1.8 And no Prohibitions or Threatenings must stop their Mouths or tempt them to neglect their Duty But this is not all that which follows in the last Clause of the Verse is yet more considerable And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him q.d. Though you quarrel with us and oppose our Testimony there is a witness above all Exception who may not only silence but Cure your lnfidelity we are not alone in this Work we have one to back us who is greater than all even the Spirit of God himself This agrees with what Christ had said John 15.26 27. When the Comforter is come he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Words are the Conclusion of Peter's Reply to the Jewish Sanhedrim in which we have a brief Abridgement of his Sermon or larger Discourse upon the Day of Pentecost though that and this had very different Effects they who heard that were pricked to the Heart and it issued in their saving Conversion Chap. 2.37 They who heard this were cut to the Heart and consulted about slaving the Apostles ver 33. of this Chapter The same Expression is us'd concerning Stephen's Murderers Chap. 7.54 And signifies the galling of their Consciences Which provoke them to a more furious Resistance of the Truth when they have been persuaded to embrace it Thus that very Word in substance the same which is the savour of Life unto one becomes the savour of Death unto another Obs The Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him is a Witness to Jesus Christ The Text is not a direct Assertion of the Doctrine of the Trinity but we have here all the Three Divine Persons brought in and mentioned together Our Lord Christ is the Person witness'd to the Holy Ghost is the Person witnesssin and God the Father is the Person whom this Witness proceeds from and is sent by These are the Three that are siad to bear Record or witness in Heaven 1 John 5.7 And indeed they all Testifie to each other The Father bore Witness of Christ John 5.37 Christ also was given to be a Witness to him Isa 55.4 And in this Place the Holy Ghost is named as a Witness to Christ In handling this I. Shew in what Sense the Holy Spirit is given II. Whom he is given to III. How he performs the Work and Office of a Witness to our Lord Jesus IV. Use I. In what Sense is the Holy Spirit given by God In many Places which 't is needless to repeat the same Phrase occurs to us especially in the New Testament To prevent misunderstanding in so fuudamental a Point I shall endeavour with an humble regard to the greatness of the Mystery to open it Negatively and Positiverly 1. Negatively The giving of the Spirit by God the Father does not import the Spirits being Inferiour to the Father nor does it exclude the Purchase and Gift of Christ 1. This does not import the Spirit 's being Inferiour to the Father How difficult soever it be to conceive the Order which is among the Persons in the Godhead we are sure 't is impossible that there should be any inequality The Blessed Spirit is one with the Father and to him belong all the glorious Perfections of the Supream Being he is the most High God as the Father is All the Three Persons have the same Infinite Essence and Nature the same Understanding Will and boundless Power If any one Person be put beneath another his Deity is thereby destroy'd and therefore we must take heed of any such unscriptural Imagination concerning the Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is given indeed but not as by a Superiour who hath a command over another whether he will or not for he is given with his own Consent and one equal may give another if they agreee to do so as in like manner Jesus Christ whom the Scripture calls God's Fellow is also said to be given of God 2. This does not exclude either the Purchase or the Gift of Christ The Holy Spirit is given by the Father and yet Purchased and given by the Son too 1. Purchased by Christ the Son of God He hath obtained the Spirit for us or else we should never have partaken of him Hence it is that he is said to be shed on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.5 6. His Bloud was the Price of this Priviledge his Intercession procures our actual Enjoyment of it John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforther c. After the finishing of his Work on Earth and Exaltation to Glory the Apostle tells us That he receiv'd of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.33 The Promise of the Holy Ghost here is put for the Holy Ghost promised to speak strictly Christ receiv'd the Promise of the Holy Ghost in the Everlasting Covenant of Redemption upon such and such Conditions which he was to perform in the fulness of Time but now those Conditions being perform'd he receiv'd an abundant Accomplishment of this Promise not for himself but for those that belong to him 2. The Spirit is given by Christ He is said to shed him forth in the last cited Place So he engag'd to send him John 15.26 Chap. 16.7 The same Act may very well be attributed both to the Father and Son as concurring in external Operations My Father worketh hitherto and I work Chap. 5.17 The Father is represented as the Maker of all Things very frequently and so is the Son In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth and in that beginning Jesus Christ was with God not as an unactive Spectator but as a Co-worker Believers are sanctified by God the Father Jude 1. And they are also sanctified in or by Christ Jessu 1 Cor. 1.2 The Greek Particle is the same in both Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore 't is manifest that the giving of the Holy Ghost by God the Father is not at all inconsistent with the dispensing of the same Gife by our Lord Christ 2. Positively There are Four Things which seem to be signified to us by the Father's giving of the Holy Ghost 1. That the Grace and Love of the Father is the spring of all Divine Communications Here is the first Rise and Original of all the good that we receive 't is all resolv'd into the Father's good Pleasure as the Primary moving Cause John 3.16 God so laved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 'T is from the same Fountain of Eternal Love in the Bosom of God the Father that this Gift of the Holy Ghost does issue also 'T is very remarkable therefore that our Lord directs the Faith of his Disciples to fasten chiefly hereupon Chap. 15.26 27. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you The meaning is not that Christ
Vera Effigies TIMOTHEI CRUSO Aetat 40. 1697. T. Forster delin N. White scuÌ„lp TWENTY-FOUR SERMONS Preached at the MERCHANTS-LECTURE AT Pinners Hall By the late Reverend Mr. TIMOTHY CRVSO LONDON Printed by S. Bridge for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside MDCXCIX TO THE READER THese Sermons are some of the Reliques of one who is gone to receive the Fruit of his Labours who hath left Sowing for the sake of the Harvest wherein he is now reaping Though this is a Posthumous Piece yet it speaks out the living Praise of the dead Author whose it was without any Alteration or Addition being Printed from his own Notes If I may use the Phrase in Fashion he lived too fast not as too many do who shorten their Days by their Debaucheries and sinful Excesses but as a Taper which wastes it self to give Light to others His Bodily Constitution was too weak to undergo the Service his Soul put it to in constant Studies and hard Labour that he might Answer the Restlesness of his Mind which was always aspiring to greater Knowledge and higher Attainments whereby he laid greater load upon his Flesh than its weakness could bear and so sinking under the burden he died in the midst of his Days There is no need of my Epistle to Midwife these Excellent Discourses into the World nor had I had any hand in it had it not been to answer the Desires of some Relations of his to whom my Obligations will not allow me to deny any thing And also to take this occasion to Vindicate what I spake and published in his Funeral Sermon about the Vnion of the Spirit of Christ with the Dead Body of a Saint which hath by some been greatly stumbled at and called in question as a new Doctrine I therefore thought it Charity to such to remove this stumbling Block not by any Arguments further than what I have therein already urged but by calling in the Judgment of others in this matter and I shall look no farther back than to the Learned Men of our own Times Mr. Rutherford speaking of the Covenant of Grace Treatise of the Covenant of Grace p. 216. says It is thus Eternal in that the dead Parties Abraham Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of Grace and there remains a Covenant Union between Christ and their rotten Flesh sleeping in the Dust Mr. Calamy says Morning Exercise of Giles in Fields Ser. 24. p. 548. The Bodies of the Saints shall be raised by vertue of their Union with Christ for the Body of a Saint even while it is in the Grave is united to Christ and is asleep in Jesus and shall be raised by vertue of this Union And in p. 557. If thou gettest into Christ while thou livest thou shalt die in Christ and sleep in Christ and be raised by Christ into Eternal Happiness Mr. Case speaking of the Vnion between Christ and Believers Case his Mount Pisgah first Part p. 38. says Not only in Death but even after Death this Union holds the Saints are said to sleep in Jesus that part of the Saints which is capable of sleep is not capable of Separation from Christ While their more noble Part is united to Christ in Heaven among the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Christ is united to their inferiour and more ignoble Part in the Grave their very Dust they sleep in Jesus Mr. Stedman says Stedman's Mystical Vnion of Believers with Christ p. 191. Death it self shall not separate Believers from Jesus Christ but still they are entirely in him even when they are dead As it was in the death of Christ himself though it made Separation between his Body and Soul yet it did not separate the Humane Body from the Divine So it is in the death of the Saints though it rend the Spirit from the Flesh yet it can part neither from the Son of God The very Bodies of Believers are united to Jesus when they are dead Dr. Collings on those words of our Lord Pool 's Annotations on John 11.26 He that believeth on me shall never die says Though his Body shall die because of sin yet his Spirit shall live because of Righteousness and God shall in the great Day quicken again his Mortal Body through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in him and is united to him Dr. Thomas Goodwin Dr. Goodwin 's first Fol. on Ephes 1.14 p. â—â—1 Doth the Spirit dwell in you now When you are laid in the Grave that Spirit dwelleth in you as he did in the Body of Christ I do not say in the same manner The Spirit of God did dwell in the Body of Christ in the Grave and raised it up he never left him Though his Body was a dead Carkass without a Soul yet that Body was Hypostatically united to the Godhead therefore it was called Holy One My Holy One shall not see Corruption Now the Comparison is If we have the Spirit of Christ and if he dwell in us the same Spirit shall never leave our Bodies till he hath raised us up also Nay while thy Body is dead and rotten in the Grave the Holy Ghost dwells in it And hear what a great Man of the Church of England in his Day saith Christ's Deity was united to his dead Body his Resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and raised him up Here then is our Comfort the same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same Arm of Power may be reached out to us He will imploy the same power for us as he did for Christ Ephes 1.19 And again in p. 210. His Spirit dwells in you The Inhabitation of God's Spirit that is the Ground of our Resurrection because it is Vinculum unionis the Spirit is the Bond of our Union and Conjunction with Christ By it we are Incorporated into his Body and made Members of it Now then if our Head rise all the Members must rise with it if the Head be in Heaven the Members shall not for ever perish in the Grave This Union by the Spirit is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his Hypostatical but it is true also of his Mystical Union Quod semel assumpsit nunquam deposuit Christ will part with none of his Members Bishop Brownrig 2d Vol. p. 204. And again in the same Page Our Bodies by this Inhabitation are Consecrated to be a Possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroy'd God's Spirit takes Pleasure not only in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes Pleasure in the dead Bones and Favours the Dust of them I could multiply Testimonies of elder Date to prove the Truth of this Doctrine and that it is no new Notion but there needs no Proof from Humane Testimony
he had been instructed Luke 1.4 This Effect the Spirit of God hath by his enlightning Operation beyond all humane Instructions whatsoever we are made to know the certainty of things and more fully persuaded of the great reality of what is spiritual They are no longer doubtful disputable Opinions with us but we come to such a firm Conclusion about them that we can venture our Eternity upon them The Scripture hints this in many Places John 17.8 They have known surely that I came out from thee So the Apostle speaks of the Rich and full Assurance of Vnderstanding in the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God c. Col. 2.2 And again Our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance so that there is no haesitation or wavering concerning it 1 Thess 1.5 2. That Knowledge which proceeds from such a Cause is more affecting than any other The Heart is influenced to greater Love and Joy and Admiration by what it believes and knows As the mind receives more solid Satisfaction with respect to those Truths so those Truths are more sweet and delightful more ravishing and transporting to the Soul Paul speaks like a Man in an Extasie with more than ordinary Zeal and Fervour Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. His magnifying of the Excellency of this Knowledge sprung from his deep Sense of the Excellency of the Object He saw so much worth in Christ that he would part with ten Thousand Worlds if he had them for his sake The Doctrine of Christ's God-head Incarnation Satisfaction c. when they are only taken into the Head as common Notions are but dry Meat but when they are imprest by the Holy Ghost we can feed upon them with Pleasure The Things of God being so reveal'd that we taste the savour of them 3. That Knowledge which is communicated by the Spirit is always joyn'd with Experience The Apprehensions which other Men have by common reasoning of spiritual Things are like those of a blind Man when he hears a Discourse concerning Light which are very dark and imperfect in Comparison of his that hath Eyes to see the Sun There is a vast difference between a Knowledge of Christ by Report and Hearsay as one calls it and a Knowledge of Acquaintance which is gotten and improv'd by Communion with him As the Queen of Sheba was not told one half in her own Land of the greatness of Solomons Wisdom which she afterwards saw and yet what she was told seem'd incredible to her 2 Chron. 9.6 So Believers find so much in Christ when they come to him as does not only justifie the Report which Ministers gave to be very true but abundantly exceed it We cannot tell you what they feel whom Christ is formed in and who live every Day by the Faith of him Where there is no spiritual Sense the Mind is yet carnal 4. That Knowledge which the Spirit produces does always issue in Obedience The Knowledge which Men attain unto by any other Ways is barren and unprofitable as it does not reach the Heart so it is of no use in the ordering of the Conversation But saving Knowledge governs the Life and regulates the Practice so as clearly to exemplifie that Connection which God hath made between the Truths to be believed and to be performed When Paul prays for his Colossians That they might be filled with the Knowledge of God's Will in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding he does not stop there but shews whither this tends That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing c. Col. 1.9 10. He that is truly nourisht up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine will evidence it by fruitfulness in good Works 1 John 2.3 Hereby we do know that we know him Jesus Christ if we keep his Commandments They have not learned Christ as they ought that do not live to him for if we be acquainted with his Person we shall submit to his Rule SERMON II. May 7. 1695. MATTHEW XVI xvii And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven IV. WHerein lies the Blessedness which is annexed to this kind of Knowledge Some bless themselves without Reason too many against Scripture bless themselves when they hear the Words of God's Curse though yet without Christ who can only redeem them from that Curse thousands of presuming Sinners call themselves happy when they are almost in the very depths of Misery having but a short step the thin Partition of an earthly House betwixt them and Hell they think their Condition to be safe and good and applaud and please themselves in it as such when it is as dangerous and as bad as it can be on this side of Everlasting Destruction But however mistaken and deceived such Men are we know that Christ is true and what says he here Blessed art thou Simon c. for my Father hath revealed this unto thee which Flesh and Blood hath not q. d. Thou art infallibly blessed upon this account this is an undoubted Evidence and means of thy being so Where then is the blessedness which the Text speaks of What does it consist in and how does it appear 1. 'T is a blessed discovery which God makes and a blessed Knowledge which it produces because it is always accompanied with pardoning Grace If there be a blessed Man in the World without Controversie it is the pardoned Sinner Afflictions may remain without injuring our blessedness so long as Sin does not remain which is the only Thing that can separate from the Love of Christ and how can this separate when God hath put it away and removed it from us Who will not say Amen therefore to what David says Psalm 32.1 Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven c. Sin laies the Foundation of the Creatures Misery consequently in the forgiveness of Sin the Foundation of our Misery is destroyed Now this is always done where Jesus Christ is savingly made known This is plain Heb. 10.16 17. This is the Covenant which I will make with them c. I will put my Laws into their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them and immediately it follows Their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more When there is this promised writing within us we may be sure there is a blotting out of the hand-writing against us Where Sin is uncover'd the Heart is hid from Understanding but where the sealed Book of Gospel-Mystery is open d 't is past all question that the Debt-book is cross'd 2. 'T is always attended with a perfect justifying Righteousness This is absolutely necessary in order to blessedness for there must be a Restitution of our lost Title before there can be a restoring to our forfeited
145.14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall c This seems a Paradox indeed for how should they fall if he upholds them Ans He upholds them so far that they shall not utterly sink and he will take Care to raise them up again do not reckon your selves destroy'd tho' cast down The ransomed of the Lord may be carried Captive into a Land of Enemies but they shall return and come to Sion with Songs and Everlasting Joy upon their Heads Isa 35.10 3. Take heed of scornful or censorious despising of weaker Brethren If he that deals to every Man his measure of spiritual Strength hath afforded more to you and less to some others in the World do not lift up your selves above them Boast not against the Branches those that are inferiour to thy self for thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee Rom. 11.18 If Jesus Christ were not more liberal to you than to them your Soul would be in their Soul's Case Judge not those who are upright in their Hearts though they do err in lesser Points the Holy Ghost says they shall be holden up for God is able to make them stand Chap. 14.4 Trample not upon them that are most bowed down with a Spirit of Infirmity There is a respect to be paid to God's halting Jacob's and his Lame Mephibosheths The greatest and the least of Saints are both depending Creatures and therefore should carry themselves with all Modesty and Meekness one towards another He who establisheth us with you in Christ is God 2 Cor. 1.21 4. Make no Promises of Perseverance in your own Strength Learn the contrary of the Psalmist in the Text who first makes his Request Let thy Hand be c. Then expresses his Resolution So will not we c. If we Vow continuance with Christ in all Temptations and intend to pay what we Vow we must not Account our selves capable of Payment without Assistance from Christ No Man hath Grace enough to be his own Keeper or to execute any Purpose of that sort unless he be still receiving more Grace from Christ's Fulness A Thing well resolv'd is half done but we can never resolve well unless we do it in the Strength of Christ Mic. 4.5 We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever A Phrase which does at once import two Things that should go together attendance on God's Service and reliance on his Power 5. Look to your Faith as the principal Grace which contributes to your Establishment Isa 7.9 If you will not believe surely you shall not be established The contrary is implyed If you do believe you surely shall be The Scripture says more than once That by Faith we stand Rom. 11.20 2 Cor. 1.24 Which is more than is any where said of any other Grace and the Reason is evident 1. Because Faith is the uniting Grace and 't is Vnion with Christ which is the ground of our Safety 2. 'T is the receiving Grace that whereby we do not only receive Christ himself but all from Christ and 't is by Vertue of Strength receiv'd that we are able to stand This is the Grace whereby we do not only receive from Christ at first but whereby we must be receiving from him all along for we renew our Strength by waiting upon God Isa 40. ult Which is a Scripture-Phrase for Faith and Patience together It is the blessedness of those whose Strength is in God that their Strength is still increasing they go from Strength to Strength Psalm 84.5 7. But without Faith there 's no such Blessedness to be had the Unbeliever hath no Strength but what is in himself a meer seeming Strength and therefore a perishing declining Strength for from him that hath not what he seems to have shall be taken away 6. Exercise Faith upon Christ especially in Times of great Temptation and general Defection Never think to stand long if you stand loose from Christ but keep your hold of him and stick close to him and then you will be able to stand fast and having done all to stand whatever assaults are made upon you whatever Apostacies are committed by others continue touching him and Vertue will still come out of him Make your Nest in this Rock when the Devil blows with his Wind when Paul was buffeted with the Messenger of Satan he besought the Lord that it might depart and though that was not immediately granted yet he had a very satisfactory Answer My Grace is sufficient for thee my Strength c. 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. If it be a Time wherein the Faith of many is Shipwrackt and overthrown Holy Trust in Christ will be an Anchor to the Soul sure and stedfast When many of Christs Disciples went back and he put the Question to them Will you also go away Peter cryes Lord to whom shall we go to whom besides thee John 6.66 67 68. 7. Do not arrogate the Honour of your standing in Christ and abiding with Christ in the least measure to your selves Let Christ have all the Glory of your setting out and holding out let him have it now and let him have it at the Last Ascribe all to him who is able to keep you from falling who alone could do it and hath done it Jude 24.25 Christ is the Person there meant for the Presentation of Believers faultless in the great Day belongs to him Say to him Lord by thy Favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong which else had been remov'd and carried away long since thou hast made me a Pillar in thy Temple else I had waver'd and gone out again as well as others When you Live and when you Dye acknowledge this to your Redeemers Praise SERMON IX March 24. 1696. JUDGES XVI xx last Clause And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him THE Person whom these Words concern was the Twelfth of those Judges from whom this Book receives its Name as being the History of the Common-wealth of Israel during their successive Administrations He was one that had an extraordinary Presence of God with him which stirr'd him up to and made him successful in very great and wonderful Undertakings So we read That the Spirit of the Lord began to move him Chap. 13.25 And came mightily upon him Chap. 14.6 And again Chap. 15.14 The first Miscarriage whereby he forfeited his Priviledge was his Conversation with the Harlot at Gaza and yet God was pleas'd by his special Assistance to let him escape the Danger which that Sin brought him into ver 1 2 3. of this Chapter The second Debauchery prov'd more fatal viz. the letting out of lustful Affections to Dalilah a Woman in the Valley of Sorek ver 4. This Sin was followed with others as the telling of three deliberate repeated lies ver 7 11 13. And at last consenting to the Violation of his solemn Vow as a Nazarite by the shaving of his Head ver 17. One would think from the discovery of such
an important Secret that he had been bereaved of common Prudence when there were such plain Reasons to suspect a persidious Design but so God rightly order'd that the Folly should be a Punishment of the Sin and that both should make way for his further Suffering For assoon as this was done his Strength went from him ver 19. His Strength seems to be a peculiar Gift to him which was to be continued upon the Condition of keeping his Hair uncut and so that Condition being broken this Gift was recall'd Yet the strange Presumption and Stupidity of Smpson after all this may be Matter of Astonishment to us of which we have an Account in this 20th ver When Dalilah comes to rouse him with the usual Cry The Philisines are upon Thee See 1. His Presumption He awoke out of his Sleep and said I will go out as at other Times before and shake my Self How could he imagine this when he himself had said that if he were shaven he should become Weak and like another Man How could he expect to do as he had done when he had so positively foretold his own Fate Therefore 2. See his Stupidity And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him He said what he did upon a sudden at his first awaking before he found how he was betray'd besore he perceiv'd that his Locks were cut off and before he consider'd what the Consequents of that would be He was not instantly apprehensive of the Misery of his Case through God's just abandoning of him but depended on the same Assistance which he had formerly receiv'd till he felt the contrry by woful Desertion It is a lamentble Truth which these Whords do teach us but yet a Truth which is prositable to be known Obs There may be sad Departures of God from Believers themselves of which for a while they may remain insensible Sampson was not only an eminent Type of Christ in whom the Power of God was gloriously displayed 1 Cor. 1.24 But is also reckon'd among those Old Testament worthies Heb. 11.32 Of whom 't is said notwithstanding their various sinful Infirmities That these all obtained a good Report through Faith ver 39. And therefore this general Doctrine may be built on this Particular Example In handling of it I. What are those Departures of God which even Belivers are incident to II. What are the Causes and Occasions of them III. What are the Essects which sollow thereupon IV. How far may Believers be insensible hereof V. HOw comes it to pass that they are so Vi. Use I. What are those Departures of God from Believers which they are lyable to and sometimes exercis'd with There are Three Things which must be distinctly enquir'd into with Respect to this Point 1. What are they as to the Kind 1. Not a Loss of the Favour of God Psalm 89.33 My Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him c. 'T is brought in with a nevertheless after he had spoken of the visiting of Transgression with the Rod ver 32. God's sharpest Corrections for Sin are no Arguments of his Alienation from the Person when his Hand goes forth with most Severity against us his Heart may be still towards us as much as ever So Isa 54.10 The Mountains shall depart c. but my Kindaess shall not depart from thee The Mountains are the most solid and lasting Parts of this lower Creation yet they may and shall be remov'd they may by violent Eruptions be carried into the midst of the Sea they shall be overturn'd at the End of the World but the Love of God is Everlasting and Vnmoveable Where 't is once fixt 't is never to be taken away neither Things present not to come shall be able to separate us from it If the foresight of our Sins did not prevent it Sins actually committed shall not displace it If God bear such a good-will to unbelieving Sinners for the first fulsilling of the Work of Faith in us is a Fruit and Evidence of his Love to us we cannot reasonably suppose that it should afterwards cease to sinning Believers 2. 'T is a withdrawing of the Spirit of God not in Regard of real Fresence but manifest Influence 1. The real Presence of the Spirit is not withdrawn for this is constant and perpetual Both its Constancy and Perpetuity I conceive to be intimated John 14.17 He dwelleth with you and shall be in you Where he once makes his abode he always settles it he is not an uncertain Guest but a resolv'd In habitant Believers have the Spirit when they cannot discern that they have him for they would be no longer Believers if they were without the Spirit We must be cut off from Christ if the Spirit should be taken from us for our Union with Christ is maintain'd and secur'd by the indwelling of the Spirit 1 John 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us This is a continued Priviledge upon which others depend for we are no louger the Members of the Lord Jesus than we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 2. The manifest Inftuence of the Spirit may be withdrawn though his Residence be not alter'd his Operations may be interrupted in Three Respects as to Gifts Graces and Comforts 1. In Respect of Gifts These receive the Name of spiritual Gists not only from their Nature but from the Spirit as the Author for how various soeverthey be they all flow from him as their common Fountain There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 Now they that are possest of these Gifts will fsind them withering and decaying and be as though they had none when the Spirit of God withholds that actual Influence which gives Life and Vigour to them With what stammering Lips do we speak when he is not with our Mouths What poor ignorant Babblers are we when he does not enrich us in Utterance and Knowledge 2. In respect of Graces As the Habits of Grace are infused so the Actings of Grace are assisted by the Spirit and the most strong and lively Christians are very feeble and languid when he keeps back his quickening Helps The being of Grace is the Effect of the Spirits planting the springing of Grace is the Effect of his Watering The choicest Vine will yield but sorry Grapes like the shrivell'd Fruits of a dry Tree when God Commands the Clouds that they do not Rain upon it In such a Case though the Seed of God remain in a Believer 1 John 3.9 Yet what he bring forth is always ready to Dye 3. In respect of Comforts All Consolation is the Work of the Spirit which is certainly more or less according as he affords or abates his Testimony When he sheds abroad the Love of God in the Heart there is abounding Hope and a full Tide of spiritual Joy Rom. 5.5 When he refuses or forbears to do this there 's a black Cloud upon all our Evidences
would omit to mediate for them or that his Mediation was not to be eyed by them but the meaning is that the Father's Love does prevent as it were this Act of Christ and is the very ground which 't is built upon for Christ had never been appointed to this work if God had not lov'd us 2. That the Communication of the Spirit is altogether free and undeserved He is truly given and whatsoever is proper Gift is not bestowed as a recompence to any previous Endeavours but in a way of most gracious voluntary Disposal it might be withheld denied and kept back without the least shadow of unrighteousness or wrong to the Creature God is under no Obligation to give the Spirit to any but what by his own Promise he hath laid upon himself and there is no Promise but what Mercy is as much concern'd in the making as Truth in the keeping of God hath practised to give the Spirit to them that ask him and for our our Encouragement he is describ'd as more willing to give the Spirit upon our asking than the tenderest Parents are to give necessary Sustenance to their own Children Luke 11.13 But is this ever the less an Act of Grace because we are put to beg it And is not our very begging an effect of Grace receiv'd For we cannot ask the Spirit without the Spirit the Spirit of Supplication is poured out where Pleaded for 3. That when the Spirit of God is once communicated he is never totally recall'd God does not take away what he gives of this sort His saving Gists as the Gift of the Holy Ghost most certainly is are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 In them is Continuance as the Prophet speaks Isa 64.5 Their Duration runs Parallel with the being of the Giver They that are really made partakers of the Holy Ghost in his special sanctifying Operations cannot lose him He is given to abide with them for ever they are his Living Temples which shall be at no Time forsaken or left desolate There may be transient workings and long strivings of the Spirit with carnal Hypocrites but they are not indeed possest of him and therefore are sinally without him There was a notable Difference between the Anointing of Saul and David the former with a Vial 1 Sam. 10.1 The latter with an Horn of Oil Chap. 16.1 God's Ceremonies are very signisicant the Horn was a more solid the Glass a more brittle Substance to intimate the permanency of the Divine Presence with David and its sudden removal from Saul 4. That the Communication of the Spirit is an exceeding valuable Blessing When God is said to give the Holy Ghost it implies the Priviledge of those that receive him 'T is an instance of singular Favour on God's Part and a Matter of unspeakable Advantage on their Part both to themselves and others 1. 'T is the greatest Advantage to themselves There are many good and perfect Gifts of God but this Gift excells The Promise of Christ in the Old Testament and of the Spirit in the New contain all the Promises in Eminency There are some Things which God gives in Anger but he never gives the Spirit so There are some Things which God distributes promiscuously and some times to those whom he hates most plentifully but the Spirit is a Gift which the World cannot receive John 14.17 Other Things may be the lot of such as are reserved to the Day of Destruction but they that have the Spirit are sealed to the Day of Redemption 2. T is a great Advantage to others also 1 Cor. 12.7 The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal No Persons in the World so useful in their Places as they that partake of this blessed Gift It was this which recommended Joseph to the Egyptians Gen. 41.38 Pharaoh said unto his Servants can we find such an one as this a Man in whom the Spirit of God is One fill'd with the Holy Ghost is worth a Thousand of common Men he is a capable Instrument of much more good in his Generation than all the Philosophers Criticks and Disputers of his World with their vast stores of unsanctified Learning II. Whom is this Spirit given to The Answer is in the Text to them that obey him For the clearing of this there are Three Things which should be a little enquir'd into Who is the Person here said to be obey'd What is meant by our obeying him And how we are to understand the Spirits being given unto such 1. Who is the Person here said to be obey'd To them that obey him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is indeed applicable to all the Three Persons Father Son and Spirit as they are all the just Objects of our Obedience God the Father is to be obey'd in the Commands which he gives forth God the Holy Ghost is to be obey'd in his inward Motions upon our own Hearts but I incline rather to their Judgment who Interpret this especially of God the Son Jesus Christ This seems the fairest Construction if we view the Words in the Original we are his Witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Christ's Witnesses Christ is the Person spoken of first and last the Verse begins and closes with him Now that Christ hath a right to our Obedience is undeniable 1. Because we were made by him and as his Creatures we are bound to be his Servants He that brought us into Being may upon that Account require the utmost Performance of Duty from us 2. As he is our Redeemer he is entitled to be our Ruler He may very well give Laws to us that hath restor'd our Lives to us as the impotent Man urg'd to the Jews when they censur'd him for carrying his Bed on the Sabbath-day John 5.11 He that made me whole the same said unto me take up thy Bed and Walk q.d. it becomes me to follow his Orders to whom I owe my Recovery Christ is Saviour and Lord to the same Persons and all that are ransom'd by him are thereby engag'd to be subject to him 2. What is meant by obeying him here Some render it by Believing and that this must be included if it be not principally intended I would offer these few Argumeuts to prove 1. Faith it self is the highest Act of Obedience We read of the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 As the great End of the Gospels Publication and the very same Words are render'd Obedience to the Faith Chap. 1.5 If we should take Faith here for the Doctrine of Faith 't is evident that the receiving of this Doctrine is set forth by Obedience In believing we obey for this is his Commandment that we should Believe c. 1 John 3.23 Indeed 't is the most difficult Duty as they that are found in the Performance of it are able to declare from their own Experience Presumption is easie but the true Exercise of Faith is hard Work 2. Faith is the Foundation of all Evangelical Obedience Obedience
is that which inseparably results from it but can never be presupposed to it By Faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out of his own Countrey into a strange Land Heb. 11.8 And whoever obey from any other Principle they are nothing in God's Account and all that they do will avail nothing to them Receiving of Christ is the first Act and yielding our selves to him is consequent upon it 3. We are expresly said to receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Faith is oppos'd to Works twice in this very Case of receiving the Spirit ver 2 5. And therefore the Gospel which is the Doctrine of Faith as distinguisht from the Law which is the Rule of Works is stiled the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 A Road of doing separate from believing is not the Way of the Spirit of God 3. How are we to understand the giving of the Spirit to them that obey Christ 1. It must not be understood as if this were the Reason of the Gift or the actual Qualification of the Persons before the receiving of this Gift Our foreseen Faith and Obedience is not the Reason why God gives the Holy Ghost to us for he is given freely as hath been said from no other Motive but the meer Kindness and Good-will of God to lost and undone Sinners Nor are any Persons so qualified and prepar'd for the receiving of the Spirit before he is given to them for we are unbelieving and disohedient till the Spirit hath been mightily at Work in us The whole Race of Manking are by Nature a wretched Company of Insidels and Rebels against Christ without the Spirit And there is not the least Disposition in us to any Duty whatsoever but what is of his producing 2. Believing and Obeying are the present Effects of the Spirit 's Influence upon our Souls assoon as he is given us He is given in Order to this End and this End is immediately and infallibly brought about by his powerful Agency When the Holy Ghost was given to the Gentiles their Hearts were instantly purified by Faith Acts 15.8 9. To have the Spirit and remain one Moment an Unbeliever is a Contradiction So we read of Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience 1 Pet. 1.2 Where the Spirit is he Acts as a Sanctifier and where he Acts so it instantly appears by the Fruit of Obedience which flow naturally from it So the Promise runs Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within-you and cause you to walk in my Statutes c. 3. In the Exercises of Faith and actings of Obedience we have more and more of the Spirit given to us So we may understand the giving of the Spirit to them that obey Christ and believe in him not of the first Donation but of the increased Degrees and Measures of the same Spirit to those that have him already In this Sense we read of the Spirit 's being given and receiv'd John 7.39 He was given before Christ's Ascension but more sparingly when he was ascended the Spirit came down in greater Flouds there was a more signal and liberal Effusion So though the Spirit is poured out that we may believe yet after we believe there are still larger Portions continually given forth This the Apostle calls the supply of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 'T is the same Word which is used 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith c. God does not stop at the first Gift but vouchsafes daily further additional Supplies III. How is the Work and Office of a Witness perform'd by the Spirit to our Lord Jesus Ans This may be shewn under four Heads distinctly How he did it before Christ's coming and during Christ's stay on Earth and after his Departure to Heaven And how he does it even now at this present Time 1. How did the Spirit perform the Work and Office of a Witness to Christ before his Coming Chiefly by Prophesie Now here two Things are to be prov'd that Prophesie was indeed a Witness to Christ and that the Spirit did witness by it 1. That Prophesie was a Witness to Christ This the Scripture most positively Asserts Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets Witness c. There are very numerous and plentiful Instances which might be given of the Truth of this if we look into the Prophetical Writings of the Old Testament which unanimously Point to Chtist as their main Subject Our Lord calls the Jews to search the Scriptures in General upon this account because they testified of him John 5.39 Various Predictions concerning Christ even in the Books of Moses in the Psalms of David in the Greater and Lesser Prophets in those that Prophesied before the Captivity and in them that Prophesied after the return out of Captivity There were few or none among them all but what foretold the coming of the Messiah and gave some Character of him 2. It was the Holy Spirit who witness'd hereby to Jesus Christ The Spirit of God is said to testifie in the Prophets Neb. 9.30 1 Pet. 1.11 Whatever is written in the Word he is stiled a Witness of Heb. 10.15 Because he dictated to the Pen-men of the Word not only the Matter and Substance but the very Expressions themselves For Prophesie as the Apostle says came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 When the Word was brought to them it was not lest to them to invent or chuse out such Terms as they thought best for the declaring and reporting of it but they were acted herein by the Divine Spirit as Passive Instruments to deliver all that which he suggested and nothing else The Gift of Prophesie was entirely his without and antecedent Preparations of their own and the Exercise of this Gift was from him and under his Conduct and Management also Therefore the Angel might justly say Rev. 19.10 The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie This Testimony was born to Christ before his Coming and the Spirit was the Author of it SERMON XII June 30. 1696. ACTS V. xxxii latter Part. And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him 2. HOW did the Spirit perform this Work of a Witness when Christ was upon the Earth I will mention only Three Ways 1. His Visible Descent upon Christ at his Baptism Luke 3.22 The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him c. It is not to my present Purpose to enquire of what Nature or Substance this Appearance was the Form or Resemblance here assum'd is said to be that of a Dove which was obvious to Sense and seen by his forerunner the Person that Baptiz'd him which was the Token that God had given him to know the Messiah by and this he bare Record of John 1.32 33. That this was designed as a solemn Testimony to Jesus Christ
is manifest because immediately after this he enter'd upon his publick Ministry here was a Pledge first given of the Authority which he was invested with that he might be accordingly acknowledg'd and regarded in the Exercise of his Office which till now he had not begun 2. The extraordinary Works that were done by Christ these were the Seals of his Commission and prov'd him to come from Heaven for the Doctrine of an Impostor would never have been so signally asserted But now all these Works were done in the Power of the Holy Ghost whom he is said to be anointed with and partly for that End Acts 10.38 Particularly he cast out Devils by the Spirit of God Mat. 12.28 And for that Reason he charges the Jews with Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost the unpardonable Sin who ascrib'd this mighty Act of his to Beelzebub the Prince of Devils ver 31 32. If Christ himself only had been concern'd in this Work this could have been Blasphemy against him only but seeing the Spirit of God concurr'd with him in it they were guilty of Blaspheming that Spirit also 3. The Resurrection of Christ which was a considerable Testimony to his Eternal Deity is ascrib'd to the Spirit likewise This Work is indeed in Scripture ascrib'd to all the Three Persons to the Father Rom. 6.4 To Christ himself John 10.17 18. And the Holy Ghost is interested in it too Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that rais'd up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit c. The Connexion of the Words and the Relation which one Thing in them bears to another shews this to be the meaning that God will revive and raise the Dead Bodies of Believers by the same Spirit by whom he rais'd his Son that Spirit who reunited the Humane Soul and Body of Jesus Christ will reunite ours also So 1 Pet. 3.16 Quicken'd in the Spirit the same Spirit by which he Preach'd to the Disobedient in the Days of Noah ver 19 20. with Gen. 6.3 3. How did the Spirit witness to Christ after his Departure into Heaven I mean in the Times of the Apostles and in those first Ages of the Gospel Answ I. By the Revelation of the Mysteries of the Gospel to the Apostles which they were to Preach to others This we have an Account of from Christ himself John 16.12 13 14 15. I have yet many Things to say unto you but you cannot bear-them now howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth c. He shall Glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you which is repeated in the next Words The Disciples then were weak in the Faith prepossest with carnal Notions about the Kingdom of Christ and at that Time also overwhelm'd with Sorrow upon the Notice of his intended Departure and by this means they were uncapable at the present of Learning all that they needed to be taught now Jesus Christ who consider'd their weakness and dealt with them according to it refers them to be more fully instructed by the promised Spirit who though he did not discover any new Truths which they never heard yet he brought old Truths to their Remembrance with new Illumination he help'd their remaining Ignorance and Infrimity in giving them a clearer Understanding of all the Things of Chirist of all those Doctrines concerning Christ which were hid and veil'd from them before 2. By endowing them with a miraculous Power of doing those Things which were above the utmost activity of Nature for the Confirmation of the Christian Doctrine Thus he is said to give Testimony to the Word of his Grace in granting Signs and Wonders to be done by their Hands Acts 14.3 God bearing them Witness with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 A great many of those supernatural Effects were produced by his means in the Course of their Ministry and some of them such as even exceeded what were wrought by our Lord himself So he had told them that it should be John 14.12 He that believeth on me the Works which I do shall he do also and greater Works than these shall he do because I go to my Faither I would not go about to restrain this Text to the Apostles because Christ puts it in larger Terms He that believeth c. but undoubtedly it was verified in them They were enabled to Work the same Miracles which he did and in some Respects such as out-did them Chap. 9. The Healing of those that were laid upon Beds and Couches in the Streets with the Shadow of Peter passing by ver 15. of this Chapter and Chap. 19.11 12. We read of special Miracles wrought by the Hands of Paul so that from his Body were brought unto the Sick Handkerchiefs or Aprons and the Diseases departed from them c. The Reason of these greater Works done by the Apostles was Christ's going to the Father which made Way for an eminent pouring forth of the Spirit and this tended not so much to the Reputation of their particular Persons for they could not Work them when they would as to the Glory of Christ whose Interest was hereby advanced in the World 3. By the remarkable and numerous Conversions of great Multitudes to Christ among whom they preach'd As soon as ever the Holy Ghost was come upon them there were Three Thousand Souls added to them That gladly receiv'd their Word and were Baptized Chap. 2.41 Soon after these were made up Five Thousand Chap. 4.4 All this was done in the compass of very few Days and the first Harvest was the Fruit of one Sermon At Samaria when Philip went and Preach'd Christ to them 't is said that the People with one accord gave heed to the Things which he spake Chap. 8.5 6. Which is the more extraordinary because they had all given heed to Simon the Sorcerer before from the least to the greatest ver 10. What a strang and marvellous turn was here in an whole City upon the Preaching of the Gospel In many other Places the Word of God grew mightily and prevail'd Chap. 19.20 It got ground against all the Opposition both of Jews and Gentiles The Preachers of it were made to Triumph in Christ and baffies all contrary attempts from open Enemies and false Brethren and overcame the Devil by the Word of their Testimony And the way of doing all this is explain'd to us 1 Cor. 2.4 My Speech and my Preaching was in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power The Spirit of God accompanied their Word and made it thus successful 4. By the supernatural Gifts which were bestowed upon other Believers also as well as the Apostles The Truth of this might be made out by several Instances if it were needful Acts 10.44 While Peter spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word viz. Cornelius
and his Kindred and Friends whom he had call'd together ver 24. But how did he fall on them Peter himself explains it Chap. 11.15 As on us at the beginning i.e. in a miraculous extraordinary Manner So Christ had said Mark 16.17 These Signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall spake with new Tongues c. Not only they that Publisht the Gospel but they that receiv'd it were many of them thus eminently gifted by the Holy Ghost and this was much for the Honour of Christ whom they believed in and serv'd to rescue his Gospel from that Contempt and Reproach which the World was so apt every where to pour upon it 5. By the admirable Patience and Resolution both of the Apostles and other Believers in the extream Sufferings which they underwent for Christ and the Gospel I think says Paul that God hath set forth us the Apostles as it were appointed to Death 1 Cor. 4.9 He protests for his own Part that he Dyed daily Chap. 15.31 Stood in jeopardy every Hour ver 30. Others to whom he writes endured great fights of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 Not little Skirmishes but continual Combats What vast numbers of them crown'd all at last with Martyrdom which is the most peculiar Notion of witnessing And with what meekness and undauntedness was all this done as by Men that had fully learnt to despise their own Lives and dearest Comforts together with the greatest Cruelties of their Adversaries But whence did all this proceed From the Spirit of Glory resting on them 1 Pet. 4.14 As Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost saw the Glory of God when his Murderers gnash their Teeth Acts 7.54 55. Their dying witness to Christ was through the special Assistance of his Blessed Spirit 4. How does the Spirit witness to Christ even now in our own Times For there is a never failing Testimony which he gives still and will always give to the End of the World Not by Voices Dreams or Enthusiastick Inspirations which are usually dangerous Delusions where they are pretended and rested on but in such Ways as are safe and clear and highly beneficial As 1. The Spirit witnesses at this very Day to Jesus Christ in the written Gospel This is the standing Memorial and Register of all Divine Testimony There the Doctrine of Christ is preserved uncorrupt and is the same in writing to us that it was originally to the first Christians and here we have a sufficient History of the Miracles which recommended and backt this Doctrine I say a sufficient History sufficient to Answer the End though not a compleat History of all that was done John 20.30 31. Many other Signs did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book but these are Written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Son of God c. They were not only wrought but are written in Order to our Believing this puts it out of doubt that we are bound to Believe upon the Testimony of those Miracles which we never saw as faithfully related if they were to be renewed in every Age the commonness of them would make them lose their End and every Generation after they are ceased might challenge a Repetition of them as well as one and to what Purpose should Persons be enjoyn'd to tell the wonderful Works of God to their Posterity if they were not oblig'd to give Credit to them As Exod. 10.2 And many other Places 2. He witnesses to Christ by the Operations and Effects which the Gospel hath upon all the chosen of God for hereby it is distinguisht from the Word of Man even by its Effectual Workings 1 Thess 2.13 There is no Comparison between them in their Natures For what is the Chaff to the Wheat Jer. 23.28 Nor in their Operative Vertues For is not my Word like as a Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer c. ver 29. This shews the Power of the Spirit attending it this is that which puts an Edge upon the Word and gives a force to it which makes it quick and mighty sharp and searching in the Work of Conviction hereby it takes hold of Sinners Casts down Imaginations and brings every thought into Captivity to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The Word alone would not do this but as it comes in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess 1.5 There are Impressions of the Majesty and Authority of God upon the Word stampt by the Spirit but the same Spirit must enable us to discern them as a Stranger must Learn to know an Artificer's Workmanship from himself 3. By giving us an inward Experience and feeling of the Things of Christ Spiritual Sences are a great Advantage to those that have them and whoever have them are beholden to the Spirit for them Hence it is that the Things of Christ are called the Things of the Spirit of God which the natural man neither does receive nor can know 1 Cor. 2.14 A meer notional acquaintance with them is vain and insignificant and yet this is all that any Man in the World by Nature without the help of the Spirit can Rise up to We know them by receiving them they are strange Things till they are taken in and made Familiar to us by real and experimental Knowledge Therefore 't is said He that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5.10 That Verbal Testimony which is without him in the Scripture is then transcrib'd within him on his own Heart he is satisfied from himself which is the highest and fullest Satisfaction 4. By the producing of Faith in Christ which is a Work that 's never fulfilled in any Soul where be is not given for 't is one of his Titles the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 He infuses the Habit he excites to every Act. Divine Supernatural Faith requires a Divine and Supernatural Agent 'T is he that effectually Reproves for the Sin of unbelief John 16.9 He discovers the Disease he applies the Remedy 'T is a part of the Mystery of Godliness that Jesus Christ is believed on in the World and another part of it is that he is justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 But one part Contributes to the unriddling of the other If Christ were not justified in the Spirit he would not be believ'd on in the World Christ is justified in or by the Spirit whenever any one in the World is persuaded to believe they are the Spirits internal Arguments on the behalf of Christ that sway the Soul to a receiving of and closing with him He reveals those Things concerning Christ to us which could not enter into our Hearts to conceive of him 1 Cor. 2.9 10. 5. By the strengthening and increasing of this Faith daily after he hath produc'd it There are gradual Displaies of the Glory and Excellency of Christ to the believing Soul all is not manifested at once there are fresh
Communicatious of Light and Grace as long as we are in the World that our Faith may grow and that what is lacking in it may be perfected According as the Spirit enriches us in the Progress of our Sanctification the Testimony of Christ is confirmed in us 1 Cor. 1.6 He grounds and settles us and makes us unmoveable from the Hope of the Gospel he fortifies and establishes us against various contrary Temptations whereby the Devil is frequently endeavouring to loosen our hold of Christ and beat us off from him We are poor wavering unsteady Creatures when we are left to our selves rejoycing one Moment and drooping the next confidently assured of that at one Time which we are ready to call in Question at another The best Believers in the World will most humbly own this the strongest Faith would certainly fail if the Cause of Christ in the Soul were not often pleaded over again by the Spirit as an Antidote for the Motions to Infidelity IV. Vse There are several Things which from hence we may be informed of and exhorted to 1. There are several Things which we may be informed of As 1. Jesus Christ never will nor can be left without a Witness because the Eternal Spirit is his Witness who will never with-dram his Testimony This Spirit of Christ is given to all that obey him and he testifies of Christ to them and by them to others but if we could suppose this whole Generation of the righteous to be extinct which yet shall never be as long as the Earth remains if all these Humane Witnesses were slain and not one left to stand up on the behalf of Christ in the World yet while the Holy Ghost survives as a faithful Witness in Heaven 't is impossible that Christ should be destitute Let the Rage and Malice of the World against Christ go as far as it can in stopping the Mouths or shedding the Blood of all that receive or bear the Record which God hath given of his Son the Spirit cannot be prevented from doing constant Honour to Jesus Christ 2. The Word of Christ hath a better Foundation than any Tesitimony from Man or from any Church or Party of Men whatever As Christ said He had a greater Witnrss than that of John John 5-36 Concerning thy Testimonies I have knowu of Old says David that thou hast founded them for ever Psalm 119.152 But if mortal Witnesses were their only Supporters they would be as liable to fade and perish to be subverted and destroyed as other Inferiour Things To build the Credit of the Gospel upon Humane Tradition is like putting the Ark of the Testimony into a wooden Cart which will be apt to shake and reel if not to tumble The Church of God is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 To hold it forth indeed not to hold it up not such a Pillar as Houses stand upon but as Writings hang upon for Publick Notice 3. The unrighteous Judgment of Satan and the World against Christ is and will be perfectly reversed Now is the Judgment of this World says Christ John 12.31 So Chap. 16.11 When the Sprit is come he will Reprove or Convince the World of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged I take these Two Texts to refer to one and the same Thing for the Prince of this World and the World it self pass the same Judgment on Jesus Christ and the Judgment of both is very unjust the World and its Prince make up as it were but one Person the Head and the Body and they exactly Agree and Joyn in the same Sentence to condemn our Lord Jesus But here is a Witness that nuls this Sentence and plainly proves the Iniquity and Falshood of it and indeed none of the Devil's Devices can stand when God himself comes forth to withstand and oppose them 4. It must needs be a lying Spirit that speaks a Word against Christ or that derogates any Thing from him 1 Cor. 12.3 I give you to nderstand that no Man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Whatever is spoken by any to the dishonour of our Lord Jesus cannot proceed from the Spirit of God This is most certain because the Spirit of God cannot contradict himself he cannot testifie for him and against him too The Holy Ghost is Christ's Witness the unclean Spirit is his Adversary and too many Tongues are duided by this unclean and wicked Spirit that pretend to Prophesie in Christ's Name and whereas a true Witness delivereth Souls Prov. 14.25 These do lay snares for their Ruine and Destruction 5. They that have the Spirit of God cannot err in what is essential to the Faith of Christ and necessary to Salvation They are undoubtedly taught to hold the Substance of Divine Testimony though they may be mistaken in lesser Particulars This is hinted by what our Lord says Mat. 24.24 There shall arise false Christ's and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. That Parenthesis is the most material Part of the Proposition there is no possibility of any of God's chosen and called ones miscarrying by a fundamental Delusion they have a Resident Witness for Christ in their own Bosoms who secures them from it 6. Vnbelief is a special Sin against the Holy Ghost all unbelief is so though all unbelief and perhaps no meer unbelief is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost It is the Spirit that beareth Witness because the Spirit is Truth 1 John 5.6 But he that believeth not makes him a Lyar ver 10. Hypocrisie is a lying to the Lord as Ananias and Sapphira lyed to the Holy Ghost but infidelity is a belying of him Jer. 5.12 'T is a painting of the Spirit of God like the Sons of Men who are Lyars upon Record Rom. 3.4 Yea like the Devil who is the Father of Lyes John 8.44 This black aggravated Evil is included in the not receiving of the Spirit 's witness 2. There are some Things which we may hence be exhorted to 1. Set your Seal to the Truth of the Spirits Testimony unto Christ by Believing in him and reject it not against your selves Embrace him with all your Hearts upon the high and honourable Commendation which the Holy Ghost gives of him How readily do we repose a Confidence in Creatures when we have receiv'd a worthy Character of them from Persons of known Integrity And shall we be influenc'd more by the Witness of Man than by the Witness of God God forbid How much greater Encouragements have we to Divine than humane Faith There are infallible Grounds for Divine Faith to rest upon which for humane cannot be 2. Grieve not the Spirit of God by Sin that he may not deliver you up nor leave you alone to be led away by Error The Holy Ghost is often provok'd by Men's loose Conversations to give them over to some unsound Opinions Practical Godliness is an excellent Means for the maintaining of Doctrinal Orthodoxy If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine John 7.17 Follow the Spirits Guidance
in the Course of your Lives if you would not forfeit it as to the regulating of your Judgments Be govern'd by him as a Spirit of Holiness if you would be instructed by him as a Spirit of Truth 3. Whatever the Spirit in and according to the Scripture testifies against give it no Entertainment That cannot be the Doctrine of Christ which he doth not attest 'T is another Gospel and therefore not to be receiv'd though an Angel from Heaven were the Publisher of it We have a sure Word of Prophesie whereunto we do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 That must be no Article of our Faith which we have not first tried or which upon the Trial is not approv'd by this Rule of Faith According as the Testimony of the Spirit in the Word is we are to Judge of every Cause which comes before us 4. Regard the Witness of the Spirit with respect to Christ in you as well as Christ without you He is a capable Witness as to both for he searcheth all Things he knows the State and Disposition of our Souls towards God as well as the out-goings of the Heart of God to us He that can reveal Christ in us is undoubtedly the sittest to discover us to our selves Therefore what our Conscience bears us Witness in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 9.1 Is to be comfortably acquiesced in as a faithful unerring Report If Conscience it self be as a thousand Witnesses how much more when the Holy Ghost concurs with it 5. Beg the help of the Spirit in Order to the giving of your Testimony to Christ as you ought to do in your several Places 1 Cor. 12.3 No Man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Obj. What think you then of those that call Christ Lord Lord and do not the Things which he says Ans 'T is true the meer repeating of such words is easie and may be done without the Spirit but if we say it from a right Principle in a right Manner and to a right End it must be by the Holy Ghost And therefore this saying is like that confessing 1 John 4.15 Not a bare Verbal Confession with the Mouth but joyn'd with believing in the Heart 6. Manifest your having of the Spirit by your ready resolute and eonstant witness-bearing on the behalf of Christ. Be not asham'd of the Testimouy of our Lord 2 Tim. 1.8 'T is the greatest Honour to us when we are call'd to any such Service to our great Redeemer A Work which is done by the Spirit of God himself must unquestionably be a Matter of Glory and Reputation to such as we Nor is it only upon solemn extraordinary special Occasions but in the whole Course of our Lives in all that we think speak and do we should testifie to our Lord Jesus In short you who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you can do no less among a World of Men that ungratefully despise him than by your whole behaviour proclaim your deserved esteem of him SERMON XIII September 8. 1696. MARK X. xxvi xxvii And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved And Jesus looking upon them saith With Men it is impossible but not with God For with God all Things are possible To understand the occasion of the Words we must look back as far us ver 17. of this Chapter where we find a young Ruler as two of the other Evangelists describe him Mat. 19.20 Luke 18.18 addressing himself with some Earnestness and Reverence to Christ for his Judgment and Advice in a very important Case What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal life Christ framing his Answer according to the Principles then generally embrac'd of living by doing refers him to the commandments He that put the Question having too good an Opinion of himself confidently affirms his keeping of them all Christ in his Reply to convince him that he was not so perfect as he pretended himself to be offers him a Test which he could not comply with viz. Selling what he had and giving to the Poor and taking up the Cross and following him This was no unreasonable Proof of his Obedience for a resolved Preference of Heaven to all that this World affords and actual parting with all for it when we are called thereunto is every one's necessary Duty But this Ruler was sad at that saying and went away grieved Carnal Men may be sorry that they cannot bring down God to their own Terms when they refuse to come up to his they would reconcile Things in Heaven and Things in Earth and enjoy their Portion in both Worlds Hereupon our Lord applies the rest of his Discourse to his Disciples as being most concer'd for their Satisfaction and Improvement to them therefore he says How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God ver 23. These Words astonisht the Disciples and yet Christ with little Variation repeats them ver 24. And enforces them by a Proverbial Comparison which was yet more startling ver 25. It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God Whether that which we render here a Camel should be rather Translated a Cable-rope because the Original Word sigifies both is not much material but certainly a Man with great Possessions loaded with thick Clay might be fitly enough represented by a camel carrying Burdens more for others than himself and the Entrance into Life being strait and narrow may very well be said to resemble the Passage through the Eye of a Needle But this brings us to the Text it self wherein we have two Parts the Amazement of the Disciples at Christ's Doctrine and his own Explication of it 1. The Amazemenet of the Disciples at this Doctrine of Christ ver 26. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves who then can be saved The Word here which we render by Astonishment is not the same with that ver 24. But more significant as if the Mind were not only struck but struck out as it were with Horror and Confusion Besides 't is added here out of measure or abundantly and exceedingly for this Doctrine appear'd very rigorous and severe to them as if it shut out all Persons almost from a possibility of Salvation Becaufe 1. Though all Men are not Rich nor perhaps the most yet there are few but what desire to be so and the Love of Riches which is indeed the Disease prevails where there is not the Possession It was very common among the Jews in the Prophet's Time From the least to the greatest every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6.13 Chap. 8.10 And 't is not less natural to other People 2. The Rich seem
2 Cor. 12.10 The Spirit of God speaks in very large and comprehensive Terms upon this Subject Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious Power unto all Patience c. So 2 Cor. 9.8 Here 's a remarkable heap of Expressions as Mr. Trail very well Notes pag. 236. All Grace first in God and that abounding towards us and then as the result of it our having a sufficiency and All-sufficiency and that always and in all Things and thence flows every good Work and our abounding to every good Work 5. You who are Believers and consequently to whom all Things are thus possible study all thankfulness What a Debtor is he to God whose Strength is in him According as his Divine Power hath given Relief to you make suitable returns to him The Man that had been Lame from his Mother's Womb assoon as he receiv'd Strength and stood up he entred with the Apostles into the Temple leaping and praising God Acts 3.7 8. Thus David cries out The Lord is my Strength and my Shield my Heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my Heart greatly rejoyceth and with my Song will I Praise him Psalm 28.7 To Conclude therefore as your help comes from Heaven so let your Praises go up thither Remember every renewed Experience calls for a repeated Acknowledgement and there may be equal Danger of obstructing God's mighty workings by ingratitude and by unbelief both tend to with-hold his Hand and enfeeble ours SERMON XV. December 1. 1696. PSALM LXIX iv last Clause Then I restored that which I took not away THough the Title of this Psalm Points us to the Author a Psalm of David yet much of the Matter makes it plain that he is not the only nor the principal Subject The main Substance of the whole agrees well enough to David and he might have an Eye in it to his own personal Afflictions but yet his Thoughts and Expressions were so directed by the Holy Ghost as to be more fully and properly verified in Christ of whom he was an eminent Type than in himself There are several Remarkable Passages which have a particular Respect to Christ and to put it beyond all Doubt that this was the meaning and design of the Spirit of God in them they are so applied in the New Testament Compare ver 9. with John 2.17 And ver 21. with Mat. 27.34 A Circumstance of Suffering which we never meet with in the History of David's Troubles but punctually Recorded by the Evangelists concerning our Blessed Lord. Again ver 22 23. is applied not to David's Enemies but to the Jews upon their Rejection by God for the Crucifying of Christ Rom. 11.9 10. and so ver 25. is said to be fulfill'd in Judas for betraying him Acts 1.20 But we need to go no further for an Instance of this kind than the beginning of this verse which is Cited by our Lord himself as spoken with Reference to his Case John 15.25 They hated me without a Cause Only what is contracted in the Citation is here deliver'd more at large where we have four Things distinctly set forth concerning the Enemies of Jesus Christ their Iniquity Malignity Number and Power 1. Their Iniquity they were causeless haters of him and his Enemies wrongfully they had no just or real Ground for what they did no Provocation to do it they were his Adversaries for his good Works not for any Evil ones and that which should have rather engag'd their Affection to him was the occasion of their Opposition 2. Their Malignity they that would destroy me they sought no less than his Life they thirsted after his Blood that which was indeed necessary to be shed for the accomplishing of the Holy Ends of God these wicked Instruments would not be Content without so Devilish Rage was over-rul'd to bring about the Divine Purpose 3. Their Number they are more than the Hairs of my Head the whole Multitude of the Jews were for destroying him Mat. 27.20 c. And truly every Man in the World that is without Christ is against him He hath as many Adversaries as there are Men in a natural unconverted State 4. Their Power They are mighty so it was foretold that they would be The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ Psalm 2.2 Which Peter cites as spoken with Relation to our Lord Jesus Acts 4.26 Paul says That none of the Frinces of this World knew him 1 Cor. 2.8 And being ignorant of him no wonder that they oppose him Antichrist hath more of the Potentates of the Earth on his side than Christ ever had But that which I intend to insist upon is what the Psalmist adds in the close of the verse Then I restored that which I took not away Then when he was so beset and surrounded with Enemies who were worrying him to Death then when the Waters were come into his Soul when he sunk in the deep mire and the Floods overflow'd him when his Throat was dryed and his Eyes failed ver 1 2 3. Which are all so many various Phrases to denote the Extremity of those Soul-troubles that our Lord Jesus was plung'd into by Reason of the Wrath of God let out against him as well as the Wrath of Man Then he restored that which he took not away he was not forc'd or constrain'd to do it but he did it willingly with his free Consent he was under no Obligation to do it but what he took upon himself the Law binds a Man indeed to make Restitution of that which he hath taken away Lev. 6.4 But the Lord of the Law could not be bound to restore that which he had not taken in order to the making of Peace and Reconciliation between God and the Sinner this was graciously undertaken and perform'd by Christ Obs It was the great and blessed Work of our Lord Jesus here upon the Earth to restore what he took not away In handling this I. Shew what is it which was taken away and from whom II. Wherein it appears that Christ took it not away III. How he restor'd it IV. Why he did so V. Use I. What is it which was taken away and from whom For 't is manifestly implied that there was something unjustly taken or else what need of any Restitution As to God there was Glory taken from him and as to Man there was Righteousness Holiness and Happiness taken from him also 1. There was Glory taken from God Not his essential Glory nor any Perfection of his Being for that cannot be taken away but that Glory which shines forth in the Moral Government of his Creatures and that Glory which we are tied to give to him 1. The Glory of God shining forth in the Holy Government of his reasonable Creatures was taken away by Sin It was preserv'd and maintain'd in the upper World indeed among the standing Angels but among fallen Men in this lower World it
laid as a Foundation and some things proposed as the Effects and Consequences of it 1. Something premised and laid as a Foundation Because you are Sons Here the Adoption of Believers is positively asserted as a thing in present possession There are indeed some further Fruits of our Adoption yet future and expected so the Redemption of our Bodies from the Grave at the end of the World is stiled the Adoption which we wait for Rom 8.23 because the Resurrection to Glory will be an eminent declaration of our Adoption as Christ was declared to be the son of God with power by his rising from the dead chap. 1.4 but still our Adoption it self is not deferr'd till then the Scripture affirms the contrary 1 John 3.2 Beloved now we are the sons of God So in this Epistle chap. 3.26 You are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus As soon as we come home to God by believing we are taken into this Relation for the Houshold of Faith is his select peculiar Family 2. Some things proposed as the Effects and Consequences of this partly with reference to the Act of God the Father and partly with reference to the Act of the Spirit 1. As to what concerns the Act of the Father who is plainly meant in that Clause God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Here we may consider the Person spoken of the act respecting this Person and the Objects that have the benefit of this Act. 1. The Person spoken of The Spirit of his Son i. e. the Spirit of Christ So he is call'd Rom. 8.9 1 Pet. 1.11 This Character is given him on this occasion for various reasons 1st Because 't is the same Spirit which was in Christ and which is in all Believers That one Spirit which abode upon him resteth upon them also Though he had a greater Fullness of the Spirit yet they in their measure are filled with him too 2dly By the effectual Operation of this Spirit Christ is formed in us and we conformed to him He fashions the whole Church of the First-born into the lively Similitude of God's only begotten 3dly To intimate Christ's procurement of this Blessing for us We were predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Christ Ephes 1.5 Election is attributed to the Father but the Son is the Purchaser of what we are elected to Hence he is said to give power or right to become the Sons of God to them that receive him John 1.12 and 't is by virtue of our union to him that we recover our lost relation to God all the Children of God are given to Christ written in his Book and ransom'd by his Blood for he redeem'd us that we might receive the Adoption of Sons ver 5. of this Chapter 4thly To teach us that the Spirit it self is procured for us by Christ. They that have not the Spirit are such as have not the Son for an Interest in the one does infallibly carry along with it a participation of the other Those Rivers of living Water by which the effusion of the Spirit is express'd flow out of his pierc'd side The Holy Ghost had never been sent down from Heaven if the Son of God had not desecended first to prepare his way 2. The Act respecting this Person God hath sent forth The same word is used with respect to the Son ver 4. this act is ascribed to God several times in Scripture Psal 104.30 John 14.26 and it imports not any change of place as if he were more distant from the Father when he is thus sent than he was before for he is Omnipresent Psalm 139.7 and of the same undivided Essence with the Father but it notes only his Commission for some special Work in and upon the Creature 3. The Objects that have the Benefit of this Act Into your Hearts i. e. into the Hearts of them that believe Two things are signified by this 1. That the Work here intended is an inward Work Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within them And therefore 't is secret and does not minister to Vain-glory or carnal Boasting The Testimony of the Spirit is privately given between him and us and the new Name is that which no Man knows but the receiver himself 2. 'T is a saving Work The Residence of the Spirit is appointed not in the Brain by common unsanctified Gifts such as Hypocrites may be endowed with but in the Heart where all the Habits of Grace are planted and from whence all the Issues of Life proceed 2dly As to what concerns the Act of the Spirit Crying Abba Father Here we may examine how the Spirit is said to cry in our Hearts and what it is which he does cry 1. How is the Spirit said to cry in our Hearts when he is sent forth into them Ans Even as God is said to know when he makes others know Deut. 13.3 So the Spirit maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.26 in helping us to Pray for our selves and therefore 't is a vain and feeble Argument which some Socinians would bring from this and the like Texts against the Deity of the Holy Ghost Matth. 10.20 It is not you that speak but the spirit of the Father that speaketh in you i. e. Though your Tongues utter words yet they could not do it without his assistance and direction as the principal necessary Cause As in this Epistle chap. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me The Apostle corrects himself not as if he were not the true and proper Subject of spiritual Life but to shew that Jesus Christ was the Spring and Fountain of it So here the Spirit sent forth into our Hearts is said to Cry because they cry through his gracious Influence The Holy Ghost teaches us to pray but strictly it is we that pray in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. 2. What is it which the Spirit does cry Abba Father i. e. Father Father This Repetition may be upon two accounts 1. To intimate that both Jews and Gentiles are equal sharers in this Blessing of Adoption Therefore the Apostle makes use of two Words in two different Tongues to express the same thing Abba being a Syriack word which was a Language then commonly known among the Jews and that which we render Father beinga Greek word which was a Language then commonly used among the Gentiles Though a Learned Critick Capellus Spicileg hath taken much pains to prove that Abba is a Greek word also and so applied by the Apostle in this place alluding to the manner of little Children when they first begin to speak and call after their Parents which in all Languages as well as the English isn earest to the same sound with this word Abba 2. To note the strength and vehemency of desire The doubling of words does frequently signify this in Scripture Our Lord in the Garden when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crys and tears as the Apostle
while are not perceiv'd to be do not therefore cease to be we may be taken into the number of the Sons of God and yet want the Manifestation of our being such Rom. 8.19 I speak not this to discourage any in the least from looking after the clearing up of these Matters as much as can be to their own Souls but to prevent those from being too much discouraged who are yet kept in the dark by God that they may not conclude positively against themselves but rather take Courage with the Church under the hidings of God's Face But thou art our Father Isa 64.7 8. IV. How is this Priviledge of a Believer's Sonship improve'd by the Spirit 's help The Text seems to have a special Reference to Prayer and to our Challenging and Pleading of this filial Relation in that Duty I shall endeavour the opening of this Point in these eight Things 1. That the Spirit of Christ is particularly promis'd and given as a Spirit of Supplication Zech. 12.10 His Influence is eminently needful in this Service We should never sind in our Hearts to Pray one acceptable Prayer to God throughout our Lives if the Spirit did not put it into our Hearts first We cannot speak to God in any Language which he will hear upon any occasion whatsoever without the Spirits Direction They are all vain Words which are not of his Teaching the froth and scum of Man's Invention which however esteemed among Creatures here below bears no Price at all in Heaven Every Petition which the Father receives is dictated and drawn up by the Holy Ghost God never inclines his own Ear but when he thus prepares our Hearts Except this Advocate be at Work in us there is no finding of Audience with him And therefore they that prophanely renounce all Supplication in and by the Spirit as some have done may as well go a little further and lay aside all Supplication in general for whatever Prayer they pour out is as Water spilt on the Ground 2. Effectual Prayer such as the Spirit teaches and helps us in is put up to God as a Father Jesus Christ is a Pattern to us and if we examine the style of his Prayers we shall find that they are all grounded upon this Relation Mat. 11.25 I thank thee oh Father c. which Title is repeated ver 26. Even so Father c. John 12.27 Father save me from this Hour Father glorifie thy Name And no less than six Times over Chap 17. Again in the Garden Mat. 26.39 O my Father if it be possible c. Yea some of his last Words upon the Cross were in the same strain when he came to give up the Ghost Luke 23.46 Father into thy Hands c. And that we might not think this was proper and suitable to him only the Directory which he gave to his Disciples is so likewise After this manner Pray ye Our Father c. Mat. 6.9 When the Scripture speaks of making Supplication to our Judge Job 9.15 We must understand it of Praying that he would not deal with us as a Judge Psalm 143.2 Enter not into Judgment c. 3. The Praying Dispositions of Children are first infus'd into them by the Spirit Every Babe in Christ is furnish'd with them and as he increases in spiritual Strength and Stature they grow up with him Children naturally apply themselves to their Parents for what they want rather than to other Persons and this also is natural to all the Children of God 'T is a part of their new Nature which is the Work and Product of the Spirit He that hath not a Divine Principle in him which leads him to call on the Father deserves not to be call'd a Christian Assoon as the Soul is born again it crys and its cry is immediately to him whom it is born of This cry is renewed every Day several times in a Day for there is an Habit of this kind emplanted in the Soul which puts forth it self in frequent Acts. The Spirit 's quickening is always accompanied with inward groaning so that where no such groans are we may be sure that Death hath Dominion still and the Man hath not begun to Live 4. The Spirit fills the Mouth with Arguments in the very Act of Prayer such as are fit to be us'd and urg'd to a Father Holy and humble Argumentations with God are truly the very sinews of Prayer wherein its great Strength lies It does not so much consist in the bare proposing of our Requests to God as in the alledging of proper Pleas for God's answering and fulfilling of them Such as that of the Church Isa 63.15 Where is the sounding of thy Bowels and of thy Mercies towards me are they restrained This is Connected with their Claim of God as a Father in the next Words twice ver 16. A fatherly Relation speaks Tenderness and Compassion Psalm 103.13 Like as a Fasther pitieth his Children c. Whoever are void of Pity Fathers are wont to put on Bowels or if the Fathers of our Flesh should be unnatural the Father of our Spirits cannot be so and therefore this was a very apt and agreeable Plea which the Spirit of God hath Register'd for us Whatever you need to have done intreat of God to do as becomes a Father 5. The Spirit enables us to go to God as a Father with Confidence for whom can Children repair so freely to as to their own Parent Whom can they with so much certainty expect Relief from as from him that begat them Therefore as we have Access by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 2.18 So we are said to have boldness and access or access with boldness Chap. 3.12 The Command of God is to ask in Faith to trust him and depend upon him for the seasonable Accomplishment of all our regular Desires and this dependance is as much our Duty as Subjection is and it is every whit as difficult yea as impossible to be perform'd without the help of the Spirit 'T is far easier to utter many thousands of Petitions before God than to lift up one to him believingly But when the Soul is strengthen'd with all might by the Spirit in this Duty all the workings of unbelief are instantly subdued Doubts and Fears of our Acceptance and Success are made to vanish like Shadows that fly away upon the Appearance of the Sun 6. The Spirit instructs us how to Address our selves to God as a Father with becoming Reverence There must be a mixture of this with our Considence or else we abuse our Priviledge instead of improving it The same Spirit is a Spirit of the fear of the Lord as well as of Faith Isa 11.2 We are not to make so bold with God as not to stand in awe of him The Freedom which God allows us in his Presence is not a rude Familiarity this is not Child-like for a Father ought to be respected by those that descend from him He must be consider'd as a
whereas there is but one Lord Jesus Christ they make up one Mystical Body but not one natural Person therefore his Grace and theirs must numerically differ 3. The Grace given to Christ was to serve some special Purposes and Ends which the Grace given to us is not adapted for He was not only made under the Ceremonial Law and under the Moral as others were but under a peculiar Law which concern'd himself only Gal. 4.4 There is a vast Difference between the Work of Christ as Mediator and the Work of an ordinary Christian and therefore besides the stock of habitual Grace of which his Manhood was possest he had the Godhead also to support him and there was absolute need of it There was more Service and Duty incumbent upon Jesus Christ than ever was upon any meer Creature before or since The Active and Passive Obedience of Christ exceeds all that any Man was ever called to do or suffer Our work under the Influence of his Grace hath a subordinate Respect to our own Salvation he was to work out the Salvation of all his Elect in a way of proper Merit and Satisfaction 4. The Grace in him and in us are not equally perfect they are not like Parallel Lines which run the same length No Believer can pretend to be so full of Grace as he was our receivings are far from coming up to the same measure with his Christ had an extraordinary anointing in a larger Quantity we have it drop't in Comparison upon us He as the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 We as twinkling Stars He as the King of Righteousness Heb. 7.2 We as Inferiour Subjects Grace is Christ was like Water in a wide Sea which hath no visible Bounds Grace in us is like Water in a little Brook or a narrow River Grace in him was in sinless Perfection at the first in us it is never so while we are in this World there are mixtures of sinful Infirmity with all the Grace which we have or Exercise He had abundance of Grace clouded with no Corruption we compar'd with him have a great deal of Corruption besetting a little Grace 2. To State the Truth it self as it is in this Case 1. The Grace which is in Believers bears some Proportion and Similitude to the Grace which is in Christ as it proceeds from one and the same Spirit The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and make him of quick Vnderstanding in the Fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 3. All Holy Communications to Christ and us are the immediate Effects of this Blessed Spirit the Third Person in the Godhead He was sanctified by the Holy Ghost when he was sent into the World so are we when called out of the World and translated into his invisible Kingdom As Christ gives us the same Glory Which the Father gave to him John 17.22 So he fills us with the same Divine Spirit which he had himself 2. Christ's Grace and ours have one general Scope and Aim viz. The glorifying of God No Grace can be of the right Seed but what is levell'd at the Honour of the Giver As it is God's Design in giving it so it will be our Design in acting it if it be acted with Integrity Christ who had so rich a Furniture of Grace sought not his own Glory nor the exalting of himself But he glorified God on the Earth John 17.4 This is what he had an Eye to in all he did so every Believer intends and pursues the same Thing 'T is as much his business to glorifie God as it is his Pleasure to enjoy him Grace consecrates even his natural Actions to serve and promote this noble End the Actions of Eating and Drinking which in others are only perform'd for Necessity or else for Lust 1 Cor. 10.31 3. As Christ had every Grace so hath the Believer though none in the highst Degree Our Lord Jesus was a compleat Copy of universal Righteousness none could say to him as he said to the Young Man One Thing thou lackest So as to the kinds of Grace they that belong to Christ are likewise perfect and entire wanting nothing James 1.4 And they stand compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4.12 they are not endued with some Graces and destitute of others but where one is there is all If a a Liar c. 1 John 4.20 These Things are not separable any more than you can divide Christ from himself Wheresoever Faith is there is Repentance and new Obedience that 's a Counterfeit Faith which is alone 't is Dead and therefore cannot be true James 2.17 Saving Graces are always in Connection They make up the one Chain on the Spouses Neck which ravishes the Heart of Christ Song 4.9 4. The Matter of his Grace and ours is the same The new Creature is therefore set forth by Christ formed in us Gal. 4.19 Because of the Agreement and Conformity betwixt the stamp of God's Holiness upon the Humane Soul of Christ and the Souls of them that believe Hence the same Mind is said to be in us as was in him Phil. 2.5 The same humble meek self-denying self-resigning Temper So he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous 1 John 3.7 'T is the same Rule of Righteousness observ'd by both and so the same specifical Work of Righteousness perform'd by both That Law which was perfectly obey'd by Christ is sincerely obey'd by all that are Christ's A new Commandment write I unto you which Thing is true in him and in you 1 John 2.8 That Law which was in his Heart is in ours if we be Partakers of Christ and that which govern'd his exemplary Life will govern ours also Vse Many Things follow from hence both for our Learning and Practise 1. For our Learning As 1. If Grace it self be given then nothing done by the help of Grace can be meritorious of Glory If our first stock and all our Improvements are from God and vouchsafed freely What Reward can we challenge for any thing we do God is so much before-hand with us that he can never be oblig'd or indebted to us if we were capable of first giving to him we might expect a recompence and requital but says God Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Job 41.11 We do not prevent God with Duty but he prevents us with Grace and therefore we owe all that we can do to God and a great deal more we can never answer the Engagements which we are under nor discharge the thousandth part of what he might require from us so that 't is impossible for the least or lowest Degree of Favour to be due from him All our returns of Service and Obedience to God are built upon the Foundation of Grace receiv'd we do but give him of his own as David said 1 Chron. 29.14 And therefore the Gift of Eternal Life cannot flow from distributive Justice but must be a further Act of undeserved Bounty 2. If Grace