are before this Work is wrought in them and on them Ephes. 2. 1 5. which is the Work of the Spirit alone for it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6. 63. see Rom. 8. 9 10. Titus 3. 4 5 6. where the same Truth is declared and asserted But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit which he shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Sect. 4 What we have frequently mentioned occurreth here expresly namely the whole Blessed Trinity and each Person therein acting distinctly in the Work of our Salvation The Spring or Fountain of the whole lyeth in the Kindness and Love of God even the Father Thereunto it is every-where ascribed in the Scripture see John 3. 16. Ephes. 1. 4 5 6. What-ever is done in the Accomplishment of this Work it is so in the pursuit of his Will Purpose and Counsel and is an Effect of his Love and Grace The procuring Cause of the Application of the Love and Kindness of God unto us is Jesus Christ our Saviour in the whole Work of his Mediation v. 6. and the immediate efficient Cause in the Communication of the Love and Kindness of the Father through the Mediation of the Son unto us is the Holy Spirit And this he doth in the Renovation of our Natures by the washing of Regeneration wherein we are purged from our sins and sanctified unto God Sect. 5 More Testimonies unto this purpose need not be insisted on This Truth of the Holy Spirit being the Author of our Regeneration which the Ancients esteemed a Cogent Argument to prove his Deity even from the the Greatness and Dignity of the Work is in words at least so far as I know granted by all who pretend to sobriety in Christianity That by some others it hath been derided and exploded is the occasion of this Vindication of it It must not be expected that I should here handle the whole Doctrine of Regeneration practically as it may be educed by Inferences from the Scripture according to the Analogie of Faith and the Experiences of them that believe It hath been done already by others My present aim is only to confirm the Fundamental Principles of Truth concerning those Operations of the Holy Spirit which at this day are opposed with violence and virulence And what I shall offer on the present Subject may be reduced unto the ensuing Heads Sect. 6 1. Although the Work of Regeneration by the Holy Spirit was wrought under the Old Testament even from the Foundation of the World and the Doctrine of it was recorded in the Scriptures yet the Revelation of it was but obscure in comparison of that Light and Evidence which it is brought forth into by the Gospel This is evident from the Discourse which our Blessed Saviour had with Nicodemus on this Subject For when he acquainted him clearly with the Doctrine of it he was surprized and fell into that enquiry which argued some amazement How can these things be But yet the Reply of our Saviour manifests That he might have attained a better acquaintance with it out of the Scripture than he had done Art thou saith he a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Dost thou take upon thee to Teach others what is their State and Condition and what is their Duty towards God and art ignorant thy self of so Great and Fundamental a Doctrine which thou mightest have learned from the Scripture For if he might not so have done there would have been no just cause of the Reproof given him by our Saviour For it was neither Crime nor Negligence in him to be ignorant of what God had not revealed This Doctrine therefore namely That every one who will enter into the Kingdom of God must be born again of the Holy Spirit was contained in the Writings of the Old Testament It was so in the Promises That God would circumcise the Hearts of his People that he would take away their Heart of Stone and give them a Heart of Flesh with his Law written in it and other wayes as shall be afterwards proved Sect. 7 But yet we see that it was so obscurely declared that the principal Masters and Teachers of the People knew little or nothing of it Some indeed would have this Regeneration if they knew what they would have or as to what may be gathered of their minds out of their great swelling words of vanity to be nothing but Reformation of Life according to the Rules of the Scripture But Nicodemus knew the necessity of Reformation of Life well enough if he had ever read either Moses or the Prophets And to suppose that our Lord Jesus Christ proposed unto him the thing which he knew perfectly well only under a new Name or Notion which he had never heard of before So to take an advantage of charging him with being ignorant of what indeed he full well knew and understood is a blasphemous Imagination How they can free themselves from the Guilt hereof who look on Regeneration as no more but a Metaphorical Expression of Amendment of Life I know not And if it be so if there be no more in it but as they love to speak becoming a new Moral Man a thing which all the World Jews and Gentiles understood our Lord Jesus was so far from bringing it forth into more Light and giving it more perspicuity by what he teacheth concerning Regeneration the Nature Manner Causes and Effects of it that he cast it thereby into more darkness and obscurity than ever it was delivered in either by Jewish Masters or Gentile Philosophy For although the Gospel do really teach all Duties of Morality with more exactness and clearness and press unto the Observance of them on motives incomparably more cogent than any thing that otherwise ever befel the Mind of Man to think or apprehend yet if it must be supposed to intend nothing else in its Doctrine of the New Birth or Regeneration but those Moral Duties and their Observance it is dark and unintelligible I say if there be not a secret mysterious Work of the Spirit of God in and upon the Souls of Men intended in the Writings of the New Testament but only a Reformation of Life and the Improvement of Mens Natural Abilities in the Exercise of Moral Virtue through the Application of outward means unto their Minds and Understandings conducting and perswading thereunto they must be granted to be obscure beyond those of any other Writers whatsoever as some have not feared already to publish unto the World concerning the Epistles of Paul But so long as we can obtain an acknowledgment from Men that they are true and in any sense the Word of God we doubt not but to evince that the things intended in them are clearly and
Î ÎΕΥΜΑΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ OR A DISCOURSE Concerning the HOLY SPIRIT WHEREIN An Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it Vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches THE Nature also and Necessity of Gospel-Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are Stated and Declared By JOHN OWEN D. D. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom LONDON Printed by J. Darby for Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet MDCLXXIV To the Readers AN account in general of the Nature and Design of the ensuing Discourse with the Reasons why it is made publick at this time being given in the first Chapter of the Treatise it self I shall not long detain the Readers here at the entrance of it But some few things it is necessary they should be acquainted withal and that both as to the Matter contained in it and as to the mannâ—r of its handling The Subject Matter of the whole as the Title and almost every Page of the Book declare is the Holy Spirit of God and his Operations And two things there are which either of them are sufficient to render any Subject either difficult on the one hand or unpleasant on the other to be treated of in this way both which we have herein to conflict withal For where the Matter it self is abstruse and mysterious the handling of it cannot be without its Difficulties and where it is fallen by any means what-ever under publick contempt and scorn there is an abatement of satisfaction in the Consideration and Defence of it Now all the Concernâ—â—â—s of the Holy Spirit are an eminent part of the Mystery or deep Things of God For as the knowledg of them doth wholly depend on and is regulated by Divine Revelation so are they in their own Nature Divine and Heavenly distant and remote from all things that the Heart of Man in the meer Exercise of its own Reason or Understanding can rise up unto But yet on the other hand there is nothing in the World that is more generally despised as foolish and contemptible than the things that are spoken of and ascribed unto the Spirit of God He needs no furtherance in the forfeiture of his Reputation with many as a Person Fanatical estranged from the conduct of Reason and all generous Principles of Conversation who dares avow an Interest in his Work or take upon him the Defence thereof Wherefore thâ—se things must be a little spoken unto if only to manifest whence Relief may be had against the Discouragements wherewith they are attended For the first thing proposed it must be granted that the things here treated of are in themselves mysterious and abstruse But yet the way whereby we may endeavour an acquaintance with them according to the 〈◊〉 of the Gift of Christ unto every one is made plain in the Scriptures of Truth If this Way be neglected or despised all other wayes of attempting the same end be they never so vigorous or promising will prove ineffectual What belongs unto it as to the inward frame and dispoâ—â—tion of Mind in them who search after Understanding in these things what unto the outward use of Means what unto the performance of Spiritual Duties what unto conformity in the whole Soul unto each discovery of Truth that is attained is not my present Work to declare nor shall I divert thereunto If God give an opportunity to treat concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit enabling us to understand the Scriptures or the mind of God in them the whole of this way will be at large declared At present it may suffice to observe that God who in himself is the eternal Original Spring and Fountain of all Truth is also the only Sovereign Cause and Author of its Revelation unto us And whereas that Truth which Originally is one in him is of various sorts and kinds according to the Variety of the things which it respects in its Communication unto us the ways and means of that communication are suited unto the distinct Nature of each Truth in particular So the Truth of things natural is made known from God by the Exercise of Reason or the due Application of the understanding that is in Man unto their Investigation For the things of a Man knoweth the Spirit of a Man that is in him Neither ordinarily is there any thing more required unto that Degree or Certainty of knowledg in things of that Nature whereof our Minds are capable but the diligent Application of the faculties of our Souls in the due Use of proper means uâ—â—o the Attainment thereof Yet is there a secret Work of the Spirit of God herein even in the Communication of Skill and Ability in things Natural as also in things Civil Moral Political and Artificial as in our ensuing Discoursâ— is fully manifested But whereas these things belong unto the Work of the Oâ—dâ—â—eâ—tion and the Preservation thereof or the Rule and Government of Mankind in this World meerly as rational Creatures there is no use of Means no Communication of Aids spiritual or supernatural absolutely necessary to be exercised gâ—â—ntâ—d about them Wherefore Knowledg and Wisdom in things of this Nature 〈◊〉 â—stributed promiscuously among all sorts of Persons according to the roâ—â—tion of their Natural Abilities and a superstruction thereon in their diligent Exercisâ— without any peculiar Application to God for especial Grace or 〈◊〉 serving still a Liberty unto the Sovereignty of Divine Providence in the disposal of all Men and their Concerns But as to things supernatural the Knowledg and Truth of them the Teachings of God are of another Nature and in like manner a peculiar Application of our selves unto him for Instruction is required of us In these things also there are Degrees according as thâ—y approach on the one hand unto the Infinite Abysse of the Divine Essence and Existence as the eternal Generation and Incarnation of the Son the Procession and Mission of the Holy Spirit or on the other unto those Divine Effects which are produced in our Souls whereof we have Experience According unto these Degrees as the Divine Condescension is exerted in their Revelation so ought our Attention in the Exercise of Faith Humility and Prayer to be encreased in our Enquiries into them For although all that Diligence in the Use of outward Means necessary to the Attainment of the Knowledg of any other Useful Truth be indispensibly required in the pursuit of an Acquaintance with these things also yet if moreoover there be not an Addition of Spiritual Ways and Mâ—ans suited in their own Nature and appointed of God unâ—o the receiving of Supernatural Light and the Understanding of the Deep Things of God our labour about them will in a great measure be but fruitless and unprofitable For although the
1. The Opposition is not ad idem The Enmity and Opposition that is acted by the Will against Grace is against it as objectively proposed unto it So do Men resist the Holy Ghost that is in the external Dispensation of Grace by the Word And if that be alone they may alwayes resist it the Enmity that is in them will prevail against it Ye alwayes resist the Holy Ghost The Will therefore is not forced by any Power put forth in Grace in that way wherein it is capable of making opposition unto it but the prevalency of Grace is of it as it is internal working really and physically which is not the Object of the Wills opposition for it is not proposed unto it as that which it may accept or refuse but worketh effectually in it Sect. 35 2. The Will in the first Act of Conversion as even sundry of the Schoolmen acknowledg acts not but as it is acted moves not but as it is moved and therefore is passive therein in the sense immediately to be explained And if this be not so it cannot be avoided but that the Act of our turning unto God is a meer natural Act and not spiritual or gracious For it is an Act of the Will not enabled thereunto antecedently by Grace Wherefore it must be granted and it shall be proved that in Order of Nature the Acting of Grace in the Will in our Conversion is antecedent unto its own acting though in the same instant of time wherein the Will is moved it moves and when it is acted it acts it self and preserves its own Liberty in its exercise There is therefore herein an inward almighty secret Act of the Power of the Holy Ghost producing or effecting in us the Will of Conversion unto God so acting our Wills as that they also act themselves and that freely So Austin cont Duas Epistol Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. Trahitur homo miris modis ut velit ab illo qui novit intus in ipsis cordibus hominum operari non ut homines quod fieri non possit nolentes credant sed ut volentes ex nolâ—ntibus fiant The Holy Spirit who in his Power and Operation is more intimate as it were unto the Principles of our Souls than they are to themselves doth with the Preservation and in the Exercise of the liberty of our Wills effectually work our Regeneration and Conversion unto God This is the substance of what we plead for in this Cause and which declares the Nature of this Work of Regeneration as it is an inward Spiritual Work I shall therefore confirm the Truth proposed with evident Testimonies of Scripture and Reasons contained in them or educed from them Sect. 36 1. The Work of Conversion it self and in especial the Act of believing or Faith it self is expresly said to be of God to be wrought in us by him to be given unto us from him The Scripture says not that God gives us Ability or Power to believe onely namely such a Power a we may make use of if we will or do otherwise but Faith Repentance and Conversion themselves are said to be the Work and Effect of God Indeed there is nothing mentioned in the Scripture concerning the communicating of Power remote or next unto the Mind of Man to enable him to believe antecedently unto actual believing A remote Power if it may be so called in the Capacities of the Faculties of the Soul the Reason of the Mind and Liberty of the Will we have given an account concerning But for that which some call a next Power or an ability to believe in order of Nature Antecedent unto Believing it self wrought in us by the Grace of God the Scripture is silent The Apostle Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things or prevail in all things through Christ who enableth me where a Power or Ability seems to be spoken of antecedent unto Acting But this is not a Power for the first Act of Faith but a Power in them that believe Such a Power I acknowledg which is acted in the Co-operation of the Spirit and Grace of Christ with the Grace which Believers have received unto the performance of all Acts of Holy Obedience whereof I must treat elsewhere Believers have a stock of Habitual Grace which may be called Indwelling Grace in the same sense wherein Original Corruption is called Indwelling-Sin And this Grace as it is necessary unto every Act of Spiritual Obedience so of it self without the renewed Co-working of the Spirit of Christ it is not able nor sufficient to produce any Spiritual Act. This working of Christ upon and with the Grace we have received is called enabling of us But with Persons Unregenerate and as to the first Act of Faith it is not so Sect. 37 But it will be Objected That every thing which is actually accomplished was in potentia before There must therefore be in us a Power to believe before we do so actually Answ. The Act of God working Faith in us is a Creating Act. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. 10. And he that is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Now the effects of Creating Acts are not in Potentia any-where but in the Active Power of God so was the World it self before its actual existence This is termed Potentia Logica which is no more but a Negation of any contradiction to Existence not Potentia Physica which includes a disposition unto actual existence Notwithstanding therefore all these Preparatory Works of the Spirit of God which we allow in this Matter there is not by them wrought in the Minds and Wills of Men such a next Power as they call it as should enable them to believe without further Actual Grace working Faith it self Wherefore with respect to believing the first Act of God is to work in us to will Phil. 1. 13. He worketh in us to will Now to will to believe is to believe This God works in us by that Grace which Austin and the School-men call Gratia Operans because it worketh in us without us the Will being meerly moved and passive therein That there is a Power or Faculty of believing given unto all Men unto whom the Gospel is preached or who are called by the outward Dispentation of it some do pretend And that because those unto whom the Word is so Prâ—acâ—ed if they do not actually believe shall perish eternally as is positively declared in the Gospel Mark 16. 16. But this they could not justly do if they had not received a Power or Faculty of Believing Answ. 1. Those who believe not upon the Proposal of Christ in the Gospel are left without remedy in the guilt of those other Sins for which they must perish eternally If you believe not saith Christ that I am he you shall die in your sins John 8. 12. 2. The Impotency that is in Men as
their lives whatever otherwise their profession be or their Diligence in Religious duties they doe very little either Represent or Glorifie God in the world If we therefore Design to be Holy let us constantly in our Families towards our Relations in Churches in our Conversations in the world and dealings with all men towards our Enemies and Persecutors the worst of them so far as they are ours only towards all Mankind as we have Opportunity labour after conformity unto God and to express our likeness unto him in this Philanthropy Goodness Benignity Condescention readiness to forgive to help and relieve without which we neither are nor can be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven Sect. 30 Especially is this frame of Heart and actings suitable therunto required of us with respect unto the Saints of God unto Believers Even God himself whom we are bound to imitate and a Conformity unto whom we are pressing after doth exercise his Benignity and Kindness in a peculiar manner towards them 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe There is a specialty in the Exercise of His saving Goodness towards Believers And in Answer hereunto We are likewise commanded to doe good unto all men but especially unto them who are of the Houshould of Faith Gal. 6. 10. Although we are obliged to the Exercise of the Goodness before described unto all men whatever as we have Opportunity so we are allowed yea we are enjoyned a peculiar regard herein unto the Houshold of Faith And if this were more in Exercise if we esteemed our selves notwithstanding the Provocations and Exasperations which we meet withall or suppose we doe so when perhaps none are given us or intended us obliged to express this Benignity Kindness Goodness Forbearance and Love towards all Believers in an especial manner it would prevent or remove many of those scandalous Offences and Animosities that are among us If in Common we doe love them that love us and doe good to them that doe good to us and delight in them who are of our Company and go the same way with us it may advance us into the condition of Pharisees and Publicanes for they did so also But if among Believers we will take this course love them only delight in them only be open and free in all effects of genuine kindness towards them who go our way or are of our Party or are kind and friendly to us or that never gave us provocations really nor in our own surmizes we are so far and therein worse than either Pharisees or Publicanes We are to endeavour Conformity and Likeness unto God not only as he is the God of Nature and is good unto all the works of his hands but as he is our Heavenly Father and is Good Kind Benign Merciful in an especial manner unto the whole Family of his Children however differenced among themselves or indeed unkind or provoking unto him I confess when I see men apt to retain a sense of old Provocations and Differences ready to receive Impressions of new ones or ready for Apprehensions of such where there are none incredulous of the sincerity of others who profess a readiness for Love and Peace to take things in the worst sense to be Morose and Severe towards this or that sort of Believers unready to help them scarce desiring their Prosperity or it may be their safety I cannot but look upon it as a very great stain to their Profession whatever else it be And by this Rule would I have my own ways examined Sect. 31 2 Truth is another Grace another part of Holiness of the same Import and Nature Truth is used in the Scripture for Vprightness and Integrity Thou requirest Truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. and frequently the Doctrine of Truth as of God revealed and by us believed But that which I intend is only what is enjoyned us by the Apostle namely in all things to Speak the Truth in Love Ephes. 4. 15. Our Apostasie from God was Eminently from him as the God of Truth by an Opposition to which Attribute we sought to dethrone him from his Glory We would not believe that his word was Truth And sin entred into the world by and with a long Train of Lies And ever since the whole world and every thing in it is filled with them which represents him and his Nature who is the Father of Lyes and Lyars Hereby doth it visibly and openly continue in its Apostasie from the God of Truth I could willingly stay to manifest how the whole world is corrupted depraved and sullyed by Lyes of all sorts but I must not divert thereunto Wherefore Truth and sincerity in Words for that at present I confine my self unto is an Effect of Renovation of the Image of God in us and a Representation of him to the world No Duty is more frequently pressed upon us Put away false speaking lye not to one another speak the Truth in Love And the consideration hereof is exceeding necessary unto all those who by their course of Life are engaged in Trading and that both because of the Disreputation which by the evil practices of some of many that I say not of the most is cast upon that Course of Life and also because failures in Truth are apt a thousand ways to insinuate themselves into the Practices of such Persons yea when they are not aware thereof It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he goeth away he boasteth and it is good it is good saith the seller but when he hath sold it he boasteth or is well pleased with the advantage which he hath made by his words But these things have the Image of Sathan upon them and are most opposite to the God of Truth Another Occasion must be taken further to press this necessary Duty only at present I doe but intimate that where Truth is not universally observed according to the utmost watchfullness of Sincerity and Love there all other Marks and Tokens of the Image of God in any Persons are not onely Sullied but Defaced and the Representation of Sathan is most prevalent And these things I could not but adde as naturally Consequential unto that first principall Argument for the Necessity of Holiness which we have proposed and insisted on Sect. 32 Having dispatched this first Argument and added unto it some especial Improvements with respect unto its Influence into our Practice it remains only that we free it from one Objection which it seems exposed unto Now this ariseth from the Consideration of the Infinite Grace Mercy and Love of God as they are proposed in the Dispensation of the Word For it may be said unto us and like enough it will considering the frame of mens Minds in the Dayes wherein we live Doe not you your selves who thus press unto Holiness and the Necessity of it from the Consideration of the Nature of God preach unto us every
Letter of the Scripture and the sense of the Propositions are equally exposed to the Reason of all mankind yet the real spiritual Knowledg of the Things themselves is not communicated unto any but by the especial Operation of the Holy Spirit nor is any considerable Degree of Insight into the Doctrine of the Mysteries of them attainable but by a due waiting on him who alone giveth the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledg of them For the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God and they to whom by him they are revealed Neither can the Scriptures be interpreted aright but by the Ayd of that Spirit by which they were indited as Hierom aâ—â—â—rmes and as I shall afterwards fully prove But in the use of the means mentioned we need not despond but that seeing these things themselves are revealed that we may know God in a due manner and live unto him as we ought we may attain such a measure of Spiritual Understanding in them as is useful unto our own and others Edification They may I say do so who are not slothful in hearing or learning but by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil. Wherefore the Subject of the ensuing Discourses being intirely things of this Nature in their several Degrees of Access unto God or our selves I shall give no account of any particular Endeavours in my Enquiries into them but leave the Judgment thereof unto the Evidence of the Effects produced thereby Only whereas I know not any who ever went before me in this Design of representing the whole Oeconomy of the Holy Spirit with all his Adjuncts Operations and Effects whereof this is the first Part the Attempt of Crellius in this kind being only to corrupt the Truth in some few Instances as the Difficulty of my work was encreased thereby so it may plead my Excuse if any thing be found not to answer so regular a Projection or just a Method as the nature of the Subject requireth and as was aymed at In the first Part of the whole Work which concerneth the Name Divine Nature Personality and Mission of the Holy Spirit I do but declare and defend the faith of the Catholick Church against the Socinians with what Advantage with what contribution of Light or Evidence strength or order unto what hath been pleaded before by others is left unto the Learned Readers to judg and determine And in what concerns the Adjuncts and Properties of his Mission and Operation some may and I hope do judg themselves not unbeholding unto me for administring an occasion unto them of deeper and better Thoughts about them The second Part of our Endeavour concerneth the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Creation both in its Production Preservation and Rulâ— And whereas I had not therein the Advantage of any one Ancient or Modern Author to beat out the Paths of Truth before me I have confined my self to express Testimonies of Scripture with such Expositions of them as sufficiently evidence their own Truth though also they want not such a suffrage from others as may give them the Reputation of some Authority The like may be said of what succeeds in the next Place concerning his Work under the New Testament preparatory for the new Creation in the Communication of all sorts of Gifts Ordinary and Extraordinary all kind of Skill and Ability in things Spiritual Natural Moral Artificial and Political with the Instances whereby those Operations of his are confirmed All these things many wherefore are handled by others separately and apart are here proposed in their Order with respect unto their proper End and Design For what concerns his Work on the Head of the New Creation or the Humane Nature in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ I have been careful to keep severely unto the Bounds of Sobriety and not to indulge unto any curious or unwarrantable speculations I have therefore therein not only diligently attended unto the Doctrine of the Scripture our only infallible Rule and Guide but also expresly considered what was taught and believed in the Ancient Church in this Matter from which I know that I have not departed More I shall not add as to the first Difficulty wherewith an Endeavour of this kinds is attended arising from the Nature of the Subject treated of The other concerning the Contempt that is cast by many on all these things must yet be further spoken unto In all the Dispensations of God towards his People under the Old Testament there was nothing of God communicated unto them nothing of Worth or Excellency wrought in them or by them but it is expresly assigned unto the Holy Spirit as the Author and Cause of it But yet of all the Promises given unto them concerning a better and more glorious State of the Church to be afterwards introduced next unto that of the coming of the Son of God in the Flesh those are the most eminent which concern an Enlargement and more full Communication of the Spirit beyond what they were or could in their imperfect state be made Partakers of Accordingly we find in the New Testament that what-ever concerns the Conversion of the Elect the Edification of the Church the Sanctification and Consolation of Believers the performance of those of Duties of Obedience which we owe unto God with our Conduct in all the wayes thereof is in general and particular Instances so appropriated unto him as that it is withal declared that nothing of it in any kind can be enjoyed or performed without his especialâ—â—peration â—â—yd and Assistance So careful was God fully to instruct and to secure the faith of the Church in this matter according as he knew its eternal Concernments to lye therein Yet notwithstanding all the evidence given hereunto the Church of God in most Ages hath been exercised with Oppositions either to his Person or his Work or the manner of it contrary unto what is promised and declared concerning them in the Word of Truth nor doth it yet cease so to be Yea though the Contradictions of some in former Ages have been fierce and clamorous yet all that hath fallen out of that kind hath been exceeding short of what is come to pass in the dayes wherein we live For not to mention the Socinians who have gathered into one Head or rather ulcerous impostume all the virulent Oppositions made unto his Deity or Grace by the Photinians Macedonians and Pelagians of old there are others who professing no Enmity unto his Divine Person yea admitting and owning the Doctrine of the Church concerning it are yet ready on all occasions to despise and reproach that whole Work for which he was promised under the Old Testament and which is expresly assigned unto him in the Now. Hence is it grown amongst a Matter of Reproach and Scorn for any one to make mention of his Grace or to profess an interest in that Work of his as his without
in the Illumination of the Minds of Men the Reparation of their Natures the Sanctification of their Persons and their Endowment with Spiritual Gifts are therein and thereby Enemies to Reason and impugn the Use of it in Religion or at least allow it not that Place and Exercise therein which is its due Hence some of those who are otherwise minded affirm that it is cast on them as a Reproach that they are Rational Divines although sâ—â—far as I can discern if it be so it is as Hierom was beaten by an Angel for being a Ciceronian in the judgment of some very undeservedly But the grounds whereon this Charge should be made good have not as yet been made to appear neither hath it been evinced that any thing is ascribed by us unto the Efficacy of God's Grace in the least derogatory unto Reason its Use or any Duty of Man depending thereon I suppose we are agreed herein That the Reason of Man in the State wherein we are is not sufficient of it self to find out or frame a Religion whereby we may please God and be accepted with him Or if we are not agreed herein yet I shall not admit it as a part of our present Controversie wherein we suppose a Religion proceeding from and resolved into Supernatural Revelation Neither is it that I know of as yet pleaded by any that Reason is able to comprehend all the things in their Nature and Being or to search them out unto Perfection which are revealed unto us for we do not directly deal with them by whom the Principal Mysteries of the Gospel are rejected because they cannot comprehend them under a pretence that what is above Reason is against it And it may be it will be granted moreover that Natural Reason cannot enable the Mind of a Man unto a saving Perception of Spiritual Things as revealed without the especial Aid of the Spirit of God in Illumination If this be denied by any as we acknowledg our dissent from tâ—em so we know that we do no Injury to Reason thereby and will rather suffer under the Imputation of so doing than by renouncing of the Scripture to turn Infidels that we may be esteemed Rational But we cannot conceive how Reason should be prejudiced by the Advancement of the Rational Faculties of our Souls with respect unto their Exercise towards their proper Objects which is all we assign unto the Work of the Holy Spirit in this Matter And there are none in the World more free to grant than we are that unto us our Reason is the only Judg of the Sense and Truth of Propositions drawn from the Scripture or proposed therein and do wish that all Men might be left peaceable under that determination where we know thâ—y must abide whether they will or no. But the enquiry in this Matter is what Reasonableness appears in the Mysteries of our Religion when revealed unto our Reason and what ability we have to receive believe and obey them as such The latter part of this Enquiry is so fully spoken unto in the ensuing Discourses as that I shall not here again insist upon it the former may in a few words be spoken unto It cannot be it is not that I know of denied by any that Christian Religion is highly Reasonable For it is the Effect of the Infinite Reason Understanding and Wisdom of God But the Question is not What it is in it self but what it is with relation unto our Reason or how it appears thereunto And there is no doubt but every Thing in Christian Religion appears highly reasonable unto Reason enlightned or the Mind of Man affected with that Work of Grace in its Renovation which is so expresly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture For as there is a suitableness between an Enlightned Mind and Spiritual Mysteries as revealed so seeing them in their proper Lighâ— it finds by experience their Necessity Use Goodness and Beâ—â—t with respect unto our Chiâ—fest Good and Supream End It remains therefore only that we enquire how reasonable the Mysteries of Christian Religion are unto the Minds of Men as corrupter for that they are so by the entrance of sin as we believe so we have proved in the ensuing Treatise And it is in vain to dispute with any about the Reasonableness of Evangelical Faith and Obedience until the Stâ—te and Condition of our Reason be agreed Wherefore to speak plainly in the Case as we do a knowledg that Reason in its corrupted State is all that any Man hath in that State whereby to understand and judg of the Sense and Truth of Doâ—â—rines revealed in the Scripture and in the use of such Aids and Means as it is capable to improve is more and better unto him than any Judg or Interpreter that should impose a Sense upon him not suited thereunto so as to the Spiritual Things themselves of the Gospel in their own Nature it is Enmity against them and they are Foolishness unto it If therefore it be a Crime if it bâ—â— to the impeachmâ—nt and disadvantage of Reason to affirm that our Minds stand in need of the Renovation of the Holy Ghost to enable them to understand Spiritual Things in a Spiritual Manner we do acknowledg our selves guilty thereof But otherwise That by asserting the Efficacious Operations of the Spirit of God and the necessity of them unto the discharge of every Spiritual Duty towards God in an acceptable manner we do deny that Use and Exercise of our own Reason in things Religious and Spiritual whereof in any state it is capable and whereunto of God it is appointed is unduly charged on us as will afterwards be 〈◊〉 manifested But it is moreover pretended that by the Operations we ascribe unto the Holy Spirit we expose Man to be deceived by Satanical Delusions open a door to Enthusiasms directing them to the guidance of unaccountable Impulses and Revelations so making may unto all Folly and Villany By what means this Charge can be fixed on them who professedly avow that nothing is Good nothing Duty unto us nothing acceptable unto God but what is warranted by the Scripture directed unto thereby and suited thereunto which is the alone perfect Rule of all that God requires of us in the way of Obedience but only ungrounded Clamours hath not yet been attempted to be made manifest For all things of this Nature are not only condemned by them but all things which they teach concerning the Holy Spirit of God are the principal Wayes and Means to secure us from the danger of them It is true there have been of old and happily do still continue among some Satanical Delusions Diabolical Suggestions and soul Enthusiasms which have been pretended to proceed from the Spirit of God and to be of a Divine Original For so it is plainly affirmed in the Scripture both under the Old Testament and the New Directions being therein added for their Discovery and Disprovement But if we must therefore
and to obey he knows not why be the Properties of Christians see Rom. 12. 2. Ephes. 5. 8 9 10 11. Phil. 1. 10. 1 Thess. 5. 21. The other so far as was needful to preserve the Church in Truth and Peace was provided for in those Primitive Times whilst there was a real communication of extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and so more occasion given to the false Pretence of them and more danger in being deceived by them by a peculiar Gift of discerning them bestowed on some amongst them 1 Cor. 12. 10. Discerning of Spirits is reckoned among the Gifts of the Spirit So had the Lord graciously provided for his Churches that some among them should be enabled in an extraordinary manner to discern and judg of them who pretended unto extraordinary actings of the Spirit And upon the ceasing of Extraordinary Gifts really given from God the Gift also of discerning Spirits ceased and we are left unto the Word alone for the tryal of any that shall pretend unto them Now this kind of Pretence was so common in those dayes that the Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians to caution them that they suffered not themselves to be deceived in their Expectation and Computations about the Time of the coming of Christ in the first place warns them not to be moved in it by Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 2. That is Persons pretending unto Spiritual Revelations Something also of this nature hath continued and broken out in succeeding Ages and that in Instances abominable and dreadful And the more eminent in any Season are the real Effusions of the Holy Spirit upon the Ministers of the Gospel and Disciples of Christ the more Diligence and Watchfulness against these Delusions are necessary For on such opportunities it is when the Use and Reputation of Spiritual Gifts is eminent that Satan doth lay hold to intrude under the colour of them his own deceitful Suggestions In the dark Times of the Papacy all Stories are full of Satanical Delusions in Phantastical Apparitions Horrors Spectrums and the like Effects of Darkness It was seldom or never that any falsly pretended to the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit For these things were then of little use or request in the World But when God was pleased to renew really a fresh communication of Spiritual Gifts and Graces unto Men in and upon the Reformation the old Dreads and Terrors nightly Appearances tending unto Deeds of Darkness vanished and every where by Satans Instigation arose false Pretenders to the Spirit of God in which way of delusion he will still be more active and industrious as God shall increase the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit in his Churches though as yet in these latter Ages he hath not attained what he was arrived unto in the Primitive Times of the Gospel A full and clear Declaration from the Scripture of the Nature of the Holy Spirit and his Operations may through the blessing of God be of use to fortifie the Minds of Professors against Satanical Delusions counterfeiting his Actings and Inspirations For Directions unto this purpose are given us by the Holy Apostle who lived to see great havock made in the Churches by deluding Spirits Knowledg of the Truth trying of Spirits that go abroad by the Doctrines of the Scriptures Dependence on the Holy Spirit for his Teachings according to the Word are the Things which to this purpose he commends unto us Sect. 23 Thirdly There is in the Dayes wherein we live an Anti-Spirit set up and advanced against the Spirit of God in his Being and all his Operations in his whole Work and Use towards the Church of God For this new Spirit takes upon him whatever is promised to be effected by the good Spirit of God This is that which some Men call the Light within them though indeed it be nothing but a dark Product of Satan upon their own Imaginations or at best the Natural Light of Conscience which some of the Heathens also called a Spirit But hereunto do they trust as that which doth all for them leaving no room for the Promise of the Spirit of God nor any thing for him to do This teacheth them instructs them enlightens them to this they attend as the Samaritans to Simon Magus and as they say yield Obedience unto it And from hence with the Fruits of it do they expect Acceptation with God Justification and Blessedness hereafter And one of these two things these deluded Souls must fix upon namely that this Light whereof they speak is either the Holy Spirit of God or it is not If they say it is the Spirit it will be easie to demonstrate how by their so saying they utterly destroy the very Nature and Being of the Holy Ghost as will evidently appear in our Explication of them And if they say that it is not the Holy Spirit of God which they intend thereby it will be no less manifest that they utterly exclude him on the other side from his whole Work and substitute another yea an Enemy in his room For another God is a false God another Christ is a false Christ and another Spirit is a false Spirit the Spirit of Antichrist Now because this is a growing Evil amongst us many being led away and seduced our Duty unto Jesus Christ and Compassion for the Souls of Men do require that our utmost indeavour in the wayes of Christ's Appointment should be used to obviate this Evil which eateth as doth a Canker which also is propagated by prophane and vain bablings encreasing still unto more ungodliness Some I confess do unduly rage against the Persons of those who have imbibed these Imaginations falling upon them with violence and fury as they do also on others The Lord lay it not unto their charge Yet this hinders not but that by those Weapons of our Warfare which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down such like Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every thought unto the Obedience of Christ We ought to attempt the destruction of their Errors and the breaking of the Snares of Satan by whom they are taken captive alive at his pleasure The course indeed of opposing Errors and false Spirits by Praying Preaching Writing is despised by them in whose furious and haughty minds Ure Seca Occide Burn Gût and Kill are alone of any signification that think Arise Peter kill and eat to be a Precept of more Use and Advantage unto them than all the Commands of Jesus Christ besides But the way proposed unto us by the Lord Jesus Christ himself walked in by his Holy Apostles and all the Ancient Holy Learned Writers of the Church is that which in these Matters we must and shall attend unto And that course which is particularly suited to obviate the Evil mentioned is to give a full plain evident Declaration from the Scripture of the
those to whom he wrote that in what was so preached unto them they had not followed cunningly devised Fables 2 Pet. 1. 16. For so were the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ then reported to be in the World What was preached concerning them was looked on as cunningly devised and artificially framed fables to inveagle and allure the People This the Apostle gives his Testimony against and withal appeals unto the Divine Assurance which they had of the Holy Truths delivered unto them v. 17 18 19 20. In like manner our Lord Jesus Christ himself having preached the Doctrine of Regeneration unto Nicodemus he calls it into Question as as thing incredible or unintelligible Joh. 3. 4. For whose Instruction and the Rebuke of his Ignorance he lets him know that he spake nothing but what he brought with him from Heaven from the Eternal Fountain of Goodness and Truth v. 11 12. 13. It is fallen out not much otherwise in this Matter Sect. 31 The Doctrine concerning the Spirit of God and his Work on the Souls of Men hath been preached in the World What he doth in convincing Men of Sin what in Working Godly Sorrow and Humiliation in them what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power which he puts forth in the Regeneration and Sanctification of the Souls of Men What are the supplys of Grace which he bestowes on them that do believe what Assistance he gives unto them as the Spirit of Grace and Supplications hath been preached taught and pressed on the minds of them that attend unto the Dispensation of the Word of the Gospel Answerable hereunto Men have been urged to try search examine them-selves as to what of this Work of the Holy Ghost they have found observed or had experience to have been effectually accomplished in or upon their own Souls And hereon they have been taught that the Great Concernments of their Peace Comfort and Assurance of their Communion among themselves as the Saints of God with many other Ends of their Holy Conversation do depend Nay it is and hath been constantly taught them that if there be not an effectual Work of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts that they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now these things and whatever is spoken in the Explication of them are by some called in Question if not utterly rejected Yea some look on them as cunningly devised Fables Things that some not long since invented and others have propagated for their Advantage Others say that what is delivered concerning them is hardly if at all to be understood by Rational Men being only empty Speculations about things wherein Christian Religion is little or not at all concerned Whereas therefore many very many have received these things as Sacred Truths and are perswaded that they have found them realized in their own Souls so that into their Experience of the work of the Holy Spirit of God in them and upon them according as it is declared in the Word all their Consolation and Peace with God is for the most part resolved as that which gives them the best Evidence of their Interest in him who is their Peace and whereas for the Present they do believe that unless these things are so in and with them they have no Foundation to build an Hope of Eternal Life upon it cannot but be of indispensible necessity unto them to examine and Search the Scripture diligently whether these things be so or no. For if there be no such Work of the Spirit of God upon the Hearts of Men and that indispensibly necessary to their Salvation if there are no such Assistances and supplys of Grace needful unto every Good Duty as wherein they have been instructed then in the whole course of their Profession they have only been seduced by cunningly devised Fables their deceived hearts have fed upon ashes and they are yet in their Sins It is then of no less consideration and Importance than the eternal welfare of their Souls immediately concerned therein can render it that they diligently trye examine and search into these things by the safe and infallible Touchstone and Rule of the Word whereon they may must and ought to venture their Eternal Condition I know indeed that most Believers are so far satisfyed in the Truth of these things and their own Experience of them that they will not be moved in the least by the Oppositions which are made unto them and the scorn that is cast upon them For he that beleiveth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5. 10. But yet as Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus that he might know the certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed Luke 1. 4. that is to confirm him in the Truth by an Addition of new Degrees of Assurance unto him so it is our Duty to be so far excited by the Clamorous Oppositions that are made unto the Truths which we Profess and in whose being such we are as much concerned as our Souls are worth to compare them diligently with the Scripture that we may be the more fully confirmed and established in them And upon the Examination of the whole matter I shall leave them to their option as Elijah did of Old if Jehovah be God serve him and if Baal be God let him be worshipped If the things which the Generality of Professors do believe and acknowledg concerning the Spirit of God and his Work on their Hearts his Gifts and Graces in the Church with the manner of their Communication be for the substance of them wherein they all generally agree according to the Scripture taught and revealed therein on the same terms as by them received them may they abide in the Holy Profession of them and rejoyce in the Consolations they have received by them But if these things with those other which in the Application of them to the Souls of Men are directly and necessarily deduced and to be deduced from them are all but vain and useless Imaginations it is high time the Minds of Men were disburthened of them The Name and Titles of the HOLY SPIRIT CHAP. II. 1. Of the Name of the Holy Spirit 2. Various Uses of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Wind or any thing invisible with a sensible Agitation 3. Amos 4. 14. Mistakes of the Antients rectified by Hierom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaphorically for vanity 6. Metonymically for the part or quarter of any thing 7. For our Vital Breath The Rational Soul The Affections Angels good and bad 8. Ambiguity from the Use of the Word how to be removed Rules concerning the Holy Spirit The Name Spirit how peculiar and appropriate unto him Why he is called the Holy Spirit Whence called the Good Spirit The Spirit of God The Spirit of the Son Acts 2. 33. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. explained 1 John 4. 3. vindicated Sect. 1 BEfore we ingage into the consideration of the
of these actings is not considered absolutely as a Divine Person but with respect unto some peculiar Dispensation and Condescention So the Father gives sends commands the Son as he had condescended to take our Nature upon him and to be the Mediator between God and Man So the Father and the Son do send the Spirit as he condescends in an especial manner to the Office of being the Sunctifier and Comforter of the Church Now these are free and voluntary Acts depending upon the Sovereign Will Counsel Pleasure of God and might not have been without the least diminution of his Eternal Blessedness 2. There are especial Acts ad extra towards the Creatures This the whole Scripture testifieth unto so that it is altogether needless to confirm it with particular Instances None who have learned the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but can tell you what works are ascribed peculiarly to the Father what to the Son and what to the Holy Ghost Besides this will be manifested afterwards in all the distinct Actings of the Spirit which is sufficient for our purpose Sect. 6 Fifthly Hence it follows unavoidably that this Spirit of whom we treat is in himself a distinct living powerful intelligent divine Person for none other can be the Author of those internal and external Divine Acts and Operations which are ascribed unto him But here I must stay a little and firm that Foundation which we build upon For we are in the Investigation of those things which that one and self-same Spirit distributeth according to his own Will And it is indispensibly necessary unto our present Design that we enquire who and what that one and self-same Spirit is seeing on him and his Will all these things do depend And we do know likewise that if men prevail in the Opposition they make unto his Person it is to no great purpose to concern our selves in his Operations For the Foundation of any Fabrick being taken away the Superstructure will be of no use nor abide Sect. 7 The Opposition that is made in the World against the Spirit of God Doctrinally may be reduced unto two Heads For some there are who grant his Personality or that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person but they deny his Deity deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature or will not allow him to be God A Created Finite Spirit they say he is but the chiefest of all Spirits that were created and the Head of all the Good Angels Such a Spirit they say there is and that he is called the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost upon the account of the Work wherein he is employed This way went the Macedonian Hereticks of old and they are now followed by the Mahumetans and some of late among our selves have attempted to revive the same Frenzy But we shall not need to trouble our selves about this Notion The folly of it is so evident that it is almost by all utterly deserted For such things are affirmed of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture as that to assert his Personality and deny his Deity is the utmost madness that any one can fall into in Spiritual things Wherefore the Socinians the present great Enemies of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and who would be thought to go soberly about the work of destroying the Church of God do utterly reject this Plea and Pretence But that which they advance in the room of it is of no less pernitious Nature and Consequence For granting the things assigned to him to be the Effects of Divine Power they deny his Personality and assert that what is called by the Name of the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is nothing but a Quality in the Divine Nature or the Power that God puts forth for such and such purpose which yet is no new invention of theirs I do not design here professedly to contend with them about all the Concernments of this Difference for there is nothing of importance in all their Pretences or Exceptions but it will in one place or other occur unto consideration in our Progress I shall onely at present confirm the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost with one Argument which I will not say is such as no Man can return the shew of an Answer unto For what is it that the Serpentine Wits of Men will not pretend an Answer unto or an Exception against if their Lusts and Prejudices require them so to do But I will boldly say it is such as that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it in the Hearts of true Believers the strengthning of whose Faith is all that in it I do aim at And if it doth not unto all unprejudiced Persons evince the Truth and Reality of the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost it must certainly convince all Men that nothing which is taught or delivered in the Scripture can possibly be understood Sect. 8 One Consideration which hath in part been before proposed I shall premise to free the Subject of our Argument from Ambiguity And this is that this Word or Name Spirit is used sometimes to denote the Spirit of God himself and sometimes his Gifts and Graces the Effects of his Operations on the Souls of Men. And this our Adversaries in this Cause are forced to confess and thereon in all their Writings distinguish between the Holy Spirit and his Effects This alone being supposed I say it is impossible to prove the Father to be a Person or the Son to be so both which are acknowledged any other way than we may and do prove the Holy Ghost to be so For he to whom all personal Properties Attributes Adjuncts Acts and Operations are ascribed and unto whom they do belong and to whom nothing is or can be truly and properly ascribed but what may and doth belong unto a Person he is a Person and him are we taught to believe so to be So know we the Father to be a Person as also the Son For our Knowledg of things is more by their Properties and Operations than by their Essential Forms Especially is this so with respect to the Nature Being and Existence of God which are in themselves absolutely Incomprehensible Now I shall not confirm the Assumption of this Argument with reference unto the Holy Ghost from this or that particular Testimony nor from the Assignation of any single Personal Property unto him but from the constant Uniform Tenor of the Scripture in ascribing all these Properties unto him And we may add hereunto that things are so ordered in the Wisdom of God that there is no Personal Property that may be found in an Infinite Divine Nature but it is in One place or other ascribed unto him Sect. 9 There is no Exception can be laid against the force of this Argument but only that some things on the One hand are ascribed unto the Spirit which belong not unto a Person nor can be spoken of him
three one on the neck of another and the work is done the Sense intended is quite changed and lost Allow this Liberty or bold Licentiousness and you may overthrow the Being of God himself and the Mediation of Christ as to you Testimony given unto them in the Scripture But the words are plain He dâ—videth to every one as he will And for the confirmation of his Deity though that be out of question on the supposition of his Personality I shall only add from this place that he who hath the sovereign disposal of all Spiritual Gifts having only his own Will which is infinitely Wise and Holy for his Rule He is over all God blessed for ever Sect. 22 Thirdly Another Property of a living Person is Power A Power whereby any one is able to act according to the guidance of his Understanding and the determinations of his Will declares him to be a Person It is not the meer ascription of Power absolutely or ability unto any thing that I intend For they may signifie no more but the Efficacy wherewith such things are attended in their proper places as Instruments of the Effects whereunto they are applyed In this sense Power is ascribed to the Word of God when it is said to be able to save our Souls Jam. 1. 21. And Acts 20. 32. The Word of God's Grace is said to be able to build us up and to give us an Inheritance among them that are sanctified if that place intend the Word written or preached whereinto I have made enquiry elsewhere For these things are clearly interpreted in other places The Word is said to be able yea to be the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. because God is pleased to use it and make it effectual by his Grace unto that End But where Power Divine Power is absolutely ascribed unto any one and that declared to be put forth and exercised by the Understanding and according to the Will of him to whom it is so ascribed it doth undeniably prove him to be a Divine Person For when we say the Holy Ghost is so we intend no more but that he is one who by his own Divine Understanding puts forth his own Divine Power So is it in this Case Job 32. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life Creation is an Act of Divine Power the highest we are capable to receive any Notion of And it is also an Effect of the Wisdom and Will of him that createth as being a voluntary act and designed unto a certain end All these therefore are here ascribed to the Spirit of God It is excepted Schlicting p. 613 615. that by the Spirit of God here mentioned no more is intended but our own vital Spirits whereby we are quickned called the Spirit of God because he gave it But this is too much confidence The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were two distinct Divine Operations in and about the Creation of Man The first was the forming of his Body out of the Dust of the Earth This is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He made he formed and secondly the infusion of a living or quickning Soul into him called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Breath of Life Both these are here distinctly mentioned the first ascribed to the Spirit of God the other to his Breath that is the same Spirit considered in a peculiar way of operation in the Infusion of the rational Soul Such is the sense of those figurative and oenigmatical words God breathed into Man the Breath of Life that is by his Spirit he effected a Principle of Life in him as we shall see afterwards Isa. 11. 2. As he is called a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding so is he also of Might or Power and although it may be granted that the things there mentioned are rather Effects of his Operations than Adjuncts of his Nature yet he who effecteth Wisdom and Power in others must first have them himself To this purpose also is that demand Mich. 2. 7. Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned or shortned that is in his Power that he cannot Work and Operate in the Prophets and his Church as in former dayes And the same Prophet Chap. 3. vers 8. affirms That he is full of Power and of Judgment and of Might by the Spirit of the Lord. These things were wrought in him by his Power as the Apostle speaks to the same purpose Ephes. 3. 16. Those by whom this Truth is opposed do lay out all their strength and skill in Exceptions I may say Cavils against some of these particular Testimonies and some Expression in them But as to the whole Argument taken from the consideration of the Design and Scope of the Scripture in them all they have nothing to except Sect. 24 To compleat this Argument I shall add the Consideration of those Works and Operations of all sorts which are ascribed to the Spirit of God which we shall find to be such as are not capable of an assignation unto him with the least congruity of Speech or design of speaking intelligibly unless he be a distinct singular Subsistent or Person endued with Divine Power and Understanding And here what we desired formerly might be observed must be again repeated It is not from a single Instance of every one of the Works which we shall mention that we draw and confirm our Argument for some of them singly considered may perhaps sometimes be metaphorically ascribed unto other Causes which doth not prove that therefore they are Persons also which contains the force of all the Exceptions of our Adversaries against these Testimonies But as some of them at least never are nor can be assigned unto any but a Divine Person So we take our Argument from their joint consideration or the uniform constant Assignation of them all unto him in the Scriptures which renders it irrefragable For the things themselves I shall not insist upon them because their particular Nature must be afterwards unfolded Sect. 25 First He is said to teach us Luk. 12. 12. The Holy Ghost shall teach you what you ought to say John 14. 26. The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to remembrance 1 John 2. 27. He is the Unction which teacheth us all things how and whence he is so called shall be afterwards declared He is the great Teacher of the Church unto whom the accomplishment of that great Promise is committed and they shall be all taught of God John 6. 45. It is said with the Church of God when Her Teachers are removed into a Corner and Her Eyes see them not But better lose all other Teachers and that utterly than to lose this great Teacher only For although he is pleased to make use of them He can teach effectually and savingly without
Whatever the Son of God wrought in by or upon the Humane Nature he did it by the Holy Ghost who is his Spirit as he is the Spirit of the Father Sect. 9 6. To clear the whole matter it must be yet further observed that the immediate actings of the Holy Ghost are not spoken of him absolutely nor ascribed unto him exclusively as unto the other Persons and their Concurrence in them It is a saying generally admitted that Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa There is no such Division in the external Operations of God that any one of them should be the Act of one Person without the Concurrence of the others And the Reason of it is because the Nature of God which is the Principle of all Divine Operations is one and the same individed in them all Whereas therefore they are the Effects of Divine Power and that Power is essentially the same in each Person the Works themselves belong equally unto them As if it were possible that Three Men might see by the same Eye the Act of seeing would be but One and it would be equally the Act of all Three But the Things we insist on are ascribed eminently unto the Holy Ghost on the account of the Order of his Subsistence in the Holy Trinity as he is the Spirit of the Father and the Son whence in every Divine Act the Authority of the Father the Love and Wisdom of the Son with the immediate Efficacy and Power of the Holy Ghost are to be considered Yea and there is such a distinction in their Operations that one Divine Act may produce a peculiar Respect and Relation unto one Person and not unto another as the Assumption of the Humane Nature did to the Son for he only was incarnate And such are the especial Actings of the Holy Ghost towards the Head of the Church our Lord Jesus Christ in this Work of the New Creation as we shall demonstrate in sundry Instances Sect. 10 First The framing forming and miraculous Conception of the Body of Christ in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin was the peculiar and especial Work of the Holy Ghost This Work I acknowledg in respect of Designation and the Authoritative Disposal of things is ascribed unto the Father For so the Lord Christ speaketh unto him A Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10. 6. But this Preparation doth not signifie the actual forming and making ready of that Body but the Eternal Designation of it It was prepared in the Counsel and Love of the Father As to voluntary Assumption it is ascribed to the Son himself Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself pertook of the same he took unto him a Body and Soul entire Humane Nature as the Children or all Believers have the same Synecdochically expressed by Flesh and Blood v. 16. He took on him the Seed of Abraham But the immediate Divine Efficiency in this Matter was the Peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1. 18. When his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with Child of the Holy Ghost v. 20. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. 35. The Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow Thee therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of Thee shall be called the Son of God 1. The Person working is the Holy Ghost He is the wonderful Operator in this Glorious Work and therein the Power of the most High was exerted For the Power of the most High is neither explicatory of the former expression the Holy Ghost as though he were only the Power of the most High nor is it the adjoyning of a Distinct Agent or Cause unto him as though the Holy Ghost and the Power of the most High were different Agents in this Matter Only the manner of his effecting this wonderful Matter concerning which the Blessed Virgin had made that enquiry v. 34. How can this be seeing I know not a Man is expressed The Holy Ghost saith the Angel acting the Power of the most High or in the Infinite Power of God shall accomplish it 2. For his access unto his Work it is expressed by his coming upon her The importance of this Expression and what is signified thereby hath been declared before And it is often used to declare his Actings with reference unto the Production of Miraculous Works Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you He will so come upon you as to put forth the Power of the most High in you and by you in Gifts and Operations miraculous For he is said to come with respect unto his beginning of any marvelous Operation where before he did not work to the like purpose 3. The Act of the Holy Ghost in this Matter was a Creating Act not indeed like the first Creating Act which produced the Matter and Substance of all things out of nothing causing that to be which was not before neither in Matter nor Form nor passive Disposition but like those subsequent Acts of Creation whereby out of Matter before made and prepared things were made that which before they were not and which of themselves they had no active Disposition unto nor concurrence in So Man was created or formed of the Dust of the Earth and Woman of a Rib taken from Man There was a previous Matter unto their Creation but such as gave no assistance nor had any active Disposition to the Production of that particular kind of Creature whereinto they were formed by the Creating Power of God Such was this Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. For although it was effected by an Act of Infinite Creating Power yet it was formed or made of the Substance of the Blessed Virgin That it should be so was absolutely necessary 1. For the accomplishment of the Promises made unto Abraham and David that the Messiah should be of their Seed and proceed from their Loyns 2. So was it also on the account of the first Original Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head For the Word was to be made Flesh John 1. 14. to be made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. or made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 4. and take upon him the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. 3. To confirm the Truth hereof is his Genealogie according to the Flesh given us by two of the Evangelists which were neither to the purpose nor true if he were not made of the Substance or Flesh of the Blessed Virgin 4. Besides all our Cognation and Alliance unto him whence he was meet to be our Saviour suffering in the same Nature wherein we have sinned do depend hereon Heb. 2. 14. For if he had not been made like us in
them infallibly to receive understand and declare the whole Counsel of God in Christ. For so according unto the Promise He led them into all Truth And his Grace he shewed unto them in his pouring out both of his Sanctifying Graces and Extraordinary Gifts upon them in an abundant measure And so he still continues to shew the Truth and Grace of Christ unto all Believers though not in the same manner as unto the former nor unto the same Degree as unto the latter For he shews unto us the Truth of Christ or the Truth that came by Jesus Christ by the Word as Written and Preached instructing us in it and enlightning our Minds Spiritually and Savingly to understand the Mind of God therein And of his Grace he imparts unto us in our Sanctification Consolation and Communication of Spiritual Gifts according unto the measure of the Gift of Christ unto every one of us as the present use of the Church doth require which things must be afterwards declared And the Reason of the Assertion is added in the last place All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Two things may be observed in these words 1. The Extent of the Things of Christ which are to be shewed unto Believers by the Spirit and they are all the things that the Father hath They are mine saith our Saviour And these All things may be taken either absolutely and personally or with a restriction unto Office 1. All things that the Father hath absolutely were the Son 's also For receiving his Personality from the Father by the communication of the whole entire Divine Nature all the things of the Father must needs be his Thus as the Father hath Life in himself so he hath given unto the Son to have Life in himself John 5. 26. and the like may be said of all other Essential Properties of the God-head But these seem not to be the All Things here intended They are not the All things of the Divine Nature which he had by Eternal Generation but the All Things of Spiritual Grace and Power which he had by voluntary Donation Matth. 11. 27. Joh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand That is all the Effects of the Love Grace and Will of the Father what-ever he had purposed in himself from Eternity and what-ever his Infinite Power and Goodness would produce in the pursuit thereof was all given and committed unto Jesus Christ so All things that the Father hath were his 2. That these things may be rightly understood and apprehended we must consider a two-sold Operation of God as Three in One. The first hereof is absolute in all Divine Works what-ever the other respects the Oeconomy of the Operations of God in our Salvation In those of the first sort both the Working and the Work do in common and undividâ—dly belong unto and proceed from each Person And the Reason hereof is because they are all Effects of the Essential Properties of the same Divine Nature which is in them all or rather which is the one Nature of them all But yet as they have one Nature so there is an Order of subsistence in that Nature and the distinct Person Work in the Order of their Subsistence John 5. 19 20. Verily I say unto you the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for whatsoever things he doth those also doth the Son likewise The Father doth not first work in order of Time and then the Son seeing of it work another Work like unto it But the Son doth the same Work that the Father doth This is absolutely necessary because of their Union in Nature But yet in the Order of their Subsistence the Person of the Father is the Original of all Divine Works in the principle and beginning of them and that in order of Nature antecedently unto the Operation of the Son Hence he is said to see what the Father doth which according unto our former Rule in the Exposition of such Expressions when ascribed unto the Divine Nature is the sign and evidence and not the means of his Knowledg He sees what the Father doth as he is his Eternal Wisdom The like must be said of the Holy Spirit with respect both unto the Father and Son And this Order of Operation in the Holy Trinity is not voluntary but natural and necessary from the one Essence and distinct Subsistences thereof Secondly There are those Operations which with respect unto our Salvation the Father Son and Holy Spirit do graciously condescend unto which are those treated of in this place Now though the designing of this Work was absolutely voluntary yet upon a supposition thereof the order of its Accomplishment was made necessary from the Order of the Subsistence of the distinct Persons in the Deity and that is here declared Thus 1. the things to be declared unto us and bestowed on us are originally the Father's Things He is the peculiar Fountain of them all His Love His Grace His Wisdom His Goodness His Counsel His Will is their Supream Cause and Spring Hence are they said to be the things that the Father hath 2. They are made the Things of the Son that is they are given and granted in and unto his disposal on the account of his Mediation for thereby they were to be prepared for us and given out unto us to the Glory of God Answerable hereunto as the Lord Christ is Mediator all the things of Grace are originally the Fathers and then given unto him 3. They are actually communicated unto us by the Holy Spirit Therefore said I he shall take of mine and shew unto you He doth not communicate them unto us immediately from the Father We do not so receive any Grace from God that is the Father nor do we so make any return of Praise or Obedience unto God We have nothing to do with the Person of the Father immediately It is by the Son alone by whom we have an Access unto him and by the Son alone that he gives out of his Grace and Bounty unto us He that hath not the Son hath not the Father With him as the great Treasurer of Heavenly Things are all Grace and Mercy entrusted The Holy Spirit therefore shews them unto us works them in us bestows them on us as they are the Fruits of the Mediaâ—ion of Christ and not meerly as Effects of the Divine Love and Bounty of the Father and this is required from the Order of Subsistence before mentioned Thus the Holy Spirit supplies the bodily Absence of Jesus Christ and Effects what he hath to do and accomplish towards his in the World so that what-ever is done by him it is the same as if it were wrought immediately by the Lord Christ himself in his own Person whereby all his Holy Promises are fully accomplished towards them that believe Sect. 6
Paul in that condition had preserved himself so as that according to the Law he was blameless and the young Man thought he had kept all the Commandments from his youth But setting aside this Consideration notwithstanding the utmost that this Work can attain unto after the efficacy of its first Impressions begin to abate Lust will reserve some peculiar way of venting and discovering it self which is much spoken unto 3. The Conversations of Persons who live and abide under the Power of this Work only is assuredly fading and decaying Coldness Sloth Negligence Love of the World Carnal-Wisdom and Security do every day get ground upon them Hence although by a long course of abstinence from open sensual sins and stating of a contrary Interest they are not given up unto them yet by the decayes of the Power of their Convictions and the ground that Sin gets upon them they become walking and talking Sceletons in Religion dry sapless useless Worldlings But where the Soul is inlaid with real Saving-Grace it is in a state of thriving continually Such a one will go on from Strength to Strength from Grace to Grace from Glory to Glory and will be fat and flourishing in Old Age. By these things may we learn to distinguish in our selves between the preparatory Work mentioned and that of real Saving-Conversion unto God And these are some of the Heads of those Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men which often-times are preparatory unto a real Conversion unto God and sometimes their Contempt and Rejection a great Aggravation of the sin and misery of them in whom they were wrought Sect. 20 And these things as they are clearly laid down in the Scripture and exemplified in sundry Instances so for the substance of them they have been acknowledged till of late by all Christians only some of the Papists have carried them so far as to make them formally dispositive unto Justification and to have a congruous merit thereof But this the Ancients denyed who would not allow that either any such Preparation or any Moral Virtues did capacitate Men for real Conversion observing that others were often called before those who were so qualified And in them there are Goads and Nails which have been fastned by Wise and Experienced Masters of the Assemblies to the great Advantage of the Souls of Men. For observing the usual Wayes and Means whereby these Effects are wrought in the Minds of the Hearers of the Word with their Consequences in Sorrow troubles Fear and Humiliations and the Courses which they take to improve them or to extricate themselves from the perplexity of them they have managed the Rules of Scripture with their own and others Experience suitable thereunto to the great benefit of the Church of God That these things are now despised and laughed to scorn is no part of the happiness of the Age wherein we live as the event will manifest Sect. 21 And in the mean time if any suppose that we will forgoe those Truths and Doctrines which are so plainly revealed in the Scripture the Knowledg whereof is so useful unto the Souls of Men and whose Publication in Preaching hath been of so great Advantage to the Church of God meerly because they understand them not and therefore reproach them they will be greatly mistaken Let them lay aside that unchristian way of treating about these things which they have ingaged in and plainly prove that Men need not be convinced of sin that they ought not to be humbled for it nor affected with sorrow with respect unto it that they ought not to seek for a Remedy or Deliverance from it that all Men are not born in a state of Sin that our Nature is not depraved by the Fall that we are able to do all that is required of us without the Internal Aids and Assistances of the Spirit of God and they shall be diligently attended unto Corruption or Depravation of the Mind by Sin CHAP. III. 1. Contempt and Corruption of the Doctrine of Regeneration 2. All Men in the World Regenerate or Unregenerate 3. General Description of Corrupted Nature 4 5. Depravation of the Mind 6. Darkness upon it 7. The Nature of Spiritual Darkness 8 9. Reduced into two Heads of Darkness objective 10. How removed 11 12 13 14. Of Darkness subjective its Nature and Power 15 16. proved 17. Ephes. 4. 17 18. opened 18. Applyed 19. The Mind alienated from the Life of God 20 21. 22. The Life of God what it is 23. The Power of the Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things examined 24 25. 1 Cor. 2. 14. opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Natural Man who 26. Spiritual Things what they are 27. How the Natural Man cannot know or receive Spiritual Things 28. Difference between understanding Doctrines and receiving of Things 29 30. A two-fold Power and Ability of Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things explained 31. Reasons why a Natural Man cannot discern Spiritual Things 32 33 34 35 36 37. How and wherefore Spiritual Things are foolishness to Natural Men. 38. Why Natural Men cannot receive the Things of God 39 40 41. A double impotency in the Mind of Man by Nature 42. 1 Cor. 2. 14. farther vindicated 43. Power of Darkness in Persons Unregenerate 44. The Mind filled with Wills or Lusts and enmity thereby 45. The Power and Efficacy of Spiritual Darkness at large declared Sect. 1 VVE have I hope made our way plain for the due Consideration of the great Work of the Spirit in the Regeneration of the Souls of God's Elect. This is that whereby he forms the Members of the Mystical Body of Christ and prepares Living Stones for the building of a Temple wherein the Living God will dwell Now that we may not only declare the Truth in this Matter but also vindicate it from those Corruptions wherewith some have endeavoured to debauch it I shall promise a Description lately given of it with confidence enough and it may be not without too much Authority And it is in these words What is it to be born again and to have a new Spiritual Life in Christ but to become sincere Proselytes to the Gospel to renounce all vitious Customs and Practices and to give an upright and uniform obedience to all the Laws of Christ and therefore if they are all but precepts of moral virtue to be born again and to have a new Spiritual life is only to become a new moral man But their account speaking of nonconformist Ministers of this Article is so wild and Phantastick that had I nothing else to make good my charge against them that alone would be more than enough to expose the prodigious folly of their Spiritual Divinity p. 343 344. I confess these are the words of one who seems not much to consider what he says so as that it may serve his present turn in reviling and reproaching other men For he considers not that by this description of it he utterly excludes
Christ in this World And thus far the Dispensation of the Gospel is only a causa sine qua non of the Regeneration of Men and the granting of it depends solely on the Will of the Spirit of God Sect. 11 It is Subjective Darkness which is of more direct and immediate Consideration in this Matter the Nature whereof with what it doth respect and the influence of it on the Minds of Men must be declared before we can rightly apprehend the Work of the Holy Spirit in its removal by Regeneration This is that whereby the Scripture expresseth the Natural Depravation and Corruption of the Minds of Men with respect unto Spiritual Things and the Duty that we owe to God according to the Tenor of the Covenant And two things must be premised to our consideration of it As Sect. 12 1. That I shall not Treat of the Depravation or Corruption of the Mind of Man by the Fall with respect unto Things Natural Civil Political or Moral but meerly with regard to things Spiritual Heavenly and Evangelical It were easie to evince not only by Testimonies of the Scripture but by the Experience of all Mankind built on Reason and the Observation of Instances innumerable that the whole Rational Soul of Man since the Fall and by the entrance of sin is weakned impaired vitiated in all its Faculties and all their Operations about their proper and natural Objects Neither is there any Relief against these Evils with all those unavoidable Perturbations wherewith it is possessed and actually disordered in all its Workings but by some secret and hidden Operation of the Spirit of God such as he continually exerts in the Rule and Government of the World But it is concerning the Impotency Defect Depravation and Perversity of the Mind with respect unto Spiritual Things alone that we shall treat at present I say then Sect. 13 2. That by reason of that Vice Corruption or Depravation of the Minds of all Unregenerate Men which the Scripture calls Darkness and Blindness they are not able of themselves by their own Reasons and Understandings how-ever exercised and improved to discern receive understand or believe savingly Spiritual Things or the Mystery of the Gospel when and as they are outwardly revealed unto them without an effectual powerful Work of the Holy Spirit creating or by his Almighty Power inducing a new Saving Light into them Let it be supposed that the Mind of a Man be no way hurt or impaired by any natural defect such as doth not attend the whole Race of Mankind but is personal only and accidental suppose it free from contracted habits of Vice or voluntary Prejudices yet upon the Proposal of the Doctrine and Mysteries of the Gospel let it be done by the most skilful Masters of the Assemblies with the greatest Evidence and Demonstration of the Truth it is not able of it self Spiritually and Savingly to receive understand and assent unto them without the especial Aid and Assistance and Operation of the Holy Spirit To evince this Truth we may consider in one Instance the Description given us in the Scripture of the Mind it self and of its Operations with respect unto Spiritual Things This we have Ephes. 4. 17. 18. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that you hence-forth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their Mind having the Understanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart It is of the Gentiles that the Apostle speaks But the Apostle speaks of them on the account of that which is common unto all Men by Nature For he Treats of their Condition with respect unto the Faculties of their Minds and Souls wherein there is as unto the Life of God or Spiritual Things no difference naturally among Men and their Operations and Effects are for the substance of them the same Sect. 14 Some indeed give such an account of this Text as if the Apostle had said Do we not live after the Heathens in the vileness of those Practices and in their Idol Worship That long course of Sin having blinded their Understandings so that they see not that which by the Light of Nature they are enabled to see and by that gross Ignorance and obduration of Heart run into all Impiety are far removed from that Life which God and Nature require of them It is supposed in this Exposition 1. That the Apostle hath respect in the first place to the Practices of the Gentiles not to their State and Condition 2. That this Practice concerns only their Idolatry and Idol-Worship 3. That what is here ascribed unto them came upon them by a long course of sinning 4. That the Darkness mentioned consists in a not discerning of what might be seen by the Light of Nature 5. That their Alienation from the Life of God consisted in running into that Impiety which was distant or removed from the Life that God and Nature require But all these Sentiments are so far from being contained in the Text as that they are expresly contrary unto it For 1. although the Apostle doth carry on his Description of this State of the Gentiles unto the vile Practices that ensued thereon on v. 19. Yet it is their State by Nature with respect unto the Life of God which is first intended by him This is apparent from what he prescribes unto Christians in opposition thereunto namely The New Man which after God is created in Rightcousness and true Holiness v. 24. 2. The Vanity mentioned is subjective in their Minds and so hath no respect to Idol-Worship but as it was an Effect thereof The vanity of their Minds is the Principle whereof this walking be what it will was the Effect and Consequent 3. Here is no mention nor intimation of any long course of sinning much less that it should be the cause of the other things ascribed to the Gentiles whereof indeed it was the Effect The Description given is that of the state of all Men by Nature as is plain from Chap. 2. 1 2 3. 4. The Darkness here mentioned is opposed unto being Light in the Lord Chap. 5. 8. which is not meer Natural Light nor can any by that Light alone discern Spiritual Things or the Things that belong to the Life of God 5. The Life of God here is not that Life which God and Nature require but that Life which God reveals in requires and communicates by the Gospel through Jesus Christ as all Learned Expositors acknowledg Wherefore the Apostle treateth here of the State of Men by Nature with respect unto Spiritual and Supernatural Things And three Heads he reduceth all things in Man unto 1. He mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Understanding And 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heart And all these are one entire Principle of all our Moral and Spiritual Operations and are all affected
thereunto So that to say there is no Disposition unto Spiritual Life in any Unregenerate Person is to make them all equal which is contrary to Experience Answ. 1. There is no doubt but that Unregenerate Men may perform many external Duties which are good in themselves and lie in the order of the outward Disposal of the means of Conversion Nor is it questioned but they may have real Designs Desires and Endeavours after that which is presented unto them as their chiefest Good But so far as these Desires or Actings are meerly Natural there is no Disposition in them unto Spiritual Life or that which is Spiritually Good So far as they are Supernatural they are not of themselves For 2. Although there are no preparatory Inclinations in Men yet there are preparatory Works upon them Those who have not the Word yet may have Convictions of Good and Evil from the Authority of God in their Consciences Rom. 2. 14 15. And the Law in the Dispensation of it may work Men unto many Duties of Obedience much more may the Gospel so do But what-ever Effects are hereby produced they are wrought by the Power of God exerted in the Dispensation of the Word They are not educed out of the natural Faculties of the Minds of Men but are Effects of the Power of God in them and upon them For we know that in the flesh there dwelleth no good thing And all Unregenerate Men are no more for that which is born of the flesh is flesh 3. The Actings thus effected and produced in Men Unregenerate are neither Fruits of nor Dispositions unto Spiritual Life Men that are spiritually dead may have Designs and Desires to free themselves from dying Eternally but such a desire to be saved is no saving Disposition unto Life The Nature Causes and Means of Regeneration CHAP. V. 1. Description of the State of Nature necessary unto a right understanding of the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration 2. No possibility of Salvation unto Persons living and dying in a state of Sin 3. Deliverance from it by Regeneration only 4. The Holy Ghost the peculiar Author of this Work 5. Differences about the Manner and Nature of it 6. Way of the Ancients in explaining the Doctrine of Grace the present Method proposed 7. Conversion not wrought by Moral Swasion only 8 9 10. The Nature and Efficacy of Moral Swasion wherein they consist 11. Illumination preparatory unto Conversion 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. The Nature of Grace morally effective only opened not sufficient of Conversion 19 20. The first Argument disproving the working of Grace in Conversion to be by Moral Swasion only 21 22. The Second 23 24. The Third 25. The Fourth 26 27 28. Wherein the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration positively doth consist the use and end of outward means 29. Real internal efficiency of the Spirit in this Work 30 31 32 33 34 35. Grace victorious and irresistible the Nature of it explained 36. Proved 37 38 39 40. The manner of God's working by Grace on our Wills further explained Testimonies concerning the Actual Collation of Faith by the Power of God 41 42 43 44. Victorious efficacy of internal Grace proved by sundry Testimonies of Scripture 45 46 47 48 49. From the nature of the Work wrought by it in Vivification and Regeneration 50 51 52 53 54. Regeneration considered with respect unto the distinct Faculties of the Soul The Mind 55. The Will 56 57. The Affections Sect. 1 UNto The Description we are to give of the Work of Regeneration the precedent account of the Subject of it or the State and Condition of them that are to be Regenerated was necessarily to be premised For upon the knowledg thereof doth a due Apprehension of the Nature of that Work depend And the occasion of all the Mistakes and Errors that have been about it eiâ—her of old or of late hath been a misunderstanding of the true state of Men in their lapsed condition or of Nature as depraved Yea and those by whom this whole Work is derided do now countenance themselves therein by their Ignorance of that state which they will not learn either from the Scripture or Experience For Natura sic apparet vitiata ut hoc majoris vitii sit non videre as Austin speaks It is an Evidence of the Corruption of Nature that it disenables the Minds of Men to discern their own Corruption We have previously discharged this work so far as it is necessary unto our present purpose Many other things might be added in the Explication of it were that our direct Design Particularly having confined my self to treat only concerning the Depravation of the Mind and Will I have not insisted on that of the Affections which yet is effectual to retain unregenerate Men under the Power of sin though it be far enough from Truth that the whole Corruption of Nature consists therein as some weakly and Athologically have Imagined Much less have I treated concerning that encrease and heightning of the Depravation of Nature which is attracted by a Custom of sinning as unto all the perverse Ends of it Yet this also the Scripture much insists upon as that which naturally and necessarily ensues in all in whom it is not prevented by the effectual transforming Grace of the Spirit of God And it is that which seals up the Impossibility of their turning themselves to God Jerom. 13. 23. Rom. 3. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. But that the whole Difficulty of Conversion should arise from Mens contracting an Habit or Custom of sinning is false and openly contradictory to the Scripture These things are Personal Evils and befal Individuals through their own default in various Degrees And we see that amongst Men under the same use of means some are converted unto God who have been deeply immersed in an habitual course of open sins whilst others kept from them by the Influence of their Education upon their Inclinations and Affections remain uncoverted So was it of old between the Publicans and Harlots on the one hand and the Pharisees on the other But my design was only to mention that which is common unto all Or wherein all Men Universally are equally concerned who are partakers of the same Humane Nature in its lapsed Condition And what we have herein declared from the Scriptures will guide us in our Enquiry after the work of the Holy Spirit of Grace in our Deliverance from it Sect. 2 It is evident and needs no further confirmation that persons Living and Dying in this Estate cannot be saved This hitherto hath been allowed by all that are called Christians nor are we to be moved that some who call themselves so do begin to laugh at the disease and Despise the Remedy of our Nature Among those who lay any serious and real claim unto Christianity there is nothing more certain nor more acknowledged than that there is no Deliverance from a state of misery for those who
means unto Men in the state of Sin if they are not complyed withal is sufficient on the grounds before laid down to leave them by whom they are rejected inexcusable so Isa. 5. 3 4 5. Prov. 29. 1. 2 Chron. 36. 14 15. Joh. 2. That the effect of Regeneration or Conversion unto God is assigned unto the Preaching of the Word because of its efficacy thereunto in its own kind and way as the outward means thereof 1 Cor. 4. 15. James 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Sect. 10 2ly We may consider what is the Nature and wherein the Efficacy of this Moral Work doth consist To which purpose we may observe Sect. 11 1. That in the use of this Means for the Conversion of Men there is preparatory unto that wherein this Moral Perswasion doth consist an Instruction of the Mind in the knowledg of the Will of God and its duty towards him The first regard unto Men in the Dispensation of the Word unto them is their Darkness and Ignorance whereby they are alienated from the Life of God This therefore is the first End of Divine Revelation namely to make known the Counsel and Will of God unto us see Matth. 4. 15 16. Luk. 4. 18 19. Acts 26. 17 18. Acts 20. 20 21 26 27. By the Preaching of the Law and the Gâ—spel Men are instructed in the whole Counsel of God and what he requires of them And in their Apprehension hereof doth the Illumination of their Minds consist whereof we must treat distinctly afterwards Without a supposition of this Illumination there is no use of the Perswasive Power of the Word for it consists in affecting the Mind with its Concernment in the things that it knows or wherein it is instructed Wherefore we suppose in this Case that a Man is taught by the Word both the Necessity of Regeneration and what is required of himself thereunto Sect. 12 2. On this Supposition that a Man is instructed in the knowledg of the Will of God as revealed in the Law and the Gospel there is accompanying the Word of God in the Dispensation of it a powerful perswasive Eâ—â—â—cacy unto a complyance with it and observance of it For Instance Suppose a Man to be convinced by the Word of God of the Nature of Sin of his own sinful Condition of his danger from thence with respect unto the Sin of Nature on which account he is a Child of Wrath and of his actual Sin which further renders him obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and the Indignation of God of his Duty hereon to turn unto God and the way whereby he may so do there are in the Precepts Exhortations Expostulations Promises and Threatnings of the Word especially as dispensed in the Ministry of the Church Powerful Motives to affect and Arguments to prevail with the Mind and Will of such a Man to endeavour his own Regeneration or Conversion unto God rational and cogent above all that can be objected unto the contrary On some it is acknowledged that these things have no effect they are not moved by them they care not for them they do despise them and live and die in rebellion against the Light of them having their Eyes blinded by the God of this World But this is no Argument that they are not powerful in themselves although indeed it is that they are not so towards us of themselves but only as the Holy Spirit is pleased to act them towards us But in these Motives Reasons and Arguments whereby Men are in and from the Word and the Ministry of it urged and pressed unto Conversion to God doth this Moral Perswasion whereof we speak consist And the efficacy of it unto the end proposed ariseth from the things ensuing which are all resolved into God himself Sect. 13 1. From an evidence of the Truth of the things from whence these Motives and Arguments were taken The Foundation of all the Efficacy of the Dispensation of the Gospel lies in an evidence that the things proposed in it are not cunningly devised Fables 2 Pet. 1. 16. Where this is not admitted where it is not firmly assented unto there can be no perswasive Efficacy in it But where this is namely a prevalent Perswasion of the Truth of the Things proposed there the Mind is under a Disposition unto the things whereunto it is perswaded And hereon the whole Efficacy of the Word in and upon the Souls of Men is resolved into the Truth and Veracity of God For the things contained in the Scripture are not proposed unto us meerly as true but as Divine Truths as immediate Revelations from God which requires not only a rational but a sacred Religious respect unto them They are Things that the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. There is a proposal unto the Wills and Affections of Men in the Things so assented unto on the one hand as Good Amiable and Excellent wherein the chiefest Good Happiness and utmost End of our Natures are comprized to be pursued and attained and on the other of things Evil and Terrible the utmost Evil that our Nature is obnoxious unto to be avoided For this is urged on them that to comply with the Will of God in the proposals of the Gospel to conform thereunto to do what he requires to turn from Sin unto him is good unto Men best for them assuredly attended with present Satisfaction and future Glory And therein is also proposed the most noble Object for our Affections even God himself as a Friend as reconciled unto us in Christ and that in a way suited unto his Holiness Righteousness Wisdom and Goodness which we have nothing to oppose unto nor to lay in the Ballance against The way also of the Reconciliation of Sinners unto God by Jesus Christ is set out as that which hath such an Impress of Divine Wisdom and Goodness upon it as that it can be refused by none but out of a direct enmity against God himself Unto the enforcing of these things on the Minds of Men the Scripture abounds with Reasons Motives and Arguments the rendring whereof effectual is the principal end of the Ministry On the other hand it is declared and evidenced that Sin is the great Debasement of our Natures the Ruine of our Souls the only Evil in the World in its Guilt and Punishment that a Continuance in a state of it with a Rejection of the Invitation of the Gospel unto Conversion to God is a thing foolish unworthy of a rational Creature and that which will be everlastingly pernitious Whereas therefore in the judgment of every rational Creature Spiritual Things are to be preferred before Natural Eternal Things before Temporal and that these things are thus disposed of in infinite Goodness Love and Wisdom they must needs be apt to affect the Wills and take the Affections of Men. And herein the Efficacy of the Word on the Minds and Consciences of Men is resolved into the Authority of God These Precepts these Promises
like that which is in a dead Man unto the Acts of Life Natural if there be not an alike Power of God required unto our Deliverance from that Condition and the working in us a Principle of Spiritual Obedience as is required unto the raising of him that is dead they may as well say That the Scripture speaks not truly as that it speaks metaphorically And that it is Almighty Power the exceeding greatness of God's Power that is put forth and exercised herein we have proved from Ephes. 1. 18 19. Col. 2. 12 13. 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And what do these Men intend by this quickning this raising us from the Dead by the Power of God A perswasion of our Minds by rational Motives taken from the Word and the Things contained in it But was there ever heard of such a monstrous Expression if there be nothing else in it What could the Holy Writers intend by calling such a Work as this by a quickning of them who were dead in Trespasses and Sins through the mighty Power of God unless it were by a noise of insignificant words to draw us off from a right understanding of what is intended And it is well if some are not of that Mind Sect. 50 2. The Work it self wrought is our Regeneration I have proved before that this consists in a new spiritual supernatural vital Principle or Habit of Grace infused into the Soul the Mind Will and Affections by the Power of the Holy Spirit disposing and enabling them in whom it is unto Spiritual Supernatural Vital Acts of Faith and Obedience Some Men seem to be inclined to deny all Habits of Grace And on such a Supposition a Man is no longer a Believer than he is in the Actual Exercise of Faith For there is nothing in him from whence he should be so denominated But this would plainly overthrow the Covenant of God and all the Grace of it Others expresly deny all gracious supernatural infused Habits though they may grant such as are or may be acquired by the frequent Acts of those Graces or Vertues whereof they are the Habits But the Scripture giveth us another Description of this Work of Regeneration for it consists in the Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 23 24. Be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on that new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness That Adam in innocency had a supernatural Ability of living unto God habitually residing in him is generally acknowledged And although it were easie for us to prove that whereas he was made for a supernatural End namely to live to God and to come to the enjoyment of him it was utterly impossible that he should answer it or comply with it by the meer strength of his natural Faculties had they not been endued with a supernatural Ability which with respect unto that End was created with them and in them Yet we will not contend about Terms Let it be granted that he was created in the Image of God and that he had an Ability to fulfil all God's Commands and that in himself and no more shall be desired This was lost by the Fall When this is by any denyed it shall be proved In our Regeneration there is a Renovation of this Image of God in us Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds And it is renewed in us by a Creating Act of Almighty Power which after God or according to his likeness is created in Righteousness and true Holiness There is therefore in it an Implantation of a new Principle of Spiritual Life of a Life unto God in Repentance Faith and Obedience or Universal Holiness according to gospel-Gospel-Truth or the Truth which came by Jesus Christ John 1. 18. And the Effect of this Work is called Spirit Joh. 8. 5. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It is the Spirit of God of whom we are born that is our new Life is wrought in us by his Efficiency And that which in us is so born of him is Spirit not the Natural Faculties of our Souls they are once Created once Born and no more but a new Principle of Spiritual Obedience whereby we live unto God And this is the product of the internal immediate Efficiency of Grace Sect. 51 This will the better appear if we consider the Faculties of the Soul distinctly and what is the especial Work of the Holy Spirit upon them in our Regeneration or Conversion to God 1. The leading conducting Faculty of the Soul is the Mind or Understanding Now this is corrupted and vitiated by the Fall and how it continues depraved in the State of Nature hath been declared before The sum is that it is not able to discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner for it is possessed with Spiritual Blindness or Darkness and is filled with enmity against God and his Law esteeming the things of the Gospel to be foolishness because it is alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance that is in it We must therefore enquire what is the Work of the Holy Spirit on our Minds in turning of us to God whereby this Depravation is removed and this vitious State cured whereby we come to see and discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner that we may savingly know God and his Mind as revealed in and by Jesus Christ. And this is several wayes declared in the Scripture Sect. 52 1. He is said to give us an Understanding 1 John 5. 20. The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is True which he doth by his Spirit Man by Sin is become like the Beasts that perish which have no Understanding Psal. 49. 12 20. Men have not lost their natural intellective Faculty or Reason absolutely It is continued unto them with the free though impaired use of it in things Natural and Civil And it hat an advance in Sin Men are wise to do evil But it is lost as to the especial use of it in the saving knowledg of God and his Will to do good they have no knowledg Jer. 4. 22. For naturally there is none that understandeth that seeketh after God Rom. 3. 17. It is corrupted not so much in the Root and Principle of its Acting as with respect unto their proper Object Term and End Wherefore although this giving of an Understanding be not the creating in us a-new of that Natural Faculty yet it is that gracious work in it without which that Faculty in us as depraved will no more enable us to know God savingly than if we had none at all The Grace therefore here asserted in the giving of an Understanding is the causing of our natural Understandings to understand savingly This David prayes for Psal. 119. 34. Give me Understanding and I shall keep thy Law The whole Work is expressed by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 16 17 18. That thâ— God of our Lord
dead in Sin And herein is seated that peculiar obstinacy whence it is that no Unregenerate Person doth or can answer his own Conviction or walk up unto his Light in Obedience For the Will may be considered two wayes 1. As a rational vital Faculty of our Souls 2. As a free Principle freedom being of its Essence or Nature This therefore in our Conversion to God is renewed by the Holy Ghost and that by an effectual implantation in it of a Principle of Spiritual Life and Holiness in the room of that Original Righteousness which it lost by the Fall That he doth so is proved by all the Testimonies before insisted on 1. This is its Renovation as it is a rational vital Faculty and of this Vivification see before 2. As it 's a free Principle it is determined unto its Acts in this case by the powerful Operation of the Holy Ghost without the least impeachment of its Liberty or Freedom as hath been declared And that this is so might be fully evinced as by others so by the ensuing Arguments For 1. if the Holy Ghost doth not work immediately and effectually upon the Will producing the creating in it a Principle of Faith and Obedience infallibly determining it in its free Acts then is all the Glory of our Conversion to be ascribed unto our selves and we make our selves therein by the obediential actings of our own free-will to differ from others who do not so comply with the Grace of God which is denyed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. Neither can any purpose of God concerning the Conversion of any one Soul be certain and determinate seeing after he hath done all that is to be done or can be done towards it the Will remaining undetermined may not be converted contrary to those Testimonies of our Saviour Rom. 8. 28. Mat. 11. 25 26. John 6. 37. Neither can there be an Original Infallibility in the Promises of God made to Jesus Christ concerning the multitudes that should believe in him seeing it is possible no one may so do if it depends on the undetermined Liberty of their Wills whether they will or no. And then also must Salvation of necessity be of him that willeth and of him that runneth and not of God that shews mercy on whom he will have mercy contrary to the Apostle Rom. 9. 15 16. And the whole Efficacy of the Grace of God is made thereby to depend on the Wills of Men which is not consistent with our being the Workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Ephes. 2. 10. Nor on this Supposition do Men know what they pray for when they pray for their own or other Mens Conversion to God as hath been before declared There is therefore necessary such a Work of the Holy Spirit upon our Wills as may cure and take away the Depravation of them before described sreeing us from the state of Spiritual Death causing us to live unto God determing them in and unto the Acts of Faith and Obedience And this he doth whilst and as he makes us new Creatures quickens us who are dead in Trespasses and Sins gives us a new Heart and puts a new Spirit within us writes his Law in our Hearts that we may do the Mind of God and walk in his wayes worketh in us to will and to do making them who were unwilling and obstinate to become willing and obedient and that freely and of choice Sect. 56 In like manner a prevailing Love is implanted upon the Affections by the Spirit of Grace causing the Soul with Delight and Complacency to cleave to God and his Wayes This removes and takes away the Enmity before described with the Effects of it Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine Heart and the Heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul that thou mayest live This Circumcision of the Heart consists in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh as the Apostle speaks Col. 2. 11. He Crucifies the Flesh with the Lusts and Affections thereof Some Men are inclined to think that all the Depravation of our Nature consists in that of the sensitive part of the Soul or our Affections The vanity and folly of which Opinion hath been before discovered Yet it is not denied but that the Affections are signally depraved so that by them principally the Mind and Will do act those Lusts that are peculiarly seated in them or by them do act according to their perverse and corrupt Inclinations Gal. 5. 24. Jam. 1. 14 15. Wherefore in the Circumcision of our Hearts wherein the Flesh with the Lusts Affections and Deeds thereof are crucified by the Spirit he takes from them their Enmity Carnal Prejudices and Dâ—praved Inclinations really though not absolutely and perfectly and instead of them he fills us with Holy Spiritual Love Joy Fear and Delight not changing the being of our Affections but sanctifying and guiding them by the Principle of Saving-Light and Knowledg before described and uniting them unto their proper Object in a due manner From what hath been spoken in this third Argument it is evident that the Holy Spirit designing the Regeneration or Conversion of the Souls of Men worketh therein effectually powerfully and irresistibly which was proposed unto confirmation Sect. 57 From the whole it appears that our Regeneration is a Work of the Spirit of God and that not any Act of our own which is only so is intended thereby I say it is not so our own as by outward Helps and Assistance to be educed out of the Principles of our Natures And herein is the Scripture express for mentioning this Work directly with respect unto its Cause and the manner of its Operation in the effecting of it it assigns it positively unto God or his Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 3. God according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again James 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth John 3. 5 6 8. Born of the Spirit 1 John 3. 9. Born of God And on the other hand it excludes the Will of Man from any active interest herein I mean as to the first beginning of it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever John 1. 13. Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God see Matth. 16. 17. Titus 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 9 10. It is therefore incumbent on them who plead for the Active Interest of the Will of Man in Regeneration to produce some Testimonies of Scriptures where it is assigned unto it as the effect unto its proper Cause Where is it said that a Man is Born again or Begotten a-new by himself And if it be granted as it must be so unless violence be offered not only to the Scripture but to
wisely and rationally contend that we have not our Being and our Lives from God as that we have not our Holiness from him when we have any Hereunto are the proud Opinions of educeing an Holiness out of the principles of Nature to be reduced I know all men will pretend that Holiness is from God it was never denyed by Pelagins himself But many with him would have it to be from God in a way of Nature and not in a way of especial Grace It is this latter way which we plead for and what is from our selves or educed by any means out of our Natural Abilities is not of God in that way For God as the Author of Grace and the best of corrupted Nature are opposed as we shall see further afterwards And therefore 2 is He that is the Author of our Sanctification so emphatically here expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even God himself if he doth it not none other can do it it is no otherwise to be wrought nor effected There is no other way whereby it may be brought about nor doth it fall under the power or efficacy of any means absolutely whatever but it must be wrought by God himself He doth it of Himself from his own Grace by Himself or his own Power for Himself or his own Glory And that 3 under this especial consideration as he is the God of Peace Sect. 4 This Title is ascribed unto God only by our Apostle and by him frequently Rom. 15. 33. chap. 16. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 4. 9. Heb. 13. 20. Were it unto our present purpose to discourse concerning the general nature of Peace I might shew how it is comprehensive of all Order Rest and Blessedness and all that is in them On this account the enclosure of it in this Title unto God as its only Possessour and Author belongs to the Glory of his Soveraign Diadem Every thing that is contrary unto it is evil and of the evil One yea all that is evil is so because of its contrariety unto peace Well therefore may God be styled the God of Peace But these things I may not here stay to explain although the words are so comprehensive and expressive of the whole work of Sanctification and that Holiness which is the effect thereof as that I shall choose to found my whole Discourse concerning this subject upon them That which offers it self unto our present design from this expression is the peculiar respect unto the Work of our Sanctification which lies in this especial Property of God Wherefore he is said to sanctifie us as the God of peace 1 Because it is a fruit and effect of that peace with himself which he hath made and prepared for us by Jesus Christ. For he was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself destroying the Enmity which entred by sin and laying the Foundation of Eternal Peace From hence it is that he will sanctifie us or make us Holy without a respect whereunto he would no more do so than he will sanctifie again the Angels that have sinned for whom there is no peace made nor Attonement 2 God by the Sanctification of our Natures and Persons preserves that peace with himself in its Exercise which he made and procured by the Mediation of Christ without which it could not be kept nor continued For in the Duties and Fruits thereof consist all those Actings towards God which a State of Reconciliation Peace and Friendship do require It is Holiness that keeps up a sense of Peace with God and prevents those spiritual breaches which the remainders of our Enmity would occasion Hence God as the Author of our Peace is the Author of our Holiness God even God himself the God of Peace doth sanctifie us How this is done immediately by the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Love and Peace and wherein the nature of this work doth consist are the things which must afterwards be more fully declared And he is here said to sanctifie us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is universally and compleatly carrying on the work untill it comes to perfection For two things are intended in that Expression 1. That our whole Nature is the subject of this work and not any one Faculty or Part of it 2. That as the work it self is sincere and universal communicating all parts of real Holiness unto our whole Natures so it is carryed on to Compleatness and Perfection Both these in the ensuing words the Apostle expresseth as the end and design of his Prayer for them and the Effect of the work of Grace which he prayed for For 1 the Subject of this Sanctification he makes to be our whole Natures which he distributes unto our entire spirits Souls and Bodies and 2. The End of the whole is the preservation of of us blameless in the peace of God unto the coming of Christ which will both of them be immediately more fully spoken unto Wherefore Sect. 5 Sanctification as here described is the immediate Work of God by his Spirit upon our whole Natures proceeding from the peace made for us by Jesus Christ whereby being changed into his likeness we are kept entirely in peace with God and are preserved unblameable or in a state of gracious Acceptation with him according to the Terms of the Covenant unto the End Sect. 6 The nature of this Work and its Effect which is our Holiness with the Necessity of them both we must on many Accounts with our utmost Diligence enquire and search into This both the Importance of the Truth it self and the Opposition thatis made unto it render necessary Besides whereas we are in the Declaration of the especial Operations of the Holy Ghost although he be not so denominated originally from this peculiar Work as though he should be called Holy meerly because he is the Author of Holiness in all that are made partakers of it which we have before disproved yet there is a general consent in words at least among all who are called Christians that this is his immediate and proper Work or that he is the only sanctifier of all them that do believe And this I shall take as yet for granted although some among us who not only pretend high to the preaching of Holiness whatever be their practice but reproach others as weakning the necessity of it do talk at such a rate as if in the Holiness which they pleaded for he had nothing to do in a peculiar manner For it is no news to meet with queint and guilded Discourses about Holiness intermixed with scoffing reflections on the work of the Holy Ghost therein This Work therefore of his we are in an especial manner to attend unto unless we would be found among the number of such as those who own themselves and teach their Children That the Holy Ghost sanctifies all the Elect of God and yet not only despise the work of Holiness in themselves but deride those who plead an interest therein as an effect
of the sanctification of the Spirit For such fruits of secret Atheism doth the world abound withall But our principal Duty in this world is to know aright what it is to be Holy and so to be indeed Sect. 7 One thing we must premise to clear our ensuing Discourse from Ambiguity And this is that there is mention in the Scripture of a Twofold sanctification and consequently of a two-fold Holiness The first is common unto Persons and Things consisting in the peculiar Dedication Consecration or Separation of them unto the Service of God by his own Appointment whereby they become Holy Thus the Priests and Levites of Old the Arke the Altar the Tabernacle and the Temple were sanctified and made Holy And indeed in all Holiness whatever there is a peculiar Dedication and Separation unto God But in the sense mentioned this was solitary and alone no more belonged unto it but this sacred separation nor was there any other effect of this Sanctification But secondly There is another kind of Sanctification and Holiness wherein this Separation to God is not the first thing done or intended but a Consequent and Effect thereof This is real and internal by the Communicating of a principle of Holiness unto our Natures attended with its Exercise in Acts and Duties of Holy Obedience unto God This is that which in the first place we enquire after and how far Believers are therein and thereby peculiarly separated and dedicated unto God shall be afterwards declared And unto what we have to deliver concerning it we shall make way by the ensuing observations Sect. 8 This whole matter of Sanctification and Holiness is peculiarly joyned with and limited unto the Doctrine Truth and Grace of the Gospel for Holiness is nothing but the implanting writing and realizing of the Gospel in our souls Hence it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 24. The Holiness of Truth which the Truth of the Gospel ingenerates and which consists in a conformity thereunto and the Gospel it self is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 1. The Truth which is according unto Godliness which declares that Godliness and Holiness which God requireth The prayer also of our Saviour for our Sanctification is conformed therunto John 17. 17. Sanctifie them in or by thy Truth thy word is Truth And he sanctified himself for us to be a sacrifice that we might be sanctified in the Truth This alone is that Truth which makes us free John 8. 12. that is from sin and the Law unto Righteousness in Holiness It belongs neither to nature nor the Law so as to proceed from them or to be effected by them Nature is wholly corrupted and contrary unto it The Law indeed for certain Ends was given by Moses but all Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. There neither is nor ever was in the world nor ever shall be the least dram of Holiness but what flowing from Jesus Christ is communicated by the Spirit according to the Truth and promise of the Gospel There may be something like it as to its outward Acts and effects at least some of them something that may wear its Livery in the world that is but the fruit of mens own Endeavours in Compliance with their convictions but Holiness it is not nor of the same kind or nature with it And this men are very apt to deceive themselves withal It is the design of corrupted Reason to debase all the glorious mysteries of the Gospel and all the concernments of them There is nothing in the whole Mystery of Godliness from the Highest crown of it which is the Person of Christ God manifested in the flesh unto the lowest and nearest effect of his Grace but it labours to deprave dishonour and debase The Lord Christ it would have in his whole person to be but a meer man in his Obedience and suffering to be but an Example in his doctrine to be confin'd unto the Capacity and Comprehension of Carnal Reason and the Holiness which he communicates by the Sanctification of his Spirit to be but that Moral vertue which is common among men as the fruit of their own Endeavours Herein some will acknowledge that men are guided and directed to a great Advantage by the Doctrine of the Gospel and thereunto excited by motions of the Holy Ghost himself put forth in the Dispensation of that Truth but any thing else in it more excellent more mysterious they will not allow But these low and carnal imaginations are exceedingly unworthy of the Grace of Christ the Glory of the Gospel the mystery of the Recovery of our Nature and healing of the wound it received by the entrance of sin with the whole design of God in our Restauration into a state of Communion with himself Moral vertue is indeed the best thing amongst men that is of them It far exceeds in worth use and satisfaction all that the Honours Powers Profits and Pleasures of the World can extend unto And it is admirable to consider what instructions are given concerning it what expressions are made of its excellency what Encomiums of its use and beauty by Learned contemplative men among the Heathen the wisest of whom did acknowledge that there was yet something in it which they could onely admire and not comprehend And very eminent instances of the practice of it were given in the lives and conversations of some of them And as the examples of their Righteousness Moderation Temperance Equanimity in all Conditions rise up at present unto the shame and reproach of many that are called Christians so they will be called over at the last day as an Aggravation of their Condemnation But to suppose that this Moral vertue whatever it be really in its own nature or however advanced in the imaginations of men is that Holiness of Truth which Believers receive by the Spirit of Christ is to debase it to overthrow it and to drive the souls of men from seeking an interest in it And hence it is that some pretending highly a friendship and respect unto it doe yet hate despise and reproach what is really so pleasing themselves with the empty name or withered Carcase of vertue every way inferiour as interpreted in their practice to the Righteousness of Heathens And this in the first place should stir up our diligence in our enquiries after its true and real nature that we decive not our selves with a false appearance of it and that unto our ruine Sect. 9 It is our Duty to enquire into the nature of Evangelical Holiness as it is a fruit or effect in us of the Spirit of Sanctification because it is abstruse and Mysterious and be it spoken with the good leave of some or whether they will or no undiscernable unto the eye of carnal Reason We may say of it in some sense as Job of Wisedom whence cometh Wisedom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the
unto the whole New Creation not only of Power and Rule but of Life and Influence God hath given him for a Covenant to the People and communicates nothing that belongs properly to the Covenant of Grace as our Sanctification and Holiness doe unto any but in and through him And we receive nothing by him but by vertue of Relation unto him or especial Interest in him or union with him Where there is an especial Communication there must be an especial Relation whereon it doth depend and whence it doth proceed As the Relation of the Members unto the Head is the Cause and Means why Vital spirits are thence derived unto them We must be in Christ as the Branch is in the Vine or we can derive nothing from him Joh. 15. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Whatever any way belongeth unto Holiness is our Fruit and nothing else is Fruit but what belongeth thereunto Now this our Saviour affirms that we can bring forth nothing of unless we are in him and do abide in him Now our being in Christ and abiding in him is by Faith without which we can derive nothing from him and consequently never be partakers of Holiness in the least Degree But these things must be afterwards spoken unto more at large It is therefore undenyably evident that Believers only are sanctified and Holy all others are unclean nor is any thing they doe Holy or so esteemed of God Sect. 6 And the due Consideration hereof discovers many pernitious mistakes that are about this matter both Notional and Practical For 1 There are some who would carry Holiness beyond the Bounds of an especial Relation unto Christ or would carry that Relation beyond the only Bond of it which is Faith For they would have it to be no more than Moral Honesty or Vertue and so cannot with any Modesty deny it unto those Heathens who endeavoured after them according to the Light of Nature And what need then is there of Jesus Christ I can and doe commend Morall Vertues and Honesty as much as any man ought to doe and am sure enough there is no Grace where they are not yet to make any thing to be our Holiness that is not derived from Jesus Christ I know not what I do more abhorre An Imagination hereof dethrones Christ from his Glory and overthrowes the whole Gospel But we have a sort of men who plead that Heathens may be eternally saved so large and indulgent is their Charity and in the mean time endeavour by all means possible to destroy temporally at least all those Christians who stoop not to a complyance with all their Imaginations 2 Others there are who proceed much further and yet do but deceive themselves in the Issue Notions they have of good and evil by the Light of Nature As they come with men into the world and grow up with them as they come to the Exercise of their Reason so they are not stifled without offering violence to the Principles of Nature by the power of sin as it comes to pass in many Ephes. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Rom. 1. 31. Chap. 2. 14 15. These Notions therefore are in many improved in Process of time by Convictions from the Law and great Effects are produced hereby For where the Soul is once effectually convinced of Sin Righteousness and Judgement it cannot but endeavour after a Deliverance from the one and an Attainment of the other that so it may be well with it at the Last Day And here lye the Springs or Foundations of all the Morall Differences that we see amongst Mankind Some give themselves up unto all Abominations Lasciviousness Uncleanness Drunkenness Frauds Oppressions Blasphemies Persecutions as having no bounds fixed unto their Lusts but what are given them by their own Impotency or dread of Humane Laws Others endeavour to be Sober Temperate Just Honest and Upright in their dealings with a sedulous performance of Religious Dutyes This difference ariseth from the different Power and Efficacy of Legal Convictions upon the Minds of men And these Convictions are in many variously improved according to the Light they receive in the Means of Knowledge which they do enjoy or the Errors and Superstitions which they are misguided unto For on this latter account do they grow up in some into Penances Vowes uncommanded Abstinencyes and various Self-macerations with other painfull and costly Dutyes Where the Light they receive is in the generall according unto Truth there it will engage men into Reformation of Life a Multiplication of Dutyes Abstinence from sin Profession Zeal and a Cordial Engagement into one way or other in Religion Such Persons may have good Hopes themselves that they are Holy they may appear to the World so to be and be accepted in the Church of God as such and yet really be utter strangers from true Gospel Holiness And the Reason is because they have missed it in the Foundation and not having in the first place obtained an Interest in Christ have built their house on the sand whence it will fall in the time of trouble If it be said that all those who come up unto the Dutyes mentioned are to be esteemed Believers if therewith they make Profession of the true Faith of the Gospel I willingly grant it But if it be said that necessarily they are so indeed and in the sight of God and therefore are also sanctified and Holy I must say the contrary is expresly denyed in the Gospel and especial Instances given thereof Wherefore let them wisely consider these things who have any Conviction of the Necessity of Holiness It may be they have done much in the pursuit of it and have laboured in the Dutyes that materially belong unto it Many things they have done and many things forborn upon the Account of it and still continue so to doe It may be they think that for all the World they would not be found among the number of unholy persons at the Last Day This may be the Condition of some perhaps of many who are but yet young and but newly engaged into these wayes upon their Convictions It may be so with them who for many dayes and years have been so following after a Righteousness in a way of Duty But yet they meet with these two evils in their wayes 1 That Dutyes of Obedience seldom or never prove more easie familiar or pleasant unto them than they did at first but rather are more grievous and burdensome every day 2 That they never come up unto a satisfaction in what they doe but still find that there is somewhat wanting These make all they do burdensome and unpleasant unto them which at length will betray them into Backsliding and Apostasie But yet there is somewhat worse behind All they have done or are ever able to doe on the bottom upon which they stand will come to no Account but perish
least the main parts if not the whole of Religion consists in Moral Vertue though it be altogether uncertain what they intend by the one or the other These are they who scarce think any thing intelligible when declared in the words of the Scripture which one hath openly traduced as a ridiculous Jargon They like not they seem to abhorre the speaking of Spiritual Things in the Words which the Holy Ghost teacheth the only Reason whereof is because they understand not the things themselves And whilest they are foolishness unto any it is no wonder the terms whereby they are declared seem also so to be But such as have received the Spirit of Christ and do know the Mind of Christ which profane Scoffers are sufficiently remote from do best receive the Truth and apprehend it when declared not in the Words which Mans Wisdom teacheth but which are taught by the Holy Ghost It is granted to be the Wisdom and Skill of men further to explain and declare the Truths that are taught in the Gospel by sound and wholsom words of their own which yet all of them as to their Propriety and Significancy are to be tryed and measured by the Scripture it self But we have a new Way of teaching spiritual Things sprung up among some who being ignorant of the whole Mystery of the Gospel and therefore despising it would debase all the glorious Truths of it and the Declaration made of them into dry barren sapless Philosophical Notions and Terms and those the most common obvious and vulgar that ever obtained among the Heathen of old Vertuous Living they tell us is the Way to Heaven but what this Vertue is or what is a Life of Vertue they have added as little in the Declaration of as any Persons that ever made such a Noyse about them Sect. 79 2 That ambiguous Term Morall hath by Usage obtained a double Signification with respect unto an Opposition unto other things which either are not so or are more than so For sometimes it is applyed unto the Worship of God and so is opposed unto Instituted That Religious Worship which is prescribed in the Decalogue or required by the Law of Creation is commonly called Moral and that in Opposition unto those Rites and Ordinances which are of a superadded Arbitrary Institution Again it is opposed unto things that are more than merely moral namely Spiritual Theological or Divine So the Graces of the Spirit as Faith Love Hope in all their Exercise whatever they may have of Morality in them or however they may be exercised in and about moral Things and Duties yet because of sundry Respects wherein they exceed the Sphear of Morality are called Graces and Duties Theological Spiritual Supernatural Evangelical Divine in Opposition unto all such Habits of the Mind and Duties which being required by the Law of Nature and as they are so required are merely moral In neither sence can it with any tolerable Congruity of speech be said that Moral Vertue is our Holiness especially the whole of it But because the Duties of Holiness have the most of them a Morality in them as Morall is opposed to Instituted some would have them have nothing also in them as Moral is opposed to Supernatural and Theological But that the Principle and Acts of Holiness are of another special Nature hath been sufficiently now declared Sect. 80 3 It is as was before intimated somewhat uncertain what the great Pleaders for Moral Vertue do intend by it Many seem to design no more but that Honesty and Integrity of Life which was found among some of the Heathens in their vertuous Lives and Actions And indeed it were heartily to be wished that we might see more of it amongst some that are called Christians For many things they did were Materially good and usefull unto Mankind But let it be supposed to be never so exact and the Course of it most diligently attended unto I defie it as to its being the Holiness required of us in the Gospel according unto the terms of the Covenant of Grace and that because it hath none of those Qualifications which we have proved Essentially to belong thereunto And I defie all the men in the World to prove that this Moral Vertue is the summe of our Obedience to God whilest the Gospel is owned for a Declaration of his Will and our Duty It is true all the Duties of this Moral Vertue are required of us but in the Exercise of every one of them there is more required of us than belongs unto their Morality as namely that they be done in Faith and Love to God through Jesus Christ and many things are required of us as necessary parts of our Obedience which belong not thereunto at all Sect. 81 4 Some give us such a Description of Morality as that it should be of the same extent with the Light and Law of Nature or the Dictates of it as rectified and declared unto us in the Scripture And this I confess requires of us the Obedience which is due towards God by the Law of our Creation and according to the Covenant of Works materially and formally But what is this unto Evangelical Holiness and Obedience Why it is alleadged that Religion before the Entrance of Sin and under the Gospel is one and the same and therefore there is no difference between the Duties of Obedience required in the one and the other And it is true that they are so far the same as that they have the same Author the same Object the same End and so also had the Religion under the Law which was therefore so far the same with them But that they are the same as to all the Acts of our Obedience and the Manner of their Performance is a vain Imagination Is there no Alteration made in Religion by the Interposition of the Person of Christ to be Incarnate and his Mediation No Augmentation of the Object of Faith No Change in the Abolishing of the Old Covenant and the Establishment of the New the Covenant between God and Man being that which gives the especial form and kind unto Religion the Measure and Denomination of it No Alteration in the Principles Aids Assistances and whole Nature of our Obedience unto God The whole Mystery of Godliness must be renounced if we intend to give way unto such Imaginations Be it so then that this Moral Vertue and the Practice of it do contain and express all that Obedience materially considered which was required by the Law of Nature in the Covenant of Works yet I deny it to be our Holiness or Evangelical Obedience and that as for many other Reasons so principally because it hath not that respect unto Jesus Christ which our Sanctification hath Sect. 82 5 If it be said that by this Moral Vertue they intend no Exclusion of Jesus Christ but include a respect unto him I desire only to ask whether they design by it such an Habit of Mind and such Acts
3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So without me Seorsim a me so separated from me as a Branch may be from the Vine If a Branch be so separated from the Root and Body of the Vine as that it receives not continual supplyes of Nourishment from them if their Influence into it be by any Means intercepted it proceeds not in its Growth it brings forth no Fruit but is immediately under decay It is so saith our Saviour with Believers in respect unto him Unless they have continual uninterrupted influences of Grace and spiritually vital Nourishment from him they can do nothing Without me expresseth a Denyal of all the spiritual Aid that we have from Christ. On supposition hereof we can do nothing that is by our own Power or by vertue of any Habit or Principle of Grace we have received For when we have received it what we can do thereby without further actual Assistance we can do of our selves You can do nothing that is which appertains to Fruit-bearing unto God In things Natural and Civil we can do somewhat and in things Sinfull too much we need no Aid or Assistance for any such purpose But in Fruit-hearing unto God we can do nothing Now every Act of Faith and Love every Motion of our Minds or Affections towards God is a part of our Fruit-bearing and so unquestionably are all external Works and and Duties of Holiness and Obedience Wherefore our Saviour himself being Judge Believers who are really sanctified and made partakers of Habitual Grace yet cannot of themselves without new actual Ayd and Assistance of Grace from him do any thing that is spiritually Good or acceptable with God Sect. 9 Our Apostle confirmeth the same Truth 2 Cor. 3. 4 5. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God It is a great and eminent Grace which he declareth that he was acting namely Trust in God through Christ in the Discharge of his Ministry and for the blessed Success thereof But he had no sooner expressed it than he seems to be jealous lest he should appear to have assumed something to himself in this Work or the Trust he had for its Success This no man was ever more cautious against and indeed it was incumbent on him so to be because he was appointed to be the principal Minister and Preacher of the Grace of Jesus Christ. Therefore I say he addes a Caution against any such Apprehensions and openly renounceth any such Power Ability or Sufficiency in himself as that by vertue thereof he could act so excellent a Grace or perform so great a Duty Not that we are sufficient of our selves And in this matter he hath not only in places innumerable asserted the Necessity and Efficacy of Grace with our impotency without it but in his own Instance he hath made such a Distinction between what was of himself and what of Grace with such an open Disclaimure of any Interest of his own in what was Spiritually good distinct from Grace as should be sufficient with all sober Persons to determine all differences in this Case See 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gal. 2. 21. and this place I assume no such thing to my self I ascribe no such thing unto any other as that I or they should have in our selves a sufficiency unto any such purpose For our Apostle knew nothing of any sufficiency that needed any other thing to make it effectual And he doth not exclude such a sufficiency in our selves with respect unto eminent Actings of Grace and greater Duties but with respect unto every good Thought or whatever may have a tendency unto any spiritual Duty We cannot conceive we cannot engage in the Beginning of any Duty by our own sufficiency For it is the beginning of Dutyes which the Apostle expresseth by thinking our Thoughts and Projections being Naturally the first thing that belongs unto our Actions And this he doth as it were on purpose to obviate that Pelagian Fiction that the Beginning of Good was from our selves but we had the help of Grace to perfect it But what then if we have no such sufficiency to what purpose should we set about the thinking or doing of any thing that is good Who will be so unwise as to attempt that which he hath no strength to accomplish And doth not the Apostle hereby deny that he himself had performed and Holy Duties or Acted any Grace or done any thing that was good seeing he had no sufficiency of himself so to doe to obviate this cavil he confines this denyal of a sufficiency unto our selves we have it not of our selves But saith he our sufficiency is of God that is we have it by Actual supplies of Grace necessary unto every Duty and how God Communicates this sufficiency and how we receive it he declares Chap. 9. v. 8. God is able to make all Grace abound towards you that ye alwaies having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work God manifests the abounding of Grace towards us when he works an effective sufficiency in us which he doth so as to enable us to abound in good works or Duties of Holiness These are those supplies of Grace which God gives us unto all our Duties as He had promised unto him in his own ease Chap. 12. 9. And this is the first Demonstration of the Truth proposed unto Consideration namely the Testimonies given in the Scripture that Believers themselves cannot of themselves perform any Acts or Duties of Holiness any thing that is spiritually good Therefore these things are Effects of Grace and and must be wrought in us by the Holy Ghost who is the immediate Author of all Divine Operations Sect. 10 Secondly All Actings of Grace all good Duties are actually ascribed unto the Operation of the Holy Ghost The particular Testimonies hereunto are so multiplyed in the Scripture as that it is not convenient nor indeed possible to call them over distinctly some of them in a way of instance may be insisted on and reduced unto three heads Sect. 11 1 There are many places wherein we are said to be led guided acted by the Spirit to live in the Spirit to walk after the Spirit to do things by the Spirit that dwelleth in us For nothing in general can be intended in these expressions but the Actings of the Holy Spirit of God upon our Souls in a Complyance wherewith as acting when we are acted by him our Obedience unto God according to the Gospel doth consist Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to walk in Obedience unto God according to the supplies of Grace which the Holy Ghost administers unto us for so it is added that we shall not then fullfill the lusts of the flesh that is we shall be kept up unto Holy Obedience and the avoydance of sin So are we said to be led by the Spirit
intended is the Relation of this Work and Duty to the Death of Christ whence we and our sins are said to be crucified with him because we and they are so by vertue of his Death And herein do we alwayes bear about in the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 10. representing the Manner of it and expressing its Efficacy Sect. 5 Secondly Thus is this Duty expressed whose Nature in the next place we shall more particularly enquire into and declare in the ensuing Observations 1. Mortification of Sin is a Duty alwayes incumbent on us in the whole Course of our Obedience This the Command testifieth which represents it as an alwayes present Duty When it is no longer a Duty to grow in Grace it is so not to mortifie Sin No man under Heaven can at any Time say that he is exempted from this Command nor on any Pretence And he who ceaseth from this Duty le ts go all Endeavours after Holiness And as for those who pretend unto an absolute Perfection they are of all Persons living the most impudent nor do ever in this Matter open their mouths but they give themselves the Lye For 2. This Duty being alwayes incumbent on us argues undenyably the abiding in us of a Principle of Sin whilest we are in the Flesh which with its Fruits is that which is to be mortified This the Scripture calleth the sin that dwelleth in us the evil that is present with us the Law of the Members evil Concupiscence Lust the Flesh and the like And thereunto are the Properties and Actings of folly deceit tempting seducing rebelling warring captivating ascribed This is not a place to dispute the Truth of this Assertion which cannot with any Reputation of Modesty be denyed by any who own the Scripture or pretend to an Acquaintance with themselves But yet through the Craft of Sathan with the Pride and Darkness of the Minds of men it is so fallen out that the want of a true understanding hereof is the Occasion of most of those pernitious Errors wherewith the Church of God is at present pestered and which practically keeps men off from being seriously troubled for their sins or seeking out for Relief by Jesus Christ. Thus one hath not feared of late openly to profess that he knowes of no deceit or evil in his own Heart though a wiser than he hath informed us that he who trusteth his own Heart is a Fool Proverb 28. 26. Sect. 6 3. In-dwelling sin which is the Object of this Duty of Mortification falls under a three-fold Consideration 1. Of its Root and Principle 2. Of its Disposition and Operations 3. Of its Effects These in the Scripture are frequently distinguished though mostly under Metaphorical Expressions So are they mentioned together distinctly Rom. 6. 6. Our old Man is crucified with Christ that the Body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 1 The Root or Principle of sin which by Nature possesseth all the Faculties of the Soul and as a depraved Habit enclines unto all that is evil is the Old man so called in Opposition unto the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness 2 There is the Inclination actual Disposition and Operations of this Principle or Habit which is called the Body of sin with the Members of it For under those Expressions sin is proposed as in procinctu in a Readiness to Act its self and enclining unto all that is evil And this also is expressed by the Affections and Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 4. 25. Deceitfull Lusts Ephes. 4. 24. The Old man is Corrupt according unto the deceitfull Lusts the Wills of the Flesh and the Mind 3 There are the Effects Fruits and Products of these things which are Actual sins whereby as the Apostle speaks we serve sin as bringing forth the Fruits of it that we should not henceforth serve sin And these Fruits are of two sorts 1. Internal in the Figments and Imaginations of the Heart which is the first way whereby the Lusts of the Old man do act themselves And therefore of those that are under the Power or Dominion of sin it is said that every Figment or Imagination of their Hearts are evil continually Gen. 6. 5. For they have no other Principle whereby they are acted but that of Sin and therefore all the Figments of their Hearts must be necessarily evil And with respect hereunto our Saviour affirms that all Actual sins proceed out of the Heart Math. 15. 19. because there is their Root and there are they first formed and framed 2. External in Actual sins such as those enumerated by our Apostle Col. 3. 5. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. All these things together make up the compleat Object of this Duty of Mortification The old man the body of Death with its Members and the Works of the flesh or the Habit Operations an Effects of Sin are all of them intended and to be respected herein Sect. 7 4. This Principle its Operations and Effects are opposed and directly contrary unto the Principle Operations and Fruits of Holiness as wought in us by the Spirit of God which we have before described 1 They are opposed in their Principle For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5. 17. These are those two adverse Principles which maintain such a Conflict in the Souls of Believers whilst they are in this world and which is so Graphically described by our Apostle Rom. 7. so the Old and New man are opposed and contrary 2 In their Actings The Lusting of the Flesh and the Lusting or desires of the Spirit Walking after the Flesh and Walking after the Spirit living after the Flesh and living in the Spirit are opposed also This is the Opposition that is between the Body of Sin with its Members and the Life of Grace Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 4 5. We are Debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye by the Spirit doe mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh ye shall live ver 11 12 13. By this walking after the Flesh I understand not at least not principally the committing of Actual Sins but a Compliance with the Principle or Habit of sin prevailing in Depraved unsanctified Nature allowing it a predominancy in the Hearts and Affections It is when men are disposed to Act according to the Inclinations Lustings Motions Wills and Desires of it Or it is to bend that way Habitually in our Course and Conversation which the Flesh inclines and leads unto This Principle doth not indeed Equally bring forth Actual sins in all but hath various Degrees of its Efficacy as it is advantaged by Temptations controlled by Light or hampered by Convictions Hence all that are under the Power of Sin
Prayes as he ought no man joyns in Prayer with another who prayes as he ought but these Petitions are a part of his Prayer Especially will they be so and ought they so to be when the Mind is peculiarly engaged in the Design of destroying sin And these Petitions or Requests are as far as they are gracious and effectual wrought in us by the Holy Ghost who therein maketh intercession for us according to the Will of God And hereby doth he carry on this work of the Mortification of sin for his Work it is He makes us to put up prevalent Requests unto God for such continual supplyes of Grace whereby it may be constantly kept under and at length destroyed And this is the first way whereby this Duty hath an Influence into Mortification namely Morally and by way of Impetration Sect. 32 Secondly This Duty hath a real Efficiency unto the same End It doth its self when rightly performed and duly attended unto mightily prevail unto the weakning and Destruction of sin For in and by fervent Prayer especially when it is designed unto this End the Habit Frame and Inclinations of the Soul unto universal Holiness with a Detestation of all sin are increased cherished and strengthened The soul of a Believer is never raised unto a higher Intension of spirit in the pursuit of love unto and delight in Holiness nor is more conformed unto it or cast into the mould of it than it is in Prayer And frequency in this Duty is a principal means to fix and consolidate the mind in the form and likeness of it And hence doe Believers oft-times continue in and come off from Prayer above all Impressions from sin as to Inclinations and Complyances Would such a frame alwayes continue how happy were we But abiding in the Duty is the best way of reaching out after it I say therefore that this Duty is really Efficient of the Mortification of sin because therein all the Graces whereby it is opposed and weakened are excited exercised and improved unto that End as also the Detestation and Abhorency of sin is increased in us And where this is not so there are some secret flaws in the Prayers of men which it will be their wisdom to find out and heal Sect. 33 Fourthly The Holy Spirit carrieth on this work by applying in an especial manner the death of Christ unto us for that end And this is another thing which because the World understandeth not it doth despise But yet in whomsoever the Death of Christ is not the death of sin he shall dye in his sins To evidence this Truth we may observe 1 in general That the Death of Christ hath an especial influence into the Mortification of sin without which it will not be Mortified This is plainly enough testified unto in the Scripture By his Cross that is his Death on the Cross We are crucified unto the world Gal. 6. 14. Our old man is crucified with him that the Body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6. 6. That is sin is Mortified in us by vertue of the Death of Christ 2 In the Death of Christ with respect unto sin there may be considedered 1. His Oblation of himself and 2. The Application thereof unto us By the first it is that our sins are expiated as unto their Guilt but from the latter it is that they are actually subdued as to their Power For it is by an Interest in and a participation of the Benefits of his Death which we call the Application of it unto us Hereon are we said to be buried with him and to rise with him whereof our Baptism is a pledge Rom. 6. 3 4. not in an outward Representation as some imagine of being dipped under the water and taken up again which were to make one sign the sign of another but in a powerful Participation of the vertue of the Death and Life of Christ in a death unto sin and newness of life in Holy Obedience which Baptisme is a pledge of as it is a token of our initiation and implanting into him So are we said to be baptized into his death or into the likeness of it that is into its power ver 3. 3 The old man is said to be crucified with Christ or sin to be Mortified by the Death of Christ as was in part before observed on two Accounts 1 Of Conformity Christ is the Head the Beginning or Idea of the New Creation The first born of every Creature Whatever God designeth unto us therein he first exemplified in Jesus Christ And we are predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. Hereof the Apostle gives us an express instance in the Resurrection Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15. 23. It is so in all things all that is wrought in us it is in resemblance and conformity unto Christ. Particularly we are by Grace planted into the likeness of his Death Rom. 6. 5. being made conformable unto his Death Phil. 3. 10. and so to be dead with Christ Col. 2. 20. Now this conformity is not in our Natural Death nor in our being put to death as he was for it is that which we are made partakers of in this Life and that in a way of Grace and Mercy But Christ died for sin for our sin which was the meritorious procuring cause thereof And he lived again by the Power of God A likeness and conformity hereunto God will work in all Believers There is by nature a Life of sin in them as hath been declared This Life must be destroyed sin must dye in us and we thereby become dead unto sin And as he rose again So are we to be quickened in and unto newness of life In this death of sin consists that Mortification which we treat about and without which we cannot be conformed unto Christ in his Death which we are designed unto And the same Spirit which wrought these things in Christ will in the pursuit of his Design work that which answers unto them in all his Members Sect. 34 2 In respect of Efficacy vertue goeth forth from the Death of Christ for the subduing and Destruction of sin It was not designed to be a dead unactive passive Example but it is accompanied with a Power conforming and changing us into its own likeness It is the Ordinance of God unto that End which he therefore gives efficacy unto It is by a fellowship or participation in his sufferings that we are made conformable to his Death Phil. 3. 10. this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an interest in the Benefit of his suffering we also are made partakers thereof This makes us conformable to his Death in the Death of sin in us The Death of Christ is designed to be the Death of sin let them who are dead in sin deride it whilest they please If Christ had not dyed sin had never dyed in any sinner unto Eternity Wherefore that
day the Greatness of his Mercy towards all sorts of Sinners his Readiness to receive them his Willingness to pardon them and that freely in Christ without the Consideration of any Worth Merit or Righteousness of their own And do you not herein invite all sorts of Sinners the worst and the greatest to come unto him by Christ that they may be pardoned and accepted Whence then can arise any Argument for the Necessity of Holiness from the Consideration of the Nature of this God whose Inestimable Treasures of Grace and the freedom of whose Love and Mercy towards Sinners no Tongue as you say can express Sect. 33 An. 1 This Objection is very natural unto carnal and unbelieving Minds and therefore we shall meet with it at every turn There is nothing seems more reasonable unto them than that we may live in sin because Grace hath abounded If men must yet be Holy they can see no need nor use of Grace And they cannot see that God is Gracious to any Purpose if notwithstanding men may perish because they are not Holy But this Objection is raised rejected and condemned by our Apostle in whose Judgement we may acquiesce Rom. 6. 1. And in the same place he subjoyns the Reasons why notwithstanding the superabounding Grace of God in Christ there is an indispensible Necessity that all Believers should be Holy 2 God himself hath obviated this Objection He proclaims his Name Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God gracious and mercifull abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgressions and Sin Had he stood here and neither in this nor in any other place of Scripture further declared his Nature and unchangeable Purposes concerning Sinners some Colour might have been laid on this Objection But he addes immediately and that will by no means clear the Guilty that is as it is explained in places of Scripture innumerable such as go on in their Sins without regard unto Obedience and Holiness springing from the Attonement made for their guilty Souls in the Blood of Christ. 3 We doe we ought to declare the rich and free Love Grace Mercy and Bounty of God unto Sinners in and by Jesus Christ and Woe unto us if we should not be found in that Work all our Dayes and thereby Encourage all sorts of Sinners to come unto him for the free Pardon of their Sins without Money or Price without Merit or Desert on their part For this is the Gospel But notwithstanding all this Grace and Condescension we declare that he doth not dethrone himself nor deny himself nor change his Nature nor become unholy that we may be saved He is God still Naturally and Essentially holy Holy as he is in Christ reconciling the sinfull World unto himself and therefore indispensibly requires that those whom he pardons receives accepts into his Love and Communion with himself should be Holy also And these things are not only consistent but inseperable Without the Consideration of this Grace in God we can have no Encouragement to be Holy and without the Necessity of Holiness in us that Grace can neither be glorified nor usefull CHAP. II. Eternal Election a Cause of and Motive unto Holinesse Other Arguments for the Necessity of Holiness from Gods Eternal Election The Argument from thence explained improved vindicated Sect. 1 WE have seen upon the whole Matter what Conclusions as unto our own Duty we ought to draw from that Revelation of the Nature of God in Christ which is made unto us and our Relation unto him If we are not thereby prevailed on alwayes in all Instances of Obedience to endeavour to be Holy universally in all manner of Holy Conversation we neither can enjoy his Favour here nor be brought unto the Enjoyment of him in Glory hereafter Sect. 2 That Consideration which usually we take of God next after his Nature and the Properties of it is of the Eternal free Acts of his Will or his Decrees and Purposes And we shall now enquire what Respect they have unto Holiness in us what Arguments and Motives may be taken from them to evince the Necessity of it unto us and to press us thereunto especially from the Decree of Election which in an especial Manner is by some traduced as no Friend to this Design I say then that Sect. 3 It is the Eternal and Immutable Purpose of God that all who are his in a peculiar manner all whom he designs to bring unto Blessedness in the Everlasting Enjoyment of himself shall antecedently thereunto be made Holy This Purpose of his God hath declared unto us that we may take no wrong Measures of our Estate and Condition nor build Hopes or Expectations of future Glory on sandy Foundations that will fail us Whatever we are else in Parts Abilities Profession Moral Honesty Usefulness unto others Reputation in the Church if we are not personally spiritually Evangelically Holy we have no Interest in that Purpose or Decree of God whereby any Persons are designed unto Salvation and Glory And this we shall briefly confirm Ephes. 1. 4. He hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and unblameable before him in Love But is this that which firstly and principally we are ordained unto and that for its own sake namely Holiness and Unblameableness in the Obedience of Love No we are firstly Ordained unto eternal life Acts 13. 48. we are chosen from the Beginning unto Salvation 2 Thess. 2. 13. That which God in the first place intends as his End in the Decree of Election is our Eternal Salvation to the prayse of the Glory of his Grace Ephes. 1. 5 6 11. How then is he said to Choose us that we should be Holy in what sence is our Holiness proposed as the Design of God in Election It is as the indispensible Means for the attaining of the End of Salvation and Glory I doe saith God choose these poor lost Sinners to be mine in an especial manner to save them by my Son and bring them through his Mediation unto Eternal Glory But in order hereunto I do purpose and decree that they shall be holy and unblameable in the Obedience of Love without which as a Means none shall ever attain that End Wherefore the Expectation and Hope of any man for Life and Immortality and Glory without previous Holiness can be built on no other Foundation but this that God will Rescind his Eternal Decrees and change his Purposes that is cease to be God meerly to comply with them in ther Sins And who knowes not what will be the End of such a cursed Hope and Expectation The contrary is seconded by that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 36. Whom he did Predestinate them he also Called Wherever Predestination unto Glory goes before concerning any Person there Effectual Vocation unto Faith and Holiness infallibly ensues And where these never were the other never was So 2 Thess. 2. 13. God hath chosen
ver 18. being acted by him and not by the vitious depraved principles of our corrupted Nature Rom. 8. 4. Walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit To walk after the flesh is to have the principles of indwelling sin acting its self in us unto the production and perpetration of actual sins Wherefore to walk after the Spirit is to have the Spirit acting in us to the effecting of all gracious Acts and Duties And this is given unto us in command that we neglect not his motions in us but comply with them in a way of Diligence and Duty see ver 14. 15. So are we injoyned to attend unto particular Duties through the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 14. that is through his Assistance without which we can do nothing Sect. 12 2 As we are said to be led and acted by him so he is declared to be the Authour of all gracious Actings in us Galat. 5. 22. 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance All these things are wrought and brought forth in us by the Spirit for they are his fruits And not onely the Habit of them but all their Actings in all their Exercise are from him Every Act of Faith is Faith and every Act of Love is Love and consequently no Act of them is of our selves but every one of them is a fruit of the Spirit of God So in another place he adds an universal affirmative comprehending all instances of particular Graces and their Exercise Ephes. 5. 9. The fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Unto these three heads all Actings of Grace all Duties of Obedience all parts of Holiness may be reduced And it is through the supplies of the Spirit that he trusteth for a good issue of his Obedience Phil. 1. 19. So is it expressely in the Promise of the Covenant Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and doe them This is the whole that God requireth of us and it is all wrought in us by his Spirit So also Chap. 11. 19 20. Jerem. 32. 39 40. All the Obedience and Holiness that God requires of us in the Covenant all Duties and Actings of Grace are promised to be wrought in us by the Spirit after we are assured that of our selves we can doe nothing Sect. 13 3 Particular Graces and their Exercise are assigned unto his acting and working in us Gal. 5. 5. We through the Spirit wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith The hope of the Righteousness of Faith is the thing hoped for thereby All that we look for or expect in this World or hereafter is by the Righteousness of Faith Our quiet waiting for this is an especial Gospel Grace and Duty This we do not of our selves but through the Spirit Phil. 3. 3. We worship God in the Spirit love the brethren in the Spirit Col. 1. 8. we purifie our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren 1 Pet. 1. 22. See Eph. 1. 17. Act. 19. 31. Rom. 5. 5. Rom. 8. 15. 22 26. 1 Thes. 1. 6. Rom. 14. 17. Chap. 15. 13 16. of Faith it is said expressely that it is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes. 2. 7 8. Sect. 14 Thirdly There are Testimonies that are express unto the Position as before laid down Phil. 2. 13. It is God who worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure The things thus wrought are all things that appertain unto our Obedience and Salvation as is evident from the Connexion of the words with v. 12. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Hereunto two things are required 1 Power for such Operations or for all the Duties of Holiness and Obedience that are required of us That this we are indued withall that this is wrought in us bestowed upon us by the Holy Ghost hath been before abundantly confirmed But when this is done for us is there ought else yet remaining to be done Yea 2 There is the Actual Exercise of the Grace we have received How may this be Exercised All the whole work of Grace consists in the internal Acts of our Wills and external Operations in Duties suitable thereunto This therefore is incumbent on us this we are to look unto in our selves it is our Duty so to do namely to stir up and exercise the Grace we have received in and unto its proper Operations But it is so our Duty as that of our selves we cannot perform it It is God who worketh effectually in us all those gracious Acts of our Wills and all holy Operations in a way of Duty Every Act of our Wills so far as it is Gracious and Holy is the Act of the Spirit of God efficiently He worketh in us to will or the very Act of willing To say he doth only perswade us or excite and stirre up our Wills by his Grace to put forth their own Acts is to say he doth not do what the Apostle affirms him to do For if the gracious Actings of our Wills be so our own as not to be his he doth not work in us to will but only perswadeth us so to do But the same Apostle utterly excludeth this pretense 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured abundantly yet not I but the grace of God which was with me He had a Necessity incumbent on him of declaring the great labour he had undergone and the pains he had taken in preaching of the Gospel But yet immediately least any one should apprehend that he ascribed any thing to himself any gracious holy Actings in those Labours he addes his usual Epanorthosis Not I let me not be mistaken it was not I by any power of mine by any thing in me but it was all wrought in me by the free Grace of the Spirit of God Not I but Grace is the Apostles Assertion Suppose now that God by his Grace doth no more but aid assist and excite the Will in its Actings that he doth not effectually work all the gracious Actings of our Souls in all our Duties the Proposition would hold on the other hand Not Grace but I seeing the principal Relation of the Effect is unto the next and immediate Cause and thence hath it its Denomination And as he worketh them To Will in us so also To Doe that is Effectually to perform those Duties whereunto the gracious actings of our Wills are required Sect. 15 And what hath been spoken may suffice to prove that the Holy Spirit as the Author of our Sanctification worketh also in us all gracious Acts of Faith Love and Obedience wherein the first Part of our Actual Holiness and Righteousness doth consist And the Truth thus confirmed may be further improved unto our Instruction and Edification 1 It is easily hence discernible How contrary are the Designs
and Expressions of the Scripture and the Notions of some Men among us There is not any thing that is good in us nothing that is done well by us in the way of Obedience but the Scripture expressely and frequently assigns it unto the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit in us It doth so in general as to all gracious Actings whatever and not content therewith it proposeth every Grace and every Holy Duty distinctly affirming the Holy Ghost to be the immediate Author of them And when it comes to make mention of us it positively indeed prescribes our Duty to us but as plainly lets us know that we have no power in or from our selves to perform it But some men speak and preach and write utterly to another purpose The Freedom Liberty Power and Ability of our own Wills the Light Guidance and Direction of our own Minds Reasons and from all our own Performance of all the Duties of Faith and Obedience are the 〈◊〉 of their Discourses and that in Opposition unto what is aâ—â—â—bed in the Scriptures unto the Immediate Operations of the Holy Ghost They are all for Grace Not I but Grace not I but Christ without him we can do nothing These are all for our Wills not Grace but our Wills doe all It is not more plainly affirmed in the Scripture that God created Heaven and Earth that he sustains and preserves all things by his Power than that he creates grace in the Hearts of Believers preserves it acts it and makes it effectual working all our Works for us and all our Duties in us But Evasions must be found out strange forced uncouth sences be put upon plain frequently repeated Expressions to secure the Honour of our Wills and to take care that all the Good we doe may not be assigned to the Grace of God To this purpose Distinctions are coyned Evasions invented and such an Explanation is given of all Divine Operations as renders them useless and insignificant Yea it is almost grown if not Criminal yet weak and ridiculous in the Judgement of some That any should assign those Works and Operations to the Spirit of God which the Scripture doth in the very words that the Scripture useth To lessen the Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by Sin to extoll the Integrity and Power of our Reasons to maintain the Freedom and Ability of our Wills in and unto things spiritually Good to resolve the Conversion of men unto God into their Natural good Dispositions Inclinations and the right use of their Reason to render Holiness to be only a Probity of Life or Honesty of Conversation upon rational Motives and Considerations are the things that men are now almost wearied with the Repetition of Scarce a Person that hath Confidence to commence for Reputation in the World but immediately he furnisheth himself with some new tinkling Ornaments for these old Pelagian Figments But whoever shall take an impartial View of the Design and constant Doctrine of the Scripture in this matter will not be easily carryed away with the plausible Pretences of men exalting their own Wills and Abilities in Opposition to the Spirit and Grace of God by Jesus Christ. Sect. 16 2 From what hath been discoursed a further discovery is made of the Nature of Gospel Obedience of all the Acts of our Souls therein and of the Duties that belong thereunto It is commonly granted that there is a great difference between the Acts and Duties that are truely gracious and those which are called by the same name that are not so as in any Duties of Faith of Prayer of Charity But this difference is supposed generally to be in the Adjuncts of those Duties in some properties of them but not in the kind nature or substance of the Acts of our minds in them Nay it is commonly said that whereas wicked men are said to believe and doe many things gladly in a way of Obedience what they so doe is for the substance of the Acts they perform the same with those of them who are truely Regenerate and Sanctified They may differ in their Principle and End but as to their Substance or Essence they are the same But there is no small mistake herein All gracious Actings of our Minds and Souls whether internal only in Faith Love or Delight or whether they go out unto external Duties required in the Gospel being wrought in us by the immediate Efficacy of the Spirit of Grace differ in their Kind in their Essence and substance of the Acts themselves from whatever is not so wrought or effected in us For whatever may be done by any one in any acting of common Grace or performance of any Duty of Obedience being educed out of the power of the Natural Faculties of men excited by Convictions as directed and enforced by Reasons and Exhortations or assisted by common Aids of what nature soever they are natural as to their kind and they have no other substance or Being but what is so But that which is wrought in us by the especial Grace of the Holy Ghost in the way mentioned is supernatural as being not educed out of the Powers of our natural Faculties but an immediate Effect of the Almighty supernatural Efficacy of the Grace of God And therefore the sole Reason why God accepts and rewards Duties of Obedience in them that are sanctified and regardeth not those which for the outward Matter and Manner of Performance are the same with them as unto Abel and his Offering he had respect but he had no respect unto Cain and his Offering Gen. 4. 4 5. is not taken from the State and Condition of the Persons that perform them only though that also have an influence thereinto but from the Nature of the Acts and Duties themselves also He never accepts and rejects Duties of the same Kind absolutely with respect unto the Persons that do perform them The Duties themselves are of a different Kind Those which he accepts are supernatural Effects of his own Spirit in us whereon he rewardeth and crowneth the Fruits of his own Grace And as for what he rejects whatever Appearance it may have of a Complyance with the outward Command it hath nothing in it that is supernaturally Gracious and so is not of the same Kind with what he doth accept CHAP. VIII Mortification of Sin the Nature and Causes of it 1 Mortification of Sin the Second Part of Sanctification 2 Frequently prescribed and enjoyned as a Duty 3 What the Name signifies with the Reason thereof 4 As also that of Crucifying Sin 5 The Nature of the Mortification of Sin explained 6 In-dwelling Sin in its Principle Operations and Effects the Object of Mortification 7 Contrariety between Sin and Grace 8 Mortification a Part-taking with the whole Interest of Grace against Sin 9 How Sin is Mortified and why the Subduing of it is so called 10 Directions for the right Discharge of this Duty 13 Nature of it unknown to many 15 The Holy Spirit