mover the Spirit leaves not us till wee leave the Spirit When the Spirit suggests good motions turne them presently into holy resolutions Is this my duty and that which tends to my comfort certainely I will doe it Let not these motions dye in us How many holy motions are kindled in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments c. which dye as soone as they are kindled for want of resolution therefore let us not give over till these motions be turned into purposes and those good purposes ripened to holy actions that they be not nipped in the blossome but may bring forth perfect fruit Let us labour to improve these talents to the end for which they are sent are they motions of comfort let us use them for comfort are they motions tending to duty let us make conscience to doe our duty let not our despairing hearts crosse the Spirit in his comforts nor stand out stubbornely as enemies against our duty for that is to crosse God and to nip his motions in the bud Let the Spirit have full scope both in the ordinances and in the motions stirred up by the ordinances this is the way to make the ordinances and the times glorious but the liberties of the Gospell are contrary to the liberties of the flesh it turneth all things upside downe and men out of themselves Hence is it that there is nothing so much opposed by the spirit of the world as the purity and power of the Gospel which is a sufficient prejudice of an ill condition that all such men are in But there is another spirit in gracious men they are the children of light and love it If wee would not grieve the Spirit we must be willing to bring our selves under all advantages of the Spirits working as conversing with those that are spirituall and especially attending on those ordinances wherein the Spirit breatheth wherein we may meet the Spirit The walkes of Gods Spirit are in the meanes of salvation hearing the Word preached and holy communion one with another the Word Spirit go together therefore if we will have the comforts of the Spirit we must attend upon the Word Men grieve the Spirit by neglecting the Word and holy conference c. It is with the Word and Spirit as with the veynes and arteries the veynes have arteries that as the veyns carry the bloud the arteries carry the spirits to quicken the bloud The Word is dead without the Spirit and therefore attend on the Word and then wait on the Spirit to quicken the Word that both Word and Spirit may guide us to life everlasting Motions of this kinde come from the Spirit as it is said of old Simeon that he came by the motion of the Spirit into the Temple Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day our Manna fals most then Christs Spirit and Word dwell together in the heart therefore the Apostle useth the dwelling of Christ in us and the Word indefinitely Faith wrought by the Word layes hold upon Christ and brings him into the soule and keepes him there It is a blessed thing when the Spiâ—it in the ordinance and the Spirit in our hearts meet together this is the way to feed and cherish the Spirit in us and to put oyle as it were into the Lampe because the Spirit as it is in us is thus nourished even as the fire though in its own element feedeth upon nothing yet with us here below it is maintained with fuell otherwise dyeth and goeth out Take heed of slighting any helpe of faith that God affords us as wicked Achaz GOD offered him for the strengthening of his faith a signe from heaven or from earth or any other creature oh no he would not tempt God hee seemed a pious man hee would not tempt God but what saith the Prophet Is it little for you to despise mee but you will grieve God insinuating that when we despise those helpes God hath given we grieve the Spirit of God Those that neglect the Word and Sacrament what doe they despise a poore Minister and neglect bread and wine no they despise God himselfe who knowes better then our selves what need wee have of these helpes Againe when we finde the Spirit not assisting and comforting as in former 〈◊〉 it is fit to search the cause which we shall finde some slighting of holy motions or the meanes of breeding of them or yeelding to some corruption which we are more especially addicted unto or some sinne unrepented of which we take no notice of It is good therefore to search our soules to the bottome there may be some hidden corruption lying in the soule which may undermine our grace comfort there may be a privy thiefe that robs us of all And besides beloved and secret sinnes it is good to bethinke our selves of old sinnes which perhaps hitherto wee have but outwardly thought of and God is willing by some deadnesse and trouble of spirit to minde us of renewing of sorrow for them for want of strict accounting with our selves God cals us to these arrerages and backe reckonings as we see in Iosephs Brethren If we finde not that sweetnesse of communion with the Spirit that formerly we enjoyed bethink our selves when and wherein we lost it that we may meet the Spirit againe in these waies wherein we found him before we lost him and take heed of those courses in the entrance of which we found the Spirit leaving us Againe take heed of little sinnes which we count lesser sinnes perhaps than God doth We weigh sinne in our owne ballance and not in his whereas no sinne is to be accounted little for if it were once set upon the conscience and the wrath opened due unto it It would take all comfort from us And therefore we must judge of sinne as the Spirit doth if we would not grieve the Spirit as the communion of the Spirit is of all the sweetest so the preserving of it requires most exact watchfulnesse and through understanding of our selves Take heed of the beginning of sin when any lust ariseth pray it downe presently say nay to it let it have no consent be presently humbled otherwise we are indangered by yeelding to grieve by grieving to resist by resisting to quench by quenching maliciously to oppose the Spirit sin hath no bounds but those which the Spirit puts whom therfore we should not grieve And let us look to the head and spring of sinnes whereby we grieve the Spirit of God not to the sinne so much as to the root Wee are angry with our selves for being passionate but what is the cause of passion It comes from pride Ionas was a passionate man in that measure that he was passionate he was proud he was loth to be shamed when he had said Niniveh shall bee destroyed he thought upon the sparing of them he should be discredited and he preferred his credit before the destruction of a populous Citie So
there is much depraving and detraction in the world and therupon brawles and breaches What is the cause a spirit of envy and oft times a spirit of pride So men runne into the danger of others by wronging them what is the cause worldlinesse base earthly-mindednesse Men thinke not of the root of sinne but dwell upon the act done we should be led from the remote streames to the Spring and sourse of all and bewayle that especially This care will be helped by spirituall wisedome whereby we may discerne both wherein we have grieved the Spirit and wherein for the time to come we may We cannot maintaine friendship in perfect and sweet termes with any whose disposition we know not what will please or displease them therefore we should study the nature and delight of the Spirit and wherein we are prone both to forget our selves and the Spirit We esteeme not much the friendship of those who are so much friends to themselves as they passe not much whether friends be contented or discontented The Spirit dwels most largely in that heart that hath emptied it selfe of it selfe the Israelites felt not the sweetnesse of Manna till they had spent their flesh pots and other provision of Egypt The nature of Gods Spirit is holy as it is holy so delighteth onely in holy Temples those therefore that set up any Idoll of jealousie in their soules against God that do not preserve their vessels in holinesse cannot thinke of any communion with the Spirit The Spirit is jealous of our affections and will have nothing set up in the heart above God though the Spirit stoopes to dwell in us yet we must not forget the respect due to so great a Superiour but reverently entertaine what ever comes from him Reverence and obedience is the carriage due to a superiour and where this distance is not kept a breach will follow We should reverence our selves for the spirits sake and thinke our selves too good for any base lust to lodge in that heart that the Spirit hath taken for it selfe should turne off all contrary motions with abhomination what should pride and envy and passion doe in an heart consecrated to the spirit of meeknesse and holinesse Vpon any breach wee must first looke by renewing repentance and faith in Christ to renew our peace with God before wee can expect the grace and comfort of the Spirit For as the Spirit commeth from the Father and the Sonne and is procured by the death and satisfaction of the Son to the Father without which we could never have expected the gift of the Spirit so still we must have an eye to this satisfaction by Christ and reconciliation through it before we can recover communion with the Spirit as being the best fruit of the love of God reconciled through Christ We see David in the 51. Psalme first importunes God for mercy againe and againe and then for the Spirit and for the joy of salvation And take heed that nothing come in nor goe out of our soules that may grieve the Spirit of God some things come in to us that grieve the Spirit the corruptions wee receive from others some things come out of our hearts that grieves Gods Spirit as corrupt thoughts speeches that indeed is the scope of this place Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouthes c. and then follows And grieve not the holy Spirit of God And after againe he saith Let all bitternesse and wrath and clamour be laid aside insinuating that one way of grieving the Spirit is by ill and corrupt language We can never talke with company that is not spirituall but they will either vexe and grieve us or taint and defile us unlesse it be in such exigences of our calling as requires our converse with them But I speake of a voluntary choyce of such as savour not good things Many men to please their owne carnall spirits and the carnall spirits of others they vent that that is against conscience and against that that is higher then conscience a more divine principle the holy Spirit of God loose carnall speakers are people voyd of the power of Religion Let no man say Here is ado indeed duty upon duty this will make our life troublesome The life of a Christian is an honourable a comfortable sweet life indeed it requires the most care and watchfulnesse of any life in the world being the best life it is begun here and accomplished in an everlasting life in heaven Nothing in this world neither our estates nor our favour with great persons can be preserved without watchfulnesse and shall we thinke to preserve the chiefe happinesse of our soules without it having so many enemies without and within that labour to draw us into a cursed condition Therefore to stirre us up to the practise of these duties that we may give contentment to so sweet a guest consider what reason we have to regard the Spirit and his motions from the good we have by them The holy Spirit of God is our guide who will displease his guide A sweet comfortable guide that leades us through the wildernesse of this world as the cloud before the Israelites by day and the pillar of fire by night so he conducts us to the heavenly Canaan if we grieve our guide we cause him to leave us to our selves The Israelites would not goe a steppe further then God by his Angell went before them It is in vaine for us to make toward heaven without our blessed guide we cannot doe nor speake nor thinke any thing that is holy and good without him whatsoever is holy and pious it growes not in our garden in our nature but it is planted by the Spirit There is nothing in the world so great and sweet a friend that will doe us so much good as the Spirit if we give him entertainment Indeed he must rule he will have the keyes delivered to him we must submit to his government And when he is in the heart he will subdue by little and little all high thoughts rebellious risings and despairing fears This shall be our happinesse in heaven when we shall be wholly spirituall that God shall be all in all wee shall be perfectly obedient to the Spirit in our understandings wils and affections The Spirit will then dwell largely in us and will make the roome where he dwelleth sweet and lightsome and free subduing whatsoever is contrary and bring fulnesse of peace and joy and comfort And in the meane time in what condition soever we are we shall have suteable helpe from the Spirit We are partly flesh and partly spirit God is not all in all the flesh hath a part in us we are often in afflictions and under clouds Let us therefore prize our fellowship with the Spirit For are we in darkenesse he is a Spirit of light Are we in deadnesse of spirit he is a Spirit of life Are we in a disconsolate estate
said to helpe God curse ye Meroz because they came not to helpe the Lord c. God stoopes to be helped by us and to have his truth and power and goodnesse ratified and confirmed by us when we beleeve the promise of God in Christ though it be by the helpe of the Spirit we seale Gods truth And then God honoureth that sealing of ours by the sealing of his Spirit After you beleeved you were sealed saith the Apostle that is the gracious love of Christ was further confirmed to them GOD honours no grace so much as faith Why because it honours God most of all others it gives GOD the honour of his mercie and goodnesse and wisedome and power and of his truth especially he that beleeves in God by beleeving seales that God is true and God honours that soule againe by sealing it to the day of redemption God hath promised Those that honour me I will honour Therefore Hee that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe that grace promised belongeth to him for he carries in his heart the counterpaine of the promises he that confesseth and beleeveth shall have mercie I beleeve saith the soule therefore the promise belongs to me my faith answering Gods love in the promise witneseth so much to me The Spirit not onely revealeth Christ and the promises in generall but in attending upon the ordinances by an heavenly light the spirit discovers to us our interest in particular and saith to the soule God is thy salvation and inableth the soule to say I am Gods I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Whence came this voyce of Saint Paul It was the still voyce of the Spirit of God that together with the generall truth in the Gospell discovered in particular Christs love to him It is not a generall faith that will bring to heaven but there is a speciall worke of the Spirit in the use of meanes discovering and sealing the good will of God to us that he intends good unto us and thereupon our hearts are perswaded to beleeve in â—od and to love God as our God and Christ as our Christ This is excellently set downe in the sweet communion of marriage the Spirit is the paranymphâ—s the procurer of the marriage betweene Christ and the foule Now it is not sufficient to know that God and Christ beare good will to all beleevers though that be the ground and generall foundation of all and a great preparative to the speciall sealing of the Spirit but then the Spirit comes and saith Christ hath a speciall good will to me and stirres up in mee a liking to him againe to take him upon his owne conditions with conflict of corruptions with the scornes of the world c. Whereupon the mutuall marriage is made up betweene Christ and us this worke is the sealing of the Spirit Many are the privileges of a Christian from this his sealing as the use of a seale in mans affaires is manifold 1 Seales serve for confirmation and allowance to that purpose measurss are sealed God is said to seale instruction Iob 33. 16. Confirmation is either by giving strength or by the authority of such as are able to make good what they promise and also willing which they shew by putting to their seale which hath as much strength to confirme him to whom the promise is made as he hath will and power to make it good that hath ingaged himselfe Amongst men there is the writing and the seale to the writing when the seale is added to the writing there is a perfect ratification So there are abundance of gracious promises in the Scriptures now when the Spirit comes and seales them to the soule then they are sure to us the Spirit puts the seale to the promises 2 The use of it likewise is for distinction from others that carry not that mark So the sealing of the Spirit distinguisheth a Christian from all other men There is a distinction betweene men in Gods eternall purpose but that concerns not us to meddle with further then to know it in generall God knoweth who are his and who are not his but in time the holy Spirit distinguisheth and rankes men as they were distinguished before all worlds and as they shall be at the day of judgement the beginning of that distinction that shall bee afterward is in this life A seale maketh the impression of an Image the Princes Image useth to be in his seale so is Gods Image in his which destroyeth the old Image and print that was in us before Holy and good men by this worke of the Spirit are distinguished 1 From civill men by the worke of holinesse which meere civill men have not at all but despise And secondly from seeming good men by the depth of that worke the Spirit of God workes a new nature in them whereby they are distinguished Now nature in every creature is carried to one thing more then to another There is a distinct propension in a good man to God to grace and goodnesse his aymes and bent are distinct and thereupon he hath a greater inlargement of heart sutable to his great aymes hee looks above the world and worldly men they are narrow low base spirited men the best of them Againe things by nature worke from within Herein painted hypocrites are distinguished from a true substantial Christian he workes from a principle within another man is moved as the Automata things of motion Clockes and the like engines of wit that move from a weight without that poyseth them if they doe any good it is from somewhat without that swayeth their aymes and ends and not from an inward principle nature workes from an inward principle light things goe upward and heavie things downeward naturally artificiall things are forced Thus good men are distinguished from those that are seemingly holy there is a new nature wrought in them Againe nature is constant what is done naturally is done constantly heavie bodies goe alwayes downward and light bodies upward every creature works according to his nature an holy man is exercised in holinesse constantly because he doth it from an inward principle from a worke and stampe within Different things may seeme the same as wilde hearbs may have the colour and forme of those that are planted in the garden but there is difference in the vertue of them the seeming graces and actions of an hypocrite they have no vertue in them as there are some drugges without vertue dead things But there is a distinguishing vertue in the faith of a Christian wherby he overcomes the world and his lusts whereby he doth all duties prayes and heares and is fruitfull in his conversation in all his graces there is a coÌ„forting strengthening vertue True gold hath the vertue to comfort and strengthen the heatt that Alchymy gold hath not True grace hath a working comforting vertue Another mans formall artificiall actions have
security upon him by the work and witnesse of Gods Spirit Whatsoever the use is or can be of a seale in mans affaires that God will have us make use of in his heavenly intercourse betwixt him and us Whereby you are sealed Now there are divers degrees of the Spirits sealing 1 Faith Hee that beleeves hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Ioh. 5. 10. he carries in his heart the counterpane of all the promises This grace is first planted in the heart and answereth to Gods love and purpose towards us of giving eternall life the seale and first discovery of election is manifested to us in our beleeving Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved This beleeving is also a seale to us in that it is of those gifts that accompany salvation of which God never repents him by calling back againe it is a seed that abideth for ever 2 The worke of sanctifying grace upon the heart is a seale whom the spirit sanctifieth hee saveth The Lord knoweth who are his but how shall we know it By this seale Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie not onely in heart and affection but in conversation and that shall bee a seale of his Sonneship to him none are children of God by adoption but those that are children also by regeneration none are heires of heaven but they are new-borne to it Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us a new to an inheritance immortall c. This seale of sanctification leaves upon the soule the likenesse of Iesus Christ even grace for grace But because in time of desertion and temptation we are in a mist and cannot reade our owne faith and our owne graces it pleaseth Christ after some triall and exercise to shine upon his owne graces in the heart whereby we may know we beleeve and know we love untill which time the heart sees nothing that is good and seemes to be nothing but all objections and doubtings Wee may be sometimes in such a state as Paul and his company was in the ship Act. 27. 20. when they saw neither Sunne nor starres many dayes together almost past all hope So a Christian may for many dayes together see neither Sunne nor starre neither light in GODS countenance nor light in his owne heart no grace issuing from God no grace carrying the soule to God though even at that time GOD darts some beame through those clouds upon the soule the soule againe by a Spirit of faith sees some light through those thickest clouds enough to keepe the soule from utter despaire though not to settle it in peace In this darke condition if they doe as Saint Paul and his companie did cast Anchor even in the dark night of temptation and pray still for day God will appeare and all shall cleere up we shall see light without and light within the day-starre will arise in their hearts Though by reflecting upon our soules we are able to discerne a spirit of faith GOD may hide himselfe from the soule in regard of comfort Nay a Christian may know himselfe to bee in the state of grace and yet bee in an afflicted condition As in Iobs case hee knew his Redeemer lived and he resolved to trust in him even though he killed him hee knew he was no hypocrite he knew his graces were true and for all the imputations of his friends they could not dispute him out of his sincerity you shall not take my uprightnesse from me Yet for the present hee saw no light from heaven till it pleased GOD to reveale himselfe in speciall favour to him There is alwayes peace and joy in beleeving yet not in that degree which gives the soule content untill by honouring God in beleeving and waiting still his good time hee honoureth us with further sence of his favour and powreth forth his Spirit to us manifesting his speciall love towards us and this is a further degree of sealing of us confirming us more strongly then before The reason why we can neither have grace to beleeve nor know wee beleeve nor when we know we beleeve enjoy comfort without a fresh new act of the Spirit is because the whole carriage of a soule to heaven is above nature where the Spirit makes a stand we stand and can goe no further we cannot conclude from right grounds without some helpe of the Spirit some doubts some feares will hinder the application to our selves even as those that live in some damnable sinne cannot but grant that those that live in such a sinne shall never inherit heaven and their conscience tels them they live in such a sinne yet selfe-love blindes them so that they will not conclude against themselves that they shall be damned so true beleevers cannot conclude for themselves without divine light and helpe It pleaseth God thus to keepe every degree and act of sealing in his owne hand to keepe us in a perpetuall dependance upon him and to awe us that wee should not grieve the Spirit of grace and cause him to suspend either act of grace or comfort Ioy and strong comfort come from a superadded seale of the Spirit The works of the Spirit are of a double kinde either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace or upon us by shining upon our soules in sweet feelings of joy what the Spirit worketh in us is more constant as a new nature which is alwayes like it selfe and worketh uniformely but comfort and joy are of the nature of such priviledges as God vouchsafe that one time and not another to some and not to others This degree of sealing in regard of joy hath its degrees likewise sometimes it is so cleare and strong that the soule questioneth not its state in grace ever after but passeth on in a triumphant manner to that glory it lookes for Sometimes after this sealing there may be interrupting of comfortable communion so farre as to question our condition yet this calling into question comes not from the Spirit which where it once witnesseth for us never witnesseth against us but it is a fruit of the flesh not fully subdued it is a sinne it selfe and usually a fruit of some former sinne For howsoever wee should not doubt after a former witnesse of the Spirit yet there will bee so much weakening the sence of our assurance at there is yeelding to any lust The knowledge of our estate in grace and comfort thereupon though it may bee weakened by neglect of our watchfulnesse yet still it hath the force of an argument to assure us when the Spirit pleaseth to direct us to make use of it because Gods love varies not as our feeling doth and a fit doth not alter a state The childe in the wombe stirres not alwayes yet it lives and that may be gathered from the former stirrings This degree of sealing by way of witnesse and comfort is appropriated to the holy Spirit every person
A FOUNTAINE SEALED OR The Dutie of the sealed to the SPIRIT And the worke of the Spirit in Sealing BY Rich. Sibbes D. D. the 2 d Edition Printed for L Chapman are to be sould at his shope at Chancery Lane end in Holborne Will Marshall sculpsit 1637. A FOUNTAIN SEALED OR The duty of the sealed to the Spirit and the worke of the Spirit in Sealing Wherein Many things are handled about the Holy Spirit and grieving of it As also Of assurance and sealing what it is the priviledges and degrees of it with the signes to discerne and meanes to preserve it Being The substance of divers Sermons preached at Grayes Inne By that Reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBES D. D. and sometimes Preacher to that Honourable Society LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Lawrence Chapman and are to be sold at his shop at Chancery lane end in Holborne 1637. TO The truely Noble and much honoured Lady the Lady Elizabeth Brooke Wife to Sir Robert Brooke Madame BEsides that deserved interest your Ladyship held in the fections and esteem of this worthy man more then any friend alive which might intitle you to all that may call him Authour This small piece of his acknowledgeth a more speciall propriety unto your Ladyship For though his tongue was as the Pen of a ready Writer in the hand of Christ who guided him yet your Ladyships hand and Pen was in this his scribe and Amanuensis whilest hee dictated a first draught of it in private with intention for the publique In which labour both of humility and love your Ladyship did that honour unto him which Baruch thogh great and Noble did but receive in the like transcribing the words of Ieremiah from his mouth wherin yet your Ladyship did indeed but write the story of your owne life which hath beene long exactly framed to the rules herein prescribed We therefore that are intrusted in the publishing of it deeme it but an act of Justice in us to return it thus to your Ladyship unto whom it owes even its first Birth that so where ever this little Treatise shall come there also this that you have done may bee told and recorded for a memoriall of you And we could not but esteeme it also an addition of honour to the worke that no lesse then a Ladies hand so pious so much honoured brought it forth into the world although in it selfe it deserveth as much as any other this blessed wombe did beare The Lord in way of recompence write all the holy Contents of it yet more fully and abundantly in your Ladyships heart and all the lineaments of the Image of Iesus Christ and seale up all unto you by his blessed spirit with joy and peace to the day of Redemption Madame we are your Ladyships devoted THO. GOODWIN PHILIP NYE THE CONTENTS GRieve not the holy Spirit of God The Holy Ghost why called a Spirit page 3 Why holy page 5 From the Apostles disswasion these foure presupposed truths 1 That the holy Ghost is in us page 8 2 And is as a guide to us page 12 3 The best of us are apt to grieve him page 13 4 Therefore wee should bee carefull of it page 14 § 1 Of grieving the Spirit I What it is to grieve the Spirit page 16. how the Spirit worketh in us page 20 II Wherein doe we especially grieve the Spirit 1 In our selves and that in these particulars 1 In walking contrary to and in neglecting of its motions page 25. and comforts page 27. seeking comfort from the flesh page 28 2 By unkindenesse page 29. the sinnes of Professors and those that have most acquaintance with the Spirit grieve most page 30 3 By presumptuous sinnes page 33 sinnes against knowledge of two sorts ibid. why voluntary sinnes are so great and grieve the Spirit so much page 36 the reason why sinnes of the second Table grieve most page 39 upon divers respects the same sort of sinnes may grieve more and lesse page 44 4 By worldlinesse and paying tribute to the flesh page 45 5 Abusing spirituall things to our owne ends page 48 and fathering the workes of the flesh upon the spirit page 49 6 By sins against the Gospell page 49 slighting ordinances page 51 7 Sinnes plotted and contrived page 57 8 By false judgement of things page 55 9. By not using the helpes we have page 58 10 Cavilling against the truth page 59 11 By doing duty in our own strength page 61 12 Thrusting our selves into over-much worldly imployment page 61 whence 13 Omission or slight performance of duty page 63 2 In others many wayes as 1 Neglecting the grace in them page 65 2 Sharpe censures page 65 3 Superiours by unjust commands page 66 4 Inferiours by untractablenesse 5 By evill examples page 68 III How we may know when we have grieved the spirit page 69 and what is the danger of it page 71 How farre a childe of God may grieve the Spirit page 76 Of the sinne against the Holy Ghost page 81 and a twofold miscarriage about it in censuring page 82 IIII What course we should take to prevent grieving the Spirit page 84 in divers rules 1 Give your selfe up to the government of it page 84 2 Subject constantly to the Spirits motions they are knowne from other motions 1 By a speciall strength in them by which they are raised to higher ends page 87 2 By their constancy page 88 3 They proceed from a changed heart page 89 4 They are seasonable ibid. 5 A selfe evidēce in thē page 90 6 Orderly in respect of both Tables of the law ibid. 7 Dependant upon God page 91 3 Ioyne and co-operate with the Spirit page 92 4 Turne motions into resolutions page 94 and resolutions into practise page 95 5 Depend on ordinances and get a heart suteable to them page 96 6 Observe the Spirits first withdrawing and search the cause page 100 7 Take heed of such sinnes as we terme little ones page 102 and looke upon all sinne in the rise and root of it page 104 8 Get spirituall wisedome to know what is pleasing and displeasing to the Spirit page 105 9 Vpon breaches renew repentance page 108 10 Avoyd corrupt communication page 109 Whereby you are sealed § 2 Of the sealing of the Spirit 1 Christ is sealed page 122 2 So are Christians page 125 I What this sealing is and how it is wrought page 125 II The privileges of it A seale serveth for 1 Confirmation page 131 2 Distinction page 132 3 Appropriation page 139 4 Estimation page 141 5 Secrecy page 144 6 Security page 146 III Degrees of sealing 1 The worke of faith page 149 2 Sanctification page 150. yet not without a new act of the Spirit page 153. the reasons page 155 3 Ioy page 156. which hath its degrees also page 158 being from the spirit page 159 Of the three witnesses on earth 160 their order page 164 Of the witnesse of the Spirit immediately from
it selfe which is the highest and that which bringeth most joy page 166 Of such joyes and raptures of the Spirit and how they are knowne from illusions page 169. as 1 By what goes before them as 1 The word imbraced by faith page 171 2 Deep humiliation page 172 3 Selfe-denyall page 174 4 Comfort victory page 175 5 Spirituall strength put forth in duty page 176 2 By what accompanieth them as 1 Pryzing ordinances page 177 2 Liberty boldnesse with God page 179 3 And for the most part Sathans malice page 180 3 By what followeth them 1 More humility page 180 2 Increase of spirituall strength page 181 3 A joyfull expectation of Christ page 183 4 Other degrees of sealing from the divers degrees of revelation page 185 Vnto the day of RedeÌ„ption § 3 Of the day of Redemption 191 From the consideration of what formerly hath beene spoken some generall conclusions are collected page 202 I Concl. Wee may attaine to the knowledge that wee are in the state of grace page 203 All that have faith have not assurance page 209 II Concl. Vpon knowledge of our state of grace for the present we may be assured of our future full redemption page 215 Why we pray for forgivenesse of sinnes notwithstanding page 218 This assurance we have page 221 that first God may be glorified 222 secondly our soules comforted page 223 III Concl. This assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit page 224 IIII Concl. The sealing of the Spirit unto salvation should bee a prevailing argument not to grieve the Spirit page 228 1 To those that are not as yet sealed page 230 2 To those that are sealed either in a lower page 233. or higher worke of sealing page 236 and that from 1 Ingenuity page 237 2 Benefit received from the Spirit page 239 3 A kinde of necessity page 240 4 The nature of love page 241 5 And other graces as faith and hope that worke by assimilation page 242 The doctrine of assurance is no doctrine of liberty page 243 But of deepe and sweet ingagement page 244 Therefore we should preserve the worke page 247 FINIS Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are â—ealed unto the day of redemâ—tion WHether the words bee a Command ensuing from authority or counsell from wisedome or a caveat from Gods care of our soules it is not materiall considering both Counsell and Caveats of the great God have both force of a Command with some mixture of the sweetnesse of love the Apostle as his manner is from the largenesse of his Spirit riseth from a particular disswasive from corrupt communication in the verse before to this generall advise of not grieving Gods Spirit by sinne especially against conscience inlightened and this disswasive from evill is inforced from a dangerous effect of grieving the spirit of God and the danger of grieving ariseth from this that it is the Spirit of God and God himselfe whom we grieve and a holy Spirit holy in himselfe and holy as the cause of all holinesse in us and hee that after he hath wrought holinesse in us sealeth and confirmeth us in that act of grace untill the day of our glorious redemption so that the grounds of not grieving are from the greatnesse and goodnesse of the person whom we grieve and from the greatnesse and constancie of the benefits we have by him To speake something of the person the holy Spirit is called a Spirit not onely by nature as being a spirituall essence but in regard of his person and office he is both breathed from the Father and the Sonne as proceeding from them both and by office breatheth into all that God hath given Christ to redeeme and him to sanctifie he is so the spirit of God in proceeding from God as that he is God which who so denieth deny their own Baptisme being as well Baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost as into the Father and the Sonne and no lesse a person then God is needfull to assure our soules of Gods love and to change our nature being in an opposite frame who can reveale to us the minde of God but the Spirit of God and herein we may see the joynt forwardnesse both of the Father and Son and holy Ghost when both Father and Sonne joyne in willingnesse to send so great a person to apply unto us and to assure us of that great good the Father hath decreed and the Son performed for us That attribute the Spirit delights in is that of holinesse which our corrupt nature least delights in and most opposeth holinesse is the glory and crown of all other excellencie without which they are neither good in themselves noâ— comfortable to us It implies a freedome from all impuritie and a perfect hatred of it an absolute perfection of all that is excellent What is it then to grieve such an holy Spirit before whom the heavens themselves are impure and not onely the Divels tremble but the Angels cover their faces what shall wee thinke then of them which doe not onely neglect but despise yea oppose this holinesse and indure any thing else what is hated in the world with keene and perfect hatred but holynesse without which yet we shall never see God nor enter into that pure place into which we all professe a desire to enter There was planted in man by nature a desire of holinesse and a desire of happinesse the desire of happinesse is left still in us but for holinesse which is the perfection of the image of God in us is both lost and the desire of it extinguished and that men might the better drive it out of the world under a forme and shew of it they oppose the truth of it and that with the greater successe because under that great colour the Divell and his Vicar carry all their divellish policies under a shew of holinesse We see in Popery every thing is holy with them but that which should be holy the truth of God and the expression of it The man of sinne himselfe must have no worse title then his Holinesse a shew of devised holinesse pleaseth mans anture well enough as being glorious for appearance and usefull for ends But the truth of it being crosse to the whole corrupt nature of man will never be entertained untill nature be new moulded by his holy Spirit in the use of holy meanes sanctified by himselfe for that end it is this that makes a man a Saint and civill vertues to be graces which rayseth things that are otherwise common to an higher degree of excellency this is that to a Christian which reason is to a man it gives him a being and a beauty different from all other it makes every action we doe in obedience to God a service and puts a religious respect upon all our actions directing them to the highest end Now that which the Apostle disswades from is from
griefe to open shame then God opens Conscience to tell them not onely that they are too blame for their grosse sinnes but for the root of them Atheisme prophanenesse loosenesse which are sinnes against the first Table This is an aggravation of sinnes against knowledge when our knowledge hath beene holpen and strengthened by education by example of others running into our eyes which is a more familiar â—eaching than that of Rule â—nd strengthened also by observation and experience â—f our selves and the forâ—er strength we have had â— against the sinne we now commit and sweetnesse we have found in the resisting of it None are worse than â—hose that have been good and are naught and might be good and will be naught When there is more deliberation and fore-knowledge of the dangerous issue and this also joyned with the warning of others As Reuben said unto the rest of his brethren Spake I not vnto you c So may Gods Spirit and conscience say to men Did not I acquaint you with the danger of sin You are now in misery and terrours of conscience but did you not sleight former admonitions and helps and meanes Conscience is an inferior light of the Spirit to do things against conscience is to do them against the Spirit God spake to me and I heeded him not how doth God speake When conscience speakes and saith this is good this is bad then God speakes conscience hath somewhat divine in it it is a petty god it speakes from God especially when the Spirit joynes with conscience then God speakes indeed then there is light upon light Vpon divers respects some sin may grieve more or lesse than another As the â—oly Ghost is a Spirit so â—pirituall sinnes grieve most â—s pride envy imprinting â—pon the soule as it were a â—haracter of the contrary ill â—â—irit Carnell sinnes whereby the soule is drowned in â—elight of the body may â—â—ore grieve the spirit in aâ—other respect as defiling â—â—is Temple and as taking away so much of the soule â—ove and delight carry the soule with them and the more deeply such sinnes enter into the creature besides the defilement the lesse strength it hath to spirituall duties grace is scaâ—ed in the powers of nature now carnall sinnes disable natureâ— and so sets us in a greateâ— distance from grace as taking away the heart Hos 4. Hereupon the Apostle sets being filled with wine contrary to being filled with the Spirit And hence it is the Apostle forbids in the former words uncleane communication the holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth hates hypocrites being painted sepulchers but as a spiritâ— of purity hates foule â—ivers and foule-mouth'd speakers as open sepulchers They cannot therefore but much grieve the spirit that feed corrupt lusts and studie to give contentment and pay tribute to the flesh to which they owe no â—ervice and are no debters â—nd by sowing to the flesh from which we can reape nothing but corruption When our thoughts are exercised to content the outâ—ard man to contrive for â—â—e things of the world oneâ—â— this is to pay tribute of â—â—e strength and vigor of our affections to the utter enemy of Gods Spirit and our owne soules when our thoughts runne deeply into â—arthly things we become â—ne with them Who will thinke himselfe well entertained into an house when there shall be entertainement given to his greatest enemy with him â—nd shall see more regard had and better countenance shewed to his enemy than to him when the motions of corrupt nature are morâ— regarded then the motions of the Spirit The wisedome of the Spirit which is from above is first pure and maketh us so and rayseth the soule upward to things above Christians indeed have their failings but if a true Christian examine himselfe his heart will say that every day he intends the glory of God and the good of the state he lives in he hath a larger heart than a base worldling that keeps within the sphere of himselfe spending all his thoughts there and consults onely with flesh and bloud with profit and pleasure to heare what they say Such basenesse cannot but grieve the Spirit as coÌ„trary to our hopes and heavenly calling which are glorious It is a dangerous grieving of the Spirit when instead of drawing our selves to the spirit we will labour to â—raw the spirit to us and â—â—udy the Scriptures to countenance us in some corrupt course and labour to make God of our mind that wee may go on with the greater libertie When men get to themselves teachers after their owne lusts as many do especially if they be in place Ahab shall not want his 400 false Prophets When men cut the rule and standard to fit themselves and not fit themselves to it You have some that are resolved what to do and yet will bee asking counsell and if they have an answer to their minds then they rest if not then their answer is This is your judgment but others are of a contrary opinion and thus they labour to make the Spirit of God in his Ministers to serve their turne so did the Iewes in Ieremies time Some will father those sinfull affections that arise from the flesh and are strengthened by Sathan upon the holy Spirit counting wrath that is kindled from hell to be fire of holy zeale comming from heaven Thus the enemies of Religion thinke they doe God service in their massacres such are those that wickedly oppose the wayes of God and yet are ready to say Glory be to the Lord such men study holinesse in the shew that they may overthrow it in the power and will countenance an ill course by Religion Such also are faulty who lay the blame of an uncomfortable life upon Religion when men are therefore uncomfortable because they are not religious enough The wayes of wisedome are the wayes of pleasure In these times being the second spring of the Gospell we must take heed of sinnes against the Gospell Benefits the greater they are being neglected or abused bring the greater judgement The office of the holy Spirit is by the Ministery to lay open the riches of Christ and the glory of Gods grace in him by neglecting so great salvation and by thinking this favour of God to be a common favour we sinne against both Father Sonne and holy Ghost and in that they desire most to be glorified Such therefore as say to the clouds Drop not and to the winds blow not and to the Prophets prophesie not that study to keepe out the light and sin against it as discovering them and awakening them and hindering them from taking that solace in carnall courses of the world as peâ—ing the eyes of others to know them further than they would be known and so to lose that respect they would have in the hearts of men This cannot but grieve â—he Spirit of God and move â—im to take away that truth â—hat we are so far from â—hinking a
given up to a carelesse security A second is feare of some judgement 〈◊〉 which God stirres up in the heart to 〈…〉 we feare because feare stirs up care and care stirres up diligence to avoid what we feare a third is feare lest we have committed the sinne against the holy Ghost which shewes we have not committed that sinne it is never committed but without feare and with delight In these cases we need feare them least that feare themselves most The fourth point is what course wee should take to prevent this grieving of the Spirit Let us give up the government of our soules to the Spirit of God it is for our safety so to doe as being wiser then our selves who are unable to direct our owne way it is our libertie to bee under a wisedome and goodnesse larger then our owne Let the Spirit thinke in us desire in us pray in us live in us doe all in us labour ever to be in such a frame as we may be fit for the Spirit to worke upon as Nazianzen saith of himselfe Lord I am an instrument for thee to touch A musicall instrument though in tune soundeth nothing unlesse it be touched let us lay our selves open to the Spirits touch Thus Saint Paul liued not but Christ lived in him this requires a great deale of selfe-deniall to put our selves thus upon the guidance of the Spirit but if we knew what enemies wee are to our selves it would be no such hard matter Secondly study to walke perfectly in obeying the Spirit in all things which requires much circumspection in knowing and regarding our wayes and then we shall finde the Spirit ready to close with us and tell us This is the way walke in it and upon obedience wee shall finde the Spirit incouraging us by a secret intimation that this or that is well done Thus Paul was said to be bound in Spirit the Spirit so put him on that he could not withstand the motions untill the execution of it We must take especiall heed of slighting any motion as being the Spirits messenger they are Gods Ambassadour 〈…〉 for God into our hearts therefore give them entertainement Many men rather then they will be troubled with holy motions stifle them in the birth as harlots that to avoid the paine of childe-birth kill their fruit in the wombe let us take heed of murthering these births of the Spirit But seeing Sathan will oft interrupt good motions by good motions that he may hinder both How shall we know from whence the motions come When two good motions arise seeming divers the Spirit of God carries strong to one and that is from God more then to the other Good motions are either raised up in us or sent unto us by the Spirit both these if they bee raised by the Spirit will carry us to God they will rise as high as the Spring is whence they come what ariseth from our selves endeth in our selves Those motions that the Spirit stirs up from within come from sanctified judgement and estimation of what they are moved to other motions are hasty and gone before they have their errand holy motions are constant as strengthened from constant grace within till they see the issue of what they are moved to other motions are like lightening and sudden flashes that leave the soule more darke and amazed then before Holy motions are answerable to the duties of our calling other motions oft leade us out of the compasse of our calling The Spirit moveth in the godly first by a dwelling in them and working in them gracious abilities and then drawes forth those abilities to good actions But the Spirit dwelleth not in others nor produceth any sanctified abilities in them but onely moveth them sometimes to good actions without changing of them The holy Spirits motions are seasonable other motions oft presse upon us to disturbe an holy duty The breath of the Spirit in us is suteable to the Spirits breathing in the Scriptures the same Spirit doth not breath contrary motions Motions of the Spirit when they come in favour carry their owne evidence with thē as light doth The motions of the Spirit are sweet and milde and leade us gently on they are not ordinarily violent raptures Removing the soule from it self but leave in the soule a judgement of them and of other things Againe the Spirit moveth us so to duties of Religion as agree with civill honesty and charity to our neighbours Those therefore know not what spirit they are of who under a pretence of zeale will be uncivill and cruell shewing they are not led by that spirit that appeared in the shape of a dove Both Tables in this are one that they come from one spirit and the second is like the first and require love And because all graces and duties come from the same spirit therefore one duty never crosses another but the wisedome of the Spirit moves to all holy duties in their severall and suteable places Motions for the matter good yet may be carnall in regard of selfe-confidence from whence they come That which Peter resolved upon was good but confidence in himselfe marred it those motions which the Spirit stirres up are carryed along in relying upon assisting grace So much for that question Againe if we would not grieve the Spirit let us take heed of being wanting to the Spirits direction The flesh here will make a froward objection We can doe no more then we can Answ The Spirit is alwayes before hand with us preventing us with some knowledge and some ability which if we joyne with the spirit in putting forth the spirit is ready to concurre with us and leade us further And our conscience will tell us so much that if we doe otherwise it is not for want of present assistance or privitie that the Spirit will deny us strength if we put our selves upon it our own hearts though deceitfull will tell us that we doe what we doe out of willingnesse preferring some seeming good before the motion of the Spirit Herein wee carry in our conscience that which will quit God and condemne our selves There is not the worst man whose heart runnes away from God but God followes him a great while with sweet motions though such be the invincible stubbornesse of the heart that it will not yeeld this will take away all excuse as Saint Austin argues well If I had knowne saith a wicked man I would not have done thus saith hee the pride of thy heart suggests that hadst thou not motions and admonitions that told thee the danger of it if the Spirit even in the worst actions concurre so farre as they are actions and motions may we not thinke that he is much more ready to concurre with holy motions stir'd up first by himselfe if the Spirit be willing to concurre in naturall actions much more in spirituall whereunto it selfe is the first
he is a Spirit of consolation Are we in perplexity and know not what to do he is a Spirit of wisedome Are wee troubled with corruptions He is a sanctifying a subduing a mortifying Spirit in what condition soever we are he will never leave us till he hath raised us from the grave and taken full possession of body and soule in heaven he will prove a comforter when neither friends nor riches nor any thing in the world can comfort us How carefull should we be to give contentment to this sweet Spirit of God No Christian is so happy as the watchfull Christian that is carefull of his duty and to preserve his communion with the holy Spirit of God for by entertaining him he is sure to have communion with the Father and the Sonne It is the happiest condition in the world when the soule is the Temple of the holy Spirit when the heart is as the holy of holies where there be prayers and prayses offered to GOD. The soule is as it were an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving heavenly truths It is an heavenly condition a man prospers to heavenward when the Spirit of God is with him You know Obed-Edom when the Arke was in his house all thrived with him so while the Spirit and his motions are entertained by us we shall be happy in life happy in death happy to eternity For it is he By which you are sealed to the day of redemption The Apostle sealeth this grave admonition by an argument taken from the Spirits sealing of them to the day of redemption We are all by nature in bondage to sinne and corruption we all are redeemed from sinne by the first comming of Christ and are to be redeemed from corruption by the second There is a day appointed for this glorious worke In the meane time GOD would have us assured of it aforehand This assurance is by sealing And this sealing is by the Spirit none else need do it no meaner person can doe it And what respect is due to the Spirit for doing so gracious a worke that wee grieve him not and not onely so but that we indevour so to please him as he may with delight goe on with this blessed work that it hath pleased him to take upon him As the dutie is spirituall so the arguments that inforce it are spirituall and the argument here is fetched from that which hath a most constraining force love expressed in the sweetest fruit of it and the stability of it sealing and sealing to the day of redemption as if the Apostle should reason thus God the Father hath ordained you to salvation by the redemption of Christ his Sonne and that you might have the comfort of it in the way to it against all discouragements you may meet with the holy Ghost hath assured you of it and set his seale upon you as those that are set apart for so great salvation that the sence of this love might breed love in you againe and love breed a care out of ingenuity not to offend so gracious a Spirit The holy Spirit by which you are sealed THe holy Ghost delighteth to speake in our owne language we cannot rise to him therefore he stoopeth to us This sealing is either sealing of persons or of good things intended to the persons Sealing is not onely a witnessing to us but a work upon us and in us carrying the Image of him that sealeth us whereby we are not onely assured of the good promised to us but fitted for the receiving of it God prepareth no good for any but whom he prepares and fits for that good There is not only an outward authorising of the great grants we have by promise oath and Sacrament but an inward by the spirit perswading of our interest in them and working that which doth authorise us to lay claime unto them after the use of a seale both in confirmation and representation and resemblance of him that sealed The persons sealed are first Christ and then those that are given to Christ Christ is sealed 1 By the Father Christ was ordained by him to be a Saviour in our nature predestinate to be the head of the Church Wherefore he often saith he came to do his Fathers will Him hath the Father sealed Ioh. 6. 27. anointing him calling him setting him forth sanctifying him by the spirit and every way fitting him with all grace to be a Saviour 2 He was sealed by the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in flesh abased and exalted for us so as his flesh is the flesh of the Son of God and his bloud the bloud of God 3 Sealed by a testimony from heaven of all three Persons by the Father This is my welbeloved Son by the Holy Spirit descending like a dove by himselfe to his humane nature dwelling in all fulnesse in it Christ is sealed by miracles done upon him and by him by his baptizing and installing into his office and by giving himself up to shed his bloud for sinne by which bloud the Covenant is established and sealed 4 In being justified in the spirit being raised from the dead and declared thereby to be the Sonne of God mightily with power and then advanced him to the right hand of God that through him our faith and trust might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 14. and appearing there for ever for us sheweth not onely his habilitie and willingnesse to save us but that it is done already Wee may see all what ever wee can looke for to our selves performed in our head to our comfort As Christ was sealed and fitted for us so we are sealed and fitted for Christ There is a privy seale in predestination this is knowne onely to God himselfe The Lord knoweth who are his And this knowledge of God of us is carried secret as a River under ground untill his calling of and separating us from the rest of men When first by his Spirit hee convinceth us of what wee are in our selves and of our cursed condition and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for sinne as the greatest evill And then a pardon is more to us then a Crowne then we will wait for mercy and continue so and begge for mercy and that upon Christs own condition by denying and renouncing any thing of our owne then Christ is Christ unto us Indeed after this it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a doore of hope and give some hints of mercy and to let in some beames of love and withall to raise up the soule by a spirit of faith to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit whereby the soule sealeth to the truth of the promise Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is true It is strange that GOD should stoop so low as to receive as it were confirmation by our beleefe but thus GOD condescends in the phrase of Scripture As we are
the Spirit being incouragement to dutie or suffering in a good cause the soule by this witnesse of the Spirit findes increase of spirituall mettle it finces it selfe steel'd against opposition 〈…〉 this winde filleth 〈…〉 they are carried on a maine and are frighted with nothing that stands in their way See how the beleevers triumph upon the Spirits witnessing to their spirits that they are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. God usually reserveth such comforts for the worst times Give wine to those that bee of heavy hearts Pro. 31. The sence of this love of Christ is better then wine This refreshing Paul had in the dungeon and hee sung at mid-night After this witnessing therefore looke for some piece of service to doe or tryall to undergoe Much must bee left to Gods fatherly wisedome in this who knowes whom to cheare up and when and in what degree and to what purpose and service and remember alwayes that these inlargements of spirit are as occasionall refreshings in the way not daily food to live upon we maintaine our life by faith not by sight or feeling Feasting is not for every day except that Feast of a good conscience which is continuall but I speake of grand dayes and high feasts these are disposed as God seeth cause 3 Where this sealing of the Spirit is there followeth also upon it a lifting up of the head in thinking of our latter end it makes one thinke of the times to come with joy as the holy Ghost here mentioneth the day of redemption as a motive to them to take heed that they did not grieve the Spirit intimating they should thinke of the day of redemption with a great deale of joy and comfort The Saints are described in Scripture to be those that looke for the appearing of Christ they are Christs and in him their reckonings and accounts are even And therefore with delight they can often think and meditate upon the blessed times that are to come There be divers degrees of sealing arising from divers degrees of revelation God first reveales his good will in his promises to all beleevers this is the privilege of the Church especially in these latter times then by his Spirit reveales those saving truths to those that are his by a divine light So that by argument drawne from the power they feele from truths in searching secrets in casting downe in raising up in staying the soule they can seale to them that they are divine The same Spirit that reveales the power of the Word to mee reveales in particular mine owne interest in all those truths upon hearing them Whereupon they are written in my heart as if they had beene made in particular to me the comfortable truths in the Word are transcribed into my heart answerable to the Word as that God in Christ is mine forgivenesse mine grace mine whereupon adoption in Christ is sealed which God still sealeth further to my soule by increase of comfort as hee seeth cause for incouragement The same Spirit that manifesteâ— in me the word I heâ—â—e and reade to be the truth of God from the 〈…〉 efficacie of it the same Spirit teacheth to aâ—ply it and in applying of it sealeth me Therefore wee ought to desire to bee sealed by the Spirit in regard of an holy impression and then that the holy Spirit would shine upon his owne graces so as we may clearly see what is wrought in us above nature and because this is furthered by revealing his love in Christ in adoption to us wee must desire of Gâ—D to vouchsafe the Spirit of Revelation to reveale the mysteries of his truth unto us and our portion in them in partiâ—ular and so our adoption and in the meane tiâ—e to wait and attend his good pleasure in the use of all good meanes Thus wee waiting God will so farre reveale himselfe in love to us as shall assure us of his love and stirre up love againe and the same Spirit that is a Spirit of Revelation will be a Spirit of sanctification and so adoption Dignitie and fitting qualities suteable to dignity go both together In that grand inquirie about our condition there is a great miscarriage when men will begin with the first worke of the Father in election then passe to redemption by Christ I am Gods and Christ hath redeemed mee and never thinke of the action of the third person in sanctification which is the neerest action upon the foule as the third person himselfe is nearest unto us And so fetch their first rise where they should set up their last rest Whereas wee should begin our inquirie in the worke of the third person which is next unto us and then upon good grounds we may know our redemption and election The holy Spirit is both a Spirit of Revelation and of Sanctification together as hath beene said for together with opening the love of the Father and the Son hee fitteth us by grace for communication with them People out of selfe-love will have conceits of the Fathers and Sonnes love severed from the worke of the Spirit upon their hearts which will prove a dangerous illusion Although the whole worke of grace by the Spirit arise from the Fathers and Sonnes love witnessed by the Spirit yet the proofe of the Fathers love to us in particular ariseth from some knowledge of the worke of the Spirit the errour is not in thinking of the Fathers and Sonnes love but in a strengthening themselves by a pleasing powerlesse thought of it against the worke of grace by the Spirit which their corruption withstands So they will carve out of the worke of the Trinitie what they thinke agreeable to their lusts whereas otherwise if their heart were upright they would for this very end thinke of Gods love and Christs to quicken them to duty and to arme them against corruption To the day of Redemption There is a double redemption redemption of the soul by the first coÌ„ming of Christ to shed his bloud for us redemption of our bodies from corruption by his second comming Wee have not the perfect consummation and accomplishment of that which Christ wrought in his first comming till his second comming then there shall be a totall redemption of our soules and bodies and conditions There is a double redemption as there is a double coÌ„ming of Christ the first and the second the one to redeeme our soules from sinne and Sathan and to give us title to heaven the other to redeeme our bodies from corruption when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints As likewise there is a double resurrection the first and the second and a double regeneration of soule and body In sicknesse weaknes of body or when age hath overtaken us that we cannot live long here and the horrour of the grave the house of darkenesse is presented to us Oh let us thinke there will bee a redemption of our bodies as well as of our soules Christ will redeem our bodies
uncertaine condition wherein a man knowes not but he may be a reprobate Wherefore came our Saviour into the world and tooke our nature upon him why became he a curse for us why hath he carried our nature into heaven and there appeares for us till he hath brought us home to himselfe but that he would have us out of all doubt of his love after oâ—ce by faith we have received him whence procâ—â—ded those Commandements to beleeve those checks of unbeleevers the commendation of them that did beleeve those upbraidings of doubting as springing from unbeliefe to what use are the Sacraments but to seale unto us the benefits of Christ if upon all this we should still doubt of GODS love especially when besides the sealiâ—g of the promises to us we are sealed our selves by the Spirit of promise Object This is true if wee know we doe beleeve Answer It is the office of the Spirit as to worke faith and other graces so to reveale them to us every grace of GOD is a light of it selfe comming from the Father of lights and it is the property of light not onely to discover otâ—er things but it selâ—e too and it is the office of the Spirit to give further light to this light by shining upon his owne grace in us an excellent place for this is the 1 Cor. 2. 12. Wee have received the Spirit that is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every thing bee confirmed one witnesse is the Spirit of man which knowes the things that are in man the other witnesse is the Spirit of God witnessing to our spirits that we are the children of God Here is light added to light witnesse added to witnesse the greater witnesse of the Spirit to the lesse of our Spirits the Apostle joynes them both together My conscience bears me witnesse through the holy Ghost Obje Mans heart is deceitfull Answ But the spirit of God in mans heart is not deceitfull it is too holy to deceive and too wise to be deceived in this point of assurance wee plow with the Spirits Heifer or else we could not finde out this Riddle where there is an object to be seene and an eye to see and light to discover the object to the eye sight must needs follow In a true beleever after he is inlightened as there is grace to be seene and an eye of faith to see so there is a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to that inward sight in the bottome of a cleare River a cleare eye sight may see any thing where nothing is nothing can be seene it is an evidence that the Patrons of doubtings have little grace in them and much boldnesse in making themselves a measure for others Those that are bâ—se borne know their mothers better than their fathers the Church of Rome is all for the mother but the babes of Christ know their father the remainder of corruption will indeed be still breeding doubts but it is the office of the Spirit of faith to quell them as they arise We are too ready in time of temptation to doubt we need not helpe the tempter by holding it a duty to doubt this is to light a candle before the divell as we use to speake Question May not there be doubtings where there is true faith may not a true beleever be without assurance Answ There be three rankes of Christians first some that are yet under the spirit of bondage that like little children doe all for feare Secondly those that are under the spirit of adoption and doe many things well but yet are not altogether free from feare these are like those children that are moved with reverence to obey their Parents and yet finde their commands somewhat irkesome unto them The third are such as by the love of God shed into their hearts by the Spirit of adoption are carried with large Spirits to obey their father and herein like unto those children that not onely obey but take a delight in it upon a judgement that both obedience and the thing wherein they obey is good this we ought to labour for but we finde many Christians in the second ranke many truely beleeve in Christ by some light let into their hearts by the Spirit of adoption who are not yet fully assured of the love of Christ There is the act of faith and the fruit of faith the act of faith is to cast our selves upon Gods mercy in Christ the fruit of faith is in beleeving to be assured of this we must know that faith is one thing assurance another they may have faith and yet want a double assurance first assurance of their faith being not able to judge at all times of their owne act likewise secondly assurance of their state in grace as in time of desertion and temptation a soule at such a time casts it selfe upon Christ as knowing comfort is there to be had though hee be not sure of it for himselfe and this the soule doth out of obedience though not out of feeling as the poore man in the Gospell Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe the soule often times out of the deepe cryes and in the darke trusts in GOD and this is the bold adventure of faith the first object whereof is Christ held out in a promise and not assurance which springeth from the first act when it pleaseth God to shine upon the soule and is a reward of glorifying Gods mercy in Christ by casting the soule upon his truth and goodnesse Assurance is GODS seale faith is our seale when we set to our seale by beleeving he sets to his seale assuring us of our condition we yeeld first the consent and the assent of faith and then God puts his seale to the contract there must be a good title before a confirmation a planting before a rooting and establishing the bargaine before the earnest Some would have faith to be an over-powring light of the soule wherby undoubtedly they beleeve themselves to be Christ and Christ to be theirs which stumbleth many a weake yet true Christian for this is rather the fruit of a strong faith then the act of a weake which struggleth with doubting untill it hath gotten the upper hand True it is there must be so much light let in to the soule as the soule may relye upon Christ and this light must be discovered by the Spirit and such a light as shewes a speciall love of Christ to the soule And againe it is true that we are not to take up our rest in the light untill the heart be further subdued as many are too hasty to conclude of a good condition upon uncertaine signes before they have attained unto fuller assurance but yet we must not deny faith where this strong assurance is wanting so farre as to conclude against our selves if there be desires putting on to endeavour with conflict against
the rising of unbeliefe with a high prising of the favour of God in Christ so as to value it above all things Degrees doe not varie the kinde weakenesse may stand with truth but where truth is there will be an uncessant desire of future sealing The second conclusion We may upon the knowledge of our present estate in grace bee assured for the time to come for this sealing is to the day of Redemption that is till we be put into full possession of what we now beleeve and besides sealing is for securing for the time to come and our Saviours promise is that though He departed from them yet the Comforter should abide with them for ever Iohn 14. And why are we certaine of the favour of God to our comfort for the present but that wee doubt not of it for the time to come Faith and love and these graces they never faile finally therefore when the Scripture speakes of Faith it speakes of salvation by it for the present as if a man should be in heaven presently so soone as hee beleeves Wee are saved by faith say the Scriptures we are not yet saved but the meaning is we are set by faith into a state of salvation Being put into Christ by faith we are risen with Christ and sit in heaâ—venly places with him Faith makes the things to come present and faith beleeves that neither things present nor things to come shall bee able to separate us from the love of God in Christ So that our assurance is not onely for the present but for the time to come We are sealed to the day of Redemption and who can reverse Gods seale or Gods act and deed Grace is the earnest penny of glory God hath made a covenant and given earnest he will not lose it the earnest is never taken away but filled up if wee be assured of grace for the present we may be sure it shall be made up full in glory hereafter If the spirit of Christ be in us the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead will raise us up likewise and not leave us untill we be in full redemption we shall awake filled with his image No opposition shall prevaile God hath set us as a seale on his right hand to keep us I and on his breast as the high Priest had the twelve Tribes to love us and on his shoulder to support us The marked and sealed ones in Ezech. 9. and Rev. 7. were secured from all destruction If we be in Christ our Rocke temptations and oppositions are but as waves they may dash upon us but they breake themselves Quest Why then do we pray for the forgivenesse of sinnes Answer We pray for a clearer evidence of what we have secondly as the end is ordained so the meanes must be used God doth and will pardon sinne and therefore we must pray for pardon as a meanes ordained Thirdly prayer doth not prejudice the certainty of a thing Christ prayeth for that hee was most sure of Ioh. 17. I pray for them which thou hast given me for they are thine Pregnant for the proofe of this point is that of Peter Wee are begotten againe to a lively hope a hope of that life which maketh lively Oh but we are weake true but wee are kept by the power of GOD an inheritance is not onely kept for us but we are kept for it Ob. But Sathan is strong and his malice is more than his strength Answ True but we are kept as by a Garison wee have a guard about us Ob. All this is true while faith holdeth out but that may faile Answ No we are kept by the power of GOD through faith God keepeth our faith and us by faith Ob. But the time is long betweene us and salvation and many dangers may fall out Answ Be it so that the time is long yet wee are kept unto salvation even untill the day of redemption for the Spirit by vertue of the Covenant puts the feare of GOD into our hearts that we shall never 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 GOD doth noâ— prâ—mise what we shall doe of our selves but what he will doe in us and by us Thus the Holy Ghost putteth a shield into our hands to ward off all objections and helpes us to subdue the reasonings that are apt to rise within us against this blessed hope So that this happy condition is not onely sure to us but God hath assured us of it Gods gracious indulgence is such he sees here wee goe through a wildernesse and are molested every way therefore hee would have us assured of a blessed condition to come So good is God hee doth not onely finde out a glorious way of Redemption by the bloud of his Sonne God-Man but hee acquaints us with it in the dayes of our pilgrimage Partly that we may glorifie him that he may have the praise before hand of what good hee intends us for assurance of that blessed condition will stirre up our spirits to blesse God What the thing it selfe would worke faith workes the same in some measure Therefore Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1. Blessed be God saith he who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope of an inheritance immortall undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens Why doth he blesse God before we have it because we are as sure of it as if we had it what is revealed before hand is praised for before hand GOD would have us assured that he may have glory Partly to comfort us for faith is effectuall to worke that comfort that the thing present would doe in some measure What comfort would the soule have if it should see heaven open and it selfe entring into it if redemption were at hand The same faith workes in some measure What is more sure then the thing it selfe What more comfortable then faith in it When the Israelites were in the wildernesse going to Canaan they had many promises that they should come to Canaan and many extraordinary helpes to leade them thither the pillar and cloud and Angell and God out of indulgence condescending to their weaknesse gave them some grapes of Canaan hee put it into the minde of the spies to bring of the fruits So God gives us some work of his blessed Spirit whereby he would have us assured and sealed to the day of redemption The third conclusion is this that the spirit doth seale us This cannot be otherwise for who can establish us in the love of God but he that knowes the minde of God towards us and who knowes the minde of God but the spirit of God Then am I sealed when I doe not onely beleeve but by a reflecting act of the soule know I doe beleeve and this reflection though it be by Reason yet it is by Reason inabled by the spirit our spirits by the Spirit onely can discerne of spirituall acts it is not for us to know things above nature
without a cause above nature None can know the meaning of our broken desires so as to helpe us in our infirmities but that Spirit that stirred up those desires Againe none knowes the grievances of our spirits but our owne spirits and the Spirit of God who knowes all the turnings and corners of the soule Who can mortifie those strong corruptions that would hinder us in the way to heaven but the Spirit cloathing our spirit with power from above who purifieth the coÌ„science but he that is above coÌ„science Who can raise our spirits above all temptations and troubles but that Spirit of power that is above all The strength and vigour of any creature is from the spirits and the strength of the spirits of all flesh is from this Spirit whose office is to put spirit into our spirit As GOD redeemed us with his bloud so GOD must apply this bloud that conscience may bee quieted He onely can subdue the rebellion of our spirits and soften our hearts and make them fit for sealing The Spirit onely can so repoâ—t the mercy of God to our soules as to perswade and worke our hearts to this assurance otherwise we would never yeeld For partly the greatnesse of the state is such that none but God can assure and partly the misgiving and unbeliefe of our heart is such that none but God can subdue it The thing being so great and our deservings so little being unworthy of the things of this life much more of that eternall happinesse this cannot be done without the high and glorious Spirit of God How earnest and desirous then is both the Father and the Sonne to save us that pleased to send such an Orator and Embassador as is equall with themselves to perswade us to assure us to fit us for salvation and how gracious is the Spirit that will vouchsafe to have such communion with such poore sinfull spirits as ours And should not this worke upon our hearts a care not to grieve the holy Spirit and so we come to the fourth conclusion The fourth conclusion is that the sealing of the spirit unto salvation should be a strong prevailing argument not to grieve the Spirit that is not to sinne for sinne onely grieves the Spirit The grace of God saith Paul to Titus that bringeth salvation Christ appeared and what is Christ but grace Christ appeared and the free favour of GOD in Christ whereby wee are assured of salvation which teacheth us what to doe to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Even the consideration of the benefits of Christ that are past such as came with Christs first comming but that is not all Verse 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ The second comming of Christ enforceth likewise the same care of holinesse Our conversation is in heaven and not as theirs spoken of in the former Verse whose end is damnation whose belly is their GOD who minde earthly things no we minde heavenly things and these heavenly desires from whence sprung they but from the certaine expectation of our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies c. that is shall redeeme us fully even our bodies as well as our soules It is an argument of force whether we be not yet sealed or be sealed if not sealed then grieve not him whose onely office it is to seale entertaine his motions give way to him that he may have scope and liberty of working Set no reasons against his reasons hearken to no counsell against his counsell stand not out his perswasions any longer but yeeld up your spirits to him lest he put a period to his patience he is long suffering but not alwayes suffering if he give us up to our own spirits we shall only be witty to worke out our owne damnation wee are not given up to our owne spirits but after many repulses of this holy Spirit and at length what now will not serve for an argument to perswade us shall bee used hereafter as an argument to torment us The Spirit will helpe our spirits to repeate and recall all the motions to our owne good that wee formerly put backe We should thinke when conscience speakes in us God speakes and when the Spirit moves us it is God that moves us and that all excuse will be cut off answere will be did not I tell you of this by conscience my deputy did not I move you to this good by mine owne Spirit Take heed of keeping out any light for light where it doth not come in and soften hardens none so hard hearted as those upon whom the light hath shined there is more to be hoped from a man that hath onely a naturall conscience then from him whose heart and spirit hath beene long beaten on there is more to be hoped from a heathen Pilate than a proud Pharisee Those that will not be sealed to their salvation it is just with God that they should be sealed up to their destruction the soule without the spirit is darkenesse and confusion full of selfe accusing and selfe tormenting thoughts if we let the Spirit come in it will scatter all and settle the soule in a sweet quiet For those that have been sealed by the Spirit and yet not so fully as to silence all doubts about their estate those should out of that beginning of comfort which they feele studie to be pliable to the Spirit for further increase The Spirit scaleth by degrees as our care of pleasing the Spirit increaseth so our comfort increaseth our light will increase as the morning light unto the perfect day Yeelding to the Spirit in one holy motion will cause him to leade us to another and so on forwards untill wee be more deepely acquainted with the whole counsell of God concerning our salvation otherwise if we give way to any contrary lust darkenesse will grow upon our Spirits unawares and we shall be left in an unsetled condition as those that travaile in the twilight that cannot perfectly finde out their way Wee shall be on and off not daring to yeeld wholly to our lusts because of a worke of grace begun nor yeeld wholly to the Spirit because we have let some unruly affection get too much strength in us and so our spirits are without comfort and our profession without glory We shall lye open to Sathan if he be let loose to winnow our faith for if our state come to be questioned wee have nothing to alledge but the truth of our graces and if we have not used the Spirit well we shall not have power to alledge them nor to looke upon any grace wrought in us but upon those lusts and sinnes whereby wee have grieved the Spirit they will bee set in order before us and so stare us in the face that wee cannot but fixe our thoughts upon them
nature strengthened with grounds will move strongly To conclude this discourse let Christians therefore he carefull to preserve and châ—â—ish the worke of assurance and sealing in them 2 What God doth for us he doth by grace in us he wil preserve us that we shall not fall from him by putting the grace of feare into us Ier. Hee will keepe us but by what meanes The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall guard our hearts God maketh our Calling and Election sure in us by stirring our hearts up to be diligently exercised in adding one grace unto another and in growing in every grace as 2 Pet. 1. Therefore wee must attend upon all spirituall meanes of growth and quickening so shall you have a further entrance into the kingdome of Iesus Christ that is you shall have more evident knowledge of your entrance into the kingdome of grace here and likewise into the kingdome of glory hereafter Those that doe not so shall have no comfort either from the time past for they shall forget they were purged from their sinnes or from thoughts of the time to come for they shall not be able to see things farre off 2 If assurance be in a lesser degree yet yeeld not to temptations and carnall reasonings if our evidences be not so faire yet wee will not part with our inheritance Coynes as old groates that have little of the stampe left yet are currant We lose our comfort many times because wee yeeld so easily because we have not such a strong and cleare seale of salvation as we would to be born down that we have none at all is a great weakenesse exercise therefore the little faith thou hast in striving against such objections and it will be a meanes to preserve the seale of the Spirit 3 Because this sealing is graduall we should pray as Paul Ephes 1. for a spirit of revelation that wee may be more sealed the Ephesians were sealed for whom Paul prayes and so the Colossians yet that GOD would reveale to their spirits more their excellent condition There are riches of assurance the Apostle would have them to labour not onely for assurance but for the riches of it that will bring rich comfort and joy and peace Times of temptations and tryall may come and such as if wee have not strong assurance we may be sorely troubled and call all into question This may be the sad condition of Gods own children and from this that in times of peace they contented themselves with a lesser degree of this assurance and sealing 4 Lastly bee watchfull over your owne hearts and wayes that according to what you have now learned you grieve not the spirit for by it you are sealed intimating that if in any thing wee withstand and grieve the spirit we shall in so doing prejudice our selves and suffer in the comfort and evidence of our sealing FINIS Scope of the words Holy Ghost called Spirit why Holy Spirirt Holinesse not onely an attribute in God but the excellency of all hâ—s attributes He is holy in mercy in iustice in goodnesse c. Two desires in man by nature Foure things presupposed The spirit in us DiffereÌ„ce of the Spirits being in Christ and in us How the Spirit was in Adam in innocency How in carnall men The holy Ghost dwels not in us as in ordinary houses but as Temples The holy spirit makes all holy where ever he comes The spirit a Counsellor and Comforter We are prone to grieve the Spirit We should be carefull of grieving it Foure points observed What it is to grieve the Spirit Spirit grieved how Spirit considered as in himselfe as in us How the Spirit worketh in us Ob. We intend not in sin to grieve the Spirit An. We doe it in the cause Wherein we grieve the Spirit We grieve the Spiriâ— by unkindnesse Ier. Aggravation of sinnes of Professors Sins against knowledg are such either 1 Directly 2 Indirectly Why voluntary sins grieve the Spirit so much Exod. 20. Sinnes against the second Table in what respect they grieve most Gods method in dealing with sinners Some sins grieve more than other Eph. 5. 18. Gal. 6. Jer. 42. The Spirit is grieved by sinnes against the Gospell Slighting ordinances The sinne of these times By false judgment of things When wee plot and contrive sinne the Spirit is grieved And sinne having helpes to 〈◊〉 â—he 〈◊〉 By caveling against the truth Neglect of prayer and dependance Overmuch worldly businesse Omission of duties The Spirit grieved in others is grieved by Neglects Contempt Censures By superiours By inferiours By ill example the Spirit is grieved How it may be knowne when the Spirtt is grieved Issues of grieving the Spirit Leaving us to our selves Grieving our spirits Quest How far a childe of God may grieve the Spirit Answ Gods children commit not the sin against the holy Ghost Sinne against the holy Ghost what Miscariage concerning the sin against the holy Ghost Concerning others Concerning themselves Feare frees from three things How to prevent grieving the Spirit Give up our selves to the guidance of the Spirit Gal. 2. To obey him perfectly Quest Answ How to know the motions of the Spirit They raise higher Are constant They change the heart Are seasonable Evidence themselves Orderly Dependant on God To concurre with the spirits motions Cherish holy motions Give the Spirit scope in his ordinances Isay 7. If the Spirit 〈…〉 Take heed of lesser sinnes Looke to the first rise of sins Renew repentance Avoyd corrupt communication Object Answ Motives not to grieve the Spirit The sealing of Christ Act. 20. 28 Rom. 1. 4. Christians are sealed Similie For confirmation Distinction 1 Tim. 2. Simile Similie Similie Appropriation Can. 6. Psal 4. Psal 73. Estimation Ier. 2. 3. Secresie Revel 3. Security Degrees of sealing Faith Sanctification Quest Answ What goeth before this witnesse of the Spirit Gal. 6. Revel 2. What accompanieth c. What followeth after this witnessing of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16 33 c. Pro. 31. 6. Redemption double Full redemption not yet A day of Redemption The day of Redemption ought to be thought on Day of vengeance to wicked The first conclusion Rom. 9. Ioh. 1. The second conclusion Col. 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 11 Psal Why we pray for forgivenesse of sinnes 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. Why God assureth us of our salvation For his glory For our comfort The third conclusion The fouâ—th conclusion Tâ—t 2. 11. 12. Phil. 3. â—â— It is an argument to them that are 1 Not sealed 2 Those that are sealed either in a 1 Lesser degree Those that are sealed in a higher degree 1 Ioh. 3. Rom. 12. 2 Sam. â—1 1. Meanes Phil. 3. 2 Pet. 1. 2 Meanes 3 Meanes Col. 2. 2. 4 Meanes