God my high tower God gives unto the soule the wings of a Dove as David hath it Psalme 55.6 viz. of his Spirit whereby he flies away and is at rest Tell me you experienced holy ones did you ever feele the strength of faith more glorious in you then since these troubles came upon you have you not found your faith a great deale weaker under lesser troubles then now when happily you are plundered of all you have Fourthly as the Spirit of God shewes the soule where his sccuritie is and the doore hereunto and gives legs and spirit to run unto it it shewes God and Jesus Christ and brings the soule unto God through Christ So in the fourth place it enables the souleta treat with God in prayer and to prevaile with him to be his securitie his rocke his defence c. The Spirit of Christ moves the soule towards God through Christ and then suggests and dictates its request unto him Gal. 4.6 Because you are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts whereby you cry Abba Father the Saints of God are sons of God Ye are sons saith the Text the free grace of God maketh them so by adoption the Spirit of God makes them so by the infusion of the Divine Nature viz. so farr as communicable the sons of God have the Spirit of Christ because you are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts where hee gives the priviledges of his Sonne he gives the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts not onely the knowledge of his Sonne into their heads and the confession of his Sonne into their tongues but the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts whereby ye cry the Spirit of Christ is a spirit of prayer and of fervency in prayer ye cry Abba Father the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of adoption and that to the Greeks as well as to the Jewes and the Spirit perswades that now the sonnes of God are not onely of the Jewes but the Gentiles and that hee is a Father to all that call upon him in Truth whether Jewes or Greekes and therefore the Apostle here speaketh in the language both of the Jewes and Greekes viz. the whole world Abba Father the maine that we note here to our purpose is that the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of prayer and it cheares the soule in time of trouble by enabling it to powre out it selfe unto the Lord in prayer which is a sweet supporting exercise God commands in nothing to be carefull but in every thing to let our requests be made knowne unto him in giving of thankes Philip. 4.6 God would have his people live in quietnesse not in anxious troubles and solicitous cares of the minde be so carefull for nothing turne not your troubles into cares but into prayers in every thing by prayer and supplication let every thing occasion prayer and supplication and let your prayers be alwayes dasht with thanks-giving your present wants may move your prayers and earnest requests your supplications and your present enjoyments calls for your thanks-giving This God commands in many places in the holy Scriptures Open thy mouth wide I will fill it Psal 81.10 we cannot out pray Gods power and goodnesse No he is able and therefore willing to doe abundantly above all that we are able to aske or thinke Ephes 3.20 I might bring in many more places as that in the Canticles 2.14 Let me see thy face let me heare thy voice and againe Call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and turne thy prayer into prayses thou shalt praise me Psal 50.15 The Spirit puts the soule into an improvement of these incouragements in this duty And here againe let me appeale unto you Oh ye afflicted and persecuted Saints did you ever feele the Spirit of prayer so swectly breathing in your souls as since your troubles Have you not found that freenesse and inlargednesse of spirit which you neuer found in all the dayes of your pilgrimage cannot many a secret corner witnesse such pantings such movings such powring forth of prayers and teares and holy and heavenly affections as you never knew before and hath not this been a most sweet strengthning ordinance unto you though God hath touched you as it were in the hollow of your thigh I mean your estate your friends and outward comforts that perhaps you may halt all the dayes of your life in respect thereof yet have you not had such a blessing through your wrastling with God as that you would not want it for all your former wonted comforts That is the fourth particuler Fiftly as the Spirit of God doth minde the soule of God his tower of Jesus Christ the doore into it gives strength to come unto it enables to pray and prevaile with God for protection and supplies so in the last place the spirit proves in the soule grace sufficient to support to uphold during the trouble it lies under 2. Cor. 12.9 The Apostle Paul lying under some great pressure of spirit what it was is the different judgement of many godly learned yet it drove him unto God in Christ and his answere was that the grace of God was sufficient for him the grace of God that is the favour of God is sufficient to appease and satisfie his conscience from guilt and the grace of God that is the Spirit of grace is sufficient to support and keepe up the heart notwithstanding the power of the affliction This Spirit of Christ convaies as it were the influence of Gods attributes his power goodnesse and mercy and the influence of Christs Offices and Merits and applyes and brings home the sweet and luscious promises and the strength of supporting ordinances in that experimentall and sutable manner unto the condition of the soule that no man knowes the meaning hereof but spirituall Christians indeed And tell me againe O ye afflicted of the Lord have you not felt the secret workings of the attributes of God Offices Blood and Merits of Christ the Promises of the Gospel and Ordinances of Gods Worship like the still dew of heaven dropping upon your soules and making you fruitfull in all peace and joy in beleeving filling you with patience meekenesse and all other graces of the Spirit to the praise of his grace And have not you beene in respect of your inward and spirituall security like God himselfe a bove all storms and troubles belowe able to laugh them to scorne have you not felt such refreshings to come from the presence of the Lord which have been as waters out of a rock in a thirsty land Have you not been hereby able to see all things beneath you and your selves like God in securitie when clouds and darknesse have beene round about you solacing your selves in your God pertaking of that fulnesse of joy and drinking from those rivers of pleasure which are in his presence for evermore And that is the fourth generall
Spirit of Christ stamps the image of his Son upon us looking upon and beholding the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3.18 that is the first reason God gives the Spirit of his Sonn to conforme us to the similitude of his Sonne Secondly God gives his people the Spirit of his Son which is the fruit of his death and intercession that we may be fully convinced of all the glorious perfections and fruits of the death and merits of Jesus Christ God hath convinced us of the perfection of his love by sending his Sonne into the world John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his Sonne if you will measure his love measure the gift but both the one and the other is infinite Christ was the ensuring earnest of his love having given him he will surely give all things with him Rom. 8.32 Now as Christ is an assuring testimonie of the perfection of Gods love so the gift of the Spirit is an assuring testimonie of the perfection of Christs merits and therefore it is called the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession 1. Ephes 14. greater is Christ then all other fruits of Gods love and greater is the Spirit then all other fruits of Christs merits as all the fruits of Gods love are intayled unto the person of Christ so all the fruits of Christs death are intayled unto the Spirit of Christ hee that hath Christ need not question whether God will give any other fruit of his love so he that hath the Spirit need not question any other fruit of Christs merits his Justification Sanctification Adoption Grace and Glory will follow God would not have us doubt of his love and therefore he hath given us the person of his Son neither would he have us doubt of the fruit of Christs merits aad therefore hath hee given us the Spirit of his Son the very gift of Christ being understood doth convince of the love of God and yet Christ in his person did also preach the love of God so the very gift of the Spirit doth convince of the merits of Christ and yet this Spirit doth preach and declare the perfection of Christs merits None in the world could be convinced of the love of God except Christ had preached it unto him so none in the world can be convinced of the merits of Christ except this Spirit doth shew it and preach it unto him Christ did bear witnesse of the truth of Gods love and his witnesse is true John 5.31 and it is the Spirit that beareth witnesse unto Christs blood and this Spirit is truth 1. John 5.6 What ever God gives and not his Son there is no testimonie of Gods love so what ever the soule hath and not the Spirit there is no conviction of the merits of Christ though the Word speakes peace and the Prophets of God speakes peace and all the people of God speakes peace yet the soule cannot heare it except God viz. by his Spirit cause it to heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 Thirdly God gives the Spirit of his Son unto his Saints to fit them for glory God doth not love disproportion when he made a woman for man hee made her a meet help 1. Genesis 18. When God sent Christ for the worke of Redemption he fitted him A body hast thou prepared or fitted Heb. 10.5 So God intending his Elect for glorie he makes them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 1. Col. 12. and to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 2. Ephes 6. and this meetnesse is by the Spirit for the Elect of God are chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the Truth 2. Thess 2.13 who living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit wait through the Spirit for the righteousnesse of Faith viz. the end thereof which is the salvation of their soules Gal. 5.5 no uncleane thing shall enter into the Kingdome of God Revel 22.15 but the Saints shall therefore are they washed and sanctified and just fied in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of ouâ— God 1. Cor. 6.11 The Sacrifices and all the appurtenances thereof under the Law were to be sanctified and set apart and the Priests that were to enter into the holy place were sanctified and chosen from the world for that purpose and this sanctification was tipified by the anointing oil sprinkled upon Aaron Exod. 29.21 So the Saints of God are sanctified chosen or separated out of the world being made spirituall Kings and Priests unto God and appointed to come into that holy place even the place of glorie wherein dwelleth righteousnesse to give glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth upon the Throne that liveth for ever and ever Revel 4.9 which sanctification consisteth in the powring forth of the Spirit compared to oyle 1. John 2.27 upon the Saints and thereby fitting them for glory Lastly God gives his people the Spirit of his Son that so they may be enabled to doe and suffer his will in an acceptable manner God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit 4. John 23. hee requireth that wee should pray in the Spirit and sing in the Spirit 1. Cor. 14.15 that wee should walke in the Spirit and live in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 that wee should doe every thing from a spirituall principle according to a spirituall rule with reference unto a spirituall end God is not a hard Master requiring to reap where he did not sow exacting a tale of bricke and give no straw but that they may doe the will of God in an acceptable manner he gives his Spirit unto all his Saints the Apostle saith that through Christ we have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father 2. Ephes 18. through Christ viz. the blood of Christ wee are brought into this grace and by the Spirit wee are enabled to improve this grace viz. in all spirituall services so that God gives them his Spirit that so they may be enabled to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 2.5 And so likewise for passive obedience he hath given them his Spirit that with comfort and spirituall joy and consolation they may undergoe that hard worke of bearing the crosse which leadeth me to the solution of the second generall Question Namely how the Spirit doth comfort beleevers in evill times How doth the Spirit of Christ support Beleevers in evill times Answ First by his owne naturall genuine and proper strength and influence 1. John 4 4. You are of God little children and have overcome the world because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world the Saints of God are as little children in meeknesse humilitie singlenesse of heart simplicitie of mind freedom from envie dependance upon God and
though little children yet able to grapple with and overcome the whole world how so because they are of God viz. of his antient love and the birth of his Gospel Secondly because God is in them viz. by his Spirit and greater is he that is in them viz. to support to comfort to incourage to preserve then he viz. Satan the prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 that is in the world viz. carnall and wicked men to cast down to grieve to discourage to destroy We have another Scripture for this in the third to the Ephes 4.16 I how my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man this our God grants unto beleevers first because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him their Father and so interressed in the same power by which he was strengthened in the inner man in the daies of his flesh and sufferings upon earth Secondly because it is according to or falling in with the riches of his glory viz. the glory of his grace by which he hath the revenews of his glorie coming in even in the highest degree Luke 2.14 and whereof there are riches even treasures wherein he hath abounded towards them Ephes 1.8 Thirdly because this is the joynt request of all the Saints in each others behalf I viz. Paul how my knee viz. in prayer unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would grant you c. the person of the Lord Jesus Christ intercedes in heaven for all his Saints Hebr. 7.25 and the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ intercedes in the earth for the same Saints Rom. 8.27 and the Father heareth him who did his will interceding both by his blood and Spirit in heaven and earth Joh. 9.31 this is that divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and that power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 whereby the Saints are kept against all their discouragements even unto salvation this is that whereby the Saints are comforted in all their tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 and whereby their consolations do abound in them beyond the abounding of their afflictions vers 5. it is the Spirit of comfort called the Comforter Joh. 14.16 which shall be as a continuall streame or waters of life in the bowels of the Saints to refresh and chear them in all their losses and troubles of this life the comforts whereof the Spouse of Christ prayeth for Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love all the troubles sorrows and afflictions of the Saints are sicknesses of love as they are from God they proceed from love are steered by love love is the root and rule and end of all as they proceed from man they are because of their love to God therefore in all their afflictions they may be said to be sick of love What is her prayer why stay me with thy flagons and comfort me with thy apples with thy flagons viz. of wine which cheareth the heart Prov. 31.6 Comfort me with thy apples viz. the glorious fruits of Jesus Christ the tree of life under whose shadow the Saints do sit with great delight and whose fruit is pleasant unto their taste vers 2. what are all these expressions but the setting forth of those sweet Consolations of the Spirit of Jesus Christ supporting their hearts in evill times This is that whereof the Church reports Cant. 2.6 His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me See here the Churches posture in the time of her trouble is lying in the bosome of her beloved grasping her like a tender husband between his arms Jesus Christ hath bosome consolations for his sick Saints watens of life for fainting fits Manna is reserved for the wildernesse and the best wine when all is spent when all forsake the Lord stands by he is light in darbuesse Psal 112.4 Act. 12.7 and mans casting into dungeons is but Christ bringing into his banqueting house where his banner over them is love his left hand is under them and his right handimbraceth them Christ hath left hand mercies viz. the comforts of this lift which though they be contracted within a small bulk even into a little oyl in a cruce 2 King 4.2 five barley leaves and two fishes for five thousand Joh. 6.9 that is a poore something next to nothing to support and maintain a great charge why this is Christs left hand and yet this shall be sufficient if he puts but the effecacie of even his left hand it shall be enough but his right hand mercies are most high and spirituall and when the Lord doth any thing with his right hand he doth it most dextereously even unto perfection as appears if you look Psal 60.5 That thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand And so Psal 20.6 45.4 c. So when God imbraceth or comforteth with his right hand he doth it so as none can discourage when all secondarie means of comfort are gone the Lord Jesus doth then comfort most immediately and therefore most perfectly for whatsoever God doth without secondary causes alwayes are without imperfection When he made all things at first coming immediately from between his hands behold all were very good so it is in his immediate consolations Hence it is we read of joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 even in the time of heavinesse through many temptations vers 6. thus Jesus Christ viz. by his Spirit becomes a hiding place from the wind and a refuge from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place and the shadow of a great rock in a wearie land Isa 32.2 Jesus Christ is a sutable good unto all his people and what he is he makes good unto his people by his Spirit So that as Eliiah stretched himself upon the dead child 1 King 17.21 and the soul of the child came unto him again and he revived so when the Saints are as it were kill'd and slain at the first encounter with troubles and persecutions and losses of all their comforts why then doth the Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit as it were stretch forth himself over them and then their life and joy and peace returns again yea like unto that of the resurrection after death in that perfection that the weak flesh is scarce able to bear it Comforts indeed sutable unto glorified Saints Thus the Spirit chears and comforts the hearts of the Saints by his naturall genuine and proper strength and influence the Spirit of God being in it self a Spirit of comfort Secondly the Spirit chears the hearts of beleevers in evill times by presenting God in Jesus Christ as a deare and loving Father unto them a most sweet and glorious vision and assurance whereof for the most part he vouchsafeth unto them in the dayes
of their trouble When Jesus Christ was to leave the world whose absence was the sorrow of the hearts of his Disciples Joh. 14.1 he comforts them by telling them that he was going to his Father and their Father to his God and their God And Philip lookt upon this as a sufficient means to stay the heart Lord saith he shew us the Father and it sufficeth ver 8. it cannot suffice that God is a Father except he be a revealed Father shew us the Father And as no man cometh unto the Father but by Christ so no man hath seen the Father but the Son and he unto whom he will reveal him Therefore saith he Lord shew us the Father and this he doth by the witnesse of his Spirit Rom 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sons of God and this he doth chiefly in a suffering condition for so the next verse sheweth If so be we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him The bowels of parents yearn towards their sick children and the sweetest language and most tender expressions of their affections are then little enough Luke 15. The Prodigall had more serious thoughts of his father when all was gone then it seems he had when he first received his portion and so the Saints have the sweetest thoughts of their heavenly Father in the saddest times When Abraham had bound Isaac and was readie to slay him Gen. 22. yet the child could look him in the face and cry out my father ver 7. And his father could as tenderly and with as yearning bowels as ever he spake with all in all his life reply Here am I my son v. 8. So when the Saints of God seems as it were to be bound to be sacrificed unto the good will of God in suffering yet they can look in the face of God and cry out Father and hear the voice of God by his Spirit answering here am I my children The Spirit of God worketh a threefold conviction in the hearts of his people in the times of their suffering from this dear and sweet relation First that he will correct in measure Jer. 30.11 What ever I do saith God to other Nations I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure the Lord poureth forth his furie upon the heathen but corrects his people in judgement and not in anger Jer. 10.24 25. he corrects in measure in respect of the matter of the afflictions he will visit the transgressions of his people with the rod of a father and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89.32 but he will break the wicked with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessell Psal 2.9 Secondly he corrects in measure in respect of time O my people that dwellest in Sion saith God be not afraid of the Assyrian he shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of Egypt for yet a little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger even in their destruction viz. of the Assyrian Isa 10.24.25 Heavinesse may endure for a night but joy shall come in the morning Psal 30.5 His anger endureth but for a moment in his favour is life even in the perfection both of happinesse and duration the Spirit of God convinceth the soul that yet but a little while he that shall come will come and will not carrie Hebr. 10.37 that what God doth in afflicting he will do it in measure that God is faithfull who will not suffer his to be tempted above what they are able to bear that is in respect of the matter of their suffering but will with the temptation make a way to escape there is measure of time 1 Cor. 10.13 Secondly the Spirit convinceth that God as a Father doth afflict them in love not in passion for their good not simply his owne will the Apostle calls for submission unto the will of God in chastising us from that consideration Heb. 12.9.10 c. Our naturall fathers chastened us after their owne pleasure but God for our profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse c. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang downe and the feeble knees verse 12. the Spirit convinceth Rom. 8.28 that all things shall worke together for the best that out of the eater shall come meat and out of the strong shall come sweet that God will smite this rock viz. of hardship and trouble and sweet waters shall issue there from and that he will make this wildernesse viz. barren conditions in respect of ontward comforts like the garden of Eden in respect of divine and spirituall Consolations that blessed is the man whom he chasteneth Psal 94.12 that it is good for him that he is afflicted and that God will make it a mercy unto him in the latter end and that hee shall cordially and not complementally blesse the Lord for that suffering condition and the sweet experiments of his love therein that bowels of love directs the rod and infinite goodnesse guides the hand Thirdly the Spirit of God perswadeth that God as a father will but discipline him by afflictions and thereby make him meet for his inheritance an ingenuous beleever is not satisfied that glory is purchased for him by the sufferings of Christ but is willing also to be made meet for that inheritance by his owne sufferings forasmuch as it is the will of God that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heaven the Lord Jesus himselfe sanctifying that road by his own sufferings for this cause the Apostle Paul with the rest of the suffering Saints did not faint because though the outward man did perish yet the inner man is renued day by day 2 Corinth 4.16 What a beleever is in estate he is in spirituals And he reckons himself to rise and fall as is the condition not of his outward but inner man and herein is the difference between a formall and reall Christian Let the formalist abound in the outward man he hath his will but a beleever rejoyceth in his increase and thriving in the inner man although it be gained by the perishing of the outward man and therefore they will rejoyce even in affliction knowing that their affliction worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts This kindly working of their afflictions caufing them to thrive in the inner man and thereby fitting them for glory makes them sweetly submit to the will of God herein it makes them say with sweet submission of heart Shall I not drinke of my Fathers cup and ought I not first to suffer and then to enter into glory as Christ did the soul looks upon these outward afflictions which are but for a season as working for them a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.18 See here
the disproportion between one condition and the other here is affliction there is glory here light affliction there is weight of glory here is momentany afflictions there is eternity of glory But that that is chiefly for our purpose in this text is the influence that these afflictions have towards this glory in the word worketh knowing that these afflictions c. worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory the suffering of Christ hath wrought it for us but our own suffering worketh us for it namely by the sweet growing of grace and subduing of sin through these afflictions And the Apostle saith that by afflictions that is through the kind working of afflictions we are made partakers of his holinesse Hebr. 12.10 the Apostle vindicates a necessitie of afflictions to this purpose Now for a season if need be you are in afflictions through manifold temptations if need be that is if the glorie of God and your good doth require it For so saith the context that the triall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory of God at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 8. Let me appeal unto the experiences of the Saints whether they do not find and feel the quiet fruit of righteousnesse the fruits of sufferings do not corruptions weaken the sweet influence of divine joy dependance patience hope meeknesse contentednesse humilitie and love to God increase more and more when they are under the crosse Thus the Spirit convinceth that God as a Father chastiseth in measure in love and to fit them thereby for that glorie whereunto he hath appointed them That is the second particular the Spirit convinceth and comforteth by convincing that God afflicteth as a Father tender and loving in Jesus Christ Thirdly the Spirit of Jesus Christ comforteth Beleevers in evill times by opening unfolding and breaking up the exceeding rich and precious promises of the Gospel and applying the same unto the soule the word of God is that River the streams whereof shall make glad the Citie of God Psal 46.4 and these waters breakes out in the wildernesse and these streams in the desart Esay 35.6 When poor Hagar was in the wildernesse with her child and her accomodations gone she casts her thirstie infant under a shrub and not able to heare the pittifull cryes of her bemoaning babe then doth the Angel of the Lord shew her a Well at hand which was there before though not discerned Gen. 21.16.19 just so when outward comforts are gone and spent and the poore soule at a losse not knowing what to doe but to lift up the eye towards God and weepe why then doth the Lord by his Spirit shew them the sweetnesse and fulnesse of such and such promises which before were not regarded Tell me you plundered beleevers that are driven as Hagar out of house and home did you ever feel the sweetnesse of the promises in that measure as you now feele them have not these breasts of Consolation been sweet and luscious unto your tasts Psal 119.50 saith David This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickned me and many such passages as these I had fainted had it not been for thy word I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoiles 162. verse Hath not this been your case have you not found those treasures in the promises the spoiles of the victories of Jesus Christ for you which you never looked for hath not the word of promise been more precious then gold and sweeter then the honey yea and the honey comb have you ever seene your rich and glorious estate in Christ so cleare and evident as of late hath not the Lord fince he separated you from your comforts relations estates and employments brought you as once he did Peter and James and John to the Mount and transfigured himselfe before you shewed himselfe in such fulnesse of glory and satisfaction that you have said it is good for us to be here hath not this time of trouble compared with the rest of your former time of your lives been like Gideons fleece most sweetly filled with the fatning dew of inward joy and peace and comfort did not many of the sweet promises of the Gospel before lye by you as uselesse did you ever know the meaning of them as of late Experience is the best knowledge and now have you not experience of the fulnesse and truth of such promises as these In ill never leave thee nor forsake thee I will be with thee when thâ—u art in the fire it shall not burn thee and in the water it shall not drown thee I will be thy God all-sufficient Have you not seen the truth of this great promise Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37.3 Can you not read the truth of the promises in your experiences as you did before the letter of them in your Bibles Have you been a looser by your sufferings Would you sell if it were possible your experiences for your former injoyments Can you not say with Solomon Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth 2 Chron. 6.4 That is the third way whereby the Spirit comforteth in evill times by opening the treasures of the promises and by staying and chearing the heart with the comforts thereof Fourthly the Spirit of Jesus Christ comforteth beleevers in evill times by translating or carrying away the soul above out of the reach of all present troubles and sorrows so that as I may allude unto that of Philip in Act. 8.39 the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip from the Eunuch and he could see him no more but he was found at Azotus just so when troubles and sorrows arise the Spirit of the Lord catcheth away the heart and soul of beleevers and these cannot find them Isa 33.16 it is said of a beleever that he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be a munition of rocks And in Cant. 2.14 the Church is said to dwell in the clefts of the rocks that is in the wounds of Christ for securitie from the guilt of sin in the attributes of God for his securitie in respect of the power and reach of sin and sorrow having all the attributes of God as so many mightie Rocks for his safetie and in or among the promises of the Cospel for his inward chear and spirituall consolation and here she dwels it is the place of her habitation and constant abode that no trouble or sorrow can come at her nor touch her at any time Revel 12.1 she is said to have the Moon under her feet So that it is as easie for men yea more casie for men to hit the Moon and pluck her out of the firmament then it is to come at the
Spouse of Jesus Christ I have heard of some Indians that being scorched with the heat of the Sun have thrown up their darts to hit it which have returned upon themselves all their power and endeavours this way being tokens of their malice and madnesse And just so the holinesse of the lives of the Saints dazling the eyes and scorching the reputes of wicked men moves them to cast their darts of malice and persecution against them to their own ruine but they are as the Sun in the firmament which God himself hath established and all the world cannot remove it Prov. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run into it and are safe The Spirit of God leadeth them into this tower yea and quickly conveighs and carries them into this tower in time of trouble so that they can enjoy themselves in securitie God hath no more for his own securitie but the Saints have the same What hath God for his securitie peace and glorie but his own blessed self and infinite attributes and that is the portion of beleevers This made the Prophet David to say God is our refuge and strength a verie present help in troubles therefore will not fear though the earth be removed though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Psal 46.1 what is the Reason vers 7. The God of Jacob is our refuge of Jacob that is of the Saints in their lowest estate and condition For so often in Scripture when the Saints are set forth in their weaknesse it is by the name of Jacob as Isa 41.14 Fear not thou worm Jacob now the God of Jacob is our refuge and so Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and my high tower Why now carnall men and meer formalists observes the letter of these things but know not the meaning of it It is common and ordinarie to say the Lord is our help and our defence our shield our tower c. but it is rare to find a man able to shew from his own inward and personall experience how the Spirit of God conveighs him in the time of troubles thus unto God as unto a tower which is I conceive after this method First when troubles do arise the Spirit of God presently minds the soul where is his securitie where he must be safe as the poore Conies which makes their houses in the Rocks Prov. 30.26 when she is in danger she presently minds her hole so doth Beleevers at the first approach of trouble for this indeed is naturall in time of sudden surprise to think upon that which we make our stay and our hope Carnall men minds many things when they are surprised and God in the last place and after the meanest and lowest thoughts and hopes with such thoughts that yeelds poore relief But the Spirit of God minds the Saints of God in the first place and this presently yeelds peace and quietnesse and other means of comfort are minded in subordination unto him When sad and miserable times were revealed unto Habbakkuk the hearing whereof made his belly to tremble and rottennesse to enter into his bones to consider that the fig-tree should not blossom nor fruit in the vine the labour of the olive should fail no meat in the fields no flocks in the fold nor heards in the stall his heart presently thought upon the Lord in whom he would rejoyce and joy in the God of his salvation Habak 3.16 17 18. And many the like instances from Scripture may be given to prove that the Spirit of God so soon as troubles do begin lifts up the thoughts and minds of beleevers to consider where must be their securitie they hear the Spirit of God say unto them as Isa 26.20 Come my people enter thou in thy chambers shut the doores upon thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the indignation he over-past My people the spirit speaks most comfortably and in most assured language in troublesome time enter into thy chambers chambers are places of rest and quietnesse chambers in the plurall number that is Consider the severall grounds of your peace the attributes of God the blood of Christ the promises of the Gospel Shut the doores that is lock thy self up in God by faith keep out unbelief Hide thy self viz. in God untill the indignation viz. these troubles and sorrows be gone That is the first thing Secondly as the Spirit of God minds the soul where his securitie is so it minds him of the way whereby he may come at it and that is Jesus Christ It were to little purpose to be nigh a Rock and cannot find the hole to run in unto it to be neer a Castle when we are pursued and cannot find the doore that leadeth into it God he is a Rock and Jesus Christ is the hole of the Rock God is a tower and Jesus Christ he is the doore in unto him Joh. 10.9 I am the doore saith Christ viz. unto the Father By me if any man enter he shall be saved viz. from sin and sorrow here and hereafter and he shall go in and out and find pasture Poore carnall men are like the blinded Sodomites about Lots house they grope and buz up and down but cannot find the way in They are neer unto God and God is neer unto them and they run about thinking to come in at God by their prayers and their good meaning and their duties and qualifications But alas they cannot find the doore No man cometh unto the Father but by me saith Christ Joh. 14.6 Vnto the Father that is God in his relations of love and mercie for other wayes every man good and bad shal come before God at the last day So that the Spirit of God when troubles do arise minds the soul of God wherein is his securitie and of Jesus Christ as an open doore into his God Tell me you that have experience of the secrets of God did you ever find more sweet and precious thoughts of Jesus Christ then when troubles have arose Did not the Spirit of God as it were drive force you against your secret unbelief and backwardnesse in through Jesus Christ unto the Father Thirdly as the Spirit of God mindes the soule where is his security and the way to come at it so in the third place it gives inward secret life and strength and spirituall abillities to flie unto God in and through Jesus Christ It is in vaine for a man to see a tower when the enemy is pursuing and to see the doore open if he hath no legs nor strength to runne in unto it but the Spirit of God gives spirit and life and strength to make use of God through Jesus Christ for his support and comfort That fore named place of Habakuk 3.19 when he looked upon God as his salvation he addeth hee shall make my feet as Hindes feet viz. swift and speedie to carry mee to my high places viz. unto
up by the eternall Spirit which was as it were the Altar sanctifying the gift and offering So no means in the world qualifications duties promises ordinances can satisfie a sin-seeing conscience but the blood of Christ and that also must be tendred unto it by the Spirit of Christ The truth is nothing can satisfie an enlightned conscience but that that did satisfie God himself which is Christ discovered in the excellencie of his merits and this is by the tendring the same through the Spirit by which Christ is thus discovered Rom. 8.1 Secondly the death of Christ hath another influence and consimilitude in the soul and that is the crucifying of the body of sin and that first by way of a holy revenge for the shedding of Christs blood Sin persued Christ even unto the Crosse the Spirit persues sin even to the Crosse also Galat. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof And again Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Secondly there is conveighed a certain secret ennergettical power and derived in a sweet spirituall manner from the death of Christ viz. by serious contemplation and belief thereof to kill and mortifie sin Rom. 6.6 Our old man was crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed And Paul saith Galat. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ Thirdly the blood of Christ is as it were a secret and yet sensible bath wherein the soul is healed and cured and cleansed steeped and rinsed from the filth and guilt of sin This blood is that fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse to wash in Zach. 13.1 wherein the Saints are washed 1 Cor. 6.11 and this purgeth their consciences from dead works to serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 Lastly the blood of Christ is the life of the soul that is the provision for the life of the soul His flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed Joh. 6.55 indeed that is in respect of everlasting nourishment that flows from it for saith he he that eateth me shall live by me vers 57. He that drinketh my blood shall never thirst Joh. 4.14 because Christ died we live viz. in respect of Justification and because he liveth we shall live in respect of sanctification Joh. 14.19 Thus in many particulars the death of Christ hath a blessed influence in the hearts of the Saints which is the fifth Consideration concerning Christ in the soul in respect of his sufferings Sixthly consider Christ in respect as of death so of his buriall the very grave of Christ hath an operation in the heart We are buried with him Gal. 6.4 Colos 2.12 The old man doth by little and little moulder away as it were in the grave of Christ Seventhly the resurrection of Christ hath likewise an influence in the soul viz. to raise it up to a new spirituall and holy life We are said to be raised up together with Christ Ephes 2.6 He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 The truth is there are most glorious and various operations and influences of the resurrection of Christ in the heart which would be too large now to insist upon Eightly the ascention of Christ is seen also in its operation in the soul viz. to draw up our hearts and desires and expectations heaven-wards Col. 1.2 this is by the Spirit Ninthly and lastly the very session of Christ at the right hand of God and his interceding there for us is felt in the soul the Spirit of God leading it into the presence of God and setting it as it were at the right hand of the Father among the sheep not among goats Matth. 25. giving it all boldnesse even as a right hand favourite and there making intercession with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.16 Thus you see the first generall Answer to this third generall Question viz. how might we know the Spirit of Christ in the soul from the spirit of delusion Answer The Spirit of Christ in the soul is Christ spiritually in the soul viz. in the sence before spoken of Secondly The Spirit of Christ in the soul doth alwayes act and bias the soul towards Christ by this means the intrincicall bent and frame of the heart is toward Christ the Spirit having a most strong and effectuall work upon the will in answer unto that great defection of the will through Adams fin in the Commission of sin That which I do saith Paul I allow not Rom. 7.15 And in the 19. verse The good I would do I do not the evill which I would not do that I do Will you see the reason of both why vers 22 23. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members Sin was his sicknesse his complaint his captivitie goodnesse his desire his delight his endeavour the ground of both was the law of God in the inner man viz. the Spirit of life by Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 This did still bias the soul contrary to that principle of corruption of nature So that look how naturall instincts do act and work in severall subjects here below as in elements the fire to ascend upwards the earth to fall downwards c. or in all vegitatives to yeeld fruit according to its kind whatsoever Or in all sensitives to forbear that which it knows hurtfull and to feed upon that which is proper for its particular nourishment The little kid to suck his mothers milk c. as the holy Ghost termes it Exod. 23.19 Or in rationals to preserve it self from known evill and to seek after known good Even so an holy spirituall instinct is in the heart of beleevers to do with delight that which is holy just and good and to be very heedfull of that which is sinfull and wicked and its interruption in both is its sorrow its complaint and its pain as it were It is too true that the best of Gods people are obnoxious unto many disturbances and hindrances in the inward man but it is as true that these are their complaint unto God and their indeavour for cure The Spirit in Scripture is compared to anointing oyl 1 Joh. 2.27 oyl we know hath a naturall property to be uppermost if it be put into any liquids whether they be hot or cold yet the oyl will alwayes ascend and though there might be some interruption while you powre water upon the oyl yet stay but a while and you shall see it settle again and keep all under it Just so the Spirit of Christ doth as it were raise up the heart above all in the soul and though interruptions may be through violent temptations and strong passions and corruptions yet at last all will