the same spirit can breath no where so freely as in such holy aire The new Creature was borne under the Ordinances of the Gospell and is nursed and brought up under them Faith came first by hearing and Faith groweth and receiveth strength being nourished by the same Doctrine by which it was at first planted They who have heard and learned of the Father come unto Christ and know not whether to goe from him because he hath the words of eternall life The Apostle in 2 Cor. 3. 8. calleth the ministration of the Gospel the ministration of the spirit as being that by which the soul doth receive and grow up in this divine and heavenly life Therefore the Author of this Epistle writing to anointed ones tels them that as they had heard so it should be that Antichrist would come and that they should abide in the Truth whereby he doth commend them and their Teachers for their great care and diligence in searching out and receiving the Truth I need not spend time in shewing the lawfulness conveniency and necessity of Gospell Ordinances such as are Hearing the word prayer breaking of bread to shew forth the Lords death and the rest which are of the like institution Onely this I would speak by way of admonition as it is a serious and generall observation which holy men have made That no sooner do men cast off the use of the Ordinances and appointments of Jesus Christ but at the same time they doe cast off God and godliness and laying the Reins upon their own necks they set the foot upon the holy Law running desperately upon further mischeif Thus hath divine Iustice branded those who would not humbly submit to such sacred Institutions Such is the Majesty and Authority of these things that almost every man in the use of them doth finde an awe upon his conscience and feel himselfe commanded into a moderate and sober modesty a modest sobriety and moderation Having thus layd downe these foure particulars by way of prevention give me leave to explaine the sence of the Doctrine in these seven following propositions First The Lord Iesus as head of his Church was first anointed with the divine spirit Here began this holy Unction Jesus Christ was the first Receiver of the Spirit The eternall spirit powred forth an abundance of this ointment upon the person of our Lord Jesus He was anointed with the oyle of gladness above his Fellowes In the ancient anointings God had appointed certaine measures of this oyl to be spent upon the persons anointed Saul was anointed with a Cruise of oyle as not like to continue in the throne long David was anointed with a horne of oyle his Kingdome being to remaine longer but it pleased the Father that in Jesus Christ should all fulness dwell so that in Isai. 10. he is called The anointing and such is the savour of his good ointments that his Name is as ointment powred forth therefore doe the Virgins love him The Lord Jesus did Receive this fulness for our sakes that from it we might receive and grace for grace Hee was to be the head of his Church propter eminentiam influentiam not onely for superiority but also for influence and conveyance so that upon this account Hee was first considered in the business of anointing that he might be usefull for conveyance of this spirit to his people The ointment poured upon the head of the high Priest ran downe upon his beard and to the skirts of his clothing leaving a sweet fragrancie and savour behinde it so doth this spirit of our Lord Jesus flow from him down to all his saints and perfumes them with his owne sweetness And as the Prophet Elijah when hee went to heaven let his mantle and spirit fall upon Elisha so did our blessed Lord and Saviour after his ascention send forth his owne spirit to dwell with his Disciples as their solace and comfort in his necessary absence Secondly Iesus Christ as a second Adam doth begett Children after his owne Image The first Adam brought forth children in his owne likeness deriving to them the same naturall spirit which was in himselfe so doth the second Adam propagate his posterity and give unto them his owne spirit which is supernaturall and heavenly The Picture doth not so exactly resemble the face as the regenerate soule doth resemble her everlasting Father This Notion lyeth very obvious in the 5. of the Romans Where the Apostle discourseth of the two Adams and their two posterities with their severall advantages or prejudices that they received from their head As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and death passed upon all for asmuch as all have sinned which words referre to the whole posterity of the first Adam so by one man came life by one came forgiveness by one came such a universall reparation that as in Adam all dyed so in Christ all are made alive all the posterity of the second Adam are as much yea more advantaged by their Head Jesus Christ then all the posterity of the first Adam were damnified by his Apostacy and the influence that it had upon them The Lord Jesus findes the children of the first Adam in their naturall capacity and maketh them the subjects of his grace but Hee bringeth forth upon their minds and spirits a new creation which he did not finde in them no not in semine not in the seeds or root of it Hee cometh by his spirit to doe some thing in man which could not be done by the sublimation or improvement of those Rudera naturae those reliques and remainders of Shipwrackt nature for if so then what meaneth that bitter Cup what meant that pomp of bloody sufferings which Jesus Christ did undergoe What need was there that he should come endowed with so much spirit If Naturall principles which yet remaine in the broken posterity of the first Adam could have brought forth that which now is the great designe and undertaking of Christ in the world Hee seemeth to have come in the flesh and to have suffered such contradction of sinners and so shamefull accursed death upon the Cross upon too smal and too inferiour account Doth Jesus Christ after all this effect no more upon men then what the scattered peices of decayed nature being gathered together could effect upon them Surely Brethren Hee doth more then so for hee begetts children unto himselfe as a Father and uniteth members unto himselfe as an Head Hee transplanteth soules into an other soyle and they live in him deriving sap and spirit from him as from their better soyle their new Root The Apostle in Gal. 4. doth thus exprese it My little children with whom I travaile in birth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} untill Christ be formed in you that is until the spirit of our Lord Jesus comes to be that to your soules which your soules are unto your bodies The reasonable soule in
word but the power of it implanting the minde of Christ in our mindes and turning of us from the ways of sin into the love of God I do not here determine what those larger measures or higher degrees of this teaching may be in the latter dayes when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters doe the Sea Secondly If the best way to a certainty of knowledge in heavenly things be by a spirituall anointing Then proud man must be humbled and bee willing to bee taught by a divine spirit Flesh and blood cannot reveal unto man the things of the spirit neither can any man call Jesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost for the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickneth and these things they are spirit and they are life All things that Jesus Christ spake and did they were spoken in parables and done in parables to those that are without that hearing they might hear and not understand and seeing they might see and not perceive but to his Disciples he saith Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome unto you these things are revealed from the Father The Apostle tells us in 2 Cor. 10. 5 That the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} those strong holds and reasonings those insulting notions that lift up themselves against Jesus Christ After all the Inquisition that our carnall reason can make into the Scriptures of truth to finde out articles of faith we shall still remain unsatisfied and may perceive that we are still ready secretly to aske the same question that Pilate did What is Truth Many men doe sometimes think that they throughly understand spirituall Truths when alas all their knowledge amounteth to nothing more then a zealous or passionate arguing for them The whole Bible to a reasonable man not regenerated will be as that book was which the Prophet speaks of when it was delivered to the learned to read it he returns it and saith I cannot for it is sealed and when it was delivered into the hands of the unlearned to read it he saith I am not learned We carry Bibles in our hands and say we study the word of God wee do well but untill we have a spirit from God teaching of us inwardly and reforming us according to the Tenor of that word we shall be no great Proficients in that knowledge Hence it is that in the 19. Vers of the Epistle of Iude one that hath not the spirit and one that is sensuall are accounted to be the same person sensuall not having the spirit The truth is vaine man would be wise though he be like a wilde asses colt Men would not onely be Masters of reason and naturall knowledge but would also have dominion over other mens faith and would subdue the spirituall sense of the new Creature to the Soveraignty and supremacy of humane arguments But as the Apostle speaks {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} where is the wise where is the Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisedome of this world These men indeed be those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that would seem to be wise but is it not with them as the Apostle speaks in Rom. 1. 21. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} are they not become dark and vain in their imaginations yea doe they not cum ratione insanire even run madd with that which they call their reason though it be nothing better then a corrupt enmity against the honesty and simplicity of Christ Give me leave to speak freely in this point when the great mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven such are Self-denyall reliance upon the grace of God revealed by the Messiah living by Faith in another and deriving strength from Christ through a promise I say when these things and the like are propounded to a naturall understanding and un unmortified heart will it not say that you doe lapides loqui speak stones unto it and offer that which is too hard to be received Me thinks when I offer such spirituall Truths to be judged at the Tribunall of naturall understanding which I call argumentative knowledge it is as when that which belongeth to one sense is presented to an other which cannot give a perfect judgement of it Hee that would make mee to understand what Musick is and the excellency of it must not bring mee to one that can with eloquence relate a story thereof and tell me in words what ravishing Harmony and rare delights it doth entertaine one withall and then bid me imagine how every note exceeded the other for this is not to touch upon the right string but he must bring me to a Consort where mine eare may receive a true impression from such musicall delights It is not enough to paint out the beauty of a Rose in the most lively colours and set it before mine eyes but I must smell to the rose it selfe and thereby come to know the sweetnesse of it Wee may thinke to make our selves great Doctors of the Law by a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a forme of knowledge but thereby we deceive our selves attaining onely to a poor and beggarly understanding of the truths therein contained for the best way to know them is to obey and practise them He that hath his heart truly mortified to this world is crucified with Christ being made alive againe by that spirit of regeneration Hee alone doth attaine to the most quick and lively apprehensions of those Truths that are revealed by Christ in his Gospel Thirdly If they alone doe truly know the things of Christ who have received his anointing then certainly wicked men are no competent Iudges of Christian Doctrine Whatsoever their parts are or their acquired learing in arts and sciences yet as to heavenly things they are very darke and ignorant Perhaps this inference may provoke the great wits of the world to say as those Pharises did to Christ Are we blinde also But I am sure the Apostle tells us Hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and he that is not one of Christs flock I doe not know how he should understand Christs voice The prophaner Jews had the magnalia legis the great things of the Law delivered to them and they accounted them as a strange thing for as the Apostle speakes Moses hath a veile lying upon his face and when that people shall be converted unto the Lord this veile shall be taken away There is the flesh of Christ covering his spirit there is the letter and shell of the word of Christ as it is printed in our Bibles which doth like a Masque cloude and hide the beautifull face of Truth so that a carnall heart cannot discerne the beauty or judge aright of the excellency thereof so that the preaching of
make them weary of their profession and deter and affright others from entertaining that Truth which was thus persecuted in those that did profess it The other way hath been by secret subtilty and cunning Sophistrie to undermine and imbase the Truth to mixe his poyson with Gods wine whereby Hee might with less difficulty either cheat the Professors and owners of it or at least hinder the Genuine and naturall effect which pure Truth should have upon the mindes of men But upon all the glory there hath been a protection and defence and this defence hath been the munition of Rocks First That there have been violent assaults upon the persons of the Saints for the Truths sake I need not fetch an argument from farr to demonstrate unto you Every one that we meet withall is able to tell us of those primitive persecutions and to relate unto us ruefull stories of the bloody Massacres that have been abroad Who amongst us is ignorant of those Smith-field Butcheries and those whole-burnt-offerings of holy men which the bloody Priests of Rome did offer to their great Idol What shall we say to this dayes rehearsall of those not invincible Armadoes those Powder-plots and conspiracies those armies and insurrections those wars and tumults which have threatned as with open mouth to swallow up and devoure whole Nations and Common-wealths where Iesus Christ hath had his worshippers Certainly nothing herein is so wonderfull as this that Christ hath yet a Name in the world that Hee hath yet a Name in England And that which hath secured Truth and her subjects from the mischief of these designes hath been the powerfull providence of the Almighty He that holdeth the Reins of Government in his hand who is the great and supteam Moderator of this world hath taken to himself his great power and hath reigned Behold God hath been to his Churches and holy ones as a Refuge from the storme and as a shadow from the heat of their persecuting Adversaries whilst the blast of the terrible ones hath been as a storme against the wall so that as we have cause this day in our Anniversary Commemoration of these never to be forgotten deliverances wee may take up that Angelicall Doxologie and say Blessing Honour Glory and Power be given to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lambe for ever amen Hallelujah Secondly That there hath been deceit and Sophistry used to steale away Truth from the professors of it nothing is more clear and manifest The Scripture speaketh expresly that there were false Prophets amongst the people and there shall false Teachers creep in who shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And these Agents or Factors for Truths Adversary are either those Tenebriones Lucifugae those Owles and Night birds who doe secretly blaspheam the Truth but dare not come into the Light lest their workes of darkness should be revealed and made manifest Or else they are those whom the Father calls Meridiani Daemones those noon-day Devils who with an impudent forehead dare set themselves to cry downe and with most Devillish confidence to oppose that Truth which must prevail and conquer And these may be those white Devils that would appear in the shape of Angels of Light whilst indeed secretly and inwardly they are nothing else but Feinds of Darknesse But against all these hath our Lord Jesus secured his Church and people and hath brought off his Truth without loss or prejudice and that by the powerfull working of his own Spirit living in the hearts of holy men Now as we have cause every way to bless God for Truths safety so from a godly jealousie and holy fear we may admonish and call upon the Professors of Truth that they be not led away with the error of the wicked or ensnared with the craft and subtilty of Antichristian seducers And this was the occasion of that discourse which the Apostle falls upon in this Chapter as may be gathered from the 26. Verse These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you The aged Apostle in the beginning of his discourse doth well consult the condition of Believers to whom this Epistle should come and writes unto them as unto little Children In Vers. 18. Little children you whose attainment it is to know the Father even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him your God and Father My little Children It is Hora novissima the last houre and therefore you had need to stirr up your selves and seriously to consider how to save your selves from that great inundation of the mystery of iniquity which will endeavour to suppresse the mystery of Godliness My little Children It is the last houre and as you have heard formerly by those who instructed you in the Truth that Antichrist should come so now already there be many Antichrists for this is the last time And the danger is greater forasmuch as those Antichrists who are abroad were sometimes pretenders to the truth of the Gospell sometimes they professed themselves subject unto that Truth which now they endeavour to oppose and vilify Yet let me informe you in this That they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us but they went out that it might be made manifest they were not all of us Now after Hee had given this Alarum to Believers concerning the approach of the Antichristian Adversary He gives himself and them a Cordial and encouragement in the words which I have read But ye have an unction from the Holy one and yee know all things Which words you may please to look upon as the Saints security in evill times or the best protection of holy men against the impudent assaults of Brazen-faced error and Antichristian falshood In these words be pleased to observe these three things First A glorious Title given to Iesus Christ the King of Saints He is called the Holy one You have an annointing from the Holy one The spirits of Antichrist they are uncleane spirits they are profane debauched polluted and polluting spirits but the spirit of our Lord Jesus which is in you proceedeth from one that is holy harmless and separated from sinners This is a Title often given in the old Testament to the eternall Majesty that increated Being God himself And our Lord Iesus as the eternall Son of the everlasting Father is dignified with the same Title and called the Holy Child the Holy thing the Holy one yea in Dan. 9. 24. he is called the sanctum sanctorum The great Saint or the most holy of all There the Angel tells Daniel that after seventy weeks there should be a reconciliation made for iniquity and everlasting righteousness brought in and the most holy should be annointed that is our Lord Jesus Christ the true Messiah should come in the flesh and be inaugurated and installed into
I may the more clearly manifest to this great Assembly what my understanding is in this weighty matter give me leave to preface foure particulars which may prevent mistakes as if any private or particular designe were aimed at in such a Doctrine as this First Man as a reasonable Creature is the subject of Christian Doctrine Man doth not throw away his mind and understanding when hee comes to be proselited into the Truths of Christ When God undertaketh to informe a man with heavenly doctrine hee doth not deale with him as hee would deale with a stone which he would raise up to be a child to Abraham for he findeth man already endowed with a minde and will upon which account Hee is capable to heare further from his God Mans understanding is of very good use in Christian Religion for by that is man able to communicate much of his sence in heavenly things unto others as also to plead for and by argument to back the Truth received against the Cavils and contradictions of such as oppose themselves I must confess freely what I apprehend That in the moment of a mans conversion when the grace of God powerfully ceizeth upon his spirit to turne him from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God those acts that he doth then performe are the most rationall acts that ever he did performe in all his life The acts of Repentance Faith and Selfe-denyall the act of turning from sin unto God which are the acts that appear in the first motion of the soule unto God these are in themselves and to the soule most reasonable equitable just and right yea in the further progress of the grace of God in mans minde when it growes up into sanctification and holiness the understanding of a man doth act and acteth understandingly The truth is This minde and understanding of a man is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the great Philosopher calls it the very flower of a mans soule which is not blasted and withered by the Truths of the Gospell but it is thereby reformed rectified repaired and restored to its primaeve perfection with great advantage So that I think in a sober sence what the Apostle speaks of the Law That it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a School-Master to Christ may be sayd of mans naturall knowledge and understanding In which sence one of the Antients calleth true Philosophy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an inferiour Schoole or a fore-teaching to Christ as it is that which renders a man capable and fit to receive the impressions of a divine spirit For certainely a man in his witts and not a mad distracted man is the subject of Gods grace of his converting and sanctifying grace Secondly The written word of God in the Scriptures of Truth is the onely outward rule of faith and manners This is the norma fidei morum According to this rule must every man order his conversation Isai. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because they have not so much as morning-light in them This is the royall Standard of Truth unto which we must bring all mens dogmata their assertions and opinions which are vended for Truth in the world Hereby may we examine and judge of all that which men would obtrude upon us I recommend to evry one that heartes me the constant studying of the holy Scriptures as being the Oracles of God It was that for which the Holy Ghost doth so highly commend the Beraean Christians That they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so and upon this account they were called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} more noble as being better borne better bred better educated then those of Thessalonica I will onely adde this That the Letter of the Scriptures is but dead without a divine power joyned with it and a spirit moving mans mind without a word is very questionable and dangerous Thirdly The Holy Spirit which is understood by this anointing is no private spirit or particular impulse no singular perswasion or extraordinary inspiration but a generall and universall sense in all regenerate minds Holy men doe all agree by common consent in those Truths which the New Creature doth chiefly resent and rellish The Apostle to this purpose useth two expressions 1 Cor. 12. 13. and 2 Cor. 4. 13. By one spirit are we all baptized into one body and have been all made to drinke into one spirit and wee have the same spirit of Faith Where the Apostle considers the community of Christians under the notion of a body made up of severall members which must have a soule and spirit to informe animate quicken and enliven it This is that spirit of Jesus Christ which doth live in the soules of holy men and distinguish them from the common Herd of Infidels and Beastly sinners Although we may be ignorant of that which the Philosophers meant by their Anima mundi the soule of the world yet me thinks every gracious heart should easily apprehend what is that spirit and soule of the regenerate world But here I must acknowledge also That the eternall spirit of God doth sometimes come downe as from Heaven and particularly move upon a regenerate minde whereby it doth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} blow off the ashes and stir up those heavenly sparkes which lay in the soule as buried under some clouds of sadness and hereby the frozen and benumined spirit of a precious saint doth finde it selfe thawed into a vivacious fitness for any service This is that which the spouse calls for in Song 4. 16. Awake O North winde and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out This discourse I conceive may shew us the difference between the good spirit of God which sober minds converse withall and that fanatick and exstatick spirit which vaine men pretend unto and are deluded with This spirit in both the senses that we have spoken of may not be condemned as a groundless Enthusiasme for as the learned Cameron observes Enthusiasmus est ubi quis est merum organum sine omni usurationis judicij Then is a man acted by such a spirit when he uttereth Revelations without the use of his understanding and reason as sometimes the Prophets of old did who were but as a trunk or instrument through which the spirit conveyed those secrets which God would declare unto the world Fourthly The spirit of Christ signified by this anointing is first received in the way of his Ordinances and is thereby maintained and carryed on and doth live with great delight in the use of those Ordinances where it was first received He who hath received the anointing from the Holy one knows where he hath received it and he knowes also that
an engrafted word there we may be perswaded with the Apostle that hee who hath begun a good worke will perfect it unto the coming of Christ This I must confesse That men by the improvement of their naturall understandings and by observing the Dictates of naturall conscience may reforme some externall enormities and scandalous vices of their lives and proceed further in profession upon account of some worldly considerations but from all this reformation though improved and carryed on very high they may againe revolt and apostatize because the principles thereof were externall and politicall not internall and genuine Such men as these are not like Timothy whom Paul calleth his naturall sonne in the Faith they are not naturall but artificiall Christians But hee that is not in appearance onely but in Truth also transformed into the image of Christ hath the seed of God remaining in him and eternall life implanted which shall never wither Hee shall never drowne himselfe in sensuality or fall away from the holinesse of a godly life into the filth and basenesse of a degenerate spirit The Apostle saith Oportet esse haereses There must bee haeresies That they which are approved may be made manifest The understanding Merchant knows which is the Pearle of price when one that is ignorant may be cheated with a counterfeit This is the excellency and glory of a spirit taught of God That when others fall away from the Truth of Doctrine and integrity of life that will still adhere and cleave unto him when the whole world shall lye in wickednesse that will preserve it selfe unspotted and blamelesse unto the comming of Christ Hence it was that the Martyrs of old though they could not dispute yet they could dye for Christ Hee that is alive in God shall not be religious onely when he hath the times with him for that is easie the dead fish can swimme downe the streame but when the wickednesse of the times and places where hee lives draweth other men into a dissolute loosenesse Hee shall stand like mount Zion and never be removed Sixthly If the Spirit of Christ be such a teaching spirit whereby we know him aright then it concernes every regenerate soule to deale kindely with that spirit Oh! Bee very tender of the good spirit of Jesus Christ I meane not onely that Gentle spirit which sometimes breaths upon the Garden of our souls and makes the spices thereof flow out and give their sent but that spirit of Christ also which is united unto and implanted in our Spirits that New Creature which is formed within us Oh! Take heed of grieving tempting or quenching this spirit Spiritus Sanctus est res delicata The divine spirit is a very tender thing Let none dare to cast water upon it whereby to coole or dampe it but let it act according to its own natural tendency It was the great request of Davids heart in Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy spirit from mee O Lord whatsoever thou takest away doe not take this away This spirit is that which puts me upon observance of thy will and doth many times recover and bring me back again when I have forgotten my selfe and thee Christians would you know what you are most of all beholding to in the world It is the good spirit and life of Jesus Christ This is the Life of your lives and the soule of your soules without this spirit you were but as other men yea you were unto God but as dead carkases and stinking Carryons Now if this spirit be our life and if by this men live Oh! then be kinde and tender towards it take heed least by any meanes you doe offend it Then doth a soule deale harshly and unkindly with this spirit when it opposeth resisteth and endeavoureth to stifle the motions of it when the will of Christ in the soul is gain-sayd Take heed Christians that you be not so rude as to offer violence and to force this holy spirit when that moves you towards God doe not you turne away from God What the Apostle beggs for patience I would begg for the spirit of Christ let the Nature Spirit and Life of Christ have its perfect worke in you let it act according to its owne freedome and latitude The Holy Ghost that dwells in you doth advise you not onely to be Christians pro hic nunc by fits and starts so as may serve your owne turnes but also to be enduring and universall Christians This divine Spirit is not satisfied if you bee onely moved by it in your publick Assemblies unlesse you be moved by it also in your Closets your Shops and in all your Relations for the Spheare of the new Creature is a sober righteous and godly life Where this holy Spirit dwells it will prompt the soule to something which is transcendent and above the straine of vulgar spirits Now suppose I should propound to this great Assembly the Question that Christ propounded to his Disciples in Matth. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} what singular thing doe you more then others Yea let me but propound it to those who are called the holy ones of the most High Wherin doe you excell the Spirits of worldly men What is there that may speake you to bee anointed with this Divine Spirit Are you not as Proud as Covetous as vaine in your conversations as other men Oh! Then let me commend this unto you as seasonable and wholesome counsell Take heed how you use the spirit of Christ which dwelleth in you and suffer it to act like it selfe Seventhly and Lastly If holy soules know heavenly things by virtue of the anointing from the holy one which teacheth so sweetly and clearely then from hence wee may guesse at the glory of Heaven Wee may stand upon this Truth as Moses did upon the top of Pisgah and from thence view the land of Promise If the dignity of Christian in this world bee such as to have his minde enlightned with the pure spirit of Christ whereby he knoweth the minde of God with infallible certainty then what shall his glory bee in the world to come The Scriptures call that Spirit which Believers receive here the Seale the earnest and first-fruits of that which they shall receive hereafter And although this present knowledge which they have of heavenly Truths doth so farre exceed and transcend all the litterall knowledge of other men yet the Apostle accounts it dark and aenigmaticall in comparison of that knowledge which hee expects at the Revelation of Jesus Christ for in this mixture of flesh and spirit the soule doth use glasses and perspectives but then it shall see {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} face to face then shall it know even as it is knowne Oh! What infinite serenity and surpassing brightnesse shall then incompasse holy soules when they shall see all Truth in him who is Truth it self Here wee may often meet with vexations disputes from contentious Spirits but in Heaven there shall bee altum silentium a deep silence and everlasting rest where our soules shall wade into a Sea of light and enter into a vast eternity of Truth There shall be no spots nor blemishes no doubts nor scruples arising in our spirits for it shall bee all day even a day without clouds Wee shall never more be troubled with the importunity of busie arguments there shall bee no room for the Disputer of this world but the immaculate Lamb our Lord Jesus shall bee the light of that new Ierusalem and he shall enlighten our soules with his own light and glory for ever Amen FINIS Truth and Error at enmity Antichrists double designe 1 Open violence 2 Secret craft The Context The Text opened 1 Christ the Holy one Christs spirit 〈◊〉 anointing 3 Knowledge the benefit of anointing Doct. The Anointing best teacheth the Doctrine of Christ Foure Propositions preventive 1 Rationall man the subject of Christs Doctrine 2 The written word the outward Rule 3 The Vnction of the spirit a universall sense 4 The spirit of Christ lives in his Ordinances The Doctrine â—â—ened in 7 proâ—â—sitions Christ as â—ead first anoinâ—â—d 2 Christ as a second Adam hath his off-spring 3 Christ's spirit fitteth the soule to know his Truth Argumentative knowledge doubtfull and â—â—certaine 5 Inward sense judgeth between Christ and Antichrist 6 Heavenly knowledge proportionable to Sanctification knowledge by â—â—e anointing â—â—maineth 1 Use The promises of the spirit expounded 2 Use Proud man must be humbled 3 Use â—â—cked men not judge aâ—â— of heaâ—â—ly Truth 4 Use Litterall knowledge doth not make a Christian 5 Use Want of anointing the ground of Apostacy 6 Use Deal kindely with the spirit of Christ 7 Use A guesse at heavenly glory
THE SAINTS SECURITY AGAINST Seducing Spirits OR The Anointing from the Holy one The best Teaching Delivered in a Sermon at Pauls before the Lord Major Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of London upon the Fifth of November 1651. BY WILLIAM AMES M. A. Sonus verborum aures percutit Magister intús est Cathedram in Caelo habet qui corda docet Aug. LONDON Printed by M. Simmons for William Adderton and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Golden Falcons in Duck-lane 1652. TO The RIGHT HONOURABLE IOHN KENDRICK Lord MAJOR and the Right Worshipfull the Aldermen of the City of LONDON Honourable and Beloved SOme who have been judicious Spectators of those uncharitable quarrels which have broken forth in these Latter dayes amongst Professors have been ready to conclude That either Men have not understood that thing which Religion signifies or else they have abused the Name of Religion making it serve to advance themselves and promote some worldly designe And if they shall consider the power of unmortified lusts in the hearts of wicked men emboldened by the Advantage of such generall dissentions it will not be so great a wonder to see many cast off God and Holinesse as to see any keeping the Faith and cleaving unto Christ in such an houre of Temptation One great snare that the Devill hath layed to intangle soules hath been To put them upon it to call every thing into Question which hath been the more dangerous because such enquirie doth pretend to Ingenuity and is like that Tree of knowledge a Tree to bee desired to make one Wise and certainly it is farre better to be humbly and modestly inquisitive then Popishly and Sottishly ignorant for the Wise mans eyes are in his head but the Foole destroyes himselfe by a strange implicit faith and blind obedience But when a Proud and Deboyst Spirit shall become one of those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} those haesitating Questionists how will he Vaunt and Triumph in his conceits as if he had Posed and Non-plust Truth it selfe When such a one is gotten into this strong hold what will not his bold confidence dare to Question And although hee might consider that a Foole may aske more questions then ten Wise men can answer yet still he persisteth in vaine Interrogatories And such is the disturbance of his minde occasioned by the pride and wickednesse of his heart that lett the most cleare and pertinent Reply be made to his Demands yet is Hee wholly indisposed to receive satisfaction Thus is the poor but proud and insulting Sceptick at once Really the Devils Bondslave and conceitedly his owne freeman When I was by your Order called to this publique service many things of this kind did presse in upon me And the greatest impression that I could perceive 〈◊〉 my spirit was To speake something that 〈◊〉 by the blessing of God tend to the Vindication of the Truth of Religion from the Malicious but Frivolous affronts of Prophane yet Cunning men and I could not finde out a more Direct meanes to this end then by an appeale to the Common sense of all Regenerate soules which I have done in the following discourse according to the measure of the gift received the effects whereof I heartily desire may be these two First For ever to silence that Machiavilian Blasphemy that Religion is nothing but a Politique Engine and that there is no such thing indeed anywhere to be found There are those in the world who in a true spiritual sense have heard with their eares and seen with their eyes and handled with their hands of the word of Life And it is to be feared that those soules which deny that there is any Religion abroad are wholly devoid of it within themselves Religion is not a Chimaera or Notion but a real thing in the hearts and lives of good men Secondly To stirre up and awaken Professors that they rest not satisfied in any Outward forme without the inward life and power of Religion Oh! Bee not contented to serve in the Oldnesse of the Letter but in the Newnesse of the spirit Wee have raised such a Dust by our Disputes in lesser matters and by our espousing such triviall quarrels that we have almost lost our Christ and alienated our affections from our first Husband It is time for us now to call forth that Primitive spirit of Love and Purity if by any meanes wee might remove the Scandal of our contentions and exhort one another so much the more as we see the day approaching After you had patiently given this Sermon the Hearing you were pleased to importune the Publication thereof whereby your selves and others might the better Perpend and truly examine what is therein contained which request of your Honours I could not easily deny but have accordingly performed and do here tender it to your Christian Acceptance with hopefull confidence that seeing for the Truths sake it found such unexpected entertainment at your eare it shall not be despised at the more severe Tribunal of your Eye Now that good spirit of Jesus Christ open the eyes of your mindes that you may see and approve things that are excellent and perswade your hearts to receive the Truth in the Love of it and direct your steps to walke in the paths of Mercy and Truth that you may be Saved So prayeth Yours and the Churches Servant in the Gospel William Ames Imprimatur December 4. 1651. JOSEPH CARYL 1 John 2. 20. But yee have an Vnction from the Holy One and yee know all things THere hath been of old an irreconcileable feud between light and darkness between good and evill and wheresoever truth hath had it's dwelling there error and falshood have endeavoured to intrude themselves so that no sooner was truth incarnate in the Person of our Lord Iesus but Antichrist yea many Antichrists did arise and set themselves against it sed magna fuit Veritas praevalebat Truth was great and did prevaile But when error and falshood did perceive that Truth remained invulnerable in the Person of Christ they betake themselves to his posterity and the seed of the Serpent doth conflict and try it out with the seed of the Woman yet still the victory hath been given on the Saints side But such was the malice of Truths great Adversary the Prince of darkness that he would not onely not lay down the Tucklers but that he might appear to deserve the name of Apollyon and Abaddon Hee hath left no means unattempted and hath more curiously sought out and invented how Hee might yet if possible carry the day against the Truth and to carry on his undertaking hath projected two ways eminently whereby either to Bannish Truth wholly out of the world or to stop her growth and progresse in the world The one hath been by open force and violence to persecute the persons of those who have professed themselves to be Truth's subjects whereby he might at once
man is the principle of life and that by which he is denominated to be a man and distinguished from a beast so doth the spirit of Christ working it selfe into the soule of man transforme him into his owne image and this new Creature hath the same spirit nature and disposition with Jesus Christ whereby he is denominated a Christian and distinguished from other men The person of Jesus Christ was that originall copy according to which all his posterity should be made conformable This is that which the Apostle speaks to in 1 Cor. 15. where Hee saith As wee have born the image of the earthly so must we beare the image of the Heavenly Adam which is not onely to be understood in a corporeall sense That our bodies in the Resurrection shall be called out of their dust into the likenesse of Christs glorified body but in a spirituall sense also for our minds and soules having received the first fruits of the Resurrection within themselves already they also shall in union with their bodies rise up in a compleat similitude and likenesse to our Lord Jesus having limbe for limbe grace for grace Thirdly The spirit and life of Christ communicated to his people doth make them capable and able to understand his will When the spirit of Regeneration is past upon the soule then doth a man become fit to understand heavenly Truths It is true There is a kinde of rationall assent to heavenly Truths before conversion and the naturall man doth understand the letter of the spirit but not the spirit of the letter yet no man hath so clear so full and undoubted understanding of those things as he whose minde is defecated and purged from the dreggs of worldly lusts which are like a fogg and mist upon the face of the soule The soules of men are like so many glasses which reflect the image of things presented before them now if there be a steame breathed upon the glasse the Reflection is very little or none at all or if the light which should convey the species from the object to the glasse bee but a dim twi-light a weake and insufficient light there is no reflection neither so it is with the soules of men whilst our worldly affections and adulterate love to sinne and wickedness doe boyle and bubble up within us sending up their steames into our minds the things of God cannot be seen according to the greatness of that beauty and excellency which is upon them He that caused the light to shine out of darkness must shine in our hearts to give that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ for as the Psalmist speaks In tuo lumine lumen videbimus in thy light we shall see light The holy nature of Jesus Christ is the true Collyrium the true eye-salve wherby the soul must be cured of its blindness and the Apostle speaks in Col. 3. 10 of putting on the new man {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is renewed into knowledge according to the image of him that created him Untill we be renewed in the spirit of our mindes and taken off from the love of this world and the things thereof wee cannot attaine to a right new Testament knowledg of those things which Christ hath revealed from the bosome of the Father There is a praeputium cordis a foreskin of the heart a pride and insolency of the naturall spirit which must be circumcised and destroyed before the soule can attaine unto a full view of that excellent and glorious Truth which Jesus Christ doth present us withall Fourthly The knowledge of Christian Doctrine grounded onely upon Argument is but doubtfull vncertain knowledge I conceive that Syllogismes and arguments are onely for this world and the things of this world but not for the things of God of the other world The natural Philosopher attains to his naturall knowledge by observations and experiments in severall particulars by Antecedents and consequents most of his knowledge in those things is very feeble crazy and questionable which made that great Philosopher after all his inquiry for knowledge profess That he onely attained to this that he knew himselfe to be ignorant Hoc tantum scio quod nihil scio This onely do I know that I know nothing But God hath ordained a better way to convey his Truth into our hearts and that is by a renovation of our minds and by the communication of a divine nature God hath not left his people at uncertainties in those things which are materiall and necessary but hath given them more then the certainty of a demonstration Whatsoever I doe receive for Truth upon the account of argumentative conclusions that I am bound to lay aside and disowne for Error upon the like account when a more probable argument comes And truly Friends if all the ground of our entertaining Christ and Truth or Christian Doctrine be because such an argument conveyed it unto us what shall become of us and the Truth when wee meet with a subtile sophister and Antichristian Head who shal frame an argument against the Truth unanswerable by our Logick Where shall a man ever consist if he must live upon these tearmes in the world Besides every one to whom the Gospell of Christ is preached hath not an head strong enough to grapple with the bignesse and depth of some kinde of arguments who yet may have their hearts truly mortified to this world and carryed out in love to the person and nature of our Lord Jesus The ground of that antient scepticisme and that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the Academicks whereby they did assert that nothing could be comprehended might be this All their knowledge was derived unto them by probable conclusions so that no thing was certainly and eternally true and infallible but conjecturall and probable onely and to be entertained according to the retinue and pomp of well dressed arguments Hee that is but an Argumentative Christian is rather a sceptick then a true Christian He is a Christian at the greatest uncertainty in the world I must confess many Notions which are obtruded upon men as Orthodoxal and contended for by others as principall pieces of Theologie must be soberly examined by Scripture and reason for they are not per senota they are not seen by their own light in such opinions modesty and sobriety are highly commendable Yea I confesse further That the heavenly principles of the New Creature may be Back'd and strengthned by rationall arguments and many times the soule is constrained by a practicall Syllogisme to be lesse disquieted within it selfe but yet The most cleare evidence and assurance of the Truth and goodnesse in these holy things of Christ and the new Creature ariseth out of themselves as light floweth from the body of the Sun without the contusion or compulsion of an harsh argument