Christ originally and aboue measure euen the fulnesse of the spirit Eph. 4. 7. Ioh. 1. 14. Psal 133. 2. but in vs in that measure which wee haue receiued from him according to that of the Apostle Eph. 4. 7. Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ and that of the Euangelist Ioh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs full of groce and trueth 16. and of his fulnesse haue all we receiued and grace for grace Finally this oyle of the spirit like that of Aarons was first powred vpon our head Iesus Christ and from him descended to vs as vpon the skirts of his cloathing or rather members of his body §. Sect. 5. That the spirit-doth not dwell in vs esscentially more then in other creatures Furthermore although the spirit of God doeth not essentially dwell in vs more then in all other creatures yet the elect and faithfull haue right vnto him aboue all others euen in respect of his essence and efficacy because he is ours by Gods free and gratious couenant wherein he hath promised that he will be our God and we shall be his people now Esa 59. 21. Eze. 11. 19. 36 26. 37. 14. he is ours in his sonne and by his holy spirit So in many places the Lord promiseth to giue vnto vs his holy spirit which is not onely to be vnderstood of the gifts and graces of the spirit but also of the vertue and efficacy of the spirit dwelling in vs and effectually working these graces in our hearts for so the Apostle saith that the Loue of God is shed abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs where hee sheweth that by Gods gift wee haue right not onely to the graces of the spirit but euen after a speciall manner to the spirit himselfe Besides where Christ is said to dwell in vs and to be vnited vnto vs by his spirit we are to vnderstand that the bond of this vnion is not onely bare qualities and gifts and graces of the spirit but euen the spirit it selfe which dwelling in Christ our head essentially is after an vnspeakeable and mysticall manner yet really and truely communicated vnto vs who are the members of his body In which respects though the spirit of God in regard of his essence be alike present to all creatures yet is he not saide to be giuen vnto them or to be their spirit because they haue no right vnto him by couenant as we haue nor any interest by Iesus Christ neither yet any efficacy operation nor influence of sauing grace from him in all which he is proper onely to the Elect. Moreouer by vertue of this donation and right the holy spirit becomming ours doeth worke in vs after a speciall and powerfull manner he is intimate familiar and in neare acquaintance with vs like inmates or coinhabitants comforting directing ruling strengthening and cherishing vs. In which respect we are saide to be his a Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. 2. Cor. 6. 16. houses and temples in which b Rom. 8. 9. 11 1. Cor. 3. 16. 2. Tim. 1. 14. he dwelleth Whereas contrariwise worldlings and infidels to all these purposes are meere strangers vnto him because they receiue him not but make their bodies habitations for vncleane spirits For so our Sauiour saith that the world cannot receiue this spirit of trueth because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee saith he to his Disciples and in them to all the faithfull knowe him for he dwelleth with you and Ioh. 4. 14. shall be in you Furthermore this holy spirit is giuen to the Elect and faithfull in a speciall manner not onely in the fruits and streames of his graces but also to be vnto them as the roote and fountaine from which they spring and flow and the authour worker preseruer and continuer of all grace and goodnesse in them according to that of our Sauiour Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him Ioh 7. 37. 38. shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vnto euerlasting life And againe If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth on me as the Scripture hath saide out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing water But this saith the Euangelist be spake of his spirit which they that beleeue on him should receiue for the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now the streames of Gods graces and the euerlasting springing fountaine from which they flow are diuers and to be distinguished the one being the cause and the other the effect the one the tree the other the fruite Finally to conclude this point although the spirit dwelleth in vs in respect of essence as in other creatures yet he doth after an especiall manner exercise his nature and shewe his presence by his vertue and efficacie more in the faithfull then in the whole earth in that he chooseth them for his owne peculiar people taketh full possession of them as of his owne right raigneth and ruleth in their hearts and consciences as in the chiefe seate of his Kingdome vniteth them vnto Christ their head purgeth and purifieth them from their sinne and corruption replenisheth them with all sanctifying and sauing grace defendeth preserueth and strengtheneth them from all enemies and from the inundation of all daungers by his almightie power and especiall prouidence watching ouer them And finally inlighteneth them in all trueth and guideth and directeth them in the way of holinesse and righteousnesse which leadeth to Gods kingdome And euen thus doth Sathan dwell in the children of vnbeliefe not by communicating his essence vnto them for then they should be no more men but incarnate diuels but by taking full possession of them as his owne vassels by infusing malice into their hearts and all maner of corruption and sinne into all the powers of their soules and bodies by setting vp his throne in them and ruling them with his power according to his owne pleasure 2. Tim. 2. 26. and making them to become his slaues to doe his will finally by leading and guiding them into all manner of wickednesse through his tentations and suggestions vntill at last he bringeth them together with himselfe vnto condemnation and vtter destruction in the fire of hell CHAP. IIII. The erroneous conceipt of the Papists who by the flesh vnderstand the body and the sensuall faculties onely §. Sect. 1. That the Papists propound vnto vs a friend to fight against in stead of our enemy HAuing shewed what our enemies in this spirituall warfare are we should now proceede to warfare are we should now proceede to discouer their nature and properties were it not that these enemies were by the diuell and the world disguised yea quite hid from our sight in secrete
calleth the body of death and by chastizing whipping whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth to suppresse or keepe vnder And although hee granteth that the Apostle heere vseth a borrowed speech from those who according to ancient custome fought for a maistery and saith that he did euill intreate and keepe vnder his body like those champions who either with their sistes or with bags of sand did beate and bruise their aduersarie till they were blacke and blewe yet he saith and onely saith it without any shewe of reason that it is very probable that Paul vsed to whip his owne body both because the Greeke word signifieth so much which is vtterly false and because this kind of punishment was vsuall among the ancients which also wee must take vpon his word seeing he neither alleadgeth nor in trueth is able to alleadge any authoritie for it His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the body are the Publicans smiting of his breast whereby hee shewed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sinnes some testimonies of Hierome which speake of fasting sackcloath and beating of the breast Gods approouing and commaunding the paying of voluntary vowes the which he childishly restraineth Numb 30. to fastings and other afflictions of the body and among the rest to whipping though there be no collour for it in the place which he alledgeth And finally he produceth the example of Iohn the Baptist whose garment was Cammels hayre his meate locusts his bed as he saith but proueth not the ground his house the desart All which reasons and examples being farre vnfitting the wit of such a subtill sophister and in trueth nothing to the purpose I will passe ouer supposing that the bare repeating of them is a sufficient confutation and that like abortiue birthes they will presently dye as soone as they come to light § Sect. 3. That the papistes in their purest doctrine vnderstand by the flesh our bodies the inferiour sensitiue faculties only And thus doe they as it were in their dreame or dotage by the flesh vnderstand the body alone but when they are most awake and in the best strength of their memory and vnderstanding they doe by the flesh vnderstand the inferiour parts of the soule the sensitiue faculties the appetite and imagination as they are corrupted which also according to the doctrine of the last councell of Trent they hold not to be sinne but onely the punishment of it though the Apostle maketh the flesh not onely to be the cause of all other sinne but also with a certaine emphasis calleth it sinne it Rom. 7. 17. selfe So on the other side by the spirit they vnderstand the superior part of the soule the reason vnderstanding and wil which they magnifie and extoll as though it were free in it selfe from al corruption the cause of all good a professed enemy to the flesh fighting against it continually with all the lusts thereof And thus Thomas Aquinas saith that the flesh is said to fight against the spirit in as much as the sensitiue appetite Aquin in Rom. 7. lect 3. tendeth to the contrary of that which reason desireth according to that of the Apostle Gal. 5. the flesh lusteth against the spirit So Lewis de Granada saith that there are in our soule two principall parts which of Diuines are called the superiour and inferiour parts And that in the superiour L. Grenâ—t de perfect amoâ—is Dei cap. 7. which is called the spirit and the minde is the will and vnderstanding which ruleth the will and is as it were it eye and guide In the inferiour is the sensitiue appetite with the imagination which also is the eye of the appetite of which it is moued and these parts he maketh to be as it were two common wealthes in man the one of beastes the other of Dulcis precator lib. 1. par 2. Cap. 19. Angels That he calleth else where the flesh concupiscence sensualitie or the sensitiue appetite whence all the perturbations of the minde doe arise as it is corrupt and made inordinate through sinne And in the same place hee compareth the superiour part to a wife of so great beautie nobilitie and wisedome as is possibly incident to that sex making the man happy who is married vnto her and the inferiour part he compareth to a seruant a witch and sorceresse vpon whose loue this man is so besotted that putting away his wife hee maketh himselfe a pray to his slaue c. §. Sect. 4. That the practise of popish mortification plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vnderstand the body onely their mortification being nothing else but a bodily exercise And this is their purest conceit concerning the flesh and the spirit which being wholly corrupt how great is the corruption For in their practise they manifestly shewe that by the flesh they vnderstand the body seeing for the mortification thereof they appoint onely bodily exercises which tend to the vexing tormenting and weakening thereof as penance pilgrimages watchings whippings rough cloathing hard lodging and such like supposing that they fight against the flesh when they make warre against their owne bodies by afflicting and punishing it Wherein that I may not seeme to slaunder them I will insert an history of Memor lib. 2 in tract de satisfact Cap. 1. monkish mortification as it is recorded by their famous S. Clematus in his Booke called the Ladder of Paradise and in the fifth staffe of his ladder Which story for the worthinesse of it is related by Lewis of Granada in his Booke intitled the memoriall of a Christian life as a perfect patterne of mortification and is most vnfaithfully translated into english by one Hopkins a Priest for the practise and exercise of the english Catholickes And not to alter his methode though most confused because it is well enough sorted and suited to the matter nor to tire the reader with viewing ouer euery particular in that heape of trash briefely he telleth vs that himselfe comming into a much admired monastery he saw among the Monkes in their practise of penitence such wonderfull things as the eye of the negligent hath not seene the eare of the slothfull hath not heard neither hath entred into the heart of the dull and sluggish To wit such things and wordes as might ouercome with violence even God himselfe and such fashions and endeauours as would speedily encline him to shewe mercy For saith he I sawe some of the penitents stand abroad in the open ayre watching there whole nights vntill the morning neuer mouing their feete out of the same place and when they were grieuously vexed with drowsinesse comming vpon them they offered force to nature and would not take any rest but reuiled themselues and with disgraces and contumelies offered against their owne persons they rowsed vp their spirits Others I sawe standing in prayer and hauing their handes bound
will hearken vnto them who can speake eloquently but that hee will satisfie the desires of them that feare him heare their cry and Psal 145. 18. 19 saue them and that hee will be nigh vnto them that call vpon Exod. 4. 10. 16. him in trueth Of which wee haue an example in Moses who though he were not cloquent but so slowe of speach that he needed to haue Aaron to be his spokesman and in stead of a mouth vnto him for the deliuery of his ambassage to Pharaoh and the people yet God gaue audience vnto his slowe and vnready suites rather then vnto Aaron who exceeded him in cloquence in so much that when Moses must pray in the behalfe of the people Aarons office was to stay vp his hands that hee might more fitly continue and perseuere in this holy exercise Againe to conceiue a prayer vpon euery occasion and to vtter it in a continued and eloquent phrase of speech is no assured signe that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs because it is neither proper to the faithfull nor commune to them all For an hypocrite may attaine vnto this abilitie yea euen excell in it by vertue of his naturall endowments memory eloquence and liberty of speech boldnesse and such like especially when as he hath had vertuous education and hath beene instructed in the doctrine of godlinesse and also trained vp in these Religious duties not onely by precepts but by the examples of the godly which he is able to imitate by helpe of these naturall endowments in the exercise of prayer as well as in the function of Preaching and ministery of the word And so likewise it is not commune to all the faithfull to haue this ability for there are many who haue a great measure of grace sight of sinne and sense of wants seruent desires strong faith who are so disabled through naturall imperfections want of memory boldnes or slownesse or vnreadines of speach that they are not able to performe this duty especially whē they are in the presence of others And this I write not to detract any thing from the excellency of their guifts who are able vpon all occasions to expresse the desires and prayers of their heart in good wordes and conuenient discourse of speach seeing this is a guift of God which not onely stirreth vp our owne deuotion but is profitable also for the edification of others who can onely conceiue of holy desires as they are by vtterance made knowne of those that haue them but partly to giue vnto the prayer of the heart and soule a superiour excellency farre aboue the prayer of the lippes euen then also when it is without it partly that none should please themselues in it though they could rauish others with the admiration of their gifts if they be not as earnest deuoute and feruent in the desires of their hearts as they are able and eloquent in the prayers of their mouthes for of these in their greatest excellency it may be truely saide that they are in Gods estimate but meere lip-labour which will for reward drawe vpon vs that iust censure this people draweth neare vnto me with their lips when their hearts are farre from Esa 29. 13 me And partly yea especially for the comfort of all those who hauing holy desires through want of naturall parts haue no ability to vtter them seeing if such can but make their suites knowne vnto God by their sighes and grones it is an euidence vnto them that the spirit dwelleth in them who enableth them thus to pray and whose suites and supplications are sure to be heard and granted But yet we are not truely capable of this comfort if we doe not labour 1 Cor. 14. 1. after perfection striue to attaine vnto the best gifts much lesse if wee are disabled for the performance of these holy duties not through want of naturall guifts but of spirituall grace and through sloth and negligence which hindreth vs from imploying and vsing them Of which this is an euident signe when as wee haue libertie of speach and plenty of wordes to discourse readily and freely vpon all occasions of worldly and earthly things but are then onely tongue tied when we should speake vnto God and can finde no fit wordes to expresse our mindes in any sensible manner when as by prayer wee should make our suites knowne vnto him CHAP. XII How wee may knowe that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs by our sanctification and the qualities and gifts of holinesse infused into vs. § Sect. 1. The fift effect of the spirit is the worke of sanctification A Fift effect of the spirit whereby hee may bee knowne to dwell in vs is the worke of sanctification and the qualities of holinesse infused into vs which is so proper and peculiar to the spirit that none besides him can effect it For as impossible it is for any man to giue vnto himselfe this spirituall renewing as it was at first to be the cause of his owne being as vnable are wee to bee the causes of our regeneration as wee were to bee of our generation and therefore as the creature euidently proueth that it had a creatour and the childe that it had a father so alike certainly may we be assured by our renewing and regeneration that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs who hath beene the sole authour of this worke And thus our Sauiour ascribeth it to his holy spirit where he saith that vnlesse wee bee borne of water and the spirit wee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11 Rom. 1. 4. So the Apostle hauing tolde the Corinthians that they had beene notorious sinners saith that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of our God And hereof it is that he is called not onely the holy spirit but the spirit of holinesse the spirit of sanctification or the sanctifying spirit not onely because he is infinitely holy himselfe but also doth sanctifie and make vs holy who were in our selues corrupt and sinnefull The which sanctification he worketh by begetting a liuely faith in vs which purifieth our hearts and so applyeth vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby we are cleansed from our sinfull corruptions and quickened in the inner man to holinesse of life the which sanctification mortification and spirituall quickening alwayes beginneth at the heart minde will and affections and then afterwards sheweth it selfe in our outward actions And therefore whosoeuer finde this worke of sanctification thus begun in them they may bee assured that the spirit of God dwelleth in them § Sect. 2. Of the sixt effect of the spirit which is repentance and of the preparation there unto A sixt effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is like vnto the former namely vnfained repentance and amendment of life vnto which it maketh the same preparation that it doth for faith For first by the ministerie of the law the