Christ and members in particular and this calls aloud for love in the highest degree both towards God our Father and towards our Lord Jesus Christ and one towards another 3. The blood of Christ calls for it it being 3. The blood of Christ calls for it one special end for which it was shed to make up the blessed relation of Peace Unity and Love of Father Son and Saints Christ had never died such a cursed death had it not been to reconcile us to God to make up the breach between God and us to bring us in again to God that we might love God and live to him and to reconcile us one to another that we might love one another as brethren see both these Eph. 2. 13 to 16. Where our reconciling to God and one to another is both by the Cross and sufferings of Christ 4. The Prayer and Intercession of our 4. The prayer of Christ calls for it Lord Jesus calls for it he hath suffered for it and hath prayed for it John 17. 21 23. That they may all be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us c. Beloved friends shall our dear Lord command it sweat and suffer for it and pray for it and shall we set light by it and be negligent in so weighty a matter as this is that so much concerns the Name and Glory of Christ in the World that so much concerns our duty and our spiritual and eternal welfare 5. The souls of poor sinners call for it 5. The souls of sinners call for it the littleness of love to God appearing in the muchness of self-love and love to the World and littleness of love to Saints appearing by the divisions amongst them hardens sinners against the truth to their destruction when they see such divisions and breaches and so little love they speak evil of the way of truth and are hardened in the way of sin to their destruction Love among Christians and a lovely carriage towards all is the way to convince sinners that God is with his people and that they are in the truth Joh. 17. 23. Where Christ prayeth his Father that his people might be made perfect in one that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Love and Unity among the people of God would be a blessed means to convince the World of the truth of Christianity and to make them in love with Jesus Christ 6. Your own souls abundantly need it 6. Your own souls call for it and if sensible thereof would groan and cry out in the sense of the want thereof and be endeavouring an increase therein without it you can have no solid ground of Peace in your own souls 1 Joh. 4. 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love If ever you would be rightly rid of tormenting fear and have joy and peace in your souls it must come in in this way of love living much in the love of God in Christ Jesus will perfect your love to him and to his holy ones for his sake which will prove so high an evidence to your souls of the truth of Grace that it will cast out all fears and establish your hearts in believing your interest in and relation to the Lord Jesus so Faith working by love will be to you sound and solid peace no wonder that persons that have but little love have so little peace in their souls without it you can have no true fellowship with God nor one with another 7. The present time and state calls for it 7. The present time and state of the Church and dispensations of Gods calls for it for it is a time and state of division and breaches among the people of God in general one bends one way and another bends another way casting contempt and reproach upon each other as if they were enemies by reason of which the way of truth is evil spoken of and poor sinners are hardened and God and Christ is dishonoured and many gracious souls grieved and discouraged O that all who have any bowels of love in them at all would lay these things to heart and learn to love more then they would bear with and forbear each other in love then they would be content to let each other walk according to what they have received and not be offended at their diligent and humble enquiring after further light without bitterness and wrath and evil speakings O the general coldness and luke-warmness that hath befallen the Church at this day and all for want of love the earthly worldly mindedness and covetousness the streight-heartedness and streight-handedness the love of back and belly in pride and voluptuousnâ—ss and other abominations that do more than manifestly declare the great coming short in love truth of love would cure all and the present dispensations of God his frowns and corrections by his rod and the things he seems to be calling his people to bear and suffer for his name and sake which can never be rightly born and suffered but in the spirit and power of Evangelical love all which calls aloud to all gracious souls to learn to love more 8. Consider the sweetness and loveliness 8. It 's a sweet and lovely life of the life of Love 1. To God if you live up much with God in truth of love it will not only sweeten your souls to God and he will delight in you but your thoughts will be precious of him and his service will be sweet and precious to you His yoke will be easie and his burden will be light Otherwise his service will be burdensome and his work tiresome to the soul but truth of love to God sets the heart at liberty and carrieth the soul through the most difficult services with delight and this is the soul that God will meet with in the way and manifest himself unto John 14. 21. And 2. This is the true sweet and lovely life of Christians one with another Ps 133. 1 2. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity it is next to the Divine anointings of our Lord Jesus and indeed an effect thereof It 's like the precious ointment upon the head that run down upon the heard even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments Aaron was a type of Christ his anointings of Christ the running down of the ointment upon his beard and the skirts of his garment the coming down of the spirit of Christ upon his members which unites them to him in the same spirit and love and one to another by the same spirit so that the unity of Saints is next to our unity with Christ John 14. 20. and 17. 23. 9. It 's that Virtue which makes us most 9. It makes us most like God like God
to be of God and therefore God of the same Nature and is the Efficacious Effecting Power of the Father and the Son the Father is the Fountain and first Cause of all things it 's he of whom are all things the Son is the Medium or Arm by which it is effected for whose sake it was done and by whom it was done by whom are all things The holy Spirit is the Effecting Power accomplishing what he purposed in and by his Son as the Way hence the holy Spirit is called in Scripture The hand of God Job 26. 13. Psal 139. 5 10. Isa 50. 2. and 59. 1. The finger of God Exod. 8. 19. 31. 18. Deut. 9. 10. Luk. 11. 20. with Mat. 12. 28. The Power of God Luk. 1. 35. 24. 49. with Act. 1 8. The breath of God Ps 33. 6. Job 33. 4. And this is the Spirit of the Father and the Son and is Omnipotent Omniscient and Omnipresent this Spirit is in the Father and the Son and proceeds from the Father and the Son John 14. 16 17 26. 16. 7. and is the Convincing Converting Power of God the Teacher and Comforter of his People Whereas some say that the holy Spirit is The opinion that the holy Spirit is a Creature confuted a Creature a glorious Created Spirit and not God there is no ground in Scripture for such an imagination but its contrary to the Truth thereof The Reasons ordinarily rendred are 1. Because he is said in Scripture to be sent by the Father and the Son therefore subject to the Father and the Son and must be a Creature for greater is he that sends than he that is sent I answer He may be said to be sent of God and so is Christ the Son and to be subject to the Father and the Son yet one in the same Nature and Essence his being in Office and Work subject no whit derogates from his Divinity All the Actions of a man follows the Understanding and Will of which the Head and Heart is the seat yet the Hand works what the Head and Heart directs unto this argueth not that the hand is not essentially of the same body because subject to the head neither doth it argue inferiority though subjection in essence or substance but in office and work for every Member of the Body is of the same though every Member hath not the same Office and Work yet all are governed by the Head and Heart and shall be of the same in Glory to eternity I mind this low comparison which Reason can reach to illustrate this high and divine Myâ—â—ery by of Father Son and holy Spirit God may be and is said to be the Head 1 Cor. 11. 3. and 3. 23. and the Son may be said to be the Heart of God he thâ—◠〈◊〉 and is in the â—â—som of the Father John 1. 18. and came out from God Joh. 1â— 27 28. the holy Spirit the Hand by which the Head and Heart worketh and accomplisheth all as I minded before yet all three in unity of Nature Will and Work 2 Reason because it 's said he shall not speak of himself c. this shewes him not to be God Answ This is not spoken by Christ to declare the Spirit not to be God but to distinguish the Spirit of the Father and the Son from all false Spirits whether of Devils or Men that as the Father hath honored the Son and will have all men to honour the Son even as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 23. so it is the Office and Work of the Spirit not to speak of himself or of the Father either distinct and without the Son but to be opening the Mystery of the Father and the Son the good Will of the Father in the Son to shew Jesus Christ unto us because he is the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14. 6. If our Teaching be of the Spirit of Christ it opens Jesus Christ unto us and the Mystery of the Love of God in him the Pardon Peace the Life and Salvation which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received not the Spirit which is of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God but false Spirits speak of themselves and exalt themselves and in something or other designedly derogates from Christ and the Salvation that is by him In this Answer note these two things 1. In that he speaks not of himself but shews us the things of Jesus Christ things to come i. e. the Salvation to come that is to be obtained by our Lord Jesus Christ with eternal Glory it is so far from proving him not to be of God that it indeed proves him to be God and one in the same Work with the Father and the Son to exalt the Son as the Father hath And 2ly That he is in this by our Lord clearly discovered to us in way of distinction from all false Spirits who exalt themselves and not the Son of God and iâ— the special character or discovery of the difference between the Spirit of God in its Workings and the Spirit of the World the one exalts Christ our Lord and Saviour opens him and the Mysteries of Life by him the other leaves him out speaks of it self and exalts its self without him and this is indeed the Spirit which is not of God or of Christ what ever persons pretend unto in this false self-exalting and Christ-abasing Spirit 3 Reason Because the Spirit is said to hear to have a hearing property what he shall hear that he shall speak c. Answ 1. Hearing in it self is no argument to prove the Spirit not to be God for God in Scriprure is frequently said to hear Ps 65. 2. Jer. 8. 6. 2. Hearing in Scripture-sense imports Understanding Mat. 13. 13 14. so that by Hearing in that saying of Christ we are to understand is meant the Spirits Understanding and Knowledg of the depths of the Mysterys of Salvation that is by Jesus Christ and to be opening that to the Saints 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. 4. Because it is said that the Spirit maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God therefore not God Answ The word properly must be understood in us Rom. 8. 26 27. the scope of the matter explains its self the Spirit helpeth our infirmities this is the way of the Spirits intercession by helping our infirmities with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered rationally this must be in us and this sutes with the Scripture in this case Jude v. 20. praying in the holy Spirit so that the Spirits Intercession for us or in and by us is by helping our infirmities both in matter and manner according to the Will of God Zech. 12. 10. Christ our Mediator is our Intercessor for us and the holy Spirit is our Intercessor in and by us helping and assisting us to pray for such things as
that Man being the most excellent of the Terrestrial Creation God made all for his service first provided for him before he brought him into the world that so he might be furnished with all things convenient for Use and Pleasure for Honour and Dignity 3. The Matter of what God made Man 3 Of what God made man and that is expressed Genes 2. 7. And the Lord formed Man of the Ground and breathed into his Nâ—stâ—ls the Breath of Life Here is the whole Man Body and Soul his Boâ—y was made of the Dust of the Ground chap. 3. 19. In the Sweat of thy Face shalt thou eat Bread until thou return to the Ground for Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return Which as it abundantly It should teach man to be humblâ— and to aâ—mire his Creator declares the Wisdom and Power of the Former to form such a Piece for his Praise out of the Dust so likewise it should teach Man to be humble being made of so base a Matter as his Body was framed of and must return to it again of what should Dust be proud and why should Rational Men and Women nay Religious Men and Women paint out their dusty dunghil Bodies as they do and likewise to admire the Wisdom and Power of his Creator as the Prophet Psal 139. 14 15 16. 2. For his Soul that was more spiritual Of the Soul or Spirit of man it is said Gen. 2. 7. that God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and so more spiritual and excellent than the Souls of other Creatures else he could not have born the Image of God and hence it being the Breath or Spirit of Life before it was breathed into the Body it shall live when the Body is dead as for the Matter of the Soul or Spirit what it is in its Essence and Substance is too curious for any to pretend any further to determin but that there is the Soul or Spirit that dieth not Scripture doth determine Eccl. 12. 7. Matt. 10. 28. Luk. 23. 44. Act. 7. 59. Rev. 6. 9. the Soul or Spirit is rather to be demonstrated by its Properties and Faculties than by its Substance or Essence the several Properties of the Soul are the Understanding Will Affections Conscience Memory c. the Seat of the Soul though its operations appear in all the Body is principally in the Head and Heart the Head is principally the Seat of the Understanding and Memory the Heart of the Will Affections and Conscience It hath been a matter of School Dispute Whether the Soul comes by Generation or Inspiration whether the Soul since Adams Creation and Inspiration comes by Generation or Inspiration a matter I think not much material yet I shall give some probable discovery hereof from Scripture-Revelation and it seems most probable that Souls come by Generation as the Bodies do it is true the word Soul often in Scripture intends the whole man Body and Soul the Soul being the principle part of man the whole is included therein Gen. 12. 5. And Abraham took Sarah his Wife and Lot his Brothers Son and all their substance which they had gathered and the Souls that they had gotten in Haran chap. 46. 18. These are the Sons of Zilpha whom Laban gave to Leah his Daughter and these she bare unto Jacob even sixteen Souls v. 22. These were the Sons of Rachel which were born to Jacob all the Souls were fourteen Now this I understand that when the Soul is put for the whole Man that the Soul by which the whole is expressed may not be left out and not at all intended v. 26. All the Souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which came out of his Loins were seventy Souls c. Now if we may not rationally where the whole is expressed by the Soul leave out the Soul from being part of that which is by it expressed then it is evident that Souls come from the Loins of Parents as the Body doth so that I think that the Letter of Scripture in plainness determines this case and farther in a way of reason if it were not so Man should as other creatures procreate his like in the ordinary way of Generation by the Divine Ordinance and Power of the great Creator Here are two Objections to be answered Object 1. It s said Zech. 12. 1. Thaâ— God 〈◊〉 formeth the Spirit of Man within him therefore it comes not by Generation Answ It 's true God formeth the Spirit of Man and so he formeth the Body likewise in the Womb as he doth the Spirit yet that argues not that the Body cometh not in the ordinary way of Generation because God forms it for Generation is his Ordinance and leaves not out his forming Power and Wisdom in the Work Psal 139. 13 15 16. For thou hast possessed my Reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers Womb. And further it 's said Jer. 10. 16. That He is the Former of all things yet that argues not that those things come not in way of Generation Object 2. If it be so this will seem to destroy Obj. 2 the Immortality of the Soul for what comes from Man by Generation must die and return to the Dust c. Answ That will not necessarily hold true For we must understand this that the Soul of Man is not immortal by Nature for then it must be God there is nothing of it self immortal but God not the Spirits of Men no nor Angels Immortality both to Angels and Men is by Divine Ordinance and Power from the Immortal God for He onely it is that hath Immortality and makes whom and what He will to be Immortal So that this no whit derogates from the immortality of the Soul because that comes not from its own Nature but from the Ordinance of the Lord who hath designed to make the Body immortal too in his own time Quest How we are to distinguish in Bâ—dy Sâ—ul and Spirit Quest How are we to understand that distinction of the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 23. where he mentions Spirit Soul and Body Wherein lieth the distinction Answ Sometimes Soul intendeth the whole Man Body and Soul as hath been already proved sometimes the word Soul intends both Soul and Spirit onely Mat. 10. 28. sometimes the word Spirit intends both Soul and Spirit Zech. 12. 1 But when it is distinguished as in that Scripture before exprest and in some others likewise in the three-fold distinction I understand the Difference and Distinction to consist in this 1. As in all men the Spirit I understand to be that Reason Wisdom and Understanding Conscience Will and Affections wherein consisteth most especially the Image of God the most pure part of the Soul and this is that which is called the Spirit of Man in distinction from the Soul and this is in all men though exceedingly defaced by the Fall And in as much as there must be Animal Spirits Vigitation Sence Lustings Hunger
with a scab the crown of the head c. ver 18. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of the twinkling ornaments c. What they are you may see in that which followeth by which we may see that the Lords people hath alwaies been addicted too much to this sin and especially the female Sex and this we find at present by woful experience amongst professing people though contrary to the Word of God and the Spirit of Grace in the hearts of gracious ones 1 Tit. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 3 to 6. In both which Pride is forbidden and modest apparel with shamefac'dness and sobriety as becometh women professing Godliness is commanded and the truth is that this sort of Pride is a shame and a shameful sin to be found in the Church of Christ Luke 7. 25. They that wear gay cloathing are in Kings houses they should not be in Churches It 's the Whore of Babilon whose Beauty consists of such deckings Rev. 17. 4. It behoves the Churches to purge out this sin as an abomination and to be cloathed with humility which adorns the new Covenant lest the Lord cast them out as an abominable branch O if we could or would be every one striving who should be most like Christ and conformable to him as we are striving to be like the World how glorious would Christians be in their profession over now they are but now unhappy we whose care is to be like the World though thereby we are the more unlike our Lord and so dishonour him and wrong our own souls and that which adds to this sin is that Ministers who should cry aloud against these abominations either practice the same themselves or allow it in their Families and Relations are silent in the matter at best and others shameless enough plead for it and surely that is the Devils work no wonder then if it grow to a mighty torrent both of sin and judgment Some it may be preach it down in word but allow it in practice in themselves and Families as if they had a license to be licentious in this matter I have observed this evil in Parents that hath been bread plain themselves and it may be so continue but breed their children to pride and vanity as if they designed them to destruction and say it may be they cannot help it let such know that they ought to command their children and remember Ely in like case for his weak and soft dealing with his Sons 1 Sam. 2. 22 to 27 33. I have observed the Husband to go plain himself but the Wife arraied like a Stage-player and the vain man it may be is proud to see his Wife so fine or if not passeth all by in silence or complains that he cannot rule her she will have it so say what he will An argument that the man knows not how to rule and so draws the guilt of his Wives sin upon himself or that the Wife knows not her duty either to God or to her Husband and indeed those who have no conscience of duty to God it cannot be expected that they should have conscience of duty to man I would advise such women to read and seriously to consider Eph. 5. 24. 33. 4. A lofty carriage and conversation is a symptom of a proud heart Dan. 4. 37 Those that walk in Pride he is able to abase a proud walk a proud life discovers a proud heart 1 Joâ— 2. 16. One of the things that is of the World and not of the Father is pride of Life which is not of the Father but of the World O therefore let Christians leave it to the World and cleave to the Father and the things of the Father lest he strip and whip them from their grievous transgression in this matter 5. Contentions and divisions about needless and invented things is a sign of a proud heart when persons form up things to themselves which the Lord never required and make that a ground of division for self-ends such things as these being the cause of most of the divisions at this day it flows from self and pride Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride cometh contention but with the well-advised is Wisdom and 22. 10. Cast out the scorner and contention shall go out yea strife and reproach shall cease O the breaches and divisions the contentions and strifes which this monster pride hath produced both in Church and State the Lord give repentance or judgment must be the issue good Hezekah humbled himself for the pride of his heart c. and the wrath of the Lord was deferred 2 Chron. 32. 26. 4. Affliction may come upon the people of God for their living in the transgression of the known Ordinances of the Lord this is that for which God hath had and probably hath at this day a controversie with his people and for these things he hath doth and will visit them Ezek. 11. 19 20 21. Where the reason of Gods gathering his people from the Nations ver 17. and giving them one heart and putting his new spirit in them i. e. his new Covenant spirit is that they may walk in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances and do them c. but those whose hearts walk after their detestable things and their abominations I will recompence their own way upon theâ—r own heads saith the Lord Dan. 9. 8 11. Where the Prophet acknowledgeth that the cause of all the Churches afflictions and miseries was for sin and not obeying the voice of the Lord and walking in his Laws which he had set before them c. and it 's very likely that this is one cause of God's afflicting his people not only the things before-mentioned but the changing of the instituted Ordinances of Christ into mens own inventions so slighting his commands and his people for walking therein for transgressing of the Law of love to God to men to good men to bad men O the great failing in this matter the Law of Christ is that his people should not speak evil one of another nor back-bite one another Eph. 4. 31. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Jam. 4. 11. Nor to think evil one of another 1 Cor. 13. 5. Zec. 7. 10. Nor easily to believe evil reports against a brother Psal 15. 3. But what contrary walking to those blessed Laws of the Gospel in these and many other things I might name is found amongst us and that not by secret search the Lord knoweth and he will make us to know it or he will make us sick with smiting Or 5. It may be for his peoples unprofitableness under the mercy and means enjoyed for the loss of first love to God his Name and Truth to one another and this is it of which the Lord complains of his people and warns them to repent and dâ— their first works lest he come against them speedily and remove the Candlestick out of his place Rev. 2. 4. Jer. 2. 2 3 17. When the Lord feeds his people