to comfort and the other to paine Thirdly besides these both particular judgements that befall particular and speciall men and the private judgement that is at the day of death there shall also a generall judgement and a solemne arraignment of this whole World where every person shall be judged and arraigned as we beleeve in our Christian profession From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that is hee shall judge all sorts of people even every Man and Woman that hath lived in this World or shall live Now if any man demand what is the reason why there shall be a generall judgement seeing there is particular iudgements that light on particular men and the private judgement at the day of death I answere there be three reasons thereof First Because the Bodies must be judged as well as the Soules for seeing men sinne against God as well in their Bodies as in their Soules therefore both shall be judged as Revel 20. 12. the Evangelist saith And I saw the Dead both great and small stand before God they did not onely stand with bodies but with soules also for saith he The Sea gave up the dead in her and Death and Hell delivered up their Dead that were in them So we see the bodies rise againe to be judged as well as the Soules Secondly That there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God that all the World may see the judgements of God are just upon men for their sins as Rom. 2. 5. But thou after thy hardnesse of heart that cannot repent heapest upon thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God therefore besides the private and close judgement there must bee a generall and solemne arraignement in the view of the whole world that so there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God Thirdly Because they shall not be judged as private persons but as publike in the same body that they lived in either in the body of the Saints or in the body of the wicked for they shall be judged as they be members of the same body they rise in and as they are found to have done good or bad accordingly shal the division be made as appears Mat. 25. 31. where it is said And before him shall bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a sheapheard doth separate his Sheepe from the Goats and he shall set the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand c. Now because this point is a great and a very waighty one and to be considered before others in a Christians life being like the great wheel of a clocke it turnes all the inferior wheeles so if a man be once perswaded of this that he must give an account to God for all his actions and must stand before God in judgement it will make him to passe his daies holily and vertuously while he lives here and therefore let us see briefly what bee the proofes and grounds that there shall bee a judgement which are chiefly these foure following The first is taken From the Truth of God because hee hath said it and therefore it shall come to passe for God is not as Man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of Man that he should repent He hath said it and shall hee in doe it and hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it As it is Num. 23. 19. Therefore whatsoever he hath said it shall come to passe in the time that he hath appointed Now that Christ hath said there shall be a judgement day there bee many Scriptures for it As Matth. 10. 15. Truely I say unto you it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that Citie So also Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you That of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of judgement And verse 41. The men of Ninevie shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas We see the Testimony of the Lord is plaine for this that there shall bee a judgement day Augustine saith God hath made us many promises and hath performed them and shall wee not thinke that the judgement day shall come according as hee hath foretold us It is said Psal 144. The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes If the Lord hath promised any thing it shall come to passe for the Lord hath left his Scripture which is his hand-writing to assure us of the truth of it And therefore dost thou not beleeve that there shall bee a day of judgement The Lord himselfe shall answere thee thou hast the hand-writing of GOD and what must thou doe Looke into that and see what a company of things hee hath promised in his Word as unlikely as this which are all come to passe he hath promised that He would send his Sonne into the World to worke thy Redemption Looke into his Word thou hast his hand-writing hath he performed this promise Then assure thy selfe likewise that one day he will come to iudgement Hee hath promised that Hee will send downe his spirit that should lead them in all truth thou hast his hand writing see if this promise be come to passe then assure thy selfe withall he will come to judge this World hath he promised He will preach the Gospell to all Nation looke into the Scriptures hath hee performed it Why then never doubt but that thy body also shall rise because he hath foretold it The second is because it is the nature of Gods Iustice to give to every man according to his due desert good things to good men and evill things to evill men but it is not so here in this life but the best men bee in the worst estate for the most part and evill men in the best for as Salomon saith Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the just and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that sweareth not or feareth an oath so the worst be in the best estate and the good be in the worst estate hereof Habakkuk complaines Chap. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not behold wickednesse wherefore dost thou looke on the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than be here in this life there be many aberrations and swervings from the right rule of justice therefore there must bee a judgement to bring that which deflects from the rule to rectitude and straightnesse Againe Augustine speaking out of Pssalm 101. saith God hath
God and hee shall not onely bee blessed in this world but be pronounced also blessed at the great assembly when heaven and earth and hell shall meet together before God and all the blessed Angels and holy men even by that sweet mouth of Christ which shall chace and drive thousands to hell and shall curse the wicked but shall say to such Come ye blessed my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning therefore labour thou whosoever thou art to be thus blessed of Christ and then thou art fenced against all the injuries and wrongs that this world doth afford us Secondly wee did observe in the Manner of Christs ascension that when hee departed hee went not suddainely away from them as he did from the Disciples that went to Emmaus but he departed by little and little leasurely till a cloud came and tooke him out of their sight Now in severall ages there were some that ascended as Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell To teach us that heaven is the house prepared for the faithfull in all ages But there was great difference in their ascensions Others ascended by means as we may see in the 2 Kin. 2. 12. Elias was carried up in a firie chariot but Christ did ascend by His owne power and vertue without the helpe of any and so in Luk. 16. 22. When Lazarus was dead he was carried of the Angels into heaven But Christ ascended by his owne power which may teach us that al others have need of help to ascend to heavē but Christ had none Secondly Others ascended before death ceased on them as Elias but Christ ascended after hee was killed and crucified and put into the grave hence we learne all the people of God shall rise and ascend but first death must kill them and they must be laid into the grave and then they shall rise and after that ascend as Revel 11. 9. it is said That the bodies of the two Prophets lay in the streets three daies and an halfe and after life came into them againe and the world wondred at it and ver 12. it is shewed how they rose That they heard a voyce from heaven saying Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud in like manner labour thou to be joyned with Christ and as Christ ascended so shalt thou ascend Thirdly Others went onely themselves to heaven but made no way for any body els but when Christ ascended he made way for others to ascend and follow him he did not as Lot Gen. 19. who when he had taken in the angel shut the doore but Christ when he entred into heaven left the doore open for others to enter in so it is said Heb. 10. 20. Hee entred by the new and living way which hee prepared for us through the veile that is his flesh even by the veile of his flesh hath he dedicated a way for us to heaven therefore Chrysostome saith well Christ hath entred into heaven at the narrow hole of his passions and hath left a broad doore for his members to follow Fourthly Others when they were ascended could do nothing there though they could work miracles on earth but Christ being ascended is as powerfull to administer to his people in this kingdome as if he were with them in this world for Act. 2. 33. hee being ascended sent downe the gifts and graces of his spirit upon his Disciples others being ascended can doe nothing their power being confined to the place where they bee but Christ being ascended as is powerfull here as if he were present Fifthly Others went away on a suddaine as wee see 2 King 2. that Elias ascended in a Whirlewind but Christ ascended by little and little by degrees till a cloud came and tooke him out of their sight Now there be two reasons why Christ did not ascend into heaven suddainely but by little and little first that they might sensibly see hee had left this world and was ascended into heaven therefore wee should not looke for him here it behoveth the Church to know that Christ is ascended into heaven and that for their good to prepare a place for them to send downe the gifts and graces of his spirit so Ioh. 6. wee may see the Disciples when Christ told them that he should go away from them sorrowed and mourned for it I but when they did consider that hee was ascended for their good to prepare a place for them and to hold the possession of heaven till they were ready and to send the holy spirit into their hearts this was a great matter of joy and comfort to make them glad Secondly to take away an error in the world that many an one thinkes hee shall goe to heaven in a whirle-wind out of the midst of their sinnes and of their prophanenesse nay looke on Christ hee ascended by little and little and made many ascensions before hee came at heaven so must thou doe and therefore thou must not thinke to goe in a whirle-wind into heaven out of the midst of thy lusts and of thy sinnes but thou must make many ascensions every day in thy care zeale faith and thy repentance It is Christs speech Can. 3. Who is this that ascends up out of the wildernes perfumed with myrrh c. so the people of God ascend up leasurely till God receive them as S. Ierome saies speaking of the 42. journies of the children of Israel to the land of Canaan so we must not think to goe to heaven with ease but it will cost many a journey and a Christian must be every day rising in his care in his zeale in his faith in his repentance and in his love till at last he come at heaven gates Thirdly A cloud came and tooke him out of their sight so Saint Luke saies Act. 1. 9. And when hee had spoken these things whilst they beheld him hee was taken up for a cloud tooke him out of their sight that is it came under the foot of Christ and so did cover him and as hee went away in a cloud so Hee shall come againe at the day of judgement so the Angels said the Prophet Dan. 7. 13. saith I beheld in a vision by night and behold one like to the Son of man came in the clouds of heaven so Mat. 24. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the hindreds of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds of heaven Now the use of this point is that seeing Christ ascended by a cloud into heaven and as he ascended so will come to judgement therfore so often as we looke on the clouds wee may consider that these bee the chariots that shall bring Christ to judgement however they now bring us winde and raine and snow
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
it I And so true faith doth apply the word particularly to themselves historical faith doth not so but is like the Apothecaries boy that gathered herbes and simples for other mens diseases and not for his owne even so many men gather good things out of the word and others have the benefit of it and they have none all their comfort hangs on this to talke and speake of the judgements of God and of the good things that be in Him but it goes no further it doth not apply home the word and therefore it is another kinde of faith that wee must looke and labour for The second kinde is Temporary faith this kinde goes further than the first did For it doth not onely assent to the word of God that it is true but doth particularly apply it in part and there is also some unsoundnesse left behinde it this kinde of faith is spoken of in Matthew 13. 20. it is said to be the stony ground that brings forth fruit for a time all is not well with them for they do not continue they go away This is the common faith of the world to heare the word of God to apply it in some part so farre as it goeth with them but if it crosse them then it faileth and is carried away with the sway of corruption in them that as the weeds eate out the heart of the corne so corruption eateth out the heart of their saith Now it is called Temporary faith c. 1. Because it ariseth from Temporary causes 2. Because it is but of Temporarie continuance The temporary causes are three first because that men have a desire to get knowledge above the rest and to keepe Table-talke and to put downe others when they bee in company The second is to keepe credit with the world they would not be counted odde men and to bee pointed at this is the reason why Simon Magus Act. 8. beleeved became a great man in the world because he would not be pointed at or counted an odde man The third cause is worldly ease and benefit there is somewhat to bee gotten by it or some are afraide that if they doe not so as others doe they shall bee brought in danger of the Law As Iohn 6. 26. the people followed Christ but it was to be fed of him and in Numbers wee see the hope of liberty and the priviledges that the Israelites had made other to joyne with them So likewise Hester 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them but wee must have a better ground than this if ever wee will be saved or blessed of God and saved at the day of judgement Secondly it is called temporary faith because it is but of temporary continuance for a time it is stony and hard at the bottome it doth not hold because it hath no roote it wants a roote of judgement and roote of affection First it wants a roote of judgement because they beleeve as others do and never heard otherwise they doe not beleeve it because God hath taught and revealed it therefore they are in danger to fall away but if they beleeved it because God hath spoken it and it is his will it is not all the world that could beare them over in it This wee see in the Primitive Church and in Queene Maries daies that the great Doctors and Schollers could not over-beare them although they were but poore men because they were rooted in judgment therefore if men will hold out unto the end they must labour to have this roote in judgement Psal 85. The prophet David saith I will hearken what God saith I will not hearken what the world my corruptions nor what men say but I will hearken what God saith Secondly in regard of affection a man must love the word esteeme it and set a high price upon it or else hee may well have a roote of judgement but no roote of affection and there will be no continuance and therefore dost thou love it and regard it be ready to apply it to thy selfe joy in it as the chiefest treasure and count it as the greatest blessing and be contented to part and to let all goe in regard of it Thirdly Miraculous Faith is a perswasion that God will use some men for some excellent worke to worke some miraculous thing this kind of Faith was in Iudas and many such others that Christ will say unto at the last day Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie As what is it to cast out the divell and not to cast out a mans owne sinnes what is it to clense a Leper and yet cannot clense our selves from our corruptions to raise the dead and thou to lie still in thy sinnes to give sight to the blind and thou not see the good things of God to open the eares of the deafe and thou wilt not have thine eares open to heare the good things of God And therefore if thou hast justifying Faith to cast out thy sinnes corruptions thou hast a more excellent gift than to worke miracles to raise the dead to clense the soule Leper to give sight to the blind to make the dumbe to speake the lame to goe the deafe to heare for thou shalt goe to heaven when they they shall goe to hell Wee see Luk. 10. 17. c. When Christ had sent out his Disciples to cast out divells at their returne they came againe rejoycing and told him that the spirits were subdued through his name they rejoyced but our Saviour bids them not to rejoyce at this but rejoyce that their names were written in heaven And therefore if thou hast by true faith cast out thy sinnes if thou canst cast up thine eyes of faith to heaven and there behold and see thy name written this shall bee greater comfort to thee than the casting out divells The fourth kind of saith is true Iustifying and saving faith all is nothing without this faith in Christ this it is that must justifie and sanctifie fie us which faith is an assent to the whole word of God to make use of it to ourselves and a particular application of the promises of God made untous in Christ wherein we stand perswaded of our reconciliation in the blood of Christ Now there be three things required in this justifying and saving faith First there must be an assent to the whole word of God for it doth not beleeve God in one point and not in another but it beleeves the whole word of God The schoole-men say a true beleever maks no choice what point he will beleeve if God hath revealed them he will beleeve them all it is said 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ it doth so bring under and captivate his wits that whatsoever Christ
doves much more will he be angry with them that pollute his spirituall Temple with their sinnes and corruptions and vile lusts The second thing that we are to beleeve concerning God the holy Ghost is That he is person really subsisting and distinct from the Father and the Sonne And here we are to observe two things First That the holy Ghost is a Person or a reall subsistence and not a quality or motion in God as certaine heretikes hold but hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence by himselfe which we may see by divers acts that he doth as to send the Prophets and Apostles and give spirituall gifts and graces Esay 48. 16. it is said The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me therefore because the holy Ghost is said to send he is not a quality or a motion but a person So also Acts 13. 2. The holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them So then it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is person and not a qualitie or a motion in God Now two wayes the holy Ghost is taken in the Scripture for the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as Matth. 12. Christ shewes He that sinnes against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world not in the world to come A man may sinne against the Person of the holy Ghost and yet may be forgiven but the sinne that is here spoken of is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and in other places of the Scripture it is taken for the person of the holy Ghost Secondly the holy Ghost is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and so also 1 Iohn 5. 7. he shewes there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one furthermore Matth. 3. when Christ was baptised there was the voice of the Father saying This is my welbeloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and the holy Ghost descending on Christ in the likenesse of a Dove so it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Now the use hereof is briefly that as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of the Sonne in our redemption so also we must labour to feele the worke of the holy Ghost in sanctifying of our hearts and quickning of us to all holy duties there were some as wee may reade of in the Acts that did not know there was a Holy Ghost but if we feele our hearts to be sanctified and the power of the holy Ghost to quicken us this is an argument to us against all heretikes to prove there is a holy Ghost The third point that we are to beleeve is that the holy Ghost is holy in himselfe and that he is the causer and effecter of holinesse in others So Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost that is no man is able to doe any thing that is pleasing to God but by the holy Ghost and vers 11. saith he All these things worketh even the selfe-some Spirit distributing to every one severally as he will So the holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the cause of holinesse in all the people of God The uses are first seeing the holy Ghost makes men holy there is never a man that hath one deep or dram of holinesse in himselfe but the holy Ghost must worke it in him as Ezek. 37. we see the dead bones were scattered all the field over till the Spirit of God came into them then there was a noise a clattering and running together of the bones so we be scattered all the field over and lye like dead bones till the Spirit of God come into our heart then there is a noise and a clattering together of the bones then men begin to stirre in the life of holinesse therefore doth any man desire spirituall graces and is often in prayer doth any man find in himselfe holy motions to good let him comfort himselfe for such desires are of and by the Spirit of God it is the holy Ghost that workes them in him for no man hath a dram or a drop of holinesse in himselfe but it is the holy Ghost workes it in him Secondly seeing it is the holy Ghost that makes men holy as often as we feele any good motions or good desires we may know from whence they come that it is the holy Ghost which is the beginner and worker of them If a man lye in a trance and neither moves nor stirres if one layes his eare to the man and heares him breath he may say there is life in the man even so although a man be not able to stirre in the life of holinesse yet if he doe but breath that there be good thoughts and good motions and good desires this is a token that there is the life of grace in him and that the holy Ghost hath begun to worke in him there is the beginning of grace in him SERMON LIV. IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you FOure points yee heard wee are to beleeve concerning the holy Ghost first That the holy Ghost is God secondly That he is a person and not a motion or a qualitie in God but hath a reall subsistence and that hee is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne thirdly That he is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the Effecter and Causer of holinesse in others and that no man hath one dram or drop of holinesse in him but it is wrought by the holy Ghost The fourth point which we are at this present to handle is that He is not onely the causer of holinesse in others but I must beleeve that he will particularly make me holy and give me such a measure of sanctitie as shall be meet and fit for me This is properly the faith of a Christian which herein goeth beyond the faith of all others the devils doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is God and that hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence and that he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne and they doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is the causer of holinesse in all the faithfull people of God but they doe not beleeve that he will worke holinesse in them But here is the faith of a Christian to appropriate the holy Ghost to himselfe so they have not faith onely
graces and so fill us Fourthly by mortifying our lusts and sinnes as Rom. 8. 13. If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall live for the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting of sinne and corruption as Rom. 7. the Apostle Paul complaineth being in the estate of grace of his corruption when hee had the Spirit of God to worke on his rebellion for the wasting and consuming of sinne therefore men may much more complaine being in the estate of nature when they want the Holy Ghost to worke on their hearts for the wasting and consuming of sinne and indeed no marvell though they are carried away with the world and cannot bee brought to performe good dueties seeing sinne hath such power and rule in their hearts We see Ioshua 10. that hee shut up 5. Kings in a cave that they should not stir nor escape till hee had time to kill them so the Holy Ghost getteth our sinnes into a cave as it were and roules a great stone upon it till he take away all the power of sinne and kill and subdue it Fifthly by renewing our hearts and mindes changing and altering of them whereas before they were carnall now they are spirituall whereas they were worldly before now they are heavenly and holily affected And therefore when wee feele this change and alteration sure it is the Holy Ghost that works it wee read Math. 8. how Christ saith to the Centurion when I come I will heale thy servant I will not bee idle and doe nothing But when I come I will heale him so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a man hee will not bee idle and doe nothing but will heale our sinnes and give us power and strength against them in some measure Sixtly by stirring up holy motions in us as I shewed you even now out of Ezek. 37. in the example of the dead bones And now will declare it by this similitude If a man could put vegetative life into a stone what would the stone doe It would grow as a plant doth if a man could put sensitive life into a stone what would the stone doe it would stir move as a worme doth if we could put a reasonable soule what would the stone doe it would talke as a man doth and discourse of matters of the world but if a man could put the Spirit of God and the Spirit of grace into a stone what would the stone doe it would speake of God and of Christ and of heaven and happinesse this is our estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of Reason we talke of nothing but the world and worldly things but if once the Spirit of God and of grace bee in us then wee talke of heaven and heavenly things Therefore if a man hath the Spirit of grace it stirres him up to holy motions and desires These bee the six meanes by which the Holy Ghost doth worke holinesse in us Now there bee many profitable and fruitefull questions to bee mooved concerning the Holy Ghost 1. How wee may come by the Holy Ghost 2. In what measure hee is given 3. How a man may know whether hee have the Holy Ghost or no 4. What bee the benefits wee have by him 5. Whether a man may lose the Holy Ghost or no 6. How wee may retaine and keepe him First how a man may come by the Holy Ghost But before wee come to speake of this wee must make answer to another question there hath been great disputing amongst the Schoolemen whether a man receiveth the Holy Ghost or onely the giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost To this I answer this question need bee no question seeing wee receive the Holy Ghost really and actually The Scripture is cleere for it as in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost this is the exceeding great goodnesse of God to give the Holy Ghost to us to be a roote and a fountaine of holinesse in us If one give us a fruit tree it is better than to give us a little because the fruit is but for the present but the tree is for a long continuance so it is a greater goodnesse of God to give us the Holy Ghost than to give us the giftes and graces of his Spirits But the question in hand is how a man may come by the Holy Ghost here wee are to consider two things 1. By a remoovall of the false way 2. By taking the right way First by a removall of the false meanes for Acts 8. 18. Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money but Peter tels him that his money and hee shall perish Therefore it is meer madnes of any man to thinke that they may attaine to have the Holy Ghost or any gift or grace for money we see in earthly Kingdomes that there be some things that a man may buy because hee may give the full value and true price for them and that in exact Iustice as foode and raiment and there bee some things that a man cannot buy because they bee unestimably good and unvaluable as to buy a mans life and the Kings Crowne because no man can give the worth of these so it is in the Kingdome of God all the graces and giftes of the Holy Ghost no man can buy because they cannot give to the worth of them for they bee unestimable and unvaluable things as 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is said of faith that it is more precious than gold so Psal 19. 10. hee shewes that the word is more to bee desired than fine gold even so the graces and giftes of Gods Spirit are above price or value all the wealth in the world cannot procure one of them therefore it is good for a Christian to thinke before hand that when hee lyes on his sicke bed hee cannot buy faith or repentance or any gift or grace with money for they are above value and price hence wee may conclude this is not the meanes to come by the Holy Ghost Secondly by taking the right way for the true meanes that God hath appointed for a man to come by the holy Ghost are three First by the hearing of the word preached which is the ordinary meanes wherby the Holy Ghost is conveyed into men therefore S. Paul demands Galath 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the preaching of faith So Acts 10 44. when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard the word So that preaching is the ordinary meanes whereby God conveyes the Holy Ghost to us therefore it is good for men to attend preaching and to be hearers because it is one of the meanes whereby we may come by the Holy Ghost if a man would have good plants and herbs in his Garden then hee must labor
to have good seeds so if a man would have the H. Ghost hee must get the seed called by S. Peter the immortall seed of the word by the which wee are begotten againe It is a good thing to attend unto the word for howsoever wee doe not feele that which we doe desire yet let us heare it still and in due time wee shall have that which wee desire as Iohn 5. wee see the lame man lay by the Poole of Bethesda a long time when one or other did still intercept him and yet because he tarried still Christ came at length and did heale him so although we cannot finde the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire to day yet let us come the next day If wee cannot finde it then yet let us not give over and at last wee shall feele the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire Secondly by Prayer for if wee pray to God hee will give us the Holy Ghost as it is Luk. 11. 13. If you that are evill can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that aske it a man may sow seed in his field and it may perish the wormes may eate it and the birds devoure it or it may rot in the ground but prayer is seede sowne in the eares of God nay it goeth deeper it is sowne in the heart of God And therefore although our seede perish that is sowen in the field yet our prayer shall not perish because it is sowne in the hart of God Saith David All any teares are in thy botle are they not in thy Register Thirdly by repentance and reconciliation with God as Ioel 2 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord and weepe betweene the porch and the Atar And then saith the Lord I will powre out my Spirit upon you So that these bee the three meanes whereby wee may come by the Holy Ghost The second question is In what measure the Holy Ghost is given The answere whereto wee will lay downe in foure Conclusions First that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in regard of efficacy and operation to his servants in this life indeed the holy Spirit dwels in us because the Holy Ghost is God and therefore hee is undividable and cannot bee divided into parts but in regard of the efficacy operation or working of the Spirit hee giveth but a portion So no man living hath all the gifts and graces of the Spirit because God giveth but a portion of the Spirit and a measure of it according as hee sees fit and meete So 1 Cor. 12. 8. S. Paul saith That to one is given the Spirit of wisedome to another the Spirit of knowledge to another faith to another the gift of healing and all these things worketh the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man as hee willeth and so againe Ephes 4. 7. saith hee but unto us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ and 1 Cor. 13. 9. saith hee for wee know in part and prophecie in part and a little after for now wee see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part c. So the Doctrine is plaine that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in this life according as hee sees fittest for man But let us come to the uses which follow First seeing that God giveth but a portion of the spirit in this life a man may have the spirit bee a true Christian and yet want many of the gifts and graces that another hath thou seest another man hath the gift of knowledge of wisedome memory or the gift of utterance be not perplexed at it looke that thou have the maine that thou have the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and sins and to quicken the to newnesse of life then all is wel with thee though thou have not al the graces of the Spirit yet thou may'st be a true Christian so S. Paul sheweth by a comparison taken from the members of our bodies Shall the foot say unto the body I am not of the body because I cannot gather and draw things to mee as the hand doth or shall the eare say because I cannot see my danger before it commeth neere me as the eye can therefore I am not of the body if all were handling where were going and if all were seeing where were hearing so that every member hath a severall gift Wilt thou say because thou hast not the great gifts which another man hath thou art no member of Christ or thou hast not the Spirit of God we see that every member hath a severall gift Augustine saith in his tract upon Iohn Peter cast out devils thou hast the same and yet thou canst not cast out any for all this thou art a member of the same body Peter was an eye and thou art a little toe or a little finger in the body of Christ better it is for a man to bee a toe or a little finger in the body of Christ or a little bone than to have all the excellent gifts of nature and perish therefore though a man have not those excellent gifts and graces that others have yet labour to have the maine labour to feele the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and then thou may'st bee a true Christian notwithstanding all thy weakenesses Secondly seeing we have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will be a tang and a tast of the flesh as long as we live here in this world if there were fulnesse of Spirit in us then it would change all into Spirit as fire changeth all into the nature of fire so if wee had fulnesse of Spirit it would change all into Spirit but because wee have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will bee a tang and taste of the flesh howsoever the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting consuming and weakening of it yet a man shall feele the power of sinne bustling and vexing him while he lives whereof all the holy men have complained as Rom. 7. 21. Paul saith hee findes by the Law that when hee would doe good evill is present with him and againe Gal. 5. 17. he saith The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh agaist the spirit and these are contrary me to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would hence it is manifest wee have but a portion of the Spirit in this life and there will be still a tang and a taste of the old man in us If a man put wine into a glasse then there will be a taste of nothing but wine but if hee put water into it howsoever it may change the colour of the water yet there will be a tang and a tast of the water even so if wee were all
doubt our selves that our case is bad seeing wee cannot finde the graces of God in us for of a truth they will not lye hid but will grow and increase if they be nourished by the use of good meanes But here may be an objection made many a Christian complaineth he cannot feele there is a growth and an increase of grace in him to this I answer two things First a Christian may grow though he feele not the growth in one grace or other even as a tree groweth continually till it commeth to a perfection and to his full growth but it doth not alwayes grow in one place sometimes it groweth in the body sometimes in the bough and branches and sometime close and secret in the rootes which close and secret growth is as needfull for the tree as that which is sensible and visible so a Christian growes continually but not alwayes in one grace sometimes in one and sometimes in another sometimes in the body and sometimes in the branches and sometimes in the roote close and secret that is in humility which close and secret growth in a Christian is as needfull as that which is visible and sensible Secondly I answer that a Christian sees not his growth because there be some impediments that hinder the same we see in experience that a Childe may feed on good meat and yet he may not grow nor thrive with it and the reason is because it doth secretly eate chalke or coales or dirt or salt and then it will not grow even so it is in a Christian though he feed on good meat on the Word of eternall life yet because he feeds on chalke or coales or dirt or salt secretly that is he hath close and secret sins which he commits unseene and this it is that hindereth his growth in grace but if he leave his sinnes and repent of them then he shall feele a growth and an increase of grace in him The foruth conclusion is although the graces of God grow and in crease in a man yet they come not to perfection in any here in this life as Rom. 8. 23. saith the Apostle and not only the creatures but al we which have received the first fruits of the Spirit even wee which are Apostles and Teachers of the Church doe sigh and groane c. we see Numb 13. 23. that the Children of Israel being in the wildernesse sent certaine men to spy out the land who when they returned home brought with them a cluster of grapes that they might taste of the fruit of the land and so long possesse it so the Lord hath given us a taste of the Spirit and of heaven here in the wildernesse of this world that we might long for enjoying thereof and be in love with it Here an objection may be made is there no man full of the Spirit of God we see Act. 6. that Steven was full of the Spirit of God and Act. 11. Barnabas was full of the Spirit of God Now this may be answered three wayes First Comparatively in comparison of others they were said to bee full in regard they had a greater measure of the Spirit than others as Phil. 3. 12. the Apostle saith of himselfe that he is not yet perfect but he striveth to perfection and yet afterward he saith as many as be perfect let them be thus minded that is that are perfect in regard of others so they were full of the Spirit in comparison of others Secondly they were full in regard of the stirring and working of the Spirit fill a vessell brim-full and it will runne over fill a pot with water halfe full and set it on the fire and the heate of the fire will make it goe over and fill the pot so although a man bee not full of the Spirit yet hee may be full in regard of the working and stirring of the Spirit so they might be full of the Spirit Thirdly they might be full of the Spirit in regard of some particular act as the Schoolemen say that is that they were fitted for the place and office they were appointed to and so Stephan was full of the Spirit of God because he was fit for the office he was appointed and so likewise of Barnabas Now there be two consequents that arise from this Doctrine of which the next time if God please SERMON LV. ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his TWo questions have beene handled already concerning the Holy Ghost first how a man may come by the Holy Ghost and secondly in what measure hee is given to the Faithfull the answer thereunto we laid downe in foure conclusions first That there is but a portion of the Spirit given to the Faithfull here in this life Secondly as it is but a portion of the Spirit that is given so it is but a little portion and a little measure because all the workes of God beginne in weakenesse Thirdly though it begin in weakenesse yet it growes and increases Fourthly though grace growes in a Christian yet that it never comes to fulnesse of spirit they doe receiver but the first fruits and beginnings of the Spirit Now follow the two consequents of this Doctrine First That seeing no man hath fulnesse of Spirit in this world therefore no man hath fulnesse of joy for all our comfort is mixed with sorrow like as in the cup that Christ did drinke of at this passion vineger and gall were mingled together So the cup of every man comfort here is mingled with griefe and sorrow If we had fulnesse of Spirit then wee should have fulnesse of joy but because wee have not therefore our joy is mingled with griefe Secondly that seeing no man hath fulnesse of the Spirit in this world therefore there is no man that is perfectly regenerated or perfectly sanctified in this world all the people of God lie under the burthen of their corruption groning as the Apostle Paul complaineth of himselfe Rom. 7. 22. When I would doe good evill is present with mee Many times when a prisoner is let out of prison his chaines and bolts are not straight knocked off but hee is glad to trayle them about with him till he hath begged his fees so although a man bee freed by the Spirit of God yet he must traile his chaines and his fetters about with him till hee hath begged his fees that is till the clogs and fetters of his sinnes bee knocked off by mortalitie and death hence wee conclude there is no freedome from this burthen till wee come to heaven The third Question is How wee may know whether wee have the holy Ghost iâ— us or no which is a point worthy our learning because it is the Holy Ghost that seales us
desired to die the death of the righteous and secondly Matth. 19. 16. of the young man that came to Christ and said unto him Master what shall I doe to be saved so a man may have a desire to be saved and to be in heaven and happinesse and yet want the spirit of God Here therefore as before so now let us see what the defect is I answer it is in three things First It is a fleeting desire not constant and setled Balaam had a good desire but it was but in a mood or a fit he desired hee might die the death of the righteous and it was but once that he did so that we reade of and that also when hee saw the glory of the Saints this is the first defect that their desires are but for a fit Secondly they were idle desires they desired heaven but were loth to take any paines as it is said of the Sluggard Prov. 13. 4. The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought though hee desire such and such things yet he goes without them because he would not take pains for them therefore we must see that our desires be such as will put us upon any paines and labour so we may be saved Thirdly Such have not earnest desires but those that every little matter will put over we see if a childe askes the brest or meat the mother sometimes will give him a booke into his hand when this quiets the childe it shewes that it was but a flight desire that the childe had for if it had beene an earnest desire nothing would quiet the childe till it had the brest or some meat So it is with many men they desire to be saved and to have heaven and then the devill puts as it were a booke into their hands matter of pleasure and profit which quiets them this shewes that their desires were but slight for if they had beene earnest nothing would content them till they had had the thing that they desired And thus much of the false markes SERMON LVI ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his NOw the point of inquiry is how a man may know whether the Spirit of God and the Spirit grace be in him or no because it is the Spirit of God that seales our redemption as Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. and all our hope of heaven hangs on the Spirit therefore it will be very necessary and profitable for every man to know what be the true markes and signes of the holy Ghost his being in us And this we may discover by considering it two wayes 1. Generally 2. Particularly First Wheresoever the holy Ghost is in what man soever he makes a sensible and a through change and alters him in his will affections and in every part as Matth. 8. Christ saith unto the Centurion If I come I will heale thy servant I will not be idle and doe nothing but if I come I will heale him so if the holy Ghost come into a man hee will not be idle but hee will heale him of his sinnes and make a sensible and a through change in him in all parts So Iohn 3. 7. Christ shewes that no man can enter into the kingdome of heaven unlesse there be a second birth of the holy Ghost in him and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Paul saith that every one that is in Christ must be a new creature So then there must be a second birth of the Spirit people must become new men and women It is a ground in nature that the generation of one thing is the corruption of another as Ice when it turnes to water there is corruption of the Ice so when Christ turned water into wine there was corruption of the water even so it is in the worke of the Spirit as there is encrease of holinesse wrought in a man so there is a decrease of sinne and corruption Wee see in the Gospell that those that were brought to Christ who lay and wanted their feet went away with them such as were blinde went away with their eyes opened such as were deafe and dumbe went away speaking and hearing and such as were dead went away alive so when the Spirit of God comes into a man though hee were lame and not able to walke in the wayes of God yet that will inable him if he were blinde and ignorant that will open his understanding and give him heavenly knowledge if he were dead in sinnes that will put the life of grace and holines into him thus the holy Ghost will make a through change therefore every man must labour to see whether this change be wrought in him or no as 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. it is said that no theeves covetous persons drunkards railers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God Here was a change indeed wrought in these men So also 1 Tim. 1. 13. Saint Paul saith Before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was received to mercy because I did it ignorantly now I thanke God it is otherwise with me when a man can feele this change and alteration in him that he can say indeed I have beene a bad liver I have beene a swearer and a lyar and a drunkard but now Lord I thanke thee it is otherwise with me I am changed and altered this is a good evidence that the holy Ghost is in him but if a man be not changed and altered but remaines the same man that ever he was the holy Ghost is not in him for where the holy Ghost is there he makes a sensible and a through change Secondly If the Spirit of God come into a man it will stirre and move a man to good things as Act. 2. when the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles in firy tongues they began to speake with new tongues the holy Ghost did worke in their hearts and on their tongues so Gal. 4. 6. saith the Apostle God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba Father even so if a man hath the Spirit of God in him it will stirre him to repentance and to the duties of prayer and holinesse therefore we are to consider no man can have the Spirit of God but he shall feele movings and stirrings of the Spirit for as it is in the naturall life that there cannot be life in us but it will be seene by breathing or panting stirring or moving there will be operations of life so it is in the life of grace there cannot be the Spirit of God in a man but there
will be operations and motions of the Spirit it will not be idle A ship on the Sea lies still when there is no body in it but put marriners therein then they will weigh up their anchors hoist up their sailes and away they goe so men lye idle in the wayes of God but if the Spirit of God be in them it will stirre and moove them to performe good duties to prayer to repent of their sinnes to duties of love and such like therefore when wee be idle and doe not feele this stirring and moving unto good things the holy Ghost is not in us because hee would be sure to stirre and moove us as Ezek. 1. 21. it is said of the wheeles that when the beasts went the wheeles went with them and when they stood they stood and when they were lifted up from the earth the wheeles were lifted up besides them for the spirit of the beasts were in the wheeles they had all one spirit so if the Spirit of God be in a man if Christ moves he will move and when Christ makes a stand he will stand and when Christ lifts up himselfe hee will lite up himselfe Hence we may be taught his sure marke that when a man feeles nothing is not stirred up to the duties of repentance prayer holinesse and love feeles no operation nor working of the Spirit in him let not that man wilfully put out his owne eyes for then of a truth he may see and there is no work of grace yet wrought the holy Ghost is not in him And thus much of the generall Now for the particular there be divers degrees for all have not one measure of the Spirit but some more some lesse therefore every one is to consider of his estate whether he be a beginner in religion or a strong Christian or whether he be weakned by sinne and temptations the weaker Christian hath weaker motions actions and operations the stronger hath stronger motions actions and operations of the Spirit we see in the life of nature that God gives divers degrees of life to his creatures there is not that degree of life in a little childe that is in a man who is come to his full growth therefore the actions and operations of a man are stronger than a childes Againe there is no man so strong but he may be weakened by sicknesse and distemperature so it is in the life of grace there be divers degrees of the Spirit in a weake Christian the actions and operations of the Spirit be weake in a strong Christian they be stronger and yet a strong Christian may be weakned by sinne therefore if a Christian would give a right judgement of himselfe whether he have the Spirit or no he must consider in what ranke hee is and in what estate whether a beginner in religion or a strong Christian or whether he be weakened by some sinnes If hee be a beginner in religion then he may looke to two things 1. Whether there be a right worke of the Spirit 2. Whether there be a right use of the worke First he must looke for a right worke of the Spirit and that we may consider in foure things First whether they have beene truly humbled for their sinnes and cast downe in the sense and feeling of them seeing that they were in an estate of damnation and under Gods curse till they be brought home to Christ as Act. 9. 6. we see Paul was first humbled and cast downe before God did raise him and give him comfort and so Act. 2. 37. the converts were first pricked in their hearts and cried out Men and brethren what shall we doe to bee saved before they were raised up by the ministery of the Apostles I have shewed you heretofore when a man appoints a tree to build with he first takes an Axe and cuts it downe by the root and layes it flat on the ground then he cuts off the boughes and branches and leaves it naked before he takes it into his building even so the Lord doth when he doth purpose to take us into his building he first comes with the axe of his Law cuts us downe and layes us on the ground then he cuts off the boughes and branches and leaves us naked without any hope of our owne merits or deserts before hee pluckes us into this same heavenly building And this is first worke of the Spirit Secondly the worke of the Spirit is an earnest desire to be reconciled to God to bee at one with him The hungry man doth not more desire his meat nor the thirsty man his drinke than he longs and desires in this estate to be in the covenant of grace as Act. 9. 22. Paul eat no meat for three dayes together but prayed and cried unto the throne of grace and could not be quiet till hee was certified by Ananias that his sinnes were pardoned A poore prisoner when he is condemned to die all he doth is for a pardon say what you will and doe what you will hee regards nothing else so it is with a Christian when he sees he is condemned by the Law of God and guiltie of eternall death say and doe what ye will all his mind is for a pardon which till he hath obtained nothing will quiet him nothing will content him till hee hath his discharge from God Thirdly It stirres up a man truly to lay hold on the sweet promises that God hath made to him in Christ So as he labours to be found in him and to renounce himselfe saying Lord I am a sinner but Christ hath satisfied thee for my sinnes I am uncleane but Christ hath washed me in his bloud I come short of that which thou requirest but Christ hath satisfied the Law for me so Act. 15. 11. Peter was bold to stand up and say We beleeve through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saved even as they doe so also Luke 1. 69. Zachariah blesseth and praiseth God because he hath raised up a horne of salvation unto us and Matth. 8. there was Leper that came to Christ and said unto him Lord I am an uncleane person but if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane in like manner the Spirit of God drives a man to Christ and makes him to say Lord though I am a Leper though I am an uncleane person and polluted yet if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane and therefore Lord wash me in thy most precious bloud that I may be found unblameable before thee Fourthly It workes a setled course to walke with God so farre forth as frailtie will permit so Psal 119. 106. David saith I have sworne and I will performe it to keepe thy righteous judgements and Act. 9. 6. Paul newly called saith What wilt thou that I doe before Saint Paul was stubborne and would not bend nor buckle to the will of God but now he is readie to yeeld to
any thing so saith he Rom. 6. 22. But being freed from sinne wee are made servants to God this is another worke of the Spirit that a man is desirous to please God alwayes for Iustification and Sanctification still goe together there is no man can finde the pardon of his sinnes but in some measure hee shall hae strength against them these be the foure workes of the Spirit in a new beginner therefore consider with thy selfe hast thou beene ever humbled for thy sinnes not for some one as Iudas was but for all sinnes hast thou drawne in all thy sinnes as farre as thy judgement can informe thee then hast thou desired to be reconciled to God and to be at one with him to be brought into the covenant of grace hast thou desired I say it as an hungry man doth his meat or a thirstie man his drink dost thou desire it above life and liberty and whatsoever is deare in thy sight Againe hast thou laid hold on the promises that God hath made in Christ dost thou labour to be found in Christ Lastly hast thou a setled purpose to walke with God as farre as frailtie will permit if thou feele these things in thee bee of good comfort here is the worke of the Spirit but if thou feele not these things in thee there is as yet no worke of the Spirit for these things bee in a Christian though hee bee but a day old in Religion The second thing that we are to consider is whether there be a right order of the worke for the Spirit workes in order God is the God of order and therefore the spirit workes in order as Ezek. 37. in the raising of the dead bones First there was a voyce amongst them and did forewarne them that they were but dead and drie bones Secondly there was a noyse and clattering of bones a trembling and a running together of them Thirdly there were sinewes grew on the bones and flesh on the sinewes Fourthly life came into them and then they stand up so it is in the conversion of a sinner First there is a voyce to forewarne them that they are but dead and drie bones that there is no life of grace in them not being able to stir a foote in the wayes of God Secondly there is a noyse and running together of the bones a desire of reconciliation and to bee brought within the estate of grace Thirdly flesh on the bones that is to lay hold on the promises of God And lastly life comes into the bones they stand up then a man is inabled in some measure to walke with God And therefore consider with thy selfe Hast thou motions and desires and hast not beene humbled first in sense and feeling of thy sinne here indeede is a worke but it is not the right order of the worke for first they must be humble Now as the Spirit growes stronger so there are stronger motions and actions wrought in a Christian for as it is in the naturall life so it is in the life of grace wee see the weaker a man is the weaker bee his actions and the stronger he is the stronger bee his actions As when a man is sicke he may bee so weake that hee is not able to goe by a staffe but as he growes well so his strength growes againe and his actions are stronger so it is with a Christian although he bee weake and not able to creepe at first yet as he growes stronger so his Actions will be stronger and stronger Now the worke of the Spirit is in two things in a strong Christian 1. In his Mortification 2. In his quickning First Mortification and that is in three things as first A man that is strong in the spirit will make strong resistance against sinne and will not be easily foyled and put off for every little matter Wee see a weake tree the winde will bend and bow it as if it would fall downe and make the tops touch the ground and yet the tree may be rooted but if it bee a strong tree the winde cannot bend or bow it so if a Man be a weake Christian he is carried this way and that way with every winde as it were but if he be strong he will make strong resistance against sinne therefore it is said of Ioseph Gen. 39. 15. That hee consented not to his Mistris though she lay at him from day to day and 1 Pet. 5. 9. it is said Resist the Divell being strong in the Faith So then a strong Christian will make strong resistance against sinne therefore when as it is so with a man that there is a temptation offered and hee makes no resistance hath no strength against sinne but falls into it I will not say this man is no Christian but I will say he is but a weake Christian The second is That no Man that is strong in spirit although hee sinne through temptation doth fall into it so easily as others or with that delight but there is a reluctation and a striving against it as Peter Marke 14. 68. when he denied his Master he crept into the Porch hee would not willingly have done it If a Man strike a blow at one though hee cannot keepe of the blow yet he may breake it so that it shall not be so great so the Spirit of God doth though it keepe not a Man from sinne yet it may breake the force of it that a Christian shall not so easily commit it but that there will be a resistance and a reluctation against it they will not so easily commit it as others doe Thirdly although they fall into sinne yet they will not lie long in their sinne but will returne to God upon every little touch So David 2 Sam. ult when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and 2 King 7. the two Lepers their hearts smote them and they said we have not done well in concealing good newes so it is with a strong Christian every little touch will make him returne to God renew his faith repentance and hope of Heaven he is never at quiet till he bee brought home to God These are the workes of Mortification The second is workes of quickning in a strong Christian and they are foure First Hee that is strong in the Spirit the Spirit will enable him to performe spirituall Service put him on prayer and other Christian duties hee shall doe such things as hee never thought he should have done as Phil. 4. 13. saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthens me Secondly A strong Christian hath a strong Certificate that his sinnes are pardoned For the weaker a Christian is the weaker is his certificate and the stronger he is the stronger it is as a Childe in the cradle the weaker it is the weaker is the crie and the stronger it is the more strength hath
us Gal. 3. 15. Though it bee but a mans Testament when it is confirmed yet no man abrogates it nor addes any thing thereto therefore seeing the Scripture is the best will and Testament of Iesus Christ there is no man that should adde or subtract any thing from it Now in the New Testament all is Canonicall It was the wisedome of the first Christians not to suffer any thing to goe hand in hand with the word of God lest the Lord should take up that complaint against them Ezek. 43. 8. Albeit they set up their thresholds by my thresholds and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them c. In the new Testament all is Canonicall but in the old there are nine Bookâ—s which are not Canonicall the two Bookes of Esdras the Bookes of Tobit and Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the two Bookes of Macchabees with some fragments of Daniel and Hester as for the second Booke of Esdras it is very fabulous as S. Ierome doth affirme And Bellarmine confesseth where hee saith S. Ambrose himselfe doth foure times alleage it and yet it is not Canonicall because no councell tooke it to be so and it was not wrote in Hebrew In the sixt Chapter thereof there are two monsters spoken of that Sea and Land could not hold Now this is a fabulous thing and a very dreame therefore saith hee I wonder what came into his minde so a certaine Pope saith for so much as it was found written in the Greeke and not in the Hebrew which was the tongue that the Scripture was wrote in wee hold it to bee Apocrypha Therefore now if any man shall demand are there some Bookes Canonicall and some Apocrypha I answer that is called Canonicall which was written by the chosen Penmen of the Holy Ghost and hath sufficient authoritie in it selfe to confirme our faith and to perswade us that God is well pleased in the performance of those things which are required in it saith Augustine if were finde any hard place wee are not to blame it and to say it is not true but wee must say the fault is in the Printer or in the interpreter or it is because I doe not understand it Now the Apocrypha Bookes are such as were written by men not so inspired though they were learned men and such as were indued with the Spirit of God yet a man is not bound to beleeve them any further than they have warrant from the Canonicall Scripture S. Ierome saith though they were good men that wrote them yet they bee not of weight sufficient to confirme any Point of Doctrine no further than they have authoritie from the Scriptures And Damascen saith that they were good Bookes but yet they were not put into the Arke of God and kept as the Canonicall Scripture was now here is the difference between them the Canonicall Scripture is the very word of God c. The Apocrypha though there bee good things in it yet in it there is some taste of humane frailtie Now if any man shall aske why did not the Church receive this as the Canonicall Scriptures I answer there is good cause why they did not receive it which hath foure grounds for it First because the Iewes which were the Church and people of God did not receive it S. Paul saith Rom. 3. that to the Iewes were committed in trust the Oracles of God but they did not receive these Bookes therefore they were not the Oracles of God But how shall wee know that they did not receive them as the Scripture I answer First because Iosephus which was a Iew tells us in his booke against Appianus that the Iewes had two and twentie bookes which were written from God by Holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost saying that other bookes there bee which bee not of the like authoritie because they were written since the succession of the Prophets And S. Ierome saith that as the Iewes had two and twentie letters so they had two and twentie bookes that they admitted of and of no other booke besides into the Canon of the Scripture This is so cleare that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it The second ground is this they which did write the Apocrypha were not the Penmen of the Scripture Wee see in the speech Luk. 16. 27. where Abraham is brought in saying to Dives they have Moses the Prophets let them heare them so Moses and the Prophets were the Penmen of the Scripture But the Apocrypha was not written by the Prophets First because they were not written in Hebrew which was the tongue that they wrote in againe they would not speake and write in an unknowne tongue to the people because they would not bring that curse upon them which is spoken of 1 Cor. 14. 21. In the Law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips will I speake to this people and yet for all that will they not heare mee saith the Lord. Secondly because the Succession of the Prophets were ceased at that time when these bookes were written as Iosephus saith for they were written in the time of the Macchabees and David tells us Psal 74. 9. prophecying of the destruction of the Church and true Religion which was in the time of the Macchabees wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Therefore seeing it was not writ in the tongue that the Prophets wrote in but in Greeke and they were written since the Prophets therefore the Prophets were not the Penmen of them The third ground is that they bee not in the number of the witnesses that Christ will stand to for these bee Christs witnesses Luk. 24. 27. where it is said and hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe so verse 24. and hee said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you whilest I was with you that all things must bee fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Augustine faith well that the Iewes doe not accompt of any bookes save of Moses the Prophets and of the Psalmes to the which our Lord Iesus gave witnesse and Chrysostome saith that the Iewes did divide the Scriptures into three parts the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes they bee the witnesses that Christ stands to But these Apocrypha Bookes are not within this number therefore the Apocrypha is not received equally as the Scriptures are of the Church The fourth is Because the Bookes themselves bewray that they bee of man and not of God as S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. Let God bee true and every man a lyar but these Bookes there is none of them but have some taste of humane fâ—ailty in it as Tobit 5. there an Angell is made to lye but the
Levit. 4. 3. there was a sacrifice appointed for the Ignorance of the Priests and People and Habakuk 3. the Prophet intitles a prayer for the Ignorances Therefore the Church may bee ignorant of some things as the Church of Ierusalem was Acts 11. 10. The Church was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till they were informed by Peter and in Cyprians time there was rebaptising held in the true Church So in Augustines time it was held as a thing needfull to salvation for Children to receive the Lords Supper contrary to Saint Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. Let a Man examine himselfe therefore it is out of question their may be errors in the true Church But the difference is twofold First that they doe not erre in the foundation their errours doe not strike at the heart and let out the life-blood of religion but it is like the scratching of a Thorne and therefore it remaineth Holy in the foundation Secondly Though it fall into errour it is so assisted by the Power of grace as it doth not rest till it recover againe as mud being throwne into a fountaine rests not till it workes it out and settles againe so though the Church fall into errour it is so assisted by the power of grace as that it recovers againe as Iohn 16. 11. saith Christ When hee is come that is the Spirit He shall lead you into all Truth that is possesse them with all truth and lead them in all Truth Peter himselfe did not know all for he was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till he saw the vision And then it was revealed unto him so though the Church of God be ignorant for some time it shall not so continue but the Holy Ghost will lead it into all truth Now with the holinesse of their Faith they must joyne holinesse of life as 2 Pet. 1. 5. saith he moreover joyne with your Faith vertue and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. with saith there must be joyned good life as of 1 Tim. 1. 19. saith S. Paul of some having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith hath made Shipwracke they were not wise enough to joyne to the holines of their faith holines of life but cast away a good coÌ„science made no conscience of known duties and so made shipwracke of all the pretious graces that they had imbarked In the 2 Thes 2. 10. it is said Because they received not the love of Truth that they might be saved therefore did God send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies Therefore if men will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved it is just with God to send them strong delusions to beleeve lyes therefore it must bee our care that with holinesse of our faith we joyne a Holy life Secondly the Church is holy by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as 1 Cor. 1. 30. it is said Christ is made to us of God the Father wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption so Christ is not onely our justification but our sanctification for his holinesse is imputed to us In the Law as wee may see Rom. 11. 16. In the first fruits all the rest was sanctified though they â—â—re not brought into the Temple nor presented before God yet by thâ— first fruites the rest was made Holy by a certaine power to the eateâ— and users of them so because Christ is the first fruits that was offered to God in all the puritie that might bee therefore the Church of God is made holy by relation from him To this the Schoolemen agree for saith Aquinas every imperfect thing presupposeth some certaine thing that is perfect that it might be helpt all our holinesse is unperfect in our selves therefore it must bee made perfect by the holinesse of Christ In all accusations of the Divell and conflicts of our consciences wee should come to God and say Lord though I am a sinner uncleane and have infinite wants in my selfe yet in my Head Christ I am sanctified and made Holy so that whatsoever I want in my selfe it is made good in him We see chrystall though it have no light nor lustre in it selfe yet set it in the Sunne and it receiveth the Sunne beames so although we have no light nor manner of lustre in our selves yet if we be brought to Christ wee receive all the graces of Christ therefore in the Revelation the Church is said to bee apparelled with the righteousnesse of Christ Thirdly the Church is holy by inherent holinesse because there is never a true member of the Church but doth labour to be holy though they be incumbred with a number of sinnes Therefore Heb. 3. they are called holy brethren and Esay 65. 12. It is said of them and they shall call them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord for it is the care of every true member to be holy though they be troubled with many incumbrances weaknesses and sinnes Therefore whosoever thou art that art not holy at all for wee cannot obtaine to bee perfectly holy in the estate of corruption labour to bee holy in some measure use the meanes and have care to rid and remove thy sinnes for otherwise thou art no true member of the holy Church A man may live in the Church till his flesh rot or his eyes fall out of his head and yet be no true member of the Church no more than a wodden legge is a true part of a Mans body which though it moove and goe with the body yet may be laid in the fire when the body is in safety because it is not joyned to it to draw life and motion from it in like manner a man may live in the Church and bee no true member thereof because hee is not joyned to Christ nor can approve himselfe to his owne conscience or to the conscience of others therefore as it is the care of every true member to be holy so it must be the care of us that are in the Church Fourthly the Church is holy because there be the meanes of holinesse It is not so holy as Corah Dathan and Abiram said Numb 16. 3. to Moses and Aaron ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy Thus to have no neede of Magistracie and Ministerie were a dangerous errour for any to thinke for the Church hath neede of all the meanes of holinesse though there be some beginnings of it yet they have neede of Moses and Aaron of Magistracie and Ministery as Psal 77. 20. it is said that The Lord led the People of Israel like Sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron the Lord led them with great tendernesse and respect hee led them like sheepe but it was by the hand of Moses and Aaron as long as the Church is in her Pilgrimage it hath neâ—de of all meanes of holinesse to guide and
in God the Father and in Iesus Christ their Redeemer but also in the holy Ghost and are perswaded he will worke grace in them and give them such a measure of holinesse as shall be meet for them here is properly the faith of a Christian which goeth beyond the faith of the wicked for they beleeve they have their sinnes but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken them or subdue and abolish their corruptions when as the people of God have their sinnes also and their great sinnes too but yet they beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken subdue and abolish their strong corruptions for what is it to beleeve that there is a holy Ghost and be never a whit the better the people of God doe beleeve though they have their sinnes yet they shall have grace from God to subdue them for this is the promise of God to them Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I powre cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So Ephes 9. 26. the reason is given The hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word here is Gods promise that he will cleanse and wash his people from their sinnes and where there is a promise of God there is the faith of a Christian to apprehend it so then it is the faith of a Christian to beleeve God will wash away our sinnes and cleanse us from them but the divinity of the world is quite contrary for they beleeve God made them and the mercy of the Sonne in their redemption but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will worke holinesse in them it is said There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are One and therefore as we have the witnesse of the Father and of the Sonne so we must have the witnesse of the holy Ghost therefore as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of God the Sonne in our redemption so also wee must labour to feele the grace and power of the holy Ghost in sanctifying and quickning of us to all duties for herein the faith of a Christian goeth beyond both devils and wicked men Now here is a very profitable point of enquiry to be made How doth the holy Ghost worke holinesse in us as Mary said Luke 1. 34. to the Angell when he told her that she should conceive and beare a Sonne How shall this be seeing I know 〈◊〉 â—an Shee doubted not of the matter but of the manner so a Christian doubts not of the matter but of the manner of this sanctifying therefore wee may with holy reverence say to God How shall this be seeing I am a sinfull man For answere hereunto the Scripture declares by six meanes the operation of the Holy Ghost in us The first is by reprooving us of our want of holinesse shewing us the impuritie of our nature and that we have not a drop of holinesse in our selves It checkes us for our sinnes and reprooves us for them untill wee feele this wee can have no comfort that the Holy Ghost hath wrought holinesse in us as Iohn 16. 8. Christ shewes when the Spirit of God is come into the world hee shall reproove the world of sinne so if the Holy Ghost bee come once into a mans hart hee will shew him the impuritie thereof check and controule him for his sinnes we see if a man come into a house in the darke nothing shewes amisse but if the light shine in then wee may see all the sluttish corners of it so as long as a man is in darknesse all seemes well with him but if once the light shine in then all the slutrish corners of his heart will bee discovered This is the first work that the Holy Ghost workes in us to reproove us of our sinnes and our want of holinesse as if a man bee sick of a dead palsie the way to recover him is by hot oyles and bathes when if once a man come to feele the stiffenesse of his joynts there is hope that he will recover so it is in the worke of grace if a man see his own weaknes and wants how uncheerefull hee is in prayer and in Christ and duities that hee cannot repent though hee desires to repent that hee cannot beleeve as hee doth desire to beleeve there is comfortable hope hee shall recover and that there is a seed of grace in him But if the Spirit of God doth not reproove a man of his sinnes so as to see the impuritie of his nature and want of holinesse hee may feare that there is not the beginnings of grace Secondly by inlightning of us for naturally we are all blinde and ignorant of the wayes of God therefore when the Holy Ghost commeth into us hee makes us see what is pleasing to God and what is displeasing what is right and what is wrong as 2 Cor. 4. wee may see that the Iewes had a veyle hung over their hearts in the reading of the Law that they could not understand and see heaven and happinesse Now the holy Ghost takes away this veyle openeth our understandings and makes us to see know the good way that wee are to walke in So then the Holy Ghost doth inlighten us as 1 Iohn 2. 27. saith hee but the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. We see Genes 1. when God made the world one of the first things hee made was light so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a mans hart one of the first things that he doth is he inlightneth him it is observed when a good Tenant commeth into a house hee will make windowes into the same if need bee that hee may have good light to see how to doe his businesse by such a Tenant the holy Ghost is that when hee is come into a mans hart hee will make windowes and let in light that so the man may not doe things in darknesse but by the light of Gods words giving them heavenly knowledge Thirdly by uniting us to Christ because Christ is the fountaine of all holinesse as Paul saith Colos 1. 19. for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Christ is the store house and the treasury-house of all riches to his Church and the Holy Ghost will never leave a Christian till hee hath brought him to the fountaine of grace if a man dig a trench hee will never leave till hee gets to the fountaine that it may flow into it and fill it with water so the Holy Ghost will worke us till he bring us to Christ which is the fountaine and then hee will convey into us spirituall