into their mindes and in their hearts will I write them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2 Cor. 3.2 3. In that you are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us and written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart Jer. 31.33 34. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. You see that the Law must be first written in their hearts by the finger of God i. e. by the Spirit before they can know the things of God Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them the Spirit doth not only write upon our hearts the Law of God but all things which accompany salvation John 17. And when the Spirit comes he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you There is no truth which accompanieth salvation in the Word of God but the very same is written by the finger of God upon the hearts of beleevets That even as you see in a seal when you have put the seal upon the wax and taken it away again you shall see it stamp answering to stamp character to character print to print so it is in the hearts of the faithfull after their hearts are softned the Spirit of God writes the Law in their hearts So that there is a Law within answerable to the Law without i. e. an inward aptness and disposition whereby a man is inclined to keep the Law in all points which Law within us is called the Law of the minde Rom. 7. I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde The teachings of the Spirit do not only put the things of God into our mindes but ingraff them as naturall dispositions in our hearts yea the Spirit of God ingravens them As when letters are engraved in marble so the teachings of the Spirit engraven the things of God upon our hearts I call them the writings the engravings of the things of God upon our hearts to distinguish the teachings of the Spirit from the motions impressions flashes illuminations of the pirit These are but light superficiall transient works they reach not to the bottom of the soul but they float at the top These impressions are suddenly begun and suddenly ended They are but as a flash of lightning which is no sooner seen but vanisheth They are but as the morning cloud and as the early dew which suddenly pass away as the winde presently scatters the clouds and the sunne takes away the dew so all these common works of the Spirit pass away and melt as the dew before the sunne The best seeming professors that want the teachings of the Spirit they are but as blazing comets which appear for a while and presently disappear Wandring starres Jude 13. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkenss for ever Heb. 6.5 Psal 34.8 They do but taste of the goodness of God and so away But the teachings of the Spirit make a Christian not only to taste but to see the goodness of God They are permanent upon the soul never to be blotted out again They are not as the flash of lightning but as the noon-day full of brightness and comfort They are riveted in the soul and imprinted in it 2. I say they are the Printings of the things of God upon the hearts of beleevers Beleevers only have the teachings of the Spirit And ye shall be all taught of God Joh. 6.45 i. e. all ye who are under the Covenant of grace and are interrested in Jesus Christ shall have the teachings of the Spirit Unbeleevers may have the motions the breathings the quicknings the flashes and the illuminations of the Spirit but not the teachings 3. I say these printings and writings of the things of God are done by a secret method unknown to us yet known to the Spirit What he 〈…〉 tell but how he writes we cannot tell what he prints we can tell but how he prints we cannot tell Dan. 5 5. As Belshazzar saw the hand when it wrot but could not tell what the hand did write so beleevers on the other side they see the writing of the Spirit but cannot see the hand that writes nor understand how the Spirit writes yet we are in a farre better condition than Belshazzar was For t is better to understand the writing than to know how the hand doth write what is printed than how the Spirit prints as it is farre better to know that we are elected that we are justified that we are renewed in the Spirit of our mindes considered in themselves than to know what Justification and Adoption is though we may know what Justification is and that we are justified by the Spirit 4. Only we see the effect of the Spirits teachings upon our hearts as a woman may know she is with childe because the infant moves in her belly so we may know what the Spirit hath been doing on our hearts by that knowledge zeal life heat motion activity and courage we find in our spirits towards Gods waies We hear the clock strike though we do not see the hand or the wheels that set it a going so we may see our hearts eccho back to the Spirit though we do not see the Spirit setting them on work Ezek. 1.20 As Ezekiels wheels wheresoever the Spirit went the wheels went for the spirits of the living creature was in the wheels So because the Spirit of God is in us wheresoever the Spirit carries us we are carried The Spirit moves and we are moved the Spirit praies when we pray the Spirit witnesseth when our spirit witnesseth the Spirit sets the wheels going and we go God is of a truth in every Saint though they cannot see him but in his operations We know that God is in us of a truth because we act for God and have the principle of spirituall life from him As we know the evil man hath been teaching of us when we see his evil tares and heresies and prophaneness to spring up so we may know the Spirit hath been teaching of us when we see the wheat to grow apace Otherwise The Spirits teachings is the Spirits creating a new light within us by a secret way unknown unto us at the first which light in our consciences enkindled by the Spirit doth in all things correspond with the light of the
shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come If truth it self can lie and deceive then the Spirit may deceive you but it is impossible that truth it self should deceive God is not as man that he should lie or the sonne of man that he should repent The Spirit it is God as I have proved already and therefore 't is impossible he should lie i. e. deceive or fail us in our expectations when we wait upon him If we think the Spirit to be God and take him for our guide and we acknowledge him for to be our councellour it is impossible that the Spirit should deceive us of our expectations Matth. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders and if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect if it were possible but 't is impossible they should deceive the elect 1 John 2.20 They have the unction from the holy one and they shall know all things i. e. all things that pertain to life and godliness What is the reason why we beleeve the Word of God to be true and as Chrift saith not the least tittle thereof shall fall till all things shall be accomplished but only because it hath the stamp of the divine authority of the blessed Spirit 1 Cor. 2. The Spirit teacheth all things yea tho deep things of God It is called the Spirit of wisdom Isa 11.21 It is prophesied of Christ That the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsell and might and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall rest upon him Wisdom it self it cannot erre it cannot deceive The Spirit it is the fountain of all wisdom Isa 40.13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord and being his counsellour hath taught him v. 14. With whom took he counsell and who instructed him and taught him in the paths of judgement and taught him knowledge and shewed to him the way of understanding If wisdom it self and the fountain of all wisdom teacheth you you need not fear that you shall be taught amiss Popes and generall Counsels and all men yea the best men may be sound liars and may deceive and put darkness for light and light for darkness and may call good evil and evil good and may put truth for errour and errour for truth but it is quite otherwise with the Spirit of truth which shall lead you into all truth Quest Do not the people of God erre some times and fall into error how then are the Spirits teachings infallible Ans 1. As farre as they are taught of the Spirit they do not erre or fall into any heresie Gal. 5. Heresies are reckoned amongst the fruits of the flesh These are the fruits of the flesn envyings strifes emulations heresies so that errours are not fruits of the Spirit but fruits of the flesh A childe of God may be led away with an errour for a time Gal. 2.13 As Barnabas was led away by their dissimulation so a childe of God may be led away 2. God sometimes out of his justice may permit a childe of God to runne into waies contrary to the truth because he did not prize the Word of God as he ought to do and seek it with his whole heart that afterwards being recovered out of the snare of the devil he may more esteem the Word of God than formerly If a Christian who hath lived in England under the means of grace by providence should be cast among the Heathen where there is no knowledge of the true God but idolatry and false worship set up in place of it how would he esteem the Ordinances of Christ So when a gracious soul shall be given up to the delusions of Satan for a time and afterwards be recovered certainly he would let go all ere he would lose this pretious jewel of truth Quest It is said that the unction of the Spirit teacheth them all things How can they erre therefore Ans It is true that is there is nothing that belongs to life and salvation but some time or other shall be revealed to the children of God The Spirit doth not teach us all the mysteries of God at once but successively as we are able to receive them We are not capable to receive all truths at one time It is with truth as it is with light the light grows by degrees as the sun ascends higher and higher in the firmament so the greater is the light The Spirit teacheth successively and the more it is dispersed Truth comes not all at once into the understanding but first one truth comes in and then another The Logicians say that upon the receiving one absurdity a thousand follow so one truth makes way for another Therefore the perfectionists of these times who think because they say they have the teachings of the Spirit they know all things and that they need not have any body to teach them they are in a gross mistake and as the Apostle faith while they think they know all things they know nothing as they ought to know Those that are above the Ordinances are beneath salvation and those that contemn the ordinary teachings of the Spirit in his Word and Ministers are farre to seek in the extraordinary The Spirit hath babes to nurture as well as strong Christians it hath several books to reade to those that are in the lowest form in the School of Christ and not so high and lofty as to those that are in a higher degree The former he teacheth the principles of the doctrine of God the later those mysteries which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world The former he deals with in a more gentle and tender way to these he is more rough and more severe Christ hath his Lambs as well as his Sheep and what doth he do with them Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and gently leade those that are with young Christ and his Spirit drives on as Jacob did Gen. 33.13 My Lord knoweth that the children are tender and the flocks and herds with young are with me and if men should drive them over-hard one day all the flock would die Let my Lord I pray thee pass over before his servant and I will lead on softly according as the cattell that go before me and the children are able to bear Christ leads us as we are able to bear and the Spirit teacheth us as we are able to learn The light breaks in upon us by little and little and Christ said unto the Apostles he had many things to say unto them but they could not bear them yet so the Spirit hath many things to teach us but we are not sufficiently humbled to receive them Isa 42.2 3 As it is said of Christ so it may be said of his Spirit He will not break the brnised reed nor quench
are now adays in sheeps cloathing If an impudent contradicting blaspheming spirit If a persecuting spirit If an advancing of their own fictions before the pure and unspotted word of God If a rash impetuous zeal not moderated with discretion and the love of the truth and of the word of God which is rather madness and folly then zeal If unbelief Atheisms Heresies and most horrid blasphemies not to be mentioned If a living above Ordinances without the use of the Word Sacraments and Prayer If a coldnesse and deadnesse in affection to the things of God and a full bent of will to oppose Jesus Christ in his Saints and in his servants and a continual persisting therein though they are condemned in their own consciences and so are like to commit that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost from which sin I heartily beseech God to preserve the Quakers of these times with many others who sin against the light of their own consciences If a hating of the power of godliness and of the pure worship of God If a want of self-denial and daily bearing the cross of Christ If an Apostacy from the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints If a setting up of false doctrines under the pretence of new discoveries If we are not fallen into the last times of the world wherein that place is too much verified wherein men shall be covetous lovers of themselves boasters proud blasphemers 2 Tim. 3.1.2 3 4 5. disobedient to parents unthankeful unholy Without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Having a form of Godliness but denying the power of it If these things be so as it is too apparent to the grief of many righteous persons who weep in secret for the iniquity of the times then we may as truly say that Turks Infidels and Pagans have the teachings of the spirit upon their hearts as the most part of our luke-warm proud opinionative and carnally-minded professors have Such evil principles and wicked practises as are now amongst those that goe for Saints cannot agree with the blessed spirit I am verily perswaded that if once the furnace of affliction should wax hot again and Christ should come to sift England again by the red fiery flaming sword of persecution and bring us under the hatchet and under the hand of Tyrannical persecutors and should come to purge his floor to distinguish between the precious and the vile between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not between him that serveth him out of an upright heart and him that serveth him but under a colour and pretence I am verily perswaded that the greatest part of profesting Christians now adays who make such a fair shew in the flesh who seem so beautiful and glorious in the outside who are so hot at the first onset and taking up a form of religion who pretend so much to the work of the spirit upon their hearts if they were singled out to undergoe the fiery tryal would fall the fowlest in the flesh No outward priviledge or benefit can afford a man any comfort under an afflicted condition but onely the sense of the love of God unto us in Jesus Christ by an act of the spirit sealing it to our souls is a certain sign that we shall continue unto the end For who God loves once he loves to the end And those whom God loves God will preserve unto himself as a peculiar treasure as precious jewels in his cabinet secretly and will make their mountains strong as strong as Mount Sion which shall never be moved that their faith and confidence shall be in the Lord Jehovah for ever and ever I beseech thee Christian for the good of thy soul to separate thy self from these deceiving creatures let not their hypocrisy their jugling with the world and their own consciences though they cannot mock God their seeming sanctity their pretended piety their high notions and deep interpretations far fetch from the simplicity of the truth which neither they themselves nor others well understand delude thee while they lay claim to the spirit they are in the bonds of iniquity Consider whether they have the spirit before thou closest with their sayings for truth that they are taught by the Spirit of Christ and that the light of the spirit reside within them Are they regenerated born again and renewed by the Spirit of Christ Do they grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ Have they the witness of Gods Spirit concurring with their spirits that they are the children of God Doth the spirit help their infirmities Was ever the spirit of prayer and supplicatton powred forth upon them Have they the preventing grace the renewing grace the establishing grace the comforting grace the quickning grace the healing grace the directive grace of the spirit Do they love the brethren because they are brethren and one with thee in Jesus Christ or because they are of such an opinion Do they acknowledge the spirit in others and magnifie Gods goodness unto their soul Did the spirit ever rarifie the scorching heat of their burning lusts Did the sanctifying influences of the spirit ever descend upon their hearts Did the spirit ever soften their hard hearts Cant. 7.7 fructifie their barren souls The brests of the spouse are like clusters of grapes Cant. 4 16 Did the spirit ever blow upon their gardens that the spices thereof may send forth a precious smell in the nostrils of God Do they bring forth fruits unto holiness that their end might be everlasting life Did the spirit ever quench the fire of hell within their consciences by powring in the sweet oyl of consolation made up of the blood of Christ Did the spirit ever cleanse their consciences from dead works that they may serve the everliving God Heb. 9.14 Ez. 36.25 The spirit is resembled by water I will pour clean water upon you and you shall be clean It is the nature of water to molifie to fructifie to quench to cleanse and purifie what zeal what heat what ardency of spirit what kindlings of affections are there in them towards God and the waies of his worship what lights do they hang abroad to others that others seeing their good works might glorifie God and what progress do they make in Christianity with what eagerness of spirit as if they were serious for their souls good do they lay hold on eternal life Nay rather do they not stand still as if they had already obtained perfection when they are on the declining hand In fire there is heat brightness and motion Ex. 13.22 What Dove-like qualifications have they Doth the spirit of meekness of love and of a sound mind reside amongst them The spirit of peace of unity of gentleness of fear of sonlike obedience to the commands of God The Spirit of God came down in the form
They are inward teachings 3 Evident teachings 4 Irresistible teachings 5 Arbitrary teachings 6 Determinating fixing and quieting teachings 7 They are consonant to the Word of God 8 Effectuall powerfull transforming teachings 9 Quiet and comfortable teachings 10 Abiding teachings 11 Uniform teachings 12 Only teachings 6. Prove the conclusion that only those that know the things of God can have the teachings of the spirit upon their hearts Where that place of Scripture is opened 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Because all the men that have not the spirit are either bewitched or besotted or overcome with the power of some domineering lust or drunken with the pleasures of sin or have no other light to judge by but that little sparke which is left within them since the fall which is overpressed with the corruptions of sin or are guided by sense which is not able to judge aright of spiritual things 7. Make application 1. By way of insormation to shew that the greatest part of Christians are void of the spirit from that place of Scripture 2 Cor. 3 17. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Now most Christians are in a state of bondage Wherein you have three respects how the spirit is called a spirit of liberty 2. By way of exhortation to stir you up to seek after the spirits teachings upon a three fold account 1. It is a singular blessing to be taught by the spirit 2 The teachings of the spirit are better then all other teachings and the wisedome of the spirit is better then all other wisdom whatsoever for these reasons 1. All other knowledge it breeds distraction of mind and pierceth the soul through with many sorrows 2. A little knowledge with true grace is better then all the knowledge in the world without the light of the spirit 3. Other knowledge it puffeth up but the light of the spirit it humbleth 4. All other knowledge it doth but furnish a man that he might be a more able instrument for the Divel and to carry on his designs in the world 5. All other knowledge will but aggravate our condemnation because it is not sanctified by the spirit 6. All other knowledge it is subservient to the light of the spirit 7. All other knowledge will never make a man a good Christian 8 All other knowledge will never satisfie and quiet our souls 9. All other knowledge is but vanity and vexation of spirit 10. All other knowledge it rather hinders then promotes the salvation of men 11. God hath a time when he will blast upon all humane unsanctified knowledge 2. If thou art taught by the spirit it is an evident sign thou art the friend of God 3. If thou art taught by the spirit it is a true sign that thou art instated into the Covenant of grace 8. Give several signs whereby we may know we are taught of the spirit 1. He that is taught by the spirit of God is of an humble spirit 2. He is of a joyful spirit 3. He that is taught from above will not grudge at the dispensations of God to others but will do what lies in his power to teach others 4. He that is taught of the spirit is a man of another spirit then he was before 5. He is of a meek spirit Wherein you have the several kindes of meeknesse opened and what it is to be of a meek spirit 6. He that is taught of the spirit is one that seareth God Wherein you have the several kinds of fear declared and what it is to fear God aright 7 He that is taught of the spirit will still desire to have further discoveries of the spirit upon his heart 8 He that is taught of the spirit is of a heavenly mind and can perform all duties in a spiritual manner 9. Shew what are the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit from the ordinary 10. This head is discovered in four particulars Declare the times wherein the spirits teachings are most manifest 1. In times of affliction 2. Neer the time of death 11. Answer several doubts and questions arising from the spirits teachings 12 Declare that it is the duty of every Christian to walk up to that light which God hath given him 1 To the light of nature 2 To the light of conscience 3 To the light of naturall improvements morall education good examples 4 To the light of the word which includes both Law and Gospel 1 Those that have only the light of the Law ought to walk up to that light 2 It highly concerns all Christians to walk up to the light of the Gospel because of the nature of this most excellent light and the aggravations of their sins who sin against it 5 To the sight of the conviction of the Spirit of God Reasons 1 Because every one shall be judged according to what measure of light he hath received 2 From the nature of light which manifests to us our evil deeds that thereby they may be reformed 3 Because he that walks not up in some cases to the light of his conscience offends in not so doing Where is shewed in what cases we may walk according to the light of our own consciences The Teachings OF CHRIST'S SPIRIT Upon the Hearts of BELIEVERS 1 COR. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given unto us of God IN the former Chapter the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles after his wonted salutation to this Church of Corinth in the 10th verse of the same Chapter he exhorts them to unanimity and concord of spirit to wit that there be no dissentions among them but that they be knit together in one minde and in one judgment And to bring them over to this oneness of spirit of being knit together in love he doth not come in a rigorous way pleading his authority as the Apostle of Christ or the power of the Keyes or Church censures or denouncing the threatnings of the Law and the curses of God but by a sweet and alluring compellation calling them brethren and befeeching them in the Name of Jesus Christ he winnes them over to the obedience of the truth Hence observe That the readiest way to win gainsaying bretheren to the obedience of the faith Note is not to be of a fiery spirit as James and John were and presently to count them as disjoyned and disunited from the body of Christ and to count them enemies to the power of godliness and to excommunicate and dismember them but as good spirituall bone-setters according to the Apostles word Gal. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.1 Metapho ra à Ghirurgis artus dissolu tos leviter connect entibus Mal. 3.2 3 To restore our fallen brethren with the spirit of meekness and to pray for them daily and to expect their re-union when the light
have his command to the contrary his Word bids us not to do it How can we violate the authority of the sacred Majesty of heaven and earth How shall we be able to stand before God who is a consuming fire and commit these abominations in his sight What a good thing were it if Christians would make a Common-place-Book in their hearts out of Gods Word and by often reading of it and by that excellent duty of meditation laying it up that they may have spirituall matter to furnish their souls withall upon all occasions This is the true pondering of the Word of God So much of the Word of God as we meditate on and by meditation is concocted to the nourishment of our souls so much we have and no more This hiding of the Word within our heart is an excellent means to further the gift of prayer whereby we shall have store of matter at all times and upon all subects to render up our petitions unto God ☜ That is the best prayer that is founded upon the Word of God How sweetly doth the Spirit of God breathe forth in Davids Psalms and what heavenly expressions there are suitable for a Christians spirit to exercise his faith and comfort in God by in the greatest trials and most soul-dejecting desertions This hiding of the Word of God to wit the sweet promises which concern salvation contained therein to poor broken-hearted sinners affords abundance of peace of conscience and consolation of the spirit Saith David I have hoped in thy Word ☞ He is a true emblem of a faithfull soul A true sign of a beleeving soul who can trust God for his word sake and build upon the Word of consolation who can plead with God upon a bare word of promise Lord hast thou not said it and wilt thou not bring it to pass If we would by a lively faith suck eagerly at these breasts of consolation and dive deep into these wels of salvation and carry our buckets often to draw and look to Jesus Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen for the earnest of his Spirit upon our hearts that they may be rightly applied to our everlasting comfort our souls would be satisfied abundantly as with marrow and fatness So likewise saith David Thy Word is a light unto my feet and a lamp unto my paths and in the same Psalm Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding large The literall Word of God though it hath a beginning and an end in respect of the letter yet the Word of God considered Doctrinally as it is the wisdom of God the Father it is infinite like God himself and hath unfathom'd depths of the riches of Gods grace to sinners in Jesus Christ contained in it Rom. 8. O the depths of the riches of the wisdom of God how unsearchable are his works and his waies past finding out ☜ It is a rich Mine of excellent discoveries of the Almighty God which never yet hath been searcht to the full though when we come to heaven we shall know abundantly more of it than we do now and all doubts concerning it fully satisfied which do so trouble us in the body of this flesh Let men of corrupt mindes talk what they will that they fully understand the minde of God in his word by the light of the Spirit speaking within them that they can unfold all mysteries and that they need not hearken to the word any longer but only hearken to the voice of the Spirit speaking in their hearts because the light of the Spirit is a greater light they say than the light of the word I am certain that they are grosly deluded by the father of lies for the Apostle Paul that knew as much of the things of God as any Enthusiast whatsoever yet did see but through a glass as it were imperfectly till this veil of the flesh being laid aside he shall see God face to face We know in part Now if the Word of God be exceeding large larger than the perfections of all the creatures so that there is no sinne that can be conceived of but is forbidden in it and threatned with eternall death and no grace but what is commanded and exhorted to under the promise of everlasting life and the means to eschue the evil and to imbrace the good fully declared unto us without all controversie this and this only is the Word of God and ought to be the ground and rule of our faith 2. That for men to preach their own inventions When men are much addicted to Allegorize Scripture suddenly they fall into some and new fangled notions and the fancies of their own intoxicated brains or for men to Allogorize Scriptures according as their minde serves them neglecting the pure fountain of the Word of God is to build mens faith upon humane wisdom and not upon the power of God We live in a Scepticall age deadly errour and are caught as it were in a snare before they are aware What a Solaecism upon his own body Origen the father of Allegories committed by Allegorizing that portion of Scripture Mat. 19.12 is known to all those that are verst in Ecclesiasticall History wherein most Christians being troubled with that itching humour the Apostle speaks of are all for novelties and vain questions which are nothing materiall to the establishing our souls in grace and neglect the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ They are all for light but little for zeal all for knowledge but little for practice all for notions but little for truth all for further discoveries of secret mysteries but little searching into their own hearts all for those truths that may inform the Judgement but little for those truths which may work upon the affections Lord A sweet ejaculation I pray thee to give me no more knowledge than what may work upon my heart to the joyning of a hearty obedience unto it and that above all other knowledge I may seek to know Jesus Christ and him crucified to be made partaker of his sufferings and of the fellowship of his resurrection that as he rose from the grave of death so I may arise from the grave of sinne unto newness of life Lord grant that while others dive into thy secrets and search after thy Decrees and do limit thee who art the holy one of Israel by speaking of thee irreverently and ascribing unto thee those things which are not convenient and as the fly about the candle never leave prying and approaching too near till they be consumed in the pride of their own hearts and in the vanity of their own imaginations I may sincerely and humbly with all fear and reverence to thy great and glorious Majesty take thy Name into my mouth and only speak of thee as the word speaks and no further Lord thou hast said that thou art Jehovah Jchovah Jah Eheie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 that is who hast thy being of thy self which being is from all eternity ineluding all the differences of time past present and to come That thou art Elohim Almighty Elschaadai Alsufficient Elion High that thou art I am that I am Exo. 3.14 which implies that thou art only of thy self and art all things to thy creatures I am bread to the hungry drink to the thirsty cloathing to the naked health to the sick liberty to the captive comfort to the distressed I am all things to all men as they stand in need of me Is 43.11 Thou hast said that thou art and that there is none else besides thee that thou art but one God and yet distinguished into three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost Lord let me beleeve and admire this truth rather than stand and question it And for thy Decrees which are as immutable as thy self for with the Lord is Yea and Amen for ever and ever I beseech thee grant that I may search no further than what is convenient for me as a creature to know and thy Word requires that I should search into These are mysteries lockt up in thy own breast from all eternity which though I cannot attain to in this life to know yet let me trace the foot-steps of thy everlasting providence in thy Word and admire thy goodness towards them who are elected in Jesus Christ and magnifie thy justice upon all the vessels of wrath to all eternity This I know that though thou did'st not pass by any in thy act of pretenition with reference to sinne as thou didst not elect the vessels of mercy with any respect to their future holiness yet thou never passest the sentence of condemnation upon any but for their sinnes past Yet God doth not condemn a man simply as a sinnes for then all should be condemned but at such and such a sinner a sinner against great light against great mercy a sinner under Gods judgement An unbeleeving sinner unbelief is the great condemning sin and receivest none into mercy but upon the account of Jesus Christ And O that there were a heart in me to seek above all things to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent to seek wisdom and spirituall understanding which will be unto me a tree of life to preserve me from the snares of death Thus Lord desireth every true and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ Now as these men have itching ears 2 Tim. 4.3 so they heap up to themselves such Pastors and Teachers as may serve their own fancies and it were to be desired that there were not too many amongst us who for preferment and for worldly honour would make the Word of God to stoop to the base lusts of carnall people and preaching the fictions of their own brain cause men to build their faith upon unsound and sandy foundations When men hold forth Jesus Christ to the people not as the Scripture holds him forth but according to their apprehensions of him they build wood hay and stubble upon this pretious foundation 1 Cor. 3.12 13 14. which when the day of the Lord shall come the fire of the Lord shall utterly consume when every mans work shall be made manifest Col. 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This will-worship when men will take upon them to prescribe Rules and Canons of Gods worship Mar. 15.3 Col. 2.8 Gal. 4.10 this worshipping of God after the tradition of our fathers this observing of times and seasons for the satisfying the lusts of the flesh and not for the service of God this mixing of our own Ceremonies and Superstitious waies is odious and abominable in his sight God cares not how little he hath to do with men in waies of his worship for whatsoever sacred things we handle we leave the print of our fingers behind us but hath reserved this to himself as one main part of his Soveraignty to prescribe Rules and give Laws according to which he requires that men should do him homage He is that great Law-giver who is able to kill and save alive Jam. 4.12 Now when men dare be so presumptuous and so highly impudent as to incroach upon Gods authority and to take upon them to assign waies and means of their own finding out to serve God by what do they but as it were condemn the Word of God for imperfection and God himself for want of wisdom as if he did not know how to govern his creatures Yea moreover God hath strictly commanded that we should not mingle our inventions with his worship Exod. 20.25 Thou shalt not lift up a tool upon my Altar lest it be defiled God in this place directly commands in the Antitype that we should worship him according to the way of his own choosing and that we should not adde the dross of our own corrupted fancies to the unspotted purity of his holy worship God hates a mixture of Religion at his very heart and could not endure that the Israelites should joyn themselves to the Canaanites left they should learn their evil way and be defiled Mens inventions and Gods worship will never agree together As there is but one God so the way of his worship is one therefore saith Paul Act. 24.14 according to the way which ye call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers But men of carnall mindes consulting with flesh and blood and not with the everlasting Word of God have sought out many waies to worship God by What a forged foppery of humane inventions and mans traditions is the Popish Religion What abundance of forms and outward worships have they as if God did look more at the outward man and externall behaviour than at the hidden man of the heart the sincerity of our actions and the purity of our intentions the Lord judgeth not according to the appearance 1 Sam. 16.7 but he judgeth righteous judgement Indeed they have a braver and more splendid Religion in outward beauty and worship as a Lady of Paris said when she saw the Pope going his Procession What a brave Religion is ours in respect of the Hugonites that is the Protestants they have richer Temples and more beautifull shrines but what is this in the sight of God as painted glass it rather darkens the light than adds more light though it seems more beautifull than plain glass so mens traditions though they may carry a beautifull pretence along with them they rather darken the minde of the Spirit than adde any further light unto the Word This foundation will melt as the wax before the Sun in the time of Gods pleading and contending with sinners Others are too extream on the other hand and care not for any decency and order in respect of outward worship and cry down all outward circumstances and conveniences because God chiefly regards the heart Let such know that God is the God of our bodies as well as of our souls and he requireth
outward worship that we should bow before him and fall down at his presence and testifie the brokenness and contrition of heart by outward gestures as well as heart-worship though that be the principall he aims at Pray observe that God looks to every circumstance of his worship as well as to the essentials of it yea to the least circumstance and when he shall come to revenge the quarrell of his Covenant will severely punish those who have failed in the least particular of his worship O that men would consider this who are all for duty but little for the right performance of it after Gods way and manner ☞ all for worship but care not how they worship God I finde in Scripture 1 King 18.28 that hypocrites have been most in duty Baals Priests used to cut selves from day to night Mat 6.7.23.14 and the Pharisees used to make long prayers but I finde that the people of God have studied more how to please God and to serve him after his own way and method The circumstances of an action saith the Philosopher aggravate the action more than the action it self You will think Nadab's and Abihu's fault to be of no consideration Lev. 10.1 2. as to deserve so great a punishment as to be destroyed for it What was their sinne why they offered fire to the Lord as he commanded but not that fire which he commanded that fire which should be continually kept in upon the Altar for that very use but fetcht elsewhere and therefore 't is called strange fire such fire as the Lord never demanded Let Gods Word be our rule and Gods glory the ultimate end and scope of all our actions and then we cannot do amiss in point of worship and if we continue in well doing at the length we shall reap everlasting life But when men corrupt the Word of God 2 Cor. 2.17 as the Apostles phrase is putting new glosses upon it and making it as a nose of wax to turn every way according as their genius tends and it serves for the carrying on of their designes for how glad are wicked men if they catch at any part of a sentence which according to their blinde apprehensions though to a judicious minde and to one enlightened by the Spirit it is nothing to the purpose or handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cauponantes Adulte rantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A corrumpendo vine atque infuscando ut caupones sâ—lout Men adulterate the word and take away the beauty and the majesty from it when they think to put a lustre upon it by their own inventions mixing it as a Vintner doth water with wine according to the Apostles word or neglecting the Word of God lean to the light of their own understandings and studying strange and unheard-of doctrines under the name of experimentall truths and which by long experience they have found out deliver unto the people the scum and the froth of their own vain mindes as the false Prophets of old who spake lyingly in the Name of the Lord saying they had a vision and a revelation when they had not that so both Minister and people might both fall together and both might be destroyed for ever and ever and rendring themselves abominable in the eyes of God they build their faith upon their own wisdom which is rather folly than wisdom for every man as the Psalmist saith Ps 49.10 by the fall is become brutish in his understanding and is of a reprobate minde that is Tit. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of judgment of a minde that cannot approve of the things of God and neglect the wisdom and the power of God They cry up themselves as Simon Magus did for some body Act. 8.9 for the great power of God as he for his miracles was termed so and delighted in this appellation so these would be so termed for the abundance of the Revelations and the great measure of the Spirit which they pretend to partake of as if they were the only lights in the world and the Oracles which God hath set up in his Church Lord I beseech thee by the power of thy sanctifying Spirit to destroy this Babell in the hearts of those who are thy people that they may not build their faith upon lying vanities and trust to the sparks of their own understandings 1 Sam. 5.4 but that this Dagon of superstition and false worship of will-worship Col. 2.23 and of that worship which seems to carnall flesh glorious and beautifull 2 Cor. 7.1 may fall down at the appearance of Jesus Christ in their hearts that being kept from the pollutions of the flesh and Spirit they may perfect holiness in the fear of God for as long as this wisdom of the world is in us which is foolishness in thy sight there is no room for thy word or for Jesus Christ who is the eternall wisdom of God the Father Joh. 6.27 Let us not build our faith upon traditions and mens inventions and feed upon that meat which perisheth for all ceremonies customs and will-worship is but perishing meat but upon the Word of God as our rule and Jesus Christ for our Saviour that so we may finde comfort and peace of conscience at the hour of death and in the world to come everlasting life To proceed in the context the Apostle having shewed that he did not preach the wisdom of the world yet to magnifie his Doctrine and that he might give it the preheminence Vers 6. he saith Yet we preach wisdom amongst those which are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world that is though our preaching be plain to you who are but as babes in understanding yet we can preach in a higher style and more profound matter amongst those which are perfect that is amongst those who are men in understanding and more knowing in the things of God vers 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery Ver. 8. Wisdom which the world cannot attain unto Vers 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Hence observe Note That a servant of Jesus Christ must suit his style and his matter according to the capacity and judgement of his hearers Saith Luther Optimi ad Vulgus sunt concionatores qui popularitèr pnerilitèr trivialiter docent They preach best to the common people who preach in the plainest way and method The converting of souls to Jesus Christ and the building up Christians in the most pretious faith and comforting sad dejected spirits and destroying the Kingdom of Satan in the hearts of wicked men and to dispossess them of the unclean spirit and to convince gain-sayers who oppose the truth and to vindicate the purity of the Word of God against men of reprobate mindes is the work and main business of a true Ambassadour of Jesus
much how much more will the way of reasoning of one spirit by strength of argument work upon another spirit Arguments are spirituall weapons ☜ and he that stands to argue the case with the devil fights with the devil with his own weapons Who is the great disputer of this world the great Sophister the great Logician but the devil He useth all sorts of arguments to raise fears and jealousies in the hearts of Gods people to drive them to despair and to keep wicked men in their carnall security and desperate presumption He is the spirit of this world he is the great agent that commonly sets all the wheels and the springs a going That drives furiously as Jehn did How Satan is said to be the spirit of the wicked world hurrying wicked men in their pernitious waies The devil is the spirit of the world upon a double account 1. He acts in the world and quickens and puts vigour and brings forth into act that originall corruption that lies rooted in the heart of all men by nature The work of the Spirit it is to give life and heat and motion to cherish and refresh to excite the parts to do their office Now as the Spirit of God moved upon the waters in the first Creation hovering over the Mosaicall matter fomenting and cherishing it so the evil spirit the devil moves upon the filthy puddles in our hearts hovering over that filthy corruption which is in us cherishing and fomenting that body of death which we carry aboot us As the Vulture loves to feed upon dead carkasses so the devil loves to rake up that stinking cartion matter which is in the hearts of all men by nature Now the devil is not only an assistant spirit to the world that sees the wheels a going as the assisting Angels are ☞ which Aristotle supposeth to set the primum mobile a work but he worketh with us and he worketh in the world Sometimes our hearts like a mint out of that abundance of corruption that is in them may coin evil things for sinne in the heart will appear in the life obscene and filthy words do naturally flow from a lustfull heart But yet the coin often carries upon it the devils stamp Pliny speaks of the scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it puts not forth the sting as being loth to lose any opportunity of doing mischief so Satan will lose no fit time to tempt us to draw us to his allurements that he might destroy us Burrought Moses choice if he sees us inventing mischief he will be sure to put to his helping hand Many times the devil is the father of evil thoughts but our own hearts are the mother the devil suggesteth but it 's our own hearts that conceive according to the Psal mist They conceive mischief and bring forth falshood It is the devil that blows up the fire of lust in our hearts and adds fuell to it by his delicious objects That makes men rush into sinne as the horse rusheth into the battell As we commonly say he must needs runne whom the devil drives Satan did but put it into Judas his heart to betray his Master and presently he sets about his business As soon as the devil had entred into him he runs headlong to the destruction of his immortall soul When a man hath winde and tide and the sails be up he must needs go apace Our affections are the sails our carnall interest and self-seeking is the tide and the devil is the winde If our sails are up ☜ and the tide favours us the stream of the times or our Dallilah lusts do prosper and the devil comes and addes winde to the tide and flatters us in our waies by promising us the same gales of prosperity still we fail apace and in abundance of delight for a time till at length we fall down into the Mare mortuum into the dead sea of everlasting misery Think upon this who with a full career swim down with the current of the times and care not whither you are carried so be it your carnall interest may prosper and that you may have the favour of a flattering world You are acted by the devil and certainly at death he will pay you your wages He is that filthy unclean Idolatrous spirit that keeps the world in their superstitious waies and which to this day beguiles the poor Indians and holds the greatest part of the world in Idolatry and Heathenish impiety to the great dishonour of the true God and to their own everlasting condemnation 2. He is the spirit of the world because he not only acts the world but also because the world willingly suffers it self to be acted by him Wicked men are said to be led captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 He leads them in a string to eternall perdition As a Falconer carries his Hawk upon his fist so the devil carries poor creatures They do not take up arms to fight against him Wicked men most properly are said to act evil And because they willingly submit themselves to the devil while they are acted by the devil they may be said to act because they do not resist him The godly are rather acted to evil than said to act evil because they do that which they allow not and which under a serious debate with themselves they utterly hate but they willingly subject themselves to his Government preferring the devil before Christ and these transitory enjoyments before the God of heaven I may say the world is a sworn enemy to Jesus Christ and a faithfull drudge to do the devils drudgery As Christ admits none but voluntiers and suffers none to be of his society but they that willingly submit themselves to his discipline so the devil hath a great army of voluntiers and they willingly accept of his tearms and conditions This only is the difference the godly do take Jesus Christ for their Lord and Saviour directly and as they serve Jesus Christ who is the great Master so they love him and embrace him for their Head and Governour but now the wicked world doth not directly take the devil to be their Lord and Master for the thought of a devil is odious in the hearts of all both good and bad and none would be said to be the devils servants but in as much as they voluntarily do his works and subject themselves to his yoke they may be said indirectly and by consequence not only to have the devil for their Lord Joh. 8. but for their father Ye are of your father the devil for his works ye will do 2. As the world hath Satan for its evil spirit so it hath another evil spirit to wit that imbred evil spirit of wickedness that naturall frame of spirit in the hearts of wicked men continually tending to the waies of sinne This worldly spirit this spirit of sinne or this sinfull spirit 1 Joh. 4.3 it is called
the smoaking flax untill he bring forth judgement into victory that is he will cherish grace and knowledge though covered over with manifold imperfections and very small till they shall come to that measure of perfection which is appointed for them Reply Doth the Spirit teach successively though he will teach us all things which pertain to life and godliness What hindereth but that a childe of God may erre in many things and yet the Spirit of God be said to teach him all things v. g. A Schoolmaster is said to instruct his scholar in all the rudiments of Grammar yet the scholar may commit solecismes and false concordance and why because the Master doth not teach him all the elements at once but by degrees So the Spirit though it teacheth all things which pertain to life and salvation in time yet because it teacheth by degrees a childe of God may in the mean time fall into errour till the Spirit of God shall give in a further light into his soul declaring unto him that his tenent is an errour Secondly They are inward teachings that is they reach to the heart Many times Ministers teach but 't is not from the heart to the heart but from the heart to the head We may inform your judgments but we cannot enkindle your affections and inflame your hearts with an ardent desire and fervent love of the things delivered unto you The Spirit makes you not only to know the things of God but in love with the things of God A spirituall man can finde more sweetness in reading one of the Psalms penned by that sweet Psalmist of Israel Davia than in reading all the merry books in the world besides Another man may reade the Word of God but it is only the Spirit that can make us delight in the Law of God according to the inward man Another man may hear of the excellency of Jesus Christ but it is only the spirituall man that esteems him the chiefest of ten thousand and desires him above all things When the Spirit teacheth the soul let it be never so dull of apprehension let its affections be as cold as a stone to heavenly things let him be as Epraim like a silly Dove without a heart let him be altogether averse from any thing that is good yet the Spirit shall produce inward heat life and motion to runne in the waies of God and not to be weary to go on and not faint The Spirits teachings will make hearts as hard as rocks to flow forth with rivers of living water they will cause floods to come into the wilderness where no water is It is unexpressible what are the kindlings of love and meltings of heart in a soul towards God that hath once been toucht with this heavenly light of the Spirit from heaven What is the reason we remain so dull and so cold under such powerfull Ordinances and such plenteous showrs of grace Why I will tell you you want the inward teachings of the Spirit upon your hearts In the Word preached you may have light but you can have no heat you may have motion but you can have no zeal Where the Spirit is there is light and heat you will be burning and shining lights Thirdly They are evident teachings 1 Cor. 2.4 We reade of the demonstration of the Spirit the Spirit when it comes it makes a demonstration from the effect to the cause because the Spirit worketh in us what it teacheth The way to faith is by working knowledge in our hearts and by opening our eyes to see in what a case we are in by nature and into what a good condition we are instated into by Jesus Christ Knowledge is put for faith This is life eternall to know thee Joh. 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom thou bast sent that is to beleeve on thee and Jesus Christ We may know we are taught by the Spirit if we live in the Spirit if we walk in the Spirit if we warre after the Spirit and not after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our Warfare are not carnall but spirituall and mighty to the throwing down of sinne and Satan The Spirits writing upon the heart is in great letters not in small so that he that runnes may reade it as it is spoken of the vision in Habakkuk grace is written in legible characters The Saints of God generally stand in their own light By others I do not understand the world the wicked world but the Saints of God The true Saints are hid to the world The life of every Saint is hid with Christ in God But one spirituall Christian may easily discern another because of that likeness which each hath one to another and the conformity both of them have no Jesus Christ their head that they cannot see those graces in themselves which to others are very plain and visible True grace loves to lie hid under the vail of humility the more it seeks to hide it self the more it is discovered The Saints are the Epistle of Christ known and read of all men The Spirit doth not teach by tipes and figures and by shadows but it teacheth the very thing the very substance We reade of the manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall Ephes 1.17 So the Spirit of revelation That the God of our Lord Jesus and the Father of glory might give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him The Spirit it is our remembrancer to bring all things to our remembrance which Christ and his Apostles have spoken unto us in the word Saith Christ John 14.26 When the Spirit comes he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto you that is the things of God shall be made so plain unto them as if they had known them of old as if they were well verst in them and the things deeply rooted in their memories This is quite contrary to those who say the Spirits teachings are full of mysteries dark and obscure and hard to be understood What is this but to make the Spirit of God like the impure spirit the devil Indeed when Oracles were in use the devils answers were very obscure witness when Pyrrhus sent to the Oracle to know whether he should overcome the Romans or the Romans overcome him the answer was so dubious that he could not understand either of them before the sword decided the doubt on the Romans part Aiote Aeacida Romanos vincere posse But the Spirit of God teacheth plainly and when he speaks he speaks to the purpose If the Spirits teachings should be obscure who should interpret the minde of the Spirit there is none that can resolve the Spirits meanings but the Spirit it self this is the great resolver of all doubts and questions Wouldst thou be resolved whether thou art a childe of God or no Gal. 4. the Spirit will
and seeing I have received it from God I am certain God will not send a message contrary to his Word or send an Angel from heaven to infirm and weaken that which I have delivered unto you So I say ☜ whosoever thou art that pretendest to revelations and mysteries and high discoveries from God if the manifestations you pretend to be to draw you to the promoting of any thing contrary to the Word of God or to encourage you in the waies of sinne and to carry on the interests of the flesh it is a lying Spirit it is not the Spirit of God I am sure God will not send a message to contradict his own Word or give in a revelation which shall weaken and destroy that word which his Apostles and Prophets have delivered unto us I could wish that the Quakers of our times who pretend so much to the Spirit The Quakers are void of the Spirits teachings and yet walk after the flesh vilifying and reviling the precious servants of Jesus Christ their mouths being black with hellish imprecations against the servants of Jesus Christ would lay this to heart Certainly they are void of the Spirits teachings upon their hearts if any people in the world are void because they are so full of malice against the Word of God which is the minde of the Spirit and so impetuously carried by a spirit of envy An envious person is the very picture of the devil against those who watch for their souls good that they may be saved at the great day of account Isa 8.11 To the Law and to the testimony if they hearken not to these it is because there is no light in them I know the devil can put on Samuels mantle and he will bring Scripture in his mouth as well as the best He brought Scripture to Christ Mat. 4. but you may easily perceive him by his cloven foot it is either to tempt thee to sinne as here he did Christ or to some errour and heresie The devil is Gods Ape The devil is Gods Ape and as God hath his miracles so he hath his wonders as appears by the Sorcerers in Egypt and he will set up his standard by Gods standard in this world If God hath his revelations the devil will have his but you may easily difference them by these signes 1. The devils revelations are but hidden things How do men in these times who talk much of the light of the Spirit within them runne all upon Allegories wresting the Scripture to their own damnation 1 Cor. 14.32 2. The devils revelations put men into strange passions and phrensies Spiritus Prophetarum subjecti sunt Prophetis ie nihil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacient sed decentèr ntilitèr Et hoc distinguuntur Prophetae veri à vatibus prophauis quia illi omnia faciunt quodam furore ecstafi alie nautur mentè abripiun tur extrà sese ut saepe seipsos non intelligant inde ambiguè etiam ludunt quia incerti sunt de rebus At veri Prophetae non ita modestè sedatè omnia agunt spiritum habeut sibi subjectum ut nihil indecorum admittant idco libemèr cedunt aliis Arecius The spirits of the Prophers are subject to the Prophets that is they do nothing disorderly but with decency and profit And by this manner are distinguished the true Prophets from the false and prophane ones because they do all things with a certain kinde of fury and madness and are estranged in their minds and snatch besides hemselves that many times they do not understand themselves and speak ambiguously because they are uncertain of the things themselves But the true Prophets do not so they do all things modestly and quietly hâ—y have their spirits in subjection so that they do nothing ancomely and can willingly give place to others and I know not what distempers but the Spirit of God doth not so reveal it self but teacheth in a milde gentle and in a quiet way 3. After the devils revelations there follows great disquietness of minde and little settlement of spirit but they are left in manifold perplexities sometimes the light that is within them as they call it carrying them to such a place and sometimes to another and whatsoever the light bids them do that they must do As the evil spirit hurried Christ up and down setting him upon the pinacle of the Temple but the teachings of the Spirit bring peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and full of glory Saith Christ When the Spirit comes it shall speak of me and shall bring all things to your remembrance Whatsoever I have spoken unto you Whatsoever Christ speaks and the Word speaks the Spirit speaks but whatsoever the devil speaks he speaks it of himself and not according to the word for he was a liar from the beginning he abode not in the truth and the truth is not in him Eighthly They are effectuall powerfull transforming teachings As God by his word in the Creation did create light upon the earth God said Let there be light and there was light so God by one word from heaven by his Spirit can create light in our understandings As Christ by a-word did raise Lazarus out of the grave so God by one word by his Spirit can raise us up from the grave of sinne to newness of life As thou canst not hinder the influences of heaven nor cause it not to rain when God hath unlockt his store-house of rain or from keeping the light of the sunne from the world much less canst thou hinder the work of the Spirit upon thy heart the influences of his Divine working Prov. 21.1 The Lord tunneth the heart of man as he turneth the Water-brooks One would think that such a one as Saul a persecutour should never have been a Paul a chosen vessell to bear his Name before the Gentiles That a Manasseh who made Jerusalem to swim with blood should have been a Convert That a Mary Magdalen out of whom Christ had cast out seven devils should become a Saint but such is the power of the Spirit that though thou hadst a legion of devils Christ by his Spirit which is called the finger of God as Christ saith Luke 11.20 If I by the finger of God cast out devils he can cast them out and fill thee with his good Spirit When Christ comes to a mans house and saith This day is salvation come to thy house as he did to Zacheus Luk. 19.9 let him be a Publican he shall give half his goods to the poor and if he hath wronged any man he shall make restitution So when Christ shall come to thy heart by the Spirit and cry saying This day is salvation come to thy soul thou shalt open and become a new creature be thy former condition what it will 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are
many of them and speak not soberly enough of the great mystery of the Trinity bringing in Philosophicall reasons whereas these mysteries should rather be adored than searched after They distinguish were God disting uisheth not being full of vain Philosophy and needless doctrines Weems that seeing they might not see who are called men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3.8 But by the naturall man is understood every man whatsoever that is not taught and inlightened by the Spirit As fleshly is opposed to spirituall so animall or naturall is opposed to spirituall So that whosoever he be let him have the highest perfections of nature or morality or common endowments he is an ignoramus in the things of God if he be void of the Spirit Wicked men they count spirituall things foolishness As the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God so the wisdom of God is foolishness with the world 1 Cor. 1.25 Though the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men So we reade of the foolishness of preaching in the 21 verse of the same Chapter Wicked men count preaching of the Word of God foolishness and Religion but a toy a bable and as a bug-bear to keep us in awe they cannot savour or relish any spirituall thing Besides saies the Apostle they are spiritually discerned Now wicked men who are void of the Spirit they have not that Spirit of discerning which other men have As a man who hath a vitious humour in his eye whatsoever he looks upon it is represented under that humour as if a man hath the Jaundis in his eyes all things are presented to his sight under a yellow colour So wicked men because they are sensuall and have not the Spirit as Jude speaks they look upon all things with a carnall eye and so are not able to discern aright Many times naturall men they judge of things according to their bulk and quantity they judge of the goodness of a prayer by the length of it of faith by a meer casting of themselves at all adventures upon Jesus Christ for salvation never seeing whether their hearts are purified by faith or no Indeed the wicked that have learning may perceive and know those things of the Spirit but they know them in a carnall manner not in a spirituall manner and howbeit they may reform their outward courses and cut off many acts of sin and like grace somewhat in their hearts thus farre and farther may a carnall man go being but changed not renewed Now they cannot spiritually discern grace for in regard of spirituall discerning they are in the dark even as the eyes if they would see without light the eye-sight and the goodness and the excellency of the ball will not avail to make them see so the wicked even the learned'st of them all they cannot see grace because they have not the Spirit of discerning light their learning their wit and all their good parts cannot suffice to descry the things of God as they are seen by the godly They seeing see not and hearing they might hear and not understand This knowledge of the things of God this spirituall knowledge it is called the Unction of the holy Ghost 1 John 2.20 You have an Unction from the holy One and you know all things It is called eye-salve Rev. 3.18 It is called the opening of the eyes Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things in thy Law It is called the lightning of the eyes Psal 13.3 Lighten my eyes It is called seeing Isa 29.18 And the eyes of the blinde shall see out of darkness Mr. Feuner in his mystery of saving grace or joyned with a true love unto him They mistake common grace for speciall grace and rest satisfied with the common graces of the Spirit never minding whether they have that prevailing degree of grace to love God and Jesus Christ above all things They are ready to think themselves the children of God because they prosper in the world and have not crosses as other men because they are quiet in respect of sinne and have no trouble of conscience upon their hearts as other men have They are apt to conclude that God loves them and delights in them because they have sometimes more than ordinary raptures of Spirit and are sometimes stirred up to prayer and the like because they have more head-knowledge than many other honest-hearted Christians have All these false conclusions come from corrupt flesh because they are not inlightened by the Spirit of God John 2.11 He that walketh in the dark knoweth not whither he goeth You are all in the dark unless you have the Spirit If the people of the world had the eyes of the children of God they could not but love grace and holiness and Christ and the Word and the Ministers for the beauty and the excellency that is in them Then they would say with David Psal 84. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness a thonsand years Psal 42.1 As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God when shall I come and appear before God! They would hate sinne for that odious nature and that vileness that is in it but their eyes are vitiated and in stead of the Doves eyes of the spouse of Christ their eyes are bewitched with the things of this world Gal. 3.1 O ye Galatians who hath bewitched you It is a bewitching with the eyes as the Greek word imports It is said of Agar that when she was in the wilderness and the Lad was ready to die for thirst that God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water So though Jesus Christ that fountain which is open to Judah and Jerusalem for sinne and for uncleanness be daily put before our eyes yet if God doth not open our eyes we shall never see it we shall never taste of the waters of life What is the reason that David prayed so often Psal 119. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Law Teach me thy statutes Make me to understand the way of thy precepts I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy precepts Why Because David knew that he could not understand the things of God unless he were taught by the Spirit When the earnall men of the world condemn the children of God for their zeal and constancy in his waies and for their preciseness in living up to the terms of the Gospel they may answer them as one did his fellow in another case for looking upon a picture said his fellow Why dost thou gaze upon it so long O saith he if you did see with my eyes and had that skill to discern as I have you would gaze upon it as long too So if you did see with our light and had that Spirit of
with him pouring forth those desires which he suggesteth unto us the fire which God would have continually to burn upon his Altar came out from the Lord Rev. 9.24 If sacrifices were offered up with any other fire that fire was counted strange and the sacrifices no whit acceptable but abominable to the Lord the heavenly fire whereby our spirituall sacrifices of prayer must be offered up is that holy Spirit which cometh out from God he carrieth the very Image of God we must therefore give unto God that which is Gods A childe of God upon this ground may come with boldness to the throne of grace that God will accept his prayer because it is a fruit of his Spirit He may wrastle with God and never let him alone till he obtain the blessing or some gracious answer to his prayer though not in the same kind he petitioned for He can say I am thy childe thou art my father I am one with thee by thy Spirit I belong to thy family both in heaven and in earth I am one of them for whom Christ sweat drops of blood for I have thy Spirit interceding for me with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered and therefore Lord I know that thou canst not deny me my petition if it be for my good and for the glory of thy Name Now is it so that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty is it not too too evident that the greatest part of professing Christians are void of the Spirit Are they not in bondage to some secret lust Doth not their speech bewray them in stead of speaking the language of Canaan do they not speak the language of Ashdod In stead of being led by the Spirit of God are they not led by the spirit of the world While they talk of the Spirit do they not walk after the flesh Have they not the Spirit to talk by and the world to walk by Are they not in love with the fashion of the world and intangled with the rudiments of it Can they pray in the Spirit can they sing in the Spirit can they restore a fallen brother in the evidence of their own spirit If they can What means these swarms of lusts in their hearts of pride envy self-love contempt of their poor weak brethren and little regard they have to the promoting the work of the Spirit in the hearts of others These with many others are true notes that the greatest part of Christians are void of the Spirit Secondly Is it so That none can know the things of God but they that have the teachings of the Spirit upon their hearts Then I beseech you to desire God to give you the teachings of his Spirit Pray earnestly for that wisdom which comes from above that St James speaks of Jam. 3.17 Which is first pure then gentle then easie to be intreated which is full of good works If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God for he giveth liberally and upbraideth none He will not upbraid thy ignorance thy poverty thy former unwillingness and disrespect if thou wilt ask it of him If the Lord blessed Solomon so much for asking wisdom before riches 1 King 3.11 honour life that the Lord gave him a wise heart together with riches honour and life as an over-plus into the bargain how much more pleasant and wellcom will thy petition be to God if thou askest of him spirituall wisdom which is not to be compared with the most precious Rubies or with the finest Gold If thou would'st have spirituall wisdom desire God to give thee the Spirit of wisdom to give thee the grace of unction as well as the grace of union that as Jesus Christ had the Spirit of wisdom resting upon him so thou maiest have likewise To stirre thee up to this main duty Consider first of all Fidelis mater utra que praebet infautulo ubera Sic Deus pater non solum dedit filium sed ctiam dedit Spiritum sanctum Haec duo ubera vino sunt pulchriora That thou askest nothing but what is agreeable to the will of God Matth. 7.11 If ye being evil know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask it of him 2. Thou askest nothing but what Christ hath promised Saith Christ when I go away the Comforter shall come unto you So likewise I will pray the Father and he shall fend you another Comforter If Christ who is the Amen of all the promises Rev. 1.5 who is the true and faithfull witness who is truth it self Saith he John 14. I am the way the truth and the life who hath sealed the Covenant with his own blood if he hath promised the Spirit he will not be worse than his word if thou ask it of him 3. Consider that Christ was anointed with the Spirit and received a more plentifull measure of it for our sakes that we might partake of his fulness he was filled with the Spirit that we might partake of the same Spirit with him Joh. 3.34 Non ad mensuram i. e siue mensurâ The Spirit was not given unto him by measure that we might have a measure of his Spirit 4 Consider that we are to ask nothing but what we are to expect at Gods hand under the Gospel It is said that the Spirit was not yet given because that Christ was not yet glorified Joh. 7.39 that is it was not poured forth in that measure and abundance as it was to be given after Christs ascension Now Christ being ascended and sitting at the right hand of God on high the Apostles long ago and the Saints in the primitive times having had the first-fruits of the Spirit When the holy Ghost descended in the form of cloven tongues we also may expect the gleanings of so plentifull a harvest Sicut unctio à capite Aaronis in ipsius membra descendebat fic à Christo capite vigor Spiritus sancti in omnia membra dimanat As the oyntment did runne down from Aarons head to the rest of his members So from Christ the Head the efficacy of the Spirit flows forth upon all the members To stirre you up to desire the Spirits teachings consider this that it is a singular mercy to be taught by the Spirit Blessed is the soul that heareth the Lord in or by his Spirit and that receiveth from his mouth the word of comfort If the Queen of Sheba 2 Châ—on 9.7 after she had made triall of Solomons wisdom cried out with admiration Happy are thy men and happy are these thy servants that stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom How much happier are they then that heard the gracious words which proceeded from the mouth of Christ when he was upon the earth and that have the teachings of the Spirit upon their hearts All other teachings besides the Spirits teachings will avail
Adam was in Paradise yea he did set his heart above God But the teachings of the Spirit make a man to ascribe all to God and to say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me So much sanctified knowledge so much grace For though there may be knowledge without grace so there cannot be grace without knowledge According to the Apostles phrase Grow in â—ace 2 Pet. 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So much grace so much humility so much carnal knowledge so much pride so much pride so much sin 4 All other knowledge without the teachings of the Spirit it doth but furnish a man that he might be a more able instrument for the devil and to carry on his designes in the world because only those who have the Spirits teachings upon their hearts have a sanctified use of their knowledge What a sad thing is it that God should give men parts and abilities only to be the devils drudges and to do his service When men shall employ their parts against the Kingdom of Christ against the power of godliness and against the Saints and servants of God when men shall fight against God with those very weapons which he put into their hands The devil knows that these be the fittest men to manage his cause upon the earth and therefore he chooseth these above all others as most sutable to his intent and purpose If the leading party of the times who are eminent for knowledge and for a wolvish sanctity who carry as it were all â—â—â—ore them wheresoever they come and are applauded of all men for their excellent parts and endowments be on his side and under the cloak of a counterfeit zeal and a pretended holiness can mask over and palliate over most abominable corruptions in the sight of God if this party be on his side the devil sleeps as it were in a whole skin knowing that he hath able Proctors and agents that can bear a great sway in the world to sweep down millions of poor souls into hell with the besom of everlasting destruction What say the Pharisees to the ignorant people when they spoke of Christ say they Have any of the rulers beleeved on him Have any of the Doctors of the Law who sit in Moses Chair Have any of the Sect-Masters Have any of the Rabbies and of the Gymnosophists beleeved on him and those men are wiser than you Those should know sure how to judge of things better than you who know not the Law of God but only as you receive it from their mouths Who were Paul's enemies but the Epicures and Stoicks and the Philosophers of the world Act. 17.18 Then certain of the Philosophers of the Epicures and Stoicks encountred him saying What doth this babler say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seminiverbius He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods Who was Paul's enemy but Tertullus the Orator when he was to plead for his life Who were Christs enemies but the Scribes and Pharisees when it is said that the common people heard him gladly Julian was a great Scholar yet a great Persecutor and an enemy to Jesus Christ Learned men are but the devils factors to trade for him and to gain proselytes unto his Kingdom 5. All other knowledge will but aggravate your condemnation unless thou hast the Spirits teachings at the day of judgement Sinnes against knowledge are the next sinnes to the sinne against the holy Ghost Saith David Lord deliver thy servant from presumptuous sins Psa 19.3 so shall I be free from the great transgression They are sinnes of a deep dye scarlet sinnes sinnes of ignorance and sins against knowledge are both the same for substance yet knowledge it adds a searlet dye unto them What was Belshazzars fault Dan. 5 22 That though he did know the failings of his father Nebuchadnezzar yet he did not humble himself for all this This is the condemnation that light is come into the world Joh. 3.19 but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil If I had not spoken unto you John 15.22 saith Christ you had not had sinne but now you have no cloak for your sinne No sinne comparatively in respect of what they now have You cannot improve your knowledge aright to the glory of God and to the comfort of your own soul unless it be sanctified unto you by the Spirit Knowing persons will have the deepest place in hell fire and will be more tormented than any other persons whatsoever for God will enlarge their faculties in hell and their mindes shall be enlightned to discern between good and evil Christians that live under the light of the Gospel and have not the light of the Spirit shall have a very low place if not the lowest in hell hereafter Their condemnation shall be greater Their condemnation shall be greater than the condemnation of Aristotle of Pythagoras and other Heathen Philosophers because they live under a clearer light the light of the Gospel yet those shall sink very deep into the bottomless pit Whatsoever is not done in faith and proceeds from the Spirit and is done after a due manner and to a right end to the glory of God is sinne Now all that have not the Spirit of God let them have never so much carnall knowledge they can never do any thing out of a principle of faith within and as a fruit of the Spirit or to the glory of God as they ought to do but meerly as reason or as a common knowledge guides them and no higher Many will curse the time that ever they had so much knowledge one day and that they have been so greedy after it when to all eternity they shall consider and have nothing else but to consider how unprofitably and vainly they have lived in respect of that plentifull measure of knowledge God hath given them 6. Other knowledge will never satisfie your souls The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with bearing The soul is infinite in its desires in its aims and in its intentions A covetous man is never satisfied with his riches an ambitious man with his honours a lustfull with his pleasures an Epicure with his delicious fare The knowledg of all things besides God are no more able to satisfie our understanding than a Peck of Corn is sufficient to fill up all the vast regions that are under the circumference of the highest heaven You may as soon fill a purse with wisdom as the soul with vain knowledge the Scholar with his knowledge but still the more they they have the more they continually desire Hab. 2.5 The soul it enlargeth its desires as â—ell As hell and the grave is never satisfied
so neither is the soul of man with any created excellency whatsoever We all desire knowledge naturally because knowledge it is the perfection of a rationall soul What is the chiefest happiness of a Christian and the highest perfection that the soul can attain unto but to know God aright and to rejoyce in that knowledge for ever and ever Eves affectation of knowing both good and evil and to be like God in knowledge was the cause of the fall of mankinde The soul it hath a large extent and is never satisfied with the knowledge of any thing unless it laieth hold of the most infinite God who is alone able to replenish the same without the knowledge of whom we understand nothing but are compared to the beasts which perish 7. All other knowledge it is subservient to the Spirits teachings and to that spirituall wisdom which flows from the Spirit It is subordinate and inferiour to it John 17.3 This is eternall life to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Other knowledge it may serve us about the inferiour works of Christianity how to live justly soberly honestly to carry our selves prudently in the eyes of the world and to do many outward good works of Religion but to make us to approve our hearts to God to believe on Jesus Christ to deny our selves to take up Christs Cross daily and to follow him this only the teachings of the Spirit can help us to do It is one thing to be a good man and another thing to be a good Christian Morall men who have nothing but tivility in them and a discreet carriage to carry all things squarely along in the world may be called good men who wrong no body and live honestly and demurely and are good for the benefit of the Commonwealth either in a civil or in an Ecclesiasticall way knowing how to direct all things for the best advantage both to themselves and others These may be called good men But good Christians servants of Jesus Christ the called ones of God the Father are only those who are the children of light and have the light of the Spirit residing in them The Arts and the Sciences may serve as the Gibeonites did about the Temple to perform all the inferiours works of Religion as farre as sense and reason may be a competent judge but at the service of the Altar the principail thing is the light of the Spirit Logick shews the way of defining and dividing and of demonstrating the truth or the absurdity of a thing Ethicks further us in the illustration of morall vertues Metaphysicks help us in explaining the terms of art which we use in setting forth the nature of things and being the highest and the chiefest Science how to draw conclusions from inferiour objects in subordination to the highest and to reduce all inferiour things to the first cause How to discourse of God of the Angels of the soul of the Attributes of the beings of things in a Scholasticall way To know the first principles of things with severall composed affections which arise from thence and so to finde out principles and subjects for inferiour Sciences But what is all this to the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ to the doctrine of humiliation of examining our own hearts to the great doctrine of morrification and of the Spirits in-being and dwelling in us to the comforting of distressed consciences to the edifying of the Church of Jesus Christ and to the purifying of our hearts from that inbred corruption that is within us to the renewing of the Spirit of our mindes to the obedience of the truth An humble knowledge of our selves is a more secure way to God then a searching after criticall things and of all knowledge the knowledge of God and our own consciences is the best of all 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basilius Christianae religionis finis ac perfecÌ„tio non est nuda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui humilitatem castitatem mansuetudinem temperantiam charitatem non aâ—at etiam Christum non amat quia Christi vita nihil aliud erat quam humilitas castitas mansuetudo temperantia charitas Gerhardus All other knowledge it makes a man either a good morall man or a good Mathematician or a good Grammarian or a good Linguist or a good Statesman or a good Merchant and the like But the teachings of the Spirit make a man a good Christian Which of these do you think is the best To be a good Mathematician or a good Christian A good Christian shall be saved but a good Mathematician may be damned It is better to be a good scholar in Christs School and to learn apace what the Spirit teacheth us and daily to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ to be like him in humility meekness patience contentment charity then to grow apace in humane knowledge neglecting that knowledge which is for the good of their souls Other knowledge makes a man eminent but for one thing Aliquis in singulis nullus in omnibus but the knowledge that comes from above makes a man eminent in all things in all companies upon all occasions whatsoever he sets about The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour let him be never so rich Pro. 12.26 never so wise never so honourable never so mighty never so knowing otherwise let him be what he will be a righteous person that is acquainted with God and with Jesus Christ is more excellent than him if he hath no more but a meer scepticall scholastick knowledge in his head The light of the Spirit it enlightens the whole soul As the light of a candle presently diffuseth it self over the whole room so this light spreads it self over the whole man 9. All other knowledge it is but vanity and vexation of spirit Solomon who is said to know every herb from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Thistle that groweth by the wall whose heart was so filled with wisdom that there was none like him before or ever shall be after him who wrote abundance of Proverbs and had the faculty of deciding controversies and resolving hard questions whose heart God had endued with wisdom exceedingly yet this Solomon writes this Motto upon all things All is vanity Socrates who was the wisest man in the world according as the Oracle pronounced of him yet what doth he say of himself Hoc unum scio quod nihil scio I know this one thing that I know nothing Nothing in comparison of what the Saints know and nothing in respect of that true substantiall wisdom which will profit me at the last day Saith true wisdom Pro. 8.21 I make him that loveth me to inherit substance By wisdom we are to understand either Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jescht Substantia realitas who is the substantiall and eternall wisdom of God the Father or complexly Christ Jesus and that spirituall
was as fire in his bones till it was revealed Jer. 20.9 It is a great burden to a gracious soul that he cannot hold forth the truths of God as the Spirit hath held them forth to his own soul It is one of the greatest troubles to a saithful soul when he comes to dye that he hath not been so serviceable to the Church of God as he might have been if he had improved that light and those talents which God hath given him to the best advantage We must have charity towards all we must wish well to all pray for all relieve all according to our abilities we must love all we must love our enemies but familiarity with all is not expedient we must edifie all and strive to convert all to the faith of Jesus Christ Now there be none so fit to edifie others as those who have the spirits teachings upon their hearts Gal. 6.1 Yee which are spiritual restore a fallen brother in the spirit of meekeness A spiritual man is best acquainted with the evil nature of sin and what shame and sorrow it brings along with it with the wrath of God and with the excellency of Jesus Christ and that beauty and comeliness which is in his wayes 4. If thou art taught by the spirit thou art a man of another spirit then thou wert heretofore as it was said of Caleb he was a man of another spirit Num. 14.24 so thou wilt be of another spirit Wert thou before carnal now thou shalt be spiritual Wert thou of a malicious spirit thou shalt have a spirit of love Wert thou of a proud spirit contentious high minded spirit thou shalt be of an humble and of a meek spirit Wert thou under a spirit of bondage thou shalt be under a spirit of liberty a spirit of adoption Wert thou of an unclean froward perverse foolish spirit thou shalt be of a clean milde and of a wise spirit Wert thou of a base cowardly frame of spirit that thou wert ashamed to make mention of the name of the Lord thou shalt be of a couragious spirit full of a holy zeal for the glory of God Wert thou of a fearful doubting drooping sad sorrowful dejected spirit thou shalt be of a merry joyful and of a lightsome spirit It is said that after Moses came down from the Mount his face did shine he had been a talking with God and afterward his face did shine So every faithful soul after he hath been in the Mount of contemplation and hath had the spirit instructing him in the things of God his heart doth shine with the oyle of Grace and his life doth shew forth the praise of him who hath called him out of this state of darkness into this marvellous light 5. He is of a meek spirit that hath the teachings of the spirit upon his heart Psal 25.8 The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way Isa 28.18 19. In the day shall the deaf hear the words of this book and the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness The meek also shall encrease their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy one of Israel Psa 149.4 The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek to binde up the broken spirit Moses Numb 11.3 Who is called the meekest man of all the men that were upon the earth had the neerest approach to God of any that we read of in the book of God he spoke with God as a man speaks with his friend or as one man speaks to another He spoke with God face to face We must be children in our own account if we would be taught by the spirit Psal 131.2 Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a childe that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned childe i. e. As a childe is gentle and submissive you may do what you will with a weaned childe so he was of a tractable spirit ready to yeeld and to submit to Gods dispensations whatsoever they might be unto him Saith he Mat. 18.4 He that is not as a little childe shall never enter into the Kingdom of heaven 1 Cor. 14.20 A little childe in respect of meekness and gentleness and love and amity according to the Apostle In malice be ye as children but in understanding be ye men The poor receive the Gospel The poor in spirit that tremble at the word of God that are wrought upon by a kinde work of the spirit upon their hearts that dread the exceeding goodness of God and thinke themselves unworthy of any mercy at all at Gods hands who can undergoe any thing what God is pleased to impose upon them confessing that God punisheth them far less then their iniquities deserve that God cannot inflict too severe a punishment on them for their sins Signes of poverty of spirit and that if any thing besides hell it is a fruit of mercy and who groan under the burden of their sins and under the apprehension of Gods love unto them who are willing to receive any thing from Gods hand These are the fittest men to be instructed from heaven if we could perfectly go out of our selves and purge our selves of all created love we should have the flowings in of Divine grace upon our hearts abundantly If the spirit should teach wicked men it were but to cast darts against a rock It is reported of Tygers that they enter into a rage upon the sent of fragrant spices so do ungodly men at the blessed savour of Godliness It is reported of some Barbarous Nations who when the Sun shines upon them shoot their Aâ—â—ows against it so do wicked men at the light and heat of godliness Burroughes which are so far from admitting any entrance that they cast back the darts against him that shoots them but the meek spirited man is ready to receive whatsoever the spirit shall dictate unto him What ever is written upon a proud and a carnal heart it is as if it were written upon the sand now you know what is written upon the sand every blast of winde is apt to deface so every blast of temptation will blot out whatsoever is written upon a carnal mans heart but what is written by the finger of God upon a meek spirit it is as it were engraven in marble never to be done out again Therefore I know no greater signe that some that pretend most of all to the spirit in these times are most of all void of it because they are of such a railing contentious froward perverse malicious spirit I am sure they were never so taught by the spirit of God for the spirit of God is a spirit of love a spirit of meekness a spirit of gentleness meekness is a
present Eccl 7 6. but suddenly are out That all the creatures are but broken cisterns Jer. 2.13 pits which can hold nothing but muddy and defiled comforts Besides the Spirit it teacheth us the fulness of God the sufficiency that is in Jesus Christ the joys that flow in from above and what a mass of glory is treasured up for us if we continue faithfull unto the death Mark 14.25 That the time is at hand when we shall drink the new wine of eternall consolation with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of heaven hereafter When a man hath a spirit of discerning to discern between the true riches and the fading riches of this world and the Spirit hath enlightned his understanding and he sees the what things are prepared for him hereafter if he love God and keeps his Commandments He is more Saint-like and is as it were a stranger upon earth seeking rest and finding none till he come to his Fathers house and finished his course One that is taught of the Spirit can do all duties in a spirituall manner He can pray in the Spirit sing in the Spirit walk in the Spirit live after the Spirit warre after the Spirit rejoyce in the Spirit and subdue his sinnes by the strength of the Spirit His affections desires aims and intentions are heavenly You may see a spirituall man by his going by his talking by his eating and drinking by his company by his continuall course and progress in his life Watch him narrowly ☞ and you may see somewhat of the Spirit in his common carriage he doth not minde the world he lives as it were a stranger upon earth all his discourse is about his fathers business and of heavenly things He cares not so much what becomes of his body so his soul may prosper All his delight is with the excellent and with those that fear God He is often upon his knees confessing his sins and abhorring himself for his iniquities He is much with God and little with the world and if it stood with Gods good pleasure and the Churches good he could be absent from the body Phil. 1.23 24. that he may be present with the Lord. Self-deniall is the great lesson he is continually a conning sinne is his greatest burthen the world his purgatory Jesus Christ his only joy God his portion and heaven his rest Now I come to shew what are the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit that so we may know the one from the other 1. A man hath then an extraordinary teaching of the Spirit upon his heart when he is certain God will give him the same thing he asked of him in prayer in the very same kinde and manner he asked it of God when he is fully perswaded and verily believes that God will grant him the very same thing which he asked of him It is an extraordinary work of the Spirit upon the heart that must produce such a strong confidence in God that God will give him the very same thing he desires When a soul can say I know that God heareth me alwaies and will hear me in this thing and give me my hearts desire especially when there is no promise in the word made to that particular thing which he praies for As suppose thou hadst a friend sick and thou praiest for his recovery and hast such a strong confidence in God by the Spirit that thou undoubtedly believest that he shall recover such a confidence had Luther when he wrote to Myconius hearing that he was sick that without he should recover so he did according to Luthers prayer So had Elijah when he prayed for rain and Jesus Christ when he did his miracles 2. When a soul hath that Plerophory that full assurance of faith without all doubting then he hath an extraordinary teaching of the Spirit upon his heart When he can say with Job I know that my redeemer liveth Job 19.25 and though worms destroy my body yet I shall see him with these very eyes 2 Tim. 4.7 And with Paul I have fought the good fight of faith I have finished my course hence forth there is laid up for me a Crown of life c. When a soul can say by the full evidence of the Spirit upon his spirit without the least wavering or doubting I know that both in life and death Christ shall be unto me advantage When a soul can merrily and cheerfully rejoyce in the expectation of the glory of God Many precious Saints are without this full assurance till they come to die as that godly Martyr Mr Glover was who was full of fears and doubts till he came to the stake and then out of a sense of Jesus Christ he cries out He is come he is come That is Jesus Christ was come with his extraordinary comforts unto his soul the Spirit of God sealing unto him the pardon of his sinnes and the love of Jesus Christ unto his soul 3. When a soul hath such a spirit of zeal courage and magnanimity in the waies of God that though he were the Butt of the whole world and the laughing-stock of men and Angels for the cause of God and were persecuted on all sides yet he patiently can undergo it for the sake of Christ These are Saints of the first magnitude who have more than ordinary to other Saints flowings in of the Spirit upon their hearts Such were the Apostles Luther Ignatius Athanasius Gregory Nazianzen and the like Tempore Athanasii totus mundus gemuit sub Ario. The Martyr Antipas who is spoken of in the Revelation of St John Rev. 2.13 who dwelt where Satan had his seat and kept himself unspotted amongst that wicked and perverse generation and witnessed to the truth with the loss of his life had an extraordinary measure of the Spirit upon his heart 4. When men have an infallible Spirit so that whatsoever they say is truth and as it were an Oracle from God and when upon all emergencies they have Divine influences from the Spirit of grace then they have the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit When they have an infallible Spirit so only had the Apostles For they being universall messengers of Jesus Christ not tied to one particular place but to plant Churches in severall places and to pen one part of the Word of God which was to be a standing rule to the end of the world they were guided by the infallible Spirit of God so that they could not erre in things which belong to faith and piety Only the Apostles were infallible in their doctrine Popes and generall Councils may erre and have erred grosly from the faith Also when upon all exigencies they have the supplies of the Spirit of God then they have the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit so had the Apostles Luke 12.11 And when they bring you unto the Synagogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer or what ye shall
say For the holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Whether the Saints in the Primitive times who suffered for the Gospel or the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies had not these influences of the Spirit upon their sad exigencies when they were brought before their cruell persecutors to answer for themselves is beyond all controversie Certainly silly men and women I mean in respect of any deep knowledge could never on a sudden express their mindes so excellently concerning the things of God had they not more than ordinary at such a time the teachings of the Spirit upon their hearts witness that woman of Exeter mentioned in the Book of Martyrs with many others The times wherein the Spirits teachings are most manifest 1. In times of affliction thou art most of all sensible of the teachings of the Spirit upon thy heart In themselves they manifest nothing to the soul but the displeasure of an angry Judge intending to destroy them but the Spirit concurring along with them and shewing us the minde and will of God they are precious cordials and purgations for the sinne of our souls If afflictions could make us hearken to the voice of God and savingly instruct us and teach us those things which concern our everlasting peace why do not many wicked wretches who live under the scourge of the Almighty all their daies who have one wave of affliction after another upon them learn obedience by the rod and understand the minde and intent of God Afflictions in themselves are neither good nor evil but accordingly as they are improved by us through the help of the Spirit according to the will of God Now although the Spirit hath written the things of God long before upon our hearts yet the manifestation of those things most of all is apparent to us when God doth instruct us by his rod together with his Spirit that those graces which for a long time were not discerned by us being pressed down by affliction may send forth a precious smell in the nostrils of our God and to the sense of others We learn by afflictions 1. To see those things which we never perceived to be in us before to wit the actings of divine grace in us supporting us and carrying us along chearfully through this valley of Baca and the actings of our spirit towards God again in way of filiall affection and son-like obedience under his hand being taught by the Spirit what the mind of God is concerning them As no man knoweth the vileness of his heart till God is pleased to let Satan have his liberty to tempt him and his own hearts lusts to draw him aside So none can know the prevailings of grace upon his own heart and the efficacy of divine teachings and the triall and experience of those things which are written upon his heart till God shall bring him under the fiery triall The Spirit hath taught us that all trust and confidence is to be reposed in God alone because God alone is able to deliver us and that we may thereby be quit and set free from all those distracting fears which do molest us Psal 37.5 Commit thy waies unto the Lord that thy thoughts may be established Now our confidence in God is then most of all exercised when all other props and staies do fail us and we cast our selves under the arms of Almighty God We know not our own strength against the temptations of sinne and Satan that we are fortified with the whole armour of God Ephes 6. to wit the shield of faith the helmet of hope the breast-plate of righteousness the sword of the Spirit the Spirit of prayer and supplication the inward support and aid of the Spirit of God and the continuall prayers of Jesus Christ interceding for us at the right hand of his Father that our graces fail not in the hour of tribulation till God shall smite us with his rod. By afflictions the teachings of the Spirit of God upon our hearts are most known to others Rev. 14.12 Here we may reade the patience of the Saints the sincerity of their hearts the power of divine grace and the sweetness of the comforts of the Spirit upon their hearts when we see them cheerfully willingly and joyfully submitting themselves to the good pleasure of God 2. By afflictions we are more and more acquainted with the evil nature of sinne which hath brought such afflictions upon us with the holiness of God which cannot away with sinne and sinners and with the exact justice of God against it in so severely punishing of it with the benefit that comes by seeking Gods face and by walking up to the light which God hath put within us 3. The Spirit of God is very active upon the hearts of believers at such a time in rooting out the remainders of originall corruption and in the exciting of those things which he hath put within them 2. Near the time of death Sweet have been the discoveries of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of his children when they have been near the time of their dissolution for these reasons 1. Because near such a time Satan and all our spirituall enemies will muster up all their assaults to weaken a believers faith hope and confidence in God especially when the believer hath been a hainous sinner formerly and after his conversion hath fallen into some gross sinne to the wounding of his own conscience and to the quenching of the blessed Spirit for a time though the sin is done away by the blood of Jesus Christ and the pardon of it sealed by the testimony of the Spirit yet the devil will be pudling in this old sore and perswading him to the contrary telling him that his conversion was never reall because since he hath fallen so foully in the flesh The devil tempted Christ when he was near the time of his suffering to drive him from his hope and confidence in God his Father Saith Christ The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Joh. 14.30 Christ was perfectly holy so that no temptation could take hold of him to overcome him ☞ or to taint him with the least sinne But we poor creatures when the devil comes to tempt us have something in us we have a great deal of unbelief abiding in us we have a body of sinne and of death and hereupon our bullwarks would easily fall our confidence in God would easily give place to unbelief were not the Spirit of God which is in us stronger than him who by way of eminency is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 to wit the devil Now God on the other side fils a believer with continuall fresh and renewed supplies of his Spirit and with new experiences of his love unto him bringing unto his remembrance all former loving kindnesses past between God and his soul what a great work was wrought upon him in the work of conversion what various dispensations of
hath an interest in Jesus Christ in the Covenant of grace and in all those priviledges which belong to the Saints because the spirit of sanctification abides upon him but meerly an opinionative self-conceited vain glorious presuming confidence that Christ is his and he is Christ though no regard be had to those qualifications which are required in those in whose hearts Christ dwells by his blessed spirit Every hypocrite that hath been once enlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift and of the powers of the world to come will lay claim to the priviledges of the Saints and of the benefits that flow upon the account of the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ though their hearts were never truely wrought upon to a full and a final closing with Jesus Christ and they never had the witnesse of the spirit upon their hearts that he is the childe of God but the teachings of the spirit bring in unto the soul solid reasons founded upon the word of God and upon the experience of the Saints whereby from the foregoing premises he can draw a true and a real conclusion that he is Christs and Christ is his Justification and sanctification are inseparable according to that golden chain of mans salvation Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them he also sanctified so that besides the testimony of the spirit he hath those inherent principles of sanctification within him whereupon he may evidently conclude that he is no changeling but a new born creature a true Citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem a true son amongst the Native sons of Zion But some weak Believer may say how may I distinguish between the Witness and the testimony of the spirit that I am the childe of God and that vain confidence and presumption which is in wicked mens hearts who say they are the children of God when they are not 3. The spirit doth not onely bear witness but fully perswade us of this very thing upon solid reasons which we finde true by our own experience that we are the children of God therefore saith that knowing Apostle Saint John 1 John 3.14 1 Iohn 4.13 We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit But wicked men who are full of carnal confidence and sinful presumption have no sweet experience of saving grace upon their souls or any testimony much less a perswasion of the spirit that they are the children of God The grounds of carnal presumption but this presumption ariseth from a bare conceit of their good estate still hoping well of themselves or from the delusion of the Devil who hath besotted their minds with his sinfull Sophistry 2. The spirits testimony is founded upon Gods word and not upon any testimony from our selves 3 Wheresoever the spirits testimony is upon the hearts of any there follows a hatred of sin zeal for the glory of God a care and conscience to serve God in all well-pleasing for as some eminent Divines do say though I do not pin my faith upon any mans sleeve but onely as the light of the word and the light of the spirit teacheth me the doctrine of assurance will not make a Christian secure and idle in the work of the Lord ☜ but more watchful over his wayes and more thankful for so great a mercy being constrained by the love of God to the obedience of the truth and that the preaching of the Cross of Christ what love and mercy God the Father and Jesus Christ what power and wisdom was put forth in that great work of mans Redemption is of a more prevailing nature then to preach the terrors of the Law against sin and sinners to bring men out of their natural condition though both wayes must be used even by fear plucking them forth out of the fire of hell 2. Quere Whether or no are the spirits teachings or the light of the spirit in the heart of a Believer a sufficient plea for him to cast off all Ordinances means of grace as unprofitable things under so clear a dispensation I answer no 1. For as Jesus Christ in explaining the Law of Moses did not abrogate the law or derogate any thing from the use and majesty of it Mat. 6. but only clear it from those foul aspersions which the Pharisees had cast upon it so the spirit in teaching us the things of God and in enlightning our minds to understand his will doth not take away the use of the word but adds a further light unto it that we may understand the minde of the spirit in it and that all those prevarications by reason of the darkness of our understanding may be rightly placed The Sun is full of light but a blinde man cannot see it So the word is clear in it self but because our understandings are darkned we cannot understand it Now the spirit of God doth five things in order to the word of God 1. It explains it 2. It gives a further authority unto it 3. Shews us the majesty The spirits actings in reference to the word purity and excellency of it 4. Makes us to prize it above all things 5. Enables us to keep it 2. Because the word of God acknowledgeth no Spirit but what works in and by the word Gal. 5.2 Received ye the spirit by the Law or by the hearing of faith Did ye not receive the spirit by the preaching of the doctrine of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ The spirit teacheth which is consonant and agreeable to the word of God so that the word and the spirit both concurr together the spirit as the principal agent the word as the instrument which can do nothing without the spirit to teach us the will of God and to work in us all those saving Graces which accompany salvation 3. Because the word of God in the Scripture is set down as a standing rule according to which we must frame our lives unto the end of the world 1 Tim. 3.13 Till I come give attendance to Reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attendere cum diligentia cu ram adhibere to Exhortation to Doctrine 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear unto all 16. Take heed unto thy self 1 Pet. 1.23 Mat. 5.18 and unto thy doctrine continue in them c. The word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Not the least tittle of the word of God shall fail till all things be accomplished some of which things will not be fulfilled till the end of the world The Sacraments also are in use and have their efficacy for that end for which they were appointed by God in his Church to the end of the world 1 Cor. 11.26 By the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are to remember the Lords death till he come so that till Christ shall come againe at the