come Rev. 1.8 With whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 Whatever Man is or is in Man he and it might never have been and considered in its own Nature and Essence it is still capable of Annihilation If it be Actually perpetuated and made Eternal à parte post it is indebted to the Being of Beings for this 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am The Heterodoxy of some expressions of our Author put me upon making this a distinct Preliminary the Essence of God is incommunicable to Creatures p. 27. Though this measure to wit in every Man be not the fulness or the whole entire Essence yet it is of God in a measure of his own Spirit which is not distinct therefrom but it is one with it 1 John 5.7 and therein communicable to Men. The words of 1 Joh. 5.7 are There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one that is God Father Son and Spirit are essentially one Therefore the Eternal Spirit the third Person of the Trinity and that which is in every Man are not distinct but essentially one There 's Divinity for you 5. Preliminary It is a received Principle both in Divinity and Philosophy omne quod recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis when one thing is said to be in another every such inexistence is to be understood that it 's according to the receptivity of the Receiver When God Christ and the Spirit are said to be in Man it is in a suitableness to the Essential Constitution of Man as a Rational Being having Understanding Will and Affections Christ and his Spirit are in Believers to exert and put forth gracious Acts and Operations upon them as their respective exigencies do require to humble them when they want humbling to give a check to their corruptions and mortifie them when there is occasion to recover them out of the snare of the evil one when entangled therein to enlighten and enliven quicken and comfort them to corroborate and strengthen them in and under all their Weaknesses Infirmities Troubles Trials and Temptations I know there are some magni nominis and whom I do really Reverence who have said much for a personal Inhabitation of the Spirit in Believers but I humbly take leave to dissent from them in this Those Texts of Scripture that speak of the Spirits being or dwelling in Believers are not to be understood of an Hypostatical or Personal Union between the Spirit and them it is purely Mystical and Spiritual What Learned Norton Orth. Evang p. 289. 290. says of the Union between Christ and Believers both negatively and positively the same I may say of the Union between the Spirit and them Negatively it is not Essential such as is the Union of the three Persons in one Essence in God nor Personal such as is the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in one and that an Increated Person in Christ Not natural whether Essential as is the Union of the Form with the matter or by local contract that is natural touching one of another as Water is united to the Vessel or by mixture as Water is united to Honey or by the coupling together of common and special nature as the Genus is united to the Species or by cohesion as when one part of the Body cohereth with another or by Adhesion as when pitch cleaveth to our hands or by Inhesion as when an Accident inhereth in the Subject it 's not Civil as is the Union of many Persons into one Body politick Positively it 's a Spiritual Union in respect of the verity thereof it 's real not imaginary in respect of the things united it 's substantial in respect of its way and manner it 's supernatural and secret in respect of the nearness of it it 's close and intimate Some of the reasons of my dissent from those that Assert a personal Inhabitation are these If there be a personal Inhabitation of the Spirit in Believers there is also a personal Inhabitation of the Father and of the Son in them 1 Joh. 4.15 16. Gal. 2.20 John 17.23 The latter is absurd therefore also the former If the Person of the Spirit be in the Person of every Individual Believer then every Individual Believer is two Persons The latter is absurd therefore the former If the Union between the Spirit and Believers be personal then there are more Hypostatical Unions than that of the Divine and Humane Nature in Christ The Scripture knows no more 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.14 therefore there are no more Where the Person of the Spirit is there is the Father Son and Spirit for the Essence of God is inseparable from either of the Persons The Essence of Father Son and Spirit is not in Believers therefore not the Person of the Spirit If the Personal property of the Spirit which is Procession from the Father and the Son be inseparable from the Person of the Spirit then the Person of the Spirit is not in Believers The former is true therefore the latter The reason of the connexion of the Major is this The personality of the Spirit was from Eternity is at this day what it always was and will be to all Eternity what it hath ever been The Spirit did does and will invariably proceed from the Father and the Son Where the Person of the Spirit is there must be the Person of the Father and of the Son Believers were not from Eternity and now they have an actual Existence the Person of the Father nor the Person of the Son not being in them from whom the Spirit does proceed the consequence to me is clear that the Person of the Spirit is not in them The Spirit is no otherwise in Believers now than before the Incarnation of Christ I have not heard of any that plead for a Personal Inhabitation of the Spirit in Old Testament-Believers and there is no reason appears to me why this Privilege should be peculiarly appropriated to us more than to the other 'T is true that which is called The Promise of the Father Act. 1.4 and the Promise of the Spirit Joh. 16.7 8. was not to have its Accomplishment till after the Ascension of Christ but that is to be understood of the pouring out of the Spirit in a larger measure and on a far greater number than before Joel 2.28 Act. 2.17 If the Person of the Spirit is in Believers now in the Days of the Messiah either he is so in all or only in some If in all hath he been so in all Ages from the Incarnation or Ascension of Christ till now or only in some Ages Does he enter into them when first the Work of Regeneration is begun in them or afterwards Where he once comes does he never after recede If in all and at all times how comes it that he hath manifested his personal Presence to so few all this while
but in God if we may so phrase it Quicquid est in Deo est Deus It is God himself freely communicating the choicest of his Blessings to those that are less than the least of Mercies Gen. 32.10 There is Gratia gratis data or Donum quodvis quod ex gratuito Dei amore liberalitate in nos confertur Any Gift that is bestowed on us of the Love Favour and Bounty of God Heb. 12.15 28. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably Act. 11.23 and 13.43 Eph. 4.7 2 Cor. 8.7 and 9.8 The Question is of Grace in this latter Sence not of Grace in the former Sence That which is in all Men is the Saving Grace of God says J. E. and an increated Being That which is in all Men is not Grace say I nor an Increated Being yea that which is true Saving Grace in Believers is not an Increated Being Thus I have done with the Preliminaries It is needful in the next place that some Definition be given of Grace inherent in Believers for there is nothing else in others that deserves the Denomination of Grace or is so to be called That Grace which hath Man for its Subject of Inhesion may be thus described It is a Supernatural and Special Gift of God bestowed upon some in and through Christ as Mediator of the New Covenant I call it a Supernatural Gift because it proceeds not neither can it proceed from Nature as now in its lapsed State A special Gift because not given to all Faith is one of these Graces and 2 Thess 3.2 All Men have not Faith A Free Gift to shew that God in dispensing inherent Grace to Sinners is not acted by necessity of Nature but is a voluntary Agent he might have chused whether he would have bestowed it on one or another herein he acts according to the good Pleasure of his Will Eph. 1.5 and according to the Riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another or What hast thou that thou hast not received When I say bestowed upon some this implies that Grace in this and the other Man was a little while ago a n â—â—ens that which had no Existence Hence the Argument runs thus That which a liâ—â—â—e while ago was a non-entity cannot be an Increated Being such was Grace inherent in this and the other Man Therefore When I say bestowed in and through Christ it is to distinguish it from the Blessings of a General and Common Providence Psal 33.5 and 119.64 and 145.14 15 16. The Whole Earth is full of the Goodness of the Lord and his tender Mercies are over all his Works But this is a Speciality of Divine Favour given only to the Elect in and through Christ Eph. 1.3 4 5. and there are none actually possess'd thereof but they that are Members of that Mystical Body whereof Christ is Head Eph. 4.16 Another Description of Inherent Grace is this It is an eminent Work of the Spirit of God upon the Souls of Sinners or the preaching of the Gospel whereby nature is so far renewed in them in respect of Qualities that all old things are done away and all things are made new in order to their being in a Capacity to glorifie God here and their being glorified with him to all Eternity hereafter It is a Work of the Holy Ghost Joh. 3.3 5. Tit. 3.5 Hence I argue thus That which hath the Holy Ghost for its Efficient is no Increated but a Created Being Such is Grace in Believers Therefore I call it an Eminent Work of the Holy Ghost to distinguish from other more inferior Works of his All the Works of Creation and Providence are the Works of Father Son and Spirit according to that Saying Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa What is done by one is done by all Three But when Grace is wrought in the Soul of a Sinner that is an eminent Work The Works of Creation have the Father for their Efficient 1 Cor. 8.6 Of him are all things The Son 1 Cor. 8.6 By him are all things Joh. 1.10 The Holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Spirit of his Mouth The Works of Providence have the Father for their Efficient He that feeds the Ravens and cloaths the Lâ—â—â—es Matth. 6.26 Luke 12.24 Psal 145.13 14 15 16. The Son Heb. 1.3 He upholds all things by the Word of his Power Col. 1.17 By him all things consist The Holy Ghost the qualifying and accomplishing of Zerubbabel for building and finishing the Second Temple was a Work of Providence and the Holy Ghost had a Hand therein Zech. 4.6 7. Not by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a Plain and he shall bring forth the Head-stone thereof with Shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it Vpon the Souls of Sinners This denotes the Objects on which the Grace-working Acts and Operations of the Holy Ghost are terminated considered antecedently to his Working this Work in and upon them they are Sinneâ—s not Saints whatever their Gifts and Endowments may be natural or acquired they are void and destitute of Saving Grace 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecuor and Injurious but I obtained Mercy and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus If they that have Grace in them to Day had it not Yesterday then the Grace which is in them to Day is no Increated but a Created Being But so it is with them that are Saints to Day and were Sinners Yesterday Therefore By the preaching of the Gospel Though Children are capable both of Grace Luke 1.15 and of Glory Matth. 19.14 and God hath ways to work Grace in them beyond what we can think of Joh. 3.8 his Gracious Acts and Operations are many times imperceptible and not to be discerned by us what I now assert is to be understood of them that are Adult ordinarily the Spirit works Grace in them by the preaching of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Rom. 10.14 15 16 17. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Act. 11.21 22. and 13 44. -- 48. and 10.33 42 43 44. 1 Thess 2.13 Psal 110.2 3 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel That which is a Spiritual Procreation by the instrumentality of
been asserted and proved Orthod Evang. p. 329. The beatifical Vision is that clear sight of God wherein consisteth Blessedness It is called Vision because of its clearness Beatifical because it makes the seer blessed 'T is a created sight of the increated Good P. 133 134. The light of Glory is a supernatural glorious influx concurring with and enabling of the inherent Principle of the glorified Understanding to see God The Schoolmen say Lumen Gloriae est perfectio superaddita qua intellectus fit efficax seu confortatur ad videndum Deum The Light of Glory is a perfection superadded to the Understanding whereby it is enabled to see God Others Lumen Gloriae est actualis illustratio i. e. Influxus Dei supernaturalis elevans intellectum ad visionem lissentiae Divinae It is an actual Illustration i. e. a supernatural influx elevating the Understanding unto the Vision of the Divine Essence Or Lumen Gloriae est ipse concursus supernaturalis Beatifici objecti quatenus per illum objectum istud seipsum immediate intellectui manifesat efficiendo cum intellectu beatificam visionem It is supernatural concourse of the beatifical Object immediately manifesting it self to the Understanding together with the Understanding causing a most blessed Vision God intending to make a Creature happy gives it a Principle capable to understand and enjoy himself the Object of that Principle to be understood and enjoyed No Creature is capable of happiness or misery but the reasonable Creature There could be neither Heaven nor Hell the Joys of the one nor the Pains of the other without understanding A perfect union of the highest created Principle with the increated Object makes Blessedness The last Argument I shall mention is this If inherent Grace be an increated Being it is either the habit or exercise of Grace that is so but neither of these is an increated Being Therefore The habit of Grace is infused into the Soul by the Spirit of God it is a Work of the Holy Ghost being infused into the Soul it cannot continue its existence there without fresh recruits and supplies from above it cannot put forth it self into act without some special assisting influences from him that planted it there at first John 15.5 2 Cor. 3.5 Therefore it is not the habit of Grace that is an increated Being It is not Grace in its exercise that is an increated Being for that is only an act of the Soul sanctified by the Spirit of God and as such it hath always some imperfection attending it till we get to Heaven Phil. 3 12 13 14. I shall here omit several things that might pertinently be brought under this head and only speak to some particular Graces as they are acted by us and shall leave it to the whole religious and rational Universe to judge whether any thing that 's acted by us can be an increated Being What is the Grace of Repentance but a sanctified Soul's exercising a godly Sorrow for all known Sins past together with sincere fixed purposes and effectual endeavours by divine assistances to forsake sin for time to come Psal 51.1 2 3 4 5 7 9 14. Ezek. 36.31 Zech. 12.10 Matth. 26.75 Luke 15.17 18 19. The Grace of Faith is an act of a sanctified Soul giving a credential assent to every known Scripture-Truth especially to that great fundamental Truth That there is no Salvation for Sinners but by the Son of God apprehended applied and believed in Acts 4.12 1 Tim. 1.15 It is to receive him as our All and to resign up our selves to him in all we are and have John 1.12 Col. 2.6 7. 1 Cor. 1.30 1 John 5.9 10 11 12. The Grace of Love is the Soul 's going out after God with the most intense Desires after the closest Union and Communion that is attainable on this side Heaven Psal 73.25 Cant. 1.7 John 21.15 Humility is the Soul 's being exceeding low in its own eyes and not thinking of itself above what is meet 1 Cor. 15.9 10. Eph. 3.8 Patience is the Soul 's bearing all Afflictions as coming from the Lord without murmuring or repining 1 Sam. 3.18 Isaiah 39.8 Micah 7.9 Job 1.21 Psalm 39.9 Hope is a patient expectation of God's performing his gracious Promises with holy resolves to wait upon him and keep his way though for some time he delay to make good his Word Rom. 8.24 25. 1 Pet. 1.13 1 John 3. â— The Fear of God is a holy awe and dread of the divine Majesty whereby the Soul is restrained and deterred from Sin chiefly because it is an offence to God Gen. 39.9 Hos 3.5 Rom. 6.1 Meekness is a Grace of God whereby the Heart and Affections of a Man are inclined unto a mild and loving a kind and courteous Carriage towards others even when he might be provoked to anger Numb 12.4 Prov. 14.29 and 15.18 and 16.32 Zeal est indignatio de iis concepta quae indigne fiunt aut fieri praesumuntur adversus Deum gloriam ipsius simulque ardens gloriae Dei promovendae propagandae studium It is a holy Indignation that the Soul hath against Sin and an ardent Affection to promote and advance the Glory of God as he hath a Call and in the place that Providence hath set him Psal 69.9 John 2.17 Exod. 32.19 20. Numb 25.6 7 8. Psal 106.30 Having sufficiently explained and confirmed this Position The whole of Man is a meer Creature and there is nothing in the best of Men that is an increated Being I cannot contentedly pass from this without putting All upon making some improvement hereof Labour to be well grounded and thoroughly established in this as a great Truth of infallible certainty and it will considerably conduce as a means by the Blessing of God to keep you everlasting y low in your own eyes 1 Pet. 5.5 Be cloathed with humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi dicat Arcle vobis astringite innodatam habete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Knot metaphora videtur sumpta à genere vestimenti in nâ—dum constricti Put on Humility as that which ties all other Graces together loosen this and all the rest are loosened It is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—d est â—â—militer de se sentire to think meanly of ones self Philosophers made this a Vice but the Apostle commands and commends it Bernard defines it thus Humilitas est virtus qua homo verissimà sui agnitione sioi ipsi vilescit Others that 't is a habit of Mind contrary to Arrogancy it makes a Man ingenuously to acknowledge what he is without arrogating to himself more than is due Rom. 12.3 For I say through the Grace given unto me to every Man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every Man the measure of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne sapiat plus quam oportet sapere i.e. ne sibi immodice pâ—aceat ut