in you than he that is in the world The Devil had been in them before but was now driven out of them into the world by the spirit which was in them and their lusts were mortified by the same spirit Rom 8.13 Fourthly The Spirit put into man takes the rule and government of that man into his own hand he must no longer be under the dominion of sin or Satan but under the conduct of the spirit he and all in him must bow to that great Person When a great man cometh into the Countrey to dwell he looks for all about him to bow unto him and to be at his command hence men that have stout and stubborn spirits which cannot bow use to say Magnum vicinum nolumus We care not for a great Neighbour The spirit is greater than all men and when he is put into men it 's to rule he is there not to be checked controled opposed but to bear sway to have the Keyes of every Room delivered up unto him he must be and will be Soveraign in the soul before him every Mountain and Hill must be brought low yea every creature must swear fealty unto him Rom 8.14 They are lead by the spirit of God The spirit is the Commander and Leader of those it dwells in they follow him and not others whereas those that are without the spirit are led away with diverse lusts 2 Tim 3.6 or drawn away with their own lust James 1.14 and so follow Satan 1 Tim 5.15 It 's not so with those that have the spirit that is call'd A Guide John 16.13 and such a Guide as guides into all truth and orders them so as that they shall not miscarry for its a spirit of wisdome Ephes 1.17 of counsell Isa 11.2 of power 2 Tim 1.7 so that he must rule and where he rules he doth it wisely Fifthly He frames them to his own mind and transforms them into his own likenesse as a Graft put into a Stock turns the sap of the Stock and assimilates it and the Stock to it self so doth the spirit in the parties where it is 2 Cor 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or by the Lord the Spirit so the Greek will bear it we are selfish sinfull natural morall and the spirit makes us spiritual The husband frames the mind of his wise suitable unto his own when a man comes into an old house he pulls down and sets up he takes away and adds what he pleases and fits the house to his own mind so doth the spirit being in our earthly Tabernacles it abrogates the Laws of the flesh it throws out the Principles of Satan and the world it sets up new Laws and works new Principles Rom 3.27 Chap 8.2 Sixthly The spirit being put into man and man becoming his Temple he doth beautifie and adorn that Temple and make it glorious Solomon over-laid the Temple with pure gold 1 Kings 6.21 the inside was very glorious and the spirit trims up its Temple with pure graces with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Gal 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 The spirit garnished the Heavens with those greater and lesser Lights Job 26.13 which fill this lower world with their glory It s the spirit which reneweth the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and makes it beautifull and its the spirit reneweth and garnisheth the soul making it glorious and beautifull with all graces Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and the spirits Temple is no lesse glorious If Solomons Temple were call'd The holy and beautifull house Isa 64.11 much more may the Temple of the spirit be so called Seventhly It being in man enables him to do many things it strengthens him with might to do that which otherwise he could not do Eph 3.16 As First To discern between the things of men and the things of God between the things of Christ and those of Antichrist between true and counterfeit graces 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things He hath the spirit enabling him to make a difference and to see the reallity beauty and excellency of some things above others The High Priests Scribes Pharisees saw no beauty in Christ that they should desire him but the Apostles who had the spirit in them did John 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and Paul saw so much in Christ and the knowledge of him That he counted all things but lasse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Secondly It enables them to pray spiritually Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought The spirit tells us what to pray for and helps us to bring forth those Petitions it hath formed in us Zech 12.10 it s call'd The spirit of supplication because it teaches us what to supplicate God for and assists us in supplicating Both Paul and Jude exhorts those they write unto To pray in the spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. That is in the strength and help of the spirit not in their own strength Thirdly It enables to stand in time of trouble persecution and sufferings The spirit prompts answers unto those that are questioned for truths sake and helps them against all their opposers see Mark 13.11 Matth 10.19 20. Luke 12.11 12. When they were lead before Magistrates and Powers they must take no thought before hand what to speak nor premeditate the spirit should help them encourage and uphold them not an Angel but the spirit Acts 6.10 Stephen was so mightily assisted by the spirit that his opposers viz the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and others were not able to withstand him Fourthly It enables to bring forth good fruit If there be no sap in a Vine it will bear no fruit if there be only our own sap it will yeeld sowre fruit but if the sap of the spirit be there then it will afford good fruit speciall fruit Acts 10.38 Christ being anointed with the holy spirit and with power he went about doing good so the Apostles Acts 1.8 Ye shall receive power after the holy spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth The spirit impowered them to walk up and down in the world to preach the Gospel convert souls plant Churches and to do them good so did Paul Rom. 15.19 Where the spirit is it enables and provokes unto good John 7.38 39. Fifthly The spirit enables men to keep the Word of God and yeeld obedience unto it 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy spirit which dwelleth in us Timothy saith Paul thou hast that which is of great concernment committed to thy keeping viz the Gospel the form of sound words and thou
heart is a grievous plague so an heart of flesh is a great blessing its sensible of sin even secret sins it trembles at thoughts of God his Attributes and Word it understands divine things its teachable and obediential its compassionate and full of bowels towards all such an heart is rare to find but where-ever it is it 's a mercy of mercies a superlative mercy Secondly Observe It s a gift even the gift of God I will give you an heart of flesh None but he who can fetch water out of a Rock and turn stones into flesh Mat. 3.9 can give this tender heart we can make our hearts stony by sinning but we cannot soften them again It s Gods prerogative to make and give an heart of flesh he can make the hardest heart exceeding tender beg such an heart of him and presse him with his promise For faithfull is he who hath promised who also will do it Vers 27. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them IN the 35. verse remission of sins was promised in the 36. regeneration and in this infusion of the spirit is promised In the words are 1. The mercy promised viz the spirit 2. The parties recipient you 3. The effects of this reception walking in c. I will put my spirit within you By spirit here I understand not the new heart or new spirit mentioned in the verse before viz. the gifts and graces of the spirit but the spirit it self so Aecolampad Lavater Junius and Polonius and however it be a great dispute among School-men Whether the spirit it self be given unto men and dwell in them some conclude That the person of the spirit is not given but dwells in us only Mediantibus donis yet the Scripture is cleer That the spirit it self is given and dwells in the sons of men Rom 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us Here is a distinction made between the grace of the spirit and the spirit it selfe the grace of love is shed abroad 〈◊〉 the hearts of the Saints by the spirit and that spirit which â—â—keth that grace in them is given unto them the person of the spirit is distinguished from the gifts and graces he works in men 1 Cor 6.19 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy spirit in you A Temple is not for gifts or graces but for a person a Deity and some speciall presence of that Deity the world hath God in it yet it is not call'd The Temple of God because he is in a general and common manner in the same but the spirit is in the bodyes of the Saints and that in a special manner 1 Cor. 2.12 We have râ—ceived not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God By spirit here cannot be meant gifts or graces but the person of the spirit who searcheth the deep things of God as it is vers 10. and makes them known by degrees unto those he dwells in discovering what God hath done for them Rom 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you it s the spirit of God himself who dwells in beleevers and not only the gifts and graces of the spirit these are in them as qualities in a Subject but he is in them as an Inhabitant in an house The spirit by reason of its Infinitenesse is every where in Trees Worms Flowers waters all creatures is it any other wise in the Saints then in them True the spirit quoad essentiam is in all things yet First It s not in them per modum unionis by way of union a Fish is in the water but not united to the water the spirit is in the Saints by way of union therefore is said to dwell in them by his own gifts and graces we are united to the spirit and the spirit to us Secondly It s not in them per modum gratiosae operationis by way of gracious operation all he doth in other creatures is upholding their beings enabling them to put forth their natural power vigour virtue and ordering their motions to what ends he pleaseth he worketh nothing in them above their natures but in those he dwells he worketh gracious effects in those the Lord gives the spirit unto he worketh such operations as are not elsewhere even such as are aboue nature he is in them Speciali titulo ratione gratiae A Gardiner worketh curious Knots in the Garden which he doth not elsewhere God made other works and set other plants in Paradise than in the world Thirdly As the Deity of Christ is every where in every creature yet otherwise in Christs humane nature than in any creature Col 2.9 so the spirit though it be every where yet is otherwise in Believers than in other creatures it is in them as it is in Christ himself but not in the same measure What doth the spirit being within us First It unites the Lord Christ and the soul together it makes an happy union between them two The Corinthians were espoused to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 not only by the Ministry of Paul but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we all baptized into one body that is the Church the body of Christ the spirit is the great Agent in this work Secondly The spirit gives out divine Oracles and Truths unto the soul As in the Temple God gave out his mind made known his will so doth the spirit in the heart of man Mat. 10.20 The spirit of the Father speaks in Believers 1 John 2.20 Ye have an anction from the holy One and ye know all things That unction is the spirit which makes known all needful things unto those it dwells in its needful to be instructed and armed against Antichrist and his seducements its needful to be directed in the way to Heaven they had the spirit which did teach them how to avoid the one and how to proceed in the other and so were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and who teacheth like him Job 36.22 He teacheth inwardly infallibly powerfully Thirdly It conquers and drives out the enemies that had possession of and quartered in us There is no man the Lord puts his spirit into but the spirit finds the Devil there he hath possession of mens hearts and labours to keep the same there be also a multitude of base and ungodly lusts which fight for the Devils interest these the spirit sets upon subdues and casts out When Christ came into the Temple he whipt out all the money-changers when Joshua came into Canaan he drove out the Canaanites and other Nations and when the spirit comes into a man it beats down strong holds drives out Satan and his Troops 1 John 4.4 Greater is he that is
Law writ in his heart by the spirit but not as it is written by the spirit in the hearts of Believer who are under the new Covenant the spirit writ the Law in Adams heart as Concreator with the Father and the Son not by vertue of any Covenant but Believers receive the spirit and have the Law writ in them by vertue of Covenant God hath covenanted to put his spirit in them and they have the spirit from Christ and the Father Christ purchased of the Father the mission of the spirit therefore saith He will send the Comforter unto them John 16.7 And that he will pray the Father and he shall send the Comforter unto them John 14.16 So that Believers now have the spirit from God as a Father in Christ from Christ as Head of the Church and both these by vertue of the new Covenant Adam had not the spirit so and for those that had the spirit under the Law for some had it as you may see Psal 51.11 Nehem 9.20 Numb 27.18 Hagg. 2.5 they had it not by vertue of the Covenant of works Do this and live for none were able to keep the Law but by vertue of the Covenant of grace there was Gospel in the Law yea the whole Ceremonial Law was so The Apostle tells us that the Galatians received not the spirit by the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 And look how the Gentiles received the blessing of Abraham viz. the spirit which was through faith and through Christ vers 14. so did the Jews likewise Neither Jews nor Gentiles do bring any preparations or qualifications towards the reception of the spirit God gives his spirit freely where there are no such things when men are in a state of sin and wickednesse the spirit is put in first it s there and then it works grace before they have new hearts new spirits the stone be taken out of the heart and there be an heart of flesh the spirit is put in and acts he finds not qualifications or dispositions but brings them works them The Bees when they come to the Hive find no wax no honey there but they bring the wax and honey so the spirit when it comes to mens hearts it finds no wax no honey no graces nor gracious dispositions there but brings them when the spirit comes to regenerate and sanctifie it finds nothing in men but darkness unbelief unholinesse and enmity by which its no more defiled than an Angel by coming into the world which lyes in wickednesse or the Sun shining upon a Dunghil but when it comes to be an Inhabitant a Comforter a spirit of glory to rest upon a man then it finds the heart prepared and made meet for its entertainment and abode Thirdly Observe The gift of the spirit is a great and excellent gift I will put or give my spirit within you The greatness and excellency of it appears in these following particulars First It s the person of the spirit which is a fundamental mercy and more considerable than all his gifts and graces which flow from him the Tree is better than all the fruit the Sun is of more worth than all his Beams Secondly It is the procreator of all grace in the soul Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace faith Take but those four graces see how they are exalted faith is stiled precious 2 Pet. 1.1 peace is said to passe all understanding Phil. 4.7 joy to be glorious and unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 and love is magnified by Paul above all gifts and other graces 1 Cor. 13. What a gift then is the spirit which is the Parent not only of these but of all graces and all gifts Ephes 5.9 The fruit of the spirit it in all goodnesse Thirdly It is the Conservator of all grace and good things in us As God conserves the world which is his creature so the spirit conserves grace which is its creature the spirit as it gives being to all graces so it preserves them in their beings and operations It 's the spirit which mortifies lusts Rom. 8.13 And it is the spirit maintains graces John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit As flesh brings forth flesh so it maintains the same and as the spirit brings forth spirit so it maintains the same each maintains their own off-springs The spirit is the Nurse of all those graces it hath brought forth in the heart of any 2 Cor. 4.13 it s called The spirit of faith not only because it creates faith in the heart but keeps it there so it s called The spirit of grace Zech. 12.10 not only because it works grace in men but also because it keeps grace in them hence those who are after the spirit are said to mind the things of the spirit their graces are maintained by the provision of the spirit Fourthly The spirit is he who actuates and consummates our graces the spirit doth not content it self to beget and preserve graces in mens hearts but improves and perfects them we and our graces would act very poorly did not the spirit assist us John 15.5 Without me saith Christ you can do nothing that is without my spirit concurre with your graces and actuate them you can do nothing The Mill may have all things fit for motion the Sails may be spread but if the wind blow not the Mill goes not so a man may through grace be prepared and fitted to every good work but if the spirit blow not he moves not John 6.63 It is the spirit that quickens it quickens us and our graces also 2 Cor. 3.6 The spirit gives life Life to mens persons and life to their graces it s the spirit makes lively and sets grace a work It 's the Sun and influences of Heaven which draw up the sap and make the Tree grow and it is the spirit and its influences which draw out our graces into act they lye still unless fresh blasts of the spirit come upon us and them And as the spirit acts our graces so it perfects them it adds supplyes unto them Phil. 1.19 and changes us into further glory day by day 2 Cor. 3.18 And what is said of Christ Heb 12.2 That he is the Authour and Finisher of our faith the same Christ doth by his spirit and so the spirit is the Authour and Finisher of all our graces Fifthly The spirit is a great and excellent gift in that it doth facilitate sweeten and make delightfull unto us all the wayes of God they are hard and harsh to flesh and bloud as to deny a mans self to passe by wrongs to forgive enemies to bear the Crosse cheerfully c. these are things corrupt nature cannot digest but where the spirit is given they become easie the spirit is the oyl of gladnesse and makes the soul cheerfully fall in with whatever is of God When a child hath
new joyes in God in Christ in the Promises in the Saints and inables us to rejoyce and glory in tribulations Rom 5.3 Fourthly It intitles us to diverse new and excellent things As First To the New Covenant When a man hath a new heart and a new spirit he hath an interest in the New Covenant Jer 31.31 33. The law of sin and principles of Satan and the woâ—ld were writ in the old heart and old spirit and so the party was under the Covenant with death and hell Isa 28.15 but in the new heart is written the Law of God the Law of faith Rom 3.27 Heb 8.10 and so they are under the New Covenant which is call'd Grace Rom 6.14 Secondly To New Names Where there is newness of heart and spirit there they are sealed in their fore-heads with new Names their Title is New Creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 The Seed of Abraham Isa 41.8 Servants of Righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Children of Light John 12.36 Conquerours Rom 8.37 Gods workmanship Ephes 2.10 Kings and Priests Rev 1.6 Temples of God 1 Cor 3.16 The glory of God Isa 4.5 New born Babes 1 Pet 2.2 His Saints Psal 149.9 Vessels of Gold and Silver 2 Tim. 2.20 Wise Virgins Matth 25. Heirs of Salvation Heb 1.14 Thirdly To a New Lord and Master When their hearts were old Satan was their Soveraign They walked according to the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2 2 Tim 2.26 His lusts they did execute John 8.44 But having new hearts they have a new Lord a new Master and that is the Lord Christ Phil 1.1 Paul a servant of Christ He had a new heart and now he had a new Master which was Christ he would serve Satan no longer but Christ who dyed for sinners that they might live unto him 2 Cor. 5.15 When the hearts and spirits of men are new they are dead to their old Masters and have new Rom 7.4 Christ is the Husband and Head of every one renewed by his grace he is Lord and Master of all such 1 Cor. 7.22 Matth 23.8 Fourthly To a New Guard Such have a Guard of Angels about them before as they were without God so without the protection of his Angels exposed to all dangers but having new hearts and new spirits being new creatures they have a multitude of the Heavenly Host not only to praise God for their new-birth as they did at Christs birth Luke 2.13 but to attend and protect them Heb 1.14 Are not the Angels ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation and none shall be such but those that have new hearts and new spirits for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 15.50 Fifthly To New Alliance this change is wrought in them Blasphemers Idolaters Adulterers Drunkards Murtherers Lyars Vnbelievers Hypocrites and all profane ones they the very Devils themselves John 8.44 But when they have new hearts and new spirits then they have new kindred as a man that marries a woman all her kindred becomes his so here all that have new hearts and spirits are his kindred who hath a new heart he is allied unto them all Math 23.8 All ye are brethren All the Saints throughout the earth how great how learned how rich how gifted or gracious soever they be are all brethren yea the Angels are brethren unto those that have new hearts Rev. 19.10.22.9 and that which is beyond all Christ himself is their Brother and Father Math. 12.49 50. Heb 2.12 13. Sixthly To the New Mansions in the City made without hands John 14.2 saith Christ In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I go to prepare a place for you You have right and title to them ye have new hearts ye believe in God vers 1. and I go to prepare and fit places for you in those Mansions Fifthly The excellency of a new heart is this That it sets an high price upon the things of God and a low price upon the things of the world how goodly soever they appear whereas before the things of the world were magnified and the things of God slighted When Paul had another heart and another spirit then before then he had no confidence in the flesh then he did not value his great priviledges he counted them and all things but losse for Christ they did damnifie him rather then advantage him and therefore lookt upon them as dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of no worth chaffe dirt excrements in respect of Christ his righteousnesse and knowledge of him Phil. 3.7 8 9. all which had an excellency and were so prized by Paul that he was willing to lay down his life for them Acts 21.13 When Simon Magus offered the Apostles money for to have power to give the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands Peter in his own name and in the name of the rest said Thy money perish with thee we value not bags of gold and silver but the things of God Acts 8.19 20. When the Conjurers had the Devils cast out of them and new hearts given them they brought forth their books which they had highly valued and burnt them before all men and so many they burnt as came to fifty thousand pieces of silver Acts 19.19 and instead of these they prized the books of Moses the Prophets and Apostles A new heart sees excellency in spiritual things and saith It cannot over value them but for other things it puts them under its feet Sixthly It s excellent in that it doth really make God its end and aims at his glory in its operations before self was all now God is all Acts 20.23 24. Paul was told by the Spirit of God that bonds and afflictions did abide him every where that his life was in danger now had not Paul been a man of a new heart and spirit he would have shifted for himself and let the preaching of the Gospel have fallen but being such an one what saith he None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my selfe so I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God That was Pauls end to make known the grace of God in the Gospel towards poor sinners that so they partaking of that grace might give glory to God and God be glorified by him God and his glory were so in his eye that he gave out a rule for all Christians to eye and mind God and his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Seventhly It s the principle of eternal life and happinesse When God puts life light and grace into the heart and so makes it new he hath begun our admission into Heaven and happinesse this new heart and spirit are the water springs up into everlasting life John 4.14 They are the Eagles wings will carry you not only up to Heaven but into Heaven Concerning this new heart and new spirit there be divers mistakes
many think they have the same when they have it not There be several things which cause men to judge so First Outward Reformation When men cease from their former lewd courses when they give over their drunkenness whoredome swearing lying oppression and other scandalous practices they think themselves and are reputed of others to be new men and so to have new hearts but know A man may have escaped the pollutions of the world have changed his manners yet retain his old heart a Swine may be washed and yet reserve her Swinish nature Herod reformed in many things yet had an unreformed heart Mark 6.20 Luke 3.20 Chap. 9.9 The Scribes and Pharisees were whited Sepulchres they had beautifull out-sides they appeared righteous unto men but what were their hearts were they not full of hypocrisie and iniquity Matth 23.27 28. Shame among men fear of punishment death hell terrours of conscience afflictions strength of reason and hope of profits and reward may make a man reform his life and manners his heart being still naught a man formerly deboist and wicked may become a new man and yet not have a new heart Secondly Morall virtues cause many to be deceived about this new heart because they are temperate just prudent faithful to their friends true in their speeches patient under afflictions seek the publique good not their own interest are chaste and courteous unto all they thereupon conclude that they have the new heart and new spirit here spoken of but all these are no more then were found in heathens Scipio Aristides Cato Aemilius Lepidus Lucretia and others excell'd in morall virtues The Romane faith was in great esteem in all the world because the Romans kept their word and made good whatever they promised Many Heathens excell'd in morallities and did virtuous actions for virtues sake yet they had no new hearts or spirits they knew not what regeneration was they were strangers to the Life of God and Faith they attained to what they had by their own industry and what they did was not done according to the mind of God in his Word and so referring to his glory they sought their own glory in all Thirdly A form of godliness When men have left their old wayes of sin and taken up a way or form of godlinesse which is new to them they imagine themselves to be new and to have new hearts they read pray hear meditate and worship God with their hearts which they never did before and hence they ground a newness in their hearts The Jews have a form of godlinesse at this day yet are they cast off of God and numbred amongst unbelievers Rom 11.20 Such was their godliness as persecuted true godliness Acts. 13.50 1 Thess 2.15 The Heathens had forms of godlinesse Plato taught men not to sleep without repentance for their sins Hermes instructed them to pray earnestly unto God and continually for repentance to call upon him in the day and not to forget him in the night they worshipped by nature those were no gods Treatise of Moral Philosophy Gal. 4.8 Forms of worship they had though they worshipped blindly Socrates saw further then the most of them who said God must be worshiped only that way which he hath appointed yet neither Socrates nor the rest of the Heathens had new hearts Christians have forms of godlinesse yet all among them have not new hearts among Papists and Protestants are many religious but few pious they have the form of godliness but not the power Painted fire is not true fire and all that worship God do not worship him in newness of spirit the most do worship him with old hearts Fourthly Some are deceived upon this ground that they have the Law in their hearts approve of truth make conscience of their wayes have peace within and so determine their hearts are new But here is a great mistake the Law is in mens hearts by nature Rom 2.14 15. The Gentiles which had not the Law did by nature the things of the Law and so shewed the work of the Law written in their hearts When they did ill their consciences did accuse them and when they did well they did excuse them and so they had peace here was nothing supernatural where there is a new heart a new spirit there is something supernatural men have not these by descent from their parents but they are given they are put in by God I will give you a new heart and I will put within you a new spirit The Law that all men have in their hearts is by virtue of Creation not of the new Covenant that is another Law Jer 31.33 which is from grace not from nature where this Law is written the heart is new and so doth not only approve of truth in general but knows and approves of truth as it is in Christ Eph 4.21 and as it is according to godliness Truth in a new heart provokes unto Godliness and maketh conscientious towards God and men Acts 24.16 Looking at Christ for peace Rom 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God the conscience being purged from dead works by the bloud of Christ Men have sound peace in their new hearts It s false peace which men of old hearts have they bribe their consciences with doing something and that is their peace Fifthly New Relations make some to fancy they have new hearts and new spirits they are under Church priviledges they are Citizens of Sion inhabitants of Jerusalem in relation to Christ and his Ordinances this may be and yet without newnesse of heart or spirit Relations make not alterations in mens hearts Simon Magus was baptized stood in relation to Christ and the Gospel yet his heart was the same it was before Acts 8. The Jews gloried they were the seed of Abraham John 8.33 Yet they were of their father the Devill vers 44. and had bloudy hearts vers 40. seeking to kill Christ Rom 2.28 29. Outward priviledges may be as Circumcision of the flesh where there is no Circumcision of the heart and Paul tels us Gal 6.15 That Circumcision nor uncircumcision avail any thing but a new creature they may be where the new creature is not himself had many priviledges Phil. 3. when he was far from newness of heart Sixthly Gifts They breed mistakes in divers persons those that have choice and great gifts perswade themselves they have new hearts and spirits that they are gracious and good but there is a vast difference between gifts and grace 1. Gifts make not a man a Christian Heathens had great gifts as Tully Seneca Plato Aristotle Plutarch Its grace makes a Christian the Gentiles were not Christians and so not acceptable to God till they were sanctified by the Holy Spirit Rom 15.16 They may make a man an useful man not a good man Acts 11.24 It s faith and the graces of the Spirit make a good man 2. All gifts do seldome or never meet in one man but graces do
they are the fruits of the Spirit and grow all in a new heart John 1.16 Of his fullnesse have we all received and grace for grace Graces go together not Gifts 3. A man may have Gifts and not be saved Judas had gifts yet was a son of perdition The beast came up out of the earth had miraculous Gifts and the false Prophets also and notwithstanding their Gifts they were both cast into the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev 13.11 13 14. Chap. 19.20 But he that hath a new heart and new spirit hath grace and so shall be saved John 3.6 2 Cor. 3.17 He that is born of the Spirit is a new creature he hath grace and shall be saved Acts 15.11 Seventhly Activeness Some men growing active for God and the publique Zealous against corrupt practices in Church or State gather from hence that they have new hearts and spirits they were not so before and how can it be that such new operations and activeness should be in them and from them and they not be men of new hearts When men are call'd to publique imployments they may have other hearts then they had before yet not such a new heart as is here spoken off Saul had another heart 1 Sam 10.9 when anointed to be King yet not a new heart Credit profit and conscience mis-informed may make men zealous and active when they have no other then their old hearts Paul before his conversion was very active and exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of his fathers Gal 1.13 14. How active are Jesuits how zealous are Papists and many others and that from erroneousness of their consciences not newnesse of their spirits First Observe Mens hearts and spirits by nature are old they are degenerated from that innocency simplicity and purity Adam was created in they are corrupted ever since he eat of the forbidden fruit Psal 14.1 Men are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Psal 53.3 Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Such as their hearts are such are their actions old hearts have answerable operations Psal 58.3 They go astray assoon as they be born They brought corrupt hearts and natures with them into the world and their first actings were against God truth juâ—â—â—ce and holinesse men by nature have hearts full of old things 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are not passed away but abide Old principles old lusts old desires old thoughts old reasonings old enmityes old confidences old hardness old deceitfulness old frowardness and old naughtiness are all found in mens hearts till they are made new Gen. 6.5 Math 15.19 Secondly Observe A new heart a new spirit is not from the power or will of man but from the grace of God A new heart will I give you a new spirit will I put into you God bade them Ezek 18.31 make themselves new hearts and new spirits but they were not able to do it he promises therefore to do it for them It s Gods way in his holy Word to command and call for that at the hands of men which he intends to give and work as Phil 2.12 Work out your own salvation and in the next verse its said Its God which worketh in you both to will and to do Isa 1.16 Wash ye make ye clean Ezek 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Deut 10.16 Circumcise the foreskin of your heart they could not do it therefore Deut. 30.6 the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart These Scriptures evince that it is the Lord himself who performs what he commands it s not mans will or power which produceth the new heart it s the gracious and mighty hand of God which effects it and when he will work who shall let it shall mans will yes if God did only propound arguments command exhort invite encourage threaten it might but God doth promise to do the thing To give a new heart to put in a new spirit and should the liberty of mans will hinder it how should God be faithful but rather then he will be found unfaithful he will over-power the corrupt wills of men and make them flexible to his will The efficacy of grace depends not upon mans will embracing or refusing what is tendered but on the good pleasure and power of God Phil 2.13 When it pleases God to put forth his power the woâ—â—â—hall be done the new heart and new spirit shall be wrought in the man notwithstanding all the oldnesses therein And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh In Chap 11. vers 19. the words are I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and here they are I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh Much was spoken of them there something I shall speak now The stony heart The Hebrew is The heart of stone that is the heart which in a spiritual sense is like a stone First A stone is senselesse it feels or perceives nothing and so is a stony heart Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling they were so accustomed to sin that they felt not any evill in sin Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Zech 14.4 we read of a Mountain that cleav'd in sunder at the presence of Christ but the hearts of the Jews were so stony that they were not at all affected at the presence or voice of Christ Secondly A stone is hard and impenetrable a Knife a Sword a Nail will not enter into it so a stony heart is so hard that the Word of God hath no entrance into it Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy Words giveth light when it enters into the heart it doth so but though the Word be of a sharp and piercing nature yet it enters not into a stony heart its impenetrable Zech 7.11 They refused to hearken and pull'd away their shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone No truths no arguments no invitations no prayers no tears no mercies no threats no judgements do conquer or prevail with it neither wind rain thunder lightning sun-shine heat cold do change the nature of a Rock Thirdly A stone is unpolished and inept for building and other uses till it be hewn sawn and brought into some other form so a stony heart is an heart unpolished unfit to lye in any part of Gods building or for any service of his till it be polished hewn sawn hammered and brought into some other frame As a stone cannot change it self no more can a stony heart The Devil knew that the stones Matth. 4.3 could not turn themselves into bread therefore saith to Christ Command that they be made bread He knew they might be made bread meet to eat and so stony hearts though they cannot make themselves fleshy yet they may be made fleshy they may be brought to another form and so
hast a great helper to enable thee thereunto even the spirit of God which dwells in thee see therefore that thou keep it by the enabling power of the spirit which helps not only to remember truth but also to obey truth for Peter assures us That the beleeving Jews did obey the truth through the spirit that is through the assistance of the spirit This is that which follows in the next words to be opened And cause you to walk in my statutes The Hebrew word for cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciam I will make effect or bring to passe by the operation of that spirit I put into you that you shall walk in my statutes Vatablus renders it efficiam which imports influence of power David Psal 143.10 prayes unto the Lord to teach him to do his will and Psal 119.35 he saith Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments both these the spirit being put into man performs it teaches him to do the will of God and causes him to go in the path of his Commandements To walk in Gods statutes implyes several things First The making of Godlinesse and Religion our chief work in this life other things are to be done as inferiour things this is to be the principal no work should be so minded as this saith Joshua Chap. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord that shall be our great and chief businesse in this world He remembred what God had commended to him and all men Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates God would have us to be godly inwardly and outwardly at home and abroad night and day and to make our familyes religious and they are repeated again Deut 11.18 19 20. that so they might take the deeper impression upon the hearts of men David looked at this work above all others Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day To be godly and religious was his principal care that is the one thing necessary and Solomon hath drawn it up into this conclusion Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Secondly Taking delight in the wayes of God His statutes commands and wayes are grievous to men naturally they walk not in them When men walk in any way they are delighted with and in that way so here walking in Gods statutes notes delight Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches Some rejoyce in fine houses some in fertile Lands some in great Flocks some in Silver and Gold but David rejoyced in the way of Gods Testimonies and as much as any of them or all of them in their riches he found more sweet in them then they in their wealth vers 143. Thy Commandements are my delights They were his chief his satisfying his sole and soul delights It was meat and drink to Paul to be doing the will and work of the Lord Acts 20.24 as it was unto Christ John 4.34 Thirdly It imports motion and progresse they should not stand still in contemplation nor sit still in meditation but they should proceed and go on in the wayes of God they should get neerer their journeys end be daily more knowing more holy more gracious and godly The Thessalonians faith did grow exceedingly and their charity abounded 2 Thess 1.3 They walked from faith to faith and from love to love When Paul was converted and brought into the way of Christ he encreased in spiritual strength Acts 9.22 He reached forward and pressed towards the mark Phil 3.13 14. He put on mightily for to get the knowledge of Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings he did not only walk but ran oft in the way of truth and godlinesse 1 Cor. 9.26 Fourthly Walking in Gods statutes imports perseverance in them they shall not apostatize and turn back from them but continue in them Of a wicked man destitute of Gods Spirit it s said He hath left off to be wise and to do good Psal 36.1 But of a righteous man it s said He shall hold on in his way Job 17.9 He knows he is in a safe and good way a way that will recompence him fully at the end whatever hardships or storms he meets withall and therefore will neither sit still nor go back he may be extra semitam sometimes but never turning back again Ye shall keep my judgements and do them Statutes and Judgements are comprehensive words and sometimes are used promiscuously as hath formerly been shewed in Chap 18. and 5. but here they may be thus differenced Statutes to signifie the duties of the first Table the things of Gods worship and manner of the same whether under the Law or Gospel and Judgements the duties of the second Table matters of equity and justice between man and man The word for keep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports keeping with care and diligence they should not keep them in their houses or memories only but they should keep them practically they should do them First Observe Gods spirit differs from all other spirits Angels are spirits souls of men are spirits but these are below Gods spirit I will put my spirit Gods spirit is a spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 The power of the highest Luke 1.35 A spirit of truth guiding into all truth John 16.13 A spirit of grace Zech 12.10 The Oyl of gladnesse Heb 1.9 The Comforter John 14.16 A spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4.14 A spirit that is the Lord Isa 11.2 Ruach Jehovah The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him Whatever excellencies may be in souls or Angels they are infinitely short of that that is in the spirit of God Psal 143.10 Thy spirit is good that is Thy spirit O Lord is transcendently good my own spirit is naught and all other spirits are nothing compared with thy spirit that and that only is good good originally good transcendently good infinitely Secondly Observe The putting in of the spirit into the sons of men is a free act of God He doth it not upon the account of the Covenant of works but by vertue of the Covenant of grace This verse is a branch of the Covenant of grace and agrees with that in Jerem. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts that God doth when he puts in his spirit 2 Cor. 3.3 for the spirit being within writes divine truths in the heart Adam had the
the father to go before and leads it by the hand though the way be stony durty up hill it goes willingly so the soul that hath the spirit to lead it let the way be what it will followeth willingly Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart the spirit doth enlarge the heart 2 Cor. 3.17 where that is there is liberty let the Lord command things hard David will run to do them they are suitable to the spirit and the work of the spirit in the heart Sixthly The spirit is an excellent gift in that it makes them excellent who have it Dan 5.10 11. saith the Queen to Belshazzer There is a man in thy Kingdome in whom is the spirit of the holy gods he is an excellent man none like him in all thy Provinces he hath the spirit of the gods in him which others have not Where the spirit of God is put into a man that man is an excellent man he hath an excellent person in him more excellent than his soul than all souls than all Angels he hath excellent graces and is honourable above others 1 Sam. 9.6 There is in this City a man of God and he is an honourable man said Sauls servant so every one that hath the spirit be he in the City or out of it is a man of God and an honourable man Fourthly Observe There is an union between the Saints and the spirit of God I will put my spirit within you it is not said I will put my spirit upon you but within you So that by vertue of those graces it works in you there shall be an union between you and my spirit This union is not such as is between the three John speaks of 1 John 5.7 for they are one essentially nor such as is between the Deity and Christs humane nature Col. 2.9 for that is personal but it is a mystical union an union of persons not a personall union It is First Reall there is a true oneness between the spirit and those its put into 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit he saith not is one body or one soul or hath one spirit with the Lord but is one spirit there is as reall an union as is between soul and body he is so one with the spirit as he is denominated spirit John 3.6 That which is born of the spirit is spirit Secondly It is a wonderful union The spirit of God who is one with the Father and the Son to be one also with man and not with one man but all he is put into even thousands of men is wonderfull John tells us It was a great wonder to see a woman cloathed with the Sun Rev 12.1 but it is a greater wonder to see a man or woman united to the spirit of God which is in our souls and bodyes the faculties and members of them as the sap is in the root vine and branches and here is the wonder the same sap to be in every one of these and in all other Vines Thirdly It is a most glorious union When the Lord came into the Temple it was filled with glory 1 Kings 8.11 and when the spirit is put into a man and the union made between them the man is filled with glory when the Sun shines into an house it fills it with glory when the fire is in the Iron how glorious is it the union between the Fire and the Iron makes the Iron a thick dark solid body as glorious as the Fire it selfe Fourthly It is a strong and intimate union which cannot be dissolved I will put my spirit within you that is into their inward parts the spirit is deeply seated and strongly united unto those it is in 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them The Greek is I will indwell in them there is such an indwelling of Gods spirit in the hearts of his that he will neither leave nor be thrust out of his habitation John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever I am leaving you saith Christ but when I am gone I will intercede with the Father for you and he shall send the spirit the great Comforter and he shall never leave you he shall abide with you for ever none shall be able to dispossesse or drive him out of you Object But both these seem contrary to Scripture 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and David did drive away the spirit when he committed his great sins of murther and adultery Answ 1. Wicked men have the spirit from God as a Lord by vertue of the Covenant of works so sinning the spirit departs from them thus was it with Saul he rebelled against God vexed his spirit so that left him but David who was a godly man had the spirit from God as a Father in Christ by vertue of the Covenant of grace and so though the spirit were grieved by his sins it did not depart from him for Psal 51.11 he prayes unto the Lord saying Take not thy holy spirit from me Had it been gone the tenour of his prayer had been for restitution not against ablation of it Secondly The spirit departed from Saul was the spirit of prophesie and those Kingly endowments which he had received 1 Sam. 10.6 they ceased The spirit is oft put for the gifts of the spirit and they do oft-times fail in men Thirdly All men have the spirit of bondage to fear but all have not the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father whosoever have the same it abides with them Fifthly Observe That before the spirit of God be put into men they are without life or motion towards God or spiritual things they live not to God they walk not in his statutes they live to themselves to the flesh to the creatures and wander from God and his wayes Naturally men are destitute of the spirit sensual as Jude tells you vers 19. Sensual not having the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that have not the spirit at the best are but sensual or soulie men and those had the best souls most reason understanding knew not God Acts. 17.23 1 Cor. 1.21 David tells us Psal 14.2 3. That God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men that is Jews and Gentiles to see if there were any that did understand and seek God that is whether any did so know God as to set them a work to seek him as being the highest good beyond all creature excellencie But what was the issue of Gods so looking upon men They are all gone aside that is from him and his wayes They are altogether become filthy their practices are such as makes them stink There is none that doth good no not one of so many millions of men as are upon the earth there is not one doth good There were men of excellent parts then
in the world men of soul or foulie men but not one of them did know God or seek after God Paul therefore hath laid it down for an universal Maxime That the animal natural or soulie man receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Whilest he is without the spirit of God they are no better than foolishnesse unto him and so are rejected by him Sixthly Observe The principle of spiritual life and motion is the spirit of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk Immediately upon the putting in of the spirit into the heart of any there is life and motion men live and move spiritually Some make grace the principle of life and motion but all grace flows from the spirit Gal. 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 and why should grace have that honour is due to the spirit It was the entrance of the spirit which quickned the dead bodies of the Witnesses and caused them to move Rev. 11.11 and it is the entrance of the spirit which quickens dead souls and causes them to move We must beware of an error here which hath siezed upon divers of late viz That because the spirit is in us and the principle of life and motion that therefore the spirit doth all Matth 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you so it is not you that do but the spirit in you and if the spirit speaketh and do all we must sit still and leave our selves to the spirits motions and actings This is a dangerous error know therefore That though the spirit be in men and the principle of life and motion yet it doth not act or work without us in the putting in of the spirit we are Passive John 3.6 we concur no more to our birth then a child doth to its generation but when the spirit is in us and hath quickned us then there is the co-operation of man with the spirit Rom 8.16 The spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit vers 26. It helpeth our infirmities Acti agimus the spirit acts us and we co-act with it If the spirit did all then the spirit should repent believe and not man but what cause hath the spirit to repent or believe it never sinned it stands not in need of help or mercy that place Matth 10.20 is not absolutely to be taken that they did not speak for so it should be false Luke 12.12 The holy spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say They spake and the spirit taught them to speak the place is to be taken comparatively not you but the spirit that is it is rather the spirit than you the spirit is the principle which sets you on For men to sit still and leave all to the spirit is a grieving of the spirit and contradicts what the spirit hath given out Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you The spirit would have us use means and doth most vigorously assist us when we are most diligent in the use of them Prov. 2.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 15.2 Quest If the spirit be put into us dwell in us and be the principle of life and motion what need the soul look unto Christ for any fresh or further supply Answ 1. It is granted there is a sufficiency and fullnesse in the spirit yet because it is the will of God that we should look unto Christ we are bound to do it Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our faith 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and Paul himself 2 Cor. 12.8 9. looked up to Christ for more help notwithstanding he had a fullnesse of the spirit within him Acts 13.9 Answ 2. The spirit is not the head of the body though it be in the body that honour is Christs Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church and from it the whole body receiveth influence Eph. 4.15 16. Col. 2.19 it s requisite therefore that every member in the body should look up to the head Seventhly Observe God first makes men good and then they do good first he puts his spirit into them and then they walk in his wayes It is said of God himself He is good and doth good Psal 119.68 He is first good and then good comes from him so God makes men good by the infusion of his spirit and then they bring forth spiritual fruit Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Since mans fall amongst all the sons of men God finds none good Rom. 2.10 There is none righteous no not one if any be so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made him so by his spirit he hath made him a new creature so fitted him for good works the Tree must first be good before the fruit be good amongst men good actions are first done and then men are reputed good but with God it is otherwise he makes men first good and then they do good actions they do not make themselves good by their free will by frequent acts of good but God puts in his spirit towards which they contribute nothing and thereby they are made good and act answerably then their actions have life in them worth in them and are suitable to God who is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth Let men look heedfully to themselves and not stand upon their actions men may do many actions outwardly glorious and magnified by men themselves being corrupt and naught if men have not the spirit of God in them their actions are no better than corrupt fruit of a corrupt Tree they do not please God and if any have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his He is neither good nor doth good Eighthly Observe In what heart soever the spirit dwells there will be outward and visible manifestations of it Grace within will appear without I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and to do them The spirit is like the Sun in the Firmament which cannot be hid long though it may be clouded for a season the Cough and Grace are of such natures as will not be concealed and the spirit is of that nature as it will diâ—â—â—â—er it self in the man it is within causing him to change his courses and to walk in other wayes then ever he walked in When the spirit is put into a swearer a lyar an unclean person an extortioner a bloudy persecutor it makes the swearer fear an oath the lyar speak truth from his heart the unclean man to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour the extortioner to make satisfaction and give half of his goods to the poor and the bloudy persecutor to love and preach the Gospel he persecuted so demonstrating it self to
be in them The spirit in Scripture is compared to Fire Matth 3.11 to a mighty wind Acts 2.2 to a fountain or spring John 7.38 39. to an ointment 1 John 2.27 to the oyl of gladnesse Psal 45.7 All which things will be seen heard or smelt and set out the spirits manifestation of it self The spirit is an active thing and makes its inbeing-known by mens outward actions as the in-being of the soul is by speaking and walking the sap keeps not alwayes in the root but ascends disperseth it self into every branch and by leaves blossoms and fruit declares the life and nature of the Tree many whose lives do testifie what they are cheat their own souls with this delusion They have honest hearts and are inwardly good though they be not so gracious and holy outwardly as others yea though corruptions do break out sometimes inwardly they are good but let such know it is impossible there should be grace Christ or the spirit within them and these not appear in their tongues and lives For out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks and the hand acts The corruption breaks out testifies there is a corrupt graceless Christless and spiritless heart within Ninthly Observe When men have received the spirit of God they are assisted and enabled by it to proceed and persevere in the wayes of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements As the stonynesse of their hearts and power of their wills could not hinder God frâ—â—â—utting in his spirit so the stonyness being removed the liberty or power of the will cannot hinder the spirit from carrying on the men in whom it is in the wayes of God it complyes and co-operates with the spirit therein Mans Will after the spirits infusion and work upon it neither doth nor can hinder his proceeding and persevering in the wayes of God for if so mans will should frustrate the promise of God and make him in one part of it unfaithful for he that said I will put my spirit within you said also I will cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and do them he saith not If man will it shall be so but I will have it so The spirit of God is stronger than Satan 1 John 4.4 Stronger than mens wills and corruptions and will put forth his strength to maintain the truth and faithfulnesse of him who put him within men for that end that he should assist them against whatever should hinder their progress and perseverance in his wayes The spirit writes the Law of God in the hearts of men 2 Cor. 3.3 teaches them to understand the same 1 John 2.27 and enables them to obey all truth 1 Pet. 1.22 They obeyed the Truth through the spirit that caused them to walk in the way of truth notwithstanding Satans temptations the strength of their own corruptions and liberty of their wills Those that have the spirit are led by it and cannot be under the dominion of sin or Satan Rom. 6.14 They are under grace under the conduct of the spirit which will never let them apostatize and perish 1 John 3.9 There is a seed in them which will never suffer them so to degenerate as to become the seed of the Serpent Tenthly Observe Those that have the spirit in them do make godlinesse and the wayes of God their businesse and delight here in this world They walk in his statutes that 's their work trade recreation no businesse lyes more upon them than to be godly The world they are dead unto it Gal. 6.14 and use it as if they used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. And sin they are dead unto they have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darknesse Ephes 5.11 but they are alive unto God Rom 6.11 They spend their time and strength for him they live to his praise and glory So Paul Phil. 1.21 saith To me to live is Christ Vita mea non nisi in rebus Christi occupatur My life is employed and laid out in the service and interest of Christ Those that have the spirit in them live in the spirit and walk in the spirit according to Gal. 5.25 They shew forth the vertues of him that hath put in the spirit within them and the vertues of the spirit being within them David had the spirit of God within him and he made godlinâ—â—â—e his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his principal businesse and the statutes of God his delight Psal 119.164 Seaven times a day do I praise thee vers 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee vers 97. Gods Law was his meditation all the day Psal 71.15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and salvation all the day Psal 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Psal 84. â—0 A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the Tents of wickedâ—esse Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Where is a King where is a Christian that mindeth godlinesse as David did or delights in the wayes of God as he did May it not be taken up for a lamentation that most Christians declare that neither Christ nor the spirit is in them because they neither seek the things of the one nor savour the things of the other Phil. 2.21 Rom. 8.5 Eleventhly Observe A man indowed with the spirit must walk in Gods statutes and in his only I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes they must not worship God any other way then he hath appointed in his word Inward and outward worship must be appointed by God for who knows what will please God but himself he is a glorious and holy spirit infinitely and only wise and that only must we stick unto as pleasing unto him which himself appoints Mens inventions and appointments in worship defile mens souls provoke divine Majesty a godly man therefore is very tender in point of worship and will practice nothing therein but what he hath found a cleer foundation for out of the word of God he knows that when Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire before God it brought a strange judgement upon them from God Levit. 10.1 2. He knows that all worship after the Commandements and Traditions of men is in vain Matth. 15.9 He knows no Coin is currant in the Court of Heaven but that which hath the Image and Superscription of God himself upon it he knows what God hath said Ezek. 20.18 19. Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with their idols I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes and keep
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
only with the Word of God but in the Spirit and Power of God Ezekiel had the hand of God with him So Paul 1 Cor. 2.4 5. His preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power False Teachers may come with the Letter but only those are the true Prophets the true Messengers of Christ that come in the Spirit and with the Spirit are carryed out by the Spirit Thirdly Observe God honours his servants sometimes so as to make them of his Counsel and Copartners with him in his works God makes known his mind here to Ezekiel and uses him in the work he was about Samuel was thus honoured God made him of his Privy-councel and told him what he would do to the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3. So he dealt by Abraham not only in the business of Sodom Gen. 18.17 but in that of his Posterity telling him His seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs 430 years and that afterwards they should come out with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. The Prophets and Apostles were Cabinet-men and knew the secrets of the Lord and were Co-workers with God The Apostle Paul is expresly for it 2 Cor. 6.1 they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that work together with God in the same work This is great honour and such honour as have not all the Saints Fourthly Observe Our God calls and moves his servants by his Spirit to do difficult things he orders them so as to do them safely It was somewhat averse to nature to go among dead bones and dangerous to the Prophet being many and scattered up and down the Valley for had he accidentally touch'd but one of them he had been unclean according to the Law Numb 19. but God caused him to pass by them so as he was preserved from pollution he saw the bones he touched none of them It was a sad and dangerous work God call'd Abraham unto viz. the Sacrificing of his Son but he ordered it so that Abraham came off not only without imputation of sin but with great honour for his obedience Verse 3. And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest This verse is a Dialogue between God and the Prophet as Polanus calls it 1. God propounds a question 2. The Prophet answers it The question is this Son of man Can these bones live Ezekiel thou hast had a full view of them thou seest how dry they are in what condition they lie tell me thy thoughts what thy judgement is of them I am desirous to know thy mind Hast thou any art skill or power to quicken them or knowest thou any creature that hath To this Question the Prophet answers in the next words And I answered O Lord God thou knowest The Prophets answer is suitable unto the Lords question which was concerning the present life of these bones not future life at the General Resurrection which he doubted not of therefore he confesseth his ignorance I do not know O Lord what thy pleasure is Thou art able to put life into these dry bones in a moment though neither my self nor any other creature can do it our power is finite thine is infinite and thou canst do whatever thou pleasest but thy pleasure is held from me and others therefore O Lord God thou knowest First Observe Divine Interrogations argue not Ignorance in God but are instructory to the interrogated God knew what these bones could do before he propounded the question to Ezekiel It was therefore propounded for his Instruction to acquaint him with the power of God and his own weakness that so knowing the one and being sensible of the other he might be the fitter Instrument in the hand of God to work by Christs question to Peter Joh. 21.15 was of this nature Simon lovest thou me more then these It was not so much to prove him as to instruct and mind him of his former failing and to fit him for action viz. the feeding his Lambs and Sheep Secondly Observe God can easily non-plus or silence wise and holy men with a short question Here he puts Ezekiel to it Can these bones live The Prophet could not tell he was non-plus'd When God propounded some questions to Job was he able to answer him Job 38.3 4 c. He professes he was not able to do it but must be silent Chap. 40.4 Did not Châ—ist by a question put the chief Priests Scribes and Elders to silence He asked them Whether the Baptism of John was from heaven or of men This little question so perplex'd them all that they profess'd they could not tell Mark 11.30.33 Thirdly Observe It 's wisdom and duty in the Servants of God to resolve all they cannot reach or know not how to be effected into the knowledge and good pleasure of the Lord O Lord God thou knowest He resolves the question into Gods bosom He had Knowledge Power and Will to do what ever seem'd good to himself There be many things in the Word menâ—ion'd which man can say nothing unto but Lord thou knowest As where the Sepulchre of Moses was Deut. 34.6 The spreadings of the Clouds how they are Job 36.29 The wind whence it comes or whither it goes Joh. 3.8 Whether the seed sown in the evening or the morning shall prosper best or be both alike Eccles 11 6. What is the true interpretation of the number of the Beast 666 Rev. 13.18 Or of the two witnesses and the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth 1260. days when it began and when it ended or shall Rev. 11.3 These and other things be said Lord thou knewest Vers 4. Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. 5. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live 6. And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a great noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone 8. And when I he held lo the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them 9. Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the winde Prophesie son of man and say to the winde Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great Army The Quickning of the dry bones is the great thing considerable in these verses and it 's set out From the Causes 1. The Efficient 1.
Judah and his Companions and on another stick For Joseph Ephraim or the house of Israel and his companions not one of them were out of Gods thoughts Their forefathers had been 400 years in Egypt were tyrannized over by cruel Task-masters lookt upon as contemptible but the Lord had an eye to them cared and wrought for them They have now layen 1600 years in darkness in a desolate and despised condition yet doubtless they are not forgotten Gods thoughts are upon them to do them good again Fourthly Observe Typical and obscure things will excite men to inquire after the sense of them This is intimated in the 18. ver When the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these God knew they would inquire Common things are neglected but things strange and mysterious are dived into sought after When Ezekiel was to dig through the wall cover his face and remove his stuff then the people were stirr'd and said What doest thou Chap. 12.9 Those typical actions bred inquisitiveness in their spirits When the Lord Christ spake Parables they sought to him to know the sense and meaning of them Fifthly Observe God is pleased to direct his Prophets and Servants what to say unto the People when they come to question with them about things If this people come to Ezekiel to know what he meant by the two Sticks his writing upon them and holding them in his hand the Lord tells him what he shall say unto them say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim c. When God sent Moses unto the people he was timorous lest he should not know what to say to the people how to answer their questions but see how God directs and instructs him Exod. 3.13 14. Moses said unto God when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them I know not how to answer that question See what now follows And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say I AM hath sent me unto you Thus God taught him what answer to give the people So Ezek. 14. when the Elders came to inquire somewhat of Ezekiel God told him what answer to give them It was given in of God by his Spirit to the Apostles what answer to give Governors and Rulers when they â—ere brought before them Mat. 10.19 Vers 20 21 21. 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes 21. And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all THe Explication of the Typical Sticks is laid down in these and the subsequent verses Vers 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes The Prophet was not to do this privately but to write upon the sticks and to hold them in his hand so that all might see them and hereby be provoked to inquire what the mystery of them was and so become partakers of the consolation intended thereby Vers 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone 〈◊〉 this verse is promised the reduction of the twelve Tribes comprehended under these words the children of Israel out of all Countries where they were scattered into their own Land Not only Judah and Benjamin should be gathered up and brought into Canaan again but the rest of the Tribes also This is a great and gratious Promise And will gather them on every side The ten Tribes being carryed away by Shalmanezer were placed in Haloth and Habor by the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 they were seated in the utmost parts of his Dominions North and East and the other Jews whom Nebuchadnezzer led away captive were scattered up and down his manifold Provinces as appears Esth 3.8 Now God would look on every side and gather them up out of all Quarters Vers 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel Being brought into their Land here God adds three great Promises more The first is uniting of them into one Nation who had some hundreds of years been divided and at bitter enmity one against another And one King shall be King to them all After the division made by Jeroboam you read of several Kings they had Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel There were two Kingdoms and divers Kings of them both but the Kingdoms being united into one the Lord promiseth them not a succession of Kings over them but one King to Rule over them both They should be one Kingdom and have one King This is the second great Promise And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all This is the third Promise and it 's a great one also viz. they shall continue a Kingdom one Kingdom and never be torn or rent in pieces any more There shall be no Rehoboam's or Jeroboam's to cause divisions in it It will add some light to the words under consideration if we make inquiry Whether the Type of the two Sticks be fulfilled by the incorporating of the two Nations into one and making of them one Kingdom It 's affirmed by some that this Hieroglyphical Prophesie was fulfill'd at the Return of the two Tribes out of Babylon For then Cyrus King of Persia made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to this purpose Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia All the Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judea Who is there among you of all his people the Lord his God be with him and â—â—t him go up 2 Chron. 36.22 23. The Proclamation excepts no persons no Tribes but gives full liberty unto all The ten Tribes having been now 204. years or there abouts in Captivity it 's likely were weary of their condition and so willing to return into their own Countrey and so they took the opportunity before them For it 's evident that some of the ten Tribes did â—eturn to Jerusalem Of the Levites there were 74. Ezra 2.40 Nehem. 7.43 and of the Priests who were of that Tribe as appear 1 Chron. 24.1 2 7. Exod. 6.16 18 20. Nehem 7.39 there were 973. Paul was of the Tâ—â—â—e of Benjamin
should come and be found fit for entrance he had his Line and Reed in his hand to measure them None unmeasured might enter Hence it is that Christ saith Joh. 14.6 I am the way and no man comes to the Father but by me And Joh. 10 9. I am the Door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find Pasture Christ is the Lord of the fold and field by him they enter in by him they are led out to the good Pastures and led in again He will not suffer any thing that defileth to enter into the Fold the Temple the New-Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 Seventhly Observe The Lord Christ when Divine things are presented unto us would have us Attent Intent and Apply the whole heart unto them Such things as are of weight slightness and trifling about them are intolerable therefore it 's said here Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears let thy senses be wholly taken up with these things and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee thine heart also must be fixed upon every thing shewn thee thou must let nothing pass without due observation As Ezekiel was to do thus about the things of his Vision so should all Ministers and Christians about the things of the Gospel which are Revelations of the mind of God by Christ It 's oft said therein Who hath eares to hear let him hear Mat. 13.9 43. Mark 7.16 Luke 14.35 and in other places intimating that if men have either inward or outward eares they should hearken to the things of God They are Divine and may infinitely advantage or infinitely prejudice us if they be not well heeded if we be not attent unto them intent upon them and heartily closing with them better we had never had them It will be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of judgement then for such let us mind therefore and mind to purpose all things shewn us of Christ let us set our senses and whole hearts upon them Eightly Observe What the Lord Christ reveales unto his servants the Prophets and Ministers they must not reserve to themselves but communicate to others for their Instruction Edification and Comfort Declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel he must not see hear observe for himself but for the House of Israel for the Church and People of God Mat. 10.27 saith Christ to his Disciples What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house-tops whatever I have imparted unto you that do ye impart unto others take the best advantages ye can to make the same known The servants of God and Christ must not onely utter what they receive but utter All they receive Act. 20.27 Paul kept back Nothing was profitable for them but declared to them all the Councel of God Vers 5. And behold a Wall on the outside of the house round about and in the mans hand a measuring-reed of six Cubits long by the Cubit and an hand breadth so he measured the breadth of the building one reed and the height one reed Great houses and Cities have walls 1 King 3.1 and 6.5 so this house had a Wall round about it By this wall we may understand the wall of Gods protection which is round about the Church This wall was in height and thickness alike 6 Cubits high and 6 Cubits thick it was strong securing the house Ezek. law God who is stronger then all is the defence of the Church Psal 125.2 Babylons wall which was 100. Cubits high and 30. Foot broad sufficed not to preserve her from ruins that wall was battred and level'd with the ground but Jehovah the Lord of Hosts is the wall about this building and such a wall as all the powers of the World and Hell cannot shake or batter Zech. 9.8 I will encamp about thine house And Zech. 2.5 I will be unto Jerusalem a wall of fire râ—und about saith the Lord. The Church of God having such a wall is secure and invincible The Church is call'd an House not a Tabernacle because of Gods inhabitation of it and his fixed abiding there Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Sion notes the Church in all ages there is Gods house there is the desire of his soul there he rests he hath no rest in all the world but in Sion The measuring reed in the hand of the man is the same with the reed in John's hand Rev. 11.1 Those that exercise Architecture use lines and reeds to measure things therewith and so doth Christ here The line and reed in his hand is the Word or Everlasting Gospel which Rev. 21.15 is call'd a golden-reed right strong and inflexible with this he measures the Church and all things belong unto it by the Word he sets out the nature greatness power priviledges and characters of the Church by this he measures out the qualifications liberty and power of Members and Officers therein Hence the Word is call'd a Rule or Canon Phil. 3.16 The Hebrew is Kene hammiddah shesh ammoth baammah vetophath a reed of measure of six cubits in a cubit and of a hand breadth Whether these words an hand breadth should be joyn'd to the 6. cubits taken joyntly or to each cubit distinct by it self is doubtful that in the 43. Chap. v. 13. seems to make the hand 's breadth to be added to each cubit for it saith a cubit is a cubit and a hands breadth This we may understand of the Legal or Sanctuary cubit not the common one which was less by a hands breadth then the other this being 5. th' other 6. hands breadth Hence some deny that the hands breadth must be added to each cubit for then there will be 7. cubits those 6 hands breadth making another cubit They will have the reed 6 cubits long and an hands breadth over the 6. part of a cubit more A cubit is that length between the elbow and top of the middle finger now this space being longer in some men and shorter in others no certainty can be determin'd especially when men differ in their heads more then in their armes for some make a cubit to be 5. handfulls some 6. some a yard and some an ell or ells some a foot and half The line and reed are in Christs hand the virtue and benefit of them is from Him This line and reed being the Word hath it's efficacy from Christ out of his hand it 's un-efficacious un-beneficial but being in his hand his power and spirit going with it it measures out and fits materials for this spiritual Building The book written within and sealed with 7. seals could none open but Christ Rev. 1.3 5. and as none could open it but he so none can make it
unto him The humble find mercy and are raised when the proud meet with judgment and are thrown down The 2. consequent is The Spirit leading of him and that was into the inner Court He had led him into several places and now leads him into the inner Court whereby he came to understand the mysteries of and behold the glory in the Temple which none are able to do without the leading of the Spirit None destitute of the Spirit can enter into the Church to understand the things thereof and behold the glory thercin 1 Cor. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 3.18 It 's the Spirit makes men discern spiritual things it 's the Spirit that leads us from knowledge to knowledge from mystery to mystery and from glory to glory he leads into the Temple and into the inner Court he reveals the deep and glorious things of God unto the Saints The 3. is the filling of the house and that with glory vers 3. Behold the glory of the Lord filled the house There was aboundance of glory in it the Temple and Sanctum Sanctorum were full of it This leads us to consider not onely the Temple re-built after the Babylonish Captivity which the Lord said by Haggai Chap. 2.7 that he would fill it with glory And that the glory of it sh uld be greater then of the former house vers 9. which was fulfilled in Christ's bodily presence there but it leads us also unto Christ who was filâ—'d with the glory of the Spirit and fullness of the Deity Col. 2.9 and unto the Church of Christ which is fill'd with the glory of the Gospel for it is glorious and hath shining light in it 2 Cor. 4.4 but chiefly unto the New Jerusalem wherein a greater glory is expected to be seen then hath ever yet been there will be aboundance of grace and glorious effusions of the spirit See how glorâ—ous the New Jerusalem is Rev. 21. The 4. thing is the Lord speaking unto Ezekiel vers 6. And I heard him speaking unto me The Hebrew is I heard a Saying to me from the house a saying from the glory or from the Lord being in that Glory which fill'd the house The Temple saith Vatablus the Sanctum Sanctorum saith Maldonate but we understand it of both As the glory was in the Temple so the voice came from the Temple The Lord spake not of the Temple as Lyra would have it but from or out of the TempIe The thing pointed out hereby is this That God reveals and makes known his mind in his house in the Church he speakes from the Temple unto his Isa 66.6 A Voice from the Temple a voice of the Lord. There God discover'd his displeasure towards his enemies and his good will towards his servants In Judah is God known Psal 76. There his mind is known The law goes forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 Where his Church is there is his presence there he utters his voice there he opens his mind Why did David desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all days of his life but to behold the beauty of the Lord which appeared there eminently and to inquire in his Temple because the Lord there spake and answered the desires of his servants Psal 27.4 When he was troubled at the prosperity of the wicked what did he then but enter into the Sanctuary of God and there he was resolved he understood their end Psal 73.17 The Spirit and Christ spake in the Churches and to the Churches Rev. 2. and 3 Chap. And in the 16. Chap. vers 1. A great voice was heard out of the Temple And the Man stood by me The Hebrew is And a Man was standing by me Some make this Man to be an Angel but it was he mentioned Chap. 40.3 The Man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring-reed This was Christ the Master-builder Zech. 6.12 Behold the Man whose name is the Branch he shall grow up out of this place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord. This Man stood by Ezek. to assist incourage and interpret things unto him Whence cometh this Observation That the Lord Christ who is the chief Architech in Temple-work stands by his Prophets and Servants who are imployed therein When the Temple was first built many were imploy'd therein but they were not left to their own wisdom and skill Solomon was principâ—l therein he was present counselled directed and assisted therefore it 's said he built the house of the Lord 1 King 6.2 So in Ezekiel's Temple a Type of the Gospel-Temple Christ was present he counselled directed assisted he stood by the Prophet he stood by the Apostles Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world He stood by Paul Acts 18.10 I am with thee so Chap. 23.11 And Paul doth acknowledge it 2 Tim. 4.16 17. All men forsook me they shew'd their unfaithfulness Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me he was about Temple-work for it follows that by me the Preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might fully hear Christ was with him to instruct incourage and bless him and his labors Christ walkes in the midst of the Churches and holds the stars thereof in his right hand Rev. 2.1 And Chap. 5.6 it 's said In the midst of the Elders stoâ—d a Lamb. There be two things worthy notice from the 5 and 6. verses considered together The 1. Is the distinction of Subsistences in the Divine Nature and Essence Here are 3. distinct Ones named 1. The Spirit which took up Ezekiel 2. The glory of the Lord whom he heard speaking out of the house which was the Father 3. The Man standing by him which was Christ Here is the Spirit Father and Son who as they have distinct personalities so distinct operations The Spirits work is raising up the Fathers speaking and the Sons assisting or standing by The 2. thing is the gradual proceedings of God in carrying on his from mercy to mercy Here be 5. steps of mercy The 1. Is the Spirit taking up the Prophet being fallen upon his face Had any one come and raised the Prophet being down it had been kindness Especially if Daniel Zorobabel or some Elder of Israel had done it but one greater and better then them all did it viz. the Spirit of God This was great mercy The 2. Is the Spirit leading of him into the inner Court He did not raise him and then leave him but led him And whither not into the outward Court but into the inner Court This was a further mercy a choise mercy to be brought so near the Temple The 3. Step was a sight of glory he saw the glory of the Lord filling the house this was a grand mercy which none of the Jews besides himself saw As when Christ was transfigured and the Mountain shin'd with the glory of his
Jews say he is not come 197 143 279 604 Ministers preachers it s their lot to be ill spoken of 163. God notes what said against them 194. men may be much affected with them and yet be hypocrites 169. but as songs to many hearers 170. otheâ— thoughts will be of them in time 172 true ones come in spirit and power 424. of Gods counsel and co-workers 424 425 maintenance due to them 592. should have accommodation and good pravision 232. not go out to worldly imployments 334. what frame of spirit when we approach to God 335. they have Christ standing by them when at Temple work â—49 must first see themselves before they shew to others 359 should make known Christ crucified 372. they must attend and set their hearts upon things 384. what ones shall be honored 391. what they ought to be 3â—2 393. other frame of spirit when come to God ibid. they ought to be maintained 398. should be careful what they eat 399. must look for hardships of 555. they are fishers â—7â— catch fish of all sorts â—73 Month one of the months the first of it 37 Mourn we may mourn when judgements are upon enemies of the Church 83 84 Mountain how taken 222 Mount Moriah 284. mount Sion what and why 287 288 Christ the mountain of God 372 Multitude no warrant for our way 153. they go the wrong way 272 273. joyns against Christ 496 Mouth opening of it what it imports 142. freedom of speaking is from God 145. what to magnifie with the mouth 268 N NAme prophaning Gods name two ways 299 grievous to occasion the blaspheming God name 302 what his name signifies 305 what to sanctifie it 305. its holy 307. prophaning it sticks and God will vindicate his name 308. For his name sake he doth much 309 Names occasionally given to places 251. God doth great things for his namesake 273 when sanctified 274 Nation God can reconcile divided nations 494 Nephesh how taken 148 Nets 67. God hath nets to catch Whales and great fish 69 New-moons what they point out 534 Nilus how made dry 15 No what kind of City 21 Noph a City famous 19 O OAth Gods oath 117 Obedience should be more now then of old 540 Oblations to the Prince what meant by them 415 Occasions some glad of occasion against God and his ways 302 Offering burnt-offering what it notes 305. other offering and sacrifice what they import ibid. Meat-offering sin-offering trespass-offering 333 334 419 Offices and Officers in the Church are onely to be set up by the Lord 107 216 Ordinances of the Temple what 363. why made known 366. they must be well heeded 284 285. vide Divine things how we should come unto them 419 Own mens own sins ruine them 301 P PAin what it notes 4 Palm-trees described 303. what for ibid. more of them 213 214 319 Pardon after it come other mercies 391 Pathros A Country or City 28 Pattern men must keep to Gods pattern 364 Pavement what it points out 300 301 Peace great peace when 245. in times of it men forget God and sin 274. those at peace with God must neither be carnal nor cruel 377 People Thy people 89. when people have power to set up an Officer 106. like sheep in five things 177. Gods people are under their enemies 230. they are safest of all 233. God hath a people he owns is with 242 243 dealings with them are distinguishing and convincing 243. God eyes how hearts of men are to his people 252 by their own sins they bring desolation 274. God deals differently with his own people and others 293. provident for his ibid. have the best at last 244. happiness of a people wherein 377. Gods people are sometimes heartless and hopeless 444. are cared for in the most broken and meanest condition 455. shall have a day of recompence 245. if they sin shall smart for it 265. they must worship God publiquely 5 8 Perseverance crowns 132. who will persevere 368 Pillars of the Temple not all alike 328 Place Mercy and judgement in the same place 238. the most holy place what it notes 316 3â—7 Pledge what 130 Plenty easily made by God 381. it s from him 382. Plots secret in time Break out 213. God is angry with those who plot against tâ—e Church 225 Pomp in what 76 Porches for what 297. we are in a porch State 308 Posts what and setting them by the Lords 356. Gods posts what why so named ibid. Preists their office number signification 307. to approach unto the Lord 331. well provided for 332 come in holy garments 334. High-priests what to be have and do 380. typed Christ ibid. their sins 385 386. corrupt deposed 389. their vertues 192. their heads and hair 393. when not drink wine 394. their marriage ibid. rules for them in other things 395 396 397 Prince not to meddle with things of God 532. to maintain his worship ibid. he must worship God ibid. not impede his worship 533. must walk as God wills 536 to be bountiful to whom 543. not to covet or oppress ibid. Nothing can secure wicked princes 26. they ought to protect their Subjects 47. have their day to leave their greatness 58. their deaths affect much ib. wicked ones great troublers 66. Great Princes being enemies to the Church how God their enemy 495. the High-priest or Christ 308 406 407 410 his entrance by the gate 381. he and his estate should be for the preservation of the whole 406. in portion 407. what they should be 409. covetous and cruel 412. should do justice 413. tied to laws of God ibid. more expected from them then ordinary 540 541. Prejudice hard to be removed 139 Priviledges profit not without godliness 94 Promises made good if the condition be performed 152. Gods promises and mercies free 388. shall take effect 397. to be sued out by prayer 401 Prophets must not spare Princes 66. things are revealed to them by degrees 83. what they threaten comes to pass 172. men shall have other thoughts of them ibid. they will be witnesses at last against hearers 173. Prophets moved by the Spirit 424. true ones come in Spirit and power ibid. do difficult things 425. put upon strange employments 434 directed to answer questions 456. not all recorded they delivered 217. God owns honors protects them 218 they must reveal what is revealed to them 290 Prophesies of God shall take effect 397 Prosperity dangerous 274 Q QValities evil make men like brute creatures 65 Qualifications not found but where wrought by the Spirit 359 Question God can silence man with a short Question 426 R RAdah what rule it notes 181 Recompence to the godly for their wrongs 245 Reed the measuring reed 285. what 291. men must not bring their reeds to measure by 292 Religion and righteousness should go together 372. nothing to be done in it on mens heads 376 Renown that Christ and the Church hath is from the Lord 239 Repentance when specially it