and hopes have been down and dead yet then to look back and call to mind mercies of old tracing the former foot-steps of God in their soules looking up and reading over the Lords love letters long since sent and then comes quickening life into their hopes and hearts Psal 77.5 6 7 8. Lam. 3.18 19 20 21 22. And though these gracious actings may be at other times yet I appeal to the most experienced Christians whether they have not found themselves best bent about such Soule-work upon the Sabbath-day 2. Direct actings Upon the day of the Sabbath the soules of Gods Saints may be set a work Onwards towards the People of God and Upwards towards the God of his People In grace admirably acting towards their Brethren Both in sufferings scattered And in service assembled 1. Where ever a good mans body be found or fixed yet in spirit he goes visiting his fellow-servants in prisons and the forreign Churches of Christ in all their afflictions Beza reports of Calvin That he was so tenderly affected to Christian Churches remote as if he had carried them on his shoulders or born them in his bosome often sighing out Vsque quo Domine How long Lord more lamenting the Churches calamities then his own adversities Thus the holy Apostle 2 Cor 11.28 29. Besides those things that are without viz. severall sad afflictions upon his own body that which cometh upon me daily more then all the rest the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not c. Yea and in such Christian compassions to others in affliction Gods dear Saints are most deep upon that day wherein they see their own sweet liberties priviledges and Gods precious things peaceably possessed 2. Where ever a good mans body abides yet in soul he will be sure at some place in which Gods People publikely meet for Sabbath-service David when in body he was banished and lay hid in the Land of Hermon yet he was in spirit at Jerusalem and went with good people to the Temple for the service of the Sabbath My soul sayes he thirsteth for God for the living God Oh when shall I come appear before God viz. In body also When I remember these things I pour out my soule within me for I had gone with the multitutde I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy Day Psal 42.1 2 3 4. The Jewes that were bodily at Babylon yet in soule they kept their Sabbaths at Jerusalem Psalme 137.5 6. Jonah though his body was in the bottom of the sea and belly of the Whale yet in spirit he was in the Temple at Jerusalem Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple Jonah 2.4 Though the body of Saint John was a prisoner at Patmos an Island as some write near Affrica yet was he in spirit with the Churches of Christ at Asia and with them he kept the Lords Day When Saint Paul was in body at Philippi yet in spirit he was with Gods Saints in their assemblies at Corinth I verily as absent in body yet present in spirit have judged concerning him that hath done this deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when viz. on the Lords Day ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan c. So when he was in body at Rome yet in spirit he was with Gods assembled Saints at Colosse Though sayes he I am absent from you in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit rejoycing to behold your order viz. in their Church-assemblies c. Colossians 2.5 But above all are the soules Sabbath-actings in Grace God-ward Though the body is then carried out by the soul Yet the soule to God is then carried beyond the body A mans soule is then so set as that it incites the body and the body is so brought on that it sayes to the soule as Ruth to Naomi Whither thou goest I 'le goe where thou stayest I will stay thy God shall be my God and thy people my people nothing but death shall part thee and me As Joseph and Mary went together to seek Christ So on the Sabbath soul and body in publike and private go together to serve God Even upon week-dayes when the body as Martha is about worldly and household-businesse the soule as Mary sits at the feet of Christ But upon the Sabbath when they be both serving of God yet the soul does the most and the best work Body and soul are upon the Sabbath as those two Disciples that went out to Christs Sepulchre but the soule is as that Disciple which out-ran his fellow John 20.4 It comes quickest in and closest up to Christ Yea. suppose the heart and mind of a good man may all the week-time be as a boat that beares upon the ground yet upon the Sabbath the soule may be set as a boat upon a strong stream and goes as a Ship full saile for God In meditations of him And applications to him O the admirable meditations this day on God! The mind that in the week hath been as the foot of Jacobs ladder standing upon the earth upon the Sabbath the soule hath been as the top of that ladder reaching up to heaven in high thoughts of God One observes of the Virgin Mary Hieron Epist 17. when the holy Ghost had over-shadowed her and that holy thing was conceived in her womb she arose went up into the hill-countrey Luke 1.39 When the holy Spirit comes upon the soule of a Saint and holy thoughts are conceived in the heart O how the mind mounts up hill to God in heaven Such a soule-frame is most frequent in Sabbath-time And O the close applications this day made to God In prayer and In praises A good Expositor gives this glosse upon what the Apostle does here expresse Vid. Aret. in Locum I was in the Spirit That is he was in prayer upon the Lords Day It is one thing to be at prayer And another to be in prayer There is never a day comes over a good mans head but he is at prayer Bernard in Fâ—st Pen-Pentec Serm. 1. but to be in prayer on the Lords Day that is more Not only praying by the Spirit but in the Spirit of prayer Prayer does not onely ascend to God from the soule but the soule it self ascends to God in prayer In prayer wrestling with God and With God reasoning in prayer So that such beames break out Greg. Orat. de laudib Basilii as make the mans heart burn and his face shine It is reported of Basil that the Emperour Valence coming in upon him while he was in prayer he saw such lustre in his face as struck him with terrour that he fell back Luk. 9.29 And Jesus went up into
Lord upon this day drew forth most infallible testimonies of the truth of his resurrection and so left not onely to his present Disciples but to his succeeding servants a more firm foundation for their faith in himself and a more strong Argument to inforce their following observance of the same day Joh. 20.26 27 28 29. August detempore Ser. 25. Bellarm de cultu sanctorum l. 3. cap. 11. Tertul. li. de carne Christi 3. The Mission or Christs sending down of the holy Ghost was upon this day It appears the Apostles met upon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1 this was a day instituted in remembrance of the Law delivered to Moses in the Mount fifty dayes after their departure out of Egypt Answerably whereunto the holy Ghost and Gods love thereby Rom. 5.5 is sent out and shed abroad the fiftieth day after Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for us which by computation of the learned both Orthodox and Popish was the first day of the week Christ being gone up the holy Spirit he comes down A blessed bargain saith an ancient Writer hereby was made betwixt heaven and earth to triumphing Saints was given the presence of Christs body and to Militant Saints was sent the comforts of Christs Spirit The Spirit of Christ the Comforter came down upon this day That cannot but be a holy day wherein the holy Ghost came down There be 3. works of excellency applyed to the three Persons in Trinity to wit The work of Creation to God the Father The work of Redemption to God the Son And The work of Sanctification to God the holy Ghost Times and things Persons and seasons he sanctifies The holy Spirit passing through this day hath made it holy This being the day of the Lord his thus doing 't is THE LORDS DAY 2. To the Lord upon this day hath been done Sabbath-service In the Primitive times and In posteriour times The holy Apostles punctually set apart this first day of the week for the worship of God And they were men eminently endowed with the Spirit of Christ Yea men intimately acquainted with the secrets of Christ men immediately instructed by the person of Christ Christ in his own person before his death did discover things to them as to no other men John 15.15 and after his resurrection they were the men whom he did commissionate to erect a Gospel-Church and to order all things therein and therefore he did continue with them for the space of forty dayes before he ascended that he might fully furnish them for those great appointments wherein he found them faithfull And how successeful they were we see Act. 2. when on this same day were gained three thousand souls at one Sermon O blessed day blessed day And as for the Apostle Paul I shall pray you to ponder both His practice and His precept binding the day His practice in the day is plainly expressed Act. 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together Paul preached unto them and continued his speech till midnight being to depart on the morrow c. His precept for the day is plainly implyed 1 Cor. 16.1 2. the Apostle there speaking of Collections for Saints upon the first day of the week when they should meet about the works of Gods worship adds this As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia Piscator in Gene. 2.3 fol. 52 c. even so do ye In that He Ordains such duties for the day He Ordains the day for such duties And above fourty years after this as Chronologie saith Saint John tells us in the text of such a continued day The Lords day And as for other good Authors since the holy Apostles they report concerning the Christian Sabbath upon the first day of the week things of two sorts Some more remote as being a Preparance for it and Some more immediate asserting the observance of it Some things they recite as referring to this first-dayes-Sabbath August de tempo Ser. 25. Austin notes that this very day was the first day of the Worlds Creation when Angels Elements and lights were made and that of all the six dayes-works the work of the first day was greatest because then the first matter and Model the principals and Platform of all was laid Austin also observes that this was the day of Noahs entring into the Ark August de civit Dei lâ—b 16. cap. 26. of Infants receiving Circumcision of Mannas first falling in the Wildernesse Origen before him saith that if the Manna were gathered six dayes together as the Scripture declares Origen Homil. 7. in Exod. and it ceased upon the seventh day which was the Sabbath without doubt it began on the first day which is the Lords day and so he concludes the Lords day to be more excellent then the Jewish Sabbath This was the day say others of Christs Nativity and Baptisme of the Stars appearing at Bethlehem to the Wise men of Christs feeding five thousand persons and other particulars which are in this case collected But I proceed to such as insist upon matters more immediate affirming this first day of the week to be celebrated for the Sabbath of Christians In Eusebius we read the witnesse of Dionysius the Corinthian that they diligently kept holy this Lords day in those times Tertullian naming the Solemnities of Christians begins first with the Lords day which they he saith most carefully kept declaring their exercises theron Justin Martyr names the same day and shewes their works Ignatius against some that being Christians would retain the Jewish Sabbath saith in plain terms Plinius sub Trajano scripsitsolitos hoc stato die convenire Christianos ancle lucem carmenque Christo quasi â—eo communi voce dicere postea Sacramento se obstringere non in scelus aliquod ne furia ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent c. Magdeb. cent 2. cap. 6. We celebrate no longer the Sabbath of the Jewes but every one that loves Christ keepeth now holy the Lords day An Historian writes of the Christians custome in the Emperour Trajans time how they met upon this same set day early in the morning sung a Psalm received the Sacrament and bound themselves in Covenant to fly sin c. And t' was a common question put to Christians when they were brought before Pagan Governours Dost thou observe the Lords day and the ordinary answer then was I am a Christian and I dare not intermit it I shall shut up my discourse about this setling the Christian Sabbath onely by considering Something that Christ himself said concerning that and Something concerning that Christ said of himself That which our Saviour saith of the Sabbath we find Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day We may observe the Sabbath our Saviour means it was for such as were converted to the faith of Christ and 't was for to remain long after the death of
day and for ever Christ who is The Lord our righteousnesse he is the Lord our Sabbath So chat we shall have a Sabbath last as long as Christ lives A good conscience Sabbatum Dei illud quo exterius â—b opere cessasse dicitur Sacramentum est interioris Sabati ubimens sancto per bonam conscientiam a peccato quiscâ—ns c. Hugo Chrysost Homil. 17. in Genes August Serm. 10. ad fratres in Exem as it is a continual feast so a Sabbath of rest Prov. 15.15 Esay 57.20 The wicked are like the troubled Sea that have no Sabbath of rest Tell me not sayes Chrysostome the man hath a sumptuous Table is cloathed mith silks attended with servants shews me his conscience there is a hurry of lusts a tumult of sins A continual Sabbath-lesse man A good conscience 't is sayes Austin the bed of God the Palace of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost the Paradise of delights the standing Sabbath of Saints c. Let us be faithful in the Sabbath that may possibly cease and then may we be sure of a never ceasing Sabbath In the saddest most unsetled seasons when customes are changing and Kingdoms are shaking and all Gods Ordinances seem to be taking their leave in a Land yea when all externals in the world are at worst yet there is an internal Sabbath in the heart and an eternal Sabbath in the heavens whereof every Saint may be sure Sabbatum duplex Pectoris et Temporis Aquinas 12ae quest 100. Art 5. Suppose there should be here no more Sabbaths remaining yet there is a remaining Sabbath Heb 4.10 And though the Lords day will end the Lord himself will be a never ending day THE LORDS DAY Enlivened Revel 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day THe holy Apostle in the words present plainly reports The Season upon which he was set and The condition into which he was put The Season which he was on It was the Lords Day The condition which he was in He was in the Spirit I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day The Point we are next to prosecute is That it is sensible to some and possible for all pious men to be in the Spirit on the Lords Day This Doctrine I shall endeavour To clear To prove and To presse For the clearing of truth it is fit to unfold What is the Spirit in which they may be on the Lords Day and What it is for them on the Lords Day to be in the Spirit Spirit This is to be considered both as it relates To God and To Man Omnes Nomenis Jehovae literae sunt spirituales ut denotetur Deum esse Spiritum Alsted Spirit This as unto God does import Either the whole divine Essence Or one personall subsistence The whole Essence of the God-head is Spirit As Christ King Priest and Prophet is one compleat Saviour So God Father Son and holy Ghost is one spirituall being And as in the Spirit they are but one being So in their being they are but one spirit Thus God is a Spirit John 4.24 Thus Spirit is attributed as unto God 1 Tim. 3.16 1. Pet. 3.18 c. 2. The third Person subsisting in the God-head is Spirit As there is God a Spirit So there is the Spirit of God Through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15.19 The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 c. This is called The Spirit of truth John 14.17 The Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 The Spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 The Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Spirit This as appropriate to man implies Either the whole soul of man Or the superiour facultie of the soul 1. For the soul wholly in the substance thereof As every individuall man hath his soul So the soul of every single man it is his spirit Each man is a compound creature made up of soule and body Hence men are compared to Gideons souldiers Judg. 7.16 Ambros de Spir. Sa. lib. 1. cap. 16. Each having his â—arthen pitcher and Lamp therein when the earthen pitcher of mans body is broken by death the Lamp of his soul abides burning either in heaven or hell Thus Matth 10.28 Mans soule while in his body is called his Spirit Isay 26.9 Ex egests vid. Augustin in locum et Ambros Com. in loc With my soule have I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Luk. 1.46 47. Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 2. Spirit That is the soules superiour facultie As the soule it is spirit So there is the spirit of the soule Or The spirit of the mind as the Apostle calls it Rom. 12.2 This is the intellectual or the knowing power of the soule Who knowes the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him 1. Cor 2.11 Thus 1 Thess 5.23 the Apostle mentions body soul and spirit Indeed this is most applicable to man as born of God considered Not onely in his proper constitution But also in his further restitution As the woman in the Gospell who hid her leaven in three measures of meal till the whole lump was leavened Thus the Lord layes his Grace in these three parts body soule and spirit till the whole man is sanctified Now such a man so spirited is fit to be in the spirit on the Lords Day On the Lords Day in the spirit Spirit it is taken as referring both to God and man The Spirit of God and the spirit of man meeting 2. What it is for a godly man on the Lords Day to be in the Spirit In the Spirit This notes Both his soules habitual condition as settled And his soules actuall condition as moved 1. The soul of a sanctified man according to his settled condition considered is in the spirit Being by grace habitually planted and effectually put into God Father Son and Holy Ghost John 17.21 That they sayes Christ to his Father may be one in us In us That they are not in thee onely nor in me alone but in us viz. Father Son and holy Spirit Every gracious soul Rests in God Abides in Christ and Lives in the Spirit Bernard 1. In God there is a resting Psal 37.7 The soule of every true Believer sayes a learned Writer Hath a double Mansion One wherein it rules viz. the body and The other wherein it rests viz. God The soule of every Saint is settled in God as in its centre The force of some temptation may seeme to unsettle his soule and as it were to separate it from God but then as Noah's Dove out of the Ark it finds no rest back again it comes God is its centre and out of God truly it can never be taken maugre all the malice of hell 2. In Christ there is his abyding John 15.7 In the heart of Christ and In the
that he had sometimes found things so with himself Hieron in lib. de virgin Seru. that it seemed to him as if he had been triumphing among Troops of Angels and singing Hallelujahs with the Saints in heaven Yea walking arme in arme with Christ in the Galleries of eternal glory The Apostle is to this purpose 2 Cor. 12.2 3. I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell God knowes such a one caught up into the third heaven And I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knowes how he was caught up into Paradise heard unspeakable words c. This of the Apostle St. Paul does import the highest pitch of a persons being in the Spirit And of such a being in the Spirit the Apostle St. John does here speak his experience I was in the Spirit on the Lords day This for Explication Now for Confirmation Upon the Lords day good mens thus being in the Spirit See Why 't is sensible to some and How 't is possible to others 1. Some of Gods Saints are sensibly in the Spirit upon the Sabbath-day Indeed This day is fittest for the Spirits working yea And they are fittest this day for the working of the Spirit The Sabbath it is a fit day for the Spirit thus to work for 'T is a day blessed Gen. 2.3 and 'T is a day sacred Exod. 20.11 1. The Sabbath being a blessed day it is fit for the blessed Spirit to be about his work Day blessed Note The blesser of it and The blessing on it The blesser of this Sabbath-day is God God above all blessed for ever hath made this day blessed As that is cursed which God curses So that is blessed which is blessed of God The blessing of this Sabbath-day is great As God hath blessed his Servants above other men So he hath blessed his Sabbaths above other time As Isaac had a blessing for Esau but no such blessing as had passed upon his brother Jacob So God hath a blessing for every day but no such blessing as he hath passed upon his Sabbath The very blessing of blessings is the blessing on the Sabbath so that well now may the blessed Spirit be about his most blessed works this being the most blessed day 2. The Sabbath being a sacred day a day sanctified and made holy it is meet for the works of this holy Spirit The holy Ghost As he loves to live in holy persons So he loves to move in holy seasons And so working there is Holy Holy Holy Viz. Gods holy Spirit the work is by Gods holy servants the work is in Gods holy Sabbath the work is on God hath poured out the holy oyl upon the head of the Sabbath as the precious oyntment upon the head of Aaron some drops of which may indeed run down upon the other dayes Upon the head of this day God hath set the holy Crown whence the Ancients well call it The King of dayes The Spirit of God t is termed a Kingly or Princely Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit Or as the Septuagint reads it Thy Princely Spirit The works of Gods Princely Spirit are most proper for this Princely day this high and holy day it best suites to the work of the most high and holy Spirit of God Gods holy Spirit may its true take A sinful subject to work in And yet a holy Sabbath to work on But his best works in souls sanctified are most seasonable upon this sanctified day Yea and the holy Spirit being now about his best businesse Both honours the Lord of the Sabbath And honours the Sabbath of the Lord. The Lord is highly honoured in the holy Spirits workings for He brings in Christs presence through his Ordinance And he drawes up Christs Ordinance through his presence The presence of Christ is by the Spirit so brought in by the Spirit the Ordinance of Christ is so wrought up as lifts up the Lords honour high The Lord never hath so high honour in a Sabbath-Ordinance as when therein appears his Sabbath-presence The holy Spirit by Christs presence supplies the want of an Ordinance improves the worth of an Ordinance by the presence of Christ And by all this is Christs honour held up in being the Lord of the Sabbath Yea the Sabbath it self is much honoured thereby Gods people whose hearts have been made to sparkle and spring through the Spirit of God upon the Sabbath-day they esteem the day of the Sabbath Not onely as their resting day But rather as their rising day A day Not so much for the earthly easing of their bodies As for the heavenly actings of their souls This day in their hearts they so highly honour that for it they long and in it they labour and all with delight O how honourable in the heart of this Holy Apostle was the Christian Sabbath having there on been ravished in the Spirit He writing to the Churches of Christ first gives it this high Title THE LORDS DAY For the honour both of the Lord and the day Upon such accounts the Holy Ghost may well to chuse take up this as a day most fit for his great and wonderfull works 2 The Sabbath it is the day wherein Gods Saints are most fit for these wonderfull workings in the Spirit This day they being From the world most severed And with themselves best gathered 1. Upon the Sabbath Gods Saints are most remote from the world Greg. Moral lib 1. and so meetest for the Lord and fittest for intimate converse with God One observes that our Saviour being entred into a ship Mark 4. He commanded his Disciples to put a little from the shoare but not to lanch out into the deep Thus true Christians in the week-time may put the ship of their soules a little off from the land removing so far from their worldly affaires as by and by to step back into the businesse of their lawful callings but on the Sabbath they put the ship further off from the shoare and lanch out into the deep withdrawing themselves quite from their earthly occasions and applying themselves wholly to the solemne service of God Another speaking to the Church of Christ does something thus expresseâ— himself O chaste and holy spouse Bernard Christ thy heavenly Husband that will not all the week crowd in to thee through a throng of worldly cares yet upon the Sabbath will give thy soule most sweet visits While Zaccheus was among the presse of people he could not behold Christ but climbing up into a sycomore-tree then he saw him a good man in the presse of his week-day-imployments can get no view of Christ yet then the Sabbath-day is as the sycomore-tree on that he climbes and comes close to Christ Then his heart is in the best frame freest for God being furthest from the world 2. Upon the Sabbath
Gods Saints are best brought together both In Body And Mind Christians being thus gathered upon the Lords Day lie in the readiest way for these high workings of the Spirit Act. 2.1 2. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place And suddenly c. Day of Pentecost This fiftieth day so the word imports it was the first day in the week Vid. Cypri de Spir. San 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the best affirm even our Lords Day They were all That is Basil de spi Sancto ca. 27. August de temp Ser. 251. all the eleven Apostles of Christ as is plainly expressed Act. 1.26 In one place In an upper Chamber at Jerusalem they were all Bodily gathered together With one accord Their minds were met as well as their bodies They were all in one house with one Heart waiting for the promises of the Lord. And suddenly there came That is with all speed the Spirit of God came down upon them so as never before for Manner and Measure The manner A sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind all about the house where they were sitting And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them The measure And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake with other tongues August Ser. 2 ad fratr in eremo as the Spirit gave them utterance The Spirit spake in them and they spake in the Spirit the wonderfull works of God The Spirit was poured in upon them and they poured it out in the Spirit Gods work was wonderfull and thus being upon the Lords Day gathered they found such spiritual fierings and fillings That evil spirit oft assaults the souls of Gods Saints when they are solitary single and severed Matth 4.1 But the good Spirit of God descends upon the soules of his servants met in their solemn assemblies One well observes that the dry bones which the Prophet saw Ezek. 37. the Spirit of God did not enliven them while they lay scattered in the field but when the bones came together bone to his bone then the Spirit of life came into them and they stood up upon their feet vers 7 8 9. Thus Gods servants when together they are upon the Sabbath assembled then these kindlings and comfortable quickenings come Yea though their hearts and thoughts were all the week more scattered about in the world yet they are better gathered in to the Lord upon the Sabbath-day And the souls of Gods people put into such a Sabbath-posture are most prompt and best prepared for comfortable converse with God in the Spirit And in the Spirit on the Lords day some actually are that so they may the better For present receive the mysteries of Faith and For future perform the duties of obedience Faith That the apprehensions of this may hereby be enlarged and man unto the Dimensions hereof may hereby be better enabled By being in the Spirit a Christian is made more able to reach out unto the lengths breadths heights depths of faith and by believing to find out and fetch in the vast Mysteries of God in the Gospel Gospel-truths vailed are hereby clearly revealed and closely received Hence St. John came to receive such close and clear revelations from God which he could never have reached had he not on the Lords day been in the Spirit His whole Book that is so mysterious to others Jerom. epist ad Paulin. things therein were perspicuous to him To him therefore several of the Ancients so apply that Ambros lib. 3. de Spir. Sancto cap. 21. August de civit Dei lib. 20. cap. 17. Revel 22.1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life clear as Crystal proceedinding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Things to him issued from God all pure and clear This made John the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other before him things intricate to others were explicate to him Now the Apostle could not have been capable of such clear discoveries had he not been first in the Spirit upon the Lords day Upon the Lords day being in the Spirit a Christian rides in the Chariot of faith triumphant from earth yea possibly as out of Hell into Heaven where he sees those glorious mysteries of mercie that concerns his souls comfort yea and what may be of singular concernment for the souls of others Obedience That the several conditions of this may be the better fulfilled Both in service And suffering Gods servants by being in the Spirit are abundantly fitted Both for Affliction And Action Act. 20.22 23 24. And now sayes the Apostle behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God O what a fixed frame of heart had the holy Apostle to honour God both By doing And dying He was bound in the Spirit The Spirit that is compared to winde did now upon the Apostle blow with such a full gale that he went as a ship full saile unto the Port God had appointed The spirit of this good man did not hang loose but was girt up to go thorow with the work whatever came The Spirit hemm'd it about loosened him from all that might any way hinder but so gathered up his heart for God and the Gospel as to further him in his way and work One telling a Martyr that it was hard to burn It is indeed said he for him that hath his soul liâ—ked to his body as a Theefs foot in his fetters but for him that hath his soul set above his body it is easie to burn Kindle fire I come Saviour Another having put one foot into the flame steps back saying The flesh shrinks and sayes On earth it is better to burn The Spirit sayes In heaven it is sweet to shine The flesh sayes wilt thou shorten thy life The Spirit sayes It is nothing nothing to life eternal The flesh sayes Wilt thou leave thy friends The Spirit sayes Christ and his Saints society is better c. And so in the power of the Spirit he flings himself into the fiercest flames And the souls of Gods Saints may expect such Spiritual supports in the dayes of their suffering who serving God have been in the Spirit on the Lords day The truth of all which some have sensibly found 2. That others of Gods Saints possibly may find their souls thus in the Spirit on the Lords day This proved By the properties of the Lords Spirit towards them and By the properties of their spirits towards the Lord. As for the Spirit of the
Lord towards them 'T is a Spirit enriching and ruling 'T is a Spirit raising and resting on them 1. The Spirit enriches the people of God by imparting to them What is precious and excellent and What is Plenteous and abundant The riches of grace Ephes 1.7 which is compared to enriching gold Revel 3.18 This in abundance is brought in by the Spirt 2 Cor. 3.18 An evil spirit is reported to have brought to some in league with him Remigi lib. de Daemo pieces in appearance of true gold but they were never the richer for when they went to use them all turned into whithered leaves And so with false gold of seeming grace does Satan deceive the souls of some But the good Spirit of God brings into the souls of Gods Saints such gold of grace as is of real and rare use for their great enriching God-ward Men rich in earthly gold and the ordinary wealth of the world are able to compasse and accomplish those things that others cannot Such as the Spirit of the Lord hath largely enriched with Gospel-gold O what great things are they enabled to do O what fellowships with the Father converses with the Son communion with the holy Ghost are they prepared for And may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day 2. The Spirit he rules the people of God by exercising over them Both a Negative and A Positive power A power whereby he holds them off from what he dislikes They cannot with others wade into the waies of the world the Spirit will not let them they cannot shift their sails as the wind change in every turn of times And though as Nazianzen said of Athanasius they be as loadstones to draw others in to God yet they are as Adamants that will not warp wind bend or break or shrink from God The Spirit of the Lord will not let them they cannot they care not yea the Spirit may keep them from something which may seeme good to them because of some greater good in the sight of God When Saint Paul was going to preach the Word at Asia the Holy Ghost forbade him and being about to go to Bithynia the Spirit suffered him not Act. 16. And a power the Spirit doth daily exercise over the People of God to lead them on to what the Lord requires Rom. 8.14 Gala. 5.18 Ezechiel the Prophet saw four wheeles which were sometimes carried on upon the earth and sometimes lifted up above the earth according as the spirit of the living creature moved that was in the wheeles Thus the Soules of Gods Saints are set a going sometimes they rise higher and sometimes they run swifter as the Spirit of the living God leads that is in their hearts Good men The Spirit leads them they may not be at a losse yea And when they are at a losse yet the Spirit leads them August de cor et gra Cap 2. Id. de Grat. et lib. Arb. Cap. 1. God led the people of Israel through the wildernesse not onely by a pillar of fire but by a pillar of the cloud Nehem. 9.19 The Spirit leads Gods people through the world as a fire that gives them light that so they may not lose their way sometimes there is such a cloud they cannot see their way yet then the Spirit leads them and when they are at a losse it is that voice behind them saying This is the way walk in it Esay 30.21 Now they that are thus under the daily conduct of the Spirit may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 3. The Spirit raises the people of God lifts up a good man being down through amazing meditations Either of God in the Heights of his Majesty Or of himself in the depths of his Misery When the Prophet was fallen upon his face through affrighting thoughts at the glorious presence of God in a vision Then the Spirit entred into him and set him upon his feet Ezek. 2.2 Ezek. 3.24 The usuall cause of a Christians casting down is the sad apprehensions of his severall sins so that he seemes to himself as if his soul were sinking into the depths of hell then the Spirit helps him up By recalling former mercies and By revealing further Mysteries The Spirit recalls or causes a Christian to remember The promises of mercy the Lord hath made and The experiences of mercy himself hath found John 14.26 The Spirit shall bring all things to your remembrance viz. The gracious sayings and glorious doings of God in dayes past are drawn a fresh into the thoughts of dejected Saints The Spirit reveals or makes such mysteries of mercy manifest as were not before known Eph. 1.17 18. That God the Father of glory may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling c Thus the Spirit pulls up poore Saints pittifully plunged Being down Either in sins Or in sorrowes The Spirit raises Saints in their sad relapses have sweet illapses the Spirit letting in such light and heat as heaves up their hearts dark down and dead They who in ordinary dayes may have such experiences of Spirit-helps may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 4. The Spirit rests upon the People of God so the Apostle expresses it 1 Pet 4.14 This imports The Spirits Presence Both intimate And pertuate With the people of God They have the friendly and familiar presence of the Spirit in close acquaintance Communions and Communications as is not to any other men They have the presence of the Spirit in his continued workings Without Intermission and Without Termination The Spirit within them does never intermit all his actings Though he is in the soule as the pulse in the arme that does not alway beat with the same sensible strength and evennesse Motions may to a good mans feeling be more weak and low yet even in such distempers he is still stirring As when the body of a man is asleep yet there in the soul is acting So when the soule of a Saint is asleep yet there in the Spirit is working Neither can any period possibly be put to such an operative presence of the Spirit in the People of God The gracious soul is on earth as the Spirits centre the settled presence here of is not in any other soul The Spirit of Noah's Dove hovers over the hearts of earthly men but a holy and humble heart is to the Spirit as Noah's Ark to the Dove there he rests John 14.16 I sayes Chrsst will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth and he shall abide with you for ever Your bodies have had my corporall presence for a time but in your soules the presence of my Spirit shall remain for ever Now they that have in them such a perpetuall presence of the Spirit may not they be in the Spirit upon the
are such as that his heart is prompt prepared for every precept purpose and providence O God my heart is prepared my heart is prepared sayes David One observes how he doubles the expression to imply he was willing to a differing condition Paratum cor meum ad prospera paratum ad adversa paratum ad sublimia paratum ad humilia paratum ad universa quae preceperis c. Bern. Ser. 2. de quadrages If God would have him high or low rich or poor a shepherd again or a Prince still His heart was prepared prepared Thus is it with a pious man his heart is prepared to put on after God in any condition his Spirit is upon such wheels of love to the Lord that he is oft carried out beyond and before he is aware Cant. 6.12 Or ever I was aware my soul made me as the Chariots of Amminadib The spirit of the Spouse did unexpectedly rise and run out after Christ as a Chariot upon the wheeles And are the spirits of Gods Saints set into such a frame for the Lord and may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day 4. Indefatigable are the spirits of Gods people in following the Lord. In Gods worship their spirits are unwearied when their bodies are weakened Their spirits may be weary in but are never weary of any worship of God or any work for God in his worship their hearts and minds Being pitched down And girt up for God The heart of a holy man is pitched down and firmly resolved for God his mind does not fluctuate hover and waver in unsettled uncertainties he is not upon demurs and disputes confers not with flesh and blood Baron An. 261. num 30. Cyprian that blessed Martyr when the Governour bad him advise with himself answered Sir do your office in a righteous cause I am not now to resolve A man of a wavering spirit is soon wearied out and wrought off from God A good man indeed his heart is fixed for God though he be not fixed firmely in the wayes of God yet for the wayes of God he is firmely fixed Though he hath some doubtings in his way yet he hath not doubtings of his way and so walks on unweariedly His heart will not be tyred or turned out Yea the heart of a holy man is girt up and closely united to God his mind is not divided between the Lord and the world Frederick the Elector of Saxony who was a prisoner to Charles the fifth being offered liberty and dignity if he would come to Masse answered I have but one Master one soul and one Saviour I dare not serve two A man of a double heart that halts between God and Baal God and Mammon never holds out He may seem for a while to out-run many but he will be weary A gracious man his spirit is not onely for God gathered in one but it is so knit up as to be one with God 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and hence he holds out to the end never weary And they who in the wayes of the Lord are of such unwearied spirits may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day There is none of Gods Servants but possibly now may be as some of the servants of God cettainly have been upon the Lords day in the Spirit I was in the Spirit upon the Lords day The USE IS Of Information Of Exhortation 1. This may clearly declare the ill case of two kinds of men neither of which are in the Spirit on the Lords day Some that are not nor possibly can Some that pâ—ssibly may yet are not 1. 'T is the sad case of all unsanctified men they neither are nor possibly can be upon the Lords day in the Spirit This will plainly appear considering Both what they be And what they do Men remaining in a sinful estate we may observe what they be Both privatively And positively Privatively They cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day because They be without the Spirit of the Lord And towards the Lord they be without spirit 1. As men in natures estate are without God and without Christ Ephes 2.12 so they are without the holy Spirit Rom. 8.9 Jude 19. As when man was to be created the three Persons they all concur Let us make man Gen. 1.26 And no sooner is man corrupted but they all conclude with a Let us leave man So that every sinful man is forsaken of God the Father Son and holy Ghost Such men be without Gods holy and blessed Spirit whether we consider Some more prophane Others more refined Men that expresse nothing but vice and vanity sons of Belial chief servants to the Divel such as do that for the Divel as he cannot do for himself Satan himself because of spiritual being cannot commit many sins But men that herein they may fulfil his will they run into drunkennesse and all kind of corporal uncleannesse they swear and curse steale and commit adultery and wallow in all worldly filthinesse and have they the Spirit of holinesse Men whose mouthes are as that Gate of Jerusalem out at which was carried forth all the filth of the City Their throats are as open Sepulchres their tongues are set on fire of hell and have they the holy Spirit of God in their hearts Other men there are who professe better They speak high but live low Their voice is Jacobs but their hands are Esaus Like Peters fish that had silver in the mouth but none in the belly Nothing of the spirit appears in their waies yet much of the Spirit may be heard in their words As if the Dove were in their Arks onely and none had the Spirit of God but they Thus Muncer the Anabaptist while he called Luther a spiritlesse man a silly soule one without the Spirit of God he pretended himself to be all full of the Spirit c. Men may think they have the Spirit yet not have the Spirit which they think And indeed whatever any unregenerate man think they all are without the good Spirit of God They cannot have the Spirit who are not born of the Spirit and they who never yet all their daies were born of the spirit they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day On the Lords Day a man may not be in the Spirit that yet every day dwells the Spirit in him And can they be on the Lords Day in the Spirit of God who to this day have not Gods in-dwelling Spirit in them 2. Such men God-ward are without spirit As Absalom stole away the peoples hearts from David So sin and Satan hath enticed and taken away all these mens hearts from God Hose 4.11 Or else the world hath so won upon them that their hearts and spirits are gone God-ward The Queen of Sheba when she was at King Solomons Court and saw the house he had built and the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants
shape assume the body of man so he can in shew assimulate the Spirit of God 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God or no. Whence we note 1. That there are spirits which pretend to be of God and are not 2. That such meere pretending spirits may much resemble the true Spirit of God 3. That their resemblance may proceed so farre that professing Christians may be prone to believe they are the very Spirit of God 4. That such spirits may not be believed a discovery of them is to be made by tryall 5. That the tryall to discover spirits to be not of God must be exact and prudent Try the spirits viz. as skilfull Lapidaries do their stones or as wise Goldsmiths do their mettalls by touch and weight as the word imports Now that men may so try as to discern whether upon the Sabbath as at other seasons they are moved by the Spirit of God Be it known that The Spirit which is Swelling Smiting Roving 'T is not â—he Spirit of God Renting Ranting Driving 1. A swelling spirit that puffâ— men up with pride is not the Spirit of God One of the chief lessons taught by Gods holy Spirit is humility of heart And upon this account Gods Spirit suggests to a man His Iniquity and His mortality When mans heart begins to swell the Spirit of God puts in Berna August Serm. 21. Christ was humble yet without sin and shall a sinner be proud What thou proud dust and ashes For pride God plunged Angells out of heaven and will he spare thee a rotten creature a worm that must die tomorrow Swelling in heaven Angells sunk and shalt thou proud upon a dunghill passe unpunished Ambros lib. de viduis As Christ sayes a good Author cured the blindnesse of the man by putting clay upon his eyes so the Spirit of Christ cures the swelling pride of mans heart by putting thoughts into his mind of his mortall and dying condition That while he lives he is but a piece of warme clay That is the Spirit of God which as it enlarges a mans abilities it increases the mans humility As Nazianzene said of Athanasius He was high in worth and humble in heart Of such instances the Holy Scriptures are full But some their soules are swelled with pride as Simon Magus who gave out that himself was some great one Act. 8.9 Such a one was Muncer the Anabaptist in Germany as Sleiden reports his proud pranks and bragging boasts such a one is that man of sin who exalteth himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 The Spirit of God it is not that moves these men 2. A smiting spirit that makes men clamorous and contentious is not the Spirit of God Chrysost homil ad Pop. Ant. 36. et 51. the Spirit of God it makes men peaceable pittifull To act pitty and shew mercy sayes a good man is a more glorious work then to raise the dead or to build temples for God Yet this lesson men learn through the help of Gods holy Spirit A meek and a quiet spirit Such a spirit acted in Abraham Genes 13.8 And Abraham said to Lot let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee or between my herdmen and thy herd-men for we are Brethren Is not the whole land before thee take either the right hand or the left c. Abraham said though he were the Elder and Superiour Let there be no strife His spirit did so incline to peace that he would not have the least breach I pray thee he begged agreement so greatly did his soul desire it I scorn sayes Luther to the Pastors of Stratsburge that any should be more earnest then I for peace Brotherly peace and bowells of pitty are the fruits of the Spirit Gala. 5.22 Likewise long-suffering gentlenesse meeknesse temperance It is an evill spirit that makes men tumultuous mutinous contentious apt to smite both with hand and tongue 2. Chron. 18.23 And Zedekiah smote Micaiah on the cheek saying Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee It was not the Spirit of the Lord but a lying spirit that moved Zedekiah against Micaiah Such a spirit wrought in them against the Prophet Jer 18.18 Come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words A false spirit is so all for speaking that it cares not to hear 1 Joh. 4.6 Hereby we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error He that is not of God heareth not us Thus a Manichee furiously contesting with Augustine clamoured and cryed out Hear me hear me To whom the good man modestly answered Neither hear me or I thee but let us both hear the blessed Apostle Some they are all upon speaking wording of it with a full and fierce mouth against others As Samsons foxes that had fire on their tailes and set all the fields on a flame So some have such a fire on their tonges that they set Cities and Countreys in a blaze Those movings such men have are not from the Spirit of God 3. A driving spirit that hurries men to move about matters wherein they do not consider or consult Times or Means Grounds Or ends But on they go this is not the Spirit of God Gods Spirit moving to any great matter does not drive but draw and so leads men as to let them Both consider with themselves And consult with others Whether the time be seasonable Viz. The means approvable The grounds warrantable And the ends comfortable When Gods Spirit is the mover a man so examines the matter about which he is moved that 1. He considers if the time be fit he is moved in He knowes that which is untimely is uncomely things being beautiful in their season Eccl. 3. 2. He considers if the means be right he is moved by and that which he is to make use of For as the least false weight is not allowed for the getting of the largest gain No more is the least evil lawful for the attaining of the greatest good 3. He considers if the grounds be sure he is moved on Not successe in the world But an expresse from the Lord. A warrant from Gods revealed will in his Word for that onely can bear him out in his obedience 4. He considers if the ends be safe and good he is moved to not onely in respect of his purpose and intendment of good therein but in respect of Gods promise and engagement for good thereupon Such a man is certainly moved by the good Spirit of God Yea and in respect of others Counsel He both asks And takes That both from God And men In holy prayer he humbly asks counsel of God When David had lost all by a Troop of the Amalekites horse who had plundred Ziklag his spirit sparkled to be up and after them But David first calls for Abiathar the Priest to bring the
Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth mâ— no more neither by Prophets nor by dreames c. He does not say God is departed from his Prophets God is departed from his ordinary waies of answer but God is departed from me c. Persons that do not find profit by the Word should misdoubt their own conditions for Gods Word does good to them that walk uprightly Micah 2.7 Such as say God is gone from publike ordinances it argues their hearts are gone if their bodies be with us they do but learn the Language of such as are gone from us both in body and Heart But God is with us Object None have such comfortable discoveries of God by the the Spirit as some that are departed from publick Assemblies Answ Some that have been damnable seducers have given out that they through the Spirit have had glorious discoveries of God The Spirit of God descending upon our Saviour like a Dove when he had heaven opened and God speaking This is my beloved Son Matth. 3.16 17. in allusion thereto and imitation thereof a grand Impostor having taught a white Pigeon to take pease out of his ear reported to the people that it was the holy Ghost imparting the mind of God to him in most comfortable Mysteries for the which he was much admired of many And our Saviour having promised the sending of the Spirit the Comforter that should make known all things from the Father Alsted Chronolo Haeresium 38. pag. 382. Joh. 14. One impudently affirmed not onely that he had extraordinary Spiritual comforts from God but that he was the very Spirit of God the Comforter and that God had sent him to make known most comfortable messages to the Churches of Christ whereupon he had many favourers and followers Luther cites several sects in his time who though they fled from the Word as Owles from the light yet they pretended to high raptures and ravishments through the Spirit and tâ—us especially the prime leaders with lyes as loadstones drew parties after them c. And there are in our dayes divers whose language it loud of large discoveries they have from and comforts they have in God through the Spirit never so as since they separated from our publick Assemblies before they were full of fears and doubts but now they are in the firmest settlements and fullest assurance free from all sad thoughts filled with the joyes and comforts of the holy Ghost having intimate acquaintance with the mind of God and understanding in the deep Mysteries of Christ This I shall onely say that if it be really so let us see more of it Both in their lives and actions And in their deaths and afflictions In the actings of their lives how little of the power of this appears Either towards God above them Or towards men about them If they say they now see and know so mâ—â—h taste and partake so much trust and confide so much in God let them evidence it by their exact actings and strict livings so as to out strip others in all goodnesse kindnesse meeknesse mercifulnesse c. As the Apostle speaks to the man who boasts of his belief Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. So may we say to such Let them shew their comforts and confidence in God by their holy working humble walking sin-subduing self-denying loving those that they count their enemies and praying for those they call their persecutors Math. 5.46 47. That saying of our Saviour to the Pharisees may fitly be applyed If ye love them which love you what reward have you Do not even the Publicans the same And if ye salute your brethren onely what do you more then others Do not even Publicans so c Nay instead of doing more then others in their conversations and actions they expresse lesse of the power of godlinesse and practice of holinesse keep lesse to the rules of righteousnesse and in the paths of peaceablenesse then other Christians do and yet they speak of higher raptures greater discoveries sweeter comforts stronger confidence then other Christians have I question whether these be any more then self-deceiving conceits arising from Satans-subtil designs 2. In their deaths and daies of deep distresse how little likewise do they lay forth of that firm confidence and those full comforts they speak of in God It were easy to instance from among the Anabaptists and such other Sects how especially the prime leaders who have spoken of raptures and ravishing revelations by the Spirit yet some of them have died ragingly and in a frenzie others stupidly their heart sinking within them like a stone And have not some been seen who have carried it boldly out while the Sun hath been warm under which they have set and while the Sea hath been calme over which they have sailed but when the winds have been rough and their hopes as ships have been wrackt their vapourings have vanished History reports of a river that at every Mid-Summer swelleth and runneth over the bancks but in Mid-Winter is cleane dried up Thus some while they have had prosperous successe their confidence and comforts have risen high but when they have been down in the depths of their distresse all have been damped and dashed to the dust As Pharaohs Chariots that carried him fast and ran swift upon the Land but when they were in the Sea then they went heavy and their wheeles fell off The Jewes said of our Saviour Let us see him come down from the Crosse we will believe in him But of such we may say Let us see them go up to the Cross let us see how they can look death devill God in the face keeping up the heights of their comforts confidence and then we may the better believe them In the mean while let not Christians believe they may have high comforts heavenly raptures through the Spirit yet neglect holy Ordinances Christian Assemblies the Lords Day and the duties thereof Though some men be in Sabbath-day-duies that are out of the Spirit yet let none think to be in the Spirit that lie out of duties upon the day of the Sabbath As whoever would sail over Sea to a friend in another Land must have both a ship and a wind so whoever would in soul ascend from earth unto God in heaven must have the help Both of Gods holy Ordinances And of Gods holy Spirit The Ordinance as the Ship and The Spirit as the wind As the Ship of an Ordinance cannot move without the wind of the Spirit so the wind of the Spirit will not blow without the Ship of an Ordinance And therefore as a man must desire the wind So he must take care that he be in the Ship else if he goes to Sea his soul will sink and not ascend Some neglect the Ordinances of God and the duties of the Sabbath and therefore are not in the Spirit upon the Lords Day 2. Some others they so
but are not towards God burning in affections they keep dayes and carry on duties in a spiritlesse way And for lack of such sparklings and springings of soul they are not in the Spirit on the Lords day 3. Pious men may possibly passe Sabbaths resting in Gods Ordinance without enjoying Gods presence God having made those heavenly creatures Sun Moon and Stars yet rested not till he had created man so man having used holy duties Word Sacraments and Prayer yet therein should not rest till he can attain God When the Jewes were gone out of Egypt and were in their way to Canaan God told them they should have his Angel to go before them but himself would not go with them which when they heard they all mourned and none would put on his Ornaments Exod. 33.2 3.4 Gods servants in Sabbaths should not be satisfied though they had the Ministery of Angels except God himself be present When Rebecca was in her journey to Abrahams house with his servants she rode on the Camel but she did not rest on the Camel when she saw Isaac who was to be her husband she lighted down and modestly met him Gen. 24.63 64. Jacob rejoyced to see the wagons his son Joseph had sent yet was not the seeing of them nor being in them that satisfied Jacob but thereby to go into Egypt and see and enjoy Joseph himself It becomes Christians to rejoyce when God gives them Ordinances to use yet is not the highest Ordinances they can have upon this holy day wherein they should rest contented except thereby they can come to some communion with God It is reported of Master Bradford the Martyr that he would never leave off in holy duties till he found therein somewhat of God as in prayer he would not give over till he had some intimation from God of his love in meditation till he had some manifestation of Gods presence quickening and quieting his heart Gods servants even upon Sabbath dayes when duties are most solemn and settled should not rest satisfied except God shewes upon them some token for good and seals upon their souls some impression of his presence which they may carry with them all the week The Church Cant. 3. being at a losse for her beloved she goes to the watchmen and enquires of them And 't was but a little said she tâ— at I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth We are not so far to passe Instruments and Ordinances as not to make use of them or attend in them but we are to passe them a little in respect of any relyance on them or resting in them As evil things unrepented of carry us from God so good things rested in keep us from God It is for Pharisees and Papists to rest in good works done Christians should rise higher and reach at a GOD in every good work at Christ a Saviour in every service of the Sabbath When Samuel was to anoint one of the family of Jesse to be King over Israel Jesse made seven of his sons to passe before the Prophet and as they passed one after another the Prophets word was This is not he Neither this he c. Then sayes Samuel Is there not yet another And Jesse said There remains yet the youngest and behold he keeps the sheep And Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither And Jesse sent and brought in David Then sayes the Prophet This is he and he anointed him 1 Sam. 16. Thus upon a Sabbath when Instruments Ordinances Ministers Scriptures Prayers Sermons Sacraments and all passe one after another the souls of Gods Saints should secretly say Is there not yet another The Lord our righteousnesse we cannot sit down till he comes hither And when the Lord himself appears in an Ordinance each soul should say This this is he Some they sit down in Ordinances though no Christ comes in little or nothing of the Lord himself is seen and so their hearts rise not The Virgin Mary comming into the house where Elizabeth was she being with child the babe leaped in her womb and she was filled with the holy Ghost and said with a loud voice Whence is this that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luk 1. Now it was not so much the Mother of the Lord as the Lord in his Mother that made the child in Elizabeth leap 'T is not the Ministers of Christ nor the Ordinances of Christ but Christ in his Ministers and Christ in his Ordinances that makes the hearts of holy men to leap upon the Lords day Thus they are filled with the holy Ghost and fixed with the Spirit of God Now because Christians do not rise to a high minding the presence of Christ but rest in a low using the Ordinances of Christ they are not in the Spirit on the Lords day Use Exhortion Let this incite all Gods Saints to such a spiritual spending of the Gospel-Sabbath that upon this day they may be in the Spirit Two things 't is here meet to mark Viz. The matter whereof this is comprised and The motives whereby this is enforced Spiritually to spend the Lords day does comprise principally these two things viz. The influence of Gods Spirit with us and The concurrence of our spirits with God 1. The inflowings of Gods Spirit so as to work in a double way viz. Of Resistance And Assistance There being mighty oppositions against us we need the Spirit of God for their resisting and There being many imperfections about us we need the same Spirit for our assisting 1. The blessed Spirit upon the Sabbath to resist Satan and what he secretly suggests to damp the duties of the day Indeed the Divels design is not onely to dull us in but if possibly to drive us from this day in all the duties thereof And when he cannot keep off our bodies to carry away our hearts he comes oft like a flood a flood of water to hinder a flame of zeal Revel 12.15 And the Serpent cast out of â—is mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood When Satan sees that upon the Sabbath we will go out to the Ordinances of God to quench and carry away our hearts he then causes temptations to come as a flood viz. Both in abundance And with violence Against this the best helper is Gods holy Spirit Esay 59.19 VVhen the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him Thus ate the billowes beat back and the floods dryed up and Satans designs dashed and our souls upon the Sabbath set in a more hopeful way for Spiritual work 2. The Spirit of God upon the Sabbath to assist and help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Our infirmities likewise the Spirit helpeth for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self makes intercession for us with groanes that cannot
the seventh day the Sabbath day the hearts and souls of Gods Saints are subâ—ect to fall from those heatings and heightenings they then have in duties holy But then they struggle in holy heats of heart to rise higher and to fix faster Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Fixed and loosened and fixed again Warmed and cooled and kindled again so as that the fire is greater and flame hotter More abounding and abyding through the businesse of Gods blessed day Thus when Gods Spirit flowes in upon us and our spirits fall in with God so as with agility to act and with stability to be set in all sweet wayes of Sabbath-works This is Spiritually to spend the Lords day 2. The Motives that may incite all Gods Saints to such a Spiritual spending the Gospel-Sabbath may arise from things of two sorts observable viz. Some more antecedential and Some more consequential Arguments from things antecedent which may set all the servants of God upon a Spiritual passing this present day may be to consider Sabbath-ward these four things all which we find to be spiritually viz. The Ordainer of it The Ordinances in it The ends for it and The opposits against it 1. The Ordainer of this day the Lord Christ the things Spiritual concerning him we may discern by considering of him Both as he once was And as he now is 1. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was Spiritual In his Conception and Birth In his Conversation and life In his Passion and death In his Resurrection from the dead And in his Ascension to heaven 1. Christ in his Conception and Birth was spiritual he being conceived of the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin â—nd the Angel said unto her The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 36. 2. Christ in his Conversation and life was Spiritual Lo the heavens were opened uâ—to him and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him Matth. 3.16 Joh. 1.32 His joyes were Spiritual Luk. 10 21. His words were Spiritual Joh. 6.63 All his wayes in the world both towards God and men were Spiritual Heb. 7.26 3. Christ in his Passion and death was Spiritual He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 Even when he was condemned in the world he was justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 4. Christ in his Resurrection from the dead was Spiritual Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit of holinesse in his resurrection from the dead Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you c. Christ put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 5. Christ in his Ascension to heaven was Spirituall As he went up to God by a Spiritual assistance so upon a Spiritual design viz. to send down the holy Spirit of promiâ—e Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter the Spirit of truth will not come unto you but if I depaâ—t I will send him unto you which we find fulfilled Act. 1. Act. 2. 2. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath he is Spiritual Both in his positive condition And in his Relative transactions Considered in himself according to his glorified estate he is all Spiritual His blessed body is now brought beyond all humane infirmities filled with beauty clarity agility impassibility immortality through the eternal Spirit In his humbled estate he was endowed and adorned with the Spirit what then in his honoured estate God gave him then the Spirit not by measure Joh. 3.34 O what immense and immeasurable fillings of the Spirit were in a crucified much more in a glorified Christ Such an infinite fulnesse of the Spirit is fixed in Christ whereby he is compleately fitted to the perfect performance of all his excellent offices Yea and Christ in his actings is now every way Spirituall Both in what he does with God for men And in what he does with men for God With God for men Christ hath his Spiritual exercise Christs acting as an Advocate with the Father 1 Job 2. His appearing and pleading our cause in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 His making Intercession at the right hand of God Rom. 8.33 As this is founded in the sufficiency of his Merit So it is performed by the efficiency of his Spirit As a meer man Christ does not manage his Mediatorship with God but Christ in Spirit presents unto God the Father for his members His deserts and His desires Both what for his people he hath purchased and what to his people God hath promised that they may perfectly possesse Joh. 17.21 23 24. And with men for God Christ acts all Spiritually As Christ executes his Priestly office in heaven So he fulfils his Prophetical and Regal office on earth in a way of Spirituâ—l working As with Ordinances by the Spirit does Christ teach So by the Spirit with officers does Christ govern As his Kingdom is Spiritual which he governs So his government is spiritual of his Kingdome It is through the Spirit that Christ does such great things in our dayes as it was through the Spirit that Christ did so many good things in the dayes of his flesh Being anointed with the holy Ghost he went about dâ—ing good Act. 10.38 He now sits on his throne in heaven yet by the holy Ghost he transacts manifold and marvellous things on earth By the Spirit he writes his Law in the hearts of his people and rules his people by the Law in their hearts Leads his flock in the way they should walk and Feeds his flock as they walk in the way c. Thus Christ the Lord of the Sabbath is Spiritual And shall not we be Spiritual in the Sabbath of the Lord 2. The Ordinances in the Lords day are Spiritual likewise Go through all the appointments of God that are for this dayes exercise Are they not Spiritual If we seriously consider things that concern The Word Prayer Sacraments Singing of Psalmes Collections for the poor c. Are they nor all duties to be spiritually done Doth not Both the precepts of God binde us hereto And the practise of the binde us hereto Godly 1. For the Word As it is of a Spiritual nature So it is in a Spiritual manner to be managed Both on the Ministers and On the peoples part Every part of Gods precious Word is Spiritual The Law is Spiritual Rom. 7.14 The Gospel that is Spiritual Rom. 1.11 Yea because the Law in Spirituality comes short of the Gospel the Gospel in glory out-goes the Law As it is excellently opened 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. They that preach the glorious Gospel that is so surpassingly Spiritual must endeavour to do it in the evidences and efficacies of the Spirit
them suffer yet their hearts stick to God All this is com upon us yet our heart is not turned back though thou hast sore broken us c. Psal 44.17 yea when Satan makes them sin yet their hearts hold to God 'T is said of Peter his heart did not forsake Christ when his tongue denied him Corde tenuit illum quem voce negavit Greg. But these men when they do not outwardly sin yet in heart they go away from God They do not onely in heart fall back but they draw back their hearts from God Heb. 10.38 Now they that thus daily draw back their spirits from God they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day 2. Against the Lord they turn their spirits The spirits of all unconverted are turned against God Both by Original corruption And by actual rebellion Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God 'T is more then if he had said The carnal man is an enemy to God The mind the best part of corrupt man is enmity which notes monstrous malevolence The Greek word is in the plural Enmities To import multiplyed perversnesse As there are many excellencies in God for man so there are many enmities in man against God Enmities against all the Attributes of God Enmities against all the Ordinances of God Enmities against all the actings of God in the world The spirit of man from his birth is bitterly bent and utterly turned against God But further every man does act up his spirit in rebellion against God blessed for ever Turns his spirit against God This Eliphas does falsly charge upon that good man Job 15.13 But this charge may truly be drawn up against every evil man he turns his spirit makes his mind to swell against God The least risings of spirit against God a good man groans under and grieves for Hieron epest 32. ad Abiga There is nothing once said a precious man that I have all my life more laboured against then a swelling mind a stiffe neck and a stubborn heart A wicked man he hardens his heart stiffens his neck and turns his spirit against God He heightens his inward corruption and becomes a hearty enemy against God by thoughts words and deeds Col 1.21 Or if there be outward restraints from evil works yet his spirit is turned against God The impenitent theefe when his body was nailed to the Crosse yet his spirit was turned against Christ A mans body may be bound from sin and yet his heart bent against God The bow of the bad heart may be bent up though no arrowes of evil works or words be shot out Peter Martyr in Genes A Learned Writer makes the Rain-bow in the heavens an admirable Embleme of peace For though sayes he we see a bow yet we see no string or arrow An unregenerate mans heart is a bow that hath both strings and arrows The strings of the bow are the corruptions and ill dispositions of the heart and the arrows are the evil cogitations and thoughts thereof A multitude of these arrows a man le ts fly in the face of God which argues the acted enmity of his heart against God he is at heartwarre with his spirit is bent against the Lord such cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day Lastly on the Lords day these cannot be in the Spirit For The gifts of the Spirit they abuse and The grace of the Spirit they oppose 1. The Spirit of God in the gifts thereof they pervert The Holy Ghost helps them to knowledge remembrance utterance c. These they take and turn them to a wrong use As the Israleites who took their ear-rings jewells and bracelets of gold and therewith made an Idol As the Divell he hath large knowledge and great abilities but of all he makes an ill use so it is his design upon sinfull men that whatever good things God gives them for his praise and their profit may be imployed to their harme and Gods dishonour As Eve whom God gave to Adam for his meetest help was made the Engine of his greatest hurt Of this rib sayes one the divell made a dart and wounded man to death with that should have sweetened his life Basil Divers act the Divells part they take things given them for their chiefest good and turn them to the greatest evil CoÌ„rruptio optimi pessimi As the divells could never have been such vile and venemous spirits as they are had they not once had excellencies above other creatures And so there are several that could never have been so transcendently sinfull in prodigious opinions and practices as now they be had they not had rare parts and admirable abilities above their Brethren And can we think that they who thus abuse the gifts of the Spirit should be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 2. The Spirit of God in the graces thereof they resist Act. 7.51 Ye stifnecked and uncircumcised in heart and cares ye do alwaies resist the Hâ—ly Ghost viz. in all his gracious workings Men who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof they make opposition against the Spirit and withstand the works thereof And though as with bellowes they blow up the Divells fire yet as with buckets of filth they quench out the sparks of the Spirit As when the Angells were entred into Lots house the men of Sodom from every quarter compassed the house by force and fury to fetch them forth Genes 19.3 Thus when any good motions enter into the hearts and minds of some men they are up in arms and out of quiet till they can crush them and cast them forth How oft do they in effect say to the Spirit as Pharaoh to Moses Get thee from me see my face no more till at length the Spirit replyes to them as Moses to Pharaoh Be it as thou-hast said Lo I will see thy face no more for ever Exodus 10.28.29 Some when they are in soule affrighted they would have the peace of the Spirit to calme them but though they are in sin polluted they will not have the grace of the Spirit to cleanse them And because they regard not the grace of the Spirit they resist the Spirit of grace And can such be in the Spirit upon the Lords Day Indeed the Lords Day is the main time they thus gainsay the Spirit of God upon the Sabbath-day they most beat back Gods blessed Spirit and can they this day be in the Spirit Object Upon the day of the Sabbath sure some sinfull men meet with Spirituall movings and therefore they may this day be in the Spirit Answer By way of concession By way of distinction Upon the Lords day as at other times men may by a false spirit be forcibly moved have stronge impulses strange raptures and revelations from a lying spirit As the Divell can transform himself into an Angell of Light so he can conforme himself to the Spirit of Light And as Satan can in
be uttered 'T is not prayer nor any other part of Gods service upon the Sabbath that we can spiritualy perform except the Spirit assist The Spirit helpeth Or claspeth in with us together as the Greek word notes As when a businesse is too big a work too weighty for one others put to their helping hands lifting and labouring together The work of the Sabbath especially to be spirituall therein is above our abilities except the Spirit closes in and sets to his assisting hand service will be sleepy and souls will be dead As 't is said that the whole soul is in the whole body and the whole soul in every part of the body to animate and actuate all Thus the holy Spirit must be wholly in the whole body of Sabbath-businesse and whole in every particular duty that all may be active heavenly and lively Upon the Lords day Gods people need the help of Gods holy Spirit Both to transport them And to support them 1. The Spirit upon the Lords day to transport and carry them out in holy duties beyond ordinary formalities and their own abilities though in the week their wings have been wetted in the world yet upon the Sabbath they are made fit to fly and soar up to God Though upon this day Christ rose from the dead yet it was fourty dayes after he ascended into heaven But to a Christian through the Spirit as it is his resurrection day so it is his Ascension day As on this day he comes up from the dead So on this day he goes up unto God 2. The Spirit upon the Lords day to support and keep them up in holy and heavenly frames of heart That in Gods service they sink not Either through sinful inclinations Or through Satans temptations Good mens hearts are as Moses hands when they are lifted up they must be born up Ever since Adams fall mans natural motion is downward The soul that ascends will soon descend if Gods blessed Spirit does not bear it up This made David pray when he saw the people for the service of the Temple with their hands liberal and their hearts lively O Lord God sayes he keep this up for ever in the thoughts of the hearts of thy people c. And Satan he sets in to sink the soul down when it is highest in holy movings and heavenly mountings Matth. 4. we find when our Saviour was taken up into the holy City and sâ—t upon a pinacle of the Temple then Satan solicits him that if he were the Son of God he might cast himself down Such is Satans design when he sees Gods Saints taken up in holy service and set upon the pinacle in the practical part of holy Sabbaths then he privily puts in presently to pull them down but the Spirit helps and holds them up 2. There must be the close concurrings of our spirits with God or the Lords day cannot be spiritually spent Not our bodies barely but our very souls must so set in with God in Sabbath-service as Freely to stirre and Firmely to stand 1. To stirre freely with readinesse and willingnesse of mind moving about the businesse of Gods blessed day Though there seems difficulty in work and Though there is diversity of work Although some of the service of the Sabbath may seem difficult yet with a prompt and ready mind to move thereto and with all agility apt to act therein As some of the men that Mosâ—s sent to search Canaan they came back and their hearts sunk O say they The Cities aâ—e walled and the people are strong and we can never do the work But Caleb who had another spirit and was of a ready and resolute mind Come sayes he let us go up and take it at once Num. 13.30 Some are as awke to enter upon holy Sabbaths as upon walled Cities their hears shrink back and they say The service is too great they cannot do it whereas Christians of another spirit whose minds are bent upon Sabbath-businesse they say Come let us go up through God we shall do great things this day Yea to have a heart free and fit to move although the duties of the Lords day be divers viz. Works of piety works of charity Works together works asunder Sometimes lowly abasing our selves for sins committed Sometimes highly advancing God for good vouchsafed c. As a well-tuned instrument the strings are ready to stir upon a light touch to divers lessons which the Musician may play as he please one after another Thus to have a well-framed heart apt upon the Lords day to its divers duties prompt to pray swift to hear ready to distribute prepared to every good work 1 Tim. 2.21 Tit. 3.1 Yea to have a heart freely moving not onely about divers Ordinancts but about the same Ordinance To set in a way of work severall graces and To set the same grace several wayes a work As in prayer in hearing the Word in receiving the Sacrament in any one such service of the Sabbath to act up in the soul several graces Faith Hope Love Sincerity Humility Fervency c. To have the heart in a ready exercise of all these at the use of any Ordinance Yea such an Ordinance one of these is wherein the soul of a Christian is to exercise the same grace several wayes As in receiving the Supper of the Lord there is a manifold use of faith Faith here it is as an eye to see as a hand to take as a tongue to taste as a mouth to feed as the stomach to digest retein c. Thus when Gods Saints upon the Sabbath do not onely use sacred Ordinances but therein also exercise several and suitable graces yea and are active in their exercise so that their spirits are quick in co-working with the good Spirit of God then indeed do they Spiritually spend this holy day 2. To stand firmely when the Saints of God upon the Lords day as they labour to get their hearts up so they are loath to let them down all the day long Whereupon they strongly strive Rising to stand fast they may not fall and Falling to rise they may the faster stand 1. That rising their hearts may stand fast and not fall in holy duties while the day lasts As when General Joshua was in the heat of battel against the enemies of Israel having his spirit fixed he looks up to the firmiament saying Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and the Sun stood still and hasted not to go down about a whole day So a Saint of God when he is in the heat of Sabbath-service his affections all on a flame he looks in and says to his soul O my soul now stand thou still Hold here and so the heart holds up and the soul stands still all the Lords day 2. That falling their hearts may rise again to a more fixed affectionate performance of all holy duties Prov. 24.16 The righteous falleth seven times a â—â—y and risâ—th again Seven times even upon