are called Prophets and so in general of all the false Prophets mentioned in the Scripture Was it because they meerly pretended and counterfeited a Spirit of Prophesie or had they really any such I Answer that I no way doubt but that they were of both sorts These Prophets of Baal were such as worshipped the Sun after the manner of the Tyrians Herein they had invented many Hellish Mysteries Ceremonies and Sacrifices these they taught the People by whom they were hired Being thus engaged in the Service of the Devil he actually possessed their minds as a Spirit of Divination and enabled them to declare things unknown unto other Men. They in the mean time really finding themselves acted by a Power superior to them took and owned that to be the Power of their God and thereby became immediate Worshippers of the Devil This our Apostle declares 1 Cor. 10. 20. Whatever those who left the true God aimed at to worship the Devil interposed himself between that and them as the Object of their Adoration Hereby he became the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. Him whom in all their Idols they worshipped and adored With a spirit of Divination from him were many of the false Prophets acted which they thought to be the Spirit of their God For they found themselves acted by a superior Power which they could neither excuse nor resist Others of them were meer Pretenders and Counterfeits that deceived the foolish Multitude with vain false Predictions Of these more will be spoken afterwards Sect. 18 Secondly Others there were who spake in the Name and as they falsly professed by the Inspiration of the Spirit of the Holy God With this sort of Men Jeremiah had great Contests For in that Apostatizing Age of the Church they had got such an Interest and Reputation among the Rulers and People as not only to confront his Prophesies with contrary Predictions Chap. 28. 2 3 4. but also to traduce him as a false Prophet and to urge his Punishment according to the Law Chap. 29. v. 25 26 27. And with the like confidence did Zedekiah the Son of Chenaanah carry it towards Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 26. for he scornfully asks him Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee That is whereas assuredly he speaketh in me how came he to inspire thee with a contrary Revelation Ezekiel at the same time with Jeremiah was exercised and perplexed with them Chap. 13 14. For this sort of Persons namely false Pretenders unto Divine extraordinary Revelations did of old usually abound in times of Danger and approaching Desolations The Devil stirred them up to fill men with vain hopes to keep them in Sin and Security that Destruction might seize upon them at unawares And whoever takes the same course in the time of deserved threatned impendent Judgments though they use not the same means yet they also do the Work of the Devil For whatever encourageth men to be secure in their sins is a false Divination Jer. 5. 30 31. And this sort of Men is characterized by the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 23. from vers 9. to 33. where any one may read their Sin and Judgment And yet this false pretending unto the Spirit of Prophesie was very far from casting any contempt on the real Gift of the Holy Ghost therein nay it gave it the greater Glory and Lustre God never more honoured his true Prophets than when there were most false Ones Neither shall ever any false Pretence to the Spirit of Grace render him less dear unto those that are Partakers of him or his Gifts of less use unto the Church Sect. 19 It was thus also under the New Testament at the first preaching of the Gospel The Doctrine of it at first was declared from the immediate Revelation of the Spirit preached by the Assistance of the Spirit made effectual by his Work and Power was accompanied in many by outward miraculous Works and Effects of the Spirit whence the whole of what peculiarly belonged unto it in opposition to the Law was called the Ministration of the Spirit These things being owned and acknowledged by all those who had any false Opinions or Dotages of their own to broach or any other deceit to put upon Christians could think of no more expedite means for the compassing of their ends than by pretending to immediate Revelations of the Spirit For without some kind of credibility given them from hence they knew that their fond Imaginations would not be taken into the least consideration Hence the Apostle Peter having treated concerning the Revelation of God by his Spirit in Prophesie under the Old Testament and the New 2 Epist. chap. 1. v. 17 18 19 20 21. adds as an Inference from that Discourse a comparison between the false Prophets that were under the Old Testament and the false Teachers under the New Chap. 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you And the Reason of it is because that as they pretended to the Spirit of the Lord in their prophesies saying Thus saith the Lord when he sent them not so these ascribed all their abominable Heresies to the Inspiration of the Spirit by whom they were not assisted Sect. 20 Hence is that blessed Caution and Rule given us by the Apostle John who lived to see much mischief done in the Church by this Pretence 1 Epist. chap. 4. v. 1 2. Beloved beieve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the World Hereby know we the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God A two-fold Direction doth the Apostle here give unto all Believers The first by the way of Caution that they would not believe every Spirit that is not receive or give credit to every Doctrine that was proposed unto them as of immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit He intends the same with the Apostle Paul Ephâ—s 4. 14. who would not have us carried about with every wind of Doctrine like Vessels at Sea without Anchor or Helms by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive For the craft and sleights intended are such as men use when they cast a mist as it were before the eyes of others whom they intend to cheat and deâ—raâ—d So dealt false Teachers with their Disciples by their Pretences of immediate Revelations His next Direction informs us how we may observe this Caution unto our Advantage and this is by trying the Spirits themselves This is the duty of all Believers on any such Pretences They are to try these Spirits and examine whether they are of God or no. For the observation of this Rule and discharge of this Duty the Church of Ephesus
For that Spirit who appeared before the Lord and offered himself to be a lying spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets was no other but he who appeared before God Job 1. who is called Satan These in the New Testament are called unclean Spirits Matth. 10. 1. And the Observation of the Ancients that Satan is not called a Spirit absolutely but with an Addition or Mark of Distinction holds only in the New Testament And because Evil Spirits are wont to torment the Minds and Bodies of Men therefore evil Thoughts disorders of Mind wicked Purposes disquieting and vexing the Soul arising from or much furthered by Melancholy Distempers are called it may be sometimes an Evil Spirit The Case of Saul shall be afterwards considered Sect. 8 In such variety are these words used and applyed in the Scripture because of some very general Notions wherein the things intended do agree For the most part there is no great difficulty in discovering the especial meaning of them or what it is they signifie in the several places where they occur Their Design and Circumstances as to the Subject Matter treated of determine the signification And notwithstanding the ambiguous Use of these words in the Old and New Testament there are two things clear and evident unto our purpose First That there is in the Holy Scriptures a full distinct Revelation or Declaration of the Spirit or the Spirit of God as one singular and every way distinct from every thing else that is occasionally or constantly signified or denoted by that Word Spirit And this not only a multitude of particular places gives testimony unto but also the whole course of the Scripture supposeth as that without an acknowledgment whereof nothing else contained in it can be understood or is of any use at all For we shall find this Doctrine to be the very Life and Soul which quickens the whole from first to last Take away the Work and powerful Efficacy of the Holy Spirit from the administration of it and it will prove but a dead Letter of no saving advantage to the Souls of Men and take away the Doctrine concerning him from the writing of it and the whole will be unintelligible and useless Secondly That what-ever is affirmed of this Holy Spirit the Spirit of God it all relates either to his Person or his Operations And these Operations of his being various are sometimes by a Metonymy called Spirit whereof afterwards I shall not therefore need to prove that there is an Holy Spirit distinct from all other Spirits whatever and from every thing else that on several Occasions is signified by that Name For this is acknowledged by all that acknowledg the Scriptures yea it is so by Jews and Mahometans as well as all sorts of Christians And indeed all those false apprehensions concerning him which have at this day any countenance given unto them may be referred unto two Heads 1. That of the Modern Jews who affirm the Holy Ghost to be the influential fluential Power of God which conceit is entertained and diligently promoted by the Socinians 2. That of the Mahumetans who make him an eminent Angel and sometimes say it is Gabriel which being traduced from the Maâ—edonians of old hath found some Defenders and Promoters in our dayes Sect. 9 This then being the Name of him concerning whom we treat some things concerning it and the use of it as peculiarly applyed unto him are to be premised For sometimes he is called â—he Spirit absolutely sometimes the Holy Spirit or as we speak the Holy Ghost sometimes the Spirit of God the Good Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth and Holiness sometimes the Spirit of Christ or of the Son The first absolutely used denotes his Person the Additions express his Properties and Relation unto the other Persons In the Name Spirit two things are included First his Nature or Essence namely that he is a pure spiritual or immaterial Substance For neither the Hebrews nor the Greeks can express such a Being in its Subsistence but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit Nor is this Name firstly given unto the Holy Spirit in allusion unto the Wind in its Subtilty Agility and Efficacy For these things have respect only unto his Operations wherein from some general Appearances his Works and Effects are likened unto the Wind and its Effects Joh. 3. 8. But it is his Substance or Being which is first intended in this Name So it is said of God Joh. 4. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is a Spirit that is he is of a pure spiritual immaterial Nature not confined unto any place and so not regarding one more than another in his Worship as is the design of the place to evince It will therefore be said that on this account the Name of Spirit is not peculiar unto the third Person seeing it contains the Description of that Nature which is the same in them all For whereas it is said God is a Spirit it is not spoken of this or that Person but of the Nature of God abstractedly I grant that so it is and therefore the name Spirit is not in the first place characteristical of the Third Person in the Trinity but denotes that Nature whereof each Person is partaker But moreover as it is peculiarly and constantly ascribed unto Him it declares his especial Manner and Order of Existence So that where-ever there is mention of the Holy Spirit his Relation unto the Father and Son is included therein for he is the Spirit of God And herein there is an allusion to somewhat created Not as I said to the Wind in general unto whose Agility and Invisibility he is compared in his Operations but unto the Breath of man For as the vital breath of a man hath a continual Emanation from him and yet is never separated utterly from his Person or forsaketh him so doth the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceed from them by a continual Divine Emanation still abiding one with them For all these Allusions are weak and imperfect wherein substantial things are compared with Accidental Infinite things with Finite and those that are Eternal with those that are Temporary Hence their disagreement is infinitely more than their Agreement yet such Allusions doth our weakness need instruction from and by Thus he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 33. 6. The Spirit or Breath of the Mouth of the Lord or of his Nostrils as Psal. 18. 15. wherein there is an eminent Allusion unto the Breath of a Man Of the manner of this proceeding and emanation of the Spirit from the Father and the Son so far as it is revealed and as we are capable of an useful Apprehension of it I have treated elsewhere And from hence or the Subsistence of the Holy Spirit in an eternal Emanation from the Father and Son as the Breath of God did our Saviour signifie his Communication of
and Operations of second Causes so we abhor that Atheism which ascribes unto them an Original and Independent Efficacy and Causality without a previous acting in by and upon them of the Power of God And this is here ascribed unto the Spirit whom God sendeth forth unto that End and Purpose As to rational and moral actions such as the great Affairs of the World do consist in and are disposed of by he hath in them also a peculiar Efficiency Thus those great Vertues of Wisdom Courage and Fortitude which have been used for the producing of great Effects in the World are of his especial Operation So when God stirred up Men to Rule and Govern his People of Old to fight against and to subdue their Enemies it is said the Spirit of God came upon them Jud. 3. 10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel and he judged Israel and went out to War The Spirit of God endued him with Wisdom for Government and with courage and skill in conduct for War So Judg. 6. 34. And although Instances hereof are given us principally among the People of God yet whereever Men in the World have been raised up to do great and wonderful things whereby God executeth his Judgments fulfilleth any of his Promises or his Threatnings even they also have received of the especial Gifts and Assistances of the Holy Spirit of God For this Reason is Cyrus expresly called God's Anointed Isa. 45. 1. Cyrus had by God's Designation a great and mighty Work to effect He was utterly to ruine and destroy the Great Antient Babylonian Monarchy God had a concern herein as to the avenging of the Quarrel of his People and therein the accomplishment of many Promises and Threatnings The Work it self was great arduous and insuperable to ordinary humane Abilities Wherefore God sends his Spirit to fill Cyrus with Wisdom Courage skill in all Military Affairs that he might go through with the Work whereunto in the Providence of God he was designed Hence is he called God's Anointed because the Unction of Kings of old was an instituted Sign of the Communication of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost for Government unto them see Isa. 45. 1 2 3 4 5. and other Instances of the like kind might be given Sect. 16 Thus when the Church was to have a blessed Restauration of the Worship of God after the return of the People from their Captivity Zerubbabel is in an especial manner called to begin and carry on this Work in the building of the Temple But the Difficulties he had to conflict withal were great and appeared insuperable The People were few and poor and the Oppositions made unto them and their Work great and many Especially what arose from the Power of the Persian Monarchy under whose Rule and Oppression they were For although they had Permission and Encouragement from Cyrus for their Work yet immediately upon his Death they were oppressed again and their Work caused to cease This Power they could no way conflict withal yet God tells them that all this Opposition shall be removed and conquered Who art thou saith he O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zech. 4. 7. All the hindrance that arose from that great Mountain of the Persian Empire shall be removed out of the way and the progress of Zerubbabel in his Work shall be made smooth plain and easie But how shall this be effected and brought about Not by an Army or by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts v. 6. You would suppose that it must be done by Armies and open force which you are altogether insufficient for But this is not the way I will take in this matter My Spirit shall work in their Hearts Minds and Counsels that contrary to their fears they shall themselves further that work which hitherto they have impeded And he shall work in the Minds and Counsels of others to oppose them and entangle them where they would hinder it until they are destroyed and that great Mountain be fully removed as in the Event it came to pass So that the Providential Alterations that are wrought in the World are Effects of his Power and Efficacy also Sect. 17 And thus have we taken a short view of the Dispensation and Work of the Spirit of God in the first Creation But the Effect hereof being a State of things that quickly passed away and being of no advantage to the Church after the entrance of sin what belonged unto it is but sparingly delivered in the Scriptures the true sense of what is so delivered depending much on the Analogie of the following Works of God in Man's Renovation and Recovery But as to the New Creation which falls under our Consideration in the next place as that alone which is directly intended by us the Foundation building up and finishing the Church of God therein being the things whereon depends the principal manifestation of the Glory of God and wherein the great Concerns of all the Elect do lie they are more fully and directly declared in the Scripture And in reference unto them we shall find a full distinct Declaration of the whole Dispensation and Work of the Spirit of God Way and Manner of the Divine Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT CHAP. V. 1. Dispensation of the Spirit to be learned from the Scripture only general Adjuncts thereof 2. The Administration of the Spirit and his own Application of himself to his Work how expressed 3. The Spirit how and in what sense given and received 4. What is included in the giving of the Spirit 5. What in receiving of him 6 7. Priviledg and Advantage in receiving the Spirit 8. How God is said to SEND the Spirit what is included in sending 9. How God MINISTERS the Spirit 10. How God is said to PUT his Spirit on us What is included in that Expression 11. The Spirit how POURED out 12 13. What is included and intended herein 14. The wayes of the Spirits Application of himself unto his Work 15. His proceeding from Father and Son explained 16. How he cometh unto us 17. His falling on Men. 18. His resting 19. How and in what sense he is said to depart from any Person 20. Of the Divisions of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3. 21. Exposition of them vindicated Sect. 1 BEfore we treat of the especial Operations Works and Effects of the Holy Ghost in and on the New Creation the Order of things requires that we should first speak somewhat of the General Nature of God's Dispensation of him and of his own Applications of himself unto his Actings and Workings in this Matter For this is the Foundation of all that he doth and this for our Edification we are instructed in by the Scriptures Unto them in this whole Discourse we must diligently attend for we are exercised in such a Subject as wherein we have no Rule nor Guide nor any thing to give us Assistance but pure Revelation And
properly expressed so as they ought to be and so as they are capable to be expressed The Difficulties which seem to be in them arising from the Mysterious Nature of the things themselves contained in them and the weakness of our Minds in apprehending such things and not from any obscurity or intricacy in the Declaration of them And herein indeed consists the main Contest whereunto things with the most are reduced Some judg that all things are so expressed in the Scripture with a condesension unto our Capacity so as that there is still to be conceived an inexpressible Grandure in many of them beyond our Comprehension Others judg on the other hand That under a Grandure of Words and Hyperbolical Expressions things of a meaner and a lower sense are intended and to be understood Some judg the Things of the Gospel to be deep and mysterious the Words and Expressions of it to be plain and proper Others think the Words and Expressions of it to be Mystical and Figurative but the Things intended to be ordinary and obvious to the Natural Reason of every Man But to return Sect. 8 Both Regeneration and the Doctrine of it were under the Old Testament All the Elect of God in their several Generations were all Regenerate by the Spirit of God But in that Ampliation and Enlargement of Truth and Grace under the Gospel which came by Jesus Christ who brought Life and Immortality to light as more Persons than of old were to be made Partakers of the Mercy of it so the Nature of the Work it self is far more clearly evidently and distinctly revealed and declared And because this is the principal and internal Remedy of that Disease which the Lord Christ came to cure and take away one of the first things that he Preached was the Doctrine of it All things of this Nature before even from the beginning of the World lay hid in God Ephes. 3. 9. Some intimations were given of them in Parables and dark Sayings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 2. in Types Shadows and Ceremonies so as the Nature of the Grace in them was not clearly to be discerned But now when the great Physician of our Souls came who was to heal the Wound of our Natures whence we were dead in Trespasses and Sins he layes naked the Disease it self declares the Greatness of it the Ruine we were under from it that we might know and be thankful for its Reparation Hence no Doctrine is more fully and plainly declared in the Gospel than this of our Regeneration by the effectual and ineffable Operation of the Holy Spirit And it is a Consequent and Fruit of the Depravation of our Nature that against the full Light and Evidence of Truth now clearly manifested this Great and Holy Work is opposed and despised Sect. 9 Few indeed have yet the confidence in plain and intelligible words to deny it absolutely But many tread in the steps of him who first in the Church of God undertook to undermine it This was Pelagius whose principal Artifice which he used in the Introduction of his Heresie was in the clouding of his Intentions with general and ambiguous Expressions as some would be making use of his very Words and Phrases Hence for a long time when he was justly charged with his Sacrilegious Errors he made no defence of them but reviled his Adversaries as corrupting his Mind and not understanding his Expressions And by this means as he got himself acquitted in the Judgments of some less experienced in the sleights and cunning craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive and juridically freed in an Assembly of Bishops so in all probability he had suddenly infected the whole Church with the poison of those Opinions which the proud and corrupted Nature of Man is so apt to receive and embrace if God had not stirred up some few Holy and Learned Persons Austin especially to discover his Frauds to refel his Calumnies and confute his Sophisms which they did with indefatigable industry and good success But yet these Tares being once sown by the envious one found such a suitable and fruitful Soil in the darkned Minds and proud Hearts of Men that from that day to this they could never be fully extirpated but the same bitter Root hath still sprung up unto the defiling of many though various new Colours have been put upon its Leaves and Fruit. And although those who at present amongst us have undertaken the same Cause with Pelagius do not equal him either in Learning or Diligence or an Appearance of Piety and Devotion yet do they exactly imitate him in declaring their minds in cloudy ambiguous Expressions capable of various Constructions until they are fully examined and thereon reproaching as he did those that oppose them as not aright representing their Sentiments when they judg it their Advantage so to do as the scurrilous clamorous Writings of S. P. do sufficiently manifest Sect. 10 Secondly Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is the same Work for the kind of it and wrought by the same Power of the Spirit in all that are Regenerate or ever were or shall be so from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof Great variety there is in the Application of the outward means which the Holy Spirit is pleased to use and make effectual towards the Accomplishment of this great Work Nor can the Wayes and Manner hereof be reduced unto any certain order For the Spirit worketh how and when he pleaseth following the sole Rule of his own Will and Wisdom Mostly God makes use of the Preaching of the Word thence called an Engrafted Word which is able to save our Souls James 1. 21. and the incorruptible Seed by which we are born again 1 Pet. 1. 21. Sometimes 't is wrought without it as in all those who are Regenerate before they come to the use of Reason or in their Infancy Sometimes Men are called and so regenerate in an extraordinary manner as was Paul but mostly they are so in and by the use of ordinary Means instituted blessed and sanctified of God to that end and purpose And great variety there is also in the perception and understanding of the Work it self in them in whom it is wrought For in it self it is secret and hidden and is no other wayes discoverable but in its Causes and Effects For as the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3. 8. Sect. 11 In the Minds and Consciences of some this is made known by infallible Signs and Tokens Paul knew that Christ was formed and revealed in himself Gal. 1. 16. So he declared that who-ever is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. that is is born again whether they know themselves so to be or no. And many are in the dark as to their own condition in
our sin and folly when we are negligent herein All Believers are no doubt in some measure convinced hereof not only from the Testimonies given unto it in the Scripture but also from their own Experience And there is nothing in themselves which they may more distinctly learn it from than the Nature and Course of their Prayers with the workings of their Hearts Minds and Affections in them Let profane Persons deride it whilest they please it is the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Grace that enables Believers to pray and make Intercession according to the mind of God And herein as he is the Spirit of Supplications he copyeth out and expresseth what he worketh in them as the Spirit of Sanctification In teaching us to pray he teacheth us what and how he worketh in us And if we wisely consider his working in our Hearts by Prayer we may understand much of his working upon our Hearts by Grace It is said that he who searcheth the Hearts that is God himself knoweth the mind of the Spirit in the Intercessions he worketh in us Rom. 8. 27. There are secret powerfull Operations of the Spirit in Prayer that are discernible only to the great searcher of Hearts But we also ought to enquire and observe so far as we may what he leads us unto and guides us about which is plainly his work in us I do not think that the Spirit worketh Supplications in us by an immediate supernatural Divine Afflatus so as he inspired the Prophets of old who oft-times understood not the things uttered by themselves but enquired afterwards diligently into them But I do say let the proud carnal World despise it whilest they please and at their peril that the Spirit of God doth graciously in the Prayers of Believers carry out and act their Souls and Minds in Desires and Requests which for the matter of them are far above their natural Contrivances and Invention And he who hath not Experience hereof is a greater stranger unto these things than will at length be unto his Advantage By a diligent Observance hereof we may know of what kind and nature the work of the Holy Ghost in us is and how it is carryed on For how in general doth the Holy Spirit teach us and enable us to pray It is by these three things 1 By giving us a spiritual Insight into the Promises of God and the Grace of the Covenant whereby we know what to ask upon a spiritual view of the Mercy and Grace that God hath prepared for us 2 By acquainting us with and giving us an Experience of our wants with a deep sense of them such as we cannot bear without Relief 3 By Creating and stirring up desires in the new Creature for its own Preservation Encrease and Improvement And in Answer unto these things consisteth his whole work of Sanctification in us For it is his effectual Communication unto us of the Grace and Mercy prepared in the Promises of the Covenant through Jesus Christ hereby doth he supply our spiritual wants and sets the new Creature in Life and Vigour So are our Prayers an Extract and Copy of the Work of the Holy Spirit in us given us by himself And therefore by whomsoever he is despised as a Spirit of Supplication he is so as a Spirit of Sanctification also Now consider what it is that in your Prayers you most labour about Is it not that the Body the Power the whole Interest of Sin in you may be weakened subdued and at length destroyed Is it not that all the Graces of the Spirit may be renewed daily encreased and strengthened so as that you may be more ready and prepared for all Dutyes of Obedience And what is all this but that Holiness may be gradually Progressive in your Souls that it may be carryed on by new Supplyes and Additions of Grace untill it come to Perfection Sect. 10 It will be said perhaps by some that they find neither in themselves nor others by the best of their Observation that the Work of Sanctification is constantly Progressive or that Holiness doth so grow and thrive wherever it is in sincerity For as for themselves they have found Grace more vigorous active and flourishing in former dayes than of late the streams of it were fresher and stronger at the Spring of Conversion than since they find them to be in their Course Hence are those complaints among many of their Leanness their Weakness their Deadness their Barrenness Nor were many of the Saints in the Scripture without such Complaints And many may cry Oh that it were with us as in our former Dayes in the dayes of our youth Complaints of this nature do every where abound and some are ready to conclude upon this Consideration that either sincere Holiness is not so growing and progressive as is pretended or that indeed they have no interest therein Yea the like may be said upon a diligent Observation of others Churches and single Professors what Evidence do they give that the work of Holiness is thriving in them doth it not appear rather to be Retrograde and under a constant Decay I shall so far consider and remove this Objection as that the Truth which we have asserted suffer not from it and so be left as an empty Notion nor yet those altogether discouraged who come not up unto a full compliance with it And this I shall doe in the ensuing Rules and Observations 1 It is one thing what Grace or Holiness is suited unto in its own nature and what is the Ordinary or Regular way of the procedure of the Spirit in the work of Sanctification according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace Another what may occasionally fall out by Indisposition and Irregularity or any other obstructing Interposition in them in whom the work is wrought Under the first Consideration the Work is thriving and progressive in the latter the Rule is liable to sundry Exceptions A Child that hath a Principle of Life a good natural Constitution and suitable food will grow and thrive But that which hath Obstructions from within or Distempers and Diseases or Falls and Bruises may be weak and thriftless When we are Regenerate we are as New-born Babes and ordinarily if we have the sincere milk of the Word we shall grow thereby But if we our selves give way to Temptations Corruptions Negligences Conformity to the World is it any wonder if we are lifeless and thriftless It suffices to confirm the Truth of what we have asserted that every one in whom is a Principle of spiritual Life who is born of God in whom the work of Sanctification is begun if it be not gradually carryed on in him if he thrive not in Grace and Holiness if he go not from strength to strength it is ordinarily from his own sinfull Negligence and Indulgence unto carnal Lusts or Love of this present World Considering the time we have had and the Means we have enjoyed what grown
Mistakes about Ability to comply with Gods Commands 544 20 Abuse of the best Duties Possible 398 13 Abuse of spiritual Gifts 1 1 Abuse of Eternal Love devilish 525 14 Acquaintance with the Pollution of Sin necessary 394 11 Every Gracious Act of the Will wrought by the Holy Spirit 470 10 Difference between the Act of the Spirit in forming the Humane Nature of Christ and the Act of the Son in assuming it 133 12 To be acted by the Spirit what it is 468 11 How the Holy Prophets were Acted by the Spirit 104 10 All Actings of the Person of the Son of God towards the Humane Nature voluntary 129 6 Actings of the Holy Spirit not ascribed unto him exclusively 130 9 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 External Actings of one Divine Person towards another of what sort 46 5 All Actions internal and external to be tryed by the Word 412 3 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 All Acts of Natural Life from God 465 6 No Vital Acts under the Power of Death Spiritual 246 21 Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of Christ a Creating Act. 132 Two-fold Event of Mens falls into Actual Sins 291 292 7 8 Actual Sins how they spring from Original Sins 289 5 Actual supplyes of Grace necessary to the Mortification of Sin 486 23 Actual assistance of Grace necessary unto Obedience 548 27 Adam how he had the Spirit of God in the state of Innocency 76 14 Adam had many things revealed unto him 100 6 Adherence and Assimulation Effects of of Love 496 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Admiration an effect of love 514 26 Administration of Grace not equal at all times 547 24 Advantage and Priviledge in the Participation of the Gifts of the Spirit 83 7 Advantage of the New Testament in our Access to God 155 2 Advantage of Duties vitiated in their Performance 249 28 Great Advantage of spiritual Experience 342 Affections wrought upon and excited by Convictions 200 18 Affections fixed by Grace on spiritual things 201 18 Affections when renewed work sensibly 353 Affections how depraved how sanctified 285 57 Affections the Means of Convictions 294 13 Afflictions how they purge away sin 391 9 Afflictions how sanctified and made usefull ibid. Various Aggravations of the Defilement of Sin 379 Aggravations of sin in them who have received a Principle of Grace 549 29 All personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Alienation from the Life of God what it is 216 22 Alienation of the Minds of men from the Gospel on what Ground 233 54 Allusion unto Local Motion in sending of the Spirit whence taken 84 8 Angels Gods Host. 70 6 Ministry of Angels about the Body of Christ when dead 147 10 Anointing at the Inauguration of Governours what it signified 117 The Spirit of Antichrist what it is 41 17 An Anti-Spirit set up in Opposition to the Spirit of God 19 23 Apostasie of the Church in several Ages with respect unto the Persons of the Holy Trinity 24 27 Apostasie of Christian Churches in the Rejection of the Holy Spirit and his Work 25 27 Apostasie from beginnings of Conversion how brought on 300 24 Appellations or Titles of the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 34 9 Appearances of the Holy Spirit under visible Signs 52 15 Appearances of Persons in Divine Visions 108 14 All Apprehensions of Divine Operations to be tryed by the Rule of the Word 187 Apprehension of Eternal danger from the Law before Conversion 308 31 Application of the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin 371 1 Application to the Blood of Christ for the Cleansing of Sin and the Nature of it 387 388 389 s. 5. 400 405 Applications of the Death of Christ unto the subduing of Sin wherein it consists 494 495 36 Arguments in Prayer for the further Communications of the Spirit 359 4 Weak Arguments for Holiness prejudicial to it 498 2 Arguments to prove the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost 47 48 c. 8 Articulate Voyces in Divine Revelations how formed 106 12 Internal Assistance of the Spirit of God necessary to every Act of Obedience 465 5 Assumption the only immediate Act of the Person of the Son towards the Humane Nature 129 4 Assurance accompanying Divine Revelations 104 10 Assurance of Success and final preservation an Encouragement to Duties of Holiness 529 21 Assurance of the End an Encouragement unto the use of the Means 530 23 Attonement or Satisfaction not required of Sinners 331 13 False Wayes of making Attonement the Ground of all Superstition ibid. Vain Attempts for the Mortification of Sin 478 8 Auricular Confession an Invention to accommodate the Inclinations of all Flesh 380 Authority in giving the Spirit respects his Gifts and Grace 81 4 Authority of God gives Efficacy to the Word 259 13 Authority of God to be alwayes considered in his Commands 537 10 Sense of the Authority of God to be carried into all our Occasions 542 17 B. Baalam how a Prophet and how a Sorcerer 110 17 Baptized into the Name of the Holy Spirit as into the Father and Son 51 14 Baptisme of Christ the time of his being anointed unto his Prophetical Office 139 140 5 Baptism is not Regeneration 179 15 All that are duely Baptized are not Regenerate 180 16 Baptism how it expresseth our Sanctification 371 2 Baptism washeth not away Sin virtute Operis operati 380 Beauty of the Soul in its Conformity unto God 376 5 Beginning and Ending of the Gift of Prophesie 100 6 Beginnings of Holiness small like seed 340 4 Beginning of Good from our selves a Pelagian Fiction 467 9 Believers alone receive the Spirit in what sense 82 5 Believers much unacquainted with the Nature of Holiness and their own interest therein 327 10 Believers the only Subject of Sanctification 356 6 Benefit and use of the Word Preached 341 5 Benignity and Charity the great Resemblances of God 515 28 Blasphemy of the Jewes against the Name of Jesus 3 3 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 64 29 Blindness of may about the Nature of Sin 479 11 The Blood of Christ how it cleanseth from sin 384 3 The Blood of Christ that purgeth sin is the Blood of his sacrifice 385 4 Blood in Sacrifice both Offered and Sprinkled 385 4 The Blood of Christs Sacrifice alwayes in the same condition as to Efficacy 386 Boasting and Despondency prevented by the same Means 345 6 Bodily strength given by the Spirit of God 118 24 Bodily Absence of Christ how supplyed by the Holy Spirit 161 6 Body of Christ formed of the substance of the Blessed Virgin Reasons thereof 132 The Body how depraved by Sin 366 The Body how sanctified 368 Bounty expressed in pouring forth the Spirit 87 13 The Spirit how called the Breath of Gods Mouth 39 13 How God Breathed into
well as of the Father what followeth thereon 130 8 The Spirit how and when given by Christ. 157 3 The Holy Spirit supplyes the Bodily absence of Christ. 158 5 How the Spirit glorified Christ. 161 The Spirit that is born of the Spirit what it is 173 3 Holy Spirit worketh by Means ordinarily 187 25 Things of the Spirit of God what they are 218 26 Holy Spirit the immediate Author of Regeneration 254 4 The Holy Spirit the immediate Sanctifier of all Believers 337 15 The Holy Spirit promised with respect unto his Effects 357 2 The Spirit that is formed in Believers what it is 418 12 Holy Spirit the principal efficient Cause of the Mortification of Sin 481 15 c. Vse of Spiritual Gifts 2 1 Abuse of Spiritual Gifts ibid. Spiritual Gifts their Author Nature Vse and End 5 6 7 4 5 6 7. Spiritual Mercies all from the Holy Spirit 125 7 No spiritual Good in any one by Nature 166 10 Spiritual Troubles by some despised 197 10 Spiritual and Natural how opposed 217 25 Spiritual things Foolishness unto men of corrupt Affections 233 53 Spring of spiritual Life in God 246 22 Spiritual Life what it is and wherein it doth consist 246 23 Spiritual things how spiritually to be discerned 282 53 Spiritual Life wherein it consists 419 13 Spiritual things how they are to be taught 460 78 Spiritual Life and Natural compared in their Powers and Acts. 465 7 Work of the Spirit towards the Humane Nature of Christ in the State of the Dead 146 10 State of Regeneration the same in all 179 14 Strength by spiritual Aids from the Holy Spirit 383 Strength administred in each Covenant to fulfill its tearms 545 21 Stupidity in sinning 397 12 Variety of Style in the Holy Scripture whence it proceedeth 114 20 Moral Suasion not the onely Means of Conversion 256 257 c. 7 8 Submission to the Will of God how acted in the Sufferings of Christ. 145 Submission to the Will of God promoted by thoughts of Eternal Love 527 17 All Sufficiency unto Obedience from God none in our selves 467 9 Suitableness between the Mind and Duty from Grace onely 437 Sun Moon and Starres the Host of Heaven 71 6 Supererogation the Vanity thereof 333 13 Supernatural principle of holiness wrought by the Holy Ghost 414 5 Suppositions of a State of Grace may be abused 355 Surprizals with a Spirit of Prophecy 86 11 Symbolical Actions how enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 T. Teaching by the Holy Ghost 59 25 Advantages in the Teachings of Christ above all others 559 12 How the Spirit teacheth us to pray 349 9 Temptations how they hinder and how they further the Growth of Holiness 352 Tempting of the Spirit wherein it consists 63 28 Testimony of the Spirit unto Christ with its Efficacy 150 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Thankfulness for Cleansing from sinne 403 Three things required to render man meet to live to God 76 14 Things represented in Vision to the Prophets 108 14 Things against the Light of Nature not really enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 Three things required unto the Writing of the Scripture 113 20 Things supposed unto the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church 155 2 The same things ascribed unto the Holy Spirit and unto Men in what sence 168 9 Things in the Power of our own Wills required in order unto our Regeneration 193 4 Things of the Spirit of God what they are 218 26 Spiritual Things Foolishness unto men of corrupt Affections 233 53 Tongues and Hands of the Prophets guided by the Holy Ghost 105 10 Mistake of sundry ancient Translations 30 3 Doctrine of the Trinity the great Foundation of all Religion 45 4 The holy Trinity revealed in the New Creation 126 8 Troubles wherein we stand in need of Consolation of two sorts 360 Truth a Grace expressing the Image of God 517 31 Tryal of Prophets and Prophecy under the Old Testament two-fold 18 22 Two-fold State of all Mankind 205 2 Two-fold Work of the Spirit in Sanctification and Supplications answering each other 348 9 V. Vanity of all Pleas and Pretences against the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost 49 10 Vanity of the Mind what it is and wherein it consists 211 15 Vanity the Nature and Causes of it in the World 213 18 Vanity of Papal Inventions for the Purification of sin 379 380 Valuation of the Means of Cleansing from sin 403 14 Various Significations of the Name Spirit 30 31 32 33 2 3 4 5 6. Variety of Duties required unto the Mortification of Sin 490 28 All Vertue of the especial Operation of the Spirit of God 77 15 Moral Vertues and Endowments in Civil things wrought by the Holy Spirit 118 23 Moral Vertue is not the Holiness of Truth 326 8 Vertues to be imitated in Christ. 450 59 Name and Nature of Moral Vertue examined 459 78 Moral Vertue what intended thereby 506 15 View by Faith of the Blood of Christ as sacrificed and the Efficacy thereof 389 6 View of Sin under suffering usefull 392 View of the State of Nature necessary 393 10 Vindication of the true sence of the Law by Christ. 557 7 8 Vine and Branches their mutual Relation and In-being 456 70 No Violence or Force offered unto the Will by Grace 271 33 Prophetical Visions by the Representation of things to the outward senses 107 14 Visions and Representations of things of two sorts 108 14 What is required to render Visions Divine Revelations 109 14 No Vital Acts under the Power of Death spiritual 246 21 Vivification what it is 279 49 Divine Voluntary Actings constantly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 49 10 Articulate Voyces in Divine Revelations how formed 106 12 Unalterable Decree of God that no unholy Person shall be saved 521 4 Guilt of Unbelief notwithstanding Natural Impotency 273 37 Unclean the same with Vnholy 370 Things unclean by the Law why made so 375 Uncleansed sinners can never come to the Enjoyment of God 394 10 Uncleansed Sinners can have no Communion with Christ. 406 16 Unction of Christ unto his Prophetical Office 139 4 Understanding with all the proper Acts of it ascribed unto the Spirit 55 19 The Understanding the use of it and how it is depraved 212 16 Understanding corrupted as to the Object of its Acting 281 52 No unholy Person can ever enjoy God 505 13 Vanity of Unholy Persons pretending an Interest in the Mediation of Christ. 562 19 Unholy Persons how of all others they dishonour Jesus Christ. 563 20 Personal Union or the subsistence of both the Natures of Christ in one Person the necessary Consequent of Assumption 129 5 Union with Christ notwithstanding the Defilement of Sin how possible 406 16 Union with Christ by Vertue of the New Creature 407 Union with Christ wherein it consists 419 13 Union with Christ and the Nature thereof 453 66 Whether Union goe before Sanctification and in
Ghost And whilst in the substance of what is delivered I have the plain Testimonies of the Scripture the Suffrage of the Ancient Church and the Experience of them who do sincerely believe to rest upon I shall not be greatly moved with the Censures and Opposition of those who are otherwise minded I shall add no more on this Head but that whereas the only Inconvenience wherewith our Doctrine is pressed is the pretended difficulty in reconciling the Nature and Necessity of our Duty with the Efficacy of the Grace of the Spirit I have been so far from waving the Consideration of it as that I have embraced every Opportunity to examine it in all particular Instances wherein it may be urged with most appearance of Probability And it is I hope at length made to appear that not only the necessity of our Duty is consistent with the Efficacy of God's Grace but also that as on the one hand we can perform no Duty to God as we ought without its Aid and Assistance nor have any encouragement to attempt a course of Obedience without a just Expectation thereof so on the other that the Work of Grace it self is no way effectual but in the compliance with in a way of Duty only with the leave of some Persons or whether they will or no we give the preheminence in all unto Grace and not unto our selves The Command of God is the Measure and Rule of our Industry and Diligence in a way of Duty And why any one should be discouraged from the Exercise of that Industry which God requires of him by the Consideration of the Aid and Assistance which he hath promised unto him I cannot understand The Work of Obedience is difficult and of the highest Importance so that if any one can be negligent therein because God will help and assist him it is because he hates it he likes it not Let others do what they please I shall endeavour to comply with the Apostle's Advice upon the Enforcement which he gives unto it Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure These things with sundry of the like Nature falling unavoidably under Consideration have drawn out these Discourses unto a length much beyond my first Design which is also the occasion why I have forborn the present adding unto them those other Parts of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer or Supplication in Illumination with respect unto the Belief of the Scripture and right understanding of the Mind of God in them in the Communication of Gifts unto the Church and the Consolation of Believers which must now wait for another Opportunity if God in his Goodness and Patience shall be pleased to grant it unto us Another Part of the Work of the Holy Spirit consisteth in our Sanctification whereon our Evangelical Obedience or Holiness doth depend How much all his Operations herein also are by some despised what Endeavours there have been to debase the Nature of Gospel-Obedience yea to cast it out of the Hearts and Lives of Christians and to substitute an Heathenish Honesty at best in the room thereof is not unknown to any who think it their Duty to inquire into these things Hence I thought it not unnecessary on the occasion of treating concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Sanctification to make a diligent and full enquiry into the true Nature of Evangelical-Holiness and that Spiritual â—ase unto God which all Believers are Created unto in Christ Jesus And herein following the Conduct of the Scriptures from first to last the Difference that is between them and that Exercise of Moral Virtue which some plâ—ad for in their stead did so evidently manifest it self as that it needed no great Endeavour to represent it unto any impartial Judgment Onely in the handling of these things I thought meet to pursue my former Method and Design and principally to respect the reducing of the Doctrines insisted on unto the Practice and Improvement of Holiness which also hath occasioned the lengthning of these Discourses I doubt not but all these things will be by some despised they are so in themselves and their Declaration by me will not recommend them unto a better Acceptation But let them please themselves whilst they see good in their own Imaginations whilst the Scripture is admitted to be an Infallible Declaration of the Will of God and the Nature of Spiritual Things and there are Christians remaining in the World who endeavour to live to God and to come to the enjoyment of him by Jesus Christ there will not want sufficient Testimony against that putid Figment of Moral Vertue being all our Gospel Holiness or that the Reparation of our Natures and Life unto God do consist therein alone In the last Place succeeds a Discourse concerning the necessity of Holiness and Obedience some regard I confess I had therein though not much unto the ridiculous clamours of malevolent and ignorant Persons charging those who plead for the Efficacy of the Grace of God and the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as though thereby they took away the necessity of an Holy Life For who would much trouble himself about an Accusation which is laden with as many Convictions of its Forgery as there are Persons who sincerely believe those Doctrines and which Common Light gives Testimony against in the Conversations of them by whom they are received and by whom they are despised It was the Importance of the Thing it self made peculiarly seasonable by the manifold Temptations of the dayes wherein we live which occasioned that Addition unto what was delivered about the Nature of Evangelical Holiness seeing if we know these things happy are we if we do them But yet the Principal Arguments and Demonstrations of that Necessity being drawn from those Doctrines of the Gospel which some traduce as casting no good Aspect thereon the Calumnies mentioned are therein also obviated And thus far have we proceeded in the Declaration and Vindication of the despised Work of the Spirit of God under the New Testament referring the remaining Instances above-mentioned unto another occasion The Oppositions unto all that we believe and maintain herein are of two sorts First Such as consist in Particular Exceptions against and Objections unto each particular Work of the Spirit weather in the Communication of Gifts or the Operation of Grace Secondly Such as consist in Reflections cast on the whole Work ascribed unto him in general These of the first sort will all of them â—all under Consideration in their proper Places where we treat of those especial Actings of the Spirit whereunto they are opposed The other sort at least the principal of them wherewith some make the greatest noise in the World may be here briefly spoken unto The first and chief Pretence of this Nature is That all those who plead for the Effectual Operations of the Holy Spirit
18. The second sort 19. Pretenders under the New Testament 20 21. The Rule for the Tryal of such Pretenders 1 John 4. 1 2 3. 22. Rules to this purpose under the Old and New Testament compared 23. A false Spirit set up against the Spirit of God examined 24. False and noxious Opinions concerning the Spirit and how to be obviated 25. Reproaches of the Spirit and his Work 26. Further declared 27. Principles and Occasions of the Apostasie of Churches under the Law and Gospel 28. Dispensation of the Spirit not confined to the first Ages of the Church 29 30 31. The great necessity of a diligent enquiry into the things taught concerning the Spirit of God and his Work Sect. 1 THE Apostle Paul in the 12th Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians directs their Exercise of Spiritual Gifts concerning which amongst other Things and Emergencies they had made enquiry of him This the first words wherewith he prefaceth his whole Discourse declare vers 1. Now concerning Spiritual Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his ensuing Declaration doth evince And the imagination of some concerning Spiritual Persons to be here intended contrary to the sense of all the Ancients is inconsistent with the Context For as it was about Spiritual Gifts and their Exercise that the Church had consulted with him so the whole series of his ensuing Discourse is directive therein And therefore in the close of it contracting the Design of the whole he doth it in that advice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covet the best Gifts namely among those which he proposed to treat of and had done so accordingly vers 31. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vers 1. are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vers 31. as it is exprest chap. 14. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire Spiritual Gifts whose Nature and Use you are now instructed in as at first was proposed Of these that Church had received an abundant measure especially of those that were Extraordinary and tended to the Conviction of Unbelievers For the Lord having much people in that City whom he intended to call to the Faith Acts 18. 9 10. not onely incouraged our Apostle against all fears and dangers to begin and carry on the Work of Preaching there wherein he continued an year and six months vers 11. but also furnished the first Converts with such eminent and some of them such miraculous Gifts as might be a prevalent means to the Conversion of many others For he will never be wanting to provide Instruments and suitable means for the effectual attaining of any End that he aimeth at In the Use Exercise and Management of these Spiritual Gifts that Church or sundry of the Principal Members of it had fallen into manifold disorders and abused them unto the matter of Emulation and Ambition whereon other Evils did ensue as the best of God's Gifts may be abused by the Lusts of Men and the purest Water may be tainted by the Earthen Vessels whereinto it is poured Upon the information of some who loving Truth Peace and Order were troubled at these Miscarriages chap. 1. 11. and in Answer unto a Letter of the whole Church written unto him about these and other Occurrences Chap. 7. 1. he gives them Counsel and Advice for the rectifying of these Abuses And first to prepare them aright with humility and thankfulness becoming them who were intrusted with such excellent Priviledges as they had abused and without which they could not receive the Instruction which he intended them he mindeth them of their former State and Condition before their Calling and Conversion to Christ vers 2. You know that you were Gentiles carried away with dumb Idols even as you were led 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hurried with violent Impressions from the Devil into the service of Idols This he mentions not to reproach them but to let them know what frame of Mind and what fruit of Life might be justly expected from them who had received such an alteration in their Condition Particularly as he elsewhere tells them If they had not made themselves to differ from others if they had nothing but what they had received they should not boast nor exalt themselves above others as though they had not received chap. 4. v. 7. For it is a vain thing for a man to boast in himself of what he hath freely received of another and never deserved so to receive it as it is with all who have received either Gifts or Grace from God Sect. 2 This Alteration of their State and Condition he farther declares unto them by the Effects and Author of it vers 3. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The great Difference which was then in the World was concerning Jesus who was preached unto them all Unbelievers who were still carried with an impetus of Mind and Affections after dumb Idols being led and acted therein by the Spirit of the Devil blasphemed and said Jesus was Anathema or one accursed They looked on him as a Person to be detected and abominated as the common odium of their Gods and Men. Hence on the mention of him they used to say Jesus Anathema he is or let him be accursed detested destroyed And in this Blasphemy do the Jews continue to this day hiding their cursed Sentiments under a corrupt pronunciation of his Name For instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they write and call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the initial Letters of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let his Name and Memory be blotted out the same with Jesus Anathema And this Blasphemy of pronouncing Jesus accursed was that wherewith the first Persecutors of the Church tryed the Faith of Christians as Pliny in his Epistle to Trajan and Justin Martyr with other Apologists agree And as the Apostle sayes Those who did thus did not so by the Spirit of God so he intends that they did it by the acting and instigation of the Devil the unclean Spirit which ruled in those Children of Disobedience And this was the Condition of these Corinthians themselves to whom he wrote whilst they also were carried away after dumb Idols On the other side those that believed called Jesus Lord or professed that he was the Lord and thereby avowed their Faith in him and Obedience unto him Principally they owned him to be Jehovah the Lord over all God blessed for ever For the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is every where in the New-Testament expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used He who thus professeth Jesus to be the Lord in the first place acknowledgeth him to be the true God And then they professed him therewithal to be their Lord the Lord of their Souls and Consciences unto whom they owed all Subjection
the Lord vers 5. But as to their first Original and Fountain they are from God even the Father vers 6. And all these are one and the same But rather the Spirit alone is intended and hath this three-fold denomination given unto him For as he is particularly denoted by the Name of the Spirit which he useth that we may know whom it is that eminently he intendeth so he calls him both Lord and God as to manifest his Sovereign Authority in all his Works and Administrations so to ingenerate a due Reverence in their Hearts towards him with whom they had to do in this Matter And no more is intended in these three Verses but what is summed up vers 11. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will Sect. 5 Secondly With respect unto their general Nature The Apostle distributes them into Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 4. Administrations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. Operations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. which Division with the Reasons of it will in our Progress be farther cleared Sect. 6 Thirdly He declares the general End of the Spirit of God in the Communication of them and the Use of them in the Church vers 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every Man to profit withal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Revelation of the Spirit that is the Gifts whereby and in whose Exercise he manifests and reveals his own Presence Power and effectual Operation And the Spirit of God hath no other aim in granting these his enlightning Gifts wherein he manifests his care of the Church and declares the things of the Gospel unto any Man but that they should be used to the Profit Advantage and Edification of others They are not bestowed on Men to make their secular Gain or Advantage by them in Riches Honour or Reputation for which Ends Simon the Magician would have purchased them with his Money Acts 8. 19. No nor yet meerly for the good and benefit of the Souls of them that do receive them but for the Edification of the Church and the furtherance of Faith and Profession in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad id quod expedit prodest For that which is expedient useful profitable namely to the Church 1 Cor. 6. 12. Chap. 10. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 10. Thus was the Foundation of the first Churches of the Gospel laid by the Holy Ghost and thus was the Work of their building unto perfection carried on by him How far present Churches do or ought to stand on the same bottom how far they are carried on upon the same Principles is worth our Enquiry and will in its proper Place fall under our Consideration Sect. 7 Fourthly The Apostle distributes the Spiritual Gifts then bestowed on the Church or some Members of it into nine Particular Heads or Instances As 1 Wisdom 2. Knowledg v. 8. or the Word of Wisdom and the Word of Knowledg 3. Faith 4 Healing vers 9. 5. Working of Miracles 6. Prophesy 7. Discerning of Spirits 8. Kinds of Tongues 9 Interpretation of Tongues v. 10. And all these were extraordinary Gifts in the manner of the Communication and Exercise which related unto the then present state of the Church What is yet continued anologous unto them or holding proportion with them must be farther enquired into when also their especial Nature will be unfolded But now if there be that great Diversity of Gifts in the Church if so much Difference in their Administrations how can it possibly be prevented but that Differences and Divisions will arise amongst them on whom they are bestowed and those amongst whom they are excercised It is true this may so fall out and sometimes doth so and de facto it did so in this Church of Corinth One Admired one Gift a second another of a different kind and so the third Accordingly among those who had received them one boasted of this or that Particular Gift and Ability and would be continually in its exercise to the exclusion and contempt of others bestowed no less for the edification of the Church than his own And so far were they transported with vain-Glory and a desire of self-Advancement as that they preferred the use of those Gifts in the Church which tended principally to beget Astonishment and Admiration in them which heard or beheld them before those which were peculiarly useful unto the Edification of the Church it self which Evil in particular the Apostle rebukes at large Chap. 14. By this means the Church came to be divided in it self and almost to be broken in Pieces Chap. 1. v. 11 12. So foolish oftimes are the minds of Men so liable to be imposed upon so common is it for their Lusts seduced and principled by the crafts of Satan to turn Judgment into Wormwood and to abuse the most useful Effects of Divine Grace and Bounty To prevent all these Evils for the future and to manifest how perfect an harmony there is in all these divers Gifts and different Administrations at what an Agreement they are among themselves in their Tendency unto the same Ends of the Union and Edification of the Church from what Fountain of Wisdom they do proceed and with what Care they ought to be used and improved the Apostle declares unto them both the Author of them and the Rule he proceedeth by in their Dispensation v. 11. All these saith he worketh that one and self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will Sect. 8 I shall not at present further open or insist upon these Words Frequent recourse must be had unto them in our Progress wherein they will be fully explicated as to what concerns the Person of the Spirit his Will and his Operations which are all asserted in them For my Purpose is through the Permission and Assistance of God to treat from hence of the Name Nature Existence and whole Work of the Holy Spirit with the Grace of God through Jesus Christ in the Communication of him unto the Sons of Men. A Work in it self too great and difficult for me to undertake and beyond my Ability to manage unto the Glory of God or the Edification of the Souls of them that do believe For who is sufficient for these things But yet I dare not utterly faint in it nor under it whilst I look unto him whose Work it is who giveth Wisdom to them that lack it and upbraideth them not Jam. 1. 5. Our Eys therefore are unto him alone who both supplieth seed to the Sower and when he hath done blesseth it with an encrease The present Necessity Importance and Usefulness of this work are the Things which alone have ingaged me into the undertaking of it These therefore I shall briefly represent in some general Considerations before I insist on the Things themselves whose especial Explanation is designed Sect. 9 First then we may consider That
the Doctrine of the Spirit of God his Work and Grace is the second great Head or Principle of those Gospel-Truths wherein the Glory of God and the Good of the Souls of Men are most eminently concerned And such also it is that without it without the Knowledg of it in its Truth and the Improvement of it in its Power the other will be useless unto those Ends. For when God designed the Great and Glorious Work of recovering Fallen Man and the saving of sinners to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace he appointed in his Infinite Wisdom two great Means thereof The one was the giving of his Son for them and the other was the giving of his Spirit unto them And hereby was way made for the Manifestation of the Glory of the whole Blessed Trinity which is the utmost end of all the Works of God Hereby were the Love Grace and Wisdom of the Father in the Design and Projection of the whole the Love Grace and Condescention of the Son in the Execution Purchase and Procurement of Grace and Salvation for sinners with the Love Grace and Power of the Holy Spirit in the effectual Application of all unto the Souls of Men made gloriously conspicuous Hence from the first Entrance of sin there were two general Heads of the Promises of God unto Men concerning the means of their Recovery and Salvation The One was that concerning the sending of his Son to be Incarnate to take our Nature upon him and to suffer for us therein the Other concerning the giving of his Spirit to make the Effects and Fruits of the Incarnation Obedience and Suffering of his Son effectual in us and towards us To these Heads may all the Promises of God be reduced Now because the Former was to be the Foundation of the Latter that was first to be laid down and most insisted on untill it was actually accomplished Hence the Great Promise of the Old Testament the Principal Object of the Faith Hope and Expectation of Believers was that concerning the Coming of the Son of God in the Flesh and the Work which he was to perform Yet was this also as we shall see in our Progress accompanied with a great intermixture of Promises concerning the Holy Spirit to render his coming and work effectual unto us But when once that first work was fully accomplished when the Son of God was come and had destroyed the Works of the Devil the Principal remaining Promise of the New Testament the spring of all the rest concerneth the sending of the Holy Spirit unto the Accomplishment of his Part of that great Work which God had designed Hence the Holy Ghost the Doctrine concerning his Person his Work his Grace is the most peculiar and principal Subiect of the Scriptures of the New Testament and a most eminent immediate Object of the Faith of them that do believe And this must be further cleared seeing we have to deal with some who will scarce allow him to be of any Consideration in these matters at all But I shall be brief in these previous Testimonies hereunto because the whole ensuing discourse is designed to the Demonstration of the Truth of this Assertion Sect. 10 First It is of great Moment and sufficient of it self to maintain the Cause as proposed that when our Lord Jesus Christ was to leave the world He promised to send his Holy Spirit unto his Disciples to supply his Absence Of what use the Presence of Christ was unto his Disciples we may in some measure conceive they knew full well whose Hearts were filled with sorrow upon the mention of his Leaving of them John 16. 5. 6. Designing to relieve them in this great Distress which drew out the highest Expressions of Love Tenderness Compassion and Care towards them he doth it principally by this Promise which he assures them shall be to their greater Advantage than any they could receive by the continuance of his bodily Presence amongst them And to secure them hereof as also to inform them of its great importance he repeats it frequently unto them and inculcates it upon them Consider somewhat of what he sayes to this Purpose in his last Discourse with them John 14. 16 17 18. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you that is in and by this Holy Spirit And v. 25 26 27. These things I have spoken unto you being present with you but the Comforter who is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all Things to your remembrance whatever I have said unto you Peace I leave with you c. And Chap. 15. 25. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testify of me And Chap. 16. v. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whither goest thou But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart Nevertheless I tell you the Truth is is expedient for you that I goe away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto You. And when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come He shall Glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and he shall shew it unto You. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shew it unto You. This was the great Legacy which our Lord Jesus Christ departing out of this World bequeathed unto his sorrowful Disciples This he promiseth unto them as a sufficient relief against all their Troubles and a faithful Guide in all their wayes And because of the Importance of it unto them he frequently repeats it and enlargeth upon the benefits that they should receive thereby giving them a particular account why it would be more advantageous unto them than his own bodily Presence And therefore after his Resurrection he minds them again of this Promise commanding them to act nothing towards the building of
the Church until it was accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4 5 8. They would have been again embracing his humane Nature and rejoycing in it But as he said unto Mary touch me not John 20 17. to wean her from any carnal consideration of him so he instructs them all now to look after and trust unto the Promise of the Holy Ghost Hence is that of our Apostle though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5. 16. For although it was a great Priviledg to have known Christ in this World after the flesh yet it was much greater to enjoy him in the Dispensation of the Spirit And this was spoken by the Apostle as the Ancients judge to rebuke the boasting of some about their seeing the Lord in the Flesh who were thereon called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he directs unto a more excellent knowledg of him It is in vain pretended that it was the Apostles only and it may be some of the Primitive Christians who were concerned in this Promise For although the Holy Ghost was bestowed on them in a peculiar manner and for especial Ends yet the Promise in general belongs unto all Believers unto the End of the World For as to what concerns his Gracious Operations whatever the Lord Christ prayed for for them and so promised unto them as the Spirit was procured for them on his Prayer Joh. 17. 16 17. he prayed not for it for them alone but for them also which should believe on him through their word John 17. 20. And his Promise is to be with his always even unto the End of the World Math. 28. 20. As also that wherever two or three are gathered together in his Name there he would be in the midst of them Math. 18. 20 which he is no otherwise but by his Spirit For as for his Humane Nature the Heavens must receive him until the times of the Restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. And this one Consideration is sufficient to evince the importance of the Doctrine and things which concern the Holy Spirit For is it possible that any Christian should be so supinely negligent and careless so inconcerned in the Things whereon his Present Comforts and future Happiness do absolutely depend as not to think it his Duty to inquire with the greatest Care and Diligence into what our Lord Jesus Christ hath left unto us to supply his Absence and at length to bring us unto himself He by whom these things are despised hath neither Part nor Lot in Christ himself For if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. Sect. 11 Secondly The great work of the Holy Ghost in the Dispensation and Ministration of the Gospel unto all the Ends of it is another evidence unto the same Purpose Hence the Gospel it self is called the Ministration of the Spirit in opposition to that of the Law which is called the Ministration of the Letter and of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministry of the Spirit is either that Ministry which the Spirit makes effectual or that Ministry whereby the Spirit in his Gifts and Graces is communicated unto Men. And this is that which gives unto the Ministry of the Gospel both its Glory and its Efficacy Take away the Spirit from the Gospel and you render it a dead Letter and leave the New-Testament of no more use unto Christians than the Old-Testament is of unto the Jews It is therefore a mischievous imagination proceeding from Ignorance Blindness and Unbelief that there is no more in the Gospel but what is conteyned under any other Doctrine or Declaration of Truth that it is nothing but a Book for men to exercise their Reason in and upon and to improve the things of it by the same Faculty For this is to separate the Spirit or the Dispensation of the Spirit from it which is in Truth to destroy it And therewith is the Covenant of God rejected which is that his Word and Spirit shall go together Isa. 59. v. 20. 21. We shall therefore God assisting manifest in our Progress that the whole Ministry of the Gospel the whole Use and Efficacy of it do depend on that Ministration of the Spirit wherewith according to the Promise of God it is accompanied If therefore we have any concernment in or have ever received any benefit by the Gospel or the Ministration of it we have a signal Duty lying before us in the matter in hand Sect. 12 Thirdly There is not any Spiritual or Saving-Good from first to last communicated unto us or that we are from and by the Grace of God made Partakers of but it is revealed to us and bestowed on us by the Holy Ghost He who hath not an immediate and especial Work of the Spirit of God upon him and towards him did never receive any especial Love Grace or Mercy from God For how should he so do Whatever God works in us and upon us he doth it by his Spirit He therefore who hath no Work of the Spirit of God upon his heart did never receive either Mercy or Grace from God For God giveth them not but by his Spirit A disclamure therefore of any Work of the Spirit of God in us or upon us is a disclamure of all Interest in his Grace and Mercy And they may do well to consider it with whom the Work of the Spirit of God is a Reproach When they can tell us of any other way whereby a Man may be made Partaker of Mercy and Grace we will attend unto it in the mean time we shall prove from the Scripture this to be the way of God Sect. 13 Fourthly There is not any thing done in us or by us that is Holy and Acceptable unto God but it is an Effect of the Holy Spirit it is of his operation in us and by us Without him we can do nothing For without Christ we cannot Joh. 15. 5. And by him alone is the Grace of Christ communicated unto us and wrought in us By him we are Regenerated by him we are Sanctified by him are we Cleansed by him are we Assisted in and unto every Good Work Particular instances to this Purpose will be afterwards insisted on and proved And it is our unquestionable concernment to enquire into the Cause and Spring of all that is Good in us wherein also we shall have a true discovery of the Spring and Cause of all that is Evil without a competent knowledge of both which we can do nothing as we ought Sect. 14 Fiftly God lets us know that the only peculiarly remediless Sin and way of sinning under the Gospel is to sin in an especial manner against the Holy Ghost And this of it self is sufficient to convince us how needful it is for us to be well instructed in what concerns him For there is somewhat that doth so which is
accompanyed with irrecoverable and eternal Ruine And so is nothing else in the World So Mark 3. 28 29. All sins shall be forgiven unto the Sons of Men and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgivness Or He that speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World nor in the World to come Matth. 12. 32. There remains nothing for him who doth despite to the Spirit of Grace but a certain fearful looking-for of Judgment and fiery Indignation that shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10. 27 29. This is that sin unto death whose remission is not to be prayed for 1 Joh. 5. 16 For He having taken upon him to make effectual unto us the great Remedy provided in the blood of Christ for the Pardon of our Sins if He in the Prosecution of that Work be dispised blasphemed despitefully used there neither is Relief nor can there be Pardon for that Sin For whence in that Case should they arise or Spring As God hath not another Son to offer another sacrifice for Sin so that he by whom his Sacrifice is despised can have none remaining for him no more hath he another Spirit to make that Sacrifice effectual unto us if the Holy Ghost in his work be despised and rejected This therefore is a tender Place We cannot use too much Holy Diligence in our Enquiries after what God hath revealed in his Word concerning his Spirit and his Work seeing there may be so fatal a miscarriage in an opposition unto him as the Nature of Man is incapable of in any other Instance And these Considerations belong unto the first Head of Reasons of the Importance Use and Necessity of the Doctrine proposed to be enquired into They are enough to manifest what is the Concernment of all Believers herein For on the Account of these things the Scripture plainly declares as we observed before that he who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his their Portion is not in him they shall have no benefit by his Mediation Men may please themselves with a Profession of being Christians and owning the Gospel whilst they dispise the Spirit of God both name and thing Their Condition we shall examine and judge by the Scripture before we come to the End of this Discourse And for the Scripture it self whoever reads the Books of the New-Testament besides the great and precious Promises that are given concerning him in the Old will find and conclude unless he be prepossessed with Prejudice that the whole of what is declared in those Writings turns on this only hinge Remove from them the consideration of the Spirit of God and his Work and it will be hard to find out what they aim at or tend unto Sect. 15 Secondly The great Deceit and Abuse that hath been in all Ages of the Church under the Pretence of the Name and Work of the Spirit make the through-consideration of what we are taught concerning them exceeding necessary Had not these things been Excellent in themselves and so acknowledged by all Christians they would never have been by so many falsely pretended unto Men do not seek to adorn themselves with Rags or to boast of what on its own account is under just contempt And according to the worth of things so are they liable to abuse And the more excellent any thing is the more vile and pernitious is an undue Pretence unto it Such have been the false Pretences of some in all Ages unto the Spirit of God and his work whose real Excellencies in themselves have made those pretences abominable and unspeakably dangerous For the better the things are which are counterfeited the worse always are the Ends they are employed unto In the whole World there is nothing so vile as that which pretendeth to be God and is not nor is any other thing capable of so pernicious an abuse Some Instances hereof I shall give both out of the Old Testament and the New Sect. 16 The most signal Gift of the Spirit of God for the Use of the Church under the Old Testament was that of Prophesy This therefore was deservedly in Honour and Reputation as having a great impression of the Authority of God upon it and in it of his Neerness unto Man Besides those in whom it was had justly the Conduct of the Minds and Consciences of others given up unto them For they spake in the Name of God and had his warranty for what they proposed which is the highest security of Obedience And these things caused many to pretend unto this Gift who were indeed never inspired by the Holy Spirit but were rather on the contrary acted by a Spirit of Lying and uncleanness For it is very probable that when Men falsly and in meer pretence took upon them to be Prophets divinely inspired without any antecedent Diabolical Enthusiasm that the Devil made use of them to compass his own Designs Being given up by the righteous Judgment of God unto all Delusions for belying his Spirit and holy Inspirations they were quickly possessed with a Spirit of Lying and unclean Divination So the false Prophets of Ahab who encouraged him to go up unto Ramoth Gilead foretelling his prosperous success 1 Kings 22. 6. seemed only to have complied deceitfully with the Inclinations of their Master and to have out-acted his other Courtiers in Flattery by gilding it with a pretence of Prophesy But when Micaiah came to lay open the Mystery of their Iniquity it appeared that a Lying Spirit by the permission of God had possessed their Minds and gave them Impressions which being Supernatural they were deceived as well as they did deceive v. 21 22 23. This they were justly given up unto pretending falsly unto the Inspiration of that Holy Spirit which they had not received And no otherwise hath it fallen out with some in our Days whom we have seen visibly acted by an extraordinary Power unduely pretending unto Supernatural Agitations from God they were really acted by the Devil a thing they neither desired nor looked after but being surprized by it were pleased with it for a while as it a was with sundry of the Quakers at their first appearance Sect. 17 Now these false Prophets of old were of two sorts both mentioned Deut. 18. 20. First such as professedly served other Gods directing all their Prophetick actings unto the Promotion of their Worship Such were the Prophets of Baal in whose name expresly they prophesied and whose Assistance they invocated They called on the name of Baal saying O Baal hear us 1 Kings 18 26 27 28. Many of these were slain by Elijah and the whole Race of them afterwards extirpated by Jehu 2 Kings 25 26 27 28. This put an End to his Diety for it is said he destroyed Baal out of Israel false Gods having no Existence but in the deceived Minds of their Worshippers It may be asked why these
is commended by our Lord Jesus Christ Rev. â— 2. Thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyers For those who said they were Apostles pretended thâ— rewithal to Apostolical Authority and Infallibility on the account of the immediate Inspirations which they received by the Holy Ghost In trying them they tryed the Spirits that came unto them And by this Warrant may we try the Spirit of the Church of Rome which in like manner pretends unto Apostolical Authority and Infallibility Sect. 21 Unto these two Directions the Apostle subjoyns the Reason of the present watchfulness required unto the discharge of this Duty For saith he many false Prophets are gone out into the World It is false Teachers as Peter calls them bringing in damnable Heresies concerning whom he speaks And he calleth them false Prophets partly in an Allusion unto the false Prophets under the Old Testament with whom they are ranked and compared by Peter and partly because as they fathered their Predictions on Divine Revelation so these falsly ascribed their Doctrines unto immediate Divine Inspiration And on this account also he calleth them Spirits Try the Spirits For as they pretended unto the Spirit of God so indeed for the most part they were acted by a Spirit of Error Lying and Delusion that is the Devil himself And therefore I no way doubt but that mostly those who made use of this Plea that they had their Doctrines which they taught by immediate Inspiration did also effect other extraordinary Operations or undiscoverable Appearances of them as lying Miracles by the Power of that Spirit whereby they were acted as Matth. 24. 24. Hence the Apostle doth not direct us to try their pretensions unto Inspiration by putting them on other extraordinary Works for their confirmation for these also they made a shew and appearance of and that in such a manner as that they were not to be detected by the generality of Christians but he gives unto all a blessed stable Rule which will never fail them in this case who diligently attend unto it And this is to try them by the Doctrine that they teach vers 2 3. Let their Doctrine be examined by the Scriptures and if it be found consonant thereunto it may be received without danger unto the Hearers whatever corrupt Affections the Teachers may be influenced by But if it be not consonant thereunto if it keep not up an harmony in the Analogie of Faith whatever Inspiration or Revelation be pleaded in its Justification it is to be rejected as they also are by whom it is declared This Rule the Apostle Paul confirms by the highest Instance imaginable Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And the Apostle shews that for our advantage in this tryal we are to make of Spirits it is good to have a clear conviction of and a constant adherence unto some fundamental Principles especially such as we have reason to think will be the most cunningly attaqued by Seducers Thus because in those dayes the principal design of Satan was to broach strange false Imaginations about the Person and Mediation of Christ endeavouring thereby to overthrow both the one and the other the Apostle adviseth Believers to try the Spirits by this one Fundamental Principle of Truth namely that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh which contains a confession both of his Person and Mediation This therefore Believers were to demand of all new Teachers and Pretenders unto Spiritual Revelations in the first place do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and if they immediately made not this confession they never stood to consider their other Pretences but turned from them not bidding them God-speed 2 Joh. 7. 10 11. And I could easily manifest how many pernicious Heresies were obviated in those days by this short Confession of Faith For some of late as Grotius following Socinus and Sâ—lictingius interpreting this coming of Christ in the flesh of his outward mean Estate and Condition and not in the Pomp and Glory of an Earthly King do openly corrupt the Text. His coming in the flesh is the same with the Words being made flesh John 1. 14. or God being manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. That is the Son of God being made partaker of flesh and blood Heb. 2. 14. or taking on him the Seed of Abraham vers 14. That is his being made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. or his being made of the Seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. His being of the Fathers â—s to the flesh Rom 9. 5. And this was directly opposed unto those Heresies which were then risen whose Broachers contended that Jesus Christ was but a Phantasie an Appearance a manifestation of Divine Love and Power denying that the Son of God was really incarnate as the Antients generally testifie And well had it been for many in our dayes had they attended unto such Rules as this But through a neglect of it accompanied with an ungrounded boldness and curiosity they have hearkned in other things to deceiving Spirits and have been engaged beyond a recovery before they have considered that by their cogging deceits they have been cheated of all the principal Articles of their Faith by which if at first they had steadily tryed and examined them they might have been preserved from their Snares Sect. 22 The Jews say well that there was a double tryal of Prophets under the Old Testament the one by their Doctrine the other by their Predictions That by their Doctrine namely whether they seduced Men from the Worship of the true God unto Idolatry belonged unto all individual Persons of the Church Direction for this is given Deut. 13. 2 3. If the Prophet giveth a Sign or a Wonder and it come to pass effect any thing by a seeming presence of an extraordinary Power and say Let us go serve other Gods thou shalt not hearken unto him Let his Signs and Wonders be what they would the People were to try them by what they taught The Judgment upon Predictions was left unto the Sanhedrim for which Directions are given Deut. 18. 20 21 22. And by vertue hereof they falsly and cruelly endeavoured to take away the Life of Jeremiah because he foretold the Ruine of them and their City Chap. 26. v. 11. In the first place though his Sign Wonder or Prediction came to pass yet the Doctrine he sought to confirm by it being false he was to be rejected In the latter the fulfilling of his Sign acquitted him because he taught with it nothing in point of Doctrine that was false The first kind of tryal of the Spirits of Prophets is the Duty of all Believers under the Gospel And those who would deprive them of this Liberty would make Bruits of them instead of Christians unless to believe a Man knows not what
and to obey he knows not why be the Properties of Christians see Rom. 12. 2. Ephes. 5. 8 9 10 11. Phil. 1. 10. 1 Thess. 5. 21. The other so far as was needful to preserve the Church in Truth and Peace was provided for in those Primitive Times whilst there was a real communication of extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and so more occasion given to the false Pretence of them and more danger in being deceived by them by a peculiar Gift of discerning them bestowed on some amongst them 1 Cor. 12. 10. Discerning of Spirits is reckoned among the Gifts of the Spirit So had the Lord graciously provided for his Churches that some among them should be enabled in an extraordinary manner to discern and judg of them who pretended unto extraordinary actings of the Spirit And upon the ceasing of Extraordinary Gifts really given from God the Gift also of discerning Spirits ceased and we are left unto the Word alone for the tryal of any that shall pretend unto them Now this kind of Pretence was so common in those dayes that the Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians to caution them that they suffered not themselves to be deceived in their Expectation and Computations about the Time of the coming of Christ in the first place warns them not to be moved in it by Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 2. That is Persons pretending unto Spiritual Revelations Something also of this nature hath continued and broken out in succeeding Ages and that in Instances abominable and dreadful And the more eminent in any Season are the real Effusions of the Holy Spirit upon the Ministers of the Gospel and Disciples of Christ the more Diligence and Watchfulness against these Delusions are necessary For on such opportunities it is when the Use and Reputation of Spiritual Gifts is eminent that Satan doth lay hold to intrude under the colour of them his own deceitful Suggestions In the dark Times of the Papacy all Stories are full of Satanical Delusions in Phantastical Apparitions Horrors Spectrums and the like Effects of Darkness It was seldom or never that any falsly pretended to the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit For these things were then of little use or request in the World But when God was pleased to renew really a fresh communication of Spiritual Gifts and Graces unto Men in and upon the Reformation the old Dreads and Terrors nightly Appearances tending unto Deeds of Darkness vanished and every where by Satans Instigation arose false Pretenders to the Spirit of God in which way of delusion he will still be more active and industrious as God shall increase the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit in his Churches though as yet in these latter Ages he hath not attained what he was arrived unto in the Primitive Times of the Gospel A full and clear Declaration from the Scripture of the Nature of the Holy Spirit and his Operations may through the blessing of God be of use to fortifie the Minds of Professors against Satanical Delusions counterfeiting his Actings and Inspirations For Directions unto this purpose are given us by the Holy Apostle who lived to see great havock made in the Churches by deluding Spirits Knowledg of the Truth trying of Spirits that go abroad by the Doctrines of the Scriptures Dependence on the Holy Spirit for his Teachings according to the Word are the Things which to this purpose he commends unto us Sect. 23 Thirdly There is in the Dayes wherein we live an Anti-Spirit set up and advanced against the Spirit of God in his Being and all his Operations in his whole Work and Use towards the Church of God For this new Spirit takes upon him whatever is promised to be effected by the good Spirit of God This is that which some Men call the Light within them though indeed it be nothing but a dark Product of Satan upon their own Imaginations or at best the Natural Light of Conscience which some of the Heathens also called a Spirit But hereunto do they trust as that which doth all for them leaving no room for the Promise of the Spirit of God nor any thing for him to do This teacheth them instructs them enlightens them to this they attend as the Samaritans to Simon Magus and as they say yield Obedience unto it And from hence with the Fruits of it do they expect Acceptation with God Justification and Blessedness hereafter And one of these two things these deluded Souls must fix upon namely that this Light whereof they speak is either the Holy Spirit of God or it is not If they say it is the Spirit it will be easie to demonstrate how by their so saying they utterly destroy the very Nature and Being of the Holy Ghost as will evidently appear in our Explication of them And if they say that it is not the Holy Spirit of God which they intend thereby it will be no less manifest that they utterly exclude him on the other side from his whole Work and substitute another yea an Enemy in his room For another God is a false God another Christ is a false Christ and another Spirit is a false Spirit the Spirit of Antichrist Now because this is a growing Evil amongst us many being led away and seduced our Duty unto Jesus Christ and Compassion for the Souls of Men do require that our utmost indeavour in the wayes of Christ's Appointment should be used to obviate this Evil which eateth as doth a Canker which also is propagated by prophane and vain bablings encreasing still unto more ungodliness Some I confess do unduly rage against the Persons of those who have imbibed these Imaginations falling upon them with violence and fury as they do also on others The Lord lay it not unto their charge Yet this hinders not but that by those Weapons of our Warfare which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down such like Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every thought unto the Obedience of Christ We ought to attempt the destruction of their Errors and the breaking of the Snares of Satan by whom they are taken captive alive at his pleasure The course indeed of opposing Errors and false Spirits by Praying Preaching Writing is despised by them in whose furious and haughty minds Ure Seca Occide Burn Gût and Kill are alone of any signification that think Arise Peter kill and eat to be a Precept of more Use and Advantage unto them than all the Commands of Jesus Christ besides But the way proposed unto us by the Lord Jesus Christ himself walked in by his Holy Apostles and all the Ancient Holy Learned Writers of the Church is that which in these Matters we must and shall attend unto And that course which is particularly suited to obviate the Evil mentioned is to give a full plain evident Declaration from the Scripture of the
Things themselves concerning which we are to treat it will be necessary to speak something unto the Name whereby the Third Person in the Trinity is commonly known and peculiarly called in the Scripture This is the Spirit or the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as we usually speak And this I shall do that we be not deceived with the Homonimy of the Word nor be at a loss in the intention of those places of Scripture where it is used unto other Purposes For it is so that the Name of the Second Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word and of the Third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit are often applyed to signifie other things I mean those words are so And some make their Advantages of the ambiguous use of them But the Scripture is able of it self to manifest its own Intention and Meaning unto humble and diligent enquirers into it Sect. 2 It is then acknowledged that the use of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament and New is very various yet are they the words whereby alone the Holy Spirit of God is denoted Their peculiar signification therefore in particular places is to be collected and determined from the Subject Matter treated of in them and other especial Circumstances of them This was first attempted by the most Learned Didymus of Alexandria whose Words therefore I have set down at large and shall cast his Observations into a more perspicuous Method with such Additions as are needful for the further clearing of the whole Matter In general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a Wind or Spirit that is any thing which moves and is not seen So the Air in a violent agitation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God made a Wind or Spirit that is a strong and mighty Wind to pass over the Earth for the driving and removal of the Waters So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used John 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whether it goeth which is a proper description of this first signification of the Word It is an agitation of the Air which is unseen So Psal. 1. 4. And in this sense sometimes it signifies a violent and strong Wind that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 19. 11. And sometimes a cool and soft Wind or a light easie agitation of the Air such as often ariseth in the Evenings of the Spring or Summer So Gen. 3. 8. God Walked in the Garden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the cool of the Day that is when the Evening-Air began to breath gently and moderate the heat of the Day So in the Poet Solis ad occasum cum frigidus aera Vesper temperat Virgil. Georg. 3. At the going down of the Sun when the cold Evening tempers the Heat of the Air. And some think this to be the sense of that place Psal. 104. v. 4. Who maketh his Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits Swift agile powerful as mighty Winds But the Reader may consult our Exposition on Heb. 1. 7. Sect. 3 This is one signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or this is one thing denoted by it in the Scripture So among many other places expresly Amos 4. 13. for lo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that formeth the Mountains and createth the Spirit that is the Wind. The LXX render this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who establisheth the Thunder and createth the Spirit though some Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountains And the next words in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and declareth unto Man what is his Thought they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and declareth unto men his Christ or his Anointed or his Messiah For they took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inadvertency and not for want of Points or Vowels as some imagine seeing the Mistake consists in the casting out of a Letter it self And thence the old Latin Translation renders the words Firmans Tonitruum creans Spiritum annuncians in homines Christum suum Which Hierom rectified into formans Montes creans Ventum annuntians Homini eloquium suum discovering in his Comment the Mistake of the LXX But it is certain that from the Ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place with the corrupt Translations making mention of Christ in the next words some who of old denied the Deity of the Holy Spirit mightily insisted on it to prove him a Creature as may be seen in Didymus Ambrose Hierom Hilarius and the Ancients generally But the Context determines the signification of the Word beyond all just Exceptions It is the Power of God in making and disposing of things here below whether dreadful for their Greatness and Height as the Mountains or Mighty and Effectual in their operations as the Wind or Secret in their Conceptions as the Thoughts of men or stable in their Continuance as the Night and Day the Evening and Morning without the least respect to Christ or the Spirit that it treateth of Sect. 4 And I cannot but observe from hence the great necessity there is of searching the Original Text in the Interpretation of the Scriptures as it might be evidenced by a Thousand other Instances But one we may take from two Great and Learned Men who were Contemporaries in the Latin Church in their thoughts on this place The one is Ambrose who interpreting these words in his second Book de Spiritu Sancto cap. 1. being deceived by the corrupt Translation mentioned annuncians in homines Christum suum is forced to give a very strained Exposition of that which in Truth is not in the Text and to relieve himself also with another Corruption in the same place where forming the Mountains is rendred by establishing the Thunder and yet when he hath done all can scarce free himself of the Objection about the creation of the Spirit which he designs to answer His words are Siquis propheticum dictum ideo derivandum putet ad interpretationem Spiritus sancti quia habet annuncians in homines Christum suum is ad Incarnationis Dominicae Mysteria dictum facilius derivabit Nam si te movet quia Spiritum dixit hoc non putas derivandum ad Mysteria a assumptionis humanae persequere scripturas invenies ptime congruere de Christo de quo bene convenit aestimari quia firmavit tonitrua adventu suo vim videlicet sonum coelestium scripturarum quarâ—m velut quodam tonitru mentes nostrae redduntur attonitae timere disâ—â—â—us reverentiam caelestibus deferamus oraculis Denique in Evangelio fratres Domini Filii tonitru dicebantur Et cum vox Patris facta esset dicentis ad Filium honorificavi te
his Gifts unto his Disciples by breathing on them John 20. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because in our first Creation it is said of Adam that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. He hath the same Appellation with respect unto God Psal. 18. 15. Thus is he called the Spirit And because as we observed before the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously used Didymus de Spiritu Sancto lib. 3. supposeth that the prefixing of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth distinguish the signification and confine it to the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Oft-times no doubt it doth so but not alwayes as is manifest from Joh. 8. 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet only signifies the Wind. But the Subject treated of and what is affirmed of him will sufficiently determine the signification of the Word where he is called absolutely THE SPIRIT Sect. 9 Again He is called by way of Eminency the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost This is the most usual Appellation of him in the New Testament And it is derived from the Old Psal. 51. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of thy Holiness or thy Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of his Holiness or his Holy Spirit Hence are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Holiness in common use among the Jews In the New Testament He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Spirit And we must enquire the special Reasons of this Adjunct Some suppose it is only from his peculiar Work of sanctifying us or making us Holy For this Effect of Sanctification is his peculiar Work and that of what sort soever it be whether it consist in a separation from things Profane and Common unto Holy Uses and Services or whether it be the real Infusion and Operation of Holiness in Men it is from him in an especial manner And this also manifesteth him to be God for it is God alone who sanctifyeth his People Levit. 20. 8. I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you And God in that Work ascribes unto himself the Title of Holy in an especial manner and as such would have us to consider him Levit. 21. 8. I the Lord which sanctifieth you am Holy And this may be one Reason of the frequent use of this Property with reference unto the Spirit Sect. 10 But this is not the whole Reason of this Name and Apellation For where he is first so mentioned he is called the Spirit of Gods Holiness Psal. 51. 11. Isa 63. 10 11. And in the New Testament absolutely the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 4. And this respects his Nature in the first Place and not merely his Operations As God then absolutely is called Holy the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel being therein described by that Glorious Property of his Nature whereby he is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11 And whereby he is distinguished from all false Gods who is like unto thee O Jehovah among the Gods who is like unto thee Glorious in Holiness So is the Spirit called Holy to denote the Holiness of his Nature And on this Account is the Opposition made between him and the Unholy or unclean Spirit Mark 3. 29 30. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgivness Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit And herein first his Personality is asserted for the Unclean Spirit is a Person And if the Spirit of God were only a Quality or Accident as some fancy and dream there could no comparative opposition be made between him and this unclean Spirit that is the Devil So also are they opposed with respect unto their Natures His Nature is Holy whereas that of the unclean Spirit is Evil and perverse This is the Foundation of his being called Holy even the eternal Glorious Holiness of his Nature And on this account he is so stiled also with respect unto all his Operations For it is not only with regard unto the particular Work of Regeneration and Sanctification or making of us Holy but unto all his Works and Operations that he is so termed For he being the immediate Operator of all Divine Works that outwardly are of God and they being in themselves all Holy be they of what kind soever He is called the Holy Spirit Yea he is so called to attest and witness that all his Works all the Works of God are Holy although they may be great and terrible and such as to Corrupt Reason may have an other Appearance in all which we are to acquiesce in this that the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity Zeph. 3. 5. The Spirit of God then is thus frequently and almost constantly called Holy to attest that all the Works of God whereof he is the immediate Operator are Holy For it is the Work of the Spirit to harden and blind obstinate sinners as well as to Sanctifie the Elect. And his acting in the One is no less Holy than in the other although Holiness be not the Effect of it in the Objects So when he came to declare his dreadful Work of the final hardning and Rejection of the Jews one of the most tremendous Effects of Divine Providence a Work which for the strangeness of it Men would in no wise believe though it were declared unto them Acts 13. 41. he was signally proclamed Holy by the Seraphims that attended his Throne Isa. 6. 3 10 11 12. Joh. 12. 40. Acts 28. 26. Sect. 11 There are indeed some Actions on Men and in the World that are wrought by God's permission and in his righteous Judgment by Evil Spirits whose Persons and actings are placed in Opposition to the Spirit of God So Sam. 16. 14 15. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an Evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him And Saul's servants said unto him behold now an Evil Spirit from God troubleth thee So also v. 23. The Evil Spirit from God was upon Saul So chap. 18. 10. Chap. 19. 9. This Spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil Spirit of God Chap. 16. 15. and absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of God v. 33. where we have supplied Evil in the Translation But these Expressions are to be regulated and explained by v. 14. where he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Spirit from the Lord that is appointed and commissioned by him for the punishing and terrifying of Saul For as the Spirit of the Lord departed from him by with-drawing his Assistance and Influential operations whereby he had wrought in him those Gifts and Abilities of mind which fitted him unto the discharge of his Kingly Office upon the first impressions whereof he was turned into another man from what he was in his Private Condition 1 Sam. 10. 6
9. So the Evil Spirit came upon him to excite out of his own adust Melancholy discontents fears a sense of Guilt as also to impress terrifying thoughts and Apprehensions on his Imagination For so it is said an Evil Spirit from the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 16. 14. terrified him frightened him with dreadful Agitations of Mind And that we may touch a little on this by the way The Foundation of this Trouble and distress of Saul lay in himself For as I do grant that he was sometimes under an immediate Agitation of Body and Mind from the powerful Impressions of the Devil upon him for under them it is said he prophesied in the midst of the House 1 Sam. 18. 10. which argues an extraordinary and involuntary Effect upon him yet principally he wrought by the Excitation and Provocation of his Personal Distempers Moral and Natural For these have in themselves a great Efficacy in cruciating the Minds of Guilty Persons So Tacitus observes out of Plato Annal. lib. 6. Neque frustra praestantissimus humanae sapientiae firmare solitus est si recludantur Tyrannorum mentes posse aspici laniatus ictus quando ut corpora verberibus ita saevitia libidine malis consultis animus dilaceretur The most Eminent Wiseman was not wont in vain to affirm that if the minds of Tyrants were laid open and discovered it would be seen how they were cruciated and punished seeing that as the Body is rent and torn by stripes so is the Mind by cruelty Lusts evil Counsels and Undertakings so he as I suppose from Plato de Repub. lib. 9. Where Socrates disputes sundry things to that purpose And another Roman Historian gives us a signal Instance hereof in Jugurtha after he had contracted the Guilt of many horrible wickednesses And yet this Work in it self is of the same kind with what God sometimes employs holy Angels about because it is the Execution of his Righteous Judgments So it was a watcher and an Holy One that in such a Case smote Nebuchadnezzar with a sudden madness and frenzy Dan. 4. 13 14. Sect. 12 To return as he is called the Holy so he is the Good Spirit of God Psal. 143. v 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Spirit is Good lead me into the Land of Uprightness So Ours Rather Thy Good Spirit shall lead Me. Or as Junius Spiritu tuo bono deduc me lead me by thy Good Spirit The Chaldee here adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Good Spirit of thy Holiness or thy Holy Good Spirit Didymus Lib. 2. de Spirit Sanc. says that some Copies here read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Remembrance whereof is in the M. S. of Tâ—cla and not elsewhere So Nehem. 9. 10. Thou gavest them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Good Spirit of thine to instruct them And he is called so principally from his Nature which is essentially Good as there is none Good but One that is God Matth. 19. 17. as also from his Operations which are all Good as they are Holy and unto them that believe are full of goodness in their Effects Crel Prolegom p. 7. distinguisheth between this Good Spirit and the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost For this Good Spirit he would confine unto the Old Testament making it the Author or Cause of those Gifts of Wisdom Courage Prudence and Government that were granted unto many of the People of old So it is said of Bezaliel That he was filled with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and Understanding and in Knowledg Exod. 31. 3. So Chap. 35. 31. That is saith he with this Good Spirit of God So also it is pretended in all those Places where the Spirit of God is said to come on Men to enable them unto some great and extraordinary Work as Judg. 3. 10. But this is plainly to contradict the Apostle who tells us that there are indeed various Operations but one Spirit and that the one and self same Spirit worketh all these things as he pleaseth And if from every different or distinct Effect of the Spirit of God we must multiply Spirits and assign every one of them to a distinct Spirit no Man will know what to make of the Spirit of God at last Probably we shall have so many feigned Spirits as to lose the only true One. As to this particular Instance David prays that God would lead him by his Good Spirit Psal. 143. 10. Now certainly this was no other but that Holy Spirit which he prays in another place that the Lord would not take from him Psal. 51. 11. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me which is confessed to be the Holy Ghost This he also mentions 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his Word was in my Tongue And what Spirit this was Peter declares 1 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 21. The Holy Men of God spake in old time as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So vain is this pretence Sect. 13 Again He is commonly called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Lord So in the first mention of Him Gen. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of God moved on the Face of the Waters And I doubt not but that the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim which includes a plurality in the same Nature is used in the Creation and the whole Description of it to intimate the Dictinction of the Divine Persons For presently upon it the Name Jehovah is mentioned also Chap. 2. 4. but so as Elohim is joyned with it But that Name is not used in the account given us of the Work of Creation because it hath respect onely unto the Unity of the Essence of God Now the Spirit is called the Spirit of God originally and principally as the Son is called the Son of God For the Name of God in those Enunciations is taken personally for the Father that is God the Father the Father of Christ and our Father John 20. 17. And he is thus termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the account of the Order and Nature of Personal Subsistence and Distinction in the Holy Trinity The Person of the Father being Fons Origo Trinitatis the Son is from him by eternal Generation and is therefore his Son the Son of God whose denomination as the Father is originally from hence even the Eternal Generation of the Son So is the Person of the Holy Spirit from him by eternal Procession or Emanation Hence is that Relation of his to God even the Father whence he is called the Spirit of God And he is not only called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit that is of God which proceedeth from him as a Distinct Person This therefore arising from and consisting in his proceeding from him he is called Metaphorically the Breath of his Mouth as proceeding from him by an eternal Spiration On this Foundation and Supposition he is
also called Secondly The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to difference him from all other Spirits whatever as thirdly also because he is promised given and sent of God for the accomplishment of his whole Will and Pleasure towards us The Instances hereof will be afterwards considered But these Appellations of him have their Foundation in his eternal Relation unto the Father before mentioned Sect. 14 On the same account Originally he is also called the Spirit of the Son God hath sent forth the Spirit of the Son into your Hearts Gal. 4. 6. And the Spirit of Christ What time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So Rom. 8. 9. But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his The Spirit therefore of God and the Spirit of Christ are one and the same For that Hypothetical Proposition If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his is an Inference taken from the words foregoing if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you And this Spirit of Christ v. 11. is said to be the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead Look then in what sense he is said to be the Spirit of God that is of the Father in the same he is said to be the Spirit of the Son And this is because he proceedeth from the Son also And for no other Reason can he be so called at least not without the original and formal Reason of that Appellation Secondarily I confess he is called the Spirit of Christ because promised by him sent by him and that to make effectual and accomplish his Work towards the Church But this he could not be unless he had antecedently been the Spirit of the Son by his proceeding from him also For the order of the Dispensation of the Divine Persons towards us ariseth from the Order of their own Subsistence in the same Divine Essence And if the Spirit did proceed only from the Persons of the Father he could not be promised sent or given by the S n. Consider therefore the Humane Nature of Christ in it self and abstractedly and the Spirit cannot be said to be the Spirit of Christ. For it was anointed and endowed with Gifts and Graces by him as we shall shew And if from hence he may be said to be the Spirit of Christ without respect unto his proceeding from him as the Son of God then he may be also said to be the Spirit of every Believer who hath received the Unction or are anointed with his Gifts and Graces For although Believers are so as to Measure and Degree unspeakably beneath what Christ was who received not the Spirit by Measure yet as he is the Head and they are the Members of the same Mystical Body their Unction by the Spirit is of the same kind But now the Spirit of God may not be said to be the Spirit of this or that Man who hath received of his Gifts and Graces David prayes Take not thy Holy Spirit from me not my Holy Spirit And he is distinguished from our Spirits even as they are sanctified by him Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our Spirit No more than can he be said to be the Spirit of Christ meerly upon the account of his Communications unto him although in a degree above all others inconceivably excellent For with respect hereunto he is still called the Spirit of God or the Father who sent him and anointed the Humane Nature of Christ with him Sect. 15 It will be said perhaps that he is called the Spirit of Christ because he is promised given and poured out by him So Peter speaks Acts 2. 33. Having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear But in this regard namely as given by Christ the Mediator he is expresly called the Spirit of the Father he was given as the Promise of the Father for so he is introduced speaking v. 17. it shall come to pass in the last Days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh And so our Saviour tells his Disciples that he would pray the Father and he should give them another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14. 16 17. Nor is he otherwise the Spirit of Christ originally and formally but as he is the Spirit of God that is as Christ is God also On this supposition I grant as before that he may consequentially be called the Spirit of Christ because promised and sent by him because doing his Work and Communicating his Grace Image and likeness to the Elect. Sect. 16 And this is yet more plain 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesyed of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify And this Spirit is said absolutely to be the Holy Ghost 2 Epist. Chap. 1. 21. So then the Spirit that was in the Prophets of old in all Ages since the World began before the Incarnation of the Son of God is called the Spirit of Christ that is of him who is so Now this could not be because he was anointed by that Spirit or because he gave it afterwards to his Disciples for his Humane Nature did not exist in the Time of their Prophesying Those indeed who receive him after the Unction of the Humane Nature of Christ may be said in some sense to receive the Spirit of Christ because they are made Partakers of the same Spirit with him to the same Ends and Purposes according to their measure But this cannot be so with respect unto them who lived and Prophesyed by him and died long before his Incarnation Wherefore it is pleaded by those who oppose both the Deity of Christ and the Spirit which are undeniably here attested unto that the Spirit here whereby they cannot deny the Holy Ghost to be intended is called the Spirit of Christ because the Prophets of old who spake by him did principally prophesy concerning Christ and his Grace and delivered great Mysteries concerning them So Christ is made in this Place the Object of the Spirits Teaching and not the Author of his sending So Crell Prolegom p. 13. 14. But why then is he not called the Spirit of God also on this Reason because the Prophets that speak by him treated wholly of God the things and the Will of God This they will not say for they acknowledg him to be the Vertue and Power of God inherent in him and proceeding from him But then whereas God even the Father is a Person and Christ is a Person and the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ whence doth
of these actings is not considered absolutely as a Divine Person but with respect unto some peculiar Dispensation and Condescention So the Father gives sends commands the Son as he had condescended to take our Nature upon him and to be the Mediator between God and Man So the Father and the Son do send the Spirit as he condescends in an especial manner to the Office of being the Sunctifier and Comforter of the Church Now these are free and voluntary Acts depending upon the Sovereign Will Counsel Pleasure of God and might not have been without the least diminution of his Eternal Blessedness 2. There are especial Acts ad extra towards the Creatures This the whole Scripture testifieth unto so that it is altogether needless to confirm it with particular Instances None who have learned the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but can tell you what works are ascribed peculiarly to the Father what to the Son and what to the Holy Ghost Besides this will be manifested afterwards in all the distinct Actings of the Spirit which is sufficient for our purpose Sect. 6 Fifthly Hence it follows unavoidably that this Spirit of whom we treat is in himself a distinct living powerful intelligent divine Person for none other can be the Author of those internal and external Divine Acts and Operations which are ascribed unto him But here I must stay a little and firm that Foundation which we build upon For we are in the Investigation of those things which that one and self-same Spirit distributeth according to his own Will And it is indispensibly necessary unto our present Design that we enquire who and what that one and self-same Spirit is seeing on him and his Will all these things do depend And we do know likewise that if men prevail in the Opposition they make unto his Person it is to no great purpose to concern our selves in his Operations For the Foundation of any Fabrick being taken away the Superstructure will be of no use nor abide Sect. 7 The Opposition that is made in the World against the Spirit of God Doctrinally may be reduced unto two Heads For some there are who grant his Personality or that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person but they deny his Deity deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature or will not allow him to be God A Created Finite Spirit they say he is but the chiefest of all Spirits that were created and the Head of all the Good Angels Such a Spirit they say there is and that he is called the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost upon the account of the Work wherein he is employed This way went the Macedonian Hereticks of old and they are now followed by the Mahumetans and some of late among our selves have attempted to revive the same Frenzy But we shall not need to trouble our selves about this Notion The folly of it is so evident that it is almost by all utterly deserted For such things are affirmed of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture as that to assert his Personality and deny his Deity is the utmost madness that any one can fall into in Spiritual things Wherefore the Socinians the present great Enemies of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and who would be thought to go soberly about the work of destroying the Church of God do utterly reject this Plea and Pretence But that which they advance in the room of it is of no less pernitious Nature and Consequence For granting the things assigned to him to be the Effects of Divine Power they deny his Personality and assert that what is called by the Name of the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is nothing but a Quality in the Divine Nature or the Power that God puts forth for such and such purpose which yet is no new invention of theirs I do not design here professedly to contend with them about all the Concernments of this Difference for there is nothing of importance in all their Pretences or Exceptions but it will in one place or other occur unto consideration in our Progress I shall onely at present confirm the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost with one Argument which I will not say is such as no Man can return the shew of an Answer unto For what is it that the Serpentine Wits of Men will not pretend an Answer unto or an Exception against if their Lusts and Prejudices require them so to do But I will boldly say it is such as that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it in the Hearts of true Believers the strengthning of whose Faith is all that in it I do aim at And if it doth not unto all unprejudiced Persons evince the Truth and Reality of the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost it must certainly convince all Men that nothing which is taught or delivered in the Scripture can possibly be understood Sect. 8 One Consideration which hath in part been before proposed I shall premise to free the Subject of our Argument from Ambiguity And this is that this Word or Name Spirit is used sometimes to denote the Spirit of God himself and sometimes his Gifts and Graces the Effects of his Operations on the Souls of Men. And this our Adversaries in this Cause are forced to confess and thereon in all their Writings distinguish between the Holy Spirit and his Effects This alone being supposed I say it is impossible to prove the Father to be a Person or the Son to be so both which are acknowledged any other way than we may and do prove the Holy Ghost to be so For he to whom all personal Properties Attributes Adjuncts Acts and Operations are ascribed and unto whom they do belong and to whom nothing is or can be truly and properly ascribed but what may and doth belong unto a Person he is a Person and him are we taught to believe so to be So know we the Father to be a Person as also the Son For our Knowledg of things is more by their Properties and Operations than by their Essential Forms Especially is this so with respect to the Nature Being and Existence of God which are in themselves absolutely Incomprehensible Now I shall not confirm the Assumption of this Argument with reference unto the Holy Ghost from this or that particular Testimony nor from the Assignation of any single Personal Property unto him but from the constant Uniform Tenor of the Scripture in ascribing all these Properties unto him And we may add hereunto that things are so ordered in the Wisdom of God that there is no Personal Property that may be found in an Infinite Divine Nature but it is in One place or other ascribed unto him Sect. 9 There is no Exception can be laid against the force of this Argument but only that some things on the One hand are ascribed unto the Spirit which belong not unto a Person nor can be spoken of him
and to make them his Temple thereby then is the Holy Spirit God for he it is who according to that Promise thus dwelleth in them So Deut. 32. 12. speaking of the People in the Wilderness he saith The Lord alone did lead him And yet speaking of the same People at the same time it is said That the Spirit of the Lord did lead them and caused them to rest Isa. 63. 14. The Spirit of the Lord therefore is Jehovah or Jehovah alone did not lead them That also which is called in the same People their sinning against God and provoking the most High in the Wilderness Psalm 78. 17 18. is termed their rebelling against and vexing the Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. And many other Instances of an alike Nature have been pleaded and vindicated by others Sect. 32 Add hereunto in the last place that Divine Properties are assigned unto him As Eternity Heb. 9. 14. He is the Eternal Spirit Immensity Psalm 139. 7. Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit Omnipotency Micah 2. 8. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitned compared with Isa. 40. 28. The Power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15. 19. Prescience Acts 1. 16. This Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the Mouth of David spake before concerning Judas Omniscience 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Sovereign Authority over the Church Acts 13. 3. Acts 20. 28. The Divine Works also which are assigned unto him are usually and to good purpose pleaded in the vindication of the same Truth But these in the progress of our Discourse I shall have occasion distinctly to consider and inquire into and therefore shall not in this place insist upon them What hath been proposed cleared and confirmed may suffice as unto our present purpose that we may know who He is concerning whom his Works and Grace we do design to Treat Sect. 33 I have but one thing more to add concerning the Being and Personality of the Holy Spirit And this is that in the Order of Subsistence He is the Third Person in the Holy Trinity So it is expressed in the solemn Numeration of them where their Order gives great direction unto Gospel-Worship and Obedience Matth. 28. 18. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost This Order I confess in their Numeration because of the Equality of the Persons in the same Nature is sometimes varied So Rev. 1. 4 5. Grace be unto you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne and from Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit under the name of the seven Spirits before the Throne of God because of his various and perfect Operations in and towards the Church is reckoned up in order before the Son Jesus Christ. And so in Paul's euctical conclusion unto his Epistles the Son is placed before the Father 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all And some think that the Holy Ghost is mentioned in the first place Col. 2. 2. The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. In this expression of them therefore we may use our liberty they being all one God over all blessed for ever But in their true and natural Order of Subsistence and consequently of Operation the Holy Spirit is the Third Person For as to his Personal Subsistence he proceedeth from the Father and the Son being equally the Spirit of them both as hath been declared This constitutes the natural Order between the Persons which is unalterable On this depends the Order of his Operation for his working is a consequent of the Order of his Subsistence Thus the Father is said to send him and so is the Son also John 14. 16 26. Chap. 16. 7. And he is thus said to be sent by the Father and the Son because he is the Spirit of the Father and Son proceeding from both and is the next cause in the Application of the Trinity unto External Works But as he is thus sent so his own Will is equally in and unto the Work for which he is sent As the Father is said to send the Son and yet it was also his own Love and Grace to come unto us and to save us And this ariseth from hence that in the whole Oeconomy of the Trinity as to the Works that outwardly are of God especially the Works of Grace the order of the Subsistence of the Persons in the same Nature is represented unto us and they have the same dependance on each other in their Operations as they have in their Subsistence The Father is the Fountain of all as in Being and Existence so in Operation The Son is of the Father begotten of him and therefore as unto his Work is sent by him But his own Will is in and unto what he is sent about The Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son and therefore is sent and given by them as to all the Works which he immediately effecteth but yet his own Will is the direct Principle of all that he doth He divideth unto every one according to his own Will And thus much may suffice to be spoken about the Being of the Holy Spirit and the order of his Subsistence in the Blessed Trinity Peculiar Works of the HOLY SPIRIT in the First or Old Creation CHAP. IV. 1. Things to be observed in Divine Operations The Works of God how ascribed absolutely unto God and how distinctly to each Person 2. The Reason hereof 3. Perfecting Acts in Divine Works ascribed unto the Holy Spirit and why 4 5. Peculiar Works of the Spirit with respect unto the Old Creation 6. The Parts of the Old Creation Heaven and its Host. What the Host of Heaven The Host of the Earth 7. The Host of Heaven compleated by the Spirit 8. And of the Earth 9. His moving on the Old Creation Psal. 104. 30. 10. The Creation of Man the Work of the Spirit therein 11 12 13 14 15. The Work of the Spirit in the preservation of all things when created Natural and Moral 16. Farther Instances thereof in and out of the Church 17. Work of the Spirit of God in the Old Creation why sparingly delivered Sect. 1 INtending to treat of the Operations of the Holy Ghost or those which are peculiar unto him some things must be premised concerning the Operation of the Godhead in general and the manner thereof And they are such as are needful to guide us in many Passages of the Scripture and to direct us aright in the Things in particular which now lie before us I say then 1. that all Divine Operations are usually ascribed unto God absolutely So it is said God made all things and so of all other Works whether in Nature or in
God can be intended in this Place But it is the Spirit of God himself and his Work that is expressed Sect. 9 This therefore was the Work of the Holy Spirit of God in reference unto the Earth and the Host thereof The whole matter being Created out of which all Living Creatures were to be educed and of which they were to be made he takes upon him the Cherishing and Preservation of it that as it had its Subsistence by the Power of the Word of God it might be carried on towards that Form Order Beauty and Perfection that it was designed unto To this purpose he Communicated unto it a Quickning and prolifick Vertue inlaying it with the Seeds of animal Life unto all kinds of things Hence upon the Command of God it brought forth all sorts of Creatures in Abundance according to the Seeds and Principles of Life which were communicated unto the Rude inform Chaos by the cherishing Motion of the Holy Spirit Without him all was a dead-Sea a confused deep with Darkness upon it able to bring forth nothing nor more prepared to bring forth any one thing than another But by the Moving of the Spirit of God upon it the Principles of all those Kinds Sorts and Forms of things which in an unconceivable variety make up its Host and Ornament were communicated unto it And this is a better account of the Original of all things in their several kinds than any is given by ancient or Modern Philosophers And hence was the Old Tradition of all things being formed of Water which the Apstle alludes unto 2 Pet. 3. 5. The whole is declared by Cyprian whose words I have therefore transcribed at large And as at the first Creation so in the Course of Providence this Work of Cherishing and Nourishing the Cretures is assigned in an especial manner unto the Spirit Psal. 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are Created and thou renewest the Face of the Earth The Making or Creation of things here intended is not the first great Work of the Creation of all but the daily Production of Creatures in and according to their Kind For in the verse foregoing the Psalmist treats of the decay of all sorts of Creatures in the World by a Providential cutting off and finishing of their Lives v. 29. Thou hidest thy Face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they dye and return unto their Dust. That under this continual decay and dying of all sorts of Creatures the World doth not come to Emptiness and Desolation the only Reason is because the Spirit of God whose Office and Work it is to uphold and preserve all things continually produceth by his Power a new supply of Creatures in the room of them that fall off like Leaves from the Trees and return to their Dust every day And whereas the Earth it self the common Nurse of them all seems in the Revolution of every year to be at an end of its Use and Work having Death brought upon the Face of it and oft-times entring deep into its Bowels the Spirit of God by its influential Concurrence renews it again causing every thing afresh to bring forth Fruit according unto its Kind whereby its Face receiveth a new Beauty and Adorning And this is the Substance of what the Scripture expresly asserts concerning the Work of the Spirit of God towards the inanimate part of the Creation His actings in reference unto Man and that Obedience which he owed to God according to the Law and Covenant of his Creation is nextly to be considered Sect. 10 Man in his Creation falleth under a two-fold Notion For he may be considered either meerly naturally as to the essentially constitutive parts of his Being or morally also with reference unto his Principles of Obedience the Law given unto him and the End proposed as his Reward And these things are distinctly proposed unto our contemplation in the Scripture The first is expressed Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul 1. There is the Matter whereof he was formed 2. The Quickning Principle added thereunto And 3. the Effect of their Conjunction and Union For the Matter he was made of it is said he was formed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust of the Ground or dust gathered together on an heap from and upon the Ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8. 26. So is God the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the universal framer of All represented as an Artificer who first prepares his Matter and then forms it as it seemeth good unto him And this is mentioned for two ends First To set forth the Excellency Power and Wisdom of God who out of such vile contemptible Matter as an heap of Dust swept as it were together on the Ground could and did make so excellent curious and glorious a Fabrick as is the Body of Man or as was the Body of Adam before the Fall Secondly To mind Man of his Original that he might be kept humble and in a meet dependance on the Wisdom and Bounty of his Creator for thence it was and not from the Original Matter whereof he was made that he became so excellent Hereof Abraham makes his solemn Acknowledgment before the Lord Gen. 18. 27. Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but Dust and Ashes He ashes himself with the Remembrance of his Original And this as it were God reproacheth Adam withal upon his Sin and Transgression Gen. 3. 19. Thou shalt return unto the Ground for out of it wast thou taken For Dust thou art and unto Dust thou shalt return He lets him know that he had now by sin lost that Immortality which he was made in a condition to have enjoyed and that his Body according to his Nature and Constitution should return again into its first Principles or the Dust of the Earth Into this formed Dust Secondly God breathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Breath of Life Divine aurae particulam a vital immortal Spirit This God breathed into him as giving him something of himself somewhat immediately of his own not made out of any praecreated Matter This is the Rational Soul or Intelligent Spirit Thus Man became a middle Creature between the Angels above and the sensitive Animals below His Body was formed as the Beasts from the Matter made the first Day and digested into dry Land on the third Day His Soul was an immediate Production of and Emanation from the Divine Power as the Angels were So when in the Works of the New Creation our Blessed Saviour bestowed the Holy Ghost on his Disciples he breathed on them as a sign that he gave them something of his own This Coelestial Spirit this Heavenly Breath was unto Man a quickning Principle For thirdly the Effect hereof is that Man became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Soul His Body was
what I have to offer concerning these things consists upon the Matter solely in the Explication of those places of Scripture wherein they are revealed We must therefore consider 1. what we are taught on the part of God the Father with respect unto the Holy Spirit and his Work and 2. what relates immediately unto himself Sect. 2 First God's disposal of the Spirit unto his Work is five wayes expressed in the Scripture For he is said 1. to give or bestow Him 2. to send Him 3. to administer him 4. to pour him out 5. to put him on us And his own Application of Himself unto his Work is likewise five wayes expressed For he is said 1. to proceed 2. to Come or come upon 3. to fall on Men 4. to rest and 5. to depart These things containing the general Manner of his Administration and Dispensation must be first spoken unto Sect. 3 First He is said to be GIVEN of God that is of God the Father who is said to GIVE him in an especial manner Luk. 11. 13. Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Joh. 3. 34. He hath Given his Spirit unto us 1. Joh. 3. 24. Joh. 14. 16. The Father shall Give you another Comforter which is the Holy Ghost v. 26. And in answer unto this Act of God those on whom he is bestowed are said to Receive him Joh. 7. 39. This he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should Receive 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God 2. Cor. 11. 4. if you have received another Spirit which you had not Reoeived Where the Receiving of the Spirit is made a matter Common unto all Beleivers So Gal. 3. 2. Acts. 8. 15 19. Joh. 14. 17. Chap. 20. 22. For these two Giving and Receiving are related the one supposing the other And this Expression of the Dispensation of the Holy Ghost is irreconcileable unto the Opinion before rejected Namely that he is nothing but a transient Accident or an Occasional Emanation of the Power of God For how or in what sense can an Act of the Power of God be Given by him or be Received by us It can indeed in no sense be either the Object of God's Giving or of our Receiving especially as this is explained in those other Expressions of the same thing before laid down and afterwards considered It must be somewhat that hath a Subsistence of its own that is thus Given and Received So the Lord Christ is frequently said to be Given of God and Received by us It is true we may be said in another sense to receive the Grace of God Which is the Exception of the Socinians unto this Consideration and the constant practice they use to evade plain Testimonies of the Scripture For if they can find any Words in them used elsewhere in another sense they suppose it sufficient to contradict their plain Design and proper meaning in an other place Thus we are exhorted not to receive the Grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1. I Answer the Grace of God may be considered two Ways 1. Objectively for the Revelation or Doctrine of Grace as Tit. 2. 11 12. So we are said to Receive it when we believe and profess it in opposition unto them by whom it is opposed and rejected And this is the same with our Receiving the Word preached so often mentioned in the Scripture Acts 2. 41. James 1. 21 which is by Faith to give it Entertainment in our Hearts which is the meaning of the Word in this Place 2 Cor. 6. 1. Having taken the Profession of the Doctrine of Grace that is of the Gospel upon us we ought to express its Power in Holiness and suitable Obedience without which it will be of no use or Benefit unto us And the Grace of God is sometimes 2. take Subjectively for the Grace which God is pleased to Communicate unto us or gracious Qualities that he Works in our Souls by his Spirit In this sense also we are sometimes said to receive it 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou which thou didst not receive Where the Apostle speaketh both of the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit And the Reason hereof is because in the Communication of internal Grace unto us we contribute nothing to the Procurement of it but are merely capable recipient Subjects And this Grace is a Quality or Spiritual Habit permanent and abideing in the Soul But in neither of these senses can we be said to receive the Spirit of God nor God to Give him if he be only the Power of God making an Impression on our Minds and Spirits no more than a Man can be said to receive the Sun-beams which cause Heat in him by their Natural Efficacy falling on him Much less can the Giving and Receiving of the Spirit be so interpreted considering what is said of his being sent and his own Coming with the like Declarations of God's Dispensation of him whereof afterwards Sect. 14 Now this Giving of the Spirit as it is the Act of Him by whom he is Given denotes Authority Freedom and Bounty and on the Part of them that receive him Priviledge and Advantage 1. Authority He that gives any thing hath Authority to dispose of it None can give but of his own and that which in some sense he hath in his Power Now the Father is said to give the Spirit and that upon our Request as Luk. 11. 13. This I acknowledg wants not some Difficulty in its Explication For if the Holy Ghost be God himself as hath been declared how can he be said to be given by the Father as it were in a way of Authority But keeping our selves to the sacred Rule of Truth we may solve this Difficulty without Curiosity or Danger Wherefore 1. the Order of the Subsistence of the three Persons in the Divine Nature is regarded herein For the Father as hath been shewed is the Fountain and Original of the Trinity the Son being of him and the Spirit of them both Hence he is to be considered as the principal Author and Cause of all those works which are immediately wrought by either of them For of whom the Son and Spirit have their Essence as to their Personality from him have they Life and Power of Operation Joh. 5. 19 26. Therefore when the Holy Spirit comes unto any the Father is said to Give him for he is the Spirit of the Father And this Authority of the Father doth immediately respect the Work it self and not the Person Working But the Person is said to be given for the Works sake 2. The Oeconomy of the Blessed Trinity in the Work of our Redemption and Salvation is respected in this Order of things The Fountain hereof lies in the Love Wisdom Grace and Counsel of the Father Whatever is done in the pursuit hereof is originally the Gift of the Father because it is
designed unto no other End but to make his Grace effectual Hence is he said to send and give his Son also And the whole Work of the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier Guide Comforter and Advocate is to make the Love of the Father effectual unto us Joh. 10. 13 14. As this out of his own Love and Care he hath Condescended unto so the Fountain of it being in the Love and Purpose of the Father and that also or the making them effectual being their End he is rightly said to be Given of him 3. In the whole Communication of the Spirit respect is had unto his Effects or the Ends for which he is given What they are shall be afterwards declared Now the Authority of this Giving respects principally his Gifts and Graces which depend on the Authority of the Father 2. This Expression denotes Freedom What is given might be withheld This is the Gift of God as he is called Joh. 4. 10 not the Purchase of our Indeavours nor the Reward of our Desert Some men delight to talk of their Purchasing Grace and Glory But the one and the other are to be bought without Money and without Price Even Eternal Life it self the End of all our Obedience is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. The Scripture knows of no earnings that Men can make of themselves but Death For as Austin says Quicquid tuum est peccatum est and the Wages of Sin is death To what End or Purpose soever the Spirit is bestowed upon us whether it be for the Communication of Grace or the Distribution of Gifts or for Consolation and Refreshment it is of the Meer Gift of God from his absolute and Sovereign Freedom Sect. 5 Secondly In Answer hereunto they are said to Receive him on whom as a Gift he is bestowed as in the Testimonies before mentioned And in Receiving two things are implyed 1. That we contribute nothing thereunto which should take off from the thing Received as a Gift Receiving answers Giving and that implys freedom in the Giver 2. That it is their Priviledg and Advantage For what a Man Receives he doth it for his own Good First then we have him freely as a Gift of God For to Receive him in general is to be made Partaker of him as unto those Ends for which he is given of God Be those Ends what they will in respect of them they are said to Receive him who are made Partakers of him Two things may be pleaded to take off the Freedom of this Gift and of our Reception and to cast it on something necessary and required on our part For 1. our Saviour tells us that the World cannot Receive him because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Joh. 14. 17. Now if the World cannot Receive him there is required an Ability and Preparation in them that do so that are not in the World and so the Gift and Communication of the Spirit depends on that Qualification in us But all Men are Naturally alike the World and of it No One Man by Nature hath more Ability or strength in Spiritual things than another For all are equally dead in Trespasses and Sins all equally Children of Wrath. It must therefore be enquired how some come to have this Ability and Power to Receive the Spirit of God which others have not Now this as I shall fully manifest afterwards is merely from the Holy Ghost himself and his Grace respect being had herein only unto the Order of his Operations in us some being Preparatory for and dispositive unto other One being instituted as the means of obtaining another the whole being the Effect of the free Gift of God For we do not make our selves to differ from others nor have we any thing that we have not Received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Wherefore the Receiving of the Holy Ghost intended in that Expression of our Saviour with respect whereunto some are able to receive him some are not is not absolute but with respect unto some certain Work and End And this as is plain in the Context is the receiving of him as a Comforter and a Guide in Spiritual Truth Here-unto Faith in Christ Jesus which also is an effect and fruit of the same Spirit is antecedently required In this sense therefore Beleivers alone can receive him and are enabled so to do by the Grace which they have received from him in their first Conversion unto God But 2dly it will be said that we are bound to pray for him before we receive him and therefore the bestowing of him depends on a Condition to be by us fulfilled For the Promise is that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit unto them that ask him Luke 11. 13. But this doth not prove the bestowing and receiving of him not to be absolutely free Nay it proves the Contrary It is Gratia indebita undeserved Grace that is the proper object of Prayer And God by these encouraging Promises doth not abridge the Liberty of his own Will nor derogate from the Freedom of his Gifts and Grace but only directs us into the way whereby we may be made Partakers of them unto his Glory and our own Advantage And this also belongs unto the Order of the Communication of the Grace of the Spirit unto us This very Praying for the Spirit is a Duty which we cannot perform without his Assistance For no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. He helps us as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication to pray for him as a Spirit of Joy and Consolation Sect. 6 3. This is such a Gift as in God proceeds from Bounty For God is said to give him unto us richly Tit. 3. 6. This will be spoken unto in the fourth Way of his Communication Onely I say at present the greatness of a Gift the free Mind of the Giver and want of desert or merit in the Receiver are that which declare Bounty to be the spring and fountain of it And all these concur to the height in God's Giving of the Holy Ghost Sect. 7 Again on the part of them who receive this Gift Priviledg and Advantage are intimated They receive a Gift and that from God and that a great and singular Gift from Divine Bounty Some indeed receive him in a sort as to some Ends and Purposes without any advantage finally unto their own Souls So do they who prophesie and cast out Devils by his Power in the Name of Christ and yet continuing workers of Iniquity are rejected at the last day Matth. 7. 22 23. Thus it is with all who receive his Gifts only without his Grace to sanctifie their Persons and their Gifts and this whether they be ordinary or extraordinary But this is only by accident There is no Gift of the Holy Ghost but is good in its own Nature tending to a good End and is proper for the Good and Advantage of them by whom it is
received And although the direct end of some of them be not the Spiritual Good of them on whom they are bestowed but the Edification of others for the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 4. 12 17. yet there is that excellency and worth in them and that use may be made of them as to turn greatly to the advantage of them that receive them For although they are not Grace yet they serve to stir up and give an edg unto Grace and to draw it out unto Exercise whereby it is strengthened and increased And they have an influence into Glory For it is by the Abilities which they give that some are made wise effectual Instruments for the turning of many to Righteousness who shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. But the Unbelief Ingratitude and Lusts of Men can spoil these and any other good things whatever And these things will afterwards in particular fall under our Consideration In general to be made Partaker of the Holy Ghost is an inestimable Priviledg and Advantage and as such is proposed by our Saviour John 14. 17. Sect. 8 Secondly God is said to SEND him Psal. 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit John 14. 26. The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my Name This is also spoken of the Son I will send unto you the Comforter from the Father John 15. 26. John 16. 7. And in the accomplishment of that Promise it is said he poured him forth Acts 2. 33. Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son in your hearts and in other places the same Expression is used Now this upon the matter i◠the same with the former of Giving him arguing the same Authority the same Freedom the same Bounty Only the word naturally includes in its signification a respect unto a local Motion He which is sent removeth from the place where he was from whence He is sent unto a place where he was not whither he was sent Now this cannot properly be spoken of the Holy Ghost For he being God by Nature is naturally omnipresent and an Omnipresence is inconsistent with a Local Mutation So the Psalmist expresly Psal. 139. 7 8. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into Heaven c. There must therefore a Metaphor be allowed in this Expression but such a One as the Scripture by the frequent use of it hath rendred familiar unto us Thus God is said to arise out of his place to bow the Heavens and come down to come down and see what is done in the Earth Gen. 18. 21. Isa. 64. 1. That these things are not spoken properly of God who is immense all men acknowledg But where God begins to work in any place in any kind where before he did not do so he is said to come thither For so must we do we must come to a place before we can work in it Thus the Sending of the Holy Ghost includeth two things as added unto his being Given 1. That He was not before in or with that Person or amongst those Persons for that especial Work and End which he is sent for He may be in them and with them in one respect and be afterwards said to be sent unto them in another So our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth to send the Holy Ghost unto his Disciples as a Comforter whom they had received before as a Sanctifier I will saith he send him unto you and you know him for he dwelleth with you John 14. 17. He did so as a Sanctifier before he came unto them as a Comforter But in every coming of His He is sent for one especial Work or another And this sufficiently manifests that in his Gifts and Graces he is not common unto all A supposition thereof would leave no place for this especial Act of sending him which is done by Choice and Distinction of the Object Much less is he a Light which is alwayes in all Men and which all Men may be in if they please For this neither is nor can be absent in any sense from any one at any time 2. It denotes as especial Work there or on them where and on whom there was none before of that kind For this cause is he said to be sent of the Father No Local Motion then is intended in this Expression only there is an allusion thereunto For as a Creature cannot produce any Effects where it is not until it either be sent thither or go thither of its own accord So the Holy Ghost produceth not the blessed Effects of his Power and Grace but in and towards them unto whom he is given and sent by the Father How in answer hereunto he is said himself to come shall be afterwards declared And it is the Person of the Spirit which is said to be thus sent For this belongs unto that Holy Dispensation of the several Persons of the Trinity in the Work of our Salvation And herein the Spirit in all his Operations is considered as sent of the Father for the Reasons before often intimated Sect. 9 Thirdly God is said to MINISTER the Spirit Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that gives you continual or abundant supplies of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to give a sufficiency of any thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are dimensum a sufficiency of Provision And addition thereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the Communication of the Spirit is expressed Phil. 1. 19. For I know that this shall turn to my Salvation through your Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the additional supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That Spirit and its Assistance he had before received but He yet stood in need of a daily further supply So is the word used constantly for the adding of one thing to another or one degree of the same thing unto another 2 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 add to your Faith Vertue or in your Faith make an increase of Vertue When therefore God is thus said to Minister the Spirit it is his continual giving out of Additional Supplies of his Grace by his Spirit which is intended For the Holy Spirit is a voluntary Agent and distributes unto every one as he will When therefore he is given and sent unto any his Operations are limited by his own Will and the Will of him that sends him And therefore do we stand in need of supplies of him and from him which are the principal Subject Matter of our Prayers in this World Sect. 10 Fourthly God is said to PUT his Spirit in or upon Men and this also belongeth unto the manner of his Dispensation Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold I have put my Holy Spirit upon
him The word there indeed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given my Holy Spirit upon him but because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Him is joyned to it it is by ours rendred by Put. As also Ezek. 37. 14. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you is added Put my Spirit in you The same is plainly intended with that Isa. 63. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that put his Holy Spirit in the midst of them Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given or I will give Isa. 42. 1. is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 12. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will put my Spirit upon him The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then used in this sense doth not denote the granting or Donation of any thing but its actual bestowing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth And it is the effectual Acting of God in this Matter that is intended He doth not only give and send his Spirit unto them to whom he designs so great a Benefit and Priviledg but he actually collates and bestows him upon them He doth not send Him unto them and leave it in their Wills and Power whether they will receive Him or no but he so effectually collates and puts him in them or upon them as that they shall be actually made Partakers of him He efficaciously endows their Hearts and Minds with Him for the Work and End which he is designed unto So Exod. 31. 6. I have put Wisdom is as much as I have filled them with Wisdom v. 2. So then where God intendeth unto any the Benefit of his Spirit he will actually and effectually collate Him upon them He doth not indeed always doe this in the same manner Sometimes he doth it as it were by a surprizal when those who receive him are neither aware of it nor do desire it So the Spirit of the Lord as a Spirit of Prophesy came upon Saul when his Mind was remote and enstranged from any such thoughts In like manner the Spirit of God came upon Eldad and Medad in the Camp when the other Elders went forth unto the Tabernacle to receive Him Numb 11. 27. And so the Spirit of Prophesy came upon most of the Prophets of Old without either Expectation or Preparation on their Parts So Amos giveth an Account of his Call unto his Office Chap. 7. 1◠15. I was saith he no Prophet neither was I a Prophets Son but I was an Heardman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruits And the Lord took me as I followed the Flock and the Lord said unto me go Prophesy He was not brought up with any Expectation of receiving this Gift He had no Preparation for it but God surprized him with his Call and Gift as he followed the Flock Such also was the Call of Jeremiah Chap. 1. 5 6 7. So vain is the Discourse of Maimonides on this Subject prescribing various Natural and Moral Preparations for the receiving of this Gift But these things were extraordinary Yet I no way doubt but that God doth yet continue to Work Grace in many by such unexpected Surprizal the manner whereof shall be afterwards inquired into But sometimes as to some Gifts and Graces God doth bestow his Spirit where there is some Preparation and Cooperation on our Part. But wherever he designs to put or place him he doth it effectually Fifthly God is said to POUR him out and that frequently Prov. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ebullire more scaturiginis to bubble up as a Fountain Hence the words are rendered by Theodot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scaturire faciam I will cause my Spirit to Spring out unto you as a Fountain And it is frequently applied unto speaking when it signifies eloqui aut proferre verba more scaturiginis See Psal. 72. 2. Psal. 145. 7. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also which some take to be the root of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1. 23. hath the same signification And the Word hath a double lively Metaphor For the Proceeding of the Spirit from the Father is compared to the continual rising of the Waters of a Living Spring and his Communication unto us to the overflowing of those Waters yet guided by the Will and Wisdom of God Isa. 32. 15. Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on High and the Wilderness be a fruitful field 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is indeed sometimes to pour out but more properly and more commonly to uncover to make bare to reveal Until the Spirit be revealed from on High There shall be such a plentiful Communication of the Spirit as that He and His Work shall be made open revealed and plain Or the Spirit shall be bared as God is said to make his Arme bare when he will Work mightily and effectually Isa. 52. 10. Isa. 44. 3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Offspring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word here is so to pour a thing out as that it cleaveth unto and abideth on that which it is poured out upon As the Spirit of God abides with them unto whom he is Communicated Ezek. 39. 29. I have poured out my Spirit on the House of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another word This is properly to pour out and that in a plentiful manner The same word that is used in that great Promise Joel 2. 28. which is rendred Acts 2. 17. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effundam I will pour out my Spirit and the same Thing is again expressed by the same word Acts 10. 45. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is poured on the Gentiles Sect. 12 Let us then briefly consider the Importance of this Expression And one or two things may be observed concerning it in general As 1. wherever it is used it hath direct respect unto the Times of the Gospel Either it is a part of the Promises concerning it or of the Story of its Accomplishment under it But where-ever it is mentioned the Time State and Grace of the Gospel are intended in it For the Lord Christ was in all things to have the preeminence Col. 1. 18. And therefore although God gave his Spirit in some measure before yet he poured him not out until He was first anointed with his Fulness 2. There is a tacit comparison in it with some other Time and Season or some other Act of God wherein or whereby God gave his Spirit before but not in the way and manner that he intended now to bestow him A larger Measure of the Spirit to be now given than was before or is signified by any other Expressions of the same Gift is intended in this Word Sect. 13 Three things are therefore comprized in this Expression 1. An eminent Act of Divine Bounty Pouring forth is the way whereby Bounty from an all-sufficeing fulness is expressed As the Clouds filled with a moist vapour pour
their Beginnings and Engagements and turn wholly unto Sin and Folly From such Persons the Holy Ghost utterly departs all their Gifts dry up and wither their Light goeth out and they have Darkness in stead of a Vision The Case of such is deplorable for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. 21. And some of these add despight and contempt of that whole Work of the Spirit of God whereof themselves were made Partakers unto their Apostasie And the condition of such profligate Sinners is for the most part irrecoverable Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Chap. 10. v. 26 27 28 29 30. From some He withdraweth and departeth partially only and that mostly but for a season And this Departure respects the Grace Light and Consolation which he administers unto Believers as to the degrees of them and the Sense of them in their own Souls On whom He is bestowed to work these things in a saving way from them he never utterly or totally departs This our Blessed Saviour plainly promiseth and asserteth John 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into Everlasting Life That this Well of Living Water is his Sanctifying Spirit himself declares John 7. 37 38. He who hath received him shall never have a thirst of total Want and Indigence any more Besides He is given unto this end by vertue of the Covenant of Grace And the Promise is express therein that he shall never depart from them to whom he is given Isa. 59. 21. Jer. 31. 33. Chap. 32. 39 40. Ezek. 11. 19 20 But now as to the degrees and sensible Effects of these Operations He may depart and wiâ—hdraw from Believers for a Season Hence they may be left unto many Spiritual Decays and much weakeness the things of Grace that remain in them being as it were ready to die Revel 3. 2. and they may apprehend themselves deserted and forsaken of God So did Sion Isa. 40. 27. Chap. 49. 15. For therein doth God hide himself Isa. 44. 15. or forsake his People for a moment Chap. 54. 7. He hides himself and his wrath Chap. 57. 17. These are the things which David so often and so bitterly complaineth of and which with so much earnestness he contendeth and wrestleth with God to be delivered from These are those spiritual Desertions which some of late have laden with reproach contempt and scorn All the apprehensions and complaints of the People of God about them they would represent as nothing but the idle Imaginations of distempered Brains or the Effects of some disorder in their Blood and Animal Spirits I could indeed easily allow that Men should despise and laugh at what is declared as the Experience of Professors at present Their prejudice against their Persons will not allow them to entertain any thoughts of them but what are suited unto Folly and Hypocrisie But at this I acknowledg I stand amazed that whereas these things are so plainly so fully and frequently declared in the Scriptures both as to the actings of God and his Holy Spirit in them and as to the sense of those concerned about them whereas the whole of God's dealings and Believers application of themselves to him in this Matter are so graphically exemplified in sundry of the Holy Saints of old as Joh David Heman and others and great and plentiful Provision is made in the Scripture for the Direction Recovery Healing and Consolation of Souls in such a condition yet men professing themselves to be Christians and to believe the Word of God at least not to be a Fable should dare to cast such opprobrious Reproaches on the Wayes and and Works of God The end of these Attempts can be no other but to decry all real entercourse between God and the Souls of Men leaving only an outside form or shape of Religion not one jot better than Atheism Neither is it only what concerns Spiritual Desertions whose Nature Causes and Remedies are professedly and at large handled by all the Casuistical Divines even of the Roman Church but the whole Work of the Spirit of God upon the Hearts of Men with all the Effects produduced in them with respect unto Sin and Grace that some men by their odious and scurrilous Expressions endeavour to expose to contempt and scorn S. P. p. 339 340 341 342. Whatever trouble befals the minds of men upon the account of a sense of the guilt of Sin whatever Darkness and Disconsolation they may undergo through the displeasure of God and his withdrawing of the wonted influences of his Grace Love and Favour towards them whatever Peace Comfort or Joy they may be made Partakers of by a sense of the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost it is all ascribed in most opprobrious Language unto Melancholy reeks and vapours whereof a certain and mechanical account may be given by them who understand the Anatomy of the Brain To such an height of Profane Atheism is the daring Pride and Ignorance of some in our dayes arrived Sect. 20 There remaineth yet one general Adjunct of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost which gives a further Description of the manner of it which I have left unto a single Consideration This is that which is mentioend Heb. 2. 4. God witnessing unto them with Signs and Wonders with divers Miracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gifts say we of the Holy Ghost But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Distributions or Partitions And hence advantage is taken by some to argue against his very Being So Crellius contends that the Holy Ghost here is taken passively or that the Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Genitivus Materiae Wherefore he supposes that it followeth that the Holy Ghost himself may be divided into Parts so that one may have one Part and Parcel of him and another may have another Part. How inconsistent this is with the Truth of his Being and Personality is apparent But yet neither can he give any tolerable account of the Division and Partition of that Power of God which he calls the Holy Ghost unless he will make the Holy Spirit to be a Quality in us and not in the Divine Nature as Justin Martyr affirms Plato to have done and so to be divided And the Interpretation he useth of the words is wrested perverse and foolish For the Contexture of them requires that the Holy Ghost be here taken actively as the Author of the Distribution mentioned He gives out of his Gifts and Powers unto Men in many Parts not all to One not all at once not all in one way but some to one some to another some at one time some at another and that in great variety The Apostle therefore in this place
declares That the Holy Spirit gave out various Gifts unto the first Preachers of the Gospel for the confirmation of their Doctrine according to the Promise of our Saviour John 15. 26 27. Of these he mentions in particular First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs That is Miraculous Works wrought to signifie the Presence of God by his Power with them that wrought them so giving out his Approbation of the Doctrine which they taught Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies or Wonders Works beyond the Power of Nature or energie of Natural Causes wrought to fill Men with Wonder and Admiration manifesting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and surprizing Men with a sense of the Presence of God Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty Works of several sorts such as opening of the Eyes of the Blind raising the Dead and the like These being mentioned there is added in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gifts of the Holy Ghost For these and other like things did the Holy Ghost work and effect to the end mentioned And these Distributions are from him as the Signs and Wonders were that is Effects of his Power only there is added an intimation how they are all wrought by him which is by giving them a power for their Operation variously dividing them amongst those on whom they were bestowed and that as it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto his own Will And this place is so directly and fully expounded 1 Cor. 12. 7 8 9 10 11. that there is no room of exception left unto the most obstinate And that place having been opened before in the entrance of this Discourse I shall not here call it over again These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore are his Gifts which as Parts and Parcels of his Work he giveth out in great variety To the same purpose are his Operations described Isa. 11. 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord. He is first called the Spirit of the Lord to express his Being and Nature and then he is termed the Spirit of Wisdom and of Counsel c. That is He who is the Author of Wisdom and Counsel and the rest of the Graces mentioned who divides and distributes them according to his own Will That variety of Gifts and Graces wherewith Believers are endowed and adorned are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Distributions of the Holy Spirit Hence the principal respect that we have unto him immediately in our Worship of him under the New Testament is as he is the Author of these various Gifts and Graces So John saluting the Churches of Asia prayeth for Grace for them from God the Father and the seven Spirits that are before his Throne Rev. 1. 4. That is the Holy Spirit of God considered in his care of the Church and his yielding supplies unto it as the Author of that Perfection of Gifts and Graces which are and are to be bestowed upon it So doth the number of Seven denote And therefore whereas our Lord Jesus Christ as the Foundation of his Church was anointed with all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in their Perfection it is said that upon that one Stone should be seven Eyes Zech. 3. 9. all the Gifts of the Seven Spirits of God or of that Holy Spirit which is the Author of them all Sect. 21 All therefore that is pleaded for the Division of the Holy Ghost from this place is built on the Supposition that we have before rejected namely that he is not a Divine Person but an Arbitrary Emanation of Divine Power and yet neither so can the division of the Holy Ghost pleaded for be with any tolerable sense maintained Crellius sayes indeed that all Divine Inspirations may be considered as one Whole as many Waters make up one Sea In this respect the Holy Ghost is One that is one Universal made up of many Species this is totum logicum And so He may be divided into his Subordinate Species But what Ground or Colour is there for any such Notions in the Scripture Where is it said that all the Gifts of the Holy Ghost do constitute or make up one Holy Ghost Or the Holy Ghost is one in general because many Effects are ascribed unto him Or that the several Gifts of the Spirit are so many distinct kinds of it The contrary unto all these is expresly taught namely that the One Holy Spirit worketh all these things as he pleaseth so that they are all of them external Acts of his Will and Power And it is to as little purpose pleaded by the same Author that he is divided as a Natural Whole into its Parts because there is mention of a Measure and Portion of him So God is said not to give him to Jesus Christ by Measure John 3. 34. And to every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ as though one Measure of him were granted unto One and another Measure to another But this Measure is plainly of his Gifts and Graces These were bestowed on the Lord Christ in all their fulness without any limitation either as to Kinds or Degrees They were poured into him according unto the utmost extent and capacity of Humane Nature and that under an inconceivable advancement by its Union unto the Son of God Others receive his Gifts and Graces in limited proportion both as to their Kinds and Degrees To turn into a Division of the Spirit himself is the greatest madness And casting aside Prejudices there is no difficulty in the understanding of that saying of God to Moses Numb 11. 17. I will take of the Spirit that is on thee and put it on the Elders For it is evidently of the Gifts of the Spirit enabling Men for Rule and Government that God speaketh and not of the Spirit himself Without any diminution of that Spirit in him that is of the Gifts that He had received God gave unto them as lighting their Candle by his And so also the double Portion of the Spirit of Elijah which Elisha requested for himself was only a large and peculiar measure of Prophetical Light above what other Prophets which he left behind him had received 2 Kin. 2. 9. He asked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 os duorum or duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Expression is first used Deut. 21. 17. where the double Portion of the First-Born is intended So that probably it was such a Portion among the other Prophets as the First-Born had among the Brethren of the same Family which he desired and so it came to pass whence also he had the Rule and Government of them BOOK II. Peculiar Operations OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNDER THE Old Testament Preparatory for The NEW CHAP. I. 1. The Work of the
Spirit of God in the New Creation by some despised 2. Works under the Old Testament preparatory to the New Creation 3 4. Distribution of the Works of the Spirit 5. The Gift of Prophesie the Nature Use and End of it 6. The beginning of Prophesie 7. The Holy Spirit the only Author of it 8. The Name of a Prophet its signification and his Work 9. Prophesie by Inspiration whence so called 10. Prophets how acted by the Holy Ghost 11. The Adjuncts of Prophesie or distinct wayes of its Communication 12. Of Articulate Voices 13. Dreams 14. Visions 15. Adjuncts of Prophesie Symbolical Actions 16. Local Mutations 17. Whether unsanctified Persons might have the Gift of Prophesie The Case of Baalam 18. Answered 19. Of writing the Scriptures 20. Three things required thereunto 21. Of Miracles 22. Works of the Spirit of God in the improvement of the Natural Faculties of the Minds of Men in things Political 23. In things Moral 24. In things Corporeal 25. In things Intellectual and Artificial 26. In preaching of the Word Sect. 1 HAving passed through these general things which are of a necessary previous Consideration unto the especial Works of the Holy Ghost I now proceed unto that which is the principal Subject of our present Design And this is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit of God with respect unto the New Creation and the Recovery of Mankind or the Church of God thereby A Matter this is of the highest Importance unto them that sincerely believe but most violently and of late virulently opposed by all the Enemies of the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. The Weight and Concernment of the Doctrine hereof have in part been spoken unto before I shall at present add no farther Considerations to the same purpose but leave all that fear the Name of God to make a Judgment of it by what is revealed concerning it in the Scriptures and the Uses whereunto it is in them directed Many we know will not receive these things but whilst we keep our selves in the handling of them unto that Word whereby one day both we and they must either stand or fall we need not be moved at their Ignorance or Pride nor at the Fruits and Effects of them in Reproaches Contempt and scorn For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 2 Now the Works of the Spirit in Reference unto the New-Creation are of two sorts First Such as were Preparatory unto it under the Old Testament For I reckon that the State of the Old-Creation as unto our Living unto God ended with the Entrance of Sin and giving the First Promise Whatever ensued thereon in a Way of Grace was preparatory for and unto the New 2dly Such as were actually wrought about it under the New Those Acts and Workings of his which are Common to both states of the Church as is his effectual Dispensation of sanctifying Grace towards the Elect of God I shall handle in Common under the Second Head Under the First I shall only reckon up those that were peculiar unto that State To make way hereunto I shall premise two general Positions Sect. 3 1. There is nothing Excellent amongst Men whether it be absolutely Extraordinary and every way above the Production of Natural Principles or whether it consist in an eminent and peculiar Improvement of those Principles and Abilities but it is ascribed unto the Holy Spirit of God as the immediate Operator and Efficient Cause of it This we shall afterwards confirm by Instances Of old he was All now some would have him nothing 2. Whatever the Holy Spirit wrought in an eminent manner under the Old Testament it had generally and for the most part if not absolutely and always a Respect unto our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel and so was preparatory unto the Compleating of the great Work of the New-Creation in and by Him And these Works of the Holy Spirit may be referred unto the two sorts mentioned Namely 1. Such as were Extraordinary and exceeding the whole compass of the Abilities of Nature however improved and advanced and 2. Those which consist in the Improving and Exaltation of those Abilities to answer the Occasions of Life and Use of the Church Those of the first sort may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Prophesy 2. Inditeing of the Scripture 3. Miracles Those of the other sort we shall find 1. In things Political as skill for Government and Rule amongst Men. 2. In things Moral as Fortitude and Courage 3. In things Natural as increase of Bodily strength 4. Gifts Intellectual 1. of things Sacred as to preach the Word of God 2. In things Artificial as in Bezaliel and Aholiab The Work of Grace on the Hearts of Men being more fully revealed under the New-Testament then before and of the same Kind and Nature in every state of the Church since the fall I shall treat of it once for all in its most proper Place Sect. 5 The First eminent Gift and Work of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament and which had the most direct and immediate respect unto Jesus Christ was that of Prophecy For the Chief and Principal End hereof in the Church was to foresignify Him his Sufferings and the Glory that should ensue or to appoint such things to be observed in Divine Worship as might be Types and Representations of Him For the Chiefest Privelidg of the Church of Old was but to hear Tidings of the Things which we enjoy Isa. 33. 17. As Moses on the top of Pisgah saw the Land of Canaan and in Spirit the Beauties of Holiness to be erected therein which was his highest Attainment So the best of these Saints was to contemplate the King of Saints in the Land that was yet very far from them or Christ in the flesh And this Prospect which by Faith they obtained was their Chiefest Joy and Glory Joh. 8. 56 yet they all ended their Days as Moses did with respect unto the Type of the Gospel-state Deut. 3. 24 25. So did they Luke 10. 23. 24. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. 11. 40. That this was the Principal End of the Gift of Prophecy Peter declares 1 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 9 10 11 12. Receiving the End of your Faith he Salvation of your Souls of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesyed of the Grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the Things which are now reported unto you Some of the Ancients apprehended that some things were spoken obscurely by the Prophets and not to be understood without great search especially such as concerned the Rejection of the Jews lest they should have been
more but to speak out interpret and declare the Minds or Words of another So God tells Moses that He would make Him a God unto Pharaoh One that should deal with him in the Name stead and Power of God and Aaron his Brother should be his Prophet Exod. 7. 1. that is one that should interpret his meaning and declare his Words unto Pharaoh Moses having complained of the Defect of his own Utterance So Prophets are the Interpreters the Declarers of the Word Will Mind or Oracles of God unto others Such an One is described Job 33. 23. Hence those who expounded the Scripture unto the Church under the New Testament were called Prophets and their work Prophecy Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31 32. And under the Old Testament those that celebrated the Praises of God with singing in the Temple according to the Institution of David are said therein to Prophesy 1 Chron. 25. 2. And this Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prophet was of ancient use for so God termed Abraham Gen. 20. 7. Afterwards in common use a Prophet was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Seer because of their Divine Visions and this was occasioned from those words of God concerning Moses Numb 11. 6. And this being the Ordinary way of his Revealing himself namely by Dreams and Visions Prophets in those Days even from the Death of Moses were commonly called Seers which continued in use until the days of Samuel 1. Sam. 9. 9. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man of God 1 Sam. 2. 27 which Name Paul gives to the Preachers of the Gospel 1 Tim. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 17. And it is not altogether unworthy Observation what Kimchi notes that the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most frequently used in the Passive Conjugation Niphal because it denotes a receiving of that from God by way of Revelation which is spoken unto others in a way of Prophecy And as it lies before us as an Extraordinary Gift of the Holy Ghost it is neither to be confined to the strict Notion of Prediction and Foretelling nor to be extended to every true Declaration of the Mind of God but only that which is obtained by immediate Revelation Sect. 9 This Peculiar Gift therefore of the Holy Spirit we may a little distinctly enquire into And two things concerning it may be considered 1. It s General Nature 2. The particular wayes whereby especial Revelation was granted unto any First For its Nature in general it consisted in Inspiration So the Apostle speaks of the Prophesies recorded in the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine Inspiration was the Original and Cause of it And the acting of the Holy Ghost in communicating his Mind unto the Prophets was called Inspiration on a double account First in answer unto his Name and Nature The Name whereby He is revealed unto us signifieth Breath and He is called the Breath of God whereby his Essential Relation to the Father and Son with his Eternal Natural Emanation from them is expressed And therefore when our Saviour gave Him unto his Disciples as a proper Instructive Emblem of what he gave he breathed upon them John 20. 22. So also in the great Work of the Infusion of the Reasonable Soul into the Body of Man it is said God breathed into him the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. From hence I say it is namely from the Nature and Name of the Holy Spirit that his immediate actings on the Minds of Men in the supernatural Communication of Divine Revelations unto them is called Inspiration or Inbreathing And the Unclean Spirit counterfeiting his Actings did inspire his Worshippers with a preternatural Afflatus by wayes suited unto his own filthy Vileness Secondly This Holy Work of the Spirit of God as it is expressed suitable to his Name and Nature so the Meekness Gentleness Facility wherewith he works is intended hereby He did as it were gently and softly breath into them the Knowledg and Comprehension of Holy Things It is an especial and immediate Work wherein he acts suitably unto his Nature as a Spirit the Spirit or Breath of God and suitably unto his peculiar Personal Properties of Meekness Gentleness and Peace So his Acting is Inspiration whereby he came within the Faculties of the Souls of Men acting them with a Power that was not their own It is true when He had thus inspired any with the Mind of God they had no Rest nor could have unless they declared it in its proper Way and Season Jer. 20. 9. Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak in his Name any more but his Word was in mine heart as a burning Fire shut up in my Bones and I was weary with forbearing I could not stay But this Disturbance was from a moral sense of their Duty and no◠from any violent Agitations of his upon their Natures And whereas sometimes trouble and consternation of Spirit did befal some of the Prophets in and under the Revelations they received from Him it was on a double account First Of the dreadful Representations of things that were made unto them in Visions Things of great dread and terror were represented unto their Fancies and Imaginations Secondly Of the greatness and dread of the Things themselves revealed which sometimes were terrible and destructive Dan. 17. 27. Chap. 7. 15 28. Hab. 16. Isa. 21. 2 3 4. But his Inspirations were gentle and placid Sect. 10 Secondly The immediate Effects of this Inspiration were that those inspired were moved or acted by the Holy Ghost Holy Men of God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 21. Moved or Acted by the Holy Ghost And two things are intended hereby First The Preparation and Elevation of their Intellectual Faculties their Minds and Understandings wherein his Revelations were to be received He prepared them for to receive the Impressions he made upon them and confirmed their memories to retain them He did not indeed so enlighten and raise their Minds as to give them a distinct Understanding and full Comprehension of all the Things themselves that were declared unto them There was more in their Inspirations than they could search into the bottom of Hence although the Prophets under the Old Testament were made use of to communicate the clearest Revelations and Predictions concerning Jesus Christ yet in the Knowledg and Understanding of the meaning of them they were all inferior to John Baptist as he was in this Matter to the meanest Believer or least in the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore for their own Illumination and Edification did they diligently enquire by the ordinary means of Prayer and Meditation into the meaning of the Spirit of God in those Prophesies which themselves received by extraordinary Revelation 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Nor did Daniel who had those express Representations and glorious Visions concerning the Monarchies of the World and the providential Alterations which should be
the People of God into destructive and Judgment-procuring sins Numb 33. 16. And in the whole of his Enterprize he thought to have satisfied his Covetousness with a reward for cursing them by his Enchantments And yet this Man not onely professeth of himself that he heard the Words of God and saw the Visions of the Almighty Numb 24. 4. but did actually foretel and prophesie Glorious Things concerning Christ and his Kingdom Shall we then think that the Holy Spirit of God will immix his own Holy Inspirations with the wicked suggestions of the Devil in a South-sayer Or shall we suppose that the Devil was the Author of those Predictions whereas God reproacheth false Gods and their Prophets acted by them that they could not declare the things that should happen nor shew the things that were to come afterwards Isa. 41. 22 23. So also it is said of Saul that the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an Evil Spirit vexed him and yet afterwards that the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied 1 Sam. 19. 24. The Old Prophet at Bethel who lyed unto the Prophet that came from Judah and that in the Name of the Lord seducing him unto Sin and Destruction and probably defiled with the Idolatry and false Worship of Jeroboam was yet esteemed a Prophet and did foretel what came to pass 1 Kings 13. Sect. 18 Sundry things may be offered for the Solution of this Difficulty For 1. as to that place of the Apostle Peter 1. It may not be taken Universally that all who prophesied at any time were Personally Holy but only that for the most part so they were 2. He seems to speak particularly of them only who were Pen-men of the Scripture and of those Prophesies which remain therein for the Instruction of the Church concerning whom I no way doubt but that they were all Sanctified and Holy 3. It may be that he understandeth not real inherent Holiness but only a Separation and Dedication unto God by especial Office which is a thing of another nature 2. The Gift of Prophesie is granted not to be in it self and its own Nature a Sanctifying Grace nor is the Inspiration so whereby it is wrought For whereas it consists in an affecting of the Mind with a transient irradiation of Light in hidden things it neither did nor could of it self produce Faith Love or Holiness in the Heart Another Work of the Holy Ghost was necessary hereunto 3. There is therefore no Inconsistency in this Matter that God should grant an immediate Inspiration unto some that were not really sanctified And yet I would not grant this to have been actually done without a just Limitation For whereas some were established to be Prophets unto the Church in the whole course of their Lives after their first Call from God as Samuel Elijah Elisha Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets mentioned in the Scripture in like manner I no way doubt but they were all of them really sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God But others there were who had only some occasional Discoveries of hidden or future things made unto them or fell into some Extasies or Raptures with a Supernatural Agitation of their Minds as it is twice said of Saul for a short Season And I see no Reason why we may not grant yea from Scripture-Testimonies we must grant that many such Persons may be so acted by the Holy Spirit of God So was it with wicked Caiaphas who is said to Prophesie John 11. 51. And a great Prophesie indeed it was which his words expressed greater than which there is none in the Scripture But the Wretch himself knew nothing of the Importance of what was uttered by him A suddain Impression of the Spirit of God caused him against his Intention to utter a Sacred Truth and that because he was High Priest whose words were of great Reputation with the People And as Balaam was over-ruled to Prophesie and speak good of Israel when he really designed and desired to curse them So this Caiaphas designing the Destruction of Jesus Christ brought forth those words which expressed the Salvation of the World by his Death 5. For the Difficulty about Balaam himself who was a Sorcerer and the Devil's Prophet I acknowledg it is of Importance But sundry things may be offered for the removal of it 1. Some do contend that Balaam was a Prophet of God only That indeed he gave himself unto Judicial Astrologie and the Conjectures of future Events from Natural Causes But as to his Prophesies they were all Divine and the Light of them affecting only the Speculative Part of his Mind had no influence upon his Will Heart and Affections which were still corrupt This Tostatus pleadeth for But as it is expresly said That he sought for Enchantments Numb 24. 1. So the whole Description of his Course and End gives him up as a Cursed Sorcerer and he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sooth-sayer John 12. 22. Which word though we have once rendred by Prudent that is One who prudently conjectureth at future Events according unto present appearing Causes Isa. 3. 2. yet it is mostly used for a Diabolical Diviner or Sooth-sayer And for what he said of himself That he heard the Voice of God and saw the Visions of the Most High it might be only his own boasting to procure veneration to his Diabolical Incantations But in Reputation we find he was in those dayes in the World and supposed he was to utter Divine Oracles unto Men. This God in his Providence made use of to give out a Testimony to the Nations concerning the coming of the Messiah the Report whereof was then almost lost amongst Men. In this condition it may be granted that the Good Spirit of God without the least Reflection on the Majesty and Purity of his own Holiness did over-rule the Power of the Devil cast out his Suggestions from the Man's Mind and gave such an Impression of Sacred Truths in the room of them as he could not but utter and declare For that instant he did as it were take the Instrument out of the Hand of Satan and by his Impression on it caused it to give a sound according to his Mind which when he had done he left it again unto his Possession And I know not but that he might do so sometimes with others among the Gentiles who were professedly given up to receive and give out the Oracles of the Devil So he made the Damsel possessed with a Spirit of Divination and Sooth-saying to acknowledg Paul and his Companions to be Servants of the most High God and to shew to Men the way of Salvation Acts 16. 16 17. And this must be acknowledged by them who suppose that the Sybills gave out Predictions concerning Jesus Christ seeing the whole strain of their Prophetical Oracles were expresly Diabolical And no Conspiracy of Men or Devils shall cause him to forego his Sovereignty over them
their Duties even bodily strength When that also was needful for the Work whereunto he called them Such was his Gift unto Sampson His bodily strength was supernatural a meer effect of the Power of the Spirit of God and therefore when he put it forth in his Calling it is said that the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him Judg. 14. 6. Chap. 15. 14. or wrought powerfully in him And he gave him this strength in the way of an Ordinance appointing the growing of his Hair to be the Sign and Pledg of it the Care whereof being violated by him he lost for a season the Gift it self Sect. 25 Fourthly He also communicated Gifts intellectual to be exercised in and about things Natural and Artificial So he endowed Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom and Skill in all manner of curious Workmanship about all sorts of things for the building and beautifying of the Tabernacle Exod. 31. 2 3. Whether Bezaliel were a Man that had before given himself unto the Acquisition of those Arts and Sciences is altogether uncertain But certain it is that his present Endowments were extraordinary The Spirit of God heightned improved and strengthned the Natural Faculties of his Mind to a Perception and Understanding of all the curious Works mentioned in that place and unto a skill how to contrive and dispose of them into their Order deigned by God himself And therefore although the skill and wisdom mentioned differed not in the kind of it from that which others attained by industry yet he received it by an immediate Afflatus or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as to that degree at least which he was made Partaker of Sect. 27 Lastly The Assistance given unto Holy Men for the Publishing and Preaching of the Word of God to others as to Noah who was a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 5. for the Conviction of the Word and Conversion of the Elect wherein the Spirit of God strove with Men Gen. 6. 3. and preached unto them that were Disobedient 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. might here also be considered but that the Explanation of his whole Work in the Particular will occur unto us in a more proper place Sect. 28 And thus I have briefly passed through the Dispensation of the Spirit of God under the Old Testament Nor have I aimed therein to gather up his whole Work and all his Actings for then every thing that is praise-worthy in the Church must have been enquired into For all without him is Death and Darkness and Sin All Life Light and Power are from him alone And the instances of things expresly assigned unto him which we have insisted on are sufficient to manifest that the whole Being and Welfare of the Church depended solely on his Will and his Operation And this will yet be more evident when we have also considered those other Effects and Operations of his which being common to both States of the Church under the Old Testament and the New are purposely here omitted because the Nature of them is more fully cleared in the Gospel wherein also their Exemplifications are more illustrious From him therefore was the Word of Promise and the Gift of Prophesie whereon the Church was founded and whereby it was built From him was the Revelation and Institution of all the Ordinances of Religious Whorship from him was that Communication of Gifts and Gracious Abilities which any Persons received for the Edification Rule Protection and Deliverance of the Church All these things were wrought by that one and self-same Spirit which divideth to every Man severally as he will And if this were the state of things under the Old Testament a Judgment may thence be made how it is under the New The principal Advantage of the present State above that which is past next unto the coming of Christ in the Flesh consists in the pouring out of the Holy upon the Disciples of Christ in a larger manner than formerly And yet I know not how it is come to pass that some Men think that neither He nor his Work are of any great use unto us And whereas we find every thing that is good even under the Old Testament assigned unto him as the sole immediate Author of it it is hard to perswade with many that he continues now to do almost any good at all And what he is allowed to have any hand in it is sure to be so stated as that the principal praise of it may redound unto our selves So diverse yea so adverse are the thoughts of God and Men in these things where our Thoughts are not captivated unto the Obedience of Faith But we must shut up this Discourse It is a common saying among the Jewish Masters That the Gift of the Holy Ghost ceased under the second Temple or after the finishing of it Their meaning must be that it did so as to the Gifts of Ministerial Prophesie of Miracles and of Writing the Mind of God by Inspiration for the Use of the Church Otherwise there is no Truth in their Observation For there were afterwards especial Revelations of the Holy Ghost granted unto many as unto Simeon and Anna Luke 1. And others constantly received of his Gifts and Graces to enable them unto Obedience and fit them for their Employments For without a continuance of these supplies the Church it self must absolutely cease General Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT with respect unto the New Creation CHAP. II. 1. The Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation proposed to Consideration The Importance of the Doctrine hereof 2. The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise respecting the Times of the New Testament 3. Ministry of Gospel founded in the Promise of the Spirit 4. How this Promise is made unto all Believers 5. Injunction to all to pray for the Spirit of God 6. The solemn Promise of Christ to send his Spirit when he left the Word 7. The ends for which he promised him 8. The Work of the New Creation the principal means of the Revelation of God and his Glory 9. How this Revelation is made in particular herein Sect. 1 VVE are now arrived at that part of our Work which was principally intended in the Whole and that because our Faith and Obedience is principally therein concerned This is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost with respect to the Gospel or the New Creation of all things in and by Jesus Christ. And this if any thing in the Scripture is worthy of our most diligent Enquiry and Meditation nor is there any more important Principle and Head of that Religion which we do profess The Doctrine of Being and Unity of the Divine Nature is common to us with the rest of Mankind and hath been so from the Foundation of the World however some like bruit Beasts have herein also corrupted themselves The Doctrine of the Trinity or the Subsistence of three Persons in the one Divine Nature or Being was known to
all who enjoyed Divine Revelation even under the Old Testament though to us it be manifested with more Light and convincing Evidence The Incarnation of the Son of God was promised and expected from the first entrance of Sin and received its actual Accomplishment in the fulness of Time during the continuance of the Mosaical Paedagogie But this Dispensation of the Holy Ghost whereof we now proceed to treat is so peculiar unto the New Testament that the Evangelist speaking of it sayes The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified Joh. 7. 39. And they who were instructed in the Doctrine of John the Bapist only knew not whether there were any Holy Ghost Acts 19. 2. Both which saying concerned his Dispensation under the New Testament for his eternal Being and Existence they were not ignorant of nor did he then first begin to be as we have fully manifested in our foregoing Discourse To stir us up therefore unto diligence in this Enquiry unto what was in general laid down before I shall add some Considerations evidencing the Greatness and Necessity of this Duty and then proceed to the Matter it self that we have proposed to handle and explain Sect. 2 1. The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit is that which was principally prophesied of and foretold as the great Priviledg and Pre-eminence of the Gospel-Church State This was that good Wine which was kept until the last This all Prophets bear witness unto see Isa. 35. 7. Chap. 44. 3. Joel 2. 28. Ezek. 11. 19. Chap. 36. 27. with other places innumerable The great Promise of the Old Testament was that concerning the coming of Christ in the Flesh. But he was so to come as to put an end unto that whole Church-State wherein his coming was expected To prove this was the principal Design of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews But this Promise of the Spirit whose accomplishment was reserved for the Times of the Gospel was to be the Foundation of another Church-State and the means of its Continuance If therefore we have any interest in the Gospel it self or desire to have if we have either Part or Lot in this Matter or desire to be made Partakers of the Benefits which attend thereon which are no less than our Acceptation with God here and our Salvation hereafter it is our Duty to Search the Scriptures and enquire diligently into these things And let no Man deceive us with vain words as though the things spoken concerning the Spirit of God and his Work towards them that do believe are fanatical and unintelligible by rational Men for because of this contempt of him the Wrath of God will come on the Children of Disobedience And if the World in Wisdom and their Reason know him not nor can receive him yet they who believe do know him for he dwelleth with them and shall be in them John 14. 17. And the present practice of the World in despising and sleighting the Spirit of God and his Work gives Light and Evidence unto those words of our Saviour that the World cannot receive him And it cannot do so because it neither seeth him nor knoweth him or hath no Experience of his Work in them or of his Power and Grace Accordingly doth it is it come to pass Wherefore not to avow the Spirit of God in his Work is to be ashamed of the Gospel and of the Promise of Christ as if it were a thing not to be owned in the World Sect. 3 2. The Ministry of the Gospel whereby we are begotten again that we should be a kind of first Fruits of his Creatures unto God is from his promised Presence with it and Work in it called the Ministry of the Spirit even of the Spirit that giveth Life 2 Cor. 3. 6. And it is so in opposition to the ministration of the Law wherein yet there were a multitude of Ordinances of Worship and Glorious Ceremonies And he who knows no more of the Ministry of the Gospel but what consists in an attendance unto the Letter of Institutions and the manner of their performance knows nothing of it Nor yet is there any extraordinary Afflatus or Inspiration now intended or attended unto as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we pretend But there is that present of the Spirit of God with the Ministry of the Gospel in his Authority Assistance Communication of Gifts and Abilities Guidance and Direction as without which it will be useless and unprofitable in and unto all that take the Work thereof upon them This will be more fully declared afterwards For Sect. 4 3. The Promise and Gift of the Spirit under the Gospel is not made nor granted unto any peculiar sort of Persons only but unto all Believers as their Conditions and Occasions do require They are not therefore the especial Interest of a few but the common concern of all Christians The Papists grant that this Promise is continued but they would confine it to their Pope or their Councils things no where mentioned in the Scripture nor the Object of any one Gospel-Promise whatever It is all Believers in their Places and Stations Churches in their Order and Ministers in their Office unto whom the Promise of him is made and towards whom it is accomplished as shall be shown Others also grant the continuance of this Gift but understand no more by it but an ordnary blessing upon Mens rational endeavours common and exposed unto all alike This is no less than to overthrow his whole Work to take his Sovereignty out of his Hand and to deprive the Church of all especial Interest in the Promise of Christ concerning him In this enquiry therefore we look after what at present belongs unto our selves if so be we are Disciples of Christ and do expect the fulfilling of his Promises For whatever Men may pretend unto this day if they have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his Rom. 8. 9. For our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised him as a Comforter to abide with his Disciples for ever Joh. 14. And by him it is that he is present with them and among them to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. Chap. 18. 20. That we speak noâ— as yet of his sanctifying Work whereby we are enabled to believe and are made Partakers of that Holiness without which no Man shall see God Wherefore without him all Religion is but a Body without a Soul a Carcase without an animating Spirit It is true in the continuation of his Work he ceaseth from putting forth those extraordinary Effects of his Power which were needful for the laying the Foundation of the Church in the World But the whole Work of his Grace according to the Promise of the Covenant is no less truly and really carried on at this day in and towards all the Elect of God than it was on the day of Pentecost and onwards and so is his communication of Gifts necessary for
the edification of the Church Ephes. 4. 10 11 12 13. The owning therefore and avowing the Work of the Holy Ghost in the Hearts and on the Minds of Men according to the Tenor of the Convenant of Grace is the principal part of that Profession which at this day all Believers are called unto Sect. 5 4. We are taught in an especial manner to pray that God would give his Holy Spirit unto us that through his Aid and Assistance we may live unto God in that Holy Obedience which he requires at our hands Luk. 11. 9 10 12 13. Our Saviour enjoyning an importunity in our Supplications v. 9 10. and giving us encouragement that we shall succeed in our Requests v. 11 12. makes the Subject Matter of them to be the Holy Spirit Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him v. 13. Which in the other Evangelists is good things Mat. 7. 11. because he is the Author of them all in us and to us Nor doth God bestow any good thing on us but by his Spirit Hence the Promise of bestowing the Spirit is accompanied with a Prescription of Duty unto us that we should ask him or pray for him which is included in every Promise where his sending giving or bestowing is mentioned He therefore is the great Subject Matter of all our Prayers And that signal Promise of our Blessed Saviour to send him as a Comforter to abide with us for ever is a Directory for the Prayers of the Church in all Generations Nor is there any Church in the World fallen under such a total Degeneracy but that in their Publick Offices there are Testimonies of their ancient Faith and Practice in praying for the coming of the Spirit unto them according to this Promise of Christ. And therefore our Apostle in all his most solemn Prayers for the Churches in his dayes makes this the chief Petition of them That God would give unto them and increase in them the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit with the Spirit himself for sundry especial Effects and Operations whereof they stood in need Ephes. 1. 17. Chap. 3. 16. Col. 2. 2. And this is a full conviction of what importance the Consideration of the Spirit of God and his Work is unto us We must deal in this Matter with that confidence which the Truth instructs us unto and therefore say That he who prayeth not constantly and diligently for the Spirit of God that he may be made partaker of him for the Ends for which he is promised is a Stranger from Christ and his Gospel This we are to attend unto as that whereon our Eternal Happiness doth depend God knows our State and Condition and we may better learn our Wants from his Prescription of what we ought to pray for than from our own Sense and Experience For we are in the Dark unto our own Spiritual Concerns through the Power of our Corruptions and Temptations and know not what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. But our Heavenly Father knows perfectly what we stand in need of And therefore whatever be our present Apprehensions concerning our selves which are to be examined by the Word our Prayers are to be regulated by what God hath enjoyned us to ask and what he hath promised for to bestow Sect. 6 5. What was before mentioned may here be called over again and farther improved yea it is necessary that so it should be This is the solemn Promise of Jesus Christ when he was to leave this World by Death And whereas he therein made and confirmed his Testament Heb. 9. 15 16 17 He bequeathed his Spirit as his great Legacy unto his Disciples And this he gave unto them as the great Pledg of their future Inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. which they were to live upon in this World All other good things he hath indeed bequeathed unto Believers as he speaks of Peace with God in particular Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you John 14. 27. But he gives particular Graces and Mercies for particular Ends and Purposes The Holy Spirit he bequeaths to supply his own Absence John 16. 17. that is for all the Ends of Spiritual and Eternal Life Let us therefore consider this Gift of the Spirit either formally under this Notion that he was the principal Legaoy left unto the Church by our dying Saviour or materially as to the Ends and Purposes for which he is so bequeathed and it will be evident what valuation we ought to have of Him and his Work How would some rejoice if they could possess any Relique of any thing that belonged unto our Saviour in the dayes of his Flesh though of no use or benefit unto them Yea how great a part of Men called Christians do boast in some pretended Parcels of the Tree whereon he suffered Love abused by Superstition lies at the bottom of this Vanity For they would embrace any thing left them by their dying Saviour But he left them no such things nor did ever bless and Sanctify them unto any holy or Sacred Ends. And therefore hath the abuse of them been punished with blindness and Idolatry But this is openly testified unto in the Gospel then when his Heart was overflowing with Love unto his Disciples and Care for them when he took an Holy Prospect of what would be their Condition their Work Duty and Temptations in the World and thereon made Provision of all that they could stand in need of he promiseth to leave and give unto them his Holy Spirit to abide with them for ever directing us to look unto Him for all our Comforts and Supplies According therefore unto our valuation and esteem of Him of our Satisfaction and Acquiescency in Him is our regard to the Love Care and Wisdom of our Blessed Saviour to be measured And indeed it is only in his Word and Spirit wherein we can either honour or despise him in this World In his own Person he is exalted at the Right Hand of God far above all Principalities and Powers So that nothing of ours can immediately reach him or affect him But it is in our regard to these that he makes a Tryal of our Faith Love and Obedience And it is a matter of Lamentation to consider the contempt and scorn that on various Pretences is cast upon this Holy Spirit and the Work whereunto he is sent by God the Father and by Jesus Christ. For there is included therein a contempt of them also Nor will a pretence of honouring God in their own way secure such Persons as shall contract the guilt of this Abomination For it is an Idol and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who doth not work effectually in the Elect by the Holy Ghost according to the Scriptures And 2. if we consider this Promise of the Spirit to be given unto us as to the Ends of it Then Sect. 7 6. He is promised and given as
him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. Now this was in a singular manner and in a measure inexpressible whence he is said to be anointed with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows or those who were Partakers of the same Spirit with him Psal. 45. 7. Heb. 1. 8 9. Although I acknowledg that there was in that Expression a peculiar respect unto his Glorious Exaltation which afterwards ensued as hath been declared on that place And this Collation of Extraordinary Gifts for the discharge of his Prophetical Office was at his Baptism Matth. 3. They were not bestowed on the Head of the Church nor are any Gifts of the same Nature in general bestowed on any of his Members but for Use Exercise and Improvement And that they were then collated appears For Sect. 5 1. Then did he receive the Visible Pledge which confirmed him in and testified unto others his calling of God to the Exercise of his Office For then the Spirit of God descended like a Dove and rested on him and lo a voice came from Heaven saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 16 17. Hereby was he sealed of God the Father John 6. 27 in that Visible Pledg of his Vocation setting the great Seal of Heaven to his Commission And this also was to be a Testimony unto others that they might own him in his Office now he had undertaken to discharge it John 1. 33. 2. He now entred on his Publick Ministry and wholly gave himself up unto his Work For before he did only occasionally manifest the Presence of God with him somewhat to prepare the Minds of Men to attend unto his Ministry as when he filled them with astonishment at his Discourses with the Doctors in the Temple Luke 2. 46 47. And although it is probable that he might be acted by the Spirit in and unto many such extraordinary Actions during his Course of a Private Life yet the fulness of Gifts for his Work he received not until the time of his Baptism and therefore before that he gave not himself up wholly unto his publick Ministry 3. Immediately hereon it is said that He was full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4. 1. Before he was said to wax strong in Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 40. continually filling but now he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of the Holy Ghost He was actually possessed of and furnished with all that fulness of Spiritual Gifts which were any way needful for him or useful unto him or which Humane Nature is capable of receiving With respect hereunto doth the Evangelist use that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by measure That it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is here intended unto whom the Spirit is thus given is evident from the Context although it be not express in the Text. He is spoken of and is the Subject of the whole Discourse v. 31. He that cometh from Above is above all He that cometh from Heaven is above all None doubts but that this is a Description of the Person of Christ. And in the beginning of this Verse He whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God which is the usual Periphrasis of the Lord Christ used at least twenty times in this Gospel Of him this account is given that he testifieth what he hath seen and heard v. 32. and that he speaketh the Words of God v. 3 4. Different events are also marked upon his Testimony for many refused it v. 32. but some received it who therein set to their Seal that God is true vers 33. For he that believeth not the Record that he gave of his Son hath made him a lyar 1 John 5. 1. As a Reason of all this it is added That God gave not the Spirit unto him by Measure So that he was fully enabled to speak the Words of God and those by whom his Testimony was rejected were justly liable to Wrath v. 36. Vain therefore is the attempt of Crellius de Spirit Sanct. followed by Sclictingius in his Comment on this Place who would exclude the Lord Christ from being intended in these words For they would have them signifie no more but only in general That God is not bound up to Measures in the Dispensation of the Spirit but gives to one according unto one measure and to another according to another But as this gloss overthrows the coherence of the words disturbing the Context so it contradicts the Text it self For God's not giving the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Measure is his giving of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immeasurably without known Bounds or Limits and so the Spirit was given unto the Lord Christ only For unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. That is in what Measure he pleaseth to communicate and distribute it But the Effects of this giving of the Spirit unto the Lord Christ not by Measure belonged unto that fulness from whence we receive Grace for Grace John 1. 16. For hereby the Father accomplished his Will when it pleased him that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1. 19. that he in all things might have the Pre-eminence Nor can any Difficulty of weight be cast on this Interpretation from the use of the word in the present Tense which is by Crellius insisted on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he giveth For Christ they say had before received the Spirit for this is spoken of him after his Baptism If therefore he had been intended it should rather have been he hath given or he hath not given unto him by Measure But 1. this was immediately on his Baptism and therefore the collation of the Fulness of the Spirit might be spoken of as a thing present being but newly past which is an ordinary kind of Speech on all occasions Besides 2. the collation of the Spirit is a continued Act in that he was given him to abide with him to rest upon him wherein there was a continuance of the Love of God towards and his care over him in his Work Hence the Lord Christ saith of himself or the Prophet in his Person that the Spirit sent him Now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me Isa. 48. 16. The same Work in sending of Christ is ascribed unto the Lord God that is the Father and to the Spirit but in a different manner He was sent by the Father authoritatively and the Furniture he received by the Spirit of Gifts for his Work and Office is called his sending of him As the same Work is assigned unto different Persons in the Trinity on different accounts Sect. 6 Fifthly It was in an especial manner by the Power of the Holy Spirit by which he wrought those great and miraculous Works whereby his Ministry was attested unto and confirmed Hence it is said That God wrought Miracles by him Acts 2.
22. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him For they are all immediate Effects of Divine Power So when he cast out Devils with a word of command he affirms that he did it by the Finger of God Luke 11. 20. that is the Infinite Divine Power of God but the Power of God acted in an especial manner by the Holy Spirit as is expresly declared in the other Evangelist Matth. 12. 28. And therefore on the Ascription of his Mighty Works unto Beelzebub the Prince of Devils he lets the Jews know that therein they blasphemed the Holy Spirit whose Works indeed they were v. 31 32. Hence these mighty Works are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers because of the Power of the Spirit of God put forth for their working and effecting see Mark 6. 5. Chap. 9. 39. Luke 4. 36. 5. 17. 6. 19. 8. 46. 9. 1. And in the Exercise of this Power consisted the Testimony given unto him by the Spirit that he was the Son of God For this was necessary unto the Conviction of the Jews to when he was sent John 10. 37 38. Sect. 7 Sixthly By him was he guided directed comforted supported in the whole Course of his Ministry Temptations Obedience and Sufferings Some few Instances on this Head may suffice Presently after his Baptism when he was full of the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness Luke 4. 1. The Holy Spirit guided him to begin his Contest and Conquest with the Devil Hereby he made an entrance into his Ministry and it teacheth us all what we must look for if we solemnly engage our selves to follow him in the Work of Preaching the Gospel The word used in Mark to this purpose hath occasioned some doubt what Spirit is intended in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 1. 12. The Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness It is evident that the same Spirit and the same Act is intended in all the Evangelists here and Mat. 4. 1. Luke 4. 1. But now the Holy Spirit should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drive him is not so easie to be apprehended But the Word in Luke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes a guiding and rational Conduct And this cannot be ascribed unto any other Spirit with respect unto our Lord Jesus but onely the Spirit of God Matthew expresseth the same effect by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 4. 1. he was carried or carried up or taken away from the midst of the People And this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that Spirit namely which descended on him and rested on him immediately before Chap. 3. 17. And the Continuation of the Discourse in Luke will not admit that any other Spirit be intended And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness namely by that Spirit which he was full of By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in Mark no more is intended but the sending of him forth by an high and strong impression of the Holy Spirit on his Mind Hence the same word is used with respect unto the sending of others by the powerful impression of the Spirit of God on their Hearts unto the Work of Preaching the Gospel Matth. 9. 38. Pray you therefore the Lord of the Harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also Luk. 10. 2. that he would thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest namely by furnishing them with the Gifts of his Spirit and by the Power of his Grace constraining them to their Duty So did he enter upon his Preparation unto his Work under his Conduct And it were well if others would endeavour after a conformity unto them within the Rules of their Calling 2. By his assistance was he carried triumphantly through the course of his Temptations unto a perfect Conquest of his Adversary as to the present Conflict wherein he sought to divert him from his Work which afterwards he endeavoured by all wayes and means to oppose and hinder 3. The Temptation being finished he returned again out of the Wilderness to Preach the Gospel in the Power of the Spirit Luk. 4. 14. He returned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee that is powerfully enabled by the Holy Spirit unto the discharge of his Work And thence is his first Sermon at Nazareth he took those Words of the Prophet for his Text The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because he hath anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor Luke 4. 18. The issue was That they all bare him Witness and wondred at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth v. 22. And as he thus began his Ministry in the Power of the Spirit so having received him not by measure he continually on all occasions put forth his Wisdom Power Grace and Knowledg to the astonishment of all and the stopping of the Mouths of his Adversaries shutting them up in their Rage and Unbelief 4. By him was he directed strengthned and comforted in his whole Course in all his Temptations Troubles and Sufferings from first to last For we know that there was a confluence of all those upon him in his whole Way and Work a great part of that whereunto he humbled himself for our sakes consisting in these things In and under them he stood in need of mighty Supportment and strong Consolation This God promised unto him and this he expected Isa. 50. 7 8. 42. 4 6. 49. 5 6 7 8. Now all the voluntary Communications of the Divine Nature unto the Humane were as we have shewed by the Holy Spirit Sect. 8 Seventhly He offered himself up unto God through the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. I know many Learned Men do judge that by the Eternal Spirit in that place not the Third Person is intended but the Divine Nature of the Son himself And there is no doubt but that also may properly be called the Eternal Spirit There is also a Reason in the words themselves strongly inclining unto that sense and acceptation of them For the Apostle doth shew whence it was that the Sacrifices of the Lord Christ had an Efficacy beyond and above the Sacrifices of the Law and whence it would certainly produce that great Effect of purging our Consciences from dead Works And this was from the Dignity of his Person on the account of his Divine Nature It arose I say from the Dignity of his Person his Deity giving sustentation unto his Humane Nature in the Sacrifice of himself For by reason of the indissoluble Union of both his Natures his Person became the Principle of all his Mediatory Acts and from thence had they their Dignity and Efficacy Nor will I oppose this Exposition of the words But on the other side many Learned Persons both of the Ancient and Modern Divines do judg that it is the Person of the Holy Spirit
especial part of this his Offering up himself That this was wrought in him by the Holy or Eternal Spirit was before declared And it is frequently expressed as that which had an especial Influence into the Efficacy and Merit of his Sacrifice Psal. 2. 8. He humbled himself and became Obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross. And when he offered up Prayers and Supplications though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. That is he experienced Obedience in Suffering It is true that the Lord Christ in the whole course of his Life yeelded Obedience unto God as he was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. But now he came to the great Tryal of it with respect unto the especial command of the Father to lay down his Life and to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa. 53. 10. This was the highest Act of Obedience unto God that ever was or ever shall be to all Eternity And therefore doth God so express his satisfaction therein and acceptance of it Isa. 53. 11 12. Phil. 2. 9 10. This was wrought in him this he was wrought unto by the Holy Spirit and therefore by him offered himself unto God 4. There belongs also hereunto that Faith and Trust in God which with fervent Prayers Cries Supplications he now acted on God and his Promises both with respect unto himself and to the Covenant which he was sealing with his Blood This our Apostle represents as an especial Work of his testified unto in the Old Testament Heb. 2. 13. I will put my trust in him And this 1. respected himself namely that he should be supported assisted and carried through the Work he had undertaken unto a blessed Issue Herein I confess he was horribly assaulted until he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful Tryal his Faith and Trust in God were Victorious This he expressed in the Depth and Extremity of his Tryals Psal. 22. 9 10 11. and made such an open Profession of it that his Enemies when they supposed him lost and defeated reproached him with it v. 8. Matth. 27. 43. To this purpose be declared himself at large Isa. 50. 7 8 9. So his Faith and Trust in God as to his own supportment and deliverance with the accomplishment of all the Promises that were made unto him upon his ingagement into the Work of Mediation were victorious 2. They respected the Covenant and all the Benefits that the Church of the Elect was to be made Partaker of thereby The Blood that he now shed was the Blood of the Covenant and it was shed for his Church namely that the Blessings of the Covenant might be communicated unto them Gal. 3. 13 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise Faith in God as appears fully in his Prayer which he made when he entred on his Oblation John 17. Now concerning these Instances we may observe three Things to our present purpose 1. These and the like gracious Actings of the Soul of Christ were the Wayes and Means whereby in his Death and Bloodshedding which was violent and by force inflicted on him as to the outward Instruments and was penal as to the Sentence of the Law he voluntarily and freely offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God for to make Atonement And these were the things which from the dignity of his Person became Efficacious and Victorious Without these his Death and Bloodshedding had been no Oblation 2. These were the things which rendred his Offering of himself to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smâ—lling Savour unto God Ephes. 5. 2. God was so absolutely delighted and pleased with these high and glorious Acts of Grace and Obedience in Jesus Christ that he smelt as it were a Savour of Rest towards Mankind or those for whom he offered himself so that he would be angry with them no more curse them no more As it is said of the Type of it in the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. God was more pleased with the Obedience of Christ than he was displeased with the Sin and Disobedience of Adam Rom. 5. 17 18 19. It was not then the outward suffering of a violent and bloody Death which was inflicted on him by the most horrible wickedness that ever Humane Nature brake forth into that God was atoned Acts 2. 23. Nor yet was it meerly his enduring the Penalty of the Law that was the means of our Deliverance But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a Sacrifice in these Holy Acts of Obedience was that upon which in an especial manner God was reconciled unto us All these things being wrought in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost who in the time of his Offering acted all his Graces unto the utmost He is said thereon to offer himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit by whom as our High Priest he was Consecrated Spirited and Acted thereunto Sect. 10 Eighthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Lord Christ whilst he was in the State of the Dead For here our precedeing Rule must be remembred namely that notwithstanding the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine in the Person of the Son yet the Communications of God unto it beyond Subsistence were voluntary Thus in his Death the Union of his Natures in his Person was not in the least impeached but yet for his Soul or Spirit he recommends that in an especial manner into the Hands of God his Father Psal. 31. 5. Luke 23. 46. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit for the Father had ingaged himself in an Eternal Covenant to take care of him to preserve and protect him even in Death and to shew him again the Way and Path of Life Psal. 16. 11. Notwithstanding then the Union of his Person his Soul in its separate State was in an especial manner under the care protection and power of the Father preserved in his Love until the Hour came wherein he shewed him again the Path of Life His Holy Body in the Grave continued under the especial care of the Spirit of God and hereby was accomplished that great Promise That his Soul should not be left in Hell nor the Holy One see Corruption Psal. 16. 10. Acts 2. 31. It is the Body of Christ which is here called the Holy One as it was made an holy Thing by the Conception of it in the Womb by the Power of the Holy Ghost And it is here spoken of in contradistinction unto his Soul and opposed by Peter unto the Body of David which when it died saw Corruption Acts 2. 29. This Pure and Holy Substance was preserved in its Integrity by the overshadowing Power of the Holy Spirit without any of those Accidents of change which attend the dead Bodies of others I deny not but there was use made of the Ministry of
Angels about the dead Body of Christ whilst it was in the Grave even those which were seen sitting afterwards in the place where he lay John 20. 12. by these was it preserved from all outward Force and Violation But this also was under the peculiar care of the Spirit of God who how he worketh by Angels hath been before declared Sect. 11 Ninthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit in his Resurrection this being the compleating Act in laying the Foundation of the Church whereby Christ entred into his Rest the great Testimony given unto the finishing of the Work of Redemption with the satisfaction of God therein and his acceptation of the Person of the Redeemer It is on various accounts assigned distinctly to each Person in the Trinity And this not only as all the external Works of God are individed each Person being equally concerned in their Operation but also upon the account of their especial respect unto and interest in the Work of Redemption in the manner before declared Unto the Father it is ascribed on the account of his Authority and the declaration therein of Christ's perfect accomplishment of the Work committed unto him Acts 2. 24. Him hath God raised up having loosed the Pains of Death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it it is the Father who is spoken of And he is said as in other places to raise Christ from the Dead but this he doth with respect unto his loosing the Pains of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with a little alteration of one Vowel signifie the Sorrows of Death or the Cords of Death For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Sorrow of Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Cords of Death see Psal. 18. 4. Psal. 116. 3. And these Sorrows of Death here intended were the Cords of it that is the Power it had to bind the Lord Christ for a season under it For the Pains of Death that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tormenting Pains ended in his death it self But the Consequents of them are here reckoned unto them or the continuance under the Power of Death according unto the Sentence of the Law These God loosed when the Law being fully satisfied the Sentence of it was taken off and the Lord Christ was acquitted from its whole Charge This was the Act of God the Father as the Supream Rector and Judg of all Hence he is said to raise him from the Dead as the Judg by his Order delivereth an acquitted Prisoner or one who hath answered the Law The same Work he also takes unto himself John 10. 17 18. I lay down my Life that I may take it again no Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again For although Men by violence took away his Life when with wicked hands they crucified and slew him Acts 2. 23. Chap. 3. 15 Yet because they had neither Authority nor Ability so to do without his own consent he saith No Man could or did take away his Life that is against his Will by Power over him as the lives of other Men are taken away for this neither Angels nor Men could do So also although the Father is said to raise him from the Dead by taking off the Sentence of the Law which he had answered yet he himself also took his Life again by an Act of the Love Care and Power of his Divine Nature his living again being an Act of his Person although the Humane Nature only died But the peculiar efficiency in the reuniting of his most Holy Soul and Body was an Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. He was put to death in the Flesh but quickned in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was restored to Life by the Spirit and this was that Spirit whereby he preached unto them that were disobedient in the dayes of Noah v. 19 20. or that Spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets from the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. by which he preached in Noah unto that disobedient Generation 2 Pet. 2. 5. whereby the Spirit of God strove for a season with those Inhabitants of the Old World Gen. 6. 3. that is the Holy Spirit of God To the same purpose we are instructed by our Apostle Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you God shall quicken our Mortal Bodies also by the same Spirit whereby he raised Christ from the Dead For so the Relation of the one Work to the other requires the words to be understood And he asserts again the same expresly Ephes. 1. 17 18 19 20. he prayes that God would give his Holy Spirit unto them as a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation v. 17. The Effects thereof in them and upon them are described v. 18. and this he desires that they may so be made Partakers of that by the Work of the Spirit of God in themselves renewing and quickning of them they might have an experience of that exceeding greatness of his Power which he put forth in the Lord Christ when he raised him from the Dead And the Evidence or Testimony given unto his being the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead is said to be according to the Spirit of Holiness or the Holy Spirit Rom. 1. 4. He was positively declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit This also is the intendment of that Expression 1 Tim. 3. 16. Justified in the Spirit God was manifest in the Flesh by his Incarnation and Passion therein and justified in the Spirit by a Declaration of his acquitment from the Sentence of Death and all the Evils which he underwent with the Reproaches wherewith he was contemptuously used by his Quickning and Resurrection from the Dead through the mighty and effectual working of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 Tenthly It was the Holy Spirit that glorified the Humane Nature and made it every way meet for its Eternal Residence at the Right Hand of God and a Pattern of the Glorification of the Bodies of them that believe on him He who first made his Nature Holy now made it Glorious And as we are made conformable unto him in our Souls here his Image being renewed in us by the Spirit so he is in his Body now glorified by the Effectual Operation of the same Spirit the Exemplar and Pattern of that Glory which in our Mortal Bodies we shall receive by the same Spirit For when he appears we shall be like him 1 John 3. 2. seeing he will change our vile Bodies that they
may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And these are some of the principal Instances of the Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of the Head of the Church The whole of them all I confess is a Work that we can look but little into only what is plainly revealed we desire to receive and imbrace considering that if we are his we are predestinated to be made conformable in all things unto him and that by the powerful and effectual Operation of that Spirit which thus wrought all things in him to the Glory of God And as it is a matter of unspeakable consolation unto us to consider what hath been done in and upon our Nature by the Application of the Love and Grace of God through his Spirit unto it so it is of great Advantage in that it directs our Faith and Supplications in our Endeavours after Conformity with him which is our next End under the enjoyment of God in Glory What therefore in these Matters we apprehend we embrace and for the depth of them they are the Object of our Admiration and Praise Sect. 13 Secondly There is yet another Work of the Holy Spirit not immediately in and upon the Person of the Lord Christ but towards him and on his behalf with respect unto his Work and Office And it comprizeth the Head and Fountain of the whole Office of the Holy Spirit towards the Church This was his witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ namely that he was the Son of God the true Messiah and that the Work which he performed in the World was committed unto him by God the Father to accomplish And this same Work he continueth to attend unto unto this day and will do so to the consummation of all things It is known how the Lord Christ was reproached whilst he was in this World and how ignominiously he was sent out of it by Death Hereon a great contest ensued amongst mankind wherein Heaven and Hell were deeply ingaged The greatest part of the World the Princes Rulers and Wise Men of it affirmed that he was an Impostor a Seducer a Malefactor justly punished for his Evil Deeds He on the other side chose twelve Apostles to bear Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life the Truth and Purity of his Doctrine the Accomplishment of the Prophesies of the Old Testament in his Birth Life Work and Death and in especial unto his Resurrection from the Dead whereby he was justified and acquitted from all the Reproaches of Hell and the World and their Calumnies refelled But what could the Testimony of twelve poor Men though never so honest prevail against the confronting Suffrage of the World Wherefore this Work of bearing witness unto the Lord Christ was committed unto him who is above and over all who knoweth how and is able to make his Testimony prevalent John 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Accordingly the Apostles plead his concurring Testimony Acts 5. 32. And we are his Witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him And how he thus gave his Testimony our Apostle declares Heb. 2. 4. God also bearing witness with them that is the Apostles both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his Will The first principal End why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those miraculous Effects in them that believed in Jesus was to bear witness unto his Person that he was indeed the Son of God owned and exalted by him For no Man not utterly forsaken of all Reason and Understanding not utterly blinded would once imagine that the Holy Spirit of God would work such marvelous Operations in and by them who believed on him if he designed not to justifie his Person Work and Doctrine thereby And this in a short time together with that effectual Power which he put forth in and by the Preaching of the Word carried not only his Vindication against all the Machinations of Satan and his Instruments throughout the World but also subdued the generality of Mankind unto Faith in him and Obedience unto him 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. And upon this Testimony it is that there is real Faith in him yet maintained in the World This is that which he promised unto his Disciples whilst he was yet with them in the World when their hearts were solicitous how they should bear up against their Adversaries upon his absence I will saith he send the Comforter unto you and when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment of sin because they believe not on me of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is Judged John 16. 7 8 9 10 11. The Reason why the World believed not on Christ was because they believed not that he was sent of God John 9. 29. By his Testimony the Spirit was to reprove the World of their Infidelity and to convince them of it by evidencing the Truth of his Mission For hereon the whole issue of the Controversie between him and the World did depend Whether he were Righteous or a Deceiver was to be determined by his being sent or not sent of God and consequently God's Acceptance or Disapprobation of him That he was so sent so approved the Holy Spirit convinced the World by his Testimony manifesting that he went to the Father and was exalted by him for it was upon his Ascention and Exaltation that he received and poured out the Promise of the Spirit to this purpose Acts 2. 33. Moreover whilst he was in the World there was an unrighteous Judgment by the instigation of Satan passed upon him On this Testimony of the Spirit that Judgment was to be reversed and a contrary Sentence passed on the Author of it the Prince of this World For by the Gospel so testified unto was he Discovered Convicted Judged Condemned and cast out of that Power and Rule in the World which by the darkness of the Minds of Men within and Idolatry without he had obtained and exercised And that the Holy Spirit continueth to do the same Work though not absolutely by the same means unto this very day shall be afterwards declared And by these Considerations may we be led into that Knowledg of and Acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ which is so necessary so useful and so much recommended unto us in the Scripture And the utter neglect of Learning the Knowledg of Christ and of the Truth as it is in him is not more pernicious unto the Souls of Men than is the learning of it by undue means whereby false and mischievous Ideas
or Representations of him are infused into the Minds of Men. The Papists would learn and teach him by Images the Work of Mens Hands and Teachers of Lies For besides that they are forbidden by God himself to be used unto any such purposes and therefore cursed with barrenness and uselesness as to any end of Faith or Holiness they are in themselves suited only to ingenerate low and carnal Thoughts in depraved superstitious Minds For as the Worshippers of such Images know not what is the proper Cause nor the proper Object of that Reverence and those Affections they find in themselves when they approach unto them and adore before them So the Apprehensions which they can have hereby tend but to the knowing after the flesh which the Apostle looked on as no part of his Duty 2 Cor. 5. 16. But the Glory of the Humane Nature as united unto the Person of the Son of God and ingaged in the discharge of his Office of Mediator consists alone in these eminent peculiar ineffable Communications of the Spirit of God unto him and his powerful Operations in him This is represented unto us in the Glass of the Gospel which we beholding by Faith are changed into the same Image by the same Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. Sect. 15 Our Lord Christ himself did foretel us that there would be great enquiries after him and that great Deceits would be immixed therewithal If saith he they shall say unto you He is in the Wilderness go not forth behold he is in the Secret Chambers believe it not Matth. 24. 26. It is not a Wilderness low persecuted unglorious and invisible Condition as to outward Profession that our Saviour here intendeth For himself foretold that his Church should be driven into the Wilderness and nourished there and that for a long season Rev. 12. 6. And where his Church is there is Christ for his Promise is to be with them and among them unto the end of the World Matth. 28. 20. Nor by Secret Chambers doth he intend those private places of meeting for security which all his Disciples for some hundreds of years were compelled unto and did make use of after his Apostles who met sometimes in an upper Room sometimes in the Night for fear of the Jews And such it is notorious were all the Meetings of the Primitive Christians But our Saviour here foretels the false wayes that some would pretend he is taught by and found in For first some would say he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Desart or Wilderness and if Men would go forth thither there they would see him and find him And there is nothing intended hereby but the ancient Superstitious Monks who under a pretence of Religion retired themselves into Desarts and Solitary Places For there they pretended great Intercourse with Christ great Visions and Appearances of him being variously deluded and imposed on by Satan and their own Imaginations It is ridiculous on the one hand and deplorable on the other to consider the woful Follies Delusions and Superstitions this sort of Men fell into Yet was in those dayes nothing more common than to say That Christ was in the Desart conversing with the Monks and Anchorites Go not forth unto them saith our Lord Christ for in so doing you will be deceived And again saith he If they say unto them he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Secret Chambers believe it not There is or I am much deceived a deep and mysterious Instruction in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies those secret places in an House where Bread and Wine and Cates of all sorts are laid up and stored This is the proper signification and use of the word What pretence then could there be for any to say that Christ was in such a place Why there insued so great a pretence hereof and so horrible a superstition thereon that it was of Divine Wisdom to foresee it and of Divine Goodness to forewarn us of it For it is nothing but the Popish Figment of Transubstantiation that is intended Christ must be in the secret Places where their Wafer and Wine was deposited that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning this saith our Saviour believe them not All Crafts and Frauds and bloody Violences will be used to compel you to believe a Christ in the Pix and Repository but if you would not be seduced believe them not Such are the false wayes whereby some have pretended to teach Christ and to learn him which have led them from him into hurtful Snares and Perdition The consideration that we have insisted on will guide us if attended unto a Spiritual and Saving Knowledg of him and we are to learn thus to know him Sect. 16 First That we may love him with a pure unmixed Love It is true it is the Person of Christ as God and Man that is the Proper and Ultimate Object of our Love towards him But a clear distinct Consideration of his Natures and their Excellencies is effectual to stir up and draw forth our Love towards him So the Spouse in the Canticles rendring a Reason of her intense Affections towards him sayes That he is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand that is perfect in the Beauty of the Graces of the Holy Spirit which rendred him exceeding amiable So also Psal. 45. 2. Would you therefore propose Christ unto your Affections so as that your Love unto him may be sincere and without corruption as it is required to be Ephes. 6. 24. that you may not lavish away the Actings of your Souls upon a false Object and think you love Christ when you love only the Imaginations of your own Breasts consider his Humane Nature as it was rendred beautiful and lovely by the Work of the Spirit of God upon it before described Do you love him because he was and is so full of Grace so full of Holiness because in him there was an All-fulness of the Graces of the Spirit of God Consider aright what hath been delivered concerning him and if you can and do on the account thereof delight in him and love him your Love is Genuine and Spiritual But if your Love be meerly out of an apprehension of his being now Glorious in Heaven and there able to do you Good or Evil it differs not much from that of the Papists whose Love is much regulated in its Actings by the good or bad painting of the Images whereby they represent him You are often pressed to direct your Love unto the Person of Christ and it is that which is your principal Duty in this World But this you cannot do without a distinct Notion and Knowledg of him There are therefore three things in general that you are to consider to this purpose 1. The Blessed Union of his two Natures in the same Person Herein he is singular God having taken that especial State on him which in no other thing or way had any Consideration This therefore is
Father John 5. 23. There yet remains the actual Application of all to the Souls of Men that they may be Partakers of the Grace designed in the Counsel of the Father and prepared in the Mediation of the Son And herein is the Holy Spirit to be manifested and glorified that He also together with the Father and the Son may be Known Adored Worshipped according unto his own Will This is the Work that he hath undertaken And hereon upon the solemn Initiation of any Person into the Covenant of God in answer unto this Design and Work he is Baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Matth. 28. 18. And these things have been discoursed of before though necessarily here called over again Sect. 3 Secondly From the Nature and Order of this Work of God it is That after the Son was actually exhibited in the Flesh according to the Promise and had fulfilled what he had taken upon him to do in his own Person the great Promise of carrying on and finishing the whole Work of the Grace of God in our Salvation concerns the sending of the Holy Spirit to do and perform what he also had undertaken Thus when our Lord Jesus Christ was ascended into Heaven and began conspicuously and gloriously to carry on the building of his Church upon himself the Rock and Foundation of it it is said That being exalted by the Right Hand of God he received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. which must be a little opened Before he departed from his Disciples as hath been mentioned on several occasions he comforted and cheared their drooping Spirits with the Promise of sending him unto them which he often repeated and inculcated on their minds John 14. 15 16. And 2. when he was actually leaving of them after his Resurrection he gives them order to sit still and not to ingage in the publick Work of building the Church whereunto he had designed them until that Promise were actually accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4. Being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father and Vers. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost parts of the Earth He would have them look neither for Assistance in their Work nor success unto it but from the promised Spirit alone and lets them know also that by his Aid they should be enabled to carry their Testimony of him to the uttermost parts of the Earth And herein lay and herein doth lie the Foundation of the Ministry of the Church as also its Continuance and Efficacy The Kingdom of Christ is Spiritual and in the animating Principles of it invisible If we fix our Minds only on outward Order we lose the Rise and Power of the whole it is not an outward visible Ordination by Men though that be necessary by Rule and Precept but Christ's Communication of that Spirit the Everlasting Promise whereof he received of the Father that gives Being Life Usefulness and success to the Ministry Wherefore also 3. upon his Ascention in the Accomplishment of the great Promises given unto the Church under the Old Testament Isa. 44. 3. Joel 1. 18. as also of his own newly given unto his Disciples he poured forth his Spirit on them This the Apostle Peter declares in this place Being exalted by the right Hand of God and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit he shed forth what they then saw and heard in the Miraculous Operations and Effects of it And he is said then to receive the Promise of the Father because he then received the thing promised The Promise was not then first given unto him nor did he then receive it for himself For as the Promise was given long before so in his own Person he had received the fulness of the Spirit from his Incarnation as hath been declared But now he had Power given him actually to fulfil and accomplish the Promise in the Collation of the thing promised and is thence said to receive the Promise So Heb. 11. 13 39. it is said of all Believers under the Old Testament That they died in Faith having not received the Promise that is the thing promised was not actually exhibited in their dayes though they had the Promise of it as it is expresly said of Abraham Chap. 7. 6. The Promise therefore it self was given unto the Lord Christ and actually received by him in the Covenant of the Mediator when he undertook the great Work of the Restauration of all things to the Glory of God For herein had he the Ingagement of the Father that the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the Sons of Men to make effectual unto their Souls the whole Work of his Mediation wherefore he is said now to receive this Promise because on his account and by him as exalted it was now solemnly accomplished in and towards the Church In the same manner the same thing is described Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on High thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for Men which is rendred Ephes. 4. 8. Thou hast given Gifts unto Men for he received the Promise at this time only to give out the Spirit and his Gifts unto Men. And if any are so fond as to expect Strength and Assistance in the Work of the Ministry without him or such success in their Labours as shall find Acceptance with God they do but deceive their own Souls and others Sect. 4 Here lay the Foundation of the Christian Church The Lord Christ had called his Apostles to the great Work of building his Church and the propagation of his Gospel in the World Of themselves they were plainly and openly defective in all Qualifications and Abilities that might contribute any thing thereunto But whatever is wanting in themselves whether Light Wisdom Authority Knowledg Utterance or Courage he promiseth to supply them withal And this he would not do nor did any otherwise but by sending the Holy Spirit unto them on whose presence and assistance alone depended the whole success of their Ministry in the World It was through the Holy Ghost that he gave Commandments unto them Acts 1. 2. Those Commandments concern the whole Work in Preaching the Gospel and Founding of the Church and these he gives unto them through the acting of Divine Wisdom in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost And on their part without his Assistance he forbids them to attempt any thing v. 4 8 9. In this Promise then the Lord Christ founded the Church it self and by it he builded it up And this is the Hinge whereon the whole weight of it doth turn and depend unto this day Take it away suppose it to cease as unto a continual
Accomplishment and there will be an absolute end of the Church of Christ in this World No Dispensation of the Spirit no Church He that would utterly separate the Spirit from the Word had as good burn his Bible The bare Letter of the New Testament will no more ingenerate Faith and Obedience in the Souls of Men no more constitute a Church-State among them who enjoy it than the Letter of the Old Testament doth so at this day among the Jews 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. But blessed be God who hath knit these things together towards his Elect in the Bond of an Everlasting Covenant Isa. 59. 21. Let Men therefore cast themselves into what order they please institute what Forms of Government and Religious Worship they think good let them do it either by an attendance according unto the best of their understandings unto the Letter of the Scripture or else in an Exercise of their own Wills Wisdom and Invention if the Work of the Spirit of God be disowned or disclaimed by them if there be not in them and upon them such a Work of his as he is promised by our Lord Jesus Christ there is not Church-State amongst them nor as such is it to be owned or esteemed And on the Ministry and the Church do all ordinary Communications of Grace from God depend Sect. 5 Thirdly It is the Holy Spirit who supplies the bodily absence of Christ and by him doth he accomplish all his Promises to the Church Hence some of the Ancients call him Vicarium Christi the Vicar of Christ or he who represents his Person and dischargeth his promised Work Operam navat Christo Vicariam When our Lord Jesus was leaving the World he gave his Disciples command to Preach the Gospel and to Disciple the World into the Faith and Profession thereof Matth. 28. 19. For their incouragement herein he promiseth his own presence with them in their whole Work where-ever any of them should be called unto it and that whilst he would have the Gospel preached on the Earth so saith he I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World or the Consummation of all things v. 20. Immediately after he had thus spoken unto them while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight and they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up Acts 1. 9 10. Where now is the Accomplishment of his Promise that he would be with them unto the end of all things which was the sole Incouragement he gave them unto their great undertaking It may be that after this his triumphant Ascention into Heaven to take possession of his Kingdom and Glory he came again unto them and made his abode with them No saith Peter the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. How then is this Promise of his made good which had such a peculiar respect unto the Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel that without it none can ever honestly or conscientiously engage in the Dispensation of it or expect the least success upon their so doing Besides he had promised unto the Church it self That where ever two or three were gathered together in his Name that he would be in the midst of them Matth. 18. 19 20. Hereon do all their Comforts and all their Acceptance with God depend I say all these Promises are perfectly fulfilled by his sending of the Holy Spirit In and by him he is present with his Disciples in their Ministry and their Assemblies And when-ever Christ leaves the World the Church must do so too For it is his Presence alone which puts Men into that condition or invests them with that Priviledg For so he saith I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6. 16. Levit. 26. 12. Their being the People of God so as therewithal to be the Temple of the Living God that is to be brought into a Sacred Church-State for his Worship depends on his dwelling in them and walking in them and this he doth by his Spirit alone For know you not that you are Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. He therefore so far represents the Person and supplies the bodily absence of Christ that on his Presence the Being of the Church the Success of the Ministry and the Edification of the whole do absolutely depend And this if any thing in the whole Gospel deserves our serious Consideration For 1. the Lord Jesus hath told us that his presence with us by his Spirit is better and more expedient for us than the continuance of his Bodily Presence Now who is there that hath any Affection for Christ but thinks that the Carnal Presence of the Humane Nature of Christ would be of unspeakable Advantage unto him And so no doubt it would had any such thing been designed or appointed in the Wisdom and Love of God But so it is not and on the other side we are commanded to look for more Advantage and Benefit by his Spiritual Presence with us or his Presence with us by the Holy Ghost It is therefore certainly incumbent on us to inquire diligently what Valuation we have hereof and what Benefit we have hereby For if we find not that we really receive Grace Assistance and Consolation from this presence of Christ with us we have no benefit at all by him nor from him for he is now no otherwise for those ends with any but by his Spirit And this they will one day find whose Profession is made up of such a sottish Contradiction as to avow an honour for Jesus Christ and yet blaspheme his Spirit in all his Holy Operations 2. The Lord Christ having expresly promised to be present with us to the end of all things there are great Enquiries how that Promise is accomplished Some say he is present with us by his Ministers and Ordinances but how then is he present with those Ministers themselves unto whom the Promise of his Presence is made in an especial manner The Papists would have him Carnally and Bodily present in the Sacrament But he himself hath told us that the Flesh in such a sense profiteth nothing John 6. 63. and that it is the Spirit alone that quickneth The Lutherans sancy an Omnipresence or Ubiquity of his Humane Nature by virtue of its Personal Union But this is destructive of that Nature it self which being made to be every where as such a Nature is truly no where And the most Learned among them are ashamed of this Imagination The words of Smidh on Ephes. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are worthy consideration Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliqui intelligunt totum Mundum seu totum Universum hoc exponuntque ut Omnipraesentia sua omnibus in Mundo locis adesset loca omnia implendo hi verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Physica
crassa impletione accipiunt quam tamen talis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu impletio locorum in Mundo omnium quae vel expansionem corpoream in quantitate continua vel multiplicationem imo infinitam multitudinem unius ejusdemque corporis in discreta praesupponit ex humana speculatione orta est falsoque nostris Ecclesiis aâ—â—ingitur wherein yet he confesseth that it is taught Ne cogitanda quidem sit pio homini sed potius Omnipraesentia Christi Hominis uti promissa est modo nobis ineffabili credi multo certius aliunde sciri possit ex ipsius promissione Matth. 28. 20. This way as we say with the Scripture is by his Spirit the perfect manner of whose Presence and Operation is ineffable Sect. 6 Fourthly As he represents the Person and supplies the Room and Place of Jesus Christ so he worketh and effecteth what-ever the Lord Christ hath taken upon himself to Work and Effect towards his Disciples Wherefore as the Work of the Son was not his own Work but rather the Work of the Father who sent him and in whose Name he performed it so the Work of the Holy Spirit is not his own Work but rather the Work of the Son by whom he is sent and in whose Name he doth accomplish it John 16. 13 14 15. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shew it unto you He comes to reveal and communicate Truth and Grace to the Disciples of Christ. And in his so doing he speaks not of himself that is of himself only He comes not with any absolute new Dispensation of Truth or Grace distinct or different from that which is in and by the Lord Christ and which they had heard from him The Holy Spirit being promised unto the Disciples and all their Work and Duty being suspended on the accomplishment of that Promise whereas he is God they might suppose that he would come with some absolute new Dispensation of Truth so that what they had learned and received from Christ should pass away and be of no use unto them To prevent any such Apprehensions he lets them know that the Work he had to do was only to carry on and build on the Foundation which was laid in his Person or Doctrine or the Truth which he had revealed from the Bosom of the Father And this I take to be the meaning of that Expression For he shall not speak of himself he shall reveal no other Truth communicate no other Grace but what is in from and by my self This was the Holy Spirit to do and this he did and hereby may we try every Spirit whether it be of God That Spirit which revealeth any thing or pretendeth to reveal any Thing any Doctrine any Grace any Truth that is contrary unto that is not consonant to yea that is not the Doctrine Grace or Truth of Christ as now revealed in the Word that brings any thing new his own or of himself that Spirit is not of God So it is added 2. Whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This which he hears is the whole Counsel of the Father and the Son concerning the Salvation of the Church And how is he said to hear it which word in its proper signification hath no place in the mutual internal Actings of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity Being the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceeding from both he is equally participant of their Counsels So the outward Act of Hearing is mentioned as the sign of his Infinite Knowledg of the Eternal Counsels of the Father and Son He is no stranger unto them And this is a general Rule That those words which with respect unto us express the means of any thing as applyed unto God intend no more but the signs of it Hearing is the means whereby we come to know the mind of another who is distinct from us And when God is said to hearken or hear it is a sign of his knowledg not the means of it So is the Holy Spirit said to hear those things because he knows them As he is also on the same account said to search the deep things of God Add hereunto that the Counsel of these things is originally peculiar to the Father and unto him it is every where peculiarly ascribed therefore is the participation of the Spirit therein as a distinct Person called his hearing Hereunto 3. his great Work is subjoyned He saith Christ shall glorifie me This is the Design that he is sent upon this is the Work that he comes to do even as it was the Design and Work of Jesus Christ to glorifie the Father by whom he was sent And this are they alwayes to bear in mind who stand in need of or pray for his Assistance in their Work or Office in the Church of God He is given unto them that through him they may give and bring Glory to Jesus Christ. And 4. how the Holy Spirit doth glorifie the Lord Christ is also declared He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you The Communication of Spiritual Things from Christ by the Spirit is here called his receiving of them as the communication of the Spirit from the Father by the Lord Christ to his Disciples is called the receiving of the Promise The Spirit cannot receive any thing subjectively which he had not as an addition unto him It is therefore the Oeconomy of these things that is here intended He is not said to receive them as though before he had them not For what can he who is God so receive only when he begins to give them unto us because they are peculiarly the things of Christ he is said to receive them For we can give nothing of anothers but what we receive of him Good things are given unto us from Christ by the Spirit For so it is added and shall shew them unto you He shall make them known unto you so declare them and manifestly evidence them to you and in you that you shall understand and have experience of them in your selves shew them by Revelation instructing you in them by communication imparting them to you And what are these things that he shall so declare They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my things saith our Saviour The things of Christ may be referred unto two Heads His Truth and His Grace John 1. 17. The first he shews by Revelation the latter by Effectual Communication His Truth he shewed unto them by Revelation as we have declared him to be the Immediate Author of all Divine Revelations This he did unto the Apostles by his Inspirations enabling
And this instructs us in the Way and Manner of that Communion which we have with God by the Gospel For herein the Life Power and Freedom of our Evangelical State doth consist and an acquaintance herewith gives us our Translation out of Darkness into the marvelous Light of God 1. The Person of the Father in his Wisdom Will and Love is the Original of all Grace and Glory But nothing hereof is communicated immediately unto us from him It is the Son whom he loves and hath given all things into his hand He hath made way for the Communication of these things unto us unto the Glory of God And he doth it immediately by the Spirit as hath been declared Hereby are all our Returns unto God to be regulated The Father who is the Original of all Grace and Glory is ultimately intended by us in our Faith Thankfulness and Obedience yet not so but that the Son and Spirit are considered as one God with him But we cannot address our selves with any of them immediately unto him There is no going to the Father saith Christ but by me John 14. 6. Through him we believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. But yet neither can we do so unless we are enabled thereunto by the Spirit the Author in us of Faith Prayer Praise Obedience and what-ever our Souls tend unto God by As the descending of God towards us in Love and Grace issues or ends in the Work of the Spirit in us and on us so all our ascending towards him begins therein And as the first Instance of the proceeding of Grace and Love towards us from the Father is in and by the Son so the first step that we take towards God even the Father is in and by the Son And these things ought to be explicitly attended unto by us if we intend our Faith and Love and Duties of Obedience should be Evangelical Take an Instance of the Prayer of Wicked Men under their Convictions or their Fears Troubles and Dangers and the Prayers of Believers The former is meerly Vox Naturae Clamantis ad Dominum Naturae an out-cry that distressed Nature makes to the God of it and as such alone it considers him But the other is Vox Spiritus Adoptionis clamantis per Christum Abba Pater It is the Voice of the Spirit of Adoption addressing it self in the Hearts of Believers unto God as a Father And a due attendance unto this Order of things gives Life and Spirit unto all that we have to do with God Wo to Professors of the Gospel who shall be seduced to believe that all they have to do with God consists in their attendance unto Moral Vertue It is fit for them so to do who being weary of Christianity have a mind to turn Pagans But our Fellowship is in the way described with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus It is therefore of the highest importance unto us to enquire into and secure unto our selves the promised workings of the Holy Spirit For by them alone are the Love of the Father and the Fruits of the Mediation of the Son communicated unto us without which we have no interest in them And by them alone are we enabled to make any acceptable Returns of Obedience unto God It is sottish Ignorance and Infidelity to suppose that under the Gospel there is no communication between God and us but what is on his part in Laws Commands and Promises and on ours by Obedience performed in our own Strength and upon our Convictions unto them The exclude hence the real internal Operations of the Holy Ghost is to destroy the Gospel And as we shall see farther afterwards this is the true Ground and Reason why there is a sin against the Holy Spirit that is irremissible for the coming unto us to make Application of the Love of the Father and Grace of the Son unto our Souls in the contempt of him there is a contempt of the whole actings of God towards us in a way of Grace for which there can be no Remedy Sect. 7 Fifthly Whereas the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace and the immediate Efficient Cause of all Grace and Gracious Effects in Men where-ever there is mention made of them or any fruits of them it is to be looked on as a part of his Work though he be not expresly named or it be not particularly attributed unto him I know not well or do not well understand what some Men begin to talk about Moral Vertue Some thing they seem to aim at if they would once leave the old Pelagian ambiguous Expressions and learn to speak clearly and intelligibly that is in their own Power and so consequently of all other Men. At least it is so with an ordinary blessing upon their own endeavours which things we must afterwards enquire into But for Grace I think all Men will grant that as to our participation of it it is of the Holy Spirit and of him alone Now Grace is taken two wayes in the Scripture 1. For the gracious free Love and Favour of God towards us And 2. for gracious free effectual Operations in us and upon us In both senses the Holy Spirit is the Author of it as unto us In the first as to its manifestation and Application in the latter as to the Operation it self For although he be not the principal Cause nor procurer of Grace in the first sense which is the free Act of the Father yet the Knowledg Sense Comfort and all the Fruits of it are by him alone communicated unto us as we shall see afterwards And the latter is his proper and peculiar Work This therefore must be taken for granted that where-ever any gracious actings of God in or towards Men are mentioned it is the Holy Spirit who is peculiarly and principally intended Sect. 8 Sixthly It must be duly considered with reference unto the whole Work of the Holy Spirit that in what-ever he doth he Acts Works and Distributes according to his own Will This our Apostle expresly affirmeth And sundry things of great moment do depend hereon in our walking before God As 1. That the Will and Pleasure of the Holy Spirit is in all the Goodness Grace Love and Power that he either communicates unto us or worketh in us He is not as a meer Instrument or Servant disposing of the things wherein he hath no Concern or over which he hath no Power But in all things he worketh towards us according to his own Will We are therefore in what we receive from him and by him no less to acknowledg his Love Kindness and Sovereign Grace than we do to those of the Father and the Son 2. That he doth not work as a natural Agent ad ultimum virium to the utmost of his Power as though in all he did he came and did what he could He moderates all his Operations by his Will and Wisdom And therefore whereas some are said to resist the Holy Spirit Acts
Church They praying by his especial Guidance and Assistance say Come or Preachers say unto others Come and the Bride or the Body of the Church acted by the same Spirit joyn with them in this great Request and Supplication and thereunto all Believers are invited in the following words and let him that heareth say Come Sect. 10 All these things were necessary to be premised in general as giving some insight into the Nature of the Operations of the Holy Spirit in us and towards us And hereby we have made our Way plain to the consideration of his especial Works in the Calling Building and Carrying on the Church unto Perfection Now all his Works of this kind may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Of Sanctifying Grace 2. Of Especial Gifts 3. Of peculiar Evangelical Priviledges Only we must observe that these things are not so distinguished as to be negatively contradistinct to each other for the same thing under several Considerations may be all these a Grace a Gift and a Priviledg All that I intend is to reduce the Operations of the Holy Spirit unto these Heads casting each of them under that which it is most eminent in and as which it is most directly proposed unto us And I shall begin with his Work of Grace BOOK III. VVORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE New Creation BY REGENERATION CHAP. I. 1. The New Creation Compleated 2. Regeneration the especial Work of the Holy Spirit 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Wrought under the Old Testament but clearly revealed in the New And 10 11 12. is of the same kind in all that are Regenerate 13 14. The Causes and Way of it being the same in all 15 16. It consisteth not in Baptism alone Nor 17 18. in a Moral Reformation of Life But 19 20. a New Creature is Formed in it whose 21 22. Nature is declared and 23. farther explained 24. Denial of the Original Depravation of Nature the Cause of many Noxious Opinions 25 26. Regeneration consisteth not in Enthusiaslick Raptures their Nature and Danger 27. The whole Doctrine necessary dâ—spised corrupted vindicated Sect. 1 WE have formerly declared the Work of the Holy Spirit in Preparing and Forming the Natural Body of Christ. This was the beginning of the New Creation the Foundation of the Gospel-State and Church But this was not the whole of the Work he had to do As he had provided and prepared the Natural Body of Christ so he was to prepare his Mystical Body also And hereby the Work of the New Creation was to be compleated and perfected And as it was with respect unto him and his Work in the Old Creation so was it also in the New All things in their first production had Darkness and Death upon them For the Earth was Void and without Form and Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep Gen. 1. 2. Neither was there any thing that had either Life in it or Principle of Life or any Disposition thereunto In this condition he moved on the prepared Matter preserving and cherishing of it and communicating unto all things a Principle of Life whereby they were animated as we have declared It was no otherwise in the New Creation There was a Spiritual Darkness and Death came by sin on all Mankind Neither was there in any Man living the least Principle of Spiritual Life or any Disposition thereunto In this State of things the Holy Spirit undertaketh to create a New World New Heavens and a New Earth wherein Righteousness should dwell And this in the first place was by his Effectual Communication of a New Principle of Spiritual Life unto the Souls of God's Elect who were the Matter designed of God for this Work to be wrought upon This he doth in their Regeneration as we shall now manifest Sect. 2 1. Regeneration in Scripture is every-where assigned to be the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit John 3. 3 4 5 6. Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Nicodemus saith unto him How can a Man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It was an ancient knowing Teacher of the Church of the Jews a Master in Israel whom our Blessed Saviour here discourseth withal and instructs For on the consideration of his Miracles he concluded that God was with him and came to enquire of him about the Kingdom of God Our Saviour knowing how all our Faith and Obedience to God and all our Acceptance with him depended on our Regeneration or being born again acquaints him with the necessity of it wherewith he is at first surprized Wherefore he proceeds to instruct him in the Nature of the Work whose necessity he had declared And this he describes both by the Cause and the Effect of it For the Cause of it he tells him it is wrought by Water and the Spirit By the Spirit as the Principal Efficient Cause and by Water as the Pledg Sign and Token of it in the initial Seal of the Covenant the Doctrine whereof was then preached amongst them by John the Baptist or the same thing is intended in a redoubâ—ed Expression the Spirit being signified by the Water also under which Notion he is often promised Sect. 3 Hereof then or of this Work the Holy Spirit is the Principal Efficient Cause whence he in whom it is wrought is said to be born of the Spirit v. 8. so is every one that is born of the Spirit And this is the same with what is delivered Chap. 1. v. 13. Who are born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God The Natural and Carnal Means of Blood Flesh and the Will of Man are rejected wholly in this Matter and the whole Efficiency of the New Birth is ascribed unto God alone His Work answers what-ever Contribution there is unto Natural Generation from the Will and Nature of Man For these things are here compared and from its Analogie unto Natural Generation is this Work of the pirit called Regeneration so in this place is the Allusion and Opposition between these things expressed by our Saviour That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit v. 6. And herein also we have a farther Description of this Work of the Holy Spirit by its Effect or the Product of it It is Spirit a new Spiritual Being Creature Nature Life as shall be declared And because there is in it a Communication of a new Spiritual Life it is called a Vivification or quickning with respect unto the State wherein all Men
this Matter all their dayes For they fear the Lord and obey the Voice of his Servant Christ Jesus and yet walk in Darkness and have no Light Isa. 50. 10. They are Children of Light Luk. 16. 8. John 12. 36. Ephes. 5. 8. 1 Thess. 5. 5. and yet walk in darkness and have no Light which Expressions have been well used and improved by some and by others of late derided and blasphemed Sect. 12 And there is great variety in the carrying on of this Work towards Perfection in the Growth of the New Creature or the Increase of Grace implanted in our Natures by it For some through the supplies of the Spirit make a great and speedy progress towards Perfection others thrive slowly and bring forth little Fruit the Causes and Occasions whereof are not here to be enumerated But notwithstanding all Differences in previous Dispositions in the Application of outward Means in the manner of it ordinary or extraordinary in the Consequenâ—s of much or less Fruit the Work it self in its own Nature is of the same kind one and the same The Elect of God were not regenerate one way by one kind of Operation of the Holy Spirit under the Old Testament and those under the New Testament another They who were miraculously Converted as Paul or who upon their Conversion had miraculous Gifts bestowed on them as had multitudes of the Primitive Christians were no otherwise regenerate nor by any other internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit then every one is at this day who is really made Partaker of this Grace and Priviledg Neither were those Miraculous Operations of the Holy Spirit which were visible unto others any part of the Work of Regeneration nor did they belong necessarily unto it For many were the Subjects of them and received miraculous Gifts by them who were never Regenerate and many were Regenerate who were never Partakers of them And it is a Fruit of the highest Ignorance and Unacquaintedness imaginable with these things to affirm that in the Work of Regeneration the Holy Spirit wrought of old miraculously in and by outwardly visible Operations but now only in an humane and rational way leading our Understanding by the Rules of Reason unless the more external Mode and Sign of his Operation be intended For all ever were and ever shall be Regenerate by the same kind of Operation and the same Effect of the Holy Spirit on the Faculties of their Souls Which will be farther manifest if we consider 1. That the Condition of all Men as Unregenerate is absolutely the same One is not by Nature more unregenerate than another All Men since the Fall and the corruption of our Nature by sin are in the same State and Condition towards God They are all alike alienated from him and all alike under his Curse Psal. 51. 5. John 3. 5 36. Rom. 3. 19. Chap. 5. 15 16 17 18. Ephes. 2. 3. Tit. 3 3. 4. There are Degrees of Wickedness in them that are Unregenerate but there is no difference as to State and Condition between them all are Unregenerate alike As amongst those who are Regenerate there are different Degrees of Holiness and Righteousness one it may be far exceeding another yet there is between them no difference of State and Condition they are all equally Regenerate Yea some may be in a greater forwardness and preparation for the Work it self and thereby in a greater nearness to the State of it than others but the State it self is incapable of such Degrees Now it must be the same Work for the Kind and Nature of it which relieves and translates Men out of the same State and Condition That which gives the formal Reason of the change of their State of their Translation from Death to Life is and must be the same in all If you can fix on any Man from the Foundation of the World who was not equally born in sin and by Nature dead in Trespasses and Sins with all other Men the Man Christ Jesus only excepted I would grant that he might have another kind of Regeneration than others have but that I know he would stand in need of none at all Sect. 14 2. The State whereinto Men are brought by Regeneration is the same Nor is it in its Essence or Nature capable of Degrees so that one should be more Regenerate than another Every one that is born of God is equally so though one may be more beautiful than another as having the Image of his Heavenly Father more evidently impressed on him though not more truly Men may be more or less Holy more or less Sanctified but they cannot be more or less Regenerate All Children that are born into the World are equally born though some quickly outstrip others in the Perfections and Accomplishments of Nature And all born of God are equally so though some speedily out-go others in the Accomplishments and Perfections of Grace There was then never but one kind of Regeneration in this World the Essential Form of it being specifically the same in all 3. That the Efficient Cause of this Work the Grace and Power whereby it is wrought with the internal manner of the Communication of that Grace are the same shall be afterwards declared To this Standard then all must come Men may bear themselves high and despise this whole Work of the Spirit of God or set up an Imagination of their own in the room thereof but whether they will or no they must be tryed by it and no less depends on their interest in it than their Admission into the Kingdom of God And let them pretend what they please the true Reason why any despise the New Birth is because they hate a New Life He that cannot endure to live to God will as little endure to hear of being born of God But we shall by the Scripture enquire what we are taught concerning iâ— and declare both what it is not of things which falsly pretend thereunto and then what it is indeed Sect. 15 First Regeneration doth not consist in a participation of the Ordinance of Baptism and a profession of the Doctrine of Repentance This is all that some will allow unto it to the utter rejection and overthrow of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the dispute in this Matter is not whether the Ordinances of the Gospel as Baptism do really communicate internal Grace unto them that are as to their outward manner of their Administration duly made Partakers of them whether ex opere operato as the Papists speak or as a â—aederal means of the Conveyance and Communication of that Grace which they betoken and are the Pledges of but whether the outward susception of the Ordinance joyned with a profession of Repentance in them that are adult be not the whole of what is called Regeneration The vanity of this presumptuous folly destructive of all the Grace of the Gospel invented to countenance Men in their Sins and to hide from them the
enabling unâ—o all Acts of Holy Obedience and so in order of Nature antecedent unto them then it doth not consist in a meer Reformation of Life and Moral Vertue be they never so exact or accurate Three things are to be observed for the clearing of this Assertion before we come to the Proof and Confirmation of it As 1. That this Reformation of Life which we say is not Regeneration or that Regeneration doth not consist therein is a necessary Duty indispensibly required of all Men. For we shall take it here for the whole course of Actual Obedience unto God and that according to the Gospel Those indeed by whom it is urged and pressed in the room of Regeneration or as that wherein Regeneration doth consist do give such an Account and Description of it as that it is or at least may be Foreign unto true Gospel-Obedience and so not contain in it one Acceptable Duty unto God as shall afterwards be declared But here I shall take it in our present enquiry for that whole Course of Duâ—â—â—s which in Obedience towards God are prescribed unto us 2. That the Principle before described wherein Regeneration as passivâ—ly considered or as wrought in us consists doth alwayes certainly and infallibly produce the Reformation of Life intended In some it doth it more compleatly in others more imperfectly in all sincerely For the same Grace in Nature and Kind is communicated unto several Persons in various Degree and is by them used and improved with more 〈◊〉 care and diligence In thâ—se therefore that are adult these things are inseparable Therefore 3. The difference in this Matter 〈◊〉 unto this Head We say and believe that Regeneration consiâ—s in Spirituali Renovatione Naturae in a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature Our Modern Socinians that it doth so in Morali Reformatione vitae in a Moral Reformation of Life Now as we grant that this Spiritual Renovation of Nature will infallibly produce a Moral Reformation of Life so if they will grant that this Moral Reformation of Life doth proceed from a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature this difference will be at an end And this is that which the Ancients intend by first receiving the Holy Ghost and then all Graces with him However if they only design to speak ambiguously improperly and unscripturally confounding Effects and their Causes Habits and Actions Faculties or Powers and occasional Acts infused Principles and acquired Habits Spiritual and Moral Grace and Nature that they may take an opportunity to rail at others for want of better Advantage I shall not contend with them For allow a new Spiritual Principle an infused Habit of Grace or gracious Abilities to be required in and unto Regeneration or to be the Product or the Work of the Spirit therein that which is born of the Spirit being Spirit and this part of the Nature of this Work is sufficiently cleared Now this the Scripture abundantly testifieth unto Sect. 20 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature This New Creature is that which is intended that which was before described which being born of the Spirit is Spirit This is produced in the Souls of Men by aS Creating Act of the Power of God or it is not a Creature and it is superinduced into the essential Faculties of our Souls or it is not a New Creature for what-ever is in the Soul of Power Disposition Ability or Inclination unto God or for any Moral Actions by Nature it belongs unto the Old Creation it is no New Creature And it must be somewhat that hath a Being and Subsistence of its own in the Soul or it can be neither New nor a Creature And by our Apostle it is opposed to all outward Priviledges Gal. 5. 6. Chap. 6. 15. That the production of it also is by a Creating Act of Almighty Power the Scripture testifieth Psal. 51. 10. Ephes. 2. 10. And this can denote nothing but a New Spiritual Principle or Nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God No say some a New Creature is no more but a changed Man it is true but then this Change is Internal also yes in the Purposes Designs and Inclinations of the Mind But is it by a real Infusion of a new Principle of Spiritual Life and Holiness No it denotes no more but a new course of Conversation only the Expression is Metaphorical a New Creature is a Moral Man that hath changed his Course or Way For if he were alwayes a Moral Man that he was never in any vitious Way or Course as it was with him Matth. 19. 18 19 20. then he was alwayes a New Creature This is good Gospel at once overthrowing Original Sin and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Doctrine I am sure was not learned from the Fathers whereof some used to boast Nay it is much more fulsome than any thing ever taught by Pelagius himself who indeed ascribed more unto Grace than these Men do although he denied this Creation of a New Principle of Grace in us antecendent unto Acts of Obedience And this turning all Scripture-Expressions of Spiritual Things into Metaphors is but a way to turn the whole into a Fable or at least to render the Gospel the most obscure and improper way of teaching the Truth of things that ever was made use of in the World Sect. 21 This New Creature therefore doth not consist in a new course of Actions but in renewed Faculties with new Dispositions Power and Ability to them and for them Hence it is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He hath given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Divine Nature is not the Nature of God whereof in our own Persons we are not subjectively Partakers And yet a Naâ—ure it is which is a Principle of Operation and that Divine or Spiritual namely an Habitual Holy Principle wrought in us by God and bearing his Image By the Promises therefore we are made Partakers of a Divine Supernatural Principle of Spiritual Actions and Operations which is what we contend for So the whole of what we intend is declared Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness It is the Work of Regeneration with respect both to its Foundation and Progress that is here described 1. The Foundation of the whole is laid in our being renewed in the Spirit of our Mind which the same Apostle else-where calls being transformed in the Renovation of our Minds Rom. 12. 2. That this consists in the participation of a new saving Supernatural Light to enable the Mind unto Spiritual Actings and to guide it therein shall be afterwards declared Herein
But as it hath been in part already manifested and will fully God assisting be evinced afterwards that in our Regeneration the native Ignorance Darkness and Blindness of our Minds are dispelled Saving and Spiritual Light being introduced by the Power of God's Grace into them That the pravity and stubbornness of our Wills are removed and taken away a new principle of Spiritual Life and Righteousness being bestowed on them and that the Disorder and Rebellion of our Affections are cured by the infusion of the Love of God into our Souls so the corrupt Imagination of the contrary Opinion directly opposite to the Doctrine of the Scriptures the Faith of the Antient Church and the Experience of all sincere Believers hath amongst us of late nothing but Ignorance and ready Confidence produced to give countenance unto it Sect. 25 Thirdly The Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration doth not consist in Enthusiastical Raptures Extasies Voices or any thing of the like kind It may be some such things have been by some deluded Persons apprehended or pretended unto But the countenancing of any such Imaginations is falsly and injuriously charged on them who maintain the powerful and effectual Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration And this some are prone to do wherein whether they discover more of their Ignorance or of their Malice I know not but nothing is more common with them All whom in this Matter they dissent from so far as they know what they say or whereof they affirm do teach Men to look after Enthusiastick Inspirations or unaccountable Raptures and to esteem them for Conversion unto God although in the mean time they live in a neglect of Holiness and Righteousness of Conversation I Answer if there be those who do so we doubt not but that without their Repentance the Wrath of God will come upon them as upon other Children of Disobedience And yet in the mean time we cannot but call aloud that others would discover their diligence in attendance unto these things who as far as I can discern do cry up the Names of Virtue and Righteousness in opposition to the Grace of Jesus Christ and that Holiness which is a Fruit thereof But for the Reproach now under Consideration it is as applyed no other but a Calumny and false Accusation And that it is so the Writings and Preachings of those who have most diligently laboured in the Declaration of the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration will bear Testimony at the great Day of the Lord. We may therefore as unto this Negative Principle observe three things 1. That the Holy Spirit in this Work doth ordinarily put forth his Power in and by the use of Means He worketh also on Men suitably unto their Natures even as the Faculties of their Souls their Minds Wills and Affections are meet to be affected and wrought upon He doth not come upon them with involuntary Raptures using their Faculties and Powers as the Evil Spirit wrests the Bodies of them whom he possesseth His whole Work therefore is rationally to be accounted for by and unto them who believe the Scripture and have received the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive The formal efficiency of the Spirit indeed in the putting forth the exceeding greatness of his Power in our quickning Which the Ancient Church constantly calleth his Inspiration of Grace both in private Writing and Canons of Councils is no otherwise to be comprehended by us than any other Creating Act of Divine Power for as we hear the Wind but know not from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of God yet these two things are certain herein First That he worketh nothing nor any other way nor by any other means than what are determined and declared in the Word By that therefore may and must every thing really belonging or pretended to belong unto this Work of Regeneration be tryed and examined Secondly That he acts nothing contrary unto puts no force upon any of the Faculties of our Souls but works in them and by them suitably to their Natures and being more intimate unto them as Austin speaks than they are unto themselves by an Almighty Facility he produceth the Effect which he intendeth Sect. 20 This great Work therefore neither in part nor whole consists in Raptures Extasies Visions Enthusiastick Inspirations but in the Effect of the Power of the Spirit of God on the Souls of Men by and according to his Word both of the Law and the Gospel And those who charge these things on them who have asserted declared and preached it according to the Scriptures do it probably to countenance themselves in their hatred of them and of the Work it self Wherefore 2dly where by Reason of Distempers of Mind Disorder of Fancy or long continuance of distressing Fears and Sorrows in and under such Preparatory Works of the Spirit which sometimes cut Men to their Hearts in the sense of their sin and sinful lost condition any do fall into Apprehensions or Imaginations of any thing extraordinary in the wayes before-mentioned if it be not quickly and strictly brought unto the Rule and discarded thereby it may be of great danger unto their Souls and is never of any solid Use or Advantage Such Apprehensions for the most part are either Conceptions of distempered Minds and discomposed Fancies or Delusions of Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light which the Doctrine of Regeneration ought not to be accountable for Yet I must say 3dly That so it is come to pass that many of those who have been really made Partakers of this gracious Work of the Holy Spirit have been looked on in the World which knows them not as mad Enthusiastick and Fanatical So the Captains of the Host esteemed the Prophet that came to anoint Jehu 2 Kings 9. 11. And the Kindred of our Saviour when he began to Preach the Gospel said He was besides himself or extatical Mark 3. 21. and they went out to lay hold of him So Festus judged of Paul Acts 26. 24 25. And the Author of the Book of Wisdom gives us an account what acknowledgments some will make when it shall be too late as to their own Advantage Chap. 5. 3 4 5. They shall say crying out because of the trouble of their Minds This is he whom we accounted a scorn and a common reproach We Fools esteemed his Life madness and his latter End to have been shameful but how is he reckoned among the Sons of God and his Lot is among the Holy Ones From what hath been spoken it appears Sect. 26 Fourthly That the Work of the Spirit of God in Regenerating the Souls of Men is diligently to be enquired into by the Preaching of the Gospel and all to whom the Word is dispensed For the former sort there is a peculiar Reason for their Attendance unto this Duty For they are used and employed in the Work it self by the Spirit
Paul in that condition had preserved himself so as that according to the Law he was blameless and the young Man thought he had kept all the Commandments from his youth But setting aside this Consideration notwithstanding the utmost that this Work can attain unto after the efficacy of its first Impressions begin to abate Lust will reserve some peculiar way of venting and discovering it self which is much spoken unto 3. The Conversations of Persons who live and abide under the Power of this Work only is assuredly fading and decaying Coldness Sloth Negligence Love of the World Carnal-Wisdom and Security do every day get ground upon them Hence although by a long course of abstinence from open sensual sins and stating of a contrary Interest they are not given up unto them yet by the decayes of the Power of their Convictions and the ground that Sin gets upon them they become walking and talking Sceletons in Religion dry sapless useless Worldlings But where the Soul is inlaid with real Saving-Grace it is in a state of thriving continually Such a one will go on from Strength to Strength from Grace to Grace from Glory to Glory and will be fat and flourishing in Old Age. By these things may we learn to distinguish in our selves between the preparatory Work mentioned and that of real Saving-Conversion unto God And these are some of the Heads of those Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men which often-times are preparatory unto a real Conversion unto God and sometimes their Contempt and Rejection a great Aggravation of the sin and misery of them in whom they were wrought Sect. 20 And these things as they are clearly laid down in the Scripture and exemplified in sundry Instances so for the substance of them they have been acknowledged till of late by all Christians only some of the Papists have carried them so far as to make them formally dispositive unto Justification and to have a congruous merit thereof But this the Ancients denyed who would not allow that either any such Preparation or any Moral Virtues did capacitate Men for real Conversion observing that others were often called before those who were so qualified And in them there are Goads and Nails which have been fastned by Wise and Experienced Masters of the Assemblies to the great Advantage of the Souls of Men. For observing the usual Wayes and Means whereby these Effects are wrought in the Minds of the Hearers of the Word with their Consequences in Sorrow troubles Fear and Humiliations and the Courses which they take to improve them or to extricate themselves from the perplexity of them they have managed the Rules of Scripture with their own and others Experience suitable thereunto to the great benefit of the Church of God That these things are now despised and laughed to scorn is no part of the happiness of the Age wherein we live as the event will manifest Sect. 21 And in the mean time if any suppose that we will forgoe those Truths and Doctrines which are so plainly revealed in the Scripture the Knowledg whereof is so useful unto the Souls of Men and whose Publication in Preaching hath been of so great Advantage to the Church of God meerly because they understand them not and therefore reproach them they will be greatly mistaken Let them lay aside that unchristian way of treating about these things which they have ingaged in and plainly prove that Men need not be convinced of sin that they ought not to be humbled for it nor affected with sorrow with respect unto it that they ought not to seek for a Remedy or Deliverance from it that all Men are not born in a state of Sin that our Nature is not depraved by the Fall that we are able to do all that is required of us without the Internal Aids and Assistances of the Spirit of God and they shall be diligently attended unto Corruption or Depravation of the Mind by Sin CHAP. III. 1. Contempt and Corruption of the Doctrine of Regeneration 2. All Men in the World Regenerate or Unregenerate 3. General Description of Corrupted Nature 4 5. Depravation of the Mind 6. Darkness upon it 7. The Nature of Spiritual Darkness 8 9. Reduced into two Heads of Darkness objective 10. How removed 11 12 13 14. Of Darkness subjective its Nature and Power 15 16. proved 17. Ephes. 4. 17 18. opened 18. Applyed 19. The Mind alienated from the Life of God 20 21. 22. The Life of God what it is 23. The Power of the Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things examined 24 25. 1 Cor. 2. 14. opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Natural Man who 26. Spiritual Things what they are 27. How the Natural Man cannot know or receive Spiritual Things 28. Difference between understanding Doctrines and receiving of Things 29 30. A two-fold Power and Ability of Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things explained 31. Reasons why a Natural Man cannot discern Spiritual Things 32 33 34 35 36 37. How and wherefore Spiritual Things are foolishness to Natural Men. 38. Why Natural Men cannot receive the Things of God 39 40 41. A double impotency in the Mind of Man by Nature 42. 1 Cor. 2. 14. farther vindicated 43. Power of Darkness in Persons Unregenerate 44. The Mind filled with Wills or Lusts and enmity thereby 45. The Power and Efficacy of Spiritual Darkness at large declared Sect. 1 VVE have I hope made our way plain for the due Consideration of the great Work of the Spirit in the Regeneration of the Souls of God's Elect. This is that whereby he forms the Members of the Mystical Body of Christ and prepares Living Stones for the building of a Temple wherein the Living God will dwell Now that we may not only declare the Truth in this Matter but also vindicate it from those Corruptions wherewith some have endeavoured to debauch it I shall promise a Description lately given of it with confidence enough and it may be not without too much Authority And it is in these words What is it to be born again and to have a new Spiritual Life in Christ but to become sincere Proselytes to the Gospel to renounce all vitious Customs and Practices and to give an upright and uniform obedience to all the Laws of Christ and therefore if they are all but precepts of moral virtue to be born again and to have a new Spiritual life is only to become a new moral man But their account speaking of nonconformist Ministers of this Article is so wild and Phantastick that had I nothing else to make good my charge against them that alone would be more than enough to expose the prodigious folly of their Spiritual Divinity p. 343 344. I confess these are the words of one who seems not much to consider what he says so as that it may serve his present turn in reviling and reproaching other men For he considers not that by this description of it he utterly excludes
sense and meaning whereof a Natural Man may understand And in the due investigation of this sense and judging thereon concerning Truth and Falshood lies that use of Reason in religious things which some would ignorantly confound with an Ability of discerning Spiritual things in themselves and their own proper Nature This therefore is granted but it is denyed that a Natural Man can receive the things themselves There is a wide difference between the Mind 's receiving Doctrines Notionally and its receiving the things taught in them really The first a Natural Man can do It is done by all who by the use of outward means do know the Doctrine of the Scripture in distinction from ignorance falshood and errour Hence Men Unregenerate are said to know the way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 21. that is Notionally and Doctrinally for Really saith our Apostle they cannot Hereon they profess that they know God that is the things which they are taught concerning him and his will whilst in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient Tit. 1. 16. Rom. 2. 17 18. In the latter way they only receive Spiritual things in whose Minds they are so implanted as to produce their real and proper Effects Rom. 12. 2. Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. And there are two things required unto the receiving of Spiritual things Really and as they are in themselves Sect. 29 1. That we discern assent unto them and receive him under an Apprehension of their conformity and agreeableness to the Wisdom Holiness and Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. The Reason why men receive not Christ crucified as preached in the Gospel is because they see not a consonancy in it unto the Divine Perfections of the Nature of God Neither can any receive it until they see in it an Expression of Divine Power and Wisdom This therefore is required unto our receiving the things of the Spirit of God in a due manner namely that we spiritually see and discern their answerableness unto the Wisdom Goodness and Holiness of God wherein lyes the principal Rest and Satisfaction of them that really believe This a Natural man cannot do 2. That we discern their suitableness unto the great Ends for which they are proposed as the means of accomplishing Unless we see this clearly and distinctly we cannot but judg them Weakness and Foolishness These Ends being the Glory of God in Christ with our Deliverance from a state of sin and misery with a Translation into a state of Grace and Glory unless we are acquainted with these things and the aptness and fitness and Power of the things of the Spirit of God to effect them we cannot receive them as we ought and this a Natural Man cannot do And from these considerations unto which sundry others of the like nature might be added it appears how and whence it is that a Natural Man is not capable of the things of the Spirit of God Sect. 29 Secondly it must be observed that there is or may be a two-fold Capacity or Ability of receiving knowing or understanding Spiritual things in the Mind of a Man 1. There is a Natural Power consisting in the suitableness and proportionableness of the faculties of the Soul to receive Spiritual things in the way that they are proposed unto us This is supposed in all the Exhortations Promises Precepts and Threatnings of the Gospel For in vain would they be proposed unto us had we not rational Minds and Understandings to apprehend their sence use and importance and also meet Subjects for the Faith Grace and Obedience which are required of us None pretend that men are in their Conversion to God like stocks and stones or bruit beasts that have no understanding For although the work of our Conversion is called a turning of stones into children of Abraham because of the greatness of the change and because of our selves we contribute nothing thereunto yet if we were every way as such as to the capacity of our natures it would not become the Wisdom of God to apply the means mentioned for effecting of that Work God is said indeed herein to give us an understanding 1 Joh. 5. 20. but the Natural Faculty of the Understanding is not thereby intended but only the Renovation of it by Grace and the actual exercise of that Grace in apprehending Spiritual things There are two Adjuncts of the Commands of God 1. That they are equal 2. That they are Easy or not grievous The former they have from the nature of the things commanded and the fitness of our Minds to receive such Commands Ezek. 28. 25. The latter they have from the dispensation of the Spirit and Grace of Christ which renders them not only possible unto us but easy for us Some pretend that whatever is required of us or prescribed unto us in a way of Duty that we have a Power in and of our selves to perform If by this Power they intend no more but that our Minds and the other rational Faculties of our Souls are fit and meet as to their natural Capacity for and unto such Acts as wherein those duties do consist it is freely granted For God requires nothing of us but must be acted in our Minds and Wills and which they are naturally meet and suited for But if they intend such an active Power and Ability as being excited by the Motives proposed unto us can of it self answer the Commands of God in a due manner They deny the Corruption of our Nature by the entrance of sin and render the Grace of Christ useless as shall be demonstrated 2. That is or may be a Power in the Mind to discern Spiritual things whereby it is so able to do it as that it can immediately exercise that Power in the Spiritual discerning of them upon their due Proposal unto it that is Spiritually as a man that hath a Visive Faculty sound and entire upon the due proposal of visible Objects unto him can discern and see them This Power must be Spiritual and Supernatural For whereas to receive Spiritual things Spiritually is so to receive them as really to believe them with Faith Divine and Supernatural to love them with Divine Love to conform the whole Soul and Affection unto them Rom. 6. 17. 2. Cor. 3. 18. no Natural Man hath power so to do This is that which is denied in this place by the Apostle Wherefore between the Natural Capacity of the Mind and the Act of Spiritual Discerning there must be an interposition of an Effectual Work of the Holy Ghost inableing it thereunto 1 Joh. 5. 20 1 Cor. 4. 6. Sect. 31 Of the Assertion thus laid down and explained the Apostle gives a double Reason the first taken from the Nature of the things to be known with respect unto the Mind and Understanding of a Natural Man the other from the Way or Manner whereby alone Spiritual things may be acceptably discerned 1. The first Reason taken from the Nature of the things
reason of the Darkness that it is under the Power of it can neither discern the Excellency of the Spiritual and Heavenly Things which are proposed unto it nor have any Affections whereunto they are proper and suited so that the Soul should go forth after them Hereby this Prejudice becomes invincible in their Souls They neither do nor can nor will admit of those things which are utterly inconsistent with all things wherein they hope or look for Satisfaction And Men do but please themselves with Dreams and Fancies who talk of such a reasonableness and excellency in Gospel-Truths as that the Mind of a Natural Man will discern such a suitableness in them unto it self so as thereon to receive and embrace them Nor do any for the most part give a greater Evidence of the Prevalency of the Darkness and Enmity that is in Carnal Minds against the Spiritual Things of the Gospel as to their Life and Power than those who most pride and please themselves in such Discourses Sect. 55 2dly The Mind by this Darkness is filled with Prejudices against the Mystery of the Gospel in a peculiar manner The hidden Spiritual Wisdom of God in it as Natural Men cannot receive so they do despise it and all the parts of its Declaration they look upon as empty and unintelligible Notions And this is that Prejudice whereby this Darkness prevails in the Minds of Men otherwise knowing and learned it hath done so in all Ages and in none more effectually than in that which is present But there is a Sacred Mysterious Spiritual Wisdom in the Gospel and the Doctrine of it This is Fanatical Chimerical and Foolish to the wisest in the World whilst they are under the Power of this Darkness To demonstrate the Truth hereof is the Design of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 1 2. For he directly affirms that the Doctrine of the Gospel is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery that this Wisdom cannot be discerned nor understood by the Wise and Learned Men of the World who have not received the Spirit of Christ and therefore that the things of it are weakness and foolishness unto them And that which is foolish is to be despised yea Folly is the only object of Contempt And hence we see that some with the greatest Pride Scorn and Contempt imaginable do despise the Purity Simplicity and whole Mystery of the Gospel who yet profess they believe it But to clear the whole Nature of this Prejudice some few Things may be distinctly observed Sect. 56 1. There are two sorts of Things declared in the Gospel First Such as are absolutely its own that are proper and peculiar unto it Such as have no footsteps in the Law or in the Light of Nature but are of a pure Revelation peculiar to the Gospel Of this Nature are all Things concerning the Love and Will of God in Christ Jesus The Mystery of his Incarnation of his Offices and whole Mediation of the Dispensation on the Spirit and our Participation thereof and our Union with Christ thereby our Adoption Justification and Effectual Sanctification thence proceeding in brief every thing that belongs unto the Purchase and Application of Saving-Grace is of this sort These things are purely and properly Evangelical peculiar to the Gospel alone Hence the Apostle Paul unto whom the Dispensation of it was committed puts that eminency upon them that in comparison he resolved to insist on nothing else in his Preaching 1 Cor. 2. 2. And to that purpose doth he describe his Ministry Ephes. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Sect. 57 2. There are such Things declared and enjoyned in the Gospel as have their Foundation in the Law and Light of Nature Such are all the Moral Duties which are taught therein And two things may be observed concerning them 1. That they are in some measure known unto Men aliunde from other Principles The inbred concreated Light of Nature doth though obscurely teach and confirm them So the Apostle speaking of Mankind in general saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God is manifested in themselves The Essential Properties of God rendring our Moral Duty to him necessary are known by the Light of Nature And by the same Light are Men able to make a judgment of their Actions whether they be Good or Evil Rom. 2. 14 15. And this is all the Light which some boast of as they will one day find to their disappointment 2. There is on all Men an obligation unto Obedience answerable to their Light concerning these things The same Law and Light which discovereth these things doth also enjoyn their Observance Thus is it with all Men antecedently unto the Preaching of the Gospel unto them In this Estate of Gospel superadds two things unto the Minds of Men. 1. It directs us unto a right performance of these things from a right Principle by a right Rule and to a right End and Purpose so that they and we in them may obtain acceptance with God Hereby it gives them a new Nature and turns Moral Duties into Evangelical Obedience 2. By a communication of that Spirit which is annexed unto its Dispensation it supplies us with strength for their Performance in the manner it prescribes Sect. 58 Hence it follows that this is the Method of the Gospel First It proposeth and declareth things which are properly and peculiarly its own So the Apostle sets down the constant Entrance of his Preaching 1 Cor. 15. 3. It reveals its own Mysteries to lay them as the Foundation of Faith and Obedience It inlayes them in the Mind and thereby conforms the whole Soul unto them See Rom. 6. 17. Gal. 4. 19. Tit. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 3. 18. This Foundation being laid without which it hath as it were nothing to do with the Souls of Men nor will proceed unto any other thing with them by whom this its first Work is refused it then grafts all Duties of Moral Obedience on this stock of Faith in Christ Jesus This is the Method of the Gospel which the Apostle Paul observeth in all his Epistles First He declares the Mysteries of Faith that are peculiar to the Gospel and then descends unto those Moral Duties which are regulated thereby But the Prejudice we mentioned inverts the Order of these things Those who are under the Power of it when on various accounts they give admittance unto the Gospel in general yet they fix their Minds firstly and principally on the things which have their Foundation in the Law and Light of Nature These they know and have some acquaintance with in themselves and therefore cry them up although not in their proper place nor to their proper end These they make the foundation according to the place which they held in the Law of Nature and Covenant of Works whereas the Gospel allows them to be only necessary Superstructions on the Foundation But resolving to give unto Moral Duties the
are not delivered from a state of sin And he who denies the necessary perishing of all that live and dye in the state of Corrupted Nature denies all the use of the Incarnation and Mediation of the Son of God For if we may be saved without the Renovation of our Natures there was no need nor use of the New Creation of all things by Jesus Christ which principally consists therein And if Men may be saved under all the Evils that came upon us by the fail then did Christ dye in vain Besides it is frequently expressed that Men in that state are Enemies to God alienated from him Children of Wrath under the Curse and if such may be saved so may Devils also In brief it is not consistent with the Nature of God his Holiness Righteousness or Truth with the Law or Gospel nor possible in the nature of the thing it self that such persons should enter into or be made possessors of Glory and Rest with God A Deliverance therefore out of and from this Condition is indispensibly necessary to make us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in Light Sect. 3 This Deliverance must be and is by Regeneration The Determinaof our Saviour is positive both in this and the necessity of it before asserted Joh. 3. 3. Except a Man be born again or from above he cannot see the Kingdom of God Whatever sense the Kingdom of God is taken in either for that of Grace here or of Glory hereafter it is all the same as unto our present purpose There is no Interest in it to be obtained no Participation of the Benefits of it unless a man be born again unless he be Regenerate And this Determination of our Saviour as it is absolute and decretory so it is applicable unto and equally comprizeth every Individual of mankind And the Work intended by their Regeneration or in being born again which is the Spiritual Conversion and Quickning of the Souls of Men is everywhere ascribed unto them that shall be saved And although Men may have through their ignorance and prejudices false Apprehensions about Regeneration and the Nature of it or wherein it doth consist yet so far as I know all Christians are agreed that it is the way and means of our Deliverance from the state of Sin or Corrupted Nature or rather our Deliverance it self For this both express Testimonies of Scripture and the Nature of the thing it self put beyond Contradiction Tit. 3. 3 4 5. And those by whom it is exposed unto scorn who esteem it a ridiculous thing for any one to enquire whether he be Regenerate or no will one day understand the necessity of it although it may be not before it is too late to obtain any Advantage thereby Sect. 4 The Holy Ghost is the immediate Author and Cause of this work of Regeneration And herein again as I suppose we have in general the Consent of all Nothing is more in words acknowledged than that all the Elect of God are sanctified by the Holy Ghost And this Regeneration is the Head Fountain or Beginning of our Sanctification virtually comprizing the whole in it self as will afterwards appear However that it is a part thereof is not to be denied Besides as I suppose it is equally confessed to be an Effect or Work of Grace the Actual Dispensation whereof is solely in the hand of the Holy Spirit This I say is in words acknowledged by all although I know not how some can reconcile this Profession unto other notions and sentiments which they declare concerning it For setting aside what Men do herein themselves and what others do towards them in the Ministry of the Word and I cannot see what remains as they express their loose Imaginations to be ascribed unto the Spirit of God But at present we shall make use of this general concession that Regeneration is the Work of the Holy Ghost or an Effect of his Grace Not that we have any need so to do but that we may avoid contesting about those things wherein Men may shrowd their false Opinions under general ambiguous Expressions which was the constant practice of Pelagius and those who followed him of Old But the Scripture is express in Testimonies to our purpose What our Saviour calls being born again John 3. 3. He calls being born of the Spirit ver 5. 6. because he is the sole principal efficient Cause of this new birth For it is the Spirit that quickneth Joh. 6. v. 63. Rom. 8. 11. And God saveth us according to his mercy by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. whereas therefore we are said to be born of God or to be begotten again of his own will John 1. 13. Jam. 1. 18. 1 John 3. 9. it is with respect unto the especial and peculiar Operation of the Holy Spirit Sect. 5 These things are thus far confessed even by the Pelagians themselves both those of old and those at present at least in general nor hath any as yet been so hardy as to deny Regeneration to be the Work of the holy Spirit in us unless we must except those deluded Souls who deny both him and his Work Our sole Enquiry therefore must be after the manner and nature of this work for the nature of it depends on the manner of the working of the Spirit of God herein This I acknowledg was variously contended about of old and the truth concerning it hath scarce escaped an open Opposition in any Age of the Church And at present this is the great Ball of Contention between the Jesuites and the Jansenists the latter keeping close to the Doctrine of the principal Ancient Writers of the Church the former under new Notions Expressions and Distinctions endeavouring the Reinforcement of Pelagianism whereunto some of the Elder School-Men led the way of whom our Bradwardine so long ago complained But never was it with so much Impotence and Ignorance traduced and reviled as it is by some among our selves For a sort of Men we have who by stories of wandring Jews Rhetorical Declamations pert Cavillings and proud Revilings of those who dissent from them think to scorn and banish Truth out of the World though they never yet durst attempt to deal openly and plainly with any one Argument that is pleaded in its defence and confirmation Sect. 6 The Ancient Writers of the Church who looked into these things with most diligence and laboured in them with most success as Austin Hilary Prosper and Fulgentius do represent the whole Work of the Spirit of God towards the Souls of Men under certain Heads or Distinctions of Grace And herein were they followed by many of the more sober School-Men and others of late without number Frequent mention we find in them of Grace as preparing preventing Working Co-working and Confirming Under these Heads do they handle the whole Work of our Regeneration or Conversion unto God And although there may be some Alteration in
So is it asserted Ephes. 1. 19 20. That we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his Power towards us who believe according to the working of his Mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead The Power here mentioned hath an exceeding Greatness ascribed unto it with respect unto the Effect produced by it The Power of God in it self is as unto all Acts equally Infinite he is Omnipotent But some Effects are greater than others and carry in them more than ordinary Impressions of it Such is that here intended whereby God makes Men to be Believers and preserves them when they are so And unto this Power of God there is an Actual Operation or Efficiency ascribed the working of his mighty Power And the Nature of this operation or efficiency is declared to be of the same kind with that which exerted in the raising of Christ from the Dead And this was by a real Physical Efficiency of Divine Power This therefore is here testified That the Work of God towards Believers either to make them so or preserve them such for all is one as unto our present purpose consists in the acting of his Divine Power by a real internal Efficiency So God is said to fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And hence the Work of Grace in Conversion is constantly expressed by words denoting a real internal Efficiency such are Creating Quickning Forming Giving a new Heart whereof afterwards Where-ever this Work is spoken of with respect unto an Active Efficiency it is ascribed unto God He Creates us anew he Quickens us he Begets us of his own Will but where it is spoke of with respect unto us there it is passively expressed we are Created in Christ Jesus we are new Creatures we are Born again and the like which one Observation is sufficient to evert the whole Hypothesis of Arminian Grace Unless a Work wrought by Power and that real and immediate be intended herein such a Work may neither be supposed possible nor can be expressed Wherefore it is plain in the Scripture That the Spirit of God works internally immediately efficiently in and upon the Minds of Men in their Regeneration The New Birth is the Effect of an Act of his Power and Grace or no Man is born again but it is by the inward Efficiency of the Spirit Sect. 30 3. This Internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men as to the Event is infallible victorious irresistible or alwayes efficacious But in this Assertion we suppose that the measure of the Efficacy of Grace and the End to be attained are fixed by the Will of God As to that End whereunto of God it is designed it is alwayes prevalent or effectual and cannot be resisted or it will effectually work what God designs it to work for wherein he will work none shall let him and who hath resisted his Will There are many motions of Grace even in the Hearts of Believers which are thus far resisted as that they attain not that effect which in their own Nature have a tendency unto Were it otherwise all Believers would be perfect But it is manifest in Experience that we do not alwayes answer the Inclinations of Grace at least as unto the Degree which it moves toward But yet even such Motions also if they are of and from Saving Grace are effectual so far and for all those ends which they are designed unto in the Purpose of God for his Will shall not be frustrate in any Instance And where any Work of Grace is not effectual God never intended it should be so nor did put forth that Power of Grace which was necessary to make it so Wherefore in or towards whomsoever the Holy Spirit puts forth his Power or acts his Grace for their Regeneration it removes all Obstacles overcomes all Oppositions and infallibly produceth the Effect intended This Proposition being of great importance to the Glory of God's Grace and most signally opposed by the Patrons of corrupted Nature and Man's free Will in the state thereof must be both explained and confirmed We say therefore Sect. 31 1. The Power which the Holy Ghost puts forth in our Regeneration is such in its Acting or Exercise as our Minds Wills and Affections are suited to be wrought upon and to be affected by it according to their Natures and natural Operations Turn thou me and I shall be turned draw me and I shall run after thee He doth neither act in them any otherwise than they themselves are meet to be moved and move to be acted and act according to their own Nature Power and Ability He draws us with the Cords of a Man And the Work it self is expressed by perswading God perswade Japhet and alluring I will allure Her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably For as it is certainly effectual so it carries no more repugnancy unto our Faculties than a prevalent Perswasion doth So doth Sect. 32 2. He doth not in our Regeneration possess the Mind with any Enthusiastical Impressions nor acteth absolutely upon us as he did in extraordinary Prophetical Inspirations of old where the Minds and Organs of the Bodies of Men were meerly Passive Instruments moved by him above their own natural capacity and activity not only as to the Principle of Working but as to the manner of Operation But he works on the Minds of Men in and by their own natural Actings through an immediate influence and impression of his Power Create in me a clean Heart O God He worketh to will and to do 3. He therefore offer no Violence or Compulsion unto the Will This that Faculty is not naturally capable to give Admission unto If it be compelled it is destroyed And the mention that is made in the Scripture of compelling compel them to come in respects the certainty of the Event not the manner of the Operation on them But whereas the Will in the depraved Condition of Fallen Nature is not only habitually filled and possessed with an aversation from that which is good Spiritually alienated from the Life of God but also continually acts an Opposition unto it as being under the Power of the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God And whereas this Grace of the Spirit in Conversion doth prevail against all this Opposition and is effectual and victorious over it it will be enquired how this can any otherwise be done but by a kind of Violence Compulsion seeing we have evinced already that Moral Perswasion and Objective Allurement is not sufficient thereunto Answ. It is acknowledged That in the Work of Conversion unto God though not in the very Act of it there is a Reaction between Grace and the Will their Acts being contrary and that Grace is therein victorious and yet no Violence or Compulsion is offered unto the Will For Sect. 34
him unto the Spectacles and Plays at Rome And it is not easily imagined with what subtilty some persons will intice others into sinful Courses nor what violence they will use in their Temptations under a pretence of Love and Friendship 3. The Awe that is put on the Minds of Men in their Convictions arising from a Dread of the Terror of the Law and the Judgments of God threatned therein is apt of it self to wear off when the Soul is a little accustomed unto it and yet sees no evil actually to ensue Eccl. 8. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Sect. 25 4. In some the Holy Spirit of God is pleased to carry on this work of Conviction toward a further blessed issue and then two things ensue thereon in the Minds of them who are so convinced First there will follow great and strange Conflicts between their Corruptions and their Convictions And this doth especially manifest it self in them who have been accustomed unto a course of sinning or have any particular sin wherein they delight and by which they have given satisfaction unto their Lusts. For the Law coming with Power and Terror on the Conscience requires a relinquishment of all sins at the eternal peril of the Soul Sin hereby is incited and provoked and the Soul begins to see its disability to conflict with that which before it thought absolutely in its own power For Men that indulge themselves in their sins doubt not but that they can leave them at their pleasure But when they begin to make head against them on the command of the Law they find themselves to be in the power of that which they Imagined to be in theirs So doth sin take occasion by the Commandment to work in all Men manner of Concupiscence and those who thought themselves before to be alive do find that it is sin which lives and that themselves are dead Rom. 7. 7 8 9. Sin rising up in Rebellion against the Law discovers its own Power and the utter Impotency of them in whom it is to contest with it or destroy it But yet mens Convictions in this Condition will discover themselves and operate two ways or in a twofold Degree Sect. 26 1. They will produce some Endeavours Promises of Amendment and Reformation of Life These Men are unavoidably cast upon or wrought unto to pacify the voice of the Law in their Consciences which bids them do so or perish But such Endeavours or Promises for the most part hold only unto the next Occasion of sinning or Temptation An Access of the least outward Advantage or Provocation unto the internal power of sin sleights all such Resolutions and the Soul gives up it self unto the power of its old Ruler Such Effects of the Word are described Hos. 6. 4. So Austin expresseth his own Experience after his great Convictions and before his full Conversion lib. 8. cap. 5. Suspirabam ligatus non ferro alieno sed ferrea mea voluntate Velle meum tenebat inimicus inde mihi catenam fecerat constrinxerat me Quippe ex voluntate perversa facta est libido dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas Quibus quasi ansulis quibusdam sibimet innexis unde catenam appellavi tenebat me obstrictum dura servitus And he shews how faint and languid his endeavours were for Reformation and Amendment Sarcina seculi velut somno assolet dulciter premebar cogitationes quibus meditabar in te similes erant Conatibus expâ—rgisci volentium qui tamen snperati soporis altitudine remerguntur And he confesseth that although through the urgency of his Convictions he could not but pray that he might be freed from the power of Sin yet through the prevalency of that power in him he had a secret reserve and desire not to part with that Sin which he prayed against cap. 7. Petieram a te castitatem dixeram da mihi castitatem continentiam sed noli modo timebam etiam ne me cito exaudires cito sanares a morbo concupiscentiae quam malebam expleri quam extingui Sect. 27 2. These Endeavours do arise unto great Perplexities and Distresses For after a while the Soul of a Sinner is torn and divided between the Power of Corruption and the Terror of Conviction And this falls out upon a double account 1. Upon some occasional sharpning of former Convictions when the sense of them hath been ready to wear off 2. From the secret insinuation of a Principle of Spiritual Life and Strength into the Will whose Nature and Power the Soul is as yet unacquainted withal Of both these we have signal Instances in the Person before mentioned for after all the means which God had used towards him for his Conversion whilst yet he was detained under the Power of Sin and ready on every Temptation to revert to his former Courses he occasionally heard one Politianus giving an account of the Conversion of two eminent Courtiers who immediately renounced the World and betook themselves wholly to the Service of God This Discourse God was pleased to make use of further to awake him and even to amaze him Lib. 8. cap. 7. Narrabat his Politianus tu autem Domine inter verba ejus retorquebas me ad meipsum aufereâ—ns me a dorso meo ubi me posueram dum nollem me attendere consulebas me ante faciem meam ut viderem quam turpis essem quam distortus sordidus maculosus ulcerosus videbam horrebam quo a me fugerem non erat si conabar a me avertere aspectum narrabat ille quod narrabat tu me sursus opponebas mihi imprimebas me in Oculos meos ut invenirem iniquitatem meam odissem And a little after It a rodebar intus confundebar pudore horribili vehementer cum Politianus talia loqueretur The substance of what he sayes is That in and by that Discourse of Politianus God held him to the consideration of himself caused him to see and behold his own filth and vileness until he was horribly perplexed and confounded in himself So it often falls out in this Work of the Spirit of God When his first Warnings are not complyed withal when the Light he communicates is not improved upon the return of them they shall be mixed with some sense of Severity Sect. 28 This Effect I say proceeds from hence that under this Work God is pleased secretly to communicate a Principle of Grace or Spiritual Life unto the Will This therefore being designed to rule and bear sway in the Soul begins its conflict effectually to eject Sin out of its Throne and Dominion For whereas when we come under the Power of Grace Sin can no longer have dominion over us Rom. 6. 12. So the Spirit begins now to lust against the Flesh as Gal. 5. 17. aiming at and intending a compleat Victory or Conquest There was
conspectu sanctae multitudinis profiteri non enim erat salus quam docebat in Rheterica tamen eam publice professus erat Quanto minus vereri debuit Mansuetam gregem tuam pronuncians verbum tuum qui non verebatur in verbis suis turbas insanorum Itaque ubi ascendit ut redderet omnes sibimet invicem ut eum noverant instrepurent nomen ejus strepitu congratulationis Quis autem ibi eum non noverat Et sonuit presso sonitu per ora cunctorum Victorinus Victorinus cito sonuerunt exultatione quia videbant eum cito siluerunt intentione ut audirent eum pronunciat ille fidem veracem praeclara fiducia volebant eum omnes rapere intro in cor suum rapiebant amando gaudeno Hae rapientium manus erant Lib. 8. Cap. 2. Not a few things concerning the Order Discipline and fervent Love of the Primitive Christians in their Church-Societies are intimated and represented in these words which I shall not here reflect upon Sect. 39 And this is the second Great Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation This is a summary Description of his Forming and Creating the Members of that Mystical Body whose Head is Christ Jesus The latter part of our Discourse concerning the external manner of Regeneration or Conversion unto God with the gradual Preparation for it and Accomplishment of it in the Souls of Men is that Subject which many Practical Divines of this Nation have in their Preaching and Writings much insisted on and improved to the great Profit and Edification of the Church of God But this whole Doctrine with all the Declarations and Applications of it is now by some among our selves derided and exposed to Scorn although it be known to have been the constant Doctrine of the most Learned Prelates of the Church of England And as the Doctrine is exploded so all experience of the Work it self in the Souls of Men is decried as Fanatical and Enthusiastical To obviate the Pride and Wantonness of this filthy Spirit I have in the summary Representation of the Work it self now given confirmed the several Instances of it with the Experience of the Great and Holy Man so often named For whereas some of those by whom this Doctrine and Work are despised are puffed up with a conceit of their Excellency in the Theatrical Scoptical Faculty of these Days unto a contempt of all by whom they are contradicted in the most importune of their Dictates yet if they should swell themselves until they break like the Frog in the Fable they would never prevail with their fondest Admirers to admit them into a competition with the immortal Wit Grace and Learning of that Eminent Champion of the Truth and Light of the Age wherein he lived BOOK IV. The Nature of Sanctification and Gospel Holiness explained CHAP. I. 1 Regeneration the Way whereby the Spirit forms living Members for the Mystical Body of Christ. 2 Carryed on by Sanctification 2 Thess. 5. 23. opened 3 God the only Author of our Sanctification and Holiness 4 And that as the God of Peace 5 Sanctification described 6 A diligent enquiry into the nature whereof with that of Holiness proved necessary 7 Sanctification two-fold 1. By External Dedication 2. By Internal Purification 8 Holiness peculiar to the Gospel and its Truth 9 Not discernible to the eye of Carnal Reason 10 Hardly understood by Believers themselves 11 It passeth over into Eternity 12 Hath in it a present Glory 13 Is all that God requireth of us and in what sense 14 Promised unto us 15 How we are to improve the Command for Holiness Sect. 1 IN the Regeneration or Conversion of Gods Elect the Nature and Manner whereof we have before described consists the second part of the Work of the Holy Spirit in order unto the compleating and perfecting of the New Creation As in the former he prepared a Natural Body for the Son of God wherein he was to obey and suffer according to his Will so by this latter he prepares him a Mystical Body or members spiritually living by uniting them unto Him who is their Head and their Life Col. 3. 4. For as the Body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. Nor doth he leave this work in that Beginning of it whereof we have treated but unto him also it belongs to continue it to preserve it and to carry it on to perfection And this he doth in our Sanctification whose Nature and Effects we are in the next place to enquire into Sect. 2 Our Apostle in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. having closely compiled a great number of weighty particular Evangelical Duties and annexed sundry Motives and Enforcements unto them closeth all his holy Prescriptions with a fervent Prayer for them v. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and let your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Or as I had rather read the words And God himself even the God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless The Reason hereof is because all the Graces and Duties which he had enjoyned them did belong unto their Sanctification which though their own Duty was not absolutely in their own Power but was a Work of God in them and upon them Therefore that they might be able thereunto and might actually comply with his Commands he prayes that God would thus sanctifie them throughout That this shall be accomplished in them and for them he gives them assurance from the Faithfulness and consequently Power and Unchangeableness which are included therein of him who had undertaken to effect it v. 24. Faithfull is he that calleth you who will also do it Now whereas this Assurance did not arise nor was taken from any thing that was peculiar unto them but merely from the consideration of the Faithfulness of God himself it is equal with respect unto all that are effectually called They shall all infallibly be sanctified throughout and preserved blameless to the Coming of Jesus Christ. This therefore being the great priviledge of Believers and their eternal safety absolutely depending thereon it requires our utmost Diligence to search into the Nature and Necessity of it which may be done from this and the like places of Scripture Sect. 3 And in this place 1 The Author of our Sanctification who only is so is asserted to be God He is the Eternal Spring and only Fountain of all Holiness there is nothing of it in any Creature but what is directly and immediately from him There was not in our first Creation He made us in his own image And to suppose that we can now sanctifie or make our selves holy is proudly to renounce and cast off our principal Dependance upon him We may as
of the sanctification of the Spirit For such fruits of secret Atheism doth the world abound withall But our principal Duty in this world is to know aright what it is to be Holy and so to be indeed Sect. 7 One thing we must premise to clear our ensuing Discourse from Ambiguity And this is that there is mention in the Scripture of a Twofold sanctification and consequently of a two-fold Holiness The first is common unto Persons and Things consisting in the peculiar Dedication Consecration or Separation of them unto the Service of God by his own Appointment whereby they become Holy Thus the Priests and Levites of Old the Arke the Altar the Tabernacle and the Temple were sanctified and made Holy And indeed in all Holiness whatever there is a peculiar Dedication and Separation unto God But in the sense mentioned this was solitary and alone no more belonged unto it but this sacred separation nor was there any other effect of this Sanctification But secondly There is another kind of Sanctification and Holiness wherein this Separation to God is not the first thing done or intended but a Consequent and Effect thereof This is real and internal by the Communicating of a principle of Holiness unto our Natures attended with its Exercise in Acts and Duties of Holy Obedience unto God This is that which in the first place we enquire after and how far Believers are therein and thereby peculiarly separated and dedicated unto God shall be afterwards declared And unto what we have to deliver concerning it we shall make way by the ensuing observations Sect. 8 This whole matter of Sanctification and Holiness is peculiarly joyned with and limited unto the Doctrine Truth and Grace of the Gospel for Holiness is nothing but the implanting writing and realizing of the Gospel in our souls Hence it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 24. The Holiness of Truth which the Truth of the Gospel ingenerates and which consists in a conformity thereunto and the Gospel it self is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 1. The Truth which is according unto Godliness which declares that Godliness and Holiness which God requireth The prayer also of our Saviour for our Sanctification is conformed therunto John 17. 17. Sanctifie them in or by thy Truth thy word is Truth And he sanctified himself for us to be a sacrifice that we might be sanctified in the Truth This alone is that Truth which makes us free John 8. 12. that is from sin and the Law unto Righteousness in Holiness It belongs neither to nature nor the Law so as to proceed from them or to be effected by them Nature is wholly corrupted and contrary unto it The Law indeed for certain Ends was given by Moses but all Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. There neither is nor ever was in the world nor ever shall be the least dram of Holiness but what flowing from Jesus Christ is communicated by the Spirit according to the Truth and promise of the Gospel There may be something like it as to its outward Acts and effects at least some of them something that may wear its Livery in the world that is but the fruit of mens own Endeavours in Compliance with their convictions but Holiness it is not nor of the same kind or nature with it And this men are very apt to deceive themselves withal It is the design of corrupted Reason to debase all the glorious mysteries of the Gospel and all the concernments of them There is nothing in the whole Mystery of Godliness from the Highest crown of it which is the Person of Christ God manifested in the flesh unto the lowest and nearest effect of his Grace but it labours to deprave dishonour and debase The Lord Christ it would have in his whole person to be but a meer man in his Obedience and suffering to be but an Example in his doctrine to be confin'd unto the Capacity and Comprehension of Carnal Reason and the Holiness which he communicates by the Sanctification of his Spirit to be but that Moral vertue which is common among men as the fruit of their own Endeavours Herein some will acknowledge that men are guided and directed to a great Advantage by the Doctrine of the Gospel and thereunto excited by motions of the Holy Ghost himself put forth in the Dispensation of that Truth but any thing else in it more excellent more mysterious they will not allow But these low and carnal imaginations are exceedingly unworthy of the Grace of Christ the Glory of the Gospel the mystery of the Recovery of our Nature and healing of the wound it received by the entrance of sin with the whole design of God in our Restauration into a state of Communion with himself Moral vertue is indeed the best thing amongst men that is of them It far exceeds in worth use and satisfaction all that the Honours Powers Profits and Pleasures of the World can extend unto And it is admirable to consider what instructions are given concerning it what expressions are made of its excellency what Encomiums of its use and beauty by Learned contemplative men among the Heathen the wisest of whom did acknowledge that there was yet something in it which they could onely admire and not comprehend And very eminent instances of the practice of it were given in the lives and conversations of some of them And as the examples of their Righteousness Moderation Temperance Equanimity in all Conditions rise up at present unto the shame and reproach of many that are called Christians so they will be called over at the last day as an Aggravation of their Condemnation But to suppose that this Moral vertue whatever it be really in its own nature or however advanced in the imaginations of men is that Holiness of Truth which Believers receive by the Spirit of Christ is to debase it to overthrow it and to drive the souls of men from seeking an interest in it And hence it is that some pretending highly a friendship and respect unto it doe yet hate despise and reproach what is really so pleasing themselves with the empty name or withered Carcase of vertue every way inferiour as interpreted in their practice to the Righteousness of Heathens And this in the first place should stir up our diligence in our enquiries after its true and real nature that we decive not our selves with a false appearance of it and that unto our ruine Sect. 9 It is our Duty to enquire into the nature of Evangelical Holiness as it is a fruit or effect in us of the Spirit of Sanctification because it is abstruse and Mysterious and be it spoken with the good leave of some or whether they will or no undiscernable unto the eye of carnal Reason We may say of it in some sense as Job of Wisedom whence cometh Wisedom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the
evident from the Context For they pray for this Encrease of Faith upon the Occasion of our Saviours enjoyning frequent forgiveness of offending Brethren a Duty not at all easie nor pleasing to Flesh and Blood And the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that they may be rooted and grounded in Love chap. 3. 17. that is that by the encrease and strengthening of their Love they may be more established in all the Duties of it See 1 Thess. 3. 12 13. Sect. 5 These Graces being the Springs and Spirits of our Holiness in the encrease of them in us the work of Sanctification is carryed on and universal Holiness encreased And this is done by the Holy Spirit several wayes First By exciting them unto frequent Actings Frequency of Acts doth naturally encrease and strengthen the Habits whence they proceed And in these spiritual Habits of Faith and Love it is so moreover by Gods Appointment They grow and thrive in and by their exercise Hos. 6. 3. The want thereof is the principal means of their decay And there are two wayes whereby the Holy Spirit excites the Graces of Faith and Love unto frequent Acts. 1 He doth it Morally by proposing their Objects suitably and seasonably unto them This he doth by his Ordinances of Worship especially the preaching of the Word God in Christ the Promises of the Covenant and other proper Objects of our Faith and Love being proposed unto us these Graces are drawn out unto their Exercise And this is one principal Advantage which we have by attendance on the Dispensation of the Word in a due Manner namely that by presenting those Spiritual Truths which are the Object of our Faith unto our Minds and those Spiritual Good Things which are the Object of our Love unto our Affections both these Graces are drawn forth into frequent actual Exercise And we are greatly mistaken if we suppose we have no Benefit by the Word beyond what we retain in our Memories though we should labour for that also Our chief Advantage lyes in the Excitation which is thereby given unto our Faith and Love to their proper Exercise And hereby are these Graces kept alive which without this would decay and wither Herein doth the Holy Spirit take the things of Christ and shew them unto us Joh. 16. 14 15. He represents them unto us in the Preaching of the Word as the proper Objects of our Faith and Love And so brings to remembrance the things spoken by Christ Chap. 14. 26. that is in the Dispensation of the Word he minds us of the gracious Words and Truths of Christ proposing them to our Faith and Love And herein lies the secret profiting and thriving of Believers under the preaching of the Gospel which it may be they are not sensible of themselves By this means are many Thousands of Acts of Faith and Love drawn forth whereby those Graces are exercised and strengthened and consequently Holiness is encreased And the Word by the Actings of Faith being mixed with it as Hebr. 4. 2. increaseth it by its incorporation 2 The Spirit doth it really and internally He dwelleth in Believers preserving in them the Root and Principle of all their Grace by his own immediate Power Hence all Graces in their Exercise are called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. He brings them forth from the Stock that he hath planted in the Heart And we cannot Act any one Grace without his Effectual Operation therein God worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 1. 13. That is there is no part of our Wills singly and separately from him in Obedience but it is the Operation of the Spirit of God in us so far as it is Spiritual and Holy He is the immediate Author of every good or gracious Acting in us For in us that is in our Flesh and of our selves we are but Flesh there dwelleth no Good Wherefore the Spirit of God dwelling in Believers doth effectually excite and stir up their Graces unto frequent Exercise and Actings whereby they are increased and strengthened And there is nothing in the whole Course of our Walking before God that we ought to be more carefull about than that we grieve not that we provoke not this good and Holy Spirit whereon he should with-hold his gracious Aids and Assistances from us This therefore is the first way whereby the work of Sanctification is gradually carryed on by the Holy Ghost exciting our Graces unto frequent Actings whereby they are encreased and strengthened Secondly He doth it by supplying Believers with Experiences of the Truth and Reality and Excellency of the things that are believed Experience is the Food of all Grace which it growes and thrives upon Every Taste that Faith obtains of Divine Love and Grace or how Gracious the Lord is addes to its measure and stature Two things therefore must briefly be declared 1 That the Experience of the Reality Excellency Power and Efficacy of the things that are believed is an effectual means of encreasing Faith and Love 2 That it is the Holy Ghost which gives us this Experience For the First God himself expostulates with the Church how its Faith came to be so weak when it had so great Experience of Him or of his Power and Faithfulness Isa. 40. 27 28. Hast thou not heard hast thou not known How then sayest thou that God hath forsaken thee And our Apostle affirms that the Consolations which he had experimentally received from God enabled him unto the discharge of his Duty towards others in trouble 2 Cor. 7. 4. For herein we prove or do really approve of as being satisfied in the good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2. And this is that which the Apostle prayeth for in the behalf of the Colossians chap. 2. v. 2. I may say that he who knoweth not how Faith is encouraged and strengthened by especial Experiences of the Reality Power and spiritual Efficacy on the Soul of the things believed never was made partaker of any of them How often doth David encourage his own Faith and others from his former Experiences which were pleaded also by our Lord Jesus Christ to the same purpose in his great Distress Psal. 22. 9 10. Secondly That it is the Holy Ghost who giveth us all our Spiritual Experiences needs no other Consideration to evince but only this that in them consists all our Consolation His Work and Office it is to administer Consolation unto Believers as being the only Comforter of the Church Now he administreth Comfort no other way but by giving unto the Minds and Souls of Believers a Spiritual sensible Experience of the Reality and Power of the things we do believe He doth not comfort us by Words but by Things Other means of Spiritual Consolation I know none and I am sure this never fails Give unto a Soul an Experience a Taste of the Love and Grace of God in Christ Jesus and be its Condition what
by us so as that the same Work is an Act of his Spirit and of our Wills as acted thereby Of our selves therefore we are not able by any endeavours of our own nor wayes of our own finding out to cleanse our selves from the Defilement of sin If I be wicked saith Job why then labour I in vain if I wash my self with Snow-water and make my hand never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine own Cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Chap. 9. 29 30 31. There may be Wayes and Means used whereby an Appearance of Washing and Cleansing may be made But when things come to be tryed in the sight of God all will be found filthy and unclean In vain saith the Prophet shalt thou take to thy self Sope and much Nitre thou shalt not be purged Jer. 2. 22. The most probable means of Cleansing and the most effectual in our Judgement however multiplyed shall fail in this Case Some speak much of washing away their sins by the Tears of Repentance But Repentance as prescribed in the Scripture is of another Nature and Assigned unto another End And for mens Tears in this matter they are but Sope and Nitre which howsoever multiplyed will not produce the Effect intended And therefore doth God in places of Scripture innumerable take this to himself as the immediate Effect of his Spirit and Grace namely to cleanse us from our Sins and our Iniquities 4 The Institutions of the Law for this End to purge Uncleanness could not of themselves reach thereunto They did indeed purifie the unclean Legally and sanctified persons as to the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9. 13. so that they should not on their account be separated from their Priviledges in the Congregation and the Worship of God But of themselves they could goe no further Heb. 10. 2. only they did Typifie and signifie that whereby sin was really cleansed But the real stain is too deep to be taken away by any outward Ordinances or Institutions And therefore God as it were rejecting them all promiseth to open another Fountain to that purpose Zech. 13. 1. Wherefore 5 There is a great Emptiness and Vanity in all those Aids and Reliefs which the Papal Church hath invented in this Case Sensible they are of the spot and stain that accompanyes sin of its Pollution and Defilement which none can avoyd the Conscience of who are not utterly hardned and blinded But they are ignorant of the true and only Means and Remedy thereof And therefore as in the Work of Justification being ignorant of the Righteousness of God and going about to establish their own Righteousness they submit not themselves to the Righteousness of God as the Apostle spake of their predecessors so in the Work of Sanctification being ignorant of the Wayes of the working of the Spirit of Grace and Efficacy of the Blood of Christ they go about to set up their own Imaginations and submit not themselves unto a Complyance with the Grace of God Thus in the first place they would at least the most of them would have the whole uncleanness of our Natures to be washed away by Baptisme Virtute Operis operati The Ordinance being administred without any more to doe or any previous Qualifications of the Person internal or external the filth of Original Sin is washed away though it fell not out so with Simon Magus who notwithstanding he were baptized by Philip the Evangelist and that upon his visible Profession and Confession yet continued in the Call of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity and was therefore certainly not cleansed from his sins But there is a cleansing in Profession and Signification and there is a Cleansing in the Reality of Sanctification The former doth accompany Baptisme when it is rightly administred With respect hereunto are men said to be purged from their old sins that is to have made a Profession and have had a fair Representation thereof in being made partakers of the outward sign of it 2 Pet. 1. 9. as also to escape the Pollutions of the World and the Lusts of the flesh Chap. 2. 18 20. But all this may be and yet sin not be really purged For not only the Outward Washing of Regeneration in the Pledge of it but the Internal Renovation of the Holy Ghost is required thereunto Tit. 3. 5. But having thus shifted themselves of the Filth of Original sin as easily as a man may put off his Cloathes when they are foul they have found out many wayes whereby the ensuing Defilements that attend Actual sins may be purged or done away There is the sprinkling of Holy Water Confession to a Priest Penances in Fasting and some other Abstinences that are supposed to be of wonderfull vertue to this End and Purpose And I do acknowledge that the one Art of Confession is really the greatest Invention to accommodate the Inclinations of all Flesh that ever this World was acquainted withall For as nothing is so suited unto all the Carnal Interests of the Priests be they what they will nor so secures them a Veneration in the midst of their Looseness and worthless Conversation so for the People who for the most part have other Business to doe than long to trouble themselves about their sins or find it uneasie to be conversant about their Guilt and the Consequences of it in their Minds it is such an expedite Course of absolute Exoneration that they may be free for other sins or Businesses to deposite them wholly and safely with a Priest that nothing equal unto it could ever have been invented For the Real Way of dealing with God by Jesus Christ in these things with Endeavours of a Participation in the Sanctifying Cleansing Work of the Holy Ghost is long and very irksome to Flesh and Blood besides that it is intricate and foolish unto Natural Darkness and Unbelief But yet so falls out that after all these Inventions they can come to no perfect Rest or Satisfaction in their own Minds They cannot but find by Experience that their Sores sometimes break forth through all these sorry Coverings unto their Annoyance and their Defilements yet fill them with Shame as well as the Guilt of sin doth with Fear Wherefore they betake themselves to their Sheat-Anchor in this storm in the Relief which they have provided in another World when let men find themselves never so much mistaken they cannot complain of their disappointments This is in their Purgatory whereunto they must trust at last for the cancelling of all their odd scores and Purging away that filth of sin which they have been unwilling to part withall in this World But as this whole Business of Purgatory is a groundless Fable an Invention set up in competition with and opposition unto the Sanctification of the Spirit and Cleansing Vertue of the Blood of Christ as a matter of unspeakable more Profit and Secular Advantage unto those who have its mannagement committed unto them so it is
as great an Encouragement unto Unholiness and a continuance in Sin for those who believe it and at the same time love the Pleasures of sin which are the Generality of their Church as ever was or can be found out or made use of For to come with a plain down-right Disswasure from Holiness and Encouragement unto Sin is a Design that would absolutely defeat it self nor is capable of making Impressions on them who retain the Notion of a Difference between Good and Evil. But this Side-wind that at once pretends to relieve men from the Filth of sin and keeps them from the only Wayes and Means whereby it may be cleansed insensibly leads them into a quiet pursuit of their Lusts under an Expectation of Relief when all is past and done Wherefore setting aside such vain Imaginations we may enquire into the true Causes and Wayes of our Purification from the Uncleanness of sin described wherein the First part of our Sanctification and the Foundation of our Holiness doth consist CHAP. V. The Filth of Sin purged by the Spirit and Blood of Christ. 1 Purification of the Filth of sin the first part of Sanctification how it is effected 2 The Work of the Spirit therein 3 Efficacy of the Blood of Christ to that Purpose 4 The Blood of his Sacrifice intended 5 How that Blood cleanseth Sin Application unto it and Application of it by the Spirit 6 Wherein that Application consists 7 8 9. Faith the Instrumental Cause of our Purification with the use of Afflictions to the same purpose Necessity of a Due Consideration of the Pollution of Sin 10 Considerations of the Pollution and Purification of Sin practically improved 11 Various Directions for a due Application unto the Blood of Christ for Cleansing 12 Sundry Degrees of Shamelesness in Sinning 13 Directions for the Cleansing of Sin continued 14 Thankefulness for the Cleansing of Sin 15 With other Vses of the same Consideration 16 Union with Christ how consistent with the Remainders of Sin 17 From all that Differences between Evangelical Holiness and the Old Nature asserted Sect. 1 THE purging of the Souls of them that Believe from the Defilements of Sin is in the Scripture assigned unto several Causes of different Kinds For the Holy Spirit the Blood of Christ Faith and Afflictions are all said to cleanse us from our sins but in several Wayes and with distinct Kinds of Efficacy The Holy Spirit is said to doe it as the principal Efficient Cause The Blood of Christ as the Meritorious procuring Cause Faith and Affliction as the Instrumental Causes the one Direct and Internal the other External and Occasional Sect. 2 1 That we are purged and purified from sin by the Spirit of God communicated unto us hath been before in General confirmed by many Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures And we may gather also from what hath been spoken wherein this Work of his doth consist For whereas the Spring and Fountain of all the Pollution of Sin lyes in the Depravation of the Faculties of our Natures which ensued on the Loss of the Image of God he renews them again by his Grace Tit. 3. 5. Our want of due answering unto the Holiness of God as represented in the Law and exemplified in our Hearts Originally is a principal Part and universal Cause of our whole Pollution and Defilement by sin For when our Eyes are opened to discern it this is that which in the first place filleth us with shame and self-Abhorrency and that which makes us so unacceptable yea so loathsome to God Who is there who considereth aright the Vanity Darkness and Ignorance of his Mind the Perversness and Stubbornness of his Will with the Disorder Irregularity and Distemper of his Affections with respect unto things Spiritual and Heavenly who is not ashamed of who doth not abhorr himself This is that which hath given our Nature its Leprosie and defiled it throughout And I shall crave leave to say that he who hath no Experience of Spiritual shame and self-Abhorrency upon the Account of this Inconformity of his Nature and the Faculties of his Soul unto the Holiness of God is a great stranger unto this whole Work of Sanctification Who is there that can recount the Unsteadiness of his Mind in Holy Meditation his Low and unbecoming Conceptions of Gods Excellencies his Proneness to foolish Imaginations and Vanities that Profit not his Aversation to Spirituality in Duty and fixedness in Communion with God his Proneness to things Sensual and Evil all arising from the spiritual Irregularity of of our Natural Facultyes but if ever he had any due Apprehensions of Divine Purity and Holiness that is not sensible of his own Vileness and Baseness and is not oft-times deeply affected with shame thereon Now this whole Evil Frame is cured by the effectual working of the Holy Ghost in the rectfying and Renovation of our Natures He giveth a New Understanding a New Heart New Affections renewing the whole Soul into the Image of God Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10. The way whereby he doth this hath been before so fully declared in our opening of the Doctrine of Regeneration that it need not be here repeated Indeed our Original Cleansing is therein where mention is made of the Washing of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. Therein is the Image of God restored unto our Souls But we consider the same Work now as it is the Cause of our Holyness Look then how far our Minds our Hearts our Affections are renewed by the Holy Ghost so far are we cleansed from our spiritual habitual Pollution Would we be cleansed from our Sins that which is so frequently promised that we shall be and so frequently prescribed as our Duty to be and without which we neither have nor can have any thing of true Holiness in us we must labour after and endeavour to grow in this Renovation of our Natures by the Holy Ghost The more we have of saving Light in our Minds of Heavenly Love in our Wills and Affections of a constant Readiness unto Obedience in our Hearts the more Pure are we the more cleansed from the Pollution of sin The Old Principle of Corrupted Nature is unclean and defiling shamefull and loathsome The New Creature the Principle of Grace implanted in the whole Soul by the Holy Ghost is Pure and purifying Clean and Holy 2 ly The Holy Ghost doth Purifie and Cleanse us by strengthening our Souls by his Grace unto all Holy Duties and against all Actual sins It is by Actual Sins that our Natural and Habitual Pollution is encreased Hereby some make themselves base and vile as Hell But this also is prevented by the Gracious Actings of the Spirit Having given us a Principle of Purity and Holyness he so acts it in Dutyes of Obedience and in Opposition unto Sin as that he preserves the Soul free from Defilements or Pure and Holy according to the Tenor of the New Covenant that is in such Measure and to such a
Whatever we do of our selves in answer unto our Convictions is a Covering not a Cleansing And if we dye in this Condition unwashed uncleansed unpurified it is utterly impossible that ever we should be admitted into the Blessed Presence of the Holy God Rev. 21. 27. Let no man deceive you then with Vain Words It is not the doing of a few Good Works it is not an outward Profession of Religion that will give you an Access with Boldness and Joy unto God Shame will cover you when it will be too late Unless you are washed by the Spirit of God and in the Blood of Christ from the Pollutions of your Natures you shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6 9 10 11. Yea you will be an horrid spectacle unto Saints and Angels yea to your selves unto one another when the shame of your Nakedness shall be made to appear Isa. 66. 24. If therefore you would not persih and that Eternally if you would not perish as base defiled Creatures an abhorring unto all flesh Then when your Pride and your Wealth and your Beauty and your Ornaments and your Dutyes will stand you in no stead look out betimes after that only way of purifying and cleansing your Souls which God hath ordained But if you love your Defilements if you are proud of your Pollutions if you satisfie your selves with your outward Ornaments whether Moral of Gifts Dutyes Profession Conversation or Natural of Body Wealth Apparel Gold and Silver there is no Remedy you must perish for ever and that under the Consideration of the Basest and Vilest part of the Creation Sect. 11 Seeing this is the Condition of all by Nature if any one now shall enquire and ask what they shall doe what course they shall take that they may be cleansed according to the Will of God in Answer hereunto I shall endeavour to direct defiled Sinners by sundry steps and degrees in the Way unto the Cleansing Fountain There is a Fountain set open for Sin and Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. But it falleth out with many as the Wise man speaketh The Labour of the Foolish wearyeth every one of them because he knoweth not how to goe to the City Eccles. 10. 15. Men weary themselves and pine away under their Pollutions because they cannot find the Way they know not how to go to the Cleansing Fountain I shall therefore direct them from First to Last according to the best skill I have 1. Labour after an Acquaintance with it to know it in its Nature and Effects Although the Scripture so abounds in the Assertion and Declaration of it as we have shewed and Believers find a sence of it in their Experience yet men in common take little Notice of it Somewhat they are affected with the Guilt of sin but little or not at all with its Filth So they can escape the Righteousness of God which they have provoked they regard not their unanswerableness unto his Holiness whereby they are Polluted How few indeed do enquire into the Pravity of their Natures that Vileness which is come upon them by the Loss of the Image of God or do take themselves to be much concerned therein How few do consider aright that Fomes and filthy Spring which is continually bubling up crooked perverse defiled Imaginations in their Hearts and influencing their Affections unto the Lewdness of depraved Concupiscence Who meditates upon the Holiness of God in a due Manner so as to ponder what we our selves ought to be how Holy how Upright how Clean if we intend to please him or enjoy him With what Appearances what Out-sides of things are most men satisfied Yea how do they please themselves in the shades of their own Darkness and Ignorance of these things when yet an unacquaintedness with this Pollution of sin is unavoidably ruinous unto their Souls See the Danger of it Revel 3. 16 17 18. Those who would be cleansed from it must first know it and although we cannot do so aright without some convincing Light of the Spirit of God yet are there Duties required of us in Order thereunto As 1 To Search the Scripture and to consider seriously what it declareth concerning the Condition of our Nature after the Loss of the Image of God Doth it not declare that it is shamefully naked destitute of all Beauty and Comeliness wholly polluted and defiled And what is said of that nature which is common unto all is said of every one who is Partaker of it Every one is gone aside every one is become altogether filthy or stinking Psal. 53. 3. This is the Glass wherein every man ought to Contemplate himself and not in foolish flattering Reflections from his own Proud Imaginations And he that will not hence learn his Natural Deformity shall live Polluted and dye Accursed 2 He who hath received the Testimony of the Scripture concerning his corrupted and polluted Estate if he will be at the Pains to trie and Examine himself by the Reasons and Causes that are assigned thereof will have a farther View of it When men read hear or are instructed in what the Scripture teacheth concerning the Defilement of Sin and giving some Assent to what is spoken without an Examination of their own state in particular or bringing their Souls unto that Standard and Measure they will have very little advantage thereby Multitudes learn that they are polluted by Nature which they cannot gainsay but yet really find no such thing in themselves But when men will bring their own Souls to the Glass of the Perfect Law and consider how it is with them in respect of that Image of God wherein they were at first created what manner of Persons they ought to be with respect unto the Holiness of God and what they are how Vain are their Imaginations how Disorderly are their Affections how Perverse all the Actings of their Minds they will be ready to say with the Leprous Man Vnclean unclean But they are but few who will take the pains to search their own Wounds it being a matter of smart and trouble to corrupt and carnal Affections Yet 3 Prayer for Light and Direction herein is required of all as a Duty For a Man to know himself was of Old esteemed the highest Attainment of Humane Wisdom Some men will not so much as enquire into themselves and some men dare not and some neglect the doing of it from spiritual sloth and other deceitfull Imaginations But he that would ever be purged from his sins must thus far make bold with himself and dare to be thus far Wise. And in the use of the Means before prescribed considering his own Darkness and the Treacheries of his Heart he is to pray fervently that God by his Spirit would guide and assist him in his search after the Pravity and Defilement of his Nature Without this he will never make any great or usefull Discoveries And yet the discerning hereof is the first Evidence that a Man hath received the least
a base and defiled Extraction have to boast of in themselves It is usual I confess for Vile men of the most Contemptible Beginnings when they are greatly exalted in the World to out-goe others in Pride and Elation of Mind as they are behind them in the Advantages of Birth and Education But this is esteemed a vile thing amongst men and it is but one Potsheard of the Earth boasting it self against another But when Believers shall consider what was their vile and polluted Estate with respect unto God when first he had regard unto them it will cause them to walk humbly in a deep sence of it or I am sure it ought so to doe God calls his People to self-Abasement not only from what they are but from what they were and whence they came So he ordained that Confession to be made by him that offered the First-fruits of his Fields and Possessions A Syrian ready to perish was my Father or a Syrian that is Laban was ready to destroy my Father a poor helpless man that went from one Countrey to another for Bread How is it of Soveraign Mercy that I am now in this State and Condition of Plenty and Peace Deut. 16. 4 5. And in particular God wonderfully binds upon them the sence of that defiled Natural Extraction whereof we speak Ezek. 16. 3 4 5. And when David upon his great Sin and his Repentance took in all humbling self-abasing Considerations here he fixeth the Head of them Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me His Original natural defilement was that which in the First place influenced him into self-Abasement So our Apostle frequently calls the Saints to a Remembrance of their former Condition before they were purged Ephes. 2 11 12 13. 1 Cor. 6. 8 9. and therewith are the Minds of all true Believers greatly affected and greatly humbled When they consider what was their Natural State and Condition universally leprous and polluted with what Remainders of it do still abide it casts them on the Earth and causeth them to lay their mouths in the Dust. Hence proceed their great and deep Humiliations of themselves and Confessions of their own Vileness in their Prayers and Supplications Considering the Holiness of God with whom they have to doe unto whom they do approach they are no way able to express what low Thoughts and Apprehensions they have of themselves Even God himself doth teach them to use figurative Expressions whereby to declare their own Vileness by Nature which abound in the Scripture It is true all Declarations hereof in Prayer and Confession of Sin are derided and scorned by some who seem to understand nothing of these things yea to Glory that they do not Whatever is spoken to express as they are able to the deep sence any have of their Natural Defilement with the Remainder of it their shame and self-Abasement with respect unto the Holiness of God is reputed either as false and Hypocritical or that it containeth such things as for which men ought to be hanged such prodigious Impudence in proclaiming a sencelesness of the Holiness of God and of the Vileness of Sin have we lived to see and hear of But when we have to deal with God who puts no trust in his Servants and chargeth his Angels with Folly what shall we say What Lowliness becomes then who dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust and who are crushed before the Moth 2 That Initial Deliverance which Believers have from their Original Pollution of Sin is a Matter and Cause of everlasting Thankfulness When our Lord Jesus Christ cleansed the Ten Lepers he manifests how much it was their Duty to return unto him with their thankfull Acknowledgement though Nine of them failed therein Luke 17. 17. And when of Old any one was cleansed from a carnal Defilement there was an Offering enjoyned him to testifie his Gratitude And indeed the Consideration hereof is that which in an eminent manner influenceth the Minds of Believers in all their Gratefull Ascriptions of Glory Honour and Praise to Jesus Christ. To him say they who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Revel 1. 5 6. And there are three Things which concurr to this Duty 1 A due Valuation of the Causes and Means of our Purification namely the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ in the Sanctification of the Spirit As these alone have effected this great Work so they alone were able so to doe Had we not been washed in the Blood of Christ we must have lived and dyed in our Pollutions and have lain under them to Eternity For the Fire of Hell will never purge the Defilements of sin much less will the fictitious Fire of Purgatory cleanse any from them How ought we then to prize value and admire both the Vertue or Efficacy of the Blood of Christ and the Love from whence it was given for us and is applyed unto us And because this Valuation and Admiration are Acts of Faith the very Work it self also of cleansing our Souls is carryed on by them For by the Exercise of Faith do we continually derive Vertue from Christ to this purpose as the Woman did by touching of his Garment for the stopping of her Issue of Blood 2 Inward Joy and Satisfaction in our Freedom from that shame which deprived us of all Boldness and Confidence in God This Internal Joy belongs unto the Duty of Thankfulness For therein is God glorified when we are graciously sensible of the Effects of his Love and Kindness towards us Every Grace then glorifies God and expresseth our Thankfulness for his Love when a Soul finds it self really affected with a sence of its being washed from all its loathsome Defilements in the Blood of Christ and being thereby freed from discouraging oppressing shame to have Filial Boldness in the presence of God 3 Acknowledgment in a way of Actual Prayse Sect. 15 Again We have declared not only that there is in our Natural Frame and Spiritual Constitution a Discrepancy to the Holiness of God and consequently an universal Defilement but that there is from its Pravity and Disorder a Pollution attending every actual Sin whether internal of the Heart and Mind only or external in Sin perpetrated averse to Holiness and contrary to the carrying on of the Work of Sanctification in us And sundry things Believers whose Concernment alone this is may learn from hence also As 1 How they ought to Watch against Sin and all the Motions of it though never so secret They all of them defile the Conscience And it is an Evidence of a Gracious Soul to be watchfull against sin on this Account Convictions will make men wary where they are prevalent by continual Representations of the Danger and Punishment of sin And these are an allowable Motive to Believers themselves to abstain from it in all
positive Effect upon the Soul which we now enter upon the Description of nor absolutely in Order of Nature Yea much of the Means whereby the Holy Ghost purifieth us consisteth in this other Work of his which now lyes before us Only we thus distinguish them and cast them into this Order as the Scripture also doth for the Guidance of our Understanding in them and furtherance of our Apprehension of them Sect. 2 We therefore now proceed unto that part of the Work of the Holy Spirit whereby he Communicates the great permanent positive Effect of Holiness unto the Souls of Believers and whereby he guides and assists them in all the Acts Works and Duties of Holiness whatever without which what we doe is not so nor doth any way belong thereunto And this part of his Work we shall reduce unto two Heads which we shall first propose and afterwards clear and vindicate And our First Assertion is That in the Sanctification of Believers the Holy Ghost doth work in them in their whole Souls their Minds Wills and Affections a gracious supernatural Habit Principle and Disposition of Living unto God wherein the Substance or Essence the Life and Being of Holiness doth consist This is that spirit which is born of the Spirit that new Creature that new and Divine Nature which is wrought in them and whereof they are made partakers Herein consists that Image of God whereunto our Natures are repaired by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we are made conformable unto God firmly and steadfastly adhering unto him through Faith and Love That there is such a Divine Principle such a gracious supernatural Habit wrought in all them that are Born again hath been fully proved in our Assertion and Description of the Work of Regeneration It is therefore acknowledged that the first supernatural Infusion or Communication of this Principle of spiritual Light and Life preparing sitting and enabling all the Faculties of our Souls unto the Duties of Holiness according to the Mind of God doth belong unto the Work of our first Conversion But the preservation cherishing and encrease of it belongs unto our Sanctification both its Infusion and Preservation being necessarily required unto Holiness Hereby is the Tree made good that the Fruit of it may be good and without which it will not so be This is our new Nature which ariseth not from precedent Actions of Holiness but is the Root of them all Habits acquired by a multitude of Acts whether in things Morall or Artificial are not a new Nature nor can be so called but a readiness for Acting from Use and Custom But this Nature is from God its Parent it is that in us which is born of God And it is Common unto or the same in all Believers as to its Kind and Being though not as to Degrees and Exercise It is that we cannot learn which cannot be taught us but by God only as he teaches other Creatures in whom he planteth a natural Instinct The Beauty and Glory hereof as it is absolutely inexpressible so have we spoken somewhat to it before Conformity to God Likeness to Christ Compliance with the Holy Spirit Interest in the Family of God Fellowship with Angels Separation from Darkness and the World do all consist herein Sect. 3 Secondly The Matter of our Holiness consists in our Actual Obedience unto God according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace For God promiseth to write his Law in our Hearts that we may fear him and walk in his Statutes And concerning this in general we may observe two things 1. That there is a certain fixed Rule and Measure of this Obedience in a Conformity and Answerableness whereunto it doth consist This is the Revealed Will of God in the Scripture Micah 6. 8. Gods Will I say as revealed unto us in the Word is the Rule of our Obedience A Rule it must have which nothing else can pretend to be The secret Will or hidden Purposes of God are not the Rule of our Obedience Deut. 29. 29. much less are our own Imaginations Inclinations or Reasons so neither doth any thing though never so specious which we do in Complyance with them or by their Direction belong thereunto Col. 2. 19 20 21 22. But the Word of God is the Adequate Rule of all Holy Obedience 1 It is so materially All that is commanded in that Word belongs unto our Obedience and nothing else doth so Hence are we so strictly required neither to add unto it nor to diminish or take any thing from it Deut. 4. 2. Chap. 12. 32. Josh. 1. 7. Prov. 36. 6. Revel 22. 18. 2 It is so formally that is we are not to do only what is commanded all that is commanded and nothing else but whatever we do we are to do it because it is commanded or it is no part of our Obedience or Holiness Deut. 6. 24 25. Chap. 29. 19. Psal. 119. 9. I know there is an in-bred Light of Nature as yet remaining in us which gives great Direction as to Moral Good and Evil commanding the one and forbidding the other Rom. 2. 14 15. But this Light however it may be made subservient and subordinate thereunto is not the Rule of Gospel Holiness as such nor any part of it The Law which God by his Grace writes in our Hearts answers unto the Law that is written in the Word that is given unto us and as the first is the only Principle so the latter is the only Rule of our Evangelical Obedience For this End hath God promised that his Word and his Spirit shall alwayes accompany one another the one to quicken our Souls and the other to guide our Lives Isa. 59. 20. And the Word of God may be considered as our Rule in a threefold Respect 1. As it requires the Image of God in us The Habitual Rectitude of our Nature with respect unto God and our Living to him is Enjoyned us in the Word yea and wrought in us thereby The whole Renovation of our Natures the whole Principle of Holiness before described is nothing but the Word changed into Grace in our Hearts for we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God The Spirit worketh nothing in us but what the Word first requireth of us It is therefore the Rule of the inward Principle of spiritual Life and the growth thereof is nothing but its increase in Conformity to that Word 2. With respect unto all the Actual Frames Designs and Purposes of the Heart All the internal Actings of our Minds All the Volitions of the Will all the Motions of our Affections are to be regulated by that Word which requires us to Love the Lord our God with all our Minds all our Souls and all our Strength Hereby is their Regularity or Irregularity to be tried All that Holiness which is in them consists in their Conformity to the Revealed Will of God 3. With respect unto all our outward Actions and
to have others pray for their Souls and expiate their sins when they were gone out of this World These and the like other innumerable pretended Duties may be judged condemned exploded without the least fear of deterring men from Obedience 2 That wherever there is this Principle of Holiness in the Heart in those that are Adult there will be the Fruits and Effects of it in the Life in all Duties of Righteousness Godliness and Holiness For the main Work and End of this Principle is to enable us to comply with that Grace of God which teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. That which we press for is the great Direction of our Saviour make the Tree good and the Fruit will be so also And there can be no more vile and sordid Hypocrisie than for any to pretend unto inward habitual Sanctification whilest their Lives are barren in the Fruits of Righteousness and Duties of Obedience Wherever this Root is there it will assuredly bear Fruit. Secondly It will appear from hence whence it is that men propose and steer such various Courses with respect unto Holiness All men who profess themselves to be Christians are agreed in words at least that Holiness is absolutely necessary unto them that would be saved by Jesus Christ. To deny it is all one as openly to renounce the Gospel But when they should come to the practice of it some take one false Way some another and some Actually despise and reject it Now all this ariseth from Ignorance of the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness on the one hand and Love of Sin on the other There is nothing wherein we are spiritually and eternally concerned that is more frequently insisted on than is the true Nature of Sanctification and Holiness But the thing it self as hath been declared is deep and mysterious not to be understood without the Aid of spiritual Light in our Minds Hence some would have Moral Vertue to be Holiness which as they suppose they can understand by their own Reason and practise in their own Strength and I heartily wish that we could see more of the Fruits of it from them But real Moral Vertue will hardly be abased into an Opposition unto Grace the Pretence of it will be so easily and is so every day Some on the other hand place all Holiness in superstitious Devotions in the strict Observance of Religious Duties which Men and not God have appointed And there is no end of their Multiplication of them nor measure of the Strictness of some in them The Reason why men give up themselves unto such soul-deceiving Imaginations is their Ignorance and hatred of that only true real Principle of Evangelical Holiness which we have discoursed For what the World knoweth not in these things it alwayes hateth And they cannot discern it clearly or in its own Light and Evidence for it must be spiritually discerned This the Natural man cannot doe 1 Cor. 2. 14. And in that false Light of Corrupted Reason wherein they discern and judge it they esteem it foolishness or Fancy There is not a more Foolish and Fanatical thing in the World with many than that internal habitual Holiness which we are in the Consideration of And hence are they lead to despise and to hate it But here the Love of Sin secretly takeâ— place and influenceth their Minds This universal Change of theâ—â—oul in all its Principles of Operation into the Image and Likeness of God tending to the Extirpation of all sins and vitious Habits is that which men fear and abhorre This makes them take up with Morality and superstitious Devotion any thing that will pacifie a Natural Conscience and please themselves or others with a Reputation of Religion It is therefore highly incumbent on all that would not wilfully deceive their own Souls unto their Eternal Ruine to enquire diligently into the true Nature of Evangelical Holiness and above all to take care that they miss it not in the Foundation in the true Root and Principle of it wherein a mistake will be pernitious Thirdly It is moreover evident from hence that it is a greater matter to be truely and really holy than most Persons are aware of We may learn eminently how great and Excellent a Work this of Sanctification and Holiness is from the Causes of it How emphatically doth our Apostle ascribe it unto God even the Father 1 Thess. 5. 23. Even the God of Peace himself sanctifie you It is so great a Work as that it cannot be wrought by any but the God of Peace himself What is the immediate Work of the Spirit therein what the Influence of the Mediation and Blood of Christ into it hath been already in part declared and we have yet much more to adde in our Account of it And these things do sufficiently manifest how Great how Excellent and Glorious a Work it is For it doth not become Divine and Infinite Wisdom to engage the immediate Power and Efficacy of such glorious Causes and Means for the producing of any ordinary or common Effect It must be somewhat as of great Importance unto the Glory of God so of an Eminent Nature in it self And that little Entrance which we have made into an Enquity after its Nature manifests how Great and Excellent it is Let us not therefore deceive our selves with the Shadowes and Appearances of things in a few Duties of Piety or Righteousness no nor yet with many of them if we find not this great Work at least begun in us It is sad to see what trifling there is in these things amongst men None indeed are contented to be without a Religion and very few are willing to admit it in its Power Fourthly Have we received this Principle of Holiness and of spiritual Life by the gracious Operation of the Holy Ghost there are among many others three Dutyes incumbent on us whereof we ought to be as carefull as of our Souls And the First is Carefully and diligently by all Means to cherish and preserve it in our hearts This Sacred Depositum of the New Creature of the Divine Nature is entrusted with us to take care of to cherish and improve If we willingly or through our neglect suffer it to be wounded by Temptations weakened by Corruptions or not exercised in all known Duties of Obedience our Guilt is great and our Trouble will not be small And then Secondly It is equally incumbent on us to evidence and manifest it by its Fruits in the Mortification of corrupt Lusts and Affections in all Duties of Holiness Righteousness Charity and Piety in the World For that God may be glorified hereby is one of the Ends why he indues our Natures with it And without these visible Fruits we expose our entire Profession of Holiness to reproach And in like manner is it required that we be thankefull for what we have received Sect.
such abundant Testimony unto as to render it unquestionable For we have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God By vertue of what we have received we know or discern Spiritual things 1 Cor. 2. 12. So we know the mind of Christ v. 15. This is the substance of that double Testimony 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. This abiding Vnction is no other but that habitual inherent Grace which we plead for and by it as it is an holy Light in our Mind we know all things The Understanding that is given us to know him that is True 1 John 5. 20. Only it is their Duty continually to endeavour the improvement and enlargement of the Light they have in the daily Exercise of the spiritual Power they have received and in the use of Means Heb. 5. ult Sect. 33 2 This Power in the Will consists in its Liberty Freedom and Ability to consent unto choose and embrace spiritual Things Believers have Free-will unto that which is spiritually Good For they are freed from that Bondage and slavery unto sin which they were under in the state of Nature Whatever some dispute concerning the Nature of Free-will that it consists in an Indifferency unto Good or Evil one thing or another with a Power of applying it self unto all its Operations whatever their Objects be as the Scripture knoweth nothing of it so it is that which we cannot have and if we could it would be no advantage at all unto us yea we had much better be without it Have it indeed we cannot for a supposition of it includes a Rejection of all our Dependance on God making all the springs of our Actions to be absolutely and formally in our selves Neither considering the Prejudices Temptations and Corruptions that we are possessed and exercised with would such a flexibility of Will be of any Use or Advantage unto us but would rather certainly give us up to the Power of Sin and Sathan All that the Scripture knows about Free-will is that in the state of Nature antecedent unto the Converting sanctifying Work of the Spirit all men whatever are in bondage unto sin and that in all the Faculties of their Souls They are sold under sin are not subject unto the Law of God nor can be can neither think nor will nor doe nor desire nor love any thing that is spiritually Good according to the Mind of God But as unto what is Evil perverse unclean that they are free and open unto ready for prone and inclined and every way able to doe On the other side in those who are renewed by the Holy Ghost and sanctified it acknowledgeth and teacheth a freedom of Will not in an Indifferency and Flexibility unto Good and Evil but in a Power and Ability to like love choose and cleave unto God and his Will in all things The Will is now freed from its Bondage unto sin and being enlarged by Light and Love willeth and chooseth freely the things of God having received spiritual Power and Ability so to doe It is the Truth that is Faith in the Gospel the Doctrine of the Truth which is the Means of this Freedom The Truth that makes you free Joh. 8. 32. And it is the Son of God by his Spirit who is the principal Efficient cause of it For if the Son make us free then are we free indeed v. 36. and otherwise we are not whatever we pretend And this freedom unto spiritual Good we have not of our selves in the state of Nature for if we have then are we free indeed and there would be no need that the Son should make us free Sect. 34 The Difference therefore about Free-will is reduced unto these Heads 1. Whether there be a Power in Man indifferently to Determine himself his Choice and all his Actings to this or that Good or Evil one thing or another independently on the Will Power and Providence of God and his Disposal of all future Events This indeed we deny as that which is inconsistent with the Prescience Authority Decrees and Dominion of God and as that which would prove certainly ruinous and destructive to our selves 2. Whether there be in men unregenerate not renewed by the Holy Ghost a Freedom Power and Ability unto that which is spiritually good or to Believe and Obey according to the Mind and Will of God This also we deny as that which is contrary to innumerable Testimonies of Scripture and absolutely destructive of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Whether the Freedom of Will that is in Believers do consist in an indifferency and freedom from any Determination only with a power equally ready for Good or Evil according as the Will shall determine it self or whether it consist in a Gracious Freedom and Ability to choose will and doe that which is spiritually Good in Opposition to the Bondage and slavery unto sin wherein we were before detained This last is that Liberty and Power of the Will which we assert with the Scripture in persons that are sanctified And a Liberty this is every way consistent with all the Operations of God as the Sovereign first Cause of all things every way complyant with and an Effect of the special Grace of God and the Operations of the Holy Ghost a Liberty whereby our Obedience and Salvation are secured in Answer to the Promises of the Covenant And who that understands himself would change this reall usefull gracious free-will given by Jesus Christ the Son of God when he makes us free and an Effect of Gods writing his Law in our Hearts to cause us to walk in his Statutes that Property of the new Heart whereby it is able to consent unto choose and embrace freely the things of God for that fictitious imaginary freedom yea for it if it were reall of an Indifferency unto all things and an Equal Power unto every thing whether it be Good or Evil. I say then that by the Habit of Grace and Holiness infused into us by the Spirit of Sanctification the Will is freed enlarged and enabled to answer the Commands of God for Obedience according to the Tenor of the New Covenant This is that freedom this is that Power of the Will which the Scripture reveals and regards and which by all the Promises and Precepts of it we are obliged to use and exercise and no other Sect. 35 3 The Affections which naturally are the principal servants and instruments of Sin are hereby engaged unto God Deut. 30. 6. And from what hath been thus far discoursed the sence of our former Assertion is evident as also the Nature of the Principle of Holiness insisted on The Holy Ghost in our Sanctification doth work effect and create in us a new holy spiritual vital Principle of Grace residing in all the Faculties of our Souls according as their especial Nature is capable thereof after the manner of a permanent and prevalent Habit which he cherisheth preserveth encreaseth
hath neither the Root of it nor any Fruit that doth so much as resemble it But it is to be lamented that such Multitudes of Rational Creatures living under the Means of Light and Grace should so vainly and wofully delude their own Souls That which they aim at and intend is to have that in them whereby they may be accepted with God Now not to insist on what will absolutely frustrate all the Designs of such persons namely their want of Faith in Christ and an Interest in his Righteousness thereby which they are regardless of all that they project and design is as farre beneath that Holiness which God requireth of them and which they think hereby to obtain as the Earth is beneath the Heavens All that they do in this kind is utterly lost it will never be either a Righteousness unto them or an Holiness in them But this Deceit is frequently rebuked God only by his Grace can remove and take it away from the Minds of Men. Sect. 41 2 And we may Learn hence not to be imposed on by Gifts though never so usefull with a plausible Profession thereon These things go a great way in the World and many deceive both themselves and others by them Gifts are from the Holy Ghost in an especial manner and therefore greatly to be esteemed They are also frequently usefull in and unto the Church For the Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto men to profit withall And they put men on such Duties as have a great shew and Appearance of Holiness By the help of them alone may men pray and preach and maintain spiritual Communication among them with whom they do converse And as Circumstances may be ordered they put sundry persons on a frequent performance of these Duties and so keep them up to an Eminency in Profession But yet when all is done they are not Holiness nor are the Duties performed in the strength of them alone Duties of Evangelical Obedience accepted of God in them by whom they are performed and they may be where there is nothing of Holiness at all They are not indeed only consistent with Holiness but subservient unto it and exceeding promoters of it in Souls that are really Gracious But they may be alone without Grace and then are they apt to deceive the Mind with a pretence of being and doing what they are not nor doe Let them be called to an Account by the Nature and Properties of that Habit and Principle of Grace which is in all true Holiness as before explained and it will quickly appear how short they come thereof For as their Subject where they have their Residence is the mind only and not the Will or Affections any further but as they are influenced or restrained by Light so they do not renew nor change the Mind it self so as to transform it into the Image of God Neither do they give the Soul a general Inclination unto all Acts and Duties of Obedience but only a Readiness for that Duty which their Exercise doth peculiarly consist in Wherefore they answer no one Property of true Holiness and we have not seldom seen Discoveries made thereof Sect. 42 Least of all can Morality or a Course of Moral Dutyes when it is alone maintain any pretence hereunto We have had Attempts to prove that there is no specifical Difference between Common and Saving Grace but that they are both of the same Kind differing only in Degrees But some as though this ground were already gained and needed no more contending about do adde without any Consideration of these petty distinctions of Common and Saving Grace that Morality is Grace and Grace is Morality and nothing else To be a Gracious Holy man according to the Gospel and to be a Moral man is all one with them And as yet it is not declared whether there be any Difference between Evangelical Holiness and Philosophical Morality Wherefore I shall proceed to the Second Thing proposed And this is further to prove That this Habit or Gracious Principle of Holiness is specifically distinct from all other Habits of the Mind whatever whether Intellectual or Moral Connate or Acquired as also from all that Common Grace and the Effects of it whereof any Persons not really sanctified may be made partakers Sect. 43 The Truth of this Assertion is indeed sufficiently evident from the Description we have given of this spiritual Habit its Nature and Properties But whereas there are also other Respects giving further Confirmation of the same Truth I shall call over the most important of them after some few things have been premised As 1. An Habit of what sort soever it be qualifies the Subject wherein it is so that it may be denominated from it and make the Actions proceeding from it to be suited unto it or to be of the same Nature with it As Aristotle sayes Vertue is an Habit which maketh him that hath it Good or Vertuous and his Actions good Now all Moral Habits are seated in the Will Intellectual Habits are not immediately affective of Good or Evil but as the Will is influenced by them These Habits do encline dispose and enable the Will to act according to their Nature And in all the Acts of our Wills and so all external Works which proceed from them two things are considered First the Act it self or the Work done and Secondly the End for which it is done And both these things are respected by the Habit it self though not immediately yet by vertue of its Acts. It is moreover necessary and natural that every Act of the Will every Work of a Man be for a certain End Two things therefore are to be considered in all our Obedience 1 The Duty it self we doe and 2 The End for which we doe it If any Habit therefore doth not encline and dispose the Will unto the proper End of Duty as well as unto the Duty it self it is not of that Kind from whence true Gospel Obedience doth proceed For the End of every Act of Gospel Obedience which is the Glory of God in Jesus Christ is Essential unto it Let us then take all the Habits of Moral Vertue and we shall find that however they may incline and dispose the Will unto such Acts of Vertue as materially are Duties of Obedience yet they do it not with respect unto this End If it be said that such Moral Habits do so incline the Will unto Duties of Obedience with respect unto this End then is there no need of the Grace of Jesus Christ or the Gospel to enable men to Live unto God according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace which some seem to aim at Sect. 44 2. Whereas it is the End that gives all our Duties their special Nature this is two-fold 1 The next and 2 The ultimate or it is particular or universal And these may be different in the same Action As a man may give Almes to the poor his next Particular End
of our Nature And had we continued in that State the same Image of God should have been communicated by natural Propagation But since the Fall and entrance of Sin God no more communicates Holiness unto any by way of Nature or natural Propagation For if he did so there would be no Necessity that every one who is born must be born again before he enter into the Kingdom of God as our Saviour affirmeth there is Joh. 3. 3. For he might have Grace and Holiness from his first Nativity Nor could it be said of Believers that they are born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God John 1. 13. For Grace might be propagated unto them by those natural Means It was the old Pelagian Figment That what we have by Nature we have by Grace because God is the Author of Nature So he was as it was pure but it is our own as it is corrupt and what we have thereby we have of our selves in Contradiction to the Grace of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and we have nothing else by Natural Propagation Sect. 65 3 God communicates nothing in a way of Grace unto any but in and by the Person of Christ as the Mediator and Head of the Church John 1. 18. In the Old Creation all things were made by the Eternal Word the Person of the Son as the Wisdom of God Joh. 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. There was no immediate Emanation of Divine Power from the Person of the Father for the production of all or any created Beings but in and by the Person of the Son their Wisdom and Power being one and the same as acted in him And the supportation of all things in the course of Divine Providence is his immediate Work also whence he is said to uphold all things with the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. And so it is in the New Creation with respect unto his Person as Mediator Therein was he the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature having the preeminence in all things and he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 15 17 18. In the raising of the whole New Creation which is by a new spiritual Life and Holiness communicated unto all the parts of it the Work is carryed on immediately by the Person of Christ the Mediator and none hath any share therein but what is received and derived from him This is plainly asserted Ephes. 2. 10. So the Apostle disposeth of this matter the Head of every man is Christ and the Head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11. 3. which is so in respect of Influence as well as of Rule As God doth not Immediately govern the Church but in and by the Person of Christ whom he hath given to be Head over all things thereunto so neither doth he administer any Grace or Holiness unto any but in the same order For the Head of every man is Christ and the Head of Christ is God Sect. 66 4 God doth work real effectual sanctifying Grace spiritual Strength and Holiness in Believers yea that Grace whereby they are enabled to Believe and are made Holy and doth really sanctifie them more and more that they may be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This hath been so fully confirmed in the whole of what hath been discoursed both concerning Regeneration and Sanctification as that it must not be here again insisted on Wherefore all this Grace according unto the former Assertions is Communicated unto us through and by Christ and no otherwise Secondly Whatever is wrought in Believers by the Spirit of Christ it is in their Vnion to the Person of Christ and by vertue thereof That the Holy Spirit is the immediate efficient Cause of all Grace and Holiness I have sufficiently proved already unto them to whom any thing in this kind will be sufficient Now the End why the Holy Spirit is sent and consequently of all that he doth as he is so sent is to glorifie Christ and this he doth by receiving from Christ and communicating thereof unto others Joh. 16. 13 14 15. And there are two Works of this kind which he hath to doe and doth effect 1. To unite us to Christ And 2. To Communicate all Grace unto us from Christ by vertue of that Union 1 By him are we united unto Christ that is his Person and not a Light within us as some think nor the Doctrine of the Gospel as others with an equal folly seem to imagine It is by the Doctrine and Grace of the Gospel that we are united but it is the Person of Christ whereunto we are united For he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. because by that one Spirit he is joyned unto him For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. implanted into the Body and united unto the Head And therefore if we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of his Rom. 8. 9. We are therefore his that is united unto him by a Participation of his Spirit And hereby Christ himself is in us for Jesus Christ is in us except we be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. That is he is in us by his Spirit that dwelleth in us Rom. 8. 9 11. 1 Cor. 6. 19. It may therefore be enquired Whether we receive the Spirit of the Gospel from the Person of Christ or no. And this is the Enquiry which nothing but the extreme Ignorance or Impudence of some could render seasonable or tolerable seeing formerly no Christian ever doubted of it nor is he so now who doth disbelieve it It is true we receive him by the Preaching of the Gospel Gal. 3. 2. But it is no less true that we receive him immediately from the Person of Christ. For no other Reason is he called so frequently the Spirit of Christ that is the Spirit which he gives sends bestowes or Communicates He receives of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost and sheddeth him forth Acts 2. 33. Sect. 7 But it may be said That if hereby we are united unto Christ namely by his Spirit then we must be Holy and Obedient before we so receive him wherein our Vnion doth consist For certainly Christ doth not unite ungodly and impure Sinners unto himself which would be the greatest dishonour unto him imaginable We must therefore be holy obedient and like unto Christ before we can be united unto him and so consequently before we receive his Spirit if thereby we are united to him An. 1. If this be so then indeed are we not beholding in the least unto the Spirit of Christ that we are Holy and Obedient and like to Christ. For he that hath the Spirit of Christ is united unto him And he who is united to him hath his Spirit and none else Whatever therefore is in any man of Holiness
and Expressions of the Scripture and the Notions of some Men among us There is not any thing that is good in us nothing that is done well by us in the way of Obedience but the Scripture expressely and frequently assigns it unto the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit in us It doth so in general as to all gracious Actings whatever and not content therewith it proposeth every Grace and every Holy Duty distinctly affirming the Holy Ghost to be the immediate Author of them And when it comes to make mention of us it positively indeed prescribes our Duty to us but as plainly lets us know that we have no power in or from our selves to perform it But some men speak and preach and write utterly to another purpose The Freedom Liberty Power and Ability of our own Wills the Light Guidance and Direction of our own Minds Reasons and from all our own Performance of all the Duties of Faith and Obedience are the 〈◊〉 of their Discourses and that in Opposition unto what is aâ—â—â—bed in the Scriptures unto the Immediate Operations of the Holy Ghost They are all for Grace Not I but Grace not I but Christ without him we can do nothing These are all for our Wills not Grace but our Wills doe all It is not more plainly affirmed in the Scripture that God created Heaven and Earth that he sustains and preserves all things by his Power than that he creates grace in the Hearts of Believers preserves it acts it and makes it effectual working all our Works for us and all our Duties in us But Evasions must be found out strange forced uncouth sences be put upon plain frequently repeated Expressions to secure the Honour of our Wills and to take care that all the Good we doe may not be assigned to the Grace of God To this purpose Distinctions are coyned Evasions invented and such an Explanation is given of all Divine Operations as renders them useless and insignificant Yea it is almost grown if not Criminal yet weak and ridiculous in the Judgement of some That any should assign those Works and Operations to the Spirit of God which the Scripture doth in the very words that the Scripture useth To lessen the Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by Sin to extoll the Integrity and Power of our Reasons to maintain the Freedom and Ability of our Wills in and unto things spiritually Good to resolve the Conversion of men unto God into their Natural good Dispositions Inclinations and the right use of their Reason to render Holiness to be only a Probity of Life or Honesty of Conversation upon rational Motives and Considerations are the things that men are now almost wearied with the Repetition of Scarce a Person that hath Confidence to commence for Reputation in the World but immediately he furnisheth himself with some new tinkling Ornaments for these old Pelagian Figments But whoever shall take an impartial View of the Design and constant Doctrine of the Scripture in this matter will not be easily carryed away with the plausible Pretences of men exalting their own Wills and Abilities in Opposition to the Spirit and Grace of God by Jesus Christ. Sect. 16 2 From what hath been discoursed a further discovery is made of the Nature of Gospel Obedience of all the Acts of our Souls therein and of the Duties that belong thereunto It is commonly granted that there is a great difference between the Acts and Duties that are truely gracious and those which are called by the same name that are not so as in any Duties of Faith of Prayer of Charity But this difference is supposed generally to be in the Adjuncts of those Duties in some properties of them but not in the kind nature or substance of the Acts of our minds in them Nay it is commonly said that whereas wicked men are said to believe and doe many things gladly in a way of Obedience what they so doe is for the substance of the Acts they perform the same with those of them who are truely Regenerate and Sanctified They may differ in their Principle and End but as to their Substance or Essence they are the same But there is no small mistake herein All gracious Actings of our Minds and Souls whether internal only in Faith Love or Delight or whether they go out unto external Duties required in the Gospel being wrought in us by the immediate Efficacy of the Spirit of Grace differ in their Kind in their Essence and substance of the Acts themselves from whatever is not so wrought or effected in us For whatever may be done by any one in any acting of common Grace or performance of any Duty of Obedience being educed out of the power of the Natural Faculties of men excited by Convictions as directed and enforced by Reasons and Exhortations or assisted by common Aids of what nature soever they are natural as to their kind and they have no other substance or Being but what is so But that which is wrought in us by the especial Grace of the Holy Ghost in the way mentioned is supernatural as being not educed out of the Powers of our natural Faculties but an immediate Effect of the Almighty supernatural Efficacy of the Grace of God And therefore the sole Reason why God accepts and rewards Duties of Obedience in them that are sanctified and regardeth not those which for the outward Matter and Manner of Performance are the same with them as unto Abel and his Offering he had respect but he had no respect unto Cain and his Offering Gen. 4. 4 5. is not taken from the State and Condition of the Persons that perform them only though that also have an influence thereinto but from the Nature of the Acts and Duties themselves also He never accepts and rejects Duties of the same Kind absolutely with respect unto the Persons that do perform them The Duties themselves are of a different Kind Those which he accepts are supernatural Effects of his own Spirit in us whereon he rewardeth and crowneth the Fruits of his own Grace And as for what he rejects whatever Appearance it may have of a Complyance with the outward Command it hath nothing in it that is supernaturally Gracious and so is not of the same Kind with what he doth accept CHAP. VIII Mortification of Sin the Nature and Causes of it 1 Mortification of Sin the Second Part of Sanctification 2 Frequently prescribed and enjoyned as a Duty 3 What the Name signifies with the Reason thereof 4 As also that of Crucifying Sin 5 The Nature of the Mortification of Sin explained 6 In-dwelling Sin in its Principle Operations and Effects the Object of Mortification 7 Contrariety between Sin and Grace 8 Mortification a Part-taking with the whole Interest of Grace against Sin 9 How Sin is Mortified and why the Subduing of it is so called 10 Directions for the right Discharge of this Duty 13 Nature of it unknown to many 15 The Holy Spirit
some indeed who being under the Power of that Blindnesse and Darknesse which is a Principal part of the Depravation of our Nature doe neither see nor discern the Inward secret Actings and Motions of sin its Deceit and Restlesness its mixing its self one way or other in all our Dutyes with the Defilement and Guilt wherewith these things are accompanied who judge that God scarce takes notice of any thing but outward Actions and it may be not much of them neither so as to be displeased with them unlesse they are very foul indeed which yet he is easily intreated to passe by and excuse who judge this Duty superfluous despising both the Confession and Mortification of Sin in this Root and Principle of it But those who have received most Grace and Power from above against it are of all others the most sensible of its Power and Guilt and of the Necessity of Applying themselves continually unto its Destruction 2 With respect unto its Inclinations and Operations wherein it variously exerts its Power in all particular instances we are continually to watch against it and to subdue it And this concerns us in all that we are and doe in our Duties in our Calling in our Conversation with others in our Retirements in the frames of our Spirits in our Streights in our Mercies in the use of our Enjoyments in our Temptations If we are negligent unto any Occasion we shall suffer by it This is our Enemy and this is the Warre we are ingaged in Every mistake every neglect is perillous Sect. 12 And 3 The End of this Duty with respect unto us expressed by the Apostle is that henceforth we should not serve sin which referres unto the Perpetration of Actual Sins the bringing forth of the Actual Fruits of the Flesh internal or external also In whosoever the Old man is not crucisied with Christ let him think what he will of himself he is a servant of Sin If he have not received Vertue from the Death of Christ if he be not wrought unto a Conformity to him therein whatever else he may do or attain however he may in any thing in many things change his Course and reform his Life he serves sin and not God Our great Design ought to be that we should no longer serve sin which the Apostle in the ensuing Verses gives us many Reasons for It is indeed the worst service that a Rational Creature is capable of and will have the most dolefull End What therefore is the only Way and Means whereby we may attain this End namely that although Sin will abide in us yet that we may not serve it which will secure us from its Danger This is that Mortification of it which we insist upon and no other If we expect to be freed from the service of Sin by its own giving over to press its Dominions upon us or by any Composition with it or any other way but by being alwayes killing or destroying of it we do but deceive our own Souls Sect. 13 And indeed it is to be feared that the Nature of this Duty is not sufficiently understood or not sufficiently considered Men look upon it as an easie Task and that which will be carried on with a little Diligence and ordinary Attendance But do we think it is for nothing that the Holy Ghost expresseth the Duty of opposing Sin and weakening its Power by Mortification killing or putting to death Is there not somewhat peculiar herein beyond any other Act or Duty of our Lives Certainly there is intimated a great Contest of Sin for the preservation of its Life Every thing will do its utmost to preserve its Life and Being So will Sin do also and if it be not constantly pursued with Diligence and Holy Violence it will escape our Assaults Let no man think to kill sin with few easie or gentle strokes He who hath once smitten a Serpent if he follow not on his blow untill it be slain may repent that ever he begun the quarrel And so will he who undertakes to deal with Sin and pursues it not constantly to death Sin will after a while revive and the Man must dye It is a great and fatal Mistake if we suppose this Work will admit of any remisseness or intermission Again the Principle to be slain is in our selves and so possessed of our Faculties as that it is called our selves It cannot be killed without a sense of pain and trouble Hence it is compared to the cutting off of Right Hands and the plucking out of Right Eyes Lusts that pretend to be usefull to the State and Condition of men that are pleasant and satisfactory to the Flesh will not be mortified without such a Violence as the whole Soul shall be deeply sensible of And sundry other things might be insisted on to manifest how men deceive themselves if they suppose this Duty of Mortification is that which they may carry on in a negligent careless Course and Manner Is there no Danger in this Warfare no Watchfulness no Diligence required of us Is it so easie a thing to kill an Enemy who hath so many Advantages of force and fraud Wherefore if we take care of our Souls we are to attend unto this Duty with that Care Diligence Watchfulness and earnest Contention of spirit which the Nature of it doth require Sect. 14 And moreover there is no less fatal Mistake where we make the Object of this Duty to be only some particular Lusts or the Fruits of them in Actual sins as was before observed This is the way with many They will make Head against some Sins which on one Account or other they find themselves most concerned in but if they will observe their Course they shall find with how little success they do it For the most part Sin gets ground upon them and they continually groan under the Power of its Victories And the Reason is because they mistake their Business Contests against particular sins are only to comply with Light and Convictions Mortification with a Design for Holiness respects the Body of Sin the Root and all its Branches The first will miscarry and the latter will be successefull And herein consists the Difference between that Mortification which men are put upon by Convictions from the Law which alwayes proves fruitless and that wherein we are acted by the Spirit of the Gospel The first respects only particular sins as the Guilt of them reflects upon Conscience the latter the whole Interest of Sin as opposed to the Renovation of the Image of God in us Sect. 15 Thirdly That which remains further to be demonstrated is That the Holy Spirit is the Author of this Work in us so that although it is our Duty it is his Grace and Strength whereby it is performed as also the Manner how it is wrought by him which is principally intended For the first we have the truth of it asserted Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie
Sin who have not that Grace and Holiness in the Renovation of the Image of God which is pleaded for seem to have more peace and Quietness in their Minds They have not that inward Conflict which others complain of nor those Groans for Deliverance Yea they find satisfaction in their Lusts and Pleasures relieving themselves by them against any thing that occasioneth their Trouble Sect. 9 Ans. 1 For that Peace and Order which is pretended to be in the Minds of Men under the Power of Sin and not sanctified it is like that which is in Hell and the Kingdom of Darkness Sathan is not divided against himself nor is there such a Confusion and Disorder in his Kingdom as to destroy it but it hath a Consistency from the common End of all that is in it which is an Opposition unto God and all that is good Such a Peace and Order there may be in an unsanctified Mind There being no Active Principle in it for God and that which is spiritually Good all works one way and all its troubled streams have the same Course But yet they continually cast up mire and dirt There is onely that Peace in such Minds which the strong man armed that is Sathan keeps his Goods in untill a stronger than he comes to bind him And if any one think that Peace and Order to be sufficient for him wherein his Mind in all its Faculties acts uniformly against God or for Self Sin and the World without any Opposition or Contradiction he may find as much in Hell when he comes there Sect. 10 2 There is a Difference between a Confusion and a Rebellion Where a Confusion is in a State all Rule or Government is dissolved and every thing is let loose unto the utmost Disorder and Evil. But where the Rule is firm and stable there may be Rebellions that may give some parts and places Disturbances and Damage but yet the whole State is not disordered thereby So is it in the Condition of a sanctified Soul on the Account of the Remainders of Sin there may be Rebellion in it but there is no Confusion Grace keeps the Rule in the Mind and Heart firm and stable so that there is Peace and Assurance unto the whole state of the Person though Lusts and Corruptions will be rebelling and warring against it The Divine Order therefore of the Soul consisting in the Rule of Grace subordinating all to God in Christ is never overthrown by the Rebellion of Sin at any time be it never so vigorous or prevalent But in the state of unsanctified Persons though there be no Rebellion yet is there nothing but Confusion Sin hath the Rule and Dominion in them And however men may be pleased with it for a season yet is it nothing but perfect Disorder because it is a continual Opposition to God It is a Tyranny that overthrowes all Law and Rule and Order with respect unto our last and chiefest End Sect. 11 3 The Soul of a Believer hath that Satisfaction in this Conflict as that its Peace is not ordinarily disturbed and is never quite overthrown by it Such a Person knowes Sin to be his Enemy knowes its Design with the Aids and Assistances which are prepared for him against its Deceit and Violence and considering the Nature and End of this Contest is satisfied with it Yea the greatest hardships that Sin can reduce a Believer unto do but put him to the Exercise of those Graces and Duties wherein he receiveth great spiritual Satisfaction Such are Repentance Humiliation godly Sorrow self-Abasement and Abhorrency with fervent Outcryes for Deliverance Now although these things seem to have that which is grievous and dolorous prevailing in them yet the Graces of the Spirit of God being acted in them they are so suited unto the Nature of the New Creature and so belong unto the spiritual Order of the Soul that it finds secret Satisfaction in them all But the Trouble others meet withall in their own Hearts and Minds on the Account of Sin is from the severe Reflexions of their Consciences only and they receive them no otherwise but as certain Presages and Predictions of future and eternal Misery Sect. 12 4 A sanctified Person is secured of success in this Conflict which keeps blessed Peace and Order in his Soul during its Continuance There is a two-fold success against the Rebellious Actings of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin 1 In particular Instances 2 In the whole Cause And in both these have we sufficient Assurance of Success if we be not wanting unto our selves 1. For suppose the Contest be considered with respect unto any particular Lust and Corruption and that in Conjunction with some powerfull Temptation we have sufficient and blessed Assurance that abiding in the diligent Use of the Wayes and Means assigned unto us and the Improvement of the Assistance provided in the Covenant of Grace we shall not so fail of actual Success as that Lust should conceive bring forth and finish Sin 2 Cor. 2. 12. But if we be wanting unto our selves negligent in our known Duties and principal Concerns it is no wonder if we are sometimes cast into Disorder and foyled by the Powers of Sin But 2. As to the general Success in the whole Cause namely that Sin shall not utterly deface the Image of God in us nor absolutely or finally ruine our Souls which is its End and Tendency we have the Covenant Faithfulness of God which will not fail us for our security Rom. 6. 12. Wherefore notwithstanding this Opposition and all that is ascribed unto it there is Peace and Order preserved by the Power of Holiness in a sanctified Mind and Soul Sect. 13 Secondly But it will be further Objected That many Professors who pretend highly unto Sanctification and Holiness and whom you judge to be partakers of them are yet peevish froward morose unquiet in their Minds among their Relations and in the World yea much outward Vanity and Disorder which you make Tokens of the internal Confusion of the Minds of Men and the Power of Sin do either proceed from them or are carryed on by them And where then is the Advantage pretended that should render Holiness so indispensibly necessary unto us Ans. If there are any such the more shame for them and they must bear their own Judgement These things are diametrically opposite to the Work of Holiness and the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And therefore I say 1 That many it may be are esteemed Holy and Sanctified who indeed are not so Though I will judge no man in particular yet I had rather pass this Judgement on any man that he hath no Grace than that on the other hand Grace doth not change our Natures and renew the Image of God in us 2 Many who are really holy may have the double Disadvantage first to be under such Circumstances as will frequently draw out their natural Infirmities and then to have them greatned and heightned
of Christ in the State of the Dead 146 10 Death Natural what it is 240 5 Death Natural and Spiritual wherein they differ and wherein they agree 243 13 Death of Christ applyed by the Spirit for the Mortification of Sin 492 33 Spiritual Death Two-fold 239 2 Decayes in Grace to be found in many 353 Deceits practical about Holiness 420 Dedication unto God in what sence it is Sanctification 324 7 Deep Things of God what and how searched by the Spirit 56 19 Defilement of Sin wherein it doth consist 374 4 Degrees of Prophecy fancied by the Jewes rejected 105 11 Degrees in Holiness and growth in Grace whereon they do depend 167 10 Deliverances means of Conviction 294 13 Delight an Effect of Love 514 27 Delight in Sinners as sinning the highest degree of Shamelesness 397 398 How the Spirit of God departed from Saul 37 11 How the Holy Spirit departeth from Men. 91 19 Natural Depravation discovers the Nature of the Grace of Conversion 279 48 Depravation of the Mind how removed 282 52 Depravation of the Mind by Sin what it is and wherein it doth consist 209 13 Description of Sanctification 338 2 Spiritual Desertions and the Nature of them by some Derided 92 19 Design of the Gospel what it is 330 13 Design to be like unto God the Life of Holiness 503 11 Desires of Heaven of what sort they ought to be 512 21 Despisers of God who are so 538 11 Destruction of Sin in the Root and Principle our great Duty 405 Determination of the Will as a free Principle by Grace proved 284 55 Diabolical Pride in Scoffing at the Humiliation of Sinners 405 Difference between receiving Doctrines Notionally and Things really 219 28 Difference about Free-will stated and debated 434 34 Difference between a Spiritual Life and a Life of Moral Vertue 408 17. 414 6 Difference in Religion before the Entrance of Sin and afterwards 461 81 Differences between the life of Adam in Innocency and the life of Grace in Christ. 241 9 Differences about Regeneration none in it 178 12 Different Operations and Effects of one and the same Spirit 38 12 Different degrees of Graces 340 4 Difficulties of Faith 401 13 Difficulties in Duties from sundry Causes 438 39 Difficulty and Necessity of the Work of Mortification 480 13 Dignity of Professors wherein it consists 511 20 Diligence required in the Exercise of Grace 354 Discerning of Spirits an extraordinary Gift at the first 18 22 Discovery of Graces of Holiness springing from Election 443 46 Discovery of a false Foundation of Duties 364 Dispensation of the Spirit not consined unto the first times of the Church 25 28 Dispensation of the Spirit in general declared 79 80 1 2 3. Take away the Dispensation of the Spirit and the whole Church is ruined 157 Disposition of the Soul unto Acts and Duties of Holiness from an inward Principle 423 16 No Disposition unto spiritual Life in a State of spiritual Death 250 29 A Gracious Disposition expressed by Fear Love and Delight 427 17 Depraved Disposition in the Mind by Nature 215 20 Dispositions unto Regeneration of what sort 191 1 Natural Dispositions of some more sedate than of others 568 4 Disquisitions after God by the Light of Nature and their success 230 48 Distinct Operations ascribed unto the distinct Persons in the Trinity 45 4 Manifestation of the Distinction of Persons in the Divine Nature a great End in the Work of the New Creation 155 2 Distresses upon Conviction of Sin 302 27 Distribution of spiritual Gifts 6 5 Distributions of Grace used by the Ancients 255 6 Disturbance on Divine Revelations whence it proceeds 103 9 Diversity of Gifts an Occasion of Differences in the Churches 7 7 Knowledge of Divine things in their Operations and Effects 20 24 Divine voluntary Actings constantly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 49 10 Divine Persons succeeded not to each other in their Operations 70 3 Divine Nature in Christ acted not as his Soul 137 2 No true Apprehension of Divine Goodness but in Christ. 229 36 Division of the Holy Spirit in what sence spoken of 93 20 Doctrine of the Spirit of God the second great Principle of the Spirit 8 9 Doctrine of the Spirit the Life of all saving Truth 33 8 Doctrine of the Trinity despised by many 45 4 Doctrine of Regeneration variously described 196 10 Doctrine of some men about Regeneration 261 19 Doctrine of Obedience taught by Christ and what is considerable therein 558 10 Doctrines concerning the Operations of the Spirit of God preached with Efficacy 26 31 Things or Doctrines of the Gospel reduced to two Heads 223 36 The Dove under which shape the Holy Ghost appeared of what sort it was 52 53 15 16 Dreams a Means of Divine Revelation 107 13 Christ how Driven by the Spirit 142 Duty not the Measure of Power 379 Things wrought in a way of Grace prescribed in a way of Duty 379 No Duty of Obedience but an Holy Heart is enclined unto it 425 19 Duty and End to be considered in every Act of Obedience 441 43 Dutyes of Persons intrusted with spiritual Priviledges 7 1 Dutyes required in order to Conversion 192 3 Dutyes of Morality in the Gospel superstitious not the Foundation 235 58 Dutyes of Vnbelievers how Sins 248 25 Good Dutyes how vitiated yet accepted 248 26 The same Dutyes how accepted and rejected with respect unto divers Persons ibid. Dutyes not accepted on the Account of Persons 249 26 Dutyes of Faith Repentance and Obedience on what Grounds to be pressed on men 249 28 Good Dutyes of Vnregenerate men how to be esteemed 250 251 30 Dutyes of themselves will denominate no man Holy 362 Dutyes of Morality and Piety to be encouraged 420 Special Dutyes of those who have received a Principle of Holiness 422 Dutyes Internal and External distinguished 463 2 Dutyes of Believers and Vnbelievers differ in their Substance 471 16 Dutyes required in order unto the Mortication of Sin 487 23 Dutyes how to be performed that Sin may be mortified 489 27 Dutyes of Holiness more clearly revealed by Christ than any other way 557 9 How the Spirit dwelleth in Believers notwithstanding the Remainders of Sin 484 20 E. Earth in the first Creation what it contained 72 8 Education and Convictions in some measure compose Natures Disorders 568 6 Effects of Conviction where to be placed in the Soul 199 15 Effects of natural Vanity and how they are to be opposed 214 19 Effects of Conviction 301 26 Effects of the Priestly Acts of Christ of two sorts 555 3 Especial Effects of Divine Love 514 25 Every work of the Spirit Effectual 198 14 Effectual Work of Grace and our own earnest Endeavours consistent 345 7 Efficacy given to all Ordinances by the Holy Spirit 23 26 No Efficacy in second Causes independently on the first 77 15 Efficacy of Faith whence it ariseth 401 13 Efficacy of the Death of Christ for the destruction of Sin wherein it
consists 493 34 Real internal Efficiency ascribed unto Grace 269 29 Eminent Effusions of the Holy Spirit accompanyed with effectual Delusions of Sathan at the same time 18 22 Plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise of the Old Testament 122 2 The Elect the subject of the Promise of the Spirit as to Regeneration 357 3 Election the Spring of all true Holiness 442 45 Eternal Election a Cause of and Motive unto Holiness 520 c. No Evidence of Election without Holiness 521 5 Election absolutely considered no part of Gods Revealed Will. 523 10 No man Obliged to believe his Election before Conversion 524 13 Who are bound to believe that they are Elected 525 13 Divine Emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son 35 9 End of Prophesie in the Church 99 5 End of Miraculous Operations 115 21 End of God in the Work of the Old and New Creature 155 2 End of Afflictions and Tryals 343 6 End of Dutyes Two-fold 441 44 End of Legal Commands 535 5 Ends of Holiness for which it is required 414 4 Principal Ends for which the Holy Spirit is promised 357 3 Enforcements unto Obedience from the Authority of God in his Commands 538 10 11 No Enjoyment of God without Purification from Sin 378 Enmity of the Carnal Mind against God and his Wayes 231 49 50 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Enquiry into the Reasons and Difficulties in Holy Duties 438 8 Enthusiastical Raptures no Means of Conversion 186 25 No Enthusiastical Impressions in Conversion 270 32 No Entrance with God without Holiness 504 11 Equity of the Law how it respects the Ability of them that are Obliged by it 249 27 Espousals of the Blessed Virgin with Joseph the Necessity thereof 134 14 Essence and Form of Holiness wherein it consists 415 7 8 Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Evangelical Holiness distinguished from all Pretences thereunto 439 40 No Evangelical Truth inconsistent with Holinesse or repugnant thereunto 507 16 Evidences of Regeneration various 177 11 No Evidence of an Interest in the Oblation of Christ unless we are Holy 556 4 Infallible Evidences of Divine Inspiration 104 10 Evil Spirits and their Operations 37 11 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Evil Spirit how it wrought in Saul 112 18 All Excellencies ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 98 3 How Christ is our Example 447 448 449 Exhortations respect Duty not Ability 244 17 Experience of the work of the Spirit of God in the Souls of Men. 27 31 Experiences of the Truth and Reality of things believed supplyed by the Holy Spirit 341 5 Experience of the Defilement of Sin 372 3 External Duties of two sorts 464 4 Extraordinary Works of the Holy Spirit the several kinds of them 99 4 Extraordinary Acts of Christ during the Course of his private Life 140 F. Face of the Earth by what means Annually renewed 74 9 Facility in Dutyes of Obedience from a Principle of Holiness 436 37 Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Gift of the Holy Ghost how to be regulated 90 16 Faith Actually wrought by Grace 272 36 Faith and Love the Spring of Holiness how they are encreased 340 5 Faith encreased by the due Proposal of its proper Objects 341 5 What Faith is required that a man may please God 362 Faith alone interests us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 388 Faith worketh by Prayer unto the Cleansing of Sin 390 6 How it purgeth the Soul 390 8 Faith whether it be a Fixing of the Imagination 400 The Power of Faith in Conforming the Soul unto God 513 24 Faith of Election tends not to Carelesness 530 22 Faith without Holiness vain 553 38 Faithfulness of God in his Promises to be pleaded in Prayer 360 How the Holy Spirit doth Fall on men 90 17 Reasons of Mens Falling from a Course of Duties 548 26 False pretences unto the Name and Work of the Holy Spirit 13 15 False Prophets how they were Acted ib. 16 False Prophets of two sorts some meerly Acted by the Devil some pretenders only 14 17 False pretences to Divine Revelation Sathans Design therein 15 18 False Prophets why called Spirits 16 21 False Notions of Jews and Mahumetans about the Spirit of God 33 8 The Father how he is said to raise Christ from the Dead 148 All Grace Originally from the Father 163 Dread and Fear attending Convictions of Sin 304 30 Fear inseperable from Guilt 375 Fear of Sin a Fruit of Faith 404 Fear of Man how to be removed 539 13 Fiery Tongues what they signified 54 17 Figurative Expressions multiplyed in the Scripture 48 9 Figurative Expressions setting out the Vileness of Sin 402 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 The Finger of God what it is 72 7 Filiation a personal Adjunct 133 11 Fire on the Altar what it signified 53 16 Fire and Water the Means of all Typical Cleansing 371 1 Folly of men in seeking after Instruction in Moral Duties from others rather than from Christ. 558 11 The Things of God Foolishness unto the Mind of the Natural man how and in what sence 221 31 No Force put upon the Faculties of our Souls by the Operations of the Spirit 187 Forming of the Host of Heaven and Earth the Work of the Holy Spirit 71 7 Forming of the Body of Christ in the Womb the Work of the Holy Spirit 131 10 Foundation of all Church-Order in the Confession of the Lordship of Christ. 4 2 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Foundation of Moral Differences among Mankind 364 Freedome and Bounty in the Gift of the Spirit 82 4 Free-will wherein it ends consists 433 33 Freedom of Corrupted Nature and of Grace 434 33 Frequency in Duties produceth Facility 437 Fruits of Sin Internal and External 476 6 Fruits of Election its onely Manifestation 524 13 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Fulness of Christ what it is and how Communicated 457 71 Fundamental Principles to be attended unto in the tryal of Spirits 17 12 G. Gift of Prophesie honourable in the Church of Old and why 13 16 Gift of Prophesie falsely pretended unto and abused 13 16 The Gift of Prophesie whether ever given to Wicked men 110 17 Gift of Prophesie not a sanctifying Grace 111 18 Gifts of Civil Government from the Holy Ghost 116 22 Gifts for the Discharge of the Office of Mediator Collated on the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost 139 4 Gifts how to be prayed for 360 The Holy Spirit Given of God and how 80 3 Giving and Receiving related ibid. Giving of the Spirit includes Authority Freedom and Bounty 81 4 The Spirit how Given by the Father in the way of Authority 81 4 To Glorifie God as God what it is 44 2 Glorified Body of Christ the Example of ours 149 12 Glorying in Sin its Abomination 397 12
Christ in the Wombe 137 1 Humane Nature of Christ guided and supported by the Spirit in his Ministry 141 7 Humble walking with God Motives unto it 404 Humility promoted by thoughts of Sovereign Grace 526 16 I. Idolatry in Opposition to the Oneness of the Divine Nature and Monarchy the first Apostasie 24 27 Cure of Idolatry by the Captivity 25 27 Jesus Anathema how uttered by the Instigation of the Devil 3 2 Jesus confessed to be the Lord by unclean Spirits and how 4 2 Ignorance taken for simple Nescience how it may be ascribed to the Humane Nature of Christ. 138 3 Ignorance of the true Nature of Holiness and its Effects 421 Illumination previous to Conversion the Nature of it 193 6 Illumination how distinguished from meer Natural Knowledge 194 7 Image of God wherein it consisted 76 14 Image of God defaced by Sin 366 Image of God in us wherein it consisted 376 5 Imitation of Christ highly Necessary 449 59 Imperfect Obedience not taken into the Room of perfect Obedience by the New Covenant 413 4 Importance of the Doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit 10 10 Importance of the Doctrine of Sanctification 324 6 Imposition of Names by a Prophetical Spirit 100 6 Impotency of the Mind to receive spiritual things 210 13 Impotency of the Mind by Nature 218 27 Impotency of the Mind of Man by Nature Two-fold 224 39 Impotency from Spiritual Death the Nature of it 243 14 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Inclinations unto holy Actings predominant in a Gracious Soul 430 27 Inclinations of Sin alwayes to be watched against 479 11 Inconformity unto Gods Holiness the Nature of it 374 Reasons of Inconformity unto God 508 17 Incumbrances from Sloath in spiritual Duties 435 36 Individed Operations of the Divine Nature 69 2 Indulgence of any Sin hinders the progress of Holiness in general 354 Indwelling Sin three wayes to be considered 476 6 Infusion of a Principle of Divine Life in Regeneration 411 2 Inhabitation of the Spirit the Foundation of the Mortification of Sin 483 18 Inherent Righteousness what it is and wherein it consists 182 19 Actual Inherent Righteousness required unto Holiness 463 1 Ability of Adam in the State of Innocency 280 50 Inspiration the Original of Prophecye 101 7 Inspiration what it is and wherein it consists 102 8 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Institutions of the Law could not purge the Defilements of sin 379 Instruction of the Mind the first End of preaching the Word 258 11 Intellectual Faculties of the Mind strengthened by the Holy Spirit 119 26 Intellectual Faculties impaired by Sin 206 5 Intellectual and Moral Habits short of Holiness 336 14 Intellectual Habits the Nature of them 415 8 Intension of Mind in attendance to the Outward Means of Conversion how Necessary and in our own power 192 3 Intercession of Christ how a Cause of our Holiness 444 5 Intercession of Christ its Influence unto Holiness 556 5 Interest of Faith and Obedience in Principles of Truth 43 1 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 Irregularity of our Natures the Cause of Shame 383 Judgement of Spirits the Duty of all Believers 18 22 Justification not for Obedience to Gospel Precepts 536 537 7 8 c. K. Killing of Sin what it is and whence it is so called 478 9 Kindness required towards Believers in an especial Manner 516 30 Kingly Power of Christ and its Influence unto our Holiness 562 18 Knowledge of Divine things in their Operations and Effects 20 24 L. Law written in the Heart what it is 278 47 The Law to be considered as it expresseth first the Authority of God and then his Holiness 374 Law and Rule of the Acceptance of New Obedience what it is 413 4 Power of the Law with respect unto Duties 534 4 Reasons why mens Minds are little influenced by Humane Laws 540 15 The Law expounded and vindicated by Christ. 556 6 Legacy left by our Lord Jesus Christ unto his sorrowfull Disciples 9 10 Legal Purifications Types of real Sanctification 371 2 Legal Institutions for Purification their Vse and End 399 Arguments from Legal Commands no Motives to Holiness 534 3 Letter of the Scripture profiteth not the Jewes whilest they have not the Spirit 24 26 Spiritual Leprosie by Nature 393 10 Liberty and Ability in the renewed Will. 433 33 The Life of God from which we are alienated by Nature wherein it consists 215 21 Life natural what it is and wherein it consists 239 3 c. Life spiritual what it is 240 6 Life unto God of Adam in Innocency ibid. Spiritual Life of Adam in Innocency 241 7 Christ how he is our Life 247 23 Spiritual Life wherein it consists 419 13 Life unto God consists principally in Duties internal 464 3 The Light within examined 19 23 Things against the Light of Nature not really enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 Saving Light attainable by the Gospel onely 208 9 Saving Light how communicated to the Mind 283 54 Light and Ability in the renewed Mind 432 31 Some things clear in the Light of Nature 560 13 Literal sence of Doctrines of Truth may be understood 219 28 Three things required to render man meet to live to God 76 14 No Local Motion in the sending of the Spirit 84 8 Local Mutations in Vision or Divine Revelations the Nature of them 109 16 The Spirit of the Lord is Jehova 65 31 Love abused by Superstition vain 125 6 Love the first Grace acted by Christ in the offering of himself 144 Spiritual Love how implanted on the Soul 284 56 Love to Man the Spring of Christs holy Obedience 449 58 Love derives Vertue from the Death of Christ and how 495 37 Love effectual to make us like unto God 513 25 Especial Effects of Divine Love 514 25 26 27. Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Love towards all Saints promoted by thoughts of Eternal Love 517 18 Electing Love a Motive unto Holiness 529 20 Lustrations and Purgations whence in use among the Heathen 376 4 Lusts of the Mind from Darkness 231 51 Particular Lusts not the entire Objects of Mortification 481 14 M. Macedonian Heresie concerning the Holy Spirit 46 7 Man a middle Creature between Angels above and sensitive Animals below 75 10 Man the perfection of the Inferiour Creaation 75 12 The New Man what it is 184 21. 367 Outward Manner and Wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 Manner of the secret growth of Grace 347 8 The Manner and Way how the Blood of Christ doth cleanse us from Sin 387 5 Manner of the Operation of the Spirit in the Mortification of Sin 484 21 Manner of teaching by the greatest Moralist compared with that of Christ. 561 16 Not the Matter only but the Words of Divine Revelations given by Inspiration
114 20 Matter of Holiness wherein it consists 411 3 Means assigned in the Wisdom of God for the Recovery of fallen Man 8 9 Due Means to be sued in coming to the knowledge of Christ. 151 14 False Means rejected ibid. Means of Regeneration various 177 10 Vse of Means towards Persons unregenerate 244 16 Measures of the Gift of the Holy Spirit 95 21 The Spirit not given by Measure to Christ. 140 Mediation of Christ the only procuring Cause of Holiness 444 49 Christ a Mediator in what sence 451 62 Mediation of Christ confined unto his Offices 554 2 Merit inâ—â—nsistent with Grace 332 13 Merit destractive unto Holiness 505 14 Metaphors not to be faigned in the Scripture 57 21 Metaphor in the Expression of sending the Spirit 84 8 Meteors when created 72 8 Method of the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration 189 26 Method of the Gospel in declaring the Matters contained in it 235 58 Method of Divine Revelations to be believed 523 9 The Mind Depraved in things Natural and Moral 209 12 The Mind as the leading Faculty of the Soul how Corrupted 211 15 The Mind affected with Darkness 236 60 Carnal Mind in all Man-kind by Nature 243 14 Mind as the Conducting faculty of the Soul how Depraved 181 51 Mind to be renewed 367 Wofull Disorder of the Mind in a Natural Condition 567 2 Impotency of the Mind to receive spiritual Things 210 13 To be spiritually Minded what it is 424 18 Ministration of the Spirit renders the Gospel effectual 11 11 Ministration of the Spirit or how he is ministred 85 9 Ministers how called by the Holy Ghost 62 26 Ministers Duty to inquire into and declare the Nature of Regeneration 188 26 Ministry of the Gospel how the Ministry of the Spirit 122 3 Ministry of Angels about the Body of Christ when dead 147 10 Ministry of the Word its use in Conversion 257 9 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Miracles Effects of the Power of the Holy Ghost 114 21 No Mere Man the real Subject of a Power of working Miracles 115 21 Miraculous Operations in Christ by the Power of the Holy Ghost 141 6 Misery of Defiled Sinners 394 10 Misery of Man in this World not renewed by Grace 566 1 Moral Condition of Man by Creation 75 11 Moral Vertues and Endowments in Civil things wrought by the Holy Spirit 118 23 Moral Impotency of the Mind wherein it consists 225 41 Moral Vertue its worth and Excellency 325 326 8 Moral Vertue is not the Holiness of Truth 326 8 Moral Habits the Nature of them 416 8 Moral what is intended thereby 460 79 Name and Nature of Moral Vertue examined 459 78 Moral Operation and Efficacy of Dutyes for the Mortifying of sin 490 29 Moral Vertue what intended thereby 506 15 Morality improved by Grace no way hindred 181 17 Morality or a Course of Moral Duties not Gospel Holiness 440 441 c. To mortifie sin what it signifies 474 3 Mortification of Sin the Nature of it explained 473 1 Mortification an alwayes present Duty 475 5 Mortification progressive 479 10 Moses the first who committed Divine Revelations to writing 113 19 No local Motion in the sending of the Spirit 84 8 Motives unto Religious Worship taken from what God is unto us 44 2 Motives unto the Purification of Sin 391 8 Example of Christ our great Motive unto Holiness 449 58 Principal Motive unto the Mortification of Sin what it is 489 19 Moving on the Face of the Waters 72 8 Mistake of sundry ancient Translations 30 3 Mystery of Holiness 326 9 Mystery of the Cleansing of Sin by the Blood of Christ. 399 Mystical Body prepared for Christ by the Holy Ghost 321 1 N. The Name Spirit with the several Significations of it in the Scripture considered 28 2 The Name Spirit how peculiar to the third Person in the Trinity 34 9 The Name of God denoting his Being and Authority proper to each Person in the Trinity 50 12 The Nature of God the Foundation of all Religion 43 2 Nature of Prophesie of Old 100 5 Humane Nature of Christ derived no Evil from the Fall of Adam Reasons thereof 136 1 Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ in the Womb. 137 1 Divine Nature in Christ acted not as his Soul 137 2 The Divine Nature what it is 184 21 Nature of the Common Work of the Spirit explained what 198 13 Our whole Nature the subject of Sanctification 323 3 Nature of Holiness not to be comprehended by Natural Reason 326 9 Nature of Merit wherein it consists 332 13 Nature lapsed and depraved not able to repair it self 335 14 Nature of Decayes in Holiness 353 Nature created in the Image of God 365 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 True Nature of spiritual Liberty 434 34 Nature of God the onely infinite Fountain of Holiness 451 63 Holy Nature of God the Original Reason of the Necessity of Holiness in us 499 3 The Nature of that Holiness which God requireth of us revealed in Christ. 502 7 Some things clear in the Light of Nature 560 13 The Natural Man who he is 217 24 Natural Impotency of the Mind wherein it consists 225 40 Necessity of Changes in the Work of Grace 353 3 Necessity of Holiness acknowledged by all 498 1 Necessity of Holiness notwithstanding Gods readiness to pardon sin 518 33 Necessity of Holiness arising from Gods Command 533 2. 553 37 Neglect of known Duty ruinous to the Life of Holiness 250 10 New Act of especial Grace required unto every particular Duty 430 28 New Creation how effected by the Holy Spirit 95 1 Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation greatly to be considered 121 1 New Creation the Work whereby God designed to glorifie himself principally in this World 126 8 New Creation how assigned unto the Father Son and Spirit dictinctly 126 9 New Creature what it is and wherein it consists 183 20 New Man what it is 367 New Nature wherein it consisteth 411 2 Nine sorts of spiritual Gifts 6 7 7 Nocturnal Visions and Dreams the same 107 13 Nothing to be done in Obedience without Aids from Christ. 466 8 Nourishing of the Creation the Work of the Holy Spirit 73 9 O. Obedience of Christ gave Efficacy to his Oblation 144 Obedience without Merit Foolishness to Carnal Reason 334 13 Obedience with respect unto Rewards and Punishments not servile 541 15 Object of Christs Priestly Acts God himself 555 3 Objects of the Life of Innocency and the Life of Grace in Christ different 242 10 Objects of Creating Acts not in potentia before their Existence 273 37 Objections against the Progressive Nature of Holiness answered 349 350 c. 10 Objections against the Necessity of Holiness from the Decree of Election removed 522 523 c. How the Lord Christ sanctified himself to be an Oblation or Sacrifice 143 9 Oblation of Christ
whence voluntary and meritorious 146 9 Obligation unto Holiness no less under the Gospel than under the Law 535 6 All Obstacles removed by effectual Grace 270 30 Obstinacy and Stubbornness of the Heart by Nature 277 45 Obstructions of the Growth of Holiness 350 10 Occasions of spiritual decays in Grace 354 How Christ Offered himself to God through the Eternal Spirit 143 8 Office of Witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ discharged by the Holy Spirit 149 13 One singular Spirit of God declared in the Scripture 33 8 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 Operations of the Spirit called the Spirit by a Metonymy 33 8 Divine Operations of all sorts ascribed to the Holy Spirit 59 24 All Divine Operations ascribed unto God absolutely 68 1 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ of two sorts 128 2 Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of Christ notwithstanding its personal Vnion with the Son 129 3 Operations of the Holy Spirit in Conversion suited unto the Powers of our Souls 270 31 Two-fold Operation of Christ as Three in One 162 Opening of the Heavens what it signifies 52 15 Opinions in the Primitive Church falsly fathered on spiritual Revelations 15 19 Opposition to the Spirit of God and his Works with the Grounds of it 21 25 Pretences of Opposition unto the Spirit of God examined 21 25 Oppositions against the Church suppressed by the Spirit of God 78 16 No Opposition between Gods Commands and his Grace 167 Vniversal Opposition between Sin and Grace 477 7 Order of Divine Dispensations dependeth on the Order of the subsistence of the Divine Persons 39 14 Order of subsistence of the Holy Spirit in the Blessed Trinity 66 33 Order of Operation depending on the Order of Subsistence not the Order of Promination ibid. Outward Order in the Church of no use without the Presence and Work of the Spirit 158 4 Order in Subsistence gives Order in Operation 162 Order of the Mind in its first Creation 212 15 Order of the Gospel inverted by Prejudices 235 58 Order of Precedency in the Acts of Sanctification 410 1 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Original of all things in their several kinds 73 9 Original of the Spirits Acting in all his Works towards the Church 89 15 Where Original Sin is denyed Regeneration cannot be effected 186 24 Original Order of our Souls wherein it consisted 568 6 Outward Manner and wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 P. Pains of Death how loosed towards Christ. 147 11 Vanity of Papal Inventions for the Purification of Sin 379 380 Partial departure of the Spirit from any 91 19 Partial Works deceitfull 369 Two Parts of the Life of God 423 16 Particular good End not sufficient to render a Duty Good or Holy 441 44 Peace with God preserved by Sanctification 323 3 How God sanctifieth us as the God of Peace ibid. Pelagius his Artifices 177 9 Doctrine of Pelagius 183 20 Pelagianism renewed 255 5 Pelagianisme reduced unto its Head 256 7 Difference between Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians 262 19 Pelagian Grace inconsistent with Prayer 265 24 Pelagius his Prayer 266 25 Pelagian Grace rejected 458 73 Pen-men of the Scripture whether all holy 111 18 Pen-men of the Scripture not left unto the use of their own Natural Abilities 114 20 Sinless Perfection not attainable in this Life 547 25 Persecution of Erring Persons vain and fruitless 19 20 23 Person of the Spirit and his Operations distinguished 33 8 Third Person in the Trinity whence called the Spirit 34 9 Person of the Father the Fountain of the Trinity 38 13 Some things not proper to a Person assigned to the Holy Ghost in what sence 48 9 The Person of the Holy Spirit not poured out but his Gifts and Graces 87 13 Every Divine Person Author of the same Work 68 1 The Person of Christ how the Fountain of all Grace 455 The whole Person of a Believer the subject of Sanctification 365 Divine Persons succeeded not to each other in their Operations 70 3 Manifestation of the distinction of Persons in the Divine Nature a great End in the Work of the New Creation 155 2 All Personal Properties assigned unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 48 8 Personal Vnion or the Subsistence of both the Natures of Christ in one Person the necessary Consequent of Assumption 129 5 Personality of the Holy Spirit from John 14. 15 16. 60 61 25 Perswasive Efficacy of the Word Preached 258 12 Perswasion conferres no Strength 262 21 Perswasions enable not men to convert themselves 266 25 Perswasions of Perfection ruinous to Holiness 355 Pharisaical Confidence 397 12 Wise Philosophers of Old the greatest Despisers of the Gospel 221 222 Physical Operations of Grace proved 269 29 Pleas for Balaam answered 111 112 19 Pleas of Pelagians 263 21 Vain Pleas for the Power of Free-will in Opposition to the Aids of the Spirit 471 15 Pleas for Holiness by unholy persons uncomely and dangerous 498 2 Pleas for Moral Vertue examined 506 15 Pollution or spiritual Defilement in Sin 372 3 Pollution of Sin that property of it whereby it is opposed to the Holiness of God 374 4 Habitual Pollution inconsistent with any Holiness 378 Pouring forth of the Spirit 86 11 Pouring forth of the Spirit alwayes respects the times of the Gospel 87 12 Power ascribed unto the Holy Spirit 58 22 Powers and Operations of Secondary Causes to be owned 77 15 Power of the Mind with respect unto spiritual things examined 216 23 Power in the Mind by Nature to discern spiritual things 221 30 Power of spiritual Darkness 227 43 Power of Darkness in the Devil 228 45 Powers and Duties of the Mind 236 60 Power unto Obedience in the State of Innocency 241 8 Power in Natural men beyond what they do or will use 245 20 Power in the Faculties of Nature as Corrupted 250 29 Power of the Word to prevail on the Souls of Men whereon it depends 258 13 Spiritual Power in the Habit of Holiness 432 31 Commands of the Covenant respect the Power administred in the Covenant 432 30 Spiritual Power wherein it consists 432 31 No Power in Believers unto Duties of Holy Obedience without assistance of the Spirit 465 c. Power administred by Christ enabling us to be Holy 502 8 No Power given by one Covenant to fulfill the Commands of the other 544 20 All power unto Obedience from Grace 546 22 Two-fold power necessary unto Obedience 547 26 Practice of Moral Vertue not Gospel Holiness 459 77 Pravity of Sin with respect unto the Holiness of God Two-fold 377 6 Praying for the Spirit prescribed as our Duty 123 124 5 Difference between the Prayers of Wicked men and of Believers 164 6 Prayers of the Church prove Effectual Grace 265 24 Prayers for Grace and Holiness of what Nature 348 349 9 Prayer for the Holy Spirit in what sence 357 2
51 14 Religion in the Papacy wherein it consists 333 13 The only Remedy against the Pollution of Sin 399 Effects of the Remainder of Sin in Believers 429 26 Renovation of the Mind what it is and wherein it consists 282 53 Renovation of the Will wherein it consists 284 55 Renovation of our Natures the Foundation of spiritual Purification 383 Renovation of our Nature how the Foundation of Right and Title to all other things 509 18 Renovation of the Image of God the onely Cure of the Vanity Disorder and Misery of our Souls 568 7 Reparation of our Nature wherein it doth consist 366 Representation of New Objects unto the Rational Faculties of Christ. 138 3 False Representations of the Death of Christ to the Minds of men 495 38 All Repugnancy to Conversion taken away by Grace 275 41 Residence of adverse Principles in the same Faculties of the Soul 477 8 Resignation of all unto the Divine Will necessary 527 17 How the Spirit may be Resisted 165 8 Respect unto Gods Commands wherein it consists 337 14 Restauration of the Image of God an End of Christs Incarnation 554 1 Resting of the Spirit on any 90 18 Resurrection of Christ assigned distinctly unto the Father Son and Spirit 147 11 Nothing Revealed by Christ unto the Church but what is from Christ. 160 Divine Revelation the Rule and Measure of all Religion 44 3 Revelation both materially and formally the Rule of Holiness 412 3 Revelation of God by Christ of what sort 556 6 Rewards and Punishments Enforcements of Obedience 539 13 Inherent Righteousness what it is and wherein it consists 182 19 Righteousness of our own unto Justification not required 332 13 Righteousness unto Justification not the End of Gospel Commands 537 9 Word and Doctrine of Christ the Rule and Measure of Holiness 445 52 Every Rule of Duties besides the Gospel imperfect 560 14 S. First Sacerdotal Act of Christ. 143 9 Sacrifices were done really and spiritually by the Sacrifice of Christ. 386 Several sorts of Sacrifices and their use ib. How the Lord Christ sanctified himself to be an Oblation or Sacrifice 143 9 Sanctified Persons mistaken in the World 188 Affections how depraved how sanctified 285 56 Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ in the Womb. 137 1 God the Author of our Sanctification 322 3 Sanctification founded in Attonement 323 3 Sanctification described 323 324 5 Sanctification Two-fold 324 7 Sanctification and Holiness inseparable from the Doctrine Truth and Grace of the Gospel 325 8 Sanctification of Believers a Mysterious Work 326 9 Sanctification and Holiness promised 335 14 Sanctification and Regeneration how they differ 339 4 Sanctification a Progressive Work 339 340 4 5 c. Sanctification to be considered in its Principle and Progress 358 Entire Work of the Holy Ghost in Sanctification explained 435 35 Sanctification no less necessary than Justification 505 14 Satisfaction of Christ the great Encouragement unto Holiness 502 8 Saul how he Prophesied 112 18 Scripture to be attended unto against cavilling Objections 523 8 Secret Chambers where Christ is not what is intended by them 152 15 Seers whence Prophets were so called 102 8 Selfish men unlike to God 516 29 Seminal prolisick Vertue communicated by the Holy Spirit unto the Creation 73 9 Sending of the Spirit and how God is said to send him 84 8 Servile Fear the Nature of it 404 Shame inseparable from the Filth of Sin 375 Casting off Shame the highest Aggravation of Sin 377 5 Sheweth the things of Christ to Believers the things of Christ of two sorts 165 6 Signs and Wonders no infallible Testimony of true Prophets 18 22 Miraculous Works called Signs and why 115 21 No outward Sign can have in it self the Nature of Regeneration 180 16 Various Significations of the Name Spirit 30 31 32 33 2 3 4 5 6. One singular Spirit of God declared in the Scripture 33 8 Great Significations depending on a single Letter 114 20 Sin against the Holy Ghost why remediless 12 14 Where Original sin is denyed Regeneration cannot be effected 186 24 Sin compared unto all things that are defiled and polluted 372 3 Sin fills all Sinners not obdurate with shame 377 5 Glorying in Sin its Abomination 397 12 Sin and Grace cannot bear Rule in the same Person at the same time 429 25 Sin abides whilest we are in the flesh 475 5 Sin weakened by the Improvement and Exercise of Grace 478 8 Single Acts of Obedience will denominate no man holy 415 8 Skill in the Original Text necessary to the Exposition of the Scripture 30 4 Sloth in Holy Duties the Evil and Danger of it 508 17 Socinian Doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit 47 7 New Soul of the Proselyte 180 16 The Soul of Man the quickening Principle in Life Natural not in Life Spiritual 243 13 The Soul and Body how sanctified 368 Sending of the Holy Spirit the principal Promise of the New Testament 8 9 Spirits how to be tryed 17 25 Holy Spirit known by his Operations 21 24 Letter of the Scripture profiteth not the Jewes whilest they have not the Spirit 24 26 Dispensation of the Spirit not confined unto the first times of the Church 25 28 The Name Spirit with the several Significations of it in the Scripture confirmed 28 2 The good Spirit and the holy Spirit the same 38 12 Holy Spirit in what sence called the Spirit of God 38 13 Holy Spirit how called the Spirit of the Son 39 14 The Spirit not called the Spirit of Christ because he was anoynted with him 40 14 The Spirit not called the Spirit of Christ because he inspired the Prophets to foretell his Coming 41 16 The Spirit of Anti-Christ what it is 41 42 17 The Holy Spirit an Eternal Infinite Intelligent Person 46 47 48 49 c. 7 8 9 10 c. The Holy Spirit hath a spiritual Substance and subsistence of his own 54 18 Why the Holy Spirit never appeared in the Person of a Man 55 18 The Holy Spirit the Author of the Ministry of the Church 61 26 The Holy Spirit the Object of mens Actings in Religion 62 28 The Holy Spirit not a Quality or Vertue of the Divine Nature 64 30 The Holy Spirit expressely called God 64 31 The Spirit of the Lord is Jehova 65 31 Spirit of God and the Breath of God the same 75 12 The Holy Spirit given of God and how 80 3 The Spirit how given by the Father in the way of Authority 81 4 The Holy Spirit compared unto Fire and Water and why 88 13 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 Good Spirit of God over-ruling the Devil 112 18 Spirit of God the onely Author of all things good and excellent under the Old Testament 119 28 The Spirit and his Graces the great subject of all the Prayers of Believers 124 5 The Holy Spirit the Promise and Legacy of Christ. 124 6 The Holy Spirit the Spirit of the Son as
that is intended Sect. 9 And because this is a Matter of great Importance namely how the Lord Christ offered up himself unto God as a Sacrifice by the Eternal Spirit I shall farther explain it though but briefly Those who look only on the outward part of the Death of Christ can see nothing but suffering in it The Jews took him and they with the Souldiers both scourged and slew him hanging him on the Tree But the principal Consideration of it is his own offering himself a Sacrifice unto God as the great High Priest of the Church to make Atonement and Reconciliation for Sinners which was hid from the World by those outward Acts of Violence which were upon him And this he did by the Eternal Spirit wherein we may take notice of the ensuing Instances 1. He Sanctified Consecrated or Dedicated himself unto God for to be an Offering or Sacrifice John 17. 19. For their sakes that is the Elect I sanctifie my self The Lord Christ was before this perfectly sanctified as to all Inherent Holiness so that he could not speak of sanctifying himself afresh in that sense Neither was it the Consecration of himself unto his Office of a Priest For this was the Act of him who called him He glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto Him Thou art my Son Heb. 5. 6. He made him a Priest by his Death after the Power of an Endless Life Chap. 7. 16 20 21. Wherefore he consecrated himself to be a Sacrifice as the Beast to be Sacrificed of old was first devoted unto that purpose Therefore it is said that he thus Sanctified or Consecrated himself that we might be Sanctified Now we are Sanctified by the Offering of the Body of Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. This was his first Sacerdotal Acts. He dedicated himself to be an Offering to God And this he did through the Effectual Operation of the Eternal Spirit in him 2. He went voluntarily and of his own accord to the Garden which answered the Adduction or bringing of the Beast to be Sacrificed unto the Door of the Tabernacle according to the Law for there he did not only give up himself into the hands of those who were to shed his Blood but also actually entred upon the offering up of himself unto God in his Agony when he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Crying and Tears Heb. 5. 7. which declares not the Matter but the Manner of his Offering 3. In all that ensued all that followed hereon unto his giving up the Ghost he offered himself to God in and by those Actings of the Grace of the Holy Spirit in him which accompanied him to the last And these are diligently to be considered because on them depends the Efficacy of the Death of Christ as to Atonement and Merit as they were enhanced and rendred excellent by the Worth and Dignity of his Person For it is not the Death of Christ meerly as it was penal and undergone by the way of Suffering that is the Means of our Deliverance but the Obedience of Christ therein which consisted in his offering of himself through the Eternal Spirit unto God that gave efficacy and success unto it We may therefore enquire what were those Principal Graces of the Spirit which he acted in this offering of himself unto God And they were 1. Love to Man-kind and Compassion towards Sinners This the Holy Soul of the Lord Jesus was then in the highest and most inconceivable Exercise of This therefore is frequently expressed where mention is made of this Offering of Christ Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1. 5. Who loved us and washed us in his own Blood And Compassion is the first Grace required in an High Priest or Sacrificer Heb. 5. 2. God being now upon a Design of Love for it was in the pursuit of Eternal Love that Christ was sent into the World John 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 5 6. This Love that was now in its most inconceivable Advancement in the Heart of Christ was most grateful and acceptable unto him And this Intenseness of Love did also support the Mind of Christ under all his Sufferings as Jacob through the greatness of his Love unto Rachel made light of the seven years Service that he endured for her Gen. 29. 20. And so did the Lord Christ endure the Cross and despise the shame for the Joy of saving his Elect which was set before him Heb. 12. 2. And this was one Grace of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God 2. That which principally acted him in the Whole was his unspeakable Zeal for and Ardency of Affection unto the Glory of God These were the Coals which with a Vehement Flame as it were consumed the Sacrifice And there were two things that he aimed at with respect unto the Glory of God 1. The manifestation of his Righteousness Holiness and Severity against Sin His Design was to repair the Glory of God wherein it had seemed to suffer by sin Psal. 40. 6 7 8. and Heb. 10. 5 6 7. He came to do that with full desire of Soul expressed in those words Lo I come which Legal Sacrifices could not do namely to make satisfaction to the Justice of God for sin to be a propitiation to declare his Righteousness Rom. 3. 25. And this he doth as to the manner of it with inexpressible Ardency of Zeal and Affections v. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels he doubles the Expression of the Intenseness of his Mind hereon And therefore when he was to prepare himself in his last Passeover for his Suffering he expresseth the highest ingagement of Heart and Affections unto it Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer As with respect unto the same Work he had before exprest it I have a Baptism to be Baptized withal and how am I straitned or pained till it be accomplished Luke 12. 50. His Zeal to advance the Glory of God in the manifestation of his Righteousness and Holiness by the offering up himself as a Sin-Offering to make Atonement gave him no Rest and Ease until he was engaged in it whence it wrought unto the utmost 2. The Exercise of his Grace and Love This he knew was the way to open the Treasures of Grace and Love that they might be poured out on Sinners to the Everlasting Glory of God For this was the Design of God in the whole Rom. 3. 24 25 26. This Zeal and Affection unto the Glory of God's Righteousness Faithfulness and Grace which was wrought in the Heart of Christ by the Eternal Spirit was that wherein principally he offered up himself unto God 3. His Holy Submission and Obedience unto the Will of God which were now in the height of their Exercise and Grace advanced unto the utmost in them was another
promised that he will do himself in us towards us and upon us It is our Duty to believe that he will so do And to fancy an inconsistency between these things is to charge God foolishly 3. If there be an Opposition between these things it is either because the Nature of Man is not meet to be commanded or because it needs not to be assisted But that both these are false and vain Suppositions shall be afterwards declared The Holy Spirit so worketh in us as that he worketh by us and what He doth in us is done by us Our Duty it is to apply our selves unto his Commands according to the Conviction of our Minds and his Work it is to enable us to perform them 4. He that will indulge or can do so unto sloth and negligence in himself on the account of the promised working of the Spirit of Grace may look upon it as an evidence that he hath no interest or concern therein For he ordinarily giveth not out his Aids and Assistances anywhere but where he prepares the Soul with Diligence in Duty And whereas he acts us no otherwise but in and by the Faculties of our own Minds it is ridiculous and implies a Contradiction for a Man to say he will do nothing because the Spirit of God doth all For where he doth nothing the Spirit of God doth nothing unless it be meerly in the infusion of the first Habit or Principle of Grace whereof we shall treat afterwards 5. For Degrees of Grace and Holiness which are enquired after they are peculiar unto Believers Now these are furnished with an Ability and Power to attend unto and perform those Duties whereon the encrease of Grace and Holiness doth depend For although there is no Grace nor Degree of Grace or Holiness in Believers but what is wrought in them by the Spirit of God yet ordinarily and regularly the Increase and Growth of Grace and their thriving in Holiness and Righteousness depend upon the Use and Improvement of Grace received in a diligent Attendance unto all those Duties of Obedience which are required of us 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. And me-thinks it is the most unreasonable and sottish thing in the World for a Man to be slothful and negligent in attending unto those Duties which God requireth of him which all his Spiritual Growth depends upon which the eternal welfare of his Soul is concerned in on pretence of the efficacious Aids of the Spirit without which he can do nothing and which he neither hath nor can have whilst he doth nothing Sect. 8 Here lies the Ground and Foundation of our exercising Faith in particular towards him and of our acting of it in Supplications and Thanksgivings His participation of the Divine Nature is the formal Reason of our yeelding unto him Divine and Religious Worship in general but his acting towards us according to the Sovereignty of his own Will is the especial Reason of our particular Addresses unto him in the exercise of Grace for we are baptized into his Name also Sect. 9 Seventhly We may observe that in the Actings and Works of the Holy Spirit some things are distinctly and separately ascribed unto him although some things be of the same kind wrought by the Person in and by whom he Acts or he is said at the same time to do the same thing distinctly by himself and in and by others So John 15. 26 27. I will saith our Saviour send the Spirit of Truth and he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Witness of the Spirit unto Christ is proposed as distinct and separate from the witness given by the Apostles He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness And yet they also were enabled to give their witness by him alone So it is expresly declared Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Their witnessing unto Christ was the Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit upon them and the Effect of his Work in them And he himself gave no other Testimony but in and by them What then is the distinct Testimony that is ascribed unto him It must be somewhat that in or by whomsoever it was wrought it did of its own Nature discover its Relation unto him as his Work So it was in this Matter For it was no other but those Signs and Wonders or Miraculous Effects which he wrought in the confirmation of the Testimony given by the Apostles all which clearly evidenced their own Original So our Apostle Heb. 2. 4. The word was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God co-witnessing by Signs and Wonders He enabled the Apostles to bear witness unto Christ by their Preaching Sufferings Holiness and constant Testimony which they gave unto his Resurrection But in this he appeared not he evidenced not himself unto the World though he did so in and by them in whom he wrought But moreover he wrought such visible miraculous Works by them as evidenced themselves to be Effects of his Power and were his distinct Witness to Christ. So our Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God The Witness which our own Spirits do give unto our Adoption is the Work and Effect of the Holy Spirit in us If it were not it would be false and not confirmed by the Testimony of the Spirit himself who is the Spirit of Truth and none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. If he declare not our Sonship in us and to us we cannot know it How then doth he bear witness with our Spirits What is his distinct Testimony in this Matter It must be some such Act of his as evidenceth it self to be from him immediately unto them that are concerned in it that is those unto whom it is given What this is in particular and wherein it doth consist we shall afterwards enquire So Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come The Bride is the Church and she prayeth for the coming of Christ. This She doth by his Aid and Assistance who is the Spirit of Grace and Supplications And yet distinctly and separately the Spirit saith come that is he puts forth such earnest and fervent desires as have upon them an Impression of his immediate efficiency So v. 20. carrieth the sense of the place namely that it is Christ himself unto whom She sayes come or they pray for the hastning of his coming Or they say come unto others in their Invitation of them unto Christ as the end of v. 17. seems to apply it Then is it the Prayers and Preaching of the Church for the Conversion of Souls that is intended And with both the Spirit works eminently to make them effectual Or it may be in this place the Spirit is taken for the Spirit in the Guides and Leaders of the