be once stopt and a trade rightly carried on for eternity he will raise what storms he can and send out many pyrats either â—o surprize or draw it back again Many are the snares and temptations hinderances and impediments which the Saints do meet with in their way to heaven whereas hypocrits and formall professors go on in their course without opposition or difficulty But let none mistake as if hereby a pretence were ministred unto the laziness stoth and negligence of such as are in the right way certainly the zeal activity and diligence of those who are without shall stop thy mouth and make thee inexcusable in the great day if thou thus rest upon an orthodox profession and if thou be in Christ and art led by his Spirit (p) 1 Joh. 4.4 Stronger is he who is in thee then he who is in the world thou hast another kind of help and assistance for doing good then others O then let thy work be answerable If in any good motion we can discern one or moe of those wicked designs we may be jealous least Sathan have a hand in it and should guard against his devices which when espied may serve as so many marks and characters whereby we may know the print of his foot though he be disguised appearing in white rayment To which these few may be added 1. As to the matter If in prayer our desires be meerly or mainly selfish and natural Sathan may concur and blow up the coal of carnal heat within And thus there may be much enlargement of affections much fervency and importunity without the help of the Spirit as in that people Hos 7.14 when they assembled themselves and howled for corn wine Isa 26.16 and when they multiplied their prayers and sacrifices Isa 1.15 11. Esau may weep for want of an earthly blessing Gen. 27.34 though he undervalued and little minded the marrow of the blessing the love and favour of God But none can without the Spirit of God say with David one thing have I desired that will I seek after that I may behold the beauty of the Lord Ps 27.4 And with Asaph whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee Ps 73.25 Who is able seriously to pray for help to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand and to part with his darling lusts and affections unless he be acted and strengthned by the Spirit of God Who can with Agar say give me not riches least they proven snare Prov. 30.8 9. unlesse the Lord breath into his heart such a desire Sathan will not help thee to (q) Mat. 6.33 seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and in thy desires to prefer holiness to riches heaven to earth and Gods glory to thy own self-interest 2. As to the end Sathan may stir thee up to (r) Jam. 4.3 ask that thou mayest consume what thou gettest upon thy lusts but who doth desire any thing from God that he may be (s) Ps 35.27 magnified and that what he giveth may be employed for his honour unless he get help from heaven Only the Spirit of God can elevate our desires to so high and noble an (t) Of the ends of prayer Part. 2. ch 1. end and make us honestly obey the exhortation 1 Cor. 10.31 He who must do all must also pray to the glory of God and this of our selves we cannot do 3. As to the maner Sathan can stir us up to pour out absolute and peremptory desires for outward things and faint lazy moderate and submissive desires for grace Sathan makes us invert the right order and method he will not protest though thou ask mercy pardon of sins c. that conscience may be stilled and satisfied but thou must not be too earnest and anxious concerning those things and thy desires must not be boundless and illimited a little of grace saith he will do the turn and any kind of desire though never so â—old and formall is sufficient 2. Sathan can move thee to ask the world for it self and to make self thy last end but the Spirit of God must enable us to deny our selves and to ask outward things in subordination and in relation to the great end If Sathan prescribe our lusts must reign and grace must be the hand-maid and be only so far sought as it is subservient to our carnall ends and for a quiet and peaceable fulfilling of our lusts 3. Sathan can beget in the heart a child-like expectation and confidence though thou be a stranger he can make thee expect the portion of a son he will not suffer thee once to question thy state and acceptance least if conscience were awakened thou shouldst seek after a change But it is the work of the Spirit to beget in us childlike affections and make us love God delight in a communion with him and be loath to grieve him and he only can enable us to call him in truth Abba Father Rom. 8.15.4 Sathan can move thee to what is good unorderly by making thee leave thy place and station and invade another mans office (u) 2 Sam. 15.4 Oh! that I were made Judge in the land said Absolom and mayest thou say prayer-wayes Thus also Saul would offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 and Vzziah burn incense 2 Chr. 26.16.19 They would go out of their own sphere and exercise the ministerial Function wherefore the Lord justly punished both the one and the other It was good and a commanded duty to offer sacrifice but it did not belong to Sauls office it was fit that supplication should be made to the Lord but it belonged not to Saul to do it in a publick and ministerial way as it would appear Saul then did v. 12 it was necessary that incense should be burnt before the Lord but it did not appertain to Vzziah as Azariah told him v. 18. but to the Priests the sons of Aaron who were consecrated to that office But the Spirit of Christ moveth orderly making us to contain within our own sphere and to abide in the same calling wherein we were called according to his commandment 1 Cor. 7.20.24 A heart acted by the Spirit can with David Psa 131.1 say when he maketh his supplication to God O Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great maters or in things too high for me The Lord will have all things done decently and in order and is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.40.43 and as he leadeth not his children out of the way So neither doth he bring them to dark and unpassable paths it is not from him that weak Christians especially these of the female Sex do meddle and vex themselves with dark questions and intricat disputes or that the most strong and learned do dive too curiously in things not revealed and in the secrets of the Almighty He knoweth that to be an
of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 As for Christs delight in the habitable parts of the earth Prov. 8.31 and his good will to his people before the incarnation which from that learned Author may be alledged as a branch of the former Objection We answer Those who have known this judicious man or are but a little acquainted with his Writings will say that such as would alledge from him such grounds for that assertion do wrong themselves and their cause For in them is no other thing hâ—ld forth but Christs love towards lost man his purpose to procure their reconciliation with God and his readiness in due time to take on their nature and in it to suffer and do what may contribute for their happiness but they hold out no ground for his Intercession more nor for his suffering before the incarnation But as he is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world so his blood may be said then to cry which must be the Intercession there meant by that Author as may further appear from the following Objection 3. Object He was our Mediator before the incarnation He was King Priest and Prophet and as a Priest he must have then his judicial appearances for his people Ans He was Mediator by virtue of that satisfactory sacrifice he was to offer up for his people God accepted his bond and set the captive at lâ—berty before the terme of paiment came And he was then King and Prophet because of that which he was once to do and suffer as a Priest Nâ—ither did it import any thing not beseemâ—ng his infinite and glorious Majesty to govern his Church as a King and by hiâ— Word and Spirit as a Prophet to reveal to them the way to salvation but he could neither suffer nor interceed which are the pâ—rte of his priâ—sâ—ly Office till he was mâ—n So much for vâ—nâ—â—â—â—tion of 〈◊〉 judicious Divine and for clearing what may be objectâ—d â—â—om him But 3. and more pungently it may be objected that the Father saith to the Son before he assumed our nature ask â—f me and I shall give thee c. Psal 2.8 and therefore he must either be disobedient to his Father for he must ask before he took (m) Heb. 2.16 on him the seed of Ahraham Ans These words are relative to Christs ascending into heaven O 〈◊〉 sâ—â—th (n) M. Tho-Goodwin tri of faith from Christs intercession sect 5. ch 8. Sic Hilar. Theoph Antioch Euseb Ambâ—os Chrysost alii quos citat sequitur And. Rivet in loc the English Divines Diodat an eminent practical Divine So full of joy was the Fathers heart that he had his Son in heaven with him Whom he had begotten from everlasting who was lately dead and in a manner lost and therefore as it were new begotten I know you will aâ—k me now for all you have died for and this I promise you befâ—re hard before you speak a word and make any request to me you shall ask nothing but it shall â—e grâ—â—ted Yea the Apostle Act. 13.33 applyeth the preceeding words Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Which may be made use of as an objection against this interpretation unto the time of Christs resurrection For by his resurrection from the dead he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 And in Scripture things are often said to be done when they are manifested and declared to be according to the rule of the (o) Res tum demum dicuntur ficri quum manifestae sunt orthodox Fathers against the Arians Yea in one and the same verse we have as (p) Rivet in loc Rivet well observeth both the eternal and natural generation of Christ in these words Thou art my Son and the temporal manifestation of that which was from eternity this day pointing out the time of his resurrection and ascension have I begotten thee That is now is it manifest to those who have seen and believed the manifold demonstrations of thy divine Power that thou art my Son whom I have begotten from all eternity and now thou being risen from the dead and ascended into heaven ask what thou wilt and it shall be given unto thee And as thus the series of the words and the infallible interpretation of the Apostle do shew that this invitation to ask doth relate to the time of his ascension and so to the humane nature which only died rose and ascended so also the matter of the petition For the heathen Gentiles which there are promised to be given to him upon his asking were not brought unto Christ till after his incarnation and ministery yea not as to any considerable part and number till after his ascension and therefore we must either say that Christ did ask and was not heard or else that he did not ask till he took on him our nature and in it did interceed and prevail 5. Obj. Christ was the Angel or Messenger of the covenant before he was man Mal. 3.1 and Joshua his standing before this Angel while Sathan did stand at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3.1 2. doth imply his appearing and pleading for Joshua this was that Angel that was sent before the people of Israel to keep them in their way Exod. 14.19 and 23.20 21. Act. 7.38 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 12.25 26. He was that Angel of the Lord that pleaded for Jerusalem Zech 1.12 He it was that appeared unto Hagar and promised to multiply her seed Gen. 16.7 10 13. He was one of the three (q) See English Divines Annot. on the place Angels which assuming an humane shape as the other two did appear unto Abraham and with whom Abraham pleaded Gen. 18. Thus we see his condescension and appearing to his Servants yea to Hagar that rebellious bond-woman and did he not then appear for them Ans we may not now digresse to speak to that school-debate (r) De missione personarum divinarum quaestionibus annexis Vide Lombard 1. sent dist 14.15 Scotum in loc Thom. 1. part quaest 43. scholast ad loc imprimis Bannez ibid. Becannur theol Scholast Part 1. tract 2. Cap. 9. concerning the mission or sending of the persons of the blessed Trinity their appearing and manifesting themselves and the appropriation of attributes and actions to each of these inseparably united persons only for clearing the present case we would offer some few particulars 1. When any one of the persons of the glorious Trinity is said to be sent or to appear to act speak or do by any visible symbole or representation or by a vision or spirituall manifestation and that either in a transient way as to the prophets of old or by an habituall and permanent work as when the Spirit doth renew the heart after its first pattern 1. We must not imagine any separation of these essentially united persons that one can be present where the other two are not or
prevaile in him we have accesse with confidence and may come boldly to the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Eph. 3.12 Heb. 4.14.16 And there be these three most powerfull grounds of this prevalency whereupon our confidence should be built when we approach in his name 1. The Fathers love and tender bowels towards his only (l) Ioh. 3.16 begotten son Mat. 3.17 Iohn 3.35 and. 5.20 Col. 1.13 Heb. 3.6 the (m) So let enim etiam apud nos multum valere amiâ—orum dilectio quod propter ipsos etiam absentes mortuos rogamur prompte facimus To let in Joan. 16.23 name of a dear freind though absent or dead will be very prevalent with us for obtaining a favour and shall not the name of Christ who ever liveth with the Father and who hath the same nature and will with the Father being interposed obtain a grant to our desires Was the remembrance of Abraham Isaac and Iacob who were Gods (n) 2 Chr. 20.7 Isa 41.8 friends pleaded as a motive for the Lord to show mercy to their posterity Exod. 32.13 Deut. 9 27. c. And shall the Lord reject us when we come to him in the name of his dearly beloved Son 2. His blood and sufferings that price he hath laid down for all our mercies though we can only plead mercy and grace yet our cautioner hath satisfied divine justice he hath purchased us and all our mercies at a dear rate Act. 20.28 Eph. 1.5 and 2.13 Col. 1.20 1 Cor. 3.2 22 23. c. 3. His intercession and appearing in the heavens pleading our cause with the Father there and sâ—câ—â—â—ing the cry of his blood wh ch was shed on earth and obtaining to us what he purchased by it See Chap. 5. And thus though we should pray in the holy Ghost Jud. 20. yet not in the name of the holy Ghost the Spirit must help us to pray but he is not our Mediator for whose sake our prayers are accepted I have (o) Jenkin on Jude 20. read of Arrius that one of his haeresies was that he attributed the office of mediator to the holy Ghost but why should we stay to confute that dream and to show that as there is but are God so there is but one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom to red 〈◊〉 lâ—st men 1 Tim. 2.5 6. For clearing of this point we will show 1. what it is to ask in Christs name 2. why we must as in his name 3. whether the Jâ—wish Church did believe in him and pray in his name 4. we will close with a word of application For the first To pray in Christs name is not a work of the (p) Non enim senum literarum ac syllabarum sed quod sonus ipse signâ—ficat quod eo sono recte ac veraciter intellegitur hoc accipiendus est dicere cum dicit in nomine meo Aug. tract 102. in Joan. lips or to say Lord hear us for Christs sake we dishonour Christ and we mock the Father when thus we take his name in vain and mention it in our prayers without reverence and dependance on him for an answer You will say what then doth this phrase import Ans If we perpend it as in the Scriptures attributed either to the Father or Son we will find that it doth signifie as to our purpose for it hath several other significations 1. his (q) Non petimus in nomine magistri quod petimus praeter regulam ipsius mugisterii Aug. tract 73. in Joan. command and appointment as Exod. 5.23 Deut. 18.20 Mat. 18.20 Secondly his help and assistance or our dependance upon his strength and power as Ps 44.5.1 Sam. 17.45 Luk. 10.17 Thirdly his glory as the end of our actions and the dispensations of providence towards us Col. 3. 17. Mat. 18.20 Ps 31.3 Fourthly as it is particularly attributed to Christ especially and most usually it importeth our dependence on him as our Mediator and advocate and our confidence in his merit and intercession as Joh. 14.13 14 and 16.23 c. And in this last sense especially we are said to pray in Christs name For though 1. we must have his warrant and approbation and look to his will and command and 2. though we must expect strength and assistance from him and 3. though we must aim at his glory in all our desires yet while it is required that we should pray in his name these things are as it were presupposed and directly principally and properly is only held forth our dependence on him as our Redeemer Reconciler Mediator and Advocate with the Father in whom alone and through whose merit intercession and satisfaction we expect access acceptance and audience of our prayers Two ancient Doctors viz. the judicious (r) Evigila igitur homo sidelis vigilanter audi quod illic positum est in nomine meo qui promisit ergo tam magnum beneficium qui vocatur utique Christus Jesus Christus significatregem Jesus salvatorem non itaque nos salvos faciâ—t quicunque rex sed rex salvator as per hoc quodcunque petimus adversus utilitatem salutis non petimns in nomine salvatoris tamen ipâ—e salvator est non solum quando facit quoa petimus verum etiam quando non facit qnoniam quod videt peti contra salutem non faciendo potius se exhibet salvatorem novit enim medicus quid pro sua quid contra suam sanitatem poscat aegrolus ideo contraria poscentis non facit voluntatem ut faciat sanitatem si autem qui in cum credit aliquid per ignorantiam contra suam salutem petit non in nomine salvatoris petit quia salvator ei non erit si quod ejus salutem impedit fecerit unde tunc expedit potius ut non faciendo propier quod invocatur faciat quod vocatur ut sic intelligamus non pâ—tere nos in nomine magistri quod peâ—imus praeter regulam ipsius magisterit Aug. tract 73. in Joan. vide etiam tract 81. 102. Augustine and (Å¿) Nomen filii Jesus est Jesus autem salvator vel salutaris dicitur ille ergo in nomine salvatoris petit qui illud petit quod ad veram salutem pertinet nam si id quod non expedit petitur non in nomine Jesu petitur pater unde eisdem apostolis adhuc in firmantibus dominus dicit usque modo non petistis quicquam in nomine meo ae si aperte dicevetur non petiistis in nomine salvatoris qui nescitis quaerere aeternam salutem Hinc est quod Vaulus non exauditur quia si liberaretur a tentatione ei non prodesset ad salutem c. Greg. mag hom 27. in evang vide etiam Theophylact. in Joan. 16.24 As for Augustine his reason viz. that all other things in
in dispensing of mercies to us and that eternal covenant and transaction whereby in time all good is conveyed to us and which we should eye and make use of in our addresses to God And thus we may hearken to the voice of the Father as from all eternity saying How do my bowels yern towards the sons of men I am willing to pardon all their iniquities and receive them graciously (a) Joh. 3.16 Behold I so love the world as to give my only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I pity poor foolish self-destroying sinners and I will (b) Hos 14.4 heal their back-slidings (c) Is 53.5 with the blood of my dear Son and will love them freely (d) Is 63.7 according to the multitude of my loving kindnesses And we may behold the Son himself concurring and consenting to that blessed motion and saying O! let the ungrate rebel have a pardon though it should be subscribed with my blood let bankrupt sinners have a discharge and all their debts be laid on me I am willing to lay down my life that they may live Lo I (e) Ps 40.7 8. 1 Joh. 4.10 come to be the propitiation for their sins I delight to do thy will O Father and to (f) Tit. 2.14 give my self for them to redeem them from all iniquity and to purifie by my blood a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may hear the holy Spirit saying Behold I am willing and ready to tender to them the gracious offer of peace and reconciliation to perswade and allure them to embrace that offer and to convince and (g) Cant. 1.4 draw them after thee to (h) Jer. 31.33 write thy Law in their hearts to (i) Joh. 14.26 comfort and strengthen them and (k) Rom. 8.26 help their infirmities to defend and keep them from all evil and to fit prepare and (l) Joh. 14.16 preserve them unto eternal life But it would be remembred that though virtually and as to our apprehensions these several steps may be distinguished in that gracious transaction yet properly there cannot be such a stipulation such conditions offers consenting and as it were consultation where there is but one nature will and understanding but that there was such a Covenant having eminently these things in it cannot be denied by any who acknowledge our salvation to be carried on according to an eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son and when we shall understand that conference and as it were consultation concerning the creation of man Gen. 1.26 we shall be more able to comprehend this transaction concerning the salvation of man but now let none from thence imagine the love of the Father to be really different from the love of the Son and holy Ghost and that they did not contrive and had no hand in predestinating us to life but as consenters and approvers of the Fathers free purpose of love For albeit predestination be ascribed to the Father by some sort of appropriation as being according to that mysterious order in the Trinity the first person yet we must not think that there is such a priority or distinction of persons as doth import a distinction of nature or a real difference among the essential attributes as they are in these glorious persons and so conceive that there is another will power and understanding in the Father then in the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly different acts flowing from these different principles O! let us not rob these blessed persons of the honour of being (m) Phil. 2.6 equal with the Father and having the same nature and divine properties because they of their meer good pleasure have stoopt so low to exalt us and do us good and because voluntarily and of their free accord they have undertaken an economy and dispensing of offices for us to make us happy and have received as it were a commission the Son to redeem us and lay down his life for us and the holy Spirit to sanctifie and prepare us for the heavenly inheritance and have thus undergone a sort of (n) Inaequalitat officiorum non tollit aequalitatem naturae aut personarum inferiority dependance and subordination in being sent to execute these offices which they undertook in mercy and love to us O! who is able to (o) Eph. 3.18 19. comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height of this love of the Son and holy Spirit which passeth knowledge O! let us praise and magnifie God the Son and God the holy Ghost for undertaking an economy and as it were ministry for us now unto the ever glorious and blessed Spirit of grace and unto him that (p) Rev. 1.5.6 1 Pet. 2.5 loved us and washed us in his own blood and hath made us Kings and a royal Priest-hood be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And O! let us thankfully and diligently improve this noble and and admirable way of conveyance of all good to us and let us in all our adresses to God desire and wait for every mercy from the Father through the Son and by the holy Spirit looking upon Christ as the inexhaustible treasure and (q) Col. 1.19 store-house of all blessings and depending on the Spirit as the great dispenser giver and disposer of all that fulness and riches that is in Christ from the (r) 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies and God of all comfort of (Å¿) 1 Cor. 8.6 whom are all things as the fountain and first person of the Trinity who laid the foundation of our redemption and who is the Father of our blessed Lord and Saviour We cannot perform any duty acceptably we cannot praise God nor pray to him unless we come in the name of Christ as our Mediator and Advocat and wait for the help of the Spirit and depend on him as our shield strength leader and guide and yet we must look over that economy and dispensation and close with the Father Son and holy Spirit as that one God to whom in every part of worship we should come as to the chief and ultimat object to which primarily it is directed and in which it doth rest Here we will stand we can go no further and praise be to his name who hath brought us this length albeit our light be darkness in respect of the light of glory yet the light of the ancient Church was but like the morning star before the Sun (t) Mal. 4.2 which now shineth before our eyes And O! when will that day come when we shall behold so much in this mystery as shall ravish our hearts and fill our mouths with songs of joy admiration and pâ—aise to all eternity when we shall not see through a glass darkly but face to face when we shall not know in part but as we are known when we shall be like him and see him as he is 1 Cor.
himself but alwaies for the good of his honest servants withdraw his Spirit in some measure from these who have not by their negligence or folly procured it they being most regular and exemplar in their walk yet 1. since most usually the Lord withdraws for sin and 2. since we alwaies deserve and may if the Lord would deal in justice with us by our failings provoke the holy Spirit to depart and forsake us and 3. Since the Lords high and holy ends and designs are secret and cannot well at the first view be discerned by us therefore it is alwaies our duty and should be our work when we meet with straitning deadness c which are the symptoms of the Spirits withdrawing to search after our waies and to examin our hearts that if our conscience condemn us not we may be comforted or having found out the cause and the particular sin for which the Spirit hath withdrawn we may repent and forsake it but we would not rest on a superficial veiw of our waies nor because we cannot at the first discern therefore conclude there is no cause in us but let us according to Elihu his counsel to Job say unto God that which I see not teach thou me Job 34.32 Let us impartially deal with our own heart and ask conscience and set it a work let us again ponder our waies and let our enquiry be more particular and of a larger extent and readily we will espie one of the following causes to have procured and brought on this malady and will perhaps be forced with him (o) Tu me non deseris nisi prior ego te deseram August tom 9. sâ—liloq cap. 14. fol. mihi 166. sto say Lord thou didst not leave me till I first left thee And thus we come to the second thing propounded what are these sins for which the Spirit is provok't to withdraw and forsake the Saints and not help them in prayer or any other spiritual performance at least not in such a measure or maner as formerly But it would be remembred that this question must be limited to the fourth and last case viz. when the Spirit doth hide his face for sin and when our iniquities separat between us and our God as Isa 59.2 For in the three former Cases when the Lord for our trial and for high and holy ends known to his majesty doth depart albeit then it be our duty to search and enquire whether by our folly we have procured that stroke that seeing our fault we may amend our waies and how ever we may walk more closely and circumspectly and follow after him while he withdraweth from us yet then no such cause can be discerned and found out because as is supposed the Lord in that dispensation doth not pursue a quarel against us 2. We would distinguish between the comforting presence of the Spirit and his quickning and strengthning presence there may be much life vivacity activity fervency and heart-melting in prayer or any other ordinance when through the want of assurance the Saints may mourn and pour out many a sad complaint before the Lord now albeit both those cases belong to the general head of desertion and have some place here in reference to prayer since our enlargement in that duty doth not a little depend upon and might be much promoved by the assurance of our adoption reconciliation and God's favour yet since there needeth nothing be here added to what belongs to the general case we shall remit that part of the question that concerneth the comforting presence of the Spirit to its own place and now only speak of the causes why the Spirit withdraws his help and assistance especially since the causes and cure both of the one and the other will be found the same and alike if not altogether yet for the most part as the Spirit useth to withdraw his comforting when he withdraweth his quickning presence So what means would be used for recovering the quickning may also prove instrumental for regaining the Spirits comforting presence albeit the one may prevent the other and the Spirit may for a while quicken and assist before be comfort Before we descend to particulars it would be observed that the holy Spirit may be provokâ—t to depart 1. more directly immediatly and by way of affront as when any indignity is immediatly offered to his majesty and holiness or to his work 2. mediatly as it were and indirectly by way of demerit when through our folly we transgress any of the commandments of God and thus more directly sin against him as Law-giver King and Lord rather then as our helper and comforter And here we shall especially speak of the (p) Yet not excluding the second nor denying its-influence in these provocations first sort of causes as being most proper to this place referring the other to the following Section As to the first the Scripture holds forth the unkindness affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit of God under several expressions as of 1. (q) 1 Thess 5.19 quenching 2. (r) Eph. 4.30 grieving 3. (Å¿) Isa 7.13 wearying 4. (t) Ps 78.56 provoking 5. (u) Act. 5.9 tempting 6. (x) Act. 7.51 resisting 7. (y) Isa 63.10 vexing 8. (z) Isa 63.10 rebelling against and 9. doing (a) Heb. 10.29 despite unto the Spirit of grace We will not enter upon an explication of these phrases nor particularly enquire after their importance or diffirence but we may at the first view take notice of some kind of gradation from the less to the greater for the most part if not in all according to the order they are here placed and albeit there must be an inequality for according to the measure and degree of the offence the provocation must be the less or the greater yet all and every one of these indignities in whatsoever degree doth deserve and may justly provoke the Spirit to depart but we shall now only instance some few particulars as being the most ordinary and the epidemical distempers of this generation and we shall name them as so many branches of the first head viz. quenching the Spirit which being most general may well be extended to the several particulars As (b) That we may improve the meâ—aphor and fimilitude used by the holy Ghost fire may be quenched either by with-holding fewel and matter whereon it should feed or by casting water upon it to choak and extinguish it so the Spirit may be said to be quenched either negatively by not cherishing or positively by opposing and abasing his office or work either by omission or by commission 1. Then negatively the Spirit may be quenched these three maner of waies 1. by not opening to him and yielding to his motions thus while Christ came to the spouse door knocking and crying open to me my sister my love my dove my und-filed c. She holds him out pretending trifling excuses for her folly and unkindness why she
had put off her coat and couâ—d not put it on she had washen her feet and would not defile them therefore Christ withdrew his Spirit and departs and when she laying to heart and repenting of her folly sought him could not for a while find him she called but he gave her no answer Cant. 5.2 3 6. Thus also while the Spirit of God cryed to Israel and they would not hear and testified to them both by his servants the Prophets and by his motions and inward suggestions but they would not hearken nor obey he withdrew and gave them up to the lusts of their own heart since they would not follow his counsel and directions he left them to themselves and to follow their own counsels Psa 81.8.10 11 12 13. But secondly though the spouse be not so incivil and unmanerly as to hold Christ at the door yet if she do not welcom him and give him entertainment suitable to his worth and kindness his Spirit will not stay if thou dost not make ready and prepare the heart to receive him he will not stay in any other room if the affections be not enlarged and roused up to wait and attend him he doth not value the empty complements of the fancy and imagination if the will which is the mistris and supreme do not welcom him he regardeth not the attendance of the inferiour faculties if thou be in a spiritual lethargy when the Spirit cometh to visit thee if thou meet him with a dead and dull (c) See Sect. 2. heart if thou be fearless of his terrible majesty if thou keep not a due distance casting off that filial reverence and tender respect which is due to so great and compassionat a Lord he will depart and forsake thee res delicatula saith an ancient est Spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut tractatur the Spirit of God is tender and sensible of all the affronts and injuries we offâ—r to him and will deal with us accordingly if we dishonour him he will afflict us and lay us low he will go away and then our (d) If the glory departed with the Ark which was but a symbol of Gods presence 1 Sam. 4 21. far rather when the Lord himself departs glory departs if we do not welcom the Spirit with the whole heart and entertain him with suitable and enlarged affections he valueth not our empty profession and vain oblations Luke-warm Laodiceans will be spued ous of his mouth Rev. 3.16 these who would not (e) Ps 81.10 open their mouth wide to receive his comforts shall have their heart filled with his terrours and shut that it shall not receive his influences But thirdly though there be not a total deadness or laziness though there be some life activity and diligence yet if there be a decay of love and zeal if we do not so cherish and entertain the motions of the Spirit as formerly this may grieve and quench the Spirit if love wax cold and if there be a decay of respect and affection that will bring on some sort of distance between married persons and will hinder friends from conversing so frequently and familiarly together and for this the Lord threatneth not only to remove the presence of his Spirit but also the candelestick and outward ordinances which were the means of conveyance of the Spirit from Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. because thou hast left thy first love c. As the Spirit may thus be quenched negatively and by omission So 2. positively and by commission as 1. when we prostitute and subject the gifts of the Spirit his work and interest to our selfish and carnal ends desiring a name and taking up a porfession of godliness that with (f) Act. 8.9.19 Simon Magus we may seem some body when we make piety a cloak to cover our pride covetousness c. or use it as a stirâ—op whereby we ascend to some high place and station in the world c. 2. When we have low and undervaluing thoughts of the gifts and graces of the Spirit though they have some room in our estimation and affection yet if we prefer other things unto them not prizing them according to their worth and excellency nor regarding as we ought the condescension and kindness of the giver we dishonour and grieve the Spirit and he may justly take away those love-tokens thus when we will not lose our favour with man our moyen and interest with the creature our name place and possessions for his truth ordinances c. yea when we so far undervalue these precious things as to be ashamed of them before men when not only fear but also shame will make us dissemble our profession and conceal our graces duties c. may we not be afraid lest as the (g) Luk. 9.26 Son will be ashamed of such when he cometh in his glory So the Spirit when he cometh to manifest himself in the ordinances of life But 3. when not only his gifts and graces his love and his kindness are undervalued but also his commands and authority are despised his motions and sweet insinuations are choaked and opposed while as the contrary suggestions of Sathan the enemy are entertained cherished and cheerfully obeyed must not the Spirit be much displeased and highly provok't with such an indignity would an earthly King endure such an affront nay what friend is he who seeing thee but slight his counsel entreaty and request while thou didst welcom his enemy and gratifie him in what he desired could digest such a disparagement and indignity And 4. so much of illumination which is the work of the Spirit light knowledge and conscience is choaked and opposed by the sinner whatever be the particular transgression so far the Spirit is dishonoured and disparaged and provok't to depart and withdraw nay in every formal disobedience viz. when the command and counsel of God is known there is much not only of contempt but also of rebellion and what will provoke if that do not And thus albeit for distinctions sake we did put a difference between sins some of them being more directly against the Spirit his work and office that being as it were their object yet there is no known sin which may not be said to be against the Spirit of God and his work And thus we come to the second sort of provocation whereby the Spirit is not so directly opposed and quenched his peculiar office and work not being the matter and object of such sins albeit it be (h) The work of the Spirit is thus opposed quasi in obliquo indirectly and as a concurring circumstance but not in recto quasi objectum opposed and choaked by the sinner and here we have a large field if we would come to particulars but the (i) Gal. 5.19 works of the flesh are manifest and their opposition and contrariety to the Spirit of grace and holiness is no less evident Gal. 5.16 If we (k)