own inability for this work we are about 1 Chron. 22.16 Arise saith David to his Son Solomon therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee He doth not say stay untill the Lord doth come unto thee but arise and be doing So that this is the first thing to be done we must lay all thoughts of Confidence aside of any sufficiency as of our selves Secondly We must turn our selves towards the Holy Ghost with the like serious and thorough and unfeigned acknowledgment of a sufficiency in him that strength which we disclaimed in our selves we must ascribe unto him We know that the Lord Christ still requireth this acknowledgment from those who obtain any great Request as to any great matters Believe ye that I am able to do this Saith he to the blind men that came to him to be healed Mat. 9.28 So again Mar. 9.23 24. If thou canst believe all these things are possible c. The Father of the Child answered Lord I believe help my unbelief So then here is another thing whereby to interest the Holy Ghost in what we go about namely that we do acknowledge a sufficiency in the Holy Ghost But then Thirdly Sect. 4 We must acknowledge a readiness and willingness and a gracious inclinableness in the Holy Ghost to help and assist us in those things wherein it is any waies meet for him to interpose on our behalf He who doth unfeignedly acknowledge his own weakness and doth address himself unto him shall be sure to find his assistance Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities c. There is a very rich and compassionate inclination in the Holy Ghost towards the Saints in respect of the great infirmities which he discerneth in them to assist stand by and relieve them in their holy endeavours To help them to perform things in an holy and humble manner upon terms of acceptation It is a usual Dialect in Scripture when the Act is expressed by the means or course that usually is taken to effect it As Joh. 1.9 Christ is said to enlighten every man that cometh into the World because he affordeth them such means and taketh such a course with them which is proper to enlighten them Even so the Spirit helpeth our infirmities that is he is ready to help our infirmities toties quoties as oft as ever he is sought unto as if he should say The Spirit knoweth how unable men are for such Actions and Services and therefore out of a kind of compassion and Sympathy in respect of their weakness he is ready to help them These gracious inclinations in him are apt to advance and express themselves in their might and power when the Creature is under a full knowledge and sense of its own weakness and a full acknowledgement of this readiness and willingness of the Spirit of God to help and to relieve The poor committeth himself unto thee Thou art the helper of the Fatherless Psal 10.14 Meaning that when the poor do commit themselves unto God then he is ready to help them there is a Synechdoche of the Species for the Genius By Fatherless he doth mean those that be not in any capacity to help themselves Now they that are under a sense that they are not able to help themselves by reason of their Poverty God is wont to come in to their relief and succour So when a man or a woman is smitten with the sense of their weakness in being not able to hold out in these services if they shall have recourse to the Spirit of God as their helper this is a Signal given unto the Spirit and he taketh the Alarm and he cometh and sheweth himself in his strength unto the Creature All these three means for the interessing of the Spirit in our Services I conceive our Saviour himself Joh. 14.16 17. chiefly pointeth at and asserteth I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him c. The World cannot receive the Holy Ghost because it seeth him not neither knoweth him that is because they have no manner of sense or discerning of him in any such property wherein he desireth to be known For we should have given notice of that though there be a presence of the Spirit of God in men in the state of Nature or Unregeneracy yet the Scriptures do nor speak of the Spirits dwelling in men nor of a mans receiving the Spirit untill they receive him in a greater measure or after the manner in which Believers receive him and as he is when he doth advance his presence in an excellent degree in them to put them upon Actions of an excellent concernment But that only by the way The World cannot receive the Holy Ghost because it seeth him not neither knoweth him that is because it hath no manner of discerning of him or at least no distinct or clear knowledge of him A man may have the sight of a Person but that deserveth not the name of the knowledge of him But when a man cometh to understand of what temper or frame he is either in respect of wisdom or goodness or as to matter of Estate or the like then he is properly said to know a man when he knoweth such things as these of him It is the manner of the Scripture to express Gradations after such a manner as this so He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth so here the World neither seeth him nor knoweth him that is they have not seen him much less have they any considerate knowledge of him And when our Saviour giveth the true reason why the World did not or cannot receive him meaning that they cannot according to that Principle by which the Spirit of God is resolved to give out himself i. e. they cannot go beyond God's Declaration they cannot break the Bars of Gods Decree nor the Method by which he is purposed to dispose of his own Spirit This deep ignorance which the men of the World have concerning the Holy Ghost is the reason why they cannot receive him in any supernatural or in any saving manner they cannot receive the indwellings or the inhabitation of him so as to receive strength to perform services in any spiritual or acceptable manner before God for otherwise they are capable of receiving of the Spirit in a way of common illumination They are capable of receiving of him in another sense though they are not capable of receiving him in such a manner as he is to be received so as to be led by him into the waies of life By the light of this Discourse we see that they who are not convinced of the necessity both of the presence of the Spirit of God to help them and likewise of his sufficiency and readiness and willingness to afford his presence with them are under a kind of incapacity
furnished and endued them with such properties and qualities as now he hath done That so there might be fit resemblances to train and nurture up the Minds Understandings and Reasons of men in the knowledge and apprehension of the mysteries of Christ and the great things of Eternity And I make no question but that God in Nature hath contrived and ordered the matter so with that Creature which we call the Wind that it poseth and troubles all the Philosophers that though they hear the sound of it yet not any one of them can give an account of it what it should be and whence it should come and when once it is up in motion why it should Fall Nay God hath so ordered the original of the wind and things appertaining to it at least to the Vnderstandings of men that they should not be able to give so steady an account of the rising and falling of it as they are to do of the rising and setting of the Sun that so there might be a kind of rising advantage administred unto men to conceive the better of the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God and of his Transactions and manner in doing matters with the Creatures So that now we see the Holy Ghost himself is resembled with the wind and very aptly so may be but the gifts of the Holy Ghost neither are in Scripture nor with any commodiousness of resemblance can be resembled by breathing or by wind therefore by the Holy Ghost in the place in hand cannot be meant the Gifts of the Holy Ghost but the Person of the Holy Ghost himself Again this might be made to appear further by comparing herewith several other places of Scripture by which it is evident that it was the Holy Ghost himself that was to be given unto the Apostles and to be and to abide with them Mar. 13.11 Joh. 14.16 17. So grieve not the Spirit quench not the Spirit Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 besides other places Now then if Christ said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost there is no question but they did receive him they I mean all those to whom he thusspake Now if he were a created Angel or meer Creature how could more than one receive him at once Especially how could he be in and remain with many at the same time when these shall be dispersed and scattered up and down the World in Nations and places far distant as the Apostles we know soon after were We never read nor heard of any more than one Holy Ghost as was observed therefore the Argument in hand cannot be put off with common Evasions viz. That the Holy Ghost might be in the Apostles though never so remote at one and the same time by his Deputies or Vicegerents other inferiour Angels under his command or the like For 1. we have no ground in Scripture to conceive any such power given unto one Angel over another as that any one should be at the command or disposal of his Fellows Besides when Christ said to his Disciples Receive ye the Holy Ghost if it be supposed that there is but only one Holy Ghost and certain I am that the Scripture supposeth no more and that this Holy Ghost could be but only in one of them at the precise time of Christ's so speaking unto them which must likewise be supposed if the Holy Ghost be a finite and created Angel then it undeniably follows that though Christ indifferently said to all his Disciples Receive ye the Holy Ghost and indifferently breathed upon them all yet that he gave him unto one only and that the rest had some other Angel given unto them not the Holy Ghost We might likewise reinforce it from the words following touching the power of remitting and retaining sin conferred at the same time upon the Disciples when they received the Holy Ghost from hence I say we might re-assert our former Argument for the Divinity of the Holy Ghost viz. His power to forgive sins For the power of forgiving and retaining sins being given unto the Apostles upon their receiving of the Holy Ghost plainly sheweth that Primarily and Authoritatively it resideth in the Holy Ghost himself and that it was derived unto them only in a Ministerial way and as they were to be acted and guided by him in the administration and exercise of it And if the case were so with the Holy Ghost as our Adversaries conceit it to be viz. The Holy Ghost himself should only have a power by way of Commission from God and ministerially to forgive sins and that he is or must be regulated and bound up in the exercise of this power by his Commission as well as the Disciples were by theirs Then why might not they baptize in their own Names as well as his Besides if the Holy Ghost were Commissionated by God to forgive sins he had no power to give Commission either to the Apostles or any other to transact the same work it being a general and known Rule and this very equitable that he that is Deputed or Commissionated by another having a lawful Authority so to depute to transact any business hath no power to depute or substitute others in his stead for the transacting the business committed unto him Another Scripture or pair of Scriptures evincing the same great Truth with the former that without controversie the Holy Ghost is truly God is Acts 1.16 compared with Acts 4.24 In the former place Peter speakech thus Men and Brethren this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas c. In the latter place the Disciples express themselves thus And when they heard that they life up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is Who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said Why did the Heathen rage c He who in the former place is termed the Holy Ghost is styled in the latter Lord and God who made Heaven and Earth and the Sea c To say that God may be said to speak by the mouth of David because he gave order unto the Holy Ghost to move David so or so to speak is to oppose the direct and clear Letter of the Scripture with a man 's own thoughts and these weak and groundless If it had been said that God by the mediate or intervening motions of the Holy Ghost spake so or so by the mouth of David it had been somewhat colourable for our Adversaries purpose and indeed no more or if there were any such expression to be found in all the Scripture that God spake so or so one thing or other to any person by the mediation of the Holy Ghost this had been somewhat though less than the other But now the constant tenour of the Scripture speaking as to the point in hand being either that God spake or the Lord spake or
Wine when it is red and giveth its colour in the Cup or glass when it moveth it self upright i. e. when it springs or sparkles Prov. 23.31 Look not on it when it is red c. i.e. do not fix thine eye upon it do not continue looking on it for so the word looking oft imports his meaning is not that a man should not simply see or cast his eye upon it as if there would be danger in such a case for then he could not tell when or how to observe this Precept but his meaning is if a man will fix his eye upon it there is danger of being inflamed with inordinate love unto it So our Saviour Mat. 5.28 Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her i. e. until he lusts after her or after any such manner that he comes to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart Now this sheweth when and how this lusting cometh to be propagated in the heart if there be any loveliness in the Creature this may draw our hearts forth as it were of course unto such covetings The reason why men and women hate not sin with a more vehement vigorous and perfect hatred than generally they do is partly because they do not frequently and with intenseness of mind consider the abundance of evil that is in it that violent and virulent Antipathy or contrariety that is in it to their comfort and peace in many kinds For certain it is that sin hath enough in it to set all the World on fire with enmity to it Yea as the Devil when he had sinned had that in him and upon him which being looked upon by God was sufficient to throw him down from Heaven into the bottom of Hell So likewise hath sin that in it which being clearly seen and diligently considered by men is sufficient to cast it down out of the heavens of mens love and desires into the deepest hell of their hatred and indignation So on the other hand it is as true concerning righteousness in general which Plato the Philosopher had a glimmering of And as it is with Righteousness in general so it is with and also concerning that excellent peece or member of it whereof we speak A being filled with the Spirit This is such a Master-peece of humane felicity it hath so much worth and goodness and desirableness in it that was it thoroughly known and frequently whetted upon the thoughts and minds of men and women they need take no further care how to come by such covetings after it as those now prescribed unto you as a means in the first place to obtain it unless happily it be to satisfie themselves in this that it is nothing but what is attainable For if indeed you shall look upon it as a thing absolutely out of your reach your souls will hardly put forth in coveting or desiring after it But this scruple being removed you would soon find your hearts full of those covetings and desires so full that they would not be long able to contain themselves but that they would break forth and utter themselves in such other waies and means which they shall understand to be proper and likely to obtain it If you ask me But what is there so excellent Sect. 8 so greatly desirable in this being filled with the Spirit which being known and narrowly considered by us must needs as you say set us on coveting after it and so put us into a nearer capacity of obtaining it I reply first in the general the desirableness of it is such so exceeding great that neither the Tongue of men or Angels are sufficient to express it it is of kin to the peace of God and partakes herewith in that property that it passeth all understanding so that when we shall travel many dales yea many years with our minds and understandings to search out and discover the riches of it we shall leave much hereof undiscovered and unknown But more particulary First Such a filling with the Spirit as we speak of will leave no place for foolish and hurtful lusts in one kind or other to play their parts within us which as Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.11 Fight against the soul that is against the peace comfort and prosperity of it As upon the bringing in of the Ark into the Tabernacle the Tabernacle was filled with smoak Exod. 40.34 And so in the Dedication of the Temple the Priests could not enter because of the glory there 1 Kings 8.10 11. even so when the soul when the inner Temple of the heart of a man or woman shall be filled with the Spirit of God there will be such a glory of holiness there that there will be no standing or abode for those base Companions unclean impure carnal and sensual desires and inclinations No but they will all be scattered as the Mist is scattered before the Sun when it ariseth in its might These Companions which have haunted your souls and inner man hitherto Pride Envy and Malice and inordinate love of the World Pleasure Ease and all such kind of things as these they will be sensible of the glorious presence of this Spirit of God in you they will not be able to abide it his presence will fright away all those Aliens and strangers that are contrary to him It is true the greatest filling with the Spirit that flesh and bloud is at lâ—ast ordinarily capable of obtaining will not wholly overwhelm or drown the flesh as to extinguish the motions or stirrings of it in men This is clear from many Scriptures and particularly from that of the Apostle Gal. 5.17 .. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit When by reason of the contrary lustings between the Flesh and the Spirit he saith they cannot do the things they would he speaks not so much indeed not at all of the species kind or substance of the Action but of the spiritual and exact manner of performing it Yea cannot do the things ye would his meaning is not that though they were willing to pray yet because of the lusting of the flesh they could not pray or though they were willing to hear the word yet they could not hear but thus ye cannot pray ye cannot hear or ye cannot give Alms as ye would that is with as much Faith with as much Fervency with as much Freedom and enlargement of Heart and Soul as ye desire The Flesh will be still interrupting and mingling it self with your actions and in preciseness and strictness of speech that which a servant of God or spiritual man properly would do is not simply to pray or simply to hear or to give Alms or the like But to do these and all other services and actions after the best and purest manner without any reluctancy or gainsayingness or interruption so that when men pray and do not pray thus when they hear and give Alms and do not both the one and the other upon such terms as these they
the Creature man by reason of the excellency of his Nature above other Creatures were able perfectly to understand those several Impressions c. that are in their beings respectively yet could they never comprehend those in man for the reason even now hinted In like manner though God be able to comprehend all the Notions and Principles and all the Projections that are incident to the hearts and spirits of men yet men are not able without the Spirit to apprehend and conceive what his Thoughts Notions Counsels and Projections are But now saith he the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God otherwise without this Spirit no man knoweth what are the things of God and thoughts of his heart no more than any other Creature knoweth or is able to comprehend what is in the hearts of men So again ver 12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God Meaning the things of the Gospel those terms and conditions upon which life and salvation is promised and secured unto the World This sheweth that where there is any considerable degree of the knowledge of the things of God especially of the deep things of God that have been kept secret from Age to Age. This argueth an excellent presence of the Spirit of God ver 13. Which things we also speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth c. for the natural man receiveth not the things of God c. By the natural man in this place is not meant the unregenerate or the carnal man but the Babe in Christ I could not speak unto you saith that Apostle Chap. 3. ver 1. of the same Epistle as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even babes in Christ So that evident it is from this Scripture that these natural men who could not receive the things of God were not unregenerate men or carnal in the sense which we generally take the word carnal but babes in Christ Now these could not understand any thing but what was plain the things here spoken of the deep things of God such things which lie above the apprehensions of ordinary men these things are too strong for such mens stomacks they cannot bear them they cannot see how they should be agreeable to the Goodness Wisdom and Love of God neither can they receive them viz. whilst they are Babes or Children Yea though in their state of Childhood they are not capable of them they are capable of growing and coming to manhood A man that hath not had to do with Jewels he knows them not nor of what value or worth they are Even so it is with the deep and excellent things of the Gospel if these be set before those that are weak in judgment and Children in understanding alas they know not what to make of them they can make no nourishment of them but in time they may grow to such a capacity that such meat as this will be the most desirable unto them and they will say as the Jews Lord evermore give us this bread Men that are grown will call for strong meat such as will sort and sute with their stomacks And thus much for this Character And so we have done with our Reply to the third and last of the three Questions long since propounded for the further clearing and opening of the Doctrine we are now come to the Use and Application This Doctrine is useful three several waies For Instruction for Reproof and for Exhortation CHAP. XII The first Vse of the Doctrine by way of Instruction in four main Points First Shewing how comely a thing it is for men and women to be found obedient to the Commands of God in general and particularly how beautiful and honourable a thhing it is for men and women to be filled with the Spirit of God and to be found acting accordingly Secondly An account given what strangers the Saints themselves are unto many great Duties and more especially unto this great Duty of being filled with the Spirit insomuch that even this Generation are as it were asleep thereunto Thirdly That this great blessedness of being filled with the Spirit is no impossible thing but is attainable by the endeavours and engagements of men Fourthly and lastly That it is the will and design of God that Believers should be a Royal Generation of Kings and Priests unto himself and that they should live accordingly FIrst For Instruction Sect. 1 if it be a Duty imposed by God upon all men and more especially upon all Believers to be filled with the Spirit then take we knowledge from hence That it is a comely and honourable thing for men and women to be filled with the Spirit and to act and declare themselves accordingly I mean so to behave and demean themselves in all things that it may be known to the World that they are filled with the Spirit their Actions and Waies should be all Heroick and Princelike and have a lustre and beauty and brightness in them above the Actions Waies and Conversations of other men Even as the Lord Christ was known to be the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 by that excellent glory wherein he appeared We saw saith the Evangelist his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God meaning that his glory whatsoever it was was so glorious and so excellent for the kind of it that they that saw it could not but conceive and judge that it was too full and too Majestick for any Creature whatsoever too excellent for any of the Angels themselves and much more for man and by this they perceived him to be the only begotten of God those Robes of glory were too rich for any Creature to be attired and adorned withal though they did indeed become the glory and dignity of his Person In like manner it would be exceeding comely for the Sons and Daughters of God to have such a glory of life and conversation still to accompany them as they walk up and down the World and where-ever they become which may distinguish them from all others to be persons of that rank and such a Generation that are filled with the Spirit of God My Brethren there is a strain of Action and Conversation that is apt and able to convince the World even against their minds and wills and will make them confess and acknowledge that these are a Generation of men and women by themselves for God enjoyns nothing by any of his Precepts or Laws unto men but what is comely grateful and lovely for them to do and that which will commend them both in his eyes and in the eyes of all his Angels yea of all truly judicious and understanding men Even as Parents are wont to teach their Children a good carriage of themselves and comliness of behaviour that may render them acceptable on all hands So doth God by his Precepts
wherein the Holy Ghost much delighteth as Isa 60.6 22. For the other Scripture mentioned Sect. 8 1 Joh. 2.27 But the anointing which ye have received of him remaineth or abideth in you and ye need not that any man should teach you but as the anointing teacheth you c. implying that the former things which he had written to them concerning those that seduced them that is those men who went about to seduce them according to the Language of the Scripture wherein when any Impostor perswadeth or useth means to seduce he is said to seduce though the persons thus perswaded are not actually seduced As these Christians were not actually seduced and yet he writeth to them concerning those that seduced them and then he closeth his Admonition thus But saith he the anointing which ye have received of him meaning Christ abideth in you As if he had said it is true that which I have written is in order to fortifie and to strengthen you against those who go about to ensnare and entangle you but saith he you have another means and help in your selves by which to preserve your selves from them and from their snares Now by this anointing I suppose he means not properly the Holy Ghost though he was in them and according to Scripture-phrase may be very properly said to abide in them But by anointing I conceive he rather means the work of the Spirit which he had wrought in them that is the impressions of Holiness Righteousness and Goodness their love to God and Men. This is that anointing which they had received and saith he you need not that any man teach you but as this anointing teacheth you meaning that they needed not that any thing should be offered unto them but that whereof they might be competent Judges by means of those holy Principles of Righteousness and Love which the Holy Ghost had wrought and raised in them For the Gospel in the whole compass or circumference of it being a Doctrine according unto godliness men that have a Principle of Godliness rich and full and any whit raised may sent any Doctrine and if they will but consult with the Oracles in their own breasts they may find out and come to understand whether it be according unto Godliness yea or no. If it carrieth any repugnancy unto Godliness or unto Holiness then saith he you have no need of it you are better without it This anointing is truth and it is no lie As if he had said they themselves could not but know it for Godliness is a real Propensity of heart and soul unto that which is Good Just and Righteous and which maketh for the glory of God and well-being of men these are the Royal things of God not liable to any dispute whether they be true or whether they be false delusions therefore saith he having such an anointing within you you need not that any man should teach you any thing lying above the reach of this For let any Doctrine or Practice whatsoever come to you if it comport and fall in with this Principle then you may receive it And he plainly implieth here that though the same anointing teacheth all things yet they that had this anointing had need that men should teach them according as this teacheth them And the truth is that men and women that are godly and have this anointing in the fullest measure have need to be taught those things which are consonant and agreeable to this anointing and which will nourish enlarge quicken and revive it So that this place is so far from countenancing that Notion or Practice by which men turn aside from the Ministry of the Gospel that it proveth and that very clear that they indeed ought to attend upon it The persons now under reproof Sect. 9 besides what they pretend and plead directly and immediately from the Scriptures have other Arguments and Pleas to harden themselves in their Practice Let us therefore deal with them as sober men use to deal with them that are frantick and mad when they have gotten Knives or Swords wherewith they are like to do either themselves or others a mischief they wrest them out of their hands In like manner let us try by evidence and strength of reason and of truth to take away those weapons at least the chief of them wherein they put their trust One thing they pretend why they should not attend upon the Ministry of the Gospel is that the Ministers in these daies are not infallible We cannot safely depend upon them in what they teach us they may lead us into error as well as truth Is not this a Consideration sufficient to justifie us in our taking our selves off from hearing them To this I reply First By putting the question to them Whether they judge themselves to be infallible or no If they answer Affirmatively that they do judge themselves infallible which I suppose they will not then Why should not the Ministers of the Gospel be as infallible as they Besides if they be infallible What need they fear of being led aside into Error by the Ministers of the Gospel But it is like they will reply Negatively and grant that they are not infallible If so why then do they depend upon themselves or upon their own Notions or Apprehensions or upon their own senses and interpretations of Scripture May they not as well be mistaken and deceived by leaning unto these as unto such things which shall be by the Ministers of the Gospel delivered unto them Or will these persons themselves be only Sceptiques and profess that they are absolute Neutralists in all manner of Tenents and Opinions in matters of Religion or that they doubt of every thing and firmly believe nothing If they profess this they are more degenerate from men than the generality of the Heathen They firmly believe that there is one God and that he is good c. yea they are worse than the devils of whom James saith That they believe there is one God and tremble Besides such a Profession as this that men believe nothing in matters of Religion interfeers with it self for he that saith he believes nothing certainly pretends herein to know certainly that all things are doubtful yea and to know certainly that it is best for him to be of this Judgement that all things are uncertain and therefore nothing for him to believe Otherwise Why is he thus minded why doth he not rather submit to the contrary But this last Scepticism is a strain of folly not worth the contending against But to the Reason propounded Sect. 10 by which the seekers of superordinancers do make attempt to justifie their practice in giving over the Ministry of the Gospel I reply Secondly That the Scribes and Pharisees were doubtless every whit as far from being infallible as the Ministers of the Gospel now are yet our Saviour himself Mat. 23.2 3. counselled the people and his own Disciples too to hear them yea and
dumpishness c. and so that which is begotten by the Spirit of God doth resemble that Spirit which doth produce it Now as the Spirit of God that begetteth this Spirit in a man is holy and pure a Spirit of Love and Meekness and Gentleness c. Even so is that Spirit which is begotten a Spirit of Meekness Love Holiness Humility c. The reason why I rather thus understand the word Spirit in the place before us is first because this spirit I mean the spirit of a man wrought and new framed within him by the Spirit of God is the more immediate principle of a mans actions and the Spirit of God in this respect the more remote because he produceth and worketh all our good works by the mediation of that Spirit or new frame of heart which he hath raised in us Now then that Spirit which hath the more immediate conjunction with or influence upon our actions is more easily discernable by us and consequently more proper to discover or make known that which is discoverable by it as the dwelling of God in us in this place Secondly The Holy Ghost doth not discover himself or his presence in a man at least not his sanctifying presence of which we now speak but only by that spirit which he begetteth in his own likeness as hath been said and by the Fruits or Works of the Spirit For who can say upon any competent grounds I have the Spirit of God in me unless he find the frame of his heart and the temper of his former spirit changed within him and this for the better He that saith he hath the Spirit of God in him upon any other ground or account speaketh he knows not what nor hath any man reason to believe him Now then if the Holy Ghost be not manifestive of himself or of his own presence in men but only by that spirit which he begets or creates in men and by the works which this Spirit produceth in them but this Spirit especially by the works which it produceth is plainly manifestive of it self and consequently of all other things which must of necessity accompany it amongst which the dwelling of God in men is one It clearly follows that this is the Spirit by which the Holy Ghost himself here saith that we know that God abideth or dwelleth in us Thirdly That Spirit in a man which must declare and evidence Gods dwelling or abiding in him must be a Spirit constantly or habitually abiding in him Now the constant and habitual abiding of the Spirit of God in those who have received him cannot be known but only by that habitual frame of heart out of which they act for otherwise there is a remaining of the Spirit of God in them which is not sanctifying many had the Holy Ghost in them to work Miracles but the sanctifying presence of the Holy Ghost in men cannot be known but only by the habitual and blessed frame of heart out of which they act in the waies of God and therefore in this respect also it is most likely that the Holy Ghost meaneth the spirit which is begotten in the hearts by this Spirit Fourthly and lastly This Spirit we speak of which is begotten in men by the Spirit of God may be said to be given unto us by God as well as the Holy Ghost himself For as God when he gave Christ unto men may be said to have given them all things appertaining unto life and bleâ—â—edness He that hath given the Fountain may be said to have given the streams So he that hath given the sanctifying Spirit may be also said to have given all other things and blessings that depend upon the same Thus then we see this clear before us that he that is filled with the Spirit cannot but know that God dwelleth and abideth in him and this was the first thing mentioned which must needs possess and fill men with a rich assurance that their attonement and peace is made with God by the bloud of Christ For most assuredly God dwells in no man but in him who believeth in him And secondly Whosoever believeth in him his attonement is compleat with God Thirdly and lastly the man or woman in whom God dwelleth either knoweth or readily may know that God dwelleth in him The second thing propounded Sect. 11 whereby a man or woman may know that their attonement or peace is made with God and they accepted was if they love God they that truly love God and know they love him may from hence readily conclude and take hold of an assurance that they have peace with God This is evident from that known passage 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 There is no fear in love i. e. with love or where love is found The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with as 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith or with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus So again Mat. 16.27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory that is with the glory of his Father There is no fear in love meaning the love of God and the fear of God i. e. the fear of being hurt by God or of receiving evil from him as he explaineth himself immediately cannot stand together But saith he perfect love casteth out fear First It is evident that he speaks here principally and more particularly of the love of God in men Secondly By perfect love he means love grown to a good maturity and strength in the heart and soul of a man when it is active and bringeth forth a considerable proportion of fruit By perfect love here he cannot mean love which is absolutely and compleatly perfect which is not capable of any more intenseness or further enlargement for there is no such love of God to be found amongst men that dwell in houses of clay no not among the greatest of the Saints yea it is a question whether the love of the Angels themselves be perfect in this sense or no. The word perfect and perfection are most frequently used when applied to man or any other Creature not in a strict or absolute but a limited and diminutive sense Things are said to be perfect when they are grown to any good degree of perfection So he that offendeth not in word is said to be a perfect man Jam. 3.2 that is it is a sign that he is an able Christian so love to God when it is grown to a considerable strength in a man that it yieldeth forth fruit in abundance then it is called perfect love and I do not remember where the word is otherwise used when applied to the Creature or things relating to it Indeed when applied to God it is to be taken in the strictest sense but when applied
these high and excellent deportments of themselves in the World or as if persons in any degree charitable did perform all these worthy things in their perfection But that the nature of charity is such and that the means vouchsafed by God to advance this grace in their souls are such that men and women may be raised and enlarged in it to such a perfection or degree as to be in a capacity of doing all these great and excellent things formerly mentioned So when Paul saith We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father his meaning is not that every one who received this Spirit in any measure or degree doth actually thus cry or is in a present and immediate capacity to do it but that this Spirit being once received may be so comported with and entreated by men as that he will advance his presence to such a fulness or degree that they shall be able by means of that strong testimony to cry Alba Father This is the first thing to be remembred by the way A second thing Sect. 15 is that when the Apostle saith That the Spirit speaking of the Spirit of God witnesseth with our spirits that we are the Children of God i.e. as we expounded mightily fortifies and strengthens that Testimony of our own spirit in this behalf He doth not suppose that every man and woman who are more than ordinarily raised in this perswasion or apprehension of themselves I mean that they are the Children of God receive the abundance of this testimony or perswasion from the Spirit of God For very possible it is that men and women who are not the Children of God but far from it may be very strongly and confidently perswaded that they stand in this relation unto God But certain it is that such a perswasion as this in such persons cometh not either in whole or in part from the Spirit of God because he never joyneth in any Testimony whereby an untruth is confirmed There may be another Spirit a Spirit of delusion that standeth at their right hand ready to fall in with them at such a turn as this and it is like will make their perswasion great within them Our Saviour Joh. 16.2 giveth an account of some that would think that they did God good service when they put to death the Disciples of Christ one of the most horrid Acts of Impiety which could lightly be committed And the Jews themselves with whom the Lord Christ had to do in the daies of his flesh were as high and as confident as confidence it self could make them that they were the Children of God yea the first-born Children of God and if there were no more Children of God in the World yet they must needs be of this Generation Now most true it is that this confidence in such persons is in a sense supernatural too for certainly the Spirit of Error and Delusion which standeth at the right hand of sinful and unworthy persons doth suggest this unto them that they are the Children and Saints of God and falleth in with them after the manner of the Spirit of God and if he finds but the least mutterings or whisperings this way in such persons whose spiritual estate and condition he knows much better than themselves do he will fall in with might and main according to his manner of working and operation to help to raise and fortifie this perswasion in them he will give them of this Wine to drink until their senses be bewitched and besotted and by this means their Judgments and understandings bear them in hand with the highest confidence that they are the only Sons and Daughters of God and therefore we must take heed and learn to distinguish and not believe the confident testimony and assurance which some will pretend unto of being the Sons and Daughters of God we must carefully distinguish between the Spirit of God himself and the Spirit of Error and Delusion who as I said doth but lie in wait to hear the Spirit of a man whisper whom he knows not to be a Child of God but to be a wicked proud formal and hypocritical person and then he will fall in amain with him to strengthen his confidence And therefore in respect of the degree and measure of his confidence haply it may be as well with him that is deluded by Sathan as it is with him that is strengthened and raised by the Spirit of God himself Yet in respect of the manner of it and several circumstances that do attend this false perswasion and confidence it may easily be discerned from that which is true The Apostles speaks Col. 2.18 of some persons that were vainly puft up with their fleshly minds whose hearts were not established with grace but with meats meaning that these carnal observations had puffed them up with swelling thoughts of themselves Therefore it is to be considered and remembred that the persons with whose Spirits the Holy Ghost joyns in Testimony that they are the Children of God are only such who are the Children of God indeed i.e. who approve themselves for such by an innocent blameless and fruitful Conversation and particularly who reverence the Counsel and Appointments of God in the Ministry of the Gospel by attending hereupon from day to day If we had time we might give this Item unto you Sect. 16 that the Spirit of God which doth bear up the heart and conscience against all fears and doubtings and contrary apprehensions and the like this Spirit I say is received by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Ministry of it even as it was in the daies of the Apostles Received ye the Spirit saith the Apostle Paul Gal. 3.2 by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith It was the hearing of the Doctrine of the Gospel by which the Spirit of Adoption entred into them and this Spirit came down together with the Gospel from heaven to attend and accompany that in the Ministry and the Preaching of it by the Apostles and others that had part and fellowship with them in that work Even as the Spirit of fear or bondage which the Apostle speaketh of went forth or issued into the World by the Ministry of the Law and upon the giving of it upon Mount Sinai unto which the Apostle alludes when he saith Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear meaning that they had received it namely in their Fore Fathers when they were in their loyns But now saith he you have received namely by the Gospel and the Ministry thereof the Spirit of Adoption by which you cry Alba Father Now then when you shall find men and women that are full of confidence and assurance that they are the Children of God if this Spirit have entred into them upon the hearing of a false Gospel or upon the Preaching of another Jesus and not the Christ of God this is a dangerous sign that it is a Spirit of Delusion
spend and be spent upon the interest of God in the World certainly if there be any Crowns of Glorie in the World to come more weighty than others they are the persons that shall receive them from Christ Now it only remains that we weigh the Motive and for that I shall refer you to the consideration of what hath already been delivered in this Motive FINIS A Table of such Texts of Scripture unto which light is given in the foregoing Discourse ABraham will command his Children Gen. 18.9 and his House after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Page 512 Now therefore go Exod. 4.12 and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say Page 143 If there be a Prophet among you Num. 12.6 I the Lord or I Jehovah will make my self known unto him in a Vision and will speak unto him in a Dream Page 143 I said indeed that thy Fathers House shall walk before me for ever 1 Sam. 2.30 Page 30 The Lord hath heard my Supplication Psal 6.9 10. and he will receive my Prayer let all mine Enemies be ashamed and sore vexed Page 529 I will call on the Lord Psal 18.3 who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine Enemies Page 529 The sorrows of Hell compassed me about Ver. 5 6. He heard my voice out of his Temple and my cry came before him even into his ears Page 529 The eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous Ver. 34.15 17. and his ears are open to their cry the Righteous cry and the Lord heareth Page 525 Then shall I teach Transgressors the way Ver. 51.13 and Sinners shall be converted unto thee Page 48 They are all plain to him that will understand Prov. 8.9 Page 517 Wherefore is there a Price in the hand of a Fool to get wisdom Prov. 17.16 seeing he hath not a heart Page 474 He that despiseth his way Prov. 19.16 Page 83 84 Labour not to be rich Prov. 23.4 Cease from thine own wisdom Page 474 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Ver. 5. For riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away Page 474 Awake thou North wind Cant. 4.16 and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Page 183 184 Make the heart of this people fat Isa 6.9 10. Page 145 And now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me Isa 48.16 Page 145 Neither lift up a cry for this People Jer. 11.14 for if they pray I will not hear them Page 530 Behold the daies come Jer. 30.31 saith Jehovah that I will make a new Covenant Page 145 They should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness Ezek. 14.14 Page 530 When I say unto the righteous man he shall surely live Ezek. 33.13 if he shall trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity in his iniquity he shall die Page 30 The morning cloud Hos 6.4 and early dew Page 88 Rejoyce not against me Mic. 7.8 O mine Enemy Page 83 Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 Page 127 And I say unto you ask and it shall be given you Mat. 7.7 8. seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you For every one that asketh receiveth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Page 309 Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Mat. 13.43 Page 122 123 Therefore every Scribe Ver. 52. which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasury things new and old Page 435 And they likewise received every man a Peny Ver. 20.9 Page 93 94 119 120 Grant these my two Sons may sit the one on thy right hand Ver. 21 23. and the other on thy left in thy Kingdom It is not mine to give but unto them for whom it is prepared of my Father Page 124 125 For unto every one that hath Ver. 25.29 shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath Page 19 27 28 29 c. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Ver. 28.19 baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Page 135 c. He saw the Heavens opened Mar. 1.10 and the Spirit like a Dove descending upon him Page 151 152 Why doth the man thus speak blasphemies Mar. 2.7 Who can forgive sins but God only Page 155 156 Ye know not what you ask Mar. 10.35 Page 27 c. For it shall be given to whom it is prepared Ver. 40. Page 27 That he would grant unto us Luke 1.74 that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear Page 68 69 And ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding Luke 12.36 37. that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Page 350 Which of you having a Servant plowing or feeding Cattel will say to him by and by when he is come from the field Luk. 17.7 8. go and sit down to meat and will not rather say unto him make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink Doth he thank that Servant because he did the things which were commanded him I trow not Page 350 c. That was the true light Joh. 1.9 which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Page 284 I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove Joh. 1.32 and it abode upon him Page 153 Jesus answered verily Joh. 3.5 verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Page 156 That which is born of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 Page 18 The wind bloweth where it listeth Joh. 3.8 and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth Page 174 Except you see signs and wonders you will not believe Joh. 4.48 Page 408 I am come that they might have life Joh. 10.10 and that they might have it more abundantly Page 68 But if I do Ver. 38. though ye believe not me believe the Works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him Page 516 Even the Spirit of truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not Ver. 14.17 neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Page 21.22 But the Comforter Ver. 26. which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father
will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Page 164 Abide in me Ver. 15.4 5. and I in you he that abideth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruit Page 197 198 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father Ver. 15.26 even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Page 164 c. He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Ver. 16.14 Page 216 217 218 And now Father Ver. 17.5 glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Page 136 c. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me Ver. 8. and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they believed that thou didst send me Page 516 c. And when he had said this Ver. 20.22 23. he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Page 173 c. Men and Brethren Acts 1.16 this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas Page 176 And when they heard that Acts 4.24 they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Why did the Heathen rage c. Page 176 Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Page 42 177 Why have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Ver. 9. Page 177 For in him we live Ver. 17.28 and move and have our being Page 86 We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Ver. 19.2 Page 228 Behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem Ver. 20.22 Page 43. c Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 Page 68 Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations Rom. 4.18 Page 105 Giving glory to God Ver. 20. Page 105 c. For I know that in me Ver. 7.18 that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Page 299 But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Ver. 23. and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members Page 299 For as many as are led by the Spirit Ver. 8.14 c. Page 295 We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Ver. 15. Abba Father Page 505 c. The Spirit it self bearing witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Ver. 16. Page 504 c. And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came Ver. 9.5 who is over all God blessed for ever Page 189 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Ver. 10.9 c. Page 48 But fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Ver. 12.11 Page 14 Rulers are not a terror to good works Ver. 13.3 but to evil Page 68 Attending continually upon this very thing Ver. 6. Page 68 For the Spirit of God searcheth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Page 171 231 232 233 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Page 171 For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of 1 Cor. 9.16 for necessity is laid upon me yea woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Page 353 354 Wherefore Tongues are for a sign not to them that believe 1 Cor. 14.22 but to them that believe not but Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them that believe Page 406 c. Therefore 1 Cor. 15.38 my Beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the Work of the Lord for asmuch as you know your labour is not in vain in the Lord Page 112 113 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 but our sufficiency is of God Page 242 For whether we be besides our selves it is to God 2 Cor. 5.13 or whether we be sober it is for your cause Page 43 44 Having therefore these Promises 2 Cor. 7.1 let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Page 133 134 Your Zeal hath provoked very many 2 Cor. 9.2 Page 47 He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly 2 Cor. 9.6 and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Page 544 For the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong Holds Page 430 431 There was given to me a thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 the Messenger of Sathan Page 492 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 c. so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Page 252 269 Bear ye on anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 Page 50 51 For he that soweth to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 c. Page 290 Which is his body Eph. 1.23 the fulness of him that filleth all in all Page 131 For this cause I bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3.14 15 16. Of whom the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Page 58 59 60 That ye might being rooted and grounded in love Ver. 17 18. may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height c. Page 71 72 73 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth Ver. 4.29 30. c. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Page 12 13 304 305 Knowing whatsoever good thing any man doth Ver. 6.8 the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Page 112 Many waxed confident by my bonds Phil. 1.14 Page 47 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 13. for it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure Page 158 Who shall change our vile body Phil. 3.21 c. Page 122 123 That in all things he might have the preeminence Col. 1.18 Page 122 Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Page 10 11 12 God who counted me faithful 1 Tim. 1.12 putting me into the Ministry Page 35 36 I obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern Page 33 For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 but will heap up Teachers according to their own lusts
sixth Motive That the Reasons and Vnderstandings of men are not capable of being employed upon terms of greater benefit and advantage than in this engagement A seventh Consideration taken from the uncertainty of obtaining the things of this World by all the means that can be used and also from the uncertainty of the continuance of these things if gotten Whereas a being filled with the Spirit as it is attainable so by a perseverance in the use of means our attainments in this kind shall stand by us for ever Page 463 CHAP. XVIII The Eighth and last Motive That a being filled with the Spirit will render the Condition of men and women most desirable in this World and in that which is to come That no other course will do it but this or none without this Four things a concurrence whereof will render a man's Condition in this life most desirable 1. A freedom from all troublesome distracting and tormenting fears and cares 2. A heart and conscience abounding in Joy and Peace 3. A large and free Communion with God 4. And lastly A rich and large interest in God to be able to carry great Matters in Prayer with him Three of these insisted on 1. A being filled with the Spirit will discharge men from all troublesome and distracting fears and cares 2. The Peace and Joy of men will abound by a being filled with the Spirit 3. A third particular which renders mens Condition so desirable in the World is a free and large Communion with God 1. What is meant by Communion with God 2. What by a free Communion 3. What is meant by a large and full Communion with God 4. How this Communion renders man's Condition very desirable in the World 5. That this Priviledge must needs accompany a being filled with the Spirit What it is for God to dwell or abide in man How a man may know that God dwelleth in him by the Spirit which is given him How perfect love casteth out fear In what respect the Spirit may be said to witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God A well-grounded Confidence The Causes of a false Confidence enquired into A good Conscience a ground of Assurance Page 482 CHAP. XIX The Eighth Motive further opened in the fourth particular a being filled with the Spirit doth interest men with a rich and large Interest in God How this Interest doth arise by being filled with the Spirit of God Reasons why so little is done by Prayer now in comparison of what was done in the Primitive times Without being filled with the Spirit none of the great blessings formerly mentioned and which render a mans Condition so desirable in this World are to be obtained The Reasons whence it comes to pass And the equitableness of God's proceeding with men therein The difference between a fearless and dreadless frame of spirit that is counterfeit and that which is raised upon good Grounds A being filled with the Spirit is the only way to cause the Crown of glory to flourish on the head of a man And that with a greater measure of glory in the World which is to come Page 522 ERRATA PAge 8. Line 22. for te read to p. 14. l. 28. for of r. as p. 16. l. 23. for never r. ever p. 18. l. 23. for the inspiration thereof r. his inspiration p. 24. l. 20. for men r. man p. 60. l. 34. after on r. of p. 61. l. 8 for effecting r. affecting p. 63. l. 21 dele or doth Ibid. l. 4 r. for and r. of the. Ibid. l. 42. for of the r. and. p. 66. l. 11. for Princes r. Prophets p. 77. l. 16. for heavenly r. lovely p. 84. l 5. for it r. them p. 87. l. 10. for maniture r. manuducture p. 107. l. 2. for leaving r. left p. 109 l. 36. for of 1. as p. 121. l. last for most r. not p. 146. l. 2 for that r. though p. 162. l. 18. after whci r. it Ibid. l. 40. for in r. into p. 163. l. 41. for apparence r. appearance p. 165. l. 8. for it r. he p. 181. l. 24. for interest r. request p. 186. l. 2. r. it is the first born lb. dele it is p. 190. l. 18 for consent r. conceit p. 191. l. 10. for zealoufly r. jealously p. 213. l. 26. for or r. but. p. 216 l. 19. for undeceivedness r. underivedness p. 228. l. r. after Believer r. But. lb. 18. dele But p. 231. l. 19. for any r. an p. 236. l. 15. dele that p. 248. l. 28. add whereby p. 254. l. 34. for exhibiting r. excitings p. 268. l. 21. dele because p. 284. l. 23. for by r. for p. 289. l. 26. for having r. have p. 300. l. 21. for I r. A. p. 311. l. 25. for obtain r. attain p. 323. l. 6. dele of p. 346. l. 10. for grateful r. graceful p. 348. l. 17. for absolute r. obsolete p. 352. l. 24. for to r. who p. 354. l. 19. for picking r. higgling p. 364. l. 28. dele that p. 366. l. 25. for suits r. fruits p. 374. l. 27. dele judgeth that he p. 385. l. 8. for who r. we p. 396. l. 18. after seen r. in p. 397. l. 8 dele that p. 400. l. 24. dele of p. 423. l. 19. for chose r. choose p. 430. l. 41. for of r. for p. 445. l. 43. after yea r. there are p. 456. l. 6. for if r. which p. 375. l. 15. after sums r. are p. 484. l. 1. for where to be r. to be where p. 490. l. 11. for be r. he p. 506. l. 5. for as r. so as p. 538. l. 37. dele was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A being filled with the Spirit Ephes 5. the latter part of the 18 verse But be filled with the SPIRIT CHAP. I. The coherence and sense of the words opened What it is to be filled with the Spirit Four Doctrines raised from the words Proved from the Scriptures that it is the duty of all Christians to be filled with the Spirit THe tenour of the former part of the verse is this Sect. 1 And be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit The Apostle having in the former part of this Epistle as his usual method was declared and laid down foundation-wise that great Doctrine of the Christian Religion namely justification by or through faith in Jesus Christ In the latter part thereof he builds upon this foundation Precepts and Exhortations to such duties and behaviours which may very justly and equitably be expected upon the account of such rich grace from God vouchsafed unto sinful men in their free justification by Christ Now in Precepts and Exhortations unto Christian duties there is not alwaies a dependence or relation of coherence between duty and duty or between that which goeth before and that which followeth after But Exhortations are many times like unto Solomons Proverbs which resemble Jewels or precious stones not set together in order
have abundance But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath By him that hath in the former clause to whom more shall be given must needs be meant a man that useth or imployeth that which he hath so and upon such terms that he gives an account unto the world makes it known unto men that he hath received some Talent one or more from God For otherwise if we shall take the word hath in a Grammatical and proper sense it will follow that every one shall have more given and so every one shall have abundance For all men have in such a sense of having All men have somewhat from God originally But now in as much as he namely who had the one Talent is said to have buried it in a napking therefore our Saviour presents him under this notion and character of one that had not because he did not make use or improve that which he had took no course to make it appear unto men that he had any such Talent or means from God So it is frequent and ordinary in the Scripture to express one who useth not what he hath and which giveth no testimony or account of what he hath by the Phrase of not having at all In like manner in the place under consideration where it is said that men of such a Character have not the Spirit The meaning is not that they had not the Spirit at all or in no degree But only this that they being sensual were chiefly guided and that their waies and works were influenced by the flesh and fleshly principles But as for the Spirit of God he was wholly neglected neither did they take any course to improve his presence in them nor to give any account unto men by their lives and conversations of any presence of his with them This is one consideration from whence in conjunction with that which follows it appears that he that is not filled or at least in a way of being filled with the Spirit of God is in eminent danger of being filled with an evil or contrary spirit The consideration as you heard was this that whosoever is destitute of the Spirit of God or is wholly flesh in the sense declared hath nothing wherewith to resist the unclean spirit that shall seek to enter into him and to fill him with his presence but all things which are confederate with him and assist him Secondly Sect. 6 As we intimated before our sense to be that no persons whatsoever who have not sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost which few now living if any have done but have the Spirit of God in some measure or degree in them I therefore add for the further confirmation of the reason in hand That men by the Spirit of God himself when he resideth in them in some low and ordinary degree only and when not stirred up by them being not regarded but neglected I say such a presence or residence of the Spirit of God himself in men will not put them into a meet posture or capacity to resist Sathan in case he shall engage himself which certainly he will to fill them with his spirit It is said of Christ Mar. 6.5 That being in his own Country he could do no great works there because of their unbelief The Evangelist Matthew speaking of the same thing or recording the same History Mat. 13.58 rendereth it thus That he did not many mighty works c. Now that which Matthew expresseth only in these terms That he did not Mark expressing the same thing doth it with more Emphasis and weight namely That he could there do no mighty works c. He could not work himself to be willing to do any great works he had not any motive before him to incline his will that way but on the other hand a grand diswasive from it and that which did quench and take off his will and made him listless to any such action namely their unbelief Now what a man cannot will to do he may properly enough be said not to be able to do because a consent or concurrence of the will is every whit as necessary to an action as the ability or power of acting There are two things equally necessary to every action The one is That the will be consenting thereunto The other is That the person so willing and consenting have a respective power or ability of acting when either of these shall be wanting the thing or action can never be done or performed As if a man have not a will unto a thing or action impossible it is that ever it should proceed from him or by his means Now certain it is that the will cannot rise up unto a consent and concurrence with the executive power in order to an action unless it have potent and congruous motives one or more to help it up or raise it No man can will any thing but only that which he conceiveth to be good there being no other object capable of affecting or moving the will So then the working of Miracles or great works about Nazareth the sottish and wilful unbelief of the people considered had not in the understanding of Christ rationem boni the consideration of good in it and so it was impossible that his will should be moved and affected by it to consent unto it and consequently it may very properly be said that he could not do any such things In the same dialect of speech the Spirit of God himself may be said not to be able to oppose and resit Satan in his attempting to fill men with sin and wickedness when his presence in and with men is despised and neglected when they take no knowledge of his being so near unto them nor of his gracious offers to relieve help and assist them against their spiritual enemies For though his power of executing namely for the frustrating and dissolving the attempts of Sathan which we are speaking of be not impaired nor indeed impairable to speak properly by any negligence unfaithfulness or unfruitfulness of men whatsoever Yet the exerting or putting forth of this power of his in such cases may be hindred by men namely when they shall so demean themselves towards him that he hath no consideration before him to render him willing to do it but many to make him unwilling Hence it comes to pass that the Spirit may truly and properly be said not to be able to exert his power or not to unbare his arm for the assisting of men in their resisting and vanquishing of Sathan in such attempts as we speak of Another Scripture of the same character with the others even now mentioned you have Joh. 14.17 Where our Saviour speaking of the Spirit tells his Desciples that the world cannot receive him the reason he renders is because it namely the world seeth him not neither knoweth him So that the reason why the world did not receive the Spirit in that measure that the
Disciples did is because they did not see him neither know him Though he be near unto them yea though he be in their hearts by his word yet they not minding nor contemplating this word of his nor regarding his motions in their souls but suffering the eyes of their minds to be fixed upon this present world and the sins and vanities thereof do not see him though he be near unto them and ready to do great things for them had they a mind to imploy him But their thoughts and mind being otherwise engaged and entangled they do by this means and during the Regency of such principles render themseles upon the matter in an utter incapacity of receiving the Spirit because they favour so much of the Spirit of this world and render themselves such a kind of sinners and such an unworthy generation that the Spirit of God can have no will or lust can take no pleasure or content to manifest himself unto them This is the second consideration by which you may perceive that unless men shall take a course to be filled with the Spirit of God they will lay themselves open and obnoxious to be filled with some unclean spirit or other If it be here objected Sect. 7 and said Is not the Spirit of God a gracious and free-working Spirit Objection And will he not doth he not for his own name sake as the Scriptures often speak put forth his might and strength to aide and assist men and women against Sathan and his evil practices towards them when and where he pleaseth without any motive or inducement from them by way of compliance with him or any goodness of behaviour in one kind or other towards him How then can we say that it doth depend upon any compliance of the creature Man with him or any kind of behaviour of his towards him I answer Answer most true it is That the Spirit of God is a most gracious and free-working Spirit exerting and putting forth himself rising up in his might and heavenly vigour where when and in whom he pleaseth Nor doth he receive Laws Terms or Directions from men for any of his motions or actions in the world but from himself his own grace and wisdom only Secondly I answer further That though the Spirit of God be most gracious and free in all his operations and workings Yet as the Apostle Peter speaking of the Promise of the Lord Christ concerning his coming saith The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some men count stackness 2 Pet. 3.9 Even so say I of the Spirit of Christ That he is neither gracious nor free-working as some men count gracious and free-working he is neither the one nor the other in any way of contrariety unto himself I mean either to his own holiness or his love of holiness in men nor yet to his wisdom or the interest of his glory but only in a direct and clear consistency with these Some mens imagination or notion concerning the gracious and free working disposition of the Spirit of God is 1. That there have been and are some men to whom he never hath nor ever will vouchsafe his gracious presence to the least degree and meerly out of his freedom hath willed never to have to do with them little or much not because of any peculiar strain of wickedness in them but meerly and only as I even now said from his own will and pleasure 2. On the other hand they conceive That God vouchsafeth such a presence unto some others so powerful and effectual that they are not able to resist the motions influences and workings of it but are necessitated thereby to repent believe and work righteousness 3. And lastly Others notion of this grace and working of the Spirit is such as if no course or strain of sin and wickedness whatsoever in men though still persisted in no impenitency no neglect or contempt whether precedent or present of the Gospel and of the great Salvation offered therein were or are any way considerable as to the obstructing or hindering the Spirit of God from vouchsafing even the richest highest and fullest measure of himself and his gracious presence unto them Now that Neither the grace of God nor the freedom of the Spirit in working is to be estimated measured or computed by any such notions or principles as these hath been already sufficiently evinced and proved and might here be done again would it not occasion too long a digression That graciousness and freedom of working which the Scripture any where yea and sound reason it self asserts unto the Spirit of God consists and shews it self in these particulars First All men without exception having sinned in Adam and thereby justly deprived themselves of all friendly converse and communion with God yea and justly incurred his high displeasure hatred and indignation There was nothing of any engaging or inviting much less of any obliging import in man to move or encline the God of Heaven to have any thing more to do with him in any way of love favour mercy goodness or the like to the daies of Eternity So that God having been pleased notwithanding this low and despicable condition of his Creature man to comport with him again upon terms of grace and reconciliation and to offer himself unto him namely to be re-enjoyed upon terms and these very possible to be performed by him and to put him into a capacity of blessedness and glory his former provocations notwithstanding must needs be matter of pure and meer grace and consequently of free grace so far as it was matter of grace at all If any shall say The misery and sad extremity of the Creature man Sect. 8 in the condition wherein he had now plunged himself Objection might be some moving cause unto God or upon God to look back again in mercy towards him And so in this respect there might be somewhat in man inviting him unto that merciful compliance with him which now he hath vouchsafed and consequently his grace in this vouchsafement is not so absolutely and purely free To this I answer Answers That no man as I suppose ever oppoed misery unto grace or freeness of grace in him that sheweth mercy or relieveth It is not repugnant to the greatest freeness of grace that can be imagined that a man should be induced to vouchsafe help shew mercy and relieve a person that is in misery yea upon the occasion thereof or that his misery should be an inducement thereunto 2. That compliance which God vouchsafed unto his Creature man considered as now misrable is not properly matter of grace or an act of grace but of mercy so that though the mercy of God out of which he hath vouchsafed means of relief unto man may be said to have been invited or wrought upon by his misery and in this respect not so absolutely free Yet this hinders not but that the grace of God properly so called out of which he hath been
foreseen such a case or cases wherein a suspension of a just and good Law could be necessary it would not have been their wisdom nor for the interest of the people to make mention of it in their Law but to leave the regulation of such cases to that supreme Law we speak of In like manner when the Holy Ghost cometh in unto or falls upon any person man or woman on the sudden when they have been formerly and untill then vain loose and prophane it is upon some special and weighty occasion and of high importance for the benefit of the generallity of men not so much for the benefit of any single or particular person no but for matter of greater consequence and more comprehensive than the good or benefit of any one I say when ever God varies from a general Rule it is alwaies in order to the benefit and relief of the communities of men as for example for the preserving and keeping alive in the judgments and consciences of men some great principle of truth one or other which was ready to dye and so be lost in those parts of the world where his providence so acted Now to preserve and keep such a principle alive in the souls and consciences of men if God shall appear in an extraordinary manner or the Holy Ghost work out of course it is a sign that it was not likely to be preserved by any other means or however not by any means so proper or so well consistent with the wisdom of God as this For that is to be minded when there is any ordinary way or means to accomplish any end as to instance in our present case to preserve and keep alive any great truth then and in such cases God never betaketh himself to that which is extraordinary But as to the business in hand an instance may be in the Apostle Paul his Case he giveth this account of Gods going out of his ordinary way of Grace in bringing him unto himself viz. That it was for the benefit of men yea of such men who were not like to be wrought upon otherwise For this cause saith he I obtained mercy not so much for mine own sake principally but that in me Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterward believe on him to eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 As if he should have said God in vouchsafing that extraordinary grace to me in my conversion in bringing me to the knowledge of Christ did not look so much on my salvation nor upon the great benefit that I should receive from it but was pleased to pitch upon me that he might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe he speaks here of his own Countrymen the Jews that were called or to be called to believe on Christ And because God would give an advantage unto them for their believing being a stubborn and stiff-necked Generation a people that had desperately rebelled against the Gospel he was pleased to set this Apostle as a Pattern for them that when they had such a Pattern before them they might conceive thus with themselves There was a man every whit as wicked as we as unworthy as great an enemy to Christ and the Gospel as we yet he was called and with a high hand of acceptation received therefore doubtless we may trust in him and expect that if we will subject to him and come in and accept of mercy we shall be received into grace and favour also So now if there can be any such instance produced in our daies or in the places where we have conversed viz. That any extraordinary thing hath been done for men in a way of a real and through repentance and conversion for a seeming repentance and conversion may be in many where true repentance is seldom wrought but if I say there can be the truth and reality of any such unusual work of the Holy Ghost demonstrated doubtless there was or is some great principle one or other some important truth in a declining condition in those parts and places where any such extraordinary power of God and of his Spirit doth appear and it is to keep alive and in power and authority such a Doctrine As for instance it may be the free grace and mercy of God and that readiness in him to entertain and receive Sinners when-ever they shall return unto him this great truth I say may be so weakened in the judgments and minds of men that it may need more than an ordinary confirmation And so that men have no cause to be jealous of their former courses as if these having been so wretched and vile they might repent and yet be cast out from God Again That wicked men have as much right unto as much to do if not more with the Promises of the Gospel as Believers themselves and so that persons that have not been so or so humbled or terrified by the Law may as lawfully yea and as truly believe as those that have been in the greatest terrours of Conscience by means of it Now for the relieving and reviving of such Evangelical Principles and Conclusions as these and the like in the hearts and Consciences of men there may possibly be some extraordinary working of the Holy Ghost in and about the conversion of some man or some few Fourthly Sect. 15 When God beginneth or first entreth upon a new kind of Dispensation or series of Providence or Administrations in the world the first instance or example of such a kind of dispensation is not to be indeed in some particular Cases cannot be regulated by such Laws unto which the subsequent practice of the same Administrations are to be governed afterwards I say the first Dispensation in any kind cannot be a reasonable or perfect measure by which all other after Administrations are to be measured Men of reason and learning have delivered this for a Maxime Primum in unoquoque genere est excipiendum That the first of every kind of things is to be excepted meaning from the Common Law of the rest So that in this case God doth go along with men in their own manner of proceedings To make the observation clear When God gave being to the first man Adam intending by him the propagation of great numbers of men he did not observe the decrees or Laws of nature or natural production which he doth in giving life and being to other men So when he began that Church the members of which were afterwards numerous even the whole Nation of the Jews he appeared unto and called Abraham in somewhat an extraordinary manner This was the first beginning the head of that kind of dispensation in the world For God had not a peculiar Church raised out of any stock or generation in the world before it was to him the beginning of Churches No marvel then that he should begin this Church after another manner and in a method somewhat
a service that seems vain rash or needless in the eyes of most men then the glory of it shall shine round about him and he shall see as in a vision of the noon day this conveniency and that this consequence and that attending upon it all great and excellent and worthy and by this means the heart comes to be full of it full of the greatness and the goodness and the worthiness of it full of the sense of the benefit and blessing which it will bring along with it So that though all the world should rise up against him to disswade him from it they could not do it For in such a case there would be no opportunity no roomth in his heart or soul for any carnal disswading interposure to enter or to intermeddle about taking him off from it As when the glory of the Lord had filled the Temple the Priests could not enter into it to do their Office or any work belonging to them here 2 Chron. 7.2 In like manner when the Holy Ghost hath filled the Temple of the soul with the glory of great and high ingagements for God and for the Gospel such reasonings and conceits which are wont to purvey for the flesh and to sacrifice all that comes to net pleasures and profits unto it cannot now find entrance hither to inveigle or intice the hearts or consciences of men to hearken unto them So that we see the truth of this reason That unless men and women be filled with the Spirit of God they will never be able to advance in such waies and courses and to hold out in many practices and services without which the honour of God the reputation and credit of the Gospel of Christ cannot be maintained like unto themselves in the world The Gospel will suffer loss and lose ground unless it be held up and the present interest of it maintained by some such worthy practices and undertakings of the Saints as those we have now spoken of and which we have shewed will hardly be attempted much less performed and carried through with that height of courage and resolution which will make the face of the Gospel to shine unless they that shall be called to be Actors of them shall be so emptied of themselves as to be filled with the Holy Ghost and by this means be lifted up above themselves CHAP. IV. The Doctrine demonstrated by a third ground viz. That we are never like to be any great Benefactors unto the world which yet we stand bound in duty to be unless we be filled with the Spirit He is a great Benefactor unto the world that gives a real account of his believing in Christ Why Abraham called the Father of Believers The force of Example A mans keeping the Commandments of Jesus a great benefit and accommodation unto the world in two respects Gal. 6.2 in part opened 2 Tim. 3.8 in part opened So Eph. 3.14 15 16. The Saints praying for any good thing frequently in their prayer mention the means by which God is wont to give or effect it THe third Reason of the Doctrine is this Sect. 1 Every man stands bound upon this account to be filled with the Spirit of God Because otherwise a man will never become any great and signal benefactor unto the world He will never bless or serve his Generation at any worthy rate or as becomeâ—h an heir apparent to life and immortality to do There are two things in this Reason the one supposed or taken for granted as clear and evident enough in it self the other plainly affirmed That which is supposed is this That it is every mans duty to become a Benefactor and this in some degree considerable unto the world This is nothing but what every man stands charged with by God I mean to be singularly and signally active for the real and crue interest of the world whilst he continueth and abideth in it That which is plainly laid down and affirmed is That a man without being filled with the Spirit will never be in any rich or competent capacity to perform his duty in this kind Now concerning the former though it be a truth shining clear enough with its own light yet because every mans eyes haply are not sufficiently opened to see it let us make a little eye-salve of the Word of God to anoint them with that they may be opened to see it First then that all men are bound to believe in Jesus Christ at least all men that have the Gospel preached unto them though there be little question indeed of others Secondly That they are bound to do the best they can to make the world believe this concerning them I mean that they do indeed believe on him As will the one as the other of these is I suppose every mans apprehension and no mans question or doubt Now if this be true Full that every man and woman of us stands bound to believe in Jesus Christ And secondly to do that which is proper and sufficient to convince the world that we do thus believe it evidently followeth That every man stands bound to do some great and worthy thing for the World and to be a Blessing to his Generation For there is nothing lies within the sphere of humane activity of more worthy or higher accommodation or concernment unto the World than to present it with a clear Vision of the sight of a man Believing with his whole heart in Jesus Christ or else to shew unto men the sight of the World it self Conquered and Overcome by a man With both these sights every such man or woman presenteth the World who telleth the World with authority and power that is by a manifest contempt of the World in all that it can either do for him or against him that he believeth in Jesus Christ There is not a greater sight to be shewed or seen in the world than to shew it plainly and cause it to see distinctly the heart of a throughout Believer in Christ or to shew it in like manner the World Overcome by a weak and mortal man Now both these sights a man doth shew when he doth cast contempt upon the World Such a man presents the World with both these with a man really believing in Jesus Christ and with a man having the World under his feet Most men when they pretend or go about to let the World know that they believe in Jesus Christ speak like unto the Spirits of Divination the manner of whose speaking the Pophet Isaiah describeth by peeping and muttering Isa 8.19 as if they were afraid to speak out or plainly lest they should be taken tardy with speaking a lye being conscious to themselves of their inability positively to declare the truth concerning the things which are inquired about at their hands by their Proselites and Customes In like manner the generality of Professors amongst us who pretend to give the world to know that they believe in Jesus Christ do but peep and
generally will never look into their hearts nor reflect seriously or to any purpose upon themselves till they be some way or other amused and struck with admiration If we shall not reduce the World to some such pass as to marvel and to wonder and to think strange of us what manner of persons we are or what we mean or whence we have our Principles c. we shall never come at the dull hearts and at the sleepy Consciences of worldly and carnal men They must see signs and wonders of Righteousness Goodness and Humility Love Patience Meekness and other like Christian Vertues whereof they are capable Otherwise they will think themselves excusable in their not believing So then this is a third reason of the Doctrine Without being filled with the Spirit we are never like to be any great Benefactors to the World CHAP. V. The fourth Reason of the Doctrine propounded and argued Men are not capable of receiving the rich Consolations of the Gospel unless they be filled with the Spirit 1 Pet. 2.9 in part opened So Heb. 6.17 18. Eph. 3.17 19. 1 Pet. 1.8 Eph. 1.18 Jam. 2.13 Prov. 19.16 Acts 17.28 Mar. 4.5 and 6.16 Sect. 1 The fourth Reason It is therefore a duty lying upon every man and woman especially upon those who pretend to the honour of the high Calling of Saints to be filled with the Spirit of God because otherwise they will be in no capacity to receive from the hand of God and to be filled with those rich and strong Consolations during their abode here in the World which God hath provided for them in the Gospel And which he will actually confer upon all those that shall be found meet to receive them In this reason as in the former we suppose one thing and affirm another The thing we suppose and take for granted as not questioning the truth of it Yet for the satisfaction of those who possibly may question it we shall a little put to the consideration The thing is this I mean that which the reason supposeth viz. That it is every mans duty and more especially every Believers to desire and seek after part and fellowship not only in the Consolations of the Gospel but in the highest and richest Consolations which the Gospel administreth or which are attainable by means of it Upon what account this is or may be a duty will appear presently by inquiring into it But that which we affirm in the Reason is this That without being filled with the Spirit of God we are not meet Subjects nor Vessels regularly prepared to be filled with the strong and excellent Consolations of the Gospel For the former of these the thing supposed That it is every mans duty and more especially the duty of all that look upon themselves or are looked upon by others as Believers to thirst after the sweetest and richest waters of life that the heavenly Fountain the Gospel from any place or vent of it one or more sendeth forth and to break through all impediments all difficulties to come at them is evident enough upon this ground viz. That we all stand bound to declare and testifie unto the World and this as well by deeds or real demonstrations as by words or verbal account or assertion the unsearchable riches of the grace and great bountifulness of God towards the Children of men in this present world as well as in that which is to come 1 Pet. 2.9 But we are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Why all this To shew forth the praises or vertues or as the Etymology of the word imports the pleasing or lovely things of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light c. That you may shew forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to speak out or declare aloud so that all may hear that your sound may go forth into all the World Now when he minds them that they are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood c. that they should throughly and effectually shew forth the vertues of God He plainly sheweth that it was Gods intent in honouring and enabling them in making them Kings and Priests and Princes by the Gospel to put them into a way or capacity of informing the World upon terms of the best advantage as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to shew or declare out imports to make known unto the World what manner of God he is how abounding in all excellent desirable and delightful properties and dispositions and with whatever else is likely to commend him and his service and waies unto his Creatures the Children of men Now if God desires such a thing as this casting such a Spirit of Glory upon men by the Gospel in making them a separate and choice people that they should thus publish and proclaim all that which is excellent and glorious in him certainly it is their duty to do it and this upon the most worthy terms they know how and consequently to enlarge their Capacities to the utmost that they may do it effectually that they may do it with authority and power Yea if it be possible to the astonishment and holy amazement of the World round about them This certainly is the duty of men to contrive and cast about how they may recover or gain the best ground of advantage for the performance of such a service as this is unto God So then this is that which we said that all that claim the dignity of Saintship especially stand bound by vertue of this claim above other men to steer such a course to use such means that they may be Children of the richest and most glorious Consolations of the Gospel because otherwise they will stand upon a lower and less advantageous ground for the service they will be but in an under capacity to make known unto the World the things that God hath prepared for them that love him they will not be able to publish them without some detriment and loss of their transcendent worth and excellency which inconvenience they might in a great measure at least have prevented by the course mentioned For first the Consolations administred by the Gospel take them in their height and strength where they rise highest they are very glorious unspeakably glorious Secondly Such persons who do not provoke and stir up themselves mightily that do not lift up their hearts to such means which are proper to obtain them are not likely to obtain them Thirdly and lastly they that are not possessed of them that do not enjoy them are in no better posture to shew forth the vertues or lovely things of God like themselves and as they might and ought to shew them than Zatheus by reason of the Iowness of his stature was to see Christ in a great throng and press of people until he climed up into the Sycamore tree Luke 19.3 So long as men have their Vessels only washed
not rooted and grounded in this knowledge of the truth they are not like to walk in the practice of it long a little occasion will turn them aside they will soon lose their goodness So then this is the case of those lustings against the flesh which sometimes appear in heathen men they are powerless seldom victorious or long liv'd Reason and Conscience are soon bribed to keep silence It is likely we may have such cases and instances among many Professors of Christianity amongst us that may at times have lustings against the flesh and yet these soon vanish and wither because they have not any great root in themselves as our Saviour speaks they did not make a business of it to consider the weight and worth and important concernment unto them to have their corruption and deeds of the flesh more and more mortified Now the truth is there is no good action nothing that doth concern men there is no good disposition no good principle in the soul no lusting against the flesh at any time in any man but that if men would take a course accordingly they might reduce the matter to such a pass that these good things should never forsake them but that they should take possession of them and enjoy them continually For weak and faint they commonly are at first in the best of men but the reason why in good men they gather strength remain and hold out to the end is because they have much earth in such men and consequently they have good rooting They have many serious thoughts bestowed upon them they are again and again considered and weighed in their minds such men digest businesses of this nature between God and themselves contemplating and feeding heartily upon the worth and high consequents of abounding in such and such holy dispositions and practices and continuing in them When such a practical resolution as this comes to be incorporated in the heart then it continues and abides in men now they will not regard any voice behind them from the flesh to gratifie themselves in any sinful or unworthy kind But this by the way Now the lustings against the flesh which the Spirit of God is wont to stir up in holy men that are filled with him are potent and strong they will not ordinarily admit of parties nor stand to dispute with temptations No but will set them on fire to prosecute the flesh and to pursue and follow the victory against it until it be brought low and shall have little list or heart to stir or move or be any further troublesome unto them It is true there are very few that attain to any such lustings against the flesh as these few whose lustings are so strong and potent and glorious The reason is because there is not one of a thousand that grows up to the state or stature of a perfect man in Christ I speak of that perfection which the Scripture often ascribes unto men and of which we are all capable But alas my Brethren we are voluntary Dwarfs and love to keep our selves babes in Christ we are loath to go to the price to be at the cost and charges of any thing that is spiritual excellent and glorious Indeed it is an unworthy principle and it is to be feared that there is a touch and tincture if not the whole body and element of it in the hearts of far the greater part of us viz. that if we can but possess our selves of so much Grace and such a Faith which will be sufficient at last to save us we need care for no more as if herein lay the high strain and excellency of wisdom in men not to do more to be saved than is of absolute necessity to be done or to enjoy as much of the pleasures or profits of sin as is possible to be enjoyed without being damned and so to order rank and couple both Worlds together as to drive them both before them esteeming those who trouble themselves and labour more than they themselves do for the meat that endureth to eternal life no whit wiser than those who over-by their Commodities and to whom in that respect men are wont to apply that Proverb of disparagement A fool and his money are soon parted But my Brethren as it was said to the Jews in another case If you will not believe you shall not be established Isa 7.9 So if men will not weigh and consider and believe that it is better for them that both their feet stand upon the World to come that their hearts affections and desires were wholy removed from the Earth and from this present World they will never be able to do any great things for God or for their own souls their hands will never be steady in their liftings up unto those Commandments of God in the keeping whereof there is the greatest reward Some pretend and plead that whilst they are men they must be subject to infirmities and there will be miscarriages and therefore since it will be so they care not how many they be They think it not worth the while to strive to reduce themselves into as narrow a compass of sinning as flesh is able to keep or move in but without much regret or care divide themselves between Christ and Belial between righteousness and unrighteousness between things present and things that are to come And so the truth is they do enjoy only a kind of compounded life living in an estate wherein Heaven and Earth are as it were mingled together and many times they are stung and pierced through with troubles and sorrows in respect of both For first they can attain unto no stability or well-grounded comfort or hope in God because their hearts are not entire and perfect with him And secondly many times that which they do or desire to do in matters relating to Salvation is troublesome unto them and incumbers them because of their concernments in this present World And so between the one and the other they enjoy themselves in neither Whereas if they would discharge their hearts from all inordinate and impertinent lustings after the things of this present World and remove their joy and delight into the World which is to come then they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle James speaketh Jam. 1.4 they would have as it were their possession entire they would have their inheritance round about them on every side and would be compleatly happy Neither would they complain in the least of any loss they sustained by withdrawing themselves from their carnal interest from the importune delights and pleasures and great things of this present World Thus you see upon a rational debate of the matter that it is impossible without the Spirit of God yea without being filled with this Spirit that men should ever rise to any capacity of being filled with the rich and lively Consolations of the Gospel CHAP. VI. The fifth and last Reason of the Doctrine argued Men
of me but according to mine own labour diligence and faithfulness in his service that is according to what my labour c. shall by the standard of his grace and bounty amount unto If I have laboured more abundantly than they all I shall be rewarded above them all So Ephes 6.8 compared with Gal. 6.7 Knowing this speaking unto and encouraging Servants to shew all faithfulness unto their Masters to adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same he shall receive that is shall be punctually and particularly considered by God for it And so Gal. 6.7 For whatsoever a man sows the same shall he also reap It cannot reasonably be understood only of the sameness of the Seed as if his meaning was that he should reap the same kind of seed with that which he soweth as when for instance he that soweth wheat reapeth wheat so he that soweth the seed of Sanctification or of good works shall reap a harvest of Sanctification or of good works this cannot I say reasonably be judged to be the meaning of the Apostle but thus whatever a man sows that is whatever seed either for quantity or proportion or of nature and quality any man soweth as whether it be the seed of life and glory or of shame and punishment he shall reap in life and glory and so in shame and punishment accordingly Whatsoever a man soweth it doth not only import the species or kind but the degree also or the proportion of the goodness or badness of the Seed that shall be sown in any kind And so in the other place Eph. 6.8 knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free The Particle whatsoever must needs be comprehensive and distributive of all a mans good actions whether they have been hundreds or thousands or millions of thousands together with all the degrees of their several goodnesses respectively which are all exactly known unto weighed and estimated by God Now these good actions of men be they never so many for number or so excellent in worth and goodness yet the doers of them shall receive the same things of the Lord that is shall have in their reward a particular and appropriate consideration which shall answer not in strictness of justice for God doth not reward according to such a Rule but in the most gracious and bountiful esteem of God both every one of their said actions and every degree of goodness found in any of them and in them all Suppose a person who from his youth up until old age and the hour of his death should continue diligent and faithful fervent in spirit serving the Lord should receive no better or greater reward from him than he who amongst Believers shall have brought forth least fruit unto God and been coldest in his service this person could not in this case be said to receive whatsoever good thing he had done but only some few of these things viz. so many of them as shall answer in number and worth the services of the other who is supposed to have done little unless we shall say that this other shall receive of the Lord not only whatsoever good thing himself hath done but whatsoever any other hath done in this kind But this word whatsoever is as was said comprehensive and includes the whole body of a mans service and obedience or laying out of a mans self for God and for righteousness sake and implieth so many particular services so many particular rewards upon the matter For that very reward whatever it be which such a man shall receive will have all his worthy actions and services in it there will be a Crown calculated and framed by God as it were on purpose for him and fitted to his head wherein every thing that he hath done for God and upon the account of Jesus Christ will be found in a sutable weight of glory I shall insist only upon one place more at presenâ— 1 Cor. 15.38 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye steadfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. You see he enforceth this point of advice or exhortation to them alwaies to abound in the work of the Lord upon this motive or ground because they knew namely in their continual abounding in the work of the Lord that their labour should not be in vain in the Lord. But if we shall suppose that they that abound most of all in the labour and work of the Lord shall receive no more upon the account of such their abundant labour than they that should labour least of all being the most unprofitable of all Believers and whose Faith should be little better than an empty Vine in this case their labour namely in the excellent degree or abundance of it would be in vain that is it would turn to no account of profit or recompense of reward to him that should undergo the burthen of it For certainly the Apostle reminding them that their labour in the Lord how abundant soever should not be in vain doth not speak of the fruit or success of such their labour in the world as that they might or should do good unto or convert many by such their example or the like but of the bettering their own accounts at the Great Day giving them to understand that if they should nor slack their hand in so great and blessed a business they should consult honour and glory in abundance for themselves in the day of Christ Now if you please let us add to the Scriptures opened and argued a few reasons to strengthen your Faith yet further in the Point in hand First Such a dispensation of God as his conferring of rewards with an equal inequality giving greater things to those that do more and be more faithful Such a dispensation I say as this being proclaimed in the midst of the World hath more spirit and life in it to provoke and strengthen every mans heart and hand unto Godliness and this in the highest degree than to declare that they that sow most sparingly shall notwithstanding reap as plentifully as they who sow most liberally For such a declaration as this in effect they ascribe unto God who make him a distributor of rewards without any distinction of the services rewarded by him But doubtless such a Notion or Doctrine as this That all Believers shall fare alike is of a dangerous and quashing import to the spirit of all signal excellency and of a destructive antipathy to all heroick conceptions of Christianity When men have an opportunity to raise an estate and get wealth for themselves How will they rise early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness They will be more industrious by far than when they work only for stinted wages which they know they shall have whether they work little
increated Spirit or whether a created Spirit Many of you that are present I suppose know that there is an Antitrinitarian Spirit that hath broken prison of late and gotten abroad amongst as very busie in making Proselytes And as in the daies of Old this Spirit laboured to fill the World with this Doctrine That only one of the Three which John as you heard saith are one viz. He that is known unto us by the name of the Father is truly God And that the other two the Son and the Holy Ghost or the Spirit are but the Father's Creatures receiving though very excellent yet only finite and limited Being from him Wherefore as Moses said unto Aaron Num. 16.46 There is wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague is begun and hereupon wisheth him to go quickly unto the Congregation to make attonement for them Even so the Plague of this most dangerous Errour we speak of being begun amongst us already and several being intangled and insnared by it It therefore concerns those who are in a special manner intrusted with the great concernments both of God and men and upon whose shoulders it lieth more especially to contend for the truth I say it concerns them to lay about them with all wisdom and faithfulness in order to the convincing gainsayers or the Adversaries of this Truth We do not intend at present to speak any thing directly and particularly for the vindication of the God-head of the Second Person The Name by which he is best known unto us is Christ But only to plead the cause of him whom we with the ancient Christians call the Third Person in the Trinity or the Holy Ghost and briefly from the Scriptures to demonstrate him to be an infinite and uncreated Spirit and truly God Amongst very many passages as well in the Old as in the New Testament which with greatest evidence demonstrate the Holy Ghost to be God we shall only insist upon some few which we judge to be most clear and convincing Exod. 4.12 Jehovah translated Lord speaketh thus to Moses Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say From hence it appears that it is only proper for Jehovah or him that is God to be in the mouth of the Prophets and to teach them what to say Add hereunto that which we have Num. 12.6 And he said hear now my words If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord or I Jehovah will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream Now most evident it is from hence that he who spake by the Prophets and other Holy men of God as the Apostles was true Jehovah true God And hence it was that when the Prophets were about to deliver any Message to the People in the Name of God they commonly used this Preface Thus saith Jehovah or the word of Jehovah that Jehovah spake unto them or appeared unto them or the like places of this kind are without number in the Writings of the Prophets And the Apostle himself Heb. 1.1 expresly saith That God in times past spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets Now the Lord Christ himself affirmeth That it is the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost that thus speaketh in men Take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father speaketh in you Mat. 10.19 Therefore now if it was God that spake by the Prophets then and is interpreted by Christ to be the Holy Ghost then Jehovah or the Lord in the Old Testament is the Spirit or the Holy Ghost in the New And the Apostle Peter expresly affirmeth that it was the Spirit of Christ that spake in the Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 And elsewhere he saith that Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Thus David also a little before his departure The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me 2 Sam. 23.2 And so Ezek. 2.2 And the Spirit entred into me when he spake unto me So that evident it is from these Scriptures diligently compared and laid together that the Holy Ghost who is from place to place said to have spoke unto the Prophets and Holy men of God was none other but Jehovah God himself Another place may be Lev 19.1 2. where Jehovah is said to have spake unto Moses saying Speak unto all the Congregation of the Children of Israel and say unto them Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy Now he that spake these words unto Moses and ordered all these Ceremonies is in the New Testament said to be the Holy Ghost Heb. 9.8 The Holy Ghost this signifying c. Yet again Lev. 26.12 And I will walk among you and be your God and ye shall be my people compared with 1 Cor. 6.19 2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 3.16 In all these places you shall find that the Saints in their Holy Assemblies are said to be the Temple of God and that God is said to be there and to walk amongst them Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 So again ver 17. For the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost c 2 Cor. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God c. Now these persons you see in whom God is said to dwell are said to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost And that God that dwelleth amongst them is the Holy Ghost Deut. 9.8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord so that the Lord was angry with you compared with Isa 63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit That which in the former place is termed a provoking the Lord unto wrath so that he was angry Is in the latter by the Evangelical Prophet termed a vexing of his holy Spirit Psal 95.7 8. The Psalm begins thus Come let us rejoyce unto Jehovah And soon after ver 7. To day if ye will hear his voice c. He that contested with and complained of the People in the Wilderness was true Jehovah as appears also from several other Scriptures And they tempted God in the Desart Psal 106.14 and Psal 78.18 Yet the Apostle Heb. 3.7 plainly affirms that it was the Holy Ghost that was tempted wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. So that you see by these and many other such like places which might be readily produced if need were that he called Jehovah the Lord of Hosts in the Old Testament is called the Holy Ghost in the New Yet again Isa 6.9 10. The Prophet in the beginning of
to have come down upon Christ upon his being baptized may be clearly evinced First the opening renting or cleaving of the Heavens expresly mentioned in all these places plainly prove the Holy Ghost that is said to have come down upon Christ to be no Creature no created Angel but true God Let the Scriptures be searched from first to last we shall no where find the rending cleaving opening or bowing of the Heavens to be mentioned upon occasion of any created Angel coming down but very frequently upon any solemn or more than ordinary appearance or coming down of God himself unto men Bow the Heavens O Lord and come down Psal 144.5 2 Sam. 22.10 saith David in his affectionate addressment of himself by Prayer unto God Bow the heavens and come down i. e. Shew some Majestick and Godlike token or sign of thy Presence shew thy self like unto thy self like a God indeed in Umpiring the Affairs of the World between upright and wicked men In like manner the Prophet Isaiah or the Church of God personated by him Isa 64.1 O that thou wouldest rent the Heavens and come down Doubtless his meaning was not to desire of God that he would display the Ensign of an Angel before him and so come down to help his Church and People no but as was said before that he would appear in his appropriate and God-like Majesty It came to pass saith the Prophet Ezekiel that the Heavens were opened and I saw Visions of God Ezek. 1.1 The Heavens are never said to open or be opened but upon the account of some immediate or extraordinary appearance of God as Steven is said to have seen the Heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 As for that of our Saviour in John Verily verily I say unto you that hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Joh. 1.51 Whether we understand the place Metaphorically with some concerning more full and manifest discoveries of his Divinity that should shortly be made in the World by a more clear preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles or more literally with others of the Day of the general Judgment of the World when the Angels shall accompany him from Heaven and minister unto him during the continuance of the Judgment it no waies contradicts that Principle of truth on which we build viz. That the Heavens are never said to be opened rent or bowed down but upon some extraordinary appearance of God This is one consideration from the place cited to evince and prove the Holy Ghost coming down upon Christ to have been truly God viz. That the Heavens are said to have been opened rent or cleft at or immediately before his coming down 2. Another thing in the same passage evidently evincing the same Truth is that this Spirit of God is said to have descended and lighted upon him John adds that this Spirit abode upon him I saw saith John the Spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode on him Joh. 1.32 33. First if this Spirit were but a meer Creature a created Angel he must be supposed to have been locally and essentially absent from or out of the World some space at least before his coming down upon Christ for John saith as we heard expresly that he saw him not simply descending but descending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from or our of Heaven therefore he was in Heaven some while at least immediately before his coming down If then he were a created Angel he could not be at the same instant of time in Heaven and in Earth too and consequently the World must needs Universally and in all and every the members of it have been utterly destitute of the Holy Ghost some while before Christ was baptized yea the Lord Christ himself must be supposed to have been wholly without the Holy Ghost untill now whereas the Scriptures make it an unquestionable Character of an ungodly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to have the Spirit Jude v. 19. So that it clearly follows that in case the Spirit of God which descended on Christ upon his baptism was but a meer Creature or a created Angel that there was never a holy and good man in the World for some time before no nor that the Lord Christ himself was such which I know not how any man that desireth to be counted a Christian can own without trembling 2. This Spirit is not only said to have descended or come down upon Christ but also as we beard from John to have continued or remained on him Now no created Angel whatsoever is said or reasonably can be said to remain upon him Created Angels are said to minister unto him to stand by him to ascend and descend upon him are commanded to worship him c. but are no where said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remain in him By the way this expression of the Holy Ghost's remaining on Christ signifies his uniform and equitable presence with him in the fullest or highest measure that he was capable of and that he was not subject to ebbing and flowing to rising or falling as he is in the best of men and besides it may import that this Spirit is not communicable unto any other person of mankind but only from through or by means of Christ Sed hoc obiter Again Were this Spirit of God a finite or created Angel in case he shall rest or abide upon Christ the rest of the World and all mankind besides must needs perpetually want him For nothing that is finite or that hath bounds and limits of essence and being can be or abide with one person in one place and yet be present with another person though at never such a distance form him 3. When the Evangelists report that Christ soon after his Baptism was led of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil in the wilderness they speak doubtless of the same Spirit which came down from Heaven upon him immediately upon his Baptizing Now it is marvellous improbable at least that He whom all the Angels of God are streightly commanded to worship should be acted and led by one of them into the Wilderness and this for such an end and purpose as to be tempted by the devil That Jesus Christ is God is I suppose evident enough from hence not only that one or some few but that all the Angels of God without exception of any are commanded to worship him Heb. 1.6 Certainly God would not command one Creature to worship another no not the Inferiour to worship the Superiour much less the Superiour to worship the Inseriour Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Luke 4.8 Now then if Jesus Christ be the Lord of all the Angels it is not like that he should be led or acted or prevailed with by any of them one or more especially into an engagement or undertaking of such a
followeth Sect. 11 He that receiveth of another is not God the Holy Spirit doth so i. e. receiveth of another therefore he is not God The Minor is witnessed from Joh. 16.14 The Major is proved thus God is he that giveth all things unto all wherefore if there be any one that receiveth of another he cannot be God The Antecedent is plain from Acts 17.25 Rom. 11.35 36. The Consequence is undeniable because he that is deficient is not God he that receiveth from another is deficient therefore he is not God The Major is unquestionable for to say one is deficient which implyeth imperfection and yet is God is in effect to say that he is God and not God This is the compass likewise of the fifth Argument the strength of this Argument such as it is is easie enough to be discerned the stress of it resteth upon these words of Christ as you may perceive concerning the Spirit Joh. 16.14 He shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you because he is here said to be a Receiver therefore our Adversary cannot allow him to be God because saith he God is he that gives all things unto all and it implieth a contradiction that he that giveth all things unto all should receive any thing from any but amongst all his Arguments this is the first born amongst the poor For I reply first Though God in a sense be said to give all things unto all yet withal he is said also in a sense proper enough to receive several things and this without any contradiction at all He is said to receive the Prayers of his Saints Psal 6.9 To receive the Saints themselves Psal 49.15 73.24 To receive comfort Isa 57.6 And so to receive glory and honour and power Rev. 4.11 Therefore this Proposition is most untrue He that receiveth of another is not God yea he may be and is God who receiveth something from another as we have heard Nor is it the proper notion of dependency to receive of another these things are very loosely and unduly affirmed God is sometimes in Scriptures said to give all things unto all because he giveth unto all all things which they stand possessed of He gives them Faculties Principles Strength and means to do all things which they do and in this sense he may be said to give them all the actions motions and workings also which they act and work and consequently those very Praises and acknowledgements which yet he receiveth from them too As for example He that gives a man money wherewith to buy such a commodity he may very properly be said to give him the things which are purchased with the money And so the Scripture Phrase runneth for he is thy money speaking of the Servant So when God eâ—dneth a Creature with strength and power to get wealth he may be said to give him wealth it self which he did allow him by means of that power and understanding infused into him God's giving all things unto all in this sense doth not hinder but that he may receive also many of these very things which he giveth in the sense declared therefore it is no infallible Character of a true God not to receive from another The Apostle himself in that very Scripture which the Argument citeth Acts 17.25 saying That God is not to be worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing clearly implieth that God may receive things from his Creatures but not upon any such account as this viz. As if he needed any thing meaning for he bettering of his own condition or compleating of his happiness and unless our Adversary can prove that the Holy Ghost received what was Christs for his own necessities and supplies The simple receiving of it doth no way incumber the plea of his Godhead 2. When our Saviour speaking of the Holy Ghost saith He shall receive or shall take as the word signifieth and is accordingly translated in the next verse of mine and shall shew it unto you he doth not imply as if the Holy Ghost had not then when Christ thus spake received or taken that or those things of his for it is certain that he had taken these things of Christ under the Old Testament and had revealed them unto the Prophets of God and other holy men and by these unto the World as is very evident from many Scriptures yea certain it is that he had received them from Eternity but our Saviour's meaning in the Clause or Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall take of that which is mine seems to be this That whereas the Holy Ghost had viz. in his mind or understanding both at present and ever before abundance of that which was Christs even his whole Treasury his relation to his Father his Godhead his Incarnation his Infinite Grace Love Sweetness Holiness c. together with all his Counsels Purposes and Intentions concerning the World c. He should when he should visibly be given and come unto them take not simply this or all this But he should take viz. of himself and out of the Treasury of his own understanding so much or such particulars concerning Christ to reveal unto them which should be necessary for them to know either for their own comfort or to furnish or accomplish them for the great Office and work of Apostles in the World So that the word take in this place The Holy Ghost shall take of mine is used in some such sense as when a man is said to take a thing which is already his own or in his own possession only in order to the doing of something with it in this sense God saith Zach. 11.10 I took my staff even beauty and cut it asunder The staffe he speaks of was in his possession before only he is said to have taken it in order to cutting it asunder So again The Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13.33 is like unto Leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal to name no more places in this kind ver 31. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of Mustard-seed which a man took and sowed in his Field 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in the words before us The Spirit shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you i. e. From amongst many other things which he knows concerning me he shall take such and such which shall be needful for you to know and shall reveal them unto you Even as a prudent Minister or Scribe instructed for the Kingdom of heaven As our Saviour speaks out of the rich and full treasure of his understanding taketh and chuseth such and such particular notions and veins of spiritual truth relating unto God and Jesus Christ which he judgeth meet to be delivered and imparted to such and such a people The words taken in such a sense as this do no way favour the dangerous conceit of our Adversaries that the Holy Ghost is not God There is another sense likewise wherein the
is unsound because it is ambiguous and so is apt to abuse mens Judgments and deceive them and not to instruct them For however there is a sense wherein it is good and will hold yet there is another sense which lieth more obnoxious to mens apprehensions which is not true For he may be God the word God taken Personally on whom though men have not believed viz. Explicitely yet they may be Disciples and Believers Though it be true also on the other hand that he that believeth not in God Essentially taken cannot be a Disciple or a Believer He that believeth not that there is one God cannot be a Disciple or true Believer as the case may be But he that believes not the distinct manner of the subsistence of this one God viz. that he subsists in three which we call Persons Or that doth not believe especially explicitely and by name and under relation of any of all the three such an one may notwithstanding be a Disciple and Believer in the Scripture sense I would be loath to pronounce the hard Sentence of non-Disciple or non-Believer against all those that professedly deny the Godhead of Christ or of the Holy Ghost though there are many that are not at all tender in doing it because though explicitely and in terms they deny him yet believing there is one God and this one God being Father Son and Holy Ghost they do implicitely virtually and constructively own and acknowledge them As he that carries a Box sealed up about him wherein he thinketh there is but one Jewel he knoweth of no more yet in case there be three more he carrieth them all by carrying the Box or Case wherein they are contained In like manner he that believeth one God doth virtually believe in the Three Persons though I would not by this extenuate the greatness of the sin and dangerousness of the error of those who in words profess against the Godhead of the Holy Ghost and so of Christ though implicitely and by way of consequence they acknowledge it The ancient Jews such I mean who were Abraham's Seed were true Disciples and Believers yet did not they at least all of them explicitely believe Christ to have been or that he was the Son of God but the Proposition we are now upon is not indeed worthy the labour already bestowed upon the examination of it Vanitate suâ translucet A man may see through it Secondly That which is the Basis and main Foundation of the whole discourse of the Argument is an absolute mistake and misapprehension For the meaning of the words spoken by those who are called Disciples Acts 19.2 We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost is not that they had never heard of the name or simple being of the Holy Ghost we shall manifest the contrary hereunto presently but that they had not as yet heard whether the Holy Ghost was in actu secundo as the School-men speak i.e. whether he was abroad again in the World as formerly he was in the daies of their Fore-fathers and Prophets This to be the true and plain meaning of the words appeareth by several considerations First The Verb Substantive here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies the simple and absolute being or existence of a thing is oft used in the Scriptures for the being of a thing in Act Exercise or Manifestation in this sense it is used more than once by our Saviour himself The Evangelist John useth it concerning the Holy Ghost himself Joh. 7.39 This he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet the word given inserted in our English Translation is not in the Original the Holy Ghost was not yet because that Jesus was not yet glorified was not yet i.e. was not yet abroad in the World amongst Believers in the discovery of himself by those miraculous and extraordinary gifts which afterwards he conferred upon many so when these Disciples the Argument speaketh of said that they had not so much as heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether the Holy Ghost be The meaning is that they had not heard whether he had been yet given or no viz. upon a new account the ancient account upon which as they conceived He was formerly given being expired and out of date long since Our English Translators might as well have inserted the word given in this place as in that of John mentioned and then the Clause would have run thus We have not so much as heard whether the Holy Ghost be given We have heretofore given you many instances from the Scriptures of such an Adjective sense of the Verb Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that is now contended for viz. From Mat. 5.45 Rom. 7.13 c. This sense in the second place is confirmed against that given or supposed by our Adversaries in the Argument before us from hence because these Disciples had certainly heard of the being of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit For first Being Jews which appears by their having been baptized by John's or some of his Disciples Baptism in those daies not having been carried out amongst the Gentiles and after it was come abroad unto other Gentiles they in Asia where Ephesus stood were for a time denied it Acts 16.6 being Jews I say they could not but have heard of the being of the Holy Ghost or of the Spirit of God mention hereof being so plainly and frequently made in the Scriptures I need not I suppose to cite places for this but whether they were Jews or Gentiles having been baptized with the Baptism of John it cannot be imagined but that they had heard of the being of the Holy Ghost For John when he baptized men with water admonished them to believe on him Mat. 3.11 that should come after him who he told them should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire And there is little question to be made but that John's Disciples taught the same Doctrine in this Point with their Master Again thirdly That sense of the words which we have given makes the answer of the Disciples every whit as congruous and pertinent to Paul's question put to them if not more than that sense which the Argument supposeth Paul said unto them or demanded of them have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed They answer him according to the sense we plead We have not so much as heard whether there be any receiving of him or no or whether any other Believers have received him And fourthly and lastly for this there is this reason why these Disciples being Jews as we argued might probably say or mean than they had not so much as heard whether the Holy Ghost were now abroad in the World or no because from the time of Antiochus who miserably afflicted and wasted their Church and State the Jews were wont greatly to mourn and lament as if together with their last
Prophets who Prophesied in Ezra's and Nehemiah's times under and a while after the building of their second Temple they were wont I say to mourn as the generality of them or at least some of the learned amongst them do at this day as if with those their Prophets the Holy Ghost had forsaken them and refused to manifest his presence amongst them any more according to that in Psal 74 9. We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there any amongst us that knoweth how long According to this Notion the Disciples we are now speaking of might say to Paul that they had not so much as heard the least inkling of those blessed tidings that the Holy Ghost was again returned unto the World But then again Thirdly as to the Argument it self Whereas the Author of it saith That to take the Holy Spirit not for his Person but for his Gifts is to speak without example he most palpably contradicts himself within two or three lines after where he grants that Paul's question to them Whether they had received the Holy Ghost or no might be understood of the gifts of the Holy Ghost Fourthly and lastly Because I would not stand any longer upon this Argument whereas he would infer that the Holy Ghost should not be God from hence that the Apostle upon the occasion here offered did not declare him to be so whereas upon a lesser occasion he instructed the Heathen at Athens in the nature of the true God We reply First It is not unreasonable to demand of him who thus reasoneth What Oracle he consults with which informs him that Paul did not do that which he thinketh fit he should have done in case the Holy Ghost be God viz. Inform these Disciples accordingly And certain I am here is not the least ground administred unto him to judge the contrary It is said in the progress of the story that for three Months together publickly and afterwards for two years together more privately he argued and disputed things appertaining to the Kingdom of God It is an old rule and a true that Argumentum ab Authoritate ductum negativâ non valet That Arguments drawn from Authority negatively have no force nor value in them Secondly Whether the Apostle formally Totidens verbis taught the Disciples that the Holy Ghost was God or no certainly he did that which was as good or better for them than such a Doctrine formally delivered would have been yea and haply that which being interpreted amounted to as much as a declaring of him to have been God and so may be said eminently though not formally to have declared him to be God For by laying his hands upon them he obtained the gift of the Holy Ghost for them by whom they were miraculously acted speaking with strange Tongues and Prophesying which motions and actings of the Holy Ghost at one and the same time in them all with the like in other Christians up and down the World might be to them a convincing Argument of his Godhead though it be not such unto him who opposeth in the question in hand However that which the Apostle did for these Disciples in procuring the Holy Ghost to be given them argueth every whit as much or more care and zeal for their spiritual accommodation as his preaching that God to the Athenians whom they ignorantly worshipped did towards theirs So that this Act of the Apostle was very impertinently insisted upon for such a purpose as that pleaded here This for reply to this Argument Concerning his Eleventh Argument Sect. 17 the heart thereof is already broken in our answers to the fourth and fifth Arguments where we shewed and proved how the Holy Ghost might both hear from another and receive from another without any prejudice or impeachment of his Godhead Nevertheless let us give this Argument also the hearing and if there be any farther strain of reason beyond what was presented in the former Arguments we will weigh it in the balance of the Sanctuary This eleventh Argument then proceedeth thus He that hath any understanding distinct from God is not God the holy Spirit hath an understanding distinct from God Ergo c. The two passages of Scripture which are the strength and sinews of this Argument viz. Joh. 16.13 14 15. and Joh. 8.26 compared with ver 28. We have formerly had in consideration and found nothing there to support that cause for which they were produced and if there was nothing in them then for such a purpose certainly there is nothing since added unto them nor is there the least jot or title in either of these places that the Holy Ghost heareth from God that whereof he was ignorant before In what sense he is said not to speak of himself to take of the things of Christ to reveal them unto men hath been formerly opened and whatever there appears in the said passages to prove that the understanding or learning of the Holy Ghost is distinct from the understanding of God teaching relates only unto the humane understanding of Christ not of the Holy Ghost But of these things formerly Concerning that new place 1 Cor. 2.10 From whence he seeks to evince the understanding of the Holy Ghost to be another distinct from the understanding of God because it is here said that the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God and the same understanding cannot be conceived or said to search it self or its own deep things We reply briefly and plainly First That the Spirit is said to search the deep things of God because he is able to guide or lead the understandings of men in a rational and discoursive way into the knowledge or discerning of the deep things of God It being a method proper and natural unto this kind of understanding I mean the understanding of men by certain steps and degrees to be led on to the knowledge of things that be more mysterious and remote It is a thing familiar and frequent in Scripture to ascribe an Action as well unto that which assists qualifies or enables unto it whether it be person or thing as unto the immediate and Proper Agent himself when the Action is such that the proper Agent who doth it could not have done it without such an assistance yea sometimes which is yet more in such case as we speak of the Action is denied to be done by the Agent who yet properly doth it and is attributed unto that whether person or thing which only assisteth or enableth to it Mat. 10.20 Mar. 13.11 Our Saviour encourageth his Disciples not to be troubled when they should be called before Rulers for his sake For saith he it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Now we know it was not the Holy Ghost that uttered these words but because the Apostles had not wisdom enough of themselves to make such Apologies without the assistance of the Holy Ghost
for us with God and then what kind of help should we receive from him But then Secondly The Spirit is said to make intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered Now though we should grant that groaning may in a metaphorical sense and unproperly be attributed unto the Spirit yet how any groans or groaning of his should be unutterable unto him who is the Lord of all Language and Speech is not easie to conceive Thirdly Whereas the Argument insisteth so rigidly upon these words in the end of ver 27. The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us according to the will of God As if they argued a distinct will of the Spirit from the will of God I reply that the words do not signifie according to the Will of God here is no word which signifieth Will But according unto God and they answer these words by way of Antithesis in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we ought Thus the Apostle had there granted that the Saints did not indeed of themselves know how to pray as they ought here he tells them for their comfort that the Spirit will enable them to pray as they ought i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto God or the mind or will of God i. e. as they ought and as it becometh them to pray And here is a direct answer relating to those infirmities which our Apostle had expresly affirmed to be in the Saints Fourthly That the work of the Spirit on the behalf of the Saints doth not lie in this to pray for the Saints a part in heaven which is the sense of the Author of this Argument is evident from Joh. 14.16 where our Saviour saith that when he should go away he would pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth c. So that the work which the Spirit hath to do for the Saints is not in heaven since the Ascension of Christ into Heaven Heaven is not the Stage or Theatre where the Holy Ghost acteth and bestirs himself on the behalf of the Saints but now he is come down upon the earth and his great business which he hath to do lieth in the earth even with the hearts minds understandings and wills of men stirring and moving there But Fifthly and lastly Remember the Rule that we delivered unto you in the former Argument which will fully give you the sense wherein the Holy Ghost is said to intercede with groans we gave you many instances when we delivered this for a Rule that in many places Actions are ascribed unto him that doth assist and direct and help men in the performance of them and not unto him that is the formal and immediate Agent So here the Holy Ghost doth intercede with groans because he doth fill the Saints with his Wisdom and Power and so putteth them into a posture to conceive inward groans and secret motions and desires in the Soul which the Creature indeed is not able to utter or come to God withal in his lips the Creature cannot utter it self when the heart is full of the Spirit of God yet such persons are acted beyond their own ability and very well may be because the Spirit is directing guiding and strengthening unto this work And this is the property of an Intercessor To intercede doth not alwaies signifie to plead for us but sometimes to plead with us against any Enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word in the rigour of the Grammatical signification of it is not alwaies used for interceding for another which he seemeth to catch at as I judge from the Latine word which signifieth to go between two but sometimes to go in opposition to an Enemy and sometimes it signifieth to expostulate and debate things with another Acts 25. So that all things being considered it is a clear case that this Argument is wholly defective And it may be seen further Rom. 8.15 it is expresly said that by means of the Spirit we cry Abba Father meaning that by the assistance and impulse of the Spirit we are able to call God Father which implieth the whole duty and management of this great service of Prayer and Invocation on the name of God And in the last place Jam. 16. speaking of the Prayer of the righteous man we translate it the effectual Prayer but the word properly signifieth that which is acted within a person by a power which is superiour to that which is natural in it We call those persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are acted by an unclean Spirit as when any person is made to speak a Language which he never understood we use to say such a person is inspired acted and carried out by a power superiour to his own And so that Prayer which can do so much with God The effectual fervent prayer of the Righteous it properly signifieth such a Prayer which is full of the Holy Ghost which is inspired into man or whereunto a man is carried out and thrust forward by a Divine Power greater than his own So that these things considered it is a clear case that the true sense and meaning of the place is only this That the Spirit of God relieveth our infirmities in Prayer that when as we know not how to pray as we ought and when the flesh sometimes cometh in and directeth and leadeth into such a method of Prayer which we ought not the Spirit now interposing and directing and leading us to such a method and way that now we pray according to the mind and will of God Now concerning the business it self Sect. 19 I mean the Controversie I would only say this before I leave it that if you mind it or shall please to go round about the matters in Controversie and weigh both these Doctrines First that which denieth the Holy Ghost to be God go I say round it and take all the Arguments and grounds which the Maintainers thereof are pleased to bring forth and weigh and consider their tendencies and operations upon the hearts and consciences of men and you shall find them altogether barren and flat and no waies calculated for the nourishment of men neither is there any thing in it that is any waies apt to quicken the hearts of men to the Service of God comparable to that Doctrine which doth oppose it viz. That the Holy Ghost is God truly God In this Doctrine and in the Arguments by which it is proved there is spirit and life there is as it were great strength which cometh forth from it which bears upon the Judgments and Consciences of men It rules like a King upon his Throne Whereas those other Doctrines viz. that deny the Spirit and so likewise Christ to be God are but of a dull and flat import there is no manner of spiritual power and vigour in them It may possibly be the sense of some that the time wherein we have been
Spirit the Holy Spirit so much spoken of in the Scriptures to be God The debate of this Question we have already finished Another of the three Questions was How or what course a Christian or any other Person Man or Woman may and ought to take to be filled with the Spirit i.e. How or after what manner the Exhortation imposed in the Text is to be obeyed or put in execution The third and last Question was How a man or woman may either come to discern and know themselves or how others may come to the like knowledge of them whether they be filled with the Spirit I mean the Spirit of God or some other Spirit of another nature and contrary to it I suppose much light will be given by the examination of the truth in the Former of the two Questions for the decision of the Latter so that we may be somewhat the briefer here To begin then with the former of these Questions Sect. 2 how a Christian or a Believer yea or any other person may be filled with the Spirit which the Text and Doctrine mention for it will appear by the way that any other Person as well as a Believer is in a capacity though somewhat more remote of being filled with the Spirit likewise What it is to be filled with the Spirit hath been formerly declared in the opening of the Doctrine notwithstanding I conceive it is necessary for the resolution of the Question in hand that we briefly remind you of what we delivered in that kind we signified unto you that to be filled with the Spirit doth not note and import an absolute and precise fulness that is a having of the Spirit in such a precise fulness and height that there is no capacity left of having more of him No but as in Scripture Phrase a Vessel is said to be full when there is a good and sufficient and competent proportion in it and so in ordinary discourse we say a Cup is full of drink not when it is full to the brim but if there be a good quantity and proportion in it just so a fulness with the Spirit doth not suppose or imply such a uniform kind of fulness as if no man could be said to be full of the Spirit but only he that is fullest of all But if any person be acted by the Spirit or doth quit himself like unto a man he in whom the Spirit hath any considerable power of command may be truly said to be filled with the Spirit as David had many Worthies in his Army and yet they did not reach or attain unto the three first though they were worthy in their way so there may be many Christians of several sizes and degrees who yet may be said to be filled with the Spirit of God So that in propriety of Phrase it signifieth to have an actuous vigorous and operative presence of the Holy Ghost in you to enjoy his grace love and favour upon such terms as to receive from him and from the glory of his power ever and anon upon all occasions excellent quicknings incitements impulses enlargements strengthnings of heart and soul unto every worthy way and every good work to have all contrary workings motions and risings of the flesh borne down with a strong hand and swallowed up in victory so that a man or woman shall find no great no considerable opposition or turmoile as formerly from any weakness or corruption within him in his way of well-doing but only such which he shall be enabled and this at a very good rate to overcome I say when this is found to be the case and condition of any Christian it is a sign of such a presence or fulness of the Spirit of God I here describe unto you only that kind of filling with the Spirit which is the duty of all Christians as of other persons also in their way to mind look after and be industriously careful to obtain and which only I conceive is intended by the Apostle in the Text. For I do not conceive that he doth admonish and exhort the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit as if his meaning should be that he would have them be filled with such a kind of filling by which some were enabled to work miracles or reveal things secret and unrevealed in the Scriptures being yet future and to come Although I can easily believe that even such a filling with the Spirit as this at least to a considerable degree was within the reach of Christians in the Apostles daies yea and that the Apostle did exhort the Corinthians 1 Cor. 12.31 to seek after some such kind of filling as this in these words but covet earnestly after the best gifts Doubtless he would not have had them to lay out themselves with any desire after these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit as speaking with Tongues and Prophecying but that there was a means for the attaining of them But that filling with the Spirit which he commendeth to the Ephesians by way of duty in the words before us is only or at least principally such a filling as we have both formerly and even now described unto you which respecteth the effectual stirring up and strengthening of the hearts and souls of men unto waies and works of righteousness and these of the worthiest and most excellent kind and strain And yet it is not unlike but that if men and women should quit themselves worthily and with faithfulness in this Race I mean in their endeavours to be filled with the Spirit in that kind or sense we speak of there would be cast in unto them by way of heaped measure somewhat of that kind of filling also they should have a kind of first fruits of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit also as of healing of the sick declaring things to come c. I could give an account of my apprehension in this kind and this in more particulars than one were it not for fear of lengthening out this Discourse in hand beyond what you are willing to bear Notwithstanding Sect. 3 there is one thing more necessary I conceive to be touched here also in order to your better satisfaction about the Question in hand though something as I remember hath been spoken to it formerly that is How it can stand with the weakness and unworthiness of the Creature man on the one hand and the incomprehensible Majesty and Glory of the Holy Ghost on the other hand that it should be in the power of man to procure or draw into himself i.e. into his heart and soul such a rich or glorious presence of the Spirit as that wherein our being filled with him consists Or whether in this case the Spirit may not be conceived to be obnoxious unto or in the power of man I am the rather desirous to remove this stumbling block out of the way before we go forward to give reply to the principal Question propounded because I conceive it must needs be
to receive the Spirit But on the other hand those who have the knowledge of him they are in a capacity of receiving him upon the most desirable terms and are capable of making use of him as hath been in effect said unto you In the fourth place you must pray unto God Sect. 5 or unto the Spirit of God for Prayer it self is a means which we are to make use of in order to our being filled with the Spirit We do here mention it as a part of that Method which should be observed by him who is engaged in the drawing in of the Spirit in order to a being acted by him Now then if this be agreeable to the Will of God viz. that men should pray for the gift of the Spirit and that in the lowest measure then there is no question to be made but that Prayer is as profitable means to effect it in the highest in the one as well as the other and that there is no more unlawfulness in the one than in other This then in the fourth place by way of direction how you may engage the Spirit and set him on work within you to perform what you are not like to perform by your own strength without such a presence of him to assist in your work The third and last Question was Sect. 6 In case we be able and shall actually engage the Spirit of God to assist us how the things done by him or by his assistance can be attributed unto us as the Scriptures frequently do or we be looked upon as the doers of them as we must be if ever we be rewarded for them by God To this Question we gave answer in effect formerly when we opened this unto you namely how notwithstanding men do draw in or engage the Spirit to their assistance in spiritual works and services yet they are not to be looked upon as principal Agents and the Spirit as the subordinate Agent Where we explained unto you the Agency or Efficiency of man in such works in respect of which being truly and really such as the Scriptures every where suppose them to be the said Actions and Services may truly and properly be called ours For whatsoever Action a man doth voluntarily and freely consent unto may properly enough be said to be his especially when the Act of his Will and Consent contributes any thing towards the Action Which is clearly the case in hand for whatsoever a man doth by the Spirit or by his assistance is done not only with or by means of the consent of his Will but by the more active desire and application of the Will unto the Spirit for the doing of it as we have heard yea that which is yet more and entituleth a man more clearly unto such Acts as we speak of is the contriving and studying and plotting how they may and ought to be done by the man who doth them If a man did not consider how and by what means to bring in the Spirit to his assistance the great work we speak of would not be done therefore there is no great difficulty in the question only that is to be remembred as we pass from it that they who make the Creature either meerly Passive in such Works or Services or which little easeth the business willing as we say by or from a necessitation they despoile the Creature of all capacity of being rewarded by God for such services and thus whilst they importunely pretend to be the great Magnifiers of the Grace of God they do indeed and in truth reduce it to a morsel of bread as the Scriptures speak and make nothing of it so that in them the Latine Proverb is fulfilled Stultorum gratia ingrata The grace or favour of inconsiderate persons is unacceptable or such as there is no reason why they should be thanked for it But this only by the way If you ask But why should the imploying of the Spirit of God Sect. 7 in such a manner as you have taught us be a means for a Believer to be filled with the Spirit Or how should it conduce any thing towards such a blessed effect as this is I answer That such an imploying of the Spirit as that we have described unto you is a regular use of that great Gift of the Spirit given unto us by God for the Spirit is given of God unto the Saints for this end and purpose viz. that by him and by his assistance they should do all their works which he commandeth them to do I do not say that it is the sole end but that this is one great and material end why the Holy Ghost is given unto men and why he dwelleth in the Saints 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received saith the Apostle not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God That is for this end amongst others and for others depending upon this that by his help duly sought and obtained by us we might be able to know and rightly to conceive apprehend and understand and likewise firmly to believe the Gospel i. e. the particular things revealed in the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ and the mind and Counsels of God concerning our salvation which things are said to be given or freely given unto us by God beeause they are there exhibited and lie in a readiness for all men to receive and know that are willing to take the course which God hath prescribed unto them for such an end There is the same consideration of other spiritual Actions and Services as these Mortification Prayer c. The Holy Ghost is given for this end and purpose that by his assistance and strength they may be able to perform these things after a worthy manner and with highest acceptation unto God If so then to answer the gracious intentions of God in giving him which is by imploying him as we have heard This must need be a direct and proper means to abound with him to have an anointing more rich and full of his presence For it is a Principle in Reason and Equity that they who make a regular and worthy use of a less proportion of any good thing intrusted with them or bestowed upon them that these should no other circumstance hindering be intrusted with a greater Upon this Foundation are these and the like Sayings in Scripture built Mat. 13.12 for whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance But whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath So again Luke 16 10. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much Meaning it is meet that such a person who hath approved himself faithful in a less proportion of any good thing committed unto him should upon the account of his approved faithfulness therein be intrusted with more for God as hath been observed upon the like occasion usually walketh
with men in the Scripture and Gospel by such Principles and Rules which are written in the Tables of their hearts by the Finger of Nature and which they are wont to observe and walk by in their common and Civil Affairs Thus because amongst men an Oath is the end of all strife Heb. 6.16 Therefore God will swear too and treate with men by the mediation of an Oath and so in abundance of other particulars God still applieth himself unto men and treateth with them by the same Rules and Principles which men walk by in transactions amongst themselves Now because one man is ignorant of what is in the heart of another and knoweth not how they will prove whether diligent or negligent faithful or unfaithful in matters of trust committed unto them therefore those whom they have occasion to trust they will first try them with a little that in case they should miscarry and prove unfaithful the loss may be the less and easier to be born if they approve themselves with wisdom and faithfulness in managing that little then they are encouraged to trust them yet deeper And as men are wont sometimes to try Casks or Vessels that are new made and never had Liquor put into them whether they be tight or leaky not by putting Wine or Liquor of value but water into them if they will hold water men have so much the better ground to trust them with Wine also In like manner though God as is said of Christ Joh. 2.25 needed not that any man should testifie of man Because he knew what was in man and consequently what would come out from him and what he would do So I say though God knoweth before hand how men will prove whether faithful or unfaithful in any thing committed unto them and in this respect needeth make no experiment and trial of them in reference to any trust yet because it is the manner and according to the Principles of wisdom in men to take such a course he also will do it though he hath other ends and reasons likewise for the doing of it which it is not necessary now to speak of Thus also it is in matters of reward more properly and commonly so called though he knoweth from the beginning the uprightness integrity of mens hearts and what such men in time will do all the good work all that righteousness and suffer all those things for righteousness sake which afterwards they do and suffer yet until they have given an account both unto himself Angels and men of that their integrity by waies of righteousness and well-doing he will do no great things for them he will reward men only according to their works according to what they shall do or suffer nor according to what they purposed to do or suffer unless happily they be prevented of an opportunity for that by the way least there should be mistake not as if God should have no consideration or regard of any mans faithful intentions that is not the meaning of it as many times you may find persons whose hearts are full of fruitfulness that notwithstanding are taken away by death Now it is not imaginable that God should deprive them of the reward of such services when as God himself denieth men the opportunity to do them it is not reasonable nor like unto the waies of God or his proceedings that he should deprive them of their reward in such a case or under such circumstances But the meaning is that the good things which men have done whether they be few or more these shall be rewarded accordingly So that men and women who have given testimony unto the World of their own integrity uprightness and faithfulness unto God God will give them rewards answerable hereunto We speak this for this end to shew that God's manner is not to reward nor to take knowledge of the righteousness of men until the World have taken knowledge of it until that they have given an account unto men that they are persons fearing God I say God will not take any knowledge of them until they having given some Testimony unto the World of the integrity and uprightness of their hearts a Testimony of the truth of their Faith and of the soundness of their Love that the World cannot deny but that certainly these are very worthy men then as in Scripture Phrase God is not ashamed of them but they are in an immediate capacity for him to own and to reward and do great things for As it is said of Enoch he was translated Heb. 11.6 of whom it was reported that he walked with God Gen. 6.22 Now God could suffer no disparagement in point of honour by owning of him And so 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of Gold c. might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory It is not said that your Faith being more precious than Gold but that the trial of your Faith this is that which will turn to an account of Praise and Honour and Glory unto men in the great day c. That the trial of your Faith might be a Testimony in abundance given unto men yea unto God himself namely when their Faith shall have been tried whether it be by their constant sufferings for righteousness take or whether it hath been by a holy and blameless Conversation it is not much material if this trial of it be the making of it known and bringing it to light in the World that so it may be known and observed by men In such a case it is a thing but equal and just and well becoming God to be found rewarding of them with great and wonderful things Thirdly Sect. 8 Another means whereby we may come to be filled with the Spirit of God is to sow unto the Spirit Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption But he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Everlasting Life If the Question be What is it to sow to the Spirit I answer according to the usual import of that Metaphorical Expression of sowing to sow to the Spirit is to do such things which will redound to the praise of the Spirit of God to manage Actions so that the benefit of them may accrue to another This the Apostle calleth a sowing to others If we have sown unto you in spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things 1 Cor. 9.11 To sow unto the Spirit is to imploy a mans self about such things such waies and works whereby the Spirit may receive honour and praise which is all the harvest which the Spirit of God and so God himself is capable of receiving from men Only we may add this That when men do such things which are for the honour and praise of the Spirit they must do them with an intent that they may turn to his praise we must not do such things only which may accidentally
Point That to him that hath shall be given He that is willing to sow to the Spirit it is a sign that he in the sense of this Scripture is a man that hath received the Grace of God Now they that declare that they have i. e. that take a course to make the World acknowledge that they have they that have in this sense shall have more abundantly and yet still the more they have the more they shall have and the faster and the thicker that men shall sow to the Spirit they shall still have more seed As God giveth natural Seed unto the Sower so doth he give spiritual Seed unto him that soweth unto the Spirit he shall have more strength and vigour and stronger Propensions to do well and worthily yea to abound in well doing This is a third means to be made use of in order to a being filled with the Spirit of God Fourthly Another means for the same end I mean of being filled with the Sprit is to feed and cherish to nourish and strengthen the motions of the Spirit when at any time he beginneth to burn or rise up in a little flame in the soul then toties quoties to be ready to cast spiritual oyl upon the flame that so he may advance the motions which he hath begun is another excellent and pregnant way and means to be filled with the Spirit To open this means or direction unto you it is to be supposed that the Spirit where he inhabiteth and dwelleth will ever and anon be heaving and putting forth in the hearts and souls of men he will be secretly inciting and gently moving and perswading men and women unto good waies and actions unto waies of Justice Righteousness and Goodness and the like sometimes in one kind and sometimes in another yea many times it is likely he will be moving men and perswading them to actions not simply and positively good but unto such waies and actions that are higher and more excellent and more worthy than any of those wherein they yet walk or have been accustomed or have lift up their hearts or hands unto This then is that we advise you in this means or direction that whensoever you perceive or feel the Spirit rising or moving within you unto any thing that is good worthy or meet to be done as if you live inwardly and have much and close communion and converse with your hearts and souls you may frequently find that he is When I say at any time you are sensible of any good motion conceived and raised in you that then presently you provide spiritual milk and honey to feed strengthen and nourish the tenderness of it for when these motions come from the Spirit they are at first but weak and tender and faint but you may take a course by nourishing of them that of soft and tender motions you may make them strong if you take unto you such and such considerations which are apt and proper both to continue on foot and keep alive the said motions within you and likewise to fortifie and encourage them Gentle and soft motions bearing upon your hearts and consciences are but like a soft Air or breathing of wind upon a Ships sails which help her not much on her way So the breathings of the Spirit the first rise of them are but soft and gentle but there is a proper kind of nourishment to be administred unto them which will enlarge and strengthen them Let the motions be what they will as indeed there may be a thousand motions of this kind the Scripture doth afford wherewithal to nourish them all As the Earth bringeth forth all kind of of Herbs Trees c. So the Scriptures yield a proper and peculiar kind of Nourishment a peculiar kind of consideration of truth which will fortifie and strengthen all those motions and raise them up in growth and stature As suppose it be a motion unto a more constant frequent and consciencious attendance upon the Ordinances of God's House and the Affairs there the Scriptures will fill you with motives and considerations which are apt and proper to nourish fortifie and strengthen you in this service So again suppose that the motion be to works of Charity to a more open handedness unto works of Mercy the Scripture will furnish you with nourishment for such motions also Or if the motions of the Spirit be to abandon or cast off idle and unprofitable company who are good for nothing but to waste our precious time I say the Scriptures will nourish these motions also You shall find meditations there and such words and considerations that are proper nourishment for all such motions of the Spirit as these mentioned with their fellows which will cause them to wax and grow and gather strength until it be too hard for the contrary corruptions and infirmities to hinder them My Brethren there be many choice motions from the Spirit of God which may die and never bring forth As there are many Children that die in their Infancy and never grow up unto men Even so the truth is that where there is one Motion that doth grow and come to any maturity it is to be feared that there are many thousands which for want of nourishment and because they are not propagated and encreased by adding further strength unto them die and come to nothing As it is with the Seed of Mankind in their Infancy and tender years we know that they are capable of living and growing up unto men yet are they not capable of propagating in their kind till they are grown up to some maturity Even so motions to good take them in their beginning though they are capable of growing unto their full strength yet they are not presently capable of action untill they be trained and fed up until they come to maturity Then they will beget in their own likeness then they will produce in their kind Thus we see if we desire to be filled with the Spirit of God we must do as we use to do with our new-born Infants make much of them and not despise them because they are weak No but we are to be very tender of them and to nourish them and to cherish them to minister such food unto them that will strengthen them unto or at least until they are grown to Maturity A motion which at first hath little or no strength and so cannot go abroad into any Action or Service by that time you have nourished and carefully tendered it in your hearts and souls though it was but like a grain of Mustardseed at the beginning yet being nourished and fed in your hearts after a while it will be full of strength and vigour and whereas at first it might easily have been quenched after it cometh to maturity it will be able to nourish it self Now the reason of this direction in order to a being filled with the Spirit runneth upon the former Principle which we lately mentioned viz. To
external Act it self of sin This is done when the heart or will of man or woman falleth in with the Lust and taketh her to Wife and couple themselves with her i. e. when men approve and like of the Lust or Desire we speak of and begin to take care as the Apostle elsewhere speaks to make provision for it or to bethink themselves how they may gratifie it and fulfil it By the way when James saith as we have heard Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin The meaning is not as if this alwaies proved so viz. that every Lust consented unto produceth the external or complete Act of sinning there are many times Conceptions where there are no Births or bringing forth of Children many things may interpose to occasion an abortion or a consumption of that which is conceived in the womb And thus it may be and often is in the case of Lusts in their conceptions many men have for a time intended and purposed to do many things that are evil whose purposes and intentions notwithstanding have been dissolved or turned out of their way so that they never come to be put in execution This is apparent in Davids case when by Abigail's wise behaviour and advice he was taken off from his hard and bloudy intentions against Nabal and his House Therefore the Apostles meaning in saying that when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin is not to shew what is alwaies done in the case he speaks of but what is frequently done and alwaies likely or probable to be done of which kind of sayings there are very many in the Scriptures Joh. 11.9 10. If any man walk in the day saith our Saviour he stumbleth not but if a man walk in the night he stumbleth his meaning is neither to affirm that no man that walketh in the day ever stumbleth nor that every man that walketh in the night doth stumble but only that there is a probability both of the one and of the other and that they are likely either to stumble or not to stumble So likewise the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.32 33. The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord c. But this only by the way The business we have in hand is to give you to understand and know that that kind of lusting which hindreth your being filled with the Spirit yea and will hinder it untill it be taken away is that which is owned accepted and approved of by the will and judgement of a man or woman and for the gratifying and fulfilling whereof care is taken by men Such lusts as these are they which grieve and quench the Spirit and consequently hinder his progress motion or advance in the soul When with the Scriptures we say the Spirit is grieved we do not mean nor doth the Holy Ghost in this expression mean any thing else but only that he is turned out of the way he doth retire himself and is quiet and still men shall hear but very little from him so that there will be but very weak and faint motions and suggestions from him But we were saying unto you that all fleshly lusts in the general are obstructive to the course of the Spirit Sect. 15 in his advance or growth in the soul Now as all Lusts in the general entertained and countenanced as hath been declared in the heart and soul are malignant against and opposite unto the growth and coming on of the Spirit in the Soul so the Scriptures seem to cast an eye upon some as being of a more virulent and express antipathy in this kind than others and obstruct that blessedness of the soul we speak of with an higher hand than their fellows These are such lusts which carry in them a direct contrariety to those signal characters or properties which the Scriptures take notice of and ascribe unto the Holy Ghost We shall take notice of at present and briefly insist upon only four of these and the like number of lusts in men more directly opposite unto them First The Spirit of God is famously known throughout the Scriptures by the great attribute of holiness he is more frequently termed the holy Spirit than spoken of under any other name or expressed by any other Character whatsoever We shall not need to cite places for this The thing I presume is sufficiently known unto you all A second property which the Scriptures attribute unto the Spirit of God is Grace or a gracious disposition Heb. 10.29 He is termed The Spirit of grace And God is termed The God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 A third property taken notice of in the Holy Ghost by the Scriptures is his heavenliness he is said in 1 Pet. 1.12 to have been sent down from heaven which implies that his coming or sending into the World is about the affairs of heaven and that he only mindeth these so elsewhere he is said to be the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 14. So also in Joh. 15.26 Christ promiseth to send him from the Father all which imply him to be an heavenly and heavenly minded Spirit A fourth property and the last we shall now take notice of which the Scriptures mind in the Holy Ghost is a disposition and propensness of mind in him to be communicating and revealing the Counsels and secret things of God unto the minds and consciences of men This property of the Spirit of God which is of some assinity with the last named and gives testimony unto it is oft mentioned in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him c. So again ver 12 13. Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know viz. by his discovering it unto our Judgments and Consciences the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth And so in Joh. 16.13 Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come speaking of the Comforter he will guide you into all truth c. and he will shew you things to come c. This is another heavenly property of him who cometh from the Father to communicate and acquaint men with the great mysteries of the Counsels of God so far as it doth concern the souls of men to know them Now all such lusts and sinful dispositions being indulged and nourished which are contrary to and fight against these properties and dispositions of the Spirit are and must in reason needs be most distasteful unto him and consequently most obstructive to him in his way of advancing his blessed presence in the souls of men The first of the four Particulars attributed unto the Holy Ghost in Scripture was holiness Sect.
and that in opposition unto others Secondly A second Property of the Spirit mentioned was his grace We read Heb. 10.29 of despighting the Spirit of grace And so God is called 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace meaning that he is a gracious Spirit Now grace as we have formerly opened the nature of it unto you importeth a readiness or great propenseness in the will and soul of a man to shew kindness or to do good where no engagement is from without from him unto whom kindness is shewn it differeth from mercy For the object of mercy alwaies is misery or persons in misery But the object of grace may as well be persons in a good condition and free from misery as those that are in misery for Grace only respects as it were an absence of all motives or engagements from those to whom we intend good and reacheth no further So then when the Spirit is called the Spirit of grace it doth import a freeness a readiness a willingness and propenseness of mind to do good unto such persons who never laid any engagement upon him to whom he is no waies Debtor by one Law or other When there is a propenseness in any person thus freely without engagement to deal courteously or kindly with others this is Grace truly so called Now the Spirit is said to be a gracious Spirit because he vouchsafeth to come unto men and to dwell with them and to couple and joyn himself with men whilest they are strangers unto him even whilest as yet he hath received to no kindness from them he is pleased to come unto them and to invite them Nay the truth is there is a more excellent degree of grace than this in the Spirits dealing with men when kindness is shewed not only where no engagement hath gone before but contrary to engagements on the other hand This is grace in abundance and in its exaltation when a person hath done us wrong or disgraced us unjustly and offered us injury and we notwithstanding such hard measure received from him shall yet be ready to stand by him and accommodate him then are we gracious in an excellent and eminent degree Now such lusts and sinful dispositions in men which are contrary to this Character or property of Grace in the Spirit are very distasteful unto him apt to grieve and obstruct him in his course as well as the former viz. uncleanness c. In that former place Eph. 4.30 where the Apostle had added And greive not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption meaning by corrupt communication He immediately addeth Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice c. The motive lieth in the middle between the two Exhortations and it enforceth them both it is a motive both to that which went before Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth and unto that which followeth namely that all wrath and malice and the like should be put away Therefore this clearly shews that these kind of corruptions and distempers bitterness and malice c. are contrary to the Spirit of Grace and those gracious dispositions and inclinations of his to do good and to shew kindness and love where there is no merit yea even unto those men who have rather merited sorrow and hard measure from him But much more when men without any provocations shall be in bitterness of Spirit and full of wrath and anger and shall entertain and admit malice evil thoughts and intentions of hardness cruelty and bloud into their hearts this being so extremely contrary to that gracious and sweet property of the Spirit of God in reason must needs be signally obstructive unto him in his way of filling men with himself A third Property was the heavenliness of the Spirit of God Sect. 18 Joh. 3.31 He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that cometh from heaven is above all Therefore that Lust that is contrary to this property in the Spirit of God heavenliness or heavenly mindedness this must in a way of reason be offensive unto the Spirit of God Of this kind are all lusts of Covetonsness inordinate Love unto this present World earthly mindedness when mens hearts savour the things of the earth only or mainly when the matters of this life eat out the very heart and sinews of a Man Such Lusting as these must needs likewise be of a very offensive nature unto the Spirit of God When the Holy Ghost shall come unto men and offer them life and shall be ready to lead them into the Faith Knowledge and Love of God when he shall talk and discourse with men and women about heavenly things and they answer him with their carnal and their sensual things when he discourseth unto them of Faith and Holiness and the things of their Eternal Peace and blessedness and they shall have cars only to hear of Silver and Gold and Wealth and Grandeur and Power and Honour and the like certainly if lusts of this nature be made much of and harboured in the soul of a man there can be no expectation that ever the Spirit of God should take pleasure or delight to put forth or to give out himself in his glory in such a soul A fourth and last particular was a disposition aptness Sect. 19 or readiness of mind to communicate the things of God matters of a spiritual import the Secrets of God unto the minds and consciences of men Therefore such kind of Lusts in men which are opposite to this property in the Spirit of God must needs be offensive unto him and obstruct him in this blessed work we are speaking of Which lusts and distempers are these and such like viz. such lusts by which men are invited tempted and carried away from the Ministry of the Spirit and those waies whereby the Spirit is wont to utter himself which are the Ordinances of God and especially that of the Ministry of the Gospel and more especially such a kind of Ministry which is prepared as it were by God on purpose to bring forth the mind of God unto men For as God of old appointed Moses and the People to meet at the door of the Tabernacle So now hath he appointed the World the Sons and Daughters of men to meet with him in these Ministrations of his House and to treat with him there about the great business and things of their peace If men and women therefore shall suffer the great Enemy of their peace so to bewitch them that they fall in their esteem of these appointments of his and look upon them as if there were no great matter in them this is another thing which hath a direct opposition unto and is a ready way to quench the Spirit of God Mind and compare these two verses together 1 Thes 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit But how or which way should
they prevent it Ver. 20. he informeth them Despise not Prophesying As fire by laying on and throwing combustible matter upon it may be made greater and greater and the flame to wax and grow more and more So the Spirit of God is like a fire in the Spirits of men he may be nourished after such a manner that he will flame out as fire doth when more wood is laid on it but as fire will go out if you withdraw the Fuel or throw Water upon it So saith the Apostle you will quench the Spirit if you shall despise Prophesying for that is the fuel or nourishment by which the Spirit of God is fed therished and maintained in the soul and conscience and heart of a man if you will withdraw this fuel and despise Prophesie neglect the Ordinances of God and Ministrations of his House he will soon be gone and leave his place He cannot live in the soul without this kind of nourishment and food administred unto him from day to day and time to time And thus you see as all kind of fleshly Lusts in general fight against the soul and are obstructive unto the peace thereof being as so many bars in the way of the Spirit so there are some Lusts which do more appropriately and in a more particular manner oppose his progress So that if you desire to be Possessours of such an invaluable Treasure as a being filled with the Spirit of God you must not make a light matter of it so as to suffer such words and directions as tend thereunto to come in at one ear and go out at the other No but you must make Treasure of them and be very serious in a business of this nature And if you will prosper in this design you must be sure to remove out of the way as these four kinds especially so also all other Lusts of the flesh which else will hinder you in so blessed an enjoyment But it may be you will say Sect. 20 How shall we keep our selves from the lusts of the flesh in order to our being filled with the Spirit To this I answer and say You may do it yea the doing of it may without any presumption be attributed unto you as done by you especially in their first rise and before they are grown to any great strength or maturity within you without any special presence of the Spirit of God I mean a full and rich presence of him For there is a kind of standing presence of the Spirit of God with every man which we call his preventing Grace which every man hath if he hath not consumed it and made aâ—spoyl of it which will keep men from these kinds of Lusts in case men shall but comply with it For my Brethren these kind of Lusts have no power in them to compel or to necessitate any man or woman unto subjection to them No they do but only offer or present themselves to see if you will entertain or own them and nourish and bring them up If you will take pleasure in them and go with them whither they will lead you you may otherwise they have no inssuence of power and authority over you neither have they any Commission from God and Sathan can give them none any way to compel you to open the door of your hearts unto them to give them room and entertainment there No but if you shall be true and faithful unto your own souls and their itnerest and be in love with that blessedness of being filled with the Spirit you may keep your selves free from vanity and fleshly lusts For to abstain from them is but to let them alone to let them go as they come do but you keep on your course and follow the light which is set up within you do but abstain and keep from an inward converse and communion with them and they shall never do you any harm nor ever prejudice you in the carrying on your work and in the prospering of your souls as to your being filled with the Spirit There is only one means or direction more The seventh and last means which I shall prescribe unto you Sect. 21 or rather remind you of being prescribed by God himself for your being filled with the Spirit is Prayer unto God for it If you desire that your anointing should be rich and full you must imploy your Angel which God hath given to serve you in this and all other your spiritual occasions about it I mean the Spirit of Prayer which you have received from God Many great and excellent things you well know are spoken of Prayer in the Scriptures that it is a Key to open Heaven as oft as we desire a Messenger that if his dispatch be thereafter will fetch us any thing out of the Treasury of God that we stand in need of You know also that heap of Promises and Encouragements which the Lord Christ himself hath heaped upon the head of Prayer Mat. 7.7 8. compared with Luke 11.9 10. And I say unto you ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you For every one that asketh receiveth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened First these words And I say unto you c. seem to imply that what he was now about to say unto them concerning the marvelous efficacy and acceptation of Prayer with God if another one should have said it it might reasonably seem doubtful or questionable in point of truth unto you But I would have you to take knowledge that it is I that say it you may believe it upon the account of my authority though it be indeed a great and strange saying and hath a world of grace in it yet saith he this is enough sufficiently to balance this I say it Now by asking seeking knocking our Saviour questionless meaneth all kinds or variety of Prayer intending to declare and signifie some such thing as this unto us that if men be sincere and upright hearted in their praying unto God whether the manner or form of their Prayer be of this kind or of that whether it be asking socking or knocking it shall be of like acceptance with God and shall obtain what is desired If any man will please to adventure upon any narrow distinguishing of asking seeking and knocking he may do it after some such manner as this is though I would not have too much to be given to the Notion Asking very probably may be such a kind of Prayer which is right down where there is little or no Argument or little or no Scripture Rhetorick but only a right down and direct and immediate asking signifying unto God what it is that a man would have without any more ado And secondly Seeking seemeth to be a more exact or enlarged kind of Prayer wherein a man goeth about to fortifie his heart to believe that he shall receive the things that he prayeth for by
it was the manner amongst the Jews in our Saviours daies to ask their Parents such things as they desired or stood in need of before they gave them unto them And as God shews no unwillingness as hath been said to give his holy Spirit unto men but rather a readiness and propenseness in him in this kind to give him by enjoyning men to pray for him So neither doth his requiring righteousness and holiness in men to render them capable of happiness and blessedness from him any waies prove or intimate in the least any unwillingness in him to make them blessed but the contrary rather I mean a great desire in him to make them blessed according to that of the Prophet David Psal 81.13 14 15. Oh that my people would have hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my waies I should soon have subdued their Enemies c. We see evidently in this place that God had an ardent and even a longing desire in him to make Israel an happy and blessed people and that in order to the obtaining of his desire herein he had prescribed unto them Laws and waies of righteousness for them to observe and walk in For that is to be considered and taken knowledge of that the great and ardent desire of God here expressed was not so much that Israel should have hearkened unto his voice that they should be a holy people But he would have them a holy righteous and worthy people in order to their being a happy people it is still the end not the means that is principally desired Now the end which God principally desired and projected in his giving righteous Laws and Statutes unto Israel to observe and do was not their obedience unto these Laws but the making of them a happy people by means of this their obedience in such a way which might not be repugnant to his infinite wisdom This Moses had clearly informed them of long before saith he Deut. 30.15 16. I have set before thee life and death good and evil c. You shall find that God doth expresly profess unto them Deut. 10.13 Chap. 12.25 28. Chap. 26.18 19. that all that he doth require of them in rendering such obedience unto him was for their own comfort and for the comfort of their Posterity that they might live and possess that good Land and that they might enjoy it And as Gods requiring of men Faith Love and Obedience unto his Commands to put them into a capacity of Salvation and as his threatning them with the loss of Salvation unless these things should be found in them do not argue any the least degree of unwillingness in God that men should not be saved but the contrary even the great desire of his soul that way In like manner Gods requiring men to pray unto him for his holy Spirit to make them capable of receiving him doth not at all prove or so much as intimate the least unwillingness in him to give him unto men but rather the longing desire of his soul to give him This for Reply to the first thing in the difficulty propounded But Secondly Whereas it was demanded Sect. 23 How can such persons pray for the Spirit that are not in the state of Grace I mean pray so as to be accepted with God in their Prayer and to obtain what they pray for in this kind without the Spirit first had and obtained To this also I reply First By Concession that no man doubtless can pray for the Spirit so as to obtain what he prayeth for but he that hath the Spirit viz. in some degree and measure or other for it is the Spirit of God in men that enlightneth them to see and discern things that are just and good and meet for them to do and so likewise which admonisheth and exciteth them to do them Now therefore if any persons do pray unto God for his Spirit such persons are quickned moved and stirred up hereunto by the Spirit of God himself Secondly I answer by way of Exception two things First The Spirit is in some measure or degree graciously vouchsafed unto every man coming into the World in as much as every man is enlightned at least to some degree to see and discern the things mentioned and so likewise is secretly minded and put upon it to do things that are apprehended just and good and meet to be done for that which mens Consciences do or are said to do in this kind they do by the help and motion of the Spirit of God within them Therefore from hence it followeth Secondly That whosoever shall pray for the Spirit doth not pray for it simply without the Spirit though possibly he may pray for it without any such presence or assistance of the Spirit which is found in true Believers I mean in those who believe to Justification If it be here replied and said That without faith it is impossible to please God therefore no presence of the Spirit without Faith can enable men to pray any Prayer unto â—od with acceptation and consequently not any Prayer upon which the Holy Ghost can be attained I Reply First That as the Apostle affirms it to be in the case of contributing to good works That if there be first a willing mind it is accepted or rather he or the man is accepted according to that which he hath and not according to that which he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 Meaning that if he be willing in his way and doth that which he is well able to do God doth accept him and doth not reject him or disapprove him because he doth not more than he is able to do So it is in any other kind of endeavours or engagements of a man whatsoever for there is the same reason of others which there is of this If a man doth that or be willing to do that which he is able to do I mean well able humane infirmities considered this is accepted with God though it comes not up to the perfection or degree of worth which is found in the same kind of action performed by other men Therefore he that prayeth unto God suppose it be for the Holy Ghost according to the ability of praying which God hath given him he is accepted with him Secondly Concerning that saying of the Apostle Without Faith it is impossible to please God I Reply If we understand him to speak of Justifying Faith then we must understand him likewise to speak of pleasing God unto Salvation and thus the meaning of the saying will be only this It is impossible without a true Faith such a Faith which worketh by love for any man to please God so as to be saved by him But otherwise that God may be pleased in a sense or to an inferiour degree without that Faith which is justifying and saving is evident from many places in Scripture Ahab pleased God to a degree and to the obtaining of the removal of a sore Judgment both from himself and
the work of Redemption Sathans chief work lies to undermine the Godhead of those persons to whom that work is most appropriate and who are most engaged therein For the Son of God is his great Enemy and the Person who threateneth his undoing and the Ruine of all that he hath gotten by drawing men aside from God And then likewise the Holy Ghost hath put to his supreme hand all his work being bent against the Devil and his Temptations Now in reason it cannot be thought but that he Satan will be more engaged against these to bring their Godhead if it be possible into question and to destroy the belief of it out of the World He that doth but know the nature of him as that he is full of malice mischief and bloud and that he is ready to rise up against God himself as far as he is able I say they that do but know the Devil so far cannot wonder at it or think it strange that he should labour to fill the World in all the quarters of it with such kind of Notions and Opinions that shall make the greatest breaches upon the honour and reverence that is gotten up into the hearts of men both towards the Lord Christ God blessed for ever and the Holy Ghost that Spirit of God by whom the Children of God are sealed to the day of their Redemption But as the Prophet Jeremiah in a case not much unlike demands What is the Chaff to the Wheat So may we say What is finite to that which is infinite What is a Creature for the carrying on of the Salvation of the World in comparison of the great Creator Secondly Whereas there are a thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands Saints upon the Earth and these in places far distant from one another to be filled at the same time with the Spirit of God or that may be engaged with their hearts and souls in waies and means to be thus filled with the Spirit if the Spirit which should fill them in this kind be a created a finite Spirit limited and confined to one and the same place at one and the same time for this must be his condition if he be finite How can these be raised to any ground of hope that ever they should be filled with the Spirit For if he be a finite Spirit it is impossible that he should fill any more than one person at a time and so must depart and withdraw thence to fill another And As Andrew said Joh. 6.9 of that slender provision which was to be had in comparison of the great multitude that were to be fed There is saith he a Lad here which hath five barley Loaves and two small Fishes but what are these amongst so many So may we well demand and ask in the case before us there being such vast numbers and multitudes to be filled with the Spirit What is a limited a finite a created Spirit to fill them all What is such a Spirit as this amongst so many thousands such an infinite number of men and women who all are labouring to be filled with the Spirit How is it possible he should accommodate such a numberless number of Saints so as to make them all glad Therefore they who teach men that the Holy Ghost the Spirit that shall fill them is but a Creature like unto themselves in limitedness and fuâ—iteness of being do by these whom it concerns to be filled with the Spirit and in order hereunto advance in their endeavours accordingly much as those Spies of old did by the Israelites Num. 13.32 who by bringing an evil report upon the good Land of Canaan and telling them that it was a Land that did eat up the Inhabitants of it discouraged the hearts of the People from attempting the Conquest and possession of it if it had not been for Caleb and Joshuah whose hearts were more upright In like manner they that bring up such a report as this upon the Spirit as that he is but a finite Spirit a created Spirit a straitned Spirit what do they do else but discourage the hearts and weaken the hands of those who have given out themselves and have their hands lifted up to such an exercise and make Treasure of such an heavenly advice and piece of Counsel as this is of being filled with the Spirit of the ever blessed God And besides if the Spirit we speak of with which the Saints are to be filled be a finite Spirit suppose he could at any time mind and attend them all all over the World from the East to the West and from the North to the South in their several applications of themselves to obtain such a filling yet he could actually fill but one person one heart or one soul at once and therefore when he hath filled one he must empty him again by withdrawing himself from him before he can fill another because it is impossible that he should fill them all with himself at one and the same time If it be replied Sect. 4 but he may be said to fill the Saints with himself although he doth not abide alwaies personally present with them viz. by leaving strong impressions of himself his grace and power upon their hearts and spirits though in person he be withdrawn from them as those Saints or Christians amongst whom Paul had been preaching the Gospel and had not only prevailed with them to believe but had put them into a zealous posture of profession and made them like unto himself these may be said to be filled with Paul or with Pauls spirit I reply That holy and zealous impressions upon the hearts and spirits of men may be declarative of their being filled with the Spirit of God but they are not properly and formally their filling or their being filled with this Spirit they are but the suites symptoms or signs of their being filled therewith as the Grapes that grow upon the Vine are not the Vine it self A being filled with the Spirit implies an actual residence or abode of the Spirit himself in men according to that of our Saviour Joh. 14.16 17. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever he in person not in his gifts or operations only So in the next verse And he shall be in you And the Apostle maketh a plain and express difference between the Person of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.5 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit So verse 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit And the Scripture from place to place speaketh of the Holy Ghost as personally inhabiting or residing in the Saints as in these and the like expressions and passages 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee saith Paul to Timothy keep by the Holy Ghost which or who dwelleth in us the gifts or operations of the Holy Ghost
unto persons of both opinions whose waies otherwise are worthy the Gospel and Profession thereof yet the truth is that partly the nature and partly the consequence of the two Opinions compared together their distance being so great as it is and they so contrary one unto the other it is not a matter of easie conception how they both should be saved unless with the men against whom we now argue and have under reproof who are in this respect the off-spring of the old Hereticks called the Origenlans who hold that after a certain time all men without exception as well bad as good shall be saved yea the very truth is that the entire Systeme and body of that Religion and Doctrine some few common and general Principles only excepted and these also corruptly understood which the men we now speak of own is scarce any thing else but a Rapsody or Fardle of old abhorrid Errors and Heresies of the Anthropomorphits Arians Macedonians Origenists with several others who were the greatest troublers of the Gospel in the course of it and Enemies and Opposers of the Truth in their times Sixthly and lastly All the premised particulars duly weighed Sect. 18 and considered methinks any sober and considering Christian should require and stand up every whit as much for his satisfaction and conviction in this opinion that the Holy Ghost is but a meer Creature and to bring over his Judgment thereunto as the Jews did to perswade them that Christ was the Son of God who as our Saviour himself told the Nobleman at Capernaum Joh. 4.48 were at such a distance from believing it that exept they saw signs and wonders they would not believe they were resolved not to believe it upon any inferiour or lower account In like manner considering what the Scriptures speak in way of oppesition and how matters have gone all along from Age to Age in the Christian Churches in reference to this Doctrine and Opinion that the Holy Ghost is a Creature and not God It is strange to me that any sober or well advised persons professing Christianity should entertain it upon terms of any weak or less convincing demonstration than of Miracles and Signs and Wonders or of the Testimony of an Angel from heaven to assert it and therefore they that do subject unto it are of that Generation of men which the Wiseman speaketh of Pro. 14.15 They are of the House and Linage of that simple man who will believe every thing any thing let the nature of it be never so inconsistent and the connexion between things never so loose and groundless I had not insisted upon this branch of our Use of Reproof so largely but that the delinquent spirit is so rampant in the World and busily acting his part near unto us and amongst us and the Apostles direction to Titus is Tit. 1.9 10. That a Bishop or Pastor of a Church should hold fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught viz. by the Apostles that he may be able by sound Doctrine to exhort and convince the gain-sayer for there are many unruly and vain talkers especially they of the Circumcision whose mouths must be stopped There are men and still have been whose mouths must be stopped but not as some would interpret it by Prisons or by Sword No but stopped they must be i. e. way-laid in their Judgments Consciences and Understandings by the Scriptures This is that which the Apostle requireth in a Bishop that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince And by the way take notice of this that he must exhort by sound Doctrine the truth is that many Bishops in the World do exhort many times very soundly but not by sound Doctrine For their Doctrine standeth at West and their Exhortation standeth South Now a faithful Bishop every man in that Office and Place must exhort with sound Doctrine his Exhortation must be comportant with the spirit and soul and tendency of his Doctrine the one must not be a Samaritan and the other a Jew But this by the way I shall leave this sort of Offenders at present only with reminding them of that passage of our Saviour Mat. 5.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven My Brethren to break any of the least of the Commands of Christ knowingly when a man doth understand and is convinced that it is the Command of Christ is a sin of high provocation unto God but especially to teach men so to do i. e. to teach such a Doctrine which may strengthen any mans hand to despise neglect and disregard any Commandment of Christ this is provoking in the sight of God and that in the highest and of such a demerit that such a man deserves no place in the Kingdom of God Therefore whosoever they be who shall first weaken their own hands before they weaken anothers they that teach themselves to break the Commands of God and then shall spread abroad such Opinions and Notions that shall animate and encourage men so to do they shall be least in the Kingdom of God they shall have no respect there they shall not be numbred amongst the Servants of Jesus Christ therefore such persons as these who bring in and set on foot any such Doctrine which doth break and quench the endeavours of the spirit of men from following any piece or strain of that heavenly Counsel which the Holy Ghost hath given unto men certainly they fall under this heavy Sentence and Censure of Jesus Christ to be least in the Kingdom of Heaven CHAP. XIV A third sort of Offenders reproved are such who instead of following the Exhortation of being filled with the Spirit take a course to be emptied of the Spirit of God Who make it matter of Conscience to turn their backs upon the Ministry of the Gospel which is called the Ministry of the Spirit Wherein the several Scriptures and Reasons by which they strengthen themselves in their evil way are examined and found bent against them And likewise the necessity of the Ministry of the Gospel and the great benefit thereof largely asserted and vindicated A Third sort of Offenders to be reproved upon the former general account viz. as Enemies to that subjection Sect. 1 and observation which ought to be given to the Apostles Exhortation of being filled with the Spirit are such who take a course rather to be emptied of the Spirit of God than to be filled with him and of losing all that presence and Communion with the Spirit which sometimes they had received and yet may partake of to some degree and that by falling upon such practices and engaging in such courses which are of a direct tendency to dispossess them of all Communion with him and to make an absolute separation of the Spirit of God from them These are of two sorts The first are those who make
it is appointed to Umpire in the hearts and consciences of men if it were not able to make good those things which it threatneth and promiseth that they are Realities and not only Notions and faint Speculations it would do no great things it would be but a powerless and faint thing As we see all the devised and fained Stories that are abroad in the World though they may please the fansies of some that hear them yet they have no great work upon them they do not move or encline them to any great undertaking And as no man will go to the charge of building a Ship to travel to the Lands of Vtopia because it is only a fained Land of pleasure and delight but no man was ever able to make good the being thereof So for the glorious and great things of the World to come which are spoken of in the Gospel unless you can get it into mens hearts to believe that these things are really so you may treate with them by this and adjure them by that and yet the Conscience not move at all upon any such account but when it shall be made known to them demonstratively that these great things are not words only nor fansies or devised Fables but that they are the same in nature and reality which they are in terms and names now the Consciences of men and women are over-awed and overcome at this point there is no standing out but only in such cases wherein men are bewitched and have their eyes blinded by the God of this World Thirdly and lastly The efficacy of the Ministry we speak of is seen in that Sect. 22 that it communicateth and deriveth the Spirit of God unto men who receive and believe it It is to be considered in this case that it is not simply appointed by God to convey the Spirit of God into the hearts and souls of men and women but that it is an Ordinance of such a nature that it is most proper for such a service for the great God as this viz. the giving forth of the Spirit into the Consciences and Souls of men 2 cor 3.6 Who also hath made us Ministers c. not of the Letter but of the Spirit Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith So that this is unquestionably true that the Ministry of the Gospel is erected by God for the communication of the Spirit into the hearts and souls of men Even as a Conduit Pipe is a means to convey the water into our Cisterns which before were empty so the hearts souls and inward parts of the Sons and Daughters of men being to a great degree empty of the Spirit of God God hath as it were made and framed these golden Pipes of the Ministry of the Gospel to convey the Holy Ghost into the hearts and souls of men that so together with him there may be life and power and strength and all manner of divine excellencies This the Ministry of the Gospel will certainly do when it is managed like it self and where the Wisdom and gracious Counsel of God is embraced and entertained and men have done homage and have bowed the knee of their Understanding and Judgement unto it and have owned the things contained in it as from God And meet it is that such a service and subjection of the Creature unto God as this is should be immediately and out of hand rewarded by him with so great a gift as his own Spirit As if God should say Where my Advice is received and where my Counsel goeth there shall my Spirit go also This saith the Evangelist Joh. 7.39 He spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive We have done at present with the first of the second sort of Offenders who were lately designed to Reproof upon the account of this general Delinquency against the said Doctrine viz. That instead of being filled with the Spirit they take a direct course to be emptied of the Spirit altogether The particular Delinquency of these Persons is that they wholly withdraw themselves from the Ministration of the Gospel which according to the intent and declaration of the Great Founder of it God is the Ministration of the Spirit according to that of the Apostle Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith We have taken away the Weapons from them wherein they trust and have evinced those Texts and places of Scripture upon which they bear themselves for the justification of their practice to have no manner of compliance herewith but rather being rightly understood to stand bent a contrary way We have likewise detected the insufficiency and impertinency of such other Grounds and Reasons for their Practice on which they chiefly insist and wherein their foot is taken and held in a snare of Death The Lord break the snare in sunder and deliver their souls and shew mercy to those that are yet at liberty that they be not led aside into the same Error CHAP. XV. Five sorts of Offenders more under the Second Head reproved First Such who are chill and cool in their respects unto the Ministry of the Gospel An account of the Causes thereof The danger of false Notions concerning God A second sort reproved for withdrawing from a lively and powerful Ministry Reasons of such miscarriages Legal and Evangelical Ministry distinguished What renders Persons duly fitted for the Ministry of the Gospel The third sort justly reprovable are such who neglect to be led by the Spirit of God How and when the Spirit of God is neglected A fourth sort justly reprovable also are such that do resist the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God The fifth and last sort of Offenders are such who refuse to sow unto the Spirit of God WE proceed to a second sort under this Head of Offenders against our Doctrine Sect. 1 who together with the former are summoned to hear what the Spirit of God will please to say unto them in a way of reproof to their practice also and these are of several sorts First Such who though they do not with the former make it matter of conscience wholly to desert the Ministry of the Gospel nor rise up to plead in words against the blessing of it yet are they chill and cool in their respect unto it they do not esteem it as their appointed food they are not zealous in their attendance on it their hearts are not perfect with it when they come to it they come as if they came not or cared not much whether they came or no and so they hear as if they heard not Sathan with a very slender and slight temptation may interpose at any time and separate between them and their attendance upon it We know there are many thousands amongst us of that lukewarm and unworthy temper we speak of who think it enough to wait upon God when he is speaking the
for a reason or some short time only in the Ministry of John notwithstanding he was a light both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burning and shining He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing to rejoyce in his light John is here by our Saviour described or commended by two properties which in a Minister are most like to retain and keep as well as to procure and gain the affections and approbations of men The first is That he was a burning light secondly That he was a shining light Zeal accompanied with an excellency of knowledge are two most excellent and worthy qualifications in the Ministers of the Gospel and a man would think a Minister who is provided with these should so endear the hearts of men and women whom he serveth in the work of the Ministry that he should so captivate their hearts and affections that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come should be able to separate or to estrange such a man from the affections of his people Yet nevertheless this we see was John's case with the Jews he was a burning and shining light he had all the advantages that lightly could be found in a man to retain what he had gotten in the hearts and affections of his people and yet they who did mightly rejoyce in him for a season after a while saw no such matter in him John who was as an Angel of God for a season was but like another man soon after not that there was any alteration or change in John for doubtless he did not decline neither in his burning nor in his shining until the very day and hour of his death And therefore that there was such a change in the minds of the Jews towards him it proceeded from the levity of spirit and affection which was so incident unto them Ye were willing to rejoyce saith our Saviour the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an excellent degree of rejoycing to dance and leap or spring for joy he doth not simply say that they did rejoyce but that they were willing to do it that they did it freely and of their own accord they were not importuned by any perswasion or prompting by any other man yet they had enough of John in a short time when once they had gone round about him and saw his gifts and abilities and what he was able to do when they had tasted thoroughly of his Doctrine they could as freely turn their backs upon him as upon any other man they would see whether there were any other Teacher that was of another spirit or of another method of Teaching or whose Doctrine or matter was of a higher and more sublime nature or consideration than his And so likewise it fared with the great Apostle Paul amongst the Corinthians and especially amongst the Galathians to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.2 He saith that though it were supposed that unto others he was not an Apostle yet to them he was meaning that however they might think that he did not acquit or approve himself as an Apostle amongst other people where he preached the Gospel as either by working signs or miracles amongst them or by the efficacy and success of his Doctrine in the Consciences of many yet certainly he had approved himself both these waies and every other way an Apostle unto them For saith he in the latter part of the verse the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord meaning that their being in Christ their conversion to the Faith was a seal i. e. a sure testimony and confirmation unto them that he had the Commission of an Apostle from Christ And elsewhere he saith 2 Cor. 12.12 that the signs of an Apostle were wrought amongst them meaning by himself As in all patience so in signs and wonders and mighty deeds Elsewhere he saith 1 Cor. 4.15 That in Christ Jesus he had begotten them through the Gospel In another place 2 Cor. 11.2 That he had espoused them to one Husband to present them a chaste Virgin unto Christ To pass by much more of like import Such things as these by which this people could not but be lifted up unto heaven as our Saviour speaks in the like case were sufficient in all likelihood of reason so to have endeared this Apostle unto them and to have engaged them unto him that he should have been in their hearts as he professeth they were in his even to die and to live together notwithstanding How soon was this Son of the Morning this glorious Apostle and heavenly Benefactor of this people fallen in their hearts and respects Other teachers who were not worthy to loose the lachets of his shooes coming in the way carried away the prize of their affections and esteem from him these were the men that were all in all with them Paul was but an underling in their thoughts a sorry fellow in comparison After al the Signs annd Wonders and mighty Works that he had wrought amongst them after all those gifts and heavenly endowments as of Wisdom Knowledge Utterance Tongues yet they sought a proof of Christ speaking in him 1 Cor. 13.3 They could not tell whether he was so much as a true Minister of Christ or no unless he should give them a good account of it It is somewhat strange to think how the generality of this People having such rational foundations to build themselves stable and steady upon should yet sink so low in their esteem of him But neither did this most worthy Person and Apostle speed any whit better amongst the Galatians than he had done amongst the Cerinthians he gained high respects and large affections he telleth them that at his first coming amongst them he was received by them as an Angel of God and as Jesus Christ they had such strong impressions upon them that they could have plucked out their eyes for him Gal. 4.14 15. but very quickly he became out of credit with them and his reputation was fallen in the dust they cared not they were Kings and reigned without Paul they knew how to want his Ministry and his counsel and direction they had found out men that pleased them better they had heaped up Teachers according to their humours they had itching ears and therefore they must have some that would scratch them and fall in with them and please their fansies and thus when they had met with such Preachers and Doctors Gal. 1.6 which were commensurable to their Notions or unto that Spirit which had now taken them these were the men now and the Heirs of Paul's Inheritance in their affections and in the respects which he received from them Yea the Lord Christ notwithstanding that as his Adversaries themselves bear him witness he spake as never man spake yea though for a time he so marvelously affected the People partly with his Miracles partly with his Doctrine that they were about to take him by force and make him a King Joh. 6.15 yet
that her Father Laban might not find his Images that she had stoln but not being willing that this Reason of her Posture should be known she pretends another viz. That the Custome of women was upon her So the Scribes and Pharisees though the devouring of Widows houses was the real and true end they proposed in making long Prayers yet being loath to own this being so foul and so unworthy they pretended Zeal and largeness of Devotion in its stead Thus the Persons we speak of being ashamed to own the Reason we last discovered and opened from the Scriptures for the ground or reason of their shifting Ministries upon the terms mentioned are wont to pretend others of a more fair and Christian import viz. That the Ministry which they give over is legal and low at least comparatively less spiritual and less edifying at least to them Or else that some Doctrines or Opinions are held forth and maintained in this Ministry which are contrary to their Judgments and Consciences and therefore they judge themselves bound both in Wisdom and Conscience to withdraw from it and attend upon that which is both more edifying and raising men up nearer unto God and also more Orthodox and sound These are common colours and pretenses that are frequently alledged by men and women when their hearts tempt them away from a worthy Ministry to that which is unworthy To speak somewhat to them both For the first Whereas they impute legalness as they call it lowness Sect. 8 and ordinariness and want of spiritfulness to the Ministry under which they have no mind to continue by reason whereof they cannot they say edifie or profit it may be not unworthy consideration that such a Doctrine or Ministry which some count legal and low is far more spiritful and raised than that wherein they pretend to find these high qualifications For you know some call that Ministry legal which uregeth and presseth upon the Consciences of men with all earnestness and zeal those great Duties of Mortification and Self-denial and a thoroughness of subjection and obedience unto the whole Will of God though otherwise upon occasion and as oft as it judgeth it necessary and meet it effectually openeth the whole Counsel of God unto men concerning the freeness of his Grace as well in their Justification as Salvation together with all the secret strains and all the turnings and windings and carriages of his Wisdom in the Gospel as far as they are ordinarily reached and discovered by men whereas this is the most Evangelical Ministry and most likely to bring men to a true faith and belief of the Gospel If you would know what a legal Ministry is to speak properly it is such which teacheth Justification by the Law and such is the Doctrine of the Papists But to charge and to press the Commandments of Jesus Christ and to call upon men with the greatest affection and zeal and withall to handle such great and glorious motives and encouragements which the Gospel affordeth unto men to strengthen their hands in the waies of holiness and withall to lay before men the heavy Judgments which shall abide those who shall be disobedient this is far from being legal for it hath more of the Spirit of the Gospel in it than any other On the other hand they call that a spiritual Ministry which seldom or never chargeth the Souls or Consciences of men with any Moral dutie nor threatens these with exclusion out of the Kingdom of God who either are Thieves Adulterers Covetous c. But spendeth it self from time to time in venting certain airy and windy Notions and Speculations such as have no sufficient footing or foundation either in the Scripture or in good Reason And these for the most part cloathed with a kind of uncouth and antique Language and Expression This Ministry when it hath entertained those that repair unto it for an hour or two may for the most part truly say unto them concerning what hath been delivered by it as Aristotle is reported to have said when some blamed him for publishing and making common his Philosophical Notions and Secrets Edidi saith he non edidi meaning I have and I have not so may it be truly said of such a Ministry as we speak of it preacheth and it preacheth not it teacheth and it teacheth not for it preacheth and teacheth after such a manner that they who have heard are little the wiser can give no reasonable account of any thing they hear to any sober or intelligent man And it is an unworthy humour or property in some both men and women to have only such teachings in admiration and in high esteem which they understand not and to undervalue that as low and ordinary which they are able to make any thing of with sense and understanding On the other hand It is a property of the opposite extreme in some others not to value or regard any Ministry which requireth the use and exercise of their understandings to make them thorougly capable or apprehensive of the things delivered but that only which yieldeth nothing but milk meet only for Babes in Christ or such things which they knew before and have heard ten times over Some care for nothing that is new though it be never so agreeable to their old things I mean to what they knew already and believed and some again care for nothing but what is new whether it be consonant and consistent with their old things or no Novelty and strangeness in one kind or other are sufficient commendations of a Ministry in the eyes of some That passage of our Saviour is very considerable Sect. 9 as in part relating to the business in hand Then said he unto them Therefore every Scribe which is instructed unto or for the Kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasury things new and old Mat. 13.52 Note the occasion upon which Christ spake thus unto his Disciples which is expressed ver 51. immediately preceding when he had delivered himself in several Parables unto them he demands of them whether they had understood all that he had spoken they say unto him yea Lord Therefore saith he again unto them every Scribe which is instructed c. As if he had said look as I have done so must ye As I have made you to understand things which are new and which you understood not before by means of those things which ye did know before for all acquired knowledge is obtained by the advantage and help of things formerly known In like manner every Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven i.e. every Minister or Teacher or Preacher of the Gospel as the Scribes were Teachers and Ministers of the Law which is instructed i.e. which is duly accomplished and furnished with knowledge and understanding for the Kingdom of heaven i.e. to promote and advance the interest and affairs of the Kingdom of
subjection to the Law Nor yet again is it any Character or property of a Legal Ministry if we take the word Legal in any disparaging sense to promise the Love and Favour of God Life and Salvation to those that shall be found the exactest observers of the things required by God in the Law in the Moral Law especially if such obedience proceed from that Faith which worketh by Love for the Ministry both of the Lord Christ and so of the two Apostles mentioned made many Promises upon these terms viz. upon keeping of these Commandments All or the greatest part of the Beatitudes as they are called pronounced by our Saviour in the entrance upon his Sermon on the Mount Mat. 5. of which we lately spake are but so many Promises made unto persons duly observant of things commanded in the Law As when he saith Blessed are the Meck blessed are the Merciful blessed are the Peace-makers c. Now Meekness Mercifulness and Peace-making c. are holy dispositions with their proper fruits and actions commanded in the Law So again Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my Commandments ye shall continue in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Now his Commandments are no other but the very self-same things which are commanded in the Law of God Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments i. e. that hath them in his mind in his life and conversation he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him c. So that still we see that the Promises are made unto the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 2.6 7 10. where the Apostle speaking of God saith that he will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing i. e. by keeping the Commands of God seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life but to them that are contentious c. indignation and wrath By such Passages as these it doth evidently appear that both the Ministry of the Lord Christ and of the Apostle Paul was full of these Promises unto moral qualifications or unto obedience unto the Law Thus then we see that a Ministry is not to be termed Legal in any reprovable sense upon the account of any the three properties mentioned nor yet upon the account of them all though concurring in one and the same Ministry as indeed they ought yea and must if they will be faithful and are like to edifie men in faith and holiness Very like it is that the persons now under censure Sect. 13 do ignorantly asperse that Ministry as Legal against which they seek a quarrel upon the pretense of one or other or all the three particulars specified But the Ministry that deserves that imputation of being Legal to add this briefly by the way is first and most properly such which teacheth Justification i. e. Remission of sins by Works i. e. by the merit of Works for otherwise Faith is a Work and so called by our Saviour himself Joh. 6.29 But to Preach Justification by Faith is not to Preach Legally but most Evangelically For that was the Master vein of the Ministry of Paul viz. to avouch and prove that Justification was to be obtained by Faith in Jesus Christ whereas they the Jews held that it was to be obtained by observing and keeping the Law Now though to Preach Justification by Faith alone as was even now said be not to Preach Legally but Evangelically yet to Preach it by Faith sensu meritorio as if Faith were the meritorious cause of Justification is either to Preach Legally or upon an account every whit as bad and as repugnant to the tenour of the Gospel Secondly That Ministry may in a sense be termed Legal which like unto Pharaoh's Taskmasters in their hard dealings by the Israelites exacteth the full Tale of Brick from men yet gives them no straw whereof to make them I mean which is continually in a manner pressing men unto duties yea the hardest of duties binding the heavie burthens of the Law upon the Consciences of men with the Iron bands of sharp reproofs and sore threatnings seldom or never ministring unto them the rich and high encouragements of the Gospel whereby both their hearts and hands might be strengthened and all that which is distasteful to the flesh in such works and waies be drowned and taken away They that require of men to do Angels work I mean do high and excellent services to God should feed them with the food of Angels they had need have the highest encouragements even such as are in the Gospel They that require of men to be as fruitful and as zealous in serving God and men as Paul was who laboured to promote the interest of God and men more abundantly than they all as himself saith they must endeavour to lift them up higher as high as the third heaven for there doubtless it was that Paul learned that nobleness greatness and worthiness of spirit there he learned to act after another manner of Rate than all the men of the World besides who never came there as he had done The way to draw out mens hearts and souls and all that is within them in serving God and men doing good to their Generation is as far as possible to raise in them the consolation of the Gospel then shall you bring the World under your feet and when that shall be under your feet then shall you be able to lift up your hands to any of the Commands of God But untill men are full of the hope of the life and glory and great things of the World which is to come every good work and way will stick with them and combate with their souls and spirits whereas give men but felicity enough and then if their eyes will do you any service they will pluck them out and give them unto you But this only by the way to give a little light whereby to estimate a legal Ministry which is a Word or Phrase used by many but rightly understood by very few Thirdly Such a Ministry may be termed Legal which sendeth men forth about their spiritual business in their own strength without informing them and that plainly that without Jesus and his Spirit they can do nothing For the gift of the Spirit unto men and so also the Doctrine of Prayer upon which God doth convey his Spirit is Evangelical Received you the Spirit by the hearing of the Law c. therefore they who teach men that they have no need of the Spirit or of the gracious assistance thereof but that they may do things in their own strength are in a sense Anti-Evangelical Teachers Fourthly and lastly That Ministry also may not unproperly be called Legal which bindeth over to Condemnation where the Gospel doth not that concludeth or shutteth men up under Sin and Wrath where the Gospel doth not or that shall make any stricter bands of
ordinarily it is uttered by the Mouth of the Conscience which is not wont to be wide opened unless it be in some broader or more known duties of the Second Table what the reason hereof is is not so proper for present consideration Secondly The Cares Lusts Thoughts Desires Fears and Apprehensions of things relating to this present World make a continual noise and hubbub in the hearts and inward parts of men and women generally So that in case any thing were spoken to the heart or inner man especially with a soft voice whilest these things are stirring in him it will not be heard or minded And therefore Thirdly The Holy Ghost being a Spirit of Wisdom will not speak at least ordinarily unto hearts so full of distractions and confusions Neither fourthly Do men that voluntarily make noise or suffer noises to be made about them desire to hear any man speak unto them Therefore fifthly and lastly It follows from these Premises that such persons who are earthly minded and continually filled with the Cares Lusts or Desires of this World are either in no capacity at all to hear or not at all care to hear any thing that the Spirit shall speak unto them Men that desire to hear the Spirit of God speaking in them must sequester and abstract themselves from the noise and tumults of this World For the voice of the Spirit of God in men that voice by which he suggests things in the Conscience is a still and low voice and therefore when men are in a hurry in their thoughts whilest the World is lifting up its voice within them there is no opportunity for him to speak When persons are full of the Cares of this Life and are making provision for the flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof there is no opportunity for the Spirit to declare himself to them or to shew them his secrets I will hearken what the Lord will speak saith the Psalmist Psal 85.8 They that will listen to this still voice of the Spirit must muse must have all quiet within them lay their ears close unto what shall be spoken They that do not thus hearken unto the Spirit of God that do not thus listen and keep a perfect calm in their Spirits are not likely to hear what the Spirit speaketh in them And yet in the fourth place there are another sort of men and women worse than these and these are they that resist the Spirit Ye have resisted the Holy Ghost c. Acts 7. where Stephen chargeth them with that grievous charge that they resisted the Holy Ghost when he was striving to do them good and to acquaint them with the mind of God with true holiness and waies leading to Salvation They resisted him i. e. fortified themselves against him cast about with their Minds and Reasons and Understandings how they might discover and take hold of any pretense why they should not submit unto such and such Counsels such Doctrines such Truths wherein the Holy Ghost did from time to time speak unto them By this means men are said to resist the Holy Ghost and there is a Generation of men and women amongst us who dash their foot at this stone of death who when the Spirit of God either in the Word or in the Counsel or Application of Christian Friends unto them or otherwise presenteth them with such and such truths of God which bear upon their Consciences making it evident that it is for their good that they should submit themselves in the course of their lives and waies unto them and perswading them to abandon such and such waies to cast from them all such works which are contrary to those truths and sayings of God They I say who are well aware of these motions and suggestions of the Spirit to them and yet turn their backs upon them are of this second or worser sort who because they are desperately unwilling to be led out of their old waies loth to drink New Wine saying the Old is better therefore they withstand the Spirit of God even when he cometh with power and is about to bind the Understandings of men that they might not be able to move Now he is not to be resisted in such cases but with a high hand of rebellion and there must be abundance of enmity and disobedience against him otherwise men would be led away in a blessed captivity unto Jesus Christ This is the reason why men whom God hath had much to do with who have lived under a mighty and powerful Ministry either they are overcome and prove the best and holiest of men or otherwise they must arm themselves with such weapons of Rebellion which will prove them to be the most vile and most desperate sinners in the World A fifth and last sort of Offenders are such who neglect to sow unto the Spirit Sect. 17 we use the Phrase of the Apostle Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting We have opened heretofore what it is to sow to the Spirit It is to do such things to go forth in such waies and to be found frequent in such Actions and Practices which will turn to the praise and honour and glory of the Spirit of God and not only so but to do such things with an eye and intention that the Spirit of God should receive honour and reap praise by such their waies Now he properly soweth unto a man who doth intend that the man to whom he soweth should reap benefit thereby Even so a person is said to sow unto the Spirit of God who frequently is engaged in such waies and actions which he knows must of necessity turn unto the honour and praise of the Spirit of God Now if men and women shall rise up in their obedience unto God above the line and common road of the World if they shall walk in a more excellent way than their Neighbours more excellent than the common sort of Professors about them This must needs turn to the praise of the Spirit of God for the means by which they are advanced and gotten above their Neighbours and become more excellent than they this of course falleth and is ascribed by all to the honour and praise of the Spirit of God Men will conclude that surely the Spirit of God acteth and operateth in these men and teacheth them more excellent works and more heavenly curiosity than is found in the ordinary sort of men in the World Therefore they who refuse thus to sow unto the Spirit when the Spirit first soweth unto them that is when the Spirit suggesteth unto them and graciously stirreth up and tempteth their hearts and Consciences to do such Heroick Acts wherein there is a more than ordinary strain of goodness to be seen they do not consult the honour of the Spirit of God nor their own peace and enriching but on the contrary their own sorrow and poverty They I say that shall refuse thus to sow
Endeavours Some more of the great Priviledges that accompany a being filled with the Spirit A sixth Motive That the Reasons and Vnderstandings of men are not capable of being employed upon terms of greater benefit and advantage than in this engagement A seventh Consideration taken from the uncertainty of obtaining the things of this World by all the means that can be used and also from the uncertainty of the continuance of these things if gotten Whereas a being filled with the Spirit as it is attainable so by a perseverance in the use of means our attainments in this kind shall stand by us for ever FOurthly Sect. 1 to perswade you to be filled with the Spirit of God I shall further recommend by way of Motive unto you That the very exercise of your minds hearts and souls about the business your very labours and endeavours to obtain such a prize as a being filled with the Spirit is will turn to an happy account and be of worthy concernment unto you not only at the winding up of the business not only at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and receiving the Crown of which more in another Motive but even the running of the Race it self will bless you and that to a very good degree He that shall seriously engage himself in a course likely to produce and issue in a being filled with the Spirit will in a great measure be free from such foolish vain and noysome thoughts and lusts from such impertinent and sinful excursions and runnings to and fro of his mind where into men and women that are disengaged in this kind are continually obnoxious and hereby treasure up nothing but sorrow and shame to themselves It was a prophane Speech and full of slander which Pharaoh used to the Officers of the People of Israel when they came to him to complain of their Burthens and Oppressions by their Taskmasters Exod. 5.17 Ye are idle ye are idle saith he therefore ye say let us go and do sacrifice unto the Lord. But it may be said with soberness and truth that men and women because their hearts are idle and loose from all spiritual Engagements and Projections Therefore they say Come let us follow vain pleasures Let us provide thus and thus for the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and otherwhile swarms and multitudes of Cogitations that have neither head nor foot as we use to say that are profitable for nothing that have little or no tendency at all to one end or other are rambling up and down in the inward parts of men One main reason of that sad posture wherein God beheld the World when he intended to destroy it by the Floud when every imagination of the thoughts of men were evil continually Gen. 6.5 or every day One main Reason I say why the World was now overgrown with sinful and vain imaginations and thoughts was because men and women the Inhabitants hereof were under no great spiritual Engagements This would have composed them and drawn off those Imaginations of their hearts which were now evil continually from those objects and occasions which made them evil and carried them to objects and occasions of an happy consequence and import The same thoughts and moral actings of their Souls or puttings forth of their imaginative Faculties had they been but directed unto and set upon such objects and occasions which were honourable and good this would have altered their properties and changed their natures from evil unto good For look what a good and faithful Shepherd is to his Sheep he keeps them from scattering from wandring and going astray into places of danger and where they may be lost and causeth them to feed in safety Look I say what a good Shepherd is to his Sheep such is a steady and fixed design being honourable and worthy to the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men it keeps them from scattering and running wild this way or that where they are like to be lost and vanish into nothing it keeps them from applying or bending themselves to occasions and things that are evil and causeth them to hunt close and to follow the sweet and rich sent of such a Game which when it is taken and won will enrich and bless men abundantly Now any spiritual design for God and Jesus Christ carried on with strength and vigour this is that which will repell all your vain and foolish thoughts it will draw away all that food which fed and nourished them it will make havock and desolation amongst all your vain thoughts and sinful Lusts which are striving within you in order to the gratifying of the Flesh And this is to be considered further that the greater and more comprehensive a man's Engagement or design is the Dominion which it hath over his thoughts is so much the larger it beareth sway over so many the more of a man's thoughts and leaves a liberty of extravagancy unto so many the fewer of them yea Umpires with so much the higher and stricter hand of authority amongst those unto which its dominion extendeth For instance Suppose a man's design be to live justly Sect. 2 or righteously in the World or to live soberly these designs are good and honourable but they are but narrow in comparison of some others and particularly of that of being filled with the Spirit A man that is seriously and solemnly engaged in his heart and soul to live justly to wrong hinder or defraud no man by vertue of this his design he must needs refrain all thoughts of injustice all projections or devisings which tend to the injuring or endamaging any man in his Estate at least so far as he apprehends any tendency in thoughts this way and consequently all thoughts and imaginations that may arise within him towards Voluptuousness or expensive living and all thoughts of Idleness c. So on the other hand he must needs raise and stir up such thoughts and resolutions within him and exercise himself in them which are proper to dispose and strengthen him to deal justly by all and to give every man that which is his due For whosoever doth not resist and reject all thoughts of the former tendency and indulge and nourish all of the latter it is a plain case that he is not full of that heavenly engagement or design we speak of I mean of dealing justly by all men he is hollow and slight in it But a man may be really under the command of this design and yet be extravagant and impertinent in thoughts of another nature and tendency I mean vain and sinful in thoughts of several other kinds which we shall not particularly insist upon There are many vain thoughts which may be entertained in the minds and hearts of men which carry no direct opposition to the design of giving to every man his due Now because this design is but narrow although it extendeth it self to many of a man's thoughts yet nevertheless there are many others
that are as bad as these that may have a standing in the hearts of men and have place and room to abide there There is the same Reason and Consideration of all other Purposes Intentions and Designs that are of such a particular and limited nature as this But that design or engagement which in the present Motive we commend unto you viz. to be filled with the Spirit is more comprehensive and where it hath taken the heart or soul with strength and power it extendeth its Jurisdiction and Command to all a man's Thoughts Purposes Counsels mental Agitations Ends and Aims whatsoever Regulating Restraining Ordering Umpiring setting up and casting down according to the exigency and import of it This is the very nature of this design that he that hath espoused it hath upon the matter threatned all vain Thoughts all loose Cogitations he hath threatned them all with ruine and destruction and with the casting them out of his heart for ever The Reason hereof is because the nature of this Engagement is such that it cannot be effectually promoted or carried on but by a diligent and vigilant superintendency and inspection over all a man's thoughts and all that stirreth or moveth or that is conceived in him For the Spirit taketh check and is grieved at least to a degree at every connivance or indulgence of any thing that is impertinent unsavoury and foolish inordinate or irregular in the heart or inward part of a man and must have nothing cherished favoured or so much as tolerated here but what is sober holy just and every waies conformable to the Law and Mind of God otherwise he will not advance or lift up himself in the mind and soul of a man upon any such terms as he is ready to do when he is pleased and accommodated to his mind in all things It is true it is not the meer conceiving or rising up of foolish vain and irregular thoughts in the heart or mind of a man or woman which is distasteful to the Holy Ghost so as to offend or grieve him for then he should take pleasure in no man whatsoever but it is the indulging of them and when nothing is done to suppress them it is not simply their rising up in the minds of men but the approving of them or at least the not endeavouring to suppress them which causeth the Spirit of God that he will not cannot work mightily Eph. 4.29 30. Where the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians that no corrupt communication should proceed out of their mouths He adds And grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Corrupt Communication doth argue that the root of bitterness within a man is let alone and winked at for otherwise if it had been taken while it was a lust while only in the bud it would never have proceeded so high let therefore no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouths and grieve not the holy Spirit c. When foolish dispositions are let alone they will grow as weeds which if plucked up whilest young would keep from seeding So if Lust and sinful motions be rejected at first coming they will never shew themselves out of doors Therefore when any person man or woman shall have espoused that most honourable and heavenly design we speak of of being filled with the Spirit if they be loyal and true to their Espousals in this kind they must and cannot but abstain from and suppress all absurd foolish and extravagant thoughts On the contrary It is very considerable that these importune and troublesome Guests or Inmates we speak of vain wilde foolish and impertinent motions and thoughts will hardly ever be reduced or brought to leave the mind or soul of a man unless it be by the interposure of some-great and worthy design cordially entertained and resolved on by the Soul there is hardly any other course will do it And when any man or woman shall for some tolerable time have practised this suppression and rejection of vain and foolish thoughts as they arise and put forth in them they shall for the future have less and less trouble with them they will not be so apt to rise in that heart or soul which is not wont to give them entertainment where they are like to die as soon as they begin to live Even as weeds by oft removing and cutting their roots are quite killed in time their root is discouraged and dieth or as hurtful flocks of Birds by being oft frighted or driven away from the Corn grow weary of coming there where they are continually frighted and not suffered to have any rest or peace Thus we see the truth of the Motive in hand viz. Sect. 3 That the very exercise of the heart mind and soul about the business or engagement of being filled with the Spirit is of a rich and excellent concernment unto you not only in reference to the grand prize or end of being filled with the Spirit but also in respect of other services it will do you by the way It will as you have heard put you upon another blessed exercise I mean to keep your hearts and minds free from a troublesome and ignoble Rabble of foolish vain unprofitable and noysome thoughts Let us only for a close of this Motive weigh and ponder a little of how happy and worthy a consequence and concernment it is for men and women to have ease and freedom in this kind to be delivered from such cogitations and thoughts which are apt without end to infest and molest their minds and hearts which ought to be a Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in being good for nothing but to dishonour pollute and defile wherever they come and to put by their betters My Brethren to make you see of what great concernment it is to you you may please to consider that your minds and understandings are the most noble and divine part of our nature and the puttings forth of them are the best Trees in our Orchard and those that will bear the best and largest fruit Now then for these to give out their strength in things that be unprofitable and not only so but in that which annoyeth molesteth and defileth a man is so great an imbasement of them and will turn to so great damage and loss that it cannot in reason but be apprehended a mighty accommodation to be free from the cause hereof Now then inasmuch as we are not born free nor can be free in this kind but by much labour My Brethren If any of you as it is said of Lot that he vexed his righteous soul with the unclean Conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 have vexed your souls with these impure thoughts and malignant cogitations if you have been truly sensible and have taken knowledge of them it is impossible but that you should much lament the loss and damage your minds and understandings do you when they bring forth such rotten
must go all the pain and labour all the care and travel of soul will perish together Oh how happy then above all worldly Projectors and Designers are they whose hearts are perswaded to hearken to the Counsel of God concerning a being filled with the Spirit even in this respect also besides many others that they are certain of a good reward for their labour They that run this Race shall certainly attain they that seek to be filled with the Spirit shall be filled whereas as I said all endeavours about worldly accommodations are but lost labour in comparison of this CHAP. XVIII The eighth and last Motive That a being filled with the Spirit will render the Condition of men and women most desirable in this World and in that which is to come That no other course will do it but this or none without this Four things a concurrence whereof will render a man's Condition in this life most desirable 1. A freedom from all troublesome distracting and tormenting fears and cares 2. A heart and conscience abounding in Joy and Peace 3. A large and free Communion with God 4. And lastly A rich and large interest in God to be able to carry great Matters in Prayer with him Three of these insisted on 1. A being filled with the Spirit will discharge men from all troublesome and distracting fears and cares 2. The Peace and Joy of men will abound by a being filled with the Spirit 3. A third particular which renders mens Condition so desirable in the World is a free and large Communion with God 1. What is meant by Commu-with God 2. What by a free Communion 3. What is meant by a large and full Communion with God 4. How this Communion renders man's Condition very desirable in the World 5. That this Priviledge must needs accompany a being filled with the Spirit What it is for God to dwell or abide in man How a man may know that God dwelleth in him by the Spirit which is given him How perfect love casteth out fear In what respest the Spirit may be said to witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God A well-grounded Confidence The Causes of a false Confidence enquired into A good Conscience a ground of Assurance EIghtly and lastly To promote the interest of the Exhortation delivered in your Judgments and Consciences Sect. 1 in your Hearts and Affections yet one degree further you may add to to all the former Motives laid before you to perswade you to yield Obedience unto it this one more which amounteth to more than all the rest That to be filled with the Spirit must needs render your Conditions as well in this World as in that which is to come the most blessed and desirable that Creatures made of flesh and bloud are capable of enjoying and that there is no other course will do but this only In this Motive there are three things contained First That a being filled with the Spirit will render the Condition of a man or woman in this life most desirable happy and blessed in the highest Secondly That it will do the like for them in the World which is to come it will render their Conditions and Beings here the best that this World also can afford unto the Sons and Daughters of Men. Thirdly and lastly That there is no other course no other engagement or employment that a man or woman can lay out themselves and their time and strength in that will do either First For the blessedness or desirableness of the Condition in the World that now is there are are four things a concurrent enjoyment of which must needs be conceived to make the State and Condition of a man or woman in the World very happy and desirable The first is A well-grounded Vacuity or freedom from all troublesome distracting and tormenting fears and cares Secondly An Heart and Conscience abounding in Peace and Joy upon the like terms The third A large and free Communion with God The fourth and last A large and rich and considerable interest in God that can carry all matters of request with him upon all occasions I suppose if any man were in the actual enjoyment of all these four particulars his Condition and State would be as desirable as the heart and soul of a man can reasonably or with a true understanding desire in this World Now he that is filled with the Spirit of God will be invested with these four great blessings First For a man or woman in this Vale of mortality and tears to be out of the reach of troublesome and tormenting fears and cares to enjoy a constant serenity and tranquillity of mind without being afraid either of what man can or God will do unto him How great and happy must such a mans condition be Surely it is one of the special ingredients in the felicity and blessedness of God himself as David taketh notice in Psal 2.4 He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision meaning his Enemies My Brethre For poor Creatures who dwell in houses of clay and are compassed about with mortality to be in respect of their inner man in reference to any troubles or things formidable that may assault them for them I say to have Communion with God in this heavenly priviledge to laugh all troubles to scorn to be like unto a Mountain or a great Rock before Storms and Tempests and Whirlwinds How glorious above measure must such a State and Condition be To have the heart and soul like the upper Region of the Air where there are no disturbances or commotions where to be as I said even now they may be able to laugh all Enemies to scorn Not to be afraid of what either men can or what God will do unto them this is a most Divine Priviledge especially the obnoxiousness and weakness in this kind of the generality of the hearts of men considered it must needs be a very rare and high attainment for any to live out of the reach of fears Fear as John saith hath torment and indeed upon the matter nothing else hath torment but fear neither is it simply any present sorrow or suffering though very grievous even as sharp as nature it self is well able to stand under that hath any torment in it but fear proceeding from the apprehension of the danger of some misery approaching in the future Now if we were but armed in our hearts by the fulness of the Spirit no fear would enter in there we should have no cause to fear any danger for the future and consequently sorrows and suffering would not much offend us they would be but of a very light and passable consideration we should not suffer any great matter upon the account of them Our Saviour Mat. 6.34 adviseth those that believe in him not to care for to morrow telling them the morrow shall care for it self c. if we would but cut asunder from us
notice before-hand that he was a man full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6.5 And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost lâ—st otherwise the greatness of the Actions might prejudice the belief of them in those that should read them Whereas the Reader taking notice that Stephen was a man endued with more than ordinary Power and Wisdom from on High full of the Holy Ghost they might upon this account look upon it as a thing no waies incredible that Stephen should do and speak and suffer for both 〈◊〉 did So likewise when Paul Acts 13.9 in the Condition of a stranger undertook the bold and high Contest against Elimas the Sorcerer as he is called a false Prophet being a great Favourite as it seemeth to Sergiue Paulus the chief Ruler of the Country in the Isle of Cyprus there is express mention made before-hand of his being full of the Holy Ghost Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes upon him and said c. Implying that such a thing as this would hardly have been undertaken by Paul unless he had been carried on by the Spirit of God within him and that by some considerable fulness of him And this Paul we now speak of laboured we know in the work of the Lord more abundantly than they all he was as we may say the Lord Christ's right hand upon the Earth he drove Sathan the God of this World before him from place to place and triumphed over him every where where he came he was too hard for him and cast him down from heaven like lightning and turned the affairs of his Kingdom upside down and laid wast his power made havock and desolation in all the Territories which he had amongst the generality of men But how came it about what was the reason why this Apostle so much and to such an high degree over acted the Line of the Labours Zeal and Faithfulness of all his Follows Questionless the reason was he had a richer and fuller anointing of the Spirit than they the Sails of his soul were filled with a stronger gale of the Spirit of God than theirs himself doth in effect give this account of his heroick and high Actings for Jesus Christ in the World Col. 1.28 29. Whom we preach saith he warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily he laboured for this very purpose to present every man perfect in Christ and he did it according to his working namely the Spirit of Christ which did work in him mightily or with power Where observe by the way that the Apostle saith that he did labour in conformity unto the mighty working of the grace of God or of the Spirit of God in him the meaning seems to be this that the Spirit of God that put him on and Paul were both agreed Paul as ready to go as the Spirit was to send By this means Paul went on in all those Heroick Actions which he did and made great havock and desolation among the powers of sin and darkness and unbelief in the World By means I say of the Spirit Paul submitting himself unto him and receiving his impressions and going along with them he was enabled to many great atchievements and to labour more abundantly in the Gospel and for the interest of God and his glory in the World and the good of men also than any nay all the rest of the Apostles though they were men who were also very serviceable in their Generation To instance no father the Lord Christ himself who was the Worthy of all Worthies that ever the great God of Heaven and Earth imployed in any service upon Earth who was the first-born Servant of God and Elder Brother to Paul himself who kindled a fire that never was yet quenched nor ever shall be until it hath consumed all his Enemies and laid a foundation in his own bloud to build up the Name of God in the greatest glory amongst Angels and Men to the daies of Eternity He I say was a man of these high and most transcendent Atchievements by the advantage he had of all other men in being filled with the Spirit above them all according to that of Joh. 3.34 where it is said that God gave him the Spirit without measure he was not only filled with the Spirit but had the over flowing of the Spirit never did any man attain unto his pitch of zeal and faithfulness to the service of God So that there is no question but that he that is filled with the Spirit is in a capacity to Act and cannot lightly but Act at a very high rate for God if be do but follow the motions of the Spirit of God and will go along with them then he cannot I say but be great in the sight of God great in the services of Christ and of his Saints If you desire to know the reason hereof it is because as the higher the wind bloweth that Ship whose Sails are duly trimmed runneth so much the faster and riddeth the more way upon the Seas Even so when the heart and soul of a man shall be full of the Spirit of God such a person must needs be acted and carried on with more power and vigour in a swifter manner or course and be enabled to do twice as much as another in the same compass of time who hath but a scanty presence of the Spirit of God with him You know it is our Saviours Expression Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit I suppose he maketh mention of being born of the flesh only to shew and make things more passable to the understanding of Nicodomus to make way for that which he spake in the latter Now saith he that which is born of the flesh is flesh that thou and every man knows as the Parent that begetteth a Child is of a fleshly nature so that which is born must needs be flesh also And dost thou not know how a man shall be born again of the Spirit It is even as it is with those that be born of the flesh they partake of the same nature and receive the impressions of the flesh So it is with the Spirit that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Such as is the nature of the Spirit of God such also is that which is born or begotten of it that is those Principles whatsoever they are that he who is born of the Spirit doth receive by means of the Spirit of God must answer and be like unto those which the Spirit of God himself hath of which he is born or begotten Now you know that the Spirit of God is full of the Love of God and full of Zeal for God and set upon the magnifying of him in the World and promoting his Interest in the
liberty of recoursing unto God for solace help and direction together with a willingness or readiness in God to correspond or maintain intelligence with a person accordingly Secondly By a free Communion in this kind I mean a recoursing unto God from time to time for the ends and occasions specified as Paul did with a liberty and freedom of Spirit with a Princelike boldness without any mixture or touch of fear of that kind of fear which hath torment in it when a man hath no stand in his faith but is able to cry or to cry out aloud as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth without any faultring or fainting Abba Father Rom. 8.15 or when a man in another expression of the same Apostle is able to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 fearing no colours as our common saying is when a man can have part and fellowship with those holy Angels who behold the face of God continually though with fear yet with peace and joy also Now this we mean by a free Communion when a mans heart is so settled and so composed that he hath no incumbrance upon his faith Thirdly By a large Communion with God I mean when a man or woman hath further dealing with God than ordinary when by reason of the largeness of a mans knowledge of him and of his nature and Counsels he hath the opportunity of treating with him about more particulars and receiving answers from him touching more particulars likewise and consequently as his knowledge of God encreaseth and advanceth so his Communion with God is enlarged and advanced accordingly Thus you see what we mean in the business in hand by Communion with God and by a free and large Communion with him Now then we are to shew and make good unto you Sect. 8 that they who are filled with the Spirit are in an immediate and ready capacity of enjoying both both a free and full and large Communion with God For the first of these that which must needs afford an opportunity for a free Communion with God is First an assurance of the attonement and peace made with God by Christ or by the bloud of Christ Secondly The testimony of a good Conscience upon good grounds that humane frailties only excepted which come not into an account in the case we now speak of a man hath walked and resolveth still to walk in sincerity and simplicity of heart before him in his whole course â—â—ow then if he that is filled with the Spirit be possessed with both these or liveth under the sweet influence of them he must needs be in a good capacity of a free Communion with God Now that persons who are filled with the Spirit must needs be possessed of such an assurance of their attonement and peace made with God by the bloud of Jesus Christ appeareth thus First He that is filled with the Spirit must needs know that God dwelleth or abideth in him as the Scriptures speak Secondly That he truly and really loves God and from both these he cannot lightly but conclude his actual attonement with God by Jesus Christ And thirdly and lastly besides these the Spirit himself dwelling richly in him strongly testifies and witnesseth as much in a direct manner unto him or unto his Spirit First He that is filled with the Spirit must needs know that God dwelleth or abideth in him 1 Joh. 3.24 And he saith John that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us But first What is it for God to abide and dwell in a man And secondly How or upon what account do men or may men know that God doth dwell in them by the Spirit which he hath given unto them I answer first God may be said to abide or dwell in a man or woman when they are ever and anon acted and drawn forth upon all occasions which lie in their way to serve him and to do business for him and this with the same readiness of mind delight and faithfulness as himself could be supposed to do if he were in their places and conditions so that what a man or woman doth in this case for God a stander by may reasonably think that God himself did it as in a sense it is true that he doth do it and not they for he stands at their right hand assisting of them I conceive the meaning of the Scriptures when they speak of Gods dwellng in men it may be conceived after some such manner as this Two Friends live in two Countries far remote many a hundred miles perfonally distant one from the other now it must be supposed that these two Friends knew one another and each of them must also believe that the other is in being by which means these two Friends have a dwelling one in the heart of another And in this sense Christ is said to dwell in men by faith which is making way to the other dwelling As suppose a man that is in a remote Country beyond the Sea hath a very good Friend dwelling here and he hath much business to be looked after in this Country where his Friend lives Now if this Friend beyond the Seas dwell in his Friend here in his heart and soul this man will be drawn by means of his Friend that dwelleth in 〈◊〉 to look after what is for his benefit and advantage And so likewise if he dwell in his Friends mind and soul who is beyond the Seas he will act there upon the same account for the benefit and advantage of this Friend also Now what is the reason why a man is drawn forth with so much diligence and carefulness to mind his own business but because every man dwells in himself every man has an indwelling in his own heart and soul Sometimes indeed and in some cases men dwell out of themselves and depart from themselves as we use to say a man dwells where he freely and heartily loves because he doth not so much mind his own affairs being gone out of himself to that which is beloved In such a Sense as this God is said to dwell in a man when a man for Gods sake or by means of that indwelling of God in him is acted and drawn forth to mind and look after the occasions and affairs of God in the World to look after the concernments of his Kingdom and glory and of his truth and of his servants and the like So on the other hand a man may be said to dwell in God when God out of that love which he beareth unto him will act and give out himself freely for his satisfaction and peace and for the reducing his condition unto a desirable posture I say in such a case a Believer is said to dwell in God Now that it is a duty lying upon us both to abide or dwell in Christ or God and so to have God dwelling in us
it it hath by Commission from God And the very truth is that if we would examine the business we should find that as fear hath torment so there is nothing that hath torment in it but fear or nothing without fear all sicknesses and pains in the body if you could but divide fear from them they would not torment at all if a man did not fear the continuance of them they would not disquiet nor trouble him Now it is the effect of love that it doth remove from the hearts and souls of men whatsoever is of a disquieting import unto them The truth is that love would do so amongst men were it perfectly known or understood If I knew that this man did know that my heart was perfect with him and that I did entirely love him I would not fear that that man would willingly do me any harm So then this is one reason why love to God casteth out fear because that a man by this means is mightily perswaded concerning God that he is so good and gracious that he will not fall heavy upon his Friends those that love him Yea it is impossible that any such thought of God should enter into the heart of such a man to think that God should destroy any that do love him and seek his honour and glory or that he should not do them good and seek their peace and safety The Apostle takes this for a Principle that no man will gainsay That all things shall work together for good to those that love God Rom. 8.8 This is a Principle which we all agree in that Gods love is such to those that we cannot think but that all his Creatures and all his Providences shall be Tributaries to them In the second place then it is evident from the Premisses both latter and former that he that is filled with the Spirit cannot but know that he loves God Thirdly and lastly The third thing mentioned Sect. 13 which especially in conjunction with the two former must needs satisfie any man of his attonement with God is the direct and immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God himself in man testifying together with a mans own spirit i.e. with his heart soul and conscience that this attonement is made and he accepted by God this is the Apostles express Doctrine Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God The Spirit it self or the Spirit himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle by this Emphatical expression the Spirit himself seemeth To imply that the thing or act which he speaketh of is of a most worthy nature and import of a sacred consequence and such as well becometh him who is the Agent or Actor of it the Spirit of God himself But what is that worthy thing which the Apostle here attributes to so great an Agent as the Spirit of God It is a witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God which signifies as much as that our Attonement is made and that we are at peace with him it signifies this I say and somewhat more Well out how are we to conceive of that act here ascribed unto the Holy Ghost his witnessing this to and with our Spirits that we are the Children of God The Expression of witnessing with our spirit plainly implies that it is but one and the same Act of witnessing or witness-bearing which is here joyntly or in common ascribed unto the Spirit of God and the spirit of men and that the Spirit of God doth not bear any such witness as that here mentioned apart from the Spirit of men or when this doth not witness also From whence it appears that the witnessing or joynt-witnessing of the Spirit here spoken of is only a fortifying strengthening raising and enriching of the Witness or Testimony of a mans own spirit So when the heart and soul and conscience of a man shall with more than ordinary strength power and authority testifie unto or perswade him that he is the Child of God Or rather thus when a man shall find himself perswaded and possessed upon these high terms with such an apprehension it is a sign that the Spirit is in this perswasion and that it is he that giveth the vigour and all that which is more than ordinary unto it As the stream and current of a River is doubled and trebbled in the swiftness of the motion and in the depth and breadth of it when the rain-water or the waters of a Land-floud joyn themselves in the same motion with it making together one and the same stream In like manner when the apprehension or perswasion in a man of his being a Child of God magnifies it self at a high rate against fears and doubtings and jealousies in every kind it argues a Conjunction of both Spirits the Spirit of God and the spirit of man himself and that which is so over bearing and over-ruling in this perswasion is appropriately from the Spirit of God according to that of our Apostle immediately preceding the words in hand But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption by which or whereby we cry Abba Father We cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. cry aloud or with all our might as we lately noted the proper import of the word Now to cry aloud Abba Father signifies the inner man calling of God Father or a mans addressing himself unto God as unto a Father with a good courage or Princelike confidence A mans own spirit I mean with such an assistance of the Spirit of God as the weakest Christian hath may whisper or secretly mutter Abba Father But by the way this is to be remembred First That when the Apostle saith that by the Spirit Sect. 14 which we have received by the Gospel we cry Abba Father he is not so to be understood as if he meant that every one who hath received of the Spirit of Adoption in any measure were in a capacity hereby to cry much less actually did cry aloud Abba Father upon the terms lately expressed but he means that that Spirit which was sent down from heaven to accompany the Gospel and the Ministry of it might be received entertained and entreated by men and women as that they might become enlarged and enabled by him to cry Abba Father Things use to be described and especially commended by the best and richest of their fruits and by what they are serviceable for when they are in their perfection and not by their mean or less considerable fruits and services As the Apostle commending and setting forth the excellency of love or Christian Charity saith 1 Cor. 13.5 7. among other things Charity doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil And again Charity beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things c. His meaning in these descriptions and commendations of Charity is not to imply that Charity in any degree qualifies men for
that possesseth and filleth them with a windy confidence that they are the Children of God when indeed they are not because the Spirit of God is not wont to go forth nor to enter into the hearts and consciences of men but where the glorious Gospel of God is received in the truth of it We could instance in some particulars for there are as the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 8.5 in his daies in respect of Gods and Lords many that were Gods and Lords so called but saith he unto us there is but one c. So the truth is at this day there are amongst us and round about in this City and near to us Gospels many and Preachers many but in the mean time there is but one Gospel for us for those that know the truth as it is in Jesus And yet many of these Gospels we speak of have their spirits that do attend upon them and for the most part they do wait upon these very Gospels and Ministries that are the rankest of all others filling the Receivers of them with the greatest assurance and confidence that they are the Children of God and in the right way of worshipping and serving of him There is a Gospel which joyns Baptism with Faith in Christ by way of necessity to Justification and so to Salvation even as the Jewish Converts did Circumcision in the Apostles days of which Paul saith unto them Gal. 5.2 I say unto you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing meaning if ye be Circumcised with an opinion of being justified thereby Christ shall profit you nothing There is another Gospel preached amongst us which teacheth you in effect and underhand yea by express and near-hand consequence that if you be elected how loosely wickedly prophanely and desperately soever ye shall live yet you are in no danger of perishing yea and that however you shall go to work God will bring you in one time or other and that he will so far change the state of affairs with you that you shall neither will nor chuse but to repent and so be saved together with several other Doctrines and Notions of like dangerous consequence and import Again thirdly Another Gospel so called ye have preached amongst you which calleth you from the Scriptures and the light of life which shineth there unto that which they call a light within them though that light be never so dark As if the Scriptures and the light within men so far as it is light and not darkness were at odds Or as if the conveying of Scripture light into the hearts and Judgments of men were like to obscure darken or obstruct and not rather to encrease brighten and perfect that light in men This kind of Gospel is of as dangerous consequence as any of the other A fourth Gospel preached abroad in the World is that all that ever will or shall be justified were justified from Eternity and that upon this account God seeth no sin in them Yea there is a Gospel which preacheth down all Preaching and denieth the usefulness thereof Many other Gospels there are so called in the World which though they be at great variance amongst themselves yet they all agree in enmity and opposition to the true Gospel of Christ like Sampson's Foxes But there is no end of enumerating these high and by kind of strains which men run into from day to day thinking thereby still to better their condition Godward As you find many in a lingring condition with sickness that think if they should but change into such a Room or into such a Bed they should be better So when men have not made a serious and consciencious improvement of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ whilest they did attend and live under the Ministry and Preaching of it but find themselves dissatisfied in their hearts and souls and not enjoying themselves upon terms of that content which they desire they think now that if they do but go forth into such other waies and walk in such other paths that then they shall be made great then they shall reign like Kings and Princes in the Profession of Jesus Christ Now the great Enemy of their Peace and of the Salvation of their souls lies in wait to meet with such occasions and advantages as these are and therefore if such Notions do but begin to bud and put forth in their first conceptions or that the hearts of men do but begin to hanker that way the Devil helps them with his perswasions to go on and then men are very apt to be perswaded that now the Spirit of God is come to them and that he doth procure them that great peace of God which they could never attain nor find from his hand before I cannot pass by that Expression though but lately handled in the Scriptures now opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it carrieth in it so pregnant a Testimony against that dangerous Doctrine which of late hath began to make head amongst us viz That the Holy Ghost is not God Now if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit himself and not any other inferiour spirit subservient unto him who bears witness with the Spirits of the Saints all the World over that they are the Children of God then can he be no other than God himself who filleth all places with his presence Thus then we see a third thing Sect. 17 by means of which they that are filled with the Spirit must needs be possessed with an assurance of their attonement and peace made with God by Jesus Christ viz. they have the Spirit of Adoption within them testifying aloud and with authority with their spirits that they are the Children of God and consequently that their sins are fully attoned in his sight And this was the former particular of the two propounded by which men and women must needs be prepared and put into a rich capacity of enjoying free Communion with God We shall not need I suppose to add any thing to prove or shew that a clear assurance of a mans Attonement made with God opens an effectual door unto him for a free Communion with God This is lightsome and evident enough of it self especially if we take the word Attonement in a compleat signification I mean as it includes and carrieth with it grace and acceptation of a mans person with God For when God is actually reconciled unto a Creature and hath accepted an attonement for his sin He doth not only cease to be an Enemy unto him remaining still as a Stranger or as one from whose anger or displeasure the Person reconciled and attoned is indeed free but hath no further interest in him but upon this said reconciliation unto this Creature he becometh a most real Friend unto him and admits him into his special grace and favour Amongst men it is oft times otherwise a man doth not remain an Enemy after Attonement for that properly is imported in the word Attonement But
filled with the Spirit must needs have a rich and large interest with God in respect of prevailing with him by Prayer and carrying matters of greatest and highest importance at the Throne of Grace First then to shew and prove this That Persons filled with the Spirit of God cannot but be great in their interest with God Secondly That such a greatness of Interest in God especially being accompanied with the other three Priviledges formerly opened and asserted cannot but compleat the felicity and desirableness of the life of a man or woman in this World First The Reason why they who are filled with the Spirit must needs be great in the sight of God and carry things with an high hand at the Throne of Grace is that which heretofore we have proved at large viz. because such persons are men after Gods own heart the Character which God himself gave of David i. e. as himself explaineth the said Character persons that will fulfill all his pleasure meaning as concerning themselves or so far as it concerns them or as they are in a capacity to fulfil it they will make the most that can be made by men in their Cloaths as we use to say of the Interest of God and of Jesus Christ in the World This same activeness and spiritfulness in the service of God is one of the most natural constant and visible fruits and effects of any man or womans being filled with the Spirit of God For when the soul or inward part of a man is filled with the Spirit it cannot contain it self and the issuings and breathings of it out are nothing else but excellent and high actings for God a fruitfulness of life and conversation This is as natural and genuine fruit of mens being filled with the Spirit as the Fig is the natural fruit of the Fig-tree and the Grape the natural fruit of the Vine For the nature of the Spirit of God is to glorifie God that is to be serviceable unto his ends purposes and desires in the World And therefore according to that true Rule in Philosophy every Agent seeketh to assimilate his Patient unto himself So the Spirit of God where he is in his fulness he maketh men lively and vigorous he putteth it into them and draweth them on unto waies of Excellency and giveth them no rest but is still exciting of them unto the serving of God But this Point we have argued formerly and evinced the truth of the thing from the Scriptures above all contradictions That which we have now to do is to shew and prove that those who are diligent and faithful and zealous observers of the Precepts of God and are free in laying out themselves upon the account of his interest and glory are Persons that have his ear as we use to say and who for the asking may obtain any thing with reason and with righteousness at his hands and the Persons we now speak of are not apt or wont to ask any thing upon other terms But that which we now deliver is abundantly delivered by God himself unto you in the Scriptures namely that Persons who are full of action for God have large quarter at the Throne of Grace and carry matters of high import with God and that with an high hand We have several passages in Scriptures to consult with 1 Joh. 3.22 Sect. 2 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him c. It is put in the Present Tense as it is very usual after the manner of Prophetical Dialect to speak of things that be Future in the Present Tense or as being present by reason of the truth and certainty of the things that are spoken So here Whatsoever we ask we receive i. e. are as certain that we shall receive it as if we had it already whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments Here is the ground-work because they observed them The word is very emphatical signifying both the inward respect that men have of them in their minds memories and consciences and also the external action arising out of this not only because we keep his Commandments but likewise because we do those things that are pleasing in his sight He implies that men may keep the Commandments of God and yet may not do the things that are pleasing in his sight For there is as we have had occasion heretofore to distinguish a difference between the keeping of the Letter of the Precepts or Commands of God and the carrying on of those Commands to such an observance of them which include many particulars which indeed commends our obedience unto God yet are not in the Letter or surface of the Command Now Prayer though it should be with the greatest earnestness performed or with the greatest Faith and Confidence yet if it be not the Prayer of a righteous man the Promise of prevailing much would not belong to it So here to ask a thing according to the Will of God doth not only include a praying righteously in respect of the matter and also in the manner but also such Conditions and Qualifications which according to the Will of God ought to be found in those that should pray amongst which Qualifications this is one that they be men and women ready and free to do such things which are pleasing to God not simply and barely to do his Commands but to do those things which are pleasing unto him Mat. 21.22 All things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive This word believing is very comprehensive and it doth include in it all things that are requisite and necessary for the reducing of this Prayer unto this posture that is unto a receiving posture Now certain it is no man can have that confidence which John speaks of towards God or that believing to receive whatsoever he shall ask in Prayer which our Saviour speaks of but only he who is conscious to himself of his faithfulness to God and of his integrity and uprightness in his waies For my Brethren if the Consciences of men and women shall reprove them of any looseness or lightness of spirit or that they have served God by halves that they have been off and on with him in their practice and negligent in making use of such advantages and opportunities for the glorifying of his name which he hath put into their hands this will be like a Bridle in the Lips of mens Faith there will be fears and jealousies and inward doubtings within them Whereas if our hearts shall bear a rich Testimony unto us which they will never do unless we shall be under such a frame of spirit to do the things that are pleasing in his sight that we have walked before him in all uprightness then will our Faith and Confidence be steady and we may pray with the greatest assurance that we shall receive whatsoever we ask of God And so again Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock
many places Actions are ascribed unto him that doth assist and direct and help men in the performance of them and not unto him that is the formal and immediate Agent Page 232 235 XVII That in Scripture Phrase is said properly and precisely to be of God not simply which he acteth or worketh but that which he acteth or worketh freely without any meritorious or demeritorious engagement laid upon by the Creature Page 242 XVIII Such Causes which work and contribute towards their Effects Sacramentally only are in respect of that which is literal or natural in them the poorest and lowest of all Causes 244. Yet notwithstanding they produce their effects most vigorously most powerfully and with an high hand Page ibid. XIX A man may do that which is commanded by God and yet have little thank for his labour for doing it viz. when he knoweth not that it is commanded by him Page 248 XX. God is well pleased with all such Counsels Actions and Waies of Men which are in their nature and according to a true estimate and judgment of them profitable and advantageous and he is the more and better pleased with the Counsels Actions and waies of men the richer and faller Connexion they have with their peace and happiness Pag. 248 XXI Though the Spirit be Omnipotent yet he is a voluntary Agent and so can exert and put forth his Omnipotency in what degree or manner of efficacy himself pleaseth Page 281 XXII The way to do things by the Spirit is not to forbear the doing of things or duties our selves until we find the Spirit of Grace and feel it to work upon us but to go about that which is our Duty to do in the season of it with a serious and humble acknowledgement and deep sense of our inability Page 283 XXIII It is a usual Dialect in Scripture when the Act is expressed for the means or course that is usually taken to effect it Page 284 XXIV Though there be a presence of the Spirit of God with men in the state of Nature or unregeneracy yet the Scriptures do not speak of the Spirits dwelling in men nor of their receiving him until they receive him in a greater measure or after the manner in which Believers receive him Page 285 XXV Whatsoever Action a man doth voluntarily consent unto may properly enough be said to be his especially when the Act of his Will and Consent contributes any thing towards the Action Page 286 XXVI Whosoever makes the Creature either meerly Passive in its Works or Services or willing as they say by or from a necessitation they despoil it of all capacity of being rewarded by God and so while they pretend to be the great Magnifiers of the Grace of God indeed and in truth make nothing of it Page 287 XXVII It is a Principle in Reason and Equity that they who make a regular and worthy use of a less proportion of any good thing intrusted with them should no other circumstance hindring be intrusted with a greater Page 288 XXVIII God usually walketh with Men by such Principles and Rules which are written on their hearts by the finger of Nature and which they are wont to observe and walk by in their Civil and Common Affairs Page 31 32 288 297 XXIX God's manner is not to reward nor to take knowledge of the righteousness of men until the World have taken knowledge of it Page 289 XXX The Hebrew Dialect many times uses and repeats the Antecedent for the Consequent Page 299 XXXI That is sometimes said to be dâ—ne which is done frequently or isal waies probable or likely to be done Page 301 XXXII The Connexive Particle and sometimes implieth a Motive enforcing a preceding Exhortation Page 304 XXXIII God hath built and framed the body of his Laws and Precepts given unto men upon like terms by such Principles and Rules of Wisdom and 〈◊〉 according to which prudent Law makers amongst men me went to compile and 〈◊〉 the body of those Civil or Politick Laws which they make for the benefit or use of their States or Communities respectively Pag. 348 349 XXXIV The Gospel being a Doctrine according to Godliness every limbe and vein of it must have a tendency the same way Page 363 XXXV When an Impostor perswadeth or useth means to seduce he is said to seduce though the persons thus perswaded be not actually seduced Page 399 XXXVI Comparative senses or meanings are frequently expressed in absolute and positive terms Page 407 XXXVII When Men are greatly averse from believing or repenting they are not like to bestow any serious or intense consideration upon the means by which they should be brought to do either especially if they can find out any colour or pretense to disparage them and so to arm their Consciences and Judgments against them Page 407 XXXVIII Whether Words or Works they must be kept for some time upon the mind and intellectual faculties of the soul before they can accomplish any transmutation or change there Page 408 XXXIX When a man is unwilling to do a thing he may according to Scripture Dialect or manner of speaking be said to be unable to do it Page 20 21 413 XL. There is no ground to judge and determine a Ministry to be legal because the face of it is set and bent as it were to press men to the keeping of the Commands of God contained in the Moral Law Page 441 XLI A person may be said to be moved or enclined when that is done unto him which is apt and proper and sufficient to cause him to be moved and enclined whether he be actually moved or enclined or no Page 446 XLII Such a person is said to sow unto the Spirit who frequently is engaged in such waies and actions which he knows must of necessity turn unto the honour and praise of the Spirit of God Page 450 XLIII That which is delivered unto the World in the New Testament by the mouth of Jesus Christ himself or upon the account of his coming from Heaven as all that which the Holy Ghost hath further revealed by the Apostles is is more obliging and binding upon the Consciences of men and more severely punishable by God when neglected or despised than the things delivered in the Old Testament or before Christ's coming into the World were or are Page 459 XLIV It is not unusual in Emphatical Discourses to speak of one and the same person in different considerations as of two Page 459 It is usual in the Scriptures when things are more fully done or after a more rich and bountiful manner discovered to represent them as newly done Page 462 XLV It is frequent in Scripture when the Holy Ghost would reprove Men in things that be irrational to interrogate them as to the reason or ground of what they do Page 476 XLVI The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in is oft used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Page 501 XLVII The words Perfect and Perfection are most frequently used when applied to Men or any other Creature not in a strict or absolute but in a limited and diminutive sense but when applied to God in the strictest sense Page 501 XLVIII Verbs properly signifying action many times declare the Natures and Properties of things and what they are able apt and likely to do Page 502 XLIX Many things in Scripture are said to be done by men when it is meet they should do them or have a good ground or reason for the doing of them Page 512 L. The Verb Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used which properly signifies the simple and absolute Being on Existence of a thing is oft used in the Scriptures for the Being of a thing in Act Exercise or manifestation Page 228 The End