reason I conceive of this difference may be because the holy Angels continuing in their obedience and loyalty unto God are all of them great Officers and Ministers of State in his Kingdom and have not a Kingdom by themselves or apart from his Whereas Sathan with his Complices not keeping and maintaining their obedience and loyalty unto God and so not keeping their standing in his love and favour but being cast out thereof they become a Kingdom by themselves and have one in chief over them It is very probable that there are several ranks and degrees of Angels Sect. 6 from Rom. 8.38 and again from Eph. 1.21 Col. 1.16 Eph. 6.12 and some other places in Scriptures do seem to give this kind of overture viz. that there are several ranks and orders of Angels and it is not much improbable but that there is a subordination amongst them and that some are of a Superiour Order and some of an Inferiour and that every rank hath one that is the principal or superintendent over the rest of the same rank though this be but conjectural too We read indeed of Arch-Angels in the Scriptures 1 Thes 4.16 So Jude ver 9. in this latter place the Arch-Angel spoken off is called by his proper name Michael which rather imports a Species or order of such Angels than that there is only one Arch-Angel and his name Michael for if there had been but one Arch-Angel it had been more proper to have said the Arch-Angel without calling him by his proper name which ordinarily serveth to distinguish one person from another of the same Species and Dan. 10.13 Michael is called one of the chief Princes which importeth that there are more of the same order i. e. one of the Arch-Angels though perhaps the first of them as the Margin gives you the liberty of reading it Though for good order they have one that doth precede or go before yet that there should be any one that should have the sovereign power or rule and ordering of all the rest of all ranks and orders is contrary to reason and hath no footing in Scripture Concerning the other place mentioned 1 Thes 4.16 where we have it translated with a shout and with the voice of the Arch-Angel as if there were one such Angel and no more the truth is according to the original Greek it may rather be read With the voice of an Arch-Angel for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with an Article but without and so doth signifie one of a great number Secondly The Schoolmen who have many of them addicted themselves to the study and contemplation of these things which are held forth in the Scriptures concerning the Angels whose Notions in these speculations are less to be suspected of partiality seeing they relate not to any difference and controversie between them nor yet to the establishment of the Papal Chair and therefore they in their determinations and conceptions are not like to be any whit prejudiced herein Now then they generally hold not only that there is an Order and distinct Band or Regiment of Arch-Angels but that there are many other Orders of Celestial Spirits above them as Cherubins Seraphins Dominions Thrones c. yea and that they are the lowest of all others except those that have the common name of Angels appropriate unto them and they give an account of this opinion and have their Scriptures for all these things though it may be they may not all hold weight if they be examined yet they have an appearance of reason for what they say Thirdly The Jewish Rabbies hold and teach that there are more Arch-Angels than one and they undertake to call them by their names One they call be the name Vriel a second Raphael a third Gabriel a fourth Michael a fifth Nuriel But it is also the sense of some that are more sober and considerate that there are more Arch-Angels though we meet with this name but in one or two places in the Scriptures Fourthly The Scriptures seem to imply and teach that all the Angels that are employed at any time about the Saints and for their benefit are immediately commissioned and sent forth about their respective Ministrations by God himself or by Jesus Christ to whom they stand charged with fealty and homage Heb. 1.6 a place lately insisted on upon another occasion Let all the Angels worship him Fifthly Sect. 7 In case it should be granted which yet never was nor I believe ever will be proved that there is one Angel placed by God in any such superintendency over all the rest of the Angels from whom they receive all their Orders and Commissions concerning all their transactions or all that they are to execute and do in the World yet it will not follow from hence neither that this Angel must presently be that Spirit which is surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy or the Spirit of God which is said to be given unto his Saints and those who do believe as the earnest of their inheritance by whom they are sealed up to the day of their Redemption who in Scripture is dignified as the Author and Donor of all the spiritual gifts mentioned 1 Cor. 12. with whom in the Scripture before us we are all exhorted to be filled This is no where to be found in the Scriptures neither hath it foundation nor piece of foundation there If it could I say be supposed and granted for Arguments sake that there should be an Angel in chief over all the rest yet this doth not follow that this Spirit in our Text is an Angel and not the Holy Ghost i. e. God Sixthly Though it be supposed and taken for granted that men and women are tempted unto sin and wickedness at one and the same time all the World over yet it cannot be proved that they are tempted by the Devil whether Beelzebub or any under him But every one saith James Jam. 1.14 is tempted when he is drawn away or being drawn away of his own lust and enticed meaning that there are Lusts found in every man which perform the Work or Office of a Tempter secretly perswading and enclining them unto waies and Actions which are sinful and which many times prevail in this kind when there is no other Tempter at all that hath to do with them So that the tempting of men and women unto evil in never such numbers or multitudes at one and the same time in the World doth not argue that the Devil the Prince of Devils either immediately by himself or mediately by any under-Devil tempteth them But certain it is that when ever the Saints stir or move in any good way pray meditate hear and attend the good Word of God in any part of the World that the Spirit of God is with them quickning and exciting them to these things and strengthening them in the performance thereof because there is no disposition in men unto that which is good but that which is raised
16 It is the first-born of improbabilities or things that are unlikely that the Church of Christ which as the Apostle styleth it is The House of the living God 1 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pillar and ground or stay of truth in the midst whereof Jesus Christ himself delights to be continually walking and making himself known should ever since the Apostles times now for 1600 years and upwards lie wallowing in the horrid pollutions of so foul and gross an Error as to judge him who is a Creature to be God Can any man lightly be so simple as to think or imagine a snuff of a Candle to be the Sun And is there not a far greater difference between the ever blessed and incomprehensible God and any Creature of the greatest perfection that is imaginable than there is between the snuff of a Candle and the Sun Or is it worthy the belief or thoughts of any sober Christian that Jesus Christ for so many hundred of years together should not have awakened his Beloved out of such a Lethargy or sleep of death as was fallen upon her whilest she said in effect to a Stock thou art my Maker and to a Stone thou art my Redeemer Or what is it less or less unworthy than this to say unto a Creature thou art my God They who have but any tolerable thoughts of Jesus Christ his love and care over his Church cannot have such hard thoughts of him Fourthly Nor can it reasonably be imagined that the Holy Ghost would have received with so much patience and with so much silence nay with so much acceptation from the hand of the Christian World the acknowledgements of a Deity had he not been conscious to himself that they were his due and that he neither did either God the Father or the Son the least injury or wrong in receiving them at the hands of men But were he not or had he not been God he had trespassed after a very provoking and high manner against him who is God indeed in accepting his appropriate Royalties and suffering himself to be admired and adored amongst the Churches as God Doubtless the sin of receiving any acclamation from men or any thing else which is appropriate unto God alone is a sin of a very exasperating nature As it was with Herod who was struck with an Angel Acts 12.22 And we read Rev. 19.10 22.9 when John made a tender of Divine Worship to the Angel though he did not call him by the name of God yet when he did but exhibite that which was appropriate unto God the Angel would not suffer him nor admit it The Angel seemed to be exceeding tender and jealous of receiving so much as the hint or the first fruits of divine honour John thought that he that had revealed unto him such heavenly Mysteries was worthy of all honour therefore rather than not to shew himself thankful and respectful unto him for that unspeakable kindness of the Revelation he would needs give him something and having nothing at hand to repuite this high courtesie from the Angel that revealed such hidden mysteries to him but Divine Worship and honour he would bestow that upon him but the Angel would by no means suffer him to do it The truth is our Adversaries themselves at this turn do not make much scruple of this namely that Divine Honour should be given both to the Son and to the Holy Ghost and that they may and ought of duty to accept it though in the mean time they do deny the Godhead both of the One and of the Other But into the secrets of such a Notion my soul knoweth not the way how to enter nor can I comprehend or understand how they can either make Reason or truth of such a conceit to deny the Persons to be God by Nature and yet notwithstanding to judge it lawful and meet that Divine Honour should be exhibited and tendered unto them Upon what ground they can satisfie themselves in bringing together this East and West their strange opinion on the one hand and their practice which seemeth to affront it on the other hand How they can make peace between two that are at so great an enmity and distance between themselves I am not able to comprehend unless they mean by Divine Worship only something that is more Sacred or more August than the Reverence that is due unto man Bat this will not however salve the Opinion though it be formed and put into never so artificial and handsome terms Yea though it might be salved with such a sense and interpretation put upon it yet it is not worthy a Christian and especially a Teacher of others to put the mind of God or any Notion of Truth into ambiguous terms which need more unfolding than needs must for it is good to cloath the Truth in such a manner that it may be most familiar and nearest at hand to be received by the Judgments and Understandings of men But to the business in hand May the greatest Subject in a Kingdom lawfully go up into his Sovereigns Bed or require of his fellow Subjects that they swear Loyalty and Homage unto him as unto their Sovereign Or doth not the Scriptures from place to place make it Fornication Whoredom Adultery when that Worship which is appropriately due unto God is given unto any other Fifthly Sect. 17 We know that the sin of Idolatry is from place to place in the Scripture expresly numbred amongst those high provocations and misdemeanours which absolutely and peremptorily exclude from the Kingdom of God and from Salvation 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21 8. So that they who deny the Holy Ghost to be God do hereby First Make the whole Christian World in a manner or comparatively as hath been said Fathers Martyrs Confessors and whole Christian Churches to be Idolaters Secondly By a Scripture consequence pregnant and undeniable they do adjudge them all to the vengeance of hell fire But it is a small thing with persons of a proud and peremptory spirit to sacrifice not only the names honour and reputations of the worthiest men under heaven but even their souls and salvation also upon the service of their own opinions and conceits The Lord Christ himself must be a Samaritan and have a Devil that the Scribes and Pharisees may be presumed to be in the truth And so holy and worthy men who above all the World besides have had most acquaintance with God Ignatius Justin Martyr Ireneus Epiphanius Basil Nazianzen Chrysostome Jerome Austin and who not of all those great and famous lights of the Christian World in their daies must be all Idolaters and sent down into Hell that a Crown of glory may be set upon the head of a fond Opinion little less or rather not at all less than Blasphemy and to make way that they who deny the Godhead of the Spirit may be saved For though it be hard peremptorily to deny a possibility of salvation
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT Wherein is proved That it is a Duty incumbent on all men especially Believers that they be filled with the Spirit of God The gracious Counsels of God the Laws and Terms of his proceeding with men in order hereunto with Rules laid down whereby to judge whether men be filled with the Spirit of God or a contrary Spirit Lâ—kewise the way and means whereby men may be filled with the Spirit of God are all largely opened from the Scriptures AS ALSO The Divinity or Godhead of the HOLY GHOST Asserted and the Arguments brought against it throughly Examined and Answered The Grace of God â—n the fulness and freeness thereof evinced and many things relating to the Saints Communion with God and God dwelling in them Explained The necessity of the Ministry of the Gospel called the Ministry of the Spirit discussed and the usefulness thereof maintained With several other things of great importance in order to the benefit and peace of men All heretofore delivered in several SERMONS from Ephes 5.18 By that Pious Learned and Laborious Servant of God Mr. JOHN GOODWIN Sometime Minister of the Gospel in Coleman-Street LONDON And published after his Death for the Common good of all But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of 〈◊〉 body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 And they chose Stephen a man full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6.5 Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that as him Luke 11.13 Basil Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by E. C. for Henry Eversden at his Shop under the Crown-Tavern in West-Smithfield 1670. THE PUBLISHERS TO THE Ingenuous and Christian READER Good Reader THat great Law of Nature that hath uttered it self from the Lips of some of the Sons thereof That no man is born for himself only but the rest of Mankind do challenge a share in him or rather the whole of him And this by the Interpretation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ himself is the Sum or whole of the Second Table of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments and contains our whole Duty to our Neighbour viz. That we love him that is all men as our selves This great and Royal Law both of Nature and Grace hath occasioned this Discourse in thy hand to become publick The nature of it being spiritual and sublime carrying much of the peace and inward felicity of men and women in it hath imposed a necessity upon us not to confine it amongst our selves but to present it to the publick view of all whose hearts shall serve them to make a diligent and consciencious perusal thereof for their Accommodation in the things of their Present and Everlasting Peace and Welfare For this is certain that when any man or numbers of men have any Treasure in their hands to bless the World withal the Law of God obligeth them to minister unto the wants and necessities thereof they being generally so craving by reason of that ignorance and darkness that men are filled withal We shall not need to say much as to the Author of this Discourse nor to the time when these things were delivered by him in the course of his Publick Ministry it being sometime since and we question not but that there are many yet alive of those that heard it who have not lost the sense and spiritual resentment thereof but have many of those great Principles of light and truth remaining alive in power and great strength within them and will be glad of the opportunity of a second review of them The Author himself which is now at rest having finished the work which God judged meet for him and for which he was sent into the World was a man whose heart was set within him to serve his Generation with all faithfulness in the great Work of the Ministry of the Gospel not much valâ—â—ng the opprobation or displeasure of men when the Interest of his great Lord and Master and the present Peace and Everlasting Welfare of men were concerned being indeed very faithful and laborious in that great Work So that we may without vanity say of him as our blessed Saviour when time was said of John the Baptist Joh. 5.35 that he was in his time a burning and a shining light and many did much rejoyce at least for a season in his light although at some times and some turns in the faithful discharge of his Duty he met with the same measure that his great Lord and Master had measured out unto him in the daies of his flesh Joh. 6.60 66. For the Subject it self thou wilt find it as a light to guide thee in a dark place there being many of the great and gracious Counsels of God concerning men largely opened especially of such a nature whereon much of their spiritual Welfare doth depend viz. as to the manner and method of the Spirit of God in his proceedings with men and those Rules and Laws which he hath prescribed unto himself in his advance and decrease in their hearts and souls in order to the carrying them up into the Mount of God We mean into those high strains of the Gospel where the richest and choicest Consolations lie and where men and women may drink abundantly of them and be thereby put into the best capacity to serve God upon the highest terms of acceptation with himself as also may be great blessings and Benefactors to the World round about them according to the design of the Lord Christ in that choice which he makes of men by the Gospel which as the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2.9 signifieth is the making of them a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People for this very end and purpose namely That they might shew forth the Praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light The design of this Discourse being to carry thee up into the way of life which the Wiseman saith is above to the Wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15 24. which whilest men who love to dwell with their minds and hearts in these lower Regions are never like to be partakers of For this World and the things thereof were never intended by God as that which should answer the vast desires of men he having prepared better things for them that those noble Endowments of theirs might be conversant with matters of far greater concernment such as will advance and raise their felicity to a near Affinity and likeness with the Angels themselves those first-born Princes of Heaven who by beholding the Face of God continually are thereby filled with unspeakable joy and satisfaction and by means hereof are made blessed indeed Even so God in the Gospel through his abundant grace shines forth the knowledge of himself unto the Children of men that so beholding as in a Glass his Glory they may be
of himself unto him for by this means the Spirit withdraweth his former influences from such a person and affordeth him but a faint and scanty presence of himself afterwards Again Sect. 9 from the Apostles Exhortation 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit the truth of the Doctrine may be further argued even to a demonstration For if it be a duty lying upon Christians not to quench the Spirit i. e. Not to do any thing that may justly occasion him to cease from his wonted activity within them stirring their hearts and causing them to burn with inflamed desires after God and Jesus Christ and the things of their eternal peace I say If it be a duty to take heed of quenching the Spirit in such a way as this Then must it needs be a duty lying upon them to be filled with the Spirit the fulness of whose presence as was formerly more than hinted will cause their hearts to burn within them and as it were to mount up unto heaven in a flame It is an approved Rule frequently made use of by learned Ministers for the right understanding of the Decalogue or Moral Law That every Negative Commandment includeth the Affirmative contrary unto it As that which forbiddeth the destroying or the taking away the life of a man enjoyneth withal the preservation of his life with all tenderness and care There is another Rule delivered by some worthy Expositors of the Scriptures very necessary to acquaint us with the emphatical import of some expressions here The Rule is to this effect Adverbs of denying do very frequently import the contrary unto that word unto which they are joyned Many instances of this Rule might readily be given but this may be done upon some other occasion only for the present take notice that this Scripture agreeth to that which is imported in both these Rules This Negative dehortation Quench not the Spirit carrieth in it some such Affirmative and commanding Precept as this See that you be prudently industrious and careful with all diligence to nourish and advance the life and vigour of the Spirit of God within you entertain him with all worthy and honourable respects in your souls let him have all the obedience that he desireth or requireth of you By this means you shall be so far from quenching him in his motions and operations that he will burn like a bright flame of heavenly fire within you and work wonderfully in your souls That some such sense as this was intended by the Apostle in the said Dehortation is not obscurely intimated by that negative Precept not to despise Prophecying immediately subjoyned unto that of not quenching the Spirit especially if it be interpreted by one or both the Rules given for the interpretation of the former passage For then Not to despise Prophecying will signifie to put an high esteem upon Prophecying that is in the Ministry or Preaching of the Gospel which is done partly by a constant or frequent attendance upon it as with reverence and fear so with a lively and steady expectation of meeting with God and much good in it partly also by a consciencious subjecting all a mans waies words and works unto the authority and guidance of it Now not to despise that is to honour Prophecying upon such terms as these and duly honoured it cannot be upon any other is a direct and pregnant course to cause the Spirit to take pleasure in us and to be as fire in our breasts and bones not suffering us to be in the dark concerning any such spiritual things which are necessary or meet for us to know nor yet to be remiss negligent or cold as to waies and works that are truly honourable and worthy our high calling And what doth all this signifie being interpreted but to be filled with the Spirit Nor is there any way more dangerous unto men or more threatening the great evil and misery of being emptied of the Spirit than to despise Prophecying or the Ministry of the Gospel which is called The ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 And the Ministers of it The Ministers not of the Letter that is Not so much of the words matter or contents of the Gospel but of the Spirit Because the Spirit of God according to the counsel and good pleasure of God in this behalf is wont to joyn himself with the glorious truths of the Gospel published and proclaimed by his Messengers when he hath an intent or desire to go forth into the world and to visit the hearts and consciences of the Sons and Daughters of men See upon this account Acts 10.44 Gal. 3.2 5. And as the Spirit ordinarily cometh unto the souls of men in a golden shower of Evangelical truths rained down upon them from the mouth of a Church Angel So doth he not only continue but increase and inlarge his presence in them proportionably to that honour and obedience which is given by them unto those truths by which he was brought into their souls Therefore as the despising of Prophecying whether it be by undervaluing or neglecting the Ordinance or dispensation of it or whether it be by disobeying and casting behind their backs the holy Counsels and divine Injunctions of it is a ready way to quench the Spirit So on the contrary to have this heavenly Ordinance in high esteem and with constancy in attending upon it to joyn a reverential and awful subjection unto the voice of it in our lives and conversations is a method or means sealed by God whereby to obtain that inestimable treasure of being filled with the Spirit Thus you see how the Apostles charge of not quenching the Spirit leadeth us directly and by a clear light to the acknowledgment of this That it is every mans duty to be filled with the Spirit That other Dehortation of the same Apostle Sect. 10 Parallel in Expression and partly in sense unto the former Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 being rightly argued and searched into will give us the light of the same truth at the bottom of it But let us first consider what it is to grieve the Spirit and then we shall see by the light of the two rules mentioned in the opening of the former proof how it doth follow from hence That it is the duty of Christians to be filled with the Spirit The Spirit here spoken of is neither the Spirit of Man nor Angel as we shall have occasion to shew hereafter but the eternal Spirit of God the third Person in the Trinity Now to speak properly this Spirit is not subject unto grief nor any other Passion whatsoever But men are said to grieve the Spirit when they cause him to do and act towards them that which men are used to do under the Passion of grief Now you know that men whilst they are under the guidance of that Passion are listless and indisposed unto action Grief contracts and straightens it is of a wasting and consuming nature unto the
moved to do any thing for the good of this Creature of his may be absolute and in all respects every way free For the object or opportunity for grace to shew it self or for to act is not in strictness of consideration misery or extremity these are the appropriate objects and opportunities of mercy But the proper opportunity for grace to shew it self is either 1. A flat or dead irrelativeness in point of merit in him to whom grace is shewn or to be shewn in reference unto him that is supposed to shew grace so that the person is no waies beholding no waies debtor unto him to whom he is willing to shew himself gracious Or else 2. A relation of demerit injury or provocation in him to whom grace is shewed towards him that sheweth grace or dealeth graciously by him So that he that sheweth grace hath not only no tye or ingagement at all upon him to shew any such thing but on the other hand hath much before him to disswade and take him off from it Now if he shall be pleased to overlook all these injuries and shall these notwithstanding deal graciously and shew kindness this is properly an act of grace 3. Neither was it simply or only the misery wherein men lay plunged that wrought upon the mercy of God so far as to move and prevail with him to open that door of relief and deliverance unto him which now he hath done but it was his misery so and so circumstantiated in one respect or other as is evident from hence because otherwise the misery whereinto those more excellent Creatures of his the lapsed Angels are fallen being every whit as great if not far greater than that of man would have had the same motive or operation upon the mercy of God to do the like for them which the misery of man had and so have prevailed with him to have provided deliverance for them also But this only by the way 4. And lastly for this That which was properly matter of grace in God towards man being fallen was not procured or drawn from him by any thing in man any waies obliging him thereunto or by any consideration whatsoever relating unto man or his condition But was every way free meerly intirely and absolutely from himself And this is one thing and the first thing wherein the graciousness and freeness of acting in the Spirit of God consists viz. That without any moving or obliging cause whatsoever from without or on mans part He is pleased to intreat him sweetly and lovingly and to come unto him as it were from heaven to visit him to converse with the Children of men in the secret of their hearts and souls to instruct and teach them the things of their eternal peace to admonish and excite them to the imbracing and prosecuting of them yea and to follow them with his Promise to look after them and assist them And these things he doth to all men without exception to a certain degree when they first come by the use of their judgments and understanding and by the putting forth of their consciences to be capable of them yea and doth increase and advance these his gracious workings in them untill either by a long continued neglect of his presence with them or by some higher hand of sin and wickedness practiced in opposition to such gracious motions and transactions of his within them they weary him and quench those gracious operations which his presence affordeth unto them and bring it so to pass that he taketh no pleasure or delight in them Secondly Sect. 9 Another thing and that which already in part hath been mentioned wherein the graciousness and freedom of the Spirit of God in his working consists is this viz. That he is pleased sweetly and graciously to intreat men not only without any cause on their part moving or obliging him thereunto But against many provocations that might in reason have perswaded him to the contrary I mean to have absented himself from them and to have abandoned and abhorred them for ever and left them to have perished in their sin eternally Who can number all that variety of sins and provocations which centred and met together in and about that first and great transgression of Adam What strain of sin and wickedness was there wanting There was unthankfulness pride unbelief contempt of God sensuality murther of Posterity and that without end and what not almost of all that the soul of God abhorreth And all this great concourse and assembly of all sorts of Impieties and Provocations from the greatest to the least of them were as so many Orators and Pleaders against man before God and disswaders of him from ever respecting or taking the least care or thought what became of him and yet the grace of God and of the good Spirit as we have both heard and known to our comfort hath through that abundant freeness thereof magnified it self against them all It had been grace yea freeness of grace in the strictest consideration of both words if God or the Spirit of God should have moved in mercy or love towards his creature Man upon a level or plain ground I mean without any worthiness or desert or any inviting consideration in man But that the Spirit of God should be in his visiting of men like a river of water running up a steep hill my meaning is should vouchsafe to make applications of himself unto them in order to their eternal peace against such height and fierceness of demerit injury and provocation is indeed somewhat more than simply and meerly free grace if we had a word of more excellent signification to express it by and the truth is we want words to express it For that grace which God hath vouchsafed unto men in their salvation and in the means thereof and in the great condescension of the Spirit of God unto men is more and somewhat of a higher nature it carries a richer and more glorious notion in it than simply of grace of meer grace or of free grace because this free grace might have been shewed unto men in case they had never sinned It was the grace of God to create man upon those terms that he did to put him in a capacity of continuing in that honour and happiness wherein he was created and to adorn him with such rich and excellent qualifications because the Creature could deserve none of these things it could deserve nothing before it was But having sinned for God to exhibit such terms of love and goodness and bounty as he hath done this is somewhat more if we know what to call it than meer grace or free grace The Apostle Paul makes it more than so and an higher expression of it than his I think could not have been given down from Heaven at least 2 Amat compositiones Paulus cum Prepositione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that should in any degree have been intelligible by men a For he takes
great Office and Dignities of the Priesthood as became the Honour and Holiness and Majesty of it then the Priesthood should never have been translated from him And so Acts 27.24 Paul saith that an Angel of God appeared unto him bidding him to be of a good courage God had given him the lives of all that were in the Ship with him Now though this was absolutely delivered unto Paul by the Angel yet in the 31 verse it appears that it was a conditional promise for saith Paul to those in the Ship concerning the Mariners except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved And so Ezek. 33.13 When I shall say unto the righteous man he shall surely live that is when I shall declare it as my positive and real purpose and intention yet if he shall trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity notwithstanding this promise of mine in his iniquity he shall dye And indeed more generally all the threatnings of destruction denounced by God against wicked and ungodly persons you shall find them more generally I say if not constantly delivered in positive and absolute forms of speech 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shall inherite the Kingdom of God Here you see that this threatning against wicked men is deliver'd absolutly And yet we all know that there is a Condition of repentance included which intervening keepeth off the threatning from being executed upon the offender If a man be a covetous person or an unclean person the threatning goeth forth against him absolutely and yet through the grace of the Gospel if this person shall repent and turn him from the evil of his ways he shall not be excluded from the Kingdom of God Jonah 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be destroyed yet we know that forty and twice forty daies passed over their heads and yet the City not destroyed The reason was because the threatning was but Conditional though not a letter or tittle of it did appear unto Jonah untill the event declared it So that when by authority of our Saviour his declaration of that great Law of heaven mentioned touching the Holy Ghosts proceedings and treatings with men in and about the great matters of their Salvation we teach and affirm that the Holy Ghost still advanceth or retreateth in the souls of men as his entertainment is either kind or unkind We do not intend to affirm either that there never was or that there never will be any case wherein he will not take liberty to act above the line of that grace which is stretched over the world in that Law But only thus as hath been already touched that the Law mentioned so understood as has been opened is the common Law it is all the Law God would have the world to take notice of in particular and according unto which he would have men expect measure from him and from his Spirit If sometimes he acts by another Law this is but Lex horae as the Jewish Doctors are wont to call a Precept or Law given man in an extraordinary Case the Law of an hour whereas the other is Lex seculi the Law of an Age and this doth not reflect any error falshood or disparagement upon the general Law Secondly Sect. 13 We have oft signified upon occasion that God in Scripture treatie frequently applies himself unto men in such usages and forms of transactions as are ordinarily found amongst men themselves and used by them in their occasions yea and walking with them by the same principles and notions of reason and equity which are in request amongst them and generally owned by them and practised by those of them that deal any thing regularly Thus because amongst men a Covenant or Deed in writing is made good in Law by a Seal regularly affixed to it therefore God will seal his Covenant likewise And so because amongst men an Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife therefore God also because he would put an end to all doubtings jealousies and troublesome debates in the minds of men concerning his truth and faithfulness in his Word and great Promises of the Gospel he swears too So likewise in Laws enacted by men this being a common and standing principle Lex non curat particularia the Law doth not regard and take notice of particular or extraordinary Cases Laws are made and ought to be made only for ordinary Cases for Cases of ordinary and frequent occurrence or concernment amongst men There may be a Constellation or meeting together of such Circumstances once or at some one time which are not like to be found in the same Position again for many Ages after And so may constitute a case extraordinary like unto which another may not fall out in many Generations Therefore men do not nor indeed well can make Laws for the regulating of such Cases but leave all such to be regulated by the known and general principles of common Equity together with the Soveraign Law the good and benefit and welfare of the Publick for which the ordinary and standing Law was made So that in case the benefit of a variation or digression from the standing Law be manifestly expedient for the good and safety of the Publick the standing Law is not thereby violated or broken And doubtless it was the very intention of the Law-makers themselves that their Law calculated for the regulating ordinary cases only in such cases as these I mean extraordinaries should be waved So that now upon the account of the benefit and safety of the Publick men may walk contrary to the Letter of the Law and yet be blameless and no transgressours of the Law In like manner when God maketh general Laws and Rules and declares them unto the world that these are they by which he will move and act and treat with the children of men his intent is notwithstanding to leave these Laws to be regulated by himself according to the exigency and requirement of the general good and publick benefit of mankind which by his wisdom he is able to estimate and judge of knowing how to regulate all his proceedings with men as well in extraordinary as ordinary cases for their profit in conjunction with his own glory Thirdly Sect. 14 As there is nothing ought to cause a suspension of or variation from any general Law justly and equitably made and established amongst men but only that soveraign or supreme Law of Laws the good and benefit of the Society of men for which the Law it self was established So neither doth God or the Spirit of God at any time or in any case take liberty to digress or vary from his common and standing Law but only when some grand necessity either of the glory of God or the benefit and accommodation of men intervene And as in case those who are Law-givers amongst men could have
foreseen such a case or cases wherein a suspension of a just and good Law could be necessary it would not have been their wisdom nor for the interest of the people to make mention of it in their Law but to leave the regulation of such cases to that supreme Law we speak of In like manner when the Holy Ghost cometh in unto or falls upon any person man or woman on the sudden when they have been formerly and untill then vain loose and prophane it is upon some special and weighty occasion and of high importance for the benefit of the generallity of men not so much for the benefit of any single or particular person no but for matter of greater consequence and more comprehensive than the good or benefit of any one I say when ever God varies from a general Rule it is alwaies in order to the benefit and relief of the communities of men as for example for the preserving and keeping alive in the judgments and consciences of men some great principle of truth one or other which was ready to dye and so be lost in those parts of the world where his providence so acted Now to preserve and keep such a principle alive in the souls and consciences of men if God shall appear in an extraordinary manner or the Holy Ghost work out of course it is a sign that it was not likely to be preserved by any other means or however not by any means so proper or so well consistent with the wisdom of God as this For that is to be minded when there is any ordinary way or means to accomplish any end as to instance in our present case to preserve and keep alive any great truth then and in such cases God never betaketh himself to that which is extraordinary But as to the business in hand an instance may be in the Apostle Paul his Case he giveth this account of Gods going out of his ordinary way of Grace in bringing him unto himself viz. That it was for the benefit of men yea of such men who were not like to be wrought upon otherwise For this cause saith he I obtained mercy not so much for mine own sake principally but that in me Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterward believe on him to eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 As if he should have said God in vouchsafing that extraordinary grace to me in my conversion in bringing me to the knowledge of Christ did not look so much on my salvation nor upon the great benefit that I should receive from it but was pleased to pitch upon me that he might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe he speaks here of his own Countrymen the Jews that were called or to be called to believe on Christ And because God would give an advantage unto them for their believing being a stubborn and stiff-necked Generation a people that had desperately rebelled against the Gospel he was pleased to set this Apostle as a Pattern for them that when they had such a Pattern before them they might conceive thus with themselves There was a man every whit as wicked as we as unworthy as great an enemy to Christ and the Gospel as we yet he was called and with a high hand of acceptation received therefore doubtless we may trust in him and expect that if we will subject to him and come in and accept of mercy we shall be received into grace and favour also So now if there can be any such instance produced in our daies or in the places where we have conversed viz. That any extraordinary thing hath been done for men in a way of a real and through repentance and conversion for a seeming repentance and conversion may be in many where true repentance is seldom wrought but if I say there can be the truth and reality of any such unusual work of the Holy Ghost demonstrated doubtless there was or is some great principle one or other some important truth in a declining condition in those parts and places where any such extraordinary power of God and of his Spirit doth appear and it is to keep alive and in power and authority such a Doctrine As for instance it may be the free grace and mercy of God and that readiness in him to entertain and receive Sinners when-ever they shall return unto him this great truth I say may be so weakened in the judgments and minds of men that it may need more than an ordinary confirmation And so that men have no cause to be jealous of their former courses as if these having been so wretched and vile they might repent and yet be cast out from God Again That wicked men have as much right unto as much to do if not more with the Promises of the Gospel as Believers themselves and so that persons that have not been so or so humbled or terrified by the Law may as lawfully yea and as truly believe as those that have been in the greatest terrours of Conscience by means of it Now for the relieving and reviving of such Evangelical Principles and Conclusions as these and the like in the hearts and Consciences of men there may possibly be some extraordinary working of the Holy Ghost in and about the conversion of some man or some few Fourthly Sect. 15 When God beginneth or first entreth upon a new kind of Dispensation or series of Providence or Administrations in the world the first instance or example of such a kind of dispensation is not to be indeed in some particular Cases cannot be regulated by such Laws unto which the subsequent practice of the same Administrations are to be governed afterwards I say the first Dispensation in any kind cannot be a reasonable or perfect measure by which all other after Administrations are to be measured Men of reason and learning have delivered this for a Maxime Primum in unoquoque genere est excipiendum That the first of every kind of things is to be excepted meaning from the Common Law of the rest So that in this case God doth go along with men in their own manner of proceedings To make the observation clear When God gave being to the first man Adam intending by him the propagation of great numbers of men he did not observe the decrees or Laws of nature or natural production which he doth in giving life and being to other men So when he began that Church the members of which were afterwards numerous even the whole Nation of the Jews he appeared unto and called Abraham in somewhat an extraordinary manner This was the first beginning the head of that kind of dispensation in the world For God had not a peculiar Church raised out of any stock or generation in the world before it was to him the beginning of Churches No marvel then that he should begin this Church after another manner and in a method somewhat
the hard hearts and consciences of sinful and unbelieving men The words of God in the mouths of such men are as Arrows in the hand of a Giant as David speaketh Psal 127.4 they pierce deep and do execution afar off Other men that for matters appertaining unto God are but like the rest of the World and have nothing singular in their lives and conversations though using and uttering the same words with the former are yet but as sounding Brass or tinkling Cymbals in comparison of them Yea when men shall be found or known to be as it were rent and torn or broken in their obedience unto the Gospel alas they know or may know that when they shall preach the Doctrine of Faith Repentance Mortification or the like men will have wherewith to answer all that shall be spoken unto them by such men from their own mouths For who regards words and sayings where actions and works are of a contrary import As he that speaks Contradictions one while affirming one thing and at another time the quite contrary this man edifies no man by such a kind of discourse no man can tell whether he speaketh truth in the former Proposition or whether in the latter and so they go away as if nothing had been spoken they who speak at no better a rare destroying one saying with the other In like manner they whose lives and actions rise up against their teachings or speakings are of kin to those dumb Dogs of which the Scripture speaks Isa 56.10 For what they teach or affirm in words they deny in works and so in effect teach nothing at all The reason why Christ is said to have taught with authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees is given by some to be this and I conceive it very pertinent viz. because he did what he said and taught and they said and did not So when they that keep the holy Commandment and walk up to the Rule of the Gospel shall teach admonish and instruct they shall do it with power and authority the Conscience and Judgments of men will give them reverence and do homage unto them As it is said of Herod that he feared John knowing that he was a just man and an holy and observed him and when he heard him he did many things Mar. 6.20 And our Saviour taketh notice else-where of his righteousness and holy life as making his Doctrine much more commendable and of force upon the Consciences of men and withal chargeth such persons very high who did not embrace and submit unto his Doctrine John faith he came unto you in a way of righteousness and yet you believed him not Mat. 21.32 as who should say You declared your selves a Generation of Vipers indeed when as having such a man as John come among you a person so innocent and holy that you could lay nothing to his charge yet you reject his Doctrine you believe him not which is contrary to the light of Reason and argues a preposterous and perverse spirit frowardly bent against the Truth So that if men be not of this Generation men of a viperous spirit and desperately set upon their own ruine and destruction it cannot lightly be but the Gospel coming from the mouthes of just and holy men will do great execution upon them and make the powers of sin and darkness to fly before it Thus we have made good that in the Reason given which was supposed being this That every man standeth bound in duty towards God to act the part of a worthy Benefactor unto the World round about him and as far as in him lieth to bless his Generation The other thing which is affirmed in the Reason Sect. 7 was That no man or woman can be in any good or indeed tolerable capacity to discharge this Obligation unless they be filled with the Spirit of God And this we have in part made good already in what was delivered in opening the former Reason There we shewed That men and women will never do any great any singular thing for God and the interest of the Gospel unless they take a regular and due course to be filled with the Spirit There is the same consideration of doing great things for the World Men and women will fall extremely short of their duty herein also and with-hold that from the World which is its due unless they take an effectual course to strengthen their hand and their heart to the work which must be by filling themselves with the Spirit of God For as they who give munificently and like Princes had need be Princes or at least have the the Estate and Revenues of Princes So such men and women who shall cast in any thing considerable into the Treasury of the World to cover the nakedness and feed the hunger and heal the poverty of it had need be full of the Divine Nature and have a special Magazine within them of Faith and Love of Wisdom and Knowledge of Patience and Humility of Mortification and elf-denial and many other heavenly endowments Otherwise they shall never be able to rejoyce over mankind to do it much good nor to sow liberally and plentifully unto it As the Lord Christ had he not been Rich as the Apostle faith 2 Cor. 8.9 the making of himself Poor would not have extended to the making of many Rich so in case that a person hath but a little inward worth in him if he be scanted in true excellency and nobleness of spirit though he should empty and pour out himself to the World the poverty of it is such and the necessity of it so extreme craving and so devouring above measure that such an estate would do little more towards the relief of it than the seven fat Kine in Pharaohs dream did toward the seven that were lean and ill favoured the Text faith when they had devoured them they were not seen upon them but they were as lean and starven and as evil favoured as before the fat had need it seems to have been seven and seven and twenty times seven times fatter than they were to have wrought a Cure upon the leanness and hard-favouredness of the other And as Andrew Simon Peters Brother informed Christ of a Lad that had five barly loaves and two small fishes but viewing the multitude that were to be fed demanded but what are they amongst so many Joh. 6.9 And the truth is without the miraculous interposure of a Divine Power for their multiplication they had been very little indeed amongst the multitude that was to be relieved by them In like manner he that shall diligently consider and compute not so much the numberless multitude of souls or of men and women in the World round about him as the numberless multitude of their spiritual necessities and those very sad and threatning with open mouth eternal ruine and destruction on every side cannot lightly but confess upon the view that he that shall minister unto them with any likelihood
God they do not simply mention or insist upon what they desire but they desire it in Gods way and by that means by which they knew God was wont or likely to confer it Thus when Christ prayed for the Sanctification of his Apostles he prayed not simply that God would sanctifie them but that he would sanctifie them by his truth because he knew that that was Gods standing way and method by which he was wont to sanctifie men So the Apostle here knowing that God would not do that great thing for the Ephesians which he prayed for on their behalf viz. that they might be strengthened with might in their inner man be made glorious in their Faith and believe like Princes but by the interposure of his spirit He frameth his prayer for it accordingly And this is further to be considered that to be strengthened with might in the inner man supposeth that the Spirit of God must advance above his ordinary degree of acting to effect it He must not only act or interpose in men to work it but at such a rate of energy and power which is proportionable to such an effect And that is another Rule to be minded when any thing is prescribed or mentioned by way of means in order to such or such an end though the proportion of the means be not expressed yet it is to be estimated and judged of by the nature and quality of the end to be obtained thereby But we have not time to stand upon this So that the Apostle we see plainly supposeth this that there is no strengthening with might in the inner man which in plain English is that there is no believing at any high rate but by the interposure of the Spirit yea and of such an interposure wherein he must give out himself at another manner of rate than it is requisite that he should do in making men simply to believe Secondly Sect. 9 Concerning the second particular which was when this Faith doth triumph in the soul when a man is full of the glory and power of it to give an adaequate and Commensurable account of it to shew men this Faith in its just magnitude by works and not simply so but by such a Systeme of works such a constant tenour of Conversation which according to the interpretation of a man comparing Causes with effects it may be rationally said that such a series of actions such a strain of life and conversation cannot proceed from cannot call any other Faith or Belief Father or Mother but only such a Faith which lifts up its head unto the Heavens For unless such a thing as this be done we shall not fill up the deep pit of the poverty of the World nor repair the sad breaches which ignorance security and unbelief have made upon the safety of it For this is the case of the World as before was signified it is very low the vanity sloathfulness and folly of it have brought it to a morsel of bread Now as when the visive faculty or sight is dim or any waies maimed or weak the object had need be very visible or to have many degrees of visibility or lightsomness in it to produce or cause an Act of Sensation In like manner the capacity and principle in the World whereby it is in any degree apprehensive or sensible of the things of its own recovery welfare and peace being depressed scant and low they who desire to work effectually upon it and make it serviceable unto the World notwithstanding must present it with such things which are very notorious and next to miraculous in their awakening effecting and restoring property Or as when the stone or wood is hard or very resistive against the incission or impression that is desired to be made upon it the Tool or Instrument used for this purpose had need be sharp and keen So the temper of the World being very obdurate and stubborn against such impressions that are like to benefit and accommodate them in their miserable condition that which is any waies probable or hopeful to work a cure upon them or to bring them to an effectual and lively remembrance of themselves must have so much the more of the Spirit and of the life of the vigour and power of Faith in it Therefore if mens waies and works shall be but low and ordinary and but level with those of the common sort of men in the World yea if they shall not be much above them and magnifie themselves beyond them though it were supposed that the Faith of the persons we speak of were very Royal and Prince-like yet will they not come at the World nor reach the obdurate Consciences and besotted Judgments of men by the mediation or interposure of such works and waies The Faith which is in men though it be of never so large a growth and stature yet will it not reach the sore and sad malady of the World but only by an outstretched arm of Works For let me say this though haply the thing may seem otherwise unto you that a mans works do not alwaies hold out weight and measure with his Faith nor are the greatest Believers alwaies the greatest Doers A full fountain indeed alwaies sends forth a stream of water answerable to the fulness of it But this is because a fountain is a natural cause and so alwaies gives out it self to the uttermost of its power whereas a Believer being a voluntary Agent may moderate and temper himself as he pleaseth in the exercise of those principles out of which he acteth Hence it cometh to pass that some men though they be large in believing yet are they strait in giving testimony to their own Faith We know many have the gift of wisdom who have not the gift of utterance many that are very excellent in wisdom and deep in understanding yet they are flow of utterance and so under a great disadvantage to get forth their wisdom so many having an excellent and a glorious work of Faith yet may they suffer through an ineptitude or backwardness of spirit to assert that high degree of Faith by Works proportionable thereunto or any waies competent to evince what manner of Faith it is that reigneth The frequent and fervent exhortations unto good works and fruitfulness in well-doing given by the Lord Christ himself and by his Apostles unto Believers sufficiently prove that the Faith of men doth not necessarily or alwaies give out its strength in good works For what need he to press and importune men to such things which they cannot refrain or forbear whether they be perswaded or pressed unto them or no Yea perswasions and exhortations are most proper if not only proper where there is some degree at least of a backwardness or indisposition unto the things exhorted or perswaded unto in those who are perswaded and exhorted unto them When the Apostle Paul writeth thus to Titus Tit. 3.14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for
part it will be so So again where he saith There are last that shall be first and there are first that shall be last Luke 13.30 he implyeth that there may be some last who shall not be first and so that there may be some first that shall not be last The reason hereof we shall shew presently This caution premised the equity of Gods proceedings in making the last-called of his Saints the first in their reward ordinarily may be demonstrated upon these four grounds First Those that have been great sinners and have stood out long in rebellion against God when their great evil is overcome by the goodness of God in the Gospel and they notwithstanding all their wretched and fierce Provocations are received into grace and favour with him only upon their repentance and believing commonly prove the greatest and most cordial friends unto him amongst all his Saints become most naturally and genuinely affected towards him are most free and willing to spend and to be spent upon the service of his name and glory Whereas old disciples and those that of a long time and from their youth have been accustomed to the yoke of Religion are apt in process of time to grow drowsie and next unto formal and customary in their performances and seldom have that courage that spirit and life in them to act any thing or suffer any thing out of course or upon any extraordinary account for the interest of God and of Jesus Christ in the World which are found in late Converts and those that come off from many and great abominations unto God The longer and harder the Earth hath been bound by a Frost the mellower and more tender and capable of any impression it is found when a through thaw cometh No heart so pliable under the Word Spirit or Interest of God as that which is made soft by him after the greatest hardness The Scripture beareth witness unto this as a truth in many instances and places He who by his own confession 1 Tim. 1.15 was the greatest of sinners whilst unconverted when the evil property of his heart was altered by the Grace of God Laboured in his service more abundantly than they all than all his fellow Apostles 1 Cor. 15.10 That which is recorded of Zacheus Luke 19.7.8 and of Mary Magdalen though her name be not mentioned Luke 7. from ver 37 to 48. gives a lightsome evidence of truth in the Notion in hand and that Saying of Christ To whom little is forgiven he loveth little with his discourse preceding doth abundantly confirm it Secondly They who have long and even unto weariness and to the brink of despair walked in the vanity of their minds and waies of wickedness being upon repentance received unto mercy commonly prove more Evangelical in the frame of their minds and temper of their spirits and cleave unto God with a more pure and entire dependence upon his grace in Christ for their Justification and Salvation than they that are Professors of a long standing and were early at work in the Vineyard It is very incident unto these after some years continuance in a religious course to be insensibly corrupted in their minds from the simplicity of the Gospel and to warp towards a spirit of legality associating as it were their own Righteousness with the Grace of God in Christ to keep up their hearts in hope of Justification by him This difference between the one and the other in the spirit of their minds was doubtless intimated by Christ in the different behaviours or expressions of the Prodigal or younger Brother who personates the late Convert or the person that after much wickedness returns unto God and upon his Conversion and of the Elder Brother who seems to represent the Genius and temper of those that have been old servants in the House of God The former the younger at his return discovereth the frame of his heart end Spirit to his Father thus Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15.21 As he had no temptation upon him to plead any thing he had done for his Father to render him worthy in the least degree of his favour so was he far from looking this way with the least of his thoughts his hope of acceptance with his Father depended wholly upon his Fathers goodness and readiness to receive him upon his return Whereas the Elder Brother in a Contest with his Father claims a kind of right and title to more of his love than as he thought he had yet at any time shewed unto him And he answering said unto his Father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandment and yet thou never gavest me a Kid that I might make merry with my friends But c. Ver. 29. David hath this Saying Psal 62.10 If riches encrease set not your heart upon them As it is an hard matter for those that are rich in this present World to keep off their hearts from trusting in their uncertain riches or to keep them in trust or dependence upon the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 whereas afflicted and poor people and the widow that is desolate do as it were of course and by a kind of necessity trust in the name of the Lord Zeph. 3.12 compared with 1 Tim. 5.5 In like manner when men have wrought righteousness for many years together and have heaped up Prayers upon Prayers and hearings upon hearings with great constancy intermixing it may be now and then Fasting with some Alms-deeds or other works of Charity without making any scandalous digression from the waies of God all their daies it requires more spiritual strength and wisdom than are found in ordinary Believers for a man not to look upon so much beauty with an adulterous eye and not in secret at least to think that God in consideration of so much such long and faithful service done unto him may well forgive him his sins and trespasses and so not to wear somewhat flat and superficial in their esteem of and dependence upon the meer grace of God in Christ Whereas they whose course of life hath been nothing but sin and wickedness and enmity against God when they are converted and reconciled unto God cannot lightly but be pure end chaste in their dependence upon his grace and goodness for all the good they expect from him their conscience plainly telling them that they have no self-righteousness nor are in a capacity of having any whereon to build or wherewith to feed the least hope or expectation in that kind Now it is but reasonable that God who hath designed the Salvation of men according to the terms of that Gospel which himself hath conceived and communicated unto the World for that end in the exact and precise model whereof himself also is infinitely delighted should be more intent upon rewarding those with salvation who expect it from him with
the greatest and strictest conformity to his own mind and to the terms on which he offereth it than those who are less observant of his counsel in this behalf and to a degree lingering and hankering after another Gospel Thirdly Neither is it contrary to any Principle or Rule of Equity that God should order the rewarding of those in the first place who have glorified him most in the World Now 1. to believe the truth and faithfulness of God in his Promises and his power is to glorifie him or to give glory unto him Rom. 4.20 2. From hence it followeth * By the mediation and authority of this known principle in arguing easie to be conceived in the Latine expression but hard to be Englished to ordinary apprehensions Ut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis that to believe the truth and faithfulness of God in his Promises and his power to perform them in such cases wherein the performance is more rare and more difficult to be believed is a greater glorifying of God and in a higher degree than to believe them in more ordinary cases only and wherein the belief is nothing so generous and noble or so remote from the common Principles of reason The high commendation and strain of Abraham's Faith by which as we lately heard he is said to have given glâ—ry unto God meaning in a very signal and transcendent manner is expressed in these words Who against hope believed in or under hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.18 that he might become or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that he did become or was made viz. by God as Ver 17. the Father of many Nations The meaning is that Abraham's Faith breaking through those strong oppositions which the constant experience of the World and the common dictates of reason or of nature made against it was so highly pleasing unto God for that abundance of glory which in that respect it cast upon him that he judged it but a meet consideration for it to make Abraham the Father of many Nations that is to confer and settle this great dignity upon him to be for ever after reputed and acknowledged the great Exemplar or Pattern of all that to the end of the World should believe who for their numbers should equalize many Nations Therefore that believing in God which sympathizeth most with this Faith of Abraham hath most of the spirit and power of it and lifteth up it self in the soul against the stronger assaults or encounters must needs glorifie God more than that which hath only the common impediments and obstructions in the way of it to oppose it Now it is a plain case that he that hath been an inveterate and obdurate sinner and hath the heavy burthen of the guilt of many thousand most enormous and hideous provocations upon his conscience and soul and of many years rebellion against God when he believeth hath in his Faith much communion with Abraham in the excellency of his Faith believeth against many fierce Lions and bears in his way against the strongest and most violent temptations to diffidence and despair the conscience I mean of many horrid perpetrations and of enmity against God desperately persisted in for a long time together c. whereas he that cometh unto God early and believeth in the morning of his years not having debauched his Conscience with any the bold and daring affronts so frequently given unto God and his holy Commands by this miserable World hath no such mountains in the way of his Faith to be leaped over hath no such armed fears no such imperious contradiction of sin to encounter and consequently his Faith though it holds good correspondency with the Faith of Abraham in the nature and truth of it yet is it far beneath it in that Crowning property of it whereby it gave glory unto God so abundantly I mean the conception and birth of it in the soul in the very face and presence of many strong opposers who fought against it with an high hand and sought to stifle it in the breaking forth This then is another reason to vindicate the equity of that disposition in God according unto which he ordinarily maketh the last first and consequently the first last in the sense oft declared Fourthly and lastly there is a principle or disposition found in the nature of man frequently and almost constantly upon the occasion acted by men and this without the reasonable or just offence of any man which doth justifie that disposition in God with his acting semblably to it of which we are now speaking and which God himself pleadeth in the Scriptures as well by way of proof of the reality and truth as of the righteousness or equity of this disposition in him being parallel to it When any part of a mans substance which he valueth or any person neerly related to him to whom he dearly wisheth prosperity and peace have been a long time missing so that he gives them as we use to say for little better than lost if by the favour of divine Providence above his expectation and hope he comes to re-enjoy both the one and the other he is cast into a kind of ecstasie of joy over them and takes more contentment in them than in those in both kinds for which he never was in the like sorrow or heaviness This disposition I say and behaviour in men God insisteth upon partly to assure those that shall doubt that there is such a principle or disposition in him there being nothing in the nature of man but by way of extract from the nature of God who created him in his own Image or likeness partly also to justifie the righteousness or reasonableness of such a disposition in him unto those that shall question this in as much as the like is found in the generality of men without the reproof or censure of any man The Lord Christ in those three Parables in the same Chapter Luke 15. The first of the lost Sheep The second of the lost Piece of Silver The third of the Prodigal or lost Child representeth that temper or disposition in men with their practice or behaviour answerable to it which sembleth with that principle in God out of which he so frequently maketh the last first in the sense oft explained When he that had lost one of his hundred sheep leaving the ninety and nine in the wilderness to seek after the one which was lost having found it he is said to have laid it upon his shoulder rejoycing and coming home to have called together his friends and his neighbours saying unto them Rejoyce with me for I have found my sheep which was lost ver 4.5 6. Read the other two Parables at your leisure especially the latter wherein not only the great contentment and joy of the Father of the Prodigal upon his return is largely expressed but his affection also and choice respects towards his Son himself being now
to love God in the highest or else love themselves to such an height as to be willing to purchase their freedom from all penal fears in a way of the greatest honour that can be imagined I mean by giving their hearts whole and entire in Love unto God That which we look at in the passage as serving our purpose is that the Saints are therein encouraged and provoked to perfection in Love which being interpreted as was lately hinted is to all perfection Now certainly it is the duty of every Creature to drink in all encouragements from God as Fishes drink water naturally constantly and with delight and to lift up their hearts and hands unto whatsoever by them they are invited and quickened And he that encourageth or inviteth unto perfection doth by the same act invite also and encourage unto the seeking after the greatest and best things that Heaven will afford We might pursue the Point in hand yet further by insisting on several other veins of Scriptures in which the truth thereof beats quick and high and more especially on that large passage Ephes 4. from ver 11. to the end of v. 15. together with Col. 1.28 In the former of which places the Apostle affirmeth that the great end projected by the Lord Christ in his magnificent bounty unto the World at his Ascension into heaven when he gave gifts unto men some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers was the perfecting of his Saints the building up the body of Christ in all and every the members of it unto a perfect man In the latter the same Apostle professeth his comportment with the said great end of his great Lord and Master in these words speaking of him Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus But enough I suppose hath been already alledged and argued from the Scriptures to settle this in the judgments and consciences of men for truth that there is no person of mankind at least not amongst the Saints but standeth bound in duty to lay himself out with all his might for the obtaining of the highest Prize in glory If you shall now ask me a reason of this assertion because it may seem somewhat strange unto you that it should be matter of duty unto men and women to desire and seek after the greatest excellency in glory Sect. 15 however it may be their duty to excel in all righteousness and to strive after perfection in this life c. for these two seem to be of a much differing consideration I shall endeavour to satisfie you with presenting you with two or three Considerations which if you please you may call so many Reasons of the Point First It is the duty of every person amongst the Children of men and much more amongst those that believe to consult and endeavour the clearest and fullest manifestations of how high an esteem and value the services of his poor Creature man are with God when they are performed upon the best terms that he enables them to perform them This is a Consideration unto the truth whereof every man's judgment and conscience I may well presume will readily subscribe For there is nothing in God but what being discovered and made known maketh for his glory And the fuller and more convincing any discovery of his things is his glory proportionably is so much the more advanced Now it cannot appear at least not so manifestly or with that demonstrative evidence by any lower investitures of men with glory at how wonderful a rate he prizeth righteousness and faithfulness found in their exaltation in men But they who shall strengthen the hand of God by their high actings in waies and works of righteousness and true holiness to bring forth the best Robe of glory to put upon them these are the men that will do their God that most worthy and acceptable service to give him an opportunity of declaring upon the most unquestionable terms of satisfaction unto the World of how sacred a repute and esteem with him so poor and vile a Creature as man is may come to be if he quitteth and behaveth himself only for the few daies of his earthly Pilgrimage accordingly God delighteth in those Creatures most that will draw him forth in his goodness and bounty most freely and fully as appears by his extraordinary rejoycing over Phinehas for the performance of such an act which gave him a regular opportunity to shew the riches of his grace and mercy in sparing the lives of his people which otherwise his just severity against their sins would not as it seems have permitted him to do See and diligently consider Numb 25.11 12 13. And certainly it is the duty of every Creature and much more of the Saints to seek to give the choicest pleasures they are able to the soul of their Great Creator and consequently to set their hearts upon drawing out of his hand the largest portion of that glory and blessedness wherewith he hath judged meet to reward the services of men Secondly It is said 2 Thes 1.10 that Christ in the end of the World shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe This is to be understood in respect of that glorious and blessed estate and condition whereunto it will then appear that such a vast multitude of poor and despicable Creatures as his Saints sometimes were are now by his Grace and work of Mediation advanced In this respect the body of Christ consisting of the whole number of his Saints and Believers is said to be his Fulness Eph. 1.23 which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Namely because he will never be seen in the fulness of his glory or rather because he cannot be duly estimated in his heavenly worth and greatness but by the glorious happiness unto which so many Millions of Creatures lately poor vile and sinful have been orderly aad honourably advanced by him Now certain it is that if Christ shall be glorified over and besides his own personal glory in and by the glory of his Saints and be admired in the blessedness wherewith all that believe shall be invested by him the greater the glory and felicity of any of them shall be he must needs be the more glorified and admired in them And if it be the duty of all the Saints not only or simply to desire and seek after those things whereby Christ may be made glorious and wonderful but rather after those whereby he may be lift up in glory and admirableness to the highest evident it is from the Premises that it must be their Duty also to press with all their might after the greatest Excellency in that glory which is intended and held forth by God unto men Thirdly Unless men shall stir up their hearts and strengthen their hands by a desire and expectation of the
be the same Person But yet there may be other considerations which make it evident that they are not nor can be the same To this we reply It is true if there be any such consideration or ground by which it may be substantially proved that the Holy Ghost is a created Angel and not Jehovah then that diversity of appellation we speak of will not evince so much as a may be or a possibility of their being the same But that all the reasons that have been yet levied so far as they are commonly known or have been heard of to prove this impossibility I mean that they should not be the same are defective and fall short of any such proof shall God willing be made appear in due time but Secondly That the said proofs notwithstanding the said Answer or exception made to them do sufficiently conclude the Jehovah of the Old Testament in the Texts cited and the Holy Ghost in the New to be one and the same appears by the light of this consideration Because it is the genius or property of the New Testament to enlighten the darkness of the Old and still in mentioning the transactions or sayings thereof to speak more plainly fully and particularly according to that common Saying That the New Testament is nothing else but the Old with the veil of obscurity taken off from the face of it As the Old is nothing but the New with the same veil spread upon it Instances of what we now affirm viz. that the New Testament speaking of the passages of the Old speaketh more expresly and particularly those things which the Old speaketh more generally and obscurely are many and every where to be found We shall at present only mention one which is of some affinity with the business in hand They who with stood Moses in his applications unto Pharaoh by way of miracles and wonders to perswade him to suffer the Israelites to depart out of his Land are mentioned in the Old Testament but by the general names of Sorcerers Magicians and Inchanters Exod. 7.11 but the New Testament speaking of them calls them by their proper names Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 Thus He which the Old Testament in all the Texts and places cited stiles Jehovah God which is a general name common to all the Three subsisting in the Divine Nature or Essence the New Testament speaking of him terms him the Holy Ghost which is the name appropriate to the third Person there subsisting And if we shall suppose that the Old Testament ascribes such things plainly expresly and without Parable unto Jehovah or God himself which the New Testament ascribes unto such a creature which no man knows what to make of him nor what kind of Creature he is for such must the Holy Ghost needs be supposed to be if we make a Creature of him It is a plain case that the Old Testament shall be light where the New is dark and what the Old speaks plainly the New shall speak obscurely which is contrary as hath been said to the nature of it and the Counsel of God in it For that the Holy Ghost is by them who deny his Godhead affirmed to be a created Angel one or more some Archangel or the like is but gratìs dictum affirmed at peradventure and cannot be proved not so much as by one Argument of any competent probability Besides if the Holy Ghost shall be supposed to be a creature never so well known as suppose to be some great Angel yet in case it should be supposed that what the Old Testament expresly ascribeth unto God the New Testament having occasion to speak of the same thing should ascribe it to this Angel then the New Testament must be supposed to speak short of the Old and with loss and disadvantage as to matter of edification unto the World For instance where the Apostle Heb. 10.15 a place formerly insisted on makes the Holy Ghost witness of this great Evangelical truth or saying viz. That Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified if we shall suppose the Holy Ghost to be but a Creature we must suppose withal that this Apostle doth diminish the weight credit and authority of that important saying in comparison of what the Old Testament giveth unto it where it maketh Jehovah or God himself the Author and Assertor of it For as the Apostle John saith if we receive the witness of men So we say If we receive the witness of an Angel the witness of God is greater i.e. Is to be received and believed with far less scruple or hesitancie of mind or rather with far more readiness of mind with a far more raisedness and enlargement of confidence and assurance of truth than the witness of an Angel So that if the Old Testament shall be conceived to build the judgments and consciences of men touching the truth of the Gospel upon the authority or testimony of Jehovah or God himself and the New upon the credit only of an Angel the Old Testament shall give the good measure of peace and comfort heaped up pressed down and running over and the New only that which is scant and bare Yet again Sect. 3 If the Holy Ghost in that other place Heb. 9.8 insisted on likewise shall be supposed to be an Angel or Creature then it will follow 1. That Angels had thorough insight into and perfect knowledge of the mysteries of Christ and of the Gospel Yea 2. That they were the Authors and Contrivers of all those Evangelical types and figures in the Old Testament and of their respective and mysterious significations and relations to the spiritual things signified and pointed out by them 3. And lastly The Tenour of the Text it self will be low and poor in comparison and have nothing that Majesty which it must needs be conceived to have if the Holy Ghost here shall be apprehended to be Jehovah or God himself These things will plainly appear if the context be narrowly looked into The Apostle Heb. 9.1 2 3. having in the beginning of the Chapter declared some particulars of the Worldly Sanctuary as he calls it under the first Covenant viz. the Candlestick and Table for the Shew-bread in the outer part of the Tabernacle called the Holy place as also the golden Censer the Ark overlaid with Gold with the golden Pot wherein Manna was kept and Aarons Rod that budded having over it Cherubims of Gold c. of all which he saith he could not at present speak particularly He goeth on thus Ver. 6 7 8. Now when these things were thus ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost this signifying 1. As we said If by the Holy Ghost here be meant an Angel one or more then must the Angels be supposed to have understood the mystery of Christ and all the deep secrets of the Gospel even from Moses his daies at least and this very punctually and exactly For to be able to read a Lecture
to have come down upon Christ upon his being baptized may be clearly evinced First the opening renting or cleaving of the Heavens expresly mentioned in all these places plainly prove the Holy Ghost that is said to have come down upon Christ to be no Creature no created Angel but true God Let the Scriptures be searched from first to last we shall no where find the rending cleaving opening or bowing of the Heavens to be mentioned upon occasion of any created Angel coming down but very frequently upon any solemn or more than ordinary appearance or coming down of God himself unto men Bow the Heavens O Lord and come down Psal 144.5 2 Sam. 22.10 saith David in his affectionate addressment of himself by Prayer unto God Bow the heavens and come down i. e. Shew some Majestick and Godlike token or sign of thy Presence shew thy self like unto thy self like a God indeed in Umpiring the Affairs of the World between upright and wicked men In like manner the Prophet Isaiah or the Church of God personated by him Isa 64.1 O that thou wouldest rent the Heavens and come down Doubtless his meaning was not to desire of God that he would display the Ensign of an Angel before him and so come down to help his Church and People no but as was said before that he would appear in his appropriate and God-like Majesty It came to pass saith the Prophet Ezekiel that the Heavens were opened and I saw Visions of God Ezek. 1.1 The Heavens are never said to open or be opened but upon the account of some immediate or extraordinary appearance of God as Steven is said to have seen the Heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 As for that of our Saviour in John Verily verily I say unto you that hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Joh. 1.51 Whether we understand the place Metaphorically with some concerning more full and manifest discoveries of his Divinity that should shortly be made in the World by a more clear preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles or more literally with others of the Day of the general Judgment of the World when the Angels shall accompany him from Heaven and minister unto him during the continuance of the Judgment it no waies contradicts that Principle of truth on which we build viz. That the Heavens are never said to be opened rent or bowed down but upon some extraordinary appearance of God This is one consideration from the place cited to evince and prove the Holy Ghost coming down upon Christ to have been truly God viz. That the Heavens are said to have been opened rent or cleft at or immediately before his coming down 2. Another thing in the same passage evidently evincing the same Truth is that this Spirit of God is said to have descended and lighted upon him John adds that this Spirit abode upon him I saw saith John the Spirit descending from Heaven like a Dove and it abode on him Joh. 1.32 33. First if this Spirit were but a meer Creature a created Angel he must be supposed to have been locally and essentially absent from or out of the World some space at least before his coming down upon Christ for John saith as we heard expresly that he saw him not simply descending but descending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from or our of Heaven therefore he was in Heaven some while at least immediately before his coming down If then he were a created Angel he could not be at the same instant of time in Heaven and in Earth too and consequently the World must needs Universally and in all and every the members of it have been utterly destitute of the Holy Ghost some while before Christ was baptized yea the Lord Christ himself must be supposed to have been wholly without the Holy Ghost untill now whereas the Scriptures make it an unquestionable Character of an ungodly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to have the Spirit Jude v. 19. So that it clearly follows that in case the Spirit of God which descended on Christ upon his baptism was but a meer Creature or a created Angel that there was never a holy and good man in the World for some time before no nor that the Lord Christ himself was such which I know not how any man that desireth to be counted a Christian can own without trembling 2. This Spirit is not only said to have descended or come down upon Christ but also as we beard from John to have continued or remained on him Now no created Angel whatsoever is said or reasonably can be said to remain upon him Created Angels are said to minister unto him to stand by him to ascend and descend upon him are commanded to worship him c. but are no where said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remain in him By the way this expression of the Holy Ghost's remaining on Christ signifies his uniform and equitable presence with him in the fullest or highest measure that he was capable of and that he was not subject to ebbing and flowing to rising or falling as he is in the best of men and besides it may import that this Spirit is not communicable unto any other person of mankind but only from through or by means of Christ Sed hoc obiter Again Were this Spirit of God a finite or created Angel in case he shall rest or abide upon Christ the rest of the World and all mankind besides must needs perpetually want him For nothing that is finite or that hath bounds and limits of essence and being can be or abide with one person in one place and yet be present with another person though at never such a distance form him 3. When the Evangelists report that Christ soon after his Baptism was led of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil in the wilderness they speak doubtless of the same Spirit which came down from Heaven upon him immediately upon his Baptizing Now it is marvellous improbable at least that He whom all the Angels of God are streightly commanded to worship should be acted and led by one of them into the Wilderness and this for such an end and purpose as to be tempted by the devil That Jesus Christ is God is I suppose evident enough from hence not only that one or some few but that all the Angels of God without exception of any are commanded to worship him Heb. 1.6 Certainly God would not command one Creature to worship another no not the Inferiour to worship the Superiour much less the Superiour to worship the Inseriour Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Luke 4.8 Now then if Jesus Christ be the Lord of all the Angels it is not like that he should be led or acted or prevailed with by any of them one or more especially into an engagement or undertaking of such a
is here plainly and in expressness of words attributed to the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God So Tit. 3.5 we are said to be saved by the washing of Regeneration and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost And 1 Cor. 6 11. we are said to be washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God The parts likewise of Regeneration the several graces or holy dispositions of which the body of Regeneration is made up is attributed to the Holy Ghost Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering c. From the Scripture then propounded with the rest consorting as ye have heard with it I reason thus If the work of Regeneration be the appropriate work of God appropriate I mean so that it cannot be effected by any meer Creature without him then must the Holy Ghost to whom this work is attributed needs be God But such is the work of Regeneration Ergo. This latter Proposition I suppose will not be denied because evident it is both from the Scriptures and from the consideration of the nature of the work it self which we call Regeneration that it is not cannot be effected without the interposure of the hand and power of God True it is God may use Creature instruments about the raising and production of it as he commonly useth men his Ministers and their gifts together with his Word I mean his written Word but yet all these without his interposure will not do the deed will not reach the blessed effect of Regeneration The Scripture is very express and clear in this I have planted saith Paul and Apollo watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. When he saith that neither is he that planteth nor he that watereth any thing he speaks not absolutely as if their agency in the business were simply nothing for he had said of himself and Apollo a little before that they were Ministers by whom they believed but he speaks this comparatively meaning that that which they did in the work of their conversion to the Faith was nothing in comparison of that which God did in it God could have effected it if he had so pleased without them but all that they did or were in a capacity of doing was nothing unless his hand had been with them Elsewhere those that are regenerate or born again are said to be born of God Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 And again ver 4. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World c. to omit many other places So that evident it is from the Scriptures that Regeneration is a work which is appropriate unto God and cannot take place without him The Minor Proposition then in the Argument last propounded is unquestionable But to the Major Proposition it is like it will be replied that though the work of Regeneration be attributed to the Holy Ghost and withal cannot be effected but by God himself yet it doth not necessarily follow from hence that the Holy Ghost should be God because the Holy Ghost may have an agency or efficacie in it in conjunction with and subordination unto God as Ministers of the Gospel and the Persons themselves who are regenerated have To this I reply If the operation or efficacy of the Holy Ghost in and about the work of Regeneration were subordinate or instrumental we could not be said to be begotten or born again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the spirit but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or through the Spirit as we are not said nor can in any tolerable propriety of speech be said to be begotten of men as of the Ministers of God though they be instrumental in our Regeneration but only by men according to the Apostles expression lately mentioned 1 Cor. 3.5 Who is Paul who is Apollo but Ministers BY whom ye believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So as the Word of God is instrumental or subordinate to our Regeneration we are said to be begotten by it 1 Pet. 1.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or through the Word of the living God And elsewhere Jam. 1.18 God is said to have begotten us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or through the Word of truth The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still notes either the principle efficient cause or else the material cause of things produced but seldom or never the instrumental efficient cause Thus men are said to be begotten of their Parents You saith Christ to the wicked Jews are of your Father the Devil Joh. 8.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Angel to Joseph concerning Mary Mat. 1.20 That which is begotten in her is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to omit instances of this kind without number Therefore there is little question but that in the same sense wherein men are said to be born or born again of God they are said to be regenerate or born again of the Spirit It is true sometimes the Spirit is spoken of as instrumental or subservient in the works of believing mortification c. Peter tells the Saints unto whom he writes 1 Pet. 1.22 that they had purified their souls in obeying the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Spirit i.e. by means or by the help of the Spirit So Paul to the Romans Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live But first it is to be considered that that subserviency which in these or the like passages seems to be attributed to the Holy Ghost is attributed unto him in reference unto men not unto God and the reason of the attribution is not to imply that He the Holy Ghost is not the principal or prime cause both of our believing and so of our mortification but only that with his agency or interposure about these works he never effects them without the consent and compliance of men themselves therewith So that in this respect men are said to purifie their hearts in believing the Truth through the Spirit and so to mortifie the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit when they fall in and comport with the preventing motions of the Spirit in order to these great and blessed works which may well and with clearness of apprehension stand with the Spirits being the first Author of yea and the principal Actor in them only it implies that He works none of these spiritual or heavenly things within us irresistibly or whether we will or no. And therefore Secondly Such attributions of subserviency unto men as these do no waies prove or so much
thorough some part of his Dominion makes his abode in some Country Town and whilst he stayeth in it much enricheth and graceth it but upon some offense given unto him by the Inhabitants leaves them and returns to his principal or chief City where the standing place of his residence is These things I presume are no new or strange things unto the most of you And the truth is that to frame an Argument against the Deity or Godhead of the Holy Ghost from the expressions of his descent argues no depth of insight in the Scriptures nor great acquaintedness with their Dialect From that which hath been said a ready Reply may be shaped to the other the Minor Proposition in the Argument This Proposition was That to descend or remove from place to place is in that third of Matthew ascribed unto the Holy Ghost The Reply is That such a descent which hath been described and avouched as competent unto God and is frequently ascribed unto him in the Scriptures is indeed attributed unto him But as for any other descent and particularly such as is appropriate unto the Creature it neither hath been nor ever will be proved to be either here or any where else ascribed unto him Concerning the second place Mat. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. and what was argued for the Divinity of the Holy Ghost from hence our Adversaries it seems know not how to evade the manifest conviction hereof but by denying that which I suppose all the Christian World besides themselves do and ever did grant viz. that the Baptizing which our Saviour enjoyneth his Disciples to administer together with their Preaching of the Gospel is the baptizing with water so much spoken of in the New Teftament what account or reason they give of this their denial I understand not but certainly the strongest and most demonstrative reason that the judgments and understanding of men are capable of had need be given to justifie or bear men out in the denial of that which the whole World in a manner of the religious grave and learned in the mysteries of Christian Religion do affirm But not to burthen our Adversaries with the bare Authority of the whole Christian World this being a burthen of that weight that it ought to shake any man's judgment and conscience where it lies and cause them to look about but waving this I say at present I would gladly understand from them some tolerable reason at least why that baptizing which is here spoken of should not be that baptizing which the Gospel describeth to be the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins Or what other Baptism than that of water for the Remission of fins can reasonably be imagined that the Lord Christ should enjoyn the Administration of unto his Disciples That Baptism which is with the Holy Ghost and with fire is appropriate unto Christ himself and immediately administrable by him only as all the Evangelists testifie Mat. 3.11 Mar. 1.8 Luke 3.16 Jeh 1.26 Therefore this was not the Baptism here prescribed As for that which some call Baptisma Sanguinis the Baptism of Martyrdom or Affliction even that Baptism which our Saviour mentions to the Sons of Zebedeus Mat. 20.22 23. Are ye able to be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with c. Meaning hereby could they drink of such a Cup as he was ready to drink of The Baptism here spoken of cannot in any tolerable sense be conceived to be meant of that Baptism which Christ commanded his Apostles For certainly Christ did not command them to make Martyrs where they came nor to subdue them by bloud they might teach men indeed to suffer persecution and animate and instruct them that way but who can reasonably judge or conceive that such a thing as this should be intended in such a Phrase as this Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Besides the very name into which they baptized men maketh it fully to appear that it was not any such kind of Baptism and therefore if our Adversaries can invent or devise or find out in the Scriptures any other Baptism than that we speak of which is likely that the Lord Christ should commit to his Disciples to administer in the World where they went to teach the Gospel then their Exception may have some colour or shew in it But in the mean season there being that Baptism of water which is every where urged and imposed upon persons upon their believing and which was administred to all those that came to desire it of John and this being the most famous Baptism and such a kind of Action which was very proper for the Apostles Ministry or at least to proffer the ministration of it where they preached the Gospel therefore in the eyes of all considering men it must needs be that Baptism which is called the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins Mar. 1.4 And if so then the Holy Ghost in whose name this Baptism is to be administied is without all question and dispute truly God But It seems there is another evasion or shift by which the Adversary thinks to convey himself out of the dint of this Scripture before us viz. That where the Apostles are enjoyned to baptize in the name of the Holy Ghost the meaning saith he is to baptize men into the guidance and ducture of the Holy Ghost Not as if the Holy Ghost and the Father were one And they seem in their own eyes to give much strength to this Evasion by comparing it with 1 Cor. 10.2 where all the Fathers the Israelites are said to be baptized unto Moses It is clear say they that being baptized unto or into Moses here is nothing else meant but a being baptized in Moses his conduct and guidance And so say they to be baptized into the Holy Ghost or in the Holy Ghost doth not signifie any thing more than being baptized into the Holy Ghost so as to follow and give up our selves unto the Holy Ghost for our Teacher and director For Answer hereunto First by way of Concession It is very true that here is somewhat of the Baptism here spoken of somewhat of that nature namely an engagement and obligement upon the persons who are thus baptized to give up themselves unto the guidance of the Holy Ghost But secondly by way of Exception 1. That which is somewhat more in this Baptism is That they be baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the Remission of sins Now this is the intent of the message of Baptism viz. That upon their Repentance their sins are forgiven them or in case they have repented their sins shall be forgiven This is the mind and counsel of God in Baptism But then in the second place it followeth That those persons that have been baptized upon their Repentance are enjoyned by way of consequence to deliver up themselves into
else that the Holy Ghost spake so or so but never that God by the Holy Ghost spake either so or so it is a plain case that all these Expressions are synonymous and equivalent and that he that is in one place called God in another Lord is the same God and the same Lord with him that in other places is called the Holy Ghost It is indeed said of the Lord Christ in regard that he was man as well as God that he gave Commandments unto his Apostles by the Holy Ghost Acts 1.2 to shew that though he spake unto them in the Humane Nature and as a man yet was directed by the Holy Ghost in what he said But if it should be supposed that the Holy Ghost by whom he is said to give Commands to his Apostles were a Creature or a created Angel it had rathet been a disparagement than any manner of reverence or advantage unto them in this kind that they should be given by him and this according to the Principles of our Adversaries themselves who hold and teach that the Holy Ghost is inferiour howsoever unto Jesus Christ be he man only as they or God and man both as we say Now for one that is superiour in Gifts Wisdom and Understanding c. to be acted or directed in what he speaketh by him that is beneath him in these abilities is rather detractive from the weight and worth of what he so speaketh than any waies adding thereunto Thus we see that the Scripture seldom hath any occasion to mention or speak of the Holy Ghost but there is somewhat or other near at hand which bewrayeth him to be that which indeed he is God blessed for ever We might further argue Sect. 13 and prove the Deity of the Holy Ghost from Acts 5.3 compared with v. 4. 9. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back c. That which he calls Lying to the Holy Ghost in this verse he calls lying unto God in the next Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God The Adversary finding himself somewhat hard beset with this passage after his wonted manner casts about and bestirs himself to espy how he may break loose from hence also So hard a thing is it for a man that hath an opinion of his own to establish to submit unto the Word of God though speaking plainly and without Parable One while he cavils at the Translation ver 3. and tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be translated to lye to the Holy Ghost but to counterfeit the Holy Ghost I think it not worthy your time to stand upon the exception or to shew the lightness of it especially it having been done substantially already in a discourse published in English upon the Subject we are now upon somewhile since entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or A Treatise of the Holy Ghost p. 3 4 5 6. Only by the way you may please to take notice of this that there is nothing more clear than that the Apostle Peter having charged Ananias ver 3. with suffering Satan to fill his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we translate it to lye unto the Holy Ghost or to belye or counterfeit the Holy Ghost interprets his meaning therein ver 4. Thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God For there is no colour or ground to think that here he chargeth him with a new sin And ver 9. he expostulateth with Sapphira his Wife Why have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Now to speak an untruth unto persons in whom there was so manifest and great a presence of the Holy Ghost as was in Peter and the rest of the Apostles was more properly a tempting him viz. whether he were Omnipotent or no and could tell when or whether men spake untruth or not and again whether he were so severe to discover it in case he knew it c. in these respects I say to lye unto the Holy Ghost is more properly a tempting him than to pretend a motion from the Holy Ghost which was not from him Besides it no waies appears that either Ananias or Sapphira did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Adversaries sense i.e. counterfeit the Holy Ghost or pretend that what they did in denying they sold their Possession for so much they did it by motion from the Holy Ghost neither is there the least probability of such a thing Besides some Greek Copies have the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the clause contended about reading it thus Why hath Satan filled your heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cuts off all Pretext against the Translation But the Adversary as one while he pleaseth himself with signifying his displeasure against the Translation so otherwhile he attempts to come off from the said Contexture of Scripture which frowns so terribly upon his opinion by that trivial and common shift viz. That men may be said to lye unto God when they lye unto his Messengers and that upon this Principle because that which is done to an Embassadour or Messenger redounds to him that sent him Therefore that Ananias is said to lye unto God because he lyed unto the Holy Ghost proves no more saith he but only this that the Holy Ghost is the Messenger of God and sent by him not that he is God himself This Fig-leaf also might easily be rent and torn but that it hath been done already by the former hand we spake of For though that which is done to a Messenger Embassadour or the like whether in a way of honour or dishonour may be said to redound or in a general sense and consideration to be done to the King or Prince that sends him yet the particularity of what is done in this kind to a Messenger cannot with truth in custom of speaking be said to be done unto any other but himself It is a common saying that what measure is measured out unto Embassadours it is done unto the Person himself that is the sender of them But now this is to be understood of the general nature of that which is done Be it good or evil which is measured to an Embassadour it doth I say redound in a general way unto the King or Prince that sends him But as for the particularity of discredit which is done to the Embassadour this cannot in reason or in truth be attributed unto the Prince If the Embassadour be killed it cannot be said that the Prince is killed only that he had a very great affront offered unto him So if the Embassadour had a high reward a Chain of Gold or the like it cannot be said that the King had one only that this was done in honour to the King Take an instance or two from the Scriptures Hanun we read 2 Sam. 10.4 shaved off the one half of the beards of David's Messengers
is termed the Lord of Hosts by Isaiah is by the Apostle Paul's interpretation the Holy Ghost And if he was worshipped by the Angels certainly he was no Angel no created Angel himself but truly God Neither can our Adversaries take Sanctuary under the wing of their common Evasion viz. by pretending that it might be the Lord of Hosts or the most High God that put the words specified into the mouth of Isaiah and yet do it too by an Angel For 1. here is no ground at all no touch or breathing of any circumstance to build such a conceit or pretense upon 2. That which the Lord of Hosts did unto Isaiah by the Ministery of an Angel in his Vision is expresly ascribed to the Angel who did minister unto him in this kind Isa 6.6 7. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the Altar and he laid it upon my mouth and said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged What God did by an Angel unto Isaiah is as we hear expresly attributed to the Angel that did it And if it had been an Angel that by order and Commission from God dictated that Prophesie unto Isaiah which here he is commanded to utter unto the People why should not this have been mentioned and the act of dictation we speak of ascribed unto the Angel as well as that other Especially considering that the Angel which is pretended to have been ministerial unto God in the latter I mean in suggesting the words of the Prophesie unto the Prophet is supposed to be an Angel of far greater worth and dignity than the other for such the Holy Ghost is supposed to be by our Adversaries viz. the supreme Angel in dignity Now it is no waies reasonable to suppose that the Act of an inferiour Agent or Instrument should be recorded and the act of a far greater Instrument in and about the same business should be buried in silence Nay 3. And lastly for this the Prophet Isaiah is expresly said ver 11. to have called him Lord who had said unto him Go tell this people c. Then said I Lord how long If men had though but a competent anoynting with that wisdom which is from above as James speaketh Jam. 3.17 and so were made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easie to be perswaded indeed possible to be perswaded by the truth or to the truth these things might satisfie and perswade them For what greater proof or argument can there be to evince the Holy Ghost to be truly God or God by Nature as the Apostle distinguisheth than that he should be worshipped or adored by the Angels who very well know to whom worship belongeth Yea as Christ the Son of God is directly prayed unto by Stephen Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and again by John Rev. 22.20 Even so come Lord Jesus So is the Holy Ghost by the Church or Spouse of Christ Cant. 4.16 Awake thou North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out q.d. O Spirit of God breath upon my heart and soul be thou operative by thy grace and power upon me that so my Graces my holy Dispositions and Affections may freely utter themselves in the World with sutable actions and deportments Some I know understand this as if it were rather spoken by Christ to the Holy Ghost in reference to his Church whom they conceive he calleth his Garden than by the Spouse in respect of her self but the words in the latter end of the verse seem to evince the contrary for they must needs be understood as spoken by the Spouse Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Here she styles her self his Garden because of the pleasure and delight she knew he took in her and invites him into his Garden to eat his pleasant fruits i. e. Desires him to take contentment in her Graces and Services We heard not long since that the Spirit of God is in the Scriptures resembled by the wind and why Yet more plainly than this Sect. 16 John prays for mercy and peace for the seven Churches of Asia not only from God the Father and from Jesus Christ but also from the Holy Ghost Rev. 1.4 signified by the seven Spirits before the Throne of the Father for the multiplicity of his distributions and gifts given unto men And here it may be noted that the Holy Ghost is not only joyned together with the Father and the Son by John as with them constituting one and the same object of Divine Worship but is likewise mentioned out of the order wherein they are more usually named when all three are mentioned together viz. not in the last place but in the middle between the Father and the Son which is I suppose occasioned from hence because John had more to say in the immediate sequel of the Context concerning Christ and therefore according to the usual manner of the Scriptures in like case reserved the last place in the enumeration for him though his proper place were before If any man shall here object and say That John doth not properly or directly pray in the passage mentioned to the Holy Ghost no nor yet to the Father or the Son but only wisheth Grace and Peace unto the seven Churches from them joyntly To this I answer 1. If it be conceived that John only wisheth or desireth Grace and Peace unto the Churches yet it is plain that he wisheth them equally and indifferently from the Spirit of God as well as from the Father and the Son therefore he supposeth him to be a joynt Donour with the other two of these Blessings Doubtless he would not have wished or desired them from one that had no power or right of interest to confer them and if the Holy Ghost hath power to confer them what can either God the Father or the Son have more If it be said God the Father may have an original power and the Holy Ghost a derivative or communicated power only I reply 1. Here as not the least intimation of any such difference between the power of the one and of the other in the sense at least of him that objecteth For there is a sense indeed wherein it may be admitted without any prejudice to the Deity of the Holy Ghost that he hath only a derived or communicated right or power to give Grace and Peace and the Father alone the power Original in this kind As his Personality or Subsistence in the Divine Nature or Essence is communicated unto him by and from the Father together with the Son so may all Rights and Powers belonging hereunto and founded in such a Subsistence be said to be derived and communicated unto him also But as he partakes of or subsists in the same Divine Essence with the Father and the Son so his Right
their cause I desire to trie their Doctrine and Opinion in the Point in hand whether it be truth or no by that definition or description of the Gospel which the Apostle delivereth 1 Tim. 6.3 and elsewhere calling it a Doctrine according unto Godliness i.e. as heretofore upon occasion we have interpreted a Doctrine every way and in all the parts and veins of it composed and framed for the advancement of Godliness in the World or for the making of men Godly So that every Doctrine or Opinion the face whereof is set towards Godliness and which hath a tendency in it to promote the interest thereof not contradicting or overthrowing another Doctrine which hath a more express and potent tendency to the same end is undoubtedly a vein or branch of the Gospel and consequently from God for that is to be considered at this turn that not every Opinion or Doctrine which hath some inferiour and fainter tendency unto Godliness is hereby evinced to be an Evangelical Truth in case it opposeth and riseth up against another Doctrine which is fuller of the same Spirit than it but only then when the Doctrine or Opinion contrary unto it hath either no tendency at all this way I mean to further Godliness or else only such a tendency in this kind which is weak in comparison of the other As for Instance that God will save those that will live godlily from the wrath and vengeance which ungodly men shall suffer by an utter annihilation of them or by putting them into such a condition as if they had never been born is a Doctrine or Opinion which hath some kind or degree of a tendency unto Godliness as is evident viz. It is better saith our Saviour speaking concerning Judas that a man should never have been born than that he should suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire But because it contradicteth another Doctrine which hath a far more potent and efficacious tendency unto Godliness than it viz. that Doctrine which encourageth and provoketh unto Godliness not by a promise of escaping the wrath which is to come by an utter Annihilation but by the inheritance and enjoyment of eternal blessedness and glory That tendency which the former Doctrine hath unto Godliness is no Argument or Proof that therefore it is a Truth or any part of the Gospel On the other hand that Doctrine that the Saints may lawfully converse in civil affairs with the Fornicators and Covetous or Extortioners of this World as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 6.10 although it hath nothing of that rich and powerful tendency unto Godliness which many other Doctrines of the Gospel have yet is that inferiour tendency that it hath this way an Argument that it is an Evangelical truth because it contradicteth no other Doctrine which hath any superiour tendency unto Godliness than it self Many more instances of both kinds might be given if it were needful any man remembring the Principle or Rule may at leisure and with a little consideration furnish himself with Instances in abundance So then to apply the Rule to the case in hand if upon due consideration it shall appear that that Doctrine which denying the Holy Ghost to be God the most High God affirmeth him to be a Creature opposeth and contradicteth a Doctrine which is of a more express pregnant and potent tendency to the advancement of Godliness than it self certain it is that it is no member of the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness and consequently no truth of the Gospel therefore to make this appear it is to be considered first The greater and more honourable the Agent is that is sent and imployed by God to negotiate his Affairs with men about the things of their eternal Peace and Salvation his Agency or Message is so much the more likely to be regarded by and take place with men themselves As on the other hand the less honourable or worthy the Agent is or is apprehended by men to be who shall be thus imployed the business he is to transact is so much the less likely to succeed or prosper in his hand This Principle is delivered unto us in the Scriptures themselves in the Parable of the Vineyard our Saviour presenteth the Husbandmen to whom it was let out as misusing the Servants or the Lord thereof whilest he sent only persons of this capacity to receive the Fruits of his Vineyard of them The Husbandmen took his Servants saith the Parable Mat. 21.33 and beat one and killed another and stoned another Again he sent other Servants more or rather greater or more honourable for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oft signifieth and they the Husbandmen did unto them likewise Again secondly He presenteth the Lord of this Vineyard by whom God himself according to all Expositors is signified as intending to send his own Son unto them and that upon this account viz. Because he thought that though they neglected and evilly entreated his Servants being inferiour persons comparatively yet they would reverence his Son being a more worthy and honourable person meaning that they would hearken unto him and yield to those terms that he should propound to them From whence it evidently appears that there is so much the greater likelihood that whatsoever God hath to do with men or seeks to bring them over unto they will be the more easily won or prevailed with by how much the greater or more excellent his Agent or Minister is who shall be employed herein The same Principle is asserted also by the Apostle Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more carnest heed c. The reason why there is the less hope of escaping the severe judgment of God by those who should despise him that speaketh from heaven as elsewhere he expresseth it the Lord Christ in the Gospel than was of their escaping who despised Moses who notwithstanding were most severely punished even for despising him the Reason I say hereof is this because Jesus Christ is a more honourable Person than Moses was and consequently men were more engaged and bound to hearken unto God and obey him upon His Agency with them than they were in or upon the Agency of the other this reason is intimated in the Text it self as also Heb. 10.28 and 12.25 Upon this ground it was that King Balak sent Princes and Nobles unto the false Prophet Balaam desiring him to come up and to curse the Israelites Num. 22.15 But when God came unto him in a Dream and charged him not to do it Upon this Balak thought that the repulse which he had received from the Prophet was because the Messengers which he had sent were not either great enough in place of honour and dignity or otherwise not competent in number therefore he sendeth more and these more honourable making account that these great persons next unto himself would prevail And upon this account it is the more holy innocent and righteous the Messengers and Ministers of the Gospel are
arguing of this great Controversie might have been better spent in arguing other things they suppose that these kind of notions are not so affecting unto the hearts of men neither do they tend unto the establishing of them nor are so proper for the building of men up in their most holy Faith nor so powerful to excite unto Action But the truth is my Brethren though such discourses as these and the laying out of such things for substance as these are though they do not so much stir the heart as some other subjects may and might have done yet nevertheless these have somewhat which will make you unmovable in the waies of Christ And if this be but duly cast up by you you will find it every way as profitable unto you it will amount to every whit as great a sum of comfort and of peace as those Sermons whose property is to quicken and work upon men at present For what will it avail you if you should be carried up into the Heavens one day by a Sermon full of affection and another day a deceiver cometh and layeth a stumbling block in the way and should make you call in question and drive you quite off from these great Truths of the Godhead of Christ and of the Holy Ghost I am very confident that few of you that have heard me in this question but know that there are many young men that are able to puzle you and to put you to such a stand in these great Principles of Religion that you would not otherwise be able to vindicate your selves nor your credit nor deliver your Judgments from their snares and entanglements And whereas it is objected and supposed by some Sect. 20 that such Sermons as these are sublime mysteries and that the secrets of the Trinity discoursed do not furnish Christian men and women Masters of Families with matter for repetition in the Evening of the day to their Families To this I answer briefly in a word That it is to be presumed that you that have been Professors so long as generally you have been are able of your selves out of your own Treasure to speak things that are most commodious and fitting to be spoken unto your Servants and especially unto your Children and not alwaies to expect from the publick Minister matters for your private Families Strong men desire strong meat and milk is not nourishment for them to make them grow to any considerable degree But for Babes and Sucklings that are not grown in their spiritual stature things indeed of a lower nature and of a more easie apprehension are meet and very fit So that there is no reason to desire or expect this that you should never hear from a publick Minister nothing but that which is meet and convenient for you to preach over at home No you must be provided from your selves and out of your own for such occasions otherwise you must resolve never to thrive and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ but alwaies to stand at the same stay And of how dangerous a consequence it is that in this case you should have your desires viz. That from time to time the first rudiments only of Religion should still be discussed in your hearing do but consider this one place Heb. 6.1 2 3. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ the Doctrine of Baptisms c. And this will we do if God permit What is that Go on to perfection That is carry on your Judgments to the most mysterious things of God But mark now upon what ground it is that he resolveth upon this that this he would do and desires them to go along with him For saith he it is impossible for those who were once enlightned c. How doth this Motive hang upon this Exhortation or Admonition Doubtless thus that when Christians shall come to this pass that this shall be the temper and state and present frame of their hearts that they care to go no further nor to understand no more in the Mystery of their Profession this is a certain or at least a dangerous sign that they are in a condition near to that of falling away and relapsing from those very principles and foundations themselves which they had embraced And if you will but consider how it is in the course of nature you shall observe that it is the nature of every Creature to advance and go on still to move and to wax But whensoever this Creature cometh to a stand and goeth no further evermore the next motion is to relapse The Sun in the Firmament of Heaven when he comes to his Meridian and can rise no higher begins immediately to decline towards his setting The Waters wax and flow and encrease but ever when it is standing water then is the reflux in a short time it altereth its course backwards from whence it came Just thus is it in this great and important business of your Souls and of your Eternal Peace it is well with you so long as you are growing and gathering so long you are in a safe condition and out of danger of falling away But when you come once to such a pass that you desire to rise no higher it is a thousand to one but that the next news that will be heard will be that you will begin to decline and lose ground and to fall back again into your former ignorance and unto the love of the World and something which is of an utter inconsistency with your Salvation CHAP. IX The Second Question propounded namely How or by what means a Believer or any other Person may be filled with the Spirit of God Some difficulties removed with one direction propounded and largely discoursed whereby men and women may understand the intent of the Exhortation and what it is that is required of them when they are commanded to be filled with the Spirit VVherein also the Grace of God and the free working of his Spirit is clearly vindicated and asserted HAving formerly finished the Demonstration and proof of the truth of the Doctrine for the clearer understanding it Sect. 1 and making better way to the Use and Application we propounded three Questions to be taken into consideration and resolved the Questions were these First Who or what kind or manner of Spirit it is of whom both the Text and Doctrine speaks and particularly whether a finite and created Spirit or an infinite and uncreated Spirit God himself We have stood somewhat the longer upon the debate and arguing of this Question partly because of the great weight and importance of the truth lying either on the one hand of it or on the other partly also because there is a Spirit lately after a long banishmen and silence come forth again into the World and is now at work amongst us which opposeth with might and main that part of this Question where the truth heth as I trust we have made manifests and denieth the
contribute any thing towards the making of the joy of the Kingdom we speak of like unto a joy prepared by the infinite magnificence and bounty of the God of Heaven on purpose to shew his glory and power for his Sons and Daughters and those that have served him How exceeding great then above measure must this joy needs be That he will do no less but rather much more than yet hath been spoken of for the persons mentioned He hath given a sufficient assurance in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ unto them according to the express tenour of the Apostles reasoning Rom 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things The strength of the Apostles arguing lieth in some such Principle or Notion as this viz. That no man of understanding and that is Master of his Engagements or undertakings will lay a foundation larger or wider or richer than the nature of what he intends by way of superstructure doth require Such a thing as this would render his work or building dishonourable and uncomely and indeed ridiculous if the Foundation do palpably and notoriously exceed the proportion and scantling of his Building From this Principle we may with the Apostle with the greatest confidence and assurance of heart and soul under Heaven conclude That in as much as God hath laid the foundation of the joy and happiness of those who shall love and believe on him so large and rich as he hath done in the gift of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for them that he will build upon it answerably and consequently raise the Fabrick of their blessedness and glory to the greatest height and and magnificence by all means by any thing that any where can be procured to advance it otherwise his Alpha and Omega would not agree So then this is that we say That if you shall be filled with the Spirit you shall have an entrance in abundance into this abundant joy we speak of The joy of the Everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ There is an entrance and an entrance in abundance as into the two former of those vast Priviledges of this Kingdom viz. Righteousness and Peace so also into this third Priviledge of the Joy thereof An entrance simply into this joy implies only some kind of lighter taste thereof less affecting the soul An entrance in abundance noteth such a state or condition wherin a man or woman shall be possessed of a good or Rich Proportion of this Joy viz. of a third or fourth part of it by means of which he shall find and feel and enjoy within himself to his own content and in his own sight as good and happy an estate and condition upon the matter as he would judge himself to be in in case he were actually invested with such a Kingdom and with the felicity and joy thereof the joy we speak of being of the same kind with that of the Everlasting Kingdom of Christ but only short in some degrees of it As a man whose estate is worth one thousand pounds by the year hath somewhat of the same satisfaction and contentment of him that hath four or five thousand pounds I mean when as well the one as the other knoweth how to take satisfaction in their estates respectively and neither more or less than what they are competent and proper to afford unto them Now that your being filled with the Spirit must needs give you such an entrance in abundance as hath been described into the joy of the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ may be well conceived by what hath already been delivered after such a manner as this the joy of this Kingdom is the highest and most contentful result in the soul of all those particular blessings and vouchsafements in the possession and enjoyment whereof the happiness of it consisteth The sense of the rich goodness and commodiousness of those things being enjoyed upon such terms as they will be in that Kingdom and known so to be is either formally or efficiently the joy thereof So then whatsoever createth a lively sense in the heart and soul of a man of the transcendent goodness and sweetness of those enjoyments must needs give an entrance in abundance into the joy thereof This a being filled with the Spirit must needs do because it cannot but fill you with a confident hope and earnest expectation to enjoy them in due time In this I â—imply one thing and affirm another The thing I plainly affirm lieth naked or open in the words themselves viz. that a being filled with the Spirit must needs fill men with a confident hope and expectation to enjoy these things in due time The thing I suppose is That a confident hope and rich expectation to enjoy these things in due time must needs give men an entrance in abundance into that joy which we are speaking of such an entrance in this kind as hath been described The first of these is evident from what was argued when we shewed and proved unto you That your being filled with the Spirit will not suffer you to be idle and unprofitable in the Knowledge and Profession of Jesus Christ but will cause you to abound in the fruits of righteousness and true holiness And secondly that such an abounding as this must needs raise an abundant confidence or assurance in the love and favour of God and consequently an assurance of enjoying all that is to be enjoyed in the Everlasting Kingdom of his dear Son So that we shall not need to insist upon the proof hereof any further Therefore secondly whereas I suppose that an abundant confidence or assurance and expectation of enjoying the great things of Christ's Kingdom in due time must needs amount to as much as this or produce at present such an entrance in abundance into the joy of this Ringdom as that lately described The truth hereof may be conceived upon this account The confident hope and earnest expectation of enjoying things in time which when they come to be actually enjoyed will be found to be exceeding great and yielding much satifaction and joy and are known to be such whilest they are yet only hoped and expected is and must needs be such an entrance into them as Peter calls abundant in the sense we have given Such an hope and expectation as we speak of is a kind or degree of enjoyment of the things themselves and may in propriety of speech and with truth enough be simply termed an enjoyment of them As she that is betroâ—hed or espoused to an Husband may truly and properly enough be termed a Wife So he that is under a pregnant and lively hope of enjoying such and such things may be said by means of such his hope to enjoy them Now you shall see that the Scripture useth thus to speak Rom. 8.24 For we are saved by hope that is that hope which we have of
with men in the Scripture and Gospel by such Principles and Rules which are written in the Tables of their hearts by the Finger of Nature and which they are wont to observe and walk by in their common and Civil Affairs Thus because amongst men an Oath is the end of all strife Heb. 6.16 Therefore God will swear too and treate with men by the mediation of an Oath and so in abundance of other particulars God still applieth himself unto men and treateth with them by the same Rules and Principles which men walk by in transactions amongst themselves Now because one man is ignorant of what is in the heart of another and knoweth not how they will prove whether diligent or negligent faithful or unfaithful in matters of trust committed unto them therefore those whom they have occasion to trust they will first try them with a little that in case they should miscarry and prove unfaithful the loss may be the less and easier to be born if they approve themselves with wisdom and faithfulness in managing that little then they are encouraged to trust them yet deeper And as men are wont sometimes to try Casks or Vessels that are new made and never had Liquor put into them whether they be tight or leaky not by putting Wine or Liquor of value but water into them if they will hold water men have so much the better ground to trust them with Wine also In like manner though God as is said of Christ Joh. 2.25 needed not that any man should testifie of man Because he knew what was in man and consequently what would come out from him and what he would do So I say though God knoweth before hand how men will prove whether faithful or unfaithful in any thing committed unto them and in this respect needeth make no experiment and trial of them in reference to any trust yet because it is the manner and according to the Principles of wisdom in men to take such a course he also will do it though he hath other ends and reasons likewise for the doing of it which it is not necessary now to speak of Thus also it is in matters of reward more properly and commonly so called though he knoweth from the beginning the uprightness integrity of mens hearts and what such men in time will do all the good work all that righteousness and suffer all those things for righteousness sake which afterwards they do and suffer yet until they have given an account both unto himself Angels and men of that their integrity by waies of righteousness and well-doing he will do no great things for them he will reward men only according to their works according to what they shall do or suffer nor according to what they purposed to do or suffer unless happily they be prevented of an opportunity for that by the way least there should be mistake not as if God should have no consideration or regard of any mans faithful intentions that is not the meaning of it as many times you may find persons whose hearts are full of fruitfulness that notwithstanding are taken away by death Now it is not imaginable that God should deprive them of the reward of such services when as God himself denieth men the opportunity to do them it is not reasonable nor like unto the waies of God or his proceedings that he should deprive them of their reward in such a case or under such circumstances But the meaning is that the good things which men have done whether they be few or more these shall be rewarded accordingly So that men and women who have given testimony unto the World of their own integrity uprightness and faithfulness unto God God will give them rewards answerable hereunto We speak this for this end to shew that God's manner is not to reward nor to take knowledge of the righteousness of men until the World have taken knowledge of it until that they have given an account unto men that they are persons fearing God I say God will not take any knowledge of them until they having given some Testimony unto the World of the integrity and uprightness of their hearts a Testimony of the truth of their Faith and of the soundness of their Love that the World cannot deny but that certainly these are very worthy men then as in Scripture Phrase God is not ashamed of them but they are in an immediate capacity for him to own and to reward and do great things for As it is said of Enoch he was translated Heb. 11.6 of whom it was reported that he walked with God Gen. 6.22 Now God could suffer no disparagement in point of honour by owning of him And so 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of Gold c. might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory It is not said that your Faith being more precious than Gold but that the trial of your Faith this is that which will turn to an account of Praise and Honour and Glory unto men in the great day c. That the trial of your Faith might be a Testimony in abundance given unto men yea unto God himself namely when their Faith shall have been tried whether it be by their constant sufferings for righteousness take or whether it hath been by a holy and blameless Conversation it is not much material if this trial of it be the making of it known and bringing it to light in the World that so it may be known and observed by men In such a case it is a thing but equal and just and well becoming God to be found rewarding of them with great and wonderful things Thirdly Sect. 8 Another means whereby we may come to be filled with the Spirit of God is to sow unto the Spirit Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption But he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Everlasting Life If the Question be What is it to sow to the Spirit I answer according to the usual import of that Metaphorical Expression of sowing to sow to the Spirit is to do such things which will redound to the praise of the Spirit of God to manage Actions so that the benefit of them may accrue to another This the Apostle calleth a sowing to others If we have sown unto you in spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things 1 Cor. 9.11 To sow unto the Spirit is to imploy a mans self about such things such waies and works whereby the Spirit may receive honour and praise which is all the harvest which the Spirit of God and so God himself is capable of receiving from men Only we may add this That when men do such things which are for the honour and praise of the Spirit they must do them with an intent that they may turn to his praise we must not do such things only which may accidentally
turn to the praise of the Spirit But we must do them with a desire and purpose of heart that they may be to his praise So that to sow to the Spirit denoteth fruitfulness in good works especially in such good works wherein more particularly the glorious goodness and power c. of the Spirit may be discovered unto the World and when men are addicted unto such waies and such works which have a proper and clear tendency to discover the goodness bounty power and excellency c. of the Spirit of God then they may be said to sow unto the Spirit especially when they do these things with an intention to commend his goodness and power unto the World So to sow to the Flesh is to do that which tendeth to please the sensual part of man and this with an intent to gratifie the Flesh whether we understand it in respect of the outward Actions of the body or the corrupt workings of the mind it is clear that men in either of them do sow to the Flesh Only this is to be minded that the taking care of the outward man and the doing of such things which in a regular way tend to the maintenance and comfortable subsistence thereof are never said to be a sowing to the Flesh in opposition to the Spirit but only when men are inordinate in the use of these things then and only then doth the Interest of the Flesh come in For whilst men and women are providing for the comfortable being of the outward man they all this while walk by the Rule of the Word of God and comport with the Spirit of God These kind of doings are not properly the works of the Flesh but may be more truly said to be the works of the Spirit For the Spirit of God requireth that all things should be done in a regular manner that the outward man may not be disadvantaged unto spiritual Services therefore the Spirit of God doth charge men with particular care and circumspection over their Bodies that by this means he may rejoyce with so much the greater Joy where he findeth men manage themselves so that they may be in a good capacity to do such things which are holy just and good and that are righteous and of a good report Now the reason why such things as these must needs be matter of praise unto the Spirit of God is because the hearts of men cannot lightly when they see men full of good works but acknowledge that these things do come from the Spirit of God because such works as these being in goodness and glory above the Line of men plainly assert their Original to be Divine and plainly inform the World that God by his Spirit vouchsafeth to dwell and to act in men and women from whom such excellent works as these proceed But more particularly such waies and works which outstrip the generality of men yea of Christians and which they are not at present able to understand nor to see the reason of them such were some of the actions and waies of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is for God or whether we be sober it is for your cause For the love of Christ constraineth us c. Paul seemed in some of his Actions as a man half-witted or besides himself and as a man bereaved of his senses yet this doubtless was of the best and choicest seed the best kind of sowing unto the Spirit of God it is true that at the first performance of them the World did not understand no nor Christians neither of an ordinary anointing as was even now hinted nor could-resolve them into their proper Principles so as to say that this was the Spirit of God that moved and stirred him up As the Seed for a while lieth buried in the ground and afterwards springeth up Even so when the reasons of such actions should be manifest unto them then they should confess that he had a great and mighty assistance of the Spirit of God with him There are some things which are above the ordinary reach of natural and moral men though the truth is there hath been here and there a Son of Nature Philosophers and such like men that have gone very far and as high it is likely as many of the Sons and Daughters of God have done or do as in that great work and strain of excellency in forgetting and forgiving of injuries and passing by all matters of unkindness disparagement and contempt which they have met withal from the hands of men Now for men and women to take no knowledge of such things from any nor to draw back from them or to withhold the hand of their goodness bounty or good will in any kind from them upon the account of any such hard measure received this is one of the highest and one of the most spiritual strains that can be that the nature of man is likely to partake of To be able to do good in the presence of all these discouragements doth argue even to the generality of men that such a man is of an excellent spirit and that he hath a great presence of the Spirit of God with him And doubtless though there may be excellent things written in this kind concerning those that have not been seasoned with the Gospel of Jesus Christ at least in so explicite a manner yet is there a more peculiar and a more rich presence of the Spirit vouchsafed unto those who enjoy the Gospel and which moveth them more strongly to spiritual actions and which have a more immediate and strong connexion with their present joy and comfort and also with their Eternal life and good of their souls But besides this there are other things of an excellent import Let your moderation saith the Apostle Phil. 4.5 be known unto all men The word signifieth let your yieldingness or comportance and compliance be known unto all men he meaneth sweetness and gentleness of disposition a readiness in men ever and anon to give away their own right to deny themselves in many things which according to strict terms and the rigour of the Law they might stand upon When ever there is danger that upon their account the Gospel is like to suffer in the hearts and consciences of men in case they should stand stifly upon their own rights then the opportunity is before a man then hath he a call to practice that moderation and that yieldingness and gentleness of Spirit which the Apostle calleth for at the hands of Christians We might instance in many more particulars of this nature but you see by that little which we have insisted upon what we mean by sowing to the Spirit But if you ask How should such a thing as this be any way or means to help us forwards in this viz. A being filled with the Spirit or any waies promote such an end I answer This is clear from the Principle insisted upon in the former
external Act it self of sin This is done when the heart or will of man or woman falleth in with the Lust and taketh her to Wife and couple themselves with her i. e. when men approve and like of the Lust or Desire we speak of and begin to take care as the Apostle elsewhere speaks to make provision for it or to bethink themselves how they may gratifie it and fulfil it By the way when James saith as we have heard Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin The meaning is not as if this alwaies proved so viz. that every Lust consented unto produceth the external or complete Act of sinning there are many times Conceptions where there are no Births or bringing forth of Children many things may interpose to occasion an abortion or a consumption of that which is conceived in the womb And thus it may be and often is in the case of Lusts in their conceptions many men have for a time intended and purposed to do many things that are evil whose purposes and intentions notwithstanding have been dissolved or turned out of their way so that they never come to be put in execution This is apparent in Davids case when by Abigail's wise behaviour and advice he was taken off from his hard and bloudy intentions against Nabal and his House Therefore the Apostles meaning in saying that when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin is not to shew what is alwaies done in the case he speaks of but what is frequently done and alwaies likely or probable to be done of which kind of sayings there are very many in the Scriptures Joh. 11.9 10. If any man walk in the day saith our Saviour he stumbleth not but if a man walk in the night he stumbleth his meaning is neither to affirm that no man that walketh in the day ever stumbleth nor that every man that walketh in the night doth stumble but only that there is a probability both of the one and of the other and that they are likely either to stumble or not to stumble So likewise the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.32 33. The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord c. But this only by the way The business we have in hand is to give you to understand and know that that kind of lusting which hindreth your being filled with the Spirit yea and will hinder it untill it be taken away is that which is owned accepted and approved of by the will and judgement of a man or woman and for the gratifying and fulfilling whereof care is taken by men Such lusts as these are they which grieve and quench the Spirit and consequently hinder his progress motion or advance in the soul When with the Scriptures we say the Spirit is grieved we do not mean nor doth the Holy Ghost in this expression mean any thing else but only that he is turned out of the way he doth retire himself and is quiet and still men shall hear but very little from him so that there will be but very weak and faint motions and suggestions from him But we were saying unto you that all fleshly lusts in the general are obstructive to the course of the Spirit Sect. 15 in his advance or growth in the soul Now as all Lusts in the general entertained and countenanced as hath been declared in the heart and soul are malignant against and opposite unto the growth and coming on of the Spirit in the Soul so the Scriptures seem to cast an eye upon some as being of a more virulent and express antipathy in this kind than others and obstruct that blessedness of the soul we speak of with an higher hand than their fellows These are such lusts which carry in them a direct contrariety to those signal characters or properties which the Scriptures take notice of and ascribe unto the Holy Ghost We shall take notice of at present and briefly insist upon only four of these and the like number of lusts in men more directly opposite unto them First The Spirit of God is famously known throughout the Scriptures by the great attribute of holiness he is more frequently termed the holy Spirit than spoken of under any other name or expressed by any other Character whatsoever We shall not need to cite places for this The thing I presume is sufficiently known unto you all A second property which the Scriptures attribute unto the Spirit of God is Grace or a gracious disposition Heb. 10.29 He is termed The Spirit of grace And God is termed The God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 A third property taken notice of in the Holy Ghost by the Scriptures is his heavenliness he is said in 1 Pet. 1.12 to have been sent down from heaven which implies that his coming or sending into the World is about the affairs of heaven and that he only mindeth these so elsewhere he is said to be the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 14. So also in Joh. 15.26 Christ promiseth to send him from the Father all which imply him to be an heavenly and heavenly minded Spirit A fourth property and the last we shall now take notice of which the Scriptures mind in the Holy Ghost is a disposition and propensness of mind in him to be communicating and revealing the Counsels and secret things of God unto the minds and consciences of men This property of the Spirit of God which is of some assinity with the last named and gives testimony unto it is oft mentioned in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him c. So again ver 12 13. Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know viz. by his discovering it unto our Judgments and Consciences the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth And so in Joh. 16.13 Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come speaking of the Comforter he will guide you into all truth c. and he will shew you things to come c. This is another heavenly property of him who cometh from the Father to communicate and acquaint men with the great mysteries of the Counsels of God so far as it doth concern the souls of men to know them Now all such lusts and sinful dispositions being indulged and nourished which are contrary to and fight against these properties and dispositions of the Spirit are and must in reason needs be most distasteful unto him and consequently most obstructive to him in his way of advancing his blessed presence in the souls of men The first of the four Particulars attributed unto the Holy Ghost in Scripture was holiness Sect.
they prevent it Ver. 20. he informeth them Despise not Prophesying As fire by laying on and throwing combustible matter upon it may be made greater and greater and the flame to wax and grow more and more So the Spirit of God is like a fire in the Spirits of men he may be nourished after such a manner that he will flame out as fire doth when more wood is laid on it but as fire will go out if you withdraw the Fuel or throw Water upon it So saith the Apostle you will quench the Spirit if you shall despise Prophesying for that is the fuel or nourishment by which the Spirit of God is fed therished and maintained in the soul and conscience and heart of a man if you will withdraw this fuel and despise Prophesie neglect the Ordinances of God and Ministrations of his House he will soon be gone and leave his place He cannot live in the soul without this kind of nourishment and food administred unto him from day to day and time to time And thus you see as all kind of fleshly Lusts in general fight against the soul and are obstructive unto the peace thereof being as so many bars in the way of the Spirit so there are some Lusts which do more appropriately and in a more particular manner oppose his progress So that if you desire to be Possessours of such an invaluable Treasure as a being filled with the Spirit of God you must not make a light matter of it so as to suffer such words and directions as tend thereunto to come in at one ear and go out at the other No but you must make Treasure of them and be very serious in a business of this nature And if you will prosper in this design you must be sure to remove out of the way as these four kinds especially so also all other Lusts of the flesh which else will hinder you in so blessed an enjoyment But it may be you will say Sect. 20 How shall we keep our selves from the lusts of the flesh in order to our being filled with the Spirit To this I answer and say You may do it yea the doing of it may without any presumption be attributed unto you as done by you especially in their first rise and before they are grown to any great strength or maturity within you without any special presence of the Spirit of God I mean a full and rich presence of him For there is a kind of standing presence of the Spirit of God with every man which we call his preventing Grace which every man hath if he hath not consumed it and made aâ—spoyl of it which will keep men from these kinds of Lusts in case men shall but comply with it For my Brethren these kind of Lusts have no power in them to compel or to necessitate any man or woman unto subjection to them No they do but only offer or present themselves to see if you will entertain or own them and nourish and bring them up If you will take pleasure in them and go with them whither they will lead you you may otherwise they have no inssuence of power and authority over you neither have they any Commission from God and Sathan can give them none any way to compel you to open the door of your hearts unto them to give them room and entertainment there No but if you shall be true and faithful unto your own souls and their itnerest and be in love with that blessedness of being filled with the Spirit you may keep your selves free from vanity and fleshly lusts For to abstain from them is but to let them alone to let them go as they come do but you keep on your course and follow the light which is set up within you do but abstain and keep from an inward converse and communion with them and they shall never do you any harm nor ever prejudice you in the carrying on your work and in the prospering of your souls as to your being filled with the Spirit There is only one means or direction more The seventh and last means which I shall prescribe unto you Sect. 21 or rather remind you of being prescribed by God himself for your being filled with the Spirit is Prayer unto God for it If you desire that your anointing should be rich and full you must imploy your Angel which God hath given to serve you in this and all other your spiritual occasions about it I mean the Spirit of Prayer which you have received from God Many great and excellent things you well know are spoken of Prayer in the Scriptures that it is a Key to open Heaven as oft as we desire a Messenger that if his dispatch be thereafter will fetch us any thing out of the Treasury of God that we stand in need of You know also that heap of Promises and Encouragements which the Lord Christ himself hath heaped upon the head of Prayer Mat. 7.7 8. compared with Luke 11.9 10. And I say unto you ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you For every one that asketh receiveth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened First these words And I say unto you c. seem to imply that what he was now about to say unto them concerning the marvelous efficacy and acceptation of Prayer with God if another one should have said it it might reasonably seem doubtful or questionable in point of truth unto you But I would have you to take knowledge that it is I that say it you may believe it upon the account of my authority though it be indeed a great and strange saying and hath a world of grace in it yet saith he this is enough sufficiently to balance this I say it Now by asking seeking knocking our Saviour questionless meaneth all kinds or variety of Prayer intending to declare and signifie some such thing as this unto us that if men be sincere and upright hearted in their praying unto God whether the manner or form of their Prayer be of this kind or of that whether it be asking socking or knocking it shall be of like acceptance with God and shall obtain what is desired If any man will please to adventure upon any narrow distinguishing of asking seeking and knocking he may do it after some such manner as this is though I would not have too much to be given to the Notion Asking very probably may be such a kind of Prayer which is right down where there is little or no Argument or little or no Scripture Rhetorick but only a right down and direct and immediate asking signifying unto God what it is that a man would have without any more ado And secondly Seeking seemeth to be a more exact or enlarged kind of Prayer wherein a man goeth about to fortifie his heart to believe that he shall receive the things that he prayeth for by
considering such and such Arguments and Grounds in Scripture so that it noteth a kind of diligence and such an engagement of a man which taketh up much of his time And thirdly to knock that may seem to signifie a kind of Prayer with importunity As some men are right down and cannot use many words nor form and fashion a Prayer with that dexterity and commendableness which others can so there are some that are importunate and with a kind of less curiosity than others are Now the Promise is not made joyntly unto them thus If you ask and if you seek and if you knock you shall receive find and it shall be opened unto you No But there is the same Promise in effect and substance made unto every one of them apart Seek and you shall find Ask and you shall receive and knock and it shall be opened unto you c. Now to secure and establish them to whom he spake who were his Disciples Luke 11.12 that they howsoever should obtain their desire of God in Prayer in what form or manner soever they should pray he delivereth this general Rule or gracious Declaration in the name of God That every one that asketh receiveth and he i. e. every one that seeketh findeth and to every one that knocketh it shall be opened unto him for every one that asketh c. As if he should say you that are my Disciples and believe in me you may be confident that what good thing soever you shall ask of God in Prayer it shall be done for or because every one that asketh receiveth c. Meaning that Gods will and gracious good pleasure is not only that you and such as you are should have whatsoever you ask of him alwaies supposed that you ask things meet for him to give and things that are good and meet for your selves to receive as it is explained Mat. 7.11 But whosoever should ask any thing of him upon such terms shall receive it from him likewise therefore you much more To make the truth and certainty of the performance of this Promise more easie of belief unto them he useth this Argument A minori ad majus as the Logicians term it an Argument which proceedeth and riseth from a less probability unto that which is greater Luke 11.11 12. If a Son ask Bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a Stone Or if he ask a Fish will he give him a Serpent Or if he shall ask an Egg will he offer him a Scorpion If ye then being evil a Generation hard hearted and indisposed unto Acts of bounty know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him That which Matthew expresseth in the general by good things or good gifts Luke as we see expresseth in particular viz. the gift of the Holy Ghost clearly implying that of all other gifts which God hath in his power and in his will too to give unto men he is most free ready and willing to give his holy Spirit upon their making known by Prayer their desire unto him on this behalf Now then it is a Rule or Principle in Reason which heretofore I remember upon like occasion I have sometimes mentioned unto you Vt se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis If a thing may simply or to a lower and lesser degree be obtained by the use of such or such means simply or in an ordinary degree then by doubling or trebling the means the thing or end desired being capable of being obtained either more fully or more sparingly may be obtained more amply or fully As if fire simply or in a lesser quantity will warm a man then a greater fire will warm him yet more And as the Prophet Elisha told the King of Israel when with his Bow and Arrows he had smote the ground only thrice and there staid a Kings 13.18 Thou shouldst saith he have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria until thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice In like manner if Prayer simply or praying once twice or thrice or praying with such or such a degree of giving out of the heart and soul in Prayer will obtain the gift of the Spirit of God simply or to such a degree then certainly praying yet more more frequently and more fervently must needs obtain this gift in an higher and richer degree and consequently by advancing still and rising higher and higher in Prayer we may obtain to a being filled with the Spirit If it be here demanded Sect. 22 But if God be so willing and free as you have said to give his holy Spirit unto men Why doth he impose the condition of Prayer upon them in order hereunto Why doth he not give it unto them without Prayer Or how shall they to whom it is not or hath not been given pray for it Can men pray for the Spirit of God without this Spirit so as to obtain the gift of him from God To these things I reply First God may be exceeding willing and free to give his holy Spirit unto men and yet not be willing to give him in any other way and upon any other terms than of mens applying themselves unto him by prayer for the obtaining this gift of him yea his declaring of himself in this point unto men I mean that upon their prayer he will give his Spirit unto them is a clear Argument that he is ready and willing to give him For will any man teach another how or by what means he may come by such or such a thing which he hath no mind or desire that he should have or come by Surely no man will do it The reason then why God requireth prayer at the hands of men in order to the obtaining of the gift of the Spirit from him is not to make the obtaining of the gift more difficult or because he is in any degree loath or unwilling to give him but because the transcendent excellency or infiniteness of his wisdom requires such a thing as this of him Judging it meet to enact such a Law whereby he should subject his Creature Man to the condition of Prayer for the obtaining of such a donation or gift as this is from him and that he should not give it unto him in any other way And this meetness we our selves are capable in part to conceive and apprehend For upon a like ground or account it is that we nurture our Children at least many discreet Parents do submissively to ask of us such things as are necessary and meet for them before we give them unto them As our Saviour himself also seemeth to intimate in those passages lately mentioned If a Son asketh bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a stone Or if he ask a fish c. By these Expressions it seems
find persons so filled with the Spirit of God that they do not give some such sign or testimony as now we speak of something to discover their temper humour and such kind of Principles within them that make them stiff that they cannot bow nor comply Their Iron Sinew is not yet broken they have not taken the course they have not dealt effectually with their hearts to bring them into subjection they have not chastened their Souls every morning as David did who had disciplined and nurtured his heart to some kind of order and compliance with God in all his occasions and affairs And so much for this Direction or the second Rule given by which we may know whether men be filled with the Spirit of God namely if they understand judgment as the Scriptures speak and then be ready in their hearts and affections to concur and to measure out to every case and business according to the exigency and requirements of it this now doth declare an excellent degree of the fulness of the Spirit of God with them And Thirdly Sect. 11 A deep degree of Mortification especially when the work is uniform spreading and stretching it self with an equal force and power unto all a mans Affections Disposition and Desires which ought to be mortified with the Deeds Fruits and Works of them This I say is another great Argument or sign of a man or womans being filled with the Spirit of God The work of Mortification is performable only by the Spirit of God and therefore where it is performed and wrought thoroughly where it appears in any degree of glory it must needs argue a great presence of the Spirit For if ye live after the flesh saith the Apostle ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 If you ask me But why doth the Apostle place the great work of Mortification in the deeds of the body in having these mortified and not rather in those sinful affections and inward dispositions from whence they proceed I reply That he placeth it here in the deeds of the body because it is principally seen and the reality and truth of it found there though the work it self lieth most in the heart and inward man yet the energy and force chiefly appeareth in the abolishing or cessation of the deeds of the flesh or of the body When such sinful and unworthy actions cease to be found in men and women whereunto others are tempted by the flesh or by the occasions of the flesh and ever and anon are practicing of them it is a sign that the work of Mortification is real and in truth yet elsewhere the same Apostle placeth it in the affections and lusts of the flesh in having these crucified or moâ—tified Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts i.e. they that are Christs i. e. that are his Disciples or that have resigned up themselves unto him or are subject unto him have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts i.e. have pierced the flesh or outer man thorough and thorough with such sharp and effectual considerations that the strength and vigour of it as to sinful demands or actions is much spent and wasted and as the natural strength and vigour of a man that is nailed to a Cross breatheth out by degrees in that bloud that cometh from him by his wounds so have ye crucified the flesh with the affections or passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lusts thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the passions i. e. with all those affections which belong to the irascible part of the soul as both Philosophers and Divines call it Anger Wrath Hatred Envy Revenge c. they have crucified these i.e. they have taken a course to break the strength and to suppress the motions and breakings out of these And the lusts i.e. all those affections also which belong to the other part of the soul which they call the Concupiscible such as are Fornication Uncleanness Drunkenness Gluttony Covetousness c. So then we say that when the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts and Deeds thereof are so crucified or mortified so handled that men and women are become Meek Patient Humble Gentle long-suffering c. And again Chaste Pure Sober Temperate free from Covetousness and all this to an excellent degree it is a sign that they are full of the Spirit of God the reason is because First If these things be in any weak and imperfect degree in men Sect. 12 they proceed from the Spirit of God and must be wrought by him Secondly A being filled with the Spirit is no waies to be estimated and discerned but by a proportionable excellency or fulness of his operations and effects Now the work of mortification as hath been in part described is one of the most signal works of the Spirit and therefore where it is full or any thing rich and deep it argues a great presence of the Spirit but the truth is it is very hard to be found in any such degree as that we speak of even amongst Professours yea or Believers themselves Men and women have generally some sinful humours and dispositions or other unbroken and unsubdued either they are Cholerick Hasty Froward easily Provoked Revengeful and the like or else they are given to Pleasures Ease Voluptuousness of life desires of Riches Honour Power the great things of the World And though many keep within some tolerable compass in respect of the breaking out of these and such like unmortified affections whilst the Tempter keepeth at a distance from them and some few it may be whilst the Temptations runs somewhat low and are but ordinary yet the greatest part of the persons we speak of Professors I mean are apt to be overcome and led away Captive unto Sin by every touch of Temptation any Temptation almost that will may serve it self upon them Even as some mens Judgments are so weak that they are apt to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine as the Apostle speaks apt to take impressions of any thing that is presented unto them with the lightest appearance of truth but to find a man or woman that is able to stand their ground of innocency when any strong temptations beare hard upon them is exceeding rare which argues the work of Mortification to be very imperfect and slight in the greatest part of men and consequently that they are far from being filled with the Spirit of God If it be here demanded Sect. 13 But are not all the works of the Spirit of God perfect If he work Mortification in any person must it not needs be perfect Can any thing proceed from that which is perfect yea most perfect as the Spirit of God is but that which is perfect indeed I reply The perfection of a work may be estimated or considered two waies First Absolutely or in reference only to it self
how many pretenders have we to little less than a Prophetick Unction to mystical discoveries to a deep and further insight into the mind of God in the Scriptures and to the understanding of things there whose Notions notwithstanding the pretended fruits of such their high Anointings and Revelations being weighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary are found light and to have nothing of the mind of God or of Christ in them Therefore in the first place unless these discoveries which are pretended unto and held forth with the greatest confidence shall commend themselves for truth unto the judgments and understandings of sober and judicious men much versed and exercised in the Scriptures either from their own light or evidence or else shall be made out by light of Argument and Demonstation Whether from the Scriptures or clear Principles in reason to be real truths and such things that are every waies worthy the Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness of God they are not to be looked upon as proceeding from any fulness of the Spirit in their Authors but as the exertions and puttings forth of a Spirit of vanity and delusion in men For certainly God would not have sent Christ Jesus in the end of the World to seal vp Revelations and Prophesies and to set bounds unto the Children of men and afterward send these men to gather up what Jesus Christ hath scattered and to make perfect what he hath left imperfect Wko knoweth not that the New Testament is sealed with a Curse with dread and terrour unto the man or woman that shall either make any breach upon that which is there delivered by diminishing ought thereof and so likewise unto any that shall bring any new or further Revelation than what is already brought in there Secondly In case by the opportunity and advantage of Education Sect. 21 liberty for Study and searching into Authors and Writers or the advantage of pregnancy of Wit quickness of Apprehensions or the like any man shall attain unto a greater dexterity or ability to unfold the Scriptures and to bring many of the secrets thereof to light which have been hidden from the eyes of others this doth not necessarily argue a fulness of or a being filled with the Spirit at least in the sense wherein we have prosecuted the Doctrine hitherto i. e. a filling with the Spirit as sanctifying unless it shall appear by their lives and waies that they are really and throughly perswaded of the truth and certainty of these things which they hold forth from the Scriptures It is true many men may do great Services for the Christian World and for the Saints and that by opening the great Deeps or Fountains of the Scriptures and may cause many beams of light and Spiritual understanding to break forth and many waies of Wisdom there to appear and yet may not believe As it is with a fained Story though there may be some kind of rationality in it yet the rationality of it doth not therefore argue its truth and verity just so men may maintain the reasonableness of the Scriptures and consequently many great truths therein contained they may argue excellently and shew how one thing giveth light unto another and yet nevertheless at the bottom there may be nothing else but uncertainties and doubtings of the truth of all the Story and this hollowness and defection at the bottom and core and root of the heart is like to break out and bewray it self in such a kind of life and conversation which is unsutable unto the tenour of Scripture and unto the Genius Nature and light of the glorious Gospel which they declare or preach unto men The Reason of the Character or sign last mentioned Sect. 22 whereby to judge of any mans being filled with the Spirit is because it is the proper work of the Spirit to open and reveal unto men the Scriptures and the mind of God there so that when any person man or woman shall be found to excell in such a way upon the terms and with the cautions lately specified I mean to be richly acquainted with the mind of God in the Scripture it must needs argue a great measure of the Spirit of God in them For it is I say the property of the Spirit of God to reveal the mind of God in the Scriptures and to reveal such and such truths which have lain dormant in the bodies of the Scriptures wound up and unpublished For the Spirit of God hath reserved and set apart some particular portion of truth which is appropriate to every Age and Generation that cometh over the World which is to be opened unto it Some conceive that the seven Seals do respect several Ages and times wherein several truths are to be revealed as that in such an Age and Time when one Seal was broken up there was such a part of the mind of God let out and so at the breaking up of a second then cometh forth another part of the mind of God This is clear and experience teacheth us that every Generation and every Age have had some sealed or fallow ground of Scripture broken up unto them some considerable passage of Scripture that hath never seen the Sun that hath never been so generally understood or known by men as in the present Generation so that it being the proper work of the Spirit of God to take away the vail and covering which hath been upon the Scriptures when he findeth some person whom he doth much delight in he will single him out for this service 1 Cor. 2.10 11 c. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God That is according to Scripture Language teacheth men to search and to find out by searching the deep things of God i. e. such Counsels of his which do not lie in the surface of the Scriptures such things which cannot be seen at the first cast of a mans eye For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now the Notions which are bred in the Mind and in the Nature of God are of another sort of a quite different nature from those which are ingendred and conceived in the mind of men even as those impressions in bruit beasts are of a far other nature and kind from those which are in men and being of another nature and kind and also inferiour to those Notions or Impressions which are in man they cannot understand or comprehend those Notions or Impressions and those Principles of Action that are in men and by which they order and steere their course The Reason is because these Notions or Impressions that are in Men are of a superiour kind to those in Beasts and out of the reach of them or any other created being especially beneath themselves So that though it should be supposed that
be found and had or no or at the best knows for a certain that they are but sparingly and with a kind of malignity and scantness to be found and to go forth upon this account where he certainly knows that what he desireth and what his soul longeth for is lodged and is to be had in the greatest plenty and abundance He spake as a man that thoroughly understood the natural frame and propension of the heart of a man in that particular we now speak of who said Dulce est de magno tollere Acervo It is a thing marvellously satisfactory and pleasing to the heart of a man to be still taking from a great heap and upon this ground are those Proverbial Sayings There is no fishing like to a fishing in the sea no service like the Service of a King because in one there is the greatest plenty and abundance of that kind of pleasure that Fishers look after And for them that serve and must live by their service there is none like that of Princes because they have abundance of reward and of opportunity whereby to recompense the Services of those that do wait and attend upon them and that is the reason why our Saviour in the tenth of John to render and make men so much the more free and willing to come unto him for the life that they stand in need of doth inform them that he hath not a competency or a sufficiency only of this life but that he hath plenty and abundance of it Speaking of his Sheep saith he I am come that they might have life and not simply that they might have life but that they might have it in abundance or more abundantly as who should say If there were only life in Jesus Christ or if it were there in measure only and in a scanty proportion this would be some kind of regret and men would make a stand in their coming but since he is come upon such terms that all that come to him might have it in abundance this is a motive that doth accommodate and fall in with the Natures and with the Principles of the heart and soul of men And upon the same ground it is that the Scriptures in several places do not only assert and testifie that God is merciful and gracious but abundant in mercy and full of Grace and not simply that there is Redemption in him but plentiousness of Redemption Psal 86.5.15 103.8 130.7 Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way c. let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy and unto our God for he will abundantly pardon The Commodity which we stand in need of is mercy and the pardon of our sins in case we have been unholy and ungodly Creatures this commodity is abundantly in God There it is treasured up as waters are in the Store-house of the Sea There is no end of the Treasures of his Grace Mercy Pardon and Compassion There is no man being in want but had ten times rather go to a rich mans door to be relieved than to the door of a poor man if he knoweth the rich man to be as liberal and as bountifully disposed as the poor man can be These Proverbial Sayings amongst us Better leave than lack Where more is more is to be had are of a consonant import unto the former and they all joyntly and severally declare this that men generally love to seek their desires where they are in the greatest abundance likely to be found Now then they who go about to send men for a filling to such a Spirit that can but fill them in measure and with a straitned and malign quantity in comparison of what an increated Spirit is able to do certainly they do as much as such an error can do to obstruct and prejudice the way of men in such a course as this What do they else but cool if not wholly quench the desires and together with these the endeavours of such who are obedient unto the Doctrine who are in a way of being filled with the Spirit We formerly mentioned a Touchstone to try whether any Doctrine which is presented to us be an Evangelical truth or no Sect. 3 and that was this If it be for the advancement of Godliness for the Gospel being a Doctrine according unto Godliness as the Holy Ghost presenteth it that is so framed and constituted of such and such Principles Promises Counsels and Exhortations as if they were made on purpose to advance Godliness and promote the Interest of it And if this be the nature and frame of it in the general then every limbe and vain of it must have a tendency the same way therefore whatsoever Opinion Notion or Conceit it be if it cutteth the Sinews of Godliness or riseth up against the Interest thereof and causeth men to look off and aside from it this is a most certain sign and proof against it that it is no part or branch of the Gospel but an imagination and lying conceit which hath been engendered and begotten in the dark thoughts of the hearts of men or perhaps rather by a worse hand I mean Sathan who doth nothing else but study and invent Opinions and Conceits and Imaginations which may have some colour of truth that so they may fall in with the Judgments of men He doth invent and mint and set such Opinions abroad in the World and then his next work is as far as possibly he can to find out Agents and Instruments the best he can prevail withal and which are fitted and prepared to promote his design in the World And the better men are the more learned and the more innocent in their lives and conversations can they be prevailed withal these are the chosen vessels for him and fitted for his turn Herein the Devil imitateth the Great God for as God when he hath a design to make manifest his most spiritual truths and most holy things maketh choise of the worthiest and holiest men men that are of the best acceptance with the people round about them because they are likeliest to take so much the better So doth the greatest Enemy of the Peace and Salvation of the World he follows God as near at the heels as he can come if he finds any man better than others he shall do his work and if he cannot find any many of such qualifications as we speak of then he must be content with others for he hath a desire that his Opinion should be promoted though never so unreasonable There is great reason by the way why Sathan should set abroad all the waies he can such Opinions in the World which are derogatory from the honour of the Son of God and from the Spirit of God partly because by this means that he hath the more advantage to derogate from either of these in their esteem and honour amongst men And partly because the works of Creation being appropriate unto God the Father principally and not
unto persons of both opinions whose waies otherwise are worthy the Gospel and Profession thereof yet the truth is that partly the nature and partly the consequence of the two Opinions compared together their distance being so great as it is and they so contrary one unto the other it is not a matter of easie conception how they both should be saved unless with the men against whom we now argue and have under reproof who are in this respect the off-spring of the old Hereticks called the Origenlans who hold that after a certain time all men without exception as well bad as good shall be saved yea the very truth is that the entire Systeme and body of that Religion and Doctrine some few common and general Principles only excepted and these also corruptly understood which the men we now speak of own is scarce any thing else but a Rapsody or Fardle of old abhorrid Errors and Heresies of the Anthropomorphits Arians Macedonians Origenists with several others who were the greatest troublers of the Gospel in the course of it and Enemies and Opposers of the Truth in their times Sixthly and lastly All the premised particulars duly weighed Sect. 18 and considered methinks any sober and considering Christian should require and stand up every whit as much for his satisfaction and conviction in this opinion that the Holy Ghost is but a meer Creature and to bring over his Judgment thereunto as the Jews did to perswade them that Christ was the Son of God who as our Saviour himself told the Nobleman at Capernaum Joh. 4.48 were at such a distance from believing it that exept they saw signs and wonders they would not believe they were resolved not to believe it upon any inferiour or lower account In like manner considering what the Scriptures speak in way of oppesition and how matters have gone all along from Age to Age in the Christian Churches in reference to this Doctrine and Opinion that the Holy Ghost is a Creature and not God It is strange to me that any sober or well advised persons professing Christianity should entertain it upon terms of any weak or less convincing demonstration than of Miracles and Signs and Wonders or of the Testimony of an Angel from heaven to assert it and therefore they that do subject unto it are of that Generation of men which the Wiseman speaketh of Pro. 14.15 They are of the House and Linage of that simple man who will believe every thing any thing let the nature of it be never so inconsistent and the connexion between things never so loose and groundless I had not insisted upon this branch of our Use of Reproof so largely but that the delinquent spirit is so rampant in the World and busily acting his part near unto us and amongst us and the Apostles direction to Titus is Tit. 1.9 10. That a Bishop or Pastor of a Church should hold fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught viz. by the Apostles that he may be able by sound Doctrine to exhort and convince the gain-sayer for there are many unruly and vain talkers especially they of the Circumcision whose mouths must be stopped There are men and still have been whose mouths must be stopped but not as some would interpret it by Prisons or by Sword No but stopped they must be i. e. way-laid in their Judgments Consciences and Understandings by the Scriptures This is that which the Apostle requireth in a Bishop that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince And by the way take notice of this that he must exhort by sound Doctrine the truth is that many Bishops in the World do exhort many times very soundly but not by sound Doctrine For their Doctrine standeth at West and their Exhortation standeth South Now a faithful Bishop every man in that Office and Place must exhort with sound Doctrine his Exhortation must be comportant with the spirit and soul and tendency of his Doctrine the one must not be a Samaritan and the other a Jew But this by the way I shall leave this sort of Offenders at present only with reminding them of that passage of our Saviour Mat. 5.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven My Brethren to break any of the least of the Commands of Christ knowingly when a man doth understand and is convinced that it is the Command of Christ is a sin of high provocation unto God but especially to teach men so to do i. e. to teach such a Doctrine which may strengthen any mans hand to despise neglect and disregard any Commandment of Christ this is provoking in the sight of God and that in the highest and of such a demerit that such a man deserves no place in the Kingdom of God Therefore whosoever they be who shall first weaken their own hands before they weaken anothers they that teach themselves to break the Commands of God and then shall spread abroad such Opinions and Notions that shall animate and encourage men so to do they shall be least in the Kingdom of God they shall have no respect there they shall not be numbred amongst the Servants of Jesus Christ therefore such persons as these who bring in and set on foot any such Doctrine which doth break and quench the endeavours of the spirit of men from following any piece or strain of that heavenly Counsel which the Holy Ghost hath given unto men certainly they fall under this heavy Sentence and Censure of Jesus Christ to be least in the Kingdom of Heaven CHAP. XIV A third sort of Offenders reproved are such who instead of following the Exhortation of being filled with the Spirit take a course to be emptied of the Spirit of God Who make it matter of Conscience to turn their backs upon the Ministry of the Gospel which is called the Ministry of the Spirit Wherein the several Scriptures and Reasons by which they strengthen themselves in their evil way are examined and found bent against them And likewise the necessity of the Ministry of the Gospel and the great benefit thereof largely asserted and vindicated A Third sort of Offenders to be reproved upon the former general account viz. as Enemies to that subjection Sect. 1 and observation which ought to be given to the Apostles Exhortation of being filled with the Spirit are such who take a course rather to be emptied of the Spirit of God than to be filled with him and of losing all that presence and Communion with the Spirit which sometimes they had received and yet may partake of to some degree and that by falling upon such practices and engaging in such courses which are of a direct tendency to dispossess them of all Communion with him and to make an absolute separation of the Spirit of God from them These are of two sorts The first are those who make
to do and observe whatsoever they shall teach them to observe Therefore certainly it is lawful yea and more than lawful expedient and necessary to attend upon the Ministry of men that are fallible if there be no other bar in the way but their being fallible especially if there be no opportunity to attend upon men that be infallible whilest they keep within the compass of Moses Chair that is that they open unto us the mind of God in Moses Law Thirdly When Christ admonished the people Luke 8.18 To take heed how or what they heard And the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.21 To try or prove all things and to hold fast that which is good Both the one and the other clearly implied that it is lawful yea and necessary too to hear such men who are obnoxious unto error and mistake otherwise what need was there for men to take heed what it was they should hear meaning that they should narrowly consider whether it was Error or whether it was truth if they who were to teach them were infallible If Christ had been of their minds with whom we have to do he would rather have admonished the people to take heed they heard not at all than as he doth to take heed what they heard Nor would the Apostle have advised the Thessalonians to prove all things and hold fast that which is Good if he had not presumed that they should or were to hear men that were fallible and who might possibly deliver unto them some things that were not meet to be received Fourthly Though it be supposed that the Apostles themselves were infallible yet other Pastors and Teachers in those times were not such yet the chief of chose who were infallible the Apostles but Paul and Peter advised those Christians with whom they had to do to honour and obey those Teachers 1 Thes 5.12 13. And we beseech you Brethren know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord c. And so Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be had in double honour c. And so Peter chargeth the Pastors to feed the Flock of God amongst them and consequently enjoyns the Flock to depend upon them for their food Fifthly Neither was Timothy to whom Paul writeth two Epistles infallible and there is the same consideration of Titus yet he tells him That by taking heed to himself and to his Doctrine and continuing in them he should not only save himself but them also that heard him 1 Tim. 4.16 meaning that partly by the exemplariness of his life partly also by his care and diligence in teaching he should be an Instrument in the hand of God to save those that should attend upon his Ministry By the way in saying he should save those that heard him he plainly implieth that they that did not hear him having opportunity to do it nor yet any other of like Function and Ministry with him were not like to be saved That he was not infallible appears First by that Item and Admonition the Apostle gives unto him in the place now mentioned viz. To take heed to his Doctrine as well as to himself To take heed unto a mans Doctrine at least imports that a man very possibly may build Wood Hay and Stubble instead of Silver Gold and Precious Stones yea that without narrowly examining and weighing what he doth teach he is very apt to do it so that this clearly supposeth that Timothy was in danger of miscarrying So again secondly When he admonisheth him to remember 2 Tim. 2.8 That Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the dead according to his Gospel he clearly implieth that he was far from being infallible and that Exhorration likewise unto him to hold fast the form of sound words which he had heard from him is of like import So that evident it is that Ministers or men who are not infallible may notwithstanding be a rich blessing unto those that shall hear them and accommodate them at no lower rate than with Salvation it self Sixthly When the Apostle both in his former Epistle to Timothy Cha. 3. and so again in his Epistle to Titus Chap. 1. describes and prescribes certain Characters and Properties that ought to be minded and found in those who were meet to be chosen in the places of Pastors and Teachers amongst them all he doth not mention infallibility Indeed he requires in such persons that they should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach or of a teaching faculty 1 Tim. 3.2 And again that they should be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 And thus he that is not infallible may be able to teach but infallibility is not required Seventhly Sect. 11 How far and in what respect the Apostles themselves were infallible is worthy of consideration Certain it is that their infallibility I mean in the actings of it and in those Services which by means hereof they were in a capacity to perform unto the World did depend upon their care and circumspection so that notwithstanding that gift of infallibility which was given unto and vested in them in case they were at any time incogitant or less attentive to the motions and teachings of the Holy Ghost within them they might deviate and swerve from the truth As we see in the case of Peter himself the great Apostle of the Circumcision i.e. the Jews when Paul saith He withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed or condemned in that act of his in withdrawing himself from the Gentiles and communion with them to gratifie and please the Jews The Apostle calls it A not walking uprightly or with a streight foot according to the truth of the Gospel i. e. either as the Gospel truly or aright understood required of him and Barnabas or rather as the truth of the Gospel for its own advantage and propagation in the World required of them so though this Error in Peter was not formally and directly a miscarriage in Doctrine yet interpretatively and equivalently it was for it was a kind of implicite and constructive teaching of men that the Partition Wall between the Jews and the Gentiles was not broken down and that the Mâ—saical Ceremonies were yet in force and consequently the Messiah was not yet come or however had not yet suffered which are all errors and this of very ill consequence So that we see the Apostles themselves as infallible as they were yet without a serious close and conscientious minding of what they had received from the Holy Ghost might mistake And truly Ministers of the Gospel in these daies by such an engagement of themselves as this is I mean by a diligent and consciencious attending unto what the Holy Ghost hath delivered unto them in the Scriptures may in their Doctrines and
Teachings serve the World well near upon as good and happy terms as if they were infallible For Eighthly Nortwithstanding that infallibility which was vested in the Apostles yet those that heard them were to examine and search into the Scriptures to find whether the Doctrines taught by them were agreeable unto them or no and their belief of what the Apostles taught them was not solid or compleat untill they had thus cast their Doctrine into the fire of the Scriptures to try whether it would not burn And when they found that the Scriptures gave the right hand of Fellowship unto it then it was their own now they were satisfied with it and full of peace by it You know that passage of the Bereans Acts 17.11 12. Though the Doctrine which was preached unto them by Paul had not only the Authority of so great an Apostle as he was to attest it but the mouth of another very considerable witness I mean Silas yet they would not receive it untill they had searched the Scriptures Now then if the Doctrines which the Apostles themselves did preach were and ought to be tried by those that heard them and upon such a trial as this they were to give entertainment unto them and believe them then it lay upon them the hearers of the Apostles themselves by way of duty to examine such Doctrines as were delivered unto them There is the same reason now and Christians are in the same capacity to enquire into and examine by the Touchstone of the Scriptures whatever Doctrine shall be delivered unto them and it lieth upon them as a duty to search the Scriptures accordingly c. If this course were but taken by men there would be no more danger of their being mistaken now than there was in the Apostles daies Ninthly Sect. 12 The great and blessed end which is most considerable as to the stopping the mouth of all that can be pretended for that plea of infallibility may be reached and obtained though the Minister be not infallible yea though in something in his Doctrines he should be mistaken yea and that which is more than this though they that hear him should be carried away with some of his errors and mistakes yet the great blessed and sovereign ends of the Ministry of the Gospel may be obtained There are two great ends of the Ministry of the Gospel the one subordinate unto the other the conversion of men unto God and the building them up in holiness and preparing and making them meet for the Kingdom of heaven the sovereign and supreme end is the saving of their souls we include the glory of God in them both Now the Ministry as to both these ends may be mightily effectual and full of authority and power though the Minister should be obnoxious to mistakes I remember it was the saying of an ancient Father mistake or error in matters of Religion if it hath not pertinaciousnes and stubbornness joyned with it doth not oppose holiness in men Faith and Love may be wrought and raised in men thorough Arguments Motives and Considerations which lie fair and large in the Gospel notwithstanding there may be a mixture of some Misprision in the Minister For the Arguments and grounds which are most convincing and which are most awfull and carry the greatest authority with the consciences and souls of men are such which not only the Minister that preacheth them but even the common sort of men may be infallible as to the judgment of the truth of them and of their nature and weight at least to a degree so as to weigh them so far as to come to understand that there is enough of truth in them to bring their hearts unto subjection unto them The Arguments in the Scriptures for these ends and purposes are so plain and so evident that it is not lightly possible for men to mistake herein For what is the great work that the Gospel and the Ministers of it have to do with the Children of men It is only to bring them off from themselves and to make them have little list to please themselves to pull down imaginations and strong holds and all high thoughts that exalt themselves in the minds and inward thoughts to men and to bring them into subjection to Jesus Christ Now then those thoughts in men which are to be demolished and brought down by the Engines of the Gosel are discernable enough and do discover and utter themselves in the waies and sometimes from the lips and mouths of men namely in waies of covetousness earthly mindedness deceit sinful pleasures idleness vain discourse and the like So that I say it is not hard matter to come to this conclusion without any danger of mistake that certainly these men do build upon such and such foundations they have such and such thoughts and imaginations within them that these waies are better and more commodious for them than the waies of God than the waies of Righteousness and Holiness would be This may safely be presumed from that essential connexion and relation which is between such Practices and Principles such thoughts imaginations and actions And by this means the Ministers of the Gospel may be capable enough to declare such thoughts and imaginations unto men which lie deep in their hearts And then again as touching such truths of the Gospel by which such imaginations are to be overthrown and pulled down they are so clear and so agreeable with the light of reason and common understandings planted in men that there is little fear or matter of doubt that they should be deceived or entangled with any error herein or howsoever if the things which shall be delivered be proper to demolish and throw down these vile thoughts lying conceits and imaginations be they what they will the very opposition which shall be found in them unto those corruptions is ground sufficient and testimony in abundance on their behalf that they are truths yea and that they are the truths of God And therefore as to the greatest matters and main work of the Gospel and Ministry thereof although the Ministers should be men as subject unto error as other men and as weak this way as the Apostle saith of himself and other Christians in his daies that they knew but in part Even so if we that are Ministers shall but Prophesie in part nay though we should mingle with our Prophesying some mistakes and misprisions yet through the grace of God and that blessing annexed by promise unto this erection and establishment of the Ministry for the building up of men in holiness and in the love of God and in the faith of Jesus Christ these great and blessed ends may go on with an high hand and men and women may be promoted into the love and favour of God and thereby made meet for the heavenly Kingdom notwithstanding the great pretense of fallibility Another pretense Sect. 13 which the persons now under reproof sometimes plead to make
rather be judged powerless and weak than powerful and glorious in efficacy and might because the greatest part of those who do partake of it are not effectually and savingly wrought upon by it nor made actually willing to be converted Take it in the time of our Lord Jesus Christ himself and in the times of the Apostles when the Ministry of the Gospel was in the heighth of its glory the greatest part of them that stood by and were under it remained still unsubdued unto it so that the efficacy of it is not to be estimated by the actual conversion no nor by the actual edification of men But Thirdly Sect. 20 The efficacy of the Ministry of the Gospel is to be considered and judged of partly in the weightiness or penetrating force of those Arguments or Motives which it layeth before men and presseth upon their souls and consciences to give up themselves unto God partly again in the demonstrative evidence of the reality and truth of the said Arguments and Motives partly also in its dispensing and deriving the Divine Spirit the Spirit of God unto those who hearken diligently and submit heartily unto it First The mighty efficacy of the Ministry we speak of stands in those stupendious formidable potent and mighty Arguments by which it urgeth and presseth and adjureth the Consciences of men to accept of those Articles or Terms of Peace and Reconciliation which the Gospel holdeth forth and calleth men unto They who attempt to perswade unto other Studies Practices or Engagements of themselves in one kind or other as some endeavour to perswade men to the study of Natural some of Moral Philosophy others to the study of the Mathematicks others to the studies of others Sciences some perswade men to good Husbandry some to Marry some to one Calling some to another but what Subject soever it be about which men treate or deal with men or seek to perswade men unto they have no such Motives or Grounds of Perswasion to make the hearts and minds of those with whom they have to do to embrace their Motions or advice The Weapons of their Warfare are but Stubble or Straw or rotten wood in comparison the nature of the Subjects doth not admit of any great Motives or any considerable Arguments to perswade unto them Whereas the Weapons of that Warfare which the Ministry of the Gospel manageth are sharp as a two edged Sword these are Arrows and Spears pointed with fire that will cut thorough and conquer the Souls and Consciences of men these will lie upon the Spirits of men like a great mountain of Lead that they shall not be able to get from under them The Ministry of the Gospel adjureth and chargeth by the love and by the tender mercies of God by the glory of the great things of the World to come by the saving of their Souls from the Wrath and Vengeance of Eternal fire these are mighty in operation they are high and terrible like fire in the bosome nor can men decline the force of them unless they will be Companions with the Horse and Mule and with the bruit Beast of the Field which have no understanding This is one things wherein the glorious efficacy of the Ministry of the Gospel consisteth and commendeth it self it hath mighty Engines and Screws whereby to manage and command the hearts and consciences of men and to lift them up to those practices and waies whereunto it exhorteth and perswadeth them In respect of the mighty efficacy and force of those great Engines Motives and Arguments we speak of the Ministers of the Gospel who are employed herein by a dexterous and faithful application or setting them home to the hearts and consciences of men are said to compel men to come in Luke 14.23 Not that all persons to whom these Engines are faithfully applied are removed from the World and carried home unto God Not that they should bring them in by head and shoulders whether they will or no as some interpret but they should compel i. e. they should make use of these kind of Arguments untill they had by an high hand of power and perswasion prevailed with them to believe and to come unto Christ Secondly Sect. 21 Another thing wherein the efficacy of the Ministry of the Gospel is considerable is that it is furnished by God with demonstrative Grounds and Arguments whereby to secure the Judgements and Consciences of men and women of the reality and truth of these Motives and Grounds of perswasion by which it manageth and carrieth on its great design viz. of bringing men from sin and from the World unto God For though these were such realities though they had as substantial and true existence and being as wither the Angels in Heaven or God himself yet if this their existence and being could not be demonstrated and made out unto men if the Ministry we speak of were not accomplished with light to convince and satisfie the Judgments and Consciences of men that the great things mentioned are no devised Fables or vain Speculations and Notions but are as real and certain in their being as things that may be seen heard or handled I say if the Ministry of the Gospel did bear it self upon no better terms than these and were not able to make good the reality and certainty of the things which it hath asserted the Consciences of men would very easily despise it as well they might do and cast it behind their backs But when it shall prove that there is such a misery and extremity that doth abide wicked and ungodly men that there is a fire that never goeth out and a worm that never dieth and that there are such things laid up in the Heavens for those that fear God that there is an equality with the holy Angels and eating of bread with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and a thousand expressions more of the same kind I say when the Ministry of the Gospel shall be able to fill the Judgements and Consciences of men with a certain knowledge and conviction of the reality and existency of such things as these this is that which furnisheth them with an executive power and maketh them Motives and Arguments of such a nature that men must be very desperate and turn-head upon nature and act contrary to their own peace safety and happiness otherwise they cannot withstand them nor go from them nor rise up against them these Chords are too strong and bind too fast and close so that unless men cease to be men they cannot burst them in sunder It is a saying in the Metaphysicks That which is not hath no manner of operation there is the same reason in Moralities or Moral Actions That which is not known and apprehended hath no influence no operation or work upon the mind or consciences of men And indeed if the Ministry of the Gospel were unprovided at this Point if it were not furnished with weight to make the great Engines move with which
words of Eternal life by his Messengers his Servants sent unto them when they know not well where else to be or what to do they will offer Sacrifice of that which cost them nothing or else no Sacrifice at all Now men of this Character and frame whose spirits sit thus loose to the Ministry of the Spirit are in this respect in the same condemnation with the former they also are so far from obeying the voice of this heavenly Exhortation Be ye filled with the Spirit that they seem to hearken to a quite contrary suggestion Be ye emptied of the Spirit at least to a degree For they that are thus neutral in their attendance upon the Ministry of the Gospel and only hear now and then as if they were afraid to hear too often and seem to think that they have somewhat too much of God or of the Spirit of God in them at the present or more than is expedient to accommodate them upon the best terms for the enjoyment of themselves in the pleasures and contentments of the World And therefore as men are wont to do when there is too much fire in the Room where they are for the season and the heat beginneth to be a little troublesome or offensive to them they lessen the fire by taking off some of the wood that is upon it and so reduce the Air in the Room to a convenient temper In like manner that Generation of men and women now under censure seem to moderate stint and limit themselves in their attendance upon the Ministry they will hear but now and then lest the Spirit of God should come in too fast upon them and they should grow too hot in their spirits too full of Heavenly Heat to comport with the Pleasures and Profits with the Principles and waies of the World round about them without interruption or check from their Consciences and yet they would not be counted or seem to be prophane neither but would willingly keep some fair correspondency with God and Christ though at a distance that if there be such things as the Worm that never dieth or the Fire that never goeth our I mean hell and damnation on the one hand or if there be happiness and glory heaven and salvation on the other hand they may have somewhat to depend upon for an escape of the one and an obtainiug of the other And the truth is this seemeth to be the secret policy the deep and profound reach of the Religion of the generality or far greater part of Professours amongst us they project and design to yoke the two Worlds that which is present and that which is to come and to make them draw together As if Solomon had spoken of the two Worlds when he gave that Advice Eccles 7.18 as our former Translators read the place It is good that thou lay hold on this but yet withdraw not thy hand from that and his meaning had been that men should do wifely and well to keep sure and fast hold of this present World and yet not wholly to withdraw their minds and thoughts from that which is to come though he speaks of quite another thing of which we shall not enquire at present but the Counsels and Designs of the hearts of men and women in that kind we speak of are legible in the tenour of their waies and practices and in the distribution they make of themselves between the one World and the other To make earnings of the World that now is men and women labour in the very fire they rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of much carefulness day after day They that are addicted to pleasures and given up to voluptuous living they forecast too to make provision for the flesh they waylay opportunities and means for the gratifying of themselves in this kind yet there is neither the one nor the other of them but will keep an eye upon that World which is to come they will be doing somewhat this way though it be to little purpose If Jesus Christ teacheth in their Streets when the World and their ease and pleasures will give them leave they will give him the hearing On the Lords day when the World that now is stands still and the World that is to come moves and stirs these persons we speak of will give some formal attendance upon the Ministry of the Gospel they will hear a Sermon or perhaps two and they think that by steering such a course as this they shall make the Port of Heaven and Salvation if there be any such thing or however that they shall escape the Wrath and Vengeance which is to come in case there be any such thing which indeed is that which runneth most in their thoughts Now they think the lowest and smallest degree of Righteousness and Obedience will keep them from hell and indeed it is true a lesser care will keep men from the penalty of the Law whereas it requireth a greater engagement to do such things upon which a man shall receive a great reward This is only the portion of noble and excellent enterprises But I say men generally do not so much look upon the glory which is to come Sect. 2 as that they may escape wrath and the vengeance of eternal fire Now their design being no higher their endeavours are according they seem to imagine that the World that now is is stiff and stubborn and will not bow or turn in unto them but by a strong hand of labour care contrivance diligence and circumspection and therefore they lay out a main proportion of their time and much of themselves and the chief of their strength about it but that the World which is to come is gentle and easie to be entreated and that an Inch of care and diligence for obtaining this will go as far as ten Ells as we use to speak for the obtaining of the other This I verily believe is the very thought and inward conceipt of the hearts of many amongst us Whereas the Lord Christ from place to place makes a quite contrary representation of them The Genius of the World to come according to his Pourtraiture or Description is far the stiffer of the two and harder to be entreated and the Genius of this present World more facile and pliable First saith he to his Disciples and in them to all men Mat. 6.33 seek ye the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be cast in unto you The Kindgom of God i. e. Heaven and the salvation of the soul these require seeking or else they will not be found yea they require seeking in the first place i. e. seeking with the many and principal intentions of the heart mind and soul or else they will not be had whereas these things i. e. the conveniences of the World shall upon the seeking of the former be freely and by way of gratuity cast in by God unto men as that which
heaven in the World to propagate the Gospel is like an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasury or place of store for his Provisions viz. for the furnishing of his Table upon all occasions and for the entertainment of those that come to it things both new and old i.e. meats that have been formerly dished and made ready and kept in store together with other made ready upon the present occasion But how or wherein doth the Scribe or Teacher spoken of who is accomplished for the work of the Gospel resemble the Housholder here described by bringing out of his Treasury things both new and old Our Saviour's meaning I conceive to be this that it is required in a worthy and well accomplished Minister of the Gospel that he be able to bring forth or to discover unto the People new things new truths I do not mean simply new for so there is no truth new but new unto them or new unto the Age and Times wherein he liveth and not only to do this to bring forth new provisions of truth but old things or old truths also i.e. such as they have already received and believed to insist upon these also and that for this end and purpose that he may cause the people to understand and see that the new truths which he brings and holds forth unto them correspond with their old with what they know and believe already and have in them no repugnancy or contrariety unto those but are rather arguitively or consequentially contained or comprehended in them for this properly is to edifie or build up the frequent Metaphor by which the Holy Ghost expresseth the growth or encrcase of men and women in spiritual and saving knowledge To build up I say properly imports a carrying on or carrying up that part of the edifice or house which is wrought or built alâ—eady towards the compleating of it by adding or laying on according to Art more materials fit for the building In like manner spiritual edification doth not properly stand in a Ministers simple delivering new things though truths unto a people or in their receiving or understanding them But in a rational and clear connecting and close joynting of these new truths with the old formerly laid in their Judgments so that people may perfectly and satisfyingly perceive the perfect harmony and consent between what they hear anew and what they have been grounded upon before So that that which is newly added unto them may not stand off from or stand awry by the former part of their building but every way correspond with it yea be supported and maintained by it When a house is part built and part unbuilt which is the case of all Christians in this life to throw down an heap of new brick or stones or pieces of timber though never so fit for building by the sides of the Wall that is a building is not to build or carry on the building of the house but a regular disposing of these unto and upon that which is already built that so they may be incorporated together and one receive strength and firmness from the other this is in order towards the compleating of the building In like manner for a Minister or Teacher only to teach new matter to a people though it be nothing but truth and to neglect their old things I mean not to shew them and to make them see and understand the perfect coherence of this new matter with and dependence upon what they know already and firmly believe is not the part of a Scribe instructed for the Kingdom of Heaven nor properly to edifie men in their most holy Faith The truth is that they that have but a little knowledge and actually understand or apprehend only a few Principles of truth and these of the easiest and plainest kind have yet virtually and as contained in these a great variety and excellency of knowledge and it is a special part of the work of a Ministry by the light of the Scriptures to unfold these Principles unto men and to make them see how that all that God requireth of them in his Word either to do or to believe was written though with a small Character and this much defaced and so hardly legible without help in the Tables of their own hearts and consciences But this only by the way The thing we drive at is to make known unto you that that Generation of men now under reproof for forsaking the Ministry where it is solid and fruitful for such a Ministry which fetcheth all the Notions and Doctrines of it from terra incognita From beyond or above the Scriptures under a pretense that the former Ministry is low and they cannot edifie by it they I say plainly shew by this pretense that they do not know what belongs to true and solid edification This doth not consist as we have shewed in having new things taught us much less such new things which are empty Speculations and have no substance or weight of truth in them but in having new things so taught us that their agreement and good accord with our old things being truths may be evidenced unto us in which respect our old things must be insisted upon and made use of more or less in order to our edification Several instances are near at hand and might readily be given if I judged it needful that God is just infinitely just that he is infinitely gracious merciful wise powerful faithful c. are I suppose old things with us that we have oft heard preached unto us and few I presume there are amongst us but believe them Now that Ministry that shall edifie us must not teach us things inconsistent with or opposite unto these or any of these but such which have a rational and kindly sympathy and agreement with these and their fellows Moreover he that will edifie a people must not only teach things that are consequential unto these but he must also make it evident unto them how they are consistent and how they do correspond with their old truths Whosoever doth thus may be said truly and properly to build up men and women As the laying on brick or timber upon that which is already built is properly to build up Even so when persons are shewn and it is made evident unto them that these new truths are no other than what they have already received and what they have already believed when they can reduce them though never so spiritual to those old things and see how consistent these are with them then are these persons properly said to be edified For my Brethren this is most certain that even in those old things viz. that God is Merciful Gracious and Good and Just c. are all high Notions contained as in the bowels of them and that Ministry is most edifying that can draw out things that are most mysterious and that are most heavenly and yet can draw them out so as that the hearers may
any such terms which had set limits and bounds unto it and told them that it was good to such and such a degree but not further this had been apt to have diminished the esteem and reputation of it and consequently to have interrupted and checked the desires of it in the hearts of men Even so we may say concerning this great Priviledge of being filled with the Spirit if we could measure out unto you and were able to say that it is thus much and no more this were neither for your benefit or profit neither should we be found faithful or true Witnesses of those excellent and glorious things of God There is no question but that the Apostles in their daies did make large discoveries of the peace of God and spake many glorious things of it so much that might have enflamed the hearts of men to have desired it but yet there was more than all this in that Character whereby it is described viz. A peace that passeth all understanding So questionless many great and excellent things and that according to sobriety and truth may be spoken concerning this great and happy Priviledge yet if we should attempt any thing in this kind without giving knowledge that we do not speak limitedly or to confine your apprehensions as if there were nothing further or greater in it besides and above or beyond what we can express without some such intimation or â—aution as this is we should rather prejudice you and set you off than quicken you and set you up to look after it We have formerly as I remember acquainted you with several Royalties and blessed Contentments which do attend the state of a person that is filled with the Spirit 〈◊〉 God One thing was that they that are filled with the Spirit of God are like to be much imployed and set on work by God he deâ—ghteth not to imploy such persons about any great services which he hath 〈◊〉 do in the World that are streightened in their spirits whose anointing 〈◊〉 but scanty narrow and low God doth not care that much of his Work should pass thorough their hands because they will not quit themselves so as to answer the Majesty of God nor the excellency of such Services Whereas those that are filled with the Spirit look whatsoever they go about or put forth their hearts unto they will carry it on with the greatest authority and highest hand neither will they baulk this or that Truth of God nor in the least give in for any opposition or contradiction of Men. Now this is a great Priviledge if we had hearts to conceive aright of it for a man or woman to be much imployed or much set on work by God the Angels are as it were proud of his service Christ speaking of his little ones saith Their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Mat. 18.10 They stand waiting to see if there be any service or imployment they strive who shall be most set on work and who shall have most put into their hands for this is their honour and their glory And doubtless my Brethren if we had but the true sense and resentment of the transcendent worth and desirableness of serving God and of being imployed by him in the world we should account of it and esteem it after another manner of rate than I fear generally we do Another thing was this they that are partakers of that blessedness are upon the matter out of the reach of all sorrows or troubles about any thing that can befall them in this present World those things which cut other men to the very heart and soul these men are secured from when the World riseth up and lieth down by them they know not they are in an heavenly extasie or a spiritual kind of drunkenness As Lot being drunk knew not when his Daughters rose up from him nor lay down by him men that are full of the Spirit are lifted up they are in the upper Region where no storms no tempests nor troublesome things come there is a perpetual serenity clearness and peaceableness of mind whilest the World generally and those that are strangers to this fulness of the Spirit are tossed to and fro tumbling up and down their thoughts disquieting and tormenting them continually And so again we shewed that they that are filled with the Spirit are to a degree freed from Temptations It is said of God He cannot be tempted with evil Jam. 1.13 Now such men are partakers of that blessedness of God himself as far as flesh and bloud is capable of drawing near unto him Resist the Devil and he will flee from you saith the Apostle James c. 4.7 Brethren Why should the Devil flee from him that resisteth him and giveth him a peremptory denial It is because that he hath much to do and but little time to do it in and he will not lose his time when he hath no hope to speed he is then as if he stood upon thorns as we use to say if he get no profit or advantage by his Suggestions it is so much out of the way of his miserable comfort and that solace which he is capable of during his present state and condition all his solace being this to draw men into communion and fellowship with himself in his misery and knowing by his own experience that the way thereunto lieth by the way of sin and doing wickedly therefore he laboureth to entice men to walk in such waies knowing if he can but draw men into these paths he will presently meet with them and that they will arrive at that place of endless misery and torment which he is gone unto But now this great and blessed Priviledge of being filled with the Spirit of God will make all the enticements and allurements all the baits and temptations to evil of no force they will be as Arrows shot against a brazen Wall that will recoyl and turn upon him that shooteth them So that we need not ask a question What the fulness of the Spirit meaneth You see it is worthy all your labours all your endeavours and layings out of your selves in one kind or other though you should prejudice your flesh never so much upon the account of it yet nevertheless there is no cause for you to complain for the Priviledge is so great that it will do a thousand times more than bear its own charge and it will recompense a thousand fold into your bosome whatsoever you expend of your pleasures and enjoyments in the World for the attaining of it Sixthly Sect. 6 To promote the interest of the Exhortation propounded in your hearts and souls and to make you desirous indeed to be filled with the Spirit of God you may please yet further to consider that your Minds Reasons and Understandings with whatsoever besides shall be necessary for you to imploy or lay out about this great and blessed undertaking cannot be disposed of or imployed by
that possesseth and filleth them with a windy confidence that they are the Children of God when indeed they are not because the Spirit of God is not wont to go forth nor to enter into the hearts and consciences of men but where the glorious Gospel of God is received in the truth of it We could instance in some particulars for there are as the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 8.5 in his daies in respect of Gods and Lords many that were Gods and Lords so called but saith he unto us there is but one c. So the truth is at this day there are amongst us and round about in this City and near to us Gospels many and Preachers many but in the mean time there is but one Gospel for us for those that know the truth as it is in Jesus And yet many of these Gospels we speak of have their spirits that do attend upon them and for the most part they do wait upon these very Gospels and Ministries that are the rankest of all others filling the Receivers of them with the greatest assurance and confidence that they are the Children of God and in the right way of worshipping and serving of him There is a Gospel which joyns Baptism with Faith in Christ by way of necessity to Justification and so to Salvation even as the Jewish Converts did Circumcision in the Apostles days of which Paul saith unto them Gal. 5.2 I say unto you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing meaning if ye be Circumcised with an opinion of being justified thereby Christ shall profit you nothing There is another Gospel preached amongst us which teacheth you in effect and underhand yea by express and near-hand consequence that if you be elected how loosely wickedly prophanely and desperately soever ye shall live yet you are in no danger of perishing yea and that however you shall go to work God will bring you in one time or other and that he will so far change the state of affairs with you that you shall neither will nor chuse but to repent and so be saved together with several other Doctrines and Notions of like dangerous consequence and import Again thirdly Another Gospel so called ye have preached amongst you which calleth you from the Scriptures and the light of life which shineth there unto that which they call a light within them though that light be never so dark As if the Scriptures and the light within men so far as it is light and not darkness were at odds Or as if the conveying of Scripture light into the hearts and Judgments of men were like to obscure darken or obstruct and not rather to encrease brighten and perfect that light in men This kind of Gospel is of as dangerous consequence as any of the other A fourth Gospel preached abroad in the World is that all that ever will or shall be justified were justified from Eternity and that upon this account God seeth no sin in them Yea there is a Gospel which preacheth down all Preaching and denieth the usefulness thereof Many other Gospels there are so called in the World which though they be at great variance amongst themselves yet they all agree in enmity and opposition to the true Gospel of Christ like Sampson's Foxes But there is no end of enumerating these high and by kind of strains which men run into from day to day thinking thereby still to better their condition Godward As you find many in a lingring condition with sickness that think if they should but change into such a Room or into such a Bed they should be better So when men have not made a serious and consciencious improvement of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ whilest they did attend and live under the Ministry and Preaching of it but find themselves dissatisfied in their hearts and souls and not enjoying themselves upon terms of that content which they desire they think now that if they do but go forth into such other waies and walk in such other paths that then they shall be made great then they shall reign like Kings and Princes in the Profession of Jesus Christ Now the great Enemy of their Peace and of the Salvation of their souls lies in wait to meet with such occasions and advantages as these are and therefore if such Notions do but begin to bud and put forth in their first conceptions or that the hearts of men do but begin to hanker that way the Devil helps them with his perswasions to go on and then men are very apt to be perswaded that now the Spirit of God is come to them and that he doth procure them that great peace of God which they could never attain nor find from his hand before I cannot pass by that Expression though but lately handled in the Scriptures now opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it carrieth in it so pregnant a Testimony against that dangerous Doctrine which of late hath began to make head amongst us viz That the Holy Ghost is not God Now if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit himself and not any other inferiour spirit subservient unto him who bears witness with the Spirits of the Saints all the World over that they are the Children of God then can he be no other than God himself who filleth all places with his presence Thus then we see a third thing Sect. 17 by means of which they that are filled with the Spirit must needs be possessed with an assurance of their attonement and peace made with God by Jesus Christ viz. they have the Spirit of Adoption within them testifying aloud and with authority with their spirits that they are the Children of God and consequently that their sins are fully attoned in his sight And this was the former particular of the two propounded by which men and women must needs be prepared and put into a rich capacity of enjoying free Communion with God We shall not need I suppose to add any thing to prove or shew that a clear assurance of a mans Attonement made with God opens an effectual door unto him for a free Communion with God This is lightsome and evident enough of it self especially if we take the word Attonement in a compleat signification I mean as it includes and carrieth with it grace and acceptation of a mans person with God For when God is actually reconciled unto a Creature and hath accepted an attonement for his sin He doth not only cease to be an Enemy unto him remaining still as a Stranger or as one from whose anger or displeasure the Person reconciled and attoned is indeed free but hath no further interest in him but upon this said reconciliation unto this Creature he becometh a most real Friend unto him and admits him into his special grace and favour Amongst men it is oft times otherwise a man doth not remain an Enemy after Attonement for that properly is imported in the word Attonement But
an activeness for God but only theirs who are filled with the Spirit of God what course soever they may take otherwise Now the truth is that both these in effect and by clearness of consequence have been proved already The former in those discussions wherein we made it appear that every of the said four Priviledges were respectively the natural and proper fruits and consequences of the signal intergrity of mens hearts and waies in the sight of God The latter in those passages wherein in like manner we evinced such an integrity of heart and life before God to be the genuine and appropriate effect of a being filled with the Spirit Therefore we shall here only vindicate and clear those discussions and passages from such difficulties or objections which may seem to encumber them and to weaken the truth or authority of them First then That men may attain to a freedom from all troublesome and tormenting cares and fears and whatever of this nature is apt to render the life of a man less comfortable less desirable without any such high engagements for God as were spoken of and so consequently without being filled with the Spirit appears from hence that many Heathen Philosophers and Wise men especially of the Sect of the Stoicks by study and dealing with themselves and their hearts effectually from such Principles and Considerations as the light of Nature afforded them did attain this atchievement they did absolutely deliver themselves from that bondage and subjection we speak of and did live in a constant tranquillity and serenity of mind and thoughts and did not feel any pricking Thorne or grieving Brier of any troublesome passion Yea more generally they of the Schole and Sect of Epicurus lived free from all cares and fears yea there are many amongst our selves who as our Proverb expresseth it set Cock on hoop and as they put the evil day far from them so together herewith they put away all care fear and all troublesome thoughts to the same distance therefore it seems at least one of the four Priviledges wherein you placed the desirableness of a mans life and condition in this World viz. a freedom from all troublesome and tormenting fears and cares may be obtained and enjoyed without a being filled with the Spirit I reply first concerning Heathen Philosophers these things First That as Painters use to do very frequently viz. flatter and give beauty and comliness in the artificial face where they are wanting in the natural So many Historians when they have a person of note or worth or of any great name to represent or describe they do not so much set or bend themselves to inform the Reader of the truth of things concerning them as to shew the rareness of their own genius and parts by making them the most accomplished persons in the World As Sophocles the Tragedian made reply to him who demanded a reason why contrary to his Fellow Euripides he made all Women that he personated in his Tragedies so excellently vertuous and good I saith he represent them such as they should be In like manner we have great cause to suspect that they who have reported such glorious things of some Philosophers and others worthy men like enough in their Sphere rather represented and reported them such as they should have been than such as they were as Paterculus a Roman Historian speaking of Cato saith of him that he was Virtuti similimus qui rectè nunquam fecit ut facere videretur sed quia aliter facere non poterat He was a man most like unto virtue it self who never did that which was right that he might appear to do it but because he could not do otherwise as if he were a man unchangeably perfect and good After some other high Characters of commendation he saith of him that he was Homo omnibus humanis vitiis immunis A man that was far from the insirmities of a man with more of the same strain Yet that which the same Author reports of Scipio Aemylianus is much more viz. That he was a man Qui nunquam nisi laudandum aut fecit aut dixit aut sensit who all his life long never spake nor did nor thought any thing but that which was good And elsewhere this is said of another Solem faâ—ilius e Coelo dimovendum c. That it was a more easie matter to turn the Sun out of his way than to turn him Therefore we are not bound to believe all that we have received by Tradition concerning the high Strains and Heroick attainments and Enjoyments of Heathen Philosophers and others famous for virtue although on the other hand there is little question to be made but that there were many of excellent Principles and deportments amongst them and such who shall rise up in Judgment against the common sort of Professors of Christianity amongst us and condemn them However there is no certainty of any such thing as absolute freedom from cares and fears enjoyed by and of them as that pretended in the Objection Secondly Suppose that as far as an estimate can be made Sect. 8 either by some passages of speech or discourse upon occasion uttered by some of them or else by many Sayings yet found in their Writings that they did some of them enjoy such a Priviledge as a freedom from cares and fears c. yet such an estimate as this is far from certainty or infallibility Though we should hear them utter sayings or speak of their security like that of Angels it doth not follow that they spaâ—e truth For as Aristotle speaking of many excellent Principles of Temperance and Sobriety saith of young men that they use to speak and discourse of these things but do not believe them In like manner men of Learning and Parts may hammer out many excellent Sayings and Strains of a very high nature and yet not believe them themselves David sometimes indeed said I believed and therefore I spake Psal 116.10 but the truth is that men may and frequently do speak and utter many things which they do not believe Our English Story reports of one John Cremâ—nsis who was sent over by the Pope to perswade the Priests from Marrying that the very next night after he had delivered his Message and in an eloquent Oration commended Chastity to the Clergy he was found in Adultery So that it is no great matter for men to write excellent things to talk of freedom from fears and cares but to get this into the heart and to make this real is another manner of thing Thirdly and lastly Though some of those we speak of might seem to enjoy such a Priviledge as that formerly described of a dreadless and fearless mind whilest either they were free from danger or under the arrest of some evil more tolerable and more easie to be born yet when they came to encounter with the King of Fears viz. Death their inward security and height of confidence and resolution was much
this while here is a fit opportunity for the Spirit of God to joyn himself with those persons and carry them on from lesser light to greater It is for his glory to delight in such persons who make much of his motions They that will but mind his beginnings and his first breathings into their hearts and souls he will presently cause them to take up a new Lesson and will still carry them forward and cause them to know things more considerable Now then put the case that this was the state of any of them that they did attain unto any such Spirit to be above fears and dread this might be by means of the Spirit of God which might be a kind of fulness of the Spirit in them If it be objected Sect. 10 But the Heathen are said to be without God in the World Eph. 2.12 To this I reply It is true to speak of the body and bulk of the Heathen they were indeed without God in the World this was the state of the generality of them yet notwithstanding the same Apostle saith that they knew God Rom. 1.21 2.14.15 and that they were a Law unto themselves Now look to what degree they did those things by the Law and light of Nature that they would have done in case they had had the written Law to that degree they were a Law unto themselves and their Consciences either excused or accused them accordingly Now it is usual to speak some things of a Body or People in the general which cannot belong or be applied to every individual or particular person As when Christ crucified is said to be unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Gentiles foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 it must be understood that he speaks only of the generality of them for the Apostle explains himself But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks we preach Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God So that that which the Scriptures speak concerning the Gentiles is not to be applied unto every particular but only to the generality of them Concerning persons whether they bear the name of Christians or no who by means of debauched Principles and Practices by following Lusts and Pleasures unsatiably seem to have contracted or gained a freedom from fears and tormenting cares the truth is that for the most part they are not Inheritors or in possession of any such freedom it is but a Copy of their countenance under this kind of practice There is a Worm that lies gnawing them that ever and anon doth sting and bite them even in the greatest heat of their jollity they are often stung The Wiseman says Prov. 14.13 that even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness The end of foolish and vain jollity is heaviness and not only so but many times it breaks out even in the midst of it and comes upon them as the pains of a woman with Child which plainly shews that their fearlesness of spirit is not of that kind which we speak of These waies and courses of pleasure bring but a false kind of joy for their disease all this while lies hid within them festering And so men may cause these kinds of fears to be allayed by this kind of mirth and jollity as men may lay mud upon a Fountain but after a while the Spring will make its way So will the Conscience be as a Spring of sorrow and trouble the Conscience will work thorough and thorough though they should lay on one kind of Pleasure after another yea though they should lay on never so much and it will appear in due time that these men are far from being partakers with the Saints of God in that great and blessed Priviledge of being fearless and dreadless So that we see that that fearlesness of spirit which we have argued for is an appropriate effect of our being filled with the Spirit God And though there be some counterfeits of it in some other persons who are not full of this Spirit of God yet if you take the Priviledge as we described it take it in the richness of it and in the truth and reality of it take it as being raised upon good grounds that it be not baffled with any thing that shall rise up against it thus it is only the effect of such a signal Righteousness as we speak of and some other answerable effects of a being filled with the Spirit Now as the case is in this Priviledge Sect. 11 so there is the same reason of all the other three particulars namely that a Creature cannot invest himself in them but only by that course we have spoken of Joy and Peace a setled Peace an excellent strain of Joy cannot be attained by any other person but only by him who is more excellent than his Neighbour this is the natural result and product of an excellent course and strain of Righteousness and Obedience unto the Command of God And if men shall attempt to raise it in themselves in any other way or by any other means they will be disappointed for this kind of fruit grows from no other Tree whatsoever it ariseth only from an enlargement of the Creature towards his God And the truth is that which is found in many men and which in the Language of some is termed joy is but a kind of degenerate joy There may be joy so called but that which is joy indeed is a quite different thing from it It was the saying of an Heathen Philosopher and it is a very true Saying that true joy is a severe thing and for the maintaining of it it requireth much watchfulness of them that are the Subjects thereof they must not turn aside to do any thing that is unworthy of it Now therefore when men are light and loose in their words and actions carried away by that contentment which is in sin there is nothing of reality in their joy You may find out some other name for it or if you will you may call it Joy but there is nothing of the nature or of the substance of this joy in it which is unspeakable and glorious and so concerning that other particular a capacity of enjoying a free and large Communion with God This cannot arise in any mans heart without the Spirit of God who can fill men with the knowledge of God and impart and communicate the secrets of God accordingly Who knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit will reveal them And our Saviour saith no man knoweth the things of God but only the Son no man knows them without manifestation and discovery of them by him As Horse and Mule and other Creatures do not nor cannot understand the things of a man because they have no Communion with him in his Principles of Reason and understanding In like manner neither are men capable of the things of God further than himself doth manifest
many places Actions are ascribed unto him that doth assist and direct and help men in the performance of them and not unto him that is the formal and immediate Agent Page 232 235 XVII That in Scripture Phrase is said properly and precisely to be of God not simply which he acteth or worketh but that which he acteth or worketh freely without any meritorious or demeritorious engagement laid upon by the Creature Page 242 XVIII Such Causes which work and contribute towards their Effects Sacramentally only are in respect of that which is literal or natural in them the poorest and lowest of all Causes 244. Yet notwithstanding they produce their effects most vigorously most powerfully and with an high hand Page ibid. XIX A man may do that which is commanded by God and yet have little thank for his labour for doing it viz. when he knoweth not that it is commanded by him Page 248 XX. God is well pleased with all such Counsels Actions and Waies of Men which are in their nature and according to a true estimate and judgment of them profitable and advantageous and he is the more and better pleased with the Counsels Actions and waies of men the richer and faller Connexion they have with their peace and happiness Pag. 248 XXI Though the Spirit be Omnipotent yet he is a voluntary Agent and so can exert and put forth his Omnipotency in what degree or manner of efficacy himself pleaseth Page 281 XXII The way to do things by the Spirit is not to forbear the doing of things or duties our selves until we find the Spirit of Grace and feel it to work upon us but to go about that which is our Duty to do in the season of it with a serious and humble acknowledgement and deep sense of our inability Page 283 XXIII It is a usual Dialect in Scripture when the Act is expressed for the means or course that is usually taken to effect it Page 284 XXIV Though there be a presence of the Spirit of God with men in the state of Nature or unregeneracy yet the Scriptures do not speak of the Spirits dwelling in men nor of their receiving him until they receive him in a greater measure or after the manner in which Believers receive him Page 285 XXV Whatsoever Action a man doth voluntarily consent unto may properly enough be said to be his especially when the Act of his Will and Consent contributes any thing towards the Action Page 286 XXVI Whosoever makes the Creature either meerly Passive in its Works or Services or willing as they say by or from a necessitation they despoil it of all capacity of being rewarded by God and so while they pretend to be the great Magnifiers of the Grace of God indeed and in truth make nothing of it Page 287 XXVII It is a Principle in Reason and Equity that they who make a regular and worthy use of a less proportion of any good thing intrusted with them should no other circumstance hindring be intrusted with a greater Page 288 XXVIII God usually walketh with Men by such Principles and Rules which are written on their hearts by the finger of Nature and which they are wont to observe and walk by in their Civil and Common Affairs Page 31 32 288 297 XXIX God's manner is not to reward nor to take knowledge of the righteousness of men until the World have taken knowledge of it Page 289 XXX The Hebrew Dialect many times uses and repeats the Antecedent for the Consequent Page 299 XXXI That is sometimes said to be dâ—ne which is done frequently or isal waies probable or likely to be done Page 301 XXXII The Connexive Particle and sometimes implieth a Motive enforcing a preceding Exhortation Page 304 XXXIII God hath built and framed the body of his Laws and Precepts given unto men upon like terms by such Principles and Rules of Wisdom and 〈◊〉 according to which prudent Law makers amongst men me went to compile and 〈◊〉 the body of those Civil or Politick Laws which they make for the benefit or use of their States or Communities respectively Pag. 348 349 XXXIV The Gospel being a Doctrine according to Godliness every limbe and vein of it must have a tendency the same way Page 363 XXXV When an Impostor perswadeth or useth means to seduce he is said to seduce though the persons thus perswaded be not actually seduced Page 399 XXXVI Comparative senses or meanings are frequently expressed in absolute and positive terms Page 407 XXXVII When Men are greatly averse from believing or repenting they are not like to bestow any serious or intense consideration upon the means by which they should be brought to do either especially if they can find out any colour or pretense to disparage them and so to arm their Consciences and Judgments against them Page 407 XXXVIII Whether Words or Works they must be kept for some time upon the mind and intellectual faculties of the soul before they can accomplish any transmutation or change there Page 408 XXXIX When a man is unwilling to do a thing he may according to Scripture Dialect or manner of speaking be said to be unable to do it Page 20 21 413 XL. There is no ground to judge and determine a Ministry to be legal because the face of it is set and bent as it were to press men to the keeping of the Commands of God contained in the Moral Law Page 441 XLI A person may be said to be moved or enclined when that is done unto him which is apt and proper and sufficient to cause him to be moved and enclined whether he be actually moved or enclined or no Page 446 XLII Such a person is said to sow unto the Spirit who frequently is engaged in such waies and actions which he knows must of necessity turn unto the honour and praise of the Spirit of God Page 450 XLIII That which is delivered unto the World in the New Testament by the mouth of Jesus Christ himself or upon the account of his coming from Heaven as all that which the Holy Ghost hath further revealed by the Apostles is is more obliging and binding upon the Consciences of men and more severely punishable by God when neglected or despised than the things delivered in the Old Testament or before Christ's coming into the World were or are Page 459 XLIV It is not unusual in Emphatical Discourses to speak of one and the same person in different considerations as of two Page 459 It is usual in the Scriptures when things are more fully done or after a more rich and bountiful manner discovered to represent them as newly done Page 462 XLV It is frequent in Scripture when the Holy Ghost would reprove Men in things that be irrational to interrogate them as to the reason or ground of what they do Page 476 XLVI The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in is oft used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Page 501 XLVII The words Perfect and Perfection are most frequently used when applied to Men or any other Creature not in a strict or absolute but in a limited and diminutive sense but when applied to God in the strictest sense Page 501 XLVIII Verbs properly signifying action many times declare the Natures and Properties of things and what they are able apt and likely to do Page 502 XLIX Many things in Scripture are said to be done by men when it is meet they should do them or have a good ground or reason for the doing of them Page 512 L. The Verb Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used which properly signifies the simple and absolute Being on Existence of a thing is oft used in the Scriptures for the Being of a thing in Act Exercise or manifestation Page 228 The End
dissatisfaction and contradict and be contentious such ought to know and consider for their satisfaction that neither they the Apostles nor yet the Churches of God far or near had in the case mentioned any such custome which was contrary unto and differing from that which now they had commended unto them So the great Prophet David long before judged it an absurdity a thing unworthy of him to act any thing wherein he should offend against or condemn the generation of the Righteous Psal 73.15 meaning the generality of Saints or persons fearing God So that the Authority Testimony and Consent of Christians in their several Generations in matters concerning their Profession and Religion ought to be and alwaies hath been amongst the best and soundest Christians of very great esteem especially when matters in question between themselves could not be cleared issued or determined otherwise And they that in such cases would not be satisfied herewith were still looked upon by sober Christians as men of proud turbulent and unpeaceable spirits according to the saying of an ancient Writer Contra rationem nemo sobrius Contra Scripturas nemo Christianus Contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus And it is a saying of a learned Country-man of our own Doctor White Hominem Christianum nunquam eum arbitrabor qui judicium Ecclesiae nihili fecerit Another late Writer of great note and worth hath this saying Quod per omnem Ecclesiam receptum est disputando velle in cotroversiam vocare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Now then for the swaying and ordering of our Judgments in the Question in hand in case we be at a loss or at a stand in respect of all artificial Arguments and Proofs from the Scriptures certainly the Judgment of the Christian Churches and of the learned Teachers thereof in all Ages is of the most and safest concernment unto us What their sense in the case more generally is and from the Apostles time hath been we shall shew presently Secondly Sect. 13 Suppose this to be the case that we are travelling in a Journey we come where there is a diversity of waies one on this hand another on that hand and being strangers in the Country we know not which of the two waies leads to the place whither we are going only we are certainly informed that many sober and understanding persons who have travelled to the same place whither we are going and were careful in their Journey to find out the right way went that way for example which lieth on the right hand and that very few and these little considerable otherwise went the other way that lieth on the left hand Is it not then much more reasonable that in this uncertainty we should take that way which hath been most occupied and beaten by the feet of so many discreet and wary Travellers who we have the greatest grounds of confidence to believe are safely arrived at the place whither they intended their Journey and we intend ours also than to adventure our selves in the other way concerning which we know not whether ever any person travelling in it came in peace to his Journeys end This is the case between the two Opinions before us that which denieth the Holy Ghost to be God the same God in Essence or Substance with the Father and that which confesseth or believeth him to be God equal with the Father Now then there is on the right hand way those who say that the Holy Ghost is God the most high God And there are on the left hand those also who deny him to be the most High God But those that went on the right hand way were the generality of Christians which were most sober and most learned and fullest of Piety and Zeal who believed the Holy Ghost to be God indeed one and the same God with the Father and concerning these viz. the generality of ancient Fathers and Christian Martyrs of old and Confessours in the Primitive times and the great body of Christians taught and instructed by them we have the greatest assurance that lightly can be that these are safely arrived at the place whereunto they travelled which is the Kingdom of Heaven Whereas concerning those who have gone the other way which saith the Holy Ghost is not God but a created and finite Spirit as they are very inconsiderable as I said being compared with those that have gone the other way so were they viz. the greatest number of those few the greatest Persecutors that ever the Christian Churches met withal For it is generally acknowledged that the Arian Persecution was the greatest that ever was and that it rose from out of them And for the course of their lives they are not therein comparable to the generality of those that are gone the other way So that in such a case as this it is easie to determine what is best becoming Christians to do if they should be strangers to both the Opinions If they do not know but that the one may be as good as the other yet inasmuch as the generality and best sort of Travellers those who are of the best credit and most judicious have gone that way which we are contending for it is most safe and most acceptable in the eyes of God who loveth that men should act according to Principles of Reason for men in their judgment to go along with such For certainly after a consciencious search and enquiry about the truth in any matter of question in Christian Religion if we cannot come by the light of any Argument from the Scriptures to satisfie our selves touching the truth therein God himself doth send us for our resolution to the footsteps of the Flock and to the Shepherds Tents I mean to the Authority and Judgment of the Churches of Christ in their Generation Thirdly Sect. 14 Though God in his Law Exod. 23.2 prohibiteth men to follow a multitude to do evil what multitude soever it be and consequently to joyn with a multitude in receiving or taking up an Error yet of the two it is better I mean it is far the lesser sin and less provoking in the sight of God to follow a multitude of grave wise and consciencious persons upon the terms specified though it be as to matter of issue and event to take up an erroneous Perswasion or Opinion than it is to forsake such a multitude as we speak of grave wise c. though a man should peradventure embrace the truth it is more safe for a man to take up an error with such a Multitude than to go alone or with some few or inconsiderate or inconsiderable ones only The reason is because it is much more reasonable to expect the truth amongst a multitude of grave sober and consciencious persons who are studious of the truth than to expect it amongst a few inconsiderable persons comparatively concerning whose integrity or unfeigned love to the truth there is much more doubt and question Now this also is the case before us
The Fathers generally of greatest esteem in this Generation for Piety Holiness Learning and Faithfulness in the Work of Christ and of the Gospel and consequently we may conclude the generality of Christians who were taught by them and so the Martyrs and Confessors in the purest times of the Church were of this opinion and belief that the Holy Ghost was an Increated Spirit and truly God I might detain you many hours yea many daies in presenting you with passages and sayings of this nature I shall insist upon some few only for the present Austin is known to be a most studious and diligent enquirer into that Faith I mean those Doctrines and Tenents which had been generally held and maintained in the Christian Churches a long time before and from the Apostles daies till his time and to have had means and opportunity to attain to a perfect knowledge of this Faith and withal is known to have been defensor acerrimus a most zealous defender of it He then in his First Book de Trinit Cap. 6. having occasion to mention that of the Apostle Rom. 11.36 And reading the words thus For of him and through him and in him are all things to whom be glory for ever He glosseth them thus Ex ipso i. e. ex Patre per ipsum i.e. per Filium in ipso i.e. in Spiritu Sancto manifestum quod Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus unus Deus est quando singulariter intulit Ipsi gloria in sacula saeculorum Of him i.e. the Father saith he By him that is by the Son In him that is in the Holy Ghost it is manifest that the Father Son and Holy Ghost is one God inasmuch as he the Apostle infers in the Singular number To him be glory for ever and ever And in his Fifth Book of the same Subject I mean de Trinitate Sed sicut Pater Filius unus Deus ad Creaturam relativè unus Creator unus Dominus sic relativè ad Spiritum Sanctum unum Principium Ad Creaturam verò Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus unum Principium sicut unus Creator unus Dominus And not long after Similiter de Spiritu Sancto collecta sunt testimonia quibus ante nos qui haec disputaverunt abundantiùs usi sunt quia ipse Deus non Creatura Quod si non Creatura non tantùm Deus nam homines dicti sunt Dii sed verus Deus ergò Patri Filio prorsus aequalis in Trinitatis unitate consubstantialis coaeternus Athanasius lived well nigh an hundred years before Austin and he in that Symbol or Creed which beareth his name is so punctual and precise in this business touching the Godhead of the Holy Ghost that having asserted it he useth these words This saith he is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe undoubtedly he cannot be saved so that he was quite contrary to that Spirit which now standeth up against the Godhead of the Holy Ghost yea these very Fathers Ignatius Justin Martyr Jerome Tertullian Lactantius Hilary c. whom our Adversaries profess to stand by them as if if they spake on their side and against the Deity of the Holy Ghost when the very truth is they are so express and so significant to the contrary that I cannot but account it a little strange that such a claim though I believe it is not without much regret should be laid unto them But our Adversaries perhaps taking some words from these Fathers wherein they do not so fully declare themselves as having declared themselves elsewhere and not minding or at least not well heeding their fuller explication of themselves they will needs bear men in hand that they were of their Opinion Ignatius was the most ancient of them all in a Religious Epistle written to the Christians in Antioch his words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore every one who Prâ—â—heth or professeth one only God to the taking away or denying of the Godhead of Christ he is a Devil or a Slanderer and an Enemy of all Righteousness Now for the most part they that deny the Deity and Divinity of Christ they do the like concerning the Holy Ghost But they who desire farther satisfaction in this kind and to know the full clear and unquestionable Judgment of the ancient Doctors and Churches from the Apostles times may without much trouble satisfie themselves for there are many learned Writers that have taken pains herein If it be objected But is it not a thing of dangerous consequence Sect. 15 and no less than horrid Idolatry a thing which God will severely punish to give the glory of his Godhead unto an another unto any Creature of his or to introduce a plurality of Gods into the World Therefore had not men need to consider narrowly and to bethink themselves over and over how they give up their Judgments and Consciences to such an opinion which maketh the Holy Ghost to be truly God I reply First That as it is a dangerous consequence and no less than horrid Idolatry to give the glory of the Godhead of him who is God indeed the true God unto another unto any Creature in which respect men and women had need be careful above all care that their feet be not taken in such a snare so on the other hand it is altogether as dangerous and Idolatry of as vile a nature and threatning consequence not to acknowledge and reverence him as God who is God indeed And in this respect men and women had need be abundantly solicitous and cautious how they entertain and admit of that Doctrine which denieth the Holy Ghost to be God For in case it shall prove that he is God all they who shall deny him to be God will be found fighters against God which will be worse than simple Idolatry and a sin as threatning and of as dangerous a consequence as the other Secondly Not to acknowledge not to glorifie God as God or as himself especially as he hath revealed himself in his Word is if not plain and express Idolatry yet a very high misdemeanour against God therefore in case God hath revealed himself in his Word to be Three in One and One in Three which is and hath been the sense in a manner some few persons only excepted inconsiderable both in their number and otherwise comparatively of the whole Christian World Fathers Martyrs Confessors Pastors Teachers Bodies of Christian Churches ever since the Apostles daies as was lately shewed They who do not thus acknowledge worship and glorifie him and consequently do not acknowledge and own him as God contract the guilt and expose themselves to the punishment of such a Crime Therefore men and women had need take heed how they reject or deny the Godhead of the Holy Ghost lest by so doing they make a God unto themselves according to their own fansie and worship him after their own imaginations Thirdly Sect.