man be borne of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God q. d. I thought Nicodemus I should make thee wonder I tolde thee I should grauell thee well perceiuing thee thus plunged I wil help thee the second or new birth which I nowspeake of is not naturall but spirituall I discourse not of a re-entring into the mothers wombe the second time naturally for I know that to be impossible but of an entring of the holy Ghost into the soule by grace spiritually and in this sense would I haue thee to vnderstand me and for a man thus to be borne agayne is so far from being impossible that it is most necessary and needefull if he minde euer to enter into the Kingdome of God either of grace heere or of glory hereafter d Verse 7. Maruell not therefore that I said vnto thee Ye must be borne againe Now our Sauiour hauing by this occasion entred vpon so woorthy a subiect as the doctrine of Regeneration is in handling the same he doth amplifie it from a three-folde particular first from the effect of it secondly from the contrary thirdly from the efficient cause of it First the effect of regeneration is the reward that followeth it viz. the inheritance of an heauenly kingdome in the later end both of the third and fift verses Except a man be borne againe or of the Spirit he can not see nor enter into the Kingdome of God giuing vs to vnderstand that if a man be regenerate he shall possesse the Kingdome of Heauen Secondly the contrary vnto this worke of the new-birth is the corruption of the flesh and the power of the same expressed in the sixt verse That which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Thirdly the efficient cause or immediate agent of this worke is the Spirit of God or the holy Ghost set out by a two-folde metaphor or similitude first likened to Water in the fift verse Except a man be borne of water and the spirit c. i. of the spirit which is like vnto water and secondly resembled to Wind in the present Text. The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the spirit Sect. 2. The summe Which words as wee see for the summe and substance of them are nothing else but a Comparison vsed by our Sauiour in conference with Nicodemus to expresse the operation of the most blessed Spirit of God in effecting and contriuing that excellent worke of Regeneration in the hearts of the Elect which Comparison is taken from the liberty to breathe from the noyse and sound that are in the wind when it moueth the ayre and this for the coherence and substance From whence what we may gather in generall for our learning before we come to diuide and vnbowel the Text more particularly we shall see by that which followeth in two conclusions CHAP. II. The first generall Conclusion from the nature and substance of the words Sect. 1. THis metaphoricall or rather comparatiue forme of speech our Sauiour doth not vse in vaine but that his Church may learne something euen from the very maner of speaking For in that from the cōsideration of an earthly creature such as the Wind is hee doeth take occasion to discourse with Nicodemus of an heauenly matter Doctr. 1. hence we may obserue thus much that from the consideration of natural things wee should be led to the contemplation and communication of heauenly Saint Iohn from the noyse of the e Reu. 4.5 cap. 14.2 thunder which he heard in his Reuelations is led to the meditation of the power of Christ his voice in the preaching of the Gospell against Antichrist and his hereticall kingdome f Isa 44.19 The Prophet Esay from the consideration of the vnmoueable strength stability of the earth takes occasion to speake of the vndoubted certainty of Gods vnaltetable truth both in his promises and threatnings And how full of such heauenly meditations and diuine speeches the minde and mouth of Dauid the Father and Solomon the Sonne were vpon the consideration and sight of the workes of God he shal perceiue that doth at his leisure peruse the first psalme the nineteenth the hundred and nineteenth and many other places in the Psalmes and the whole Booke of the Canticles Sect. 2. Vse And wherefore serueth this but to prouoke and stirre vp euery Christian to reade to himself a profitable Lecture out of the Booke of the creatures and not to content himselfe with a meere gazing and looking vpon the workes of God in the heauens the earth the waters fruitlesly and vnprofitably as the greatest number doe but to be led by the same to set his heart on worke by diuine meditation and his tongue in spirituall conference according to what hee seeth or considereth in those workes g Motiue 1. from gods glorie Doth not the appearance of Gods glory in these creaturs call for this duty at our hands Serue not the variety the beauty the proportion the forme and the ornament of these creatures to set forth and declare the praise of his wisedome the glory of his power the honour of his goodnesse and according to that of Paul h Rom. 1.20 Are not the visible things of God seene clearely and his glorie showne conspicuously in and from the creation of the world Are not we guiltie then of dishonouring him when wee shall but meerely looke vppon these things as vpon a peece of paper that hath no letters and from them draw nothing to our meditations for the good of our soules and the benefit of others i 2. Note otherwise wee shew our selues fruitlesse See wee the Sunne so oft bloweth the winde so oft soundeth the thunder so oft bursteth forth the lightning so oft falleth downe the raine so oft Behold wee the Canopie of the Cloudes the lustre of the heauens the beauty of the earth and yet learne wee nothing from hence Oh how barren hearts haue we How vnprofitable Scholers are we It is much that hauing beene set to Schoole so long euen euer since our yeares of discretion wee haue not yet taken forth one good lesson out of this great booke the vse whereof the looking whereon we doe so daily and continually enioy What are they but Droans that flie about the fields and gaze vpon the floures and gather no hony from them And what shew we our selues but a sluggish cattell a fruitlesse people when wee can bring no hony to our Hiues no holy thoughts to our harts from the great Vniuerse to profit our selues and sweeten others withall Philosophers Physicians Astrologians haue all learned some thing from hence though but heathen and shall we that professe our selues Christians onely remaine vnprofitable The duty vrged Oh that wee could
THE GALES OF GRACE OR The Spirituall Winde Wherein the Mysterie of Sanctification is opened and handled By THOMAS BARNES Preacher of Gods word at Much-Waltham in Essex Psal 147.18 He causeth his winde to blowe and the waters flowe LONDON Printed by H.L. for Nathanael Newbery and are to be sold at his shop in Cornehil neere S. Peters church 1622. To the right Worshipful Sir IOHN ROVVSE Knight the Worshipfull Mr. HVGH EVERARD Esquire Mr. I. SORRELL and the rest of the Congregation of Much-Waltham in Essex grace mercie and peace TWo mēbers hath the Lord giuen Man Right Worshipfull and Beloued which are very helpefull to the soule the Eye and the Eare. The Eare heareth the word preached the Eye lookes vpon the word written Varietie of Obiects of both kindes haue both these Senses in these times of knowledge in the multitude of Sermons and number of Books So that for a man now to write may happely seem needlesse but like the adding of water to the Ocean And for such an one as I am to write whose yeres are but few whose learning is but small whose iudgement but weak whose leasure but little and employmēts many may seem strange But both Obiections I hope without offence may easily be answered For the first Of a good Subiect as too much cannot be spoken so too much cannot be written and we are so backward in sayling towards heauen that wee haue neede of all helpes to further vs thitherward To the second that I should thrust in my farthing amongest the learned and godly Talents in these dayes I must ingenuously confesse is strange presumption if I had nothing to speak for my enterprise But the weightinesse of the matter treated of may bee mine Apologie for the publication and the vndeserued respect which I haue had amongest you since my first comming vnto you is the cause of the Dedication For whom-to may I dedicate it but to them that haue most right vnto it And who haue more right vnto it and to the Author of it then your selues in whose hearing it was first preached for whose profit it was first intended for whose sakes it is now enlarged and by whom the Author is maintained I desire it may lie by you as a testimoniall of my thankefull heart vnto you and of my vnfayned desire of your good as of mine owne though it be not so good as I wish it were It is a Doctrine of wind that I offer yet of such winde as commeth from Heauen which Gods treasurie the Store-house of the Scriptures doth affoord And therefore Aelian var. hist li. 1. cap. 32. as Artaxerxes the Persian Monarch answered Sinaetas when hee presented vnto him an handfull of water fetcht from the Riuer Cyrus O man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I accept thy gift and esteeme it precious First because of all things water is the best Secondly because it cometh from that Riuer which beareth the name of Cyrus So I haue confidence you will answer me We accept this Present first because of all exhalant vapors the Wind is the purest secondly because it is called the Winde of the Spirit wherewithall whosoeuer are breathed vpon happy they that euer they were borne And Howsoeuer in my manner of handling the Subiect I can-not so diuinely dresse it and deepely diue into it as the food and fountaine it selfe doth deserue yet I doubt not but you will find more leasure at your leasure to reade it then Antipater King of Macedon did a Treatise of Happinesse which one Dedicated vnto him I confesse it is a Present too small for one of you beeing so little as it is yet inasmuch as the GOD of Loue hath seated you together in the same Congregation made you Copartners of the same profession and hath made some of you truely the same in spiritual communion I cannot separate you in the Dedication I haue beene bold with some of your particular names in the Inscription vnder which as vnder a shade this Manuall seeketh for shelter for it selfe and for authoritie amongest them to whose hands it may come and chiefly for entertainement amongst the rest of the Parish whom namelesse I subordinately after you send it vnto Thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse I beseech the Father of Lights to blesse my Labours among you so long as with your and your Pastours loue and leaue I shall haue mine aboade with you and to multiply his fauours vpon you both internall externall and eternall and take my leaue promising and purposing to rest and remaine An earnest Petitioner to the God of heauen for your best welfare THO. BARNES ⧠To the Christian Reader MAriners vpon the Sea good Reader haue neede of the Winde to driue their Shippes to the hauen and men in this world haue need of the Spirit to drawe their Soules to heauen Which spirit the most carnall Libertines and secure worldlings that are imagine themselues to be endued withall though they neuer saw the want of it knew the worth of it nor felt the worke of it in themselues which thing when I considerd I made choice of that Theame which is the ground of this Treatise to treate of tooke occasion from thence to frame a Discourse of the Winde of the Spirit that according to my modell I might giue a little light to the mysticall doctrine of Sanctification This discourse I fitted and framed for that particular Assembly where it hath pleased God to seate me for how long I know not for the exercise of my Ministery And where I preached it there I thought to haue buried it at the first but when I considered the necessitie of the subiect handled and the infirmity of the Author being too swift in my deliuery I thought the things might be let fall by the hearers without that fruite which they desired without that good which I intended Whereupon I was induced in my thoughts to offer it what-euer it bee to publique view This motion at the first I strongly resisted in regarde so many worthie Treatises are extant vpon the Doctrine of Regeneration But when I called to minde that same charitable speech of diuine Augustine Lib. 1. de Trinit ca. 3 I would that in places infected with Heresie all men would write that haue any faculty in writing though it were but the same things in other words to the end that all sorts of people amongest many Bookes might light vpon some and the enemy in all places might finde some to encounter him This holy wish of that worthy Father concurring with my desire of doing good answered those mentall obiections which I met withall in my thoughts and qualified that indisposition which I had to send it to the Presse and like a strong Commander bade it venture abroade into the world Being thus called forth I present it to thy view I proffer it to thine vse If thy conscience beeing drowsie may any whit be awakened by it If thy spirit beeing heauy may
bee any whit accheered by it if thy iudgement being erronious may be any whit informed by it if thy mind being doubtfull may be any whit resolued by it if thy desire to walke with God may be any whit sharpened by it and thou directed to leaue the way of the flesh and walke after the Spirit which are the ends as the great Searcher of all hearts knoweth I chiefly aime at in making it publique giue the glory vnto God who gaue the first motion last resolution to set it forth and for my recompence let me haue thy praiers to God that I may fulfill the course of my ministry with ioy If the inserting heere and there in the margine other Authors beside the Scriptures doth distaste thee that art a weake Christian Reader know that I haue done it to free my selfe from a calumnie wherewithall some haue charged me that I should bee against the vse of Fathers and withall for thy further satisfaction consider that I haue done more at the Presse then in the Pulpit as mine ordinarie hearers can testifie whose eares it is not my wont to amaze being plaine country hearers with Augustine Gregorie Barnard Chrisostome c. On the other side if that because I am no more plentifull in quotation doth displease thee that art a curious Reader I would entreate thee to be satisfied with this that I had rather incurre the censure of a nice iudgement vndeseruedly then haue mine heart smite mee and my conscience tell me that I seeke the praise of man more then of God And what cumfort could I haue when men should esteeme me a well read Scholler in the Fathers which cannot be in respect of my yeeres and yet indeed I should be beholding to an Index prepared to my hand by the industry of another for such allegations Well whatsoeuer affection thou readest it withall profit it is that I wish to thy soule I haue diuided the whole into Chapters the Chapters into Sections that thou mayest reade all as well as some and not weary thy selfe with too much at once if tediousnesse shall seeme to oppresse thee and indeed vnlesse thou readest all thou maiest mistake me in some things Thine the Treatise is thine also my selfe am in our common Sauiour to whose grace I commend thee As a desirer of thy best good T. B. The Contents CHAP. I. THe Entrance into the matter by shewing the occasion and Summe of the Text. CHAP. II. The first generall Conclusion from the nature and substance of the words CHAP. III. The second generall Conclusion from the summe of the Text. CHAP. IIII. The Logicall Analysis of the Text and the opening of the first part of it CHAP. V. The first Doctrine from the first part of the Text concerning the free libertie of the Spirit his working CHAP. VI. The second Doctrine from the first part of the Text touching the Inuincible force of the breath of the Spirit CHAP. VII The words of the second part of the Text interpreted and the heads of the doctrines briefly propounded CHAP. VIII The first Doctrine from the second part of the Text handled CHAP. IX The second Doctrine handled from the second part of the Text. CHAP. X. The third poynt handled from the second branch of the Text. CHAP. XI The fourth and last Doctrine obseruable in the second part of the Text. CHAP. XII The third part of the Text expounded and the poynts of Diuinitie thence arising propounded CHAP. XIII The first proposition handled out of the last part of the Text. CHAP. XIIII The second and last poynt from the last part of the Text. The Gales of Grace OR The Wind of the Spirit Iohn 3.8 The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tel whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is euerie one that is borne of the Spirit CHAP. I. ¶ The entrance into the matter by shewing the occasion and summe of the Text. Sect. 1. The occasion and coherence THis third chapter of Saint Iohn from the first verse to the 22. is a dialogue or conference betwixt the Sauiour of Israel and a Maister in Israel I meane Christ Iesus and Nicodemus concerning the causes of eternall saluation wherin our Sauior amongst many other necessarie doctrines touching the merits of his a Verses 13.14 obedience b v. 15.16 faith in his bloud the c v. 16.17 loue of the Father in sending his Son out of his owne bosome to ransome and redeeme the world of Beleeuers which hee handleth heere and there within the compasse of those verses falleth in the first place vpon the point of Regeneration beeing occasioned thereunto by the speech which Nicodemus put foorth to him in the second verse Rabbi we know thou art a teacher come from God that is Not onely the vulgar sort of people but also wee Pharises are perswaded and doe confesse that thou art a Teacher and Doctor not assuming the office of instructing by an vnlawfull vsurpation but sent by an extraordinary and immediate calling from God himselfe whose presence and power doth manifest it selfe in thy Doctrine by the miracles which he enableth thee to doe for the ratifying confirming of that which thou teachest By which speech Christ perceiuing a secret desire in this Doctor to be taught in the way of God beginneth somewhat obscurely to tell him of a certaine second or new-birth making entrance thereinto with a vehement asseueration or protestation in the third verse Verily verily I say vnto thee Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God as if hee should haue said Sayest thou so Nicodemus that I am an extraordinary teacher sent from God not called after an ordinary manner thou speakest true and such an one shalt thou now finde me for I can instruct thee in such a mysticall peece of Diuinitie as by all the humane learning thou hast thou shalt neuer be able to gage the depth nor fadome the bottome of it And wottest thou what it is A man must be borne againe Nicodemus And that thou mayest not thinke that I speake more then I can iustifie I protest vnto thee Verily verily a man must of necessitie be borne againe what sayest thou to this Didst thou euer heare the like Diuinitie Truely no sayth he in the fourth verse and though I heare it now I can scarce beleeue it it is the strangest Doctrine that euer I heard to mee thou seemest to preach impossibilities and to make that absolutely needfull which I can no way conceiue to be possible How can a man be borne when he is olde Can hee enter the second time into his mothers wombe and be borne Nicodemus hauing thus bewrayed his grosse ignorance and that he was driuen into a maze by that which Christ spake Christ replieth vppon him againe as willing to reach him and openeth his minde and his mouth a little more plainely about the matter in the fift verse Except a
8.2.3.4 There was a willingnes in them aboue their power The people that contributed towards the building of the Temple that Dauid set vp k 1 Chro. 9.6 offred willingly and their hearts were to it as the Text sheweth And whence was it that there was this alacrity in them to further so commendable an action but from this that The holy Ghost had taken vp his lodging in the temple of their hearts When these gusts of grace blowe vpon the heart of a Minister they will make him so nimble in his Embassady that hee will preach the word of God l 2 Cor. 8 17 willingly When they breathe vpon the heart of a Magistrate hee will m Ier. 9.3 haue courage for the truth vpon the heart of an hearer he will be swift in n Iam 1.19 hearing the word of God This winde did driue Dauid forward so fast that o Ps 119 32 hee ranne the way of Gods commandements and Paul so swiftly that he did p Phil. 3.14 follow hard or press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus What shall we say then of those that goe so murmuringly and vncheerfully about any good and godly exercise being as hardly drawne to it as a Beare to the stake so hard to be brought to a sermon especially if it bee vpon any other day but the Sabbath when the lawes of the Land awe them so hard to be perswaded to entertaine a good conceit of to afford a good word or to stand vp for the faithfull ministers and seruants of Christ Iesus so hard to be drawn to maintain the worship of God in the places where they liue to releeue the wants of the needy to breake the bread of life diligently to their people if they bee Ministers to administer the rules of justice duely if they bee Magistrates and to execute the duties which belong to their places What I say can bee thought of such certainly they giue shrewd suspicion that heauens blasts in the work of regeneration haue not as yet breathed vpon them for if they had ther would be more spirituall agility more heauenly alacrity and readiness to do good in them then there is The oyled door will open and shut without creaking and the heart that is oyled with grace will bee enlarged to what good is without grudging Doth a boat that hath a fair winde and a full streame stand in need of an haling line and doth the winde of heauen thinkest thou blowe vpon thee whē thou must haue so many haling lines to draw thee or else no good can bee wrung from thee Wilt thou not worship God but when the Sabbath cometh not giue to the poore but when the rate cometh nor bring forth better fruits of amendment but when death cometh or some extraordinary visitation when thou thinkest there is no remedy but thou needs must or else some inconuenience may ouertake thee and whatsoeuer thou dost is done vnwillingly and yet imagine that thou art endued with the Spirit How darest thou thus controule the truth of Gods word which cannot ly I confesse indeed A caution that the best of Gods seruants into whom the Lord hath breathed the greatest measure of grace doe sometimes feel themselues more lumpish drowsie and vncheerfull in holy seruices then they were wont to be as no doubt Dauid did after his fall but yet it is but at some times it is not alwaies so with them And I knowe also that the worke of grace hath need to be helped forward by the vse of means in those that excel in vertue in this vale of imperfection by reason of the remainder of corruption as the boat though hauing a fair winde by the help of oares in regard of som heauy burden that it may carry yet go forward they do by the vse of those holy means and they bewail their vntowardnes also But that man that hath no heart at any time vnto that which is good that laboureth not to ouercome his backwardnes that laments it not that striueth not that voweth not that praieth not against it vpon whom the preaching of the word the perswasion of friends cannot preuail to make him doe anie more then that which perforce is extorted and haled from him either by the rigour of mans law or the winde of vain glory it cannot be truly said that the treasures of sauing grace are bestowed vpon him for those that are borne of the Spirit will not onely bring forth the fruits of the Spirit but also with cheerfulnes and alacrity accounting it their felicity to be imploied in the seruices of their heauenly Master Again 4. Signe of regeneration The spirituall conflict the winde doth not onely driue forward but also it resists those things that stop the speedy passage of it so the Spirit of grace doth ordinarily resist whatsoeuer is contrary to its owne working in the soule which it regenerateth Which thing the Apostle euidently laieth down when hee saith q Gal. The spirit lusteth against the flesh Insomuch that by this wee see that another euidēce for the work of grace must bee fetched from the spirituall combate betwixt the flesh and the spirit For it beeing so that in the most regenerate there is corruption as well as grace there must needs be an holy strife in that person A Simile Wee see in the whirl-winde where there are but circular blasts that are indirectly contrary and laterally opposite to one another what a stirring of the dust what a whirring of the stubble or what euer else lieth where those blasts meet there is as if we should see two champions grappling and wrastling in that place How much more is it true that there must be a strange bickering and striuing in that soule where two such spirits doo meet as are not indirectly opposite but directly contrary to one another viz. the Spirit of God comming from heauen working grace and the spirit of Satan coming from hell hindering grace Vpon none of all the Apostles did this holy Spirit breathe more then vpon Paul whether wee consider the measure of his humiliation at his first conuersion or the measure of his zeal after his conuersion and yet he had this spirituall conflict in himself as may bee gathered from his owne complaint r Ro. 7.24 I see a law in my members warring against the law in my minde and leading me into captiuity to the law of sinne And what dry bouts Dauid a man after Gods owne minde had sometimes with distrust of Gods prouidence sometimes with despair of Gods assistance sometimes with carnall confidence sometimes with fretting at the prosperity of the wicked and the like the Book of the Psalms is a plentifull witnes What breathings of grace then trowe wee haue they attained vnto that neither euer were nor yet are at warre with their owne corruptions but in their own deluded opinion all is wel with them at peace with
I deny not but the tongue being h Iac. 3.8 an vnruly euill for want of watchfulnesse at sometimes may breake foorrh into speeches vnseemely vnsauoury offensiue and scandalous though the heart be neuer so well sanctified yet this euill is bewayled when it is perceiued and more care is taken by the Christian to set locke and key vppon his mouth afterward But to make a common trade of swearing cursing lying filthy speaking Ismaelitish scoffing priuy whispering without any compunction or remorse without any reformation or amendment is a plaine argument of a gracelesse disposition which I doe boldly affirme against the stoutest loose-tongued speaker that is because the Apostle ioyneth with me and is my warrant when he sayth i Iac. 1.26 If any man among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vaine And this may I adde also If any man or woman would be accounted such an one as in whose heart the Spirit of grace hath breathed and yet not able or at least truly desirous and industrious to inure his mouth to blessing as well as to bridle it frō cursing and to set it on worke with the matters of heauen as to refraine it from hellish discourses that person is much deceiued also If thou wert regenerate thou couldest not choose but vppon fit occasion offered bee speaking and telling either how God humbled thee or how he raised thee or how hee brought thee to Christ how he tried thee since thou camest to Christ and grace would make thee speake either of the force of thy corruptions or the victory thou hast gotten ouer them of the rubbes that are in the way of a Christiā mans course of the sweetnesse of a godly life c. Thy wife thy husband thy children seruants friends familiars neighbors should heare the sound of godly counsell mingled with loue the sound of holy perswasion ioyned with wisedome of religious instruction graced with grauitie of wholsome aduice seasoned with humility to come from thee and proceede out of thy mouth either more or lesse according to thy measure if the fountaine were but seasoned and thy heart sanctified with the sauing gales of the winde of grace Thy tongue would be moouing questions to the aged in Christ that are stronger then thy selfe thou wouldest be willing to giue direction vnto those that are yonger then thy selfe and that haue not that experience which thou hast and glad wouldest thou be of any occasion to talke of the wayes of God to the furtherance of thy selfe to the edification of others Insomuch that howsoeuer many can talke well which are but hypocrites neuer sanctified by the power of the holy Ghost yet all that are so sanctified and regenerate can speake of the things that concern the good of their soules either more or lesse and that to some good purpose also and the newest borne babe in Christ that is I speake of those that are come to yeres of discretiō though his vnderstanding be neuer so small is able to put the laylors question to the learnedest Paul and profoundest Diuine in the Land k Acts 16. Sir what shall I doe to be saued What must I doe to come by such a grace the want whereof I see in my selfe what course shall I take to ouercome such a corruption the raging whereof I finde against my soule I goe not about good Reader to bring all Christians to one and the same scantling in this matter of spirituall conference A caueat for some speake lispingly or stammeringly for want of age experience help of naturall gifts wherein other Christians goe beyond them and no further then the Lord openeth Dauids lippes can l Psa 51. his mouth shew foorth Gods praise But this is that which I chiefly intend To proue him to be destitute of grace that hath neyther art nor heart or art without an heart to conferre and speake of the matters of saluation The Lord knows it is farre from my purpose to quench so much as the smoaking flaxe or discourage the weakest scholler in Christs Schoole that is scarce past his Christs Crosse rowe if hee hath but a true minde to learne the Lord prosper him in this businesse and encrease his skill more and more I am not ignorant how many weake Christians complaine of their vnskilfulnesse this way I can not conferre I can not talke as such an one can I haue not the gift c. Canst thou not Thou canst thou canst talke of thy corruptions thou canst complaine of thy weakenesses thou canst question about what way thou must walke in to come to saluation seeing thy selfe to be out of the way naturally though thou beest neuer so weake and vnskilfull if thou hast any whit of spirituall breath in thee thus thou canst I say conferre and speake and by that time thou comest to haue these questions throughly answered according to thy hearts desire thou shalt from thine owne experience grounded vppon the word of GOD in the Lawe and Gospell come to that maturitie and ripenesse that thou shalt be able to put any meer Naturian or Politician to his non plus in the points of practicall Diuinitie And therefore once againe I say goe on the Lord prosper thee Though thou canst but spell as yet and thy vnderstanding bee but small yet if the Lord hath enlarged thy heart to seeke after Knowledge as for Pearles and like a diligent dutifull Scholler to plie thy booke hard and to crie and complaine because thou canst not get thy lesson so well as thou doest desire intreating thy fellowes to help thee and to tell thee I dare not say but that the Spirit of Heauen hath inspired grace into thee Wherefore I aime not I say at the discoragement of the weak but at the discountenancing of the carelesse whose tongues are so vnaccustomed to the points of Diuinitie that they can not so much as aske which way they may come to saluation or enquire how to attaine vnto that measure of knowledge that they may bee fit to commune with those that are vnder them or that belong vnto them about the things that concerne their euerlasting peace that neuer complaine of their ignorance and vnskilfulnesse nor labour after more knowledge and yet for all that thinke thēselues to be regenerate who being tried by this rule are proued not to be the people they deeme themselues to be And so much of the fift property of the spirits breathing to fit the Christian that may be throwne against the one and to ward the blowes which may be offered against the other 1. The spirit vpholds his faith against temptation For when Satan laboureth by the rubbes which hee casteth by the fearefull doubts which he suggesteth to weaken his assurance of hauing right to the heauenly Priuiledges as pardon of sinne grace to perseuere freedome from spirituall bondage the kingdome of glorie c. Hee is able blessed be God which teacheth his hands to warre
and his fingers to fight to giue him therepulse though sometimes more weakly sometimes more strongly and to answer him as Naboth did Ahab when he requested his Vineyard o 1 Ki. 21.2 God forbid that I should part with the inheritance of my father God forbid I should let goe my anchor-hold in Christ and by hearkening to thee Satan throw away the euidences that I haue for those heauenly prerogatiues and that inheritance which my Father hath bequeathed me in the name of his Sonne 1 His godly life is defended Againe when either the Diuell world or flesh shall lay any siege against his godly conuersation either by golden and hony arguments alluring him to some euils or by opposing and discouraging reasons to deterre him from some good hee can answer him though not alwayes alike as Elisha did King Ioram p 2 Kin. 3.13 What haue I to doe with thee Or as Ioseph his mistris q Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickednes and sin against my God Or as the man of God did Ieroboam r 1 Ki. 13 8.9 If thou wilt giue me halfe thine house I will not yeeld to thee for it is otherwise charged mee by the Lord. And whatsoeuer the sinne be which he is suggested vnto this blessed winde bloweth a weapon and bringeth a sword to his hand to smite against it withall As against pride it giueth this sword ſ Iames. God resisteth the proud against lust this t Heb. 13.2 whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge against couetousnes this u Eph. 5.5 no couetous person which is an idolater shall enter into the kingdome of heauen against apostasie and backe-sliding this w 2 Pet. 2 21 It had been better neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commande rises troubled with Christ the z Act. 17.6 heathens with Paul and Sylas a 1 Kings 18.17 Ahab with Elias b 2 Sam. 6 16.20 Michol with Dauid the c Acts 7. vncircumcised Iewes with Steuen and the Infidells with the Christians vnder the tenne Persecutions And why so Onely because the Spirit of God had regenerated them the spirit of zeale was vpon them and they were filled with the holy Ghost Not that the holy Ghost doth of himself produce such an effect as the hating of Gods Children and the opposing of religion amongst any for can God who is vnitie it selfe be against himselfe but this comes to passe accidentally by occasion of the spirits working in the regenerate from the corruption of the vnregenerate who are alwayes like the troubled roaring waters and therefore can be no more still when the godly refuse to runne to the same excesse of riot with them or speake against or dislike of their enormious courses then the sea can be still when the winde bloweth vpon it If thou therefore that art a Christian dooest meete with opposition for thy holie profession account it no strange thing as if thou wert alone in that condition and maruell not at it For will the Mariner wonder to see the waues rise the waters swell the Sea rage when windy stormes beate vpon it The Scribes wil quarel with Christ for his innocencie and the wicked will quarrell with his followers for their integrity and for a man to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit is enough to breed deadly enmity in the hearts of the vngodly against him For the working of the Spirit is resembled to the Winde and the Winde is a fit metaphor to expresse the same CHAP. IIII. The logicall analysis of the Text and the opening of the first part of it Sect. 1. HAuing now done with the summe of the words order requireth that wee should anatomize the Text and part it into seuerall members In this comparison two branches are occurrent first the comparison or similitude it selfe in these words The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth Secondly the application of the similitude in the words following So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit Each of these two members subdiuide and spread themselues into 3. branches apeece which meeting together throughout the Text doe constitute and make three substantiall parts for me to handle The first treats of the free liberty vnresistable efficacie of the working of the holy Ghost the second containes a discourse of the sense and feeling of that holy worke in the regenerate the third comprehendeth the incomprehensiblenesse of the measure of that worke The first layde downe thus The Winde bloweth where it listeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The second thus and thou hearest the sound thereof so is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The third thus but canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit Still this clause euery one that is borne of the Spirit being applied to euerie branch in the similitude Sect. 2. Part. 1. The first of these must first be handled The Winde bloweth where it listeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The words expounded First to interpret the wordes The Winde d August as Chemnitius quoteth Some here by Winde do vnderstand the person of the holy Ghost or the third person in the Trinitie for which opinion I confesse there seemeth to be some colour in the e Being rather translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Text which I dare not absolutely reiect lest I should be thought to offer wrong to so worthy a Father as is the Author of it yet in modestie let me say thus much In asmuch as the originall word is of some generall extent being deriued of a f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word which signifieth to breathe or blow I can not see any reason why that tearme which in our Translations is englished wind should for the Greekes sake so properly signifie the third person in the Trinitie especially too sithence the epithet holy is heere wanting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vsually we finde ioyned with the word Spirit when it noteth out the person of the holy Ghost wherefore with others of the g Chrysost Chimnit Caluin Pisc Beza c. learned I take to be meant the naturall winde which many times maketh a dinne and noyse in the aire About which wind the curious brains of differing Philosophers haue weaued many knots and framed many intricate and needelesse questions the loosing and discussing whereof it is not my purpose to meddle withall being neither materiall to the Text nor profitable to the Reader neither mind I to stuffe these Papers with the diuers descriptions which diuers h As Seneca one Nat. quaest lib. 5. cap. 1 Aristot an other Meteor lib. 2.
cap. 5. Peter de la Primand 2 third Franc. Acad part 3 pag. 196. Writers giue of the winde To shew what it is in one definition is as much as the Text requireth i What the winde is The wind therefore is an exhalation more drie then moist bred of those cold and k A vapor is moist of it self but drie by reason of the Sun drie vapours of the earth which the Sunne draweth vp into the middle region of the ayre in which region this exhalation meeting with a cold cloude is of hot made cold and by the force of that cloude beaten downe into the lower part of the ayre where by reason of the subtile nature it hath in it selfe it spreadeth it selfe laterally or broadwise flowing sometimes to one corner of the heauens sometimes to another sometime Eastward sometime Southward c. This wind I say thus defined is heere to be vnderstoode Bloweth where it listeth this phrase where it listeth doth not betoken any such will in the Winde as there is in the soule of man for the wind being an in animall substance and a creature without soule how can there be any such power of the soule in it as the will is but it noteth out the free and vnresistable agitation of the winde beating the aire and other flexible bodies sometimes one way sometimes another as the great Iehouah pleaseth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit .i. so is it with euery elect person in regard of the regenerating work of the Spirit that Spirit breathing somtimes in one sometimes in an other as he pleaseth freely and vnresistably CHAP. V. The first Doctrine from the first part of the Text concerning the free libertie of the Spirit his working Sect. 1. FRom this fountaine so opened as it is in the former Chapter two streames of positiue Diuinitie do flow to water the garden of God The first is this Doctr. 3. The Spirit of grace inspireth grace when hee pleaseth where he pleaseth That the worke of Regeneration proceedeth from the will and pleasure of God to be effected and wrought in what persons hee pleaseth at what time he pleaseth The winde hath this libertie from the Creator freely to spreade it selfe sometimes in one part of the aire somtimes in another And taketh not the Lord this prerogatiue royall to himselfe to infuse the breath of his owne grace sometimes in one sometimes in another as himselfe pleaseth We should attribute lesse libertie to the Lord then to the Winde if we should not yield to this In the old Testament did the Lord breathe thus For that l Ge. 5.24 Enoch m and 6.9 Noah n and 15.6 Abraham o Gen. 26. Isaac p c. 32.24 Iacob q Gen. 39 Ioseph and the rest of the Patriarkes in their ages and generations were culled out from the rest of mankinde to receiue the stamps of grace and to be made new Creatures whence was it but onely from the will of the Almightie Did not the Spirit blowe thus in the New Testament freely working sometimes vppon a r Mat 9.9 Mathew sometimes vppon a ſ Lu. 19.9 Zaccheus a t Lu 7.48 Mary Magdalen a u Ioh 1.41 42 Mat. 4.19 Peter an Andrew and a few beleeuing Iewes amongst such a multitude of Scribes and Pharises Publicans and sinners that liued in the dayes of our Sauiour And that hee did blowe vpon the heart of w Acts 9. Paul amongst so many persecutours whom hee might haue conuerted as well as him that he x Act. 16.14 opened the heart of Lydia amongst so many women whom hee might haue sanctified as well as shee that hee breathed grace into the soule of the y Acts 16 34. Iaylour amongst so many cruell tyrants whom hee might haue regenerated as well as he if his will had been such what doth all this note out vnto vs but the liberty which the great Creator Sauiour and Sanctifier of the Church hath to inspire grace in whom he listeth and pleaseth Very pregnāt to this purpose is that of Paul which he writes to his Corinths For speaking of the diuers gifts operations of the spirit he saith z 1 Cor. 12.11 Al these doth one the self-same Spirit worke diuiding to euery man as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason he willeth or pleaseh The ground of all which is this because Gods will towards his creatures is otherwise then his will toward himselfe The things which he willeth concerning himselfe doth he wil of necessity vt he doth wil his owne being glory necessarily though not with a constrained Quae Deus de seipso vult necessario vult necessitate naturae non coactionis Zanch. de Nat. Dei yet with a natural necessity his nature necessarily requiring that he should wil his owne essence glory but as for the things he willeth towards the creatures his will is not necessary but free .i. it is in his own pleasure either to will them or not to will them whether the gift be election justification or sanctification Now then the Lords will in willing the good of his creaturs being free either to wil or not to wil the same Regeneration or the gales of grace being one of those good things aswell as election justification redemption which he hath liberty thus to will it must needes be a truth that the wind of grace is at the Lords disposing to blowe with it sauingly vpon what sonnes and daughters of Adam he pleaseth Sect. 2. Vse 1. The consideration of which truth serueth first of all to lay flat on the ground all opinion of proper power and strength in any man to worke any grace in himselfe or so much as of him selfe to incline thereunto For if the Spirit breatheth where he listeth and the Lord onely sanctifieth whom hee pleaseth then no man be he neuer so mighty wise wealthy can haue the breath of grace in himselfe or breath after grace for himselfe or breathe grace into himselfe without the inspiration and operation of the holy-Ghost Alas how can that man moue spiritually to any thing that good is from any thing that euill is who is held hard vnder the bands and tyed fast with the cords of spirituall death which cannot be loosed vntill the Spirit doth spiritually enliue him How can hee see spiritually the secrets of the Lord whose vnderstanding is wholly darkned and before the eyes of whose minde there are such thicke scales of ignorance drawne as can not be remoued vntill the Spirit doth enlighten him How can he elect and chuse the paths of life to walk in of his own free pleasure whose will is so spiritually peruerted that it cannot be reformed againe vntil the holy Ghost vndertaketh to rectifie it Now if neyther the minde of man can bring the least measure of illumination vnto it selfe nor the will of man the least part of reformation to it selfe what
haue compell'd the Lord to deal thus with them will hee nill hee then though they should bee vngratefull they were the more to bee borne withall but seeing the Lords free will was the chiefest motiue and his meer loue the mainest reason to induce him thus to breathe vpon them now to cut him short of his praises not to render or at least endeauour to render due thanks vnto his Majesty it is a very hainous and intolerable offense not to be suffred not to be endured Wherefore thou that hast thy minde enlightened with the grace of illumination thy heart softened with godly contrition thy will brought into an Euangelicall subjection through the grace of mortification thy affections into a spirituall temper and frame through the work of sanctification thou that bringest forth the fruits of obedience plentifully cheerfully grieuing for and praying against the many slips thou takest and the spirituall sloth which is somtimes in thee thou that canst stop thy ear against the voice of temptation that canst speake to God by praier and supplication that canst speake to men in religious discourse refraining thy tongue from euill for conscience sake which is one fruit of pure religion thou I say that hast these euidences of the breathing of grace which I spake of before h chap. 3 Sect. 3. striue thou to haue thy heart lips and life enlarged opened and replenished with the praises of his holy Name And the more thou consider'st how freely these heauenly benefits come from himselfe without any merit yea notwithstanding so many demerits of thine own the more forward be thou to be telling of his louing kindnes from day to day the more zealous for his glory in his cause and the more rauished with the serious meditation of his singular bounty And oh consider he might haue left thee like a liue-lesse breathlesse creature as he hath many thousands but that his will and his loue did prouoke him to commiserate thy wofull condition If twenty or thirtie malefactours should be in one and the self same dungeon where they could neither haue the light of the Sunne to accheer them nor the benefit of the sweet air to refresh them and one or two of them amongst all the rest by the meanes of a friend a stranger to them should bee redeemed from that bondage set at liberty and brought forth to partake both of the light of the glistering Sun and the breath of the refreshing winde Oh how thankfull would these poor wretches bee to him that had procured them this liberty what orations narrations would they make of his kindnes and no seruice would they sticke at to doo him when-as hee should require it at their hands And the more readily also would they do this because they know it was his meer pleasure to redeeme them rather then any of the other whom he might haue made choice of as well as they and left them in the dungeon still Now thou that hast receiued grace wert once a prisoner to the diuell as well as the rest of Adams posterity and wert chained with spirituall fetters in the dungeon of sinne where thou hadst neither the Sunne of Righteousnesse to shine vpon thee nor the winde of grace to breathe into thee The Father of his owne free will sent his Sonne the Sonne came willingly himselfe with the holy Ghost to dissolue the workes of the diuell in thee to loosen the boltes of sinne for thee to bring thee out of that same hideous and stinking dungeon into the fresh aire with the sun-shine of grace to giue light to thee with the gales of grace to blow on thee when he might haue taken others and left thee a prisoner still Now was his loue so great to thee was his will such towards thee rather then towards others when as thou wert in the same condemnation with others Oh let this strike into thy heart and make so deep an impression in thy soule that it may neuer be forgotten that it may euer be remembred let it driue thee into such an extasie that vppon thy awaking thou mayest with holy Dauid and patient Iob who had experience of the like mercie breake out and say i Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou dost thus visit him k Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thy heart vppon him Lord what am I that thou shouldest thus set thine heart vpon me to visite mee with the blasts of thine heauenly graces and make my heart which was formerly a slie for vncleane diuells a lodging and temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in Lord this is loue without paralell this is mercie without comparison what seemed it good in thine eyes heauenly Father to turne me and blow mee towards the Kingdome of Heauen when being blowne forward with the blasts of that wicked spirit I was going running posting flying to the kingdome of darkenesse Needs must I lose my selfe in the admiration of this loue and with the Psalmist say l Psal 18.49 Because thou hast thus deliuered me from the hand of the violent therefore will I giue thanks vnto thee O Lord and sing praises vnto thy holy name Thus I say let the praises of God bee in thy mouth when the worke of his Spirit is in thy heart And this is the duety which thou that art a new creature in Christ art dayly to practise on thine owne behalfe 2 Carenes to beg grace for those that went it Againe as thou must thus be thankfull for what thou thy selfe hast thus freely receiued so thou must be a suter vnto Gods maiesty for the like mercie on the behalfe of those that want it for thou knowest that they are no more able to work this grace in themselues then thou thy selfe wert when thou wert in the same state with them and thou vnderstandest by this doctrine that it commeth from God alone and the Philosophers axiome is true m Aristot de causis res recipiunt bonitatem in fluxam a prima causa Things receiue their goodnes from the first cause of that goodnesse And the soule that is empty of grace must receiue her preordained fulnesse of grace from the Lord the first cause and fountaine of grace and from that fountaine must thy prayers bee as a pitcher to fetch grace for thy brother so farre foorth as precedent election maketh a possibility of speeding A caution Mis-take mee not I speake not this as though I were of opinion that the merit of thy prayers could deserue grace at Gods hands for thy elect brother but I only shew thee what the consideration of the freedome of Gods pleasure in breathing grace into his Church ought to stirre thee vp vnto and what loue and pitty to thy vnregenerate brothers poore soule ought to moue thee vnto viz. to beseech God who n Act. 2.17 poureth his Spirit
Law of a gracious God and hath caused him more to sorrow for sinne as it is sinne then for sinne as it procureth punishment I meane more because he hath grieued so mercifull a Father then because hee hath deserued hell torment and so consequently hath brought him earnestly to desire strength against his corruptions as godly sorrow and an hearty desire to forsake sinne goe together When I say the spirituall yongling is brought thus farre then comes Satan vpon him as with many other so with this temptation of buzzing into his eare an impossibility of euer getting victory ouer his lusts strength to walke with God Thou shalt neuer ouercome thy corruptions saith he thou shalt neuer attaine vnto that faith zeale loue vnto that measure of holy care to walk in an holy course that thou dost desire and therefore it is in vaine for thee to grieue so much it is to no purpose for thee to striue so much thou shalt fall to thy old secure biasse againe and though now a passionate and melancholy fit hath possessed thee thou shalt growe to be as secure and hard-hearted as euer thou wert before Thou canst not shift it Seest thou not thine owne deceitfull heart against thee seest thou not the world against thee seest thou not thy wife thy husband thy parents thy maister thy brethren sisters fellow seruants friends enemies and all in the way to hinder thee how canst thou possibly get grace then or keepe it when thou hast it Whereupon the poore Christian being but a weakeling and too ready to entertaine any hard conceit against himselfe beginneth to droupe doubt and wauer and in a manner to subscribe to the temptation by which meanes the poore soule is brought into such a labyrinth of distresse that it knoweth not which way to turne it selfe for ease and comfort nor what to doe to ridde it selfe out of this perplexitie As an helpe therefore in these streights let this doctrine be thought vpon by the fainting soule let it take occasion from the same to accheere it selfe as well it may hauing right so to doe Consider therefore thou honest heart that Gods graces are vnchangeable his worke of Regeneration is inuincible and where he beginneth to breathe he will breathe though the while world say nay to it though all the powers of darkenesse set against it Doth the diuell tell thee thou shalt neuer get victorie ouer thy corruptions neuer be better then thou hast beene neuer walke better then thou hast done Beleeue him not he hath been a liar from the beginning and so he is stil I yield indeed thou hast a corrupt and deceitful hart that may easily out-reach thee and ouer-reach thee and peradventure thou mayest be troubled with a bad yoakefellow and the most of thy kindred in the flesh may be but men of the flesh and carnall persons and canst looke for no encouragement but rather discouragement from them if thou beest in the condition of a childe happely thy father may be against thee or thy mother or both if in the state of a seruant thy maister and gouernor and thou shalt haue many snares layd in the way to catch thee many blocks to offend thee I grant all this is true and may be true But what of all this wilt thou beleeue that because of these rubbes and obstacles the Lord must needes leaue halfe or the greatest part of his worke vndone in thee It is the Lords worke to illuminate to inspire to sanctifie and nothing can make him giue ouer let the Diuell roare let the flesh rebell let Rabshekah reuile let the world entice let friends flatter let enemies oppose be thou but watchful and stand wisely vpon thy guard they cannot they shal not frustrate nor nullifie the breathing of the holy Ghost in thee Wherefore so long as thou hast this for thy refuge yielde not to the tempter but let it be thy comfort thy crowne thy reioycing maugre all the malicious suggestions that Sathan seeketh to disquiet thy poore soule withall Thou shalt get victory ouer thy lusts be they neuer so strong thou shalt walke in the wayes of new obedience by the grace of GOD enabling thee though they be neuer so difficult Tell me Is not the want of grace the chiefe thing which thou bewailest Is not the possession of grace the principall treasure which thou desirest I know it is if thou beest a true Christian why this is an euidence that God hath begunne to blow vpon thee and he will perfect his owne work in thee and nothing shall command him to stay inspiring no more then thou thy selfe canst command the wind to leaue blowing when it maketh a sound in the aire Wherefore be of good comfort and take heart vnto thee and answere the Diuell with this weapon whensoeuer with this assault hee shall seeke to molest thee Againe 2. Comfort and incoragement to a strōger Christian as the weak may fetch comfort from hence so this may bee propounded to the refreshment and encouragement of the stronger sort of Christians the worke of sanctification is vnconquerable nothing shall frustrate it thou that hast been trained vp in the Schoole of Christ and in the trade of Christianitie a long time knowest this and hast prooued it by experience diuers and sundry wayes at diuers and sundry times well vse the meditation of this matter as a sword and buckler in the times of thy temptation for such times thou shalt see euen Paul himselfe must haue a y 1. Cor. 12 7. pricke in the flesh to buffet him and not onely so but ioy in the Pearle which thou hast found And seeing thou hast so long a time beene baptized with the holy Ghost which Hell it selfe cannot vndoe againe doe as the z Acts 8.39 Eunuch did whom Philip baptized driue forward the Chariot of thy godly life cheerefully and goe forward in thy way reioycing vntill thou commest to a perfect age in Christ Iesus Let this suffice for the first part of the Text. CHAP. VII The words of the second part of the Text interpreted and the heads of the Doctrines briefly propounded Sect. 1. I Passe on now to the second part of the Text which treateth of the sense and feeling that accompanieth the worke of Regeneration in the regenerate set downe in these words And thou hearest the sound thereof Interpretation so is euery one that is borne of the Spirit a Tolet. ad locum Some heere by the sound of the Winde vnderstand the voyce of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures so that though the holy Ghost bee inuisible in regard of his substance yet hee is to bee heard speaking in the written Word and the same Author saith it is euen so with those that are borne of the Spirit the things that are within them as their thoughts motions purposes desires cannot be seene with the eye yet the fruits of their vertues may be heard of amongst the children
of men and their gracious and holesome speeches But this cannot be the meaning because as hath beene shewed before by Winde cannot bee vnderstood the person of the holy Ghost and so the comparison can not bee betwixt the Spirit and those that are borne of the Spirit but betwixt the Winde and those that are borne of the Spirit Following therefore still the Metaphor of Winde I fall to expound the wordes thus And thou that is thou Nicodemus thou that art so ignorant in the mystery of regeneration hearest the sound thereof that is the noyse or sound of the winde when it bloweth in the aire This sound thou hearest with thy eares though thou canst not see it with thine eyes and so commest to know there is winde So is euerie one that is borne of the Spirit .i. So standeth the case with them that are regenerate in regard of the worke of the Spirit in them though it can not be seene and comprehended with the eye of carnall reason yet the spirituall sound that it maketh and sense that it worketh inwardly in the soule of the regenerate doth giue testimony of the breathing of it Sect. 2. The reason of the interpretation That this is the meaning it is plain because it agreeth with the scope of this dialogue betwixt Christ and Nicodemus For Nicodemus maruelling how it could possibly be true That a man should be borne againe our Sauiour bids him leaue wondering at it for though by his fleshly reason hee could not see a possibilitie of the new birth yet such a birth there is perceiued too by the effect of the Spirit inwardly working in those that haue it euen as the winde is knowne to bee by the sound it maketh in our eares though the substance of it cannot be seen with our eyes The wordes thus explained are a foundation for foure principles of positiue Diuinitie 1. That to the eye of Reason the worke of the Spirit and the doctrine of the new birth is inuisible 2. Where the Spirit breatheth and regenerateth there is a sense and feeling of it is I say no matter of corruption in it in respect of its owne nature wherefore it being so pure in it selfe it cannot bee comprehended by a capacitie and vnderstanding so grosse as the carnall mans is Reason 2. Secondly the winde can not bee seene because it is not capable of colour For colour being the obiect of sight things onely are seene by their colours so the winde of grace cannot be seene by a carnall man the doctrine of the breath of it seemeth strange to him because to his reason there is no pleasant nor beautifull colour in it he beholdeth more lustre and splendour more beauty more cause of contentment in riches honours preferments parentage yea in his bestial and Belial-like lusts then in the things of the Spirit of God and hence it comes to passe that hee is so blinde in the matters of heauen Reason 3. To these two I may adde a third that light which should help the iudgement to apprehend the things of God was extinguished by the fall of our first parents vntill which bee restored againe there can be no conceiuing the mystery of Regeneration But so long as a man is naturall that light is not restored and therefore no maruell if the point of Regeneration bee a darke sentence and riddle vnto him For a man to the end hee may see things must not onely haue the power or vertue of seeing in the sensitiue soule and eies as fit organs and instruments for that seeing sense to vse in the apprehension of colours but there must be light in the aire either by means of the Sun or a candle or fire Which light if it be wanting all things are inuisible to the creature though it hath both the sense of seeing and eies to see withall so in like manner though there be as there is in the vnregenerate person a faculty and power to vnderstand because he hath a reasonable soule and differeth from brute creatures and eyes to execute that facultie that is the act of vnderstanding because he hath a mind in that soule yet the light of Gods Image is wanting which Adam lost by the meanes whereof hee must see into heauenly mysteries and so long as that is wanting he must needes be vnable altogether to diue into matters of that nature Sect. 2. Vse 1. The meditation of this truth ought first of all to be a Motiue vnto the regenerate to pitty the miserable and wretched estate of all carnall and vnregenerate persons For alas blinde creatures the Doctrine of the winde of grace the manner of the worke of grace is a riddle vnto them their mind is so blinded their vnderstanding is so darkened that such Principles as these are Greeke and Hebrew vnto them Yea let the confluence of naturall morall and artificiall gifts meet together in them to conspire their perfection let the motions of the celestial sphears the course of the Sunne and Moone the influence of the Starres the nature of beasts the property of birds the qualitie of trees the vertue of hearbs and plants of the earth be neuer so visible vnto them neuer so well knowne of them by their study and industrie in searching into the secrets of Nature Yea let them haue a speculatiue sight of many things which the Scripture openeth and reuealeth yet so long as they are but carnall the Doctrine of the winde of Grace will be strange to them yea though they can talke and preach of it and the efficacie of the work of grace altogether mystical and aenigmaticall vnto them no more by the wisedome which they haue to bee perceiued then the winde which is so thin a substance so vncolourable a creature to be visibly looked vpon apparent to the eye of the body And is not this a pittifull thing a thing to be lamented a case to be pittied Oh Christians pitty them you that haue any knowledge of the Lord Iesus mourne for them Out of question it went to the heart of Christ Iesus to consider the grosse blindnesse of Nicodemus that a Maister in Israel a man of note and reckoning amongest the people that such an one as Nicodemus was who had read or should haue read what the Scripture sheweth in the writings of g Psa 51.7 Dauid h Ezek. 11 19. Chap. 36.25 Ezekiel i Zac. 13.1 Zacharie the rest of the Prophets concerning the force of corruption the fruit of conuersion the power of sanctification that such an one I say as had Moses and the Prophets to informe him in these matters should be so ignorant so vnlearned in the poynt of Regeneration that he could not see a possibility of being born againe This no doubt moued our Sauiour much to compassionate his condition for so much k Chemn in Harm 357. one affirmes of Christ in expounding the tenth verse of this Chapter Art thou a maister in Israel
in the heart as it is with the hearing of the sound of the winde Some heare not the winde so loude as others though it bloweth equally alike when both doe heare it so some feele not the worke of grace in the same measure that others doe though the same spirit breatheth vpon both I will trouble you with no more Scriptures for this then with that of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12.4 There are diuersitie of gifts but the same spirit and if diuersitie of gifts why not diuersitie of feelings according to the measure of those gifts And there is very good reason for it For first There shall not be the same fruition Reason 1. of happinesse in the kingdome of Glory I know that there shall bee enioyment of the same felicitie but there shall not be the same enioyment of that felicity in regard of the degrees of it According to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 15.41 One starre differeth from another in glory Now if there be differing degrees in the taste of Gods fauor among the Saints triumphant in the kingdome of glorie I see nothing against it but that it is so and may bee so amongst the Saints militant vpon the face of the earth in the kingdome of grace Secondly all are not of the same age Reason 2. in Christ but they stand in a three-fold difference Some are Infants and new borne Babes in in Christ as Peter calls them a 1 Pet. 2 3. or little Children as Iohn calls them b 1. Ioh. 2.1.18 Some are of a middle growth or yoong men as the same c 1. Ioh. 2.13 Apostle stileth them And others againe are strong Christians olde men in pietie or Fathers in Christ as hee entitleth them d 1. Ioh. 2.13.14 Now these seuerall ages haue their seuerall feelings new Christians in one measure middle aged in another Fathers in another And amongst euery one of these kindes one hath his feeling in one degree and another in another according to the measure which the Lord hath allotted for him according to that capabilitie which he hath giuen them seuerally Reason 3. Thirdly the Lord will haue it thus that Christians may see themselues to stand in neede of helpe from one another which they would not take notice of if there were an equalitie of gifts and equall feeling answerable thereunto Sect. 2. Vse 1. By this then in the first place we may see what answer may be made what satisfaction may bee giuen to those Christians who call their estate in doubt and make a question Whether euer they had sound grace bestowed vpon them because they neuer had the same feeling wrought in them which they heare to haue beene in others that are of the same profession age and standing with themselues questioning Whether euer their repentance was sound because their humiliation was neuer so deep as theirs Whether euer their faith was sound because they haue not attained vnto the same stedfastnesse of perswasion in Gods loue that strength against doubting and that measure of spirituall ioy in the holy Ghost that their brethren haue attained vnto To whom this is that which I will say for their resolution As there are diuersitie of degrees in the gifts of the Spirit so there are differences in the measure of feeling that accompany those gifts and therefore they may haue grace thogh they cannot remember that euer they haue matched such and such whom they suspicion whether euer it were true because it hath not equalled thy brothers feeling that is but a copartner with thee of the same grace I doe not deny but that it is good for thee to be iealous of thine owne condition and I would to God the hypocrite would but fall to make such questions but yet take heede thou that art a right Saint that thou doest not grudge at Gods wisedome in dispensing his gifts of this nature if hee hath giuen thee any measure of humiliation and consolation at all it is his great mercy if it be in truth And whether it be in truth thou shalt easily finde by these particulars First for thy humiliation whether the Lawe hath beene thy Scholemaister or the Gospel thy Tutor to bring thee hereunto for e Rom. 2.4 Gal. 3.24 both haue an hand in leading to repentance if that hath beene true first thou hast had a sight of sin as it is sin secondly thou hast seene thy selfe a condemned person for sinne thirdly thou hast grieued for it fourthly thou hast growne to dislike it and doest daily more more and fiftly thou forsakest it Againe for thy faith if that be true then first thou hast seen no other name whereby thou canst bee saued but the name of Iesus Secondly thou hast disclaimed and renounced thine own righteousnesse Thirdly thou hast longed after Christ Fourthly thou hast either found him to thy spirituall comfort or else thou hast a resolution that thou wilt not be satisfied vntill thou hast found him and dost see thy sinnes pardoned in him And thou longest with all thy heart for that same ioy of Gods chosen so much and so often spoken of in the Scripture If then thou hast these things in thee in neuer so weake a measure know thou that thy case is good thogh thou hast not attayned vnto the same heighth and depth of them that other seruants of God haue perhappes no elder in respect of the new birth then thy selfe too Thou doubtest of thy humiliation thou sayest Why peraduenture by the vertue of education and example thou hast beene trayned vp well is lacking one way eyther in thy humiliation or of faith the Lord hath made good another way Take that which thine is and bee thankefull knowing and perswading thy self that thou shalt not misse of one inch of that measure of feeling which he hath layd out for thee A Cautiō This haue I spoken not with an intent to flesh any hypocrite or other person that is frozen in the dregs of securitie for if any doe so abuse it the offence is taken not giuen neyther to sing a Song of fleshly ease to the Christian himselfe to make him slack his diligence in making his calling and election sure but onely to giue satisfaction vnto his wauering heart when hee shall doubt of the truth of his spirituall feeling when he compareth it with the feeling of others whose measure in this thing is greater then his owne Sect. 3. Vse 2. In the next place this serues to condemne the vncharitablenesse of some in the Church of Christ which call into suspicion the soundnesse of their fellow brethren because hauing bin as long trained vp in the Schoole of Christ as themselues they haue not attayned vnto the same measure of feeling that themselues haue Which Christians if they would well aduise themselues by this doctrine may plainly see that they passe their bounds censure more tartly then they warrantably may For if the winde when it bloweth
is not heard by all alike that doe heare it why wilt thou measure another mans hearing by thine owne eare another mans graces by thine owne feeling Is there not diuersitie of gifts and are there not different degrees in feeling If thou bee a Christian thou darest not deny it If then that grace or those graces which thou hast be wrought in thy brother whether the measure of his feeling bee the same with thine yea or no take heed that thou doest not entertayne such hard vncharitable conceits of him If the fruits of the Spirit speake for him doe not thou speake against him though the sense which doth accompany the worke of mortification and goeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The words apart interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of the words must first bee enquired into But canst not tell In the Originall this phrase is thus set down Thou knowest not Now to bring-in the diuers acceptions and sundry significations that this word Know hath in the Scriptures were but needelesly to spend Time and fill Paper in this Text. This negatiue Thou knowest not or Canst not tell is asmuch as the affirmatiue Thou art ignorant Whence it commeth there is some little difficulty in this little word IT whether it be to be referred to Winde Quest Answ or Sound And it may easily be answered that it hath relation vnto Winde rather then Sound and the reason is this because Nicodemus could not but know euen by meere hearing whence the sound of the Winde came viz. from the Winde though by meere hearing hee could not tell what corner the Winde it selfe comes from So that this phrase Whence IT commeth may be turned thus Whence that Winde cometh yea Obiect but will some obiect and say The cause of the Winde may bee knowne and a man may easily vnderstand whence it commeth both in respect of the supernaturall cause of it and naturall Is not the supernaturall cause of it God himselfe The sayings of Moses declare as much h Exd. 11.13 The LORD brought an East winde vpon the Land all that day and all that night and in the nineteenth verse of the same chapter IEHOVAH turned a mighty strong west winde which tooke away the locusts and cast them into the red Sea And in another place he saith i Num. 11 13. There went forth a winde from the LORD and brought Quailes from the Sea And by the Prophet Amos k Amos 4.17 GOD is called the Creator of the windes Secondly as for the naturall cause of the winde it is knowne to be a cold cloud meeting in the middle region of the aire with such vapours as arise from the earth according to that of the Psalmist l Psal 135 7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth hee bringeth the winde out of his treasuries that is out of the Caues and hidden places of the earth where the Lord holdeth the windes as in a storehouse to bring them forth thence according to his pleasure So that thus I say it may be knowne whence the winde commeth True Why then doeth Christ heere charge Nicodemus with such ignorance that hee did not know whence the winde came Was he a Doctor in Israel and had hee neither Philosophie to know the naturall cause of the winde nor Diuinitie to know the supernaturall To this I answer Answer to this obiection that the words are not to be vnderstood of Nicodemus his ignorance in the cause of the winde and whence it ariseth as from the supernaturall and naturall originall of it but of his ignorance about the particular place angle and corner whence this winde or that winde commeth implying that hee could not know whether it came from East or West or North or South onely by hearing the sound of it and so are the words to bee vnderstood Nor whither it goeth that is Nor into what corner it will turne how strongly or how long it will blowe what a measure of sound it wil rise to ere it ceaseth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit This at the first sight seems to be a strange speech being so to be applyed as it is I meane to the immediate fore-going sentence Canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth For what Doubt can wee not know whence the Spirit of regeneration commeth or what it worketh Doth not the Scripture tell vs that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father the Sonne and that m Iac. 1.17 euery good and perfect gift cometh downe from the Father of Lights and that the fruits of the Spirit and the effects which it produceth are n Galat. 5 22.23 loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes c. Yes why then is it said heere that it is with the operation of the Spirit in the regenerate as it is with the winde in the ayre not to be knowne whence it cometh and whither it goeth I answer Solution This phrase is heere vsed not to signifie vnto vs that the wayes of spirituall men are vnknowne to those that where it will cease or how it will cease how strong it will be how long it will blowe before it will fall So is it with the blowings of grace in the regenerate sometimes thogh they feele the Spirit working in them they cannot distinctly and directly tell whether the Spirit be the Author of it yea or no and when they doe know whence it cometh and can tell that the Spirit is the originall of it they can not tell what measure of it they shall receiue From the words thus cōmented vppon two poynts of Doctrine do arise .i. that the Spirit is somtimes felt working and yet is not discerned to bee the Spirit secondly That the measure of a Christians graces is incomprehensible CHAP. XIII The first proposition handled out of the last part of the Text. Sect. 1. Doctr. 9. THe former of these wanteth not proofe For that the Spirit is somtimes felt working by the regenerate in themselues and yet is no more knowne by them whence that worke commeth then the winde by the bare sound of it can be knowne from what particular corner whether East or West c. it cometh is as cleare a case in Diuinitie as can be It was the Spirit no doubt that mooued Nicodemus to come to Christ and it is very likely that hee heard a certayne secret sound within him telling him that Christ was an extraordinary teacher sent from God and that bade him come to Christ for instruction yet Nicodemus did not know that this motion came from the Spirit of God For if he had he would neuer haue wondered so much as hee did at the speech of Christ when hee discoursed with him of the working of the Spirit in the hearts of the regenerate Paul also whose Story Saint Luke mentioneth o Acts 9. Compare the 3 4