vntill it hath prepared the heart by breaking and humbling it and taking away the flintinesse of it Thou therefore whose heart is stony whose conscience is crusty bewaile thy securitie lament thine impenitencie and take thou no quiet vntill more remorse bee wrought in thee and euery check that thy conscience giueth thee for any good which thou hast neglected for any euill which thou hast committed quench it not choake it not repell it not For if thou resistest when conscience doth its office thou indisposest thy selfe to any remorse and thou occasionest the powers of thy soule to be so hide-bound that no spirituall moisture of sorrow for the lacke of grace can bedeaw thee and how then can the winde of grace blowe vpon thee Wherefore vntill the word of Grace hath thus farre wrought vpon thee to bring thee to a soft and broken heart think thou it hath don thee little or no good for whom the Lord doth freely worke vpon to sanctification hee doth also bring to mortification the second step wherunto is a soft and tender spirit Lastly The fourth helpe to sanctification prayer vnto the Lord for grace is a notable meanes to obtaine it For as the Lord f Psal 105. bringeth the wind out of his treasures so he sendeth downe his Spirit and euery good gift of the same from heauenly places not by any locall mutation as though the third person in the Trinitie did come from his throne of maiestie but by a supernatural operation and working in the hearts of the Elect the will of the Father in this worke goeth first the wil of the Sonne followeth that and the will of the Spirit proceedeth from both Non tempore sed or dine and therefore seeing grace doth thus come downe from heauen as the winde from the cloudes wee must by Petitions send vp to heauen for it Vnto this our Sauiour Christ doth encourage vs when-as hee sayth g Luk 11.13 Your heauenly father wil giue his Spirit to them that aske him But will some obiect and say Obiect How can wee pray for the Spirit while we want it when as wee cannot pray aright for any thing vntill Answer 1 wee haue the Spirit Whereunto I answer First it must bee considered vnto whom I speake to wit to such whom the Word hath preuailed withall to bring them to a knowledge of the want of grace and to remorse of conscience because of this want now they that are brought thus farre they are disposed to pray for it and therefore to such as these are very well may I speake as the Apostle doth concerning Wisedom h Iac. 1.5 If any man lacke that is feeles the lacke of wisedome and so consequently of grace let him aske it of God Yea and desire God to giue him grace to call for it aright and entreate others to begge the same thing for him Againe howsoeuer we cannot Answer 2 pray for the Spirit vntill we haue the Spirit yet we must pray for it that we may ascertaine our selues that we are in the way to attaine it for one of the first steppes to grace is an earnest desire to bee made a partner of grace yea such a desire as will not be satisfied vntill it hath it And neuer let that man looke to bee breathed vpon spiritually that hath not an heart to send vp sighs and sutes earnestly to the God of heauen for his holy Spirit As Mariners therefore when they would haue a prosperous gale to driue them to the hauen are wont to say Blowe winde blowe winde so pray thou Blowe Lord breathe Spirit oh breathe some heauenly blastes some spirituall motions some holy inspirations into my gracelesse barren and empty heart And let that be thy prayer which was the prayer of a Christian father and constant Martyr Cypr. de S. sancto folio 32. Adesto sancte spiritus sanctifica templum corporis nostri consecram habitaculum tuum dignam te habitatore domum compone adorna thalamum tuum quietis tuae reclinatorium circundae varietatibus virtutum sterne pauimenta pigmentis nite at mansio tua carbunculis flammeis gemmarū splendorib c. Come thou holy Spirit sanctifie the temple of my body and soule consecrate it as an habitation for thy selfe make it an house fit for so worthy a guest to lodge in beautifie it as thy chamber beset it as the Cabin of thy rest round about with the variety of all vertues let it glister as thy mansion with spirituall carbuncles and with the splendor of heauenly Pearles cause the odours of thy gracious oyntments to perfume it within and so regenerate and renue my heart that it may be established in grace for euer If in some such wise as this thou wilt but feruently faithfully and feelingly make knowne thy requests vnto the Lord thou shalt finde that that Spirit which descended vpon Christ in the similitude of a i Mat. 3.16 Doue and vpon the Apostles in the likenesse of clouen and fiery tongues k Act. 2.3 at the feast of Pentecost will come downe vpon thee in the likenesse of a mighty wind to purge and purifie thee to renue and sanctifie thee and to infuse into thee innocencie wisedome zeale faith fear loue and all graces in measure needful for thy saluation And thus Christian Reader haue I pointed out vnto thee the helpes which may further thee towards the attainment of sauing grace The Word must be attended to that it may teach thee humilitie humilitie must be attained vnto that out of an acknowledgement of thine own vnworthinesse and vnholinesse thy heart may be softned and a soft heart must be endeuoured for that out of a broken contrite spirit thou maiest earnestly call vpon God for the gales and graces of his holy Spirit who vpon thy praying vnto him aright hath made a gracious promise freely and liberally to vouchsafe them vnto thee without reproaching thee And that thou maiest be perswaded the more willingly to follow this direction Motiues to stir vp to the carefull vse of these meanes Motiue 1. and be the more eagre thus in the pursuite of holinesse doo but in the first place consider the consolation that these graces will afford a man in the time of affliction and triall For endeuourest to be sanctified Thinke we now vpon these two things seriously meditate wee vpon them carefully and let them be as two goades in our sides to make vs industrious in vsing meanes to be gracious Would wee haue a comforter in the times of heauinesse would we be partakers of euerlasting happinesse then let vs as we haue beene exhorted follow the rules that haue beene prescribed vs to attaine to holinesse that the blastes of heauen may inspire grace into vs. Which grace the Lord grant vs for his mercies sake Sect. 5. Vse 4. Admonition And so from my third Vse which was for exhortation I proceede to a fourth which is the last
their first entring into worldly dealings striue by all manner of waies to increase in wealth and riches but because they will set no bounds to their estate no period which they resolue not to passe neyther will they learne to know any measure beyond which they purpose not to goe And shall not men of the Spirit from the first time of their conuersion seeke to thriue in those spirituall riches no limits whereunto the Lord hath set vntill their earthly tabernacle bee dissolued and death maketh a separation betwixt the soule and the body How doe they looke for the Garland except they runne forward What hope can they haue of the Crowne of life except they bee faithfull vnto the death If I had but a perswading faculty I would vehemently vrge this spiritual growth in the practice of piety in the life of Christianitie in these declining times in this decaying barren age of the world But Peter shall speake in stead of me z 2. Pet 3.18 Grow in grace And so shall Saint Paul a Ephes 4 15. In all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ c. Whose counsell I would entreate thee to follow to hold fast and to encrease what thou hast already receiued Quest But will some say It is easier to say Grow then to shew how to grow bare exhortation berall Arts that there was neuer a day passed ouer his head wherein he did not either reade something or write something or declaime and out of doubt hee was no loser by it So if men and women would be more diligent students in the Oracles of God the book of the Scriptures they should be great gainers in the trade of godlinesse and their dayly incomes of heauens blasts would be larger then now they are Vnto God therefore my brethren I commend you e Acts 20.32 and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified f Phil. 1.9 praying that you may more and more abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Helpe 2 Secondly prayer vnto God that hee would leade vs forward by his holy spirit wil be a means to raise higher the gales and gusts of this spirituall winde In this practice we haue the Apostles to goe before vs who prayed and said g Lu. 17.5 Lord encrease our faith And if their faith then all the other graces which are ioyned with faith and attend vpon her Thus prayed Paul on the behalfe of the Philippians that h Phil. 1.9 their loue might abound Thus prayed hee also for the Ephesians when he sayd i Ephes 3.14.16 For this cause doe I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee would graunt you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man And thus must thou pray also that art a partner in the possessions of grace and then thou shalt find that that God which hath begunne the good worke will perfect it for the more frequent and feruent thy sutes are for the augmentations of Grace the better thou art sure to thriue in thy spirituall and holy courses Thirdly to loue the communion Helpe 3 and frequent the company of the Saints is a way to bee gayners and a meane to encrease the stocke of true holinesse The more vapours are together the longer and stronger are the windes like to bee and the moe holy hearts are vnited together by the bond of holy societie the more occasion their times about things that tend not to edification neglecting faith repentance such necessary neuer to be knowne-enough principles they com at length to call their mother whoore like impudent children though they first receiued the graces they make profession to haue in her yet they will not sticke to slaunder her as a limme of the Romish Synagogue And therfore I say I perswade not to such meetings but I perswade to that which the Apostle doth Hebr. 10.24 25 Brethren forsake not the assembling your selues together as some doe that ye may consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and good workes and to exhort one another in asmuch as yee see the day approching Children season themselues in profanenesse by their playing together Profane men strengthen themselues in wickednesse by conuersing together in Ale-houses Tauerns Brothell-houses Theatres c. Papists in heresies by mutuall society and shall Christians depriue themselues of this means to thriue and grow vp in grace by neglecting the society and communion of one another God forbid If they doe that which the Prophet speaketh of the materiall temple may bee verified of them k Hag. 2.3 Who is left amongst you that sawe this house in her first glory And how do you see it now Is it not now in comparison of it that is of what it was before as nothing Fourthly it must bee our care not Helpe 4 onely to walke wisely and circumspectly redeeming the time as the Apostle aduiseth l Ephes 5.15.16 but also to bee daily weeding our corruptions out of the ground of our hearts with the weeding-hooks of Examination and renued Repentance searching diligently what thistles grow at the bottome what euills are most prone to please our selues in that wee may daily grow into hatred with them and cleanse our selues from all filthines of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle his counsell is m 2. Cor. 7.1 For if day by day passe ouer our heads and we seldome or neuer search out our hidden sinnes and summon our selues for them before Gods Tribunall wee may bee so ouer-growne with security lacke of care that our growth in sanctitie will be hindered our gifts of grace to our sense at least much impaired euen as land when it is sowne corne when it is sprung vp for want of looking to and weeding may bee ouer-growne with noysome weedes and vnprofitable plants to the great hinderance and grieuance of the poore husbandman Helpe 5 Lastly it will much auaile vs in this spirituall growth to keepe our graces in exercise and to put them to vse One good way for a Merchant or Trades-man to thriue in the world Simile is if his markets be good the winds serue to be continually in trading and still to haue the maine stocke going Whereas he which alwayes spends of the stocke and tradeth not withall may goe downe the winde and soone prooue a bankrupt So for a man to haue good gifts good graces and not occupy with them nor keepe them in exercise shall be so farre from encreasing his spirituall store that hee shall rather diminish and wrong it Vse limbes and haue limbes saith the olde Adage Vse knowledge and haue knowledge vse faith and haue faith vse loue and haue loue vse humilitie and haue humilitie c. 1. Hast thou the grace
imitate the Bee which gathereth from the herbs of the fields and floures of the gardens foode for herselfe and honny for others then shall we make vse of euery creature of God and from the same gather such Spirituall instruction that we shall lay vp store of wisedome for our selues store of counsell for others Still therefore from the workes of creation from the workes of prouidence let vs meditate vpon something of an high and heauenly nature * From the workes of creation meditate thus Let the Sunne in the aire put vs in minde of the Sunne of Righteousnes that came downe from heauen when we behold the light of it let vs thinke vpon the light of grace in the worke of illumination when wee feele the heate of it let vs thinke of the warmth of loue zeale and other graces in the worke of Sanctification when a cloud couereth it dimmeth the light of it let vs thinke how the cloudes of sinne doe cause the Lord to withdraw the light of his amiable countenance somtimes away from vs. Looke wee vp to the heauens let the thought of the beautifull out-side of them leade vs to contemplate vppon the glorious beauty of the in-side of that third Heauen the seate of the blessed Looke we vpon the earth let the growth of the Plants that be vpon it the fairenesse of the fading floures that doe adorne it the withering of the grasse that in time is cut away from it occasion vs to meditate of the growth of grace in the harts of Gods children of the fading prosperity of the men of this world and of the vnauoydable mortality of all mankind Behold we the lightning to breake forth with violence out of the cloud meditate wee vpon the falling of Sathan out of the hearts of the chosen by the power of the Spirit and the preaching of the word Is it the winde that we thinke vpon let the consideratiō of the lightnesse of it bring to our thoughts the windy vanity of humane things which was k Iob 7.7 Iobs meditation let the boysterous violence of it bring to our mindes the sodaine calamitie of Gods enemies which was l Ier. 18.17 Ieremies meditation let the swift passage of it draw vs to thinke vppon the swift celerity of Gods Angels which was m Zac. 6.5 Zacharies meditation and let the consideration of other circumstances obseruable in the winde moue vs to meditate vpon some of those things concerning the breathings of grace handled in this Treatise or the like n From the works of prouidence mediate in some such wise Againe let the Mariner vpon the Sea in his calmes thinke of the peace tranquillitie in his tempests vpon the troubles and aduersity of the ship of the Church on the Sea of this world Let the citizen in the enioyment of his freedome thinke how happy a thing it is to bee made a free-denizen of the new Ierusalem Let the husbandman from the tillage of his ground take occasion to meditate vpon the spirituall manuring of his heart from reaping his crop in the appoynted season vpon the great haruest at the day of Iudgement when euery one shall reape the fruit of his doings whether good or ill Let the rich man vpon the thought of his full bags vpon the sight of his faire buildings be led to contemplate vpon the durable treasures of spirituall graces vpon the vnspeakable pleasures in heauenly places in the possession whereof is ioy and life for euermore Let the poore man when he considereth the coursenesse of his diet the meanenesse of his cloathing the hardnesse of his lodging the penury that he suffers in in his state the contempt that he meeteth with in the world diuert his mind from discouraging thoughts which from thence may easily arise and ponder with himselfe how happy a thing it is if he be a Saint to share with his Sauiour in the pouerty of outward condition and how much hee doth excell if he be poore in spirit a great number of great ones in the world in that whereas they haue but their portion in this life he hath an incorruptible crowne an immortall weight of glory layd vp for him in the heauens c. If in this wise our mindes be well busied our meditations well inured to an holy comparing of heauenly things with earthly wee shall make a religious vse of the naturall created and wise disposed workes of God to the edification of our owne soules and our tongues will be the fitter to speake of heauenly matters to the capacity and commodity of our brethren when we haue occasion offered vnto vs to conferre with them as Christ did with Nicodemus about things of that nature CHAP. III. The second generall conclusion from the summe of the Text. Sect. 1. ANd is there nothing else to be generally concluded from this kinde of comparatiue speaking but that which hath been deliuered in the former chapter Questionlesse yes for a second thing of nearer affinitie with the comparison then the former commeth necessarily to be obserued and this it is 2. Doctr. generall That the Winde is a fit similitude to set out the heauenly breath of Gods gracious Spirit the wisedome of Christ himselfe saw it a fitting resemblance for himself being in speech with Nicodemus about the doctrine of Regeneration vseth this very metaphor of the winde to informe him in that mystery and to take away those carnall cauills which hee brought in against that doctrine And very well may this be a trueth Reason For why the Winde is a signe both of the presence and power of God according to that of the Psalmist o Ps 18.10 He came flying vpon the wings of the winde but wheresoeuer the Spirit of grace breatheth there the Lord his gracious presence and heauenly power is manifested therefore fitly may the winde resemble the work of Regeneration which is wrought by the Spirit of God Sect. 2. Vse 1. The consideration of which poynt serueth in the first place to teach vs to wonder at the depth of Gods counsells at the vnsearchablenesse of his wisedome that such a creature which beareth the representation of so many diuers things should be found fitting to resemble the spirituall renouation and new birth of a Christian that that which is a p Prou. 11 29 Hos 12.2 symbole of vanity should resemble that work which is most contrary to vanity that that winde which is a q Iob 21.18 signe of the irrecouerable misery of wicked men should signifie those graces which doe free the Elect from eternall misery that that wind which is a shaddow of the r Isa 41.16 violent force of wicked enemies against Gods people should represent those graces which are as Shieldes and Targets vnto the Christians against all hostile attempts and spirituall assaults of the enemies of their soules Needs must this cause vs with the holy Apostle in an holy admiration to cry out
and say s Rom. 11.33 Oh depth of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his wayes past finding out Sect. 3. Vse 2. Secondly this may well afford vs a rule of tryall by which we may come to know Examination whether euer the Gales of Grace haue sauingly blowne and breathed vpon vs yea or no for if the Winde be a fit similitude to expresse the mysterie of Regeneration then from the properties of the Winde wee may come to discerne the properties of Grace and so the regenerating worke of the Spirit of God to see whether we haue it or who haue it Take wee a view therefore of the properties of the Winde and as wee goe along let vs compare withall the properties and effects of the Spirit and we shall haue markes and notes enow to iudge by of the worke of Regeneration Signes of grace Signe 1. Purification First of all the Wind is of a purging property euen so the Spirit of God is of a purifying quality the one doth no lesse cleanse the heart then the other doth purifie the ayre and the water For this cause the holy Ghost is compared to fire t Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire that is with the holy Ghost which is like fire and to u Eze ◠1 Water that flowed out of the Sanctuary which two Elements are of a purging and purifying nature The one serueth to purge metalls from drosse and scurfinesse and the other to cleanse cloathes and vessells from dirt and filthinesse which double resemblance what doth it signifie but that the Spirit of God is a purger and purifier of the heart which thing Paul giues his beleeuing Corinths to vnderstand For writing to them of the worke of Sanctification begunne in them he tells them w 1. Cor. 6.11 They were cleansed purged and washed by the Spirit of God Wherewithall accordeth a worthy saying of an ancient and eloquent Diuine Cypr. de S. sancto folio 32. abi gens inde quicquid tabidum est c. That the Spirit of God doth expell from the heart whatsoeuer is contagious whatsoeuer is infectious now how the Spirit doth purifie it will appeare by the like The Winde doth purge the water by mouing and troubling it and by stirring vp waue after waue vntill it hath cast vp the froth and superfluous scumme of it vpon the shoare and the Aire it doth purge two wayes first by dispelling fogges and mists How the Spirit purifieth 3. wayes both priuatiuely and positiuely Priuatiuely 1 Ignorantiam fugando 2 Impoenitentiam amouendo 3 Concupiscentiā subigendo 2 Positiuely 1 Mentem illuminando 2 Poenitētiam inserendo 3 Sanctitatem conferendo secondly by drying vp noisome puddles stinking quagmires For those things which do ordinarily infect the ayre are one of these two either misty vnwholesome vapours or noysome and vnsauoury quagmires by the remooueall of which two the Wind doth cleere and cleanse the aire euen so the holy Ghost doth purge the soule three wayes first by dispelling the spirituall fogges and mists of ignorance and blindenesse which darken the vnderstanding secondly by troubling the conscience for those sinnes which defile the whole man thirdly by drying vp that same stinking puddle of euill concupiscence and noysome lusts which haue their seate in the will and affections The first hee doth by the work of Illumination enlightening the minde with sauing knowledge the second by the worke of Humiliation breaking the heart with holy contrition and the third by the worke of Mortification and Sanctification rectifying the will with sincere obedience and the affections with holy desires heauenly loue ioy c. So that by all this wee see that wheresoeuer the holy Ghost hath breathed grace there is the worke of Spirituall purification wrought First the minde is purged from ignorance and is spiritually enlightened no sooner had the Spirit breath'd vpon Paul but the x Act. 9.18 scales fell from his eyes and the Lord beginneth the worke of Conuersion at Illumination and when he first bloweth with the blasts of Grace in vs he bestoweth spirituall eye-sight vpon vs hee enlighteneth vs to see what himselfe is in his iustice against sinne in his mercy by Christ to forgiue sinne he openeth our eyes to see our misery by natute to see the remedy of our misery by grace Vpon this spirituall eye-sight in the second place the conscience comes to be vrged and purged the soule so troubled with a consideration of being ouerwhelmed with this misery and out of Christ altogether destitute and depriued of that mercy that it cannot be at quiet one billow of sorrow one waue of griefe ariseth so vpon the necke of an other that there is no rest that it can finde no easement it can haue no contentment can be giuen it vntill the scumme and froth of all the sinnes that euer it was defiled with be brought to the shoare and set vpon the score of Christ Iesus Thou therefore whosoeuer thou art that neuer hadst the Lord Iesus to anoynt the eyes of thy soule that neuer hadst thy minde enlightened but art still in Egypt and pleasest thy selfe in thy blinde and ignorant condition that neuer sawest so much of thy misery as hath made thee bewaile thy sinfull and wofull estate nor as yet hast any care to seeke after knowledge that thou mayest come to know thy selfe aright know Christ crucified to the end thou mayst come to repentance dreame not thou that the gusts of grace are effectually infused into thy soule Againe as the mind and conscience is thus purged where these gusts are so likewise is the will purified from rebellion and that crooked and knotty peece which before was so hard to be rectified and squared that vntamed heifer which before was so vntoward to be broken and brought into any right frame to yield vnto any counsell wholesome good for the soule when the Spirit comes to blow vpon it though there be a kinde of resisting power in it is made to bend which way the Spirit pleaseth to encline to the wayes of life insomuch that the creature shall with holy Dauid say I am content to doe thy will O God Lastly as the Will from rebellion the Conscience from impenitencie the Vnderstanding from ignorance so if grace be wrought in thee thy affections wil be purged from the drosse of vnbeliefe from the loue of earthly things S. sanctus carnaeles hebetat sensus conterit appetitus Cypr. from the vanity of carnall and sensuall desires and like a man mortified and sanctified dead wilt thou be to the lusts of the flesh bringing them daily to the slaughter and aliue to God through Iesus Christ our Lord and those euils which formerly were most delightsome to the flesh will then become most burthensome to the spirit Thus I say where the holy Ghost hath regenerated
8.2.3.4 There was a willingnes in them aboue their power The people that contributed towards the building of the Temple that Dauid set vp k 1 Chro. 9.6 offred willingly and their hearts were to it as the Text sheweth And whence was it that there was this alacrity in them to further so commendable an action but from this that The holy Ghost had taken vp his lodging in the temple of their hearts When these gusts of grace blowe vpon the heart of a Minister they will make him so nimble in his Embassady that hee will preach the word of God l 2 Cor. 8 17 willingly When they breathe vpon the heart of a Magistrate hee will m Ier. 9.3 haue courage for the truth vpon the heart of an hearer he will be swift in n Iam 1.19 hearing the word of God This winde did driue Dauid forward so fast that o Ps 119 32 hee ranne the way of Gods commandements and Paul so swiftly that he did p Phil. 3.14 follow hard or press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus What shall we say then of those that goe so murmuringly and vncheerfully about any good and godly exercise being as hardly drawne to it as a Beare to the stake so hard to be brought to a sermon especially if it bee vpon any other day but the Sabbath when the lawes of the Land awe them so hard to be perswaded to entertaine a good conceit of to afford a good word or to stand vp for the faithfull ministers and seruants of Christ Iesus so hard to be drawn to maintain the worship of God in the places where they liue to releeue the wants of the needy to breake the bread of life diligently to their people if they bee Ministers to administer the rules of justice duely if they bee Magistrates and to execute the duties which belong to their places What I say can bee thought of such certainly they giue shrewd suspicion that heauens blasts in the work of regeneration haue not as yet breathed vpon them for if they had ther would be more spirituall agility more heauenly alacrity and readiness to do good in them then there is The oyled door will open and shut without creaking and the heart that is oyled with grace will bee enlarged to what good is without grudging Doth a boat that hath a fair winde and a full streame stand in need of an haling line and doth the winde of heauen thinkest thou blowe vpon thee whē thou must haue so many haling lines to draw thee or else no good can bee wrung from thee Wilt thou not worship God but when the Sabbath cometh not giue to the poore but when the rate cometh nor bring forth better fruits of amendment but when death cometh or some extraordinary visitation when thou thinkest there is no remedy but thou needs must or else some inconuenience may ouertake thee and whatsoeuer thou dost is done vnwillingly and yet imagine that thou art endued with the Spirit How darest thou thus controule the truth of Gods word which cannot ly I confesse indeed A caution that the best of Gods seruants into whom the Lord hath breathed the greatest measure of grace doe sometimes feel themselues more lumpish drowsie and vncheerfull in holy seruices then they were wont to be as no doubt Dauid did after his fall but yet it is but at some times it is not alwaies so with them And I knowe also that the worke of grace hath need to be helped forward by the vse of means in those that excel in vertue in this vale of imperfection by reason of the remainder of corruption as the boat though hauing a fair winde by the help of oares in regard of som heauy burden that it may carry yet go forward they do by the vse of those holy means and they bewail their vntowardnes also But that man that hath no heart at any time vnto that which is good that laboureth not to ouercome his backwardnes that laments it not that striueth not that voweth not that praieth not against it vpon whom the preaching of the word the perswasion of friends cannot preuail to make him doe anie more then that which perforce is extorted and haled from him either by the rigour of mans law or the winde of vain glory it cannot be truly said that the treasures of sauing grace are bestowed vpon him for those that are borne of the Spirit will not onely bring forth the fruits of the Spirit but also with cheerfulnes and alacrity accounting it their felicity to be imploied in the seruices of their heauenly Master Again 4. Signe of regeneration The spirituall conflict the winde doth not onely driue forward but also it resists those things that stop the speedy passage of it so the Spirit of grace doth ordinarily resist whatsoeuer is contrary to its owne working in the soule which it regenerateth Which thing the Apostle euidently laieth down when hee saith q Gal. The spirit lusteth against the flesh Insomuch that by this wee see that another euidēce for the work of grace must bee fetched from the spirituall combate betwixt the flesh and the spirit For it beeing so that in the most regenerate there is corruption as well as grace there must needs be an holy strife in that person A Simile Wee see in the whirl-winde where there are but circular blasts that are indirectly contrary and laterally opposite to one another what a stirring of the dust what a whirring of the stubble or what euer else lieth where those blasts meet there is as if we should see two champions grappling and wrastling in that place How much more is it true that there must be a strange bickering and striuing in that soule where two such spirits doo meet as are not indirectly opposite but directly contrary to one another viz. the Spirit of God comming from heauen working grace and the spirit of Satan coming from hell hindering grace Vpon none of all the Apostles did this holy Spirit breathe more then vpon Paul whether wee consider the measure of his humiliation at his first conuersion or the measure of his zeal after his conuersion and yet he had this spirituall conflict in himself as may bee gathered from his owne complaint r Ro. 7.24 I see a law in my members warring against the law in my minde and leading me into captiuity to the law of sinne And what dry bouts Dauid a man after Gods owne minde had sometimes with distrust of Gods prouidence sometimes with despair of Gods assistance sometimes with carnall confidence sometimes with fretting at the prosperity of the wicked and the like the Book of the Psalms is a plentifull witnes What breathings of grace then trowe wee haue they attained vnto that neither euer were nor yet are at warre with their owne corruptions but in their own deluded opinion all is wel with them at peace with
God with the diuell the world their owne consciences and all They they say are neuer troubled nor disquieted they finde nothing to burthen them nor molest them they thank God for it What grace haue they It is to bee feared none at all And poor soules the spirit of Satan still breathes in them and corruption hath them still in chaines and they are ready euery houre to bee cut off and popt ouer into the pit of destruction and yet ah wofull case they see it not but applaude themselues and solace themselues as if they were in no danger and no aliants to the regenerate condition Sayest thou thou hast nothing within thee to trouble thee nothing to molest thee nor euer haddest thou thankest God for it Wilt thou take a word from me and marke what I shall say I assure thee whosoeuer thou bee I would not be in thine estate for a thousand worlds if there were so many Thou art without grace and wilt not beleeue it The God of heauen perswade thee of it for if that be true which our Sauiour speaketh s Lu. 11.21 While the strong man armed that is the Diuell keepeth the house all things are in peace Then if all things be thus at peace in thee to harden thy heart and seare thy conscience that euil one still holdeth thee in bonds thou art still bound in the fetters of sin and art in fearefull thraldome thereunto and vntill a stronger then all these commeth I meane the Lord Iesus and set thy owne corruptions and the holy Ghost together at variance in thy soule miserable and lamentable must thy condition needes be I tel thee if the Spirit of grace were in thee there would bee a spirituall whirlewinde in thy soule two contrary blasts meeting grappling with one another like the twinnes in t Gen. 25.22 Rebeccahs wombe and they would make thee cry out as she did Why am I thus why am I thus worldly why am I thus lazie in my profession why am I thus dead harted in the seruice of my God thus proud thus full of selfe-loue thus passionate and tuchy c. and thou shouldest finde the Spirit of Faith resisting the spirit of vnbeleefe distrust doubting the Spirit of truth resisting the spirit of errour the Spirit of loue resisting the spirit of enuy malice frowardnesse the spirit of humility the spirit of pride the spirit of zeale the spirit of key-coldnesse luke-warmenesse carnall feare c. Thus it would be with thee if thou wert regenerate Albeit this conflict of Contraries be not alwayes alike because grace sometimes getteth the foyle sometimes the conquest though neuer the fall yet the experienced Christian knoweth with S. Paul that whensoeuer hee intendeth any good euill is present with him and in his best actions corruption troubleth him whi h he many times findeth much adoe to keep vnder And therefore I conclude It is a vaine thing for any man or woman to imagine that they are sanctified Wherefore let those that refuse to pray in the Temple as Anabaptisticall and Papisticall Recusants do suspect themselues to be swolne rather with the blasts of heresie the winde of vaine-glory then blowne vppon with the gales of Sanctitie Let those that care not to pray any where but in the temple neglecting this duety with their charges in their houses as carnall and common Protestants do suspect themselues to be carried rather with the winde of custome and fashion then of grace and heauenly inspiration Let those that vse it in their families and make no conscience of it apart by themselues whenas there are so many secret corruptions to be acknowledged and bewailed in the best which are to be kept from the dearest friends in the family feare themselues to bee guided rather by the spirit of hypocrisie then possessed with the Spirit of grace But such as care neither for praying in the Temple nor in the family nor secretly let them not only suspect but also know themselues to be such as are altogether voyde of the spirituall operation of Gods Spirit in the work of Regeneration For where that worke is there is the Spirit of adoption and where the Spirit of adoption is there is a crying Abba Father such wil haue so familiar frequent communion with the Lord that the Church the family the streetes the high-wayes the walkes the chamber the bed the closet the shop yea the prison it selfe c. shall be made witnesses of those heauenly ejaculations which their hearts and lips dart vp into the eares of the Almighty that great hearer of prayers Secondly as the spirituall man is heard of God sending vp praiers to the high Court of Parliament in Heauen so men shal heare the sound of his sanctified tongue in holy and religious communication I delight sayth Dauid to be talking of thy righteous iudgements a Ps 39.2 While I held my peace from good my sorrow was stirred yea my heart waxed hot within me b Acts 22 1. c Paul must needes be telling and talking of his conuersion before his very enemies shewing what notable things the Lord had wrought in him and done for him Whence was it that c Acts Aquila and Priscilla did instruct Apollos in the way of God more perfectly that d 2. Tim. 1.5 compar'd with chap. 3.14 6. Eunica did teach Timothy but because the Spirit had so breathed in their hearts that they could not holde their tongues but they must be speaking of the wayes of God to strangers they neuer saw before and to their domesticall inferiors and home-dwellers When grace hath seasoned the heart it will so salt and pouder the speech that it will both eat out putrified and rotten communication and also make the tongue a fit instrument to minister grace to the hearers Take triall of thy selfe by this particular also What is thy speech Speakest thou the language of Ashdod or the dialect of Canaan Dost thou with Dauid e Ps 39.1 take such heed to thy ways that thou maiest not offend with thy tong keeping thy mouth as with a bridle Nay dost thou with the same Prophet f Psal 34.11 call thy children vnto thee and teach them the feare of the Lord and vppon all fitting occasions the praises of God and the statutes of God continually in thy mouth If they be it is a good signe that thou hast a good stocke of grace in thy heart but if thy tongue g Iac. 3.6 be set on fire with hell as Saint Iames speaketh breathing out stinking blasphemous filthy frothy false slaunderous venemous vnsauoury speeches it is a very strong euidence against thee that the breath of Heauen hath not blowne vppon thee For I neuer reade in all the Scripture that a regenerate heart and a reuiling tongue an holy heart and a ribald tongue a gracious heart and a blasphemous periurious tongue a spirituall heart and a dissembling backebiting and scoffing tongue haue stoode together
cap. 5. Peter de la Primand 2 third Franc. Acad part 3 pag. 196. Writers giue of the winde To shew what it is in one definition is as much as the Text requireth i What the winde is The wind therefore is an exhalation more drie then moist bred of those cold and k A vapor is moist of it self but drie by reason of the Sun drie vapours of the earth which the Sunne draweth vp into the middle region of the ayre in which region this exhalation meeting with a cold cloude is of hot made cold and by the force of that cloude beaten downe into the lower part of the ayre where by reason of the subtile nature it hath in it selfe it spreadeth it selfe laterally or broadwise flowing sometimes to one corner of the heauens sometimes to another sometime Eastward sometime Southward c. This wind I say thus defined is heere to be vnderstoode Bloweth where it listeth this phrase where it listeth doth not betoken any such will in the Winde as there is in the soule of man for the wind being an in animall substance and a creature without soule how can there be any such power of the soule in it as the will is but it noteth out the free and vnresistable agitation of the winde beating the aire and other flexible bodies sometimes one way sometimes another as the great Iehouah pleaseth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit .i. so is it with euery elect person in regard of the regenerating work of the Spirit that Spirit breathing somtimes in one sometimes in an other as he pleaseth freely and vnresistably CHAP. V. The first Doctrine from the first part of the Text concerning the free libertie of the Spirit his working Sect. 1. FRom this fountaine so opened as it is in the former Chapter two streames of positiue Diuinitie do flow to water the garden of God The first is this Doctr. 3. The Spirit of grace inspireth grace when hee pleaseth where he pleaseth That the worke of Regeneration proceedeth from the will and pleasure of God to be effected and wrought in what persons hee pleaseth at what time he pleaseth The winde hath this libertie from the Creator freely to spreade it selfe sometimes in one part of the aire somtimes in another And taketh not the Lord this prerogatiue royall to himselfe to infuse the breath of his owne grace sometimes in one sometimes in another as himselfe pleaseth We should attribute lesse libertie to the Lord then to the Winde if we should not yield to this In the old Testament did the Lord breathe thus For that l Ge. 5.24 Enoch m and 6.9 Noah n and 15.6 Abraham o Gen. 26. Isaac p c. 32.24 Iacob q Gen. 39 Ioseph and the rest of the Patriarkes in their ages and generations were culled out from the rest of mankinde to receiue the stamps of grace and to be made new Creatures whence was it but onely from the will of the Almightie Did not the Spirit blowe thus in the New Testament freely working sometimes vppon a r Mat 9.9 Mathew sometimes vppon a ſ Lu. 19.9 Zaccheus a t Lu 7.48 Mary Magdalen a u Ioh 1.41 42 Mat. 4.19 Peter an Andrew and a few beleeuing Iewes amongst such a multitude of Scribes and Pharises Publicans and sinners that liued in the dayes of our Sauiour And that hee did blowe vpon the heart of w Acts 9. Paul amongst so many persecutours whom hee might haue conuerted as well as him that he x Act. 16.14 opened the heart of Lydia amongst so many women whom hee might haue sanctified as well as shee that hee breathed grace into the soule of the y Acts 16 34. Iaylour amongst so many cruell tyrants whom hee might haue regenerated as well as he if his will had been such what doth all this note out vnto vs but the liberty which the great Creator Sauiour and Sanctifier of the Church hath to inspire grace in whom he listeth and pleaseth Very pregnāt to this purpose is that of Paul which he writes to his Corinths For speaking of the diuers gifts operations of the spirit he saith z 1 Cor. 12.11 Al these doth one the self-same Spirit worke diuiding to euery man as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason he willeth or pleaseh The ground of all which is this because Gods will towards his creatures is otherwise then his will toward himselfe The things which he willeth concerning himselfe doth he wil of necessity vt he doth wil his owne being glory necessarily though not with a constrained Quae Deus de seipso vult necessario vult necessitate naturae non coactionis Zanch. de Nat. Dei yet with a natural necessity his nature necessarily requiring that he should wil his owne essence glory but as for the things he willeth towards the creatures his will is not necessary but free .i. it is in his own pleasure either to will them or not to will them whether the gift be election justification or sanctification Now then the Lords will in willing the good of his creaturs being free either to wil or not to wil the same Regeneration or the gales of grace being one of those good things aswell as election justification redemption which he hath liberty thus to will it must needes be a truth that the wind of grace is at the Lords disposing to blowe with it sauingly vpon what sonnes and daughters of Adam he pleaseth Sect. 2. Vse 1. The consideration of which truth serueth first of all to lay flat on the ground all opinion of proper power and strength in any man to worke any grace in himselfe or so much as of him selfe to incline thereunto For if the Spirit breatheth where he listeth and the Lord onely sanctifieth whom hee pleaseth then no man be he neuer so mighty wise wealthy can haue the breath of grace in himselfe or breath after grace for himselfe or breathe grace into himselfe without the inspiration and operation of the holy-Ghost Alas how can that man moue spiritually to any thing that good is from any thing that euill is who is held hard vnder the bands and tyed fast with the cords of spirituall death which cannot be loosed vntill the Spirit doth spiritually enliue him How can hee see spiritually the secrets of the Lord whose vnderstanding is wholly darkned and before the eyes of whose minde there are such thicke scales of ignorance drawne as can not be remoued vntill the Spirit doth enlighten him How can he elect and chuse the paths of life to walk in of his own free pleasure whose will is so spiritually peruerted that it cannot be reformed againe vntil the holy Ghost vndertaketh to rectifie it Now if neyther the minde of man can bring the least measure of illumination vnto it selfe nor the will of man the least part of reformation to it selfe what
vpon all elect flesh that hee would bee pleased as freely to worke graciously in him if it be his will as he did in thy selfe at thy first conuersision This is that which the Lord would haue thee doe neyther is hee any niggard of his grace vnto those whom-to he hath purposed it from all eternitie Hee is not like man men when they haue done something for others they can not endure that the receiuers should become beggers of the like kindnesse for others but they would haue them satisfied with that which they themselues haue receiued and let crauing for others alone But it is farre otherwise with the Lord it is his delight when they that haue beene blowne vppon freely with his grace will become petitioners to the throne of grace for others as wel as for themselues and chiefly for those whom they haue neerest relation vnto It is that which he is pleased withall when the sanctified husband prayeth for the vnsanctified wife when the beleeuing wife sueth for the vnsanctified husband holy parents for vnholy childrē holy children for vnholy parents sanctified maister for vngodly seruants c. Thou therefore that hast any whit of heauens breath in thee do not onlie craue the encrease of grace in thy selfe which is thy duty too but also begge hard for the beginnings of grace in thy gracelesse brethren and seeing Gods grace is as free from himselfe to other elect vessels of mercy as to thee beseech thou the Lord to open the eyes of thine ignorant wife to soften the hart of thine impenitent husband to conuert the soule of thine vngracious childe to infuse grace into thy vnregenerate father mother brethren friends neighbours maister seruant whose hearts are as yet swolne with the breath of Satan and corruption And as the Apostle his hearts o Ro. 10.1 desire and prayer to God was that Israel might be saued So let it be thy hearts desire and prayer to God that they may bee sanctified and that with his spirituall p Cant. 4.16 North and South winde he would blowe vppon such dead Gardens and that hee would open the bottells and spout-pots of his holy Spirit to water such dry and barren grounds that those floures may spring vp there which haue their roote in Election and that the sweete spices of grace may flow out as freely from the holy Ghost to them as to thy selfe And these bee the two duties which the Saints haue to learne from hence First to prayse God for the graces which they themselues haue and to pray to God for the like graces on the behalfe of them that want them * The second branch of the vse of exhortation to the vnregenerate Secondly heere is a lesson for the vnregenerate who are altogether destitute of sound grace to learne and that is to giue all diligence to be effectually breathed vppon with this winde from heauen and with holy Dauid to q Psa 132 4.5 giue no sleepe to their eyes nor slumber to their eye-liddes vntill their hearts be a place for the God of Iacob to breathe in and their soules an habitation for the Ark of the Lords strength and the worke of the Lords Spirit to rest and dwel in For if Gods wil be the ground of his worke of sanctification in any creature then they that are still vnsanctified are bound to an incessant vse of those means which the Lord hath appoynted to serue this free will of his in the effecting of grace in their hearts and though we cannot effect any part of that blessed wotke in our selues nor so much as naturally wish or will it yet in asmuch as the Lord hath made no promise to regenerate but by the vse of meanes wee must vse that meanes if wee would be spiritually breathed vppon For that God who doth reueale his will of election by the worke of Iustification his will of iustification by the worke of Sanctification doeth also declare his wil of sanctification by the prescribing of helpes to bring vs to holinesse which helpes wee must diligently and carefully vse or else if the spirit neuer come to breathe vppon vs the fault will be our owne and our condemnation of our selues Howsoeuer still I say the worke of grace be the Lords so then I say the libertie which the Lord hath to infuse grace where he willeth vrgeth a necessity of following those rules which hee hath set vp for his Church to attaine vnto grace by which rules and helps what they are I will shew in order The first is a diligent attendance vnto the word of grace 1 Help to get grace hence it is that the word is called the r 2 Cor. 3 8. ministration of the Spirit We know that they which are left Executours to other mens wills they must take vp Letters of Administration by vertue of which they must enter vpon the goods of the deceased so they that would take vp that Legacie of Graces which Christ bequeathed to his Church in the promise of sending his Spirit must come to Gods Courts and there take vp the Letters of Administration by the meanes whereof they may take vp that portion of inheritance or grace which Christ hath left for them ſ Acts 1.2 When the Apostles were in an house at Ierusalem where they heard a sound like the rushing of a mighty winde then did the holy Ghost sit vpon them So when wee are in the house of God to heare the found of his mighty voyce in the preaching of the Word may wee expect the breathing of his Spirit It was at the preaching of Peter that the holy Ghost fell vpon Cornelius and his houshold t Act. 10.44 It was at a Sermon of Paules when the Spirit opened the hart of Lydia u Acts 16 14 When Ananias instructed Paul the seales fell from his eyes and hee receiued spirituall sight w Acts 9.17 By the preaching of our Sauiour many of the Iewes came to beleeue on him with his word did hee cleanse the x Mark 1.42 Leper y Ma k 5.42 raise the dead z Mar. 10 52. open the eyes of the blinde a Mar 9.26 Chap. 5.8 cast diuels out of the possessed with them in the daies of his flesh and by the means of his holy word now published by his messengers doth hee cleanse with the water of grace our leprous soules quickening with the life of grace our dead hearts open with the light of grace our blinde minds and chase out with the blasts of grace those same euill spirits that doe haunt and possesse our soules Their case therefore cannot be sufficiently lamented nor enough bewailed who make no more reckoning of the Word then of a trifle or toy and who regard the sound of the Lords voyce in a powerfull Ministery no more then the creaking of a lifelesse doore the estate of such persons I say can not be pittied too much for alas poore soules by this
I intend to make of this Doctrine and that is for admonition to take heed that we doe not passe finall sentence against any man be his heart neuer so gracelesse his life neuer so godlesse For if the great God of heauen bloweth with his Spirit where he listeth and when hee listeth he may for aught wee know in his eternall Decree haue his time to inspire with the holy Ghost some of those that are most dissolute profane and licentious Wherefore for any man now the gift of particular Reuelation is ceased to passe finall iudgement against the foulest swearer beastliest rioter greediest miser profanest Saboth-breaker vncleannest adulterer c. is a thing not onely vnlawfull but also dangerous Obiect What then shall wee confound Christ and Belial shall we put no distinction betwixt the holy and profane shall wee make no differences amongest men Nothing more Answ The Lord we know denounceth a woe against them q Isa 5.20 23. that call euill good and good euill that put sowre for sweet and sweete for sowre and that iustifie the wicked By the fruits we come to know what the tree is if the fruits be gracelesse the person cannot be commended as gracious Neither is it any more vnlawfull to say a drunkard a blasphemer an oppressor c. is a childe of the diuell then to say a toade is a toade or a dogge a dogge yet for all this we cannot say that that person be he neuer so lewd shall finally be damned and is in a reprobate condition Indeed we may say of many a man he is in the state of condemnation for r Ioh. 3.18 he that beleeueth not saith Christ is condemned already but wee cannot say of any man hee is in the state of reprobation For all men by nature before conuersion are in the state of damnation but onely some of them are in the state of reprobation whom in his eternall Decree the Lord hath purposed to cast away for euermore and wee can not say that hee which is now gracelesse shall liue and die gracelesse therfore let vs take heed of passing a determinate sentence against any man considering that that God which sanctifieth freely as his wil is of a Saul to day can make a Paul to morrow of a persecutor to day can make a Preacher to morrow of a Leper to day can make a cleane person to morrow c. if it bee his heauenly pleasure so to doe And so an end of this poynt the profit whereof I wish to thy soule whosoeuer thou art that readest the same CHAP. VI. The second Doctrine from the first Part of the Text touching the inuincible force of the breath of the Spirit Sect. 1. Doctr. 4. The work of sauing grace is vnconquerable THe second poynt cometh next to hand which may be propounded in these tearmes That nothing can hinder the Lord from inspiring with his Spirit that person whom hee hath decreed sanctifying grace vnto when the time is come wherein hee hath a purpose to regenerate him Si ventum nemo cohibet quin quo vult feratur quaento magis spiritus operationeÌ„ nulla natura leges nulli corporeae generationis sines nulla alia huiusmodi vis possunt cohibere saith Chrysostome in Ioh. hom 26. The Winde bloweth as it listeth and who can hinder it what mortall man can let it When it floweth from the North South-ward from the South North-ward when it bloweth from East to West from West to East what mortall power can cause it to cease What humane authoritie can command it to turne into a contrary corner Euen so when the gales of grace beginne to blowe vpon this man that woman in the worke of regeneration no power of man can totally frustrate no malice of hell can vtterly make void this worke of the Spirit Howbeit the cursed spite of Satan and the corrupted will of man haue a kinde of power to resist yet they haue no might to ouercome the Lord or ouerthrow the efficacie of his grace so as to make him cease whether hee will or no from regenerating the creature Let this be taken for a trueth from the Lord his owne mouth Å¿ Ezec. 36 27 I will put my Spirit into you and will make you to walke in my statutes marke it well I will Now if the Lord willeth if the Lord doth any thing who can frustrate his will who can hinder his worke t Zanch. 2. col 146. Deo autem aliquid volente faciente quis ne illud â—at impedire potest Wherewith accordeth that of the Apostle Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his will And our Sauiour Christ speaking of his sheepe who feed and abide vpon the Plaines where the wind of grace hath a strong gust sayth thus u Ioh. 10.29 No man is able to plucke them out of my hands Now when grace is wrought in our hearts then may we be said to be put into Christ his hands and if nothing can plucke a Christian out of Christ his hands * Domino volenti saluum faecere nullum humanum resistit arbitrium August de Cor. et Gra. cap. 14. Obiect Luke 13.34 nothing can plucke grace out of a Christians heart or hinder grace when the Lord breatheth thereinto But against this truth perhaps will som obiect that exclamation of Christ against Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thee together as a hen gathers her chickens vnder her wings and ye WOVLD NOT. From which words happely they will shape an exception thus The wil of the people of Ierusalem did so strongly resist the will of Christ that hee could not conuert them as his will was therefore the worke of grace which GOD willeth to a soule may altogether bee frustrate and made of none effect and so that can be no good diuinity which hath now beene deliuered Amsw To this I answer by a dinstinction The will of God is two-fold first absolute and concealed secondly manifest and reuealed His absolute concealed will whereby he doth whatsoeuer he pleaseth cannot be resisted but his manifest and reuealed will layd open in his word and by his Ministers that hath beene is and will bee resisted which latter is meant in that place for this is that which Christ giueth them to vnderstand that he had opened his reuealed will vnto them partly by his owne teaching partly by the preaching of his Disciples and they despised it abused it would not be conuerted by it and not that his absolute will was to conuert them but that the corrupt resistance of their vnregenerate will did altogether nullifie and make voyde the same and therefore whosoeuer shall obiect that place against this poynt doeth wrest that Scripture and wrong this truth that The work of Regeneration is inuincible vnconquerable Sect. 2. Vse 1. Terror to those that oppose grace in others This poynt cannot be more fitly applied in the first place
thee as to worke thee to a reformation of thine open lewdnesse and profanenesse 2. The ciuill persons selfe-conceit confuted And now ridding my hands of the profane person I come to encounter with the ciuill whom I feare I shall finde as strongly wedded to his owne fancy as the former The Goliah of whose selfe conceit of hauing grace if I may but beate to the ground with this stone this doctrine I should think my self happy in my slinging and prosperous in confuting And the more happy too because I know that it is easier to conuince a profane and notorious rebell against the God of heauen then to remooue a ciuill Iusticiarian from an high opinion of himselfe if he be once settled vpon the lees of his owne supposed righteousnesse Well then in hope of some successe from the Lord I will heaue at this mountayne of his conceit as the Lord shall giue me helpe and the poynt yeelde me leaue Heare him thus vanting of himselfe I pay tithe of all that I doe possesse I neuer beguiled any man the value of a groate I haue euer beene faithfull in my promises iust in my proceedings with men a louer of my Church no drunkeard no swearer no whoremaister no thiefe c. so that if the proud e Lu. 18.11 Pharisie and he were standing together in the temple you could not tell which were the greatest boaster and what conclusion draweth hee from hence thinke you that Grace must needes be his inheritance the Spirit must needes bee his portion as though Father Sonne and holy Ghost were all pinned to his sleeue and whosoeuer should say that hee were not bad and that the subtile serpent the diuell and thine owne cousening heart doe nothing else but play the sophisticating impostors and deceiuers with thee when they would make thee beleeue that thou art spiritually graced with inward sanctity because thou art restrayningly endued with outward ciuility Shall I close a little with thee and like S. Iames in the case of faith deale with thee in this case of grace f Iac. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes sayth he So say I shew me the breathing of sound grace in thee by the sense and feeling it effecteth in the faculties of the soule For where the Spirit of grace is there is a feeling of the worke of it sometimes afflicting thy heart with a sorrow for thy falls sometimes affecting thy spirituall appetite with a vehement longing after the merits of Christ Iesus sometimes affecting thy taste with the sweetnes of Gods goodnesse sometimes working thee to tremble as Habakkuk g Haba 3.16 did When the Lawe through the eare of the vnderstanding conueieth the terrible sounds of iudgement to the affections sometimes causing thee to reioice when the Gospel bringeth the sweete Songs of saluation to the soule sometimes feelingly stirring thee vp to be zealous in the wayes of godlinesse to be iealous of the baites to wickednesse that are layd in thy way when the word of spirituall exhortation admonition and counsell doth conuey the sound of Gods Precepts and Commaundements to thy vnderstanding eyther by meanes of those Sermons which thou hearest those bookes which thou readest or that conference which thou hast with the seruants of GOD This kind of sense and feeling shouldst thou haue besides the hard and sharp conflicts with doubting coldnesse worldlinesse which I haue spoken of before if euer the Spirit hath effectually breathed vpon thee Chap. 3. pag. 39. Now answer me hast thou this sense and feeling Thou hast not neither canst haue so long as thou art but meerly ciuill For howsoeuer with profane ones thou mayest haue good motions now and then and with hypocrites mayest haue certaine flashes the vanity wherof I shall discouer by and by yet with true Christians thou hast no portion of true sauing sense and feeling and if no spirituall sense no grace For where grace is there is life as hath beene shewed and if life then sense as well as motion and action But if thou wilt not be born downe but that thou hast spirituall life and sense then I must entreat thee to proue that those fruits of righteousnesse which thou so much braggest of are grounded vpon a sound knowledge of the needefulnes of them and vpon an hearty desire of honoring God by them and that they are ioyned also with a conscionable care of yielding obedience to that which the Lord requireth in the Lawes of the first Table as well as in those of the second Table because that GOD which commaundeth the one doth enioyne the other also but this I am sure thou canst not prooue Thou art a good Church-keeper because thou wouldest keepe out of the Court though neyther Court nor Counsell can preuaile with some thou keepst thy word because thou wouldst keepe thy credit thou liuest quietly with thy neighbours because thou thinkest it is good sleeping in a safe skinne and otherwise thou mightest be hated and counted a troublesome fellow thou fliest Stewes Tauernes and the like places more to saue thy body from diseases thy estate from consuming thy name from stinking then for any thing else these by-respects and sinister considerations rather sway thee in thy courses then the things which should sway thee Thou liuest ciuilly and not so notoriously as the lewder sort doe for these carnall respects rather then because thou feelest the Spirit of God preparing thy will to yielde obedience vnto Gods Commaundement sounding in the Word against open rebellion and calling for outward reformation Stop vp thy mouth then thou ciuill person and blush thou to say that thou art truely gracious doe not thinke that thou hast receiued any more of the spirit then an vnregenerate person may possibly haue For for all thy ciuill honesty thou art with h Act. 8.23 Symon Magus in the bond of iniquity vntill in some degree or other thou comest to feele grace worke in thee through the good meanes which thou enioyest either to thy sound humiliation solide consolation zealous reformation for conscience sake abstayning from euill and carefull confirmation for conscience sake inuring thy selfe to that which is good obeying heartily readily cheerefully sincerely that which is commanded by God as well in the first Table in hearing reading meditation conference prayer with thy family houshold instruction c. as in the second Table in liuing quietly dealing equally carrying thy self ciuilly towards thy neighbour By this time I might haue done confuting 3. Hypocrites deceiue thēselues but that hypocrites and hollow-hearted professours stand in our way whom I am now to grapple withall and why grapple with them because they do not onely intrude themselues into the cōpany of true Saints but also lay claime without any right to that very same possession of sauing grace which is onely peculiar to the Saints For because hauing a promptnesse of capacity a steady memory to conceiue and to keepe the things which they heare or
there is a purified soule for doe wee thinke that so pure a guest as the blessed Spirit is will come and take vp the lodging in a man or woman and not cast out the vncleane and impure spirits that he findes there at his comming It is not possible where that commeth and abideth the blinde diuell must out the proude deuill must out the impenitent out malicious out couetous out and all the Lucifers and Beelzebubs must auoyde the roome which he enters into and giue way vnto his purifying blasts Can the mists of ignorance the puddle of concupiscence and that foule legion of lusts which fight against the soule remaine vndispelled vndried vp vndriuen away where this winde bloweth No no when grace commeth light commeth and it cannot but giue light purity commeth and it cannot but cleanse fire commeth and it cannot but consume and burne vp our corruptions It pittieth my heart to think how people liue in their old sins and wallow in that same polluted bloud which they drew from their fathers which were Amorites from their mothers which were Hittites I meane from persons stayned with the guilt of Adams treason whom they imitate and follow also in the trade of transgression without the least part of mortification voyde of the meanest measure of Sanctification and yet thinke themselues to haue a share in the worke of Regeneration whose eyes I pray God open to see this delusion A needful caueat I do not speake of such a purging as is euery way perfect in this life as if none were breathed vpon by the Spirit but those that are purged fully from al reliques of ignorance rebellion corruption for then none should bee Saints but those that are in heauen For howsoeuer this worke be perfect in regard of the workeman the Spirit neuer doing any thing imperfectly yet in regard of the persons in whom it is wrought it is imperfect because mingled with corruption neither dare I say that those are in no degree purified that are not in the same degree purified with others but this I dare boldly affirme that that person who hath attained to no measure of this purging yea not to so much of it as doth cause him to long for and striue after the perfection of it the Spirit of grace hath not breathed vppon his soule Though the best exercised wits can but know in part the most faithfull heart but beleeue in part the most penitent soule but repent in part the most mortified and sanctified person but loue God godly men godlinesse in part desire Gods glory in part and but imperfectly set his heart vpon the best things yet he that hath no part of sauing knowledge no measure of sound faith no degrees of godly sorrow spirituall loue heauenly ioy holy desires he hath receiued no part of the Spirit and though happely he may haue some of the common gifts of the Spirit yet no portion hath hee of the regenerating breath of grace vntill the scales of ignorance the crustinesse of conscience the mire of concupiscence be driuen away and dried vp in some measure or other to the making of him a purified creature take this for the first note Secondly Signe 2. it is the property of the Winde to make the earth fruitfull for we see by experience when it cometh from the South it doth ordinarily bring raine with it which watreth the ground and causeth the grasse plants and graine to spring vp and bring forth fruit in their kinde euen so the Spirit of grace is very fructiferous and wheresoeuer it breatheth much fruit of holines righteousnes is brought forth neither indeed can the man who is endued with it be altogether barren of good workes inasmuch as wheresoeuer the Spirit is there is faith and faith sheweth it selfe by workes Hang a wet peece of linnen abroade in the ayre and the faster the winde dryeth it the whiter it will appeare and the more the Spirit drieth vp the spirituall moisture of filthinesse in the soule the more white and shining will the life be in holy fruits and in a blamelesse and vnrebukeable walking The y Ge. 5.22 vprightnesse of Enoch the z 2. Sam. 15.28 holinesse of Dauid the a Iob 1 21 patience of Iob the b Exo. 15.24.25 meeknesse of Moses the c Lu. 19.8 iustice of Zaccheus the d Act. 10.2 almes and deuotions of Cornelius the e Cap. 9.36 good workes of Dorcas and the diligence of the Apostles what doe all these shew but that when Grace is sowne in the heart holy and righteous fruits wil sprout vp and spread foorth in the life Wherefore wheresoeuer the fruites are like the vintage of Sodome vnsauoury vngodly and the workes the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse the heart must needes be empty of sauing grace And if any one be so vaine as to think a gracious heart and an vngodly life can stand together I referre him to the iudgement of that graue and diuine Apostle Galat. 5. where hee putteth a f Galat. 5.19.20.21.22.23 BVT a note of opposition betwixt adultery fornication lasciuiousnesse idolatry witchcraft variance drunkennesse reuellings c. which he calleth Workes of the flesh and betwixt Gentlenesse goodnesse fidelitie meeknesse peaceablenesse temperance c. which are workes of the Spirit Neuer flatter thy selfe then If thy conuersation be irreligious and thy carriage vnrighteous thou proclaimest a totall vacancie and absence of the regenerating Spirit the property whereof is to fructifie in an holy kinde wheresoeuer he bloweth that of Christ must needs be true g Iohn 15.5 Hee that abideth in me and I in him as euery regenerate one doth the same bringeth forth much fruit Thirdly 3 Sign of grace it is the property of the winde to driue forward Let a shippe saile with the winde vpon the sea it speedeth the faster Let a bird in the aire flee with the winde her course is the swifter Let a man vpon the ground walke that way which the winde driueth and hee can tell what an help to hasten him forward it is so when the bark of our liues is sayling towards heauen with the sail of good workes which is the place whither the spirit driueth this same winde of heauen will speed this barke of ours forward swiftly it will put life into our actions insomuch that whatsoeuer good duty we take in hand wee shall go about the same cheerfully and willingly being ready to euery good work of piety towards God of charity towards our brethren Hence it is that the Psalmist adjoyneth this Epithet h Ps 51.12 Vphould me with thy free spirit free to the spirit of God and wee vse to say in our vulgar Prouerb of him that is nimble actiue and full of metall He is all spirit When this winde of grace had breath'd vpon the Macedonians it made them so forward to minister to the poor Saints that as the Apostle testifieth of them i 2 Cor.
haue compell'd the Lord to deal thus with them will hee nill hee then though they should bee vngratefull they were the more to bee borne withall but seeing the Lords free will was the chiefest motiue and his meer loue the mainest reason to induce him thus to breathe vpon them now to cut him short of his praises not to render or at least endeauour to render due thanks vnto his Majesty it is a very hainous and intolerable offense not to be suffred not to be endured Wherefore thou that hast thy minde enlightened with the grace of illumination thy heart softened with godly contrition thy will brought into an Euangelicall subjection through the grace of mortification thy affections into a spirituall temper and frame through the work of sanctification thou that bringest forth the fruits of obedience plentifully cheerfully grieuing for and praying against the many slips thou takest and the spirituall sloth which is somtimes in thee thou that canst stop thy ear against the voice of temptation that canst speake to God by praier and supplication that canst speake to men in religious discourse refraining thy tongue from euill for conscience sake which is one fruit of pure religion thou I say that hast these euidences of the breathing of grace which I spake of before h chap. 3 Sect. 3. striue thou to haue thy heart lips and life enlarged opened and replenished with the praises of his holy Name And the more thou consider'st how freely these heauenly benefits come from himselfe without any merit yea notwithstanding so many demerits of thine own the more forward be thou to be telling of his louing kindnes from day to day the more zealous for his glory in his cause and the more rauished with the serious meditation of his singular bounty And oh consider he might haue left thee like a liue-lesse breathlesse creature as he hath many thousands but that his will and his loue did prouoke him to commiserate thy wofull condition If twenty or thirtie malefactours should be in one and the self same dungeon where they could neither haue the light of the Sunne to accheer them nor the benefit of the sweet air to refresh them and one or two of them amongst all the rest by the meanes of a friend a stranger to them should bee redeemed from that bondage set at liberty and brought forth to partake both of the light of the glistering Sun and the breath of the refreshing winde Oh how thankfull would these poor wretches bee to him that had procured them this liberty what orations narrations would they make of his kindnes and no seruice would they sticke at to doo him when-as hee should require it at their hands And the more readily also would they do this because they know it was his meer pleasure to redeeme them rather then any of the other whom he might haue made choice of as well as they and left them in the dungeon still Now thou that hast receiued grace wert once a prisoner to the diuell as well as the rest of Adams posterity and wert chained with spirituall fetters in the dungeon of sinne where thou hadst neither the Sunne of Righteousnesse to shine vpon thee nor the winde of grace to breathe into thee The Father of his owne free will sent his Sonne the Sonne came willingly himselfe with the holy Ghost to dissolue the workes of the diuell in thee to loosen the boltes of sinne for thee to bring thee out of that same hideous and stinking dungeon into the fresh aire with the sun-shine of grace to giue light to thee with the gales of grace to blow on thee when he might haue taken others and left thee a prisoner still Now was his loue so great to thee was his will such towards thee rather then towards others when as thou wert in the same condemnation with others Oh let this strike into thy heart and make so deep an impression in thy soule that it may neuer be forgotten that it may euer be remembred let it driue thee into such an extasie that vppon thy awaking thou mayest with holy Dauid and patient Iob who had experience of the like mercie breake out and say i Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou dost thus visit him k Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thy heart vppon him Lord what am I that thou shouldest thus set thine heart vpon me to visite mee with the blasts of thine heauenly graces and make my heart which was formerly a slie for vncleane diuells a lodging and temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in Lord this is loue without paralell this is mercie without comparison what seemed it good in thine eyes heauenly Father to turne me and blow mee towards the Kingdome of Heauen when being blowne forward with the blasts of that wicked spirit I was going running posting flying to the kingdome of darkenesse Needs must I lose my selfe in the admiration of this loue and with the Psalmist say l Psal 18.49 Because thou hast thus deliuered me from the hand of the violent therefore will I giue thanks vnto thee O Lord and sing praises vnto thy holy name Thus I say let the praises of God bee in thy mouth when the worke of his Spirit is in thy heart And this is the duety which thou that art a new creature in Christ art dayly to practise on thine owne behalfe 2 Carenes to beg grace for those that went it Againe as thou must thus be thankfull for what thou thy selfe hast thus freely receiued so thou must be a suter vnto Gods maiesty for the like mercie on the behalfe of those that want it for thou knowest that they are no more able to work this grace in themselues then thou thy selfe wert when thou wert in the same state with them and thou vnderstandest by this doctrine that it commeth from God alone and the Philosophers axiome is true m Aristot de causis res recipiunt bonitatem in fluxam a prima causa Things receiue their goodnes from the first cause of that goodnesse And the soule that is empty of grace must receiue her preordained fulnesse of grace from the Lord the first cause and fountaine of grace and from that fountaine must thy prayers bee as a pitcher to fetch grace for thy brother so farre foorth as precedent election maketh a possibility of speeding A caution Mis-take mee not I speake not this as though I were of opinion that the merit of thy prayers could deserue grace at Gods hands for thy elect brother but I only shew thee what the consideration of the freedome of Gods pleasure in breathing grace into his Church ought to stirre thee vp vnto and what loue and pitty to thy vnregenerate brothers poore soule ought to moue thee vnto viz. to beseech God who n Act. 2.17 poureth his Spirit
burthen of sin wherewithall it findeth it self loaden secondly of the want and excellency of grace whereof it seeth it selfe destitute and void for wherefore should the will and desires encline to those spirituall motions to leaue that which is euill and to cleaue to that which is good but because it hath a sense of the vglinesse and burthen of the one of the want and beauty of the other The former feeling Dauid had r Ps 38.4 My sins haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp and are as an heauie burthen too heauie for mee The later the woman of Samaria had when she sayd Å¿ Ioh. 4.15 Lord giue me of this water this is excellent water indeede I neuer dranke of such water Secondly when working grace breatheth an actuall change in the soule the soule feeleth how miserable a thing it is to be out of Christ how sweet a thing it is to be in Christ how hard a thing it is to learne the way of obedience and how good a thing to haue an heart enlarged to keepe Gods Commandements how weake a man is of himselfe to shake off vnbeliefe distrust security to resist euill and what a blessed thing it is to be set free from the slauery of his lusts and from the bondage of those slauish terrors of hell and torment which hee was wont to be troubled withall Some such feeling as this is doth I say accompany working grace Thirdly when coworking grace breatheth there is a sense and experience of Gods hand holding him vp in the time of temptation preseruing him mightily against dangerous falls strengthening him graciously to exercise the fruits of mortification and sanctification raysing him vp when temptation hath foyled him whereupon he feeleth in the second place his loue to be encreased his zeale to be enflamed his edge to goe on in a righteous course to be sharpned as knowing the Lord is euer at hand ready to helpe and assist him and whatsoeuer it be that is a quench-cole to his zeale a cooler to his loue a blunting to his edge he is very sensible of it The Apostle Paul would neuer haue broken out into this speech and left it vpon record in his owne writings Through Christ I am able to doe all things and t 2. Tim. 4 17 the Lord strengthened mee if hee had not had a gracious sense and experience of Gods co-operating and corroborating grace strengthening him in the performance of the generall duties of Christianity and the weighty work of his Ministery Lastly when perfecting grace doth its office hee hath a taste and sight of the vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue assuring his conscience that the Lord will perfect the good worke which hee hath begunne in him Neither is hee vnsensible of those rubbes which hinder perseuerance and hee feeleth many bitter conflicts with temptations telling him that he shall not perseuere which when he ouercometh he reioyceth heartily and perswadeth himselfe assuredly that nothing shall plucke him from his Sauiour Christ Iesus For thus he reasoneth and this sound doth the winde of grace make in his soule Because the Lord hath giuen me a constant will and an earnest desire to stand in the grace whereunto by iustifying faith I had accesse Rom. 5.1 therefore Gods loue will neuer faile mee Such a sound and sense no doubt the Apostle heard and had when he broke out into this speech u Rom 8.38.39 I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And thus it is cleere what this sense and feeling is which the holy Ghost effecteth in the regenerate soule when it bloweth and worketh effectually in the same Sect. 3. How this sense is wrought The third circumstance in the Doctrine cometh now to be considered of viz. how or by what meanes this sense and sound is wrought and made This will be as manifest as the former if we doe but consider how the sound and noise of the winde commeth to be heard and compare our present matter in hand with that How the sound of the winde comes to be heard by man The winde bloweth in the ayre and maketh a noyse there the aire bringeth the noyse so made in it selfe to the eare the eare hauing by the curious skill of the great Workemaister an Hammer and an Anuile as it were in it selfe conueyeth that sound vnto the brayne where the originall and seate of the sense of hearing is and by this meanes the sound is heard by the creature The comparison Euen so the Spirit of grace breatheth the minde and voyce of God into the writings of the Old and New Testaments for al Scripture is giuen by inspiration w 2 Tim. 3.16 The holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost x 2 Pet. 2.21 The Scriptures being truely opened and wisely applyed by Gods Embassadours and Ministers bring this minde and voice of God to the eare of the vnderstanding the vnderstanding by the operation she durst be bold to challenge Christ with his promise of easing loaden sinners and of satisfying Desires hunger longing after righteousnes After this there is a certaine whispering noyse heard as it were afarre off that there is a possibilitie of pardon for thee as well as for an other which sound at the first seemeth very doubtfull Therfore faith still hearkning to the sound that the Spirit bringeth to the vnderstanding through the ayre of the gospel commeth by degrees after many sharpe conflicts which it findeth in it selfe to heare a voyce much like that of our Sauiours to the man sicke of the palsey a Mat. 9.2 Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Or to the womans that cam to him in the Phases house b Lu. 7.50 Thy faith hath saued thee Vpon which the Gospel still doing its office in informing the iudgement The Spirit of God witnesseth with our spirit that we are the children of God c Ro. 8.16 Vppon this also ioy beginnneth to haue a kinde of spirituall life and feeling in it selfe and there is a great rauishment in the soule and an admiration at the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God to so wretched a creature as I was and it can not containe it selfe but it must burst it selfe foorth with the Song of the Church d Cant. 1.2 Thy loues are better then wine With this ioy next in order loue which is another of the affections apprehends that same sweete sound and she falls to bethink how or which way shee may shew herselfe thankefull for so great kindnesse then the soule burneth with the fire of zeale and wrastleth the Gospel and word of grace stil directing it with euery thing that may bee an hinderance of obedience to the
is not heard by all alike that doe heare it why wilt thou measure another mans hearing by thine owne eare another mans graces by thine owne feeling Is there not diuersitie of gifts and are there not different degrees in feeling If thou bee a Christian thou darest not deny it If then that grace or those graces which thou hast be wrought in thy brother whether the measure of his feeling bee the same with thine yea or no take heed that thou doest not entertayne such hard vncharitable conceits of him If the fruits of the Spirit speake for him doe not thou speake against him though the sense which doth accompany the worke of mortification and goeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The words apart interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of the words must first bee enquired into But canst not tell In the Originall this phrase is thus set down Thou knowest not Now to bring-in the diuers acceptions and sundry significations that this word Know hath in the Scriptures were but needelesly to spend Time and fill Paper in this Text. This negatiue Thou knowest not or Canst not tell is asmuch as the affirmatiue Thou art ignorant Whence it commeth there is some little difficulty in this little word IT whether it be to be referred to Winde Quest Answ or Sound And it may easily be answered that it hath relation vnto Winde rather then Sound and the reason is this because Nicodemus could not but know euen by meere hearing whence the sound of the Winde came viz. from the Winde though by meere hearing hee could not tell what corner the Winde it selfe comes from So that this phrase Whence IT commeth may be turned thus Whence that Winde cometh yea Obiect but will some obiect and say The cause of the Winde may bee knowne and a man may easily vnderstand whence it commeth both in respect of the supernaturall cause of it and naturall Is not the supernaturall cause of it God himselfe The sayings of Moses declare as much h Exd. 11.13 The LORD brought an East winde vpon the Land all that day and all that night and in the nineteenth verse of the same chapter IEHOVAH turned a mighty strong west winde which tooke away the locusts and cast them into the red Sea And in another place he saith i Num. 11 13. There went forth a winde from the LORD and brought Quailes from the Sea And by the Prophet Amos k Amos 4.17 GOD is called the Creator of the windes Secondly as for the naturall cause of the winde it is knowne to be a cold cloud meeting in the middle region of the aire with such vapours as arise from the earth according to that of the Psalmist l Psal 135 7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth hee bringeth the winde out of his treasuries that is out of the Caues and hidden places of the earth where the Lord holdeth the windes as in a storehouse to bring them forth thence according to his pleasure So that thus I say it may be knowne whence the winde commeth True Why then doeth Christ heere charge Nicodemus with such ignorance that hee did not know whence the winde came Was he a Doctor in Israel and had hee neither Philosophie to know the naturall cause of the winde nor Diuinitie to know the supernaturall To this I answer Answer to this obiection that the words are not to be vnderstood of Nicodemus his ignorance in the cause of the winde and whence it ariseth as from the supernaturall and naturall originall of it but of his ignorance about the particular place angle and corner whence this winde or that winde commeth implying that hee could not know whether it came from East or West or North or South onely by hearing the sound of it and so are the words to bee vnderstood Nor whither it goeth that is Nor into what corner it will turne how strongly or how long it will blowe what a measure of sound it wil rise to ere it ceaseth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit This at the first sight seems to be a strange speech being so to be applyed as it is I meane to the immediate fore-going sentence Canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth For what Doubt can wee not know whence the Spirit of regeneration commeth or what it worketh Doth not the Scripture tell vs that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father the Sonne and that m Iac. 1.17 euery good and perfect gift cometh downe from the Father of Lights and that the fruits of the Spirit and the effects which it produceth are n Galat. 5 22.23 loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes c. Yes why then is it said heere that it is with the operation of the Spirit in the regenerate as it is with the winde in the ayre not to be knowne whence it cometh and whither it goeth I answer Solution This phrase is heere vsed not to signifie vnto vs that the wayes of spirituall men are vnknowne to those that where it will cease or how it will cease how strong it will be how long it will blowe before it will fall So is it with the blowings of grace in the regenerate sometimes thogh they feele the Spirit working in them they cannot distinctly and directly tell whether the Spirit be the Author of it yea or no and when they doe know whence it cometh and can tell that the Spirit is the originall of it they can not tell what measure of it they shall receiue From the words thus cōmented vppon two poynts of Doctrine do arise .i. that the Spirit is somtimes felt working and yet is not discerned to bee the Spirit secondly That the measure of a Christians graces is incomprehensible CHAP. XIII The first proposition handled out of the last part of the Text. Sect. 1. Doctr. 9. THe former of these wanteth not proofe For that the Spirit is somtimes felt working by the regenerate in themselues and yet is no more knowne by them whence that worke commeth then the winde by the bare sound of it can be knowne from what particular corner whether East or West c. it cometh is as cleare a case in Diuinitie as can be It was the Spirit no doubt that mooued Nicodemus to come to Christ and it is very likely that hee heard a certayne secret sound within him telling him that Christ was an extraordinary teacher sent from God and that bade him come to Christ for instruction yet Nicodemus did not know that this motion came from the Spirit of God For if he had he would neuer haue wondered so much as hee did at the speech of Christ when hee discoursed with him of the working of the Spirit in the hearts of the regenerate Paul also whose Story Saint Luke mentioneth o Acts 9. Compare the 3 4