Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name He shall teach you all things So that the Comforter himself as distinguished from his teaching is promised here And Ioh 15.26 He is also promised as contradistinguished from his Operations and testifying oâ Christ. 4. The Believer is said to have the Spirit So that they belong not to Christ who have not have the Spirit of Christ Rom 8.9 He is said to dwell in them Rom 8.11 1 Cor 3.16 2 Tim 1.14 To be with them Ioh 14.17 And to be in them Rom 8.11 By his Spirit that dwelleth in you 5. Not only doth the Spirit help our infirmities which is through Grace But the Spirit himself is said to make intercession for us with groaninos which cannot be uttered which aÌpears to be somewhat other that is given them then the meer Graces of the Spirit And that because there immediately follows And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit Rom 8.27 6. The Believer is said to be sealled with the holy Spirit oâ promise And he is the earnest of our Inheritance Eph 1.13 14. And given as a seal and Pledge Eph 4.30 The earnest of the Spirit is given in their hearts 2 Cor 1.22 So also 2. Cor 5.5 which seems to hold out more than his Fruits 7. Therefore the Believer is commanded not only not to quench the Spirit Ephes 5. 19. which may have respect to his Operations and Indrawings of Grace in the Soul But also not to grieve the Spirit Ephes 4.30 Which seems to import the dwelling of the Spirit in them 8. It is by vertue of this Union betwixt the Spirit and the believer that their very dust is raised up in the last day so that God by the Spirit that dwelleth in them shall quicken their mortal bodies Rom 8.11 This Spirit then that dwelleth in them must be somewhat else then his Graces for by these the mortal bodies are not quickened And he is called the Spirit of Him that raised up Iesus from the dead 9. He is said to be sent forth into their Heaâts crying Abba Father Gal 4.6 10. David prayeth expresly Psal 51.11 That the LORD would not take his Holy Spirit from him Vse 1. This is a noble point of Truth and full of many grounds oâ Comfort And how could Believers other wayes then rejoyce providing this Union betwixt Christ and them were believed Did they know that Christ were in them keeping house in them dweling with them with joy and satisfaction would it not make them sing under all adversity And that upon a four fold account 1. Upon the account of the great Honour which iâ brought to them thereby even to them who formerly were meer cages of unclean spirits and yet still have much coorruption abiding in them That the King of Zion who is King of kings LORD of Lords Heir of all the Brightness oâ his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb 1.3 Who is the Image of the invisible GOD the first borne of every Creature Col 1.15 That he I say should come and loege with them lodge in their Heart within their Soul That he whom the Heaven of heavens cannot contain that is High and Lofty who dwells in Eternity should live with such a One and be united with such O what incomprehensible Honour is this Elizabeth cryed once with great admiration And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me Luke 1.43 And may not the Believer with much more admiration cry out And whence is this to me that my Lord himself should come to me And not only so but come to me and dwell and abide with me 2. Here is great comfort on the account of profit and advantage Have they the Heir of all things so near to them and with them living in them what can they then want For if Christ be theirs all things are theirs life death âhings present and things to come 1 Cor 3.22 23. Hath GOD given Christ and shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom â 32 And what can they lack that have all things what can they want who have Him in them in whom dwells all the fullness of the God head bodily Col 2.9 What want they who have Heaven And can they want Heaven within them who have Christ within them They are compleat in him Col 2.10 Which is âhe Head of all principality and power 3. Here is comfor upon the account of safety Who or what can harm them who have preservation or salvation wiâhin them Christ the Author of Eternal Salvation within them O what security for them in whom he is What can tribulation or distress or famine or nâkedness or peril or sword do to such can they separate him who is become a Habitation for Christ from the love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus No no can the ship drown wherein Christ is Can fire or water harm a Soul who is a Habitation for Christ What can satan do against Christs lodging Can he or dare he cast it down 4. Here is Comfort upon the account of security and tranquility For who can weaken and endamage their right to Glory that allready have begun Glory in the soul to wit Christ the hope of Glory can satan or the world make such an one miserable No surely greater is He that is in them then he that is in the world 1 Ioh 4.4 What surer pledge of Heaven and Salvation can the soul have then a begun possession What is Heaven other then a life of Communion with GOD in the nearest and strictest degreâ And ãâã stricteâ Union can any have with Christ than to have him in them Vse 2 Unbelievers and strangers âo Christ may hence gather these princâpal Points for their better improvement oââhe âoresaid Truths 1. Have nâ mean âhoughâs âf âhe life and state of Bâlievârs You sâe to what they are âxâlâed hâwever contempâable in the eyes of âhe World despise you such an incomprehensiâle ââch advantage Iâ is no such despicâble and mean Life as you phansie Have then a higher esteem thereof if you would be truely Wise. 2. Again on the other hand ponder seriously what a fearful and mâserable condiâion iâ is wherâin ye are who are strangeâs to Christ And in place of Christ in you the Hâpe of Glory ye have satan ân you working thâ wââks of darkness blinding the mind left the light of the glorious Gospel âf Christ who is the Image of God shouuld shine unto you 2 Cor 4 4. Beâng without Christ âo ye have no hope strangers from the Covenants âf promise and without God Ephes 2 21. Without a Leader and Commander Isa 55. Without Protectâon or âoy and wâthout âll that âs good 3 Do noâ only think on it âut dwell on the thoughts of it until that your âearts be wroughâ up to a real sorrow and ârief that ye have been so long in such a conâition
foâ the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body for we are saved by Hope But hope that is seen ãâã not hope for what a man seâth why doth he yeâ hope for But if we hope for that we see not that do we with Patience wait fâr it Rom 8.23.24 25 Glory is purchased for them at a dear raâe to wit the Blood of Christ and promised to to them by the GOD of Truth who cannot lie Nevertheless while here in time though now and hââ aâ the LORD sees good they may geâ some foretaste of that life of Glory and have bestâwed on them the Earnest of the Inheritance even the Holy Spirit of promise by whom they ãâã sealeâ Yet they must waiâ until the Redemâtion of the Purchased Possession Ephes 1.13.14 All that is goten here is but the earnest of what is to come and of what is folded up in the promise which they must follow after in Faith and hope Here they wait for that Glory and live in the Faith and expectation of what is to come And now abideth Faith Hope c. 1 Cor 13.13 The Lord sees it good it should bâ so for wise and weighty reasons we shall offer some few which may satisfie us herein 1 Reason That he may attain the praise of his truth and faithfulness when it is seen that such who are no Fools dare nevertheless adventure their Souls and all their Concernments upon GODs naked word dâpend thereupon and Possess their Souls in patience and thus live in hope Yea not only so but Rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of GOD. Rom. 5.2 Though for the present they may have very little or nothing in hand 2. Reason That thereby the several Graces of GODs Spirit may be exercised in them as Faith Patience longing c. Whereof the beliver shall make no use when once in possession of Glory The hope that is seen is no hope that is hope has no more place when the thing hoped for is seen and poâsessed And where hope is in exercise there is also a patient waiting all which acknowledge Faith to be the foundation whereon âhây stand Now is the time and season âor these Fruits to grow for aâ soon as the hoped for Inheritance is attained these flowers shall no more bloâsom in the Garden of the Soul Now must we live by Faiââ and not by Sense 2 Cor. 5.7 Now is it thaâ they groan earnestly desiring to be cloathââ upon with their House which is from Heaveâ to wit while they are in this Tabernacle 2 Cor 5.1 2 4. Now abideth Faith Hope 1 Cor. l3. 13 3. Reason That they may be prepared anâ made meet for âhat Glory and to be partakers ãâã the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1 1â Glory is no ordinary Life neither shall Sinner find a breathing in that Element they must bâ changed washed and prepared before theâ come there The rough stones win out of Natures Womb must be plained and polished before they can be useâull Materials for the higher House Here then must the Expectants of thaâ Glory through the exercise of Faith Hope Patience c. Be adorned and fitted for thââ glorious Habitation The Children that were ãâã stand before the King of Babylon were to bâ taughâ and ââââished wiâh the Kingâ Meat aââ Wine wâich be Drank for the space of thâââ years Dan. 1 3 4 5. Far more then are ãâã Attenders oâ Glory to be prepared wherebâ they may be fiâted to stand in the presence oâ the greaâ King of Glory and that everlastingly 4. Reason Thââ thereby Glory may be the sweeter aâd welcomer unto them when thââ get it a loâg expected Crown is the welcomer when oâââined 5. Reason That thereby He may have occasion to evidence the Glory of his Power Truth and Faithfulness in bringing them at last to the Possession of the promised Inheritance after some few years patient waiting and that notwithstanding of many difficulties in the way the deceitfulness of their own Hearts the many discouragements from within and from without wherewith they had to Fight 6. Reason That the ungodly among whom they live may be the more inexcusable who say in effect that there is no God and that he is not to be trusted That Glory and Blessedness is but a meer dream and fancy when they see that Believers among them rest on the Faithful word of God and comfort themselves in the Hope of Glory which shall be revealed and that in the midst of reproaches Persecutions Poverty Difficulties c. And that they will not let go the hope of that Inheritance for all the Profite and Pleasures of the World or condescend to any thing which in the least might prejudge that Hope no not for the greatest of worldly advantages Rom. 8.18 But here take some words of Vse alongst with you 1. For Caution to such who now ând then win at some Foretastings of this glorious Life of Glory and sometimes are admitted to the Kings Banqueting-house and filled with the Kisses of his Mouth and Eat of his Aples of Love and so are brought into the very Suburbs of Heaven I would say these things unto them 1. Think not that that life will alwayes continue you may now and then have more then ordinary Dainties and some dayes of Feasting yet remember that thy Life here is by Faith Hope c. And not by Sense But providing that it please thâ Lord out of his overflowing Goodness foâ his own Glory to daâdle you on his Kneeâ and to treat you more then ordinary make iâ welcome Be not puffed up therewith noâ imagine that it will be your ordinary fare sâ long as here in time But rather look that therâ will be a low ebb after such a Spring-flood and that that Table shall yet again be drawn And so prepare your self for your ordinary portion remembring that thy Life here Is Life of Hope grounded upon Faith 2. Whââ of this sort of extraordinary intertainmeââ you also get look but on it as a Pledge or Aâles-penny and endeavour to carry your selvâ as Expectants of Glory looking out into thaâ which is to come and let your desires growâ the more to compleat the Harvest since thâ first Fruits are so sweet be not satisfied wiââ what you receive of that nature as if it weââ your Portion Glory is here not in Hand bâ in Hope to such 2. Vse To such who are great Strange to the fore-tastings of Sense let them not ãâã discouraged But 1. Be satisfied though the Lord should with hold from you these more extraordinary Out-lettings of his Favour and deal with thee otherwise then with some Remember that your ordinary way of living is a Life of Hope 2. Make use of this Hope which is your Life to the best advantage Exercise thy Faith and comfort thy self in the Hope of the Glory of God Thus shall you Glorify Him who hath called you to this Hope of his Kingdom knowing
Invasions So is Christs Reâgniâ as Head Law-giver and great Commandâ in the Souls of his People by hâs Laws aââ Statutes So is he said to Reign over the house ãâã Iacob Luk 1.33 with 1 Joh 4 4. 2. As the Master of a Family in his owâ House where he dwells with Contentmenâ Ease Satisfaction Pleasure and Delight ãâã beholding his House Even so Christ âwelâ in the Hearts of his People Eph 3.17 Aââ therefore called his own house Heb 3.6 And an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph â 22. Christ standing before the door promiseth to such as will open to him to come it Revel 3.20 3. Christ is in the Believer as a Tradseman in his Shop doing the Work of his Calling I say so is Christ advancing the Work oâ Grace in the Believer for beliveth in them Gal 2.20 And if Christ be in you the body iâ dead because of sea but the Spirit is Life becausâ of Righteousness Rom 8 10. As the GOD this World that is the Devil is and dwelâ in them to whoâ the Gospel is hid and whâ are lost blinding the minds of them whicâ believe not 2 Cor 4.3 4. And as the prince ãâã the power of the air that evil spirit doth worâ in the Children of disobedience Ephes 2 2â Even so Christ having cast out this strong man comes to the heart and takes possession âhereof and worketh therein what is well pleasing in his eyes 4. Like into one in his obtained possession ând in his Garden delighâing himself in the ânjoyment of what he hath gotten and purchased Even so is Christ in Believers havâng purchased them unto himself and that with his own Blood pâssâssing them as his own and there delighâeâh he himself as in his Garden Song 6.2 My Beloved is gone down ânto his Garden to the beds of Spices to feed in âhe Gardens and to gather Lillies So that this Expression Christ in you holds âorth 1 Christ reco0ncilled with them by Faith He stands no more at the door knockâng but he is let in and there is peace betwixt Him and âhem he is come in 2. Christs ânward Affection to them He cannot but love âhem in whom he dwells and abides In whose bosome he layeth his head and in whose Heart he hath his Throne 3 âhrists âpecial acknowledging them âo be his ransomâd Ones for his peculiar Treasure for his House and constant dwelling Place 4. Christs working in them the work of Holyâess and drawing in them more and more âvely Draughts and Lineaments of his new âmage that the new Man of Grace may be âtronger and stronger they made more and âore conformable to the Prince of their Salvtion in all the Graces of the Spirit 5. Christs reigning and sweying his Scepter in the Soul And that his Laws are obeyed his Statutes followed and that there is no willing subjection to any other Master That Christ having cast out the old tyrant usurper he is acknowledged as the Alone and Lawful Soveraign 6 Christs resting himself in his Love to them For where he loves there iâ his resting place there he makes his abode 7. Christs being in them as their life the Fountain and Well spring of all Life and Operations Gal 2.20 8. In a word It holds sorth âhat Christ is in them to do in and for them to bring them up to Glory to lead them through difficulties to strengthen them against opposition to comfort them against discouragements and to support them under crosses and so in the end to bring them home Question But how is He in the Believer I Answer He is there not only as GOD For so is he over all neither is he there meerly as Man For he is so in Heaven at the Right Hand of the Father where he must abide until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the World began Acts. 3.21 Buâ as Mediator not in Person but by his Viceroy and great Lord keeper of his Room the Holy Ghost For he is the Comforter that âhall ever abide with us And for whom Christ prayed the Father and wââm he was âo send Ioh 14.16 17.26 Ioâ 15.26 and 16.7.13 Question But is it by the Spirit himself that Christ lives and abides in the Believer Or is ât alone by the Graces Effects and Operations of the Spirit Answer By whatever of the two it be by this way of Christs in dwelling is every way strong ground of Consolation and affords solide Joy and a sure well grounded Hope of Glory Notwithstanding there are several Expressions in Scripture that seems to plead âor the Spirit himself As 1. The Believer is said to be the Temple of God of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor 3.16 17. and 6.19 Which gives to know more than that they have his Graces as the design ground of the Apostles reasoning holds forth Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy For the Temple of God as holy which Temple ye are Here three times they are called GODS Temple And not only so but as if the Apostle would further lay forth the business he adds And that the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in you All which may be said very properly of a Person and more properly than of any work wrought by the Spirit To the same purpose the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God The Holy Ghost is said to be in them as a Temple 2. The Spirit is spoken of as a Gift with a dâfference from his Works and Effects oâ Grace Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us Rom 5.5 Here is the Grace of Love wrought by the Holy Ghost And moreover the Apostle sayes that it is by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us So that the Holy Ghost himself is given as a special Gift besides that of his Fruit and Operations in the Soul Compared with Ezek 36.27 And I will put my Spiriâ within you 3. Christ promises to send him in hââ Room and mentions him alwayes as a Person that he will send to dwell and abide with them to work in them âo saith he Iob. 14.16 17. And I will pray the Father and he shall givâ you another comforter that he may abide with yoâ for ever So that it is the Comforter himselâ that he promiseth here and not simply hââ Comforts And who is this Comforter Eveâ the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him bââ ye know him And as if this were not sufficienâ he adds further for he dwelleth with yoâ and shall be in you And yet further v. 26. Buâ the Comforter which is the Holy
Inability seated in him through misunderstanding and prejudice against the Mysteries of GOD For it is said of the natural Man 1 Cor. 2 14 That he receiveth not the thing of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Therefore was the Preaching of Christ crucâfied unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23.4 Yea the carnal Understanding is enmity against GOD It submits not it self to the Law of GOD neither can it Rom. 8.7 8. so that there is also a pravity and impotency in their will Therefore saith Christ that a corrupt Tree cannot bring sorth good Fruit. Math. 7. The Ethiopiaâ cannoâ change his Skin Ier. 13 5. There is an acquired habitual aveâssness through the praviây of our Inclinations By Nature People are so wâdded and glewed to their Lusts and Idols which they will not âorsâks which augments their natural Antipathy against the Gospel so that they are Enemies in their Minds by wicked works Col. 1.21.6 Besides all this the Devil who is the god of this World iâ working in thâm Ephes 2.2 who more especially so blinds the Minds of those who do not believe that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of GOD may not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 This needs no âuâther evidence being more than manifest by daily experience no preaching will once pick on some yea Christ Himself preached unto many who goâ no profit thereby The great things of GOD's Law are accounted buâ a strange thing by some Hos. 8. Many have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not 1 Vse We are hereby called to be established in âhe Faith of this Truth That it is only a Divine Power which can makâ known unto us and in us the Gospel Truths We by Industry and Education with some ordinary light of the Spirit may win to understand the letter of the Gospel But in respect of the saving Manifestation of this Mystery there is a necessity of a real discriminating special immediate inward and powerful Operation of the Spirit of GOD in the Soul driving away the natural Darkness and received prejudices creating Divine Light in the Mind and Understanding and so forming in the Soul a Spiriâual Patern of the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel For until this enlightning Operation and Revelation of the Spirit come all will be to no purpose 2. Vse So should we have a loathing and aversion of that dreadful Doctrine which says That this Divine Spiritual Enlightning is not needful but alledge that moral perswasion with the outward Revelation is sufficient whereas none who hath any knowledge of his own Heart can be so stupid that he should not see so much of the Darkness of his own Understanding that no less than a Divine Power must be exercised and put forth in order to this his Enlightning And what doth this Opinion else but signally vilifie and palpably deny the Divine Mystery of this Revelation and lamentably blow up the empty Creature with Pride Ambition and a foolish conceit of himself to retain somewhat whereby he may as he âancies be the less obliged to GOD and may have ground to thank himself to sacrifice unto his own Net and burn incense unto his own Drag What a ruining and dreadful Enemy is this opinion against the exalting of the Power of GOD's Grace and against Folks carrying therein with subordination and dependency on GOD and against all Prayer unto GOD. 3 Vse However this be only GOD's work and His powerful work nevertheless none ought because of his Impotency and natural Ignorance to account himself therefore discharged exeemed or delivered from guilt For 1 Our natural Impotency is our Sin 2 Besides there is ever real opposing and rejecting of this Light in all such as are come to the years of discretion who hear this Gospel and a wilful contemning of this Light which will abundantly stop the Mouths of every one And this often appears either by their neglecting of the Means or by their negligent and sloathful improving of the same and their not using but misusing of the Light which they have c. 4 Vse Notwithstanding this be GOD's work yet we should not cast off the Means for hereby it pleases the Lord to convey Life and to come with that Light and enlighten when and where He will For it pleâsed God by the foolishness of preaching to save 1 Cor. 1.21 And Faith comeâh by hearing Rom. 10.17 And however the Means in themselves can do nothing yet being ordained by Him as it is our duty so we may have peace in waiting on the âree and glorious King where He Commands us to wait and our waiting will sharpen our desires and longings after that blessed Light yea when we are disappointed and cut off in our expectations even this must serve for the further humbling and abasing of our selves and to make us the more earnestly cry out unto Him who is the Fountain of Light that He who has caused the Light to shine out of Darkness would shine in our Hearts in giving us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 4 6. Our attendance on the Means should be constant because we know not when He may come It is good to sow by all Waters and to sow Morning and Evening and in our Duââes alone to eye Him knowing that all must come from Him And albeit there may many Discouâagements arise to cause us give it over partly from without Saâan crying It is in vain to wait any longer and partly from within our Hearts looking on it as a desperat work yet this consideration that this Enlightning is GOD 's working may encourage and set us foreward again For GOD is a Soveraign King free to come when He will so is He gracious and merciful and can and will pass over many Enormities and much opposition yea âurther for quieting of our Hearts under all Objections whatsomever this may sufficâ He is GOD Almighây and unresistible in His workings He shall work and who shall hinder it 2 dly Moreover we should learn from hence that GOD maketh known this Glorious Mystery to whom He wiâl most freely without Hyre or Price it is an Act of His wonderful free Gâace He would make known c. not by reason of any deserving or worth in us or by vertue of any pliabliness or readiness in those to whom âhis is made known or of any necessary connexion betwixt the preparation in them and His Work But meerly from His free Grace and good Pleasure for He is found of them that sought Him not Isa. 65.1 Therefore it is through Faith that we are saved and Faith is not from our selves It is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 And not by the works which we have done but accordâng to His Mercy we are saved T it 3.5 1. Vse For Instruction and this should learn us 1. To admire this wonderâul and