with that confidence which the Truth instructs us unto and therefore say That he who prayeth not constantly and diligently for the Spirit of God that he may be made partaker of him for the Ends for which he is promised is a Stranger from Christ and his Gospel This we are to attend unto as that whereon our Eternal Happiness doth depend God knows our State and Condition and we may better learn our Wants from his Prescription of what we ought to pray for than from our own Sense and Experience For we are in the Dark unto our own Spiritual Concerns through the Power of our Corruptions and Temptations and know not what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. But our Heavenly Father knows perfectly what we stand in need of And therefore whatever be our present Apprehensions concerning our selves which are to be examined by the Word our Prayers are to be regulated by what God hath enjoyned us to ask and what he hath promised for to bestow Sect. 6 5. What was before mentioned may here be called over again and farther improved yea it is necessary that so it should be This is the solemn Promise of Jesus Christ when he was to leave this World by Death And whereas he therein made and confirmed his Testament Heb. 9. 15 16 17 He bequeathed his Spirit as his great Legacy unto his Disciples And this he gave unto them as the great Pledg of their future Inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. which they were to live upon in this World All other good things he hath indeed bequeathed unto Believers as he speaks of Peace with God in particular Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you John 14. 27. But he gives particular Graces and Mercies for particular Ends and Purposes The Holy Spirit he bequeaths to supply his own Absence John 16. 17. that is for all the Ends of Spiritual and Eternal Life Let us therefore consider this Gift of the Spirit either formally under this Notion that he was the principal Legaoy left unto the Church by our dying Saviour or materially as to the Ends and Purposes for which he is so bequeathed and it will be evident what valuation we ought to have of Him and his Work How would some rejoice if they could possess any Relique of any thing that belonged unto our Saviour in the dayes of his Flesh though of no use or benefit unto them Yea how great a part of Men called Christians do boast in some pretended Parcels of the Tree whereon he suffered Love abused by Superstition lies at the bottom of this Vanity For they would embrace any thing left them by their dying Saviour But he left them no such things nor did ever bless and Sanctify them unto any holy or Sacred Ends. And therefore hath the abuse of them been punished with blindness and Idolatry But this is openly testified unto in the Gospel then when his Heart was overflowing with Love unto his Disciples and Care for them when he took an Holy Prospect of what would be their Condition their Work Duty and Temptations in the World and thereon made Provision of all that they could stand in need of he promiseth to leave and give unto them his Holy Spirit to abide with them for ever directing us to look unto Him for all our Comforts and Supplies According therefore unto our valuation and esteem of Him of our Satisfaction and Acquiescency in Him is our regard to the Love Care and Wisdom of our Blessed Saviour to be measured And indeed it is only in his Word and Spirit wherein we can either honour or despise him in this World In his own Person he is exalted at the Right Hand of God far above all Principalities and Powers So that nothing of ours can immediately reach him or affect him But it is in our regard to these that he makes a Tryal of our Faith Love and Obedience And it is a matter of Lamentation to consider the contempt and scorn that on various Pretences is cast upon this Holy Spirit and the Work whereunto he is sent by God the Father and by Jesus Christ. For there is included therein a contempt of them also Nor will a pretence of honouring God in their own way secure such Persons as shall contract the guilt of this Abomination For it is an Idol and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who doth not work effectually in the Elect by the Holy Ghost according to the Scriptures And 2. if we consider this Promise of the Spirit to be given unto us as to the Ends of it Then Sect. 7 6. He is promised and given as
Act and thereby determine it self in the choice of that which is good in believing and repenting then the Grace thus administred concurs with it helps and aids it in the perfecting of its Act so that the whole Work is of Grace So pleaded the Semi-Pelagians and so do others continue to do But all this while the way whereby Grace or the Spirit of God worketh this Illumination excites the Affections and Aids the Will is by Moral Perswasion only on real strength being communicated or infused but what the Will is at perfect liberty to make use of or to refuse at pleasure Now this in effect is no less than to overthrow the whole Grace of Jesus Christ and to render it useless For it ascribes unto Man the Honour of his Conversion his Will being the principal cause of it It makes a Man to beget himself a-new or to be born again of himself to make himself differ from others by that which he hath not in an especial manner received It takes away the Analogie that there is between the forming of the Natural Body of Christ in the Womb and the forming of his Mystical Body in Regeneration It makes the Act of living unto God by Faith and Obedience to be a meer Natural Act no Fruit of the Mediation or Purchase of Christ and allows the Spirit of God no more Power nor Efficacy in or towards our Regeneration than is in a Minister who preacheth the Word or in an Orator who eloquently and pathetically perswades to Vertue and dehorts from Vice And all these consequences it may be will be granted by some amongst us and allowed to be true to that pass are things come in the World through the confident pride and ignorance of Men. But not only it may be but plainly and directly the whole Gospel and Grace of Christ are renounced where they are admitted Sect. 24 This is not all that we pray for either for our selves or others when we beg effectual Grace for them or our selves There was no Argument that the Ancients more pressed the Pelagians withal than that the Grace which they acknowledged did not answer the Prayers of the Church or what we are taught in the Scripture to pray for We are to pray only for what God hath promised and for the communication of it unto us in that way whereby he will work it and effect it Now he is at a great indifferency in this Matter who only prayes that God would perswade him or others to believe and to obey to be converted or to convert himself The Church of God hath alwayes prayed that God would work these things in us and those who have a real concernment in them do pray continually that God would effectually work them in their Hearts They pray that he would convert them that he would create a clean heart and renew a right Spirit in them that he would give them Faâ—th for Christ's sake and increase it in them and that in all these things he would work in them by the exceeding greatness of his Power both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And there is not a Pelagian in the World who e're once prayed for Grace or gracious Assistance against Sin and Temptation with a sense of his want of it but that his Prayers contradicted his Profession To think that by all these Petitions with others innumerable dictated unto us in the Scripture and which a Spiritual Sense of our Wants will ingage into we desire nothing but only that God would perswade excite and stir us up to put forth a Power and Ability of our own in the performance of what we desire is contrary unto all Christian Experience Yea for a Man to lie praying with Importunity Earnestness and Fervency for that which is in his own Power and can never be effected but by his own Power is fond and ridiculous And they do but mock God who pray unto him to do that for them which they can do for themselves and which God cannot do for them but only when and as they do it for themselves Suppose a Man to have a Power in himself to believe and repent suppose these to be such Acts of his Will as God doth not indeed cannot by his Grace work in him but only perswade him thereunto and shew him sufficient Reason why he should so do to what purpose should this Man or with what congruity could he pray that God would give him Faith and Repentance This some of late as it seems wisely observing do begin to scoff at and reproach the Prayers of Christians For whereas in all their Supplications for Grace they lay the Foundation of them in an humble Acknowledgment of their own vileness and impotency unto any thing that is spiritually Good yea and a natural aversation from it and a sense of the Power and Working of the Remainder of in-dwelling Sin in them hereby exciting themselves unto that earnestness and importunity in their requests for Grace which their Condition makes necessary which hath been the constant practice of Christians since there was one in the World this is by them derided and exposed to contempt In the room therefore of such despised Prayers I shall supply them with an Ancient Form that is better suited unto their Principles The Preface unto it is Ille ad Deum digne elevat manus ille Orationem bonâ— Conscientiâ— effundit qui potest dicere The Prayer followeth Tu nosti Domine quam Sanctae Purae Mundae sint ab omni malitia iniquitate rapina quas ad te extendo manus â—â—uemadmodum justa munda labia ab omni mendacio libera quibus offero tibi Deprecationes ut mihi miserearis This Prayer Pelagius taught a Widow to make as it was objected unto him in the Diospolitan Synod that is at Lydia in Palestine cap. 6. only he taught her not to say that she had no deceit in her Heart as one among us doth wisely and humbly vaunt that he knoweth of none in his so every way perfect is the Man Only to ballance this of Pelagius I shall give these Men another Prayer but in the Margen not declaring whose it is lest they should censure him to the Gallows Whereas therefore it seems to be the Doctrine of some that we have no Grace from Christ but only that of the Gospel teaching us our Duty and proposing a Reward I know not what they have to pray for unless it be Riches Wealth and Preferments with those things that depend thereon Sect. 25 Fourthly This kind of the Operation of Grace where it is solitary that is where it is asserted exclusively to an internal Physical work of the Holy Spirit is not suited to effect and produce the Work of Regeneration or Conversion unto God in Persons who are really in that state of Nature which we have before described The most effectual Perswasions cannot prevail with such Men
needfull unto them The Spirit is promised as a Comforter unto Believers as engaged in the Profession of the Gospel and meeting with Conflicts inward and outward on the Account thereof The first Promise of the Holy Ghost as a Comforter was made to the Disciples when their Hearts were filled with sorrow on the departure of Christ and this is the Measure of all others John 16. 7. And this is evident both from the Nature of the thing it self and from all the Promises which are given concerning him to this End and Purpose And it will be wholly in vain at any time to apply spiritual Consolations unto any other sort of Persons All men who have any interest in Christian Religion when they fall into Troubles and Distresses be they of what sort they will are ready to enquire after the things that may relieve and refresh them And whereas there are many things in the Word suited unto the Relief and Consolation of the distressed they are apt to apply them unto themselves and others also are ready to comply with them in the same Charitable Office as they suppose But no true Spiritual Consolation was ever administred by the Word unto any but Exercised Believers however the Minds of men may be for the present a little relieved and their Affections refreshed by the things that are spoken unto them out of the Word For the Word is the Instrument of the Holy Ghost nor hath it any Efficacy but as he is pleased to use it and apply it And he useth it unto this End and unto no other as being promised as a Spirit of Consolation only to sanctified Believers And therefore when Persons fall under spiritual Convictions and Trouble of Mind or Conscience upon the Account of Sin and Guilt it is not our first work to tender Consolation unto them whereby many in that Condition are deluded but to lead them on to Believing that being justified by Faith they may have peace with God which is their proper Relief And in that state God is abundantly willing that they should receive strong Consolation even as many as fly for Refuge to the Hope that is set before them 4 The Spirit of God is promised and received as to Gifts for the Edification of the Church This is that which is intended Acts 2. 38 39. And his whole Work herein we shall consider in its proper place The Rule and Measure of the Communication of the Spirit for Regeneration is Election The Rule and Measure of the Communication of the Spirit for Sanctification is Regeneration And the Rule and Measure of his Communication as a Spirit of Consolation is Sanctification with the Afflictions Temptations and Troubles of them that are sanctified What then is the Rule and Measure of his Communication as a Spirit of Edification I answer Profession of the Truth of the Gospel and its Worship with a Call unto the benefiting of others 1 Cor. 12. 7. And here two Rules must be observed 1 That he carryes not his Gifts for Edification out of the Pale of the Church or Profession of the Truth and Worship of the Gospel 2 That he useth a Soveraign and not a Certain Rule in this Communication 1 Cor. 12. 11 13. so as that he is not wanting unto any true Professors in proportion to their Calls and Opportunities Sect. 4 2 ly Whereas the Spirit of Sanctification is promised only unto them that are Regenerate and do believe May we in our Prayers and Supplications for him plead those Qualifications as Arguments and Motives for the further Communications of him unto us Ans. 1. We cannot properly plead any Qualification in our selves as though God were Obliged with respect unto them to give a man encrease of Grace ex congruo much less ex condigno When we have done all we are unprofitable Servants As we begin so we must proceed with God meerly on the Account of Soveraign Grace 2. We may plead the Faithfulness and Righteousness of God as engaged in his Promises We ought to pray that he would not forsake the Work of his own hands that he who hath begun the good work in us would perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ that with respect unto his Covenant and Promises he would preserve that New Creature that Divine Nature which he hath formed and implanted in us 3. Upon a sense of the Weakness of any Grace we may humbly profess our sincerity therein and pray for its encrease So cryed the poor man with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Matth. 9. 24. And the Apostles in their Prayer Lord increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. owned the Faith they had and prayed for its encrease by fresh supplyes of the Holy Spirit Again 3 ly May Believers in Trouble pray for the Spirit of Consolation with respect unto their Troubles it being unto such that he is promised Ans. 1 They may do so directly and ought so to doe yea when they do it not it is a sign they turn aside unto broken Cisterns that will yield them no Relief 2 Troubles are of two sorts Spiritual and Temporal Spiritual Troubles are so either Subjectively such as are all inward Darknesses and Distresses on the Account of sin or 2 ly Objectively such are all Persecutions for the Name of Christ and the Gospel It is principally with respect unto these that the Spirit is promised as a Comforter and with regard unto them are we principally to pray for him as so promised 3 In those outward Troubles which are Common unto Believers with other men as the death of Relations Losses of Estate or Liberty they may and ought to pray for the Spirit as a Comforter that the Consolations of God administred by him may out-ballance their outward Troubles and keep up their hearts unto other Dutyes 4 ly May all Sincere Professors of the Gospel pray for the Spirit with respect unto his Gifts for the Edification of others seeing unto such he is promised for that End Ans. 1. They may do so but with the ensuing Limitations 1 They must do it with express Submission to the Sovereignty of the Spirit himself who divideth to every one as he will 2 With respect unto that Station and Condition wherein they are placed in the Church by the Providence and call of God Private persons have no warrant to pray for Ministerial Gifts such as should carry them out of their Stations without a Divine Direction going before them 3 That their End be good and right to use them in their respective places unto Edification So ought Parents and Masters of Families and all Members of Churches to pray for those Gifts of the Spirit whereby they may fill up the Dutyes of their Places and Relations From the Consideration of this Order of the Dispensation of the Spirit we may be directed how to pray for him which we are both commanded and encouraged to doe Luke 11. 13. For we are to pray for him with respect unto those
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
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
that is intended Sect. 9 And because this is a Matter of great Importance namely how the Lord Christ offered up himself unto God as a Sacrifice by the Eternal Spirit I shall farther explain it though but briefly Those who look only on the outward part of the Death of Christ can see nothing but suffering in it The Jews took him and they with the Souldiers both scourged and slew him hanging him on the Tree But the principal Consideration of it is his own offering himself a Sacrifice unto God as the great High Priest of the Church to make Atonement and Reconciliation for Sinners which was hid from the World by those outward Acts of Violence which were upon him And this he did by the Eternal Spirit wherein we may take notice of the ensuing Instances 1. He Sanctified Consecrated or Dedicated himself unto God for to be an Offering or Sacrifice John 17. 19. For their sakes that is the Elect I sanctifie my self The Lord Christ was before this perfectly sanctified as to all Inherent Holiness so that he could not speak of sanctifying himself afresh in that sense Neither was it the Consecration of himself unto his Office of a Priest For this was the Act of him who called him He glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto Him Thou art my Son Heb. 5. 6. He made him a Priest by his Death after the Power of an Endless Life Chap. 7. 16 20 21. Wherefore he consecrated himself to be a Sacrifice as the Beast to be Sacrificed of old was first devoted unto that purpose Therefore it is said that he thus Sanctified or Consecrated himself that we might be Sanctified Now we are Sanctified by the Offering of the Body of Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. This was his first Sacerdotal Acts. He dedicated himself to be an Offering to God And this he did through the Effectual Operation of the Eternal Spirit in him 2. He went voluntarily and of his own accord to the Garden which answered the Adduction or bringing of the Beast to be Sacrificed unto the Door of the Tabernacle according to the Law for there he did not only give up himself into the hands of those who were to shed his Blood but also actually entred upon the offering up of himself unto God in his Agony when he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Crying and Tears Heb. 5. 7. which declares not the Matter but the Manner of his Offering 3. In all that ensued all that followed hereon unto his giving up the Ghost he offered himself to God in and by those Actings of the Grace of the Holy Spirit in him which accompanied him to the last And these are diligently to be considered because on them depends the Efficacy of the Death of Christ as to Atonement and Merit as they were enhanced and rendred excellent by the Worth and Dignity of his Person For it is not the Death of Christ meerly as it was penal and undergone by the way of Suffering that is the Means of our Deliverance but the Obedience of Christ therein which consisted in his offering of himself through the Eternal Spirit unto God that gave efficacy and success unto it We may therefore enquire what were those Principal Graces of the Spirit which he acted in this offering of himself unto God And they were 1. Love to Man-kind and Compassion towards Sinners This the Holy Soul of the Lord Jesus was then in the highest and most inconceivable Exercise of This therefore is frequently expressed where mention is made of this Offering of Christ Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1. 5. Who loved us and washed us in his own Blood And Compassion is the first Grace required in an High Priest or Sacrificer Heb. 5. 2. God being now upon a Design of Love for it was in the pursuit of Eternal Love that Christ was sent into the World John 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 5 6. This Love that was now in its most inconceivable Advancement in the Heart of Christ was most grateful and acceptable unto him And this Intenseness of Love did also support the Mind of Christ under all his Sufferings as Jacob through the greatness of his Love unto Rachel made light of the seven years Service that he endured for her Gen. 29. 20. And so did the Lord Christ endure the Cross and despise the shame for the Joy of saving his Elect which was set before him Heb. 12. 2. And this was one Grace of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God 2. That which principally acted him in the Whole was his unspeakable Zeal for and Ardency of Affection unto the Glory of God These were the Coals which with a Vehement Flame as it were consumed the Sacrifice And there were two things that he aimed at with respect unto the Glory of God 1. The manifestation of his Righteousness Holiness and Severity against Sin His Design was to repair the Glory of God wherein it had seemed to suffer by sin Psal. 40. 6 7 8. and Heb. 10. 5 6 7. He came to do that with full desire of Soul expressed in those words Lo I come which Legal Sacrifices could not do namely to make satisfaction to the Justice of God for sin to be a propitiation to declare his Righteousness Rom. 3. 25. And this he doth as to the manner of it with inexpressible Ardency of Zeal and Affections v. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels he doubles the Expression of the Intenseness of his Mind hereon And therefore when he was to prepare himself in his last Passeover for his Suffering he expresseth the highest ingagement of Heart and Affections unto it Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer As with respect unto the same Work he had before exprest it I have a Baptism to be Baptized withal and how am I straitned or pained till it be accomplished Luke 12. 50. His Zeal to advance the Glory of God in the manifestation of his Righteousness and Holiness by the offering up himself as a Sin-Offering to make Atonement gave him no Rest and Ease until he was engaged in it whence it wrought unto the utmost 2. The Exercise of his Grace and Love This he knew was the way to open the Treasures of Grace and Love that they might be poured out on Sinners to the Everlasting Glory of God For this was the Design of God in the whole Rom. 3. 24 25 26. This Zeal and Affection unto the Glory of God's Righteousness Faithfulness and Grace which was wrought in the Heart of Christ by the Eternal Spirit was that wherein principally he offered up himself unto God 3. His Holy Submission and Obedience unto the Will of God which were now in the height of their Exercise and Grace advanced unto the utmost in them was another
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
promised that he will do himself in us towards us and upon us It is our Duty to believe that he will so do And to fancy an inconsistency between these things is to charge God foolishly 3. If there be an Opposition between these things it is either because the Nature of Man is not meet to be commanded or because it needs not to be assisted But that both these are false and vain Suppositions shall be afterwards declared The Holy Spirit so worketh in us as that he worketh by us and what He doth in us is done by us Our Duty it is to apply our selves unto his Commands according to the Conviction of our Minds and his Work it is to enable us to perform them 4. He that will indulge or can do so unto sloth and negligence in himself on the account of the promised working of the Spirit of Grace may look upon it as an evidence that he hath no interest or concern therein For he ordinarily giveth not out his Aids and Assistances anywhere but where he prepares the Soul with Diligence in Duty And whereas he acts us no otherwise but in and by the Faculties of our own Minds it is ridiculous and implies a Contradiction for a Man to say he will do nothing because the Spirit of God doth all For where he doth nothing the Spirit of God doth nothing unless it be meerly in the infusion of the first Habit or Principle of Grace whereof we shall treat afterwards 5. For Degrees of Grace and Holiness which are enquired after they are peculiar unto Believers Now these are furnished with an Ability and Power to attend unto and perform those Duties whereon the encrease of Grace and Holiness doth depend For although there is no Grace nor Degree of Grace or Holiness in Believers but what is wrought in them by the Spirit of God yet ordinarily and regularly the Increase and Growth of Grace and their thriving in Holiness and Righteousness depend upon the Use and Improvement of Grace received in a diligent Attendance unto all those Duties of Obedience which are required of us 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. And me-thinks it is the most unreasonable and sottish thing in the World for a Man to be slothful and negligent in attending unto those Duties which God requireth of him which all his Spiritual Growth depends upon which the eternal welfare of his Soul is concerned in on pretence of the efficacious Aids of the Spirit without which he can do nothing and which he neither hath nor can have whilst he doth nothing Sect. 8 Here lies the Ground and Foundation of our exercising Faith in particular towards him and of our acting of it in Supplications and Thanksgivings His participation of the Divine Nature is the formal Reason of our yeelding unto him Divine and Religious Worship in general but his acting towards us according to the Sovereignty of his own Will is the especial Reason of our particular Addresses unto him in the exercise of Grace for we are baptized into his Name also Sect. 9 Seventhly We may observe that in the Actings and Works of the Holy Spirit some things are distinctly and separately ascribed unto him although some things be of the same kind wrought by the Person in and by whom he Acts or he is said at the same time to do the same thing distinctly by himself and in and by others So John 15. 26 27. I will saith our Saviour send the Spirit of Truth and he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Witness of the Spirit unto Christ is proposed as distinct and separate from the witness given by the Apostles He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness And yet they also were enabled to give their witness by him alone So it is expresly declared Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Their witnessing unto Christ was the Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit upon them and the Effect of his Work in them And he himself gave no other Testimony but in and by them What then is the distinct Testimony that is ascribed unto him It must be somewhat that in or by whomsoever it was wrought it did of its own Nature discover its Relation unto him as his Work So it was in this Matter For it was no other but those Signs and Wonders or Miraculous Effects which he wrought in the confirmation of the Testimony given by the Apostles all which clearly evidenced their own Original So our Apostle Heb. 2. 4. The word was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God co-witnessing by Signs and Wonders He enabled the Apostles to bear witness unto Christ by their Preaching Sufferings Holiness and constant Testimony which they gave unto his Resurrection But in this he appeared not he evidenced not himself unto the World though he did so in and by them in whom he wrought But moreover he wrought such visible miraculous Works by them as evidenced themselves to be Effects of his Power and were his distinct Witness to Christ. So our Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God The Witness which our own Spirits do give unto our Adoption is the Work and Effect of the Holy Spirit in us If it were not it would be false and not confirmed by the Testimony of the Spirit himself who is the Spirit of Truth and none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. If he declare not our Sonship in us and to us we cannot know it How then doth he bear witness with our Spirits What is his distinct Testimony in this Matter It must be some such Act of his as evidenceth it self to be from him immediately unto them that are concerned in it that is those unto whom it is given What this is in particular and wherein it doth consist we shall afterwards enquire So Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come The Bride is the Church and she prayeth for the coming of Christ. This She doth by his Aid and Assistance who is the Spirit of Grace and Supplications And yet distinctly and separately the Spirit saith come that is he puts forth such earnest and fervent desires as have upon them an Impression of his immediate efficiency So v. 20. carrieth the sense of the place namely that it is Christ himself unto whom She sayes come or they pray for the hastning of his coming Or they say come unto others in their Invitation of them unto Christ as the end of v. 17. seems to apply it Then is it the Prayers and Preaching of the Church for the Conversion of Souls that is intended And with both the Spirit works eminently to make them effectual Or it may be in this place the Spirit is taken for the Spirit in the Guides and Leaders of the
by Nature with the Prejudices which possess our Minds and Affections which hinder us from Conversion unto God by this Circumcision they are taken away For by it the Body of the Sins of the Flesh is put off And how should the Heart resist the Work of Grace when that whereby it should resist is effectually taken away Sect. 42 Ezek. 36. 26. A new Heart also 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 To which may be added Jer. 24. 7. And I will give them an Heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my People and I will be their God so they shall return unto me with their whole Heart As also Isa. 44. 3 4 5. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and Floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing on thy Off-spring and they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the Water-courses One shall say I am the Lord 's So Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts I shall first enquire two things about these Concurrent Testimonies 1. Is it lawful for us is it our duty to pray that God would do and effect what he had promised to do and that both for our selves and others For our selves that the Work of our Conversion may be renewed carried on and consummated in the way and by the means whereby it was begun that so he who hath begun the good Work in us may perfect it to the Day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. For those who are Converted and Regenerated and are perswaded on good and infallible grounds that so they are may yet pray for those things which God promiseth to work in their first Conversion And this is because the same Work is to be preserved and carried on in them by the same Means the same Power the same Grace wherewith it was begun And the Reason is because this Work as it is meerly the Work of Conversion is immediately perfected and compleated as to the being of it yet as it is the beginning of a Work of Sanctification it is continually to be renewed and gone over again because of the remainder of Sin in us and the imperfection of our Grace For others that it may be both begun and finished in them And do we not in such Prayers desire That God would really powerfully effectually by the internal Efficiency of his Spirit take away all Hindrances Oppositions and Repugnancy in our Minds and Wills and actually collate upon us give unto us and work in us a new Principle of Obedience that we may assuredly love fear and trust in God alwayes Or do we only desire that God would so help us as to leave us absolutely undetermined whether we will make use of his help or no Did ever any pious Soul couch such an Intention in his Supplications He knows not how to pray who prayes not that God would by his own immediate Power work those things in him which he thus prayeth for And unto this Prayer also Grace effectual is antecedently required Wherefore I enquire Secondly Whether God doth really effect and work in any the things which he here promiseth that he will Work and Effect If he doth not where is his Truth and Faithfulness It is said that he doth so and will do so provided that Men do not refuse his tender of Grace nor resist his Operations but comply with them But this yeelds no relief Sect. 43 For 1. what is it not to refuse the Grace of Conversion but to comply with it Is it not to believe to obey to convert our selves so then God promiseth to Convert us on condition that we Convert our selves to work Faith in us on condition that we do believe and a new Heart on condition that we make our Hearts new our selves To this are all the Adversaries of the Grace of God brought by those Conditions which they feign of its Efficacy to preserve the Sovereignty of free-Will in our Conversion that is unto plain and open Contradictions which have been charged sufficiently upon them by others and from which they could never extricate themselves 2. Where God promiseth thus to work as these Testimonies do witness and doth not effectually do so it must be either because he cannot or because he will not if it be said that he doth it not because he will not then this is that which is ascribed unto God that he promiseth indeed to take away our stony Heart and to give us a new Heart with his Law written in it but he will not do so which is to overthrow his Faithfulness and to make him a lyar If they say it is because he cannot seeing that Men oppose and resist the Grace whereby he would work this Effect then where is the wisdom of promising to work that in us which he knew he could not effect without our compliance and which he knew that we would not comply withal But it will be said that God promiseth to work and effect these things but in such a way as he hath appointed that is by giving such supplies of Grace as may enable us thereunto which if we refuse to make use of the fault is meerly our own Answ. It is the things themselves that are promised and not such a communication of means to effect them as may produce them or may not as the consideration of the places will manifest whereof observe Sect. 44 1. The Subject spoken of in these Promises is the Heart And the Heart in the Scripture is taken for the whole rational Soul not absolutely but as all the Faculties of the Soul are one common Principle of all our Moral Operations Hence it hath such Properties assigned unto it as are peculiar to the Mind or Understanding as to see perceive to be wise and to understand and on the contrary to be blind and foolish sometimes such as belong properly to the Will and Affections as to Obey to Love to Fear to Trust in God Wherefore the Principle of all our Spiritual and Moral Operations is intended hereby Sect. 45 2. There is a Description of this Heart as it is us Antecedent unto the effectual working of the Grace of God in us It is said to be stony The heart of stone It is not absolutely that it is said so to be but with respect unto some certain End This End is declared to be our walking in the wayes of God or our fearing of him Wherefore our Hearts by Nature as unto living to God or his Fear are a stone or stony and who hath not Experience hereof from the Remainders of it still
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.
himself that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of Good Works Tit. 2. 14. For the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins 1 Joh. 1. 7. For he loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Rev. 1. 5. The Blood of Jesus Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. Respect I acknowledge in some of these places may be had unto the Expiation of the Guilt of sin by the Blood of Christ as offered in Sacrifice for so in himself he purged our sins Heb. 1. 3. But as they all suppose a Defilement in sin so the most of them respect its cleansing by the Application of the Vertue of the Blood of Christ unto our Souls and Consciences in our Sanctification And 3 moreover where Sanctification is enjoyned us as our Duty it is prescribed under this Notion of cleansing our selves from sin Wash you make you clean Isa. 1. 16. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Jer. 4. 14. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself 1 Joh. 3. 3. Psal. 119. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 20. and the like Expressions of this Duty occur in other places Sect. 2 4 Answerable unto these Promises and Precepts and in the Confirmation of them we have the Institution of the Ordinance of Baptisme the Outward way and Means of our Initiation into the Lord Christ and the Profession of the Gospel the great Representation of the Inward washing of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. Now this Baptisme in the First place expresseth the outward putting away the filth of the flesh by external washing with material water 1 Pet. 3. 21. And that which answers hereunto can be in nothing but the inward purifying of our Souls and Consciences by the Grace of the Spirit of God that is saith our Apostle the putting off the Body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2. 11. which contains the whole Defilement and Corruption of sin And this also was typed out unto us by all the Legal Purifications of Old Wherefore we shall do three things in the Explication of this first Branch of our Sanctification 1 Shew That there is a spiritual Pollution and Defilement in Sin 2 Declare What it is or wherein it doth consist And 3 Manifest how it is removed or washed away and Believers made Holy thereby Sect. 3 For the First it needs not much to be insisted on Our Minds and their Conceptions are in these things to be regulated by Divine Revelations and Expressions And in the whole Representation made unto us in the Scripture of the Nature of Sin of our Concernment therein of the Respect of God towards us on the Account thereof of the Way and Means whereby we may be delivered from it there is nothing so much inculcated as its being filthy abominable full of defilement and pollution which is set forth both in the plain Expressions and various Similitudes On the Account hereof is it said to be abhorred of God the abominable thing which his Soul hateth which he cannot behold which he cannot but hate and detest and is compared to Blood Wounds Sores Leprosie Scum loathsome Diseases With respect hereunto is it so frequently declared that we must be washed purged purified cleansed as in the Testimonyes before cited before we can be accepted with him or be brought to the Enjoyment of him And the work of the Spirit of Christ in the Application of his Blood unto us for the taking away of sin is compared to the Effects of Fire Water Sope Nitre every thing that hath a purifying cleansing Faculty in it These things so frequently occurr in the Scripture and Testimonies concerning them are so multiplyed that it is altogether needless to produce particular Instances This is evident and undenyable that the Scripture which regulates our Conceptions about Spiritual things expressly declares all sin to be uncleanness and every sinner to be defiled thereby and all unsanctified persons to be wholly unclean and how far these Expressions are Metaphorical or wherein the Metaphor doth consist must be afterwards declared Besides there is no Notion of Sin and Holiness whereof Believers have a more sensible spiritual Experience For although they may not or do not comprehend the Metaphysical Notion or Nature of this Pollution and Defilement of Sin yet they are sensible of the Effects it produceth in their Minds and Consciences They find That in sin which is attended with shame and self-Abhorrency and requires deep Abasement of Soul They discern in it or in themselves on the Account of it an unsuitableness unto the Holiness of God and an unfitness thereon for Communion with him Nothing do they more earnestly labour after in their Prayers and Supplications than a cleansing from it by the Blood of Christ nor are any Promises more precious unto them than those which express their Purification and purging from it For these are they which next unto their Interest in the Attonement made by the Sacrifice of Christ give them boldness in their approaches unto God So our Apostle fully expresseth it Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a New and Living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veyl that is to say his flesh and having an High Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water The Foundation of all our Confidence in our Access unto God the Right and Title we have to approach unto him is laid in the Blood of Christ the Sacrifice he offered the Attonement he made and the Remission of sins which he obtained thereby which Effect of it he declares v. 19. Having boldness by the Blood of Jesus The way of our Access is by pleading an Interest in his Death and Suffering whereby an Admission and Acceptance is consecrated for us v. 20. by a new and living way which he hath consecrated And our encouragement to make use of this Foundation and to engage in this Way is taken from his discharge of the Office of an High-Priest in our behalf And having an High Priest over the House of God let us draw near But besides all this when we come to an Actual Address unto God that we may make use of the Boldness given us in the full Assurance of Faith it is moreover required that our hearts be sprinkled and our bodyes washed that is that our whole Persons be purifyed from the Defilement of sin by the Sanctification of the Spirit And this Experience of Believers we cannot only oppose unto and plead against the stupidity of such
to the knowledge of that being satisfied with its Truth and that this is the only Way of Cleansing Sin appointed and blessed by God himself their Minds may be exercised about it and so be taken off from resting on those Vain Medicines and Remedies which having nothing else to fix upon their own Hearts and others blind Devotions would suggest unto them 5. But now the great Enquiry is How a sinfull Defiled Soul may come to have an interest in or be partaker of the purifying Vertue and Efficacy of the Blood of Christ Ans. 1 The purifying Vertue and Force of the Blood of Christ with the Administration of the Spirit for its Application to make it effectual unto our Souls and Consciences is proposed and exhibited unto us in the Promises of the Covenant 2 Pet. 1. 4. This all the Instances which need not be recited before produced do testifie unto 2 The only Way to be made partaker of the good things presented in the Promises is by Faith So Abraham is said to have received the Promises Heb. 11. 17. and so are we also and to receive Christ himself Now this is not from their being proposed unto us but from our Believing of that which is proposed as it is expressed of Abraham Rom. 4. 19 20 21. Chap. 10. 6 7 8 9. The whole use benefit and Advantage of the Promises depends absolutely on our mixing them with Faith as the Apostle declares Heb. 4. 1. Where they are mixed with Faith there they profit us there we really receive the thing promised Where they are not so mixed they are of no use but to aggravate our sins and Unbelief I know that by some men the whole Nature and Work of Faith is derided They say it is nothing but a strong fixing of the Imagination upon what is said However we know that if a man promise us any thing seriously and solemnly which is absolutely in his Power we trust unto his Word or believe him considering his Wisdom Honesty and Ability This we know is not a meer fixing of the Imagination but it is a real and usefull Confidence or Trust. And whereas God hath given unto us great and precious Promises and that under several Confirmations especially that of his Oath and Covenant if we do really believe their Accomplishment and that it shall be unto us according to his Word upon the Account of his Veracity Divine Power Righteousness and Holiness why shall this be esteemed a Fanatical fixing of the Imagination If it be so it was so in Abraham our Example Rom. 4. 19 20 21. But this Blasphemous Figment designed to the overthrow of the Way of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ shall be elsewhere more fully examined God as was said gives unto us great and precious Promises that by them we might be made partakers of the Divine Nature These Promises he requireth us to receive and to mix them with Faith that is trusting to and resting on his Divine Power and Veracity ascribing unto him thereby the Glory of them to believe that the things promised unto us shall be accomplished which is the Means by Gods Appointment whereby we shall be really made partakers of them Such was the Faith of Abraham so celebrated by our Apostle and such was all the true and saving Faith that ever was in the World from the Foundation of it Wherefore 3 This is the only Way and Means to obtain an Interest in the Cleansing Vertue of the Blood of Christ. God hath given this Power and Efficacy unto it by the Covenant In the Promise of the Gospel it is proposed and tendred unto us Faith in that Promise is that alone which gives us an Interest in it makes us partakers of it and renders it actually Effectual unto us whereby we are really Cleansed from sin 4 There are Two things which concurre unto the Efficacy of Faith to this Purpose 1. The Excellency of the Grace or Duty it self Despise their Ignorance who tell you this is but a deceitfull fixing of the Imagination for they know not what they say When men come to the real Practice of this Duty they will find what it is to discard all other Wayes and pretences of Cleansing what it is sincerely and really to give unto God against all Difficulties and Oppositions the Glory of his Power Faithfulness Goodness and Grace what it is to approve of the Wisdom and Love of God in finding out this Way for us and the Infiniteness of his Grace in providing it when we were lost and under the Curse and to be filled with an holy Admiration of him on that Account all which belong unto the Faith mentioned neither is it nor can it be acted in a due manner without them and when you understand these things you will not think it so strange that God should appoint this Way of Believing only as the Means to interest us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 2. Hereby are we as hath been shewn united unto Christ from whom alone is our Cleansing He that declares another Way must make another Gospel 6. Faith in this Case will act it self in and by fervent Prayer When David had by Sin brought himself into that Condition wherein he stood in need of a new universal Purification how earnest is he in his Supplications that God would again purge and cleanse him Psal. 51. And when any Soul is really coming over to the Way of God for his washing in the Blood of Christ he will not be more earnest and fervent in any Supplication than in this and herein and hereby doth Christ communicate of the purging Efficacy of his Blood unto us And these things may in some measure suffice for the Direction and Guidance of those who are yet wholly under the Pollution of Corrupted Nature how they may proceed to get themselves cleansed according to the Mind of God Not that this Order or Method is prescribed unto any only these are the Heads of those things which in one Degree or other are wrought in the Souls of them whom Christ will and doth Cleanse from their Sins Sect. 14 Secondly Instruction also may be hence taken for them concerning whom our Apostle sayes Such were you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9. Such as are freed from the generall Pollution of Nature by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Those I mean who have been made partakers of that cleansing purifying Work of the Holy Ghost which we have described several Duties are incumbent on them with respect hereunto As 1 Continual self-abasement in the Remembrance of that wofull defiled state and Condition from whence they have been delivered This Consideration is one of them which principally doth influence the Minds of Believers unto Humility and hideth Pride from them For what should Creatures of such
a base and defiled Extraction have to boast of in themselves It is usual I confess for Vile men of the most Contemptible Beginnings when they are greatly exalted in the World to out-goe others in Pride and Elation of Mind as they are behind them in the Advantages of Birth and Education But this is esteemed a vile thing amongst men and it is but one Potsheard of the Earth boasting it self against another But when Believers shall consider what was their vile and polluted Estate with respect unto God when first he had regard unto them it will cause them to walk humbly in a deep sence of it or I am sure it ought so to doe God calls his People to self-Abasement not only from what they are but from what they were and whence they came So he ordained that Confession to be made by him that offered the First-fruits of his Fields and Possessions A Syrian ready to perish was my Father or a Syrian that is Laban was ready to destroy my Father a poor helpless man that went from one Countrey to another for Bread How is it of Soveraign Mercy that I am now in this State and Condition of Plenty and Peace Deut. 16. 4 5. And in particular God wonderfully binds upon them the sence of that defiled Natural Extraction whereof we speak Ezek. 16. 3 4 5. And when David upon his great Sin and his Repentance took in all humbling self-abasing Considerations here he fixeth the Head of them Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me His Original natural defilement was that which in the First place influenced him into self-Abasement So our Apostle frequently calls the Saints to a Remembrance of their former Condition before they were purged Ephes. 2 11 12 13. 1 Cor. 6. 8 9. and therewith are the Minds of all true Believers greatly affected and greatly humbled When they consider what was their Natural State and Condition universally leprous and polluted with what Remainders of it do still abide it casts them on the Earth and causeth them to lay their mouths in the Dust. Hence proceed their great and deep Humiliations of themselves and Confessions of their own Vileness in their Prayers and Supplications Considering the Holiness of God with whom they have to doe unto whom they do approach they are no way able to express what low Thoughts and Apprehensions they have of themselves Even God himself doth teach them to use figurative Expressions whereby to declare their own Vileness by Nature which abound in the Scripture It is true all Declarations hereof in Prayer and Confession of Sin are derided and scorned by some who seem to understand nothing of these things yea to Glory that they do not Whatever is spoken to express as they are able to the deep sence any have of their Natural Defilement with the Remainder of it their shame and self-Abasement with respect unto the Holiness of God is reputed either as false and Hypocritical or that it containeth such things as for which men ought to be hanged such prodigious Impudence in proclaiming a sencelesness of the Holiness of God and of the Vileness of Sin have we lived to see and hear of But when we have to deal with God who puts no trust in his Servants and chargeth his Angels with Folly what shall we say What Lowliness becomes then who dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust and who are crushed before the Moth 2 That Initial Deliverance which Believers have from their Original Pollution of Sin is a Matter and Cause of everlasting Thankfulness When our Lord Jesus Christ cleansed the Ten Lepers he manifests how much it was their Duty to return unto him with their thankfull Acknowledgement though Nine of them failed therein Luke 17. 17. And when of Old any one was cleansed from a carnal Defilement there was an Offering enjoyned him to testifie his Gratitude And indeed the Consideration hereof is that which in an eminent manner influenceth the Minds of Believers in all their Gratefull Ascriptions of Glory Honour and Praise to Jesus Christ. To him say they who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Revel 1. 5 6. And there are three Things which concurr to this Duty 1 A due Valuation of the Causes and Means of our Purification namely the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ in the Sanctification of the Spirit As these alone have effected this great Work so they alone were able so to doe Had we not been washed in the Blood of Christ we must have lived and dyed in our Pollutions and have lain under them to Eternity For the Fire of Hell will never purge the Defilements of sin much less will the fictitious Fire of Purgatory cleanse any from them How ought we then to prize value and admire both the Vertue or Efficacy of the Blood of Christ and the Love from whence it was given for us and is applyed unto us And because this Valuation and Admiration are Acts of Faith the very Work it self also of cleansing our Souls is carryed on by them For by the Exercise of Faith do we continually derive Vertue from Christ to this purpose as the Woman did by touching of his Garment for the stopping of her Issue of Blood 2 Inward Joy and Satisfaction in our Freedom from that shame which deprived us of all Boldness and Confidence in God This Internal Joy belongs unto the Duty of Thankfulness For therein is God glorified when we are graciously sensible of the Effects of his Love and Kindness towards us Every Grace then glorifies God and expresseth our Thankfulness for his Love when a Soul finds it self really affected with a sence of its being washed from all its loathsome Defilements in the Blood of Christ and being thereby freed from discouraging oppressing shame to have Filial Boldness in the presence of God 3 Acknowledgment in a way of Actual Prayse Sect. 15 Again We have declared not only that there is in our Natural Frame and Spiritual Constitution a Discrepancy to the Holiness of God and consequently an universal Defilement but that there is from its Pravity and Disorder a Pollution attending every actual Sin whether internal of the Heart and Mind only or external in Sin perpetrated averse to Holiness and contrary to the carrying on of the Work of Sanctification in us And sundry things Believers whose Concernment alone this is may learn from hence also As 1 How they ought to Watch against Sin and all the Motions of it though never so secret They all of them defile the Conscience And it is an Evidence of a Gracious Soul to be watchfull against sin on this Account Convictions will make men wary where they are prevalent by continual Representations of the Danger and Punishment of sin And these are an allowable Motive to Believers themselves to abstain from it in all
known Instances The Consideration of the Terrour of the Lord the Use of the Threatnings both of the Law and Gospel declare this to be our Duty Neither let any say that this is servile fear that Denomination is taken from the frame of our Minds and not from the Object feared When men so fear as thereon to be discouraged and to encline unto a Relinquishment of God Duty and Hope that Fear is servile whatever be the Object of it And that Fear which keeps from Sin and excites the Soul to cleave more firmly to God be the Object of it what it will is no servile Fear but an holy Fear of due Reverence unto God and his Word But this is the most genuinely gracious fear of sin when we dread the defilement of it and that Contrariety which is in it to the Holiness of God This is a Natural Fruit of Faith and Love And this Consideration should alwayes greatly possess our Minds and the truth is if it do not so there is no assured Preservative against sin For together with an Apprehension of that spiritual Pollution wherewith sin is accompanyed Thoughts of the Holiness of God of the Care and Concernment of the sanctifying Spirit of the Blood of Christ will continually abide in our Minds which are all efficaciously preservative against Sin I think that there is no more forceable Argument unto Watchfulness against all sin unto Believers in the whole Book of God than that which is mannaged by our Apostle with especial respect unto one kind of sin but may in Proportion be extended unto all 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Chap. 6. 15 19. Moreover where this is not where the Soul hath no respect to the Defilement of sin but only considers how it may shift with the Guilt of it innumerable things will interpose partly arising from the abuse of Grace partly from Carnal Hopes and foolish Resolutions for after-times as will set it at Liberty from that watchfull Diligence in universal Obedience which is required of us The Truth is I do not believe that any one that is awed only with respect to the Guilt of sin and its Consequents doth keep up a firm Integrity with regard to inward and outward actings of his Heart and Life in all things But where the Fear of the Lord and of Sin is influenced by a deep Apprehension of the Holiness of the one and the Pollution that inseparably attends the other there is the Soul kept alwayes upon its best Guard and Defence 2 How we ought to walk humbly before the Lord all our Dayes Notwithstanding our utmost Watchfulness and Diligence against sin there is yet no man that liveth and sinneth not Those who pretend unto a Perfection here as they manifest themselves to be utterly ignorant of God and themselves and despise the Blood of Christ so for the most part they are left visibly and in the sight of men to confute their own Pride and Folly But to what purpose is it to hide our selves from our selves when we have to do with God God knows and our own Souls know that more or less we are defiled in all that we doe The best of our Works and Duties brought into the presence of the Holiness of God are but as filthy raggs And Man even every man of himself drinketh in Iniquity like water Our own Cloaths are ready to defile us every day Who can express the Motions of Lust that are in the Flesh the irregular actings of Affections in their inordinate risings up to their Objects the Folly of the Imaginations of our Hearts and Minds which as far as they are not Principled by Grace are only evil and that continually with the vanity of our Words yea with a mixture of much corrupt Communications all which are defiling and have Defilements attending of them I confess I know not that my Heart and Soul abhorrs any Eruption of the Diabolical pride of man like that whereby they reproach and scoff at the deepest Humiliations and self-Abasements which poor sinners can attain unto in their Prayers Confessions and Supplications Alas that our Nature should be capable of such a Contempt of the Holiness of God such an Ignorance of the infinite distance that is between him and us and be so senceless of our own Vileness and of the abominable Filth and Pollution that is in every Sin as not to tremble at the despising of the lowest Abasements of poor sinners before the Holy God Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by his Faith 3 How we ought continually to endeavour after the wasting of Sin in the Root and Principle of it There is a Root of sin in us which springs up and defiles us Every man is tempted that is chiefly and principally of his own Lust and seduced and then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin It is the Flesh that lusteth against the Spirit and which bringeth forth corrupted and corrupting polluted and polluting Fruits This Principle of Sin of Aversation from God of Inclination unto things Sensual and Present however wounded weakened dethroned impaired yet still abides in all Believers And it is the Foundation the Spring the Root the next Cause of all sin in us which tempts enticeth draws aside conceives and brings forth And this hath in us all more or less degrees of Strength Power and Activity according as it is more or less mortified by Grace and the Application of the Vertue of the Death of Christ unto our Souls And according to its strength and power so it abounds in bringing forth the defiled Acts of sin Whilest this retains any considerable Power in us it is to no purpose to set our selves meerly to watch against the Eruptions of Actual sins in the Frames of our Hearts in the Thoughts of our Minds or outward Actions If we would preserve our selves from multiplying our Defilements if we would continually be perfecting the Work of Holiness in the Fear of the Lord it is this we must set our selves against The Tree must be made good if we expect good Fruit and the evil Root must be digged up or evil Fruit will be brought forth That is our main Design should be to crucifie and destroy the Body of the sins of the flesh that is in us the Remainders of the Flesh or In-dwelling sin by the Wayes and Means which shall afterwards be declared 4 Hence also is manifest the Necessity we have of continual Applications to Jesus Christ for cleansing Vertue from his Spirit and the sprinkling of his Blood on our Consciences in the Efficacy of it to purge them from dead works We defile our selves every day and if we go not every day to the Fountain that is open for sin and for uncleanness we shall quickly be all over Leprous Our Consciences will be filled with dead Works so that we shall no way be able to serve the Living God unless they are daily purged out How
Prayes as he ought no man joyns in Prayer with another who prayes as he ought but these Petitions are a part of his Prayer Especially will they be so and ought they so to be when the Mind is peculiarly engaged in the Design of destroying sin And these Petitions or Requests are as far as they are gracious and effectual wrought in us by the Holy Ghost who therein maketh intercession for us according to the Will of God And hereby doth he carry on this work of the Mortification of sin for his Work it is He makes us to put up prevalent Requests unto God for such continual supplyes of Grace whereby it may be constantly kept under and at length destroyed And this is the first way whereby this Duty hath an Influence into Mortification namely Morally and by way of Impetration Sect. 32 Secondly This Duty hath a real Efficiency unto the same End It doth its self when rightly performed and duly attended unto mightily prevail unto the weakning and Destruction of sin For in and by fervent Prayer especially when it is designed unto this End the Habit Frame and Inclinations of the Soul unto universal Holiness with a Detestation of all sin are increased cherished and strengthened The soul of a Believer is never raised unto a higher Intension of spirit in the pursuit of love unto and delight in Holiness nor is more conformed unto it or cast into the mould of it than it is in Prayer And frequency in this Duty is a principal means to fix and consolidate the mind in the form and likeness of it And hence doe Believers oft-times continue in and come off from Prayer above all Impressions from sin as to Inclinations and Complyances Would such a frame alwayes continue how happy were we But abiding in the Duty is the best way of reaching out after it I say therefore that this Duty is really Efficient of the Mortification of sin because therein all the Graces whereby it is opposed and weakened are excited exercised and improved unto that End as also the Detestation and Abhorency of sin is increased in us And where this is not so there are some secret flaws in the Prayers of men which it will be their wisdom to find out and heal Sect. 33 Fourthly The Holy Spirit carrieth on this work by applying in an especial manner the death of Christ unto us for that end And this is another thing which because the World understandeth not it doth despise But yet in whomsoever the Death of Christ is not the death of sin he shall dye in his sins To evidence this Truth we may observe 1 in general That the Death of Christ hath an especial influence into the Mortification of sin without which it will not be Mortified This is plainly enough testified unto in the Scripture By his Cross that is his Death on the Cross We are crucified unto the world Gal. 6. 14. Our old man is crucified with him that the Body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6. 6. That is sin is Mortified in us by vertue of the Death of Christ 2 In the Death of Christ with respect unto sin there may be considedered 1. His Oblation of himself and 2. The Application thereof unto us By the first it is that our sins are expiated as unto their Guilt but from the latter it is that they are actually subdued as to their Power For it is by an Interest in and a participation of the Benefits of his Death which we call the Application of it unto us Hereon are we said to be buried with him and to rise with him whereof our Baptism is a pledge Rom. 6. 3 4. not in an outward Representation as some imagine of being dipped under the water and taken up again which were to make one sign the sign of another but in a powerful Participation of the vertue of the Death and Life of Christ in a death unto sin and newness of life in Holy Obedience which Baptisme is a pledge of as it is a token of our initiation and implanting into him So are we said to be baptized into his death or into the likeness of it that is into its power ver 3. 3 The old man is said to be crucified with Christ or sin to be Mortified by the Death of Christ as was in part before observed on two Accounts 1 Of Conformity Christ is the Head the Beginning or Idea of the New Creation The first born of every Creature Whatever God designeth unto us therein he first exemplified in Jesus Christ And we are predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. Hereof the Apostle gives us an express instance in the Resurrection Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15. 23. It is so in all things all that is wrought in us it is in resemblance and conformity unto Christ. Particularly we are by Grace planted into the likeness of his Death Rom. 6. 5. being made conformable unto his Death Phil. 3. 10. and so to be dead with Christ Col. 2. 20. Now this conformity is not in our Natural Death nor in our being put to death as he was for it is that which we are made partakers of in this Life and that in a way of Grace and Mercy But Christ died for sin for our sin which was the meritorious procuring cause thereof And he lived again by the Power of God A likeness and conformity hereunto God will work in all Believers There is by nature a Life of sin in them as hath been declared This Life must be destroyed sin must dye in us and we thereby become dead unto sin And as he rose again So are we to be quickened in and unto newness of life In this death of sin consists that Mortification which we treat about and without which we cannot be conformed unto Christ in his Death which we are designed unto And the same Spirit which wrought these things in Christ will in the pursuit of his Design work that which answers unto them in all his Members Sect. 34 2 In respect of Efficacy vertue goeth forth from the Death of Christ for the subduing and Destruction of sin It was not designed to be a dead unactive passive Example but it is accompanied with a Power conforming and changing us into its own likeness It is the Ordinance of God unto that End which he therefore gives efficacy unto It is by a fellowship or participation in his sufferings that we are made conformable to his Death Phil. 3. 10. this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an interest in the Benefit of his suffering we also are made partakers thereof This makes us conformable to his Death in the Death of sin in us The Death of Christ is designed to be the Death of sin let them who are dead in sin deride it whilest they please If Christ had not dyed sin had never dyed in any sinner unto Eternity Wherefore that
as we are capable of and which no man hath any discouragement from endeavouring to attain Sect. 8 4 There is in and by Christ declared and administred a spiritual Power of Grace which shall work this Holiness in us or that Conformity unto the Holiness of God which he doth require From this Fountain therefore we draw immediately as the Reasons of the Necessity so prevalent Motives unto Holiness in our Souls Hence some things may be inferenced As First That the Mediation of Christ and in particular his Satisfaction is so farre from being an Hinderance of or a Discouragement unto Holiness as some blasphemously pretend that the great fundamental Reason of it in us namely the Holiness of God himself can have no influence upon us without the supposition of it and Faith in it unless Faith be built hereon no sinner upon a view of Gods Holiness as absolutely considered can have any other thoughts but those of Cain My sin is great it cannot be pardoned God is an Holy God I cannot serve him and therefore will depart out of his presence But the Holiness of God as manifested in Jesus Christ including a supposition of Satisfaction made unto what is required by its absolute Purity and a condescention thereon to accept in him that Holiness of Truth and Sincerity which we are capable of doth equally maintain the indispensible necessity of it and encourage us unto it And we may see what contrary Conclusions will be made on these different Considerations of it Those who view it only in the first way can come to no other issue in their thoughts but that which they express in the Prophet Isa. 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings God fiery Holiness serves towards them unto no other End but to fill them with terror and despair But other Inferences are natural from the Consideration of the same Holiness in the latter way Our God saith the Apostle is a consuming fire what then what follows as our Duty thereon Let us have Grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with Reverence and Godly fear Heb. 12. 28 29. There is no such forcible Reason for no such powerful Motive unto our Adherence unto him in Holy Obedience Such different Conclusions will men make from these different Considerations of the Holiness of God when once they come to be serious and in good earnest about them Sect. 9 Secondly It follows from hence also that our Holiness under the New Covenant although it have the same general Nature and one principal End with that which was required in the Covenant of Works yet as it hath an especial Spring and Fountain which that had not and relates unto sundry Causes which the other had no concernment in so it is not of the same especial use therewith The immediate End and Use of that Holiness in us was to answer the Holiness of God absolutely as expressed in the Law whereon we should have been Justified This is now done for us by Christ alone and the Holiness which God requireth of us respects onely those Ends which God hath proposed unto us in Compliance with his own Holiness as he will Glorifie it in Jesus Christ which must be afterwards declared Secondly We may consider in what particular Instances the Force of this Argument is conveyed unto us or what are the especial Reasons why we ought to be Holy because God is so And they are three Sect. 10 1 Because herein consists all that Conformity unto God whereof in this World we are capable which is our Priviledge Preeminence Glory and Honour We were Originally Created in the Image and Likeness of God Herein consisted the Priviledge Preeminence Order and Blessedness of our first state and that for the Substance of it it was no other but our Holiness is by all confessed Wherefore without this Conformity unto God without the Impress of his Image and Likeness upon us we do not we cannot stand in that Relation unto God which was designed us in our Creation This we lost by the Entrance of sin And if there be not a way for us to acquire it again if we do not so we shall alwaies come short of the Glory of God and of the End of our Creation Now this is done in and by Holiness alone for therein consists the Renovation of the Image of God in us as our Apostle expressely declares Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. with Col. 3. 10. It is therefore to no purpose for any man to expect an Interest in God or any thing that will prove Eternally to his Advantage who doth not endeavour after Conformity unto him For such a man despiseth all the Glory that God designed unto himself in our Creation and all that was Eminent and peculiarly bestowed upon our selves Sect. 11 He therefore whose Design is not to be like unto God according to his Measure and the Capacity of a Creature alwayes misseth both of his End his Rule and his Way Our Saviour would have his Disciples to do all things so as that they may be the Children of their Heavenly Father Matth. 5. 45. that is like him representing him as Children do their Father And the truth is if this Necessity of Conformity unto God be once out of our View and Consideration we are easily turned aside by the meanest Temptation we meet withall In brief without that Likeness and Conformity unto God which consists in Holiness as we do under his Eye bear the Image of his great Adversary the Devil so we can have no especial Interest in him nor hath he any in us 2 The Force of the Argument ariseth from the Respect it bears unto our Actual Entercourse and Communion with God This we are called unto and this in all our Duties of Obedience we must endeavour to attain If there be not in them a real Entercourse between God and our Souls they are all but uncertain beatings of the Ayre When we are Accepted in them when God is Glorified by them then have we in them this Entercourse and Communion with God Now whereas God is Holy if we are not in our Measure holy according to his Mind this cannot be For God neither accepts of any Duties from unholy Persons nor is he glorified by them and therefore as unto these Ends doth he expreslely reject and condemn them It is a good Duty to Preach the Word But unto the Wicked God saith What hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest Instruction and castest my Words behind thee Psal. 50. 16 17. Seeing thou art unholy To pray is a good Duty But unto them that are not washed and made clean and put not away the evil of their Doings from before his Eyes saith God When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear Isa. 1. 15