in the world men of soul or foulie men but not one of them did know God or seek after God Paul therefore hath laid it down for an universal Maxime That the animal natural or soulie man receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Whilest he is without the spirit of God they are no better than foolishnesse unto him and so are rejected by him Sixthly Observe The principle of spiritual life and motion is the spirit of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk Immediately upon the putting in of the spirit into the heart of any there is life and motion men live and move spiritually Some make grace the principle of life and motion but all grace flows from the spirit Gal. 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 and why should grace have that honour is due to the spirit It was the entrance of the spirit which quickned the dead bodies of the Witnesses and caused them to move Rev. 11.11 and it is the entrance of the spirit which quickens dead souls and causes them to move We must beware of an error here which hath siezed upon divers of late viz That because the spirit is in us and the principle of life and motion that therefore the spirit doth all Matth 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you so it is not you that do but the spirit in you and if the spirit speaketh and do all we must sit still and leave our selves to the spirits motions and actings This is a dangerous error know therefore That though the spirit be in men and the principle of life and motion yet it doth not act or work without us in the putting in of the spirit we are Passive John 3.6 we concur no more to our birth then a child doth to its generation but when the spirit is in us and hath quickned us then there is the co-operation of man with the spirit Rom 8.16 The spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit vers 26. It helpeth our infirmities Acti agimus the spirit acts us and we co-act with it If the spirit did all then the spirit should repent believe and not man but what cause hath the spirit to repent or believe it never sinned it stands not in need of help or mercy that place Matth 10.20 is not absolutely to be taken that they did not speak for so it should be false Luke 12.12 The holy spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say They spake and the spirit taught them to speak the place is to be taken comparatively not you but the spirit that is it is rather the spirit than you the spirit is the principle which sets you on For men to sit still and leave all to the spirit is a grieving of the spirit and contradicts what the spirit hath given out Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you The spirit would have us use means and doth most vigorously assist us when we are most diligent in the use of them Prov. 2.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 15.2 Quest If the spirit be put into us dwell in us and be the principle of life and motion what need the soul look unto Christ for any fresh or further supply Answ 1. It is granted there is a sufficiency and fullnesse in the spirit yet because it is the will of God that we should look unto Christ we are bound to do it Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our faith 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and Paul himself 2 Cor. 12.8 9. looked up to Christ for more help notwithstanding he had a fullnesse of the spirit within him Acts 13.9 Answ 2. The spirit is not the head of the body though it be in the body that honour is Christs Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church and from it the whole body receiveth influence Eph. 4.15 16. Col. 2.19 it s requisite therefore that every member in the body should look up to the head Seventhly Observe God first makes men good and then they do good first he puts his spirit into them and then they walk in his wayes It is said of God himself He is good and doth good Psal 119.68 He is first good and then good comes from him so God makes men good by the infusion of his spirit and then they bring forth spiritual fruit Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Since mans fall amongst all the sons of men God finds none good Rom. 2.10 There is none righteous no not one if any be so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made him so by his spirit he hath made him a new creature so fitted him for good works the Tree must first be good before the fruit be good amongst men good actions are first done and then men are reputed good but with God it is otherwise he makes men first good and then they do good actions they do not make themselves good by their free will by frequent acts of good but God puts in his spirit towards which they contribute nothing and thereby they are made good and act answerably then their actions have life in them worth in them and are suitable to God who is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth Let men look heedfully to themselves and not stand upon their actions men may do many actions outwardly glorious and magnified by men themselves being corrupt and naught if men have not the spirit of God in them their actions are no better than corrupt fruit of a corrupt Tree they do not please God and if any have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his He is neither good nor doth good Eighthly Observe In what heart soever the spirit dwells there will be outward and visible manifestations of it Grace within will appear without I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and to do them The spirit is like the Sun in the Firmament which cannot be hid long though it may be clouded for a season the Cough and Grace are of such natures as will not be concealed and the spirit is of that nature as it will diâ—â—â—â—er it self in the man it is within causing him to change his courses and to walk in other wayes then ever he walked in When the spirit is put into a swearer a lyar an unclean person an extortioner a bloudy persecutor it makes the swearer fear an oath the lyar speak truth from his heart the unclean man to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour the extortioner to make satisfaction and give half of his goods to the poor and the bloudy persecutor to love and preach the Gospel he persecuted so demonstrating it self to
in you than he that is in the world The Devil had been in them before but was now driven out of them into the world by the spirit which was in them and their lusts were mortified by the same spirit Rom 8.13 Fourthly The Spirit put into man takes the rule and government of that man into his own hand he must no longer be under the dominion of sin or Satan but under the conduct of the spirit he and all in him must bow to that great Person When a great man cometh into the Countrey to dwell he looks for all about him to bow unto him and to be at his command hence men that have stout and stubborn spirits which cannot bow use to say Magnum vicinum nolumus We care not for a great Neighbour The spirit is greater than all men and when he is put into men it 's to rule he is there not to be checked controled opposed but to bear sway to have the Keyes of every Room delivered up unto him he must be and will be Soveraign in the soul before him every Mountain and Hill must be brought low yea every creature must swear fealty unto him Rom 8.14 They are lead by the spirit of God The spirit is the Commander and Leader of those it dwells in they follow him and not others whereas those that are without the spirit are led away with diverse lusts 2 Tim 3.6 or drawn away with their own lust James 1.14 and so follow Satan 1 Tim 5.15 It 's not so with those that have the spirit that is call'd A Guide John 16.13 and such a Guide as guides into all truth and orders them so as that they shall not miscarry for its a spirit of wisdome Ephes 1.17 of counsell Isa 11.2 of power 2 Tim 1.7 so that he must rule and where he rules he doth it wisely Fifthly He frames them to his own mind and transforms them into his own likenesse as a Graft put into a Stock turns the sap of the Stock and assimilates it and the Stock to it self so doth the spirit in the parties where it is 2 Cor 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or by the Lord the Spirit so the Greek will bear it we are selfish sinfull natural morall and the spirit makes us spiritual The husband frames the mind of his wise suitable unto his own when a man comes into an old house he pulls down and sets up he takes away and adds what he pleases and fits the house to his own mind so doth the spirit being in our earthly Tabernacles it abrogates the Laws of the flesh it throws out the Principles of Satan and the world it sets up new Laws and works new Principles Rom 3.27 Chap 8.2 Sixthly The spirit being put into man and man becoming his Temple he doth beautifie and adorn that Temple and make it glorious Solomon over-laid the Temple with pure gold 1 Kings 6.21 the inside was very glorious and the spirit trims up its Temple with pure graces with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Gal 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 The spirit garnished the Heavens with those greater and lesser Lights Job 26.13 which fill this lower world with their glory It s the spirit which reneweth the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and makes it beautifull and its the spirit reneweth and garnisheth the soul making it glorious and beautifull with all graces Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and the spirits Temple is no lesse glorious If Solomons Temple were call'd The holy and beautifull house Isa 64.11 much more may the Temple of the spirit be so called Seventhly It being in man enables him to do many things it strengthens him with might to do that which otherwise he could not do Eph 3.16 As First To discern between the things of men and the things of God between the things of Christ and those of Antichrist between true and counterfeit graces 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things He hath the spirit enabling him to make a difference and to see the reallity beauty and excellency of some things above others The High Priests Scribes Pharisees saw no beauty in Christ that they should desire him but the Apostles who had the spirit in them did John 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and Paul saw so much in Christ and the knowledge of him That he counted all things but lasse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Secondly It enables them to pray spiritually Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought The spirit tells us what to pray for and helps us to bring forth those Petitions it hath formed in us Zech 12.10 it s call'd The spirit of supplication because it teaches us what to supplicate God for and assists us in supplicating Both Paul and Jude exhorts those they write unto To pray in the spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. That is in the strength and help of the spirit not in their own strength Thirdly It enables to stand in time of trouble persecution and sufferings The spirit prompts answers unto those that are questioned for truths sake and helps them against all their opposers see Mark 13.11 Matth 10.19 20. Luke 12.11 12. When they were lead before Magistrates and Powers they must take no thought before hand what to speak nor premeditate the spirit should help them encourage and uphold them not an Angel but the spirit Acts 6.10 Stephen was so mightily assisted by the spirit that his opposers viz the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and others were not able to withstand him Fourthly It enables to bring forth good fruit If there be no sap in a Vine it will bear no fruit if there be only our own sap it will yeeld sowre fruit but if the sap of the spirit be there then it will afford good fruit speciall fruit Acts 10.38 Christ being anointed with the holy spirit and with power he went about doing good so the Apostles Acts 1.8 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 uttermost parts of the earth The spirit impowered them to walk up and down in the world to preach the Gospel convert souls plant Churches and to do them good so did Paul Rom. 15.19 Where the spirit is it enables and provokes unto good John 7.38 39. Fifthly The spirit enables men to keep the Word of God and yeeld obedience unto it 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy spirit which dwelleth in us Timothy saith Paul thou hast that which is of great concernment committed to thy keeping viz the Gospel the form of sound words and thou
be in them The spirit in Scripture is compared to Fire Matth 3.11 to a mighty wind Acts 2.2 to a fountain or spring John 7.38 39. to an ointment 1 John 2.27 to the oyl of gladnesse Psal 45.7 All which things will be seen heard or smelt and set out the spirits manifestation of it self The spirit is an active thing and makes its inbeing-known by mens outward actions as the in-being of the soul is by speaking and walking the sap keeps not alwayes in the root but ascends disperseth it self into every branch and by leaves blossoms and fruit declares the life and nature of the Tree many whose lives do testifie what they are cheat their own souls with this delusion They have honest hearts and are inwardly good though they be not so gracious and holy outwardly as others yea though corruptions do break out sometimes inwardly they are good but let such know it is impossible there should be grace Christ or the spirit within them and these not appear in their tongues and lives For out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks and the hand acts The corruption breaks out testifies there is a corrupt graceless Christless and spiritless heart within Ninthly Observe When men have received the spirit of God they are assisted and enabled by it to proceed and persevere in the wayes of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements As the stonynesse of their hearts and power of their wills could not hinder God frâ—â—â—utting in his spirit so the stonyness being removed the liberty or power of the will cannot hinder the spirit from carrying on the men in whom it is in the wayes of God it complyes and co-operates with the spirit therein Mans Will after the spirits infusion and work upon it neither doth nor can hinder his proceeding and persevering in the wayes of God for if so mans will should frustrate the promise of God and make him in one part of it unfaithful for he that said I will put my spirit within you said also I will cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and do them he saith not If man will it shall be so but I will have it so The spirit of God is stronger than Satan 1 John 4.4 Stronger than mens wills and corruptions and will put forth his strength to maintain the truth and faithfulnesse of him who put him within men for that end that he should assist them against whatever should hinder their progress and perseverance in his wayes The spirit writes the Law of God in the hearts of men 2 Cor. 3.3 teaches them to understand the same 1 John 2.27 and enables them to obey all truth 1 Pet. 1.22 They obeyed the Truth through the spirit that caused them to walk in the way of truth notwithstanding Satans temptations the strength of their own corruptions and liberty of their wills Those that have the spirit are led by it and cannot be under the dominion of sin or Satan Rom. 6.14 They are under grace under the conduct of the spirit which will never let them apostatize and perish 1 John 3.9 There is a seed in them which will never suffer them so to degenerate as to become the seed of the Serpent Tenthly Observe Those that have the spirit in them do make godlinesse and the wayes of God their businesse and delight here in this world They walk in his statutes that 's their work trade recreation no businesse lyes more upon them than to be godly The world they are dead unto it Gal. 6.14 and use it as if they used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. And sin they are dead unto they have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darknesse Ephes 5.11 but they are alive unto God Rom 6.11 They spend their time and strength for him they live to his praise and glory So Paul Phil. 1.21 saith To me to live is Christ Vita mea non nisi in rebus Christi occupatur My life is employed and laid out in the service and interest of Christ Those that have the spirit in them live in the spirit and walk in the spirit according to Gal. 5.25 They shew forth the vertues of him that hath put in the spirit within them and the vertues of the spirit being within them David had the spirit of God within him and he made godlinâ—â—â—e his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his principal businesse and the statutes of God his delight Psal 119.164 Seaven times a day do I praise thee vers 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee vers 97. Gods Law was his meditation all the day Psal 71.15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and salvation all the day Psal 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Psal 84. â—0 A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the Tents of wickedâ—esse Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Where is a King where is a Christian that mindeth godlinesse as David did or delights in the wayes of God as he did May it not be taken up for a lamentation that most Christians declare that neither Christ nor the spirit is in them because they neither seek the things of the one nor savour the things of the other Phil. 2.21 Rom. 8.5 Eleventhly Observe A man indowed with the spirit must walk in Gods statutes and in his only I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes they must not worship God any other way then he hath appointed in his word Inward and outward worship must be appointed by God for who knows what will please God but himself he is a glorious and holy spirit infinitely and only wise and that only must we stick unto as pleasing unto him which himself appoints Mens inventions and appointments in worship defile mens souls provoke divine Majesty a godly man therefore is very tender in point of worship and will practice nothing therein but what he hath found a cleer foundation for out of the word of God he knows that when Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire before God it brought a strange judgement upon them from God Levit. 10.1 2. He knows that all worship after the Commandements and Traditions of men is in vain Matth. 15.9 He knows no Coin is currant in the Court of Heaven but that which hath the Image and Superscription of God himself upon it he knows what God hath said Ezek. 20.18 19. Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with their idols I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes and keep
gather thee Berachamim gedolim When God gathers his out of Babylon a state of confusion that is mercy and when he brings them into Sion to behold the order beauty and glory thereof that is great mercy and God will not leave them there but go on with them and heap great mercies still upon them see Isa 49.18 19 20 21 22 23. Jer. 32.37 38 39 40 41. Secondly Observe Justification is a gracious act of God upon a sinner I will sprinkle clean water upon you It s Gods prerogative to forgive and blot out sins Mark 2.7 Isa 43.25 and this he doth freely it s an act of grace and mercy Rom 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace Now in this act nothing is done in a sinner there is no grace infused no change made in the heart by it there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein it s upon a sinner justifying grace is subjectively in God objectively on man for its a judicial act of God which puts nothing into the creature Rom 3.22 It s upon all them that do believe Thirdly Observe The bloud of Christ applyed by the Spirit of God is efficatious to free sinners from the guilt of their sins and of all their sins of what bind soever they be I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Their sins were great very great they were guilty of bloud oppressing the widow and fatherless of idolatry of despising and profaning holy things Ezek 22.8.26 They were under the guilt of all crying and notorious sins Ezek 16.47 worse then Sodom or Samaria then the Nations Ezek 5.7 yet the Lord would cleanse them by the bloud of Christ there was virtue in that to cleanse them from their old spots from their deep guilt yea from all their guilt they should be clean from all their filthinesses As water washeth all the filth out of a cloath so doth the bloud of Christ all sin out of the soul 1 Joh 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin the guilt of our thoughts words acts neglects there is no sin defiles the conscience so but the bloud of Christ will purge it away Heb 9.14 Chap 1.3 Christs bloud is of great virtue it purges away all sin and procures peace Coloss 1.20 So that being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath as it is Rom 5.9 Fourthly Observe All sin defiles and makes guilty before God yet some sins defile more then others and make more deeply guilty God would cleanse them from all their filthinesse from every sin that had poluted them and made them guilty and from their idols which had made them more deeply guilty Idolatry hath more guilt adhering to it then many other sins that 's a sin breaks Covenant with God deposes God and sets up an Idoll in his stead Verse 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THis is another great promise even a promise of Regeneration and in it there is considerable 1. The party promising I I I I. 2. The things promised 1. A new heart 2. A new spirit 3. Removall of the stony heart 4. An heart of flesh 3. The parties to whom the Lord will do these things You You You. 4. The manner of Gods doing these things which is by giving putting and taking away A new heart also will I give you By heart in Scripture is signified the judgement and understanding Eph 4.18 The will and affections Prov 23.26 and the conscience 1 John 3.20 all which are here comprehended in the word heart New notes sometimes that which is for substance new totally new as new ropes Judges 16.11 12. A new wife Deut 24.5 New gods Deut 32.17 And sometimes that which is only for quality new as the new Moon Isa 66.23 From one new Moon to another The Moon is not new for substance but renewed with light new in regard of quality so New tongues Mark 16.17 They had not their old Tongues plucked or cut out of their mouths and other new ones put in but these Tongues they had before had new Languages put into them new gifts and graces Here then by A new heart is not intended one new for substance or nature of it but the same heart altered for the qualities of it renewed and indued with other qualities then it had before such qualities are wrought in the heart that a man thereupon is said to be regenerate or born again John 3.3 5 6 7. and to be a new creature Gal 6.15 This new heart lyeth not in those common gifts which many have yet without alteration in their hearts Judas had a covetous an earthly an old heart notwithstanding those great gifts he had He could cast out Devils and heal all manner of sicknesses Matth 10.1 4. And those Matth 7.22 23. Who had the gift of prophesie of casting out Devils and working wonders had no new hearts for Christ sends them going for workers of iniquity but it lyeth in grace infused which is a principle of light and life supernatural and permanent Man since the fall of Adam is in a state of darknesse and death Ephes 5.8 Chap 2.5 and when grace is infused that brings light and life unto the heart John 8. â—2 it s call'd The light of life and when a blind heart sees a dead heart lives there is a great and glorious alteration so that it is become a new heart it hath a new principle which is supernatural and permanent call'd The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Divine to shew the supernaturalnesse of it and Nature to shew the permanency of it And a new spirit will I put within you These very words we had Ezek 11.19 where they were largely opened New spirit there was interpreted to be those excellent qualities and graces God put into the soul and shewed upon what account they were call'd Spirit and New Here I conceive a new spirit is added Exegetically being the same with a new heart This new heart or new spirit causeth the partie in whom it is to look at God as a Father and so to honour him Mal. 1.6 To love him 1 John 5.1 To fear him 1 Pet. 1.17 To yield obedience to him Rom 6.17 1 Pet 1.14 15. Patiently to bear his chastisements Heb 12.6 7 8 9. To eschew sin and work righteousnesse 1 John 5.18 Chap 3.9 10. To acknowledge how he hath offended him Luke 15.18 To pray fervently unto him Rom 8.15 To be like unto him in mercifullnesse and doing of good Luke 6.36 To delight in his wayes and to have communion with him and his Son Christ 1 John 1.3 To worship him in spirit and truth John 4.23 To be thankfull alwayes unto him for all things Ephes 5.20 To live nobly and spiritually minding the things of Heaven Rom 8.5 1 Pet 1.14 John 3.6 2 Cor
new joyes in God in Christ in the Promises in the Saints and inables us to rejoyce and glory in tribulations Rom 5.3 Fourthly It intitles us to diverse new and excellent things As First To the New Covenant When a man hath a new heart and a new spirit he hath an interest in the New Covenant Jer 31.31 33. The law of sin and principles of Satan and the woâ—ld were writ in the old heart and old spirit and so the party was under the Covenant with death and hell Isa 28.15 but in the new heart is written the Law of God the Law of faith Rom 3.27 Heb 8.10 and so they are under the New Covenant which is call'd Grace Rom 6.14 Secondly To New Names Where there is newness of heart and spirit there they are sealed in their fore-heads with new Names their Title is New Creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 The Seed of Abraham Isa 41.8 Servants of Righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Children of Light John 12.36 Conquerours Rom 8.37 Gods workmanship Ephes 2.10 Kings and Priests Rev 1.6 Temples of God 1 Cor 3.16 The glory of God Isa 4.5 New born Babes 1 Pet 2.2 His Saints Psal 149.9 Vessels of Gold and Silver 2 Tim. 2.20 Wise Virgins Matth 25. Heirs of Salvation Heb 1.14 Thirdly To a New Lord and Master When their hearts were old Satan was their Soveraign They walked according to the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2 2 Tim 2.26 His lusts they did execute John 8.44 But having new hearts they have a new Lord a new Master and that is the Lord Christ Phil 1.1 Paul a servant of Christ He had a new heart and now he had a new Master which was Christ he would serve Satan no longer but Christ who dyed for sinners that they might live unto him 2 Cor. 5.15 When the hearts and spirits of men are new they are dead to their old Masters and have new Rom 7.4 Christ is the Husband and Head of every one renewed by his grace he is Lord and Master of all such 1 Cor. 7.22 Matth 23.8 Fourthly To a New Guard Such have a Guard of Angels about them before as they were without God so without the protection of his Angels exposed to all dangers but having new hearts and new spirits being new creatures they have a multitude of the Heavenly Host not only to praise God for their new-birth as they did at Christs birth Luke 2.13 but to attend and protect them Heb 1.14 Are not the Angels ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation and none shall be such but those that have new hearts and new spirits for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 15.50 Fifthly To New Alliance this change is wrought in them Blasphemers Idolaters Adulterers Drunkards Murtherers Lyars Vnbelievers Hypocrites and all profane ones they the very Devils themselves John 8.44 But when they have new hearts and new spirits then they have new kindred as a man that marries a woman all her kindred becomes his so here all that have new hearts and spirits are his kindred who hath a new heart he is allied unto them all Math 23.8 All ye are brethren All the Saints throughout the earth how great how learned how rich how gifted or gracious soever they be are all brethren yea the Angels are brethren unto those that have new hearts Rev. 19.10.22.9 and that which is beyond all Christ himself is their Brother and Father Math. 12.49 50. Heb 2.12 13. Sixthly To the New Mansions in the City made without hands John 14.2 saith Christ In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I go to prepare a place for you You have right and title to them ye have new hearts ye believe in God vers 1. and I go to prepare and fit places for you in those Mansions Fifthly The excellency of a new heart is this That it sets an high price upon the things of God and a low price upon the things of the world how goodly soever they appear whereas before the things of the world were magnified and the things of God slighted When Paul had another heart and another spirit then before then he had no confidence in the flesh then he did not value his great priviledges he counted them and all things but losse for Christ they did damnifie him rather then advantage him and therefore lookt upon them as dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of no worth chaffe dirt excrements in respect of Christ his righteousnesse and knowledge of him Phil. 3.7 8 9. all which had an excellency and were so prized by Paul that he was willing to lay down his life for them Acts 21.13 When Simon Magus offered the Apostles money for to have power to give the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands Peter in his own name and in the name of the rest said Thy money perish with thee we value not bags of gold and silver but the things of God Acts 8.19 20. When the Conjurers had the Devils cast out of them and new hearts given them they brought forth their books which they had highly valued and burnt them before all men and so many they burnt as came to fifty thousand pieces of silver Acts 19.19 and instead of these they prized the books of Moses the Prophets and Apostles A new heart sees excellency in spiritual things and saith It cannot over value them but for other things it puts them under its feet Sixthly It s excellent in that it doth really make God its end and aims at his glory in its operations before self was all now God is all Acts 20.23 24. Paul was told by the Spirit of God that bonds and afflictions did abide him every where that his life was in danger now had not Paul been a man of a new heart and spirit he would have shifted for himself and let the preaching of the Gospel have fallen but being such an one what saith he None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my selfe so I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God That was Pauls end to make known the grace of God in the Gospel towards poor sinners that so they partaking of that grace might give glory to God and God be glorified by him God and his glory were so in his eye that he gave out a rule for all Christians to eye and mind God and his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Seventhly It s the principle of eternal life and happinesse When God puts life light and grace into the heart and so makes it new he hath begun our admission into Heaven and happinesse this new heart and spirit are the water springs up into everlasting life John 4.14 They are the Eagles wings will carry you not only up to Heaven but into Heaven Concerning this new heart and new spirit there be divers mistakes
many think they have the same when they have it not There be several things which cause men to judge so First Outward Reformation When men cease from their former lewd courses when they give over their drunkenness whoredome swearing lying oppression and other scandalous practices they think themselves and are reputed of others to be new men and so to have new hearts but know A man may have escaped the pollutions of the world have changed his manners yet retain his old heart a Swine may be washed and yet reserve her Swinish nature Herod reformed in many things yet had an unreformed heart Mark 6.20 Luke 3.20 Chap. 9.9 The Scribes and Pharisees were whited Sepulchres they had beautifull out-sides they appeared righteous unto men but what were their hearts were they not full of hypocrisie and iniquity Matth 23.27 28. Shame among men fear of punishment death hell terrours of conscience afflictions strength of reason and hope of profits and reward may make a man reform his life and manners his heart being still naught a man formerly deboist and wicked may become a new man and yet not have a new heart Secondly Morall virtues cause many to be deceived about this new heart because they are temperate just prudent faithful to their friends true in their speeches patient under afflictions seek the publique good not their own interest are chaste and courteous unto all they thereupon conclude that they have the new heart and new spirit here spoken of but all these are no more then were found in heathens Scipio Aristides Cato Aemilius Lepidus Lucretia and others excell'd in morall virtues The Romane faith was in great esteem in all the world because the Romans kept their word and made good whatever they promised Many Heathens excell'd in morallities and did virtuous actions for virtues sake yet they had no new hearts or spirits they knew not what regeneration was they were strangers to the Life of God and Faith they attained to what they had by their own industry and what they did was not done according to the mind of God in his Word and so referring to his glory they sought their own glory in all Thirdly A form of godliness When men have left their old wayes of sin and taken up a way or form of godlinesse which is new to them they imagine themselves to be new and to have new hearts they read pray hear meditate and worship God with their hearts which they never did before and hence they ground a newness in their hearts The Jews have a form of godlinesse at this day yet are they cast off of God and numbred amongst unbelievers Rom 11.20 Such was their godliness as persecuted true godliness Acts. 13.50 1 Thess 2.15 The Heathens had forms of godlinesse Plato taught men not to sleep without repentance for their sins Hermes instructed them to pray earnestly unto God and continually for repentance to call upon him in the day and not to forget him in the night they worshipped by nature those were no gods Treatise of Moral Philosophy Gal. 4.8 Forms of worship they had though they worshipped blindly Socrates saw further then the most of them who said God must be worshiped only that way which he hath appointed yet neither Socrates nor the rest of the Heathens had new hearts Christians have forms of godlinesse yet all among them have not new hearts among Papists and Protestants are many religious but few pious they have the form of godliness but not the power Painted fire is not true fire and all that worship God do not worship him in newness of spirit the most do worship him with old hearts Fourthly Some are deceived upon this ground that they have the Law in their hearts approve of truth make conscience of their wayes have peace within and so determine their hearts are new But here is a great mistake the Law is in mens hearts by nature Rom 2.14 15. The Gentiles which had not the Law did by nature the things of the Law and so shewed the work of the Law written in their hearts When they did ill their consciences did accuse them and when they did well they did excuse them and so they had peace here was nothing supernatural where there is a new heart a new spirit there is something supernatural men have not these by descent from their parents but they are given they are put in by God I will give you a new heart and I will put within you a new spirit The Law that all men have in their hearts is by virtue of Creation not of the new Covenant that is another Law Jer 31.33 which is from grace not from nature where this Law is written the heart is new and so doth not only approve of truth in general but knows and approves of truth as it is in Christ Eph 4.21 and as it is according to godliness Truth in a new heart provokes unto Godliness and maketh conscientious towards God and men Acts 24.16 Looking at Christ for peace Rom 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God the conscience being purged from dead works by the bloud of Christ Men have sound peace in their new hearts It s false peace which men of old hearts have they bribe their consciences with doing something and that is their peace Fifthly New Relations make some to fancy they have new hearts and new spirits they are under Church priviledges they are Citizens of Sion inhabitants of Jerusalem in relation to Christ and his Ordinances this may be and yet without newnesse of heart or spirit Relations make not alterations in mens hearts Simon Magus was baptized stood in relation to Christ and the Gospel yet his heart was the same it was before Acts 8. The Jews gloried they were the seed of Abraham John 8.33 Yet they were of their father the Devill vers 44. and had bloudy hearts vers 40. seeking to kill Christ Rom 2.28 29. Outward priviledges may be as Circumcision of the flesh where there is no Circumcision of the heart and Paul tels us Gal 6.15 That Circumcision nor uncircumcision avail any thing but a new creature they may be where the new creature is not himself had many priviledges Phil. 3. when he was far from newness of heart Sixthly Gifts They breed mistakes in divers persons those that have choice and great gifts perswade themselves they have new hearts and spirits that they are gracious and good but there is a vast difference between gifts and grace 1. Gifts make not a man a Christian Heathens had great gifts as Tully Seneca Plato Aristotle Plutarch Its grace makes a Christian the Gentiles were not Christians and so not acceptable to God till they were sanctified by the Holy Spirit Rom 15.16 They may make a man an useful man not a good man Acts 11.24 It s faith and the graces of the Spirit make a good man 2. All gifts do seldome or never meet in one man but graces do
Law writ in his heart by the spirit but not as it is written by the spirit in the hearts of Believer who are under the new Covenant the spirit writ the Law in Adams heart as Concreator with the Father and the Son not by vertue of any Covenant but Believers receive the spirit and have the Law writ in them by vertue of Covenant God hath covenanted to put his spirit in them and they have the spirit from Christ and the Father Christ purchased of the Father the mission of the spirit therefore saith He will send the Comforter unto them John 16.7 And that he will pray the Father and he shall send the Comforter unto them John 14.16 So that Believers now have the spirit from God as a Father in Christ from Christ as Head of the Church and both these by vertue of the new Covenant Adam had not the spirit so and for those that had the spirit under the Law for some had it as you may see Psal 51.11 Nehem 9.20 Numb 27.18 Hagg. 2.5 they had it not by vertue of the Covenant of works Do this and live for none were able to keep the Law but by vertue of the Covenant of grace there was Gospel in the Law yea the whole Ceremonial Law was so The Apostle tells us that the Galatians received not the spirit by the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 And look how the Gentiles received the blessing of Abraham viz. the spirit which was through faith and through Christ vers 14. so did the Jews likewise Neither Jews nor Gentiles do bring any preparations or qualifications towards the reception of the spirit God gives his spirit freely where there are no such things when men are in a state of sin and wickednesse the spirit is put in first it s there and then it works grace before they have new hearts new spirits the stone be taken out of the heart and there be an heart of flesh the spirit is put in and acts he finds not qualifications or dispositions but brings them works them The Bees when they come to the Hive find no wax no honey there but they bring the wax and honey so the spirit when it comes to mens hearts it finds no wax no honey no graces nor gracious dispositions there but brings them when the spirit comes to regenerate and sanctifie it finds nothing in men but darkness unbelief unholinesse and enmity by which its no more defiled than an Angel by coming into the world which lyes in wickednesse or the Sun shining upon a Dunghil but when it comes to be an Inhabitant a Comforter a spirit of glory to rest upon a man then it finds the heart prepared and made meet for its entertainment and abode Thirdly Observe The gift of the spirit is a great and excellent gift I will put or give my spirit within you The greatness and excellency of it appears in these following particulars First It s the person of the spirit which is a fundamental mercy and more considerable than all his gifts and graces which flow from him the Tree is better than all the fruit the Sun is of more worth than all his Beams Secondly It is the procreator of all grace in the soul Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace faith Take but those four graces see how they are exalted faith is stiled precious 2 Pet. 1.1 peace is said to passe all understanding Phil. 4.7 joy to be glorious and unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 and love is magnified by Paul above all gifts and other graces 1 Cor. 13. What a gift then is the spirit which is the Parent not only of these but of all graces and all gifts Ephes 5.9 The fruit of the spirit it in all goodnesse Thirdly It is the Conservator of all grace and good things in us As God conserves the world which is his creature so the spirit conserves grace which is its creature the spirit as it gives being to all graces so it preserves them in their beings and operations It 's the spirit which mortifies lusts Rom. 8.13 And it is the spirit maintains graces John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit As flesh brings forth flesh so it maintains the same and as the spirit brings forth spirit so it maintains the same each maintains their own off-springs The spirit is the Nurse of all those graces it hath brought forth in the heart of any 2 Cor. 4.13 it s called The spirit of faith not only because it creates faith in the heart but keeps it there so it s called The spirit of grace Zech. 12.10 not only because it works grace in men but also because it keeps grace in them hence those who are after the spirit are said to mind the things of the spirit their graces are maintained by the provision of the spirit Fourthly The spirit is he who actuates and consummates our graces the spirit doth not content it self to beget and preserve graces in mens hearts but improves and perfects them we and our graces would act very poorly did not the spirit assist us John 15.5 Without me saith Christ you can do nothing that is without my spirit concurre with your graces and actuate them you can do nothing The Mill may have all things fit for motion the Sails may be spread but if the wind blow not the Mill goes not so a man may through grace be prepared and fitted to every good work but if the spirit blow not he moves not John 6.63 It is the spirit that quickens it quickens us and our graces also 2 Cor. 3.6 The spirit gives life Life to mens persons and life to their graces it s the spirit makes lively and sets grace a work It 's the Sun and influences of Heaven which draw up the sap and make the Tree grow and it is the spirit and its influences which draw out our graces into act they lye still unless fresh blasts of the spirit come upon us and them And as the spirit acts our graces so it perfects them it adds supplyes unto them Phil. 1.19 and changes us into further glory day by day 2 Cor. 3.18 And what is said of Christ Heb 12.2 That he is the Authour and Finisher of our faith the same Christ doth by his spirit and so the spirit is the Authour and Finisher of all our graces Fifthly The spirit is a great and excellent gift in that it doth facilitate sweeten and make delightfull unto us all the wayes of God they are hard and harsh to flesh and bloud as to deny a mans self to passe by wrongs to forgive enemies to bear the Crosse cheerfully c. these are things corrupt nature cannot digest but where the spirit is given they become easie the spirit is the oyl of gladnesse and makes the soul cheerfully fall in with whatever is of God When a child hath
affliction he looked upon them and pitied them yea he made their enemies to pity them ver 46. In the book of Judges Chap. 10 16. you have a notable expression to this purpose it 's said there His soul grieved for the misery of Israel Tikzar naph 〈◊〉 abbreviata est anima ejus His soul was shortned When things are laid to heart they dry and shrink up a mans spirits God laid their misery so to heart that his soul was as it weâ—e shrunk up and shorten'd Seventhly Observe There is no state of affliction sin or death but God can and will raise his people out of the same O my peâ—ple I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves Though they had layen 70 years in their graves God would open them When earth lies long undigg'd when graves continue long unopen'd it 's the harder to remove the earth and open the graves What difficulty soever there was in the way God would step over it and do the thing Job lay buried in the grave of Affliction a long season but at length God opened his grave and led him out Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job David was in the grave of affliction but God raised him out of it Psal 40 2. He brought me up out of an horrible pit Elacu stupendo saith Munster Out of the miry clay that is out of the deepest and extremest misery Mary Magdalen lay in the grave of sin was in a state of spiritual death and Christ he quickned her he forgave her sins Luke 7.48 The Ephesians did among other Gentiles lie in their graves of sin they were shut up under unbelief that was a weighty grave-stone that kept them under but God rolled away that stone opened their graves and brought them forth Ephes 2.1 You that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned Those aâ—e in a literal sense dead and in their graves God can open their graves and bring them forth also Lazarus had lain four dayes in his grave he was corrupted therein and stunk yet when Christ said Lazarus come forth the grave did open the dead man heard liv'd and came forth Joh. 11.43 44. The keys of life and death are in the hand of Christ be it a grave of affliction a grave of sin or a grave of the body Christ can turn the key open the grave and bring out thereof At last he will open the graves and bring foâ—th all the dead bodies Eightly Observe Nothing in men moves God to put his Spirit into them These Jews were in a despairing condition they said Our bones are dryed our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts They dispair'd dishonour'd God highly thereby and deserv'd to be cut off and perish for ever but see how God dealt with them he promises to put his Spirit in them ver 14. The giving of his Spirit is an extraordinary mercy and he gives it freely Their goodness did not encline God to give nor their sin hinder him from giving Gods choisest gifts are freest as Christ the Spirit and Gospel they are the acts of His good pleasure Ninthly Observe Spiritual life and comfort are from the Spirits indwelling in men I shall put my Spirit in you and you shall live Then they shall live as they had never lived they should live Spiritually Comfortably Natural life in its kind hath an excellency but it 's far beneath a Spiritual life which is call'd the life of God Ephes 4 18. So the comforts of a Natural life may have some sweet and pretiousness in them but they are comfortless comforts to those of the Spirit and Spiritual life Men destitute of the Spirit are dead men and have but dead comforts Those have the Spirit are living-men and have living-comforts The Spirit is a Spirit of life and comfort and wherever it comes it makes men lively and comfortable Tenthly Observe When the people of God are gathered into Canaan they shall have rest there God would bring these Jews out of Babylon into their own Land which was Canaan and there they should rest there 's no rest in Babylon God is gathering his people out of Babylon dayly He saith unto them as it is in Micah 2.10 Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest He is drawing and driving them out of Babylonish and Antichristian conditions and bringing them into Sion where there is true rest though not perfect rest that will be in the Heavenly Canaan whither in due time we shall come Vers 15 16 17 18 19. 15. The Word of the Lord came again unto me saying 16. Moreover thou Son of man take thee one stick and write upon it For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions then take another stick and write upon it For Joseph the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick and they shall become one in thine hand 18. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these 19. Say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the Tribes of Israel his fellows and will put them with him even with the stick of Judah and make them one stick and they shall be one in mine hand THe Vision of the dry bones and Interpretation of them being ended here the Typical work of two Sticks and the uniting of them succeeds In the three first verses you have the Author of the Type and the Type it self in the two last direction what to say upon inquiry made after the meaning of the Type Vers 16. Moreover thou Son of man take thee one stick The Prophet before had a Vision here he hath a Command He must take a stick the Chaldee saith a Table the Septuagint a Rod the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lignum Wood. Wood or Stick is by a Metonymy of the matter put for a Table or Tally whereon something might be written So it was here he must write upon it For Judah and the children of Israel his companions These were the words to be written upon the Stick In the 17. of Numb v. 2. the Loâ—d commanded Moses to take twelve rods according to the number of the Tribes and Princes and to write every mans name upon his rod. To this doth the Lord allude here commanding the Prophet to take a Stick or Rod and write upon it For Judah that is let Judah the royal and noble Tribe be signified thereby And the children of Israel by these the Tribe of Benjamin is meant which clave to the house of David and fell not from Rehoboam to Jeroboam 1 King 12.23 2 Chr. 11.12 as the other Tribes did This Tribe did wholly adhere to Judah and some also out of other Tribes did some out of Levi and some out of
from the right side of the house at the South-side of the Altar 2. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate Northward and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh Eastward and behold there run out waters on the right side 3. And when the man that had the line in his right hand went forth Eastward he measured a thousand cubits and he brought me through the waters the waters were to the ancles or waters of the ancles 4. Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters the waters were to the knees Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters were to the loyns 5. Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a River and I could not pass over for the waters were risen waters to swim in a River that could not be passed over IN this Chapter are two principal parts 1. A Vision of waters and the description of them from Verse 1. to Verse 13. 2. The bordering and dividing the Land from Verse 13. to the end Concerning the waters they are described 1. From their Original or Place whence they spring and flow ver 1 2. 2. From their increase ver 3 4 5. The man with the measuring line in his hand having led our Prophet up and down to view the Temple the parts and appurtenances of it brings him again to the door of the House that is to the door of the Temple or Sanctuary And behold waters issued out from under c. Vilalpandus makes these waters to be those subterraneal waters which were carried in pipes under ground and issued forth into the Priests Court to wash the Sacrifices and purge away the blood excrements and filth occasioned by the slaying so many Sacrifices for certainly had there not been aquaeducts about Solomons Temple to have cleansed the places where the Sacrifices were slain and prepared it would have been an unsavoury and unhealthful place These waters issued forth some from the threshold some from the South-side of the Altar and so ran away From these waters the Lord takes occasion to speak of spiritual waters The Water came down from under from the right side of c. The Temple was upon an high Mountain Ezek. 40.2 therefore the waters are said to come down and they came from the right side of the House that was the South-side for the front of the House standing towards the East when a man stood and lookt East-ward his right hand or side was towards the South The Altar for Burnt-offering was before the porch of the Temple and at the South-side thereof did these waters run Our Prophet having seen the spring and rice of the waters is led out of the inner Court by the way of the North-gate and brought to the uttermost East-gate where he first entred and it was to behold how the waters ran out there on the right side also The words in Hebrew are Maiim mepaccim aquae phialantes peccah signifies to flow but lente tanquam e phiala manando he saw the waters run there gently and pleasingly they run not fiercely as a torrent but gently as oyl poured out of a vial These waters though they run gently yet increased mightily for upon Christs measuring out a thousand cubits they became waters of the ancles upon his measuring out the two thousand cubits they rose to be waters of the knees upon his measuring out the third thousand of cubits they ascended to be waters of the loyns and upon measuring the fourth thousand they became waters for swimming they could not be waded through they were so deep even a great River impassible What these waters do signifie is worthy enquiry Some make these wate s to signifie the prosperity of the Church that great happiness which the Jews had after their return from Babylon This was an outward mercy and but for a little season for they suffered great and grievous things by Antiochus and others in the Maccabees times But here some spiritual mercy is intended by the waters others therefore understand by them the waters of Baptism which Christ instituted and so came from the Altar viz. the side of Christ but these waters are too shallow to be Ezekiels waters A third sort make them to be the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit It s true the Spirit is said to be poured out Joel 2.28 but it s not to be understood of the person of the Spirit which is infinite indivisible and immoveable but of the gifts and graces of the Spirit with such with him who saith Per aquas istas gratiae benedictiones divinae quibus in Ecclesia dei frumitur designantur A fourth sort interpret these Waters of the Gospel the glad tidings touching mans salvation by Christ which is compared to water frequently in Scripture Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The knowledge of the Lord Jesus shall abound as the waters of the Sea see Joel 3.18 Zech. 14.8 We may take the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit to be these waters for the Gospel is veliculum Spiritus the ministration of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.8 And the Spirit with the graces and gifts are oft compared to water as well as the Gospel See Ezek. 36.2 Isa 44.3 and 41.18 Acts 2.17 John 4.14 and 7.37 38 39. Now it remains to shew wherein they are like unto water 1. Water cleanseth it purges away the filth of the body and other things So doth the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit cleanse the souls of men and purge their hearts from sin and filthiness John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Christ spoke unto them the Gospel and that was the word together with the Spirit which made them clean from their unbelief disobedience and other sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The Spirit accompanying the Gospel purified their souls and made them obedient to the truth Ezek. 10.36.25 2. Water moistens and softens the earth which before was dry and hard so that there was no entrance for the plow but being well watered with the rain of Heaven its soft and fit for the plow So the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ moistens and mollifies hard and heavy hearts Those that put Christ to death were hard-hearted sinners but when they heard Peter preach the Gospel and some of that water fell upon their hearts they were softned and became sensible of what they had done They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 So Paul was a stout and stubborn fellow but the water of the Gospel did so supple him that it made him yield and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 3. Water cools heat the heat of the earth and air