quickeâ—s all his members too first hee receives the Spirit himselfe and the same Spirit that filled and sanctified his humane nature the samâ— Spirit sanctifieth his Church which hee loves even as himselfe as he loveth that his owne humane nature which the holy Ghost sanctified so doth he love his owne mysticall body his Church being mystically united to him and sanctifieth it by the same Spirit Christ dispenseth his Spirit unto us as Head of his Church and this he doth in divers respects 1. As he is God by way of immediate influence he powreth it out upon us as the prime and pricipall cause and this he doth as God not as man for the Man-hood cannot worke above it selfe it cannot doe the worke of God it cannot worke grace or give the Spirit 2. As he is Man considered as joyned together with the God-head by way of merit and satisfaction he procureth the Spirit to bee given powred out which is done by the Father and the Sonne on all those who are beloved in the Sonne so that the Spirit is given by Christ with the Father as Mediator Meritoriously for hee by suffering and satisfying procured the gift Christ himselfe is the first gift yea the greatest that ever was given the giving of Christ to dye to satisfie the wrath of God and to obtaine eternall life Next to 〈◊〉 maine gift is the gift of the Spirit in which is the seed of all gifts and graces and this we have by his Merit and Mediatorship Yet this wee must likewise remember that although Christ be sayd to give the Spirit as he doth yet the holy Spirit giveth it selfe too for there is such an unity in the Trinity of consent and nature that though the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit yet the Spirit comes of his owne selfe though the Father and the Sonne give the Spirit yet the Spirit giveth himselfe 3. Wee have the Spirit from Christ not onely by way of Merit but in some kind by way of Example hee is the exemplary cause of all graces in us looking to whom wee are transformed as wee shall see afterwards from glory to glory For when wee consider that Christ hath done so much for us as to save us and redeeme us and dye for us this begetteth a love in us to Christ and makes us often to thinke of him and desirous to imitate him as wee usually doe such as we love and highly esteeme of The dispensation of the Spirit is in most abundance after the resurrection of Christ as hee appeared in himselfe then to bee most spirituall and glorious after he rose againe so then being as the Sun in its full height and perfect beauty casteth his beames most plentifully abroad and that for these reasons 1. Because then hee having finished the worke of Redemption and satisfied the wrath of God fully and given contentment to Divine Justice and accomplished all by his death there was nothing to hinder the blessed gift of the Spirit It is sayd that before the holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not glorified The gift of the holy Ghost especially depends upon the glorifying of Christ when he had fulfilled the worke of Redemption and was raised to glory God being pacified gave the holy Ghost as a gift of his favour 2. Then againe after his Resurrection and Ascension he did give the holy Ghost more abundantly than before to his Church because now hee is in heaven and hath the advantage of the place being exalted on high As that glorious creature the Sunne by the advantage it hath being placed in the heavens above us is able to shine upon the greatest part of the earth at all times and wee need not call the Sunne downe from its place to come into our houses or fields or gardens no where it is seated in its proper place or orbe it hath the best opportunity in most abundance and largest extent to send downe heat and light and influence to inferiour things So Christ doth his Church more good now he is in heaven from whence he sends the Spirit then hee could doe if hee were below because though his Humane nature be confined in heaven his person is every where and being ascended now farre above all heavens he giveth gifts more liberally and plentifully insomuch as he filleth all things Eph. 4. hee enlargeth the tents of his Gospel and hath taken in a greater people to himselfe We see in Winter when the Sunne is low and neare the earth all things are dead and cold but when the Sunne in the Spring commeth to over-top us to bee in a higher point above us wee see how all things put a new garment upon them there is a new vigour and freshnesse in them so there was more abundant vigour of the Spirit when Christ came in the Flesh his vertue appeared much more every way then before But when this blessed Sonne of righteousnesse was advanced and seated at the right hand of his Father where his Nature was perfectly inriched and perfectly adorned with all kind of graces whatsoever in the highest glory of them his influence of light and heat now beginneth to be increased and the efficacy and working of it to bee felt every where The glorious beams of the Sunne beganne to be scattered and the light of the Gospel to shine to a greater number of people now there was no respect of persons whether Jew or Gentile bond or free male or female all was one the Commission was enlarged to all Mark 16. Goe preach the Gospell to every Creature and with the Word the Spirit went and was received and those that were added to the Church even such as should be saved were many thousands Thus have wee opened the meaning of the words and shewed how Christ is that Spirit both in respect of the Spirits being eminently in him and his giving of it and spirituall gifts by it all the vigour and life and influence we have that is spirituall and supernaturall and above the ordinary course is from the Spirit and whatsoever the Spirit hath or doth for us is done as sent from Christ in whom the Spirit is in all fulnesse Now wee shall shew how many wayes the consideration of these truths will be profitable and usefull to us in the course oâ— our lives and for the comfort of our spirits Vse Christ is the Spirit of the Scriptures of all Truths of all Ordinances Wee may be this bee able to reconcile the Scriptures one place with another where they sâ—eme to contradict The Law is said to be a 〈…〉 a ministr ation of condemnation c. 2. Cor. â— but in the 19. Psal. there it is sayd The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. These places are thus reconciled The Law is said to be dead so it is without Christ without the Spirit which quickneth and so is â—he Gospell too even a savour of death and so
because it is carryed with the current of nature but in age it is more refined that that is that knowledge they have is more pure and more setled and that love and affection is more refined there is lesse selfe-love and that zeale they have it is joyned with more heavenly discretion there is lesse wild fire there is lesse strange fire with though there be lesse heate of nature that it doe not worke in outward demonstrations to the eye of the world yet it is more refined and pure so grace growes thus likewise in the purity and perfection of it Not altogether pure for somewhat will sticke to our best performances savouring of the worst principle in nature for as we carry flesh and spirit alway so that that comes from them will savour of corruption yet lesse in a growne Christian that is a father in Christianity than in another From glory to glory Grace is glory in regard of the state before the least degree of grace is glory in regard of the state of nature but grace is not glory properly till it come to a growth grace is not glorious so in comparison to other Christians that are growne in regard of the state of nature grace is glory take it in the lowest for is not this a glory for a man to be taken into the fellowship of Christ to be the Sonne of God and an heire of heaven to have Angels for his attendants to be begotten by the glorious Gospell the Word of God that imortall seede whatsoever thing is about a Christian it is glorious is not he glorious that hath God the Father and God the Son the Lord of glory and the holy Ghost the Spirit of glory and the glorious Gospell and glorious Angels for his attendants every thing is glorious in a Christian in every Christian there is this so grace is a kinde of glory but notwithstanding wee must not content our selves with that grace is then especially glory when it comes to growth we must labour that grace may appeare what is glory properly glory is excellency and victory over the contrary with manifestation excellency manifested Now a man is sayd to bee glorious in grace when his grace comes to be excellent in view and victorious over the contrary with publick manifestation Vse 1 Now this we ought to labour for though grace be glory in respect of the former estate yet in the ranke of Christians wee ought to be glorious that is more and more gracious both In regard of God that God may have the more glory from us the more grace the more esteeme from him because we resemble him And in regard of Christ Iesus the more glorious we are the more wee resemble him Let us labour to be more and more glorious in regard likewise of the Church whom we shall benefit more the more we grow in grace the more we shall prevaile with God by our prayers who prevayled more with their prayers than Moses and such men Againe when grace is glorious that is with victory and full manifestation the more we are fit to give a luster and light that others seeing it may glorifie God to draw others to the love of grace when they see grace glorious now grace is then glorious in us that others may be incouraged when wee can resist strong temptations when we are not like children carried away with the winde of every doctrine this is a glorious thing when a Christian can hold his owne in the worst times when it is a witty thing to be a Christian as Hillary sayd in a time of schisme it required a great deale of wit to be a Christian it requires a great deale of wit and studdy to hold a man on in Christianity And for a man to bee strong against temptations and the world whether it frowne or fawne that hee cares for neither but holds his owne is not this a glorious thing when a man shall carry himselfe as a Lyon breake through oppositions in ill times and fall square cast him as you will in all conditions here is a glorious Christian therefore though grace be glory that must not content us but wee must labour to have such a measure of glory as that we may be glorious in our owne ranke is it not a glorious thing when a man can breake through doubts and feares that trouble other folke too much as the sunne is sayd to be in glory when he is gotten on high there are many clouds in the morning but when the funne is gotten to his height at noone day hee scatters all so a Christian is in his glory and exaltation when he can scatter doubts and feares and terrours that trouble other weake beginning Christians therefore when we are troubled with scruples with this and that we should labour to get out of them that grace may be glorious to shew that we have gotten such a light and such a convincing knowledge and that wee are so rooted in faâ—th and grace that the Spirit of Christ in us hath broken through all these clouds and mists and made us glorious From glory to glory Our glory it is not like a torrent that runs a maine for a time and after is dryed up for ever grace it is a continuing and an increasing thing it continues still as the streame that it is fed with is an ever-living spring so is grace it is fed with the grace in Christ and he is a never-dying spring a fountaine for that grace in him is fed with his divinity therefore there must be a perpetuall Spring in Christ so where Christ hath opened a spring in the heart hee will feede that grace perpetually Vse 2 Let none be discouraged that have grace begun in them God will goe on with his own grace when hee hath begunne a good Worke hee will finish it to the day of the Lord Though grace be little at the first yet it shall not stay there it growes up we know not how but at last it is glorious indeed for till grace be growne it is little discerned from other things as betweene weeds and herbes there iâ— little difference when they be green till they be growne grace is little at the first as a graine of Mustardseed Ierusalem is not built in a day as wee say of Rome you have some that are a weaker sort of Christians that are good they would faine be in Canaan as soon as ever they are out of Egypt and I cannot blame them but hereupon they are discomforted as soone as ever they have grace in them they would have their pitch presently out of spiritual covetousnesse Oh that I had more knowledge and more victory c. these desires are good for God puts not in vaine desires into the hearts of his children but they must be content to be lead from glory to glory from one degree of grace to another Christ himselfe grew more in favour with God and man as that
rather increased by the Law for although Moses bee read yet untill this day remaineth the same vayle untaken away the Jewes will unavoydably abide in their Ignorance and bondage Now in opposition to this darknesse and obscurity of the Law in all those respects the Apostle exalteth the Gospell in this high and excellent privilege of it That it is plaine and evident and full of demonstration and that the light of it is not terrifying and amazing but sweet and comfortable so that wee may with much liberty and boldnesse of Spirit looke constantly upon the great glorious things set before us in it although it be no other but the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And there is moreover such an efficacy and working power in this Ministery of the Gospell as it will not suffer men to remaine the same without alteration as they did under Moses Ministery though hee was read daily but it will change them even into the Image of Jesus Christ and the carry them on still in that Image and likenesse from one degree of glory to another after a most admirable and spirituall manner of working This speciall excellency and prerogative of the Gospell is laid downe in the two last verses of this Chapter which are the words upon which wee shall more largely insist in the following discourse Vers. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The Lord is that Spirit that takes away the vaile that is spoken of before Hee sets downe what Christ is by what he doth Christ is that Spirit because he gives the Spirit And then a sweet effect of the Spirit of Christ Where the Spirit of Christis there is liberty The Spirit here is not taken for the person of God as if the Holy Ghost had said The Lord is a Spirit and not a bodily thing though that be a truth And as it is not meant naturally so not personally Christ is that Spirit as if Christ were the holy Ghost that were a confusion of persons nor as restrained to the third person the holly Ghost is the Spirit Neither as some heretofore would have it to shew that the Spirit is Iehovah God It is neither to shew that Christ is God nor that the Spirit is God nor that Christ is the holy Ghost But it is meant in regard of a speciall dispensation The Lord is that Spirit that is the Lord Iesus Christ who is the Lord of his Church by marriage office c. is that Spirit that is hee 1. hath the Spirit in himselfe eminently and 2. dispenseth and giveth the Spirit unto others all receiving the Spirit from him as the common root and fountaine of all spirituall gifts First he was that Spirit as having the holy Ghost in himselfe as man the holy Ghost filled the Humane Nature and made it spirituall The Spirit is all in all in the Humane nature of Christ and whatsoever hee doth he doth as it were being full of the Spirit in himselfe He gives the Spirit as God and receives it as man so hee both gives and receives the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne as God but the Spirit sanctified Christ as man as it did in the Virgins womb the holy Ghost sanctified that blessed masse of his body it sanctified him and filled him with all graces and gifts whereupon it is said he received the Spirit without measure that is in â—bundance Christ hath the Spirit in himselfe in a more eminent excellent manner than all others and it must needs be so for these reasons 1. From the neere union betweene the Humane naâ—ure and the Divine they â—re one person therefore â—here is more Spirit in Christ than in all creatures â—ut them together then in all the Angels and all men because the Divine nature is nearer to Christ then it is to the Angels or to any creature 2. Christ hath the Spirit without measure both in regard of extention and intention as we say he hath all graces in all degrees even next to an infinite all others have it in their measure and proportion 3. The Spirit doth rest upon Christ invariably in other men that have the Spirit it ebbes and flowes it is sometimes more and sometimes lesse there be spirituall desertions not onely in regard of comfort but in regard of grace though not totally but the Spirit rests â—n Christ eternally in a full â—easure and therefore you have it thus in Esa. 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisedome and Vnder standing the Spirit of Counsell and might c. 4. By reason of his place or offices in relation to the Church as Head Husband King Priest Prophet c. the Head is made by nature the seat of the more noble faculties as of Seeing Hearing Understanding Iudgeing and is furnished accordingly with greater plenty of spirits for the ruling and governing the whole body so Christ is the head of the Church and the governement of all the world is laid upon him and all excellencies are derived from him unto all his members as from the Root life is derived unto all the branches and therefore he must needs have the Spirit in greatest abundance his fulnesse of the Spirit is as the fulnesse of the fountaine ours is but as the fulnesse of the Cisterâ—â— hee hath grace in the Spring wee have it but in the Conduit his graces are primitive ours derivative we have nothing but what wee have received therefore it is sayd hee hath the oyle of gladnesse powred upon him above his fellowes Hee hath his name from Annoynting Christ. Hee was annoynted that is separated and ordained to the office of Mediaâ—orship by annoynting not properly that is with any materiall oyle but with the Spirit this was in regard of his Humane nature onely but it was above his fellowes that is above all Kings and Priests for they are his fellowes in regard of titles hee was above them all for all have their annoynting from him therefore he is the King of Kings and the Prophet of Prophets c. Also above all his fellowes as we take his fellowes for Christians they are his fellowes I goe to my God and your God c. he is the first borne amongst them and in all things hee hath the preeminence 5 Hee is to be as the patterne we are to follow him wee are predestinated to be conformed to â—im and to grow up to that fulnesse which is in him and in thiâ— respect there is cause why hee should have the Spirit and all the graces of it is greater abundance that hee might exceed all even Christians of greatest growth and perfection hee is to bee a patterne and example to all to the strongest as wel as to the weake Eveâ— Paul himselfe who was 〈◊〉 Leader to others for the excellency of the grace 〈◊〉 Christ that was in him 〈◊〉 a follower of Christ Be 〈◊〉 followers
of mee as I am of Christ. Q. When did this fulnesse of the Spirit come upon Christ when had hee it Ans. There was a fulnesse of the Spirit powred out upon Christ in the union of the Humane nature with the Divine Vnion and Vnction went together there was annoynting of the Spirit together with the union of the Spirit 2. There was a more full manifestation of the Spirit in his Baptisme when the holy Ghost fell on him in the shape of a Dove then he received the Spirit hee was to enter into the Ministâ—ry of the Gospell the Spirit of the Lord God was upon him because hee had anoynted him to Preach good tidings unto the meek c. Esa. 61. 1. 3. But the fullest degree of declaration and manifestation of the Spirit upon Christ was after his Resurrection after he had satisfied fully for our salvation then the stop of his glory was taken away For to worke our salvation there was a keeping backe of the glory of Christ from his Humane nature that hee might bee abased to suffer for us when hee had fully suffered for us that stay of his glory his abasement was taken away and then nothing appeared but all glory and Spirit in Christ. All things were put under his feet and he was set upon his Throne as a glorious King His Priestly Office appeared in his death his Propheticall Office before his death but then hee appeared to be King and Lord of all in the Resurrection Thus wee see how Christ is that Spirit that is hee is full of the Spirit in regard of himselfe Secondly he is that Spirit in regard of his dispensations towards his Church and Children The Lord is that Spirit that is 1. of all truths and 2. of all persons to give life and quickning to them First of truths what is the scope of the whole scriptures but Christ from the first Promise of the blessed Seed The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head to the end of the book What is all the Scriptures without Christ The Law is a dead letter yea and so is the Gospell too without Christ hee is that Spirit which gives life unto all the Scriptures Moses without Christ is but a shadow without a body or a body without a soule Take away Christ what was the Brazen Serpent What was the Arke What were the Sacrifices What is all Is not Christ all in all these The Kings and Prâ—ests and 〈◊〉 they were types of Christ all the Promises they were made and fulfilled in Christ the Law Ceremoniall aymed at Christ the Law Morall is to drive us to Christ Christ is the Spirit of all and the Scripture without Christ it is but a meere dead thing it is but a shell without a kernell as it is to the Iewes at this day 2. Christ is that Spirit in regard of persons quickning them hee is an universall Principle of spirituall life infusing it into al his Church and Children Christ is alwayes with his Church from the beginning of the world and will bee to the end It was no losse to the Church that Christ in his bodily presence lâ—ft it for hee left them the Comforter his Spirit by which he wrought greater workes after his Ascension than hee did before He is annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse and grace above his fellowes but all was for his fellowes whatsoever he is or hath all is for his Church and Children for us he was borne for us he was given hee is a King a Priest a Prophet for us he dyed for us he rose againe for us And he doth all he doth toward the Church as hee hath the Spirit and by the Spirit The Father is the first in the Trinity from whom all comes and the Son by whom all things are but the holy Ghost is the immediat worker of all things next the creature all things are applied from God the Father through the Sonne by the Spirit what Christ wrought and what the Father in wisdome devised was applyed by the Spirit and so the framing of us to be fit for such a glorious condition as wee have by Christ is also by the Spirit And this is the reason why Christ giveth the Spirit to those to whom hee purposeth to give faith or love or to worke any gracious worke For where Christ saveth he doth it not onely by merit and satisfying the wrath of God for us but also by sanâ—tifying and effectuall working in us that he might be a perfect Saviour Now the Essentiall vigour and operative Principle in all things either wrought by or from the Father or the Sonne is the Spirit As in Man there is his will from which he resolveth and purposeth there is wisedome and understanding by which hee proceedeth and then there is a vigorous power in man by which he executeth and doth all so is it in this working of God the Father plotteth and determineth of what is to be done the Sonne who is the wisdome of the Father dispenseth what the Father willeth the holy Spirit the power of both finisheth and worketh all upon us and therefore hee is called the power of the highest Luk. 1. 35. Whatsoever works come from God to the creature in generall and are wrought in the world as works of Creation and providence are immediately by the holy Spirit nakedly considered as the third person comming from the Father and the Sonne And in those speciall workes wrought in his Church and on his Children all things commeth from the holy Ghost but not simply considered as the third person but as hee is the Spirit of Christ that is first sanctifying and filling the Humane Nature of Christ and then sanctifying and filling us Christ could not give the holy Ghost immediately to us wee being in enmity with God and separated from him through our sinnes but he must first take it to himselfe who having by his death and sufferings reconciled us to his Father and purchased the Spirit for us may now dispense and give forth his Spirit to us If we had stood in Adam wee should not have received grace so as now we doe for we should have received it from the first Adam but as from a man now wee receive it not from meere man but which is much more from the second Adam who is God-man nay Adam himselfe received not his grace after so glorious a manner as we doe for he received it from the Spirit nakedly considered as the third person in the Trinity and as all other creatures received their excellencies but wee receive it from the holy Spirit which doth not onely proceed from the Father and the Son but commeth as it were through our owne nature which was marvellously united to God the Sonne and made one with him unto us and worketh in us The first Adam was a living soule the last Adam was a quickning Spirit he quickened himselfe when he was dead and hee
and as hereafter he shall finde to his cost you shall not neede to bid him come out of his conversation and condition and worldly course that he is in all this will follow where there is conviction of Spirit therefore the first worke of the Spirit in Spirituall liberty is to convince us of sinne and misery and then to worke as I sayd an answere of the soule and an obedience of the whole man this I will not bee long in being a cleare point Where the Spirit is there is liberty againe in matter of justification there is a liberty and freedome of conscience from sinne and the curse of sinne and all the danger that followes upon sinne by the Spirit Object But you will say the liberty of justification is wrought by Christ wee are justified by the obedience of Christ and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us Answ. It is true Christ is our righteousnesse but what is that to us except wee have something to put it on except we be united to Christ what good have wee by Christ if Christ bee not ours if there be not a spirituall marriage what benefit have we by him if we have not him to pay our debt for his riches to bee ours and our debt to bee his there must be a union first Now this union is wrought by the Spirit it is begun in effectuall calling from this union there comes to bee a change his righteousnesse is mine as if I had obeyed and done it by my selfe and my debts and sinnes are his this is by the Spirit because the union betweene Christ and mee is by the Spirit for whatsoever Christ hath done it is nothing to me till there be a Vnion and then freedome is by the Spirit likewise because the Spirit of God workes faith in me not onely to unite and knit me to Christ but faith to perswade me that Christ is mine and that all his is mine and that my debts are his this supernaturall hand of faith the Spirit workes to lay hold upon Christ and then to perswade me for the Spirit is a lightsome thing and together with the graces it tells mee the graces it workes As reason besides reason it tells me that I use reason when I doe it hath a reflex act so the Spirit of Christ it hath a reflex act upon it selfe for being above reason it doth not onely lay hold upon Christ it doth not onely doe the worke but it tels me that I doe so when I doe therefore it not onely tells me that Christ is mine when I beleeve but it assures mee that I doe beleeve it carries a light of its owne I know the light by the light and reason by reason and faith by faith together with the reflex act joyning with it so that the reflect act joyning with it so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect as it is a meanes of union whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine and mine to be Christs and likewise it assures me that I doe beleeve when I doe beleeve without errour for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ not onely to know the priviledges by Christ but the graces of Christ. And beloved unlesse the Spirit should doe it it would never be done for the soule of man is so full of terrours and feares and jelousies that except the Spirit of God witnesse to my spirit that God is reconciled in Christ and that Christs righteousnesse is mine I could never be perswaded of it for the soule it alway thinkes God is holinesse it selfe and I am a masse of sinne what reason have I to thinke that God will bee so favourable to such a wretch to such a lumpe of sinne as I am were it not that God the Sonne hath satisfied God the Father God hath satisfied God and the Spirit certifies my conscience so the Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God that knows whâ—â— love is in the brest of God and therefore he searcheth the heart hee searcheth the heart of God and he searcheth my spirit except the Spirit should tell me that God the Sonne hath satisfied and God the Father will accept of the satisfaction of God the Sonne I should never bleeve it therefore God must stablish the heart in a gracious liberty of justification as well as that God the Sonne hath wrought it It is no wonder that men of great parts without grace are full of terrours and despaire for the more parts and wit a man hath without the Spirit of God the more hee disputes against himselfe and entangles himselfe with desperate thoughts but when the Spirit is brought to speake peace to the soule in Christ and makes the soule to cast it selfe on him for salvation then Gods Spirit is above the conscience though conscience be above all things else yet God is above conscience and can still the conscience and the Spirit tells us that God the Father is reconciled by the death of God the Sonne and when God witnesseth what God hath wrought then conscience is at peace Thus we see how the Spirit sets us at liberty in the great matter of justification So likewise in the matter of holy life in the whole course of a holy life Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty and freedome from the slavery of sinne for there the understanding is freed from the bondage of ignorance and there the will is freed from the bondage of rebellion there the affections likewise and the whole inward and outward man is freed but this liberty of holinesse inherent liberty it doth spring from the liberty that wee have by justification by the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are perfectly righteous and freed from all the title that Sathan hath in us wee are freed from the curse of God from the Law are inabled in a course of Sanctification to goe on from grace to grace the Spirit of Christ comes after justification for whom God gives forgivenesse unto hee gives his Spirit to sanctifie them the same Spirit that assures mee of the pardon of my sinne sanctifies my nature where the Spirit is of sanctification it breakes the ruling power of sinne before then the whole life is nothing but a continuall sinning offending of God but now there is a gracious liberty of disposition a largenesse of heart which followes the liberty of condition when a man is free in state and law from wrath and from the sentence of damnation then he hath a free and volentary disposition wrought to serve God freely without feare or constraint When a man is under the bondage of the Law when he is under the feare of death being armed with a sting whatsoever he doth he doth it with a slavish minde where the Spirit of God is there is the Spirit of adoption the Spirit of Sonnes which is
a free Spirit the sonne doth not duties to his father out of constraint and feare but out of nature the spirit alters our nature and disposition it makes us sonnes and then we doe all freely God doth inlarge the hearts of his children they can deny themselves in a good worke they are zealous of good workes it is the end of their redemption as it is Tit. 2. We are redeemed to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes for then we have a base esteeme of all things that hinder us from freenesse in Gods service as worldlinesse c. what doth a Christian when hee seeth his gracious liberty in Chrst the love of the world and worldly things he is ready to part with all for the service of God he is so free hearted that hee can part with life it selfe Paul saith of himselfe My life is not deare to me so I may finish my course with joy as we see in the Martyres and others how free they were even of their very blood What shall wee thinke of those therefore that if we get any thing of them it must bee as a sparkle out of the flint duties come from Christians as water out of a spring they are naturall and not forced to issue so farre forth as they are spirituall I confesse that there is remainders of bondage where the Spirit sets at liberty for there is a double principle in us while we live in this world of nature and grace therefore there will be conflict in every holy duty the flesh will draw backe when the spirit would be liberall the flesh will say oh but I may want When the Spirit would bee most couragious the flesh will say but there is danger in it so that there is nothing that we can doe but it must be gotten out of the fire we must resist yet notwithstanding here is liberty to doe good because here is a principle that resists the backewardnesse of the flesh In a wicked man there is nothing but flesh and therefore there is no resistance and we must understand the nature of this Spirituall liberty in sanctification it is not a liberty freeing us altogether from conflict and deadnesse and dulnesse and the like but it is a liberty inabling us to combate not freeing us from combate it is a liberty to fight the battells of the Lord against our owne corruptions not freeing us from it that is the liberty of glory in heaven when there shall be no enemie within or without Therefore let not Christians be discouraged with the backwardnesse and untowardnesse of the flesh to good duties if we have a principle in us to fight against it to inable us to fight against our corruptions and to get good duties out of it in spight of it it is an argument of a new nature God will perfect his owne beginnings and subdue the flesh more and more by the power of his spirit We see our blessed Saviour what a sweete excuse hee makes for his Disciples when they were dead hearted and drowsie when they should have comforted him in the garden oh saith he The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Indeede there is a double hinderance in Gods people when they are about holy duties sometimes from their very mould nature considered not as corrupted the very mould without the consideration And then consider it as it is made more heavie and dull be the flesh and corruptions in them as there be invincible infirmities and weakenesses in nature sometimes deadnesse after labour and expense of spirits creepes in invincibly that a man cannot overcome those necessities of nature so that the spirit may be willing and the flesh weake the flesh without any great corruption God lookes upon our necessities as the father saith free me from my necessities as we see Christ made an excuse for them It was not so much corruption though that were an ingredient in it as nature in it selfe Christ saw a great deale of gold in the Oare therefore wee see how he excuseth them therefore when wee are dull let us strive Christ is ready to make excuse for us if our hearts bee right The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake I speake this for the comfort of the best sort of Christians that thinke they are not set at liberty by the Spirit be-because they finde some heavinesse and dulnesse in good duties as I said there is sinne in us while we live here but it reignes not after a man hath the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Christ maintaines a perpetuall combate and conflict against sinne it could subdue sinne all at once if God saw it good but God will humble us while wee live here and exercise us with spirituall conflicts therefore God sees it sufficient to bring us to heaven to set up a combate in us that we are able by the helpe of the Spirit to fight Gods battles against the flesh so that the dominion of sinne may be broken in us and excellently saith Paul Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death The law of the Spirit of life that is the commanding power of the Spirit of Christ that commands as a law in the hearts of Gods people it frees us from the law that is from the commanding power of sinne and death so that the dominion and tyranny of sinne is broken by the Spirit of Christ and so we are set at a gracious liberty in some respects wee are under grace therefore sinne shall not have dominion over us as the Apostle speakes Againe by the Spirit of Christ in Sanctification we are made Kings to rule over our owne lusts in some measure not Kings to be freed altogether from them but Kings to strive against them It is a liberty to fight and in fighting to overcome at last When the Israelites had a promise that God would give their enemies into their hands the meaning was not that hee would give them without fighting a blow but I will give them into your hands you shall fight and be of good comfort in fighting you shall overcome so this liberty of Sanctification it is not a liberty that we should have no combate with our corruptions but a gracious liberty to keepe them under till by subduing them by little and little we get a perfect victory what greater incouragement can a man have to fight against his enemie then when he is sure of the victory before he fights of finall victory you see then how the Spirit brings a liberty into the soule it brings us out of that cursed kingdome of Sathan and sinne it brings us out of the curse of God and the law in justification and it brings us from the dominion and tyrannie of sinne by a Spirit of Sanctification But this is not all that is in liberty for the Spirit doth not onely free â—s
and make use of it what a blessed liberty is this when wee have sinned In restraint of the outward man if ever God restraine us to humble us what a blessed thing is this that the Spirit is at liberty and that is the best part of a man a man may have a free conscience and minde in a restrayned condition and a man may be restrayned in a free state in the guilt of sinne bound over to the wrath of God and bound over to another evill day a man in the greatest thraldome may have liberty what a blessed condition is this So in sickenesse to consider that there is a glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and a redemption of body as well as of soule that this base body of mine shall bee like Christs glorious body that there is a resurrection to glory the resurrection will make amends for all these sicknesses and ills of body what a comfort is it to thinke of the resurrection to glory And to when death comes to know that by the blood of Christ there is a liberty to enter into heaven that Christ by his blood hath opened a passage to heaven And so in all necessities to thinke I have a liberty to the Throne of Grace I am free of heaven I am free of the company of Saints in earth and in heaven too I am free to have Communion with God I have a freedome in all the promises what a sweet thing is this in all wants and necessities to use a spirituall liberty to have the eare of God as a favourite in heaven not onely to be free from the wrath of God but to have his favour to have his eare in all our necessities what a blessed liberty is this that a man may goe with boldnesse to the throne of grace by the Spirit of Christ Beloved it is invalluable there is not the least branch of this spirituall liberty but it is worth a thousand worlds how should we value it and blesse God for giving Christ to wroke this blessed liberty and for giving his spirit to apply it to us more and more and to set us more and more at spirituall liberty for both the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost all joyne in this Spirituall liberty the Father gives the Sonne and he gives the Spirit and all to set us free It is a comfortable and blessed condition Vse 3 But how shall we know whether we be set at liberty or no because all will pretend a liberty from the law and from the curse of God and his wrath in justificaâ—ion and though it be the foundation of all I will not speake of that but of that that alwayes accompanies iâ— a liberty of holinesse a liberty to serve God a liberty from bondage to lusts and to Sathan Therefore Wheresoever the Spirit of God is there is a liberty of holinesse to free us from the dominion of any one sinne we are freed to serve him in holinesse all the dayes of our lives where the Spirit therefore is it will free a man from thraldome to sinne even to any one sinne for the Spirit discovers to the soule the odiousnesse of the bondage for a man to be a slave to Sathan who is his enemy a cruell enemie what an odious thing is this Now whosoever is in thralled to any lust is in thraldome to Sathan by that lust therefore where this liberty is there cannot be slavery to any one lust Sathan therefore cares not how many sinnes one leaves if he live in any one sinne for hee hath them in one sinne and can pull them in by one sinne as children when they have a bird they can give it leave to flye so it bee in a string to pull it backe againe so Sathan hath men in a string if they live in any one sinne the Spirit of Christ is not there but Sathans Spirit and he can pull them in when hee will The beast that runnes away with a coard about him he is catched by the coard againe so when we leave many sinnes and yet notwithstanding carry his coards about us hee can pull us in when hee lists such are prisoners at liberty more than others but notwithstanding they are slaves to Sathan by that and where Sathan keepes possession by one sinne and rules there there is no liberty for the Spirit of Sanctification where it is is a counterpoyson to the corruption of nature and it is opposite to it in all the powers of the soule if suffers no corruption to get head Againe where this liberty from the Spirit is there is not onely a freedome from all grosse sinnes but likewise a blessed freedome to all duties an inlargement of heart to duties Gods people are a voluntary people those that are under grace they are annointed by the Spirit and the Spirituall annoyntment makes them nimble Christian is nothing but annointed now he that is truely annoynted by the Spirit is nimble and quicke and active in that that is good in some degree and proportion one use of annoynting is to make the members nimble and agile and strong so the Spirit of God is a Spirit of chearefulnesse and strength where it is therefore those that finde some chearefulnes and strength to preforme holy services to heare the Word to pray to God and to performe holy duties it is a signe that this comes from the Spirit of God the Spirit sets them at this liberty because otherwise spirituall duties are as opposite to flesh and blood as fire and water When we are drawne therefore to duties as a Beare to stake as we say with forraigne motives for feare or out of custome with extrinsicall motives and not from a new nature this is not from the Spirit this performance is not from the true liberty of the Spirit for the liberty of the Spirit is when actions come off naturally without force of fâ—are or hope or any extrinsicall motive a childe needes not extrinsicall motives to please his father when hee knowes he is the child of a loving father it is naturall so there is a new nature in those that have the Spirit of God to stirre them up to duty though Gods motives may helpe as the sweete incouragements and rewards but the principall is to doe things naturally not for feare or for giving content to this or that man Artificiall things move from a principle without them therefore they are artificiall clockes and such things have weights that stirre all the wheeles they goe by and that moove them so it is with an artificiall Christian that composeth himselfe to a course of religion he moves with weights without him he hath not an inward principle of the Spirit to make things naturall to him and to excite and make him doe things naâ—urally and sweetely Where the Spirit of God is there is freedome that is a kinde of naturall freedome not forced nor
moved by any sorraigne extrinsicall motive Againe where the freedome of Spirit is there is a kinde of courage against all opposition whatsoever joyned with a kinde of light and strength of faith breaking through all opposiâ—ions a consideration of the excellent state I am in of the vilenesse of the state we are mooved to by opposition when the Spirit discovers these things with a kinde of conviction what is all opposition to a Spirituall man it addes but courage and strength to him to resist the more opposition the more courage he hath in Acts 4. When they had the Spirit of God they opposed opposition and the more they were opposed the more they grew they were cast in prison and rejoyced and the more they were imprisoned the more couragious they were still there is no setting against this winde nor no quenching of this fire by any humane power where it is true for the Spirit of God where it sets a man at liberty indeed it gathers strength by opposition See how the Spirit triumphed in the Martyres over all opposition fire and imprisonment and all the Spirit in them set them at liberty from such base feares that it prevailes in them over all The Spirit of God where it is is a victorious Spirit it frees the soule from base feares of any creature If God be on our side who shall bee against us It is sayd of Saint Stephen that they could not withstand the Spirit by which he spake and Christ promiseth a Spirit that all the enemies shall not bee able to withstand so those that are Gods children in the time of opposition when they understand themselves and that to which they stand God gives them a Spirit against which all their enemies cannot stand the Spirit of Christ in Stephen put such a glory upon him that he looked as if he had beene an Angell so the Spirit of liberty where it is it is with boldnes and strength and courage against opposition Those therefore that are awed with every petty thing for standing in a good cause they have not the Spirit of Christ for where that is if frees men from these base feares especially if the cause be Gods Againe where the Spirit of liberty is it gives boldnesse with God himselfe and thus it is knowne especially where it is where the Spirit is there is liberty what to doe even to goe to God himselfe that otherwise is a consuming fire for the Spirit of Christ goes through the mediation of Christ to God Christ by his Spirit leades us to God he that hath not the Spirit of God cannot goe to God with a spirit of boldnesse therefore when a man is in affliction in the time of temptation or great affliction especially when there is opposition hee may best judge what hee is in truth when a man is in temptation or opposition from the world within or without and can goe boldly to God and powre out his soule to God freely and boldly as to a father this comes from the Spirit of liberty where the Spirit of Christ is not though the parts be never so strong or never so great it will never doe thus take another man in the time of extremity he sinkes but take a child of God in extremity yet he hath a Spirit to goe to God and to cry Abba Father to goe in a familiar manner to God Saul was a mighty man when he was in anguish hee could not goe to God Caine could not goe to God Iudas a man of great knowledge hee could not goe to God his heart was naught hee had not the Spirit of Christ but the spirit of the devill and the spirit of bondage bound him over for his treason to hell and destruction because he had not the Spirit to go to God but accounted him his enemy he had betrayed Christ if he had said as much to God as he did to the Scribes and Pharisees he might have had mercy in the force of the thing I speake not of the decree of God but in the nature of the thing it selfe if hee had said so much to Christ and to God he might have found mercy so let a man be never so great a sinner if he can goe to God and spread his soule and lay open his sinnes with any remorse if hee can come and open his soule in confession and in petition and begge mercy of God in Christ to shine as a Father upon his soule this Spirit of liberty to goe to God it argues that the Spirit of Christ is there because there is liberty to goe to God in Rom. 8. speaking there of comfort in afflictions this is one among the rest that the children of God have the Spirit of God to stirre up sighes and groanes Now where the Spirit of God stirres up sighes and groanes God understands the meaning of his owne Spirit there is the spirit of liberty and there is the Spirit of Sons for a spirit of liberty is the Spirit of a Sonne a man may know that hee is the Sonne of God and a member of Christ and that he hath the spirit of Liberty in him if he can in affliction and trouble sigh and groane to God in the name and mediation of Christ for the Spirit stirres up groanes and sighes they come from the Spirit That familiar boldnesse whereby wee cry Abba Father it comes from Sonnes they onely can cry so this comes from the Spirit if we be Sonnes then wee have the Spirit whereby we cry Abba Father so if wee can goe to God with a sweete familiarity Father have mercy upon mee forgive mee looke in the bowels of pitty upon mee this sweete boldnesse and familiarity it comes from the Spirit of Liberty and shewes that wee are Sonnes and not bastards Your strong rebellious sturdy hearted persons that thinke to worke out their misery out of the strength of parts and friends c. they dye in despaire their sorrowes are too good for them but when a broken Soule goes to God in Christ with boâ—â—nesse this opening of the Soule to God it is a signe of Liberty and of the Liberty of Sonnes for this liberty here is the liberty of Sonnes of a Spouse of Kings of members of Christ the sweetest liberty that can be imagined it is the liberty that those sweete relations breede of a wife to the husband and of loving Subjects to their Prince and of Children to their Father here is a sweet liberty and where the Spirit of God is there is all this sweete Liberty There are three degrees that a man is in that is in the way to Heaven The state of nature when he cares neithâ—â— for heaven nor hell in a manner so he may have sensuall nature pleased and goe on without feare or wit without grace nay without the principles of nature so hee may satisfie himselfe in a course of sin that is the worst state the state
to finish our course with joy as Saint Paul speakes of himselfe And doth God bring us from glory to glory til he have brought us to perfection of glory then I beâ—eech you let us before hand be thankfull to God as we see in the Epistles of blessed Saint Paul and Peter Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled reserved in Heaven saith Saint Peter and so Saint Paul let us beginne the imployment of Heaven before hand for why doth God discover to us that he wil bring us to glory why doth he discover it to our faith that excellent state that we might beginne Heaven on earth as much as might be and how shall we doe that by the imployment of Heaven what is that Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts There is nothing but magnifying and glorifying of God there shall be no neede of Prayer there are prayses alway and so much as we are in the prayses of God and glorifying of God for his mercy and love in Christ so much wee are in Heaven before our time I beseech you therefore be stirred up in consideration of this that wee are leading on by degrees from glory to glory till wee come to perfection let us even give God the praise of all before hand for it is as sure as if wee had it For one way how things to come are present is by faith Glory to come is present two or three wayes already that may stirre us up to glorifie God before hand The glory to come is present to Christ our head wee in our Husband are in Heaven now he hath taken Heaven for us And in regard of faith that is the evidence of things not seene it is the nature of faith to present things to come as present to faiâ—h glory to come is present present in Christ and we are part of Christ Christ misticall and members and we in our head are in Heaven already and sit there and to faith that makes things present that are to come we are in heaven already And we have the earnest of Heaven the first fruites of the Spirit wee have grace which is glory the beginnings of glory we have the first fruites and earnest Now an earnest is never taken away but is made up by the bargaine with the rest so the earnest of the Spirit of God the first fruites of peace and joy of comfort and liberty to the throne of grace these are the beginnings of Heaven therefore be much in praising God Oh that wee could be so if wee could get into a frame and disposition to blesse God we could never be miserable no not in the greatest afflictions for thankefulnesse hath joy alway when a man is joyfull he can never be miserable for joy inlargeth the soule when is a man most joyfull but in a state of thankfulnesse and what makes us thankfull so much as to consider the wonderfull things that are reserved in another world the glory that God is leading us to by little and little from glory to glory till wee bee perfect Even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As here is taken according to the phrase in the Greeke and there is the like word in the Hebrew it signifieth likenesse and similitude sometimes and sometimes otherwise it is not here meant as if we were like the Spirit of the Lord but this change is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord that is it is so excellent and so strong that you may know that it is done by none but the Spirit of God Againe As by the Spirit of the Lord that is so farre as the Spirit of the Lord changeth us it implyeth those two things that is it is done by the power of the Spirit that we may know it is done by the Spirit of the Lord and then as by him and no further for we no further shine then he enlighteneth us as the ayre it is no further light then the Sun shines into it so we have no more glory strength comfort and peace or any thing gracious and glorious then the Spirit of God shines into us Therefore he saith As by the Spirit of the Lord. It is so glorious and excellent and so farre forth as he doth it as by the Spirit of the Lord so he expresseth the meaning of that phrase Now you see here the Doctrine is cleare that all that I have spoken of before comes from the Spirit of the Lord and from no other cause The beholding the transforming the degrees of transforming from glory to glory the taking away of the vayle all is from the Spirit of the Lord To goe over the particulars The Holy Ghost doth open our eyes to behold the glory of the Lord and therefore he is called the Spirit of illumination The Holy Ghost takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeleife and thereupon hee is called the Spirit of Revelation The Holy Ghost upon revealing the love of God to us in Christ and the love of Christ to us and illuminating our understandings to see these things he breedes love to God againe shewing the love of God to us and thereupon he is called the Spirit of Love now when Gods love is shed into us by the Spirit of illumination and Revelation then we are changed according to the Image of Christ and thereupon the Holy Ghost from the working of a change is called the Spirit of sanctification because he is not onely the holy temple of that blessed Person but he makes us holy and because this change is a glorious change a change from one degree of grace to another till we come to be perfect in Heaven hereupon it is called a Spirit of glory as Saint â—eter saith the spirit of glory resteth on you that is the Spirit of peace of love of comfort of joy c. The Spirit in regard of this blessed attribute working all these he is called the Spirit of glory the Spirit hath diverse names according to the diverse operations hee workes in the Saints and People of God as here the Spirit of Illumination of Revelation of love of sanctification of glory all is by the Spirit whatsoever is wrought in man it is by the Spirit all comes from the Father as the Fountaine and through the Sonne as Mediator but whatsoever is wrought it is by the Holy Ghost in us which is the substantiall vigour in the Trinity all the vigour and operation in the Trinity upon the creature it is by the Holy Ghost the third person As in the creation the Spirit mooved upon the waters and mooving there and brooding on them framed the whole module of the creatures all were framed by the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost upon the water of our soules frames the new creature frames all this change from glory to glory all is by the Holy Spirit Therefore it is here in the passive tearme We are
changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord so in the chayne of Salvation you have passive words in them all Whom God foreknew he chose and whom hee chose hee justified and whom he justified he glorified all because they come from God and the Spirit of God so here we are transformed from glory to glory all is by the Spirit of God the third person for beloved even as from God toward us all things come through the Sonne by the Spirit so backe againe all things from us to God must come by the Spirit and through Christ wee doe all by the Spirit as all things are wrought in us by the Spirit God gives us the Spirit of Prayer and supplication and the Spirit of Sanctification and we pray in the Spirit and worke in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit wee doe all in the Spirit to shew that the Spirit doth all in all in this new creature and worke of Sanctification it is by no lesse then the Spirit of the Lord For beloved as it was God that redeemed us so it is God that must change us as it was God that wrought our Salvation and reconciled us no lâ—sse person could doe it so it must bee God that must perswade us of that glorious worke and fit us for it by his holy Spirit it is God that must knit us to our head Christ and then by little and little transforme us to that blessed condition that Christ hath purchased for us God the Sonne doth the one and God the Spirit doth the other you have all the three persons in this place for wee see the glory of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost shining in lesus Christ. Christ is the Image according to which we are changed the Spirit is he that changeth us according to that Image God shewes his mercy in Christ we knowing and apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by the Spirit are changed by that Spirit from glory to glory so that the blessed Trinity as they have a perfect unity in themselves in nature for they are all one God so they have a most perfect unity in their love and care and respect to mankinde we cannot want the worke of any one of them all their worke is for the good of mankind The Father in his wisedome decreed and laid the foundation how mercy and justice might be reconciled in the death of the mediator Christ wrought our Salvation the Holy Ghost assures us of it and knits us to Christ and changeth and fits us to be members of so glorious a head and so translates and transformes us more and more from glory to glory It is a comfortable consideration to see how our salvation and our fitting for salvation till wee be put in full possession of it stands upon the unity of the three glorious persons in the Trinity that all joyne in one for the making of man happy I will name two or three Doctrines before I come to that which I meane to dwell on As first that The Spirit comes from Christ. It is said here By the Spirit of the Lord that is of Christ Because Christ doth spirare as well as the Father the Father doth spirare and the Son doth breath the Holy Ghost proceedes by way of spiration from both therefore the Spirit is not only the Spirit of the Father but of the Sonne as we see here The Spirit of the Lord. Christ sends the Spirit as well as the Father I will send you the Comforter The Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and hee doth report to us the love of the Father and of the Sonne and therefore 2 Cor. 13. The shutâ—ing up of the Chapter The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost c. As the Holy Ghost hath communion in proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and knowes the secrets of both so he reveales them to us the love of God the Father and the Sonne and the communion of the the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Sonne as well as from the Father he is called here the Spirit of the Lord. Then againe the Spirit is a distinct person from Christ it is said before The Lord is that Spirit that might trouble men how to know that The Lord is that Spirit men might thinke that Christ is all one with the Spirit No here the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of the Lord he meanes he is another distinct person from Christ and the Spirit is God as well as Christ because the Spirit hath the operations of God attributed to him to change and transfrome and make new wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory Even as by the Spirit of the Lord creation and renovation of all new is from an Almighty power all the power in Heaven and earth cannot make that that was not to be especially that that was contrary and opposite to be now for a man in opposition and enmity to Religion to be changed to a better Image to the Image of Christ it argueth an Almighty power these Doctrinall poynts I doe but onely touch I come to that that I judge more usefull that is that What soever â— good in us it comes from the Spirit of God What need I stand upon reasons whatsoever is above nature it must come from Gods Spirit the Spirit is the Authour of all things above nature grace whereby wee are like Christ it is above nature therefore it must bee by the Spirit of God Besides that which riseth of nothing and is opposite and hath Sathan to oppose it it must have an Almighty power to work it Therefore whosoever workes any thing that is supernaturally good in us hee must be above the devill we cannot so much as call Iesus with a feeling but by the Spirit of God we cannot thinke a good thought all is by the Spirit whatsoever is gracious and comfortable in us I should bee overtroublesome to you to be much in so cleare a common argument as this is therfore I wil hasten to make some use of it Vse 1 And therefore put out of your thoughts I beseech you when you look to have any grace or comfort wrought shut out of your hearts too much relying upon any outward thing thinke not that education can make a man good or plodding can make a man good in bodily exercise in hearing much in conferring much in custome or education or any paines of our owne these are things that the Spirit will be effectuall in if we use them as wee should but without the Spirit what are theyâ— nay what is the body of Christ without the Spirit The flesh prositeth nothing what is the Sacrament and the Word dead things without the Spirit of the Lord nothing can worke upon the soule no outward thing in the world but the Spirit of God and the
nothing but earthly things wee are under the seale of Gods judgement he hath sealed us up to a darke state from darkenesse of judgement to the darkenesse of hell without repentance therefore let us take heed how we live in a dull and dead condition under the glorious Gospell or else how cursed shall we be the more wee are exalted and lifted up above other people in the blessings of God this way the more we shall bee cast downe Woe be to Châ—razin c. and Heb. 2. How shall wee escape of we â—â—glectâ— so great Salvation I beseech you let us take heed how we triâ—le away our time these precious times and blessed opportunities for if wee labour not to get out of the state of nature into the state of grace and so to be changed from glory to glory God in justice will curse the meanes we have that â—n hearing wee shall not heare and seeing we shall not see and he will secretâ—y and insensibly harden our hearts it is the curse of all curses when we are under plenty of meanes to grow worse and duller oh take heede of Spirituall judgements above all others tremble at them they belong to reprobates and cast-awayes Let us labour for hearts sencible of the mercies of God in Christ and labour to bee transformed and moulded into this Gospell every day more and more That that hath beene spoken shall bee sufficient for this time and for this whole Text. FINIS A comparison 〈…〉 the Law and the Gospell The Explication of the words 1. Christ hath the Spirit in himselfe Christ hath the Spiriâ— in greater measure than any other When the fullest manifestation of the spirit in Christ was 2 Christ giveth the Spirit 1. To all truths and Ordinances 2 To all persons that are spirituall Why Christ worketh all by the Spirit Christ communicateth the Spirit to uâ— divers wayes as 1. Of influence 2. By way of merit 3. By way of example Christ giveth the Spirit in greatest abundance after his Resurrection Ephes. 4. 10. Why the Ordinances of God are no more effectuall unto us Iohn 6. 63 Formality is the sin of this age Comfort that Christ hath â—ulnes of the Spirit Why Christians are so dark spirited Motives to stirre us up to get the Spirit Rom. 8. 13. The Spirit the soule of the soule How to know if we have the Spirit 1. It 's working The spirit compared to fire 1. It is active 2. It transformes things 3. It carries upwards 2. It is convincing Ioh. 16. To convince what 3. It makes us like Christ. Directions to get the Spirit 1. Labour to know Christ. Why there was so little spirit before Christs time Why so little spiâ—rit in Popery 1. The knowledge of Christ makes life and death comfortable 2. Not to trust to any performance without Christ. 3. Be careful in use of meanes The Spirit workes liberty Liberty desired of all men Liberty two fold 1. Christian. 2. Evangelicall We are in bondage without the Spirit The more liberty without Christ the more slavery Aug. de civit Dei Two kingdomes Sins bonds Liberty wrought by Christ applyed by the Spirit How the Spirit workes liberty By conviction By Faith By Love Christ redeemeth two wayes 1. By Price 2. By strong hand All that Christ redeemes he frees by his Spirit 1. Because we are saved as men 2. We are freed to be friends with God 3. We cannot love God â—lse 4. Because we must be fitted for heaven The Spirit sets us at liberty in all the course of salvation 1. In our first calling 1. The heart must answere Gods call Ioh. 9. 25. Psal. 27. 2. We must practise that we answere 2. Liberty in justification No benefit by Christ without union Double worke of faith The heart fuâ—l of fearâ—s without the Spirit Why men of great parts without grace are full of feares 3. In Sanctification Sanctification springs from justification Liberty of disposition Christians esteeme basely all things but Christ. Double principle in a Christian Liberty in in Sanctification to conflict not from it Comfort against the dulnesse of the flesh Double hindrance of good duties Rom. 8. 2. Christians Kings over their lusts Freedome from the consequents of sinne Freedome to good things Vse of the lâ—w before and after we be in Christ. Liberty of judgement and will Freedome of will Naturall 2. Ability to good Luther The Spirit puts a new life in us And then applies it to action The Spirit in conversion doth more then perswade The worke of the Spirit takes not away freedome The Spirit preserves the soule in its manner of working Rules concerning liberty 1. When it is done with advisment of reason All heate comes through light 2. A power to argue on both sides 3. There is a power to choose many things The Angels determined to that that is good Difference in the liberty of the two Adams Greatest liberty not to have liberty to sinne Imperfection to have power to good and evill Outward liberty 1. Of Preaching the Gospell 2. Of Discipliue Spirituall liberty comes by outward liberty Yeere of Iubile in preaching of the Gospell Enemies of the Gospell enemies to spirituall liberty Psal. 2. The Gospell the kingdome of God why A good signe of spiritual liberty Liberty of glory Rom. 8. To labour for the Spirit that sets us at liberty Attend upon the Ordinances of God The comfort of Spirituall liberty In outward restraint In sickenesse In death In all wants â—â—gnes of Spirituall liberty 1. Liberty from the dominion of any one sinne One sinne inthralls as well as many Simil. Simil. 2. Freedome to good duties Psal. 110. Christian annointed Forced duties without liberty Hypocrites have forraine motives 3. Courage against opposition The Spirit victorious Rom. 8. 4. Boldnesse with God Carnall men sinke in extreaminty Abba Father the voyce of Sonnes Proud Rebels die desperately Three degrees in the way to heaven Of Nature Vnder the Law State of liberty Mat. 11. 28. Difference of men in extremity Want of boldnesse shewes want of freedome 5. Freedome in regard of the creature Two sorts of wicked men 1. Such as Lord it over others 2. That respect their private gaine Reason an inferiour light to grace A Christian in dependant in respect of other men Why carnall men hate those that are Spirituall Christians the onely great men Where the Spirit is there is liberty not licentiousnesse A Christian a free man and a servant What carnall men judge liberty The tyranâ—â— of lusts Not to grieve the Spirit Cyprian The Spirit is grieved With uncleane courses Malice and canckor Pride Sinnes against conscience Hinder our liberty In Prayer It hinders boldnesse with men Goe to Christ to free us from corruption Avoyd â—ccasionâ— The office of Christ by his Spirit Difference betweene the Law and the Gospell In the number no envy in Spirituall things In the evidence Efficasie Foure excellencies in the covenant of grace since Christ. Freedome Clearnesse Intention Extention
where these outward liberties are it is a signe that God hath an intendment to set men at Spirituall liberty Those therefore that are enemies of the dispensation of the Gospell in the ministery they are enemies to spiritâ—all liberty and it is an argument that a man is in bondage to Sathan when hee is an enemy any way of the unfolding of the Word of God for it is an argument that he is licentious that he will not be called to Spirituall liberty but live according to the flesh when he will not heare of the liberty of the Spirit as you have some kinde of men that account it a bondage Let us breake their bonds and cast away their coards why should we be tyed with the Word and with these holy things it is better that wee have no preaching no order at all but live every man as he would though they speake not so in words yet their lives and prophane carrige shew that they regard not outward liberties and that argueth that they are in spirituall bondage and that they have no interest in spirituall liberty because they are enemies of that whereby spirituall liberty is preserved Therefore the Gospell is set out by that phrase The Kingdome of God not onely the Kingdome of God set up in our hearts the Kingdome of the Spirit but likewise where the Gospell is preached there is the Kingdome of God why because with the dispensation of divine truth Christ comes to rule in the heart by the outward kingdome comes the spirituall kingdome they come under one name Therefore those that would have the spirituall kingdome of God by grace and peace to rule in their hearts till they reigne for ever in heaven they must come by this doore by the ministery by the outward ordinance the ordinance brings them to grace and grace to glory and it is a good and a sweete signe of a man spiritually set at liberty brought out of the kingdome of Sathan and freed from the guilt of sinne and from the dominion of sinne which is broken in Sanctification when we can meekely and cheerefully submit to the ordinance of God with a desire to have his spirituall thraldome discovered and to have spirituall duties unfolded and the riches of Christ layd open when hee heares these things with a tast and relish and a love it is a signe God loves his soule and that he hath interest in spirituall liberty because he can improve the Charter of his soule so well Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And besides this liberty in this world there is a liberty of glory called the liberty of the Sonnes of God The liberty of our bodies from corruption the glorious liberty in heaven when we shall be perfectly free for alas in this world we are free to fight not free from fight and we are free not from misery but free from thraldome to misery but then we shall be free from the encounter and incombrance all teares shall be wiped from our eyes wee shall be free from all hurt of body in sickenesse and the like and free from all the remainders of sinne in our soules that is perfect liberty perfect redemption and perfect adoption both of body and soule And that we have by the spirit too for where the Spirit of God is there is that to in this world in the beginnings of it for beloved what is peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost is it not the beginnings of heaven is it not a Grape of the heavenly Canaan is not the Spirit that wee have here an earnest of that inheritance an earnest penny and an earnest is a peece of the bargaine it is never taken away but is made up with the bargaine therefore when by the Spirit we have the beginnings of grace and comfort we have the beginnings of that glorious liberty and it assures us of that glorious liberty as sure as we have the earnest for God never repents of his bargaine that he makes with his children grace in some sort is glory as we see in the next verse because grace is the beginning of glory it frees the soule from terrour and subjection to sinne from the thraldome of sinne so the life of glory is begunne in grace we have the life of glory begunne by the Spirit this glorious life Vse 1 If we have all these blessed liberties in this world and in that to come by the Spirit then we should labour to have the Spirit of Christ or else we have no liberty at all and labour every day more and more to get this spirituall liberty in our consciences to have our consciences assured by the Spirit that our sinnes are forgiven and to feele in our consciences a power to bring under sinne that hath tyrannized over us before let us every day more and more labour to finde this spirituall liberty and prize dayly more the ordinances of God sanctified to set us at liberty attend upon spirituall meanes that God hath sanctified wherin he will convey the Spirit there were certaine times wherein the Angell came to stirre the waters of the poole so the Spirit of God stirres the waters of the Word and Ordinances and makes them effectuall attend upon the ordinances of God the Communion of Saints c. and the Spirit of God will slide into our soules in the use of holy meanes there is no man but hee findes experience of it he findes himselfe raysed above himselfe in the use of holy meanes The more we know the Gospell the more we have of the Spirit and the more Spirit we have the more liberty we enjoy If we prize and value outward liberty as indeede we doe and wee are naturally moved to doe it how should wee prize the Charter of our spirituall liberty the Word of God and the promises of Salvation whereby wee come to know all our liberty where we have all the promises opened to us the promise of forgivenesse of sinnes of necessary grace the promise of comfort in all conditions whatsoever therefore let us every day labour to grow farther and farther both in the knowledge and in the taste and feeling of this Spirituall liberty Vse 2 Oh beloved what a blessed condition it is to have this spirituall liberty doe but see the blessed use and comfort of it in all conditions for if a man hath the Spirit of God to set him at Spirituall liberty in all temptations either to sinne he hath the Spirit of God to free him from temptation or if temptation catch hold on him for sinne he hath the Spirit of God to flye too the blood of Christ to shew that if he confesse his sinnes and lay hold on Christ he hath pardon of sinne and the blood of Christ speakes better things than the blood of Abel it speakes mercy and peace if hee by faith sprinkle it upon his soule if he know the liberty of justification
he is shackled in his performances he cannot goe so naturally to prayer and to hearing conscience layes a clogge upon him hee is shackled in prayer especially he hath not liberty to the throne of grace how dares hee looke to heaven when hee hath grieved the Spirit of God and broken the peace of his conscience what communion hath he with God so it hinders peace with God a man cannot looke Christ in the face as a man when hee hath wronged another man he is ashamed to looke on him so the soule when it hath runne into sinnes against conscience it is ashamed to looke on Christ and to goe to God againe therefore any sinne against conscience grieves the Spirit and hinders all sweete liberty that was before it takes away the degree of it It hinders boldnesse with men for what makes a man couragious in his dealings with men a cleere conscience let it be the stoutest man in the world let him maintaine any lust against conscience it will make him so farre a slave for when it comes to the crossing of that lust once then you shall see he will even betray all his former stoutnesse and strength if a man be covetous and ambitious he may be stout for a time but when he comes to bee crossed it will take away all liberty that a man hath to cherish any sinne In a word to preserve this liberty let us goe to Christ from whom wee have this liberty complaine to him when wee finde any corruption stirring goe to the Lord in the words of S. Austine and say Now Lord free me from my necessities I cannot serve thee as I should doe nor as I would doe I am inthralled to sinne but I would doe better I cannot doe so well as I would free mee from my necessities complaine of our corruptions to God as the woman in the Law when â—he complayned if she were assaulted she saved her life by complaying so let us complaine to Christ if we finde violence offered to us by our corruptions I cannot by my owne strength set my selfe at liberty from this corruption Lord give mee thy Spirit to doe it set me more and more at liberty from my former bondage and from this that hath inthralled me so complaine to Christ and desire him to doe his office Lord thy office is To dissolve the workes of the devill And goe to the Spirit it is the office of the holy Ghost to free us to be a Spirit of liberty now desire Christ and the holy Ghost to doe their office of setting us at Spirituall liberty and this we must doe in the use of meanes and avoyding of occasions and then it will be efficatious to preserve that Spirituall liberty as will tell our consciences that wee are no hypocrites and that will end in a glorious liberty in the life to come And let this be a comfort to all poore strugling and striving Christians that are not yet set at perfect liberty from their lusts and corruptions that it is the office of the Spirâ—t of Christ as the King of the Church it is his office by his Spirit to purge the Church perfectly to make it a glorious spouse at last he will doe his owne office and besides this liberty of grace joyned with conflict in this world there is another liberty of glory when I shall bee freed from all oppositions without and from all conflict and corruption within It is called The liberty of the Sonnes of God Rom. 8 and those that looke not more and more for the gracious liberty to be free from passions and corruptions here they must not looke for the glorious liberty in heaven but those that live a conflicting life and pray to Christ more and more for the Spirit of liberty to set up a liberty in us these may looke for the liberty of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 will be ere long when wee shall be out of reach and free from corruption when the Spirit of God shall be all in all Now our lusts will not suffer the Spirit to bee all in all but in heaven he shall there shall be nothing to rise against him This that hath beene spoken shall suffice for that 17. verse The Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is 〈◊〉 I proceede to the next verse which I purpose to dwell more on VERSE XVIII But we all as in a glass with open face behold the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. AS the Sunne riseth by degrees till he come to shine in glory so it was with the Sonne of righteousnesse hee discovered himselfe in the Church by little and little the latter times now are more glorious than the former and because comparisons give lustre the blessed Apostle to set forth the excellency of the administration of the covenant of grace under the Gospell he compares it with the administration of the same covenant in the time of the law and in the comparison prefers that administration under the Gospell is more excellent Now besides other differences in the Chapter he insists upon three especially they differ in Generality Evidence Efficacie First in regard of the generalitie We all now with open face c. Moses onely beheld the glory of the Lord in the Mount but We all not all men but all sound Christians that have their eyes opened all sorts of beleevers behold this glory In Spirituall things there is no envie every one may be partaker in solidum intirely of all Envie is in the things of this life where the more one hath the lesse another hath it is a matter of glory and excellencie the more are partakers of Spirituall things the Iewes rejoyced that the Gentiles should be called and wee now rejoyce in hope and should rejoyce mervelously if we could see it effected that the Iewes should be taken in againe the more the better Wee all And then for evidence We behold with open face that is with freedome and boldnesse which was not in the time of the law for they were affraid to looke upon Moyses when hee came downe from the Mount his couâ—â—enance was so majesticall and â—â—â—rible but We all with open face freely boldly and cheerâ—fully looke upon the glory of God in the Gospell the light of the Gospell is an alluring comâ—â—rting light the light of the law was dazelling and terrifying As in a Glasse they beheld God in a glasse but it was not so cleere a glasse they beheld him as it were in the water wee behold him in Christâ—ll we see God in the glasse of the Word and Sacraments but they in a worâ—â— of Ceremonies Chrisâ— was to them swadled and wrapped up in a great many types And then for the power and efficacie the Gospell is beyond the law the law had not power to convert to change into
of faith that is the best picture and representation that can bee it is skarce worth spending so much time as to con fute that foolery to have any grace wrought in the heart by such abominable meanes as that is as they use it take it at the best it is but a bastardly helpe and bastardly meanes breed a bastardly devotion for will God worke grace in the heart by meanes of mans devising If pictures bee any teachers they are teachers of lyes saith the Prophet and in the Church of God till Pastors and Teachers became Idols Idols never became Teachers then came the Doctrine of Idols teaching of simple people when Idols became teachers a thousand yeares after Christ. So that the best picture to see Christ in is the Word and Sacraments and the best eye to see him with is the eye of Faith in the Word and Sacraments keepe that cleare and we need no crucifixes no such bastardly helpes of bastardâ— ly devotion devised by proud men that would not be beholding to God for his Ordinances But a touch is almost too much for such things that are so cleare to men that have spirituall eyes in Gal. 3. See what Saint Paul saith what his judgement was Oh foolish Galathians before whom Christ hath been painted and cruciâ—ied how was he painted nothing but by the preaching of Christ crucified in the Gospell and the riches of Christ in the Gospell and in the Sacraments laid open doe you thinke there were any other crucifixes in the world then With open face The manner of this beholding is with open face there must be a double vayle taken away before we can behold the glory of God the vayle of obscurity and the vayle of slavery the vayle of ignorance and infidelity within and the vayle of the things themselves these two vayles are both taken a way before we can with open face behold the glory of the Lord the inward vayle is taken away by the Spirit of God illuminating our understandings and giving us a Spirit of faith the outward vayle of the obscurity of the things is taken away by the teaching and ministery of the Gospell having that helpe to know the meaning of the Scriptures so that now in these glorious times of the Gospell both the vayles are taken away that we may behold without hinderance the glory of God shining in the Gospell for now we enjoy the ministery of the Spirit the Spirit is effectuall to shine in our hearts and then we have the gifts of men outward gifts whereby the vayle of ignorance is â—aken away in regard of the things themselves the things are unfolded If the things of themselves be darke or if they be lightsome and there be no sight within or if there be sight and that sight be vayled there can be no seeing but now to Gods elect he takes away all these vayles he shines in wardly and gives outward light in the helpe of meanes and yet not withstanding while we live here there is alwayes some obscurity and darknesse for the vayle of the Scriptures is not quite tooke away there is some darkenesse of the Scriptures and likewise the vayle of ignorance and infidelity is not altogether taken away there are some remainders of ignorance of infidelity and hardnesse of heart but yet in a great measure it is taken away here and shall by little and little tooke away till wee come to see God face to face in heaven With open face Coverings had two uses in the Iewish state They had a use of subjection therefore the Women had their vayles in token of subjection And they had a use likewise of obscurity to hinder the offensive lustre of that that is glorious therefore Moses put a vayle on his face when he came downe from the mount now in Christ Iesus in the Gospell both these vayles are taken away in some respects the vayle of subjection and slavery so farre as it is a slavery is taken away the Spirit of Christ workes liberty as I sayd before now wee serve God as Sonnes and not as servants any longer the vayle of subjection is taken away onely there is a spouse like filiall subjection the servile subjection we are freed from And then the vayle that hid the things is taken away too so now with open face we behold the glory of the Lord now the things themselves Christ and the gracious promises of grace and glory and comfort they are clearely layd open without any vayle how comes it then that we see them not there is a vayle over our hearts the more shame for us that when the things are unvayled wee should have a vayle upon our hearts of ignorance and unbeleefe therefore if any beleeve not it is because The god of this world hath blinded their eyes where the meanes of Salvation are and Christ layd open in the meanes if men doe not beleeve the fault is not in the things for they are unvayled they are discovered and layd open the fault is in us there is a vayle over the heaâ—t there is a cloud of ignorance and unbeleefe that keepes the heart from beholding the glory of the mercy of God in Christ. With open face We see the glory of God with boldnesse in the Gospell we goe boldly to God Christ takes us by the hand and leades us to his Father we have boldnesse and accesse to God through Christ by the Spirit as S. Paul teacheth in diverse places God is not terrible to us now in Christ Gods nature is Fatherly and sweete to us Christ in the Gospell is our head therefore wee goe boldly to God in Christ and Christ by his Spirit brings us to his Father we may boldly lay open our soules in prayer and all our complaints before him as to a Father we come not as malefactors to a judge as slaves to a Lord but as children to a father as a wife to her spouse with open face in the Gospell wee behold God that is with boldnesse we goe to him the Gospell by shining upon us takes away a Spirit of feare and bondage the more we see Christ the lesse feare the more love the lesse feare the more we see the grace of God in Christ it diminisheth a Spirit of feare and puts into us a Spirit of love and boldnesse for it presents to us in Christ full satisfaction to divine justice that when we offer Christ to the Father whom he hath sent and sealed for us God cannot refuse a Saviour of his owne sending and sealing and appointing to satisfie his justice therefore wee goe boldly to the throne of grace it is a mervailous priviledge that wee see God clearely in the Gospell with open face with a Spirit of boldnesse the vayle of ignorance being taken away for the sight of God to a conscience that is naturall and is not convinced of the mercy of God by the Spirit it is a terrible sight a guilty conscience
shall bee an end of all alteration So we see that God intends by his spirit to bring us to perfection though by little and little to perfection of glory as farre as our nature is capable and this shall be at the latter day Quest. Why not before why not in this world Ans. Beloved wee are not capable here of that fullnesse of glory Saint Peter on the Mount had but a glimpse of the glory of Heaven and he was spiritually drunke as it were he knew not what he said we are not capable therefore wee must grow here from glory to glory till we come to that perfection of glory God that gives us the earnest could make up the bargain here if we were capable of it but we are not God will have a differâ—nce betweene the millitant and the tryumphant Church and will traine us up here to live the life of faith till we come to live the life of sight the life of vision for ever in Heaven Doth God by his Spirit change us by his Spirit to the likenâ—sse of Christ from glory to glory till he have brought us to perfection of glory in Heaven Oh let us comfort our selves in our imperfections here we are here lame Mephibosheths hee was a Kings Sonne but he was lame we are spiritually lame and defective though we be Kings Sons Oh but we shal grow from glory to glory till all end in perfection in Heaven what a comfort is this in our imperfections that as every day we live in this world cuts off a day of our life for we live so much the shorter so every day we live brings us nearer to Heaven that as we decay in the life of nature every day so we grow up another way from glory to glory till we come to perfect glory in Heaven is not this a sweete comfort Let us comfort our selves with these things Vse 3 Againe if the state of Gods people bee thus sweet and comfortable and full of well grounded hopes that glory shall goe further on to glory and end in glory Then why should we be afraid of death for grace will but end in glory a meane glorious estate will but even be swallowed up of a truely glorious estate indeed grace is swallowed up of glory even as the Rivers are swallowed up of the Ocean glory takes away nothing but perfects all better by death why should wee bee afraid of death we are afraid of our glory and of the perâ—ection of our glory There be degrees of glory there is glory begunne here in grace and there is the glory of the soule after death and the glory both of soule and body for ever in heaven and these make way one to another A Christian is glorious while he lives and hee growes in glory while he lives he is more glorious when he dyes for then his soule hath perfectly the image of Christ stamped upon it but he is most glorious at the day of resurrection when body and soule shall be glorious when he shall put downe the very Sunne it selfe all glory shall be nothing to the glory of the Saints They shall shine as the Sun in the firmament And indeed there will be no glory but the glory of Christ and of his Spouse all other glory shall vanish and come to nothing but the glory of the King of Heaven and his Queene that hee hath chosen to himselfe to sollace himselfe eternally with when the spirituall marriage shal be accomplished they shall be for ever glorious together why then should we be afraid of death for then there shall be a further degree of glory of the soule and after that a further degree of body and soule when our bodies shall be conformable to the glorious body of Christ when they shall be spirituall as it is in 1 Cor. 15. I beseech you therefore let us learne this to comfort our selves against those darker times of dissolution when we shall see an end of all other glory all wordly glory shall end in the dust and lie downe in the grave when we must say that rottennesse is our Father and the worme our Mother we can claime no other kinne in regard of our body yet then we shall be more glorious in regard of our soules Christ shall put a robe of glory upon us and then afterward wee shall be more glorious still Therefore it is base infidelity to be afraid of our dissolution when indeed it is not a dissolution but a way to glory we should rather consider the conjunction then the dissolution death takes in peeces body and soule but it joynes the soule to Christ it makes the soule more glorious then it was before we goe from glory to glory our Saviour Christ saith Hee that beleeveth in mee shall never dye What doth he meane by that Indeed he shall never dye for grace shall bee swallowed up of glory as soone as ever the life of nature it gone he lives the life of glory presently so he never dies there is but a change of the life of grace and of nature for the life of glory VVhat that glory shall be at that day it is a part of that glory to know for indeede it is beyond expression and beyond the comprehension of our mindes they cannot conceive it nor our tongues expresse it Peter as I sayd seeing but a glimpse of it sayd It is good for us to be here he forgot all his former troubles and afflictions If such a little glimpse of glory could so possesse the soule of that blessed man Peter as that it made him forget all his former miseries and all his afflictions whatsoever to be in love with that condition above all others what shall the glory of heaven be then shall we thinke then of our former misery and basenesse and trouble and persecution oh no. Vse 4 Againe let us be exhorted by this to try the truth of grace in us by our care to grow and proceed further from glory to glory still to be more glorious in Christianity beloved of necessity it must be so let us not deceive our selves in our naturall condition doe we content our selves that we live a sicke mans life no we desire health when we have health is that all no when we have health wee desire strength too that we may encounter oppositions Is it so in nature that life is not enough but health and that is not enough but strength too and is it not so much more in the new creature in the new nature in the divine nature if there be life there will be a desire to have health that our sicke soules may be more and more healed that our actions that come from our facul ies sanctified be not sicke actions that they be not weake languishing actions that we may have healed soules that God together with pardoning grace may joyne healing grace to cure our soules dayly more and more that we may be more able to
liberty of will but God saw wee were all ill husbands of grace and goodnesse that he would not trust us againe therefore he trusted God-man the second Adam with grace and hee sends his Spirit into us and conveyes grace from glory to glory by degrees and all by the Spirit of the Lord. And in the next place this point of doctrine should mervailously comfort and stay us and direct us Vse 2 It should comfort us when we finde no goodnesse at all nor no strength at all nor no strength at all in our natures doth God expect that wee should have any thing from our selves who expects any thing from a barren wildernesse our hearts are such God knowes it well enough there is no goodnesse in us no more than there is moysture in a stone or a rocke therefore he looks that we should begge the Spirit of him and depend upon him for the Spirit of his Sonne to open our eyes with the Spirit of illumination to reveale his love to us and then to sanctifie us and to worke us more and more to glory and to worke out all corruption by little and little he expects that we should depend upon him for the Spirit in all things we doe Therefore Christians are much to blame they thinke to worke and to hew out of their owne nature the love of God and keepe a doe with their owne hearts as if they had a principle of grace in themselves as of themselves and they may long enough worke that way but that is not the way but acknowledgement that in our selves as of our selves as Saint Paul saith we cannot doe any thing we cannot so much by all the power in the world as thinke a good thought If wee should live a thousand yeares there cannot rise out of our hearts a good desire of our selves all is out of us from the Spirit of the Lord Now thereupon we must not looke for it in our selves but goe to God for his holy Spâ—rit goe to Christ for his Spirit for the Spirit proceeds from them both that hee would enlighten us and sanctifie us as I shewed in particular before we must not therefore presume that we can doe any thing of our selves and so wee must not despaire shall we despaire when once wee beleeve in Christ when we have abundance of grace and Spirit in our head Christ and he can derive his Spirit as hee pleaseth he gives the Spirit by degrees as he pleaseth for he is a voluntary head to dispence it as he will he is not a naturall head who shall despaire when he is in Christ who is compleate and in him wee receive grace for grace grace answerable for grace in him Let none presume that he can doe any thing of himselfe for you see how God suffered holy men to miscarry it was folly in this case in Peter to presume of his owne strength Though all forsooke Christ yet would not he he presumed upon his owne strength God left him to himselfe you see how foulely he fell so it is with us all when wee presume upon the strength of our nature and parts We must not come to this holy place in the strength of our owne wit and parts but come with a desire that the Spirit may joyne with his ordinances and make them efficatious for our change all change is by the Spirit of the Lord nothing workes above his owne sphere It is above the powâ—r of nature to worke any thing supernaturall therefore if we will profit by the Word come not with presumptuous spirits but lift up our hearts to God that his Spirit may cloath the ministery with vigour and power that he may convey holy truthes into our hearts and make them effectuâ—ll for the changing of the inward and of the outward man then we come as we should all is by the Spirit of the Lord blessing all meanes whatsoever without which all meanes are dead therefore we must open as that flower that opens and shuts as the Sunne shines on it so must wee as Christ shines on us and we ebbe and flow as hee flowes upon us we shine or are darke as hee shines on us as the ayre is no longer light than the sunne shines so we are no longer lightsome and open and flow and are carryed to any thing than Christ by his Spirit flowes on us for we doe what we doe but we are patients first to receive that power from the Spirit we heare and doe good workes but the activity and power and strength comes all from the Spirit of God Vse 3 Hence likewise wee may make another use of tryall whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no whether wee have the holy Ghost which is called here the Spirit of the Lord I will not goe out of the text for tryalls if a man have the Spirit of God it openeth the eyes of his soule to see in the glasse of the Word the face of God shining on him in Christ if a man have the Spirit he sees God as a Father by the Spirit of â—illumination AgaineÌ„ if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast the Spirit of love Gods Spirit manifesteth the hidden love of God that was hid in the breast of God to his soule for the Spirit of God searcheth the breast of God and the secret of God and it searcheth my heart Now he that hath the Spirit of God knowes the love of God in Christ to him it reveales the love of God the heighth and breadth and depth of it to our Spirits as in the text we see the gracious love of God in Christ and then wee love him againe And thereupon where the Spirit is it changeth it is not onely a Spirit of illumination but of sanctification where hee dwels hee sanctifieth the house and makes it a Temple it is efficatious where the Spirit is it will worke it is like the wind where it is it will stirre it will move where it moves not it is not at all where the Spirit alters not the condition from bad to good and from good to better suspect that it is not there at least it will move as the pulses will have a drawing in and a sending out by stirring so there will be some operation of the Spirit that is discernable to a judicious eye alway some stirring where the Spirit of God is The Papists slander us willingly I thinke against many of their consciences that understand any thingâ— Oh say they we will have Christians like sathan to appeare as Angels of light and blackamores in white garments that have their teeth white and nothing else so your Christians put on the garment of Christs righteousnesse let them put on that and then though they be not changed a whit it is no matter who teacheth thus we teach out of this Text that First of all the Spirit of God opens our eyes he takes off the vayle and then wee see the