God can be intended in this Place But it is the Spirit of God himself and his Work that is expressed Sect. 9 This therefore was the Work of the Holy Spirit of God in reference unto the Earth and the Host thereof The whole matter being Created out of which all Living Creatures were to be educed and of which they were to be made he takes upon him the Cherishing and Preservation of it that as it had its Subsistence by the Power of the Word of God it might be carried on towards that Form Order Beauty and Perfection that it was designed unto To this purpose he Communicated unto it a Quickning and prolifick Vertue inlaying it with the Seeds of animal Life unto all kinds of things Hence upon the Command of God it brought forth all sorts of Creatures in Abundance according to the Seeds and Principles of Life which were communicated unto the Rude inform Chaos by the cherishing Motion of the Holy Spirit Without him all was a dead-Sea a confused deep with Darkness upon it able to bring forth nothing nor more prepared to bring forth any one thing than another But by the Moving of the Spirit of God upon it the Principles of all those Kinds Sorts and Forms of things which in an unconceivable variety make up its Host and Ornament were communicated unto it And this is a better account of the Original of all things in their several kinds than any is given by ancient or Modern Philosophers And hence was the Old Tradition of all things being formed of Water which the Apstle alludes unto 2 Pet. 3. 5. The whole is declared by Cyprian whose words I have therefore transcribed at large And as at the first Creation so in the Course of Providence this Work of Cherishing and Nourishing the Cretures is assigned in an especial manner unto the Spirit Psal. 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are Created and thou renewest the Face of the Earth The Making or Creation of things here intended is not the first great Work of the Creation of all but the daily Production of Creatures in and according to their Kind For in the verse foregoing the Psalmist treats of the decay of all sorts of Creatures in the World by a Providential cutting off and finishing of their Lives v. 29. Thou hidest thy Face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they dye and return unto their Dust. That under this continual decay and dying of all sorts of Creatures the World doth not come to Emptiness and Desolation the only Reason is because the Spirit of God whose Office and Work it is to uphold and preserve all things continually produceth by his Power a new supply of Creatures in the room of them that fall off like Leaves from the Trees and return to their Dust every day And whereas the Earth it self the common Nurse of them all seems in the Revolution of every year to be at an end of its Use and Work having Death brought upon the Face of it and oft-times entring deep into its Bowels the Spirit of God by its influential Concurrence renews it again causing every thing afresh to bring forth Fruit according unto its Kind whereby its Face receiveth a new Beauty and Adorning And this is the Substance of what the Scripture expresly asserts concerning the Work of the Spirit of God towards the inanimate part of the Creation His actings in reference unto Man and that Obedience which he owed to God according to the Law and Covenant of his Creation is nextly to be considered Sect. 10 Man in his Creation falleth under a two-fold Notion For he may be considered either meerly naturally as to the essentially constitutive parts of his Being or morally also with reference unto his Principles of Obedience the Law given unto him and the End proposed as his Reward And these things are distinctly proposed unto our contemplation in the Scripture The first is expressed Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul 1. There is the Matter whereof he was formed 2. The Quickning Principle added thereunto And 3. the Effect of their Conjunction and Union For the Matter he was made of it is said he was formed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust of the Ground or dust gathered together on an heap from and upon the Ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8. 26. So is God the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the universal framer of All represented as an Artificer who first prepares his Matter and then forms it as it seemeth good unto him And this is mentioned for two ends First To set forth the Excellency Power and Wisdom of God who out of such vile contemptible Matter as an heap of Dust swept as it were together on the Ground could and did make so excellent curious and glorious a Fabrick as is the Body of Man or as was the Body of Adam before the Fall Secondly To mind Man of his Original that he might be kept humble and in a meet dependance on the Wisdom and Bounty of his Creator for thence it was and not from the Original Matter whereof he was made that he became so excellent Hereof Abraham makes his solemn Acknowledgment before the Lord Gen. 18. 27. Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but Dust and Ashes He ashes himself with the Remembrance of his Original And this as it were God reproacheth Adam withal upon his Sin and Transgression Gen. 3. 19. Thou shalt return unto the Ground for out of it wast thou taken For Dust thou art and unto Dust thou shalt return He lets him know that he had now by sin lost that Immortality which he was made in a condition to have enjoyed and that his Body according to his Nature and Constitution should return again into its first Principles or the Dust of the Earth Into this formed Dust Secondly God breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Breath of Life Divine aurae particulam a vital immortal Spirit This God breathed into him as giving him something of himself somewhat immediately of his own not made out of any praecreated Matter This is the Rational Soul or Intelligent Spirit Thus Man became a middle Creature between the Angels above and the sensitive Animals below His Body was formed as the Beasts from the Matter made the first Day and digested into dry Land on the third Day His Soul was an immediate Production of and Emanation from the Divine Power as the Angels were So when in the Works of the New Creation our Blessed Saviour bestowed the Holy Ghost on his Disciples he breathed on them as a sign that he gave them something of his own This Coelestial Spirit this Heavenly Breath was unto Man a quickning Principle For thirdly the Effect hereof is that Man became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Soul His Body was
may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And these are some of the principal Instances of the Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of the Head of the Church The whole of them all I confess is a Work that we can look but little into only what is plainly revealed we desire to receive and imbrace considering that if we are his we are predestinated to be made conformable in all things unto him and that by the powerful and effectual Operation of that Spirit which thus wrought all things in him to the Glory of God And as it is a matter of unspeakable consolation unto us to consider what hath been done in and upon our Nature by the Application of the Love and Grace of God through his Spirit unto it so it is of great Advantage in that it directs our Faith and Supplications in our Endeavours after Conformity with him which is our next End under the enjoyment of God in Glory What therefore in these Matters we apprehend we embrace and for the depth of them they are the Object of our Admiration and Praise Sect. 13 Secondly There is yet another Work of the Holy Spirit not immediately in and upon the Person of the Lord Christ but towards him and on his behalf with respect unto his Work and Office And it comprizeth the Head and Fountain of the whole Office of the Holy Spirit towards the Church This was his witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ namely that he was the Son of God the true Messiah and that the Work which he performed in the World was committed unto him by God the Father to accomplish And this same Work he continueth to attend unto unto this day and will do so to the consummation of all things It is known how the Lord Christ was reproached whilst he was in this World and how ignominiously he was sent out of it by Death Hereon a great contest ensued amongst mankind wherein Heaven and Hell were deeply ingaged The greatest part of the World the Princes Rulers and Wise Men of it affirmed that he was an Impostor a Seducer a Malefactor justly punished for his Evil Deeds He on the other side chose twelve Apostles to bear Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life the Truth and Purity of his Doctrine the Accomplishment of the Prophesies of the Old Testament in his Birth Life Work and Death and in especial unto his Resurrection from the Dead whereby he was justified and acquitted from all the Reproaches of Hell and the World and their Calumnies refelled But what could the Testimony of twelve poor Men though never so honest prevail against the confronting Suffrage of the World Wherefore this Work of bearing witness unto the Lord Christ was committed unto him who is above and over all who knoweth how and is able to make his Testimony prevalent John 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Accordingly the Apostles plead his concurring Testimony Acts 5. 32. And we are his Witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him And how he thus gave his Testimony our Apostle declares Heb. 2. 4. God also bearing witness with them that is the Apostles both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his Will The first principal End why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those miraculous Effects in them that believed in Jesus was to bear witness unto his Person that he was indeed the Son of God owned and exalted by him For no Man not utterly forsaken of all Reason and Understanding not utterly blinded would once imagine that the Holy Spirit of God would work such marvelous Operations in and by them who believed on him if he designed not to justifie his Person Work and Doctrine thereby And this in a short time together with that effectual Power which he put forth in and by the Preaching of the Word carried not only his Vindication against all the Machinations of Satan and his Instruments throughout the World but also subdued the generality of Mankind unto Faith in him and Obedience unto him 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. And upon this Testimony it is that there is real Faith in him yet maintained in the World This is that which he promised unto his Disciples whilst he was yet with them in the World when their hearts were solicitous how they should bear up against their Adversaries upon his absence I will saith he send the Comforter unto you and when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment of sin because they believe not on me of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is Judged John 16. 7 8 9 10 11. The Reason why the World believed not on Christ was because they believed not that he was sent of God John 9. 29. By his Testimony the Spirit was to reprove the World of their Infidelity and to convince them of it by evidencing the Truth of his Mission For hereon the whole issue of the Controversie between him and the World did depend Whether he were Righteous or a Deceiver was to be determined by his being sent or not sent of God and consequently God's Acceptance or Disapprobation of him That he was so sent so approved the Holy Spirit convinced the World by his Testimony manifesting that he went to the Father and was exalted by him for it was upon his Ascention and Exaltation that he received and poured out the Promise of the Spirit to this purpose Acts 2. 33. Moreover whilst he was in the World there was an unrighteous Judgment by the instigation of Satan passed upon him On this Testimony of the Spirit that Judgment was to be reversed and a contrary Sentence passed on the Author of it the Prince of this World For by the Gospel so testified unto was he Discovered Convicted Judged Condemned and cast out of that Power and Rule in the World which by the darkness of the Minds of Men within and Idolatry without he had obtained and exercised And that the Holy Spirit continueth to do the same Work though not absolutely by the same means unto this very day shall be afterwards declared And by these Considerations may we be led into that Knowledg of and Acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ which is so necessary so useful and so much recommended unto us in the Scripture And the utter neglect of Learning the Knowledg of Christ and of the Truth as it is in him is not more pernicious unto the Souls of Men than is the learning of it by undue means whereby false and mischievous Ideas
Î ÎΕΥΜΑΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ OR A DISCOURSE Concerning the HOLY SPIRIT WHEREIN An Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it Vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches THE Nature also and Necessity of Gospel-Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are Stated and Declared By JOHN OWEN D. D. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom LONDON Printed by J. Darby for Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet MDCLXXIV To the Readers AN account in general of the Nature and Design of the ensuing Discourse with the Reasons why it is made publick at this time being given in the first Chapter of the Treatise it self I shall not long detain the Readers here at the entrance of it But some few things it is necessary they should be acquainted withal and that both as to the Matter contained in it and as to the mannâ—r of its handling The Subject Matter of the whole as the Title and almost every Page of the Book declare is the Holy Spirit of God and his Operations And two things there are which either of them are sufficient to render any Subject either difficult on the one hand or unpleasant on the other to be treated of in this way both which we have herein to conflict withal For where the Matter it self is abstruse and mysterious the handling of it cannot be without its Difficulties and where it is fallen by any means what-ever under publick contempt and scorn there is an abatement of satisfaction in the Consideration and Defence of it Now all the Concernâ—â—â—s of the Holy Spirit are an eminent part of the Mystery or deep Things of God For as the knowledg of them doth wholly depend on and is regulated by Divine Revelation so are they in their own Nature Divine and Heavenly distant and remote from all things that the Heart of Man in the meer Exercise of its own Reason or Understanding can rise up unto But yet on the other hand there is nothing in the World that is more generally despised as foolish and contemptible than the things that are spoken of and ascribed unto the Spirit of God He needs no furtherance in the forfeiture of his Reputation with many as a Person Fanatical estranged from the conduct of Reason and all generous Principles of Conversation who dares avow an Interest in his Work or take upon him the Defence thereof Wherefore thâ—se things must be a little spoken unto if only to manifest whence Relief may be had against the Discouragements wherewith they are attended For the first thing proposed it must be granted that the things here treated of are in themselves mysterious and abstruse But yet the way whereby we may endeavour an acquaintance with them according to the 〈◊〉 of the Gift of Christ unto every one is made plain in the Scriptures of Truth If this Way be neglected or despised all other wayes of attempting the same end be they never so vigorous or promising will prove ineffectual What belongs unto it as to the inward frame and dispoâ—â—tion of Mind in them who search after Understanding in these things what unto the outward use of Means what unto the performance of Spiritual Duties what unto conformity in the whole Soul unto each discovery of Truth that is attained is not my present Work to declare nor shall I divert thereunto If God give an opportunity to treat concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit enabling us to understand the Scriptures or the mind of God in them the whole of this way will be at large declared At present it may suffice to observe that God who in himself is the eternal Original Spring and Fountain of all Truth is also the only Sovereign Cause and Author of its Revelation unto us And whereas that Truth which Originally is one in him is of various sorts and kinds according to the Variety of the things which it respects in its Communication unto us the ways and means of that communication are suited unto the distinct Nature of each Truth in particular So the Truth of things natural is made known from God by the Exercise of Reason or the due Application of the understanding that is in Man unto their Investigation For the things of a Man knoweth the Spirit of a Man that is in him Neither ordinarily is there any thing more required unto that Degree or Certainty of knowledg in things of that Nature whereof our Minds are capable but the diligent Application of the faculties of our Souls in the due Use of proper means uâ—â—o the Attainment thereof Yet is there a secret Work of the Spirit of God herein even in the Communication of Skill and Ability in things Natural as also in things Civil Moral Political and Artificial as in our ensuing Discoursâ— is fully manifested But whereas these things belong unto the Work of the Oâ—dâ—â—eâ—tion and the Preservation thereof or the Rule and Government of Mankind in this World meerly as rational Creatures there is no use of Means no Communication of Aids spiritual or supernatural absolutely necessary to be exercised gâ—â—ntâ—d about them Wherefore Knowledg and Wisdom in things of this Nature 〈◊〉 â—stributed promiscuously among all sorts of Persons according to the roâ—â—tion of their Natural Abilities and a superstruction thereon in their diligent Exercisâ— without any peculiar Application to God for especial Grace or 〈◊〉 serving still a Liberty unto the Sovereignty of Divine Providence in the disposal of all Men and their Concerns But as to things supernatural the Knowledg and Truth of them the Teachings of God are of another Nature and in like manner a peculiar Application of our selves unto him for Instruction is required of us In these things also there are Degrees according as thâ—y approach on the one hand unto the Infinite Abysse of the Divine Essence and Existence as the eternal Generation and Incarnation of the Son the Procession and Mission of the Holy Spirit or on the other unto those Divine Effects which are produced in our Souls whereof we have Experience According unto these Degrees as the Divine Condescension is exerted in their Revelation so ought our Attention in the Exercise of Faith Humility and Prayer to be encreased in our Enquiries into them For although all that Diligence in the Use of outward Means necessary to the Attainment of the Knowledg of any other Useful Truth be indispensibly required in the pursuit of an Acquaintance with these things also yet if moreoover there be not an Addition of Spiritual Ways and Mâ—ans suited in their own Nature and appointed of God unâ—o the receiving of Supernatural Light and the Understanding of the Deep Things of God our labour about them will in a great measure be but fruitless and unprofitable For although the
For that Spirit who appeared before the Lord and offered himself to be a lying spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets was no other but he who appeared before God Job 1. who is called Satan These in the New Testament are called unclean Spirits Matth. 10. 1. And the Observation of the Ancients that Satan is not called a Spirit absolutely but with an Addition or Mark of Distinction holds only in the New Testament And because Evil Spirits are wont to torment the Minds and Bodies of Men therefore evil Thoughts disorders of Mind wicked Purposes disquieting and vexing the Soul arising from or much furthered by Melancholy Distempers are called it may be sometimes an Evil Spirit The Case of Saul shall be afterwards considered Sect. 8 In such variety are these words used and applyed in the Scripture because of some very general Notions wherein the things intended do agree For the most part there is no great difficulty in discovering the especial meaning of them or what it is they signifie in the several places where they occur Their Design and Circumstances as to the Subject Matter treated of determine the signification And notwithstanding the ambiguous Use of these words in the Old and New Testament there are two things clear and evident unto our purpose First That there is in the Holy Scriptures a full distinct Revelation or Declaration of the Spirit or the Spirit of God as one singular and every way distinct from every thing else that is occasionally or constantly signified or denoted by that Word Spirit And this not only a multitude of particular places gives testimony unto but also the whole course of the Scripture supposeth as that without an acknowledgment whereof nothing else contained in it can be understood or is of any use at all For we shall find this Doctrine to be the very Life and Soul which quickens the whole from first to last Take away the Work and powerful Efficacy of the Holy Spirit from the administration of it and it will prove but a dead Letter of no saving advantage to the Souls of Men and take away the Doctrine concerning him from the writing of it and the whole will be unintelligible and useless Secondly That what-ever is affirmed of this Holy Spirit the Spirit of God it all relates either to his Person or his Operations And these Operations of his being various are sometimes by a Metonymy called Spirit whereof afterwards I shall not therefore need to prove that there is an Holy Spirit distinct from all other Spirits whatever and from every thing else that on several Occasions is signified by that Name For this is acknowledged by all that acknowledg the Scriptures yea it is so by Jews and Mahometans as well as all sorts of Christians And indeed all those false apprehensions concerning him which have at this day any countenance given unto them may be referred unto two Heads 1. That of the Modern Jews who affirm the Holy Ghost to be the influential fluential Power of God which conceit is entertained and diligently promoted by the Socinians 2. That of the Mahumetans who make him an eminent Angel and sometimes say it is Gabriel which being traduced from the Maâ—edonians of old hath found some Defenders and Promoters in our dayes Sect. 9 This then being the Name of him concerning whom we treat some things concerning it and the use of it as peculiarly applyed unto him are to be premised For sometimes he is called â—he Spirit absolutely sometimes the Holy Spirit or as we speak the Holy Ghost sometimes the Spirit of God the Good Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth and Holiness sometimes the Spirit of Christ or of the Son The first absolutely used denotes his Person the Additions express his Properties and Relation unto the other Persons In the Name Spirit two things are included First his Nature or Essence namely that he is a pure spiritual or immaterial Substance For neither the Hebrews nor the Greeks can express such a Being in its Subsistence but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit Nor is this Name firstly given unto the Holy Spirit in allusion unto the Wind in its Subtilty Agility and Efficacy For these things have respect only unto his Operations wherein from some general Appearances his Works and Effects are likened unto the Wind and its Effects Joh. 3. 8. But it is his Substance or Being which is first intended in this Name So it is said of God Joh. 4. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is a Spirit that is he is of a pure spiritual immaterial Nature not confined unto any place and so not regarding one more than another in his Worship as is the design of the place to evince It will therefore be said that on this account the Name of Spirit is not peculiar unto the third Person seeing it contains the Description of that Nature which is the same in them all For whereas it is said God is a Spirit it is not spoken of this or that Person but of the Nature of God abstractedly I grant that so it is and therefore the name Spirit is not in the first place characteristical of the Third Person in the Trinity but denotes that Nature whereof each Person is partaker But moreover as it is peculiarly and constantly ascribed unto Him it declares his especial Manner and Order of Existence So that where-ever there is mention of the Holy Spirit his Relation unto the Father and Son is included therein for he is the Spirit of God And herein there is an allusion to somewhat created Not as I said to the Wind in general unto whose Agility and Invisibility he is compared in his Operations but unto the Breath of man For as the vital breath of a man hath a continual Emanation from him and yet is never separated utterly from his Person or forsaketh him so doth the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceed from them by a continual Divine Emanation still abiding one with them For all these Allusions are weak and imperfect wherein substantial things are compared with Accidental Infinite things with Finite and those that are Eternal with those that are Temporary Hence their disagreement is infinitely more than their Agreement yet such Allusions doth our weakness need instruction from and by Thus he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 33. 6. The Spirit or Breath of the Mouth of the Lord or of his Nostrils as Psal. 18. 15. wherein there is an eminent Allusion unto the Breath of a Man Of the manner of this proceeding and emanation of the Spirit from the Father and the Son so far as it is revealed and as we are capable of an useful Apprehension of it I have treated elsewhere And from hence or the Subsistence of the Holy Spirit in an eternal Emanation from the Father and Son as the Breath of God did our Saviour signifie his Communication of
his Gifts unto his Disciples by breathing on them John 20. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because in our first Creation it is said of Adam that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. He hath the same Appellation with respect unto God Psal. 18. 15. Thus is he called the Spirit And because as we observed before the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously used Didymus de Spiritu Sancto lib. 3. supposeth that the prefixing of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth distinguish the signification and confine it to the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Oft-times no doubt it doth so but not alwayes as is manifest from Joh. 8. 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet only signifies the Wind. But the Subject treated of and what is affirmed of him will sufficiently determine the signification of the Word where he is called absolutely THE SPIRIT Sect. 9 Again He is called by way of Eminency the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost This is the most usual Appellation of him in the New Testament And it is derived from the Old Psal. 51. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of thy Holiness or thy Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of his Holiness or his Holy Spirit Hence are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Holiness in common use among the Jews In the New Testament He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Spirit And we must enquire the special Reasons of this Adjunct Some suppose it is only from his peculiar Work of sanctifying us or making us Holy For this Effect of Sanctification is his peculiar Work and that of what sort soever it be whether it consist in a separation from things Profane and Common unto Holy Uses and Services or whether it be the real Infusion and Operation of Holiness in Men it is from him in an especial manner And this also manifesteth him to be God for it is God alone who sanctifyeth his People Levit. 20. 8. I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you And God in that Work ascribes unto himself the Title of Holy in an especial manner and as such would have us to consider him Levit. 21. 8. I the Lord which sanctifieth you am Holy And this may be one Reason of the frequent use of this Property with reference unto the Spirit Sect. 10 But this is not the whole Reason of this Name and Apellation For where he is first so mentioned he is called the Spirit of Gods Holiness Psal. 51. 11. Isa 63. 10 11. And in the New Testament absolutely the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 4. And this respects his Nature in the first Place and not merely his Operations As God then absolutely is called Holy the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel being therein described by that Glorious Property of his Nature whereby he is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11 And whereby he is distinguished from all false Gods who is like unto thee O Jehovah among the Gods who is like unto thee Glorious in Holiness So is the Spirit called Holy to denote the Holiness of his Nature And on this Account is the Opposition made between him and the Unholy or unclean Spirit Mark 3. 29 30. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgivness Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit And herein first his Personality is asserted for the Unclean Spirit is a Person And if the Spirit of God were only a Quality or Accident as some fancy and dream there could no comparative opposition be made between him and this unclean Spirit that is the Devil So also are they opposed with respect unto their Natures His Nature is Holy whereas that of the unclean Spirit is Evil and perverse This is the Foundation of his being called Holy even the eternal Glorious Holiness of his Nature And on this account he is so stiled also with respect unto all his Operations For it is not only with regard unto the particular Work of Regeneration and Sanctification or making of us Holy but unto all his Works and Operations that he is so termed For he being the immediate Operator of all Divine Works that outwardly are of God and they being in themselves all Holy be they of what kind soever He is called the Holy Spirit Yea he is so called to attest and witness that all his Works all the Works of God are Holy although they may be great and terrible and such as to Corrupt Reason may have an other Appearance in all which we are to acquiesce in this that the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity Zeph. 3. 5. The Spirit of God then is thus frequently and almost constantly called Holy to attest that all the Works of God whereof he is the immediate Operator are Holy For it is the Work of the Spirit to harden and blind obstinate sinners as well as to Sanctifie the Elect. And his acting in the One is no less Holy than in the other although Holiness be not the Effect of it in the Objects So when he came to declare his dreadful Work of the final hardning and Rejection of the Jews one of the most tremendous Effects of Divine Providence a Work which for the strangeness of it Men would in no wise believe though it were declared unto them Acts 13. 41. he was signally proclamed Holy by the Seraphims that attended his Throne Isa. 6. 3 10 11 12. Joh. 12. 40. Acts 28. 26. Sect. 11 There are indeed some Actions on Men and in the World that are wrought by God's permission and in his righteous Judgment by Evil Spirits whose Persons and actings are placed in Opposition to the Spirit of God So Sam. 16. 14 15. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an Evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him And Saul's servants said unto him behold now an Evil Spirit from God troubleth thee So also v. 23. The Evil Spirit from God was upon Saul So chap. 18. 10. Chap. 19. 9. This Spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil Spirit of God Chap. 16. 15. and absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of God v. 33. where we have supplied Evil in the Translation But these Expressions are to be regulated and explained by v. 14. where he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Spirit from the Lord that is appointed and commissioned by him for the punishing and terrifying of Saul For as the Spirit of the Lord departed from him by with-drawing his Assistance and Influential operations whereby he had wrought in him those Gifts and Abilities of mind which fitted him unto the discharge of his Kingly Office upon the first impressions whereof he was turned into another man from what he was in his Private Condition 1 Sam. 10. 6
also called Secondly The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to difference him from all other Spirits whatever as thirdly also because he is promised given and sent of God for the accomplishment of his whole Will and Pleasure towards us The Instances hereof will be afterwards considered But these Appellations of him have their Foundation in his eternal Relation unto the Father before mentioned Sect. 14 On the same account Originally he is also called the Spirit of the Son God hath sent forth the Spirit of the Son into your Hearts Gal. 4. 6. And the Spirit of Christ What time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So Rom. 8. 9. But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his The Spirit therefore of God and the Spirit of Christ are one and the same For that Hypothetical Proposition If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his is an Inference taken from the words foregoing if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you And this Spirit of Christ v. 11. is said to be the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead Look then in what sense he is said to be the Spirit of God that is of the Father in the same he is said to be the Spirit of the Son And this is because he proceedeth from the Son also And for no other Reason can he be so called at least not without the original and formal Reason of that Appellation Secondarily I confess he is called the Spirit of Christ because promised by him sent by him and that to make effectual and accomplish his Work towards the Church But this he could not be unless he had antecedently been the Spirit of the Son by his proceeding from him also For the order of the Dispensation of the Divine Persons towards us ariseth from the Order of their own Subsistence in the same Divine Essence And if the Spirit did proceed only from the Persons of the Father he could not be promised sent or given by the S n. Consider therefore the Humane Nature of Christ in it self and abstractedly and the Spirit cannot be said to be the Spirit of Christ. For it was anointed and endowed with Gifts and Graces by him as we shall shew And if from hence he may be said to be the Spirit of Christ without respect unto his proceeding from him as the Son of God then he may be also said to be the Spirit of every Believer who hath received the Unction or are anointed with his Gifts and Graces For although Believers are so as to Measure and Degree unspeakably beneath what Christ was who received not the Spirit by Measure yet as he is the Head and they are the Members of the same Mystical Body their Unction by the Spirit is of the same kind But now the Spirit of God may not be said to be the Spirit of this or that Man who hath received of his Gifts and Graces David prayes Take not thy Holy Spirit from me not my Holy Spirit And he is distinguished from our Spirits even as they are sanctified by him Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our Spirit No more than can he be said to be the Spirit of Christ meerly upon the account of his Communications unto him although in a degree above all others inconceivably excellent For with respect hereunto he is still called the Spirit of God or the Father who sent him and anointed the Humane Nature of Christ with him Sect. 15 It will be said perhaps that he is called the Spirit of Christ because he is promised given and poured out by him So Peter speaks Acts 2. 33. Having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear But in this regard namely as given by Christ the Mediator he is expresly called the Spirit of the Father he was given as the Promise of the Father for so he is introduced speaking v. 17. it shall come to pass in the last Days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh And so our Saviour tells his Disciples that he would pray the Father and he should give them another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14. 16 17. Nor is he otherwise the Spirit of Christ originally and formally but as he is the Spirit of God that is as Christ is God also On this supposition I grant as before that he may consequentially be called the Spirit of Christ because promised and sent by him because doing his Work and Communicating his Grace Image and likeness to the Elect. Sect. 16 And this is yet more plain 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesyed of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify And this Spirit is said absolutely to be the Holy Ghost 2 Epist. Chap. 1. 21. So then the Spirit that was in the Prophets of old in all Ages since the World began before the Incarnation of the Son of God is called the Spirit of Christ that is of him who is so Now this could not be because he was anointed by that Spirit or because he gave it afterwards to his Disciples for his Humane Nature did not exist in the Time of their Prophesying Those indeed who receive him after the Unction of the Humane Nature of Christ may be said in some sense to receive the Spirit of Christ because they are made Partakers of the same Spirit with him to the same Ends and Purposes according to their measure But this cannot be so with respect unto them who lived and Prophesyed by him and died long before his Incarnation Wherefore it is pleaded by those who oppose both the Deity of Christ and the Spirit which are undeniably here attested unto that the Spirit here whereby they cannot deny the Holy Ghost to be intended is called the Spirit of Christ because the Prophets of old who spake by him did principally prophesy concerning Christ and his Grace and delivered great Mysteries concerning them So Christ is made in this Place the Object of the Spirits Teaching and not the Author of his sending So Crell Prolegom p. 13. 14. But why then is he not called the Spirit of God also on this Reason because the Prophets that speak by him treated wholly of God the things and the Will of God This they will not say for they acknowledg him to be the Vertue and Power of God inherent in him and proceeding from him But then whereas God even the Father is a Person and Christ is a Person and the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ whence doth
it appear that the same Expression must have different Interpretations and that the Spirit is called the Spirit of God because he is so and proceedeth from him but the Spirit of Christ because he is not so but only treateth of him The answer is ready namely because the Father is God but Christ is not and therefore could not give the Spirit when he was not This is an easie Answer namely to deny a Fundamental Truth and to set up that denyal in an Opposition unto a clear Testimony given unto it But the Truth is this pretended sense leaves no sense at all in the Words For if the Spirit which was in the Prophets be called the Spirit of Christ only because he did before-hand declare the things of Christ that is his suffering and the Glory that did ensue and that be the sole Reason of that Denomination then the sense or importance of the Words is this searching what or what manner of Time the Spirit which did signifie when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ which was in them did signifie when he testified before hand the sufferings of Christ. For according to this Interpretation the Spirit of Christ is nothing but the Spirit as testifying before-hand of him and thence alone is he so called the Absurdity whereof is apparent unto all Sect. 17 But countenance is indeavoured unto this wresting of the Scripture from 1 Joh. 4. 3. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the World For say some the Spirit of Antichrist is said to be in the World when Antichrist was not as yet come But the Spirit here intended is not called the Spirit of Antichrist because it declared and foretold the things of Antichrist before his coming On which account alone they allow the Spirit of God in the Prophets of Old to be called the Spirit of Christ. They have therefore no countenance from this Place which failes them in the Principal thing they would prove by it Again supposing those Words whereof you have heard that it should come and is now in the World are to be interpreted of the Spirit mentioned and not of Antichrist himself yet no more can be intended but that the false Teachers and Seducers which were then in the World acted with the same Spirit as Antichrist should do at his coming And so there is no Conformity between these Expressions Besides the Spirit of Antichrist was then in the World as was Antichrist himself so far as his Spirit was in the world so far was he so also For Antichrist and his Spirit cannot be separated Both he and it were then in the World in their forerunners who opposed the Truth of the Gospel about the Incarnation of the Son of God and his sufferings And indeed the Spirit of Antichrist in this Place is no more but his Doctrines Antichristian Doctrine which is to be tryed and rejected Neither is any singular Person intended by Antichrist but a Mysterious Opposition unto Christ and the Gospel signally Headed by a series of men in the latter days He therefore and his Spirit began to be together in the World in the Apostles Days when the Mystery of Iniquity began to work 2 Thessal 2. 7. There is therefore no countenance to be taken from these words unto the perverting and wresting of that other expression concerning the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets of old This therefore is the formal Reason of this Apellation The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of the Son and the Spirit of Christ upon the Account of his Procession or Emanation from his Person also Without respect hereunto he could not be called properly the Spirit of Christ but on that supposition he may be he is so denominated from that various Relation Respect that he hath unto him in his Work and Operations Thus is the Spirit called in the Scripture these are the Names whereby the Essence and Subsistence of the Third Person in the Holy Trinity are declared How he is called on the Account of his Offices and Operations will be manifested in our Progress Divine Nature and Personality of the HOLY SPIRIT Proved and Vindicated CHAP. III. 1. Ends of our consideration of the Dispensation of the Spirit 2. Principles premised thereunto 3. The Nature of God the Foundation of all Religion 4. Divine Revelation gives the Rule and Measure of Religious Worship 5. God hath revealed himself as Three in One. 6. Distinct Actings and Operations ascribed unto these Distinct Persons 7. Therefore the Holy Spirit a Divine Distinct Person 8. Double Opposition to the Holy Spirit 9. By some his Personality granted and his Deity denyed 10. His Personality denyed by the Socinians 11. Proved against them 12. The open vanity of their Pretences Matth. 28. 19. pleaded 13 14 15. Appearances of the Spirit under the shape of a Dove 16. Explained and Improved 17. His appearance as Fire opened 18. His Personal Subsistence proved 19. Personal Properties assigned unto him Understanding Argument from hence pleaded and vindicated 20. A Will Joh. 33. Jam. 3. 4. cleared 21. Exceptions removed 22. Power 23 24 c. Other Personal Ascriptions to him with Testimonies of them vindicated and explained Sect. 1 WE shall now proceed to the Matter it self designed unto Consideration namely the Dispensation of the Spirit of God unto the Church And I shall endeavour to six what I have to offer upon its proper Principles and from them to educe the whole Doctrine concerning it And this must be so done as to manifest the Interest of our Faith Obedience and Holy Worship in the whole and each Part of it For these are the immediate Ends of all Divine Revelations according to that Holy Maxime of our Blessed Saviour if you know these things happy are ye if you doe them To this End the Ensuing Principles are to be observed Sect. 2 1. The Nature and Being of God is the Foundation of all true Religion and holy Religious Worship in the World The great End for which we were made for which we were brought forth by the Power of God into this World is to Worship him and to give glory unto him For he made all things for himself or his own Glory Prov. 16. 4. to be rendred unto him according to the Abilities and Capacities that he hath furnished them withal Revel 4. 11. And that which makes this Worship indispensibly necessary unto us and from whence it is Holy or Religious is the Nature and Being of God himself There are indeed many Parts or Acts of Religious Worship which immediately respect as their Reason and Motive what God is unto us or what he hath done and doth for us But the Principal and Adaequate Reason of all Divine Worship and that which makes it such is what God is in himself Because he is
of these actings is not considered absolutely as a Divine Person but with respect unto some peculiar Dispensation and Condescention So the Father gives sends commands the Son as he had condescended to take our Nature upon him and to be the Mediator between God and Man So the Father and the Son do send the Spirit as he condescends in an especial manner to the Office of being the Sunctifier and Comforter of the Church Now these are free and voluntary Acts depending upon the Sovereign Will Counsel Pleasure of God and might not have been without the least diminution of his Eternal Blessedness 2. There are especial Acts ad extra towards the Creatures This the whole Scripture testifieth unto so that it is altogether needless to confirm it with particular Instances None who have learned the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but can tell you what works are ascribed peculiarly to the Father what to the Son and what to the Holy Ghost Besides this will be manifested afterwards in all the distinct Actings of the Spirit which is sufficient for our purpose Sect. 6 Fifthly Hence it follows unavoidably that this Spirit of whom we treat is in himself a distinct living powerful intelligent divine Person for none other can be the Author of those internal and external Divine Acts and Operations which are ascribed unto him But here I must stay a little and firm that Foundation which we build upon For we are in the Investigation of those things which that one and self-same Spirit distributeth according to his own Will And it is indispensibly necessary unto our present Design that we enquire who and what that one and self-same Spirit is seeing on him and his Will all these things do depend And we do know likewise that if men prevail in the Opposition they make unto his Person it is to no great purpose to concern our selves in his Operations For the Foundation of any Fabrick being taken away the Superstructure will be of no use nor abide Sect. 7 The Opposition that is made in the World against the Spirit of God Doctrinally may be reduced unto two Heads For some there are who grant his Personality or that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person but they deny his Deity deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature or will not allow him to be God A Created Finite Spirit they say he is but the chiefest of all Spirits that were created and the Head of all the Good Angels Such a Spirit they say there is and that he is called the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost upon the account of the Work wherein he is employed This way went the Macedonian Hereticks of old and they are now followed by the Mahumetans and some of late among our selves have attempted to revive the same Frenzy But we shall not need to trouble our selves about this Notion The folly of it is so evident that it is almost by all utterly deserted For such things are affirmed of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture as that to assert his Personality and deny his Deity is the utmost madness that any one can fall into in Spiritual things Wherefore the Socinians the present great Enemies of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and who would be thought to go soberly about the work of destroying the Church of God do utterly reject this Plea and Pretence But that which they advance in the room of it is of no less pernitious Nature and Consequence For granting the things assigned to him to be the Effects of Divine Power they deny his Personality and assert that what is called by the Name of the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is nothing but a Quality in the Divine Nature or the Power that God puts forth for such and such purpose which yet is no new invention of theirs I do not design here professedly to contend with them about all the Concernments of this Difference for there is nothing of importance in all their Pretences or Exceptions but it will in one place or other occur unto consideration in our Progress I shall onely at present confirm the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost with one Argument which I will not say is such as no Man can return the shew of an Answer unto For what is it that the Serpentine Wits of Men will not pretend an Answer unto or an Exception against if their Lusts and Prejudices require them so to do But I will boldly say it is such as that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it in the Hearts of true Believers the strengthning of whose Faith is all that in it I do aim at And if it doth not unto all unprejudiced Persons evince the Truth and Reality of the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost it must certainly convince all Men that nothing which is taught or delivered in the Scripture can possibly be understood Sect. 8 One Consideration which hath in part been before proposed I shall premise to free the Subject of our Argument from Ambiguity And this is that this Word or Name Spirit is used sometimes to denote the Spirit of God himself and sometimes his Gifts and Graces the Effects of his Operations on the Souls of Men. And this our Adversaries in this Cause are forced to confess and thereon in all their Writings distinguish between the Holy Spirit and his Effects This alone being supposed I say it is impossible to prove the Father to be a Person or the Son to be so both which are acknowledged any other way than we may and do prove the Holy Ghost to be so For he to whom all personal Properties Attributes Adjuncts Acts and Operations are ascribed and unto whom they do belong and to whom nothing is or can be truly and properly ascribed but what may and doth belong unto a Person he is a Person and him are we taught to believe so to be So know we the Father to be a Person as also the Son For our Knowledg of things is more by their Properties and Operations than by their Essential Forms Especially is this so with respect to the Nature Being and Existence of God which are in themselves absolutely Incomprehensible Now I shall not confirm the Assumption of this Argument with reference unto the Holy Ghost from this or that particular Testimony nor from the Assignation of any single Personal Property unto him but from the constant Uniform Tenor of the Scripture in ascribing all these Properties unto him And we may add hereunto that things are so ordered in the Wisdom of God that there is no Personal Property that may be found in an Infinite Divine Nature but it is in One place or other ascribed unto him Sect. 9 There is no Exception can be laid against the force of this Argument but only that some things on the One hand are ascribed unto the Spirit which belong not unto a Person nor can be spoken of him
who is so and on the other that sundry things that properly belong to Persons are in the Scripture figuratively ascribed unto such things as are not so Thus as to the first head of this Exception the Holy Spirit is said to be poured out to be shed abroad to be an Unction or the like of all which Expressions we shal treat afterwards What then shall we say that he is not a Person but only the Power of God Will this render those Expressions concerning him proper How can the Vertue of God or the Power of God be said to be poured out to be shed abroad the like Wherefore both they and we acknowledg that these Expressions are figurative as many things are so expressed of God in the Scripture and that frequently and what is the meaning of them under their figurative Colours we shall afterwards declare This therefore doth not in the least impeach our Argument unless this Assertion were true generally that whatever is spoken of figuratively in the Scripture is no Person which would leave no One in Heaven or Earth On the other side it is confessed that there are things peculiar unto rational Subsistents or Persons which are ascribed sometimes unto those that are not so Many things of this Nature as to hope to believe to bear are ascribed unto Charity 1 Cor. 13. But every one presently apprehends that this Expression is figurative the Abstract being put for the Cencrete by a Metalepsis and Charity is said to do that which a Man endued with that Grace will doe So the Scripture is said to see to foresee to speak and to judg which are Personal Actings but who doth not see and grant that a Metonymy is and must be allowed in such assignations that being ascribed unto the Effect the Scripture which is proper to the Cause the Spirit of God speaking in it So the Heavens and the Earth are said the hear and the Fields with the Trees of the Forrest to sing and clap their hands by a Prosopopeia Now concerning these things there is no danger of Mistake The Light of Reason and their own Nature therein do give us a sufficient understanding of them And such figurative Expressions as are used concerning them are common in all Good Authors Besides the Scripture it self in other Places innumerable doth so teach and declare what they are as that its plain and direct proper Assertions do sufficiently expound its own figurative Enunciations For these and such like Ascriptions are only occasional the direct description of the Things themselves is given us in other Places But now with respect unto the Spirit of God all things are otherwise The constant uniform Expressions concerning him are such as declare him to be a Person endowed with all Personal Propertys no Description being any-where given of him inconsistent with their proper Application to him Sect. 10 If a Sober Wise and Honest Man should come and tell you that in such a Countrey where he hath been there is One who is the Governour of it that doth well discharge his Office that he heareth Causes discerneth Right distributes Justice relieves the Poor comforts them that are in distress supposing you gave him that Credit which Honesty Wisedom and Sobriety do deserve would you not believe that he intended a Righteous Wise Diligent Intelligent Person discharging the Office of a Governour What else could any Man living imagine But now suppose that another unknown Person or so far as he is known justly suspected of deceit and forgery should come unto you and tell you that all which the other informed you and acquainted you withal was indeed true but that the words which he spake have quite another Intention For it was not a Man or any Person that he intended but it was the Sun or the Wind that he meant by all which he spake of him For whereas the Sun by his benign Influences doth make a Countrey fruitful and temperate suited to the Relief and Comfort of all that dwell therein and disposeth the Minds of the Inhabitants unto mutual Kindness and Benignity he described these things figuratively unto you under the notion of a Righteous Governour and his Actions although he never gave you the least intimation of any such Intention Must you not now believe that either the First Person whom you know to be a Wise Sober and Honest Man was a Notorious trister and designed your Ruine if you were to Order any of your occasions according to his Reports or that your latter Informer whom you have just reason to suspect of falsehood and deceit in other things hath endeavoured to abuse both him and you to render his Veracity suspected and to spoyl all your Designs grounded thereon One of these you must certainly conclude upon And it is no otherwise in this Case The Scripture informes us that the Holy Ghost Rules in and over the Church of God appointing Overseers of it under him that he discerns and judgeth all things that he comforteth them that are faint strengthens them that are weak is grieved with them and provoked by them who sin and that in all these and in other things of the like Nature innumerable he worketh ordereth and disposeth all according to the Counsel of his Own Willl Hereupon it directeth us so to order our Conversation towards God that we do not grieve him nor displease him telling us thereon what great things he will doe for us on which we lay the stress of our Obedience and Salvation Can any Man possibly that gives Credit to the Testimony thus proposed in the Scripture conceive any otherwise of this Spirit but as of an Holy Wise Intelligent Person Now whilst we are under the Power of these Apprehensions there come unto us some Men Socinians or Quakers whom we have just cause on many other Accounts to suspect at least of deceit and falsehood and they confidently tell us that what the Scripture speaks concerning the Holy Spirit is indeed true but that in and by all the Expressions which it useth concerning him it intendeth no such Person as it seems to do but an Accident a Quality an Effect or Influence of the Power of God which figuratively doth all the things mentioned namely that hath a Will figuratively and Understanding figuratively discerneth and judgeth figuratively is sinned against figuratively and so of all that is said of Him Can any Man that is not forsaken of all Natural Reason as well as Spiritual Light chuse now but determine that either the Scripture designed to draw him into Errors and Mistakes about the Principal Concernments of his Soul and so to ruine him Eternally or that these Persons who would impose such a sense upon it are indeed Corrupt Seducers that seek to overthrow his Faith and Comforts Such will they at last appear to be I shall now proceed to confirm the Argument proposed Sect. 11 1. All things necessary to this purpose are comprized in the solemn Form of our
Initiation into Covenant with God Mat. 28. 19. Our Lord Jesus Christ commands his Apostles to Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost This is the Foundation we lay of all our Obedience and Profession which are to be regulated by this initial Ingagement Now no Man will or doth deny but that the Father and the Son are distinct Persons Some indeed there are who deny the Son to be God but none are so mad as to deny him to be a Person though they would have him only to be a Man All grant him whether God and Man or only Man to be a distinct Person from the Father Now what confusion must this needs introduce to add to them and to joyn equally with them as to all the concerns of our Faith and Obedience the Holy Ghost if he be not a Divine Person even as they If as some fancy he be as Person indeed but not one that is Divine but a Creature then here is openly the same Honour assigned unto him who is no more as unto God himself This elsewhere the Scripture declares to be Idolatry to be detested Gal. 1. 8. Rom. 1. 25. And if he be not a Person but a Vertue and Quality in God and Emanation of Power from him concerning which our Adversaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak things portentous and unintelligible what sense can any Man apprehend in the Words Sect. 12 Besides whatever is ascribed unto the other Persons either with respect unto themselves or our Duty towards them is equally ascribed unto the Holy Ghost For whatsoever is intended by the Name of the Father and the Son he is equally with them concerned therein It is not the Name Father and the name Son but the Name of God that is of them both that is intended It is a Name common to them all and distinctly applyed unto them all but they have not in this sense distinct or divers Names And by the Name of God either his Being or his Authority is signified for other intention of it none have been able to invent Take the Name here in either sense and it is sufficient as to what we intend For if it be used in the first way then the Being of the Spirit must be acknowledged to be the same with that of the Father If in the latter he hath the same Divine Authority with him He who hath the Nature and Authority of God is God is a Divine Person Sect. 13 Our Argument then from hence is not meerly from his being joyned with the Father and the Son for so as to some Ends and Purposes any Creatures may be joyned with them This our Adversaries prove from Acts 20. 32. Ephes. 6. 10. Phil. 3. 10. 2 Thess. 1. 9. and might do it from other places innumerable although the first of these will not confirm what it is produced to give countenance unto Schlicting de Trinitat ad Meisner p. 605. But it is from the manner and end of his being conjoyned with the Father and the Son wherein their Name that is their Divine Nature and Authority are ascribed unto him that we argue Sect. 14 Again we are said to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into his Name And no sense can be affixed unto these words but what doth unavoidably include his Personality For two things they may and do intend nor any thing else but what may be reduced unto them First Our Religious owning the Father Son and Holy Ghost in all our Divine Worship Faith and Obedience Now as we own and avow the One so we do the Other for we are alike baptized into their Name equally submitting to their Authority and equally taking the Profession of their Name upon us If then we avow and own the Father as a Distinct Person so we do the Holy Ghost Again by being baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost we are sacredly initiated and consecrated or dedicated unto the Service and Worship of the Father Son and Holy Ghost This we take upon us in our Baptism Herein lies the Foundation of all our Faith and Profession with that engagement of our selves unto God which constitutes our Christianity This is the Pledg of our entrance into Covenant with God and of our giving up our selves unto him in the solemn Bond of Religion Herein to conceive that any one who is not God as the Father is who is not a Person as he is also and the Son likewise is joyned with them for the ends and in the manner mentioned without the least note of Difference as to Deity or Personality is a strange fondness destructive of all Religion and leading the minds of men towards Polytheism And as we ingage into all Religious Obedience unto the Father and Son herein to believe in them trust fear honour and serve them so we do the same with respect unto the Holy Ghost which how we can do if he be not as they are no Man can understand We do not then in this Case from hence merely plead our being baptized into the Holy Ghost as some pretend Nor indeed are we said so to be Men may figuratively be said to be baptized into a Doctrine when their Baptism is a Pledg and Token of their Profession of it So the Disciples whom the Apostle Paul met withal at Ephesus Acts 19. 3. are said to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the baptism of John that is the Doctrine of Repentance for the forgiveness of sins whereof his Baptism was a Pledg So also the Israelites are said to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Moses 1 Cor. 10. 2. because he led and conducted them through the Sea when they were Sprinkled with the Waves of it is a token of their Initiation into the Rites and Ceremonies which he was to deliver unto them But we are said to be baptized into his Name which is the same with that of the Father and Son And certainly this Proposal of God as Father Son and Holy Ghost to be the Object of all our Faith and Worship and our ingagement hereunto required as the Foundation of all our present Religion and future Hopes being made unto us and that under one and the same Name if the Doctrine of a Trinity of Persons subsisting in the same individed Essence be not taught and declared in these words we may justly despair of ever having any Divine Mystery manifested unto us Sect. 15 2. His Appearance in and under a visible sign argues his Personal Existence This is related Matth. 3. 16. Luke 3. 22. John 1. 32. Luke speaks first in general that he descended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Bodily shape or Appearance And they all agree that it was the shape of a Dove under which he appeared The words in Matthew are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting or
him The word there indeed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given my Holy Spirit upon him but because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Him is joyned to it it is by ours rendred by Put. As also Ezek. 37. 14. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you is added Put my Spirit in you The same is plainly intended with that Isa. 63. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that put his Holy Spirit in the midst of them Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given or I will give Isa. 42. 1. is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 12. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will put my Spirit upon him The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then used in this sense doth not denote the granting or Donation of any thing but its actual bestowing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth And it is the effectual Acting of God in this Matter that is intended He doth not only give and send his Spirit unto them to whom he designs so great a Benefit and Priviledg but he actually collates and bestows him upon them He doth not send Him unto them and leave it in their Wills and Power whether they will receive Him or no but he so effectually collates and puts him in them or upon them as that they shall be actually made Partakers of him He efficaciously endows their Hearts and Minds with Him for the Work and End which he is designed unto So Exod. 31. 6. I have put Wisdom is as much as I have filled them with Wisdom v. 2. So then where God intendeth unto any the Benefit of his Spirit he will actually and effectually collate Him upon them He doth not indeed always doe this in the same manner Sometimes he doth it as it were by a surprizal when those who receive him are neither aware of it nor do desire it So the Spirit of the Lord as a Spirit of Prophesy came upon Saul when his Mind was remote and enstranged from any such thoughts In like manner the Spirit of God came upon Eldad and Medad in the Camp when the other Elders went forth unto the Tabernacle to receive Him Numb 11. 27. And so the Spirit of Prophesy came upon most of the Prophets of Old without either Expectation or Preparation on their Parts So Amos giveth an Account of his Call unto his Office Chap. 7. 1◠15. I was saith he no Prophet neither was I a Prophets Son but I was an Heardman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruits And the Lord took me as I followed the Flock and the Lord said unto me go Prophesy He was not brought up with any Expectation of receiving this Gift He had no Preparation for it but God surprized him with his Call and Gift as he followed the Flock Such also was the Call of Jeremiah Chap. 1. 5 6 7. So vain is the Discourse of Maimonides on this Subject prescribing various Natural and Moral Preparations for the receiving of this Gift But these things were extraordinary Yet I no way doubt but that God doth yet continue to Work Grace in many by such unexpected Surprizal the manner whereof shall be afterwards inquired into But sometimes as to some Gifts and Graces God doth bestow his Spirit where there is some Preparation and Cooperation on our Part. But wherever he designs to put or place him he doth it effectually Fifthly God is said to POUR him out and that frequently Prov. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ebullire more scaturiginis to bubble up as a Fountain Hence the words are rendered by Theodot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scaturire faciam I will cause my Spirit to Spring out unto you as a Fountain And it is frequently applied unto speaking when it signifies eloqui aut proferre verba more scaturiginis See Psal. 72. 2. Psal. 145. 7. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also which some take to be the root of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1. 23. hath the same signification And the Word hath a double lively Metaphor For the Proceeding of the Spirit from the Father is compared to the continual rising of the Waters of a Living Spring and his Communication unto us to the overflowing of those Waters yet guided by the Will and Wisdom of God Isa. 32. 15. Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on High and the Wilderness be a fruitful field 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is indeed sometimes to pour out but more properly and more commonly to uncover to make bare to reveal Until the Spirit be revealed from on High There shall be such a plentiful Communication of the Spirit as that He and His Work shall be made open revealed and plain Or the Spirit shall be bared as God is said to make his Arme bare when he will Work mightily and effectually Isa. 52. 10. Isa. 44. 3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Offspring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word here is so to pour a thing out as that it cleaveth unto and abideth on that which it is poured out upon As the Spirit of God abides with them unto whom he is Communicated Ezek. 39. 29. I have poured out my Spirit on the House of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another word This is properly to pour out and that in a plentiful manner The same word that is used in that great Promise Joel 2. 28. which is rendred Acts 2. 17. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effundam I will pour out my Spirit and the same Thing is again expressed by the same word Acts 10. 45. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is poured on the Gentiles Sect. 12 Let us then briefly consider the Importance of this Expression And one or two things may be observed concerning it in general As 1. wherever it is used it hath direct respect unto the Times of the Gospel Either it is a part of the Promises concerning it or of the Story of its Accomplishment under it But where-ever it is mentioned the Time State and Grace of the Gospel are intended in it For the Lord Christ was in all things to have the preeminence Col. 1. 18. And therefore although God gave his Spirit in some measure before yet he poured him not out until He was first anointed with his Fulness 2. There is a tacit comparison in it with some other Time and Season or some other Act of God wherein or whereby God gave his Spirit before but not in the way and manner that he intended now to bestow him A larger Measure of the Spirit to be now given than was before or is signified by any other Expressions of the same Gift is intended in this Word Sect. 13 Three things are therefore comprized in this Expression 1. An eminent Act of Divine Bounty Pouring forth is the way whereby Bounty from an all-sufficeing fulness is expressed As the Clouds filled with a moist vapour pour
more but to speak out interpret and declare the Minds or Words of another So God tells Moses that He would make Him a God unto Pharaoh One that should deal with him in the Name stead and Power of God and Aaron his Brother should be his Prophet Exod. 7. 1. that is one that should interpret his meaning and declare his Words unto Pharaoh Moses having complained of the Defect of his own Utterance So Prophets are the Interpreters the Declarers of the Word Will Mind or Oracles of God unto others Such an One is described Job 33. 23. Hence those who expounded the Scripture unto the Church under the New Testament were called Prophets and their work Prophecy Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31 32. And under the Old Testament those that celebrated the Praises of God with singing in the Temple according to the Institution of David are said therein to Prophesy 1 Chron. 25. 2. And this Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prophet was of ancient use for so God termed Abraham Gen. 20. 7. Afterwards in common use a Prophet was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Seer because of their Divine Visions and this was occasioned from those words of God concerning Moses Numb 11. 6. And this being the Ordinary way of his Revealing himself namely by Dreams and Visions Prophets in those Days even from the Death of Moses were commonly called Seers which continued in use until the days of Samuel 1. Sam. 9. 9. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man of God 1 Sam. 2. 27 which Name Paul gives to the Preachers of the Gospel 1 Tim. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 17. And it is not altogether unworthy Observation what Kimchi notes that the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most frequently used in the Passive Conjugation Niphal because it denotes a receiving of that from God by way of Revelation which is spoken unto others in a way of Prophecy And as it lies before us as an Extraordinary Gift of the Holy Ghost it is neither to be confined to the strict Notion of Prediction and Foretelling nor to be extended to every true Declaration of the Mind of God but only that which is obtained by immediate Revelation Sect. 9 This Peculiar Gift therefore of the Holy Spirit we may a little distinctly enquire into And two things concerning it may be considered 1. It s General Nature 2. The particular wayes whereby especial Revelation was granted unto any First For its Nature in general it consisted in Inspiration So the Apostle speaks of the Prophesies recorded in the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine Inspiration was the Original and Cause of it And the acting of the Holy Ghost in communicating his Mind unto the Prophets was called Inspiration on a double account First in answer unto his Name and Nature The Name whereby He is revealed unto us signifieth Breath and He is called the Breath of God whereby his Essential Relation to the Father and Son with his Eternal Natural Emanation from them is expressed And therefore when our Saviour gave Him unto his Disciples as a proper Instructive Emblem of what he gave he breathed upon them John 20. 22. So also in the great Work of the Infusion of the Reasonable Soul into the Body of Man it is said God breathed into him the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. From hence I say it is namely from the Nature and Name of the Holy Spirit that his immediate actings on the Minds of Men in the supernatural Communication of Divine Revelations unto them is called Inspiration or Inbreathing And the Unclean Spirit counterfeiting his Actings did inspire his Worshippers with a preternatural Afflatus by wayes suited unto his own filthy Vileness Secondly This Holy Work of the Spirit of God as it is expressed suitable to his Name and Nature so the Meekness Gentleness Facility wherewith he works is intended hereby He did as it were gently and softly breath into them the Knowledg and Comprehension of Holy Things It is an especial and immediate Work wherein he acts suitably unto his Nature as a Spirit the Spirit or Breath of God and suitably unto his peculiar Personal Properties of Meekness Gentleness and Peace So his Acting is Inspiration whereby he came within the Faculties of the Souls of Men acting them with a Power that was not their own It is true when He had thus inspired any with the Mind of God they had no Rest nor could have unless they declared it in its proper Way and Season Jer. 20. 9. Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak in his Name any more but his Word was in mine heart as a burning Fire shut up in my Bones and I was weary with forbearing I could not stay But this Disturbance was from a moral sense of their Duty and no◠from any violent Agitations of his upon their Natures And whereas sometimes trouble and consternation of Spirit did befal some of the Prophets in and under the Revelations they received from Him it was on a double account First Of the dreadful Representations of things that were made unto them in Visions Things of great dread and terror were represented unto their Fancies and Imaginations Secondly Of the greatness and dread of the Things themselves revealed which sometimes were terrible and destructive Dan. 17. 27. Chap. 7. 15 28. Hab. 16. Isa. 21. 2 3 4. But his Inspirations were gentle and placid Sect. 10 Secondly The immediate Effects of this Inspiration were that those inspired were moved or acted by the Holy Ghost Holy Men of God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 21. Moved or Acted by the Holy Ghost And two things are intended hereby First The Preparation and Elevation of their Intellectual Faculties their Minds and Understandings wherein his Revelations were to be received He prepared them for to receive the Impressions he made upon them and confirmed their memories to retain them He did not indeed so enlighten and raise their Minds as to give them a distinct Understanding and full Comprehension of all the Things themselves that were declared unto them There was more in their Inspirations than they could search into the bottom of Hence although the Prophets under the Old Testament were made use of to communicate the clearest Revelations and Predictions concerning Jesus Christ yet in the Knowledg and Understanding of the meaning of them they were all inferior to John Baptist as he was in this Matter to the meanest Believer or least in the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore for their own Illumination and Edification did they diligently enquire by the ordinary means of Prayer and Meditation into the meaning of the Spirit of God in those Prophesies which themselves received by extraordinary Revelation 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Nor did Daniel who had those express Representations and glorious Visions concerning the Monarchies of the World and the providential Alterations which should be
wrought in them understand what and how things would be in their Accomplishment That account he doth give of himself in the close of his Visions Chap. 12 8 9. But he so raised and prepared their Minds as that they might be capable to receive and retain those impressions of things which he communicated unto them So a Man Tunes the Strings of an Instrument that it may in a due manner receive the Impressions of his Finger and give out the Sound he intends He did not speak in them or by them and leave it unto the Use of their Natural Faculties their Minds or Memories to understand and remember the things spoken by Him and so declare them to others But he himself acted their Faculties making use of them to express his Words not their own Conceptions And herein besides other things consists the difference between the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and those so called of the Devil The utmost that Satan can do is to make strong impressions on the Imaginations of Men or influencing their Faculties by possessing wresting distorting the Organs of the Body and Spirits of the Blood The Holy Spirit is in the Faculties and useth them as his Organs And this he did secondly with that Light and Evidence of Himself of his Power Truth and Holiness as left them lyable to no suspicion whether their Minds were under his Conduct and Influence or no. Men are subject to fall so far under the Power of their own Imaginations through the prevalency of a corrupt distempered Fancy as to suppose them Supernatural Revelations And Satan may and did of old and perhaps doth so still impose on the minds of some and communicate unto them such a conception of his Insinuations as that they shall for a while think them to be from God himself But in the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and his actings of the Minds of the Holy Men of old he gave them infallible Assurance that it was himself alone by whom they were acted Jer. 23. 28. If any shall ask by what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Infallible Tokens they might know assuredly the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and be satisfied with such a perswasion as was not liable to mistake that they were not imposed upon I must say plainly That cannot tell for these are things whereof we have no Experience Nor is any thing of this Nature whatever some falsly and foolishly impute unto them who profess and avow an interest in the ordinary gracious workings of the Holy Ghost pretended unto What some Phrenetical Persons in their Distempers or under their Delusions have boasted of no sober or wise Man esteems worthy of any sedate Consideration But this I say It was the Design of the Holy Ghost to give those whom He did thus extraordinarily inspire an Assurance sufficient to bear them out in the discharge of their Duty that they were acted by himself alone For in the pursuit of their Work which they were by Him called unto they were to encounter various Dangers and some of them to lay down their Lives for a Testimony unto the Truth of the Message delivered by them This they could not be ingaged into without as full an evidence of his acting them as the Nature of Man in such Cases is capable of The Case of Abraham fully confirms it And it is impossible but that in these extraordinary workings there was such an impression of Himself his Holiness and Authority left on their Minds as did secure them from all fear of Delusion Even upon the Word as delivered by them unto others he put those Characters of Divine Truth Holiness and Power as rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy to be believed and not to be rejected without the highest sin by them unto whom it came Much more was there such an evidence in it unto them who enjoyed its Original Inspiration Secondly He acted and guided them as to the very Organs of their Bodies whereby they expressed the Revelation which they had received by Inspiration from Him They spake as they were acted by the Holy Ghost He guided their Tongues in the Declaration of his Revelations as the Mind of a Man guideth his Hand in writing to express its Conceptions Hence David having received Revelations from Him or being inspired by Him affirms in his Expression of them That his Tongue was the Pen of a ready Writer Psal. 45. 2. that is it was so guided by the Spirit of God to express the Conceptions received from Him And on this account God is said to speak by their Mouths as he spake by the Mouth of the Holy Prophets Luke 1. 70. all of whom had but one Mouth on the account of their absolute Consent and Agreement in the same Predictions For this is the meaning of one Voice or one Mouth in a Multitude The Holy Ghost spake by the Mouth of David Acts 1. 16. For whatever they received by Revelation they were but the Pipes through which the Waters of it were conveyed without the least mixture with any allay from their Frailties or Infirmities So when David had received the Pattern of the Temple and the manner of the whole Worship of God therein by the Spirit 1 Chron. 28. 12. He sayes All this the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the Work of this Pattern v. 19. The Spirit of God not only revealed it unto him but so guided Him in the writing of it down as that he might understand the Mind of God out of what Himself had written or he gave it him so plainly and evidently as if every Particular had been expressed in writing by the Finger of God Sect. 11 It remaineth that as unto this first extraordinary Work and Gift of the Holy Ghost we consider those especial Wayes and Means which he made use of in the Communication of his Mind unto the Prophets with some other accidental Adjuncts of Prophesie Some following Maimonides in his More Nebuchim have from the several wayes of the Communication of Divine Revelations distinguished the Degrees of Prophesie or of the Gifts of it preferring one above another This I have elsewhere disproved Expos. Heb. Chap. 1. Neither indeed is there either hence or from any other ground the least occasion to feign those eleven Degrees of Prophesie which he thought he had found out much less may the Spirit or Gift of Prophesie be attained by the wayes he prescribes and with Tatianus seems to give countenance unto The distinct outward manners and ways of Revelation mentioned in the Scriptures may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Voices 2. Dreams 3. Visions And the accidental Adjuncts of it are two 1. Symbolical Actions 2. Local Mutations The Schoolmen after Aquinas 22. q. 174. A. 1. do commonly reduce the means of Revelation unto three Heads For whereas there are three wayes whereby we come to know any thing 1. By our External Senses 2. By Impressions on the Phantasie
him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. Now this was in a singular manner and in a measure inexpressible whence he is said to be anointed with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows or those who were Partakers of the same Spirit with him Psal. 45. 7. Heb. 1. 8 9. Although I acknowledg that there was in that Expression a peculiar respect unto his Glorious Exaltation which afterwards ensued as hath been declared on that place And this Collation of Extraordinary Gifts for the discharge of his Prophetical Office was at his Baptism Matth. 3. They were not bestowed on the Head of the Church nor are any Gifts of the same Nature in general bestowed on any of his Members but for Use Exercise and Improvement And that they were then collated appears For Sect. 5 1. Then did he receive the Visible Pledge which confirmed him in and testified unto others his calling of God to the Exercise of his Office For then the Spirit of God descended like a Dove and rested on him and lo a voice came from Heaven saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 16 17. Hereby was he sealed of God the Father John 6. 27 in that Visible Pledg of his Vocation setting the great Seal of Heaven to his Commission And this also was to be a Testimony unto others that they might own him in his Office now he had undertaken to discharge it John 1. 33. 2. He now entred on his Publick Ministry and wholly gave himself up unto his Work For before he did only occasionally manifest the Presence of God with him somewhat to prepare the Minds of Men to attend unto his Ministry as when he filled them with astonishment at his Discourses with the Doctors in the Temple Luke 2. 46 47. And although it is probable that he might be acted by the Spirit in and unto many such extraordinary Actions during his Course of a Private Life yet the fulness of Gifts for his Work he received not until the time of his Baptism and therefore before that he gave not himself up wholly unto his publick Ministry 3. Immediately hereon it is said that He was full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4. 1. Before he was said to wax strong in Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 40. continually filling but now he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of the Holy Ghost He was actually possessed of and furnished with all that fulness of Spiritual Gifts which were any way needful for him or useful unto him or which Humane Nature is capable of receiving With respect hereunto doth the Evangelist use that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by measure That it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is here intended unto whom the Spirit is thus given is evident from the Context although it be not express in the Text. He is spoken of and is the Subject of the whole Discourse v. 31. He that cometh from Above is above all He that cometh from Heaven is above all None doubts but that this is a Description of the Person of Christ. And in the beginning of this Verse He whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God which is the usual Periphrasis of the Lord Christ used at least twenty times in this Gospel Of him this account is given that he testifieth what he hath seen and heard v. 32. and that he speaketh the Words of God v. 3 4. Different events are also marked upon his Testimony for many refused it v. 32. but some received it who therein set to their Seal that God is true vers 33. For he that believeth not the Record that he gave of his Son hath made him a lyar 1 John 5. 1. As a Reason of all this it is added That God gave not the Spirit unto him by Measure So that he was fully enabled to speak the Words of God and those by whom his Testimony was rejected were justly liable to Wrath v. 36. Vain therefore is the attempt of Crellius de Spirit Sanct. followed by Sclictingius in his Comment on this Place who would exclude the Lord Christ from being intended in these words For they would have them signifie no more but only in general That God is not bound up to Measures in the Dispensation of the Spirit but gives to one according unto one measure and to another according to another But as this gloss overthrows the coherence of the words disturbing the Context so it contradicts the Text it self For God's not giving the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Measure is his giving of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immeasurably without known Bounds or Limits and so the Spirit was given unto the Lord Christ only For unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. That is in what Measure he pleaseth to communicate and distribute it But the Effects of this giving of the Spirit unto the Lord Christ not by Measure belonged unto that fulness from whence we receive Grace for Grace John 1. 16. For hereby the Father accomplished his Will when it pleased him that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1. 19. that he in all things might have the Pre-eminence Nor can any Difficulty of weight be cast on this Interpretation from the use of the word in the present Tense which is by Crellius insisted on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he giveth For Christ they say had before received the Spirit for this is spoken of him after his Baptism If therefore he had been intended it should rather have been he hath given or he hath not given unto him by Measure But 1. this was immediately on his Baptism and therefore the collation of the Fulness of the Spirit might be spoken of as a thing present being but newly past which is an ordinary kind of Speech on all occasions Besides 2. the collation of the Spirit is a continued Act in that he was given him to abide with him to rest upon him wherein there was a continuance of the Love of God towards and his care over him in his Work Hence the Lord Christ saith of himself or the Prophet in his Person that the Spirit sent him Now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me Isa. 48. 16. The same Work in sending of Christ is ascribed unto the Lord God that is the Father and to the Spirit but in a different manner He was sent by the Father authoritatively and the Furniture he received by the Spirit of Gifts for his Work and Office is called his sending of him As the same Work is assigned unto different Persons in the Trinity on different accounts Sect. 6 Fifthly It was in an especial manner by the Power of the Holy Spirit by which he wrought those great and miraculous Works whereby his Ministry was attested unto and confirmed Hence it is said That God wrought Miracles by him Acts 2.
or Representations of him are infused into the Minds of Men. The Papists would learn and teach him by Images the Work of Mens Hands and Teachers of Lies For besides that they are forbidden by God himself to be used unto any such purposes and therefore cursed with barrenness and uselesness as to any end of Faith or Holiness they are in themselves suited only to ingenerate low and carnal Thoughts in depraved superstitious Minds For as the Worshippers of such Images know not what is the proper Cause nor the proper Object of that Reverence and those Affections they find in themselves when they approach unto them and adore before them So the Apprehensions which they can have hereby tend but to the knowing after the flesh which the Apostle looked on as no part of his Duty 2 Cor. 5. 16. But the Glory of the Humane Nature as united unto the Person of the Son of God and ingaged in the discharge of his Office of Mediator consists alone in these eminent peculiar ineffable Communications of the Spirit of God unto him and his powerful Operations in him This is represented unto us in the Glass of the Gospel which we beholding by Faith are changed into the same Image by the same Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. Sect. 15 Our Lord Christ himself did foretel us that there would be great enquiries after him and that great Deceits would be immixed therewithal If saith he they shall say unto you He is in the Wilderness go not forth behold he is in the Secret Chambers believe it not Matth. 24. 26. It is not a Wilderness low persecuted unglorious and invisible Condition as to outward Profession that our Saviour here intendeth For himself foretold that his Church should be driven into the Wilderness and nourished there and that for a long season Rev. 12. 6. And where his Church is there is Christ for his Promise is to be with them and among them unto the end of the World Matth. 28. 20. Nor by Secret Chambers doth he intend those private places of meeting for security which all his Disciples for some hundreds of years were compelled unto and did make use of after his Apostles who met sometimes in an upper Room sometimes in the Night for fear of the Jews And such it is notorious were all the Meetings of the Primitive Christians But our Saviour here foretels the false wayes that some would pretend he is taught by and found in For first some would say he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Desart or Wilderness and if Men would go forth thither there they would see him and find him And there is nothing intended hereby but the ancient Superstitious Monks who under a pretence of Religion retired themselves into Desarts and Solitary Places For there they pretended great Intercourse with Christ great Visions and Appearances of him being variously deluded and imposed on by Satan and their own Imaginations It is ridiculous on the one hand and deplorable on the other to consider the woful Follies Delusions and Superstitions this sort of Men fell into Yet was in those dayes nothing more common than to say That Christ was in the Desart conversing with the Monks and Anchorites Go not forth unto them saith our Lord Christ for in so doing you will be deceived And again saith he If they say unto them he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Secret Chambers believe it not There is or I am much deceived a deep and mysterious Instruction in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies those secret places in an House where Bread and Wine and Cates of all sorts are laid up and stored This is the proper signification and use of the word What pretence then could there be for any to say that Christ was in such a place Why there insued so great a pretence hereof and so horrible a superstition thereon that it was of Divine Wisdom to foresee it and of Divine Goodness to forewarn us of it For it is nothing but the Popish Figment of Transubstantiation that is intended Christ must be in the secret Places where their Wafer and Wine was deposited that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning this saith our Saviour believe them not All Crafts and Frauds and bloody Violences will be used to compel you to believe a Christ in the Pix and Repository but if you would not be seduced believe them not Such are the false wayes whereby some have pretended to teach Christ and to learn him which have led them from him into hurtful Snares and Perdition The consideration that we have insisted on will guide us if attended unto a Spiritual and Saving Knowledg of him and we are to learn thus to know him Sect. 16 First That we may love him with a pure unmixed Love It is true it is the Person of Christ as God and Man that is the Proper and Ultimate Object of our Love towards him But a clear distinct Consideration of his Natures and their Excellencies is effectual to stir up and draw forth our Love towards him So the Spouse in the Canticles rendring a Reason of her intense Affections towards him sayes That he is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand that is perfect in the Beauty of the Graces of the Holy Spirit which rendred him exceeding amiable So also Psal. 45. 2. Would you therefore propose Christ unto your Affections so as that your Love unto him may be sincere and without corruption as it is required to be Ephes. 6. 24. that you may not lavish away the Actings of your Souls upon a false Object and think you love Christ when you love only the Imaginations of your own Breasts consider his Humane Nature as it was rendred beautiful and lovely by the Work of the Spirit of God upon it before described Do you love him because he was and is so full of Grace so full of Holiness because in him there was an All-fulness of the Graces of the Spirit of God Consider aright what hath been delivered concerning him and if you can and do on the account thereof delight in him and love him your Love is Genuine and Spiritual But if your Love be meerly out of an apprehension of his being now Glorious in Heaven and there able to do you Good or Evil it differs not much from that of the Papists whose Love is much regulated in its Actings by the good or bad painting of the Images whereby they represent him You are often pressed to direct your Love unto the Person of Christ and it is that which is your principal Duty in this World But this you cannot do without a distinct Notion and Knowledg of him There are therefore three things in general that you are to consider to this purpose 1. The Blessed Union of his two Natures in the same Person Herein he is singular God having taken that especial State on him which in no other thing or way had any Consideration This therefore is
Father John 5. 23. There yet remains the actual Application of all to the Souls of Men that they may be Partakers of the Grace designed in the Counsel of the Father and prepared in the Mediation of the Son And herein is the Holy Spirit to be manifested and glorified that He also together with the Father and the Son may be Known Adored Worshipped according unto his own Will This is the Work that he hath undertaken And hereon upon the solemn Initiation of any Person into the Covenant of God in answer unto this Design and Work he is Baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Matth. 28. 18. And these things have been discoursed of before though necessarily here called over again Sect. 3 Secondly From the Nature and Order of this Work of God it is That after the Son was actually exhibited in the Flesh according to the Promise and had fulfilled what he had taken upon him to do in his own Person the great Promise of carrying on and finishing the whole Work of the Grace of God in our Salvation concerns the sending of the Holy Spirit to do and perform what he also had undertaken Thus when our Lord Jesus Christ was ascended into Heaven and began conspicuously and gloriously to carry on the building of his Church upon himself the Rock and Foundation of it it is said That being exalted by the Right Hand of God he received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. which must be a little opened Before he departed from his Disciples as hath been mentioned on several occasions he comforted and cheared their drooping Spirits with the Promise of sending him unto them which he often repeated and inculcated on their minds John 14. 15 16. And 2. when he was actually leaving of them after his Resurrection he gives them order to sit still and not to ingage in the publick Work of building the Church whereunto he had designed them until that Promise were actually accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4. Being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father and Vers. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost parts of the Earth He would have them look neither for Assistance in their Work nor success unto it but from the promised Spirit alone and lets them know also that by his Aid they should be enabled to carry their Testimony of him to the uttermost parts of the Earth And herein lay and herein doth lie the Foundation of the Ministry of the Church as also its Continuance and Efficacy The Kingdom of Christ is Spiritual and in the animating Principles of it invisible If we fix our Minds only on outward Order we lose the Rise and Power of the whole it is not an outward visible Ordination by Men though that be necessary by Rule and Precept but Christ's Communication of that Spirit the Everlasting Promise whereof he received of the Father that gives Being Life Usefulness and success to the Ministry Wherefore also 3. upon his Ascention in the Accomplishment of the great Promises given unto the Church under the Old Testament Isa. 44. 3. Joel 1. 18. as also of his own newly given unto his Disciples he poured forth his Spirit on them This the Apostle Peter declares in this place Being exalted by the right Hand of God and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit he shed forth what they then saw and heard in the Miraculous Operations and Effects of it And he is said then to receive the Promise of the Father because he then received the thing promised The Promise was not then first given unto him nor did he then receive it for himself For as the Promise was given long before so in his own Person he had received the fulness of the Spirit from his Incarnation as hath been declared But now he had Power given him actually to fulfil and accomplish the Promise in the Collation of the thing promised and is thence said to receive the Promise So Heb. 11. 13 39. it is said of all Believers under the Old Testament That they died in Faith having not received the Promise that is the thing promised was not actually exhibited in their dayes though they had the Promise of it as it is expresly said of Abraham Chap. 7. 6. The Promise therefore it self was given unto the Lord Christ and actually received by him in the Covenant of the Mediator when he undertook the great Work of the Restauration of all things to the Glory of God For herein had he the Ingagement of the Father that the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the Sons of Men to make effectual unto their Souls the whole Work of his Mediation wherefore he is said now to receive this Promise because on his account and by him as exalted it was now solemnly accomplished in and towards the Church In the same manner the same thing is described Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on High thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for Men which is rendred Ephes. 4. 8. Thou hast given Gifts unto Men for he received the Promise at this time only to give out the Spirit and his Gifts unto Men. And if any are so fond as to expect Strength and Assistance in the Work of the Ministry without him or such success in their Labours as shall find Acceptance with God they do but deceive their own Souls and others Sect. 4 Here lay the Foundation of the Christian Church The Lord Christ had called his Apostles to the great Work of building his Church and the propagation of his Gospel in the World Of themselves they were plainly and openly defective in all Qualifications and Abilities that might contribute any thing thereunto But whatever is wanting in themselves whether Light Wisdom Authority Knowledg Utterance or Courage he promiseth to supply them withal And this he would not do nor did any otherwise but by sending the Holy Spirit unto them on whose presence and assistance alone depended the whole success of their Ministry in the World It was through the Holy Ghost that he gave Commandments unto them Acts 1. 2. Those Commandments concern the whole Work in Preaching the Gospel and Founding of the Church and these he gives unto them through the acting of Divine Wisdom in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost And on their part without his Assistance he forbids them to attempt any thing v. 4 8 9. In this Promise then the Lord Christ founded the Church it self and by it he builded it up And this is the Hinge whereon the whole weight of it doth turn and depend unto this day Take it away suppose it to cease as unto a continual
crassa impletione accipiunt quam tamen talis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu impletio locorum in Mundo omnium quae vel expansionem corpoream in quantitate continua vel multiplicationem imo infinitam multitudinem unius ejusdemque corporis in discreta praesupponit ex humana speculatione orta est falsoque nostris Ecclesiis aâ—â—ingitur wherein yet he confesseth that it is taught Ne cogitanda quidem sit pio homini sed potius Omnipraesentia Christi Hominis uti promissa est modo nobis ineffabili credi multo certius aliunde sciri possit ex ipsius promissione Matth. 28. 20. This way as we say with the Scripture is by his Spirit the perfect manner of whose Presence and Operation is ineffable Sect. 6 Fourthly As he represents the Person and supplies the Room and Place of Jesus Christ so he worketh and effecteth what-ever the Lord Christ hath taken upon himself to Work and Effect towards his Disciples Wherefore as the Work of the Son was not his own Work but rather the Work of the Father who sent him and in whose Name he performed it so the Work of the Holy Spirit is not his own Work but rather the Work of the Son by whom he is sent and in whose Name he doth accomplish it John 16. 13 14 15. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shew it unto you He comes to reveal and communicate Truth and Grace to the Disciples of Christ. And in his so doing he speaks not of himself that is of himself only He comes not with any absolute new Dispensation of Truth or Grace distinct or different from that which is in and by the Lord Christ and which they had heard from him The Holy Spirit being promised unto the Disciples and all their Work and Duty being suspended on the accomplishment of that Promise whereas he is God they might suppose that he would come with some absolute new Dispensation of Truth so that what they had learned and received from Christ should pass away and be of no use unto them To prevent any such Apprehensions he lets them know that the Work he had to do was only to carry on and build on the Foundation which was laid in his Person or Doctrine or the Truth which he had revealed from the Bosom of the Father And this I take to be the meaning of that Expression For he shall not speak of himself he shall reveal no other Truth communicate no other Grace but what is in from and by my self This was the Holy Spirit to do and this he did and hereby may we try every Spirit whether it be of God That Spirit which revealeth any thing or pretendeth to reveal any Thing any Doctrine any Grace any Truth that is contrary unto that is not consonant to yea that is not the Doctrine Grace or Truth of Christ as now revealed in the Word that brings any thing new his own or of himself that Spirit is not of God So it is added 2. Whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This which he hears is the whole Counsel of the Father and the Son concerning the Salvation of the Church And how is he said to hear it which word in its proper signification hath no place in the mutual internal Actings of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity Being the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceeding from both he is equally participant of their Counsels So the outward Act of Hearing is mentioned as the sign of his Infinite Knowledg of the Eternal Counsels of the Father and Son He is no stranger unto them And this is a general Rule That those words which with respect unto us express the means of any thing as applyed unto God intend no more but the signs of it Hearing is the means whereby we come to know the mind of another who is distinct from us And when God is said to hearken or hear it is a sign of his knowledg not the means of it So is the Holy Spirit said to hear those things because he knows them As he is also on the same account said to search the deep things of God Add hereunto that the Counsel of these things is originally peculiar to the Father and unto him it is every where peculiarly ascribed therefore is the participation of the Spirit therein as a distinct Person called his hearing Hereunto 3. his great Work is subjoyned He saith Christ shall glorifie me This is the Design that he is sent upon this is the Work that he comes to do even as it was the Design and Work of Jesus Christ to glorifie the Father by whom he was sent And this are they alwayes to bear in mind who stand in need of or pray for his Assistance in their Work or Office in the Church of God He is given unto them that through him they may give and bring Glory to Jesus Christ. And 4. how the Holy Spirit doth glorifie the Lord Christ is also declared He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you The Communication of Spiritual Things from Christ by the Spirit is here called his receiving of them as the communication of the Spirit from the Father by the Lord Christ to his Disciples is called the receiving of the Promise The Spirit cannot receive any thing subjectively which he had not as an addition unto him It is therefore the Oeconomy of these things that is here intended He is not said to receive them as though before he had them not For what can he who is God so receive only when he begins to give them unto us because they are peculiarly the things of Christ he is said to receive them For we can give nothing of anothers but what we receive of him Good things are given unto us from Christ by the Spirit For so it is added and shall shew them unto you He shall make them known unto you so declare them and manifestly evidence them to you and in you that you shall understand and have experience of them in your selves shew them by Revelation instructing you in them by communication imparting them to you And what are these things that he shall so declare They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my things saith our Saviour The things of Christ may be referred unto two Heads His Truth and His Grace John 1. 17. The first he shews by Revelation the latter by Effectual Communication His Truth he shewed unto them by Revelation as we have declared him to be the Immediate Author of all Divine Revelations This he did unto the Apostles by his Inspirations enabling
of God and are by him made instrumental for the effecting of this New Birth and Life So the Apostle Paul stiles himself the Father of them who were Converted to God or Regenerate through the Word of his Ministry 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have you not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel He was used in the Ministry of the Word for their Regeneration and therefore was their Spiritual Father and he only though the Work was afterwards carried on by others And if Men are Fathers in the Gospel to no more than are Converted unto God by their Personal Ministry it will be no Advantage unto any one day to have assumed that Title when it hath had no Foundation in that Work as to its effectual success So speaking of Onesimus who was Converted by him in Prison he calls him his Son whom he had begotten in his Bonds Philem. 10. and this he declared to have been prescribed unto him as the Principal End of his Ministry in the Commission he had for Preaching the Gospel Acts 26. 17 18. Christ said unto him I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God which is a Description of the Work under Consideration And this is the principal End of our Ministry also Now certainly it is the Duty of Ministers to understand the Work about which they are employed as far as they are able that they may not Work in the Dark and Fight Uncertainly as Men beating the Air What the Scripture hath revealed concerning it as to its Nature and the manner of its Operation as to its Causes Effects Fruits Evidences they ought diligently to enquire into To be spiritually skilled herein is one of the principal Furnishments of any for the Work of the Ministry without which they will never be able to divide the Word aright nor shew themselves Workmen that need not be ashamed Yet is it scarcely imaginable with what rage and perversity of Spirit with what scornful Expressions this whole Work is traduced and exposed to contempt Those who have laboured herein are said to prescribe long and tedious trains of Conversion to set down nice and subtile Processes of Regeneration to fill Peoples Heads with innumerable Swarms of Superstitious Fears and Scruples about the due Degrees of Godly Sorrow and the certain Symptoms of a through-Humiliation p. 306 307. Could any mistake be charged on particular Persons in these things or the prescribing of Rules about Conversion to God and Regeneration that are not warranted by the Word of Truth it were not amiss to reflect upon them and refute them But the intention of these Expressions is evident and the reproach in them is cast upon the Work of God it self And I must profess that I believe the Degeneracy from the Truth and Power of Christian Religion the Ignorance of the principal Doctrines of the Gospel and that scorn which is cast in these and the like Expressions on the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by such as not only profess themselves to be Ministers but of an higher Degree than ordinary will be sadly ominous unto the whole State of the Reformed Church amongst us if not timely repressed and corrected But what at present I affirm in this Matter is That it is a Duty indispensibly incumbent on all Ministers of the Gospel to acquaint themselves throughly with the Nature of this Work that they may be able to comply with the Will of God and Grace of the Spirit in the Effecting and Accomplishment of it upon the Souls of them unto whom they dispense the Word Neither without some competent knowledg hereof can they discharge any one part of their Duty and Office in a right manner If all that hear them are born dead in Trespasses and Sins if they are appointed of God to be the Instruments of their Regeneration It is a madness which must one day be accounted for to neglect a sedulous enquiry into the Nature of this Work and the means whereby it is wrought And the ignorance hereof or negligence herein with the want of an Experience of the Power of this Work in their own Souls is one great cause of that lifeless and unprofitable Ministry which is among us Sect. 27 Secondly It is likewise the Duty of all to whom the Word is Preached to enquire also into it It is unto such to whom the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know you not your own Selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates It is the Concernment of all individual Christians or Professors of Christian Religion to try and examine themselves what Work of the Spirit of God there hath been upon their hearts and none will deter them from it but those who have a design to hoodwink them to Perdition And 1. the Doctrine of it is revealed and taught us For secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever that we may do all the Words of the Law Deut. 29. 29. And we speak not of curious Enquiries into or after hidden things or the secret veiled Actions of the Holy Spirit but only of an upright endeavour to search into and comprehend the Doctrine concerning this Work to this very end that we might understand it 2. It is of such Importance unto all our Duties and all our Comforts to have a due Apprehension of the Nature of this Work and of our own Concernment therein that an enquiry into the one and the other cannot be neglected without the greatest folly and madness Whereunto we may add 3. the danger that there is of Mens being deceived in this Matter which is the Hinge whereon their Eternal State and Condition doth absolutely turn and depend And certain it is that very many in the World do deceive themselves herein For they evidently live under one of these pernicious Mistakes namely That 1. either Men may go to Heaven or enter into the Kingdom of God and not be born again contrary to that of our Saviour John 3. 6. or that Men may be born again and yet live in sin contrary to 1 John 3. 9. Works of the HOLY SPIRIT Preparatory unto Regeneration CHAP. II. 1. Sundry things Preparatory to the Work of Conversion 2. Material and Formal Dispositions with their Difference 3 4. Things in the power of our Natural Abilities required of us in a way of Duty 5. Internal Spiritual Effects wrought in the Souls of Men by the Word 6 7. Illumination Conviction of Sin Consequents thereof 8. These Things variously taught 9. Power of the Word and Energie of the Spirit distinct 10. Subject of this Work Mind Affections and Conscience 11 12 13. Nature of this whole Work and Difference from Saving
Conversion farther declared Sect. 1 FIrst In reference unto the Work of Regeneration it self positively considered we may observe that ordinarily there are certain previous and preparatory Works or workings in and upon the Souls of Men that are antecedent and dispositive unto it But yet Regeneration doth not consist in them nor can it be educed out of them This is for the substance of it the Position of the Divines of the Church of England at the Synod of Dort two whereof died Bishops and others of them were dignified in the Hierarchy I mention it that those by whom these things are despised may a little consider whose Ashes they trample on and scorn Lawful doubtless it is for any Man on just grounds to dissent from their Judgments and Determinations but to do it with an imputation of folly with derision contempt scorn and scoffing at what they believed and taught becometh only a Generation of new Divines amongst us But to return I speak in this Position only of them that are Adult and not Converted until they have made use of the Means of Grace in and by their own Reasons and Understandings And the Dispositions I intend are only materially so not such as contain Grace of the same Nature as is Regeneration it self A material Disposition is that which disposeth and some way maketh a Subject fit for the Reception of that which shall be communicated added or infused into it as its Form So Wood by dryness and a due composure is made fit and ready to admit of firing or continual Fire A formal Disposition is where one Degree of the same kind disposeth the Subject unto farther Degrees of it As the Morning Light which is of the same kind disposeth the Air to the reception of the full Light of the Sun The former we allow here not the latter Thus in Natural Generation there are sundry Dispositions of the Matter before the Form is introduced So the Body of Adam was formed before the rational Soul was breathed into it and Ezekiel's Bones came together with a noise and shaking before the Breath of Life entred into them Sect. 2 I shall in this place give only a summary account of this Preparatory Work because in the close of these Discourses I shall handle it practically and more at large Wherefore what I have here to offer concerning it shall be reduced unto the ensuing Observations Sect. 3 1. There are some things required of us in a way of Duty in order unto our Regeneration which are so in the power of our own natural Abilities as that nothing but corrupt prejudices and stubbornness in sinning doth keep or hinder Men from the performance of them And these we may reduce unto two Heads 1. An outward Attendance unto the Dispensation of the Word of God with those other external means of Grace which accompany it or are appointed therein Faith cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. that is it is Hearing the Word of God which is the ordinary means of ingenerating Faith in the Souls of Men. This is required of all to whom the Gospel doth come and this they are able of themselves to do as well as any other Natural or Civil Action And where Men do it not where they despise the Word at a distance yea where they do it not with diligence and choice it is meerly from supine negligence of Spiritual Things carnal security and contempt of God which they must answer for 2. A diligent Intension of Mind in attendance on the Means of Grace to understand and receive the things revealed and declared as the Mind and Will of God For this end hath God given Men their Reasons and Understandings that they may use and exercise them about their Duty towards him according to the Revelation of his Mind and Will To this purpose he calls upon them to remember that they are Men and to turn unto him And there is nothing herein but what is in the Liberty and Power of the rational Faculties of our Souls assisted with those common Aids which God affords unto all Men in general And great Advantages both may be and are daily attained hereby Persons I say who diligently apply their Rational Abilities in and about Spiritual Things as externally revealed in the Word and the Preaching of it do usually attain great Advantages by it and excel their Equals in other things as Paul did when he was brought up at the Feet of Gamaliel Would Men be but as intent and diligent in their endeavours after knowledg in Spiritual Things as revealed in a way suited unto our Capacities and Understandings as they are to get skill in Crafts Sciences and other Mysteries of Life it would be much otherwise with many than it is A neglect herein also is the Fruit of Sensuality Spiritual Sloth love of Sin and contempt of God all which are the voluntary Frames and Actings of the Minds of Men. Sect. 4 These things are required of us in order unto our Regeneration and it is in the power of our own Wills to comply with them and we may observe concerning them That 1. the omission of them the neglect of Men in them is the principal occasion and cause of the eternal ruine of the Souls of the generality of them to whom or amongst whom the Gospel is preached This is the condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil John 3. 19. The generality of Men know full well that they do in this Matter no more what they are able than what they should All pleadable pretences of inability and weakness are far â—â—om them They cannot but know here and they shall be forced to 〈◊〉 hereafter that it was meerly from their own cursed sloth with lovâ— of the World and Sin that they were diverted from a diligent Attendance on the Means of Conversion and the sedulous exercise of their Minds about them Complaints hereof against themselves will make up a great part of their last dreadful cry 2. In the most diligent use of outward means Men are not able of themselves to attain unto Regeneration or compleat Conversion to God without an especial effectual internal Work of the Holy Spirit of Grace on their whole Souls This containing the substance of what is principally proposed unto confirmation in the ensuing Discourses needs not here be insisted on 3. Ordinarily God in the effectual Dispensation of his Grace meeteth with them who attend with Diligence on the outward Administration of the means of it He doth so I say ordinarily in comparison of them who are Despisers and Neglecters of them Sometimes indeed he goeth as it were out of the way to meet with and bring home unto himself a persecuting Saul taking of him in and taking him off from a course of open Sin and Rebellion But ordinarily he dispenseth his peculiar especial Grace among them who attend unto the
said to be made Partakers of the Holy Spirit Heb. 6. 4. And he is promised by our Saviour to Convince the World of Sin John 16. 8. which although in that place it respects only one kind of Sin yet it is sufficient to establish a general Rule that all Conviction of Sin is from and by him And no wonder if Men live securely in their Sins to whom the Light which he gives and the Convictions which he worketh are a Scorn and Reproach Sect. 12 There is indeed an Objection of some Moment against the Ascription of this Work unto the energie of the Holy Spirit For whereas it is granted that all these things may be wrought in the Minds and Souls of Men and yet they may come short of the Saving Grace of God How can he be thought to be the Author of such a Work Shall we say that he designs only a weak and imperfect Work upon the Hearts of Men Or that he deserts and gives over the Work of Grace which he hath undertaken towards them as not able to accomplish it Sect. 13 Ans. 1. In many Persons it may be in the most who are thus affected real Conversion unto God doth ensue The Holy Spirit by these Preparatory Actings making way for the Introduction of the new Spiritual Life into the Soul So they belong unto a Work that is perfect in its kind 2. Where-ever they fail and some short of what in their own Nature they have a tendency unto it is not from any weakness and imperfection in themselves but from the sins of them in whom they are wrought For Instance even common Illumination and Conviction of sin have in their own Nature a tendency unto sincere Conversion They have so in the same kind as the Law hath to bring us unto Christ. Where this end is not attained it is alwayes from the Interposition of an Act of wilfulness and stubbornness in those Enlightned and Convicted They do not sincerely improve what they have received and faint not meerly for want of strength to proceed but by a free Act of their own Wills they refuse the Grace which is further tendred unto them in the Gospel This Will and its actual Resistency unto the Work of the Spirit God is pleased in some to take away It is therefore of Sovereign Grace when and where it is removed but the Sin of Men and their Guilt is in it where it is continued For no more is required hereunto but that it be voluntary It is Will and not Power that gives Rectitude or Obliquity unto Moral Actions 3. As we observed before The Holy Spirit in his whole Work is a Voluntary Agent He worketh what when and how he pleaseth No more is required unto his Operations that they may be such as become him but these two things First That in themselves they be good and holy Secondly That they be effectual as unto the ends whereunto by him they are designed That he should alwayes design them to the utmost length of what they have a moral tendency towards though no real efficiency for is not required And these things are found in these Operations of the Holy Spirit They are in their own Nature good and holy Illumination is so so is Conviction and Sorrow for Sin with a subsequent change of Affections and Amendment of Life Sect. 14 Again what he worketh in any of these effectually and infallibly accomplisheth the end aimed at which is no more but that Men be Enlightned Convinced Humbled and reformed wherein he faileth noâ— In these things he is pleased to take on him the management of the Law so to bring the Soul into bondage thereby that it may be stirred up to seek after Deliverance And he is thence actively called the Spirit of Bondage unto Fear Rom. 8. 15. And this Work is that which constitutes the third ground in our Saviours Parable of the Sower It receives the Seed and Springs up hopefully until by cares of the World Temptations and occasions of Life it is choaked and lost Matth. 13. 22. Now because it oftentimes maketh a great Appearance and Resemblance of Regeneration it self or of real Conversion to God so that neither the World nor the Church are able to distinguish between them it is of great concernment unto all Professors of the Gospel to enquire diligently whether they have in their own Souls been made Partakers of any other Work of the Spirit of God or no. For although this be a good Work and do lie in a good subserviency unto Regeneration yet if Men attain no more if they proceed no farther they will perish and that eternally And multitudes do herein actually deceive themselves speaking peace unto their Souls on the Effects of this Work whereby it is not only insufficient to save them as it is to all Persons at all times but also becomes a means of their present security and future destruction I shall therefore give some few Instances of what this Work in the Conjunction of all the parts of it and in its utmost improvement cannot effect whereby Men may make a Judgment how things stand in their own Souls in respect unto it Sect. 15 1. It may be observed that we have placed all the Effects of this Work in the Mind Conscience Affections and Conversation Hence it follows notwithstanding all that is or may be spoken of it that the Will is neither really changed nor internally renewed by it Now the Will is the ruling governing Faculty of the Soul as the Mind is the guiding and leading Whilst this abides unchanged unrenewed the Power and Reign of Sin continues in the Soul though not undisturbed yet unruined It is true there are many checks and controuls from the Light of the Mind and Reflections of Conscience cast in this State upon the Actings of the Will so that it cannot put it self forth in and towards Sin with that freedom security and licentiousness as it was wont to do Its fierceness and rage rushing into Sin as the Horse into the Battel running on God and the thick Bosses of his Buckler may be broken and abated by those Hedges of Thorns which it finds set in its way and those buffettings it meets withal from Light and Convictions It s delight and greediness in sinning may be calmed and quieted by those frequent Representations of the terror of the Lord on the one hand and the pleasure of Eternal Rest on the other which are made unto it But yet still setting aside all Considerations forreign unto its own Principle the Bent and Inclination of the Will it self is to Sin and Evil alwayes and continually The Will of sinning may be restrained upon a thousand Considerations which Light and Convictions will administer but it is not taken away And this discovers it self where the very first Motions of the Soul towards sinful Objects have a sensible complacency until they are controuled by Light and Fear This argues an unrenewed Will if it be constant
Paul in that condition had preserved himself so as that according to the Law he was blameless and the young Man thought he had kept all the Commandments from his youth But setting aside this Consideration notwithstanding the utmost that this Work can attain unto after the efficacy of its first Impressions begin to abate Lust will reserve some peculiar way of venting and discovering it self which is much spoken unto 3. The Conversations of Persons who live and abide under the Power of this Work only is assuredly fading and decaying Coldness Sloth Negligence Love of the World Carnal-Wisdom and Security do every day get ground upon them Hence although by a long course of abstinence from open sensual sins and stating of a contrary Interest they are not given up unto them yet by the decayes of the Power of their Convictions and the ground that Sin gets upon them they become walking and talking Sceletons in Religion dry sapless useless Worldlings But where the Soul is inlaid with real Saving-Grace it is in a state of thriving continually Such a one will go on from Strength to Strength from Grace to Grace from Glory to Glory and will be fat and flourishing in Old Age. By these things may we learn to distinguish in our selves between the preparatory Work mentioned and that of real Saving-Conversion unto God And these are some of the Heads of those Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men which often-times are preparatory unto a real Conversion unto God and sometimes their Contempt and Rejection a great Aggravation of the sin and misery of them in whom they were wrought Sect. 20 And these things as they are clearly laid down in the Scripture and exemplified in sundry Instances so for the substance of them they have been acknowledged till of late by all Christians only some of the Papists have carried them so far as to make them formally dispositive unto Justification and to have a congruous merit thereof But this the Ancients denyed who would not allow that either any such Preparation or any Moral Virtues did capacitate Men for real Conversion observing that others were often called before those who were so qualified And in them there are Goads and Nails which have been fastned by Wise and Experienced Masters of the Assemblies to the great Advantage of the Souls of Men. For observing the usual Wayes and Means whereby these Effects are wrought in the Minds of the Hearers of the Word with their Consequences in Sorrow troubles Fear and Humiliations and the Courses which they take to improve them or to extricate themselves from the perplexity of them they have managed the Rules of Scripture with their own and others Experience suitable thereunto to the great benefit of the Church of God That these things are now despised and laughed to scorn is no part of the happiness of the Age wherein we live as the event will manifest Sect. 21 And in the mean time if any suppose that we will forgoe those Truths and Doctrines which are so plainly revealed in the Scripture the Knowledg whereof is so useful unto the Souls of Men and whose Publication in Preaching hath been of so great Advantage to the Church of God meerly because they understand them not and therefore reproach them they will be greatly mistaken Let them lay aside that unchristian way of treating about these things which they have ingaged in and plainly prove that Men need not be convinced of sin that they ought not to be humbled for it nor affected with sorrow with respect unto it that they ought not to seek for a Remedy or Deliverance from it that all Men are not born in a state of Sin that our Nature is not depraved by the Fall that we are able to do all that is required of us without the Internal Aids and Assistances of the Spirit of God and they shall be diligently attended unto Corruption or Depravation of the Mind by Sin CHAP. III. 1. Contempt and Corruption of the Doctrine of Regeneration 2. All Men in the World Regenerate or Unregenerate 3. General Description of Corrupted Nature 4 5. Depravation of the Mind 6. Darkness upon it 7. The Nature of Spiritual Darkness 8 9. Reduced into two Heads of Darkness objective 10. How removed 11 12 13 14. Of Darkness subjective its Nature and Power 15 16. proved 17. Ephes. 4. 17 18. opened 18. Applyed 19. The Mind alienated from the Life of God 20 21. 22. The Life of God what it is 23. The Power of the Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things examined 24 25. 1 Cor. 2. 14. opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Natural Man who 26. Spiritual Things what they are 27. How the Natural Man cannot know or receive Spiritual Things 28. Difference between understanding Doctrines and receiving of Things 29 30. A two-fold Power and Ability of Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things explained 31. Reasons why a Natural Man cannot discern Spiritual Things 32 33 34 35 36 37. How and wherefore Spiritual Things are foolishness to Natural Men. 38. Why Natural Men cannot receive the Things of God 39 40 41. A double impotency in the Mind of Man by Nature 42. 1 Cor. 2. 14. farther vindicated 43. Power of Darkness in Persons Unregenerate 44. The Mind filled with Wills or Lusts and enmity thereby 45. The Power and Efficacy of Spiritual Darkness at large declared Sect. 1 VVE have I hope made our way plain for the due Consideration of the great Work of the Spirit in the Regeneration of the Souls of God's Elect. This is that whereby he forms the Members of the Mystical Body of Christ and prepares Living Stones for the building of a Temple wherein the Living God will dwell Now that we may not only declare the Truth in this Matter but also vindicate it from those Corruptions wherewith some have endeavoured to debauch it I shall promise a Description lately given of it with confidence enough and it may be not without too much Authority And it is in these words What is it to be born again and to have a new Spiritual Life in Christ but to become sincere Proselytes to the Gospel to renounce all vitious Customs and Practices and to give an upright and uniform obedience to all the Laws of Christ and therefore if they are all but precepts of moral virtue to be born again and to have a new Spiritual life is only to become a new moral man But their account speaking of nonconformist Ministers of this Article is so wild and Phantastick that had I nothing else to make good my charge against them that alone would be more than enough to expose the prodigious folly of their Spiritual Divinity p. 343 344. I confess these are the words of one who seems not much to consider what he says so as that it may serve his present turn in reviling and reproaching other men For he considers not that by this description of it he utterly excludes
Christ in this World And thus far the Dispensation of the Gospel is only a causa sine qua non of the Regeneration of Men and the granting of it depends solely on the Will of the Spirit of God Sect. 11 It is Subjective Darkness which is of more direct and immediate Consideration in this Matter the Nature whereof with what it doth respect and the influence of it on the Minds of Men must be declared before we can rightly apprehend the Work of the Holy Spirit in its removal by Regeneration This is that whereby the Scripture expresseth the Natural Depravation and Corruption of the Minds of Men with respect unto Spiritual Things and the Duty that we owe to God according to the Tenor of the Covenant And two things must be premised to our consideration of it As Sect. 12 1. That I shall not Treat of the Depravation or Corruption of the Mind of Man by the Fall with respect unto Things Natural Civil Political or Moral but meerly with regard to things Spiritual Heavenly and Evangelical It were easie to evince not only by Testimonies of the Scripture but by the Experience of all Mankind built on Reason and the Observation of Instances innumerable that the whole Rational Soul of Man since the Fall and by the entrance of sin is weakned impaired vitiated in all its Faculties and all their Operations about their proper and natural Objects Neither is there any Relief against these Evils with all those unavoidable Perturbations wherewith it is possessed and actually disordered in all its Workings but by some secret and hidden Operation of the Spirit of God such as he continually exerts in the Rule and Government of the World But it is concerning the Impotency Defect Depravation and Perversity of the Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things alone that we shall treat at present I say then Sect. 13 2. That by reason of that Vice Corruption or Depravation of the Minds of all Unregenerate Men which the Scripture calls Darkness and Blindness they are not able of themselves by their own Reasons and Understandings how-ever exercised and improved to discern receive understand or believe savingly Spiritual Things or the Mystery of the Gospel when and as they are outwardly revealed unto them without an effectual powerful Work of the Holy Spirit creating or by his Almighty Power inducing a new Saving Light into them Let it be supposed that the Mind of a Man be no way hurt or impaired by any natural defect such as doth not attend the whole Race of Mankind but is personal only and accidental suppose it free from contracted habits of Vice or voluntary Prejudices yet upon the Proposal of the Doctrine and Mysteries of the Gospel let it be done by the most skilful Masters of the Assemblies with the greatest Evidence and Demonstration of the Truth it is not able of it self Spiritually and Savingly to receive understand and assent unto them without the especial Aid and Assistance and Operation of the Holy Spirit To evince this Truth we may consider in one Instance the Description given us in the Scripture of the Mind it self and of its Operations with respect unto Spiritual Things This we have Ephes. 4. 17. 18. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that you hence-forth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their Mind having the Understanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart It is of the Gentiles that the Apostle speaks But the Apostle speaks of them on the account of that which is common unto all Men by Nature For he Treats of their Condition with respect unto the Faculties of their Minds and Souls wherein there is as unto the Life of God or Spiritual Things no difference naturally among Men and their Operations and Effects are for the substance of them the same Sect. 14 Some indeed give such an account of this Text as if the Apostle had said Do we not live after the Heathens in the vileness of those Practices and in their Idol Worship That long course of Sin having blinded their Understandings so that they see not that which by the Light of Nature they are enabled to see and by that gross Ignorance and obduration of Heart run into all Impiety are far removed from that Life which God and Nature require of them It is supposed in this Exposition 1. That the Apostle hath respect in the first place to the Practices of the Gentiles not to their State and Condition 2. That this Practice concerns only their Idolatry and Idol-Worship 3. That what is here ascribed unto them came upon them by a long course of sinning 4. That the Darkness mentioned consists in a not discerning of what might be seen by the Light of Nature 5. That their Alienation from the Life of God consisted in running into that Impiety which was distant or removed from the Life that God and Nature require But all these Sentiments are so far from being contained in the Text as that they are expresly contrary unto it For 1. although the Apostle doth carry on his Description of this State of the Gentiles unto the vile Practices that ensued thereon on v. 19. Yet it is their State by Nature with respect unto the Life of God which is first intended by him This is apparent from what he prescribes unto Christians in opposition thereunto namely The New Man which after God is created in Rightcousness and true Holiness v. 24. 2. The Vanity mentioned is subjective in their Minds and so hath no respect to Idol-Worship but as it was an Effect thereof The vanity of their Minds is the Principle whereof this walking be what it will was the Effect and Consequent 3. Here is no mention nor intimation of any long course of sinning much less that it should be the cause of the other things ascribed to the Gentiles whereof indeed it was the Effect The Description given is that of the state of all Men by Nature as is plain from Chap. 2. 1 2 3. 4. The Darkness here mentioned is opposed unto being Light in the Lord Chap. 5. 8. which is not meer Natural Light nor can any by that Light alone discern Spiritual Things or the Things that belong to the Life of God 5. The Life of God here is not that Life which God and Nature require but that Life which God reveals in requires and communicates by the Gospel through Jesus Christ as all Learned Expositors acknowledg Wherefore the Apostle treateth here of the State of Men by Nature with respect unto Spiritual and Supernatural Things And three Heads he reduceth all things in Man unto 1. He mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Understanding And 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heart And all these are one entire Principle of all our Moral and Spiritual Operations and are all affected
Impotency Every one to whom the Gospel hath bin preached and by whom it is refused shall be convinced of positive actings in their Minds rejecting the Gospel for the Love of Self Sin and the World Thus our Saviour tells the Jews that no Man can come unto him unless the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. Such is their Natural Impotency that they cannot nor is it to be cured but by an immediate Divine Instruction or Illumination as it is written they shall be all taught of God v. 45. But this is not all he tells them elsewhere you will not come unto me that you may have Life Joh. 5. 40. The present thing in question was not the Power or Impotency of their Minds but the obstinacy of their Wills and Affections which Men shall principally be judged upon at the last day For this is the Condemnation that light is come into the World and Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil Joh. 3. 19. Hence it follows 3. That the Will and Affections being more corrupted than the Understanding as is evident from their Opposition unto and defeating of its manifold Convictions no Man doth actually apply his Mind to the receiving of the things of the Spirit of God to the utmost of that Ability which he hath For all unregenerate Men are invincibly impeded therein by the corrupt stubbornness and perverseness of their Wills and Affections There is not in any of them a due improvement of the capacity of their Natural Faculties in the use of means for the discharge of their Duty towards God herein And what hath been pleaded may suffice for the vindication of this Divine Testimony concerning the disability of the Mind of Man in the State of Nature to understand and receive the Things of the Spirit of God in a spiritual and saving manner how-ever they are proposed unto it which those who are otherwise minded may despise whilst they please but are no way able to answer or evade Sect. 42 And hence we may judge of that Paraphrase and Exposition of this place which One hath given of late But such things as these they that are led only by the Light of Humane Reason the Learned Philosophers c. do absolutely despise and so hearken not after the Doctrine of the Gospel for it seems folly to them Nor can they by any study of their own come to the knowledge of them for they are only to be had by understanding the Prophesies of the Scripture and other such Means which depend on Divine Revelation the Voice from Heaven Descent of the Holy Ghost Miracles c. 1. The Natural Man is here allowed to be the Rational Man the Learned Philosopher one walking by the Light of Humane Reason which complies not with their Exception to this Testimony who would have only such an one as is sensual and given up unto bruitish Affections to be intended But yet neither is there any ground though some countenance be given to it by Hierome to fix this Interpretation unto that Expression If the Apostle may be allowed to declare his own Mind he tells us That he intends every one of what sort and condition soever who hath not received the Spirit of Christ. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is paraphrased by doth absolutely despise which neither the Word here nor elsewhere nor its disposal in the present Connexion will allow of or give countenance unto The Apostle in the whole Discourse gives an account why so few received the Gospel especially of those who seemed most likely so to do being Wise and Learned Men and the Gospel being no less than the Wisdom of God And the Reason hereof he gives from their disability to receive the things of God and their hatred of them or opposition to them neither of which can be cured but by the Spirit of Christ. 3. The Apostle treats not of what Men could find out by any study of their own but of what they did and would do and could do no otherwise when the Gospel was proposed declared and preached unto them They did not they could not receive give assent unto or believe the Spiritual Mysteries therein revealed 4. This Preaching of the Gospel unto them was accompanied with and managed with those Evidences mentioned namely the Testimonies of the Prophesies of Scripture Miracles and the like in the same way and manner and unto the same degree as it was towards them by whom it was received and believed In the outward means of Revelation and its Proposition there was no difference 5. The proper meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not is given us in the ensuing Reason and Explanation of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot know them that is unless he be spiritually enabled thereunto by the Holy Ghost And this is farther confirmed in the Reason subjoyned because they are spiritually discerned And to wrest this unto the outward means of Revelation which is directly designed to express the internal manner of the Mind's reception of things revealed is to wrest the Scripture at pleasure How much better doth the Description given by Chrysostom of a Natural and Spiritual Man give Light unto and determine the sense of this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Natural Man is He who lives in or by the Flesh and hath not his Mind as yet enlightned by the Spirit but only hath that inbred Humane Understanding which the Creator hath endued the Minds of all Men withal And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spiritual Man is he who liveth by the Spirit having his Mind enlightned by him having not only an inbred Humane Understanding but rather a Spiritual Understanding bâ—stowed on him graciously whâ—ch the Holy Ghost endues the Minds of Believers withal But we proceed Sect. 43 Having cleared the Impotency to discern Spiritual Things spiritually that is in the Minds of Natural Men by reason of their Spiritual Blindness or that Darkness which is in them It remains that we consider what is the Power and Efficacy of this Darkness to keep them in a constant and unconquerable Aversation from God and the Gospel To this purpose some Testimonies of Scripture must be also considered For notwithstanding all other Notions and Disputes in this matter for the most part complyant with the Inclinations and Affections of corrupted Nature by them must our Judgments be determined and into them is our Faith to be resolved I say then that this Spiritual Darkness hath a Power over the Minds of Men to alienate them from God that is this which the Scripture so calleth is not a meer Privation with an Impotency in the Faculty ensuing thereon but a depraved Habit which powerfully and as unto them in whom it is unavoidably influenceth their Wills and Affections into an opposition unto Spiritual Things the Effects whereof the World is visibly filled withal at this Day And this I shall manifest first in General and then in Particular Instances And by the whole
to convert themselves no more than Arguments can prevail with a blind Man to see or with a dead Man to rise from the Grave or with a lame Man to walk steadily Wherefore the whole Description before given from the Scripture of the state of lapsed Nature must be disproved and removed out of the way before his Grace can be thought sufficient to be for the Regeneration and Conversion of Men in that Estate But some proceed on other Principles Men they say have by Nature certain Notions and Principles concerning God and the Obedience due unto him which are demonstrable by the Light of Reason and certain Abilities of Mind to make use of them unto their proper End But they grant at least some of them do that however these Principles may be improved and acted by those Abilities yet they are not sufficient or will not eventually be effectual to bring Men unto the Life of God or to enable them so to believe in him love him and obey him as that they may come at length unto the enjoyment of him at least they will not do this safely and easily but through much danger and confusion wherefore * God out of his Goodness and Love to Mankind hath made a further Revelation of himself by Jesus Christ in the Gospel with the especial way whereby his Anger against Sin is averted and Peace made for Sinners which Men had before only a confused Apprehension and Hope about How the things received proposed and prescribed in the Gospel are so good so rational so every way suited unto the Principles of our Beings the Nature of our intellectual Constitutions or the Reason of Men and those fortified with such rational and powerful Motives in the Promises and Threatnings of it representing unto us on the one hand the chiefest Good which our Nature is capable of and on the other the highest evil to be avoided that we are obnoxious unto that they can be refused or rejected by none but out of a bruitish love of Sin or the efficacy of depraved Habits contracted by a vitious course of living And herein consists the Grace of God towards Men especially as the Holy Ghost is pleased to make use of these things in the Dispensation of the Gospel by the Ministry of the Church For when the Reason of Men is by these means excited so far as to cast off Prejudice and enabled thereby to make a right Judgment of what is proposed unto it it prevails with them to convert to God to change their Lives and yield Obedience according to the Rule of the Gospel that they may be saved And no doubt this were a notable Systeme of Christian Doctrine especially as it is by some Rhetorically blended or Theatrically represented in feigned Stories and Apologues were it not defective in one or two things For first it is exclusive of a supposition of the fall of Man at least as unto the Depravation of our Nature which ensued thereon and Secondly of all real Effective Grace dispensed by Jesus Christ which render it a Phantastick Dream alien from the Design and Doctrine of the Gospel But it is a fond thing to discourse with Men about either Regeneration or Conversion unto God by whom these things are denyed Sect. 27 Such a Work of the Holy Spirit we must therefore enquire after as wherey the Mind is effectually renewed the Heart changed the Affections sanctified all actually and effectually or no Deliverance will be wrought obtained or ensue out of the Estate described For notwithstanding the utmost improvement of our Minds and Reasons that can be imagined and the most eminent proposal of the Truths of the Gospel accompanied with the most powerful enforcements of Duty and Obedience that the Nature of the things themselves will afford yet the Mind of Man in the state of Nature without a supernatural Elevation by Grace is not able so to apprehend them as that its Apprehension should be Spiritual Saving or Proper unto the Things apprehended And notwithstanding the Perception which the Mind may attain unto in the Truth of Gospel-Proposals and the Conviction it may have of the necessity of Obedience yet is not the Will able to apply it self unto any Spiritual Act thereof without an Ability wrought immediately in it by the Power of the Spirit of God or rather unless the Spirit of God by his Grace do effect the Act of willing in it Wherefore not to multiply Arguments we conclude That the most effectual use of outward means alone is not all the Grace that is necessary unto nor all that is actually put forth in the Regeneration of the Souls of Men. Sect. 28 Having thus evidenced wherein the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Regeneration of the Souls of Men doth not consist namely in a supposed congruous Perswasion of their Minds where it is alone 1. I shall proceed to shew wherein it doth consist and what is the true Nature of it And to this purpose I say 1. What-ever efficacy that Moral Operation which accompanies or is the Effect of the Preaching of the Word as blessed and used by the Holy Spirit is of or may be supposed to be of or is possible that it should be of in and towards them that are unregenerate we do willingly ascribe unto it We grant that in the Work of Regeneration the Holy Spirit towards those that are Adult doth make use of the Word both the Law and the Gospel and the Ministry of the Church in the Dispensation of it as the ordinary means thereof yea this is ordinarily the whole external means that is made use of in this Work and an efficacy proper unto it it is accompanied withal Whereas therefore some content that there is no more needful to the Conversion of Sinners but the Preaching of the Word unto them who are congruously disposed to receive it and that the whole of the Grace of God consists in the effectual Application of it unto the Minds and Affections of Men whereby they are enabled to comply with it and turn unto God by Faith and Repentance they do not ascribe a greater Power unto the Word than we do by whom this Administration of it is denied to be the total Cause of Conversion For we assign the same Power to the Word as they do and more also onely we affirm that there is an Effect to be wrought in this Work which all this Power if alone is insufficient for But in its own kind is it sufficient and effectual so far as that the effect of Regeneration or Conversion unto God is ascribed thereunto This we have declared before Sect. 29 2. There is not onely a Moral but a Physical immediate Operation of the Spirit by his Power and Grace or his powerful Grace upon the Minds or souls of Men in their Regeneration This is that which we must cleave to or all the Glory of God's Grace is lost and the Grace administred by Christ neglected
Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of him the eyes of your understanding being opened that you may know what is the hope of his calling c. That the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is the Spirit of God working those Effects in us we have before evinced And it is plain that the Revelation here intended is subjective in the enabling us to apprehend what is revealed and not objective in new Revelations which the Apostle prayed not that they might receive And this is further evidenced by the ensuing Description of it the eyes of your Understanding being opened There is an Eye in the Understanding of Man that is the natural Power and Ability that is in it to discern Spiritual Things But this Eye is sometimes said to be blind sometimes to be darkness sometimes to be shut or closed And nothing but the impotency of our Minds to know God savingly or discern things spiritually when proposed unto us can be intended thereby It is the Work of the Spirit of Grace to open this eye Luke 4. 18. Acts 26. 18. And this is the powerful effectual removal of that depravation of our Minds with all its Effects which we before described And how are we made Partakers hereof It is of the Gift of God freely and effectually working of it For 1. he gives us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to that End And 2. works the thing it self in us He gives us an Heart to know him Jer. 24. 7. without which we cannot so do or he would not himself undertake to work it in us for that end There is therefore an effectual powerful creating Act of the Holy Spirit put forth in the Minds of Men in their Conversion unto God enabling them Spiritually to discern Spiritual Things wherein the Seed and Substance of Divine Faith is contained Sect. 53 2. This is called the Renovation of our Minds renewed in the Spirit of our Minds Ephes. 4. 23. which is the same with being renewed in knowledg Col. 3. 10. And this Renovation of our Minds hath in it a transforming Power to change the whole Soul into an obediential frame towards God Rom. 12. 2. And the work of renewing our Minds is peculiarly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit Tit. 3. 5. The renewing of the Holy Ghost Some Men seem to fancy yea do declare that there is no such Depravation in or of the Mind of Man but that he is able by the use of his Reason to apprehend receive and discern those Truths of the Gospel which are objectively proposed unto it But of the use of Reason in these Matters and its Ability to discern and judg of the sence of Propositions and force of Inferences in Things of Religion we shall treat afterwards At present I only enquire whether Men Unregenerate be of themselves able Spiritually to discern Spiritual Things when they are proposed unto them in the Dispensation of the Gospel so as their knowledg may be saving in and unto themselves and acceptable unto God in Christ and that without any especial internal effectual Work of the Holy Spirit of Grace in them and upon them if they say they are as they plainly plead them to be and will not content themselves with an Ascription unto them of that Notional Doctrinal Knowledg which none deny them to be capable of I desire to know to what purpose are they said to be renewed by the Holy Ghost to what purpose are all those gracious actings of God in them before recounted He that shall consider what on the one hand the Scripture teacheth us concerning the Blindness Darkness Impotency of our Minds with respect unto Spiritual things when proposed unto us as in the state of nature and on the other what it affirms concerning the work of the Holy Ghost in their Renovation and change in giving them new Power new Ability a new Active Understanding will not be much moved with the groundless confident unproved Dictates of some concerning the Power of Reason in it self to apprehend and discern Religious Things so far as we are required in a way of Duty This is all one as if they should say That if the Sun shine clear and bright every blind Man is able to see Sect. 54 God herein is said to communicate a Light unto our Minds and that so as that we see by it or perceive by it the things proposed unto us in the Gospel usefully and savingly 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Did God no otherwise work on the Minds of Men but by an external objective proposal of Truth unto them to what purpose doth the Apostle mention the Almighty Act of Creating Power which he put forth and exercised in the first production of Natural Light out of Darkness What Allusion is there between that Work and the doctrinal proposal of Truth to the Minds of Men It is therefore a confidence not to be contended with if any will deny that the Act of God in the Spiritual Illumination of our Minds be not of the same Nature as to Efficacy and Efficiency with that whereby he created Light at the beginning of all things And because the Effect produced in us is called Light the Act it self is described by shining God hath shined into our Hearts that is our Minds so he conveighs Light unto them by an Act of Omnipotent Efficiency And as that which is so wrought in our Minds is called Light so the Apostle leaving his Metaphor plainly declares what he intends hereby namely the actual knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ that is as God is revealed in Christ by the Gospel as he declares v. 4. Having therefore 1. compared the Mind of Man by Nature with a respect unto a Power of discerning Spiritual Things to the state of all things under Darkness before the Creation of Light And 2. the powerful working of God in Illumination unto the Act of his Omnipotency in the Production or Creation of Light Natural He ascribes our Ability to know and our actual Knowledg of God in Christ unto his real Efficiency and Operation And these things in part direct us towards an apprehension of that Work of the Holy Spirit upon the Minds of Men in their Conversion unto God whereby their Depravation is cured and without which it will not so be By this means and no otherwise do we who were Darkness become Light in the Lord or come to know God in Christ savingly looking into and discerning Spiritual Things with a proper intuitive sight whereby all the other Faculties of our Souls are guided and influenced unto the Obedience of Faith Sect. 55 It is principally with respect unto the Will and its Depravation by Nature that we are said to be
tuae deputo quaecunque non feci mala Quid enim non facere potui qui etiam gratuitum amaâ—i facinus omnia mihi dimissa esse fat or quae mea sponte feci mala quae tâ— duce non feci Quis est hominum qui suam cogitans infirmitatem audet viribus suis trib ere câ—stitatem atque innocentiam suam ut minus amet te quasi minus necessaria suerit erit misericordia tua quâ condonas peccata conversis ad te Qui enim vocatus ad te secutus est vocem tuam vitavit ea quae me de meipso recordanâ—em fatentem legit non me derideat ab eo medico aegrum sanari a quo prestitum est ut non oegrotaret vel potius ut minus oegrotaret Et ideo te tantundem imo vero amplius diligat quia per quem me videt taatis peccatorum meorum languoriribus exui per eum se videt tantis peccatorum lang â—oribus non implicari I will love thee O God and thank thee and confess unto thy name because thou hast forgiven me my evil and nefarious Deeds I impute it to thy Grace and Mercy that thou hast made my sins to melt away as Ice and I impute it to thy Grace as to all the evils which I have not done For what could not I have done who loved wickedness for it self All I acknowledg are forgiven me both the Evils that I have done on my own accord and what through thy guidance I have not done Who is there who considering his own weakness dare ascribe his Chastity or Innocency unto his own strength that he may less love thee as though thy mercy were less necessary unto him whereby thou forgivest the sins of them that are converted to thee For let not him who being called of thee and having heard thy voice hath avoided the Evils which I have confessed deride me that being sick was healed of that Physician from whom he received the Mercy not to be sick or not to be so sick Sect. 10 This brief account of the Actings of corrupted Nature until it comes unto the utmost of a recoverable Alienation from God may somewhat illustrate and set off the Work of his Grace towards us And thus far whatever habit be contracted in a course of sin yet the state of Men is absolutely recoverable by the Grace of Jesus Christ administred in the Gospel 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10 11. No state of sin is absolutely unhealable until God hath variously dealt with Men by his Spirit His Word must be rejected and He must be sinned against in a peculiar manner before Remission be impossible All Sins and Blasphemies antecedent thereunto may be forgiven unto Men and that before their Conversion unto God Matth. 12. 31 32. Luke 12. 10. Wherefore the Manner and Degrees of the Operations of this Spirit of God on the Minds of Men towards and in their Conversion is that which we shall now enquire into reducing what we have to offer concerning it unto certain Heads or Instances Sect. 11 First under the Ashes of our collapsed nature there are yet remaining certain sparks of Celestial Fire consisting in inbred notices of Good and Evil of Rewards and Punishments of the presence and All-seeing Eye of God of Help and Assistance to be had from him with a Dread of his Excellencies where any thing is apprehended unworthy of him or provoking unto him And where there are any means of Instruction from supernatural Revelation by the Word preached or the care of Parents in private there they are insensibly improved and increased Hereby Men do obtain an objective distinct knowledg of what they had subjectively and radically though very imperfectly before These notices therefore God oftentimes excites and quickens even in them that are young so that they shall work in them some real Regard of and Applications unto him And those great Workings about the things of God and towards him which are sometimes found in Children are not more effects of nature For that would not so act it self were it not by one Occasion or other for that End administred by the Providence of God effectually excited And many can call over such Divine Vâ—sâ—tations in their Youth which now they understand to be so to this purpose speaks the Person mentioned Puer coepi rogare te auxilium refugium meum in tuam invocationem rum pebam nodos linguae meae regavi parvus non parvo affectu ne in Schola vapularem He prayed earnestly to God as a Refuge when he was afraid to be bâ—at at School And this he resolves into Instruction or what he had observed in others Invenimus homines rogantes te didicimus ab eis sentientes te ut poteramus esse magnum aliquem qui posset etiam non apparens sensibus nostris exaudire nos subvenire vobis lib. 1. cap. 9. And hereunto he addâ— some general Instruction which he had from the Word Cap. 11. And from the same Principles when he was a little after surprized with a fit of sickness â—e cryed out with all earnestness that he might be Baptized that so he night as he thought go to Heaven for his Father was 〈◊〉 yet a Christian whence he was not baptized in his Infancy Vidisti Domine cum adhuc puer essem quodam die pressus stomachi Dolere repente astuarem pene moâ—turus vidisti Deus meus quoniam custos meus jam â—ras quo motu animi qua fide baptismum Christi tui Dei Domini mei stagitavi Cap. 11. Such Affections and occasional Actings oâ— Soul towards God are wrought in many by the Spirit With the most they wear off and perish as they did with him who after this cast himself into many flagitious Sins But in some God doth in and by the use of these means inlay their Hearts with those Seeds of Faith and Grace which he gradually cherisheth and increaseth Sect. 12 Secondly God works upon Men by his Spirit in outward Means to cause them to take some real and steady consideration of him their own distance from him and obnoxiousness unto his Righteousness on the account of Sin It is almost incredible to apprehend but that it is testified unto by daily experience how Men will live even where the Word is Read and Preached how they will get a form of speaking of God yea and of performing some Duties of Religion and yet never come to have any steady thoughts of God or of their Relation to him or of their concernment in his Will What-ever they speak of God he is not in all their Thoughts Psal. 10. 4. What-ever they do in Religion they do it not unto him Amos 5. 25. They have neither heard his Voice at any time nor seen his Shape John 5. 37. knowing nothing for themselves which is their Duty Job 5. 27. And yet it is hard to convince them that such is
the Souls of Believers purifying and cleansing of their Natures from the pollution and uncleanness of sin renewing in them the Image of God and thereby enabling them from a spiritual and habitual Principle of Grace to yield obedience unto God according unto the Tenor and Terms of the New Covenant by vertue of the Life and Death of Jesus Christ. Or more briefly It is the Vniversal Renovation of our Natures by the Holy Spirit into the Image of God through Jesus Christ. Hence it followes that our Holiness which is the Fruit and Effect of this Work the Work as terminated in us as it comprizeth the renewed Principle or Image of God wrought in us so it consists in an Holy Obedience unto God by Jesus Christ according to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace from the Principle of a Renewed Nature Our Apostle expresseth the whole more briefly yet namely He that is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. For herein he expresseth both the Renovation of our Natures the Endowment of them with a new Spiritual Principle of Life and Operation with Actings towards God suitable thereunto I shall take up the first general Description of it and in the Consideration of its Parts give some account of the Nature of the Work and its Effects and then shall distinctly prove and confirm the true Nature of it wherein it is opposed or call into question Sect. 3 1 It is as was before proved and is by all confessed the Work in us of the Spirit of God It is the Renovation of the Holy Ghost whereby we are saved And a reall internall powerfull physical work it is as we have proved before abundantly and shall afterwards more fully confirm He doth not make us holy only by perswading us so to be He doth not only require us to be holy propose unto us Motives unto Holiness give us Convictions of its necessity and thereby excite us unto the pursuit and attainment of it though this he doth also by the Word and Ministration thereof It is too high an impudency for any one to pretend an owning of the Gospel and yet to deny a Work of the Holy Ghost in our Sanctification And therefore both the Old and New Pelagians did and do avow a Work of his herein But what is it that really they ascribe unto him meerly the Exciting our own Abilities aiding and assisting us in and unto the Exercise of our own native Power which when all is done leaves the Work to be our own and not his and to us must the Glory and Prayse of it be ascribed But we have already sufficiently proved that the things thus promised of God and so effected are really wrought by the exceeding greatness of the Power of the Spirit of God and this will yet afterwards be made more particularly to appear Sect. 4 2 This Work of Sanctification differs from that of Regeneration as on other Accounts so especially on that of the Manner of their being wrought The work of Regeneration is Instantaneous consisting in one single creating Act. Hence it is not capable of Degrees in any subject No One is more or less Regenerate than Another every one in the world is absolutely so or not so and that equally although there are Degrees in their state on other Reasons But this work of Sanctification is progressive and admits of Degrees One may be more sanctified and more holy than another who is yet truely sanctified and truely holy It is begun at once and carryed on gradually But this Observation being of great importance and such as if rightly weighed will contribute much Light unto the Nature of the whole work of Sanctification and Holiness I shall divert in this Chapter unto such an Explanation and Confirmation of it as may give an understanding and furtherance herein 1. An Encrease and Growth in Sanctification or Holiness is frequently in the Scripture enjoyed us and frequently promised unto us So speaks the Apostle Peter in a way of Command 2 Pet. 3. 18. Fall not be not cast down from your own steadfastness but grow or encrease in Grace It is not enough that we decay not in our Spiritual Condition that we be not diverted and carryed off from a steady Course in Obedience by the Power of Temptations but an endeavour after an Improvement an Encrease a thriving in Grace that is in Holiness is required of us And a Complyance with this Command is that which our Apostle so commendeth in the Thessalonians 2 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 3. namely the exceeding growth of their Faith and abounding of their Love that is the thriving and encrease of those Graces in them that which is called increasing with the increase of God Col. 2. 19. or the Encrease in Holiness which God requires accepts approves by supplyes of spiritual strength from Jesus Christ our Head as it is there expressed The Work of Holiness in its beginning is but like seed cast into the Earth namely the seed of God whereby we are born again And it is known how seed that is cast into the Earth doth grow and encrease Being variously cherished and nourished it is in its nature to take root and to spring up bringing forth fruit So is it with the Principle of Grace and Holiness It is small at first but being received in good and honest Hearts made so by the Spirit of God and there nourished and cherished it takes root and brings forth fruit And both these even the first planting and the encrease of it are both equally from God by his Spirit He that begins this good Work doth also perform it to the Day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. And this he doth two wayes 1 By Encreasing and Strengthning those Graces of Holiness which we have received and been engaged in the exercise of There are some Graces whose Exercise doth not depend on any outward Occasions but they are and that in their actual Exercise absolutely necessary unto the least Degree of the Life of God such are Faith and Love No man doth no man can live to God but in the Exercise of these Graces Whatever Dutyes towards God men may perform if they are not enlivened by Faith and Love they belong not unto that Spiritual Life whereby we live to God And these Graces are capable of Degrees and so of Increase For so we read expresly of little Faith and great Faith weak and strong Faith both true and the same in the substance but differing in Degrees So also is there fervent Love and that which comparatively is but cold These Graces therefore in carrying on the work of Sanctification are gradually encreased So the Disciples prayed our Saviour that he would encrease their Faith Luke 17. 5. That is adde unto its Light confirm it in its Assent multiply its Acts and make it strong against its Assaults that it might work more effectually in difficult Duties of Obedience which they had an especial regard unto as is
needfull unto them The Spirit is promised as a Comforter unto Believers as engaged in the Profession of the Gospel and meeting with Conflicts inward and outward on the Account thereof The first Promise of the Holy Ghost as a Comforter was made to the Disciples when their Hearts were filled with sorrow on the departure of Christ and this is the Measure of all others John 16. 7. And this is evident both from the Nature of the thing it self and from all the Promises which are given concerning him to this End and Purpose And it will be wholly in vain at any time to apply spiritual Consolations unto any other sort of Persons All men who have any interest in Christian Religion when they fall into Troubles and Distresses be they of what sort they will are ready to enquire after the things that may relieve and refresh them And whereas there are many things in the Word suited unto the Relief and Consolation of the distressed they are apt to apply them unto themselves and others also are ready to comply with them in the same Charitable Office as they suppose But no true Spiritual Consolation was ever administred by the Word unto any but Exercised Believers however the Minds of men may be for the present a little relieved and their Affections refreshed by the things that are spoken unto them out of the Word For the Word is the Instrument of the Holy Ghost nor hath it any Efficacy but as he is pleased to use it and apply it And he useth it unto this End and unto no other as being promised as a Spirit of Consolation only to sanctified Believers And therefore when Persons fall under spiritual Convictions and Trouble of Mind or Conscience upon the Account of Sin and Guilt it is not our first work to tender Consolation unto them whereby many in that Condition are deluded but to lead them on to Believing that being justified by Faith they may have peace with God which is their proper Relief And in that state God is abundantly willing that they should receive strong Consolation even as many as fly for Refuge to the Hope that is set before them 4 The Spirit of God is promised and received as to Gifts for the Edification of the Church This is that which is intended Acts 2. 38 39. And his whole Work herein we shall consider in its proper place The Rule and Measure of the Communication of the Spirit for Regeneration is Election The Rule and Measure of the Communication of the Spirit for Sanctification is Regeneration And the Rule and Measure of his Communication as a Spirit of Consolation is Sanctification with the Afflictions Temptations and Troubles of them that are sanctified What then is the Rule and Measure of his Communication as a Spirit of Edification I answer Profession of the Truth of the Gospel and its Worship with a Call unto the benefiting of others 1 Cor. 12. 7. And here two Rules must be observed 1 That he carryes not his Gifts for Edification out of the Pale of the Church or Profession of the Truth and Worship of the Gospel 2 That he useth a Soveraign and not a Certain Rule in this Communication 1 Cor. 12. 11 13. so as that he is not wanting unto any true Professors in proportion to their Calls and Opportunities Sect. 4 2 ly Whereas the Spirit of Sanctification is promised only unto them that are Regenerate and do believe May we in our Prayers and Supplications for him plead those Qualifications as Arguments and Motives for the further Communications of him unto us Ans. 1. We cannot properly plead any Qualification in our selves as though God were Obliged with respect unto them to give a man encrease of Grace ex congruo much less ex condigno When we have done all we are unprofitable Servants As we begin so we must proceed with God meerly on the Account of Soveraign Grace 2. We may plead the Faithfulness and Righteousness of God as engaged in his Promises We ought to pray that he would not forsake the Work of his own hands that he who hath begun the good work in us would perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ that with respect unto his Covenant and Promises he would preserve that New Creature that Divine Nature which he hath formed and implanted in us 3. Upon a sense of the Weakness of any Grace we may humbly profess our sincerity therein and pray for its encrease So cryed the poor man with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Matth. 9. 24. And the Apostles in their Prayer Lord increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. owned the Faith they had and prayed for its encrease by fresh supplyes of the Holy Spirit Again 3 ly May Believers in Trouble pray for the Spirit of Consolation with respect unto their Troubles it being unto such that he is promised Ans. 1 They may do so directly and ought so to doe yea when they do it not it is a sign they turn aside unto broken Cisterns that will yield them no Relief 2 Troubles are of two sorts Spiritual and Temporal Spiritual Troubles are so either Subjectively such as are all inward Darknesses and Distresses on the Account of sin or 2 ly Objectively such are all Persecutions for the Name of Christ and the Gospel It is principally with respect unto these that the Spirit is promised as a Comforter and with regard unto them are we principally to pray for him as so promised 3 In those outward Troubles which are Common unto Believers with other men as the death of Relations Losses of Estate or Liberty they may and ought to pray for the Spirit as a Comforter that the Consolations of God administred by him may out-ballance their outward Troubles and keep up their hearts unto other Dutyes 4 ly May all Sincere Professors of the Gospel pray for the Spirit with respect unto his Gifts for the Edification of others seeing unto such he is promised for that End Ans. 1. They may do so but with the ensuing Limitations 1 They must do it with express Submission to the Sovereignty of the Spirit himself who divideth to every one as he will 2 With respect unto that Station and Condition wherein they are placed in the Church by the Providence and call of God Private persons have no warrant to pray for Ministerial Gifts such as should carry them out of their Stations without a Divine Direction going before them 3 That their End be good and right to use them in their respective places unto Edification So ought Parents and Masters of Families and all Members of Churches to pray for those Gifts of the Spirit whereby they may fill up the Dutyes of their Places and Relations From the Consideration of this Order of the Dispensation of the Spirit we may be directed how to pray for him which we are both commanded and encouraged to doe Luke 11. 13. For we are to pray for him with respect unto those
inward shame with respect unto the Divine Omniscience the highest Evidence of a Reprobate Mind But in all others who have more Light and spiritual Sense it produceth shame and self-abhorrency which hath alwayes a respect unto the Holiness of God as Job 42. 5 6. They see that in sin which is so vile base and filthy and which renders them so that like unto men under a loathsome Disease they are not able to bear the sight of their own sores Psal. 38. 5. God detesteth abhorreth and turneth from sin as a loathsome thing and Man is filled with shame for it it is therefore filthy Yea no tongue can express the Sence which a Believing Soul hath of the uncleanness of sin with respect unto the Holiness of God And this may suffice to give a little Prospect into the Nature of this Defilement of sin which the Scripture so abundantly insisteth on and which all Believers are so sensible of Sect. 6 This Pravity or spiritual Disorder with respect unto the Holiness of God which is the shamefull Defilement of sin is two-fold 1 That which is Habitual in all the Faculties of our Souls by Nature as they are the Principle of our Spiritual and Moral Operations They are all shamefully and loathsomely depraved out of Order and no way correspondent unto the Holiness of God Hence by Nature we are wholly unclean who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean And this uncleanness is graphically expressed under the Similitude of a wretched polluted Infant Ezek. 16. 3 4 5. 2 That which is Actual in all the Actings of our Faculties as so defiled and as far as they are so defiled For 1. Be any sin of what Nature it will there is a Pollution attending of it Hence the Apostle adviseth to cleanse our selves from all Pollutions of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. The sins that are internal and spiritual as Pride self-Love Covetousness Unbelief have a pollution attending them as well as those which are fleshly and sensual 2. So far as any thing of this Pravity or Disorder mixeth it self with the best of our Dutyes it renders both us and them unclean Isa. 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Raggs 2 ly This Uncleanness as it is Habitual respecting our Natural Defilement is equal in and unto every one that is born into the World We are by Nature all alike polluted and that to the utmost of what our Nature is capable But with respect unto Actual sins it is not so For in them it hath various Degrees and Aggravations even as many as sin it self hath 1 The Greater the sin is from its Nature or Circumstances the greater is the Defilement wherewith it is attended Hence there is no sin expressed under such Terms of filthiness and abhorrences as Idolatry which is the greatest of sins See Ezek. 16. 36 37. Or 2 There is an Aggravation of it when the whole Person is defiled as it is in the Case of Fornication before instanced in 3 It is heightned by a Continuance in sin whereby an Addition is made to its Pollution every Day and which is called Wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. I have in this whole Discourse but touched upon this Consideration of sin which the Scripture so frequently mentions and inculcates For as all the first Institutions of Divine Worship recorded therein had some respect hereunto so the last Rejection of obstinate sinners mentioned in it is Let him that is filthy or unclean be filthy still Revel 22. 11. Neither is there any Notion of sin whereby God would convey an Apprehension of its Nature and an Abhorrency thereof unto our Minds and Consciences so frequently insisted on as is this of its Pollution And in order to our use of it unto the Discovery of the Nature of Holiness we may yet observe these three things 1 Where this Vncleanness abideth unpurged there neither is nor can be any true Holiness at all Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. For it is universally opposed unto it it is our unholiness Where therefore it is absolute and purified in no Measure or Degree there is no Work of Sanctification no Holiness so much as begun For in the purging hereof it makes its entrance upon the Soul and its Effects therein is the first Beginning of Holiness in us I acknowledge that it is not in any at once absolutely and perfectly taken away in this World For the Work of purging it is a continued Act commensurate unto the whole Work of our Sanctification And therefore they who are truely sanctified and Holy are yet deeply sensible of the Remainder of it in themselves do greatly bewayl it and earnestly endeavour after the removal of it But there is an initial real sincere and as to all the Faculties of the Soul universal purging of it which belongs to the Nature and Essence of Holiness begun and carryed on though not absolutely perfected in this Life And men who pretend unto a Grace and Holiness that should consist in Moral Vertue only without a supposition of and respect unto the Purification of this Pollution of sin do but deceive their own Souls and others so far as any are forsaken of God to give credit unto them The Vertues of men not purged from the Vncleanness of their Natures are an Abomination to the Lord Tit. 1. 15. 2 Unless this uncleanness of sin be purged and washed away we can never come unto the Enjoyment of God Nothing that defileth shall in any wise enter into the New Jerusalem Revel 21. 27. To suppose that an Unpurified Sinner can be brought unto the blessed Enjoyment of God is to overthrow both the Law and the Gospel and to say that Christ dyed in vain It is therefore of the same importance with the Everlasting Salvation of our Souls to have them purged from sin 3 We are not able of our selves without the especial Aid Assistance and Operation of the Spirit of God in any Measure or Degree to free our selves from this Pollution neither that which is Natural and Habitual nor that which is Actual It is true it is frequently prescribed unto us as our Duty We are commanded to Wash our selves to Cleanse our selves from sin to Purge our selves from all our Iniquities and the like frequently But to suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have Power of our selves to do is to make the Cross and Grace of Jesus Christ of none Effect Our Duty is our Duty constituted unalterably by the Law of God whether we have power to perform it or no seeing we had so at our first Obligation by and unto the Law which God is not obliged to bend unto a conformity to our Warpings nor to suit unto our sinfull Weaknesses Whatever therefore God worketh in us in a Way of Grace he prescribeth unto us in a Way of Duty and that because although he do it in us yet he also doth it
Degree as Universal Sincerity doth require But it may be yet said that indeed hereby he makes us Pure and prevents many future Defilements yet how is Soul freed from those it had contracted before this work upon it or those which it may and doth unavoidably afterwards fall into for as there is no man doth good and sinneth not so there is none who is not more or less defiled with Sin whilest they are in the Body here in this World The Apostle answereth this Objection or Enquiry 1 Joh. 1. 7 8 9. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But if Sin be in us we are defiled and how shall we be Cleansed God is just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness But how may this be done by what means may it be accomplished The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Sect. 3 2 It is therefore the Blood of Christ in the Second place which is the Meritorious procuring and so the Effective Cause that immediately purgeth us from our sins by an especial Application of it unto our Souls the Holy Ghost And there is not any Truth belonging unto the Mystery of the Gospel which is more plainly and evidently asserted as hath in part been made to appear before The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. He hath washed us from our sins in his own Blood Revel 1. 5. The Blood of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works that we may serve the Living God Heb. 9. 14. He gave himself for his Church that he might wash and cleanse it Ephes. 5. 26. To Purifie to himself a peculiar People Tit. 2. 14. Besides whatever is spoken in the whole Scripture concerning purifying the Unclean the Leprous the Defiled by Sacrifices or other Institutions of the Old Testament it is all Instructive in and Directive unto the Purifying Nature of the Blood of Christ from whence alone these Institutions had their Efficacy and the Vertue of it is promised under that Notion Zech. 13. 1. And this the Faith and Experience of all Believers doth confirm for they are no Imaginations of their own but what being built on the Truth and Promises of God yield sensible Spiritual Relief and Refreshment unto their Souls This they believe this they pray for and find the Fruits and Effects of it in themselves It may be some of them do not it may be few of them do comprehend distinctly the Way whereby and the Manner how the Blood of Christ so long since shed and offered should cleanse them now from their sins But the Thing it self they do believe as it is revealed and find the use of it in all wherein they have to do with God And I must say let Profane and Ignorant Persons whilest they please deride what they understand not nor are able to disprove that the Holy Spirit of God which leadeth Believers into all Truth and enableth them to pray according to the Mind and Will of God doth guide them in and by the working and Experience of Faith to pray for those things the depths of whose Mysteries they cannot comprehend And he who well studyeth the things which he is Taught of the Spirit to ask of God will find a Door opened into much spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge For let the World rage on in those Prayers which Believers are taught and enabled unto by the Holy Ghost helping of them as a Spirit of Supplications there are Two things inexpressible 1 The Inward Labouring and Spiritual Working of the Sanctified Heart and Affections towards God wherein consist those Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. God alone sees and knowes and understands the fervent Workings of the New Creature when acted by the Holy Ghost in Supplications And so it is added in the next words Vers. 27. An he who searcheth the Hearts knoweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the meaning of the Spirit what it savours and inclines unto It is not any distinct or separate Acting of the Spirit by himself that is intended but what and how he works in the Hearts of Believers as he is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication And this is known only unto him who is the Searcher of Hearts and as he is so And he knoweth what is the bent frame inclination and acting of the Inward Man in Prayer from the Power of the Spirit which they themselves in whom they are wrought do not fathom nor reach the Depth of This he doth in the Subject of Prayer the Hearts and Minds of Believers the Effects of his Operation in them are inexpressible 2 As to the Object of Prayer or things prayed for he doth in and by the Word so represent and exhibit the Truth Reality Subsistence Power and Efficacy of spiritual Mysterious things unto the Faith and Affections of Believers that they have a real and Experimental sence of do mix Faith with and are affected by those things now made nigh now realized unto them which it may be they are not able Doctrinally and distinctly to explain in their proper Notions And thus do we oft-times see Men low and weak in their Notional Apprehension of things yet in their Prayers led into Communion with God in the Highest and Holyest Mysteries of his Grace having an Experience of the Life and Power of the Things themselves in their own Hearts and Souls And hereby do their Faith Love Affiance and Adherence unto God act and Exercise themselves So is it with them in this matter of the actual present purifying of the Pollutions of sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ the Way whereof we shall now briefly enquire into Sect. 4 1. Therefore by the Blood of Christ herein is intended the Blood of his Sacrifice with the Power Vertue and Efficacy thereof And the Blood of a Sacrifice fell under a double Consideration 1 As it was offered unto God to make Attonement and Reconciliation 2 As it was sprinkled on other things for their Purging and Sanctification Part of the Blood in every Propitiatory Sacrifice was still to be sprinkled round about the Altar Levit. 1. 11. And in the Great Sacrifice of Expiation some of the Blood of the Bullock was to be sprinkled before the Mercy-seat seven time Levit. 16. 14. This our Apostle fully expresseth in a great and signal Instance Heb. 9. 19 20 21 22. For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the People according to the Law he took the Blood of Calves and of Goats with Water and Scarlet-wooll and Hyssop and sprinkled both the Book and all the People saying This is the Blood of the Testament which he hath enjoyned unto you and almost all things are by the Law purged with Blood Wherefore the Blood of Christ as it was the Blood of his Sacrifice hath these two Effects and falls under this double Consideration 1 As he offered himself by the
to have others pray for their Souls and expiate their sins when they were gone out of this World These and the like other innumerable pretended Duties may be judged condemned exploded without the least fear of deterring men from Obedience 2 That wherever there is this Principle of Holiness in the Heart in those that are Adult there will be the Fruits and Effects of it in the Life in all Duties of Righteousness Godliness and Holiness For the main Work and End of this Principle is to enable us to comply with that Grace of God which teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. That which we press for is the great Direction of our Saviour make the Tree good and the Fruit will be so also And there can be no more vile and sordid Hypocrisie than for any to pretend unto inward habitual Sanctification whilest their Lives are barren in the Fruits of Righteousness and Duties of Obedience Wherever this Root is there it will assuredly bear Fruit. Secondly It will appear from hence whence it is that men propose and steer such various Courses with respect unto Holiness All men who profess themselves to be Christians are agreed in words at least that Holiness is absolutely necessary unto them that would be saved by Jesus Christ. To deny it is all one as openly to renounce the Gospel But when they should come to the practice of it some take one false Way some another and some Actually despise and reject it Now all this ariseth from Ignorance of the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness on the one hand and Love of Sin on the other There is nothing wherein we are spiritually and eternally concerned that is more frequently insisted on than is the true Nature of Sanctification and Holiness But the thing it self as hath been declared is deep and mysterious not to be understood without the Aid of spiritual Light in our Minds Hence some would have Moral Vertue to be Holiness which as they suppose they can understand by their own Reason and practise in their own Strength and I heartily wish that we could see more of the Fruits of it from them But real Moral Vertue will hardly be abased into an Opposition unto Grace the Pretence of it will be so easily and is so every day Some on the other hand place all Holiness in superstitious Devotions in the strict Observance of Religious Duties which Men and not God have appointed And there is no end of their Multiplication of them nor measure of the Strictness of some in them The Reason why men give up themselves unto such soul-deceiving Imaginations is their Ignorance and hatred of that only true real Principle of Evangelical Holiness which we have discoursed For what the World knoweth not in these things it alwayes hateth And they cannot discern it clearly or in its own Light and Evidence for it must be spiritually discerned This the Natural man cannot doe 1 Cor. 2. 14. And in that false Light of Corrupted Reason wherein they discern and judge it they esteem it foolishness or Fancy There is not a more Foolish and Fanatical thing in the World with many than that internal habitual Holiness which we are in the Consideration of And hence are they lead to despise and to hate it But here the Love of Sin secretly takeâ— place and influenceth their Minds This universal Change of theâ—â—oul in all its Principles of Operation into the Image and Likeness of God tending to the Extirpation of all sins and vitious Habits is that which men fear and abhorre This makes them take up with Morality and superstitious Devotion any thing that will pacifie a Natural Conscience and please themselves or others with a Reputation of Religion It is therefore highly incumbent on all that would not wilfully deceive their own Souls unto their Eternal Ruine to enquire diligently into the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness and above all to take care that they miss it not in the Foundation in the true Root and Principle of it wherein a mistake will be pernitious Thirdly It is moreover evident from hence that it is a greater matter to be truely and really holy than most Persons are aware of We may learn eminently how great and Excellent a Work this of Sanctification and Holiness is from the Causes of it How emphatically doth our Apostle ascribe it unto God even the Father 1 Thess. 5. 23. Even the God of Peace himself sanctifie you It is so great a Work as that it cannot be wrought by any but the God of Peace himself What is the immediate Work of the Spirit therein what the Influence of the Mediation and Blood of Christ into it hath been already in part declared and we have yet much more to adde in our Account of it And these things do sufficiently manifest how Great how Excellent and Glorious a Work it is For it doth not become Divine and Infinite Wisdom to engage the immediate Power and Efficacy of such glorious Causes and Means for the producing of any ordinary or common Effect It must be somewhat as of great Importance unto the Glory of God so of an Eminent Nature in it self And that little Entrance which we have made into an Enquity after its Nature manifests how Great and Excellent it is Let us not therefore deceive our selves with the Shadowes and Appearances of things in a few Duties of Piety or Righteousness no nor yet with many of them if we find not this great Work at least begun in us It is sad to see what trifling there is in these things amongst men None indeed are contented to be without a Religion and very few are willing to admit it in its Power Fourthly Have we received this Principle of Holiness and of spiritual Life by the gracious Operation of the Holy Ghost there are among many others three Dutyes incumbent on us whereof we ought to be as carefull as of our Souls And the First is Carefully and diligently by all Means to cherish and preserve it in our hearts This Sacred Depositum of the New Creature of the Divine Nature is entrusted with us to take care of to cherish and improve If we willingly or through our neglect suffer it to be wounded by Temptations weakened by Corruptions or not exercised in all known Duties of Obedience our Guilt is great and our Trouble will not be small And then Secondly It is equally incumbent on us to evidence and manifest it by its Fruits in the Mortification of corrupt Lusts and Affections in all Duties of Holiness Righteousness Charity and Piety in the World For that God may be glorified hereby is one of the Ends why he indues our Natures with it And without these visible Fruits we expose our entire Profession of Holiness to reproach And in like manner is it required that we be thankefull for what we have received Sect.
Faith and Love which is required in us towards him For although these things may be contained in the Law radically as it requires universal Obedience unto God yet are they not so formally And it is not used as the Means to beget Faith and Holiness in us This is the Effect of the Gospel only Hence it is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. or that whereby God puts forth the Greatness of his Power unto that Purpose the Word of his Grace which is able to build us up and give us an Inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 20. 30. It is that by whose Preaching Faith cometh Rom. 10. 17. and by the Hearing whereof we receive the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. It is that whereby we are begotten in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 4. 15. Jam. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 25. And all that is required of us in the way of external Obedience is but that our Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel Sect. 53 And this is a proper Touch-stone for our Holiness to try whether it be genuine and of the right Kind or no. If it be it is nothing but the seed of the Gospel quickened in our Hearts and bearing Fruit in our Lives It is the Delivery up of our Souls into the Mould of the Doctrine of it so as that our Minds and the Word should Answer one another as Face doth unto Face in Water And we may know whether it be so with us or no two wayes For 1 if it be so none of the Commands of the Gospel will be grievous unto us but easie and pleasant A Principle suited unto them all enclining unto them all connatural unto them as proceeding from them being implanted in our Minds and Hearts it renders the Commands themselves so suited unto us so usefull and the Matter of them so desireable that Obedience is made pleasant thereby Hence is that satisfaction of Mind with Rest and Joy which Believers have in Gospel Duties yea the most Difficult of them with that Trouble and Sorrow which ensues upon their Neglect Omission or their being deprived of Opportunities for them But in the strictest Course of Duties that proceedeth from any other Principle the Precepts of the Gospel or at least some of them on the Account of their Spirituality or Simplicity are either esteemed grievous or despised 2 None of the Truths of the Gospel will seem strange unto us This makes up the Evidence of a genuine Principle of Gospel-Holiness when the Commands of it are not grievous nor the Truths of it strange or uncouth The Mind so prepared receives every Truth as the Eye doth every Encrease of Light naturally and pleasantly untill it come unto its proper measure There is a Measure of Light which is suited unto our Visive Faculty what exceeds it dazles and amazes rather than enlightens but every Degree of Light which tends unto it is connatural and pleasant to the Eye So is it with the sanctified Mind and spiritual Truth There is a Measure of Light issuing from spiritual Truths that our Minds are capable of what is beyond this Measure belongs to Glory and the gazing after it will rather dazle than enlighten us And such is the issue of over-strained Speculations when the Mind endeavours an Excess as to its Measure But all Light from Truth which tends to the filling up of that Measure is pleasant and natural to the sanctified Mind It sees Wisdom Glory Beauty and Usefulness in the most spiritual sublime and mysterious Truths that are revealed in and by the Word labouring more and more to comprehend them because of their Excellency For want hereof we know how the Truths of the Gospel are by many despised reproached scorned as those which are no less foolishness unto them to be believed than the Precepts of it are grievous to be obeyed Sect. 54 4 He is so as he is the Exemplary Cause of our Holiness The design of God in working Grace and Holiness in us is that we may be conformed unto the Image of his Son that he may be the First-born among many brethren Rom. 8. 29. And our Design in the attaining of it is first that we may be like him and then express or shew forth the Vertues of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light unto his Glory and Honour 1 Pet. 2. 9. To this End is he proposed in the Purity of his Natures the Holiness of his Person the Glory of his Graces the Innocency and usefulness of his Conversation in the World as the great Idea and Exemplar which in all things we ought to conform our selves unto And as the Nature of Evangelical Holiness consists herein namely in an universal Conformity unto him as he is the Image of the Invisible God so the Proposal of his Example unto us is an effectual Means of ingenerating and encreasing it in us Sect. 55 It is by all confessed that Examples are most effectual wayes of Instruction and if seasonably proposed do secretly sollicit the Mind unto Imitation and almost unavoidably encline it thereunto But when unto this Power which Examples have naturally and morally to instruct and affect our Minds things are peculiarly designed and instituted of God to be our Examples He requiring of us that from them we should learn both what to doe and what to avoid their Force and Efficacy is encreased This the Apostle instructs us in at large 1 Cor. 10. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Now both these concurr in the Example of Holiness that is given us in the Person of Christ. For First He is not only in himself morally considered the most perfect absolute glorious Pattern of all Grace Holiness Vertue Obedience to be chosen and preferred above all others but he is onely so there is no other compleat Example of it As for those Examples of Heroical Vertue or Stoical Apathie which are boasted of among the Heathens it were an easie matter to find such Flaws and Tumors in them as would render them not only uncomely but deformed and monstrous And in the Lives of the best of the Saints there is declared what we ought expressly to avoid as well as what we ought to follow and in some things we are left at a loss whether it be safe to conform unto them or no seeing we are to be followers of none any further than they were so of Jesus Christ and wherein they were so neither in what they were or did absolutely our Rule and Example in its self but only so farr as therein they were conformable unto Christ. And the best of their Graces the highest of their Attainments and the most perfect of their Duties have their Spots and Imperfections so that although they should have exceeded what we can attain unto and are therefore meet to be proposed unto our Imitation yet do they come short of what we aim at which is to be Holy as God is Holy But in this
he dwelleth in us God doth it by his Spirit as he dwelleth in us As it is a work of Grace it is said to be wrought by the Spirit and as it is our Duty we are said to work it through the Spirit v. 13. And let men pretend what they please if they have not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them they have not mortified any sin but do yet walk after the flesh and continuing so to doe shall dye Sect. 19 Moreover as this is the only Spring of Mortification in us as it is a Grace so the Consideration of it is the principal Motive unto it as it is a Duty So our Apostle pressing unto it doth it by this Argument Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God 1 Cor. 6. 19. To which we may adde that weighty Caution which he gives us to the same purpose 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know you not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy which Temple are ye Whereas therefore in every Duty two things are principally considered First The Life and Spring of it as it is wrought in us by Grace Secondly The principal Reason for it and Motive unto it as it is to be performed in our selves by the way of Duty Both these as to this matter of Mortification do center in this Inhabitation of the Spirit For 1 It is he who mortifies and subdues our Corruptions who quickens us unto Life Holiness and Obedience as he dwelleth in us that he may make and prepare an Habitation meet for himself And 2 The principal Reason and Motive which we have to attend unto it with all Care and Diligence as a Duty is that we may thereby preserve his Dwelling-place so as becometh his Grace and Holiness And indeed whereas as our Saviour tells us they are things which arise from and come out of the Heart that defile us there is no greater nor more forcible Motive to contend against all the defiling Actings of sin which is our Mortification than this that by the Neglect hereof the Temple of the Spirit will be defiled which we are commanded to watch against under the severe Commination of being destroyed for our Neglect therein Sect. 20 If it be said that whereas we do acknowledge that there are still remainders of this sin in us and they are accompanyed with their Defilements how can it be supposed that the Holy Ghost will dwell in us or in any one that is not perfectly Holy I answer 1 That the great Matter which the Spirit of God considereth in his Opposition unto sin and that of sin to his Work is Dominion and Rule This the Apostle makes evident Rom. 6. 12 13 14. Who or what shall have the principal Conduct of the Mind and Soul Chap. 8. 7 8 9. is the matter in Question Where sin hath the Rule there the Holy Ghost will never dwell He enters into no soul as his Habitation but at the same instant he dethrones sin spoyls it of its Dominion and takes the Rule of the soul into the hand of his own Grace Where he hath effected this Work and brought his Adversary into subjection there he will dwell though sometimes his Habitation be troubled by his subdued Enemy 2 The souls and minds of them who are really sanctified have continually such a sprinkling with the Blood of Christ and are so continually purified by vertue from his sacrifice and oblation as that they are never unmeet Habitations for the holy Spirit of God Sect. 21 2 The Manner of the actual Operation of the Spirit of God in effecting this Work or how he mortifies sin or enables us to mortifie it is to be considered And an Acquaintance herewith dependeth on the Knowledge of the sin that is to be mortified which we have before described It is the vitious corrupt Habit and Inclination unto sin which is in us by Nature that is the principal Object of this Duty or the Old man which is corrupt according unto deceitfull Lusts. When this is weakened in us as to its Power and Efficacy when its strength is abated and its Prevalency destroyed then is this Duty in its proper Discharge and Mortification carryed on in the soul. Now this the Holy Ghost doth First By implanting in our Minds and all their Faculties A contrary Habit and Principle with contrary Inclinations Dispositions and Actings namely a Principle of spiritual Life and Holiness bringing forth the Fruits thereof By means hereof is this work effected For sin will no otherwise dye but by being killed and slain And whereas this is gradually to be done it must be by Warring and Conflict There must be something in us that is contrary unto it which opposing of it conflicting with it doth insensibly and by Degrees for it dyes not at once work out its Ruine and Destruction As in a Chronical Distemper the Disease continually Combates and Conflicts with the Powers of Nature untill having insensibly improved them it prevails unto its Dissolution So is it in this matter These adverse Principles with their Contrariety Opposition and Conflict the Apostle expressely asserts and describes as also their contrary Fruits and Actings with the Issue of the whole Gal. 5. 16 17. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. The contrary Principles are the Flesh and Spirit and their contrary Actings are in Lusting and Warring one against the other ver 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh Not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh is to Mortifie it for it neither will nor can be kept alive if its Lusts be not fulfilled And he gives a fuller Account hereof ver 17. For the Flesh Lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit Lusteth against the Flesh and these are contrary one to the other If by the Spirit the Spirit of God himself be intended yet he Lusteth not in us but by vertue of that spirit which is born of him that is the New Nature or Holy Principle of Obedience which he worketh in us And the way of their mutual Opposition unto one another the Apostle describes at large in the following verses by instancing in the contrary Effects of the one and the other But the Issue of the whole is v. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts. They have crucified it that is fastned it unto that Cross where at length it may expire And this is the way of it namely the Actings of the Spirit against it and the Fruits produced thereby Hence he shuts up his discourse with that Exhortation If we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit That is if we are endowed with this Spiritual Principle of Life which is to live in the Spirit then let us Act Work and
obtain Rom. 11. 7. and His Foundation standeth sure 2 Tim. 1. 19. His Purpose which is according unto Election is unchangeable and therefore the final Perseverance and Salvation of those concerned in it are everlastingly secured This is the Design of the Apostles Discourse Rom. 8. from v. 28. unto the end Because of the immutability of Gods Eternal Purpose in our Predestination and his effectual gracious Operations in the Pursuit and for the Execution thereof the Elect of God shall infallibly be carryed through all even the most dreadfull Oppositions that are made against them and be at length safely Landed in Glory And there is no greater Encouragement to grow and persist in Holiness then what is administred by this Assurance of a blessed End and Issue of it Sect. 22 Those have had Experience of that spiritual slumber and sloath which Vnbelief will cast us under of those Weaknesses Discouragements and Despondencies which Vncertainties Doubts Fears and Perplexities of what will be the Issue of things at last with them doe cast upon the Souls of men how Duties are discouraged spiritual Endeavours and Diligence are impaired Delight in God weakened and Love cooled by them will be able to make a right Judgement of the Truth of this Assertion Some think that this Apprehension of the immutability of Gods Purpose of Election and the Infallibility of the Salvation of Believers on that Account tends only to Carelesness and Security in sin and that to be alwayes in Fear Dread and Uncertainty of the End is the only Means to make us Watchfull unto Duties of Holiness It is very sad that any man should so far proclaim his inexperience and unacquaintedness with the Nature of Gospel Grace and Genius and Inclination of the New Creature and the proper workings of Faith as to be able thus to argue without a Check put upon him by himself and from his own Experience It is true were there no Difference between Faith and Presumption no Difference between the Spirit of Liberty under the Covenant of Grace and that of Bondage under the Old Covenant no Spirit of Adoption given unto Believers no Filial genuine Delight in and Adherence unto God ingenerated in them thereby there might be something in this Objection But if the Nature of Faith and of the New Creature the Operations of the one and Disposition of the other are such as they are declared to be in the Gospel and as Believers have Experience of them in their own Hearts men do but bewray their Ignorance whilest they contend that the Assurance of Gods unchangeable Love in Christ flowing from the Immutability of his Councel in Election doth any way impeach or doth not effectually promote the Industry of Believers in all Duties of Obedience Sect. 23 Suppose a Man that is on his Journey knoweth himself to be in his right Way and that passing on therein he shall certainly and infallibly come to his Journeys End especially if he will a little quicken his speed as Occasion shall require will you say that this is enough to make such a man Careless and Negligent and that it would be much more to his Advantage to be lost and bewildred in uncertain Paths and Wayes not knowing whither he goes nor whether he shall ever arrive at his Journeys End Common Experience declares the contrary as also how momentary and useless are those violent Fits and Gusts of Endeavours which proceed from Fear and Vncertainty both in things Spiritual and Temporal or Civil Whilest men are under the Power of Actual Impressions from such Fears they will convert to God yea that they will Momento turbinis and perfect Holiness in an instant But so soon as that Impression wears off as it will doe on every Occasion and upon none at all such Persons are as dead and cold towards God as the Lead or Iron which ran but now in a fiery stream is when the Heat is departed from it It is that Soul alone ordinarily which hath a comfortable Assurance of Gods Eternal Immutable Electing Love and thence of the blessed End of its own Course of Obedience who goeth on constantly and evenly in a Course of Holiness quickening his Course and doubling his speed as he hath Occasion from Trials or Opportunities And this is the very Design of our Apostle to explain and confirm Heb. 6. from the tenth Verse unto the end of the Chapter as is declared elsewhere Sect. 24 It appears from what hath been discoursed that the Electing Love of God is a powerfull constraining Motive unto Holiness and that which proves invincibly the Necessity of it in all who intend the Eternal Enjoyment of God But it will be said That if it be supposed or granted that those who are Actually Believers and have a sence of their Interest herein may make the use of it that is pleaded yet as for those who are unconverted or are otherwise uncertain of their spiritual State and Condition nothing can be so discouraging unto them as this Doctrine of Eternal Election Can they make any other Conclusion from it but that If they are not Elected all Care and Pains in and about Duties of Obedience are Vain if they are they are Needless The Removal of this Objection shall put a Close unto our Discourse on this Subject And I Answer Sect. 25 1 That we have shewed already that this Doctrine is revealed and proposed in the Scripture principally to acquaint Believers with their Priviledge Safety and Fountain of their Comforts Having therefore proved its Vsefulness unto them I have discharged all that is absolutely needfull to my present Purpose But I shall shew moreover that it hath its proper Benefit and Advantage towards others also For 2 Suppose the Doctrine of Personal Election be Preached unto Men together with the other Sacred Truths of the Gospel Two Conclusions it is possible may by sundry Persons be made from it First That whereas this is a Matter of great and Eternal Moment unto our Souls and there is no way to secure our Interest in it but by the Possession of its Fruits and Effects which are saving Faith and Holiness we will we must it is our Duty to use our utmost Endeavours by Attaining of them and Growth in them to make our Election sure And herein if we be sincere and diligent we shall not sail Others Secondly may conclude That if it be so indeed that those who shall be saved are chosen thereunto before the Foundation of the World then it is to no Purpose to go about to Believe or Obey seeing all things must fall out at last according as they were Fore-ordained Now I ask which of these Conclusions is I will not say most suited unto the Mind and Will of God with that Subjection of Soul and Conscience which we owe to his Soveraign Wisdom and Authority but whether of them is the most rational and most suitable to the Principles of sober Love of our selves and Care of our Immortal
means is dispossessed of a Sence of the Soveraign Authority of God in his Commands nor can any thing secure such a Soul from being pierced and entred into by various Temptations This therefore are we to carry about with us where-ever we goe and whatever we doe to keep our Souls and Consciences under the power of it in all Opportunities of Duties and on all Occasions of Sin Had men alwayes in their Wayes Trades Shops Affairs Families Studyes Closets this written on their Hearts they would have Holiness to the Lord on their Breasts and Foreheads also Sect. 13 2. The Apostle tells us that as God in his Commands is a Soveraign Law-giver so he is able to kill and keep alive That is his Commanding Authority is accompanyed with such a Power as that whereby he is able absolutely and Eternally to Reward the Obedient and to return unto the Disobedient a meet Recompense of Punishment For although I would not exclude other Considerations yet I think this of Eternal Rewards and Punishments to be principally here intended But 1 supposing it to have Respect unto things Temporal also it carryes along with it the greater Enforcement God commands us to be holy Things are in that State and Condition in the World as that if we endeavour to answer his Will in a due Manner designing to perfect Holiness in the fâ—ar of the Lord we shall meet with much Opposition many Difficulties and at length perhaps it may cost us our Lives multitudes have made Profession of it at no cheaper Rate But let us not mistake in this matter He who commands us to be Holy is the only Soveraign Lord of Life and Death that hath alone the Disposal of them both and consequently of all things that are subservient and conducing unto the one or other It is he alone who can kill in a way of Punishment and he alone can keep alive in a way of Mercifull Preservation This Power of our Law-giver the holy Companions of Daniel committed themselves unto and preserved themselves by the Consideration of when with the Terror of Death they were commanded to forsake the Way of Holiness Dan. 3. 17 18. And with respect unto it our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that he who would save his Life namely by a sinfull Neglect of the Command shall lose it This therefore is also to be considered the Power of him who commands us to be Holy is such as that he is able to carry us through all Difficulties and Dangers which we may incurre upon the Account of our being so Now whereas the Fear of Man is one principal Cause or Means of our failing in Holiness and Obedience either by sudden Surprizals or violent Temptations and the next hereunto is the Consideration of other things esteemed Good or Evil in this World the Faith and Sence hereof will bear us up above them deliver us from them and carry us through them Sect. 14 Be of good Courage all ye that trust in the Lord you may you ought without Fear or Dauntedness of spirit to engage into the Pursuit of universal Holiness He who hath commanded it who hath required if of you will bear you out in it nothing that is truely evil or finally disadvantageous shall befall you on that Account For let the World rage whilest it pleaseth and threaten to fill all things with Blood and Confusion to God the Lord belong the Issues from Death he alone can kill and make alive There is therefore no small Enforcement unto Holiness from the Consideration of the Command with respect unto the Power of the Commander relating unto things in this World But 2 I suppose it is a Power of Eternal Rewards and Punishments that is principally here intended The Killing here is that mentioned by our Saviour and opposed to all Temporal Evil and Death it self Matth. 10. 28. Fear not them who can kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell And this keeping alive is a Deliverance from the Wrath to come in Everlasting Life And this is that which gives an unavoidable Efficacy to the Command Every Command of a Superiour doth tacitly include a Reward and Punishment to be intended For a Declaration is made of what is pleasing and what is displeasing unto him that gives the Command and therein is there a virtual Promise and Threatning But unto all Solemn Laws Rewards and Punishments are expressely annexed Sect. 15 But there are two Reasons why for for the most part they do but little influence the Minds of Men who are inclined unto their Transgression 1 The first is that the Rewards and Punishments declared are such as men think they do justly preferre their own satisfaction in the Transgression of the Lawes before them It is so will all Good men with respect unto Lawes made contrary to the Lawes of God and Wise men also may do so with respect unto useless Lawes with trifling Penalties and Evil men will do so with respect unto the highest Temporal Punishments when they are greedily set on the satisfaction of their Lusts. Hence I say it is in the first place that the Minds of men are so little influenced with those Rewards and Punishments that are annexed unto Humane Lawes And 2 dly a secret Apprehension that the Commanders or Makers of the Lawes neither will nor are able to execute those Penalties in the case of their Transgression evacuates all the Force of them Much they ascribe to their Negligence that they will not take Care to see the Sanction of their Lawes executed more to their Ignorance that they shall not be able to find out their Transgressions and somewhat in sundry Cases to their Power that they cannot Punish nor Reward though they would And for these Reasons are the Minds of men little influenced by Humane Lawes beyond their own honest Inclinations and Interest But things are quite otherwise with respect unto the Law and Commands of God that we should be Holy The Rewards and Punishments called by the Apostle Killing and Keeping alive being Eternal in the highest Capacities of Blessedness or Misery cannot be Ballanced by any Consideration of this present World without the highest Folly and Villany unto our selves Nor can there be any Reserve on the Account of Mutability Indifferency Ignorance Impotency or any other Pretence that they shall not be Executed Wherefore the Commands of God which we are in the Consideration of are accompanyed with Promises and Threatnings of Eternal Blessedness on the one hand or of Misery on the other And these will certainly befall us according as we shall be found Holy or Vnholy All the Properties of the Nature of God are immutably engaged in this matter and hence ensues an indispensible Necessity of our being Holy God commands that we should be so but what if we are not so Why as sure as God is Holy and Powerfull we shall Eternally
Sin who have not that Grace and Holiness in the Renovation of the Image of God which is pleaded for seem to have more peace and Quietness in their Minds They have not that inward Conflict which others complain of nor those Groans for Deliverance Yea they find satisfaction in their Lusts and Pleasures relieving themselves by them against any thing that occasioneth their Trouble Sect. 9 Ans. 1 For that Peace and Order which is pretended to be in the Minds of Men under the Power of Sin and not sanctified it is like that which is in Hell and the Kingdom of Darkness Sathan is not divided against himself nor is there such a Confusion and Disorder in his Kingdom as to destroy it but it hath a Consistency from the common End of all that is in it which is an Opposition unto God and all that is good Such a Peace and Order there may be in an unsanctified Mind There being no Active Principle in it for God and that which is spiritually Good all works one way and all its troubled streams have the same Course But yet they continually cast up mire and dirt There is onely that Peace in such Minds which the strong man armed that is Sathan keeps his Goods in untill a stronger than he comes to bind him And if any one think that Peace and Order to be sufficient for him wherein his Mind in all its Faculties acts uniformly against God or for Self Sin and the World without any Opposition or Contradiction he may find as much in Hell when he comes there Sect. 10 2 There is a Difference between a Confusion and a Rebellion Where a Confusion is in a State all Rule or Government is dissolved and every thing is let loose unto the utmost Disorder and Evil. But where the Rule is firm and stable there may be Rebellions that may give some parts and places Disturbances and Damage but yet the whole State is not disordered thereby So is it in the Condition of a sanctified Soul on the Account of the Remainders of Sin there may be Rebellion in it but there is no Confusion Grace keeps the Rule in the Mind and Heart firm and stable so that there is Peace and Assurance unto the whole state of the Person though Lusts and Corruptions will be rebelling and warring against it The Divine Order therefore of the Soul consisting in the Rule of Grace subordinating all to God in Christ is never overthrown by the Rebellion of Sin at any time be it never so vigorous or prevalent But in the state of unsanctified Persons though there be no Rebellion yet is there nothing but Confusion Sin hath the Rule and Dominion in them And however men may be pleased with it for a season yet is it nothing but perfect Disorder because it is a continual Opposition to God It is a Tyranny that overthrowes all Law and Rule and Order with respect unto our last and chiefest End Sect. 11 3 The Soul of a Believer hath that Satisfaction in this Conflict as that its Peace is not ordinarily disturbed and is never quite overthrown by it Such a Person knowes Sin to be his Enemy knowes its Design with the Aids and Assistances which are prepared for him against its Deceit and Violence and considering the Nature and End of this Contest is satisfied with it Yea the greatest hardships that Sin can reduce a Believer unto do but put him to the Exercise of those Graces and Duties wherein he receiveth great spiritual Satisfaction Such are Repentance Humiliation godly Sorrow self-Abasement and Abhorrency with fervent Outcryes for Deliverance Now although these things seem to have that which is grievous and dolorous prevailing in them yet the Graces of the Spirit of God being acted in them they are so suited unto the Nature of the New Creature and so belong unto the spiritual Order of the Soul that it finds secret Satisfaction in them all But the Trouble others meet withall in their own Hearts and Minds on the Account of Sin is from the severe Reflexions of their Consciences only and they receive them no otherwise but as certain Presages and Predictions of future and eternal Misery Sect. 12 4 A sanctified Person is secured of success in this Conflict which keeps blessed Peace and Order in his Soul during its Continuance There is a two-fold success against the Rebellious Actings of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin 1 In particular Instances 2 In the whole Cause And in both these have we sufficient Assurance of Success if we be not wanting unto our selves 1. For suppose the Contest be considered with respect unto any particular Lust and Corruption and that in Conjunction with some powerfull Temptation we have sufficient and blessed Assurance that abiding in the diligent Use of the Wayes and Means assigned unto us and the Improvement of the Assistance provided in the Covenant of Grace we shall not so fail of actual Success as that Lust should conceive bring forth and finish Sin 2 Cor. 2. 12. But if we be wanting unto our selves negligent in our known Duties and principal Concerns it is no wonder if we are sometimes cast into Disorder and foyled by the Powers of Sin But 2. As to the general Success in the whole Cause namely that Sin shall not utterly deface the Image of God in us nor absolutely or finally ruine our Souls which is its End and Tendency we have the Covenant Faithfulness of God which will not fail us for our security Rom. 6. 12. Wherefore notwithstanding this Opposition and all that is ascribed unto it there is Peace and Order preserved by the Power of Holiness in a sanctified Mind and Soul Sect. 13 Secondly But it will be further Objected That many Professors who pretend highly unto Sanctification and Holiness and whom you judge to be partakers of them are yet peevish froward morose unquiet in their Minds among their Relations and in the World yea much outward Vanity and Disorder which you make Tokens of the internal Confusion of the Minds of Men and the Power of Sin do either proceed from them or are carryed on by them And where then is the Advantage pretended that should render Holiness so indispensibly necessary unto us Ans. If there are any such the more shame for them and they must bear their own Judgement These things are diametrically opposite to the Work of Holiness and the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And therefore I say 1 That many it may be are esteemed Holy and Sanctified who indeed are not so Though I will judge no man in particular yet I had rather pass this Judgement on any man that he hath no Grace than that on the other hand Grace doth not change our Natures and renew the Image of God in us 2 Many who are really holy may have the double Disadvantage first to be under such Circumstances as will frequently draw out their natural Infirmities and then to have them greatned and heightned