1. The Opposition is not ad idem The Enmity and Opposition that is acted by the Will against Grace is against it as objectively proposed unto it So do Men resist the Holy Ghost that is in the external Dispensation of Grace by the Word And if that be alone they may alwayes resist it the Enmity that is in them will prevail against it Ye alwayes resist the Holy Ghost The Will therefore is not forced by any Power put forth in Grace in that way wherein it is capable of making opposition unto it but the prevalency of Grace is of it as it is internal working really and physically which is not the Object of the Wills opposition for it is not proposed unto it as that which it may accept or refuse but worketh effectually in it Sect. 35 2. The Will in the first Act of Conversion as even sundry of the Schoolmen acknowledg acts not but as it is acted moves not but as it is moved and therefore is passive therein in the sense immediately to be explained And if this be not so it cannot be avoided but that the Act of our turning unto God is a meer natural Act and not spiritual or gracious For it is an Act of the Will not enabled thereunto antecedently by Grace Wherefore it must be granted and it shall be proved that in Order of Nature the Acting of Grace in the Will in our Conversion is antecedent unto its own acting though in the same instant of time wherein the Will is moved it moves and when it is acted it acts it self and preserves its own Liberty in its exercise There is therefore herein an inward almighty secret Act of the Power of the Holy Ghost producing or effecting in us the Will of Conversion unto God so acting our Wills as that they also act themselves and that freely So Austin cont Duas Epistol Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. Trahitur homo miris modis ut velit ab illo qui novit intus in ipsis cordibus hominum operari non ut homines quod fieri non possit nolentes credant sed ut volentes ex nolâ—ntibus fiant The Holy Spirit who in his Power and Operation is more intimate as it were unto the Principles of our Souls than they are to themselves doth with the Preservation and in the Exercise of the liberty of our Wills effectually work our Regeneration and Conversion unto God This is the substance of what we plead for in this Cause and which declares the Nature of this Work of Regeneration as it is an inward Spiritual Work I shall therefore confirm the Truth proposed with evident Testimonies of Scripture and Reasons contained in them or educed from them Sect. 36 1. The Work of Conversion it self and in especial the Act of believing or Faith it self is expresly said to be of God to be wrought in us by him to be given unto us from him The Scripture says not that God gives us Ability or Power to believe onely namely such a Power a we may make use of if we will or do otherwise but Faith Repentance and Conversion themselves are said to be the Work and Effect of God Indeed there is nothing mentioned in the Scripture concerning the communicating of Power remote or next unto the Mind of Man to enable him to believe antecedently unto actual believing A remote Power if it may be so called in the Capacities of the Faculties of the Soul the Reason of the Mind and Liberty of the Will we have given an account concerning But for that which some call a next Power or an ability to believe in order of Nature Antecedent unto Believing it self wrought in us by the Grace of God the Scripture is silent The Apostle Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things or prevail in all things through Christ who enableth me where a Power or Ability seems to be spoken of antecedent unto Acting But this is not a Power for the first Act of Faith but a Power in them that believe Such a Power I acknowledg which is acted in the Co-operation of the Spirit and Grace of Christ with the Grace which Believers have received unto the performance of all Acts of Holy Obedience whereof I must treat elsewhere Believers have a stock of Habitual Grace which may be called Indwelling Grace in the same sense wherein Original Corruption is called Indwelling-Sin And this Grace as it is necessary unto every Act of Spiritual Obedience so of it self without the renewed Co-working of the Spirit of Christ it is not able nor sufficient to produce any Spiritual Act. This working of Christ upon and with the Grace we have received is called enabling of us But with Persons Unregenerate and as to the first Act of Faith it is not so Sect. 37 But it will be Objected That every thing which is actually accomplished was in potentia before There must therefore be in us a Power to believe before we do so actually Answ. The Act of God working Faith in us is a Creating Act. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. 10. And he that is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Now the effects of Creating Acts are not in Potentia any-where but in the Active Power of God so was the World it self before its actual existence This is termed Potentia Logica which is no more but a Negation of any contradiction to Existence not Potentia Physica which includes a disposition unto actual existence Notwithstanding therefore all these Preparatory Works of the Spirit of God which we allow in this Matter there is not by them wrought in the Minds and Wills of Men such a next Power as they call it as should enable them to believe without further Actual Grace working Faith it self Wherefore with respect to believing the first Act of God is to work in us to will Phil. 1. 13. He worketh in us to will Now to will to believe is to believe This God works in us by that Grace which Austin and the School-men call Gratia Operans because it worketh in us without us the Will being meerly moved and passive therein That there is a Power or Faculty of believing given unto all Men unto whom the Gospel is preached or who are called by the outward Dispentation of it some do pretend And that because those unto whom the Word is so Prâ—acâ—ed if they do not actually believe shall perish eternally as is positively declared in the Gospel Mark 16. 16. But this they could not justly do if they had not received a Power or Faculty of Believing Answ. 1. Those who believe not upon the Proposal of Christ in the Gospel are left without remedy in the guilt of those other Sins for which they must perish eternally If you believe not saith Christ that I am he you shall die in your sins John 8. 12. 2. The Impotency that is in Men as
are called Prophets and so in general of all the false Prophets mentioned in the Scripture Was it because they meerly pretended and counterfeited a Spirit of Prophesie or had they really any such I Answer that I no way doubt but that they were of both sorts These Prophets of Baal were such as worshipped the Sun after the manner of the Tyrians Herein they had invented many Hellish Mysteries Ceremonies and Sacrifices these they taught the People by whom they were hired Being thus engaged in the Service of the Devil he actually possessed their minds as a Spirit of Divination and enabled them to declare things unknown unto other Men. They in the mean time really finding themselves acted by a Power superior to them took and owned that to be the Power of their God and thereby became immediate Worshippers of the Devil This our Apostle declares 1 Cor. 10. 20. Whatever those who left the true God aimed at to worship the Devil interposed himself between that and them as the Object of their Adoration Hereby he became the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. Him whom in all their Idols they worshipped and adored With a spirit of Divination from him were many of the false Prophets acted which they thought to be the Spirit of their God For they found themselves acted by a superior Power which they could neither excuse nor resist Others of them were meer Pretenders and Counterfeits that deceived the foolish Multitude with vain false Predictions Of these more will be spoken afterwards Sect. 18 Secondly Others there were who spake in the Name and as they falsly professed by the Inspiration of the Spirit of the Holy God With this sort of Men Jeremiah had great Contests For in that Apostatizing Age of the Church they had got such an Interest and Reputation among the Rulers and People as not only to confront his Prophesies with contrary Predictions Chap. 28. 2 3 4. but also to traduce him as a false Prophet and to urge his Punishment according to the Law Chap. 29. v. 25 26 27. And with the like confidence did Zedekiah the Son of Chenaanah carry it towards Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 26. for he scornfully asks him Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee That is whereas assuredly he speaketh in me how came he to inspire thee with a contrary Revelation Ezekiel at the same time with Jeremiah was exercised and perplexed with them Chap. 13 14. For this sort of Persons namely false Pretenders unto Divine extraordinary Revelations did of old usually abound in times of Danger and approaching Desolations The Devil stirred them up to fill men with vain hopes to keep them in Sin and Security that Destruction might seize upon them at unawares And whoever takes the same course in the time of deserved threatned impendent Judgments though they use not the same means yet they also do the Work of the Devil For whatever encourageth men to be secure in their sins is a false Divination Jer. 5. 30 31. And this sort of Men is characterized by the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 23. from vers 9. to 33. where any one may read their Sin and Judgment And yet this false pretending unto the Spirit of Prophesie was very far from casting any contempt on the real Gift of the Holy Ghost therein nay it gave it the greater Glory and Lustre God never more honoured his true Prophets than when there were most false Ones Neither shall ever any false Pretence to the Spirit of Grace render him less dear unto those that are Partakers of him or his Gifts of less use unto the Church Sect. 19 It was thus also under the New Testament at the first preaching of the Gospel The Doctrine of it at first was declared from the immediate Revelation of the Spirit preached by the Assistance of the Spirit made effectual by his Work and Power was accompanied in many by outward miraculous Works and Effects of the Spirit whence the whole of what peculiarly belonged unto it in opposition to the Law was called the Ministration of the Spirit These things being owned and acknowledged by all those who had any false Opinions or Dotages of their own to broach or any other deceit to put upon Christians could think of no more expedite means for the compassing of their ends than by pretending to immediate Revelations of the Spirit For without some kind of credibility given them from hence they knew that their fond Imaginations would not be taken into the least consideration Hence the Apostle Peter having treated concerning the Revelation of God by his Spirit in Prophesie under the Old Testament and the New 2 Epist. chap. 1. v. 17 18 19 20 21. adds as an Inference from that Discourse a comparison between the false Prophets that were under the Old Testament and the false Teachers under the New Chap. 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you And the Reason of it is because that as they pretended to the Spirit of the Lord in their prophesies saying Thus saith the Lord when he sent them not so these ascribed all their abominable Heresies to the Inspiration of the Spirit by whom they were not assisted Sect. 20 Hence is that blessed Caution and Rule given us by the Apostle John who lived to see much mischief done in the Church by this Pretence 1 Epist. chap. 4. v. 1 2. Beloved beieve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the World Hereby know we the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God A two-fold Direction doth the Apostle here give unto all Believers The first by the way of Caution that they would not believe every Spirit that is not receive or give credit to every Doctrine that was proposed unto them as of immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit He intends the same with the Apostle Paul Ephâ—s 4. 14. who would not have us carried about with every wind of Doctrine like Vessels at Sea without Anchor or Helms by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive For the craft and sleights intended are such as men use when they cast a mist as it were before the eyes of others whom they intend to cheat and deâ—raâ—d So dealt false Teachers with their Disciples by their Pretences of immediate Revelations His next Direction informs us how we may observe this Caution unto our Advantage and this is by trying the Spirits themselves This is the duty of all Believers on any such Pretences They are to try these Spirits and examine whether they are of God or no. For the observation of this Rule and discharge of this Duty the Church of Ephesus
those to whom he wrote that in what was so preached unto them they had not followed cunningly devised Fables 2 Pet. 1. 16. For so were the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ then reported to be in the World What was preached concerning them was looked on as cunningly devised and artificially framed fables to inveagle and allure the People This the Apostle gives his Testimony against and withal appeals unto the Divine Assurance which they had of the Holy Truths delivered unto them v. 17 18 19 20. In like manner our Lord Jesus Christ himself having preached the Doctrine of Regeneration unto Nicodemus he calls it into Question as as thing incredible or unintelligible Joh. 3. 4. For whose Instruction and the Rebuke of his Ignorance he lets him know that he spake nothing but what he brought with him from Heaven from the Eternal Fountain of Goodness and Truth v. 11 12. 13. It is fallen out not much otherwise in this Matter Sect. 31 The Doctrine concerning the Spirit of God and his Work on the Souls of Men hath been preached in the World What he doth in convincing Men of Sin what in Working Godly Sorrow and Humiliation in them what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power which he puts forth in the Regeneration and Sanctification of the Souls of Men What are the supplys of Grace which he bestowes on them that do believe what Assistance he gives unto them as the Spirit of Grace and Supplications hath been preached taught and pressed on the minds of them that attend unto the Dispensation of the Word of the Gospel Answerable hereunto Men have been urged to try search examine them-selves as to what of this Work of the Holy Ghost they have found observed or had experience to have been effectually accomplished in or upon their own Souls And hereon they have been taught that the Great Concernments of their Peace Comfort and Assurance of their Communion among themselves as the Saints of God with many other Ends of their Holy Conversation do depend Nay it is and hath been constantly taught them that if there be not an effectual Work of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts that they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now these things and whatever is spoken in the Explication of them are by some called in Question if not utterly rejected Yea some look on them as cunningly devised Fables Things that some not long since invented and others have propagated for their Advantage Others say that what is delivered concerning them is hardly if at all to be understood by Rational Men being only empty Speculations about things wherein Christian Religion is little or not at all concerned Whereas therefore many very many have received these things as Sacred Truths and are perswaded that they have found them realized in their own Souls so that into their Experience of the work of the Holy Spirit of God in them and upon them according as it is declared in the Word all their Consolation and Peace with God is for the most part resolved as that which gives them the best Evidence of their Interest in him who is their Peace and whereas for the Present they do believe that unless these things are so in and with them they have no Foundation to build an Hope of Eternal Life upon it cannot but be of indispensible necessity unto them to examine and Search the Scripture diligently whether these things be so or no. For if there be no such Work of the Spirit of God upon the Hearts of Men and that indispensibly necessary to their Salvation if there are no such Assistances and supplys of Grace needful unto every Good Duty as wherein they have been instructed then in the whole course of their Profession they have only been seduced by cunningly devised Fables their deceived hearts have fed upon ashes and they are yet in their Sins It is then of no less consideration and Importance than the eternal welfare of their Souls immediately concerned therein can render it that they diligently trye examine and search into these things by the safe and infallible Touchstone and Rule of the Word whereon they may must and ought to venture their Eternal Condition I know indeed that most Believers are so far satisfyed in the Truth of these things and their own Experience of them that they will not be moved in the least by the Oppositions which are made unto them and the scorn that is cast upon them For he that beleiveth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5. 10. But yet as Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus that he might know the certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed Luke 1. 4. that is to confirm him in the Truth by an Addition of new Degrees of Assurance unto him so it is our Duty to be so far excited by the Clamorous Oppositions that are made unto the Truths which we Profess and in whose being such we are as much concerned as our Souls are worth to compare them diligently with the Scripture that we may be the more fully confirmed and established in them And upon the Examination of the whole matter I shall leave them to their option as Elijah did of Old if Jehovah be God serve him and if Baal be God let him be worshipped If the things which the Generality of Professors do believe and acknowledg concerning the Spirit of God and his Work on their Hearts his Gifts and Graces in the Church with the manner of their Communication be for the substance of them wherein they all generally agree according to the Scripture taught and revealed therein on the same terms as by them received them may they abide in the Holy Profession of them and rejoyce in the Consolations they have received by them But if these things with those other which in the Application of them to the Souls of Men are directly and necessarily deduced and to be deduced from them are all but vain and useless Imaginations it is high time the Minds of Men were disburthened of them The Name and Titles of the HOLY SPIRIT CHAP. II. 1. Of the Name of the Holy Spirit 2. Various Uses of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Wind or any thing invisible with a sensible Agitation 3. Amos 4. 14. Mistakes of the Antients rectified by Hierom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaphorically for vanity 6. Metonymically for the part or quarter of any thing 7. For our Vital Breath The Rational Soul The Affections Angels good and bad 8. Ambiguity from the Use of the Word how to be removed Rules concerning the Holy Spirit The Name Spirit how peculiar and appropriate unto him Why he is called the Holy Spirit Whence called the Good Spirit The Spirit of God The Spirit of the Son Acts 2. 33. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. explained 1 John 4. 3. vindicated Sect. 1 BEfore we ingage into the consideration of the
and to make them his Temple thereby then is the Holy Spirit God for he it is who according to that Promise thus dwelleth in them So Deut. 32. 12. speaking of the People in the Wilderness he saith The Lord alone did lead him And yet speaking of the same People at the same time it is said That the Spirit of the Lord did lead them and caused them to rest Isa. 63. 14. The Spirit of the Lord therefore is Jehovah or Jehovah alone did not lead them That also which is called in the same People their sinning against God and provoking the most High in the Wilderness Psalm 78. 17 18. is termed their rebelling against and vexing the Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. And many other Instances of an alike Nature have been pleaded and vindicated by others Sect. 32 Add hereunto in the last place that Divine Properties are assigned unto him As Eternity Heb. 9. 14. He is the Eternal Spirit Immensity Psalm 139. 7. Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit Omnipotency Micah 2. 8. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitned compared with Isa. 40. 28. The Power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15. 19. Prescience Acts 1. 16. This Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the Mouth of David spake before concerning Judas Omniscience 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Sovereign Authority over the Church Acts 13. 3. Acts 20. 28. The Divine Works also which are assigned unto him are usually and to good purpose pleaded in the vindication of the same Truth But these in the progress of our Discourse I shall have occasion distinctly to consider and inquire into and therefore shall not in this place insist upon them What hath been proposed cleared and confirmed may suffice as unto our present purpose that we may know who He is concerning whom his Works and Grace we do design to Treat Sect. 33 I have but one thing more to add concerning the Being and Personality of the Holy Spirit And this is that in the Order of Subsistence He is the Third Person in the Holy Trinity So it is expressed in the solemn Numeration of them where their Order gives great direction unto Gospel-Worship and Obedience Matth. 28. 18. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost This Order I confess in their Numeration because of the Equality of the Persons in the same Nature is sometimes varied So Rev. 1. 4 5. Grace be unto you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne and from Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit under the name of the seven Spirits before the Throne of God because of his various and perfect Operations in and towards the Church is reckoned up in order before the Son Jesus Christ. And so in Paul's euctical conclusion unto his Epistles the Son is placed before the Father 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all And some think that the Holy Ghost is mentioned in the first place Col. 2. 2. The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. In this expression of them therefore we may use our liberty they being all one God over all blessed for ever But in their true and natural Order of Subsistence and consequently of Operation the Holy Spirit is the Third Person For as to his Personal Subsistence he proceedeth from the Father and the Son being equally the Spirit of them both as hath been declared This constitutes the natural Order between the Persons which is unalterable On this depends the Order of his Operation for his working is a consequent of the Order of his Subsistence Thus the Father is said to send him and so is the Son also John 14. 16 26. Chap. 16. 7. And he is thus said to be sent by the Father and the Son because he is the Spirit of the Father and Son proceeding from both and is the next cause in the Application of the Trinity unto External Works But as he is thus sent so his own Will is equally in and unto the Work for which he is sent As the Father is said to send the Son and yet it was also his own Love and Grace to come unto us and to save us And this ariseth from hence that in the whole Oeconomy of the Trinity as to the Works that outwardly are of God especially the Works of Grace the order of the Subsistence of the Persons in the same Nature is represented unto us and they have the same dependance on each other in their Operations as they have in their Subsistence The Father is the Fountain of all as in Being and Existence so in Operation The Son is of the Father begotten of him and therefore as unto his Work is sent by him But his own Will is in and unto what he is sent about The Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son and therefore is sent and given by them as to all the Works which he immediately effecteth but yet his own Will is the direct Principle of all that he doth He divideth unto every one according to his own Will And thus much may suffice to be spoken about the Being of the Holy Spirit and the order of his Subsistence in the Blessed Trinity Peculiar Works of the HOLY SPIRIT in the First or Old Creation CHAP. IV. 1. Things to be observed in Divine Operations The Works of God how ascribed absolutely unto God and how distinctly to each Person 2. The Reason hereof 3. Perfecting Acts in Divine Works ascribed unto the Holy Spirit and why 4 5. Peculiar Works of the Spirit with respect unto the Old Creation 6. The Parts of the Old Creation Heaven and its Host. What the Host of Heaven The Host of the Earth 7. The Host of Heaven compleated by the Spirit 8. And of the Earth 9. His moving on the Old Creation Psal. 104. 30. 10. The Creation of Man the Work of the Spirit therein 11 12 13 14 15. The Work of the Spirit in the preservation of all things when created Natural and Moral 16. Farther Instances thereof in and out of the Church 17. Work of the Spirit of God in the Old Creation why sparingly delivered Sect. 1 INtending to treat of the Operations of the Holy Ghost or those which are peculiar unto him some things must be premised concerning the Operation of the Godhead in general and the manner thereof And they are such as are needful to guide us in many Passages of the Scripture and to direct us aright in the Things in particular which now lie before us I say then 1. that all Divine Operations are usually ascribed unto God absolutely So it is said God made all things and so of all other Works whether in Nature or in
hereby animated and capable of all Vital Acts. Hence he could move eat see hear c. for the natural Effects of this Breath of Life are only intended in this Expression Thus the first Man Adam was made a Living Soul 1 Cor. 15. 45. This was the Creation of Man as unto the essentially constituting Principles of his Nature Sect. 11 With respect unto his Moral Condition and Principle of Obedience unto God it is expressed Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make Man in our own Image after our likeness and let them have dominion so God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him He made him upright Eccles. 7. 29. perfect in his Condition every way compleat fit disposed and able to and for the Obedience required of him Without Weakness Distemper Disease contrariety of Principles Inclinations or Reasonings An universal Rectitude of Nature consisting in Light Power and Order in his Understanding Mind and Affections was the principal part of this Image of God wherein he was created And this appears as from the Nature of the thing it self so from the Description which the Apostle giveth us of the Renovation of that Image in us by the Grace of Christ Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And under both these Considerations we may weigh the especial Operations of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 First As to the Essential Principles of the Nature of Man it is not for nothing that God expresseth his Communication of a Spirit of Life by his breathing into him God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life The Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same onely the one Expression is proper the other metaphorical wherefore this breathing is the especial acting of the Spirit of God The Creation of the Humane Soul a Vital Immortal Principle and Being is the immeate Work of the Spirit of God Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life Here indeed the Creation and Production of both the essential parts of Humane Nature Body and Soul are ascribed unto the same Author For the Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same but several Effects being mentioned causeth a repetition of the same Cause under several names This Spirit of God first made Man or formed his Body of the Dust and then gave him that Breath of Life whereby he became a living Soul So then under this first Consideration the Creation of Man is assigned unto the Holy Spirit for Man was the Perfection of the Inferior Creation and in order unto the Glory of God by him were all other things Created Here therefore are his Operations distinctly declared to whom the perfecting and compleating of all Divine Works is peculiarly committed Sect. 14 Secondly We may consider the moral State and Condition of Man with the Furniture of his Mind and Soul in reference unto his Obedience to God and his enjoyment of him This was the principal part of that Image of God wherein he was created Three things were required to render Man idoneous or fit unto that Life to God for which he was made First An ability to discern the Mind and Will of God with respect unto all the Duty and Obedience that God required of him as also so far to know the Nature and Properties of God as to believe him the only proper Object of all Acts and Duties of Religious Obedience and an all-sufficient Satisfaction and Reward in this World and to Eternity Secondly A free uncontrolled unintangled disposition to every Duty of the Law of his Creation in order unto living unto God Thirdly An ability of Mind and Will with a readiness of complyance in his Affections for a due regular performance of all Duties and abstinence from all Sin These things belonged unto the integrity of his Nature with the uprightness of the State and Condition wherein he was made And all these things were the peculiar Effects of the immediate Operation of the Holy Ghost For although this Rectitude of his Nature be distinguishable and separable from the Faculties of the Soul of Man yet in his first Creation they were not actually distinguished from them nor superadded or infused into them when Created but were concreated with them that is his Soul was made meet and able to live to God as his Sovereign Lord Chiefest Good and Last End And so they were all from the Holy Ghost from whom the Soul was as hath been declared Yea suppose these Abilities to be superadded unto Man's Natural Faculties as Gifts supernatural which yet is not so they must be acknowledged in a peculiar manner to be from the Holy Spirit For in the Restauration of these Abilities unto our minds in our Renovation unto the Image of God in the Gospel it is plainly asserted that the Holy Ghost is the immediate Operator of them And he doth thereby restore his own Work and not take the Work of another out of his Hand For in the New Creation the Father in the way of Authority designs it and brings all things unto an head in Christ Ephes. 1. 10. which retrived his original peculiar Work and the Son gave unto all things a new consistency which belonged unto him from the beginning Col. 1. 16. So also the Holy Spirit renews in us the Image of God the original implantation whereof was his peculiar Work And thus Adam may be said to have had the Spirit of God in his Innocency He had him in these peculiar Effects of his Power and Goodness and he had him according to the Tenor of that Covenant whereby it was possible that he should utterly lose him as accordingly it came to pass He had him not by especial Inhabitation for the whole World was then the Temple of God In the Covenant of Grace founded in the Person and on the Mediation of Christ it is otherwise On whomsoever the Spirit of God is bestowed for the Renovation of the Image of God in him he abides with him for ever But in all Men from first to last all Goodness Righteousness and Truth are the Fruits of the Spirit Ephes. 5. 9. Sect. 15 The Works of God being thus finished and the whole frame of Nature set upon its Wheels it is not deserted by the Spirit of God For as the preservation continuance and acting of all things in the Universe according to their especial Nature and mutual Application of one unto another are all from the powerful and efficacious Influences of Divine Providence so there are particular Operations of the Holy Spirit â—â—nd about all things whether meerly Natural and Animal or also Rational and Moral An Instance in each kind may suffice For the first as we have shewed the Propagation of the succeeding Generations of Creatures and the annual Renovation of the Face of the Earth are ascribed unto him Psal. 104. 30. For as we would own the due and just Powers
down Rain Job 36. 27. until it water the Ridges of the Earth abundantly setling the Furrows thereof and making it soft with Showers as Psal. 65. 10. which with the things following in that place v. 11 12 13. are spoken Allegorically of this pouring out of the Spirit of God from above Hence God is said to do this richly Tit. 3. 6. The renewing of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he hath poured on us richly that is on all Believers who are converted unto God For the Apostle discourseth not of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost which were then given forth in a plentiful manner but of that Grace of the Holy Ghost whereby all that believe are regenerated renewed and converted unto God For so were men converted of old by a rich participation of the Holy Ghost and so they must be still whatever some pretend or die in their sins And by the same word is the bounty of God in other things expressed The living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2. This pouring out hath respect unto the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit and not unto his Person For where he is given he is given absolutely and as to himself not more or less but his Gifts and Graces may be more plentifully and abundantly given at one time than at another to some Persons than to others Wherefore this Expression is metonymical that being spoken of the Cause which is proper to the Effect the Spirit being said to be poured forth because his Graces are so 3. Respect is had herein unto some especial Works of the Spirit Such are the Purifying or Sanctifying and the Comforting or Refreshing them on whom He is poured With respect unto the first to these Effects he is compared both unto Fire and Water For both Fire and Water have purifying Qualities in them though towards different Objects and working in a different manner So by Fire are Metals purified and purged from their Dross and Mixtures and by Water are all other unclean and defiled things cleansed and purified Hence the Lord Jesus Christ in his Work by his Spirit is at once compared unto a Refiners Fire and to Fullers Sope Mal. 3. 2 3. because of the purging purifying Qualities that are in Fire and Water And the Holy Ghost is expresly called a Spirit of Burning Isa. 4. 4. For by him are the Vessels of the House of God that are of Gold and Silver refined and purged as those that are but of Wood and Stone are consumed And when it is said of our Lord Jesus that he should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Luke 3. 16. it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same thing doubly expressed and therefore mention is made only of the Holy Ghost John 1. 33. But the Holy Ghost was in his Dispensation to purifie and cleanse them as Fire doth Gold and Silver And on the same account is he compared to Water Ezek. 36. 35. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and you shall be clean which is expounded v. 26. by a New Spirit will I put within you which God calls his Spirit Jer. 32. 39. So our Saviour calls him Rivers of Water Joh. 7. 38 39. see Isa. 44. 3. And it is with regard unto his purifying cleansing and sanctifying our Natures that he is thus called With respect therefore in an especial manner hereunto is he said to be poured out So our Apostle expresly declares Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Again it respects his comforting and refreshing them on whom he is poured Hence is he said to be poured down from above as Rain that descends on the Earth Isa. 44. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and Floods upon the dry ground that is I will pour my Spirit on thy Seed and my Blessing upon thy Off-spring and they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the Water-Courses v. 4. see Chap. 35. 6 7. He comes upon the dry parched barren ground of the hearts of men with his refreshing fructifying Vertue and Blessing causing them to spring and bring forth Fruits in Holiness and Righteousness to God Heb. 6. 7. And in respect unto his Communication of his Spirit is the Lord Christ said to come down like Rain upon the mown Grass as Showers that water the Earth Psal. 72. 6. The good Lord give us alwayes of these Waters and refreshing Showers And these are the wayes in general whereby the Dispensation of the Spirit from God for what End or Purpose soever it be is expressed Sect. 14 We come nextly to consider what is ascribed unto the Spirit Himself in a way of complyance with these Acts of God whereby he is given and administred Now these are such Things or Actions as manifest him to be a Voluntary Agent and that not only as to what he acts or doth in men but also as to the manner of his coming forth from God and his Application of himself unto his Work And these we must consider as they are declared unto us in the Scripture The first and most general Expression hereof is that he proceedeth from the Father and being the Spirit of the Son he proceedeth from him also in like manner John 15. 25. The Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me There is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Procession of the Holy Ghost The 〈…〉 Natural or Personal This expresseth his Eternal Relation to the Persons of the Father and the Son He is of them by an eternal Emanation or Procession The manner hereof unto us in this Life is incomprehensible Therefore it is rejected by some who will believe no more than they can put their hands into the sides of And yet are they forced in things under their Eyes to admit of many things which they cannot perfectly comprehend But we live by Faith and not by Sight This is enough unto us that we admit nothing in this great Mystery but what is revealed and nothing is revealed unto us that is inconsistent with the Being and Subsistence of God For this Procession or Emanation includes no Separation or Division in or of the Divine Nature but only expresseth a distinction in Subsistence by a Property peculiar to the Holy Spirit But this is not that which at present I intend The consideration of it belongeth unto the Doctrine of the Trinity in general and hath been handled elsewhere Secondly There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Procession of the Spirit which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensatory This is the Egress of the Spirit in his Application of Himself unto his Work A voluntary Act it is of his Will and not a necessary Property of his Person And he is said thus to proceed from the Father because he goeth forth or proceedeth in the pursuit of the Counsels and Purposes of the Father and as sent by him to put them into
Execution or to make them effectual And in like manner he proceedeth from the Son sent by Him for the Application of his Grace unto the Souls of his Elect John 15. 16. It is true this proves his Eternal Relation to the Father and the Son as he proceeds from them or receives his peculiar Personal Subsistence from them For that is the Ground of this order of Operation But it is his own Personal voluntary acting that is intended in the Expression And this is the general Notation of the Original of the Spirits acting in all that he doth He proceedeth or cometh forth from the Father Had it been only said that He was given and sent it could not have been known that there was any thing of his own Will in what he did whereas he is said to divide unto every one as He will But in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He proceedeth of his own accord unto his Work his own Will and Condescention is also asserted And this his proceeding from the Father is in complyance with his sending of Him to accomplish and make effectual the Purposes of his Will and the Counsels of his Grace Sect. 16 Secondly To the same purpose He is said to come John 15. 26. When the Comforter is come John 16. 7. If I go not away the Comforter will not come v. 8. and when he is come So is he said to come upon Persons We so express it 1 Chron. 12. 18. The Spirit came upon Amasai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Spirit clothed Amasai possessed his Mind as a Man's Cloths cleave unto him Acts 19. 6. The Holy Ghost came on them and they prophesied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come is as it were the Terminus ad Quem of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 going forth or proceeding For there is in these Expressions an Allusion unto a local Motion whereof these two words denote the Beginning and the End The first intendeth his voluntary Application of himself to his Work the other his progress in it such Condescentions doth God make use of in the declaration of his Divine Actings to accommodate them unto our Understandings and to give us some kind of Apprehension of them He proceedeth from the Father as given by him and cometh unto us as sent by him The meaning of both is that the Holy Ghost by his own Will and Consent worketh in the pursuit of the Will of the Father there and that where and what he did not work before And as there is no local Motion to be thought of in these things so they can in no tolerable sense be reconciled to the Imagination of his being onely the inherent Vertue or an actual Emanation and Influence of the Power of God And hereby is our Faith and Obedience Regulated in our dealing with God about Him For we may both pray the Father that he would give and send Him unto us according to his Promise and we may pray to Him to come unto us to sanctifie and comfort us according to the Work and Office that he hath undertaken This is that which we are taught hereby For these Revelations of God are for our Instruction in the Obedience of Faith Sect. 17 Thirdly He is said to fall on Men Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word So Chap. 11. 4. Where Peter repeating the same Matter sayes The Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning that is Acts 2. 4. A greatness and suddainness in a surprizal is intended in this Word As when the Fire fell down from Heaven which was a Type of him upon the Altar and Sacrifice of Elijah the People that saw it were amazed and falling on their Faces cryed out The Lord he is God 1 Kings 18. 38 39. When Men are no way in expectation of such a Gift or when they have an Expectation in general but are suddainly surprized as to the particular Season it is thus declared But where-ever this word is used some extraordinary Effects evidencing his Presence and Power do immediately ensue Acts 10. 44 46. And so it was at the beginning of his Effusion under the New Testament Acts 2. 4. 8. 16. Sect. 18 Fourthly Being come He is said to Rest on the Persons to whom he is given and sent Isa. 11. 3. And the Spirit of the Lord shall Rest upon him This is interpreted abiding and remaining John 1. 32 33. Numb 11. 25 26. The Spirit of the Lord rested on the Elders So the Spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha 2 Kings 2. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Spirit of God and of Glory resteth on you Two things are included herein 1. Complacency 2. Permanency First He is well-pleased in his Work wherein he Rests So where God is said to rest in his Love he doth i◠with Joy and singing Zeph. 3. 17. so doth the Spirit rejoyce where he rests Secondly He abides where he Rests Under this Notion is this acting of the Spirit promised by our Saviour He shall abide with you for ever John 14. 16. He came only on some Men by a sudden surprizal to act in them and by them some peculiar Work and Duty To this end he only transiently affected their Minds with his Power But where he is said to rest as in the works of Sanctification and Consolation there he abides and continues with Complacency and Delight Sect. 19 Fifthly He is said to depart from some Persons So it is said of Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him And David prayes that God would not take his Holy Spirit from him Psal. 51. 11. And this is to be understood answerably unto what we have discoursed before about his coming and his being sent As he is said to come so is he said to depart and as he is said to be sent so is he said to be taken away His departure from men therefore is his ceasing to work in them and on them as formerly and as far as this is penal he is said to be taken away So he departed and was taken away from Saul when he no more helped him with that Ability for Kingly Government which before he had by his Assistance And this departure of the Holy Ghost from any is either total or partial onely Some on whom he hath been bestowed for the working of sundry Gifts for the good of others with manifold convictions by Light and general Assistance unto the performance of Duties He utterly deserts and gives them up unto themselves and their own hearts lusts Examples hereof are common in the World Men who have been made Partakers of many Gifts of the Holy Ghost and been in an especial manner enlightned and under the Power of their Convictions carried out unto the Profession of the Gospel and the performance of many Duties of Religion yet being entangled by Temptations and overcome by the power of their lusts relinquish all
their Beginnings and Engagements and turn wholly unto Sin and Folly From such Persons the Holy Ghost utterly departs all their Gifts dry up and wither their Light goeth out and they have Darkness in stead of a Vision The Case of such is deplorable for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. 21. And some of these add despight and contempt of that whole Work of the Spirit of God whereof themselves were made Partakers unto their Apostasie And the condition of such profligate Sinners is for the most part irrecoverable Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Chap. 10. v. 26 27 28 29 30. From some He withdraweth and departeth partially only and that mostly but for a season And this Departure respects the Grace Light and Consolation which he administers unto Believers as to the degrees of them and the Sense of them in their own Souls On whom He is bestowed to work these things in a saving way from them he never utterly or totally departs This our Blessed Saviour plainly promiseth and asserteth John 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into Everlasting Life That this Well of Living Water is his Sanctifying Spirit himself declares John 7. 37 38. He who hath received him shall never have a thirst of total Want and Indigence any more Besides He is given unto this end by vertue of the Covenant of Grace And the Promise is express therein that he shall never depart from them to whom he is given Isa. 59. 21. Jer. 31. 33. Chap. 32. 39 40. Ezek. 11. 19 20 But now as to the degrees and sensible Effects of these Operations He may depart and wiâ—hdraw from Believers for a Season Hence they may be left unto many Spiritual Decays and much weakeness the things of Grace that remain in them being as it were ready to die Revel 3. 2. and they may apprehend themselves deserted and forsaken of God So did Sion Isa. 40. 27. Chap. 49. 15. For therein doth God hide himself Isa. 44. 15. or forsake his People for a moment Chap. 54. 7. He hides himself and his wrath Chap. 57. 17. These are the things which David so often and so bitterly complaineth of and which with so much earnestness he contendeth and wrestleth with God to be delivered from These are those spiritual Desertions which some of late have laden with reproach contempt and scorn All the apprehensions and complaints of the People of God about them they would represent as nothing but the idle Imaginations of distempered Brains or the Effects of some disorder in their Blood and Animal Spirits I could indeed easily allow that Men should despise and laugh at what is declared as the Experience of Professors at present Their prejudice against their Persons will not allow them to entertain any thoughts of them but what are suited unto Folly and Hypocrisie But at this I acknowledg I stand amazed that whereas these things are so plainly so fully and frequently declared in the Scriptures both as to the actings of God and his Holy Spirit in them and as to the sense of those concerned about them whereas the whole of God's dealings and Believers application of themselves to him in this Matter are so graphically exemplified in sundry of the Holy Saints of old as Joh David Heman and others and great and plentiful Provision is made in the Scripture for the Direction Recovery Healing and Consolation of Souls in such a condition yet men professing themselves to be Christians and to believe the Word of God at least not to be a Fable should dare to cast such opprobrious Reproaches on the Wayes and and Works of God The end of these Attempts can be no other but to decry all real entercourse between God and the Souls of Men leaving only an outside form or shape of Religion not one jot better than Atheism Neither is it only what concerns Spiritual Desertions whose Nature Causes and Remedies are professedly and at large handled by all the Casuistical Divines even of the Roman Church but the whole Work of the Spirit of God upon the Hearts of Men with all the Effects produduced in them with respect unto Sin and Grace that some men by their odious and scurrilous Expressions endeavour to expose to contempt and scorn S. P. p. 339 340 341 342. Whatever trouble befals the minds of men upon the account of a sense of the guilt of Sin whatever Darkness and Disconsolation they may undergo through the displeasure of God and his withdrawing of the wonted influences of his Grace Love and Favour towards them whatever Peace Comfort or Joy they may be made Partakers of by a sense of the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost it is all ascribed in most opprobrious Language unto Melancholy reeks and vapours whereof a certain and mechanical account may be given by them who understand the Anatomy of the Brain To such an height of Profane Atheism is the daring Pride and Ignorance of some in our dayes arrived Sect. 20 There remaineth yet one general Adjunct of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost which gives a further Description of the manner of it which I have left unto a single Consideration This is that which is mentioend Heb. 2. 4. God witnessing unto them with Signs and Wonders with divers Miracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gifts say we of the Holy Ghost But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Distributions or Partitions And hence advantage is taken by some to argue against his very Being So Crellius contends that the Holy Ghost here is taken passively or that the Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Genitivus Materiae Wherefore he supposes that it followeth that the Holy Ghost himself may be divided into Parts so that one may have one Part and Parcel of him and another may have another Part. How inconsistent this is with the Truth of his Being and Personality is apparent But yet neither can he give any tolerable account of the Division and Partition of that Power of God which he calls the Holy Ghost unless he will make the Holy Spirit to be a Quality in us and not in the Divine Nature as Justin Martyr affirms Plato to have done and so to be divided And the Interpretation he useth of the words is wrested perverse and foolish For the Contexture of them requires that the Holy Ghost be here taken actively as the Author of the Distribution mentioned He gives out of his Gifts and Powers unto Men in many Parts not all to One not all at once not all in one way but some to one some to another some at one time some at another and that in great variety The Apostle therefore in this place
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
to have a specialty in our Divine Love to the Person of Christ. 2. The Uncreated Glories of the Divine Nature whence our Love hath the same Object with that which we owe unto God absolutely 3. That Perfection and Fulness of Grace which dwelt in his Humane Nature as communicated unto him by the Holy Spirit whereof we have treated If you love the Person of Christ it must be on these Considerations Which whilst some have neglected they have doted on their own Imaginations and whilst they have thought themselves even sick of Love for Christ they have only languished in their own Fancies Secondly We are to know Christ so as to labour after conformity unto him And this Conformity consists only in a Participation of those Graces whose fulness dwells in him We can therefore no other way regularly press after it but by an Acquaintance with and due Consideration of the Work of the Spirit of God upon his Humane Nature which is therefore worthy of our most diligent enquiry into And so have we given a brief delineation of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit in and towards the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ the Head of the Church his preparation of a Mystical Body for him in his Powerful Gracious Work on the Elect of God doth nextly ensue The General Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation with respect unto the Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head CHAP. V. 1 Christ the Head of the New Creation 2. Things premised in general unto the remaining Work of the Spirit Things presupposed unto the Work of the Spirit towards the Church the Love and Grace of Father and Son 3. The whole Work of the building of the Church committed to the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. opened 4. The Foundation of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit and its Building by him alone 5. Christ present with his Church only by his Spirit Mat. 28. 19. Acts 1. 9 10. Acts 3. 21. Mat. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16. compared 6. The Holy Spirit works the Work of Christ John 16. 13 14 15. opened 7. The Holy Spirit the peculiar Author of all Grace 8. The Holy Spirit worketh all this according to his own Will 1. His Will and Pleasure is in all his Works 2. He works variously as to the Kinds and Degrees of his Operations How he may be resisted how not 9 How the same Work is ascribed unto the Spirit distinctly and to others with him 10. The General Heads of his Operations towards the Church Sect. 1 VVE have considered the Work of the Spirit of God in his laying the Foundation of the Church of the New Testament by his Dispensations towards the Head of it our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Foundation Stone of this Building with seven Eyes engraven on him or filled with an absolute perfection of all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Zech. 3. 9. which when he is exalted also as the Head Stone in the Corner there are shoutings in Heaven and Earth crying Grace Grace unto him Zech. 4. 7. As upon the laying of the Foundation and placing of the Corner Stones of the Earth in the Old Creation the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy Job 38. 6 7. So upon the laying of this Foundation and placing of this Corner Stone in the New Creation all things sing together and cry Grace Grace unto it The same Hand which laid this Foundation doth also finish the Building The same Spirit which was given unto him not by Measure Joh. 3. 34. giveth Grace unto every one of us according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. And this falleth now under our Consideration namely the perfecting the Work of the New Creation by the effectual Operation and Distributions of the Spirit of God And this belongs unto the Establishment of our Faith that he who Prepared Sanctified and Glorified the Humane Nature the Natural Body of Jesus Christ the Head of the Church hath undertaken to Prepare Sanctifie and Glorifie his Mystical Body or all the Elect given unto him of the Father Concerning which before we come to consider particular Instances some things in general must be premised which are these that follow Sect. 2 First Unto the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church some things are supposed from whence it proceeds which it is built upon and resolved into It is not an Original but a Perfecting Work some things it supposeth and bringeth all things to perfection And these are First The Love Grace Counsel and Eternal Purpose of the Father 2. The whole Work of the Mediation of Jesus Christ which things I have handled elsewhere For it is the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit to make those things of the Father and Son effectual unto the Souls of the Elect to the Praise of the Glory of the Grace of God God doth all things for himself and his Supream End is the manifestation of his own Glory And in the Old or First Creation he seems principally or firstly to intend the Demonstration and Exaltation of the Glorious Essential Properties of his Nature his Goodness Power Wisdom and the like as Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Acts 14. 15 16 17. Acts 7. 24 25 26 27. leaving only on the Works of his Hands some obscure Impressions of the distinction of Persons subsisting in the Unity of that Being whose Properties he had displayed and glorified But in the Work of the New Creation God firstly and principally intends the especial Revelation of each Person of the whole Trinity distinctly in their peculiar distinct Operations all which tend ultimately to the manifestation of the Glory of his Nature also And herein consists the principal Advantage of the New Testament above the Old for although the Work of the New Creation was begun and carried on Secretly and Virtually under the Old Testament yet they had not a full discovery of the Oeconomy of the Holy Trinity therein which was not evidently manifest until the whole Work was illustriously brought to Light by the Gospel Hence although there appear a vigorous acting of Faith and ardency of Affection in the Approaches of the Saints unto God under the Old Testament yet as unto a clear access to the Father through the Son by the Spirit as Ephes. 2. 18. wherein the Life and Comfort of our Communion with God doth consist we hear nothing of it Herein therefore God plainly declares that the Foundation of the Whole was laid in the Counsel Will and Grace of the Father Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. Then that the making way for the accomplishing of that Counsel of his so that it might be brought forth to the praise of his Glory is by the Mediation of the Son God having designed in this Work to bring things so about that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the
the Apostle when he sent him to Preach the Gospel was to open the Eyes of Men and to turn them from Darkness to Light Acts 26. 18. not a Light within them for Internal Light is the Eye or seeing of the Soul But the Darkness was such as consisted in their blindness in not having their eyes open To open their Eyes and turn them from Darkness Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord. What is the Change and Alteration made in the Minds of Men intended in this Expression will afterwards appear But that a great Change is proposed none can doubt Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness as also 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light And the Darkness which is in these Testimonies ascribed unto Persons in an unregenerate Condition is by Paul compared to that which was at the beginning before the Creation of Light Gen. 1. 2. Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep There was no Creature that had a Visive Faculty there was Darkness Subjectively in all and there was no Light to see by but all was objectively wrapt up in Darkness In this state of things God by an Almighty Act of his Power created Light vers 3. God said Let there be Light and there was Light And no otherwise is it in this new Creation God who commanded then Light to shine out of Darkness shines into the Hearts of Men to give them the knowledg of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Spiritual Darkness is in and upon all Men until God by an Almighty and Effectual Work of the Spirit shine into them or Create Light in them And this Darkness is that Light within which some boast to be in themselves and others Sect. 7 To clear our way in this Matter we must consider first the Nature of this Spiritual Darkness what it is and wherein it doth consist and then secondly shew its Efficacy and Power in and on the Minds of Men and how they are corrupted by it First The Term of Darkness in this case is Metaphorical and borrowed from that which is Natural What Natural Darkness is and wherein it consists all Men know if they know it not in its Cause and Reason yet they know it by its Effects They know it is that which hinders Men from all Regular Operations which are to be guided by the outward Senses And it is two-fold 1. When Men have not Light to see by or when the usual Light the only external Medium for the discovery of distant Objects is taken from them So was it with the Egyptians during the three dayes darkness that was on their Land They could not see for want of Light they had their Visive Faculty continued unto them yet having no Light they saw not one another nor arose any from his place Exod. 10. 23. For God probably to augment the terror of his Judgment restrained the vertue of Artificial Light as well as he did that which was Natural 2. There is Darkness unto Men when they are blind either born so or made so Psal. 69. 29. Let their Eyes be darkned that they may not see So the Angel smote the Sodomites with blindness Gen. 19. 11. and Paul the Sorcerer Acts 13. 11. However the Sun shineth it is all one perpetual Night unto them that are blind Sect. 8 Answerable hereunto Spiritual Darkness may be referred unto two Heads For there is an Objective Darkness a Darkness that is on Men and a Subjective Darkness a Darkness that is in them The first consists in the want of those Means whereby alone they may be enlightned in the Knowledg of God and Spiritual Things This is intended Mat. 4. 16. This Means is the Word of God and the preaching of it Hence it is called a Light Psal. 119. 105. and is said to give Light Psal. 19. 8. or to be a Light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. And it is so termed because it is the outward Means of Communicating the Light of the Knowledg of God unto the Minds of Men. What the Sun is unto the World as unto things natural that is the Word and the Preaching of it unto Men as to Things Spiritual And hence our Apostle applies what is said of the Sun in the Firmament as to the enlightning of the World Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4. unto the Gospel and the Preaching of it Rom. 10. 15 18. Sect. 9 And this Darkness is upon many in the World even all unto whom the Gospel is not declared or by whom it is not received where it is or hath been so Some I know have entertained a vain Imagination about a Saving-Revelation of the Knowledg of God by the Works of Creation and Providence objected to the Rational Faculties of the Minds of Men. It is not my purpose here to divert unto the confutation of that Fancy Were it so it were easie to demonstrate that there is no Saving Revelation of the Knowledg of God unto Sinners but as he is in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and that so he is not made known but by the Word of Reconciliation committed unto the Dispensers of the Gospel What-ever knowledg therefore of God may be attained by the means mentioned as he is the God of Nature ruling over Men and requiring Obedience from them according to the Covenant and Law of their Creation yet the knowledg of him as a God in Christ pardoning Sin and saving Sinners is attainable by the Gospel only But this I have proved and confirmed elsewhere Sect. 10 It is the Work of the Holy Spirit to remove and take away this Darkness which until it is done no Man can see the Kingdom of God or enter into it And this he doth by sending the Word of the Gospel into any Nation Country Place or City as he pleaseth The Gospel doth not get ground in any place nor is restrained from any Place or People by accident 〈◊〉 by the endeavours of Men but it is sent and disposed of 〈◊〉 to the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of the Spirit of God He Gifteth Calls and Sends Men unto the Work of Preaching it Acts 13. 2 4. and disposeth them unto the Places where they shall declare it either by express Revelation as of old Acts 16. 6 7 8 9 10. or guides them by the secret Operations of his Providence Thus the Dispensation of the Light of the Gospel as to Times Places and Persons depends on his Sovereign Pleasure Psal. 147. 19 20. Wherefore although we are to take care and pray much about the continuance of the Dispensation of the Gospel in any place and its Propagation in others yet need we not to be over-solicitous about it This Work and Care the Holy Ghost hath taken on himself and will carry it on according to the Counsel of God and his Purposes concerning the Kingdom of Jesus
to the act of believing is contracted by their own fault both as it ariseth from the Original Depravation of Nature and as it is increased by corrupt Prejudices and contracted Habits of Sin wherefore they justly perished of whom yet it is said That they could not believe John 12. 39. 3. There is none by whom the Gospel is refused but they put forth an Act of the Will in its Rejection which all Men are free unto and able for I would have gathered you but you would not Mat. 23. 37. You will not come to me that you may have life Sect. 38 But the Scripture positively affirms of some to whom the Gospel was Preached that they could not believe John 12. 39. And of all natural Men that they cannot perceive the Things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. neither is it given unto all to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but some only Matth. 11. 25. And those to whom it is not so given have not the Power intended Besides Faith is not of all have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. But it is peculiar to the Elect of God Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. And these Elect are but some of those that are called Mat. 20. 16. Sect. 39 Yet further to clear this it may be observed that this first Act of Willing may be considered two wayes 1. As it wrought in the Will subjectively and so it is formally only in that Faculty And in this sense the Will is meerly passive and only the Subject moved or acted And in this respect the Act of God's Grace in the Will is an Act of the Will But 2. it may be considered as it is efficiently also in the Will as being acted it acts it self So it is from the Will as its Principle and is a Vital Act thereof which gives it the Nature of Obedience Thus the Will in its own Nature is mobilis fit and meet to be wrought upon by the Grace of the Spirit to Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Creating Act of Grace working Faith in us it is mota moved and acted thereby And in respect of its own elicit Act as it so acted and moved it is movens the next efficient cause thereof Sect. 40 These things being premised for the clearing of the Nature of the Operation of the Spirit in the first Communication of Grace unto us and the Wills complyance therewithal we return unto our Arguments or Testimonies given unto the actual collation of Faith upon us by the Spirit and Grace of God which must needs be effectual and irresistible for the contrary implies a contradiction namely that God should work what is not wrought Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake To believe on Christ expresseth Saving-Faith it self This is given unto us And how is it given us Even by the Power of God working in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure Chap. 1. 13. Our Faith is our coming to Christ. And no Man saith he can come unto me except it be given him of my Father Joh. 6. 65. All Power in our selves for this end is utterly taken away no Man can come unto me How-ever we may suppose Men to be prepared or disposed what-ever Arguments may be proposed unto them and in what season soever to render things congruous and agreeable unto their Inclinations yet no Man of himself can believe can come to Christ unless Faith it self be given unto him that is be wrought in him by the Grace of the Father Col. 2. 11. So it is again asserted and that both negatively and positively Ephes. 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Our own Ability be it what it will how-ever assisted and excited and God's Gift are contra-distinguished If it be our selves it is not the Gift of God if it be the Gift of God it is not of our selves And the manner how God bestows this Gift upon us is declared v. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Good Works or Gospel-Obedience are the things designed These must proceed from Faith or they are not acceptable with God Heb. 11. 6. And the way whereby this is wrought in us or a Principle of Obedience is by a Creating Act of God we are his Workmanship created in Jesus Christ. In like manner God is said to give us Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Acts 11. 18. This is the whole of what we plead God in our Conversion by the exceeding greatness of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead actually worketh Faith and Repentance in us gives them unto us bestows them on us so that they are meer Effects of his Grace in us And his working in us infallibly produceth the Effect intended because it is actual Faith that he works and not only a Power to believe which we may either put forth and make use of or suffer to be fruitless according to the pleasure of our own Wills Sect. 41 Secondly As God giveth and worketh in us Faith and Repentance so the way whereby he doth it or the manner how he is said to effect them in us make it evident that he doth it by a Power infallibly efficacious and which the Will of Man doth never resist For this way is such as that he thereby takes away all Repugnancy all Resistance all Opposition every thing that lyeth in the way of the Effect intended Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thine Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live A denyal of the Work here intended is expressed Chap. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this day What it is to have the Heart circumcised the Apostle declares Col. 2. 11. It is the putting off of the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ that is our Conversion to God It is the giving an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear that is Spiritual Light and Obedience by the removal of all Obstacles and Hindrances This is the immediate Work of the Spirit of God himself No Man ever circumcised his own heart No Man can say he began to do it by the Power of his own Will and then God only helped him by his Grace As the Act of outward Circumcision on the body of a Child was the Act of another and not of the Child who was onely passive therein but the Effect was in the Body of the Child only so is it in this Spiritual Circumcision It is the Act of God whereof our Hearts are the Subject And whereas it is the Blindness Obstinacy and Stubbornness in Sin that is in us
Holiness and are accepted with God they proceed from a peculiar Operation of the Holy Spirit in us And herein to make our Intention the more evident we may distinctly observe 1 That there is in the Minds Wills and Affections of all Believers a Meetness Fitness Readiness and habitual Disposition unto the Performance of all Acts of Obedience towards God all Duties of Piety Charity and Righteousness that are required of them and hereby are they internally and habitually distinguished from them that are not so That it is so with them and whence it comes be so we have before declared This Power and Disposition is wrought and preserved in them by the Holy Ghost 2 No Believer can of himself act that is actually exert or exercise this Principle or Power of a spiritual Life in any one Instance of any Duty internal or external towards God or Men so as that it shall be an Act of Holiness or a Duty accepted with God He cannot I say do so of himself by vertue of any Power habitually inherent in him We are not in this World intrusted with any such spiritual Ability from God as without further actual Aid and Assistance to do any thing that is Good Therefore 3 That which at present I design to prove is That the Actual Aid Assistance and internal Operation of the Spirit of God is necessary required and granted unto the producing of every holy Act of our Minds Wills and Affections in every Duty whatever Or notwithstanding the Power or Ability which Believers have received in or by Habitual Grace they still stand in need of Actual Grace in for and unto every single gracious holy Act or Duty towards God And this I shall now a little further explain and then confirm Sect. 6 As it is in our natural Lives with respect unto Gods Providence so it is in our spiritual Lives with respect unto his Grace He hath in the Works of Nature endowed us with a vital Principle or an Act of the quickening Soul upon the Body which is quickened thereby By vertue hereof we are enabled unto all vital Acts whether Natural and Necessary or Voluntary according to the Constitution of our Beings which is Intellectual God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a living Soul Gen. 2. 7. giving him a Principle of Life he was fitted for and enabled unto all the proper Acts of that Life For a Principle of Life is an Ability and Disposition unto Acts of Life But yet whosoever is thus made a living Soul who is indued with this Principle of Life he is not able Originally without any motion or Acting from God as the first Cause or independently on him to exert or put forth any vital Act That which hath not this Principle as a dead Carkase hath no meetness unto vital Actions nor is capable either of Motion or Alteration but as it receives Impressions from an outward Principle of Force or an inward Principle of Corruption But he in whom it is hath a Fitness Readiness and habitual Power for all vital Actions yet so as without the Concurrence of God in his Energetical Providence moving and Acting of him he can do nothing For in God we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 28. And if any one could of himself perform an Action without any Concourse of Divine Operation he must himself be absolutely the first and only Cause of that Action that is the Creatour of a New Being Sect. 7 It is so as unto our spiritual Life We are by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ furnished with a Principle of it in the Way and for the Ends before described Hereby are we enabled and disposed to Live unto God in the Exercise of spiritually vital Acts or the performance of Dutyes of Holiness And he who hath not this Principle of spiritual Life is spiritually dead as we have at large before manifested and can do nothing at all that is spiritually Good He may be moved unto and as it were compelled by the Power of Convictions to do many things that are materially so But that which is on all Considerations spiritually good and accepted with God he can do nothing of The Enquiry is What Believers themselves who have received this Principle of spiritual Life and are Habitually sanctified can do as to Actual Duties by vertue thereof without a new immediate Assistance and working of the Holy Spirit in them And I say they can no more do any thing that is spiritually good without the particular Concurrence and Assistance of the Grace of God unto every Act thereof than a man can naturally act or move or doe any thing in an absolute Independency on God his Power and Providence And this proportion between the Works of Gods Providence and of his Grace the Apostle expresseth Ephes. 2. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them God at the Beginning made all things by a creating Power producing them out of Nothing and left them not meerly to themselves and their own Powers when so created but he upholds supports sustains and preserves them in the Principles of their Beings and Operations acting powerfully in and by them after their several Kinds Without his Supportment of their Beings by an Actual incessant Emanation of Divine Power the whole Fabrick of Nature would dissolve into Confusion and nothing And without his Influence into and Concurrence with their Ability for Operation by the same Power all things would be dead and deformed and not one Act of Nature be exerted So also is it in this Work of the New Creation of all things by Jesus Christ. We are the Workmanship of God he hath formed and fashioned us for himself by the Renovation of his Image in us Hereby are we sitted for good Works and the Fruits of Righteousness which he hath appointed as the Way of our Living unto him This New Creature this Divine Nature in us he supporteth and preserveth so as that without his continual influential Power it would perish and come to nothing But this is not all He doth moreover act it and effectually concurre to every singular Duty by new supplyes of Actual Grace So then that which we are to prove is That there is an Actual Operation of the Holy Ghost in us necessary unto every Act and Duty of Holiness whatever without which none either will or can be produced or performed by us which is the Second Part of his Work in our Sanctification And there are several Wayes whereby this is confirmed unto us Sect. 8 First The Scripture declares that we our selves cannot in and by our selves that is by vertue of any strength or power that we have received do any thing that is spiritually Good So our Saviour tells his Apostles when they were sanctified Believers and in them all that are so without me ye can do nothing John 15.
3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So without me Seorsim a me so separated from me as a Branch may be from the Vine If a Branch be so separated from the Root and Body of the Vine as that it receives not continual supplyes of Nourishment from them if their Influence into it be by any Means intercepted it proceeds not in its Growth it brings forth no Fruit but is immediately under decay It is so saith our Saviour with Believers in respect unto him Unless they have continual uninterrupted influences of Grace and spiritually vital Nourishment from him they can do nothing Without me expresseth a Denyal of all the spiritual Aid that we have from Christ. On supposition hereof we can do nothing that is by our own Power or by vertue of any Habit or Principle of Grace we have received For when we have received it what we can do thereby without further actual Assistance we can do of our selves You can do nothing that is which appertains to Fruit-bearing unto God In things Natural and Civil we can do somewhat and in things Sinfull too much we need no Aid or Assistance for any such purpose But in Fruit-hearing unto God we can do nothing Now every Act of Faith and Love every Motion of our Minds or Affections towards God is a part of our Fruit-bearing and so unquestionably are all external Works and and Duties of Holiness and Obedience Wherefore our Saviour himself being Judge Believers who are really sanctified and made partakers of Habitual Grace yet cannot of themselves without new actual Ayd and Assistance of Grace from him do any thing that is spiritually Good or acceptable with God Sect. 9 Our Apostle confirmeth the same Truth 2 Cor. 3. 4 5. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God It is a great and eminent Grace which he declareth that he was acting namely Trust in God through Christ in the Discharge of his Ministry and for the blessed Success thereof But he had no sooner expressed it than he seems to be jealous lest he should appear to have assumed something to himself in this Work or the Trust he had for its Success This no man was ever more cautious against and indeed it was incumbent on him so to be because he was appointed to be the principal Minister and Preacher of the Grace of Jesus Christ. Therefore I say he addes a Caution against any such Apprehensions and openly renounceth any such Power Ability or Sufficiency in himself as that by vertue thereof he could act so excellent a Grace or perform so great a Duty Not that we are sufficient of our selves And in this matter he hath not only in places innumerable asserted the Necessity and Efficacy of Grace with our impotency without it but in his own Instance he hath made such a Distinction between what was of himself and what of Grace with such an open Disclaimure of any Interest of his own in what was Spiritually good distinct from Grace as should be sufficient with all sober Persons to determine all differences in this Case See 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gal. 2. 21. and this place I assume no such thing to my self I ascribe no such thing unto any other as that I or they should have in our selves a sufficiency unto any such purpose For our Apostle knew nothing of any sufficiency that needed any other thing to make it effectual And he doth not exclude such a sufficiency in our selves with respect unto eminent Actings of Grace and greater Duties but with respect unto every good Thought or whatever may have a tendency unto any spiritual Duty We cannot conceive we cannot engage in the Beginning of any Duty by our own sufficiency For it is the beginning of Dutyes which the Apostle expresseth by thinking our Thoughts and Projections being Naturally the first thing that belongs unto our Actions And this he doth as it were on purpose to obviate that Pelagian Fiction that the Beginning of Good was from our selves but we had the help of Grace to perfect it But what then if we have no such sufficiency to what purpose should we set about the thinking or doing of any thing that is good Who will be so unwise as to attempt that which he hath no strength to accomplish And doth not the Apostle hereby deny that he himself had performed and Holy Duties or Acted any Grace or done any thing that was good seeing he had no sufficiency of himself so to doe to obviate this cavil he confines this denyal of a sufficiency unto our selves we have it not of our selves But saith he our sufficiency is of God that is we have it by Actual supplies of Grace necessary unto every Duty and how God Communicates this sufficiency and how we receive it he declares Chap. 9. v. 8. God is able to make all Grace abound towards you that ye alwaies having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work God manifests the abounding of Grace towards us when he works an effective sufficiency in us which he doth so as to enable us to abound in good works or Duties of Holiness These are those supplies of Grace which God gives us unto all our Duties as He had promised unto him in his own ease Chap. 12. 9. And this is the first Demonstration of the Truth proposed unto Consideration namely the Testimonies given in the Scripture that Believers themselves cannot of themselves perform any Acts or Duties of Holiness any thing that is spiritually good Therefore these things are Effects of Grace and and must be wrought in us by the Holy Ghost who is the immediate Author of all Divine Operations Sect. 10 Secondly All Actings of Grace all good Duties are actually ascribed unto the Operation of the Holy Ghost The particular Testimonies hereunto are so multiplyed in the Scripture as that it is not convenient nor indeed possible to call them over distinctly some of them in a way of instance may be insisted on and reduced unto three heads Sect. 11 1 There are many places wherein we are said to be led guided acted by the Spirit to live in the Spirit to walk after the Spirit to do things by the Spirit that dwelleth in us For nothing in general can be intended in these expressions but the Actings of the Holy Spirit of God upon our Souls in a Complyance wherewith as acting when we are acted by him our Obedience unto God according to the Gospel doth consist Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to walk in Obedience unto God according to the supplies of Grace which the Holy Ghost administers unto us for so it is added that we shall not then fullfill the lusts of the flesh that is we shall be kept up unto Holy Obedience and the avoydance of sin So are we said to be led by the Spirit
ver 18. being acted by him and not by the vitious depraved principles of our corrupted Nature Rom. 8. 4. Walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit To walk after the flesh is to have the principles of indwelling sin acting its self in us unto the production and perpetration of actual sins Wherefore to walk after the Spirit is to have the Spirit acting in us to the effecting of all gracious Acts and Duties And this is given unto us in command that we neglect not his motions in us but comply with them in a way of Diligence and Duty see ver 14. 15. So are we injoyned to attend unto particular Duties through the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 14. that is through his Assistance without which we can do nothing Sect. 12 2 As we are said to be led and acted by him so he is declared to be the Authour of all gracious Actings in us Galat. 5. 22. 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance All these things are wrought and brought forth in us by the Spirit for they are his fruits And not onely the Habit of them but all their Actings in all their Exercise are from him Every Act of Faith is Faith and every Act of Love is Love and consequently no Act of them is of our selves but every one of them is a fruit of the Spirit of God So in another place he adds an universal affirmative comprehending all instances of particular Graces and their Exercise Ephes. 5. 9. The fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Unto these three heads all Actings of Grace all Duties of Obedience all parts of Holiness may be reduced And it is through the supplies of the Spirit that he trusteth for a good issue of his Obedience Phil. 1. 19. So is it expressely in the Promise of the Covenant Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and doe them This is the whole that God requireth of us and it is all wrought in us by his Spirit So also Chap. 11. 19 20. Jerem. 32. 39 40. All the Obedience and Holiness that God requires of us in the Covenant all Duties and Actings of Grace are promised to be wrought in us by the Spirit after we are assured that of our selves we can doe nothing Sect. 13 3 Particular Graces and their Exercise are assigned unto his acting and working in us Gal. 5. 5. We through the Spirit wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith The hope of the Righteousness of Faith is the thing hoped for thereby All that we look for or expect in this World or hereafter is by the Righteousness of Faith Our quiet waiting for this is an especial Gospel Grace and Duty This we do not of our selves but through the Spirit Phil. 3. 3. We worship God in the Spirit love the brethren in the Spirit Col. 1. 8. we purifie our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren 1 Pet. 1. 22. See Eph. 1. 17. Act. 19. 31. Rom. 5. 5. Rom. 8. 15. 22 26. 1 Thes. 1. 6. Rom. 14. 17. Chap. 15. 13 16. of Faith it is said expressely that it is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes. 2. 7 8. Sect. 14 Thirdly There are Testimonies that are express unto the Position as before laid down Phil. 2. 13. It is God who worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure The things thus wrought are all things that appertain unto our Obedience and Salvation as is evident from the Connexion of the words with v. 12. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Hereunto two things are required 1 Power for such Operations or for all the Duties of Holiness and Obedience that are required of us That this we are indued withall that this is wrought in us bestowed upon us by the Holy Ghost hath been before abundantly confirmed But when this is done for us is there ought else yet remaining to be done Yea 2 There is the Actual Exercise of the Grace we have received How may this be Exercised All the whole work of Grace consists in the internal Acts of our Wills and external Operations in Duties suitable thereunto This therefore is incumbent on us this we are to look unto in our selves it is our Duty so to do namely to stir up and exercise the Grace we have received in and unto its proper Operations But it is so our Duty as that of our selves we cannot perform it It is God who worketh effectually in us all those gracious Acts of our Wills and all holy Operations in a way of Duty Every Act of our Wills so far as it is Gracious and Holy is the Act of the Spirit of God efficiently He worketh in us to will or the very Act of willing To say he doth only perswade us or excite and stirre up our Wills by his Grace to put forth their own Acts is to say he doth not do what the Apostle affirms him to do For if the gracious Actings of our Wills be so our own as not to be his he doth not work in us to will but only perswadeth us so to do But the same Apostle utterly excludeth this pretense 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured abundantly yet not I but the grace of God which was with me He had a Necessity incumbent on him of declaring the great labour he had undergone and the pains he had taken in preaching of the Gospel But yet immediately least any one should apprehend that he ascribed any thing to himself any gracious holy Actings in those Labours he addes his usual Epanorthosis Not I let me not be mistaken it was not I by any power of mine by any thing in me but it was all wrought in me by the free Grace of the Spirit of God Not I but Grace is the Apostles Assertion Suppose now that God by his Grace doth no more but aid assist and excite the Will in its Actings that he doth not effectually work all the gracious Actings of our Souls in all our Duties the Proposition would hold on the other hand Not Grace but I seeing the principal Relation of the Effect is unto the next and immediate Cause and thence hath it its Denomination And as he worketh them To Will in us so also To Doe that is Effectually to perform those Duties whereunto the gracious actings of our Wills are required Sect. 15 And what hath been spoken may suffice to prove that the Holy Spirit as the Author of our Sanctification worketh also in us all gracious Acts of Faith Love and Obedience wherein the first Part of our Actual Holiness and Righteousness doth consist And the Truth thus confirmed may be further improved unto our Instruction and Edification 1 It is easily hence discernible How contrary are the Designs
Mistakes about Ability to comply with Gods Commands 544 20 Abuse of the best Duties Possible 398 13 Abuse of spiritual Gifts 1 1 Abuse of Eternal Love devilish 525 14 Acquaintance with the Pollution of Sin necessary 394 11 Every Gracious Act of the Will wrought by the Holy Spirit 470 10 Difference between the Act of the Spirit in forming the Humane Nature of Christ and the Act of the Son in assuming it 133 12 To be acted by the Spirit what it is 468 11 How the Holy Prophets were Acted by the Spirit 104 10 All Actings of the Person of the Son of God towards the Humane Nature voluntary 129 6 Actings of the Holy Spirit not ascribed unto him exclusively 130 9 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 External Actings of one Divine Person towards another of what sort 46 5 All Actions internal and external to be tryed by the Word 412 3 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 All Acts of Natural Life from God 465 6 No Vital Acts under the Power of Death Spiritual 246 21 Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of Christ a Creating Act. 132 Two-fold Event of Mens falls into Actual Sins 291 292 7 8 Actual Sins how they spring from Original Sins 289 5 Actual supplyes of Grace necessary to the Mortification of Sin 486 23 Actual assistance of Grace necessary unto Obedience 548 27 Adam how he had the Spirit of God in the state of Innocency 76 14 Adam had many things revealed unto him 100 6 Adherence and Assimulation Effects of of Love 496 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Admiration an effect of love 514 26 Administration of Grace not equal at all times 547 24 Advantage and Priviledge in the Participation of the Gifts of the Spirit 83 7 Advantage of the New Testament in our Access to God 155 2 Advantage of Duties vitiated in their Performance 249 28 Great Advantage of spiritual Experience 342 Affections wrought upon and excited by Convictions 200 18 Affections fixed by Grace on spiritual things 201 18 Affections when renewed work sensibly 353 Affections how depraved how sanctified 285 57 Affections the Means of Convictions 294 13 Afflictions how they purge away sin 391 9 Afflictions how sanctified and made usefull ibid. Various Aggravations of the Defilement of Sin 379 Aggravations of sin in them who have received a Principle of Grace 549 29 All personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Alienation from the Life of God what it is 216 22 Alienation of the Minds of men from the Gospel on what Ground 233 54 Allusion unto Local Motion in sending of the Spirit whence taken 84 8 Angels Gods Host. 70 6 Ministry of Angels about the Body of Christ when dead 147 10 Anointing at the Inauguration of Governours what it signified 117 The Spirit of Antichrist what it is 41 17 An Anti-Spirit set up in Opposition to the Spirit of God 19 23 Apostasie of the Church in several Ages with respect unto the Persons of the Holy Trinity 24 27 Apostasie of Christian Churches in the Rejection of the Holy Spirit and his Work 25 27 Apostasie from beginnings of Conversion how brought on 300 24 Appellations or Titles of the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 34 9 Appearances of the Holy Spirit under visible Signs 52 15 Appearances of Persons in Divine Visions 108 14 All Apprehensions of Divine Operations to be tryed by the Rule of the Word 187 Apprehension of Eternal danger from the Law before Conversion 308 31 Application of the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin 371 1 Application to the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin and the Nature of it 387 388 389 s. 5. 400 405 Applications of the Death of Christ unto the subduing of Sin wherein it consists 494 495 36 Arguments in Prayer for the further Communications of the Spirit 359 4 Weak Arguments for Holiness prejudicial to it 498 2 Arguments to prove the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost 47 48 c. 8 Articulate Voyces in Divine Revelations how formed 106 12 Internal Assistance of the Spirit of God necessary to every Act of Obedience 465 5 Assumption the only immediate Act of the Person of the Son towards the Humane Nature 129 4 Assurance accompanying Divine Revelations 104 10 Assurance of Success and final preservation an Encouragement to Duties of Holiness 529 21 Assurance of the End an Encouragement unto the use of the Means 530 23 Attonement or Satisfaction not required of Sinners 331 13 False Wayes of making Attonement the Ground of all Superstition ibid. Vain Attempts for the Mortification of Sin 478 8 Auricular Confession an Invention to accommodate the Inclinations of all Flesh 380 Authority in giving the Spirit respects his Gifts and Grace 81 4 Authority of God gives Efficacy to the Word 259 13 Authority of God to be alwayes considered in his Commands 537 10 Sense of the Authority of God to be carried into all our Occasions 542 17 B. Baalam how a Prophet and how a Sorcerer 110 17 Baptized into the Name of the Holy Spirit as into the Father and Son 51 14 Baptisme of Christ the time of his being anointed unto his Prophetical Office 139 140 5 Baptism is not Regeneration 179 15 All that are duely Baptized are not Regenerate 180 16 Baptism how it expresseth our Sanctification 371 2 Baptism washeth not away Sin virtute Operis operati 380 Beauty of the Soul in its Conformity unto God 376 5 Beginning and Ending of the Gift of Prophesie 100 6 Beginnings of Holiness small like seed 340 4 Beginning of Good from our selves a Pelagian Fiction 467 9 Believers alone receive the Spirit in what sense 82 5 Believers much unacquainted with the Nature of Holiness and their own interest therein 327 10 Believers the only Subject of Sanctification 356 6 Benefit and use of the Word Preached 341 5 Benignity and Charity the great Resemblances of God 515 28 Blasphemy of the Jewes against the Name of Jesus 3 3 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 64 29 Blindness of may about the Nature of Sin 479 11 The Blood of Christ how it cleanseth from sin 384 3 The Blood of Christ that purgeth sin is the Blood of his sacrifice 385 4 Blood in Sacrifice both Offered and Sprinkled 385 4 The Blood of Christs Sacrifice alwayes in the same condition as to Efficacy 386 Boasting and Despondency prevented by the same Means 345 6 Bodily strength given by the Spirit of God 118 24 Bodily Absence of Christ how supplyed by the Holy Spirit 161 6 Body of Christ formed of the substance of the Blessed Virgin Reasons thereof 132 The Body how depraved by Sin 366 The Body how sanctified 368 Bounty expressed in pouring forth the Spirit 87 13 The Spirit how called the Breath of Gods Mouth 39 13 How God Breathed into
in the Illumination of the Minds of Men the Reparation of their Natures the Sanctification of their Persons and their Endowment with Spiritual Gifts are therein and thereby Enemies to Reason and impugn the Use of it in Religion or at least allow it not that Place and Exercise therein which is its due Hence some of those who are otherwise minded affirm that it is cast on them as a Reproach that they are Rational Divines although sâ—â—far as I can discern if it be so it is as Hierom was beaten by an Angel for being a Ciceronian in the judgment of some very undeservedly But the grounds whereon this Charge should be made good have not as yet been made to appear neither hath it been evinced that any thing is ascribed by us unto the Efficacy of God's Grace in the least derogatory unto Reason its Use or any Duty of Man depending thereon I suppose we are agreed herein That the Reason of Man in the State wherein we are is not sufficient of it self to find out or frame a Religion whereby we may please God and be accepted with him Or if we are not agreed herein yet I shall not admit it as a part of our present Controversie wherein we suppose a Religion proceeding from and resolved into Supernatural Revelation Neither is it that I know of as yet pleaded by any that Reason is able to comprehend all the things in their Nature and Being or to search them out unto Perfection which are revealed unto us for we do not directly deal with them by whom the Principal Mysteries of the Gospel are rejected because they cannot comprehend them under a pretence that what is above Reason is against it And it may be it will be granted moreover that Natural Reason cannot enable the Mind of a Man unto a saving Perception of Spiritual Things as revealed without the especial Aid of the Spirit of God in Illumination If this be denied by any as we acknowledg our dissent from tâ—em so we know that we do no Injury to Reason thereby and will rather suffer under the Imputation of so doing than by renouncing of the Scripture to turn Infidels that we may be esteemed Rational But we cannot conceive how Reason should be prejudiced by the Advancement of the Rational Faculties of our Souls with respect unto their Exercise towards their proper Objects which is all we assign unto the Work of the Holy Spirit in this Matter And there are none in the World more free to grant than we are that unto us our Reason is the only Judg of the Sense and Truth of Propositions drawn from the Scripture or proposed therein and do wish that all Men might be left peaceable under that determination where we know thâ—y must abide whether they will or no. But the enquiry in this Matter is what Reasonableness appears in the Mysteries of our Religion when revealed unto our Reason and what ability we have to receive believe and obey them as such The latter part of this Enquiry is so fully spoken unto in the ensuing Discourses as that I shall not here again insist upon it the former may in a few words be spoken unto It cannot be it is not that I know of denied by any that Christian Religion is highly Reasonable For it is the Effect of the Infinite Reason Understanding and Wisdom of God But the Question is not What it is in it self but what it is with relation unto our Reason or how it appears thereunto And there is no doubt but every Thing in Christian Religion appears highly reasonable unto Reason enlightned or the Mind of Man affected with that Work of Grace in its Renovation which is so expresly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture For as there is a suitableness between an Enlightned Mind and Spiritual Mysteries as revealed so seeing them in their proper Lighâ— it finds by experience their Necessity Use Goodness and Beâ—â—t with respect unto our Chiâ—fest Good and Supream End It remains therefore only that we enquire how reasonable the Mysteries of Christian Religion are unto the Minds of Men as corrupter for that they are so by the entrance of sin as we believe so we have proved in the ensuing Treatise And it is in vain to dispute with any about the Reasonableness of Evangelical Faith and Obedience until the Stâ—te and Condition of our Reason be agreed Wherefore to speak plainly in the Case as we do a knowledg that Reason in its corrupted State is all that any Man hath in that State whereby to understand and judg of the Sense and Truth of Doâ—â—rines revealed in the Scripture and in the use of such Aids and Means as it is capable to improve is more and better unto him than any Judg or Interpreter that should impose a Sense upon him not suited thereunto so as to the Spiritual Things themselves of the Gospel in their own Nature it is Enmity against them and they are Foolishness unto it If therefore it be a Crime if it bâ—â— to the impeachmâ—nt and disadvantage of Reason to affirm that our Minds stand in need of the Renovation of the Holy Ghost to enable them to understand Spiritual Things in a Spiritual Manner we do acknowledg our selves guilty thereof But otherwise That by asserting the Efficacious Operations of the Spirit of God and the necessity of them unto the discharge of every Spiritual Duty towards God in an acceptable manner we do deny that Use and Exercise of our own Reason in things Religious and Spiritual whereof in any state it is capable and whereunto of God it is appointed is unduly charged on us as will afterwards be 〈◊〉 manifested But it is moreover pretended that by the Operations we ascribe unto the Holy Spirit we expose Man to be deceived by Satanical Delusions open a door to Enthusiasms directing them to the guidance of unaccountable Impulses and Revelations so making may unto all Folly and Villany By what means this Charge can be fixed on them who professedly avow that nothing is Good nothing Duty unto us nothing acceptable unto God but what is warranted by the Scripture directed unto thereby and suited thereunto which is the alone perfect Rule of all that God requires of us in the way of Obedience but only ungrounded Clamours hath not yet been attempted to be made manifest For all things of this Nature are not only condemned by them but all things which they teach concerning the Holy Spirit of God are the principal Wayes and Means to secure us from the danger of them It is true there have been of old and happily do still continue among some Satanical Delusions Diabolical Suggestions and soul Enthusiasms which have been pretended to proceed from the Spirit of God and to be of a Divine Original For so it is plainly affirmed in the Scripture both under the Old Testament and the New Directions being therein added for their Discovery and Disprovement But if we must therefore
reject the true and real Operations of the Spirit of God the Principal Preservative against our being deceived by them we may as well reject the owning of God himself because the Devil hath imposed himself on Mankind as the Object of their Worship Wherefore as to Enthusiasms of any kind which might possibly give countenance unto any Diabolical Suggestions we are so far from affirming any Operations of the Holy Ghost to consist in them or in any thing like unto them that we allow no pretence of them to be consistent therewithal And we have a sure Rule to try all these things by which as we are bound in all such Cases precisely to attend unto so hath God promised the Assistance of his Spirit that they be not deceived unto them who do it in sincerity What some Men intend by Impulses I know not If it be especial Aids Assistances and Inclinations unto Duties acknowledged to be such and the Duties of Persons so assisted and inclined and that peculiarly incumbent on them in their present Circumstances it requires no small Caution that under an invidious Name we reject not those supplies of Grace which are promised unto us and which we are bound to pray for But if irrational Impressions or violent Inclinations unto Things or Actions which are not acknowledged Duties in themselves evidenced by the Word of Truth and so unto the Persons so affected in their present Condition and Circumstances are thus expressed as we utterly abandon them so no pretence is given unto them from any thing which we believe concerning the Holy Spirit and his Operations For the whole Work which we assign unto him is nothing but that whereby we are enabled to perform that Obedience unto God which is required in the Scripture in the way and manner wherein it is required And it is probably more out of Enimity unto him than us where the contrary is pretended The same may be said concerning Revelations They are of two sorts Objective and Subjective Those of the former sort whether they contain Doctrines contrary unto that of the Scripture or additional thereunto or seemingly confirmatory thereof they are all universally to be rejected the former being absolutely false the latter useless Neither have any of the Operations of the Spirit pleaded for the least respect unto them For he having finished the whole Work of External Revelation and closed it in the Scripture his whole internal Spiritual Work is suited and commensurate thereunto By Subjective Revelations nothing is intended but that Work of Spiritual Illumination whereby we are enabled to discern and understand the Mind of God in the Scripture which the Apostle prayes for in the behalf of all Believers Ephes. 1. 17 18 19. and whose Nature God assisting shall be fully explained hereafter So little pretence therefore there is for this Charge on them by whom the Efficacious Operations of the Spirit of God are asserted as that without them we have no absolute security that we shall be preserved from being imposed on by them or some of them But it may be it will be said at last that our whole Labour in declaring the Work of the Spirit of God in us and towards us as well as what we have now briefly spoken in the Vindication of it from these or the like Imputations is altogether vain seeing all we do or say herein is nothing but canting with unintelligible Expressions So some affirm indeed before they have produced their Charter wherein they are constituted the sole Judges of what Words what Expressions what way of Teaching is proper in things of this Nature But by any thing that yet appears they seem to be as unmeet for the Exercise of that Dictatorship herein which they pretend unto as any sort of Men that ever undertook the Declaration of Things Sacred and Spiritual Wherefore unless they come with better Authority than as yet they can pretend unto and give a better Example of their own Way and Manner of teaching such Things than as yet they have done we shall continue to make Scripture Phraseology our Rule and Patern in the Declaration of Spiritual Things and endeavour an Accommodation of all our Expressions thereunto whether to them intelligible or not and that for Reasons so easie to be conceived as that they need not here be pleaded An Advertisement unto the Readers BEing absent from the Press a good part of the time wherein this Treatise was Printed and being sometimes disinabled by Sickness from attending unto a perusal of the Sheets I find that sundry Errors and Mistakes have fallen out in some Copies of this Impression But whereas for the most part they are Literal Faults or in Pointing not so corrupting the Sense but that an understanding Reader may easily discern what is intended I do not judg it necessary scrupulously to collect or represent them Some few may be taken notice of in a way of Instance Page 239. line 28. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 348. l. 46. r. Afflatus P. 350. l. 50. for weakned r. awaked P. 365. l. 6. for publick r. putid Ibid. l. 15. for fruitless r. frontless c. P. 495. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 510. l. 21. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 34. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 535. for exclusively r. extensively P. 549. l. 8. for deceit r. defect P. 559. l. 28. for Cisterne r. Systeme And sundry other such Mistakes I have observed which need not to be mentioned in particular as not likely to give the least trouble unto an intelligent Reader The most of these also which I have here taken notice of are Corrected in some Copies sundry of them in the most BOOK I. General Principles Concerning the HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK CHAP. I. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 1. opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual Gifts Their Grant unto Use and Abuse in that Church 2. Jesus how called Anathema impiety of the Jews How called Lord. The Foundation of Church-Order and Worship 3. In what sense we are enabled by the Spirit to call Jesus Lord. 4. The Holy Spirit the Author of all Gifts why called God and the Lord. 5. General Distribution of Spiritual Gifts 6. Proper End of their Communication 7. Nine sorts of Gifts Abuse of them in the Church Their tendency unto Peace and Order 8. General Design of the ensuing Discourse concerning the Spirit and his Dispensation 9. Importance of the Doctrine concerning the Spirit of God and his Operations Reasons hereof 10. Promise of the Spirit to supply the Absence of Christ as to his Humane Nature Concernment thereof 11. Work of the Spirit in the Ministration of the Gospel 12 13. All saving Good communicated unto us and wrought in us by Him 14. Sin against the Holy Ghost irremissible 15. False pretences unto the Spirit dangerous 16. Pretences unto the Spirit of Prophesie under the Old Testament 17. Two sorts of false Prophets the first
and performed all Obedience as Thomas did in his great Confession My Lord and my God John 20. 28. Now as he had before intimated that those who disowned him and called him accursed did speak by the instinct and instigation of the Devil by whom they were acted So he lets them know on the other hand that no man can thus own and confess Jesus to be the Lord but by the Holy Ghost But it may be said that some acted by the unclean Spirit confessed Christ to be the Lord. So did the Man in the Synagogue who cryed out I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God Mark 1. 23 24. And vers 24. He suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him And the Damsel possessed with a Spirit of Divination cryed after the Apostle saying These Men are the Servants of the most high God Acts 16. 17. So also did the Man who abode in the Tombs possessed with an unclean Spirit who cryed out unto him What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Son of the most high God Mark 5. 7. And other Testimonies to the like purpose among the Heathen and from their Oracles might be produced Ans. 1. Our Apostle speaks of such a saying of Jesus to be Lord as is accompanied with Faith in him and subjection of Soul unto him which is from the Holy Ghost alone Thus none acted by the unclean Spirit can call him Lord. 2. These Acknowledgments were either 1. wrested from the Devil and were no small part of his punishment and torment or 2 were designed by him with an intention to prejudice the Glory of Christ by his Testimony who was a Lyar from the Beginning And Malus bonum cum simulat tunc est pessimus These things therefore can have here no place Hereby then the Apostle informs them wherein the Foundation of all Church-Relation Order and Worship did consist For whereas they had all respect unto the Lordship of Christ and their acknowledgment thereof this was not from themselves but was a pure Effect of the Operation of the Holy Ghost in them and towards them And any thing of the like kind which doth not proceed from the same Cause and Fountain is of no Use to the Glory of God nor of any advantage unto the Souls of Men. Sect. 3 Some think that this saying of Jesus to be the Lord is to be restrained unto the manner of speaking afterwards insisted on For the Apostle in the following verses treateth of those Extraordinary Gifts which many in that Church were then endowed withall None can saith he say Jesus is the Lord in an extraordinary manner with divers tongues and in Prophesy but by the Holy Ghost Without his especial Assistance none can eminently and miraculously declare him so to be And if this be so it is likely that those before intended who said Jesus was accursed were some Persons pretending to be acted or really acted by an extraordinary Spirit which the Apostle declares not to be the Spirit of God And so Chrysostome interprets those words of them who were visibly and violently acted by the Devil Many such Instruments of his Malice did Satan stir up in those dayes to preserve if it were possible his tottering Kingdom from Ruine But there is no necessity thus to restrain the words or to affix this sense unto them Yea it seems to me to be inconsistent with the Design of the Apostle and Scope of the Place For intending to instruct the Corinthians as was said in the Nature Use and Exercise of Spiritual Gifts he first lays down the Spring and Fountain of all Saving Profession of the Gospel which those Gifts were designed to the furtherance and improvement of Hereupon having minded them of their Heathen State and Condition before he lets them know by what means they were brought into the Profession of the Gospel and owning of Jesus to be the Lord in opposition unto the dumb Idols whom they had served And this was by the Author of those Gifts unto whose consideration he was now addressing himself The great Change wrought in them as to their Religion and Profession was by the Holy Ghost For no Man can say that Jesus is the Lord which is the Sum and Substance of our Christian Profession but by him though some think he hath little or no concern at all in this matter But to say Christ is the Lord includes two things First Faith in him as Lord and Saviour So was he declared and preached by the Angels Luke 2. 11. A Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this word Lord includes as the Dignity of his Person so his Investiture with those Offices which for our Good this Lord did exercise and discharge Secondly The profession of that Faith which two where they are sincere do always accompany each other Rom. 10. 10. For as the saying of Jesus to be Anathema did comprise an open Disclaimure and Abrenunciation of him so the calling of him Lord expresseth the Profession of our Faith in him and Subjection unto him And both these are here intended to be sincere and saving For that Faith and Profession are intended whereby the Church is built upon the Rock the same with that of Peter Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Matth. 16. 16. And that these are the Works of the Holy Ghost which none of themselves are sufficient for shall God assisting be afterwards abundantly declared Sect. 4 Having thus stated the Original and Foundation of the Church in its Faith Profession Order and Worship he farther acquaints them that the same Spirit is likewise the Author of all those Gifts whereby it was to be built up and established and whereby the Profession of it might be enlarged V. 4. Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit These are the things which he intendeth to discourse upon wherein he enlargeth himself in the whole ensuing Chapter Now because the Particulars here insisted on by him in the beginning of his Discourse will all of them occur unto us and be called over again in their proper places I shall only point unto the Heads of the Discourse in the verses preceeding the Eleventh which we principally aim it Treating therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these Spiritual Things or Gifts in the Church he first declares their Author from whom they come and by whom they are wrought and bestowed Him he calls the Spirit v. 4. the Lord v. 5. God v. 6. And to denote the Oneness of their Author notwithstanding the diversity of the things themselves he calls him the same Spirit the same Lord the same God The words may be understood two wayes First That the whole Trinity and each Person distinctly should be intended in them For consider the immediate Operator of these Gifts and it is the Spirit or the Holy Ghost vers 4. Consider them as to their Procurement and immediate Authoritative Collation and so they are from Christ the Son
accompanyed with irrecoverable and eternal Ruine And so is nothing else in the World So Mark 3. 28 29. All sins shall be forgiven unto the Sons of Men and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgivness Or He that speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World nor in the World to come Matth. 12. 32. There remains nothing for him who doth despite to the Spirit of Grace but a certain fearful looking-for of Judgment and fiery Indignation that shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10. 27 29. This is that sin unto death whose remission is not to be prayed for 1 Joh. 5. 16 For He having taken upon him to make effectual unto us the great Remedy provided in the blood of Christ for the Pardon of our Sins if He in the Prosecution of that Work be dispised blasphemed despitefully used there neither is Relief nor can there be Pardon for that Sin For whence in that Case should they arise or Spring As God hath not another Son to offer another sacrifice for Sin so that he by whom his Sacrifice is despised can have none remaining for him no more hath he another Spirit to make that Sacrifice effectual unto us if the Holy Ghost in his work be despised and rejected This therefore is a tender Place We cannot use too much Holy Diligence in our Enquiries after what God hath revealed in his Word concerning his Spirit and his Work seeing there may be so fatal a miscarriage in an opposition unto him as the Nature of Man is incapable of in any other Instance And these Considerations belong unto the first Head of Reasons of the Importance Use and Necessity of the Doctrine proposed to be enquired into They are enough to manifest what is the Concernment of all Believers herein For on the Account of these things the Scripture plainly declares as we observed before that he who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his their Portion is not in him they shall have no benefit by his Mediation Men may please themselves with a Profession of being Christians and owning the Gospel whilst they dispise the Spirit of God both name and thing Their Condition we shall examine and judge by the Scripture before we come to the End of this Discourse And for the Scripture it self whoever reads the Books of the New-Testament besides the great and precious Promises that are given concerning him in the Old will find and conclude unless he be prepossessed with Prejudice that the whole of what is declared in those Writings turns on this only hinge Remove from them the consideration of the Spirit of God and his Work and it will be hard to find out what they aim at or tend unto Sect. 15 Secondly The great Deceit and Abuse that hath been in all Ages of the Church under the Pretence of the Name and Work of the Spirit make the through-consideration of what we are taught concerning them exceeding necessary Had not these things been Excellent in themselves and so acknowledged by all Christians they would never have been by so many falsely pretended unto Men do not seek to adorn themselves with Rags or to boast of what on its own account is under just contempt And according to the worth of things so are they liable to abuse And the more excellent any thing is the more vile and pernitious is an undue Pretence unto it Such have been the false Pretences of some in all Ages unto the Spirit of God and his work whose real Excellencies in themselves have made those pretences abominable and unspeakably dangerous For the better the things are which are counterfeited the worse always are the Ends they are employed unto In the whole World there is nothing so vile as that which pretendeth to be God and is not nor is any other thing capable of so pernicious an abuse Some Instances hereof I shall give both out of the Old Testament and the New Sect. 16 The most signal Gift of the Spirit of God for the Use of the Church under the Old Testament was that of Prophesy This therefore was deservedly in Honour and Reputation as having a great impression of the Authority of God upon it and in it of his Neerness unto Man Besides those in whom it was had justly the Conduct of the Minds and Consciences of others given up unto them For they spake in the Name of God and had his warranty for what they proposed which is the highest security of Obedience And these things caused many to pretend unto this Gift who were indeed never inspired by the Holy Spirit but were rather on the contrary acted by a Spirit of Lying and uncleanness For it is very probable that when Men falsly and in meer pretence took upon them to be Prophets divinely inspired without any antecedent Diabolical Enthusiasm that the Devil made use of them to compass his own Designs Being given up by the righteous Judgment of God unto all Delusions for belying his Spirit and holy Inspirations they were quickly possessed with a Spirit of Lying and unclean Divination So the false Prophets of Ahab who encouraged him to go up unto Ramoth Gilead foretelling his prosperous success 1 Kings 22. 6. seemed only to have complied deceitfully with the Inclinations of their Master and to have out-out-acted his other Courtiers in Flattery by gilding it with a pretence of Prophesy But when Micaiah came to lay open the Mystery of their Iniquity it appeared that a Lying Spirit by the permission of God had possessed their Minds and gave them Impressions which being Supernatural they were deceived as well as they did deceive v. 21 22 23. This they were justly given up unto pretending falsly unto the Inspiration of that Holy Spirit which they had not received And no otherwise hath it fallen out with some in our Days whom we have seen visibly acted by an extraordinary Power unduely pretending unto Supernatural Agitations from God they were really acted by the Devil a thing they neither desired nor looked after but being surprized by it were pleased with it for a while as it a was with sundry of the Quakers at their first appearance Sect. 17 Now these false Prophets of old were of two sorts both mentioned Deut. 18. 20. First such as professedly served other Gods directing all their Prophetick actings unto the Promotion of their Worship Such were the Prophets of Baal in whose name expresly they prophesied and whose Assistance they invocated They called on the name of Baal saying O Baal hear us 1 Kings 18 26 27 28. Many of these were slain by Elijah and the whole Race of them afterwards extirpated by Jehu 2 Kings 25 26 27 28. This put an End to his Diety for it is said he destroyed Baal out of Israel false Gods having no Existence but in the deceived Minds of their Worshippers It may be asked why these
is commended by our Lord Jesus Christ Rev. â— 2. Thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyers For those who said they were Apostles pretended thâ— rewithal to Apostolical Authority and Infallibility on the account of the immediate Inspirations which they received by the Holy Ghost In trying them they tryed the Spirits that came unto them And by this Warrant may we try the Spirit of the Church of Rome which in like manner pretends unto Apostolical Authority and Infallibility Sect. 21 Unto these two Directions the Apostle subjoyns the Reason of the present watchfulness required unto the discharge of this Duty For saith he many false Prophets are gone out into the World It is false Teachers as Peter calls them bringing in damnable Heresies concerning whom he speaks And he calleth them false Prophets partly in an Allusion unto the false Prophets under the Old Testament with whom they are ranked and compared by Peter and partly because as they fathered their Predictions on Divine Revelation so these falsly ascribed their Doctrines unto immediate Divine Inspiration And on this account also he calleth them Spirits Try the Spirits For as they pretended unto the Spirit of God so indeed for the most part they were acted by a Spirit of Error Lying and Delusion that is the Devil himself And therefore I no way doubt but that mostly those who made use of this Plea that they had their Doctrines which they taught by immediate Inspiration did also effect other extraordinary Operations or undiscoverable Appearances of them as lying Miracles by the Power of that Spirit whereby they were acted as Matth. 24. 24. Hence the Apostle doth not direct us to try their pretensions unto Inspiration by putting them on other extraordinary Works for their confirmation for these also they made a shew and appearance of and that in such a manner as that they were not to be detected by the generality of Christians but he gives unto all a blessed stable Rule which will never fail them in this case who diligently attend unto it And this is to try them by the Doctrine that they teach vers 2 3. Let their Doctrine be examined by the Scriptures and if it be found consonant thereunto it may be received without danger unto the Hearers whatever corrupt Affections the Teachers may be influenced by But if it be not consonant thereunto if it keep not up an harmony in the Analogie of Faith whatever Inspiration or Revelation be pleaded in its Justification it is to be rejected as they also are by whom it is declared This Rule the Apostle Paul confirms by the highest Instance imaginable Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And the Apostle shews that for our advantage in this tryal we are to make of Spirits it is good to have a clear conviction of and a constant adherence unto some fundamental Principles especially such as we have reason to think will be the most cunningly attaqued by Seducers Thus because in those dayes the principal design of Satan was to broach strange false Imaginations about the Person and Mediation of Christ endeavouring thereby to overthrow both the one and the other the Apostle adviseth Believers to try the Spirits by this one Fundamental Principle of Truth namely that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh which contains a confession both of his Person and Mediation This therefore Believers were to demand of all new Teachers and Pretenders unto Spiritual Revelations in the first place do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and if they immediately made not this confession they never stood to consider their other Pretences but turned from them not bidding them God-speed 2 Joh. 7. 10 11. And I could easily manifest how many pernicious Heresies were obviated in those days by this short Confession of Faith For some of late as Grotius following Socinus and Sâ—lictingius interpreting this coming of Christ in the flesh of his outward mean Estate and Condition and not in the Pomp and Glory of an Earthly King do openly corrupt the Text. His coming in the flesh is the same with the Words being made flesh John 1. 14. or God being manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. That is the Son of God being made partaker of flesh and blood Heb. 2. 14. or taking on him the Seed of Abraham vers 14. That is his being made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. or his being made of the Seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. His being of the Fathers â—s to the flesh Rom 9. 5. And this was directly opposed unto those Heresies which were then risen whose Broachers contended that Jesus Christ was but a Phantasie an Appearance a manifestation of Divine Love and Power denying that the Son of God was really incarnate as the Antients generally testifie And well had it been for many in our dayes had they attended unto such Rules as this But through a neglect of it accompanied with an ungrounded boldness and curiosity they have hearkned in other things to deceiving Spirits and have been engaged beyond a recovery before they have considered that by their cogging deceits they have been cheated of all the principal Articles of their Faith by which if at first they had steadily tryed and examined them they might have been preserved from their Snares Sect. 22 The Jews say well that there was a double tryal of Prophets under the Old Testament the one by their Doctrine the other by their Predictions That by their Doctrine namely whether they seduced Men from the Worship of the true God unto Idolatry belonged unto all individual Persons of the Church Direction for this is given Deut. 13. 2 3. If the Prophet giveth a Sign or a Wonder and it come to pass effect any thing by a seeming presence of an extraordinary Power and say Let us go serve other Gods thou shalt not hearken unto him Let his Signs and Wonders be what they would the People were to try them by what they taught The Judgment upon Predictions was left unto the Sanhedrim for which Directions are given Deut. 18. 20 21 22. And by vertue hereof they falsly and cruelly endeavoured to take away the Life of Jeremiah because he foretold the Ruine of them and their City Chap. 26. v. 11. In the first place though his Sign Wonder or Prediction came to pass yet the Doctrine he sought to confirm by it being false he was to be rejected In the latter the fulfilling of his Sign acquitted him because he taught with it nothing in point of Doctrine that was false The first kind of tryal of the Spirits of Prophets is the Duty of all Believers under the Gospel And those who would deprive them of this Liberty would make Bruits of them instead of Christians unless to believe a Man knows not what
Gospel and to be made Partakers of the Benefits of his Mediation And yet if they have not the Spirit of Christ they have no saving Interest in these things for if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If it be then onely their false pretending unto the Spirit of God and his Works which these Persons so revile and scorn why do they not deal with them in like manner with respect unto Christ and the Profession of the Gospel Why do they not say unto them you believe in Christ you believe in the Gospel and thereon expose them to Derision So plainly dealt the Jews with our Lord Jesus Christ. Psal. 22. 7 8. Math. 21. 39 43. It is therefore the things themselves and not the Pretences pretended that are the Objects of this contempt and Reproach Besides suppose those whom at present on other Occasions they hate or despise are not Partakers of the Spirit of God but are really strangers unto the things which hypocritically they profess Will they grant and allow that any other Christians in the World do so really partake of him as to be led guided directed by him to be quickned sanctified purified by him to be enabled unto Communion with God and all duties of Holy Obedience by him with those other Effects and Operations for which he is promised by Jesus Christ unto his Disciples If they will grant these things to be really effected and accomplished in Any let them not be offended with them who desire that they should be so in themselves and declare themselves to that purpose and Men would have more Charity for them under their petulant scoffing than otherwise they are able to exercise It will Thirdly Yet be pleaded that they grant as fully as any the Being of the Holy Ghost the Promise of him and his real Operations only they differ from others as to the sense and Exposition of those Phrases and Expressions that are used concerning these things in the Scripture which those others abuse in an unintelligible manner as making them proper which indeed are Metaphorical But is this the way which they like and choose to express their Notions and Apprehensions Namely openly to revile and scorne the very Naming and asserting the work of the Spirit of God in the words which himself hath taught A Boldness this is which as whereof the former Ages have not given us a President so we hope the future will not afford an Instance of any to follow the Example For their sense and Apprehension of these things they shall afterward be examined so far as they have dared to discover them In the mean time we know that the Socinians acknowledge a Trinity the Sacrifice of Christ the Expâ—ation of sin made thereby and yet we have some differences with them about these things And so we have with these Men about the Spirit of God and his Dispensation under the Gospel though like them they would grant the things spoken of them to be true as Metaphorically to be interpreted But of these things we must treat more fully hereafter Sect. 26 I say it is so come to pass amongst many who profess they believe the Gospel to be true that the Name or Naming of the Spirit of God is become a Reproach So also is his whole work And the Promise of him made by Jesus Christ unto his Church is rendred useless and frustrated It was the main and upon the matter the only supportment which he left unto it in his Bodily Absence the only means of rendring the work of his Mediation effectual in them and among them For without him all others as the Word Ministry and Ordinances of Worship are Lifeless and Useless God is not Glorified by them nor the Souls of Men advantaged But it is now uncertain with some of what Use he is unto the Church yea as far as I can discern whether he be of any or no. Some have not trembled to say and contend that some things as plainly ascribed unto him in the Scripture as words can make an assignation of any thing are the cause of all the Troubles and Confusions in the World Let them have the Word or Tradition outwardly revealing the Will of God and what it is that he would have them do as the Jews have both to this day these being made use of by their own Reason and improved by their natural Abilites they make up the whole of Man all that is required to render the Persons or Duties of any accepted with God Of what use then is the Spirit of God in these things Of none at all it may be nor the Doctrine concerning him but only to fill the World with a buzze and noise and to trouble the minds of Men with unintelligible Notions Had not these things been spoken they should not have been repeated for Death lyeth at the Door in them So then Men may pray without him and preach without him and turn to God without him and perform all their Duties without him well enough For if any one shall plead the necessity of his Assistance for the due performance of these things and ascribe unto him all that is good and well done in them he shall hardly escape from being notably derided Yet all this while we would be esteemed Christians And what do such Persons think of the Prayers of the Antient Church and Christians unto him for the working of all Good in them and their Ascriptions of every good thing unto him And wherein have we any advantage of the Jews or wherein consists the preeminence of the Gospel They have the Word of God that part of it which was committed unto their Church and which in its kind is sufficient to direct their Faith and Obedience For so is the sure Word of Prophesie if diligently attended unto 2 Pet. 1. 19. And if Traditions be of any use they can outvie all the World Neither doth this sort of Men want their Wits and the Exercise of them Those who Converse with them in the things of this World do not use to say they are all Fools And for their Diligence in the Consideration of the letter of the Scripture and inquiring into it according to the best of their Understanding none will Question it but those unto whom they and their Concernments are unknown And yet after all this they are Jews still If we have the New Testament no otherwise then they have the Old have only the letter of it to Philosophize upon according to the best of our Reasons and Understandings without any Dispensation of the Spirit of God accompanying it to give us a Saving Light into the Mistery of it and to make it effectual unto our Souls I shall not fear to say but that as they call themselves Jews and are not but are the Synâ—gogue of Sathan Revel 2. 9. So we who pretend our selves to be Christians as to all the saving Ends of the Gospel shall not be
found in a better Condition And yet it were to be wished that even here bounds might be fixed unto the fierceness of some Mens Spirits But they will not suffer themselves to be so confined In many Places they are transported with Rage and Fury so as to stir up Persecution against such as are really anointed with the Spirit of Christ and that for no other Reason but because they are so Gal. 4. 29. Other things indeed are pretended by them but but all the World may see that they are not of such importance as to give Countenance unto their wrath This is the Latent cause which stirs it up and is oftentimes openly expressed Sect. 27 These things at present are charged only as the Miscarriages of Private Persons When they are received in Churches they are the Cause of and an Entrance into a Fatal Defection and Apostasy From the Foundation of the World the Principal Revelation that God made of himself was in the Oneness of his Nature and his Monarchy over all And herein the Person of the Father was immediately represented with his Power and Authority For he is the Fountain and Original of the Deity the other Persons as to their Subsistence being of him Only he did withal give out Promises concerning the peculiar Exhibition of the Son in the Flesh in an appointed season as also of the Holy Spirit to be given by him in an especial manner Hereby were their Persons to be signally glorifyed in this World it being the Will of God that all Men should honour the Son as they honoured the Father and the Holy Spirit in like manner In this state of things the only Apostacy of the Church could be Polutheisme and Idolatry Accordingly so it came to pass The Church of Israel was continually prone to these Abominations so that scarcely a Generation passed or very few wherein the Body of the People did not more or less defile themselves with them To wean and recover them from this Sin was the Principal End of the Preaching of those Prophets which God from time to time sent unto them 2 Kings 17. 13. And this also was the Cause of all the Calamities which befel them and of all the Judgments which God inflicted on them as is testifyed in all the Historical Books of the Old Testament and confirmed by Instances innumerable To put an End hereunto God at length brought a total Desolation upon the whole Church and caused the People to be carried into Captivity out of their own Land And hereby it was so far effected that upon their Return what-ever other sins they fell into yet they kept themselves from Idols and Idolatry Ezek. 16. 62 63. Chap. 23. vers 27 48. And the Reason hereof was because the time was now drawing nigh wherein they were to be tryed with another Dispensation of God The Son of God was to be sent unto them in the Flesh. To receive and obey him was now to be the principal Instance and Trial of their Faith and Obedience They were no longer to be tried merely by their Faith whether they would own only the God of Israel in opposition unto all false Gods and Idols for that Ground God had now absolutely won upon them But now all is to turn on this Hinge whether they would receive the Son of God coming in the Flesh according to the Promise Here the Generallity of that Church and People fell by their Unbelief apostatised from God and became thereby neither Church nor People Joh. 8. 24. They being rejected the Son of God calls and gathers another Church founding it on his own Person with Faith and the Profession of it therein Mat. 16. v. 18 19. In this new Church therefore this Foundation is fixed and this Ground made Good That Jesus Christ the Son of God is to be owned and honoured as we honour the Father 1 Cor. 3. 11. And herein all that are duly called Christians do agree as the Church of Israel did in one God after their return from the Captivity of Babylon But now the Lord Jesus Christ being ascended unto his Father hath committed his whole Affairs in the Church and in the World unto the Holy Spirit Joh. 16. 7 8 9 10 11. And it is on this Design of God that the Person of the Spirit may be singularly exalted in the Church unto whom they were so in the dark before that some none of the worst of them professed they had not so much as heard whether there were any Holy Ghost or no Acts 19. 2. that is at least as unto the peculiar Dispensation of him then introduced in the Church Wherefore the Duty of the Church now immediately respects the Spirit of God who acts towards it in the Name of the Father and of the Son And with respect unto him it is that the Church in its present state is capable of an Apostasy from God And whatever is found of this Nature amongst any here it hath its Beginning For the sin of despising his Person and rejecting his work now is of the same Nature with Idolatry of Old and the Jews Rejection of the Person of the Son And whereas there was a Releif provided against these Sins because there was a new Dispensation of the Grace of God to ensue in the Evangelical work of the Holy Ghost if Men sin against him and his operations containing the Perfection and Complement of God's Revelation of himself unto them their Condition is deplorable Sect. 28 It may be some will say and plead that whatever is spoken of the Holy Ghost his Graces Gifts and Operations did entirely belong unto the first Times of the Gospel wherein they were manifested by visible and wonderful Effects To those times they were confined and consequently that we have no other Interest or concern in them but as in a recorded Testimony given of old unto the Truth of the Gospel This is so indeed as unto his Extraordinary and miraculous operations But to confine his whole Work thereunto is plainly to deny the Truth of the Promises of Christ and to overthrow his Church For we shall make it undenyably evident that none can believe in Jesus Christ or yield Obedience unto him or Worship God in him but by the Holy Ghost And therefore if the whole Dispensation of him and his Communications unto the Souls of Men do cease so doth all Faith in Christ and Christianity also Sect. 29 On these and the like Considerations it is that I have thought it necessary for my self and unto the Church of God that the Scripture should be diligently searched in and concerning this great matter For none can deny but that the Glory of God the Honour of the Gospel the Faith and Obedience of the Church with the Everlasting Welfare of our own Souls are deeply concerned herein Sect. 30 The Apostle Peter treating about the Great things of the Gospel taught by himself and the Rest of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ tells
Things themselves concerning which we are to treat it will be necessary to speak something unto the Name whereby the Third Person in the Trinity is commonly known and peculiarly called in the Scripture This is the Spirit or the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as we usually speak And this I shall do that we be not deceived with the Homonimy of the Word nor be at a loss in the intention of those places of Scripture where it is used unto other Purposes For it is so that the Name of the Second Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word and of the Third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit are often applyed to signifie other things I mean those words are so And some make their Advantages of the ambiguous use of them But the Scripture is able of it self to manifest its own Intention and Meaning unto humble and diligent enquirers into it Sect. 2 It is then acknowledged that the use of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament and New is very various yet are they the words whereby alone the Holy Spirit of God is denoted Their peculiar signification therefore in particular places is to be collected and determined from the Subject Matter treated of in them and other especial Circumstances of them This was first attempted by the most Learned Didymus of Alexandria whose Words therefore I have set down at large and shall cast his Observations into a more perspicuous Method with such Additions as are needful for the further clearing of the whole Matter In general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a Wind or Spirit that is any thing which moves and is not seen So the Air in a violent agitation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God made a Wind or Spirit that is a strong and mighty Wind to pass over the Earth for the driving and removal of the Waters So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used John 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whether it goeth which is a proper description of this first signification of the Word It is an agitation of the Air which is unseen So Psal. 1. 4. And in this sense sometimes it signifies a violent and strong Wind that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 19. 11. And sometimes a cool and soft Wind or a light easie agitation of the Air such as often ariseth in the Evenings of the Spring or Summer So Gen. 3. 8. God Walked in the Garden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the cool of the Day that is when the Evening-Air began to breath gently and moderate the heat of the Day So in the Poet Solis ad occasum cum frigidus aera Vesper temperat Virgil. Georg. 3. At the going down of the Sun when the cold Evening tempers the Heat of the Air. And some think this to be the sense of that place Psal. 104. v. 4. Who maketh his Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits Swift agile powerful as mighty Winds But the Reader may consult our Exposition on Heb. 1. 7. Sect. 3 This is one signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or this is one thing denoted by it in the Scripture So among many other places expresly Amos 4. 13. for lo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that formeth the Mountains and createth the Spirit that is the Wind. The LXX render this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who establisheth the Thunder and createth the Spirit though some Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountains And the next words in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and declareth unto Man what is his Thought they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and declareth unto men his Christ or his Anointed or his Messiah For they took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inadvertency and not for want of Points or Vowels as some imagine seeing the Mistake consists in the casting out of a Letter it self And thence the old Latin Translation renders the words Firmans Tonitruum creans Spiritum annuncians in homines Christum suum Which Hierom rectified into formans Montes creans Ventum annuntians Homini eloquium suum discovering in his Comment the Mistake of the LXX But it is certain that from the Ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place with the corrupt Translations making mention of Christ in the next words some who of old denied the Deity of the Holy Spirit mightily insisted on it to prove him a Creature as may be seen in Didymus Ambrose Hierom Hilarius and the Ancients generally But the Context determines the signification of the Word beyond all just Exceptions It is the Power of God in making and disposing of things here below whether dreadful for their Greatness and Height as the Mountains or Mighty and Effectual in their operations as the Wind or Secret in their Conceptions as the Thoughts of men or stable in their Continuance as the Night and Day the Evening and Morning without the least respect to Christ or the Spirit that it treateth of Sect. 4 And I cannot but observe from hence the great necessity there is of searching the Original Text in the Interpretation of the Scriptures as it might be evidenced by a Thousand other Instances But one we may take from two Great and Learned Men who were Contemporaries in the Latin Church in their thoughts on this place The one is Ambrose who interpreting these words in his second Book de Spiritu Sancto cap. 1. being deceived by the corrupt Translation mentioned annuncians in homines Christum suum is forced to give a very strained Exposition of that which in Truth is not in the Text and to relieve himself also with another Corruption in the same place where forming the Mountains is rendred by establishing the Thunder and yet when he hath done all can scarce free himself of the Objection about the creation of the Spirit which he designs to answer His words are Siquis propheticum dictum ideo derivandum putet ad interpretationem Spiritus sancti quia habet annuncians in homines Christum suum is ad Incarnationis Dominicae Mysteria dictum facilius derivabit Nam si te movet quia Spiritum dixit hoc non putas derivandum ad Mysteria a assumptionis humanae persequere scripturas invenies ptime congruere de Christo de quo bene convenit aestimari quia firmavit tonitrua adventu suo vim videlicet sonum coelestium scripturarum quarâ—m velut quodam tonitru mentes nostrae redduntur attonitae timere disâ—â—â—us reverentiam caelestibus deferamus oraculis Denique in Evangelio fratres Domini Filii tonitru dicebantur Et cum vox Patris facta esset dicentis ad Filium honorificavi te
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
rather coming upon him He that is John the Baptist not Christ himself The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers in this Place to the more remote Antecedent For although he that is Christ himself also saw the descending of the Holy Spirit yet I suppose this relates unto that Token which was to be given of him unto John whereby he should know him Joh. 1. 32 33. The following words are ambiguous For that Expression like a Dove may refer to the manner of his descending descending in a bodily shape as a Dove descends Or they may respect the manner of his Appearance he appeared like a Dove descending And this sense is determined in the other Evangelists to the bodily shape wherein he descended He took the form or shape of a Dove to make a visible Representation of himself by For a visible Pledg was to be given of the coming of the Holy Ghost on the Messiah according to the Promise and thereby did God direct his great forerunner to the Knowledg of him Now this was no real Dove That would not have been a thing so Miraculous as this Appearance of the Holy Ghost is represented to be And the Text will not bear any such Apprehension though it was entertained by some of the Antients For it is evident that this shape of a Dove came out of Heaven He saw the Heavens opened and the Dove descending that is out of Heaven which was opened to make way as it were for him Moreover the Expression of the Opening of the Heavens is not used but with respect unto some Appearance or Manifestation of God himself And so or which is the same the bowing of the Heavens is often used Psal. 144. 5. Isa. 64. 1. Bow thy Heavens O Lord and come down 2 Sam. 22. 10. Ezek. 1. 1. The Heavens were opened and I saw the Visions of God So Acts 7. 56. God used not this Sign but in some manifestation of himself And had not this been an Appearance of God there had been no need of bowing or opening the Heavens for it And it is plainly said that it was not a Dove but the shape or representation of a Dove It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodily shape and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Dove Sect. 16 As then at the beginning of the old Creation the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incubabat came and fell on the Waters cherishing the whole and communicating a prolifick and vivifick Quality unto it as a Fowl or Dove in particular gently moves it self upon its Eggs until with and by its generative warmth it hath communicated vital heat unto them so now at the entrance of the new Creation he comes as a Dove upon Him who was the immediate Author of it and virtually comprized it in himself carrying it on by vertue of his Presence with him And so this is applyed in the Syriack Ritual of Baptism composed by Severinus in the account given of the Baptism of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the pirit of Holiness descended flying in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon him and moved on the Waters And in the assumption of this form there may be some respect unto the Dove that brought tydings to Noah of the ceasing of the Flood of Waters and of the ending of the Wrath of God who thereon said that he would curse the Earth no more Gen. 8. 11. For herein also was there a significant Representation of him who visited poor lost mankind in their cursed Condition and proclaimed Peace unto them that would return to God by him the Great Peace-maker Ephes. 2. 14 15. And this Work he immediately ingaged into on the resting of this Dove upon him Besides there is a natural aptness in that Creature to represent the Spirit that rested on the Lord Jesus For the known Nature and Course of a Dove is such as is meet to mind us of Purity and harmless Innocencie Mat. 10. 16. Hence is that Direction Be harmless as Doves So also the sharpness of its sight or eyes as Cant. 1. 16. Chap. 4. 1. is fixed on to represent a quick and discerning Understanding such as was in Christ from the resting of the Spirit upon him Isa. 11. 3. Sect. 14 The shape thereof that appeared was that of a Dove but the Substance it self I judge was of a fiery Nature an aethereal Substance shaped into the form or resemblance of a Dove It had the shape of a Dove but not the appearance of Feathers Colours or the like This also rendred the appearance the more Visible Conspicuous Heavenly and Glorious And the Holy Ghost is often compared to Fire because he was of old typified or represented thereby For on the first solemn offering of Sacrifices there came fire from the Lord for the kindling of them Hence Theodotion of old rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 4. 4. the Lord had respect to the Offering of Abel by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God fired the Offering of Abel sent down Fire that kindled his Sacrifice as a Token of his Acceptance However it is certain that at the first Erection of the Altar in the Wilderness upon the first Sacrifices fire came out from before the Lord and consumed on the Altar the Burnt-Offering and the Fat which when all the People saw they shouted and fell on their Faces Levit. 9. 24. And the Fire kindled hereby was to be perpetuated on the Altar so that none was ever to be used in Sacrifice but what was traduced from it For a neglect of this Intimation of the Mind of God were Nadab and Abihu consumed Chap. 10. 1. So was it also upon the Dedication of the Altar in the Temple of Solomon Fire came down from Heaven and consumed the Burnt-Offering 2 Chron. 7. 1. and a fire thence kindled was alwayes kept burning on the Altar And in like manner God bare Testimony to the Ministry of Elijah 1 King 18. 38 39. God by all these signified that no Sacrifices were accepted with him where Faith was not kindled in the Heart of the Offerer by the Holy Ghost represented by the Fire that kindled the Sacrifices on the Altar And in Answer hereunto is our Lord Jesus Christ said to offer himself through the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. It was therefore most probably a fiery Appearance that was made And in the next bodily shape which he assumed it is expresly said that it was fiery Acts 2. 3. There appeared unto them cloven Tongues like as of Fire which was the Visible Token of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them And he chose then that figure of Tongues to denote the Assistance which by the miraculous Gift of speaking with divers Tongues together with that Wisdom and Utterance which he furnished them withal for the Publication of the Gospel And thus also the Lord Christ is said to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Matth. 3. 11. Not two things are intended but the
latter words and with Fire are added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the expression is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Holy Ghost who is a Spiritual Divine Eternal Fire So God absolutely is said to be a consuming Fire Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. And as in these words He shall Baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire there is a Prospect unto what came to pass afterwards when the Apostles received the Holy Ghost with a visible Pledg of fiery Tongues So there seems to be a Retrospect by way of Allusion unto what is recorded Isa. 6. 6 7. For a living or fiery Coal from the Altar where the Fire represented the Holy Ghost or his Work and Grace having touched the Lips of his Prophet his sin was taken away both as to the guilt and filth of it And this is the Work of the Holy Ghost who not onely sanctifieth us but by ingenerating Faith in us and the application of the Promise unto us is the Cause and Means of our Justification also 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 4 5 6 7. whereby our sins on both accounts are taken away So also his Efficacy in other places is compared unto Fire and Burning Isa. 4. 4 5. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall have purged the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning He is compared both to Fire and Water with respect unto the same cleansing vertue in both So also Mal. 3. 2. Hence as this is expressed by the Holy Ghost and Fire in two Evangelists Matth. 3. 11. Luke 3. 16. So in the other two there is mention onely of the Holy Ghost Mark 8. John 1. 33. the same thing being intended I have added these things a little to clear the manner of this Divine Appearance which also belongs unto the Oeconomy of the Spirit Sect. 18 Now I say that this Appearance of the Holy Ghost in a bodily shape wherein he was represented by that which is a Substance and hath a Subsistence of his own doth manifest that he himself is a Substance and hath a Subsistence of his own For if he be no such thing but a meer influential Effect of the Power of God we are not taught right Apprehensions of him but mere mistakes by this Appearance For of such an accident there can be no substantial Figure or Resemblance made but what is monstrous It is excepted by our Adversaries Crell de Natur. Spirit Sanct. that a Dove is no Person because not endued with an Understanding which is essentially required unto the constitution of a Person And therefore they say no Argument can thence be taken for the Personality of the Holy Ghost But it is enough that he was represented by a subsisting Substance which if they will grant him to be we shall quickly evince that he is endued with a Divine Understanding and so is compleatly a Person And whereas they farther Object That if the Holy Ghost in the Appearance intended to manifest himself to be a Divine Person he would have appeared as a Man who is a Person for so God or an Angel in his Name appeared under the Old Testament it is of no more importance than the preceeding Exception The Holy Ghost did manifest himself as it seemed good unto him and some Reasons for the instructive Use of the shape of a fiery Dove we have before declared Neither did God of old appear only in an humane shape He did so sometimes in a burning fiery Bush Exod. 3. 2 4. Sometimes in a Pillâ—r of Fire or a Cloud Exod. 14. 24. Moreover the Appearances of God as I have elsewhere demonstrated under the Old Testament were all of them of the second Person and he assumed an Humane Shape as a preludium unto and a signification of his future personal Assumption of our Nature No such thing being intended by the Holy Ghost he might represent himself under what shape he pleased Yea the Representation of himself under an humane shape had been dangerous and unsafe for us For it would have taken off the Use of those instructive Appearances under the Old Testament teaching the Incarnation of the Son of God and also that sole Reason of such Appearances being removed namely that they had all respect unto the Incarnation of the Second Person as they would have been by the like appearance of the Third there would have been danger of giving a false Idea of the Deity unto the Minds of Men. For some might from thence have conceived that God had a bodily shape like unto us when none could ever be so fond as to imagine him to be like a Dove And these with the like Testimonies in general are given unto the Divine Personality of the Holy Spirit I shall next consider those Personal Properties which are particularly and distinctly ascribed unto him Sect. 19 First Understanding or Wisdom which is the first inseparable Property of an Intelligent Subsistence is so ascribed unto him in the Acts and Effects of it 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God What Spirit it is that is intended is declared expresly v. 12. For we have not received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of the World are not acted by the Evil Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that Spirit which is of God a signal Description of the Holy Ghost So he is called his Spirit vers 10. God hath revealed these things unto us by his Spirit Now to search is an Act of Understanding And the Spirit is said to search because he knoweth v. 11. No man knoweth the things of a Man save the Spirit of a Man which is intimate unto all its own Thoughts and Counsels So the Things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God and by him are they revealed unto us for by him we know the things that are freely given us of God v. 12. These things cannot be spoken of any but a Person endued with Understanding And he thus searcheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep things of God that is the Mysteries of his Will Counsel and Grace and is therefore a Divine Person that hath an Infinite Understanding As it is said of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 40. 28. There is no End Measure or Investigation of his Understanding Psal. 147. 5. There is no number of his Understanding it is endless boundless infinite It is excepted Schilicting de Trinitat p. 605. that the Spirit is not here taken for the Spirit himself nor doth the Apostle express what the Spirit himself doth but what by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost men are enabled to do By that Believers are helped to search into the deep Counsels of God But as this Exception is directly against the words of the Text so the context will by no means admit of it For the Apostle giveth an account how the Wisdom Counsels and
deep things of God which the World could not understand were now preached and declared unto the Church God saith he hath revealed them unto us by the Spirit But how cometh the Spirit himself the Author of these Revelations to be acquainted with these things This he hath from his own Nature whereby he knoweth or searcheth all things even the deep things of God It is therefore the Revelation made by the Spirit unto the Apostles and Pen-men of the Scripture of the New Testament who were acted by the Holy Ghost in like manner as were the Holy Men of old 1 Pet. 1. 21. which the Apostle intendeth and not the Illumination and Teaching of Believers in the knowledg of the Mysteries by them revealed whereof the Apostle treateth in these words But who is this Spirit The same Apostle tells us that the Judgments of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. And asketh who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor v. 34. And yet this Spirit is said to search all things even the deep things of God such as to all Creatures are absolutely unsearchable and past finding out This then is the Spirit of God himself who is God also For so it is in the Prophet from whence these words are taken Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught him Isa. 40. 13. It will not relieve the Adversaries of the Holy Ghost though it be pleaded by them that he is compared with and opposed unto the spirit of a Man v. 11. which they say is no Person For no Comparisons hold in all Circumstances The Spirit of a Man is his Rational Soul endued with Understanding and Knowledg This is an individual intelligent Substance capable of a subsistence in a separate Condition Grant the Spirit of God to be so far a Person and all their Pretences fall to the ground And whereas it is affirmed by one among our selves though otherwise asserting the Deity of the Holy Ghost Good p. 175. that this Expression of searching the things of God cannot be applyed directly to the Spirit but must intend his enabling us to search into them because to search includes imperfection and the use of means to come to the knowledg of any thing it is not of weight in this matter For such Acts are ascribed unto God with respect unto their Effects And searching being with us the means of attaining the perfect knowledg of any thing the perfection of the knowledg of God is expressed thereby So David prays that God would search him and know his heart Psal. 139. 23. And he is often said to search the hearts of men whereby his infinite Wisdom is intimated whereunto all things are open and naked So is the Spirit said to search the deep things of God because of his infinite Understanding and the perfection of his Knowledg before which they lie open And as things are here spoken of the Spirit in reference unto God the Father so are they spoken of him in reference unto the Spirit Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the Hearts knoweth the Mind of the Spirit And hereunto that this Spirit is the Author of Wisdom and Understanding in and unto others and therefore he must have them in himself and that not virtually or causally onely but formally also 1 Cor. 12. 8. Wisdom and Knowledg are reckoned among the Gifts bestowed by him For those of Faith and Tongues it is enough that they are in him virtually But for Wisdom and Understanding they cannot be given by any but he that is wise and understandeth what he doth And hence is he called expresly a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding of Counsel and Knowledg Isa. 11. 3. I might confirm this by other Testimonies where other Effects of Understanding are ascribed unto him as 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 21. but what hath been spoken is sufficient unto our purpose Sect. 20 Secondly A Will is ascribed unto him This is the most eminently distinguishing Character and Property of a Person Whatever is endued with an intelligent Will is a Person And it cannot by any Fiction with any tolerable congruity be ascribed unto any thing else unless the Reason of the Metaphor be plain and obvious So when our Saviour sayes of the VVind that it bloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it willeth or listeth Joh. 3. 8. the abuse of the Word is evident All intended is that the Wind as unto us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not at all at our disposal acts not by our Guidance or Direction And no Man is so foolish as not to apprehend the meaning of it or once to enquire whether our Saviour doth properly ascribe a Will to the Wind or no. So James Chap. 3. v. 4. The words rendred by us turned about with a very small Helm whithersoever the Governour listeth are in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the act of Willing is ascribed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impâ—tus or inclination of the Governour which yet hath not a Will But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Philosophers the motus primo-primus or the first Agitation or Inclination of the Mind but it is the Will it self under an earnest Inclination such as is usual with them who govern Ships by the Helms in Storms Hereunto the Act of Willing is properly ascribed and he in whom it is proved to be a Person Thus a Will acting with Understanding and Choice as the Principle and Cause of his outward Actions is ascribed unto the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 11. All these things worketh that one and self-same Spirit dividing unto every Man as he will He had before asserted that he was the Author and Donor of all the Spiritual Gifts which he had been discoursing about v. 4 5 6. These Gifts he declares to be various as he manifests in nine Instances and all variously disposed of by him v. 8 9 10. If now it be enquired what is the Rule of this his distribution of them he tells us that it is his own Will his Choice and Pleasure What can be spoken more fully and plainly to describe an intelligent Person acting voluntarily with freedom and by choice I know not Sect. 21 We may consider what is excepted hereunto They say Schliâ—ting p. 610. that the Holy Ghost is here introduced as a Person by a Prosopopeia that the distribution of the Gifts mentioned is ascribed unto him by a Metaphor and by the same or another Metaphor he is said to have a Will or to act as he will But is it not evident that if this course of interpreting or rather of perverting Scripture may be allowed nothing of any certainty will be left unto us therein It is but saying this or that is a Metaphor and if one will not serve the turn to bring in two or
Spirit of God in the New Creation by some despised 2. Works under the Old Testament preparatory to the New Creation 3 4. Distribution of the Works of the Spirit 5. The Gift of Prophesie the Nature Use and End of it 6. The beginning of Prophesie 7. The Holy Spirit the only Author of it 8. The Name of a Prophet its signification and his Work 9. Prophesie by Inspiration whence so called 10. Prophets how acted by the Holy Ghost 11. The Adjuncts of Prophesie or distinct wayes of its Communication 12. Of Articulate Voices 13. Dreams 14. Visions 15. Adjuncts of Prophesie Symbolical Actions 16. Local Mutations 17. Whether unsanctified Persons might have the Gift of Prophesie The Case of Baalam 18. Answered 19. Of writing the Scriptures 20. Three things required thereunto 21. Of Miracles 22. Works of the Spirit of God in the improvement of the Natural Faculties of the Minds of Men in things Political 23. In things Moral 24. In things Corporeal 25. In things Intellectual and Artificial 26. In preaching of the Word Sect. 1 HAving passed through these general things which are of a necessary previous Consideration unto the especial Works of the Holy Ghost I now proceed unto that which is the principal Subject of our present Design And this is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit of God with respect unto the New Creation and the Recovery of Mankind or the Church of God thereby A Matter this is of the highest Importance unto them that sincerely believe but most violently and of late virulently opposed by all the Enemies of the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. The Weight and Concernment of the Doctrine hereof have in part been spoken unto before I shall at present add no farther Considerations to the same purpose but leave all that fear the Name of God to make a Judgment of it by what is revealed concerning it in the Scriptures and the Uses whereunto it is in them directed Many we know will not receive these things but whilst we keep our selves in the handling of them unto that Word whereby one day both we and they must either stand or fall we need not be moved at their Ignorance or Pride nor at the Fruits and Effects of them in Reproaches Contempt and scorn For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 2 Now the Works of the Spirit in Reference unto the New-Creation are of two sorts First Such as were Preparatory unto it under the Old Testament For I reckon that the State of the Old-Creation as unto our Living unto God ended with the Entrance of Sin and giving the First Promise Whatever ensued thereon in a Way of Grace was preparatory for and unto the New 2dly Such as were actually wrought about it under the New Those Acts and Workings of his which are Common to both states of the Church as is his effectual Dispensation of sanctifying Grace towards the Elect of God I shall handle in Common under the Second Head Under the First I shall only reckon up those that were peculiar unto that State To make way hereunto I shall premise two general Positions Sect. 3 1. There is nothing Excellent amongst Men whether it be absolutely Extraordinary and every way above the Production of Natural Principles or whether it consist in an eminent and peculiar Improvement of those Principles and Abilities but it is ascribed unto the Holy Spirit of God as the immediate Operator and Efficient Cause of it This we shall afterwards confirm by Instances Of old he was All now some would have him nothing 2. Whatever the Holy Spirit wrought in an eminent manner under the Old Testament it had generally and for the most part if not absolutely and always a Respect unto our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel and so was preparatory unto the Compleating of the great Work of the New-Creation in and by Him And these Works of the Holy Spirit may be referred unto the two sorts mentioned Namely 1. Such as were Extraordinary and exceeding the whole compass of the Abilities of Nature however improved and advanced and 2. Those which consist in the Improving and Exaltation of those Abilities to answer the Occasions of Life and Use of the Church Those of the first sort may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Prophesy 2. Inditeing of the Scripture 3. Miracles Those of the other sort we shall find 1. In things Political as skill for Government and Rule amongst Men. 2. In things Moral as Fortitude and Courage 3. In things Natural as increase of Bodily strength 4. Gifts Intellectual 1. of things Sacred as to preach the Word of God 2. In things Artificial as in Bezaliel and Aholiab The Work of Grace on the Hearts of Men being more fully revealed under the New-Testament then before and of the same Kind and Nature in every state of the Church since the fall I shall treat of it once for all in its most proper Place Sect. 5 The First eminent Gift and Work of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament and which had the most direct and immediate respect unto Jesus Christ was that of Prophecy For the Chief and Principal End hereof in the Church was to foresignify Him his Sufferings and the Glory that should ensue or to appoint such things to be observed in Divine Worship as might be Types and Representations of Him For the Chiefest Privelidg of the Church of Old was but to hear Tidings of the Things which we enjoy Isa. 33. 17. As Moses on the top of Pisgah saw the Land of Canaan and in Spirit the Beauties of Holiness to be erected therein which was his highest Attainment So the best of these Saints was to contemplate the King of Saints in the Land that was yet very far from them or Christ in the flesh And this Prospect which by Faith they obtained was their Chiefest Joy and Glory Joh. 8. 56 yet they all ended their Days as Moses did with respect unto the Type of the Gospel-state Deut. 3. 24 25. So did they Luke 10. 23. 24. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. 11. 40. That this was the Principal End of the Gift of Prophecy Peter declares 1 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 9 10 11 12. Receiving the End of your Faith he Salvation of your Souls 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 when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the Things which are now reported unto you Some of the Ancients apprehended that some things were spoken obscurely by the Prophets and not to be understood without great search especially such as concerned the Rejection of the Jews lest they should have been
or Imagination 3. By pure Acts of the Understanding So God by three wayes revealed his Will unto the Prophets 1. By Objects of their Senses as by audible Voices 2. By Impressions on the Imagination in Dreams and Visions 3. By Illustration or enlightning of their Minds But as this last way expresseth Divine Inspiration I cannot acknowledg it as a distinct way of Revelation by it self For it was that which was absolutely necessary to give an infallible assurance of mind in the other wayes also And setting that aside there is none of them but are obnoxious to Delusion Sect. 12 First God sometimes made use of an Articulate Voice speaking out those things which he did intend to declare in words significant of them So he revealed Himself or his Mind unto Moses when he spake to him face to face as a Man speaketh unto his Friend Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12. 8. And as far as I can observe the whole Revelation made unto Moses was by outward audible articulate Voices whose Sense was impressed on his Mind by the Holy Spirit For an external Voice without an inward Elevation and Disposition of Mind is not sufficient to give security and assurance of Truth unto him that doth receive it So God spake to Elijah 1 Kings 19. 12 13 14. as also to Samuel and Jeremiah and it may be to all the rest of the Prophets at their first Calling and Entrance into their Ministry For words formed miraculously by God and conveighed sensibly unto the outward Ears of Men carry a great Majesty and Authority with them This was not the usual way of God's revealing his Mind nor is it signified by that Phrase of Speech The Word of the Lord came unto me whereby no more is intended but an immediate Revelation by what way or means soever it was granted Mostly this was by that Secret effectual Impression on their Minds which we have before described And these Voices were either immediately created by God himself as when he spake unto Moses wherein the eminency of the Revelation made unto him principally consisted or the Ministry of Angels was used in the Formation and Pronunciation of them But as we observed before the Divine Certainty of their Minds to whom they were spoken with their Abilities infallibly to declare them unto others was from an immediate internal Work of the Spirit of God upon them Without this the Prophets might have been imposed on by external audible Voices nor would they by themselves give their minds an infallible assurance Sect. 13 Secondly Dreams were made use of under the Old Testament to the same purpose and unto them also I refer all those Visions which they had in their sleep though not called Dreams And these in this Case were the immediate Operation of the Holy Ghost as to the Divine and Infallible Impressions they conveighed to the Minds of Men. Hence in the Promise of the Plentiful Pouring out of the Spirit or Communication of his Gifts mention is made of Dreams Acts 2. 17. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie your young Men shall see Visions and your old Men shall dream Dreams Not that God intended much to make use of this way of Dreams and Nocturnal Visions under the New Testament but the intention of the words is to shew that there should be a plentiful Eâ—â—usion of that Spirit which acted by those various Wayes and Means then under the Old Only as to some particular Directions God did sometimes continue his Intimations by Visions in the Rest of the Night Such a Vision had Paul Acts 16. 10. But of old this was more frequent So God made a signal Revelation unto Abraham when the horrour of a deep sleep fell upon him Gen. 15. 12 13 14. And Daniel heard the Voice of the words of him that spake unto him when he was in a deep Sleep Dan. 10. 9. But this Sleep of theirs I look not on as Natural but as that which God sent and cast them into that therein he might represent the Image of things unto their Imaginations So of old he caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam Gen. 2. 21. The Jews distinguish between Dreams and those Visions in Sleep as they may be distinctly considered but I cast them together under one Head of Revelation in Sleep And this way of Revelation was so common that one who pretended to Prophesie would cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have dreamed I have dreamed Jer. 23. And by the Devils imitation of God's dealing with his Church this became a way of Vaticination among the Heathen also Hom. Ili 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Dream is from Jupiter And when the reprobate Jews were deserted as to all Divine Revelations they pretended unto a singular skill in the Interpretation of Dreams on the account of their deceit wherein they were sufficiently infamous Qualiacumque voles Judaei somnia vendent Sect. 14 Thirdly God revealed himself in and by Visions or Representations of things to the inward or outward senses of the Prophets And this way was so frequent that it bare the Name for a Season of all Prophetical Revelations For so we observed before that a Prophet of old time was called a Seer And that because in their receiving of their Prophesies they saw Visions also So Isaiah terms his whole Glorious Prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vision which he saw Chap. 1. 1. partly from the especial Representation of things that were made unto Him Chap. 6. 1 2 3. and partly it may be from the Evidence of the things revealed unto him which were cleared as fully to his Mind as if he had had an ocular inspection of them So from the Matter of them Prophesies began in common to be called the Burden of the Lord. For he burdened their Consciences with his Word and their Persons with its Execution But when false Prophets began to make frequent use and to serve themselves of this Expression it was forbidden Jer. 23. 33 36. And yet we find that there is mention hereof about the same Time it may be by Habbakuk Chap. 1. 1. as also after the return from the Captivity Zech. 9. 1. Mal. 1. 1. Either therefore this respected that onely season wherein false Prophets abounded whom God would thus deprive of their Pretence or indeed the People by Contempt and Scorn did use that Expression as that which was familiar unto the Prophets in their Denunciation of God's Judgments against them which God here rebukes them for and threatens to revenge But none of the Prophets had all their Revelations by Visions nor doth this concern the Communication of the Gift of Prophesie but it Exercise And their Visions are particularly recorded Such were those of Isa. 6. 1 2. Jer. 1. 11 14 15. Ezek. 1. and the like Now these Visions were of two sorts 1. Outward Representations of things unto the bodily Eyes of the Prophets 2.
the People of God into destructive and Judgment-procuring sins Numb 33. 16. And in the whole of his Enterprize he thought to have satisfied his Covetousness with a reward for cursing them by his Enchantments And yet this Man not onely professeth of himself that he heard the Words of God and saw the Visions of the Almighty Numb 24. 4. but did actually foretel and prophesie Glorious Things concerning Christ and his Kingdom Shall we then think that the Holy Spirit of God will immix his own Holy Inspirations with the wicked suggestions of the Devil in a South-sayer Or shall we suppose that the Devil was the Author of those Predictions whereas God reproacheth false Gods and their Prophets acted by them that they could not declare the things that should happen nor shew the things that were to come afterwards Isa. 41. 22 23. So also it is said of Saul that the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an Evil Spirit vexed him and yet afterwards that the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied 1 Sam. 19. 24. The Old Prophet at Bethel who lyed unto the Prophet that came from Judah and that in the Name of the Lord seducing him unto Sin and Destruction and probably defiled with the Idolatry and false Worship of Jeroboam was yet esteemed a Prophet and did foretel what came to pass 1 Kings 13. Sect. 18 Sundry things may be offered for the Solution of this Difficulty For 1. as to that place of the Apostle Peter 1. It may not be taken Universally that all who prophesied at any time were Personally Holy but only that for the most part so they were 2. He seems to speak particularly of them only who were Pen-men of the Scripture and of those Prophesies which remain therein for the Instruction of the Church concerning whom I no way doubt but that they were all Sanctified and Holy 3. It may be that he understandeth not real inherent Holiness but only a Separation and Dedication unto God by especial Office which is a thing of another nature 2. The Gift of Prophesie is granted not to be in it self and its own Nature a Sanctifying Grace nor is the Inspiration so whereby it is wrought For whereas it consists in an affecting of the Mind with a transient irradiation of Light in hidden things it neither did nor could of it self produce Faith Love or Holiness in the Heart Another Work of the Holy Ghost was necessary hereunto 3. There is therefore no Inconsistency in this Matter that God should grant an immediate Inspiration unto some that were not really sanctified And yet I would not grant this to have been actually done without a just Limitation For whereas some were established to be Prophets unto the Church in the whole course of their Lives after their first Call from God as Samuel Elijah Elisha Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets mentioned in the Scripture in like manner I no way doubt but they were all of them really sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God But others there were who had only some occasional Discoveries of hidden or future things made unto them or fell into some Extasies or Raptures with a Supernatural Agitation of their Minds as it is twice said of Saul for a short Season And I see no Reason why we may not grant yea from Scripture-Testimonies we must grant that many such Persons may be so acted by the Holy Spirit of God So was it with wicked Caiaphas who is said to Prophesie John 11. 51. And a great Prophesie indeed it was which his words expressed greater than which there is none in the Scripture But the Wretch himself knew nothing of the Importance of what was uttered by him A suddain Impression of the Spirit of God caused him against his Intention to utter a Sacred Truth and that because he was High Priest whose words were of great Reputation with the People And as Balaam was over-ruled to Prophesie and speak good of Israel when he really designed and desired to curse them So this Caiaphas designing the Destruction of Jesus Christ brought forth those words which expressed the Salvation of the World by his Death 5. For the Difficulty about Balaam himself who was a Sorcerer and the Devil's Prophet I acknowledg it is of Importance But sundry things may be offered for the removal of it 1. Some do contend that Balaam was a Prophet of God only That indeed he gave himself unto Judicial Astrologie and the Conjectures of future Events from Natural Causes But as to his Prophesies they were all Divine and the Light of them affecting only the Speculative Part of his Mind had no influence upon his Will Heart and Affections which were still corrupt This Tostatus pleadeth for But as it is expresly said That he sought for Enchantments Numb 24. 1. So the whole Description of his Course and End gives him up as a Cursed Sorcerer and he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sooth-sayer John 12. 22. Which word though we have once rendred by Prudent that is One who prudently conjectureth at future Events according unto present appearing Causes Isa. 3. 2. yet it is mostly used for a Diabolical Diviner or Sooth-sayer And for what he said of himself That he heard the Voice of God and saw the Visions of the Most High it might be only his own boasting to procure veneration to his Diabolical Incantations But in Reputation we find he was in those dayes in the World and supposed he was to utter Divine Oracles unto Men. This God in his Providence made use of to give out a Testimony to the Nations concerning the coming of the Messiah the Report whereof was then almost lost amongst Men. In this condition it may be granted that the Good Spirit of God without the least Reflection on the Majesty and Purity of his own Holiness did over-rule the Power of the Devil cast out his Suggestions from the Man's Mind and gave such an Impression of Sacred Truths in the room of them as he could not but utter and declare For that instant he did as it were take the Instrument out of the Hand of Satan and by his Impression on it caused it to give a sound according to his Mind which when he had done he left it again unto his Possession And I know not but that he might do so sometimes with others among the Gentiles who were professedly given up to receive and give out the Oracles of the Devil So he made the Damsel possessed with a Spirit of Divination and Sooth-saying to acknowledg Paul and his Companions to be Servants of the most High God and to shew to Men the way of Salvation Acts 16. 16 17. And this must be acknowledged by them who suppose that the Sybills gave out Predictions concerning Jesus Christ seeing the whole strain of their Prophetical Oracles were expresly Diabolical And no Conspiracy of Men or Devils shall cause him to forego his Sovereignty over them
and the using of them to his own Glory 6. The Case of Saul is plain The Spirit of the Lord who departed from him was the Spirit of Wisdom Moderation and Courage to fit him for Rule and Government that is the Gifts of the Holy Ghost unto that purpose which he withdrew from him And the Evil Spirit that was upon him proceeded no farther but to the stirring up Vexatious and disquieting Affections of Mind And notwithstanding this molestation and punishment inflicted on him the Spirit of God might at a season fall upon him so as to cast him into a Rapture or Extasie wherein his Mind was acted and exercised in an extraordinary manner and himself transported into Actions that were not at all according unto his own Inclinations So is this Case well resolved by Augustine And for the old Prophet at Bethel 1 Kings 13. although he appear to have been an evil Man yet he was one whom God made use of to reveal his Mind sometimes to that People nor is it probable that he was under Satanical Delusions like the Prophets of Baal for he is absolutely called a Prophet and the Word of the Lord did really come unto him v. 20 21. Sect. 19 The Writing of the Scripture was another Effect of the Holy Ghost which had its beginning under the Old Testament I reckon this as a distinct Gift from Prophesie in general or rather a distinct Species or kind of Prophesie For many Prophets there were Divinely Inspired who yet never wrote any of their Prophesies nor any thing else for the use of the Church And many Pen-men of the Scripture were no Prophets in the strict sence of that Name And the Apostle tells us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture or Writing it self was by Inspiration from God 1 Tim. 3. 16. as David affirms that he had the Pattern of the Temple from the Spirit of God in Writing because of his guidance of him in putting its Description into Writing 1 Chron. 28. 19. Now this Ministry was first committed unto Moses who besides the Five Books of the Law probably also wrote the Story of Job Many Prophets there were before Him but he was the first who committed the Will of God to Writing after God himself who wrote the Law in Tables of Stone which was the Beginning and Pattern of the Scriptures The Writers of the Historical Books of the Old Testament before the Captivity are unknown The Jews call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first or former Prophets Who they were in particular is not known but certain it is that they were of the Number of those Holy Men of God who of old Wrote and Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Hence are they called Prophets For although they wrote in an Historical manner as did Moses also concerning things past and gone in their Dayes or it may be presently acted in their own Times yet they did not Write them either from their own Memory nor from Tradition nor from the Rolls or Records of Times although they might be furnished with and skilled in these things but by the Inspiration Guidance and Direction of the Holy Ghost Hence are they called Prophets in such a Latitude as the Word may be used in to signifie any that are Divinely Inspired or receive immediate Revelations from God And thus was it with all the Pen-men of the Holy Scripture As their Minds were under that full assurance of Divine Inspiration which we before described so their words which they wrote were under the especial care of the same Spirit and were of his Suggestion or Inditing Sect. 20 There were therefore three things concurring in this Work 1. The Inspiration of the Minds of these Prophets with the Knowledg and Apprehension of the things communicated unto them 2. The Suggestion of words unto them to express what their Minds conceived 3. The guidance of their Hands in setting down the words suggested or of their Tongues in uttering them unto those by whom they were committed to Writing as Baruch wrote the Prophesie of Jeremiah from his Mouth Jer. 36. 3. 18. If either of these were wanting the Scripture could not be absolutely and every way Divine and Infallible For if the Pen-Men of it were left unto themselves in any thing wherein that Writing was concerned who can secure us that nihil Humani no Humane Imperfection mixed it self therewithal I know some think that the Matter and Substance of things only was communicated unto them but as for the words whereby it was to be expressed that was left unto themselves and their own Abilities And this they suppose is evident from that variety of Stile which according to their various Capacities Education and Abilities is found amongst them This argues as they say that the wording of their Revelations was left unto themselves and was the Product of their Natural Abilities This in general I have spoken unto elsewhere and manifested what mistakes sundry have run into about the Stile of the Holy Pen-Men of the Scripture Here I shall not take up what hath been argued and evinced in another place I only say that the variety intended ariseth mostly from the variety of the Subject Matters treated of nor is it such as will give any countenance to the prophaneness of this Opinion For the Holy Ghost in his Work on the Minds of Men doth not put a force upon them nor acts them any otherwise than they are in their own Natures and with their present Endowments and Qualifications meet to be acted and used He leads and conducts them in such Paths wherein they are able to walk The words therefore which he suggests unto them are such as they are accustomed unto and he causeth them to make use of such Expressions as were familiar unto themselves So he that useth divers Seals maketh different Impressions though the guidance of them all be equal and the same And he that toucheth skilfully several Musical Instruments variously tuned maketh several Notes of Musick We may also grant and do That they used their own Abilities of Mind and Understanding in the choice of Words and Expressions So the Preacher sought to find out acceptable words Eccles. 12. 10. But the Holy Spirit who is more intimate unto the Minds and Skill of Men than they are themselves did so guide act and operate in them as that the words they fixed upon were as directly and certainly from him as if they had been spoken to them by an audible Voice Hence that which was written was upright even Words of Truth as in that place This must be so or they could not speak as they moved by the Holy Ghost nor could their Writing be said to be of Divine Inspiration Hence oft-times in the Original great Senses and Significations depend on a single Letter as for instance in the change of the Name of Abraham And our Saviour affirms that every Apex and Iota of the Law is under the
care of God as that which was given by Inspiration from himself Matth. 5. But I have on other occasions treated of these things and shall not therefore here enlarge upon them Sect. 21 The third sort of the immediate extraordinary Operations of the Holy Ghost absolutely exceeding the actings and compliance of Humane Faculties are Miracles of all sorts which were frequent under the Old Testament Such were many things wrought by Moses and Joshua Elijah and Elisha with some others those by Moses exceeding if the Jews fail not in their Computation all the rest that are recorded in the Scripture Now these were all the immediate Effects of the Divine Power of the Holy Ghost He is the sole Author of all real miraculous Operations For by Miracles we understand such Effects as are really beyond and above the Power of Natural Causes however applyed unto Operation Now it is said expresly that our Lord Jesus Christ wrought Miracles for Instance the casting out of Devils From Persons possessed by the Holy Ghost And if their immediate Production were by him in the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ personally united unto the Son of God how much more must it be granted that it was He alone whose Power they were wrought in those who had no such Relation unto the Divine Nature And therefore where they are said to be wrought by the Hand or Finger of God it is the Person of the Holy Spirit which is precisely intended as we have declared before And the Persons by whom they were wrought were never the real Subjects of the Power whereby they were wrought as though it should be inherent and residing in them as a Quality Acts 2. 12 16. Only they were infallibly directed by the Holy Ghost by Word or Action to presignifie their Operation So was it with Joshua when he commanded the Sun and Moon to stand still Josh. 10. 12. There was no Power in Joshua no not extraordinarily communicated to Him to have such a real influence upon the whole frame of Nature as to effect so great an Alteration therein Onely he had a Divine Warranty to speak that which God himself would effect whence it is said that therein God hearkned unto the Voice of a Man v. 14. It is a vanity of the greatest magnitude in some of the Jews as Maimonides More Nebuch p. 2. cap. 35. Levi B. Gerson on the place and others who deny any fixation of the Sun or Moon and judge that it is only the speed of Joshua in subduing his Enemies before the close of that day which is intended This they contend for lest Joshua should be thought to have wrought a greater Miracle than Moses But as the Prophet Habakkuk is express to the contrary c. 3. 11. and their own Sirachides c. 45. 56. so it is no small prevarication in some Christians to give countenance unto such a putid Fiction see Grot. in loc It is so in all other miraculous Operations even where the Parts of the Bodies of Men were made instrumental of the Miracle it self as in the Gift of Tongues They who had that Gift did not so speak from any Skill or Ability residing in them but they were meerly Organs of the Holy Ghost which he moved at his Pleasure Now the end of all these miraculous Operations was to give reputation to the Persons and to confirm the ministry of them by whom they were wrought For as at first they were the occasion of wonder and astonishment so upon their consideration they evidenced the respect and regard of God unto such Persons and their Work So when God sent Moses to declare his Will in an extraordinary manner unto the People of Israel he commands him to work several Miracles or Signs before them that they might believe that he was sent of God Exod. 4. 8. And such Works were called Signs because they were Tokens and Pledges of the Presence of the Spirit of God with them by whom they were wrought Nor was this Gift ever bestowed on any Man alone or for its own sake but it was alwayes subordinate unto the Work of Revealing or Declaring the Mind of God And these are the general Heads of the extraordinary Operations of the Holy Spirit of God in Works exceeding all Humane or Natural Abilities in their whole kind Sect. 22 The next sort of the Operations of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament whose Explanation was designed is of those whereby he improved proved through immediate impression of his own Power the Natural Faculties and Abilities of the Minds of Men. And these as was intimated have respect to things Political Moral Natural and Intellectual with some of a mixed Nature First He had in them respect unto things Political such were his Gifts whereby he enabled sundry Persons unto Rule and Civil Government amongst Men. Government or Supream Rule is of great concernment unto the Glory of God in the World and of the highest usefulness unto Mankind Without it the whole World would be filled with violence and become a Stage for all Wickedness visibly and openly to act it self upon in disorder and confusion And all Men confess that unto a due management hereof unto its proper Ends sundry peculiar Gifts and Abilities of Mind are required in them and needful for them who are called thereunto These are they themselves to endeavour after and sedulously to improve the Measures which they have attained of them And where this is by any neglected the World and themselves will quickly feed on the Fruits of that Negligence But yet because the utmost of what Men may of this kind obtain by their ordinary endeavours and an ordinary Blessing thereon is not sufficient for some especial ends which God aimed at in and by their Rule and Government the Holy Ghost did oftentimes give an especial Improvement unto their Abilities of Mind by his own immediate and extraordinary Operation And in some Cases he manifested the Effects of his Power herein by some external visible Signs of his coming on them in whom he so wrought So in the first Institution of the Sanhedrim or Court of Seventy Elders to bear together with Moses the Burden of the People in their Rule and Government the Lord is said to put his Spirit upon them and that the Spirit rested on them Numb 11. 16 17. And the Lord said unto Moses Gather unto me Seventy Men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be Elders of the People and Officers over them And I will take of the Spirit that is upon thee and put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the People with thee vers 25. And the Lord took of the Spirit that was on Moses and gave it unto the Seventy Elders and the Spirit rested on them That which these Elders were called unto was a share in the Supream Rule and Government of the People which was before intirely in the hand of Moses This the occasion of their Call declares vers
11 12 13 14 15. and they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inferior Officers before such as they had in Egypt who influenced the People by their Counsel and Arbritration Exod. 3. 16. Chap. 5. 6. Chap. 24. 1 9. Now they had a Supream Power in Judgment committed to them and were thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gods For these were they unto whom the Word of God came who were thence called Gods John 10. 34 35. Psal. 82. 6. and not the Prophets who had neither Power nor Rule And on them the Spirit of God that was in Moses rested that is wrought the same Abilities for Government in them as he had received That is Wisdom Righteousness Diligence Courage and the like that they might judge the People wisely and look to the Execution of the Law impartially Now when the Spirit of God thus rested on them it is said they Prophesied and ceased not v. 25 26. That is they sang or spake forth the Praises of God in such a way and manner as made it evident unto all that they were extraordinarily acted by the Holy Ghost So is that Word used 1 Sam. 10. 10. and elsewhere But this Gift and Work of Prophesie was not the especial End for which they were endowed by the Spirit for they were now called as hath been declared unto Rule and Government But because their Authority and Rule was new among the People God gave that visible Sign and Pledg of his calling them to their Office that they might have a due Veneration of their Persons and acquiesce in their Authority And hence from the Ambiguity of that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render and ceased not they Prophesied and ceased not vers 25. which may signifie to add as well as to cease many of the Jews affirm that they so prophesied no more but that day only they prophesied then and added not that is to do so any more So when God would erect a Kingdom amongst them which was a new kind of Government unto them and designed Saul to be the Person that should Reign it is said that he gave him another heart 1 Sam. 10. 9. that is the Spirit of God came upon him as it is elsewhere expressed to endow him with that Wisdom and Magnanimity that might make him meet for Kingly Rule And because he was new called from a Low Condition unto Royal Dignity the Communication of the Spirit of God unto him was accompanied with a Visible sign and Token that the People might acquiesce in his Government who were ready to despise his Person For he had also an extraordinary Afflatus of the Spirit expressing it self in a Visible Rapture vers 10 11. And in like manner he dealt with others For this cause also he instituted the Ceremony of Anointing at their Inauguration for it was a Token of the Communication of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost unto them though respect were had therein to Jesus Christ who was to be anointed with all his fulness of whom they were Types unto that People Now these Gifts for Government are Natural and Moral Abilities of the Minds of Men such as are Prudence Righteousness Courage Zeal Clemency and the like And when the Holy Ghost fell upon any Persons to enable them for Political Rule and the Administration of Civil Power he did not Communicate Gifts and Abilities unto them quite of another kind but only gave them an extraordinary improvement of their own ordinary Abilities And indeed so great is the Burden wherewith a just and useful Government is attended so great and many are the Temptations which Power and a Confluence of Earthly Things will invite and draw towards them that without some especial Assistance of the Holy Spirit of God Men cannot chuse but either sink under the weight of it or wretchedly miscarry in its Exercise and Management This made Solomon when God in the beginning of his Reign gave him his option of all earthly desirable things to prefer Wisdom and Knowledg for Rule before them all 2 Chron. 1. 10 11 12. And this he received from him who is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding Isa. 11. 3. And if the Rulers of the Earth would follow this Example and be earnest with God for such supplies of his Spirit as might enable them unto an Holy Righteous discharge of their Office it would in many places be better with them and the World than it is or can be where is the state of things described Hos. 7. 3 4 5. Now God of old did carry this Dispensation out of the Pale of the Church for the effecting of some especial Ends of his own and I no way question but that he continueth still so to do Thus he anointed Cyrus and calls him his Anointed accordingly Isa. 45. 1. For Cyrus had a double Work to do for God in both parts whereof he stood in need of his especial Assistance He was to execute his Judgements and Vengeance on Babylon as also to deliver his People that they might re-edifie the Temple For both these he stood in need and did receive especial Aid from the Spirit of God though he was in himself but a ravenous Bird of prey Isa. 46. 11. For the Gifts of this Holy One in this kind wrought no real Holiness in them on whom they were bestowed they were only given them for the good and benefit of others with their own success in what they attempted unto that purpose Yea and many on whom they are bestowed never consider the Author of them but sacrifice to their own Nets and Drags and look on themselves as the Springs of their own Wisdom and Ability But it is no wonder that all regard unto the Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the Government of the World is despised when his whole Work in and towards the Church it self is openly derided Sect. 23 Secondly We may add hereunto those especial Endowments with some Moral Vertues which he granted unto sundry Persons for the accomplishment of some especial Design So He came upon Gideon and upon Jeptha to anoint them unto the Work of delivering the People from their Adversaries in Battel Judg. 6. 34. Chap. 11. 29. It is said before of them both That they were Men of Valour Chap. 6. 12. Chap. 11. 1. This coming therefore of the Spirit of God upon them and cloathing of them was his especial Excitation of their Courage and his fortifying of their Minds against those Dangers they were to conflict withal And this he did by such an efficacious impression of his Power upon them as that both themselves received thereby a Confirmation of their Call and others might discern the presence of God with them Hence it is said that the Spirit of the Lord cloathed them they being warmed in themselves and known to others by his Gifts and Actings of them Sect. 24 Thirdly There are sundry Instances of his adding unto the Gifts of the Mind whereby he qualified Persons for
Covering of her Marriage to him she was to receive a Protection of her Spotless Innocency And besides 2. God provided one that should take care of her and her Child in his infancy And hereby 3. also was our Blessed Saviour freed from the imputation of an illegitimate Birth until by his own Miraculous Operations he should give Testimony unto his Miraculous Conception concerning which before his Mother could not have been believed 4. That he might have one on whose account his Genealogie might be recorded to manifest the accomplishment of the Promise unto Abraham David For the Line of a Genealogie was not legally continued by the Mother only Hence Matthew gives us his Genealogie by Joseph to whom his Mother was legally espoused And although Luke give us the true Natural Line of his Descent by the Progenitors of the Blessed Virgin yet he nameth her not only mentioning her Espousals he begins with Heli who was her Father Chap. 3. 23. And this is the first thing ascribed peculiarly to the Holy Spirit with respect unto the Head of the Church Christ Jesus Sect. 14 From this Miraculous Creation of the Body of Christ by the immediate Power of the Holy Ghost did it became a meet Habitation for his Holy Soul every way ready and complying with all actings of Grace and Vertue We have not only the Depravation of our Natures in General but the obliquity of our particular Constitutions to conflict withal Hence it is that one is disposed to Passion Wrath and Anger another to Vanity and Lightness a third of Sensuality and fleshly Pleasures and so others to Sloth and Idleness And although this Disposition so far as it is the Result of our especial Constitutions and Complexion is not sin in it self yet it dwells at the next Door unto it and as it is excited by the Moral Pravity of our Natures a continual occasion of it But the Body of Christ being formed pure and exact by the Holy Ghost there was no Disposition or Tendency in his Constitution to the least Deviation from perfect Holiness in any kind The exquisite Harmony of his natural temperature made Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Benignity and Goodness Natural and Cognate unto him as having an incapacity of such Motions as should be subservient unto or complaint with any thing different from them Hence 2dly also although he took on him those Infirmities which belong unto our Humane Nature as such and are inseparable from it until it be glorified yet he took none of our particular Infirmities which cleave unto our Persons occasioned either by the Vice of our Constitutions or irregularity in the use of our Bodies Those natural Passions of our Minds which are capable of being the means of affliction and trouble as Grief Sorrow and the like he took upon him as also those Infirmities of Nature which are troublesome to the Body as Hunger Thirst Weariness and Pain Yea the purity of his Holy Constitution made him more highly sensible of these things than any of the Children of Men. But as to our Bodily Diseases and Distempers which personally adhere unto us upon the Disorder and Vice of our Constitutions he was absolutely free from Work of the HOLY SPIRIT in and on the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. IV. 1. The actual Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost On what Ground spotless and free from sin Positively endowed with all Grace 2. Original Holiness and Sanctification in Christ how carried on by the Spirit Exercise of Grace in Christ by the rational Faculties of his Soul Their Improvement 3. Wisdom and Knowledg how increased objectively in the Humane Nature of Christ. 4. The Anointing of Christ by the Holy Spirit with Power and Gifts 5. Collated eminently on him at his Baptism John 3. 34. explained and vindicated 6. Miraculous Works wrought in Christ by the Holy Ghost 7. Christ guided conducted and supported by the Spirit in his whole Work Mark 1. 11. opened 8. How the Lord Christ offered himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit 9. His Sanctification thereunto 10. Graces acting eminently therein Love Zeal Submission Faith and Truth all exercised therein 11 12. The Work of the Spirit of God towards Christ whilst he was in the state of the Dead in his Resurrection and Glorification 13. The Office of the Spirit to bear Witness unto Christ and its Discharge 14. The true Way and Means of coming unto the Knowledg of Christ with the necessity thereof 15. Danger of Mistakes herein 16. What it is to Love Christ as we ought Sect. 1 SEcondly The Humane Nature of Christ being thus formed in the Womb by a Creating Act of the Holy Spirit was in the instant of its Conception sanctified and filled with Grace according to the measure of its Receptivity Being not begotten by Natural Generation it derived no taint of Original Sin or Corruption from Adam that being the only Way and Means of its Propagation And being not in the Loyns of Adam morally before the Fall the Promise of his Incarnation being not given until afterwards the Sin of Adam could on no account be imputed unto him All Sin was charged on him as our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant but on his own account he was obnoxious to no charge of Sin Original or Actual His Nature therefore as miraculously created in the manner described was absolutely innocent spotless and free from sin as was Adam in the day wherein he was Created But this was not all It was by the Holy Spirit positively endowed with all Grace And hereof it was afterwards only capable of farther degrees as to actual Exercise but not of any new kind of Grace And this Work of Sanctification or the Original Infusion of all Grace into the Humane Nature of Christ was the immediate Work of the Holy Spirit which was necessary unto him For let the Natural Faculties of the Soul the Mind Will and Affections be created pure innocent undefiled as they cannot be otherwise immediately created of God yet this is not enough to enable any rational Creature to live to God much less was it all that was in Jesus Christ. There is moreover required hereunto supernatural Endowments of Grace superadded unto the Natural Faculties of our Souls If we live unto God there must be a principle of Spiritual Life in us as well of Life Natural This was the Image of God in Adam and was wrought in Christ by the Holy Spirit Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And there shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. It is granted that the following Work of the Spirit in and upon the Lord Christ in the
execution of his Office as the King and Head of the Church is included in these words But his first Sanctifying Work in the Womb is principally intended For those Expressions a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch out of his Roots with respect whereunto the Spirit is said to be communicated unto him do plainly regard his Incarnation And the Soul of Christ from the first moment of its Infusion was a Subject capable of a Fulness of Grace as unto its habitual Residence and Inbeing though the actual exercise of it was suspended for a while until the Organs of the Body were fitted for it This therefore it received by this first Unction of the Spirit Hence from his Conception he was Holy as well as harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. An Holy Thing Luke 1. 35. radically filled with a Perfection of Grace and Wisdom Inasmuch as the Father gave him not the Spirit by Measure John 3. 34. See to this purpose Our Commentary on Heb. 1. v. 1. p. 17. see John 1. 14 15 16. Sect. 2 Thirdly The Spirit carried on that Work whose Foundation it had thus laid And Two Things are to be here diligently observed 1. That the Lord Christ as Man did and was to exercise all Grace by the Rational Faculties and Powers of his Soul his Understanding Will and Affections For he acted Grace as a Man made of a Woman made under the Law His Divine Nature was not unto him in the place of a Soul nor did immediately operate the things which he performed as some of old vainly imagined But being a perfect Man his Rational Soul was in him the immediate principle of all his Moral Operations even as ours are in us Now in the Improvement and Exercise of these Faculties and Powers of his Soul he had and made a Progress after the manner of other Men. For he was made like unto us in all things yet without sin In their Encrease Enlargement and Exercise there was required a Progression in Grace also And this he had continually by the Holy Ghost Luke 2. 40. The Child grew and waxed strong in Spirit The first Clause refers to his Body which grew and increased after the manner of other Men as v. 52. He increased in Stature The other respects the confirmation of the Faculties of his Mind he waxed strong in Spirit So v. 47. he is said to increase in Wisdom as in Stature He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continually filling and filled with new Degrees of Wisdom as to its Exercise according as the Rational Faculties of his Mind were capable thereof an increase in these things accompanied his years v. 52. And what is here recorded by the Evangelist contains a Description of the Accomplishments of the Prophesie before mentioned Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And this Growth in Grace and Wisdom was the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit For as the Faculties of his Mind were enlarged by Degrees and strengthened so the Holy Spirit filled them up with Grace for Actual Obedience Sect. 3 2. The Humane Nature of Christ was capable of having New Objects proposed to its Mind and Understanding whereof before it had a simple Nescience And this is an inseparable adjunct of Humane Nature as such as it is to be weary or hungry and no vice or blameable defect Some have made a great outcry about the ascribing of Ignorance by some Protestant Divines unto the Humane Soul of Christ Bellarm. de Anim. Christi Take Ignorance for that which is a moral Defect in any kind or an unacquaintedness with that which any one ought to know or is necessary unto him as to the Perfection of his Condition or his Duty and it is false that ever any of them ascribed it unto him Take it meerly for a nescience of some things and there is no more in it but a denial of Infinite Omniscience nothing inconsistent with the highest Holiness and Purity of Humane Nature So the Lord Christ sayes of himself that he knew not the Day and Hour of the End of all things and our Apostle of him that he learned Obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. In the representation then of things anew to the Humane Nature of Christ the Wisdom and Knowledg of it was objectively increased and in new Tryals and Temptations he experimentally learned the new Exercise of Grace And this was the constant Work of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature of Christ. He dwelt in him in fulness for he received him not by measure And continually upon all occasions he gave out of his unsearchable Treasures Grace for Exercise in all Duties and Instances of it From hence was he habitually Holy and from hence did he exercise Holiness entirely and universally in all things Sect. 4 Fourthly The Holy Spirit in a peculiar manner anointed him with all those extraordinary Powers and Gifts which were necessary for the Exercise and Discharging of his Office on the Earth Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good Tydings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison unto them that are bound It is the Prophetical Office of Christ and his discharge thereof in his Ministry on the Earth which is intended And he applies these words unto himself with respect unto his Preaching of the Gospel Luke 4. 18. For this was that Office which he principally attended unto here in the World as that whereby he instructed Men in the Nature and Use of his other Offices For his Kingly Power in his Humane Nature on the Earth he exercised but sparingly Thereunto indeed belonged his sending forth of Apostles and Evangelists to preach with Authority And towards the End of his Ministry he instituted Ordinances of Gospel-Worship and appointed the Order of his Church in the Foundation and Building of it up which were Acts of Kingly Power Nor did he perform any Act of his Sacerdotal Office but only at his Death when he gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour Ephes. 5. 2. wherein God smelt a Savour of Rest and was appeased towards us But the whole course of his Life and Ministry was the Discharge of his Prophetical Office unto the Jews Rom. 15. 8. Which he was to do according to the great Promise Deut. 18. 18 19. And on the Acceptance or Refusal of him herein depended the Life and Death of the Church of Israel v. 19. Acts 3. 23. Heb. 1. 1. John 8. 44. Hereunto was he fitted by this Unction of the Spirit And here also is a distinction between the Spirit that was upon him and his being anointed to Preach which contains the Communication of the Gifts of that Spirit unto him As it is said Chap. 11. 3. The Spirit rested on him as a Spirit of Wisdom to make
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.
that is intended Sect. 9 And because this is a Matter of great Importance namely how the Lord Christ offered up himself unto God as a Sacrifice by the Eternal Spirit I shall farther explain it though but briefly Those who look only on the outward part of the Death of Christ can see nothing but suffering in it The Jews took him and they with the Souldiers both scourged and slew him hanging him on the Tree But the principal Consideration of it is his own offering himself a Sacrifice unto God as the great High Priest of the Church to make Atonement and Reconciliation for Sinners which was hid from the World by those outward Acts of Violence which were upon him And this he did by the Eternal Spirit wherein we may take notice of the ensuing Instances 1. He Sanctified Consecrated or Dedicated himself unto God for to be an Offering or Sacrifice John 17. 19. For their sakes that is the Elect I sanctifie my self The Lord Christ was before this perfectly sanctified as to all Inherent Holiness so that he could not speak of sanctifying himself afresh in that sense Neither was it the Consecration of himself unto his Office of a Priest For this was the Act of him who called him He glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto Him Thou art my Son Heb. 5. 6. He made him a Priest by his Death after the Power of an Endless Life Chap. 7. 16 20 21. Wherefore he consecrated himself to be a Sacrifice as the Beast to be Sacrificed of old was first devoted unto that purpose Therefore it is said that he thus Sanctified or Consecrated himself that we might be Sanctified Now we are Sanctified by the Offering of the Body of Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. This was his first Sacerdotal Acts. He dedicated himself to be an Offering to God And this he did through the Effectual Operation of the Eternal Spirit in him 2. He went voluntarily and of his own accord to the Garden which answered the Adduction or bringing of the Beast to be Sacrificed unto the Door of the Tabernacle according to the Law for there he did not only give up himself into the hands of those who were to shed his Blood but also actually entred upon the offering up of himself unto God in his Agony when he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Crying and Tears Heb. 5. 7. which declares not the Matter but the Manner of his Offering 3. In all that ensued all that followed hereon unto his giving up the Ghost he offered himself to God in and by those Actings of the Grace of the Holy Spirit in him which accompanied him to the last And these are diligently to be considered because on them depends the Efficacy of the Death of Christ as to Atonement and Merit as they were enhanced and rendred excellent by the Worth and Dignity of his Person For it is not the Death of Christ meerly as it was penal and undergone by the way of Suffering that is the Means of our Deliverance but the Obedience of Christ therein which consisted in his offering of himself through the Eternal Spirit unto God that gave efficacy and success unto it We may therefore enquire what were those Principal Graces of the Spirit which he acted in this offering of himself unto God And they were 1. Love to Man-kind and Compassion towards Sinners This the Holy Soul of the Lord Jesus was then in the highest and most inconceivable Exercise of This therefore is frequently expressed where mention is made of this Offering of Christ Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1. 5. Who loved us and washed us in his own Blood And Compassion is the first Grace required in an High Priest or Sacrificer Heb. 5. 2. God being now upon a Design of Love for it was in the pursuit of Eternal Love that Christ was sent into the World John 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 5 6. This Love that was now in its most inconceivable Advancement in the Heart of Christ was most grateful and acceptable unto him And this Intenseness of Love did also support the Mind of Christ under all his Sufferings as Jacob through the greatness of his Love unto Rachel made light of the seven years Service that he endured for her Gen. 29. 20. And so did the Lord Christ endure the Cross and despise the shame for the Joy of saving his Elect which was set before him Heb. 12. 2. And this was one Grace of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God 2. That which principally acted him in the Whole was his unspeakable Zeal for and Ardency of Affection unto the Glory of God These were the Coals which with a Vehement Flame as it were consumed the Sacrifice And there were two things that he aimed at with respect unto the Glory of God 1. The manifestation of his Righteousness Holiness and Severity against Sin His Design was to repair the Glory of God wherein it had seemed to suffer by sin Psal. 40. 6 7 8. and Heb. 10. 5 6 7. He came to do that with full desire of Soul expressed in those words Lo I come which Legal Sacrifices could not do namely to make satisfaction to the Justice of God for sin to be a propitiation to declare his Righteousness Rom. 3. 25. And this he doth as to the manner of it with inexpressible Ardency of Zeal and Affections v. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels he doubles the Expression of the Intenseness of his Mind hereon And therefore when he was to prepare himself in his last Passeover for his Suffering he expresseth the highest ingagement of Heart and Affections unto it Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer As with respect unto the same Work he had before exprest it I have a Baptism to be Baptized withal and how am I straitned or pained till it be accomplished Luke 12. 50. His Zeal to advance the Glory of God in the manifestation of his Righteousness and Holiness by the offering up himself as a Sin-Offering to make Atonement gave him no Rest and Ease until he was engaged in it whence it wrought unto the utmost 2. The Exercise of his Grace and Love This he knew was the way to open the Treasures of Grace and Love that they might be poured out on Sinners to the Everlasting Glory of God For this was the Design of God in the whole Rom. 3. 24 25 26. This Zeal and Affection unto the Glory of God's Righteousness Faithfulness and Grace which was wrought in the Heart of Christ by the Eternal Spirit was that wherein principally he offered up himself unto God 3. His Holy Submission and Obedience unto the Will of God which were now in the height of their Exercise and Grace advanced unto the utmost in them was another
especial part of this his Offering up himself That this was wrought in him by the Holy or Eternal Spirit was before declared And it is frequently expressed as that which had an especial Influence into the Efficacy and Merit of his Sacrifice Psal. 2. 8. He humbled himself and became Obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross. And when he offered up Prayers and Supplications though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. That is he experienced Obedience in Suffering It is true that the Lord Christ in the whole course of his Life yeelded Obedience unto God as he was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. But now he came to the great Tryal of it with respect unto the especial command of the Father to lay down his Life and to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa. 53. 10. This was the highest Act of Obedience unto God that ever was or ever shall be to all Eternity And therefore doth God so express his satisfaction therein and acceptance of it Isa. 53. 11 12. Phil. 2. 9 10. This was wrought in him this he was wrought unto by the Holy Spirit and therefore by him offered himself unto God 4. There belongs also hereunto that Faith and Trust in God which with fervent Prayers Cries Supplications he now acted on God and his Promises both with respect unto himself and to the Covenant which he was sealing with his Blood This our Apostle represents as an especial Work of his testified unto in the Old Testament Heb. 2. 13. I will put my trust in him And this 1. respected himself namely that he should be supported assisted and carried through the Work he had undertaken unto a blessed Issue Herein I confess he was horribly assaulted until he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful Tryal his Faith and Trust in God were Victorious This he expressed in the Depth and Extremity of his Tryals Psal. 22. 9 10 11. and made such an open Profession of it that his Enemies when they supposed him lost and defeated reproached him with it v. 8. Matth. 27. 43. To this purpose be declared himself at large Isa. 50. 7 8 9. So his Faith and Trust in God as to his own supportment and deliverance with the accomplishment of all the Promises that were made unto him upon his ingagement into the Work of Mediation were victorious 2. They respected the Covenant and all the Benefits that the Church of the Elect was to be made Partaker of thereby The Blood that he now shed was the Blood of the Covenant and it was shed for his Church namely that the Blessings of the Covenant might be communicated unto them Gal. 3. 13 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise Faith in God as appears fully in his Prayer which he made when he entred on his Oblation John 17. Now concerning these Instances we may observe three Things to our present purpose 1. These and the like gracious Actings of the Soul of Christ were the Wayes and Means whereby in his Death and Bloodshedding which was violent and by force inflicted on him as to the outward Instruments and was penal as to the Sentence of the Law he voluntarily and freely offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God for to make Atonement And these were the things which from the dignity of his Person became Efficacious and Victorious Without these his Death and Bloodshedding had been no Oblation 2. These were the things which rendred his Offering of himself to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smâ—lling Savour unto God Ephes. 5. 2. God was so absolutely delighted and pleased with these high and glorious Acts of Grace and Obedience in Jesus Christ that he smelt as it were a Savour of Rest towards Mankind or those for whom he offered himself so that he would be angry with them no more curse them no more As it is said of the Type of it in the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. God was more pleased with the Obedience of Christ than he was displeased with the Sin and Disobedience of Adam Rom. 5. 17 18 19. It was not then the outward suffering of a violent and bloody Death which was inflicted on him by the most horrible wickedness that ever Humane Nature brake forth into that God was atoned Acts 2. 23. Nor yet was it meerly his enduring the Penalty of the Law that was the means of our Deliverance But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a Sacrifice in these Holy Acts of Obedience was that upon which in an especial manner God was reconciled unto us All these things being wrought in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost who in the time of his Offering acted all his Graces unto the utmost He is said thereon to offer himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit by whom as our High Priest he was Consecrated Spirited and Acted thereunto Sect. 10 Eighthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Lord Christ whilst he was in the State of the Dead For here our precedeing Rule must be remembred namely that notwithstanding the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine in the Person of the Son yet the Communications of God unto it beyond Subsistence were voluntary Thus in his Death the Union of his Natures in his Person was not in the least impeached but yet for his Soul or Spirit he recommends that in an especial manner into the Hands of God his Father Psal. 31. 5. Luke 23. 46. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit for the Father had ingaged himself in an Eternal Covenant to take care of him to preserve and protect him even in Death and to shew him again the Way and Path of Life Psal. 16. 11. Notwithstanding then the Union of his Person his Soul in its separate State was in an especial manner under the care protection and power of the Father preserved in his Love until the Hour came wherein he shewed him again the Path of Life His Holy Body in the Grave continued under the especial care of the Spirit of God and hereby was accomplished that great Promise That his Soul should not be left in Hell nor the Holy One see Corruption Psal. 16. 10. Acts 2. 31. It is the Body of Christ which is here called the Holy One as it was made an holy Thing by the Conception of it in the Womb by the Power of the Holy Ghost And it is here spoken of in contradistinction unto his Soul and opposed by Peter unto the Body of David which when it died saw Corruption Acts 2. 29. This Pure and Holy Substance was preserved in its Integrity by the overshadowing Power of the Holy Spirit without any of those Accidents of change which attend the dead Bodies of others I deny not but there was use made of the Ministry of
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
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
And this instructs us in the Way and Manner of that Communion which we have with God by the Gospel For herein the Life Power and Freedom of our Evangelical State doth consist and an acquaintance herewith gives us our Translation out of Darkness into the marvelous Light of God 1. The Person of the Father in his Wisdom Will and Love is the Original of all Grace and Glory But nothing hereof is communicated immediately unto us from him It is the Son whom he loves and hath given all things into his hand He hath made way for the Communication of these things unto us unto the Glory of God And he doth it immediately by the Spirit as hath been declared Hereby are all our Returns unto God to be regulated The Father who is the Original of all Grace and Glory is ultimately intended by us in our Faith Thankfulness and Obedience yet not so but that the Son and Spirit are considered as one God with him But we cannot address our selves with any of them immediately unto him There is no going to the Father saith Christ but by me John 14. 6. Through him we believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. But yet neither can we do so unless we are enabled thereunto by the Spirit the Author in us of Faith Prayer Praise Obedience and what-ever our Souls tend unto God by As the descending of God towards us in Love and Grace issues or ends in the Work of the Spirit in us and on us so all our ascending towards him begins therein And as the first Instance of the proceeding of Grace and Love towards us from the Father is in and by the Son so the first step that we take towards God even the Father is in and by the Son And these things ought to be explicitly attended unto by us if we intend our Faith and Love and Duties of Obedience should be Evangelical Take an Instance of the Prayer of Wicked Men under their Convictions or their Fears Troubles and Dangers and the Prayers of Believers The former is meerly Vox Naturae Clamantis ad Dominum Naturae an out-cry that distressed Nature makes to the God of it and as such alone it considers him But the other is Vox Spiritus Adoptionis clamantis per Christum Abba Pater It is the Voice of the Spirit of Adoption addressing it self in the Hearts of Believers unto God as a Father And a due attendance unto this Order of things gives Life and Spirit unto all that we have to do with God Wo to Professors of the Gospel who shall be seduced to believe that all they have to do with God consists in their attendance unto Moral Vertue It is fit for them so to do who being weary of Christianity have a mind to turn Pagans But our Fellowship is in the way described with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus It is therefore of the highest importance unto us to enquire into and secure unto our selves the promised workings of the Holy Spirit For by them alone are the Love of the Father and the Fruits of the Mediation of the Son communicated unto us without which we have no interest in them And by them alone are we enabled to make any acceptable Returns of Obedience unto God It is sottish Ignorance and Infidelity to suppose that under the Gospel there is no communication between God and us but what is on his part in Laws Commands and Promises and on ours by Obedience performed in our own Strength and upon our Convictions unto them The exclude hence the real internal Operations of the Holy Ghost is to destroy the Gospel And as we shall see farther afterwards this is the true Ground and Reason why there is a sin against the Holy Spirit that is irremissible for the coming unto us to make Application of the Love of the Father and Grace of the Son unto our Souls in the contempt of him there is a contempt of the whole actings of God towards us in a way of Grace for which there can be no Remedy Sect. 7 Fifthly Whereas the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace and the immediate Efficient Cause of all Grace and Gracious Effects in Men where-ever there is mention made of them or any fruits of them it is to be looked on as a part of his Work though he be not expresly named or it be not particularly attributed unto him I know not well or do not well understand what some Men begin to talk about Moral Vertue Some thing they seem to aim at if they would once leave the old Pelagian ambiguous Expressions and learn to speak clearly and intelligibly that is in their own Power and so consequently of all other Men. At least it is so with an ordinary blessing upon their own endeavours which things we must afterwards enquire into But for Grace I think all Men will grant that as to our participation of it it is of the Holy Spirit and of him alone Now Grace is taken two wayes in the Scripture 1. For the gracious free Love and Favour of God towards us And 2. for gracious free effectual Operations in us and upon us In both senses the Holy Spirit is the Author of it as unto us In the first as to its manifestation and Application in the latter as to the Operation it self For although he be not the principal Cause nor procurer of Grace in the first sense which is the free Act of the Father yet the Knowledg Sense Comfort and all the Fruits of it are by him alone communicated unto us as we shall see afterwards And the latter is his proper and peculiar Work This therefore must be taken for granted that where-ever any gracious actings of God in or towards Men are mentioned it is the Holy Spirit who is peculiarly and principally intended Sect. 8 Sixthly It must be duly considered with reference unto the whole Work of the Holy Spirit that in what-ever he doth he Acts Works and Distributes according to his own Will This our Apostle expresly affirmeth And sundry things of great moment do depend hereon in our walking before God As 1. That the Will and Pleasure of the Holy Spirit is in all the Goodness Grace Love and Power that he either communicates unto us or worketh in us He is not as a meer Instrument or Servant disposing of the things wherein he hath no Concern or over which he hath no Power But in all things he worketh towards us according to his own Will We are therefore in what we receive from him and by him no less to acknowledg his Love Kindness and Sovereign Grace than we do to those of the Father and the Son 2. That he doth not work as a natural Agent ad ultimum virium to the utmost of his Power as though in all he did he came and did what he could He moderates all his Operations by his Will and Wisdom And therefore whereas some are said to resist the Holy Spirit Acts 7.
promised that he will do himself in us towards us and upon us It is our Duty to believe that he will so do And to fancy an inconsistency between these things is to charge God foolishly 3. If there be an Opposition between these things it is either because the Nature of Man is not meet to be commanded or because it needs not to be assisted But that both these are false and vain Suppositions shall be afterwards declared The Holy Spirit so worketh in us as that he worketh by us and what He doth in us is done by us Our Duty it is to apply our selves unto his Commands according to the Conviction of our Minds and his Work it is to enable us to perform them 4. He that will indulge or can do so unto sloth and negligence in himself on the account of the promised working of the Spirit of Grace may look upon it as an evidence that he hath no interest or concern therein For he ordinarily giveth not out his Aids and Assistances anywhere but where he prepares the Soul with Diligence in Duty And whereas he acts us no otherwise but in and by the Faculties of our own Minds it is ridiculous and implies a Contradiction for a Man to say he will do nothing because the Spirit of God doth all For where he doth nothing the Spirit of God doth nothing unless it be meerly in the infusion of the first Habit or Principle of Grace whereof we shall treat afterwards 5. For Degrees of Grace and Holiness which are enquired after they are peculiar unto Believers Now these are furnished with an Ability and Power to attend unto and perform those Duties whereon the encrease of Grace and Holiness doth depend For although there is no Grace nor Degree of Grace or Holiness in Believers but what is wrought in them by the Spirit of God yet ordinarily and regularly the Increase and Growth of Grace and their thriving in Holiness and Righteousness depend upon the Use and Improvement of Grace received in a diligent Attendance unto all those Duties of Obedience which are required of us 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. And me-thinks it is the most unreasonable and sottish thing in the World for a Man to be slothful and negligent in attending unto those Duties which God requireth of him which all his Spiritual Growth depends upon which the eternal welfare of his Soul is concerned in on pretence of the efficacious Aids of the Spirit without which he can do nothing and which he neither hath nor can have whilst he doth nothing Sect. 8 Here lies the Ground and Foundation of our exercising Faith in particular towards him and of our acting of it in Supplications and Thanksgivings His participation of the Divine Nature is the formal Reason of our yeelding unto him Divine and Religious Worship in general but his acting towards us according to the Sovereignty of his own Will is the especial Reason of our particular Addresses unto him in the exercise of Grace for we are baptized into his Name also Sect. 9 Seventhly We may observe that in the Actings and Works of the Holy Spirit some things are distinctly and separately ascribed unto him although some things be of the same kind wrought by the Person in and by whom he Acts or he is said at the same time to do the same thing distinctly by himself and in and by others So John 15. 26 27. I will saith our Saviour send the Spirit of Truth and he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Witness of the Spirit unto Christ is proposed as distinct and separate from the witness given by the Apostles He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness And yet they also were enabled to give their witness by him alone So it is expresly declared Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Their witnessing unto Christ was the Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit upon them and the Effect of his Work in them And he himself gave no other Testimony but in and by them What then is the distinct Testimony that is ascribed unto him It must be somewhat that in or by whomsoever it was wrought it did of its own Nature discover its Relation unto him as his Work So it was in this Matter For it was no other but those Signs and Wonders or Miraculous Effects which he wrought in the confirmation of the Testimony given by the Apostles all which clearly evidenced their own Original So our Apostle Heb. 2. 4. The word was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God co-witnessing by Signs and Wonders He enabled the Apostles to bear witness unto Christ by their Preaching Sufferings Holiness and constant Testimony which they gave unto his Resurrection But in this he appeared not he evidenced not himself unto the World though he did so in and by them in whom he wrought But moreover he wrought such visible miraculous Works by them as evidenced themselves to be Effects of his Power and were his distinct Witness to Christ. So our Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God The Witness which our own Spirits do give unto our Adoption is the Work and Effect of the Holy Spirit in us If it were not it would be false and not confirmed by the Testimony of the Spirit himself who is the Spirit of Truth and none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. If he declare not our Sonship in us and to us we cannot know it How then doth he bear witness with our Spirits What is his distinct Testimony in this Matter It must be some such Act of his as evidenceth it self to be from him immediately unto them that are concerned in it that is those unto whom it is given What this is in particular and wherein it doth consist we shall afterwards enquire So Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come The Bride is the Church and she prayeth for the coming of Christ. This She doth by his Aid and Assistance who is the Spirit of Grace and Supplications And yet distinctly and separately the Spirit saith come that is he puts forth such earnest and fervent desires as have upon them an Impression of his immediate efficiency So v. 20. carrieth the sense of the place namely that it is Christ himself unto whom She sayes come or they pray for the hastning of his coming Or they say come unto others in their Invitation of them unto Christ as the end of v. 17. seems to apply it Then is it the Prayers and Preaching of the Church for the Conversion of Souls that is intended And with both the Spirit works eminently to make them effectual Or it may be in this place the Spirit is taken for the Spirit in the Guides and Leaders of the
are before this Work is wrought in them and on them Ephes. 2. 1 5. which is the Work of the Spirit alone for it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6. 63. see Rom. 8. 9 10. Titus 3. 4 5 6. where the same Truth is declared and asserted But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit which he shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Sect. 4 What we have frequently mentioned occurreth here expresly namely the whole Blessed Trinity and each Person therein acting distinctly in the Work of our Salvation The Spring or Fountain of the whole lyeth in the Kindness and Love of God even the Father Thereunto it is every-where ascribed in the Scripture see John 3. 16. Ephes. 1. 4 5 6. What-ever is done in the Accomplishment of this Work it is so in the pursuit of his Will Purpose and Counsel and is an Effect of his Love and Grace The procuring Cause of the Application of the Love and Kindness of God unto us is Jesus Christ our Saviour in the whole Work of his Mediation v. 6. and the immediate efficient Cause in the Communication of the Love and Kindness of the Father through the Mediation of the Son unto us is the Holy Spirit And this he doth in the Renovation of our Natures by the washing of Regeneration wherein we are purged from our sins and sanctified unto God Sect. 5 More Testimonies unto this purpose need not be insisted on This Truth of the Holy Spirit being the Author of our Regeneration which the Ancients esteemed a Cogent Argument to prove his Deity even from the the Greatness and Dignity of the Work is in words at least so far as I know granted by all who pretend to sobriety in Christianity That by some others it hath been derided and exploded is the occasion of this Vindication of it It must not be expected that I should here handle the whole Doctrine of Regeneration practically as it may be educed by Inferences from the Scripture according to the Analogie of Faith and the Experiences of them that believe It hath been done already by others My present aim is only to confirm the Fundamental Principles of Truth concerning those Operations of the Holy Spirit which at this day are opposed with violence and virulence And what I shall offer on the present Subject may be reduced unto the ensuing Heads Sect. 6 1. Although the Work of Regeneration by the Holy Spirit was wrought under the Old Testament even from the Foundation of the World and the Doctrine of it was recorded in the Scriptures yet the Revelation of it was but obscure in comparison of that Light and Evidence which it is brought forth into by the Gospel This is evident from the Discourse which our Blessed Saviour had with Nicodemus on this Subject For when he acquainted him clearly with the Doctrine of it he was surprized and fell into that enquiry which argued some amazement How can these things be But yet the Reply of our Saviour manifests That he might have attained a better acquaintance with it out of the Scripture than he had done Art thou saith he a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Dost thou take upon thee to Teach others what is their State and Condition and what is their Duty towards God and art ignorant thy self of so Great and Fundamental a Doctrine which thou mightest have learned from the Scripture For if he might not so have done there would have been no just cause of the Reproof given him by our Saviour For it was neither Crime nor Negligence in him to be ignorant of what God had not revealed This Doctrine therefore namely That every one who will enter into the Kingdom of God must be born again of the Holy Spirit was contained in the Writings of the Old Testament It was so in the Promises That God would circumcise the Hearts of his People that he would take away their Heart of Stone and give them a Heart of Flesh with his Law written in it and other wayes as shall be afterwards proved Sect. 7 But yet we see that it was so obscurely declared that the principal Masters and Teachers of the People knew little or nothing of it Some indeed would have this Regeneration if they knew what they would have or as to what may be gathered of their minds out of their great swelling words of vanity to be nothing but Reformation of Life according to the Rules of the Scripture But Nicodemus knew the necessity of Reformation of Life well enough if he had ever read either Moses or the Prophets And to suppose that our Lord Jesus Christ proposed unto him the thing which he knew perfectly well only under a new Name or Notion which he had never heard of before So to take an advantage of charging him with being ignorant of what indeed he full well knew and understood is a blasphemous Imagination How they can free themselves from the Guilt hereof who look on Regeneration as no more but a Metaphorical Expression of Amendment of Life I know not And if it be so if there be no more in it but as they love to speak becoming a new Moral Man a thing which all the World Jews and Gentiles understood our Lord Jesus was so far from bringing it forth into more Light and giving it more perspicuity by what he teacheth concerning Regeneration the Nature Manner Causes and Effects of it that he cast it thereby into more darkness and obscurity than ever it was delivered in either by Jewish Masters or Gentile Philosophy For although the Gospel do really teach all Duties of Morality with more exactness and clearness and press unto the Observance of them on motives incomparably more cogent than any thing that otherwise ever befel the Mind of Man to think or apprehend yet if it must be supposed to intend nothing else in its Doctrine of the New Birth or Regeneration but those Moral Duties and their Observance it is dark and unintelligible I say if there be not a secret mysterious Work of the Spirit of God in and upon the Souls of Men intended in the Writings of the New Testament but only a Reformation of Life and the Improvement of Mens Natural Abilities in the Exercise of Moral Virtue through the Application of outward means unto their Minds and Understandings conducting and perswading thereunto they must be granted to be obscure beyond those of any other Writers whatsoever as some have not feared already to publish unto the World concerning the Epistles of Paul But so long as we can obtain an acknowledgment from Men that they are true and in any sense the Word of God we doubt not but to evince that the things intended in them are clearly and
means unto Men in the state of Sin if they are not complyed withal is sufficient on the grounds before laid down to leave them by whom they are rejected inexcusable so Isa. 5. 3 4 5. Prov. 29. 1. 2 Chron. 36. 14 15. Joh. 2. That the effect of Regeneration or Conversion unto God is assigned unto the Preaching of the Word because of its efficacy thereunto in its own kind and way as the outward means thereof 1 Cor. 4. 15. James 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Sect. 10 2ly We may consider what is the Nature and wherein the Efficacy of this Moral Work doth consist To which purpose we may observe Sect. 11 1. That in the use of this Means for the Conversion of Men there is preparatory unto that wherein this Moral Perswasion doth consist an Instruction of the Mind in the knowledg of the Will of God and its duty towards him The first regard unto Men in the Dispensation of the Word unto them is their Darkness and Ignorance whereby they are alienated from the Life of God This therefore is the first End of Divine Revelation namely to make known the Counsel and Will of God unto us see Matth. 4. 15 16. Luk. 4. 18 19. Acts 26. 17 18. Acts 20. 20 21 26 27. By the Preaching of the Law and the Gâ—spel Men are instructed in the whole Counsel of God and what he requires of them And in their Apprehension hereof doth the Illumination of their Minds consist whereof we must treat distinctly afterwards Without a supposition of this Illumination there is no use of the Perswasive Power of the Word for it consists in affecting the Mind with its Concernment in the things that it knows or wherein it is instructed Wherefore we suppose in this Case that a Man is taught by the Word both the Necessity of Regeneration and what is required of himself thereunto Sect. 12 2. On this Supposition that a Man is instructed in the knowledg of the Will of God as revealed in the Law and the Gospel there is accompanying the Word of God in the Dispensation of it a powerful perswasive Eâ—â—â—cacy unto a complyance with it and observance of it For Instance Suppose a Man to be convinced by the Word of God of the Nature of Sin of his own sinful Condition of his danger from thence with respect unto the Sin of Nature on which account he is a Child of Wrath and of his actual Sin which further renders him obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and the Indignation of God of his Duty hereon to turn unto God and the way whereby he may so do there are in the Precepts Exhortations Expostulations Promises and Threatnings of the Word especially as dispensed in the Ministry of the Church Powerful Motives to affect and Arguments to prevail with the Mind and Will of such a Man to endeavour his own Regeneration or Conversion unto God rational and cogent above all that can be objected unto the contrary On some it is acknowledged that these things have no effect they are not moved by them they care not for them they do despise them and live and die in rebellion against the Light of them having their Eyes blinded by the God of this World But this is no Argument that they are not powerful in themselves although indeed it is that they are not so towards us of themselves but only as the Holy Spirit is pleased to act them towards us But in these Motives Reasons and Arguments whereby Men are in and from the Word and the Ministry of it urged and pressed unto Conversion to God doth this Moral Perswasion whereof we speak consist And the efficacy of it unto the end proposed ariseth from the things ensuing which are all resolved into God himself Sect. 13 1. From an evidence of the Truth of the things from whence these Motives and Arguments were taken The Foundation of all the Efficacy of the Dispensation of the Gospel lies in an evidence that the things proposed in it are not cunningly devised Fables 2 Pet. 1. 16. Where this is not admitted where it is not firmly assented unto there can be no perswasive Efficacy in it But where this is namely a prevalent Perswasion of the Truth of the Things proposed there the Mind is under a Disposition unto the things whereunto it is perswaded And hereon the whole Efficacy of the Word in and upon the Souls of Men is resolved into the Truth and Veracity of God For the things contained in the Scripture are not proposed unto us meerly as true but as Divine Truths as immediate Revelations from God which requires not only a rational but a sacred Religious respect unto them They are Things that the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. There is a proposal unto the Wills and Affections of Men in the Things so assented unto on the one hand as Good Amiable and Excellent wherein the chiefest Good Happiness and utmost End of our Natures are comprized to be pursued and attained and on the other of things Evil and Terrible the utmost Evil that our Nature is obnoxious unto to be avoided For this is urged on them that to comply with the Will of God in the proposals of the Gospel to conform thereunto to do what he requires to turn from Sin unto him is good unto Men best for them assuredly attended with present Satisfaction and future Glory And therein is also proposed the most noble Object for our Affections even God himself as a Friend as reconciled unto us in Christ and that in a way suited unto his Holiness Righteousness Wisdom and Goodness which we have nothing to oppose unto nor to lay in the Ballance against The way also of the Reconciliation of Sinners unto God by Jesus Christ is set out as that which hath such an Impress of Divine Wisdom and Goodness upon it as that it can be refused by none but out of a direct enmity against God himself Unto the enforcing of these things on the Minds of Men the Scripture abounds with Reasons Motives and Arguments the rendring whereof effectual is the principal end of the Ministry On the other hand it is declared and evidenced that Sin is the great Debasement of our Natures the Ruine of our Souls the only Evil in the World in its Guilt and Punishment that a Continuance in a state of it with a Rejection of the Invitation of the Gospel unto Conversion to God is a thing foolish unworthy of a rational Creature and that which will be everlastingly pernitious Whereas therefore in the judgment of every rational Creature Spiritual Things are to be preferred before Natural Eternal Things before Temporal and that these things are thus disposed of in infinite Goodness Love and Wisdom they must needs be apt to affect the Wills and take the Affections of Men. And herein the Efficacy of the Word on the Minds and Consciences of Men is resolved into the Authority of God These Precepts these Promises
it or not that is of the whole Effect on them or product in them of this Grace communicated in the way described For notwithstanding any thing wrought in us or upon us thereby the Will is still left various flexible and undetermined It is true that notwithstanding the Grace thus Administred the Will hath Power to refuse it and to abide in Sin But that there is no more Grace wrought in us but what may be so refused or that the Will can make use of that Grace for Conversion which it can refuse is false Sect. 20 For 1. this ascribes the whole Glory of our Regeneration and Conversion unto our selves and not to the Grace of God For that Act of our Wills on this Supposition whereby we convert unto God is meerly an Act of our own and not of the Grace of God This is evident for if the Act it self were of Grace then would it not be in the Power of the Will to hinder it 2. This would leave it absolutely uncertain notwithstanding the purpose of God and the purchase of Christ whether ever any one in the World should be Converted unto God or no. For when the whole Work of Grace is over it is absolutely in the Power of the Will of Man whether it shall be effectual or no and so absolutely uncertain which is contrary to the Covenant Promise and Oath of God unto and with Jesus Christ. 3. It is contrary to express Testimonies of Scripture innumerable wherein actual Conversion unto God is ascribed unto his Grace as the immediate Effect thereof This will further appear afterwards God worketh in us to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. The Act therefore it self of willing in our Conversion is of God's Operation and although we will our selves yet it is he who causeth us to Will by working in us to will and to do And if the Act of our Will in Believing and Obedience in our Conversion to God be not the effect of his Grace in us he doth not work in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Sect. 21 Secondly This Moral Perswasion how-ever advanced or improved and supposed to be effectual yet it confers no new real supernatural strength unto the Soul For whereas it worketh yea the Spirit or Grace of God therein and thereby by Reasons Motives Arguments and Objective Considerations and no otherwise it is able only to excite and draw out the strength which we have delivering the Mind and Affections from Prejudices and other Moral Impediments Real Aid and internal Spiritual Strength neither is nor can be conferred thereby And he who will acknowledg that there is any such internal spiritual strength communicated unto us must also acknowledg that there is another Work of the Spirit of God in us and upon us than can be effected by these Perswasions But thus it is in this case as some suppose The Mind of Man is affected with much Ignorance and usually under the Power of many Prejudices which by the corrupt course of things in the World possess it from its first actings in the state of Infancy The Will and the Affections likewise are vitiated with depraved Habits which by the same means are contracted But when the Gospel is proposed and preached unto them the Things contained in it the Duties it requires the Promises it gives are so rational or so suited unto the Principles of our Reason and the subject Matter of them is so good desirable and beautiful unto an intellectual Appetite that being well conveyed unto the Mind they are able to discard all the Prejudices and Disadvantages of a corrupt course under which it hath suffered and prevail with the Soul to desist from sin that is a course of sinning and to become a new Man in all vertuous Conversation And that this is in the Liberty and Power of the Will is irrefragably proved by that Sophism of Biel out of Scotus and Occam which contains the substance of what they plead in this Cause Yea thus to do is so suitable unto the rational Principles of a well-disposed Mind that to do otherwise is the greatest folly and madness in the World Especially will this Work of Conversion be unquestionably wrought if the Application of these means of it be so disposed in the Providence of God as that they may be seasonable with respect unto the Frame and Condition of the Mind whereinto they are applyed And as sundry things are necessary to render the means of Grace thus seasonable and congruous unto the present Frame Temper and Disposition of the Mind so in such a Congruity much of its Efficacy doth consist And this as it is said is the Work of the Holy Ghost and an Effect of the Grace of God For if the Spirit of God did not by the Word prevent excite stir up and provoke the Minds of Men did he not help and assist them when endeavouring to turn to God in the removal of Prejudices and all sorts of Moral Impediments Men would continue and abide as it were dead in Trespasses and Sins at least their endeavours after Deliverance would be weak and fruitless Sect. 22 This is all the Grace all the Work of the Spirit of God in our Regeneration and Conversion which some will acknowledg so far as I can learn from their Writings and Discourses But that there is more required thereunto I have before declared As also it hath been manifested what is the true and proper use and efficacy of these means in this Work But to place the whole of it herein is that which Pelagius contended for of old Yea he granted a greater Use and Efficacy of Grace than I can find to be allowed in the present confused Discourses of some on this Subject Wherefore it is somewhat preposterous to endeavour an imposition of such rotten Errors upon the Minds of Men and that by crude Assertions without any pretence of proof as is the way of many And that the sole Foundation of all their Harangues namely the suitableness of Gospel Principles and Promises unto our Wisdom and Reason antecedently unto any saving Work of the Spirit on our Minds is directly contradictory to the Doctrine of our Apostle shall afterwards be declared But it may be it will be said That it is not so much what is Pelagian and what is not as what is Truth and what is not that is to be enquired after And it is granted that this is and ought to be our first and principal Enquiry But it is not unuseful to know in whose steps they tread who at this day oppose the doctrine of the Effectual Grace of Christ and what Judgment the Ancient Church made of their Principles and Opinions Sect. 23 It is pretended yet further That Grace in the Dispensation of the Word doth work really and efficiently especially by illumination internal excitations of the Mind and Affections and if thereon the Will do put forth its
So is it asserted Ephes. 1. 19 20. That we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his Power towards us who believe according to the working of his Mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead The Power here mentioned hath an exceeding Greatness ascribed unto it with respect unto the Effect produced by it The Power of God in it self is as unto all Acts equally Infinite he is Omnipotent But some Effects are greater than others and carry in them more than ordinary Impressions of it Such is that here intended whereby God makes Men to be Believers and preserves them when they are so And unto this Power of God there is an Actual Operation or Efficiency ascribed the working of his mighty Power And the Nature of this operation or efficiency is declared to be of the same kind with that which exerted in the raising of Christ from the Dead And this was by a real Physical Efficiency of Divine Power This therefore is here testified That the Work of God towards Believers either to make them so or preserve them such for all is one as unto our present purpose consists in the acting of his Divine Power by a real internal Efficiency So God is said to fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And hence the Work of Grace in Conversion is constantly expressed by words denoting a real internal Efficiency such are Creating Quickning Forming Giving a new Heart whereof afterwards Where-ever this Work is spoken of with respect unto an Active Efficiency it is ascribed unto God He Creates us anew he Quickens us he Begets us of his own Will but where it is spoke of with respect unto us there it is passively expressed we are Created in Christ Jesus we are new Creatures we are Born again and the like which one Observation is sufficient to evert the whole Hypothesis of Arminian Grace Unless a Work wrought by Power and that real and immediate be intended herein such a Work may neither be supposed possible nor can be expressed Wherefore it is plain in the Scripture That the Spirit of God works internally immediately efficiently in and upon the Minds of Men in their Regeneration The New Birth is the Effect of an Act of his Power and Grace or no Man is born again but it is by the inward Efficiency of the Spirit Sect. 30 3. This Internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men as to the Event is infallible victorious irresistible or alwayes efficacious But in this Assertion we suppose that the measure of the Efficacy of Grace and the End to be attained are fixed by the Will of God As to that End whereunto of God it is designed it is alwayes prevalent or effectual and cannot be resisted or it will effectually work what God designs it to work for wherein he will work none shall let him and who hath resisted his Will There are many motions of Grace even in the Hearts of Believers which are thus far resisted as that they attain not that effect which in their own Nature have a tendency unto Were it otherwise all Believers would be perfect But it is manifest in Experience that we do not alwayes answer the Inclinations of Grace at least as unto the Degree which it moves toward But yet even such Motions also if they are of and from Saving Grace are effectual so far and for all those ends which they are designed unto in the Purpose of God for his Will shall not be frustrate in any Instance And where any Work of Grace is not effectual God never intended it should be so nor did put forth that Power of Grace which was necessary to make it so Wherefore in or towards whomsoever the Holy Spirit puts forth his Power or acts his Grace for their Regeneration it removes all Obstacles overcomes all Oppositions and infallibly produceth the Effect intended This Proposition being of great importance to the Glory of God's Grace and most signally opposed by the Patrons of corrupted Nature and Man's free Will in the state thereof must be both explained and confirmed We say therefore Sect. 31 1. The Power which the Holy Ghost puts forth in our Regeneration is such in its Acting or Exercise as our Minds Wills and Affections are suited to be wrought upon and to be affected by it according to their Natures and natural Operations Turn thou me and I shall be turned draw me and I shall run after thee He doth neither act in them any otherwise than they themselves are meet to be moved and move to be acted and act according to their own Nature Power and Ability He draws us with the Cords of a Man And the Work it self is expressed by perswading God perswade Japhet and alluring I will allure Her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably For as it is certainly effectual so it carries no more repugnancy unto our Faculties than a prevalent Perswasion doth So doth Sect. 32 2. He doth not in our Regeneration possess the Mind with any Enthusiastical Impressions nor acteth absolutely upon us as he did in extraordinary Prophetical Inspirations of old where the Minds and Organs of the Bodies of Men were meerly Passive Instruments moved by him above their own natural capacity and activity not only as to the Principle of Working but as to the manner of Operation But he works on the Minds of Men in and by their own natural Actings through an immediate influence and impression of his Power Create in me a clean Heart O God He worketh to will and to do 3. He therefore offer no Violence or Compulsion unto the Will This that Faculty is not naturally capable to give Admission unto If it be compelled it is destroyed And the mention that is made in the Scripture of compelling compel them to come in respects the certainty of the Event not the manner of the Operation on them But whereas the Will in the depraved Condition of Fallen Nature is not only habitually filled and possessed with an aversation from that which is good Spiritually alienated from the Life of God but also continually acts an Opposition unto it as being under the Power of the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God And whereas this Grace of the Spirit in Conversion doth prevail against all this Opposition and is effectual and victorious over it it will be enquired how this can any otherwise be done but by a kind of Violence Compulsion seeing we have evinced already that Moral Perswasion and Objective Allurement is not sufficient thereunto Answ. It is acknowledged That in the Work of Conversion unto God though not in the very Act of it there is a Reaction between Grace and the Will their Acts being contrary and that Grace is therein victorious and yet no Violence or Compulsion is offered unto the Will For Sect. 34
Friend and Companion lib. 4. cap. 5 6 7. And in all the several Warnings he had from God he chargeth the Want and Guilt of their non-improvement on his natural blindness his Mind being not illuminated and the corruption of his Nature not yet cured with the efficacy of evil Society and the course of the World in the places where he lived But it would be tedious to transcribe the particular Accounts that he gives of these things though all of them singularly Worthy of Consideration For I must say that in my Judgment there is none among the Ancient or Modern Divines unto this day who either in the Declarations of their own Experiences or their Directions unto others have equalled much less out-gone him in an accurate search and observation of all the secret Actings of the Spirit of God on the Minds and Souls of Men both towards and in their Recovery or Conversion And in order hereunto scarce any one not Divinely Inspired hath so traced the way of the Serpent of the effectual working of Original Sin in and on the Hearts of Men with the efficacy communicated thereunto by various Temptations and Occasions of Life in this World The wayes also whereby the deceitfulness of Sin in complyance with objective Temptations doth seek to elude and frustrate the Work of God's Grace when it begins to attempt the strong holds of Sin in the Heart were exceedingly discovered unto him Neither hath any Man more lively and expresly laid open the Power of effectual and victorious Grace with the manner of its Operation and Prevalency And all these things by the guidance of the Good Spirit of God and attendance unto the Word did he exemplifie from his own Experience in the whole Work of God towards him Only it must be acknowledged that he declareth these things in such a way and manner as also with such Expressions as many in our dayes would cry out on as fulsome and fanatical Sect. 17 Secondly In the way of calling Men unto the saving Knowledg of God the Holy Spirit convinceth them of Sin or he brings them under the Power of a Work of Conviction It is not my Design nor here in my way to handle the Nature of the Work of Conviction the Means Causes and Effects of it Besides it hath been done at large by others It is sufficient unto my purpose 1. To shew the Nature of it in general 2. The Causes of it 3. The Wayes whereby Men lose their Convictions and so become more and more hardned in sin 4. How the Holy Spirit doth carry on the Work in some unto compleat Conversion unto God Sect. 18 1. For the Nature of it in general it consists in a fixing the vain Mind of a Sinner upon a due consideration of Sin its Nature Tendency and End with his own concernment therein and a fixing of a due sense of sin upon the secure Mind of the Sinner with suitable Affections unto its Apprehensions The Warnings before insisted on whereby God excites Men to some steady notices of him and themselves are like Calls given unto a Man in a profound sleep whereat being startled he lifts up himself for a little space but oppressed with the Power of his deep slumber quickly layes him down again as Austin expresseth it But this Work of Conviction abides with Men and they are no way able speedily to disintangle themselves from it Sect. 19 Now the Mind of Man which is the Subject of this Work of Conviction hath two things distinctly to be considered in it 1. The Understanding which is the active noetical or contemplative Power and Faculty of it 1. The Affections wherein its passive and sensitive Power doth consist With respect hereunto there are two parts of the Work of Conviction 1 The Fixing of the Mind the Rational contemplative Power of it upon a due Consideration of Sin 2 The fixing of a due sense of Sin on the practical passive sensible part of the Mind that is the Conscience and Affections as was said before Sect. 20 1. It is a great work to fix the vain Mind of an Unregenerate Sinner on a due Consideration of sin its nature and tendency The Darkness of their own mind inexpressible Vanity wherein I place the principal effect of our Apostacy from God do disenable hinder and divert them from such Apprehensions Hence God so often complains of the foolishness of the people that they would not consider that they would not be wise to consider their latter end We find by Experience this folly and vanity in many unto an Astonishment No reasons Arguments Entreaties by all that is naturally dear to them no Necessities can prevail with them to fix their minds on a due consideration of sin Moreover Satan now employs all his Engines to beat off the Efficacy and Power of this Work And when his Temptations and Delusions are mixed with Men's natural Darkness and Vanity the Mind seems to be impregnably fortified against the power of Conviction For although it be real Conversion unto God that overthrows the Kingdom of Satan in us yet this Work of Conviction raiseth such a Combustion in it that he cannot but fear it will be its End And this strong Man armed would if possible keep his Goods and House in peace Hence all sorts of persons have daily Experience in their Children Servants Relations how difficult yea how impossible it is to fix their Minds on a due Consideration of sin until it be wrought in them by the exceeding Greatness of the power of the Spirit of God Wherefore herein consists the first part of this Work of Conviction it fixeth the mind on a due Consideration of sin So it is expressed Psal. 51. 3. my sin is ever before me God reproves Men and sets their sins in order before their eyes Psal. 50. 21. Hence they are necessitated as it were always to behold them and that which way soever they turn themselves Fain they would cast them behind their backs or cast out thoughts of them but the Arrows of God stick in them and they cannot take off their Minds from their consideration And whereas there are three things in sin 1 The Original of it and its native inherience in us as Psal. 51. 5. 2 The state of it or the Obnoxiousness of Men to the Wrath of God on the Account thereof Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. 3 The particular sins of Mens Lives in the first part of the Work of Conviction the Minds of Men are variously exercised with respect unto them according as the Spirit of God is pleased to engage and fix them 2. As the Mind is hereby fixed on the Consideration of sin so a sense of sin must also be fixed on the Mind that is the Conscience and Affections A bare Contemplation of the Concernments of sin is of little use in this matter The Scripture principally evidenceth this work of Conviction or placeth it in this Effect of a sense of sin in Trouble Sorrow
actual supplyes And the Spirit is the Efficient Cause communicating them unto us from him From hence it is that any Grace in us is kept alive one Moment that it is ever acted in one single Duty that ever it receives the least measure of Encrease or strengthening With respect unto all these it is that our Apostle saith Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Spiritual Life and living by it in all the Acts of it are immediately from Christ. I concern not my self much how Moral Vertue that is no more is preserved and sustained in the Minds and Lives of men though I am not ignorant of the Precepts Directions and Instructions which are given unto that End by some of old and some of late But for Grace and Holiness we have infallible Assurance that the Being Life Continuance and all the Actings of it in any of the Sons of men depend meerly and only upon their Relation unto that Spring and Fountain of all Grace which is in Christ and the continual Supplyes of it by the Holy Spirit whose Work it is to communicate them Col. 3. 3. John 15. 5. Col 2. 19. There is no man who hath any Grace that is true and saving that hath any seed any beginning of Sanctification or Holiness but that the Holy Spirit by his watchful Care over it and Supplyes of it is able to preserve it to extricate it from Difficulties to free it from Opposition and to encrease it unto its full measure and perfection Wherefore let the hands that hang down be lifted up and the feeble knees be strengthened we have to do with him who will not quench the smoking flax not break the bruised reed And on the other side there is none who hath received Grace in such a Measure nor hath so confirmed it by constant uninterrupted Exercise as that he can preserve it one Moment or Act it in any one Instance or Duty without the continual Supplyes of new Actual Grace and Help from him who worketh in us to will and to doe For saith our Lord Christ unto his Apostles and in them to all Believes the best and strongest of them without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. And they who of themselves can do nothing that is in a way of living unto God cannot of themselves preserve Grace act it and encrease it which are the greatest things we doe or are wrought in us in this World Wherefore God hath in infinite Wisdom so ordered the Dispensation of his Love and Grace unto Believers that all of them living upon the continual supplyes of his Spirit none may have cause on the one hand to faint or despond nor Occasion on the other unto self-confidence or Elation of mind that so no flesh may glory in its self but he that gloryeth may glory in the Lord. And therefore as he greatly encourageth the weak the fearful the faint the disconsolate and dejected and that by the Engagement of all the holy Properties of his Nature in and unto their Assistance Isa. 35. 3 4 5 6. Chap. 40. 27 28 29 30 31. So he warns them who suppose themselves strong steadfast and immovable not to be high-minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. because the whole issue of things depends on his Soveraign Supplyes of Grace And seeing he hath promised in the Covenant to continue faithfully these Supplyes unto us there is ground of Faith given unto all and Occasion of Presumption administred unto none Sect. 7 But it will be said that if not only the Beginning of Grace Sanctification and Holiness be from God but the carrying of it on and the Encrease of it also be from him and not only so in general but that all the Actings of Grace and every Act of it be an immediate Effect of the Holy Spirit then what need is there that we should take any pains in this thing our selves or use our own Endeavours to grow in Grace or Holiness as we are commanded If God worketh all himself in us and without his effectual Operation in us we can do nothing there is no place left for our Diligence Duty or Obedience Ans. 1. This Objection we must expect to meet withall at every turn Men will not believe there is a consistency between Gods effectual Grace and our diligent Obedience that is they will not believe what is plainly clearly distinctly revealed in the Scripture and which is suited unto the Experience of all that truly believe because they cannot it may be comprehend it within the compass of Carnal Reason 2. Let the Apostle answer this Objection for this once 2 Pet. 1. 3. His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to Life and to Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through lust If all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness among which doubtless is the Preservation and Encrease of Grace be given unto us by the power of God if from him we receive that Divine Nature by vertue whereof our Corruptions are subdued then I pray what need is there of any Endeavours of our own The whole work of Sanctification is wrought in us it seems and that by the Power of God We therefore may let it alone and leave it unto him whose it is whilest we are negligent secure and at ease Nay saith the Apostle this is not the use which the Grace of God is to be put unto The Consideration of it is or ought to be the principal Motive and Encouragement unto all Diligence for the Encrease of Holiness in us For so he addes immediately v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also for this cause or because of the gracious Operations of the Divine Power in us giving all Diligence adde to your Faith Vertue as before These Objectors and this Apostle were very diversly minded in these matters what they make an insuperable discouragement unto Diligence in Obedience that he makes the greatest Motive and Encouragement thereunto 3. I say from this Consideration it will unavoidably follow that we ought continually to wait and depend on God for supplyes of his Spirit and Grace without which we can do nothing That God is more the Author by his Grace of the good we do than we are our selves not I but the Grace of God that was with me that we ought to be carefull that by our Negligences and sins we provoke not the Holy Spirit to with-hold his Aids and Assistances and so to leave us to our selves in which condition we can do nothing that is spiritually Good These things I say will unavoidably follow on the Doctrine before declared and if any one be offended at them it is not in our power to tender them Relief Sect. 8 I shall close the
our sin and folly when we are negligent herein All Believers are no doubt in some measure convinced hereof not only from the Testimonies given unto it in the Scripture but also from their own Experience And there is nothing in themselves which they may more distinctly learn it from than the Nature and Course of their Prayers with the workings of their Hearts Minds and Affections in them Let profane Persons deride it whilest they please it is the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Grace that enables Believers to pray and make Intercession according to the mind of God And herein as he is the Spirit of Supplications he copyeth out and expresseth what he worketh in them as the Spirit of Sanctification In teaching us to pray he teacheth us what and how he worketh in us And if we wisely consider his working in our Hearts by Prayer we may understand much of his working upon our Hearts by Grace It is said that he who searcheth the Hearts that is God himself knoweth the mind of the Spirit in the Intercessions he worketh in us Rom. 8. 27. There are secret powerfull Operations of the Spirit in Prayer that are discernible only to the great searcher of Hearts But we also ought to enquire and observe so far as we may what he leads us unto and guides us about which is plainly his work in us I do not think that the Spirit worketh Supplications in us by an immediate supernatural Divine Afflatus so as he inspired the Prophets of old who oft-times understood not the things uttered by themselves but enquired afterwards diligently into them But I do say let the proud carnal World despise it whilest they please and at their peril that the Spirit of God doth graciously in the Prayers of Believers carry out and act their Souls and Minds in Desires and Requests which for the matter of them are far above their natural Contrivances and Invention And he who hath not Experience hereof is a greater stranger unto these things than will at length be unto his Advantage By a diligent Observance hereof we may know of what kind and nature the work of the Holy Ghost in us is and how it is carryed on For how in general doth the Holy Spirit teach us and enable us to pray It is by these three things 1 By giving us a spiritual Insight into the Promises of God and the Grace of the Covenant whereby we know what to ask upon a spiritual view of the Mercy and Grace that God hath prepared for us 2 By acquainting us with and giving us an Experience of our wants with a deep sense of them such as we cannot bear without Relief 3 By Creating and stirring up desires in the new Creature for its own Preservation Encrease and Improvement And in Answer unto these things consisteth his whole work of Sanctification in us For it is his effectual Communication unto us of the Grace and Mercy prepared in the Promises of the Covenant through Jesus Christ hereby doth he supply our spiritual wants and sets the new Creature in Life and Vigour So are our Prayers an Extract and Copy of the Work of the Holy Spirit in us given us by himself And therefore by whomsoever he is despised as a Spirit of Supplication he is so as a Spirit of Sanctification also Now consider what it is that in your Prayers you most labour about Is it not that the Body the Power the whole Interest of Sin in you may be weakened subdued and at length destroyed Is it not that all the Graces of the Spirit may be renewed daily encreased and strengthened so as that you may be more ready and prepared for all Dutyes of Obedience And what is all this but that Holiness may be gradually Progressive in your Souls that it may be carryed on by new Supplyes and Additions of Grace untill it come to Perfection Sect. 10 It will be said perhaps by some that they find neither in themselves nor others by the best of their Observation that the Work of Sanctification is constantly Progressive or that Holiness doth so grow and thrive wherever it is in sincerity For as for themselves they have found Grace more vigorous active and flourishing in former dayes than of late the streams of it were fresher and stronger at the Spring of Conversion than since they find them to be in their Course Hence are those complaints among many of their Leanness their Weakness their Deadness their Barrenness Nor were many of the Saints in the Scripture without such Complaints And many may cry Oh that it were with us as in our former Dayes in the dayes of our youth Complaints of this nature do every where abound and some are ready to conclude upon this Consideration that either sincere Holiness is not so growing and progressive as is pretended or that indeed they have no interest therein Yea the like may be said upon a diligent Observation of others Churches and single Professors what Evidence do they give that the work of Holiness is thriving in them doth it not appear rather to be Retrograde and under a constant Decay I shall so far consider and remove this Objection as that the Truth which we have asserted suffer not from it and so be left as an empty Notion nor yet those altogether discouraged who come not up unto a full compliance with it And this I shall doe in the ensuing Rules and Observations 1 It is one thing what Grace or Holiness is suited unto in its own nature and what is the Ordinary or Regular way of the procedure of the Spirit in the work of Sanctification according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace Another what may occasionally fall out by Indisposition and Irregularity or any other obstructing Interposition in them in whom the work is wrought Under the first Consideration the Work is thriving and progressive in the latter the Rule is liable to sundry Exceptions A Child that hath a Principle of Life a good natural Constitution and suitable food will grow and thrive But that which hath Obstructions from within or Distempers and Diseases or Falls and Bruises may be weak and thriftless When we are Regenerate we are as New-born Babes and ordinarily if we have the sincere milk of the Word we shall grow thereby But if we our selves give way to Temptations Corruptions Negligences Conformity to the World is it any wonder if we are lifeless and thriftless It suffices to confirm the Truth of what we have asserted that every one in whom is a Principle of spiritual Life who is born of God in whom the work of Sanctification is begun if it be not gradually carryed on in him if he thrive not in Grace and Holiness if he go not from strength to strength it is ordinarily from his own sinfull Negligence and Indulgence unto carnal Lusts or Love of this present World Considering the time we have had and the Means we have enjoyed what grown
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
Ends and Effects for which he is promised And these are those which are before expressed with all those particular Instances which may be reduced unto them We might therefore hence give Direction in some Enquiries which indeed deserve a larger Discussion if our present Design would admit of it one only I shall instance in May a Person who is yet Vnregenerate pray for the Spirit of Regeneration to effect that Work in him For whereas as such he is promised onely unto the Elect such a Person not knowing his Election seems to have no foundation to make such a Request upon Ans. 1. Election is no Qualification on our part which we may consider or plead in our Supplications but only the secret Purpose on the part of God of what himself will doe and is known unto us only by its Effects 2 Persons convinced of sin and a state of sin may and ought to pray that God by the Effectual Communications of his Spirit unto them would deliver them from that Condition This is one way whereby we flee from the wrath to come 3 The especial Object of their Supplications herein is Sovereign Grace Goodness and Mercy as declared in and by Jesus Christ. Such Persons cannot indeed plead any especial Promise as made unto them But they may plead for the Grace and Mercy declared in the Promises as indefinitely proposed unto sinners It may be they can proceed no further in their Expectations but unto that of the Prophet who knoweth if God will come and give a Blessing Joel 2. 14. yet is this a sufficient ground and encouragement to keep them waiting at the Throne of Grace So Paul after he had received his Vision from Heaven continued in great distress of mind praying until he received the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 11 17. 4 Persons under such Convictions have really sometimes the seeds of Regeneration communicated unto them and then as they ought so they will continue in their Supplications for the Encrease and Manifestation of it It is evident that by these Observations the foregoing Objection is utterly removed out of the way and there is no disadvantage ariseth unto the Doctrine of the Free and Effectual Grace of God by confining this Work of Sanctification and Holiness unto Believers only None are sanctified none are made Holy but those who truely and savingly Believe in God through Jesus Christ which I shall now further confirm Sect. 5 1 Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. The Faith discoursed of by the Apostle is that whereby the Fathers received the Promises walked with God and obtained the Inheritance the Faith of Abraham that is true saying justifying Faith This Faith constitutes all them in whom it is true Believers and without it it is impossible to please God Now Holiness wherever it is pleaseth God and therefore without Faith it is impossible we should have any interest in it This is the Will of God even our Sanctification 1 Thess. 4. 3. and walking therein we please God v. 7. All that pleaseth God in us is our Holiness or some part of it and it principally consists in an Opposition unto all that displeaseth him That which he commands pleaseth him and that which he forbids displeaseth him and our Holiness consists in a Complyance with the one and an Opposition unto the other Wherefore that any others but Believers should have any thing which really belongs unto this Holiness the Apostle declares it to be impossible Some would except against this sense of the words from the ensuing Reason which the Apostle gives of his Assertion which contains the nature of the Faith intended For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him For this is that they say which the Light of Nature directs unto and therefore there is no other Faith necessarily required that a man may please God but only that which is included in the right use and exercise of Natural Reason But this Exception will no way evade the Force of this Testimony For the Apostle discourseth concerning such a Coming unto God and such a Belief in him as is guided directed and ingenerated in us by the Promises which it rests upon and is resolved into Now these Promises all and every one of them include Jesus Christ with a respect unto him and his Grace And therefore the Faith intended is that which is in God through Christ as revealed and exhibited in the Promises and this Coming unto God is a Fruit and Effect thereof 2 Our Lord Jesus Christ affirms that men are sanctified by the Faith that is in him Acts 26. 18. That they may receive Forgiveness of sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified by the Faith that is in me If there were any other way or means whereby men might be sanctified or made Holy he would not have confined it unto the Faith that is in him At least there is no other way to attain that Holiness which may bring them unto the Heavenly Inheritance or make them meet for it Col. 1. 11. which alone we enquire after And indeed there can be no greater Contempt cast on the Lord Jesus and on the Duty of Believing in him whereunto he makes this one of his principal Motives than to Imagine that without Faith in him any one can be made Holy 3. Faith is the Instrumental Cause of our Sanctification so that where it is not no Holiness can be wrought in us God purifyeth our hearts by Faith Acts 15. 9. and not otherwise And where the Heart is not purifyed there is no Holiness All the Dutyes in the world will not denominate him Holy whose Heart is not purified nor will any such Dutyes be holy themselves seeing unto the unclean all things are unclean All the Obedience that is accepted with God is the Obedience of Faith Rom. 1. 7. thence it springs and therewith is it animated So is it expressed 1 Pet. 1. 21 22. You who by Christ do believe in God and have purifyed your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit It is from Faith in God through Jesus Christ acting it self in Obedience unto the Gospel that we purifie or cleanse our Souls which is our Sanctification See Col. 2. 12 13 14. Chap. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. 4 All Grace is Originally entrusted in and with Jesus Christ. The Image of God being lost in Adam whatever was prepared or is used for the Renovation of it in our Natures and Persons wherein Gospel Holiness doth consist was to be treasured up in him as the second Adam by whom many are to be made alive who dyed in the first It pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell as the Fullness of the Godhead in and for his own Divine Personal Subsistence so the Fulness of all Grace for Supplyes unto us that of his Fulness we might receive Grace for Grace He is made the Head
by us so as that the same Work is an Act of his Spirit and of our Wills as acted thereby Of our selves therefore we are not able by any endeavours of our own nor wayes of our own finding out to cleanse our selves from the Defilement of sin If I be wicked saith Job why then labour I in vain if I wash my self with Snow-water and make my hand never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine own Cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Chap. 9. 29 30 31. There may be Wayes and Means used whereby an Appearance of Washing and Cleansing may be made But when things come to be tryed in the sight of God all will be found filthy and unclean In vain saith the Prophet shalt thou take to thy self Sope and much Nitre thou shalt not be purged Jer. 2. 22. The most probable means of Cleansing and the most effectual in our Judgement however multiplyed shall fail in this Case Some speak much of washing away their sins by the Tears of Repentance But Repentance as prescribed in the Scripture is of another Nature and Assigned unto another End And for mens Tears in this matter they are but Sope and Nitre which howsoever multiplyed will not produce the Effect intended And therefore doth God in places of Scripture innumerable take this to himself as the immediate Effect of his Spirit and Grace namely to cleanse us from our Sins and our Iniquities 4 The Institutions of the Law for this End to purge Uncleanness could not of themselves reach thereunto They did indeed purifie the unclean Legally and sanctified persons as to the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9. 13. so that they should not on their account be separated from their Priviledges in the Congregation and the Worship of God But of themselves they could goe no further Heb. 10. 2. only they did Typifie and signifie that whereby sin was really cleansed But the real stain is too deep to be taken away by any outward Ordinances or Institutions And therefore God as it were rejecting them all promiseth to open another Fountain to that purpose Zech. 13. 1. Wherefore 5 There is a great Emptiness and Vanity in all those Aids and Reliefs which the Papal Church hath invented in this Case Sensible they are of the spot and stain that accompanyes sin of its Pollution and Defilement which none can avoyd the Conscience of who are not utterly hardned and blinded But they are ignorant of the true and only Means and Remedy thereof And therefore as in the Work of Justification being ignorant of the Righteousness of God and going about to establish their own Righteousness they submit not themselves to the Righteousness of God as the Apostle spake of their predecessors so in the Work of Sanctification being ignorant of the Wayes of the working of the Spirit of Grace and Efficacy of the Blood of Christ they go about to set up their own Imaginations and submit not themselves unto a Complyance with the Grace of God Thus in the first place they would at least the most of them would have the whole uncleanness of our Natures to be washed away by Baptisme Virtute Operis operati The Ordinance being administred without any more to doe or any previous Qualifications of the Person internal or external the filth of Original Sin is washed away though it fell not out so with Simon Magus who notwithstanding he were baptized by Philip the Evangelist and that upon his visible Profession and Confession yet continued in the Call of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity and was therefore certainly not cleansed from his sins But there is a cleansing in Profession and Signification and there is a Cleansing in the Reality of Sanctification The former doth accompany Baptisme when it is rightly administred With respect hereunto are men said to be purged from their old sins that is to have made a Profession and have had a fair Representation thereof in being made partakers of the outward sign of it 2 Pet. 1. 9. as also to escape the Pollutions of the World and the Lusts of the flesh Chap. 2. 18 20. But all this may be and yet sin not be really purged For not only the Outward Washing of Regeneration in the Pledge of it but the Internal Renovation of the Holy Ghost is required thereunto Tit. 3. 5. But having thus shifted themselves of the Filth of Original sin as easily as a man may put off his Cloathes when they are foul they have found out many wayes whereby the ensuing Defilements that attend Actual sins may be purged or done away There is the sprinkling of Holy Water Confession to a Priest Penances in Fasting and some other Abstinences that are supposed to be of wonderfull vertue to this End and Purpose And I do acknowledge that the one Art of Confession is really the greatest Invention to accommodate the Inclinations of all Flesh that ever this World was acquainted withall For as nothing is so suited unto all the Carnal Interests of the Priests be they what they will nor so secures them a Veneration in the midst of their Looseness and worthless Conversation so for the People who for the most part have other Business to doe than long to trouble themselves about their sins or find it uneasie to be conversant about their Guilt and the Consequences of it in their Minds it is such an expedite Course of absolute Exoneration that they may be free for other sins or Businesses to deposite them wholly and safely with a Priest that nothing equal unto it could ever have been invented For the Real Way of dealing with God by Jesus Christ in these things with Endeavours of a Participation in the Sanctifying Cleansing Work of the Holy Ghost is long and very irksome to Flesh and Blood besides that it is intricate and foolish unto Natural Darkness and Unbelief But yet so falls out that after all these Inventions they can come to no perfect Rest or Satisfaction in their own Minds They cannot but find by Experience that their Sores sometimes break forth through all these sorry Coverings unto their Annoyance and their Defilements yet fill them with Shame as well as the Guilt of sin doth with Fear Wherefore they betake themselves to their Sheat-Anchor in this storm in the Relief which they have provided in another World when let men find themselves never so much mistaken they cannot complain of their disappointments This is in their Purgatory whereunto they must trust at last for the cancelling of all their odd scores and Purging away that filth of sin which they have been unwilling to part withall in this World But as this whole Business of Purgatory is a groundless Fable an Invention set up in competition with and opposition unto the Sanctification of the Spirit and Cleansing Vertue of the Blood of Christ as a matter of unspeakable more Profit and Secular Advantage unto those who have its mannagement committed unto them so it is
as great an Encouragement unto Unholiness and a continuance in Sin for those who believe it and at the same time love the Pleasures of sin which are the Generality of their Church as ever was or can be found out or made use of For to come with a plain down-right Disswasure from Holiness and Encouragement unto Sin is a Design that would absolutely defeat it self nor is capable of making Impressions on them who retain the Notion of a Difference between Good and Evil. But this Side-wind that at once pretends to relieve men from the Filth of sin and keeps them from the only Wayes and Means whereby it may be cleansed insensibly leads them into a quiet pursuit of their Lusts under an Expectation of Relief when all is past and done Wherefore setting aside such vain Imaginations we may enquire into the true Causes and Wayes of our Purification from the Uncleanness of sin described wherein the First part of our Sanctification and the Foundation of our Holiness doth consist CHAP. V. The Filth of Sin purged by the Spirit and Blood of Christ. 1 Purification of the Filth of sin the first part of Sanctification how it is effected 2 The Work of the Spirit therein 3 Efficacy of the Blood of Christ to that Purpose 4 The Blood of his Sacrifice intended 5 How that Blood cleanseth Sin Application unto it and Application of it by the Spirit 6 Wherein that Application consists 7 8 9. Faith the Instrumental Cause of our Purification with the use of Afflictions to the same purpose Necessity of a Due Consideration of the Pollution of Sin 10 Considerations of the Pollution and Purification of Sin practically improved 11 Various Directions for a due Application unto the Blood of Christ for Cleansing 12 Sundry Degrees of Shamelesness in Sinning 13 Directions for the Cleansing of Sin continued 14 Thankefulness for the Cleansing of Sin 15 With other Vses of the same Consideration 16 Union with Christ how consistent with the Remainders of Sin 17 From all that Differences between Evangelical Holiness and the Old Nature asserted Sect. 1 THE purging of the Souls of them that Believe from the Defilements of Sin is in the Scripture assigned unto several Causes of different Kinds For the Holy Spirit the Blood of Christ Faith and Afflictions are all said to cleanse us from our sins but in several Wayes and with distinct Kinds of Efficacy The Holy Spirit is said to doe it as the principal Efficient Cause The Blood of Christ as the Meritorious procuring Cause Faith and Affliction as the Instrumental Causes the one Direct and Internal the other External and Occasional Sect. 2 1 That we are purged and purified from sin by the Spirit of God communicated unto us hath been before in General confirmed by many Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures And we may gather also from what hath been spoken wherein this Work of his doth consist For whereas the Spring and Fountain of all the Pollution of Sin lyes in the Depravation of the Faculties of our Natures which ensued on the Loss of the Image of God he renews them again by his Grace Tit. 3. 5. Our want of due answering unto the Holiness of God as represented in the Law and exemplified in our Hearts Originally is a principal Part and universal Cause of our whole Pollution and Defilement by sin For when our Eyes are opened to discern it this is that which in the first place filleth us with shame and self-Abhorrency and that which makes us so unacceptable yea so loathsome to God Who is there who considereth aright the Vanity Darkness and Ignorance of his Mind the Perversness and Stubbornness of his Will with the Disorder Irregularity and Distemper of his Affections with respect unto things Spiritual and Heavenly who is not ashamed of who doth not abhorr himself This is that which hath given our Nature its Leprosie and defiled it throughout And I shall crave leave to say that he who hath no Experience of Spiritual shame and self-Abhorrency upon the Account of this Inconformity of his Nature and the Faculties of his Soul unto the Holiness of God is a great stranger unto this whole Work of Sanctification Who is there that can recount the Unsteadiness of his Mind in Holy Meditation his Low and unbecoming Conceptions of Gods Excellencies his Proneness to foolish Imaginations and Vanities that Profit not his Aversation to Spirituality in Duty and fixedness in Communion with God his Proneness to things Sensual and Evil all arising from the spiritual Irregularity of of our Natural Facultyes but if ever he had any due Apprehensions of Divine Purity and Holiness that is not sensible of his own Vileness and Baseness and is not oft-times deeply affected with shame thereon Now this whole Evil Frame is cured by the effectual working of the Holy Ghost in the rectfying and Renovation of our Natures He giveth a New Understanding a New Heart New Affections renewing the whole Soul into the Image of God Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10. The way whereby he doth this hath been before so fully declared in our opening of the Doctrine of Regeneration that it need not be here repeated Indeed our Original Cleansing is therein where mention is made of the Washing of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. Therein is the Image of God restored unto our Souls But we consider the same Work now as it is the Cause of our Holyness Look then how far our Minds our Hearts our Affections are renewed by the Holy Ghost so far are we cleansed from our spiritual habitual Pollution Would we be cleansed from our Sins that which is so frequently promised that we shall be and so frequently prescribed as our Duty to be and without which we neither have nor can have any thing of true Holiness in us we must labour after and endeavour to grow in this Renovation of our Natures by the Holy Ghost The more we have of saving Light in our Minds of Heavenly Love in our Wills and Affections of a constant Readiness unto Obedience in our Hearts the more Pure are we the more cleansed from the Pollution of sin The Old Principle of Corrupted Nature is unclean and defiling shamefull and loathsome The New Creature the Principle of Grace implanted in the whole Soul by the Holy Ghost is Pure and purifying Clean and Holy 2 ly The Holy Ghost doth Purifie and Cleanse us by strengthening our Souls by his Grace unto all Holy Duties and against all Actual sins It is by Actual Sins that our Natural and Habitual Pollution is encreased Hereby some make themselves base and vile as Hell But this also is prevented by the Gracious Actings of the Spirit Having given us a Principle of Purity and Holyness he so acts it in Dutyes of Obedience and in Opposition unto Sin as that he preserves the Soul free from Defilements or Pure and Holy according to the Tenor of the New Covenant that is in such Measure and to such a
Explanation of it I shall only add three things 1 That this Habit or Principle thus wrought and abiding in us doth not if I may so say Firm its own Station or abide and continue in us by its own natural Efficacy in adhering unto the Faculties of our Souls Habits that are acquired by many Actions have a natural Efficacy to preserve themselves untill some Opposition that is too hard for them prevail against them which is frequently though not easily done But this is preserved in us by the constant powerfull Actings and Influence of the Holy Ghost He which works it in us doth also preserve it in us And the Reason hereof is because the Spring of it is in our Head Christ Jesus it being onely an Emanation of Vertue and Power from him unto us by the Holy Ghost if this be not actually and alwayes continued whatever is in us would dye and wither of its self See Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 3. 3. Joh. 4. 14. It is in us as the Fructifying Sap is in a Branch of the Vine or Olive It is there really and formally and is the next Cause of the Fruit-bearing of the Branch But it doth not live and abide by its self but by a continual Emanation and Communication from the Root Let that be intercepted and it quickly withers So is it with this Principle in us with respect unto its Root Christ Jesus 2 Though this Principle or Habit of Holiness be of the same kind or Nature in all Believers in all that are sanctified yet there are in them very distinct Degrees of it In some it is more strong lively vigorous and flourishing in others more weak feeble and unactive and this in so great variety and on so many Occasions as cannot here be spoken unto 3 That although this Habit and Principle is not acquired by any or many Acts of Duty or Obedience yet is it in a way of Duty preserved encreased strengthened and improved thereby God hath appointed that we should live in the Exercise of it and in and by the Multiplication of its Acts and Duties is it kept alive and stirred up without which it will be weakened and decay Sect. 11 This being what I intend as to the Substance of it we must in the next place shew That there is such a spiritual Habit or Principle of spiritual Life wrought in Believers wherein their Holiness doth consist Some few Testimonies of many shall suffice as to its present Confirmation The Work of it is expressed Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will Circumcise thy Heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live The End of Holiness is that we may live and the principal Work of Holiness is to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts and Souls And this is the Effect of Gods circumcising our Hearts without which it will not be Every Act of Love and Fear and consequently of every Duty of Holiness whatever is consequential unto Gods circumcising of our Hearts But it should seem that this Work of God is only a removal of Hinderances and doth not express the Collation of the Principle which we assert I answer that although it were easie to demonstrate that this Work of circumcising our Hearts cannot be effected without an implantation of the Principle pleaded for in them yet it shall suffice at present to evince from hence that this Effectual Work of God upon our Hearts is antecedently necessary unto all Acts of Holiness in us But herewithall God writes his Law in our Hearts Jerem. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts The Habit or Principle which we have described is nothing but a Transcript of the Law of God implanted and abiding on our Hearts whereby we comply with and answer unto the whole Will of God therein This is Holiness in the Habit and Principle of it This is more fully expressed Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them The whole of all that actual Obedience and all those Duties of Holiness which God requireth of us is contained in these Expressions ye shall walk in my Statutes and keep my Judgements to doe them Antecedent hereunto and as the Principle and Cause thereof God gives a new Heart and a new Spirit This new Heart is an Heart with the Law of God written in it as before mentioned and this new spirit is the habitual Inclination of that heart unto the Life of God or all Duties of Obedience And herein the whole of what we have asserted is confirmed namely that antecedently unto all Duties and Acts of Holiness whatever and as the next Cause of them there is by the Holy Ghost a new spiritual Principle or habit of Grace communicated unto us and abiding in us from whence we are made and denominated holy Sect. 12 It is yet more Expressly revealed and declared in the New Testament Joh. 3. 6. There is a Work of the Spirit of God upon us in our Regeneration we are born again of the Spirit And there is the Product of this Work of the Spirit of God in us that which is born in this new Birth and that is spirit also It is something existing in us that is of a spiritual Nature and spiritual Efficacy It is something abiding in us acting in a continual Opposition against the Flesh or Sin as Gal. 5. 17. and unto all Duties of Obedience unto God And untill this spirit is formed in us that is our whole Souls have a furnishment of spiritual Power and Ability we cannot perform any one Act that is spiritually good not any one Vital Act of Obedience This Spirit or spiritual Nature which is born of the Spirit by which alone we are enabled to live to God is that Habit of Grace or Principle of holiness which we intend And so also is it called a New Creature He that is in Christ is a new Creature 1 Cor. 5. 17. It is something that by an almighty creating Act of the Power of God by his Spirit that hath the Nature of a living Creature is produced in the Souls of all that are in Christ Jesus And as it is called the new Creature so it is also a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and a Nature is the Principle of all Operations And this is what we plead for The Spirit of God createth a new Nature in us which is the Principle and next Cause of all Acts of the Life of God Where this is not whatever else there may be there is no Evangelical Holiness This is that whereby we are enabled to live unto God to fear him to walk in his Wayes and to yield Obedience according to his Mind and Will See Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10 11. this the Scripture plentifully
the Author and Cause of Mortification in us 21 The Manner of the Operation of the Spirit in the Mortification of Sin 22 Particular Means of the Mortification of Sin 23 Duties necessary unto the Mortification of Sin directed unto by the Holy Ghost 24 Mistakes and Errors of Persons failing in this matter 28 How Spiritual Duties are to be managed that Sin may be mortified 33 Influence of the Vertue of the Death of Christ as applyed by the Holy Spirit into the Mortification of Sin Sect. 1 THere is yet another Part or Effect of our Sanctification by the Holy Ghost which consisteth in and is called Mortification of Sin As what we have already insisted on concerneth the Improvement and Practice of the Principle of Grace wherewithall Believers are indued so what we now propose concerneth the Weakning Impairing and Destroying of the Contrary Principle of Sin in its Root and Fruits in its Principle and Actings And whereas the Spirit of God is every where said to sanctifie us we our selves are commanded and said constantly to mortifie our Sins For Sanctification expresseth Grace communicated and received in general Mortification Grace as so received improved and acted unto a certain End And I shall be brief in the handling of it because I have formerly published a small Discourse on the same Subject And there are two things that I shall speak unto 1 The Nature of the Duty it self 2 The Manner how it is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost which I principally intend Sect. 2 It is known that this Duty is frequently enjoyned and prescribed unto us Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members that are on the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Iâ—â—atry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be supplyed Mortifie your Members that are on the Earth that is your carnal earthly Affections avoyding or by avoyding Fornication c. And so a distinction is made between carnal Affections and their Fruits Or the special sins mentioned are instances of these carnal Affections Mortifie your carnal Affections namely Fornication and the like wherein there is a Metonymy of the Effect for the Cause And they are called our Members 1 Because as the whole Principle of sin and Course of sinning which proceedeth from it being called the Body of Sin Rom. 6. 6. or the Body of the Sins of the Flesh Col. 2. 11. with respect thereunto these particular Lusts are here called the members of that Body Mortifie your members For that he intends not the Parts or Members of our Natural Bodyes as though they were to be destroyed as they seem to imagine who place Mortification in outward Afflictions and Macerations of the Body he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are on the Earth that is Earthly carnal and sensual 2 These Affections and Lusts the Old man that is our depraved Nature useth naturally and readily as the Body doth its Members And which addes Efficacy unto the Allusion by them it draws the very Members of the Body into a complyance with it and the service of it against which we are cautioned by our Apostle Rom. 6. 12. Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal Bodies that is our natural Bodies that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof which Exhortation he pursues v. 19. as ye have yielded your Members servants unto Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Which some neglecting do take the Members of Christ that is of their own Bodies which are the Members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot 1 Cor. 6. 15. And many other Commands there are to the same purpose which will afterwards occurre Sect. 3 And concerning this great Duty we may consider three things 1. The Name of it whereby it is exressed 2. The Nature of it wherein it consists 3. The Means and Way whereby it is effected and wrought First For the Name it is two wayes expressed and both of them Metaphorical 1 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to mortifie our selves The first is used Col. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is mortifie that is Extinguish and destroy all that Force and Vigour of Corrupted Nature which enclines to earthly carnal things opposite unto that spiritual Heavenly Life and its actings which we have in and from Christ as was before declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is eneco morte macto to kill to affect with or destroy by Death But yet this word is used by our Apostle not absolutely to destroy and to kill so as that which is so mortified or killed should no more have any Being but that it should be rendred useless as unto what its strength and vigour would produce So he expresseth the Effects of it in the passive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 19. He considered not his own Body now dead now mortified The Body of Abraham was not then absolutely dead only the natural Force and Vigour of it was exceedingly abated And so he seems to mollifie this Expression Heb. 11. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we well render of one and him as good as Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimating a Respect unto the thing treated of So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mortifie signifies a continued Act in taking away the Power and Force of any thing untill it comes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead unto some certain Ends or Purposes as we shall see it is in the Mortification of sin Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another word to the same purpose it signifies as the other doth to put to death But it is used in the Present Tense to denote that it is a work which must be alwayes doing If ye do mortifie that is If you are alwayes and constantly imployed in that work And what the Apostle here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deeds of the Body he therein expresseth the Effect for the Cause Metonymically For he intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he expresseth the same thing Gal. 5. 24. The Flesh with its Affections and Lusts whence all the corrupt Deeds wherein the Body is instrumental do arise Sect. 4 2 The same Duty with relation unto the Death of Christ as the Meritorious Efficient and Exemplary Cause is expressed by Crucifying Rom. 6. 6. Our old Man is Crucifyed with him Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Chap. 5. 20. They that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. Chap. 6. 14. By the Lord Jesus Christ the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World Now as perhaps there may be something intimated herein of the Manner of mortification of sin which is Gradually carryed on unto its final Destruction as a Man dyes on the Cross yet that which is principally
the Deeds of the Flesh. It is we that are to mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh it is our Duty but of our selves we cannot do it it must be done in or by the Spirit Whether we take the Spirit here for the Person of the Holy Ghost as the Context seems to require or take it for the gracious Principle of spiritual Life in the Renovation of our Nature not the Spirit himself but that which is born of the Spirit it is all one as to our purpose the Work is taken from our own Natural Power or Ability and resolved into the Grace of the Spirit Sect. 16 And that we go no further for the proof of our Assertion it may suffice to observe That the Confirmation of it is the principal Design of the Apostle from the second Verse of that Chapter unto the end of the 13 th That the Power and Reign of Sin its Interest and Prevalency in the Minds of Believers are weakened impaired and finally destroyed so as that all the pernicious Consequences of it shall be avoyded by the Holy Ghost and that these things could no otherwise be effected he both affirms and proves at large In the foregoing Chapter from the 7 th Verse unto the end he declares the Nature Properties and Efficacy of In-dwelling sin as the Remainders of it do still abide in Believers And whereas a two-fold Conclusion might be made from the Description he gives of the Power and Actings of this sin or a double Question arise unto the great Disconsolation of Believers he doth in this Chapter remove them both manifesting that there was no cause for such Conclusions or Exceptions from any thing by him delivered The first of these is that if such if this be the Power and Prevalency of In-dwelling sin if it so obstruct us in our doing that which is good and impetuously incline unto evil what will become of us in the End how shall we answer for all the Sin and Guilt which we have contracted thereby We must we shall therefore perish under the Guilt of it And the second Conclusion which is apt to arise from the same Consideration is that seeing the Power and Prevalency of Sin is so great and that we in our selves are no way able to make Resistance unto it much less to overcome it it cannot be but that at length it will absolutely prevail against us and bring us under its Dominion unto our everlasting Ruine Both these Conclusions the Apostle obviates in this Chapter or removes them if laid as Objections against what he had delivered And this he doth Sect. 17 1 By a Tacit Concession that they will both of them be found true towards all who live and dye under the Law without an Interest in Jesus Christ. For affirming that there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus he grants that those who are not so cannot avoyd it Such is the Guilt of this sin and such are the Fruits of it in all in whomsoever it abides that it makes them obnoxious unto Condemnation But 2 There is a Deliverance from this Condemnation and from all liableness thereunto by free Justification in the Blood of Christ v. 1. For those who have an Interest in him and are made partakers thereof although sin may grieve them trouble and perplex them and by its Deceit and Violence cause them to contract much Guilt in their surprizals yet they need not despond or be utterly cast down there is a stable ground of Consolation provided for them in that there is no Condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus 3 That none may abuse this Consolation of the Gospel to countenance themselves unto a Continuance in the service of sin he gives a Limitation of the Subjects unto whom it doth belong namely all them and only them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit v. 1. As for those who give up themselves unto the Conduct of this Principle of In-dwelling sin who comply with its Motions and Inclinations being acted wholly by its Power let them neither flatter nor deceive themselves there is nothing in Christ nor the Gospel to free them from Condemnation It is they only who give up themselves to the Conduct of the Spirit of Sanctification and Holiness that have an interest in this Priviledge 4 As to the other Conclusion taken from the Consideration of the Power and Prevalency of this Principle of sin he prevents or removes it by a full Discovery how and by what means that Power of it shall be so broken its strength abated its prevalency disappointed and its self destroyed as that we need not fear the Consequents of it before mentioned but rather may secure our selves that we shall be the death thereof and not that the death of our Souls Now this is saith he by the Law or Power of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus v. 2. And thereon he proceeds to declare that it is by the effectual working of this Spirit in us alone that we are enabled to overcome this spiritual Adversary This being sufficiently evident it remaineth only that we declare the Way and Manner how he produceth this Effect of his Grace Sect. 18 1 The Foundation of all Mortification of Sin is from the Inhabitation of the Spirit in us He dwells in the Persons of Believers as in his Temple and so he prepares it for himself Those Defilements or Pollutions which render the Souls of men unmeet Habitations for the Spirit of God do all of them consist in sin inherent and its Effects These therefore he will remove and subdue that he may dwell in us suitably unto his Holiness Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Our mortal Bodyes are our Bodies as obnoxious unto Death by reason of sin as v. 10. And the Quickening of these mortal Bodyes is their being freed from the Principle of Sin or Death and its Power by a contrary Principle of Life and Righteousness It is the freeing of us from being in the Flesh that we may be in the Spirit v. 9. And by what Means is this effected It is by the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the Dead that is of the Father which also is called the Spirit of God the Spirit of Christ v. 9. For he is equally the Spirit of the Father and the Son And he is described by this Periphrasis both because there is a similitude between that Work as to its Greatness and Power which God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead and what he worketh in Believers in their Sanctification Ephes. 1. 19 20. and because this Work is wrought in us by vertue of the Resurrection of Christ. But under what especial Consideration doth he effect this Work of mortifying sin in us It is as
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
on their Conversation But that this is plainly and directly required in the Doctrine of Obedience taught by Jesus Christ as the great Prophet of the Church I have sufficiently proved in this whole Discourse 2 Very few of the Precepts of it are certain so as that we may take them for an undoubted and infallible Rule There are some general Commands I acknowledge so clear in the Light of Nature as that no question can be made but that what is required in them is our Duty to perform Such are they that God is to be loved that others are not to be injured that every ones Right is to be rendred unto him whereunto all Reasonable Creatures do assent at their first Proposal And where any are found to live in an open Neglect or seem to be Ignorant of them their Degeneracy into Beastiality is open and their Sentiments not at all to be regarded But goe a little further and you will find all the great Moralists at endless uncertain Disputes about the Nature of Vertue in general about the Offices and Duties of it about the Rule and Measures of their Practice In these Disputes did most of them consume their Lives without any great Endeavours to express their own Notions in their Conversations Sect. 14 And from the same Reason I suppose in part it is that our present Moralists seem to care for nothing but the Name Vertue it self is grown to be a strange and uncouth thing But what is commanded us by Jesus Christ there is no room for the least haesitation whether it be an infallible Rule for us to attend unto or no. Every Precept of his about the meanest Duty is equally certain and infallibly declarative of the Nature and Necessity of that Duty as those of the greatest and that have most Evidence from the Light of Nature If once it appears that Christ requires any thing of us by his Word that he hath taught us any thing as the Prophet of the Church there is no Doubt remains with us whether it be our Duty or no. 3 The whole Rule of Duties given by the most improved Light of Nature setting aside those that are purely Evangelical which some despise is obscure and partial There are sundry Moral Duties which I instanced in before which the Light of Nature as it remains in the lapsed depraved Condition of it never extended it self to the Discovery of And this Obscurity is evident from the Differences that are about its Precepts and Directions But now as the Revelation made by Christ and his Commands therein is Commensurate unto Universal Obedience and gives Bounds unto it so that there is no Duty of it but what he hath commanded and it is sufficient to discharge the most specious Pleas and Pretences of any thing to be a Duty towards God or Man by shewing that it is not required by him so his Commands and Directions are plain and evidently perspicuous I dare challenge the greatest and most Learned Moralists in the World to give an Instance of any one Duty of Morality confirmed by the Rules and Directions of the highest and most Contemplative Moralist that I will not shew and evince that it is more plainly and clearly required by the Lord Christ in the Gospel and pressed on us by far more effectual Motives than any they are acquainted withall It is therefore the highest Folly as well as Wickedness for Men to design plead or pretend the Learning Duties of Obedience from others rather than from Christ the Prophet of the Church Sect. 15 Secondly The Manner of Teaching as to Power and Efficacy is also considerable unto this End And concerning this also we may say Who teacheth like him There was that Eminency in his personal Ministry whilest he was on the Earth as filled all men with Admiration Hence it is said that he taught with Authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. and another while they wondred at the Gracious words which he uttered Luke 4. 22. And the very Officers that were sent to apprehend him for Preaching came away astonished saying Never man spake like this Man John 7. 46. It is true it was not the Design of God that Multitudes of that hardned Generation should be Converted by his personal Ministry John 12. 38 39 40. as having another to fulfill in them by them and upon them yet it is evident from the Gospel that there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Power and Glory accompanying his Ministerial Instructions Yet this is not that which I intend but his continued and present Teaching of the Church by his Word and Spirit He gives that Power and Efficacy unto it as that by its Effects every day it demonstrates it self to be from God being accompanyed with the Evidence and Demonstration of a spiritual Power put forth in it This the Experiences Consciences and Lives of Multitudes bear witness unto continually They do and will to Eternity attest what Power his Word hath had to enlighten their Minds to subdue their Lusts to change and renew their Hearts to relieve and comfort them in their Temptations and Distresses with the like Effects of Grace and Power Sect. 16 What is in the Manner of Teaching by the greatest Moralist and what are the Effects of it Enticing Words Smoothness and Elegancy of Speech composed into Snares for the Affections and Delight unto the Fancy are the Grace Ornament and Life of the Way or Manner of their Teaching And hereof evanid Satisfaction temporary Resolutions for a kind of complyance with the things spoken with it may be some few perishing Endeavours after some Change of Life are the best Effects of all such Discourses And so easie and gentle is their Operation on the Minds of men that commonly they are delighted in by the most profligate and obstinate Sinners as is the Preaching of them who Act in the same spirit and from the same principles Thirdly Whereas the last thing Considerable in those whose Instructions we should choose to give up our selves unto is their Authority that must be left without further Plea to the Consciences of all men whether they have the highest Esteem of the Authority of Christ the Son of God or of those others whom they do admire and let them freely take their Choyce so they will ingenuously acknowledge what they doe Sect. 17 Whereas therefore the great End of the Prophetical Office of Christ in the Revelation he made of the Will of God in the Scriptures in his personal Ministry in the Dispensation of his Word and Spirit continued in the Church is our Holiness and Obedience unto God I could not but Remark upon the Atheisme Pride and Folly of those Modern Heathens who really or in pretence betake themselves to the Light of Nature and Philosophical Maxims for their Guidance and Direction rather than to him who is Designed of God to be the great Teacher of the Church I deny not but that in the Ancient Moralists there
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
man the Breath of Life 75 12 Burden of the Lord whence that Name was given to Prophesies 107 14 Burden and danger of Government 117 C. What it is to Call Jesus Lord 34 2 Calumny against the Doctrine of Justification refuted 365 6 Two-fold Capacity in the Mind with respect unto spiritual things 220 29 Carnal Mind in all Mankind by Nature 243 14 Causes of the Purification of Sin 382 1 Certainty of Outward Voyces from Internal Light 106 12 Secret Chambers where Christ is not what is intendedâ—y them 152 15 Characters of Divine Truth on all Divine Inspirations 105 10 Cherishing and Acting the Principle of Holiness the great Means of Mortification of Sin 485 22 Childhood the Vanity thereof 289 4 To say Christ is the Lord what it includes and how we are enabled thereunto 5 3 Christ in no sense the Son of the Holy Spirit 133 11 Christ raised from the dead by the Holy Ghost 148 Christ how he is our Life 247 23 Christ not defiled with our defilements 406 16 Christ how he is made unto us Sanctification 445 c. Christ the exemplary Cause of our Holiness 447 54 Christ an Head of Influence unto the Church 451 64 Christ only to be heard if we would learn Obedience 559 11 Circumcision of the Heart wherein it consists 275 41. 418 11 Church of the Jewes first fell by Idolatry 25 27 Head of the Church first respected in the New Creation 128 1 Churches how at first founded and built by the Holy Ghost 6 6 Cleansing our selves from Sin our Duty 371 1 Cleansing from Sin how to be prayed for 372 3 Cleansing in Profession and Reality in Signification and Efficacy 380 No Cleansing of Sin meerly by our own Endeavours 398 13 Collation of the Spirit on Christ how a present and how a Continued Act 141 5 The commands of God how possible unto us 220 30 Commands of the Covenant respect the power administred in the Covenant 432 30 Commands of Duty when not grievous 446 53 Commands of Obedience belonging unto the Old Covenant and their Ends 534 3 Commands for Obedience how proportioned unto our Abilities 543 19 Commands for Holiness whence just and equal 550 31 Commands for Holiness multiplyed and why 551 34 Respect unto the Command the formal Reason of Obedience 533 2 How the Holy Spirit comes on men 89 90 16 Coming of Christ in the flesh the first and principal Promise of the Old Testament 8 9 Communication of spiritual things from Christ by the Spirit 161 6 Communication of the Vertue of the Blood of Christ unto our Souls by the Holy Spirit 390 6 Communication from God to his Creatures Two-fold 541 64 All Communications in a way of Grace through Christ 452 65 Communion with God by the Gospel the nature manner and way of it 163 6 Communion between God and Believers by real Operation of the Holy Ghost 164 6 Complaints of Sin in Prayer derided 491 30 Compleating Acts ascribed in all Divine Operations to the Holy Spirit 69 3 What comprehension Prophets had of Divine Revelations 103 10 Conception of Christ in the Womb Instantaneous 133 13 Conception of Christ how assigned to the Holy Spirit how to the Blessed Virgin 134 14 Conclusions to be made from the Doctrine of Election 531 25 Concupiscence gets strength by Age 290 6 Condition of all unregenerate Persons absolutely the same 178 12 Confluence of Trouble on the Lord Christ in the Course of his Ministry 142 Conformity unto God the Honour of the Soul 376 5 Conformity unto God wherein it consists 419 13 Conformity unto the Death of Christ wherein it consists 493 33 Conformity to God our onely Glory 503 10 Conscience how affected with Convictions 200 17 Consistency of Commands and Promises proved 336 14 Glorious Consequences of the Miraculous Conception of the Body of Christ 135 Consequences falsely charged on the Doctrine of the Gospel 507 16 Considerations of Grace and the true Spring of all spiritual Diligence 346 7 Considerations of the Nature and End of Sin subservient unto Mortification 496 39 Spiritual consolations unto whom they do belong 359 Consolation of Believers from the Eternal Continuance of Grace 329 11 Constancy in Holy Duties a necessary consequent of a Principle of Holiness 426 20 Constitution no excuse for sin 369 Contemplation an effect of Love 514 26 Contempt of the Gospel whence 224 37 Contempt of Regeneration in many 205 1 Contempt of the World from the Consideration of Electing Love 528 19 Contest in the World about the Lord Christ how managed on each side 149 13 Continuation of the Work of the Holy Ghost in the Church 123 4 Contrary Dispositions and Inclinations in Believers the Nature of them and whence they are 428 24 Difficulty of Conversion not onely from a Custom of sinning 253 1 Conversion to God not meerly an Act of our own Wills 262 20 Way and Means of Conversion according to the Old and New Pelagians 267 Work of the Spirit in Conversion how declared by some and derided by others 341 39 Conviction of Sin antecedaneous to Conversion 195 8 Convictions of Sin how they are lost 196 9 Wayes whereby Convictions are lost exâ—â—â—â— in Austin 296 15 16 The Nature of the Conviction of Sin 297 18 Convictions variously used and abused 364 Conviction of the Defilement of Sin necessary antecedently unto its Purification 387 5 Evidence of Duties proceeding onely from the Power of Convictions 426 20 Corruption of the Mind expressed by Darkness 209 11 Corruption of Nature working early in Infancy 288 3 Common Notions of Good and Evil remaining in Corrupted Nature and their use 293 11 Corrupted Reason depraves the whole Mystery of the Gospel 325 8 Creating of the Body of Christ out of the substance of the Virgin compared with the Creation of the first man out of the dust of the Earth 132 Creation assigned distinctly to each Person in the Trinity 69 1 Creation of Man the Parts and Degrees of it 74 75 10 New Creation how effected by the Holy Spirit 98 1 New Creation the work whereby God designed to glorifie himself principally in this World 126 8 New Creation how assigned unto the Father Son and Spirit distinctly 126 9 Old and New Creation compared 172 1 Creatures above and below why called Gods Host 71 6 New Creature what it is and wherein it consists 183 20 New Creature supported and acted by the Holy Spirit 466 7 Cure of Idolatry by the Captivity 25 27 Cyrus how Anoynted of God 77 15. 118 22 D. Danger of Mistakes about Regeneration 190 State of Darkness and Blindness by Nature 206 4 Spiritual Darkness the Nature of it 207 7 Darkness Objective and Subjective 208 8 Spiritual Darkness working by Enmity and its Effects 230 49 Dead Works what they are and whence so called 246 22 Men said to be Dead in Sin with respect to the Life we had in Adam 242 11 Work of the Spirit towards the Humane Nature
of Christ in the State of the Dead 146 10 Death Natural what it is 240 5 Death Natural and Spiritual wherein they differ and wherein they agree 243 13 Death of Christ applyed by the Spirit for the Mortification of Sin 492 33 Spiritual Death Two-fold 239 2 Decayes in Grace to be found in many 353 Deceits practical about Holiness 420 Dedication unto God in what sence it is Sanctification 324 7 Deep Things of God what and how searched by the Spirit 56 19 Defilement of Sin wherein it doth consist 374 4 Degrees of Prophecy fancied by the Jewes rejected 105 11 Degrees in Holiness and growth in Grace whereon they do depend 167 10 Deliverances means of Conviction 294 13 Delight an Effect of Love 514 27 Delight in Sinners as sinning the highest degree of Shamelesness 397 398 How the Spirit of God departed from Saul 37 11 How the Holy Spirit departeth from Men. 91 19 Natural Depravation discovers the Nature of the Grace of Conversion 279 48 Depravation of the Mind how removed 282 52 Depravation of the Mind by Sin what it is and wherein it doth consist 209 13 Description of Sanctification 338 2 Spiritual Desertions and the Nature of them by some Derided 92 19 Design of the Gospel what it is 330 13 Design to be like unto God the Life of Holiness 503 11 Desires of Heaven of what sort they ought to be 512 21 Despisers of God who are so 538 11 Destruction of Sin in the Root and Principle our great Duty 405 Determination of the Will as a free Principle by Grace proved 284 55 Diabolical Pride in Scoffing at the Humiliation of Sinners 405 Difference between receiving Doctrines Notionally and Things really 219 28 Difference about Free-will stated and debated 434 34 Difference between a Spiritual Life and a Life of Moral Vertue 408 17. 414 6 Difference in Religion before the Entrance of Sin and afterwards 461 81 Differences between the life of Adam in Innocency and the life of Grace in Christ. 241 9 Differences about Regeneration none in it 178 12 Different Operations and Effects of one and the same Spirit 38 12 Different degrees of Graces 340 4 Difficulties of Faith 401 13 Difficulties in Duties from sundry Causes 438 39 Difficulty and Necessity of the Work of Mortification 480 13 Dignity of Professors wherein it consists 511 20 Diligence required in the Exercise of Grace 354 Discerning of Spirits an extraordinary Gift at the first 18 22 Discovery of Graces of Holiness springing from Election 443 46 Discovery of a false Foundation of Duties 364 Dispensation of the Spirit not consined unto the first times of the Church 25 28 Dispensation of the Spirit in general declared 79 80 1 2 3. Take away the Dispensation of the Spirit and the whole Church is ruined 157 Disposition of the Soul unto Acts and Duties of Holiness from an inward Principle 423 16 No Disposition unto spiritual Life in a State of spiritual Death 250 29 A Gracious Disposition expressed by Fear Love and Delight 427 17 Depraved Disposition in the Mind by Nature 215 20 Dispositions unto Regeneration of what sort 191 1 Natural Dispositions of some more sedate than of others 568 4 Disquisitions after God by the Light of Nature and their success 230 48 Distinct Operations ascribed unto the distinct Persons in the Trinity 45 4 Manifestation of the Distinction of Persons in the Divine Nature a great End in the Work of the New Creation 155 2 Distresses upon Conviction of Sin 302 27 Distribution of spiritual Gifts 6 5 Distributions of Grace used by the Ancients 255 6 Disturbance on Divine Revelations whence it proceeds 103 9 Diversity of Gifts an Occasion of Differences in the Churches 7 7 Knowledge of Divine things in their Operations and Effects 20 24 Divine voluntary Actings constantly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 49 10 Divine Persons succeeded not to each other in their Operations 70 3 Divine Nature in Christ acted not as his Soul 137 2 No true Apprehension of Divine Goodness but in Christ. 229 36 Division of the Holy Spirit in what sence spoken of 93 20 Doctrine of the Spirit of God the second great Principle of the Spirit 8 9 Doctrine of the Spirit the Life of all saving Truth 33 8 Doctrine of the Trinity despised by many 45 4 Doctrine of Regeneration variously described 196 10 Doctrine of some men about Regeneration 261 19 Doctrine of Obedience taught by Christ and what is considerable therein 558 10 Doctrines concerning the Operations of the Spirit of God preached with Efficacy 26 31 Things or Doctrines of the Gospel reduced to two Heads 223 36 The Dove under which shape the Holy Ghost appeared of what sort it was 52 53 15 16 Dreams a Means of Divine Revelation 107 13 Christ how Driven by the Spirit 142 Duty not the Measure of Power 379 Things wrought in a way of Grace prescribed in a way of Duty 379 No Duty of Obedience but an Holy Heart is enclined unto it 425 19 Duty and End to be considered in every Act of Obedience 441 43 Dutyes of Persons intrusted with spiritual Priviledges 7 1 Dutyes required in order to Conversion 192 3 Dutyes of Morality in the Gospel superstitious not the Foundation 235 58 Dutyes of Vnbelievers how Sins 248 25 Good Dutyes how vitiated yet accepted 248 26 The same Dutyes how accepted and rejected with respect unto divers Persons ibid. Dutyes not accepted on the Account of Persons 249 26 Dutyes of Faith Repentance and Obedience on what Grounds to be pressed on men 249 28 Good Dutyes of Vnregenerate men how to be esteemed 250 251 30 Dutyes of themselves will denominate no man Holy 362 Dutyes of Morality and Piety to be encouraged 420 Special Dutyes of those who have received a Principle of Holiness 422 Dutyes Internal and External distinguished 463 2 Dutyes of Believers and Vnbelievers differ in their Substance 471 16 Dutyes required in order unto the Mortication of Sin 487 23 Dutyes how to be performed that Sin may be mortified 489 27 Dutyes of Holiness more clearly revealed by Christ than any other way 557 9 How the Spirit dwelleth in Believers notwithstanding the Remainders of Sin 484 20 E. Earth in the first Creation what it contained 72 8 Education and Convictions in some measure compose Natures Disorders 568 6 Effects of Conviction where to be placed in the Soul 199 15 Effects of natural Vanity and how they are to be opposed 214 19 Effects of Conviction 301 26 Effects of the Priestly Acts of Christ of two sorts 555 3 Especial Effects of Divine Love 514 25 Every work of the Spirit Effectual 198 14 Effectual Work of Grace and our own earnest Endeavours consistent 345 7 Efficacy given to all Ordinances by the Holy Spirit 23 26 No Efficacy in second Causes independently on the first 77 15 Efficacy of Faith whence it ariseth 401 13 Efficacy of the Death of Christ for the destruction of Sin wherein it
consists 493 34 Real internal Efficiency ascribed unto Grace 269 29 Eminent Effusions of the Holy Spirit accompanyed with effectual Delusions of Sathan at the same time 18 22 Plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise of the Old Testament 122 2 The Elect the subject of the Promise of the Spirit as to Regeneration 357 3 Election the Spring of all true Holiness 442 45 Eternal Election a Cause of and Motive unto Holiness 520 c. No Evidence of Election without Holiness 521 5 Election absolutely considered no part of Gods Revealed Will. 523 10 No man Obliged to believe his Election before Conversion 524 13 Who are bound to believe that they are Elected 525 13 Divine Emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son 35 9 End of Prophesie in the Church 99 5 End of Miraculous Operations 115 21 End of God in the Work of the Old and New Creature 155 2 End of Afflictions and Tryals 343 6 End of Dutyes Two-fold 441 44 End of Legal Commands 535 5 Ends of Holiness for which it is required 414 4 Principal Ends for which the Holy Spirit is promised 357 3 Enforcements unto Obedience from the Authority of God in his Commands 538 10 11 No Enjoyment of God without Purification from Sin 378 Enmity of the Carnal Mind against God and his Wayes 231 49 50 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Enquiry into the Reasons and Difficulties in Holy Duties 438 8 Enthusiastical Raptures no Means of Conversion 186 25 No Enthusiastical Impressions in Conversion 270 32 No Entrance with God without Holiness 504 11 Equity of the Law how it respects the Ability of them that are Obliged by it 249 27 Espousals of the Blessed Virgin with Joseph the Necessity thereof 134 14 Essence and Form of Holiness wherein it consists 415 7 8 Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Evangelical Holiness distinguished from all Pretences thereunto 439 40 No Evangelical Truth inconsistent with Holinesse or repugnant thereunto 507 16 Evidences of Regeneration various 177 11 No Evidence of an Interest in the Oblation of Christ unless we are Holy 556 4 Infallible Evidences of Divine Inspiration 104 10 Evil Spirits and their Operations 37 11 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Evil Spirit how it wrought in Saul 112 18 All Excellencies ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 98 3 How Christ is our Example 447 448 449 Exhortations respect Duty not Ability 244 17 Experience of the work of the Spirit of God in the Souls of Men. 27 31 Experiences of the Truth and Reality of things believed supplyed by the Holy Spirit 341 5 Experience of the Defilement of Sin 372 3 External Duties of two sorts 464 4 Extraordinary Works of the Holy Spirit the several kinds of them 99 4 Extraordinary Acts of Christ during the Course of his private Life 140 F. Face of the Earth by what means Annually renewed 74 9 Facility in Dutyes of Obedience from a Principle of Holiness 436 37 Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Gift of the Holy Ghost how to be regulated 90 16 Faith Actually wrought by Grace 272 36 Faith and Love the Spring of Holiness how they are encreased 340 5 Faith encreased by the due Proposal of its proper Objects 341 5 What Faith is required that a man may please God 362 Faith alone interests us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 388 Faith worketh by Prayer unto the Cleansing of Sin 390 6 How it purgeth the Soul 390 8 Faith whether it be a Fixing of the Imagination 400 The Power of Faith in Conforming the Soul unto God 513 24 Faith of Election tends not to Carelesness 530 22 Faith without Holiness vain 553 38 Faithfulness of God in his Promises to be pleaded in Prayer 360 How the Holy Spirit doth Fall on men 90 17 Reasons of Mens Falling from a Course of Duties 548 26 False pretences unto the Name and Work of the Holy Spirit 13 15 False Prophets how they were Acted ib. 16 False Prophets of two sorts some meerly Acted by the Devil some pretenders only 14 17 False pretences to Divine Revelation Sathans Design therein 15 18 False Prophets why called Spirits 16 21 False Notions of Jews and Mahumetans about the Spirit of God 33 8 The Father how he is said to raise Christ from the Dead 148 All Grace Originally from the Father 163 Dread and Fear attending Convictions of Sin 304 30 Fear inseperable from Guilt 375 Fear of Sin a Fruit of Faith 404 Fear of Man how to be removed 539 13 Fiery Tongues what they signified 54 17 Figurative Expressions multiplyed in the Scripture 48 9 Figurative Expressions setting out the Vileness of Sin 402 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 The Finger of God what it is 72 7 Filiation a personal Adjunct 133 11 Fire on the Altar what it signified 53 16 Fire and Water the Means of all Typical Cleansing 371 1 Folly of men in seeking after Instruction in Moral Duties from others rather than from Christ. 558 11 The Things of God Foolishness unto the Mind of the Natural man how and in what sence 221 31 No Force put upon the Faculties of our Souls by the Operations of the Spirit 187 Forming of the Host of Heaven and Earth the Work of the Holy Spirit 71 7 Forming of the Body of Christ in the Womb the Work of the Holy Spirit 131 10 Foundation of all Church-Order in the Confession of the Lordship of Christ. 4 2 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Foundation of Moral Differences among Mankind 364 Freedome and Bounty in the Gift of the Spirit 82 4 Free-will wherein it ends consists 433 33 Freedom of Corrupted Nature and of Grace 434 33 Frequency in Duties produceth Facility 437 Fruits of Sin Internal and External 476 6 Fruits of Election its onely Manifestation 524 13 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Fulness of Christ what it is and how Communicated 457 71 Fundamental Principles to be attended unto in the tryal of Spirits 17 12 G. Gift of Prophesie honourable in the Church of Old and why 13 16 Gift of Prophesie falsely pretended unto and abused 13 16 The Gift of Prophesie whether ever given to Wicked men 110 17 Gift of Prophesie not a sanctifying Grace 111 18 Gifts of Civil Government from the Holy Ghost 116 22 Gifts for the Discharge of the Office of Mediator Collated on the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost 139 4 Gifts how to be prayed for 360 The Holy Spirit Given of God and how 80 3 Giving and Receiving related ibid. Giving of the Spirit includes Authority Freedom and Bounty 81 4 The Spirit how Given by the Father in the way of Authority 81 4 To Glorifie God as God what it is 44 2 Glorified Body of Christ the Example of ours 149 12 Glorying in Sin its Abomination 397 12
Christ in the Wombe 137 1 Humane Nature of Christ guided and supported by the Spirit in his Ministry 141 7 Humble walking with God Motives unto it 404 Humility promoted by thoughts of Sovereign Grace 526 16 I. Idolatry in Opposition to the Oneness of the Divine Nature and Monarchy the first Apostasie 24 27 Cure of Idolatry by the Captivity 25 27 Jesus Anathema how uttered by the Instigation of the Devil 3 2 Jesus confessed to be the Lord by unclean Spirits and how 4 2 Ignorance taken for simple Nescience how it may be ascribed to the Humane Nature of Christ. 138 3 Ignorance of the true Nature of Holiness and its Effects 421 Illumination previous to Conversion the Nature of it 193 6 Illumination how distinguished from meer Natural Knowledge 194 7 Image of God wherein it consisted 76 14 Image of God defaced by Sin 366 Image of God in us wherein it consisted 376 5 Imitation of Christ highly Necessary 449 59 Imperfect Obedience not taken into the Room of perfect Obedience by the New Covenant 413 4 Importance of the Doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit 10 10 Importance of the Doctrine of Sanctification 324 6 Imposition of Names by a Prophetical Spirit 100 6 Impotency of the Mind to receive spiritual things 210 13 Impotency of the Mind by Nature 218 27 Impotency of the Mind of Man by Nature Two-fold 224 39 Impotency from Spiritual Death the Nature of it 243 14 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Inclinations unto holy Actings predominant in a Gracious Soul 430 27 Inclinations of Sin alwayes to be watched against 479 11 Inconformity unto Gods Holiness the Nature of it 374 Reasons of Inconformity unto God 508 17 Incumbrances from Sloath in spiritual Duties 435 36 Individed Operations of the Divine Nature 69 2 Indulgence of any Sin hinders the progress of Holiness in general 354 Indwelling Sin three wayes to be considered 476 6 Infusion of a Principle of Divine Life in Regeneration 411 2 Inhabitation of the Spirit the Foundation of the Mortification of Sin 483 18 Inherent Righteousness what it is and wherein it consists 182 19 Actual Inherent Righteousness required unto Holiness 463 1 Ability of Adam in the State of Innocency 280 50 Inspiration the Original of Prophecye 101 7 Inspiration what it is and wherein it consists 102 8 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Institutions of the Law could not purge the Defilements of sin 379 Instruction of the Mind the first End of preaching the Word 258 11 Intellectual Faculties of the Mind strengthened by the Holy Spirit 119 26 Intellectual Faculties impaired by Sin 206 5 Intellectual and Moral Habits short of Holiness 336 14 Intellectual Habits the Nature of them 415 8 Intension of Mind in attendance to the Outward Means of Conversion how Necessary and in our own power 192 3 Intercession of Christ how a Cause of our Holiness 444 5 Intercession of Christ its Influence unto Holiness 556 5 Interest of Faith and Obedience in Principles of Truth 43 1 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 Irregularity of our Natures the Cause of Shame 383 Judgement of Spirits the Duty of all Believers 18 22 Justification not for Obedience to Gospel Precepts 536 537 7 8 c. K. Killing of Sin what it is and whence it is so called 478 9 Kindness required towards Believers in an especial Manner 516 30 Kingly Power of Christ and its Influence unto our Holiness 562 18 Knowledge of Divine things in their Operations and Effects 20 24 L. Law written in the Heart what it is 278 47 The Law to be considered as it expresseth first the Authority of God and then his Holiness 374 Law and Rule of the Acceptance of New Obedience what it is 413 4 Power of the Law with respect unto Duties 534 4 Reasons why mens Minds are little influenced by Humane Laws 540 15 The Law expounded and vindicated by Christ. 556 6 Legacy left by our Lord Jesus Christ unto his sorrowfull Disciples 9 10 Legal Purifications Types of real Sanctification 371 2 Legal Institutions for Purification their Vse and End 399 Arguments from Legal Commands no Motives to Holiness 534 3 Letter of the Scripture profiteth not the Jewes whilest they have not the Spirit 24 26 Spiritual Leprosie by Nature 393 10 Liberty and Ability in the renewed Will. 433 33 The Life of God from which we are alienated by Nature wherein it consists 215 21 Life natural what it is and wherein it consists 239 3 c. Life spiritual what it is 240 6 Life unto God of Adam in Innocency ibid. Spiritual Life of Adam in Innocency 241 7 Christ how he is our Life 247 23 Spiritual Life wherein it consists 419 13 Life unto God consists principally in Duties internal 464 3 The Light within examined 19 23 Things against the Light of Nature not really enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 Saving Light attainable by the Gospel onely 208 9 Saving Light how communicated to the Mind 283 54 Light and Ability in the renewed Mind 432 31 Some things clear in the Light of Nature 560 13 Literal sence of Doctrines of Truth may be understood 219 28 Three things required to render man meet to live to God 76 14 No Local Motion in the sending of the Spirit 84 8 Local Mutations in Vision or Divine Revelations the Nature of them 109 16 The Spirit of the Lord is Jehova 65 31 Love abused by Superstition vain 125 6 Love the first Grace acted by Christ in the offering of himself 144 Spiritual Love how implanted on the Soul 284 56 Love to Man the Spring of Christs holy Obedience 449 58 Love derives Vertue from the Death of Christ and how 495 37 Love effectual to make us like unto God 513 25 Especial Effects of Divine Love 514 25 26 27. Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Love towards all Saints promoted by thoughts of Eternal Love 517 18 Electing Love a Motive unto Holiness 529 20 Lustrations and Purgations whence in use among the Heathen 376 4 Lusts of the Mind from Darkness 231 51 Particular Lusts not the entire Objects of Mortification 481 14 M. Macedonian Heresie concerning the Holy Spirit 46 7 Man a middle Creature between Angels above and sensitive Animals below 75 10 Man the perfection of the Inferiour Creaation 75 12 The New Man what it is 184 21. 367 Outward Manner and Wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 Manner of the secret growth of Grace 347 8 The Manner and Way how the Blood of Christ doth cleanse us from Sin 387 5 Manner of the Operation of the Spirit in the Mortification of Sin 484 21 Manner of teaching by the greatest Moralist compared with that of Christ. 561 16 Not the Matter only but the Words of Divine Revelations given by Inspiration
whence voluntary and meritorious 146 9 Obligation unto Holiness no less under the Gospel than under the Law 535 6 All Obstacles removed by effectual Grace 270 30 Obstinacy and Stubbornness of the Heart by Nature 277 45 Obstructions of the Growth of Holiness 350 10 Occasions of spiritual decays in Grace 354 How Christ Offered himself to God through the Eternal Spirit 143 8 Office of Witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ discharged by the Holy Spirit 149 13 One singular Spirit of God declared in the Scripture 33 8 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 Operations of the Spirit called the Spirit by a Metonymy 33 8 Divine Operations of all sorts ascribed to the Holy Spirit 59 24 All Divine Operations ascribed unto God absolutely 68 1 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ of two sorts 128 2 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ notwithstanding its personal Vnion with the Son 129 3 Operations of the Holy Spirit in Conversion suited unto the Powers of our Souls 270 31 Two-fold Operation of Christ as Three in One 162 Opening of the Heavens what it signifies 52 15 Opinions in the Primitive Church falsly fathered on spiritual Revelations 15 19 Opposition to the Spirit of God and his Works with the Grounds of it 21 25 Pretences of Opposition unto the Spirit of God examined 21 25 Oppositions against the Church suppressed by the Spirit of God 78 16 No Opposition between Gods Commands and his Grace 167 Vniversal Opposition between Sin and Grace 477 7 Order of Divine Dispensations dependeth on the Order of the subsistence of the Divine Persons 39 14 Order of subsistence of the Holy Spirit in the Blessed Trinity 66 33 Order of Operation depending on the Order of Subsistence not the Order of Promination ibid. Outward Order in the Church of no use without the Presence and Work of the Spirit 158 4 Order in Subsistence gives Order in Operation 162 Order of the Mind in its first Creation 212 15 Order of the Gospel inverted by Prejudices 235 58 Order of Precedency in the Acts of Sanctification 410 1 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Original of all things in their several kinds 73 9 Original of the Spirits Acting in all his Works towards the Church 89 15 Where Original Sin is denyed Regeneration cannot be effected 186 24 Original Order of our Souls wherein it consisted 568 6 Outward Manner and wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 P. Pains of Death how loosed towards Christ. 147 11 Vanity of Papal Inventions for the Purification of Sin 379 380 Partial departure of the Spirit from any 91 19 Partial Works deceitfull 369 Two Parts of the Life of God 423 16 Particular good End not sufficient to render a Duty Good or Holy 441 44 Peace with God preserved by Sanctification 323 3 How God sanctifieth us as the God of Peace ibid. Pelagius his Artifices 177 9 Doctrine of Pelagius 183 20 Pelagianism renewed 255 5 Pelagianisme reduced unto its Head 256 7 Difference between Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians 262 19 Pelagian Grace inconsistent with Prayer 265 24 Pelagius his Prayer 266 25 Pelagian Grace rejected 458 73 Pen-men of the Scripture whether all holy 111 18 Pen-men of the Scripture not left unto the use of their own Natural Abilities 114 20 Sinless Perfection not attainable in this Life 547 25 Persecution of Erring Persons vain and fruitless 19 20 23 Person of the Spirit and his Operations distinguished 33 8 Third Person in the Trinity whence called the Spirit 34 9 Person of the Father the Fountain of the Trinity 38 13 Some things not proper to a Person assigned to the Holy Ghost in what sence 48 9 The Person of the Holy Spirit not poured out but his Gifts and Graces 87 13 Every Divine Person Author of the same Work 68 1 The Person of Christ how the Fountain of all Grace 455 The whole Person of a Believer the subject of Sanctification 365 Divine Persons succeeded not to each other in their Operations 70 3 Manifestation of the distinction of Persons in the Divine Nature a great End in the Work of the New Creation 155 2 All Personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Personal Vnion or the Subsistence of both the Natures of Christ in one Person the necessary Consequent of Assumption 129 5 Personality of the Holy Spirit from John 14. 15 16. 60 61 25 Perswasive Efficacy of the Word Preached 258 12 Perswasion conferres no Strength 262 21 Perswasions enable not men to convert themselves 266 25 Perswasions of Perfection ruinous to Holiness 355 Pharisaical Confidence 397 12 Wise Philosophers of Old the greatest Despisers of the Gospel 221 222 Physical Operations of Grace proved 269 29 Pleas for Balaam answered 111 112 19 Pleas of Pelagians 263 21 Vain Pleas for the Power of Free-will in Opposition to the Aids of the Spirit 471 15 Pleas for Holiness by unholy persons uncomely and dangerous 498 2 Pleas for Moral Vertue examined 506 15 Pollution or spiritual Defilement in Sin 372 3 Pollution of Sin that property of it whereby it is opposed to the Holiness of God 374 4 Habitual Pollution inconsistent with any Holiness 378 Pouring forth of the Spirit 86 11 Pouring forth of the Spirit alwayes respects the times of the Gospel 87 12 Power ascribed unto the Holy Spirit 58 22 Powers and Operations of Secondary Causes to be owned 77 15 Power of the Mind with respect unto spiritual things examined 216 23 Power in the Mind by Nature to discern spiritual things 221 30 Power of spiritual Darkness 227 43 Power of Darkness in the Devil 228 45 Powers and Duties of the Mind 236 60 Power unto Obedience in the State of Innocency 241 8 Power in Natural men beyond what they do or will use 245 20 Power in the Faculties of Nature as Corrupted 250 29 Power of the Word to prevail on the Souls of Men whereon it depends 258 13 Spiritual Power in the Habit of Holiness 432 31 Commands of the Covenant respect the Power administred in the Covenant 432 30 Spiritual Power wherein it consists 432 31 No Power in Believers unto Duties of Holy Obedience without assistance of the Spirit 465 c. Power administred by Christ enabling us to be Holy 502 8 No Power given by one Covenant to fulfill the Commands of the other 544 20 All power unto Obedience from Grace 546 22 Two-fold power necessary unto Obedience 547 26 Practice of Moral Vertue not Gospel Holiness 459 77 Pravity of Sin with respect unto the Holiness of God Two-fold 377 6 Praying for the Spirit prescribed as our Duty 123 124 5 Difference between the Prayers of Wicked men and of Believers 164 6 Prayers of the Church prove Effectual Grace 265 24 Prayers for Grace and Holiness of what Nature 348 349 9 Prayer for the Holy Spirit in what sence 357 2
what sence 453 67 Universality the best Evidence of sincere Sanctification 369 Unregenerate Persons must all perish 253 2 Unregenerate Persons may pray for the Spirit 361 4 Use of spiritual Gifts 1 1 Use of Promises Exhortations and Threatnings 166 10 Use of Ordinances and Means necessary to the Progress of Holiness 354 Diligent Use of Means required unto every one that would be holy 521 4 Usefulness in the World depends on our Conformity to God 512 22 W. Water poured on Grace to cause it to grow 347 8 Fire and Water the Means of all Typical Cleansing 371 1 Watching against Sin on the Account of its Defilement 403 15 The Way whereby the Blood of Christ cleanseth from Sin known to few 384 3 The Way of Cleansing Sin made known by the Holy Spirit alone 388 Wayes whereby Grace is encreased 343 6 Wayes and Means whereby we may come to a Discovery of the Defilement of Sin 395 The weakest Grace shal be preserved 344 6 Weakness of Humane Reason to instruct us unto Obedience 559 13 A Rational Will the most eminent Property of a Person ascribed to the Holy Ghost 57 2â— The Will of the Spirit in all his Operations 165 8 Christ not to be sought in the Wilderness in what sence 151 15 Will and Affections how under the Power of the Mind 237 61 The Will of God the only Rule of Obedience 249 27 Wills and Assections of men how wrought upon by the Word 259 13 The Will in Conversion acts not but as it is acted 271 35 Acts of the Will in Conversion how to be considered 274 39 The Will considered as a Vital Faculty and as a free Principle 283 55 Will of God the Rule and Measure of our Obedience 412 3 Every gracious Act of the Will wrought by the Holy Spirit 470 14 Wisdom and Power of the Holy Spirit in the Preservation of Grace 348 9 Wisdom of God to be considered in all Commands of Obedience 543 18 19 c. Office of Witness-bearing unto the Lord Christi discharged by the Holy Spirit 149 13 Witness of the Spirit 168 9 Words the Means of any thing in us applyed to God intend signs onely of it 160 What the Word worketh instrumentally the Spirit worketh effectually 197 11 Word of God the onely Rule and Means of perswading the Soul to Conversion 257 8 Word and Doctrine of Christ the Rule and Measure of Holiness 445 52 Every divine Work distinctly assigned to each Person 68 1 Work of the Spirit towards the Humane Nature of Christ in the state of the Dead 146 10 Every Work of the Spirit is not sanctifying or saving 166 9 Work of Illumination and Conviction wherein it comes short of Conversion 199 16 Work of the Spirit in Regeneration not confined to Arguments and Motives 261 19 Work of the Holy Ghost in Sanctification owned by all the Nature of that Work questioned 339 3 Work of Holiness secret and Mysterious 351 10 Work of Grace variously carryed on in the Soul 353 Work of the Holy Spirit in us as to the Subject and Object of it 385 3 Entire Work of the Holy Ghost in Sanctification explained 435 35 What Works ascribed distinctly to the Father what to the Son and what to the Holy Spirit 69 2 Works supposed satisfactory for Sin overthrow the Gospel 331 13 Workings of the Spirit of God on and in men of the World 77 15 Writing of the Scripture an Effect of the Holy Ghost 113 19 Three things required unto the Writing of the Scripture 113 20 Z. Zeal to the Glory of God how Acted by Christ in his Oblation 144 A TABLE of some Places of Scripture Explained or Applyed in this Treatise GENESIS Chapters Verses Pages Sections 1 2 38 13 1 2 72 8 1 22 32 7 1 26 27 75 11 2 7 74. 465 10 6 3 8 29 2 4 4 53 16 6 5 211 366 15 6 6 63 28 8 1 29 2 8 11 53 16 9 1 2 510 18 17 1 334 413 13 4 EXODUS 4 8 115 21 7 1 102 8 31 2 3. 118 25 LEVITICUS 1 11 385 4 9 24 53 16 NUMBERS 11 16 17 95 116 21 12 8 106 12 19 4 5 6. 389 Â Â 20 387 4 â—4 1 112 18 DEUTERONOMY 5 29 424 17 13 1 2 18 22 18 20 14 17 30 6 417 11 32 12 65 31 JOSHUA 10 11 115 12 12 22 112 18 JUDGES Chapters Verses Pages Sections 3 10 17 15 5 20 71 6 I. SAMUEL 10 9 117 Â 16 14 36 11 Â 15 91 19 18 10 37 11 19 24 110 17 II. SAMUEL 23 2 101 7 I. KINGS 22 6 13 16 22 26 15 18 22 21 22. 33 7 22 18 108 14 II. KINGS 2 9 95 21 I. CHRONICLES 12 18 90 16 28 12 105 10 28 19 113 19 EZRA 9 6 396 Â JOB 9 29 30 31 379 Â 26 13 71 7 32 4 58 22 33 4 75 12 PSALMS 1 4 29 2 5 4 5 6. 500 3 8 3 72 7 Psalms Verses Pages Sections 16 11 146 10 18 21 22 23 490 28 19 12 13 408 Â 33 6 35 9 38 5 377 5 40 6 7 8 144 Â 45 13 329 12 5â— 11 35 9 Â 5 402 Â Â 7 389 5 53 3 395 Â 63 8 425 18 68 18 157 3 104 29 30. 73 9 139 13 14. 327 10 143 10 37 12 PROVERBS 1 23 86 11 4 18 347 9 6 10 436 36 8 26 74 10 30 12 397 12 ECCLESIASTES 5 6 31 5 12 10 114 20 SOLOMONS SONG 5 2 3 436 Â ISAIAH 4 4 370 1 6 6 7 54 17 11 1 2 3 131 59. 90 94. 23 18 20. 20 1 2 3. 109 15 32 15 86 11 40 27 28 342 5 40 31 431 30 44 3 88 13 45 1 77 118 15 22 57 9 10 376 232. 5 53 59 20 21 11 11 61 1 139 4 63 10 11 14 35 65 9 31 64 6 377 6 JEREMIAH 2 22 379 Â 4 22 216 22 20 9 103 8 23 28 104 10 23 33 36 108 14 31 33 418 11 52 23 32 6 EZEKIEL Chapters Verses Pages Sections 8 3 109 16 13 3 32 7 16 60 61 62 63 396 Â 36 25 26 27. 185 335 370 418 23 14 1 11. DANIEL 10 9 107 13 12 3 83 7 12 9 104 10 HOSEA 1 2 109 15 5 13 388 Â 8 12 236 59 14 5 6 346 8 AMOS 4 13 30 3 MICAH 2 7 59 23 3 8 101 7 6 6 7 331 13 ZEPHANIAH 3 17 91 18 ZECHARIAH 4 7 78 16 12 8 342 5 13 1 387 394. 4 11. MATTHEW 1 18 131 10 3 11 54 17 3 16 17 52 139 17 4 16 207 6 6 22 23 237 61 9 38 142 6 12 24 28 31 32. 63 141 6 29 24 26 151 15 27 46 130 6 28 19 45 50 51 Â MARK 1 12 141 7 11 13 36 Â 13 32 130 6 17 5 360 Â LUKE Chapters Verses Pages Sections 1 35 131 10 2 11 5 3 2 40 137 2 3 16 88
Church They praying by his especial Guidance and Assistance say Come or Preachers say unto others Come and the Bride or the Body of the Church acted by the same Spirit joyn with them in this great Request and Supplication and thereunto all Believers are invited in the following words and let him that heareth say Come Sect. 10 All these things were necessary to be premised in general as giving some insight into the Nature of the Operations of the Holy Spirit in us and towards us And hereby we have made our Way plain to the consideration of his especial Works in the Calling Building and Carrying on the Church unto Perfection Now all his Works of this kind may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Of Sanctifying Grace 2. Of Especial Gifts 3. Of peculiar Evangelical Priviledges Only we must observe that these things are not so distinguished as to be negatively contradistinct to each other for the same thing under several Considerations may be all these a Grace a Gift and a Priviledg All that I intend is to reduce the Operations of the Holy Spirit unto these Heads casting each of them under that which it is most eminent in and as which it is most directly proposed unto us And I shall begin with his Work of Grace BOOK III. VVORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE New Creation BY REGENERATION CHAP. I. 1. The New Creation Compleated 2. Regeneration the especial Work of the Holy Spirit 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Wrought under the Old Testament but clearly revealed in the New And 10 11 12. is of the same kind in all that are Regenerate 13 14. The Causes and Way of it being the same in all 15 16. It consisteth not in Baptism alone Nor 17 18. in a Moral Reformation of Life But 19 20. a New Creature is Formed in it whose 21 22. Nature is declared and 23. farther explained 24. Denial of the Original Depravation of Nature the Cause of many Noxious Opinions 25 26. Regeneration consisteth not in Enthusiaslick Raptures their Nature and Danger 27. The whole Doctrine necessary dâ—spised corrupted vindicated Sect. 1 WE have formerly declared the Work of the Holy Spirit in Preparing and Forming the Natural Body of Christ. This was the beginning of the New Creation the Foundation of the Gospel-State and Church But this was not the whole of the Work he had to do As he had provided and prepared the Natural Body of Christ so he was to prepare his Mystical Body also And hereby the Work of the New Creation was to be compleated and perfected And as it was with respect unto him and his Work in the Old Creation so was it also in the New All things in their first production had Darkness and Death upon them For the Earth was Void and without Form and Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep Gen. 1. 2. Neither was there any thing that had either Life in it or Principle of Life or any Disposition thereunto In this condition he moved on the prepared Matter preserving and cherishing of it and communicating unto all things a Principle of Life whereby they were animated as we have declared It was no otherwise in the New Creation There was a Spiritual Darkness and Death came by sin on all Mankind Neither was there in any Man living the least Principle of Spiritual Life or any Disposition thereunto In this State of things the Holy Spirit undertaketh to create a New World New Heavens and a New Earth wherein Righteousness should dwell And this in the first place was by his Effectual Communication of a New Principle of Spiritual Life unto the Souls of God's Elect who were the Matter designed of God for this Work to be wrought upon This he doth in their Regeneration as we shall now manifest Sect. 2 1. Regeneration in Scripture is every-where assigned to be the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit John 3. 3 4 5 6. Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Nicodemus saith unto him How can a Man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It was an ancient knowing Teacher of the Church of the Jews a Master in Israel whom our Blessed Saviour here discourseth withal and instructs For on the consideration of his Miracles he concluded that God was with him and came to enquire of him about the Kingdom of God Our Saviour knowing how all our Faith and Obedience to God and all our Acceptance with him depended on our Regeneration or being born again acquaints him with the necessity of it wherewith he is at first surprized Wherefore he proceeds to instruct him in the Nature of the Work whose necessity he had declared And this he describes both by the Cause and the Effect of it For the Cause of it he tells him it is wrought by Water and the Spirit By the Spirit as the Principal Efficient Cause and by Water as the Pledg Sign and Token of it in the initial Seal of the Covenant the Doctrine whereof was then preached amongst them by John the Baptist or the same thing is intended in a redoubâ—ed Expression the Spirit being signified by the Water also under which Notion he is often promised Sect. 3 Hereof then or of this Work the Holy Spirit is the Principal Efficient Cause whence he in whom it is wrought is said to be born of the Spirit v. 8. so is every one that is born of the Spirit And this is the same with what is delivered Chap. 1. v. 13. Who are born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God The Natural and Carnal Means of Blood Flesh and the Will of Man are rejected wholly in this Matter and the whole Efficiency of the New Birth is ascribed unto God alone His Work answers what-ever Contribution there is unto Natural Generation from the Will and Nature of Man For these things are here compared and from its Analogie unto Natural Generation is this Work of the pirit called Regeneration so in this place is the Allusion and Opposition between these things expressed by our Saviour That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit v. 6. And herein also we have a farther Description of this Work of the Holy Spirit by its Effect or the Product of it It is Spirit a new Spiritual Being Creature Nature Life as shall be declared And because there is in it a Communication of a new Spiritual Life it is called a Vivification or quickning with respect unto the State wherein all Men