to have good seeds so if a man would have the H. Ghost hee must get the seed called by S. Peter the immortall seed of the word by the which wee are begotten againe It is a good thing to attend unto the word for howsoever wee doe not feele that which we doe desire yet let us heare it still and in due time wee shall have that which wee desire as Iohn 5. wee see the lame man lay by the Poole of Bethesda a long time when one or other did still intercept him and yet because he tarried still Christ came at length and did heale him so although we cannot finde the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire to day yet let us come the next day If wee cannot finde it then yet let us not give over and at last wee shall feele the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire Secondly by Prayer for if wee pray to God hee will give us the Holy Ghost as it is Luk. 11. 13. If you that are evill can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that aske it a man may sow seed in his field and it may perish the wormes may eate it and the birds devoure it or it may rot in the ground but prayer is seede sowne in the eares of God nay it goeth deeper it is sowne in the heart of God And therefore although our seede perish that is sowen in the field yet our prayer shall not perish because it is sowne in the hart of God Saith David All any teares are in thy botle are they not in thy Register Thirdly by repentance and reconciliation with God as Ioel 2 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord and weepe betweene the porch and the Atar And then saith the Lord I will powre out my Spirit upon you So that these bee the three meanes whereby wee may come by the Holy Ghost The second question is In what measure the Holy Ghost is given The answere whereto wee will lay downe in foure Conclusions First that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in regard of efficacy and operation to his servants in this life indeed the holy Spirit dwels in us because the Holy Ghost is God and therefore hee is undividable and cannot bee divided into parts but in regard of the efficacy operation or working of the Spirit hee giveth but a portion So no man living hath all the gifts and graces of the Spirit because God giveth but a portion of the Spirit and a measure of it according as hee sees fit and meete So 1 Cor. 12. 8. S. Paul saith That to one is given the Spirit of wisedome to another the Spirit of knowledge to another faith to another the gift of healing and all these things worketh the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man as hee willeth and so againe Ephes 4. 7. saith hee but unto us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ and 1 Cor. 13. 9. saith hee for wee know in part and prophecie in part and a little after for now wee see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part c. So the Doctrine is plaine that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in this life according as hee sees fittest for man But let us come to the uses which follow First seeing that God giveth but a portion of the spirit in this life a man may have the spirit bee a true Christian and yet want many of the gifts and graces that another hath thou seest another man hath the gift of knowledge of wisedome memory or the gift of utterance be not perplexed at it looke that thou have the maine that thou have the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and sins and to quicken the to newnesse of life then all is wel with thee though thou have not al the graces of the Spirit yet thou may'st be a true Christian so S. Paul sheweth by a comparison taken from the members of our bodies Shall the foot say unto the body I am not of the body because I cannot gather and draw things to mee as the hand doth or shall the eare say because I cannot see my danger before it commeth neere me as the eye can therefore I am not of the body if all were handling where were going and if all were seeing where were hearing so that every member hath a severall gift Wilt thou say because thou hast not the great gifts which another man hath thou art no member of Christ or thou hast not the Spirit of God we see that every member hath a severall gift Augustine saith in his tract upon Iohn Peter cast out devils thou hast the same and yet thou canst not cast out any for all this thou art a member of the same body Peter was an eye and thou art a little toe or a little finger in the body of Christ better it is for a man to bee a toe or a little finger in the body of Christ or a little bone than to have all the excellent gifts of nature and perish therefore though a man have not those excellent gifts and graces that others have yet labour to have the maine labour to feele the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and then thou may'st bee a true Christian notwithstanding all thy weakenesses Secondly seeing we have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will be a tang and a tast of the flesh as long as we live here in this world if there were fulnesse of Spirit in us then it would change all into Spirit as fire changeth all into the nature of fire so if wee had fulnesse of Spirit it would change all into Spirit but because wee have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will bee a tang and taste of the flesh howsoever the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting consuming and weakening of it yet a man shall feele the power of sinne bustling and vexing him while he lives whereof all the holy men have complained as Rom. 7. 21. Paul saith hee findes by the Law that when hee would doe good evill is present with him and againe Gal. 5. 17. he saith The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh agaist the spirit and these are contrary me to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would hence it is manifest wee have but a portion of the Spirit in this life and there will be still a tang and a taste of the old man in us If a man put wine into a glasse then there will be a taste of nothing but wine but if hee put water into it howsoever it may change the colour of the water yet there will be a tang and a tast of the water even so if wee were all
seede that is the thornes sucke and draw away the heart of the ground that the good seede cannot thrive and prosper so the cares for the things of this life and about our worldly businesse doe sucke away the heart of the Spirit Fourthly by negligence for if we doe not stir up the fire lay the brands together and blow it it will quench and goe out so if men be negligent and doe not stirre up the graces of God that are in them and lay as it were the brands together and blow them the Spirit of God wil quench in them Therefore the Apostle exhorts 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stirre up the gift of God in him Origen Hom. 15. saith if God should kindle a fire to heat thee and it were like to goe out wouldst not thou lay the brands together stirre it up and so nourish it so God hath kindled a fire in our hearts by his Spirit therefore wee must not through negligence let it dye and goe out but stirre up the graces of God that are in us that they do not quench these be the foure meanes that will quench the spirit therefore corrupt nature is the greatest enemy to the graces of God in us that can be Chrysostome saith well No man hath any hurt but it is in himselfe in this case all the hurt that the spirit of God hath in us is by our selves by our earthlinesse and by neglecting of good things and for want of stirring up the graces of God that be in us The second conclusion is That a man may have common graces of the spirit such as are common to good and bad to the Elect and reprobate these a man may lose as first a man may be inlightned and indued with Heavenly knowledge and talke wisely of high points and yet he may lose this because this is a common grace as Heb. 6. 4. there were some that were inlightned and had tasted of the good Word of God and of the power of the world to come who neverthelesse may yet fall away Secondly there may bee a feeling of good things a man may have a desire to be saved and to behold God in glory as Balaam had Num 23. a man may lose these because they be common graces therefore it is a good observation of one That the wicked may taste of the Heavenly power and of the good Word of God but these bee not the things they live by as a Cooke that dresses a dinner hee may taste of the meate and licke his fingers but it is not that he liveth by he liveth by somewhat else so a reprobate may taste of the good Word of God and have feeling of good things as quietnesse of conscience and other of Gods favours and yet neverthelesse he shall not be saved thereby they shall not bee able to bring him to life everlasting Thirdly a man may have restraining grace and be restrained from a number of sinnes or a man may have the spirit of governement as Saul had and yet hee may lose it as we see 1 Sam. 10. 14. The Spirit of God departed from Saul so a man may bee fitted for a calling and discharge it wisely and yet may lose this because it is a common grace for all common graces a man may lose The third conclusion is That there be peculiar graces proper to Gods elect these shall never be lost as Regeneration Sanctification and Iustification which may comfort a Christian who though hee may lose his wife and children his goods and life yet if he hath the spirit of God hee cannot lose that and there is foure grounds for it The first is the promise of God as that Psal 89. 30 31. saith God But if his children forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements if they breake my Statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes yet my loving kindnesse will I not take from him c. The second is the Power of God as 1 Pet. 1. 5. saith the Apostle of the Faithfull which are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation The third is the Prayer of Christ Iohn 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their Word so then this prayer of Christ was not onely effectuall for Peter and for the rest of the Apostles but also effectuall for all the Elect people of God The fourth is the nature of the Spirit which is alwayes as a seede remaining in them 1 Iohn 3. 9. so Christ saith Iohn 4. that the water which he should give them should be a Well of water springing up to Eternall life All these foure grounds doe confirme unto us that if a Man hath received the grace of God proper to the Elect hee shall never lose it totally nor finally and therefore this conclusion stands good though a man may lose common graces yet he shall not lose them which are proper to the Elect. Yet lest any man should presume let mee tell you first though such a one cannot lose the spirit yet he may lose the measure of the spirit and be brought to a low ebbe in himselfe there may be a shrewd abatement of this grace as Revel 2. Christ saith to the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen why the Church was not fallen from an estate of grace but it was fallen from a great measure of grace to a lesser from a great degree of it from a great measure of Care Love Faith Repentance and Zeale so a Christian though hee bee not quite deprived of the Spirit and have a totall losse thereof yet may want of the measure may finde a great abatement of it in himselfe Secondly A man may lose the comfort of the Spirit though he cannot lose the Spirit yet he may bring himselfe into a poore case by his sins that he may have as little feeling of the spirit and comfort as if hee had no presence of the Spirit as a man may have joynts but they may bee so benumbed with cold as a man cannot feele nor have use of them so a man may have the spirit and yet may be so benumbed with sinne that he may have no more feeling of the spirit nor comfort than if hee had not the spirit Thirdly A man may have the Spirit and yet may lose the working and operation thereof he may be overruled by the flesh as a man may have life in him in a dead sound and yet no operations so a man may have the Spirit and yet he may want the operations and workings of it this is the greatest extremitie that a Christian can be in Fourthly Though a man may lose the feeling of the Spirit the comfort operations and workings thereof yet it is but for a little time
so as no life flowes from the head to it hee will rubb and chafe it to bring heate and Spirits into it againe so when wee see our selves hang by as dead members and that hardly any life of grace flowes unto us wee should never bee at rest but use all the meanes wee can to heare the word pray repent of our sinnes get faith in Christ never to bee at quiet till wee feele a derivation of the graces of Christ unto us The third consequent is that seeing Christ is the head of the Church and the Church his body Therefore hee will preserve all the members of it There is never a little toe finger or a bone in the body of Christ that shall perish but hee will preserve them all We see in nature that the head will labour to preserve the rest of the members that they doe not perish much more will Christ preserve his mysticall body Hence therefore is our comfort that wee stand not by our own power but by the power of Christ and the life that wee live in grace wee have not by the power of nature but by Christ therefore hee will preserve us and keepe us as Iohn 17. 12. saith Christ of those that thou hast given mee have I lost none Wee are all dead by Adam but we are made alive by Christ so Revel 2. 16. Christ is called the roote and the generation of David It is a Metaphor taken from herbes in a garden that although the stalke and the leafe die in the winter time yet they are preserved in the roote and when the spring time commeth they will put forth againe so though wee die in our selves yet wee are preserved in the roote which is Christ although the stalke and the leafe die yet wee are safe in the roote The use is Seeing that the Church is the body of Christ therefore all injuries and wrongs that are done unto the Church Christ takes as if they were done to himselfe not onely the injuries and wrongs that the world puts on them but also the disgraces and shames that Christians bring upon themselves therefore thou that art a Christian consider with thy selfe thou art a member of Christ looke what disgrace thou bringest on thy selfe thou bringest on Christ as 1 Cor. 6. 15. saith S. Paul Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid or shall wee abuse them to drunkennesse looke what disgrace we cast on our selves we bring on Christ because we bee Christs Members Therefore Chrysostome saith well O man by thy sinne thou dost not disgrace thy owne selfe but another and the shame doth not rest on thy owne body but it rests on another mans that is on the body of thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ So Augustine saith if thou have no care of thine owne selfe yet have care of Christ and if thou care not for defiling of thine owne body and disgracing of it yet take heede of defiling and disgracing of the body of Christ rest not on thy selfe but on Christ therefore how carefull should we be that we doe not defile our bodies SERMON LXIII EPHESIANS 5. 25. Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it THere bee five things wherein the dignitie of the Church consists 1. It is called the Citie of God or the House of of God because there is a speciall presence of Gods Spirit 2. It is called the Body of Christ 3. The Spouse of Christ or the Bride 4. It is the Pillar and ground of Truth 5. It is like unto Noah his Arke that there is no salvation without it Two of these wee haue intreated of already and now are come to speake of the third which is this That the Church is the Spouse and the Bride of Christ because it hath pleased Christ to bestow himselfe on the Church to marry and to adjoine himselfe to it in the most neerest bond that may be Man and Wife are not neerer tyed one to another by the bonde of marriage than Christ hath tied and bound himselfe to her by the bond of the Spirit therefore the Church may well bee tearmed the Spouse and the bride of Christ as Cantic 5. 1. I am come into my garden my Sister my Spouse so Iohn 3. 29. He that hath the bride is a bridegrome but the friend of the bridegome which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth because of the bridegroomes voyce So Revel 21. 9. saith he Come I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife What a great comfort is this that such silly people as we be should be advanced to this honour as 1 Sam 25. 41. when David sent to Abigall to take her to wife saith she Let thy handmaid be a servant to wash the feete of thy servants of my Lord so wee may say what Lord wilt thou make mee thy Spouse and they Bride it is honour and glory enough for me to be a poore servant to wash the feete of the meanest of thy servants Now as many lines come from one Center so there may be many points deducted out of this point First seeing the Church is the Spouse and the Bride of Christ therefore He loves the Church the love betweene man and wife is great but the greatest love is betweene Christ and his Church as it is Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife the greatest bond in nature is betweene them and the greatest bond in grace is betweene Christ and the Church It is said Esay 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast beene honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give Man for thee and People for thy sake So Revel 3. 9. I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee In my Text we see Christ hath not onely loved the Church but hath made declaration of his love wee read Milac 1. 2. that the Lord saith to the people I have loved you and the people say to God Wherein hast thou loved us But thankes be to God wee need not say so for Christ hath not onely loved us but he hath made declaration of his Love that we may feele it and see it If Christ should have loved us and we should not have knowne it it had beene a great matter But the comfort is the greater that hee makes declaration of his Love to us Now in three things Christ makes declaration of his Love to the Church First in that Christ hath spared no paines nor labour nay hath given his owne life and blood to redeeme it greater love than this could no man shew than to give his life for his friend But Christ sets out his love towards us seeing whilst we were yet sinners He
all one house and familie and appertaine to one Lord and master many times they all meet together and when they bee parted there is but a floore or a loft between them so the Church of God is a great house wherein there bee many lodgings some lodge in the upper Roome that is in Heaven and some in the lower the earth and yet they have but one Lord and Master and bee all of one familie there is but a floore as it were between them and that is the veile of this flesh which shall be taken away one day they shall come together one day They that are in the upper Roome shall come down into this lower to receive their bodies and they which are in this lower shall goe up into the upper Roome to receive their glorie and immortalitie The People of God in old time dwelled in Tents the husband had his Tent and the wife had hers as wee see Gen. 18. that Abraham had his Tent by himselfe and Sara had her Tent and yet there was Communion between them they met sometimes and conversed together and when they were asunder there was but a thinne canvase or cloath between them so the Saints departed live in one place a-part by themselves and the living Saints by themselves and yet there is a neere conjunction between them because they all meet together in the adoration of the true God when they are asunder there being as it were but a thinne cloth between them the veile of this flesh Therefore little doe men know what they doe deprive themselves of by their sinnes for they doe not onely lose Communion with weake and fraile men such as wee bee but with Angells and Archangells and all the Saints departed and blessed People of Heaven above Therefore pittie the madnesse and folly of men to deprive themselves of so great a blessing Thirdly the Communion of the dead with the dead consisting in two things First in desire that they may be buried lye together in the grave that they may rise together in glorie and happinesse We see Gen. 23. that Abraham might have buried Sarah when shee was dead in the best of the Sepulchers of the Heathen people but hee bought a peece of ground of them to burie her in And Gen. 49. 29. Iacob gave a charge to his Sonnes concerning the place of his buriall saying I am gathered unto my people bury mee with my Fathers in the cave that is in the fields of Ephron the Hittite in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah besides Mamre in the Land of Canaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession to burie in there they layd Abraham and Sarah and there they buried Isaak and Rebecca his wife and there I buried Leah and let mee lye amongst Gods Saints so 1. King 30. 31. the old Prophet said When I am dead bury mee also in the Sepulcher wherein the man of God is buried lay my bones by his bones and my body by his body c. So it is the desire of the Saints to lye together in the grave to have their ashes mingled together and their dust never separated that so they may rise to eternall glorie together Some thinke it is no matter where a man is buried when hee is dead and indeed all is one in regard of salvation but a man would bee loth to rise with whoremasters drunkards theeves and villaines therefore hee would hee loth to lye amongst them Secondly In that they shall meete together in the communion of the mysticall body of Christ for as in a circumference there are many points and lines all which come to one center so there be many bodies of the Saints scattered and severed some in the land some in another some in the Sea concavities and hollow places of the Earth yet all these shall meet at the Center in the body of Christ for howsoever the body may bee sundered by death from the soule for a time yet soule and body cannot be sundred from Christ Some thinke that the dead bodies of the Saints doe truely belong to Christ and are under the care of God because Christ saith that God is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob but they doe not thinke that they have communion with Christ when they bee dead because they have communion with Christ by meanes of the Spirit onely but to this I answere that the dead bodies bee not onely members with Christ but they have communion with him for looke how it was with the materiall body of Christ when the soule and body was sundred by death yet it was alwayes united to the Godhead so the faithfull people though they bee dead yet are united to Christ. Againe I answere that all communion wee have is by the Spirit of Christ for our dead bodies doe communicate by his Spirit not according to all the effects of it but some namely that hee doth preserve and keepe their dust and one day will raise and quicken them againe to live in glory and happinesse so Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because his Spirit dwelleth in you Secondly the dead have communion one with another in regard of their soules for all the soules of the Saints when they leave this world shall bee gathered to the Saints that be departed so Gen. 15. 15. saith God But thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age Now it could not bee meant of the bodies of his fathers for they were buried in another Countrie nor could it be meant of the soules of his fathers for they were idolaters but it was meant of the fathers of his faith to such as he was to holy and good men for looke what a man is to the same he shal be gathered to and such as a man converseth with whilest he liveth here on the earth unto such he shall bee gathered in the life to come Therefore to shut up all if thou wouldest not be gathered to whoremasters drunkards murtherers theeves villains and such like doe not converse with them nor partake with them in their sinnes but if thou have repented of thy sinnes got faith in Christ and made conscience of thy wayes conversing with good men then thou shalt bee gathered to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and all the holy men therefore every man must so live in this life as that hee may live for ever in the life to come SERMON LXX HEBREVVES 10. 24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching IN Christian
wouldst have Christ to finish up thy life in glory and brightnesse lay no sad grounds no blacke colors of sin and corruption for a foundation therefore if we would have Christ to honour our bodies it must be our care to repent us of our sins to get faith in Christ to keepe our bodies pure and cleane to possesse them in holinesse and then wee may have comfort that God will honour them at the day of judgement with brightnesse of Glory Fourthly It shall be immutable and immortall in this life our bodies are subject to changes and alterations as Iob 14. it is said He shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth away as a shadow and never continueth in one stay here our bodies are subject to hunger and thirst to nakednesse cold and diseases but then they shall bee brought to an estate of permanencie that they shall rest in so that they shall not hunger nor thirst nor be naked as Revel 7. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate and so also Revel 21. 4. it is said And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine so then their bodies shall be free of all vexations and then they shall be at rest this we see is cleere by the Scripture and manifest also by reason for it is a ground in nature that all things labour to attaine to their last perfection and so to rest in it but the bodies of the Saints are not yet come to their last perfection while they live here therefore here they cannot bee at rest but at the last day when our bodies shall be brought to an estate of perfection then they shall rest in it and shall not be subject to change or alteration wee see in nature if the shipmans needle be touched with a load stone it turnes and turnes and is not at rest till it stands against the North-pole and if it bee hindered with any thing it stands trembling as if it were discontented but when it commeth there it is at rest and quiet so it is with the bodies of the Saints that are touched with the load-stone that is that have touched Christ by faith they bee not at rest and quiet here but subject to many infirmities of nature but when they come to the estate of perfection there they rest contented and are brought to live with Christ then our bodies shall be immutable and unchangeable In this world our bodies are subject to sicknesse and diseases to paines and aches to the stone gout and to the crampe c. by which death doth enter within our wals and labour to take the castle of our hearts but at that time our bodies shall bee made immutable and unchangeable immortall free from all these exigences therefore what must we doe when wee feele these decayes in nature and these infirmities I answer it is good to take Saint Peters counsell Act. 1. 19. That we should repent and turne unto the Lord that our sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord If a Physitian should give you such a diet that after a few daies taking of it yee should never bee sicke againe should feele no paine nor bee subject to any disease and have thy bodie brought into so good an estate that you should not hunger or thirst any more or be naked this were an excellent state but there is no Physitian in the world can doe it none but our Heavenly Physitian Iesus Christ and that by this meanes Wee should get faith in Christ repentance for our sinnes and walke in holinesse a few dayes while we live here and then he will set our bodies in such an estate as we shall never be sicke nor feele any more paine never bee a hungred or a thirst naked or cold here in this life time we must seeke it therefore let us labour to repent our sins to get faith in Christ and to walke holily here and then our bodies shall bee brought to such an estate as shall not alter and change It is a world to see what meanes men use to keepe their bodies from putrification they will keepe them up in lead imbalme them with sweet spices and lay them in marble yet none of these will serve but the bodies of Kings and Queenes must yeeld to it But doe thou labour to repent of thy sinnes to get faith in Christ to please God and to make conscience of thy wayes and then thy body shall bee brought to such an estate as it shall not bee subject to alter and change but shall bee made immutable and immortall Fifthly They shall bee spirituall bodies In this life our bodies are naturall but then they shall bee spirituall so S. Paul saith in 1 Cor. saith in 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body A naturall body in this life a spirituall body in the life to come Now it is not a spirituall body in regard of substance for it shall have breadth and length and thicknesse it shall have parts and dimensions as our bodies have so Luk. 14. when Christ entred into the house and stood amongst them they thought it had beene a Spirit but he tells them that a spirit had not flesh and bloud and bones as wee have Now in two Respects our bodies are said to bee spirituall First Because they shall bee sustained and upheld by the Spirit In this life our bodies are sustained and upheld by meate drinke sleepe and Physicke but then the Spirit of God shall quicken them and they shall have no need of these helpes Wee see Moses was fortie dayes in the mount where hee was so filled with the Glory of God that hee was neither an hungred nor a-thirst neither did hee as farre as wee know desire to sleepe or rest all that time if Moses was thus upheld with the Glory of God without the use of meate and drinke in the estate of mortalitie much more surely shall the bodies of the Saints bee upheld in the estate of glorie so that there shall not bee no need of the use of meate drinke sleepe and physick but God shall bee all in all to us Secondly The body shall bee subject to the Spirit and be ready to attend the Spirit in all good things Augustine saith it is not called a spirituall body because as some men thinke the substance of the body is turned into a Spirit but saith hee because it shall bee subject to the Spirit and shall attend it and some of the Schoolemen namely Thomas Aquinas saith that it is an evident truth that in the state of glory the Spirit shall not depend on the body but the body shall bee led by the Spirit and
doves much more will he be angry with them that pollute his spirituall Temple with their sinnes and corruptions and vile lusts The second thing that we are to beleeve concerning God the holy Ghost is That he is person really subsisting and distinct from the Father and the Sonne And here we are to observe two things First That the holy Ghost is a Person or a reall subsistence and not a quality or motion in God as certaine heretikes hold but hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence by himselfe which we may see by divers acts that he doth as to send the Prophets and Apostles and give spirituall gifts and graces Esay 48. 16. it is said The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me therefore because the holy Ghost is said to send he is not a quality or a motion but a person So also Acts 13. 2. The holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them So then it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is person and not a qualitie or a motion in God Now two wayes the holy Ghost is taken in the Scripture for the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as Matth. 12. Christ shewes He that sinnes against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world not in the world to come A man may sinne against the Person of the holy Ghost and yet may be forgiven but the sinne that is here spoken of is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and in other places of the Scripture it is taken for the person of the holy Ghost Secondly the holy Ghost is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and so also 1 Iohn 5. 7. he shewes there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one furthermore Matth. 3. when Christ was baptised there was the voice of the Father saying This is my welbeloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and the holy Ghost descending on Christ in the likenesse of a Dove so it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Now the use hereof is briefly that as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of the Sonne in our redemption so also we must labour to feele the worke of the holy Ghost in sanctifying of our hearts and quickning of us to all holy duties there were some as wee may reade of in the Acts that did not know there was a Holy Ghost but if we feele our hearts to be sanctified and the power of the holy Ghost to quicken us this is an argument to us against all heretikes to prove there is a holy Ghost The third point that we are to beleeve is that the holy Ghost is holy in himselfe and that he is the causer and effecter of holinesse in others So Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost that is no man is able to doe any thing that is pleasing to God but by the holy Ghost and vers 11. saith he All these things worketh even the selfe-some Spirit distributing to every one severally as he will So the holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the cause of holinesse in all the people of God The uses are first seeing the holy Ghost makes men holy there is never a man that hath one deep or dram of holinesse in himselfe but the holy Ghost must worke it in him as Ezek. 37. we see the dead bones were scattered all the field over till the Spirit of God came into them then there was a noise a clattering and running together of the bones so we be scattered all the field over and lye like dead bones till the Spirit of God come into our heart then there is a noise and a clattering together of the bones then men begin to stirre in the life of holinesse therefore doth any man desire spirituall graces and is often in prayer doth any man find in himselfe holy motions to good let him comfort himselfe for such desires are of and by the Spirit of God it is the holy Ghost that workes them in him for no man hath a dram or a drop of holinesse in himselfe but it is the holy Ghost workes it in him Secondly seeing it is the holy Ghost that makes men holy as often as we feele any good motions or good desires we may know from whence they come that it is the holy Ghost which is the beginner and worker of them If a man lye in a trance and neither moves nor stirres if one layes his eare to the man and heares him breath he may say there is life in the man even so although a man be not able to stirre in the life of holinesse yet if he doe but breath that there be good thoughts and good motions and good desires this is a token that there is the life of grace in him and that the holy Ghost hath begun to worke in him there is the beginning of grace in him SERMON LIV. IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you FOure points yee heard wee are to beleeve concerning the holy Ghost first That the holy Ghost is God secondly That he is a person and not a motion or a qualitie in God but hath a reall subsistence and that hee is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne thirdly That he is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the Effecter and Causer of holinesse in others and that no man hath one dram or drop of holinesse in him but it is wrought by the holy Ghost The fourth point which we are at this present to handle is that He is not onely the causer of holinesse in others but I must beleeve that he will particularly make me holy and give me such a measure of sanctitie as shall be meet and fit for me This is properly the faith of a Christian which herein goeth beyond the faith of all others the devils doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is God and that hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence and that he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne and they doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is the causer of holinesse in all the faithfull people of God but they doe not beleeve that he will worke holinesse in them But here is the faith of a Christian to appropriate the holy Ghost to himselfe so they have not faith onely
desired to die the death of the righteous and secondly Matth. 19. 16. of the young man that came to Christ and said unto him Master what shall I doe to be saved so a man may have a desire to be saved and to be in heaven and happinesse and yet want the spirit of God Here therefore as before so now let us see what the defect is I answer it is in three things First It is a fleeting desire not constant and setled Balaam had a good desire but it was but in a mood or a fit he desired hee might die the death of the righteous and it was but once that he did so that we reade of and that also when hee saw the glory of the Saints this is the first defect that their desires are but for a fit Secondly they were idle desires they desired heaven but were loth to take any paines as it is said of the Sluggard Prov. 13. 4. The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought though hee desire such and such things yet he goes without them because he would not take pains for them therefore we must see that our desires be such as will put us upon any paines and labour so we may be saved Thirdly Such have not earnest desires but those that every little matter will put over we see if a childe askes the brest or meat the mother sometimes will give him a booke into his hand when this quiets the childe it shewes that it was but a flight desire that the childe had for if it had beene an earnest desire nothing would quiet the childe till it had the brest or some meat So it is with many men they desire to be saved and to have heaven and then the devill puts as it were a booke into their hands matter of pleasure and profit which quiets them this shewes that their desires were but slight for if they had beene earnest nothing would content them till they had had the thing that they desired And thus much of the false markes SERMON LVI ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his NOw the point of inquiry is how a man may know whether the Spirit of God and the Spirit grace be in him or no because it is the Spirit of God that seales our redemption as Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. and all our hope of heaven hangs on the Spirit therefore it will be very necessary and profitable for every man to know what be the true markes and signes of the holy Ghost his being in us And this we may discover by considering it two wayes 1. Generally 2. Particularly First Wheresoever the holy Ghost is in what man soever he makes a sensible and a through change and alters him in his will affections and in every part as Matth. 8. Christ saith unto the Centurion If I come I will heale thy servant I will not be idle and doe nothing but if I come I will heale him so if the holy Ghost come into a man hee will not be idle but hee will heale him of his sinnes and make a sensible and a through change in him in all parts So Iohn 3. 7. Christ shewes that no man can enter into the kingdome of heaven unlesse there be a second birth of the holy Ghost in him and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Paul saith that every one that is in Christ must be a new creature So then there must be a second birth of the Spirit people must become new men and women It is a ground in nature that the generation of one thing is the corruption of another as Ice when it turnes to water there is corruption of the Ice so when Christ turned water into wine there was corruption of the water even so it is in the worke of the Spirit as there is encrease of holinesse wrought in a man so there is a decrease of sinne and corruption Wee see in the Gospell that those that were brought to Christ who lay and wanted their feet went away with them such as were blinde went away with their eyes opened such as were deafe and dumbe went away speaking and hearing and such as were dead went away alive so when the Spirit of God comes into a man though hee were lame and not able to walke in the wayes of God yet that will inable him if he were blinde and ignorant that will open his understanding and give him heavenly knowledge if he were dead in sinnes that will put the life of grace and holines into him thus the holy Ghost will make a through change therefore every man must labour to see whether this change be wrought in him or no as 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. it is said that no theeves covetous persons drunkards railers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God Here was a change indeed wrought in these men So also 1 Tim. 1. 13. Saint Paul saith Before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was received to mercy because I did it ignorantly now I thanke God it is otherwise with me when a man can feele this change and alteration in him that he can say indeed I have beene a bad liver I have beene a swearer and a lyar and a drunkard but now Lord I thanke thee it is otherwise with me I am changed and altered this is a good evidence that the holy Ghost is in him but if a man be not changed and altered but remaines the same man that ever he was the holy Ghost is not in him for where the holy Ghost is there he makes a sensible and a through change Secondly If the Spirit of God come into a man it will stirre and move a man to good things as Act. 2. when the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles in firy tongues they began to speake with new tongues the holy Ghost did worke in their hearts and on their tongues so Gal. 4. 6. saith the Apostle God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba Father even so if a man hath the Spirit of God in him it will stirre him to repentance and to the duties of prayer and holinesse therefore we are to consider no man can have the Spirit of God but he shall feele movings and stirrings of the Spirit for as it is in the naturall life that there cannot be life in us but it will be seene by breathing or panting stirring or moving there will be operations of life so it is in the life of grace there cannot be the Spirit of God in a man but there
the cry in the eares of the parents so it is with a Christian if hee bee strong hee makes the stronger crye in the eares of God Thirdly A strong Christian is bold to confesse Christ in the time of trouble as the Apostle did Acts 5. so it is said of the Saints Revel 12. That they loved not their lives to the death Fourthly A strong Christian is contented with any thing that God sends as Phil. 4. saith the Apostle I have learned in all estates therewith to be contented to want and to abound to be full and to be emptie so old Eli said 1 Sam. 3. It is the Lord let him doe as it pleaseth him Now these are in a Christian either stronger or weaker according as he is weakned with temptations And therefore let us labour to feele these workes of the Spirit for the Spirit is all the evidence we have of Heaven and happinesse therefore let us looke to have the spirit that we be not deceived A man that hath house and land would be loth to have his deeds and his evidences to prove naught and so to lose his house and land much more should we be loth to have our evidence that we have of Heaven and happinesse to prove naught Here it will be worthy our inquiry How a Christian that was strong and is weakned by sinne may know that the Holy Ghost is in him In all the declinings and fallings of the faithfull there is a roote of grace left although the Diuell cut off the Boughes and the Branches yet the root is safe as Daniel 4. Nabuchadnezzar is compared to a tree which the Angell is sent to cut downe the body and the branches but to let the stumpe of it remaine and bee bound with iron so though the Divell cut downe the boughes and branches yet the roote is fast which is a comfort to the Church that in all their falls there is a roote of grace remaining But how may a man know this I answere three wayes First If ever he had the workes of grace in him at any time though hee see or feele nothing yet there is a roote of grace remaining I have shewed you if God give his Spirit hee will never quite take it away therefore if hee can finde this that there hath beene a worke of grace in him it is certaine there is a roote left if he can finde but a few live-coales raked up in the dead ashes there is hope of fire and some comfort though he see nothing for the present therefore we must looke backe to see whether ever we have felt the worke of grace or no if wee can finde wee have we may assure our selves that the spirit of God is in us and that there is a roote of grace left in us This was Davids comfort Psal 77. saith hee I thought on the time past and my soule received comfort If a man put fish into a Pond and comes thither againe and sees them not yet he is perswaded that they are there though covered with water so if a man be once stored with the graces of God though hee sees and feeles them not yet must he be perswaded that he hath them still it is a corruption in the estate of weaknesse to thinke the Divell hath deceived them and that all was nothing that was in them but wee must take heed of this that we doe not bely God We read Malach. 1. How the Lord saith That he hath loved the people and they say wherein hast thou loved us Therefore it is a good thing when the Lord shall love us in our conversion and in our repentance that we doe acknowledge it Secondly A man may know it by the desires of grace that there is a roote left which are foure in number First to grieve that wee cannot grieve for sinne and to mourne that we cannot mourne If we desire to weepe as others doe this is a desire of grace nature will not doe this So Esay 63. 17. The Church of God complaines of this saying O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare Secondly to desire the reconciliation and love and favour of God above all things which though he feeles not yet hee longs for it and desires it above all worldly things whatsoever and would give a world to have the sense and feeling of Gods favour Thus we see the Church Cant. 3. when she had lost Christ she seekes after him and she runnes here and there to find him so when we have lost Christ we long for him and our desire is after him this of a suretie is a desire of grace so Matth. 5. saith Christ Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse though they have it not yet they shall be satisfied A man in the time of his weakenesse thinkes his case to bee but miserable and yet the Spirit of God pronounceth him a happy man Thirdly a desire to beleeve though a man doe not beleeve for the present yet he desireth to beleeve and striveth against infidelity this is a desire of grace if a man feeles this hee may assure himselfe there is a roote of grace left in him Mark 9. saith Christ unto the man canst thou beleeve Lord saith he I beleeve but helpe my unbeleefe Fourthly a desire to please God in all our courses though wee have some sinnes and corruptions yet wee desire to bee rid of them and to walke with God these desires of new obedience doe shew there is a roote of grace left As Psal 119. saith David O that my heart were directed to keepe thy Law and Psal 40. I desire to doe thy will O Lord indeed Lord I confesse I doe not thy will but I desire to doe it by these desires wee may know that there is a roote of grace left But here may be an Objection made Had not Herod good desires and Balaam yet these had no roote of Grace in them To this I answere Balaam had good desires hee desired the end but not the meanes that tends to the end he desired to be happy but he did not desire to be holy The wicked desire grace but they doe not use the meanes to come to it A carnall man may deceive himselfe in this therefore if men desire grace Heaven and happinesse they must vse the meanes to come by it which is by Prayer and hearing the Word preached receiving the Sacraments reading of the Word and such like duties The third meanes whereby a man may know that there is a roote of grace left in him is If he can finde some working of the Spirit in this estate the roote is fast As a man may know the Sunne is up though hee see not the Sunne but a little glimpse of it so by some little workings of the Spirit he may
as occasion shall be offered to doe them good it is the Holy Ghost that doth put it in us as Paul saith Galath 4. 6. he hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee cry Abba Father Hence wee see it is the Spirit of God that stirres us up to the duties of prayer and holinesse The fourth benefit is To give us power and ability to performe Christian duties and services for the Spirit of God doth not onely open our hearts to understand the Scripture excite and stirre us up to good duties but doth also enable us to doe them to repent of our sinnes to pray to God to love our brethren to rest and relye on God in the time of trouble In the story of Sampson we see that he did shake himselfe and did thinke to have done great maters yet for his life he could not because his strength was gone in like manner when wee see other men can pray repent of their sins when thou canst not doe so know it is the Holy Ghost that doth inable thee for there be a number of Christian duties that we are no more able in the estate of nature to doe than a dead man can remove a mountaine as when a man is truely humbled for sinne and cast downe that a naturall man should looke up to God by the eyes of faith to rest and to rely on him for the saving of his soule this hee is no more able to doe than a dead man to remove a mountaine so likewise for a man to resist a temptation agreeable to his nature he is no more able to doe it than a dead man to remoove a mountaine againe when a man is in want and in need then to rest and rely on God for the feeding of his body that as he hath trusted God with the saving of his soule so hee will rely on God for things needfull a naturall man is no more able to doe this than a dead man to remove a mountaine but the Spirit of God inables a man to doe that for that which is impossible to nature is made possible by the Spirit of God The fift benefit is to comfort in distresse although a Man wants house or land and a number of outward comforts yet if hee have the Holy Ghost to comfort and assist him hee neede not care for any thing else Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you a Comforter in the World ye shall have trouble but he shall mitigate and asswage all your troubles So Acts 9. 31. it is said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea Galile and Samaria and were edified walking in the feare of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed Therefore whatsoever our trouble is yet it is a great stay that we shall have comfort in the Holy Ghost and not be driven to take up the complaint which David doth in the Person of Christ I looked for some to have pittie on mee but there was none and for comfort but I found none for though it be true of Christians that in their trouble they looke for some to pitty and comfort them but they finde none yet neverthelesse in their extremity the Holy Ghost doth comfort them therefore if men want comfort in the time of trouble what shall they doe send for fidlers and merry company to comfort them as Saul did and fall into relapses no but wee must labour to get the Holy Ghost to comfort us for the comfort of the Holy Ghost goes beyond all worldly comforts First because all worldly comforts may be taken from us let it bee in our goods or friends or whatsoever else these comforts may faile us because the ground of them is not good wee may be taken from them and they from us but the comfort of the Holy Ghost can never be taken from us because it is grounded on Gods Love and favour and hope of Heaven therefore the Divell and all the World shall never be able to take away this comfort Secondly because all the comforts in this life be not pure and intire comforts but have alwayes some sorrowes in them as wee see Hest 5. when Haman had all the glory that Ahashuerosh could afford him yet he was not at quiet because Mordecai sate at the kings gate the cup of our comfort here in this world is a mixed cup like to Christs cup mingled with wine and Myrrh much bitternesse so all our worldly comfort is mixed with gall But the comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost is pure and intire it comforts us in all the distresses that befall us It made Paul and Silas sing in Prison Acts 16. It made the Apostles goe away rejoycing that they had suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ Thirdly because all worldly comfort failes and leaves us at the day of death when the more comfort we have had by it the more griefe it will bee to part from it Therefore Christ saith Luk. 12. to the rich man Thou foole this night shall thy soule be pulled away from thee but the comfort of the Holy Ghost is most beneficiall and refreshing at the day of death because then we draw neere to the accomplishment of Gods promises as Paul saith 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from henceforth is laid up for mee the Crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give at that day hence we conclude all worldly comfort is not comparale to it And here I thinke there is none but will assent with me to pray to God to give us the Holy Ghost as David prayes Psal 4. That God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him howsoever others desire other things let us pray to God though wee want many outward comforts yet that wee may have the holy Ghost to comfort us Now there are three speciall times that the Holy Ghost doth comfort in 1. In trouble and affliction 2. In the distresse of Conscience 3. In the day of death The Holy Ghost doth comfort us in trouble and affliction three wayes First by perswading us that God is our Father and that he will not leave us but will stand by us in the time of our trouble as Psal 23. 4. David saith Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet I will feare no evill for thou art with me So Psal 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid this is one meanes whereby the Holy Ghost doth comfort therefore if a man have the holy Ghost he neede not care because that will comfort and uphold him in all the trouble that doth befall him Secondly by turning all things to our good as Rom. 8.
sanctified graces In other cities there be markets for the body but in this citie the Lord keepes open market with spirituall graces to furnish our soules and therefore thirdly herein this citie excels all other cities in the world Fourthly in many other cities there be many other liberties and immunities all these immunities are but to free them from toyle and tribute but the Church of God doth not thus free men for Christ himselfe payed tribute Matth. 17. 27. and Paul exhorts us Rom. 13. 7. Give unto all men therefore their dues tribute to whom yee owe tribute custome to whom custome The Church of God doth not free men from taxes and tributes due to earthly powers and Potentates but from the bondage of sinne from the accusations of an evill conscience from the Devill and from Hell Thus Iohn 8. 36. saith Christ If the Sonne make you free yee shall bee free indeed And Gal. 4. 26. saith the Apostle But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all A man may bee a citizen of a great citie and yet lye in bondage to sinne and the Devill bee a slave to his lusts and be troubled with the accusation of an evill conscience But if a man bee a citizen of this citie hee shall bee free from sinne the Devill Hell the accusation of a bad conscience and from his wild lusts therefore in the fourth place this citie excels all other cities in the world The uses are First seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore wee should account it a marvellous blessing that it pleaseth God to make us citizens of this citie as Ruth 2. 12. Boaz said unto Ruth the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee given unto thee of the God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust So happy is the man over whom the Lord doth spread the wings of his love Wee see Psal 84. Davids affection that hee had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the Tents of wicked men hee had rather bee a meane man and a true member of the Church than to bee a great wicked man Therefore wee may bee sure that it is a greater blessing to bee a poore man and a member of the Church than to bee a great rich man in the world and no true member of the Church Secondly seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore every man must have care to hold communion with it and take heed hee doe not suffer the Devill to draw him away from it because God dwells there by the presence of his Spirit Peter could say to Christ Ioh. 6. 68. Master to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life heere is fulnesse of joy here is comfort to bee had and therefore howsoever others start out let us hold to it Thirdly seeing the citie of God excels all other cities therefore it must bee our care to live like such citizens Hath God made thee a citizen of such a citie live then happy man like such a citizen conforme thy selfe to the lawes of it and walke worthy of this heavenly citie The author to the Hebrews maketh the same use of it Hebr. 12. 22. But saith hee yee are come unto the Mount Zion and to the citie of the living God c. And therefore see that yee despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven You bee of the citie of God and therefore doe not you live like the vild men of the world in your sinnes and corruptions but live like Saints and citizens of such a citie thus much of the first dignitie that the Church is called the citie of God because there is the presence of God in grace The second Dignitie of the Church of God is that it is called the body of Christ now there is a naturall body of Christ which hath parts and ligaments as our bodies have hands and feete c. And there is a mysticall body of Christ which are the company of true beleevers which are made one with Christ by faith through the communion of the Spirit which mysticall body is more deare to Christ than his naturall body for hee gave his naturall body to die for his mysticall body and to redeeme it the Church is this mysticall body as 1 Cor. 12. 27. now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular so Coloss 1. 14. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So then the Church of God is the bodie of Christ whence ariseth divers consequents First that hee is the onely head of the Church and no other but hee as Ephes 1. 22. saith the Apostle of Christ And hath made all things subject under his feete and hath appointed him over all things to bee the head of the Church so Colos 1. 18. hee is the head of the bodie of the Church for as the head ruleth the bodie so Christ rules his mysticall body Now that Christ is the onely head of the Church it may bee seen in three things First because the grace of God is most eminent in him for as life is most eminent in the head so the graces of God are most eminent in him hee excells all men and Angels therfore the Apostle saith Colos 1. 19. that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Secondly because of the neere conjunction that is between the head and the members the naturall head may bee parted with a blow from the body but the Devill and all the damned cannot part Christ and his mysticall body Thirdly in regard of ministration for as the head doth communicate life and motion unto the body so Christ doth the life of grace and the Spirit So it is a Royaltie onely belonging to the head not to Archangell nor Angell therefore away with the Pope The second consequent is that seeing Christ is head of the Church therefore as the head communicates life and motion into the body so from Christ flowes spirituall life and grace into the Church there is never a true member but Christ communicates life and grace unto him therefore every true Christian must feele a derivation of grace and spirituall life in him every one that would have true comfort must feele this and to say as Saint Paul doth Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flâ—sh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Wee see if a man hath any member that hangs dead and numb'd