positive Effect upon the Soul which we now enter upon the Description of nor absolutely in Order of Nature Yea much of the Means whereby the Holy Ghost purifieth us consisteth in this other Work of his which now lyes before us Only we thus distinguish them and cast them into this Order as the Scripture also doth for the Guidance of our Understanding in them and furtherance of our Apprehension of them Sect. 2 We therefore now proceed unto that part of the Work of the Holy Spirit whereby he Communicates the great permanent positive Effect of Holiness unto the Souls of Believers and whereby he guides and assists them in all the Acts Works and Duties of Holiness whatever without which what we doe is not so nor doth any way belong thereunto And this part of his Work we shall reduce unto two Heads which we shall first propose and afterwards clear and vindicate And our First Assertion is That in the Sanctification of Believers the Holy Ghost doth work in them in their whole Souls their Minds Wills and Affections a gracious supernatural Habit Principle and Disposition of Living unto God wherein the Substance or Essence the Life and Being of Holiness doth consist This is that spirit which is born of the Spirit that new Creature that new and Divine Nature which is wrought in them and whereof they are made partakers Herein consists that Image of God whereunto our Natures are repaired by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we are made conformable unto God firmly and steadfastly adhering unto him through Faith and Love That there is such a Divine Principle such a gracious supernatural Habit wrought in all them that are Born again hath been fully proved in our Assertion and Description of the Work of Regeneration It is therefore acknowledged that the first supernatural Infusion or Communication of this Principle of spiritual Light and Life preparing sitting and enabling all the Faculties of our Souls unto the Duties of Holiness according to the Mind of God doth belong unto the Work of our first Conversion But the preservation cherishing and encrease of it belongs unto our Sanctification both its Infusion and Preservation being necessarily required unto Holiness Hereby is the Tree made good that the Fruit of it may be good and without which it will not so be This is our new Nature which ariseth not from precedent Actions of Holiness but is the Root of them all Habits acquired by a multitude of Acts whether in things Morall or Artificial are not a new Nature nor can be so called but a readiness for Acting from Use and Custom But this Nature is from God its Parent it is that in us which is born of God And it is Common unto or the same in all Believers as to its Kind and Being though not as to Degrees and Exercise It is that we cannot learn which cannot be taught us but by God only as he teaches other Creatures in whom he planteth a natural Instinct The Beauty and Glory hereof as it is absolutely inexpressible so have we spoken somewhat to it before Conformity to God Likeness to Christ Compliance with the Holy Spirit Interest in the Family of God Fellowship with Angels Separation from Darkness and the World do all consist herein Sect. 3 Secondly The Matter of our Holiness consists in our Actual Obedience unto God according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace For God promiseth to write his Law in our Hearts that we may fear him and walk in his Statutes And concerning this in general we may observe two things 1. That there is a certain fixed Rule and Measure of this Obedience in a Conformity and Answerableness whereunto it doth consist This is the Revealed Will of God in the Scripture Micah 6. 8. Gods Will I say as revealed unto us in the Word is the Rule of our Obedience A Rule it must have which nothing else can pretend to be The secret Will or hidden Purposes of God are not the Rule of our Obedience Deut. 29. 29. much less are our own Imaginations Inclinations or Reasons so neither doth any thing though never so specious which we do in Complyance with them or by their Direction belong thereunto Col. 2. 19 20 21 22. But the Word of God is the Adequate Rule of all Holy Obedience 1 It is so materially All that is commanded in that Word belongs unto our Obedience and nothing else doth so Hence are we so strictly required neither to add unto it nor to diminish or take any thing from it Deut. 4. 2. Chap. 12. 32. Josh. 1. 7. Prov. 36. 6. Revel 22. 18. 2 It is so formally that is we are not to do only what is commanded all that is commanded and nothing else but whatever we do we are to do it because it is commanded or it is no part of our Obedience or Holiness Deut. 6. 24 25. Chap. 29. 19. Psal. 119. 9. I know there is an in-bred Light of Nature as yet remaining in us which gives great Direction as to Moral Good and Evil commanding the one and forbidding the other Rom. 2. 14 15. But this Light however it may be made subservient and subordinate thereunto is not the Rule of Gospel Holiness as such nor any part of it The Law which God by his Grace writes in our Hearts answers unto the Law that is written in the Word that is given unto us and as the first is the only Principle so the latter is the only Rule of our Evangelical Obedience For this End hath God promised that his Word and his Spirit shall alwayes accompany one another the one to quicken our Souls and the other to guide our Lives Isa. 59. 20. And the Word of God may be considered as our Rule in a threefold Respect 1. As it requires the Image of God in us The Habitual Rectitude of our Nature with respect unto God and our Living to him is Enjoyned us in the Word yea and wrought in us thereby The whole Renovation of our Natures the whole Principle of Holiness before described is nothing but the Word changed into Grace in our Hearts for we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God The Spirit worketh nothing in us but what the Word first requireth of us It is therefore the Rule of the inward Principle of spiritual Life and the growth thereof is nothing but its increase in Conformity to that Word 2. With respect unto all the Actual Frames Designs and Purposes of the Heart All the internal Actings of our Minds All the Volitions of the Will all the Motions of our Affections are to be regulated by that Word which requires us to Love the Lord our God with all our Minds all our Souls and all our Strength Hereby is their Regularity or Irregularity to be tried All that Holiness which is in them consists in their Conformity to the Revealed Will of God 3. With respect unto all our outward Actions and
known Instances The Consideration of the Terrour of the Lord the Use of the Threatnings both of the Law and Gospel declare this to be our Duty Neither let any say that this is servile fear that Denomination is taken from the frame of our Minds and not from the Object feared When men so fear as thereon to be discouraged and to encline unto a Relinquishment of God Duty and Hope that Fear is servile whatever be the Object of it And that Fear which keeps from Sin and excites the Soul to cleave more firmly to God be the Object of it what it will is no servile Fear but an holy Fear of due Reverence unto God and his Word But this is the most genuinely gracious fear of sin when we dread the defilement of it and that Contrariety which is in it to the Holiness of God This is a Natural Fruit of Faith and Love And this Consideration should alwayes greatly possess our Minds and the truth is if it do not so there is no assured Preservative against sin For together with an Apprehension of that spiritual Pollution wherewith sin is accompanyed Thoughts of the Holiness of God of the Care and Concernment of the sanctifying Spirit of the Blood of Christ will continually abide in our Minds which are all efficaciously preservative against Sin I think that there is no more forceable Argument unto Watchfulness against all sin unto Believers in the whole Book of God than that which is mannaged by our Apostle with especial respect unto one kind of sin but may in Proportion be extended unto all 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Chap. 6. 15 19. Moreover where this is not where the Soul hath no respect to the Defilement of sin but only considers how it may shift with the Guilt of it innumerable things will interpose partly arising from the abuse of Grace partly from Carnal Hopes and foolish Resolutions for after-times as will set it at Liberty from that watchfull Diligence in universal Obedience which is required of us The Truth is I do not believe that any one that is awed only with respect to the Guilt of sin and its Consequents doth keep up a firm Integrity with regard to inward and outward actings of his Heart and Life in all things But where the Fear of the Lord and of Sin is influenced by a deep Apprehension of the Holiness of the one and the Pollution that inseparably attends the other there is the Soul kept alwayes upon its best Guard and Defence 2 How we ought to walk humbly before the Lord all our Dayes Notwithstanding our utmost Watchfulness and Diligence against sin there is yet no man that liveth and sinneth not Those who pretend unto a Perfection here as they manifest themselves to be utterly ignorant of God and themselves and despise the Blood of Christ so for the most part they are left visibly and in the sight of men to confute their own Pride and Folly But to what purpose is it to hide our selves from our selves when we have to do with God God knows and our own Souls know that more or less we are defiled in all that we doe The best of our Works and Duties brought into the presence of the Holiness of God are but as filthy raggs And Man even every man of himself drinketh in Iniquity like water Our own Cloaths are ready to defile us every day Who can express the Motions of Lust that are in the Flesh the irregular actings of Affections in their inordinate risings up to their Objects the Folly of the Imaginations of our Hearts and Minds which as far as they are not Principled by Grace are only evil and that continually with the vanity of our Words yea with a mixture of much corrupt Communications all which are defiling and have Defilements attending of them I confess I know not that my Heart and Soul abhorrs any Eruption of the Diabolical pride of man like that whereby they reproach and scoff at the deepest Humiliations and self-Abasements which poor sinners can attain unto in their Prayers Confessions and Supplications Alas that our Nature should be capable of such a Contempt of the Holiness of God such an Ignorance of the infinite distance that is between him and us and be so senceless of our own Vileness and of the abominable Filth and Pollution that is in every Sin as not to tremble at the despising of the lowest Abasements of poor sinners before the Holy God Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by his Faith 3 How we ought continually to endeavour after the wasting of Sin in the Root and Principle of it There is a Root of sin in us which springs up and defiles us Every man is tempted that is chiefly and principally of his own Lust and seduced and then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin It is the Flesh that lusteth against the Spirit and which bringeth forth corrupted and corrupting polluted and polluting Fruits This Principle of Sin of Aversation from God of Inclination unto things Sensual and Present however wounded weakened dethroned impaired yet still abides in all Believers And it is the Foundation the Spring the Root the next Cause of all sin in us which tempts enticeth draws aside conceives and brings forth And this hath in us all more or less degrees of Strength Power and Activity according as it is more or less mortified by Grace and the Application of the Vertue of the Death of Christ unto our Souls And according to its strength and power so it abounds in bringing forth the defiled Acts of sin Whilest this retains any considerable Power in us it is to no purpose to set our selves meerly to watch against the Eruptions of Actual sins in the Frames of our Hearts in the Thoughts of our Minds or outward Actions If we would preserve our selves from multiplying our Defilements if we would continually be perfecting the Work of Holiness in the Fear of the Lord it is this we must set our selves against The Tree must be made good if we expect good Fruit and the evil Root must be digged up or evil Fruit will be brought forth That is our main Design should be to crucifie and destroy the Body of the sins of the flesh that is in us the Remainders of the Flesh or In-dwelling sin by the Wayes and Means which shall afterwards be declared 4 Hence also is manifest the Necessity we have of continual Applications to Jesus Christ for cleansing Vertue from his Spirit and the sprinkling of his Blood on our Consciences in the Efficacy of it to purge them from dead works We defile our selves every day and if we go not every day to the Fountain that is open for sin and for uncleanness we shall quickly be all over Leprous Our Consciences will be filled with dead Works so that we shall no way be able to serve the Living God unless they are daily purged out How
wrought in them understand what and how things would be in their Accomplishment That account he doth give of himself in the close of his Visions Chap. 12 8 9. But he so raised and prepared their Minds as that they might be capable to receive and retain those impressions of things which he communicated unto them So a Man Tunes the Strings of an Instrument that it may in a due manner receive the Impressions of his Finger and give out the Sound he intends He did not speak in them or by them and leave it unto the Use of their Natural Faculties their Minds or Memories to understand and remember the things spoken by Him and so declare them to others But he himself acted their Faculties making use of them to express his Words not their own Conceptions And herein besides other things consists the difference between the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and those so called of the Devil The utmost that Satan can do is to make strong impressions on the Imaginations of Men or influencing their Faculties by possessing wresting distorting the Organs of the Body and Spirits of the Blood The Holy Spirit is in the Faculties and useth them as his Organs And this he did secondly with that Light and Evidence of Himself of his Power Truth and Holiness as left them lyable to no suspicion whether their Minds were under his Conduct and Influence or no. Men are subject to fall so far under the Power of their own Imaginations through the prevalency of a corrupt distempered Fancy as to suppose them Supernatural Revelations And Satan may and did of old and perhaps doth so still impose on the minds of some and communicate unto them such a conception of his Insinuations as that they shall for a while think them to be from God himself But in the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and his actings of the Minds of the Holy Men of old he gave them infallible Assurance that it was himself alone by whom they were acted Jer. 23. 28. If any shall ask by what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Infallible Tokens they might know assuredly the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit and be satisfied with such a perswasion as was not liable to mistake that they were not imposed upon I must say plainly That cannot tell for these are things whereof we have no Experience Nor is any thing of this Nature whatever some falsly and foolishly impute unto them who profess and avow an interest in the ordinary gracious workings of the Holy Ghost pretended unto What some Phrenetical Persons in their Distempers or under their Delusions have boasted of no sober or wise Man esteems worthy of any sedate Consideration But this I say It was the Design of the Holy Ghost to give those whom He did thus extraordinarily inspire an Assurance sufficient to bear them out in the discharge of their Duty that they were acted by himself alone For in the pursuit of their Work which they were by Him called unto they were to encounter various Dangers and some of them to lay down their Lives for a Testimony unto the Truth of the Message delivered by them This they could not be ingaged into without as full an evidence of his acting them as the Nature of Man in such Cases is capable of The Case of Abraham fully confirms it And it is impossible but that in these extraordinary workings there was such an impression of Himself his Holiness and Authority left on their Minds as did secure them from all fear of Delusion Even upon the Word as delivered by them unto others he put those Characters of Divine Truth Holiness and Power as rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy to be believed and not to be rejected without the highest sin by them unto whom it came Much more was there such an evidence in it unto them who enjoyed its Original Inspiration Secondly He acted and guided them as to the very Organs of their Bodies whereby they expressed the Revelation which they had received by Inspiration from Him They spake as they were acted by the Holy Ghost He guided their Tongues in the Declaration of his Revelations as the Mind of a Man guideth his Hand in writing to express its Conceptions Hence David having received Revelations from Him or being inspired by Him affirms in his Expression of them That his Tongue was the Pen of a ready Writer Psal. 45. 2. that is it was so guided by the Spirit of God to express the Conceptions received from Him And on this account God is said to speak by their Mouths as he spake by the Mouth of the Holy Prophets Luke 1. 70. all of whom had but one Mouth on the account of their absolute Consent and Agreement in the same Predictions For this is the meaning of one Voice or one Mouth in a Multitude The Holy Ghost spake by the Mouth of David Acts 1. 16. For whatever they received by Revelation they were but the Pipes through which the Waters of it were conveyed without the least mixture with any allay from their Frailties or Infirmities So when David had received the Pattern of the Temple and the manner of the whole Worship of God therein by the Spirit 1 Chron. 28. 12. He sayes All this the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the Work of this Pattern v. 19. The Spirit of God not only revealed it unto him but so guided Him in the writing of it down as that he might understand the Mind of God out of what Himself had written or he gave it him so plainly and evidently as if every Particular had been expressed in writing by the Finger of God Sect. 11 It remaineth that as unto this first extraordinary Work and Gift of the Holy Ghost we consider those especial Wayes and Means which he made use of in the Communication of his Mind unto the Prophets with some other accidental Adjuncts of Prophesie Some following Maimonides in his More Nebuchim have from the several wayes of the Communication of Divine Revelations distinguished the Degrees of Prophesie or of the Gifts of it preferring one above another This I have elsewhere disproved Expos. Heb. Chap. 1. Neither indeed is there either hence or from any other ground the least occasion to feign those eleven Degrees of Prophesie which he thought he had found out much less may the Spirit or Gift of Prophesie be attained by the wayes he prescribes and with Tatianus seems to give countenance unto The distinct outward manners and ways of Revelation mentioned in the Scriptures may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Voices 2. Dreams 3. Visions And the accidental Adjuncts of it are two 1. Symbolical Actions 2. Local Mutations The Schoolmen after Aquinas 22. q. 174. A. 1. do commonly reduce the means of Revelation unto three Heads For whereas there are three wayes whereby we come to know any thing 1. By our External Senses 2. By Impressions on the Phantasie
the edification of the Church Ephes. 4. 10 11 12 13. The owning therefore and avowing the Work of the Holy Ghost in the Hearts and on the Minds of Men according to the Tenor of the Convenant of Grace is the principal part of that Profession which at this day all Believers are called unto Sect. 5 4. We are taught in an especial manner to pray that God would give his Holy Spirit unto us that through his Aid and Assistance we may live unto God in that Holy Obedience which he requires at our hands Luk. 11. 9 10 12 13. Our Saviour enjoyning an importunity in our Supplications v. 9 10. and giving us encouragement that we shall succeed in our Requests v. 11 12. makes the Subject Matter of them to be the Holy Spirit Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him v. 13. Which in the other Evangelists is good things Mat. 7. 11. because he is the Author of them all in us and to us Nor doth God bestow any good thing on us but by his Spirit Hence the Promise of bestowing the Spirit is accompanied with a Prescription of Duty unto us that we should ask him or pray for him which is included in every Promise where his sending giving or bestowing is mentioned He therefore is the great Subject Matter of all our Prayers And that signal Promise of our Blessed Saviour to send him as a Comforter to abide with us for ever is a Directory for the Prayers of the Church in all Generations Nor is there any Church in the World fallen under such a total Degeneracy but that in their Publick Offices there are Testimonies of their ancient Faith and Practice in praying for the coming of the Spirit unto them according to this Promise of Christ. And therefore our Apostle in all his most solemn Prayers for the Churches in his dayes makes this the chief Petition of them That God would give unto them and increase in them the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit with the Spirit himself for sundry especial Effects and Operations whereof they stood in need Ephes. 1. 17. Chap. 3. 16. Col. 2. 2. And this is a full conviction of what importance the Consideration of the Spirit of God and his Work is unto us We must deal in this Matter with that confidence which the Truth instructs us unto and therefore say That he who prayeth not constantly and diligently for the Spirit of God that he may be made partaker of him for the Ends for which he is promised is a Stranger from Christ and his Gospel This we are to attend unto as that whereon our Eternal Happiness doth depend God knows our State and Condition and we may better learn our Wants from his Prescription of what we ought to pray for than from our own Sense and Experience For we are in the Dark unto our own Spiritual Concerns through the Power of our Corruptions and Temptations and know not what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. But our Heavenly Father knows perfectly what we stand in need of And therefore whatever be our present Apprehensions concerning our selves which are to be examined by the Word our Prayers are to be regulated by what God hath enjoyned us to ask and what he hath promised for to bestow Sect. 6 5. What was before mentioned may here be called over again and farther improved yea it is necessary that so it should be This is the solemn Promise of Jesus Christ when he was to leave this World by Death And whereas he therein made and confirmed his Testament Heb. 9. 15 16 17 He bequeathed his Spirit as his great Legacy unto his Disciples And this he gave unto them as the great Pledg of their future Inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. which they were to live upon in this World All other good things he hath indeed bequeathed unto Believers as he speaks of Peace with God in particular Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you John 14. 27. But he gives particular Graces and Mercies for particular Ends and Purposes The Holy Spirit he bequeaths to supply his own Absence John 16. 17. that is for all the Ends of Spiritual and Eternal Life Let us therefore consider this Gift of the Spirit either formally under this Notion that he was the principal Legaoy left unto the Church by our dying Saviour or materially as to the Ends and Purposes for which he is so bequeathed and it will be evident what valuation we ought to have of Him and his Work How would some rejoice if they could possess any Relique of any thing that belonged unto our Saviour in the dayes of his Flesh though of no use or benefit unto them Yea how great a part of Men called Christians do boast in some pretended Parcels of the Tree whereon he suffered Love abused by Superstition lies at the bottom of this Vanity For they would embrace any thing left them by their dying Saviour But he left them no such things nor did ever bless and Sanctify them unto any holy or Sacred Ends. And therefore hath the abuse of them been punished with blindness and Idolatry But this is openly testified unto in the Gospel then when his Heart was overflowing with Love unto his Disciples and Care for them when he took an Holy Prospect of what would be their Condition their Work Duty and Temptations in the World and thereon made Provision of all that they could stand in need of he promiseth to leave and give unto them his Holy Spirit to abide with them for ever directing us to look unto Him for all our Comforts and Supplies According therefore unto our valuation and esteem of Him of our Satisfaction and Acquiescency in Him is our regard to the Love Care and Wisdom of our Blessed Saviour to be measured And indeed it is only in his Word and Spirit wherein we can either honour or despise him in this World In his own Person he is exalted at the Right Hand of God far above all Principalities and Powers So that nothing of ours can immediately reach him or affect him But it is in our regard to these that he makes a Tryal of our Faith Love and Obedience And it is a matter of Lamentation to consider the contempt and scorn that on various Pretences is cast upon this Holy Spirit and the Work whereunto he is sent by God the Father and by Jesus Christ. For there is included therein a contempt of them also Nor will a pretence of honouring God in their own way secure such Persons as shall contract the guilt of this Abomination For it is an Idol and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who doth not work effectually in the Elect by the Holy Ghost according to the Scriptures And 2. if we consider this Promise of the Spirit to be given unto us as to the Ends of it Then Sect. 7 6. He is promised and given as
Whatever the Son of God wrought in by or upon the Humane Nature he did it by the Holy Ghost who is his Spirit as he is the Spirit of the Father Sect. 9 6. To clear the whole matter it must be yet further observed that the immediate actings of the Holy Ghost are not spoken of him absolutely nor ascribed unto him exclusively as unto the other Persons and their Concurrence in them It is a saying generally admitted that Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa There is no such Division in the external Operations of God that any one of them should be the Act of one Person without the Concurrence of the others And the Reason of it is because the Nature of God which is the Principle of all Divine Operations is one and the same individed in them all Whereas therefore they are the Effects of Divine Power and that Power is essentially the same in each Person the Works themselves belong equally unto them As if it were possible that Three Men might see by the same Eye the Act of seeing would be but One and it would be equally the Act of all Three But the Things we insist on are ascribed eminently unto the Holy Ghost on the account of the Order of his Subsistence in the Holy Trinity as he is the Spirit of the Father and the Son whence in every Divine Act the Authority of the Father the Love and Wisdom of the Son with the immediate Efficacy and Power of the Holy Ghost are to be considered Yea and there is such a distinction in their Operations that one Divine Act may produce a peculiar Respect and Relation unto one Person and not unto another as the Assumption of the Humane Nature did to the Son for he only was incarnate And such are the especial Actings of the Holy Ghost towards the Head of the Church our Lord Jesus Christ in this Work of the New Creation as we shall demonstrate in sundry Instances Sect. 10 First The framing forming and miraculous Conception of the Body of Christ in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin was the peculiar and especial Work of the Holy Ghost This Work I acknowledg in respect of Designation and the Authoritative Disposal of things is ascribed unto the Father For so the Lord Christ speaketh unto him A Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10. 6. But this Preparation doth not signifie the actual forming and making ready of that Body but the Eternal Designation of it It was prepared in the Counsel and Love of the Father As to voluntary Assumption it is ascribed to the Son himself Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself pertook of the same he took unto him a Body and Soul entire Humane Nature as the Children or all Believers have the same Synecdochically expressed by Flesh and Blood v. 16. He took on him the Seed of Abraham But the immediate Divine Efficiency in this Matter was the Peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1. 18. When his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with Child of the Holy Ghost v. 20. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. 35. The Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow Thee therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of Thee shall be called the Son of God 1. The Person working is the Holy Ghost He is the wonderful Operator in this Glorious Work and therein the Power of the most High was exerted For the Power of the most High is neither explicatory of the former expression the Holy Ghost as though he were only the Power of the most High nor is it the adjoyning of a Distinct Agent or Cause unto him as though the Holy Ghost and the Power of the most High were different Agents in this Matter Only the manner of his effecting this wonderful Matter concerning which the Blessed Virgin had made that enquiry v. 34. How can this be seeing I know not a Man is expressed The Holy Ghost saith the Angel acting the Power of the most High or in the Infinite Power of God shall accomplish it 2. For his access unto his Work it is expressed by his coming upon her The importance of this Expression and what is signified thereby hath been declared before And it is often used to declare his Actings with reference unto the Production of Miraculous Works Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you He will so come upon you as to put forth the Power of the most High in you and by you in Gifts and Operations miraculous For he is said to come with respect unto his beginning of any marvelous Operation where before he did not work to the like purpose 3. The Act of the Holy Ghost in this Matter was a Creating Act not indeed like the first Creating Act which produced the Matter and Substance of all things out of nothing causing that to be which was not before neither in Matter nor Form nor passive Disposition but like those subsequent Acts of Creation whereby out of Matter before made and prepared things were made that which before they were not and which of themselves they had no active Disposition unto nor concurrence in So Man was created or formed of the Dust of the Earth and Woman of a Rib taken from Man There was a previous Matter unto their Creation but such as gave no assistance nor had any active Disposition to the Production of that particular kind of Creature whereinto they were formed by the Creating Power of God Such was this Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. For although it was effected by an Act of Infinite Creating Power yet it was formed or made of the Substance of the Blessed Virgin That it should be so was absolutely necessary 1. For the accomplishment of the Promises made unto Abraham and David that the Messiah should be of their Seed and proceed from their Loyns 2. So was it also on the account of the first Original Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head For the Word was to be made Flesh John 1. 14. to be made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. or made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 4. and take upon him the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. 3. To confirm the Truth hereof is his Genealogie according to the Flesh given us by two of the Evangelists which were neither to the purpose nor true if he were not made of the Substance or Flesh of the Blessed Virgin 4. Besides all our Cognation and Alliance unto him whence he was meet to be our Saviour suffering in the same Nature wherein we have sinned do depend hereon Heb. 2. 14. For if he had not been made like us in
all things sin only excepted if he had not been Partaker of our Nature there had been no Foundation for the imputing that unto us which he did suffered and wrought Rom. 8. 3. And hence these things are accounted unto us and cannot be so unto Angels whose Nature he did not take upon him Heb. 2. 16. This therefore was the Work of the Holy Ghost in reference unto the Humane Nature of Christ in the Womb of his Mother By his Omnipotent Power he formed it of the Substance of the Body of the Holy Virgin that is as unto his Body And hence sundry things do ensue Sect. 11 1. That the Lord Christ could not on this account no not with respect unto his Humane Nature only be said to be the Son of the Holy Ghost although he supplyed the Place and Vertue of a Natural Father in Generation For the Relation of Filiation dependeth only on and ariseth from a Perfect Generation and not on every Effect of an Efficient cause When one Fire is kindled by another we do not say that it is the Son of that other unless it be very improperly Much less when a Man builds an House do we say that it is his Son There was therefore no other Relation between the Person of the Holy Ghost and the Humane Nature of Christ but that of a Creator and a Creature And the Lord Christ is and is called the Son of God with respect only unto the Father and his eternal ineffable Generation communicating Being and Subsistence unto Him as the Fountain and Original of the Trinity Filiation therefore is a Personal Adjunct and belongs unto Christ as he was a Divine Person and not with respect unto his Humane Nature But that Nature being assumed whole Christ was the Son of God Sect. 12 2. That this Act of the Holy Ghost in forming of the Body of Christ differs from the Act of the Son in assuming the Humane Nature into Personal Union with Himself For this Act of the Son was not a Creating Act producing a Being out of Nothing or making any thing by the same Power to be what in its own Nature it was not But it was an ineffable Act of Love and Wisdom taking the Nature so formed by the Holy Ghost so prepared for him to be his own in the instant of its Formation and thereby preventing the singular and individual Subsistence of that Nature in and by it self So then as the creating Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Womb doth not denominate him to be his Father no not according to the Humane Nature but he is the Son of God upon the account of his Eternal Generation only So it doth not denote an Assumption of that Nature into Union with himself nor was he incarnate He made the Humane Nature of Christ Body and Soul with in and unto a Subsistence in the Second Person of the Trinity not his own Sect. 13 3. It hence also followes that the Conception of Christ in the Womb being the Effect of a Creating Act was not accomplished successively and in process of time but was perfected in an Instant For although the Creating Acts of Infinite Power where the Works effected have distinct Parts may have a Process or Duration of Time allotted unto them as the World was Created in six Dayes yet every part of it that was the Object of an especial Creating Act was instantaneously produced So was the forming of the Body of Christ with the infusion of a Rational Soul to quicken it though it increased afterwards in the Womb unto the Birth And as it is probable that this Conception was immediate upon the Angelical Salutation so it was necessary that nothing of the Humane Nature of Christ should exist of it self antecedently unto its Union with the Son of God For in the very instant of its Formation and therein was the Word made Flesh John 1. 14. And the Son of God was made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. So that the whole Essence of his Nature was created in the same Instant Thus far the Scriptures go before and herein it is necessary to assert the forming of the Body and Soul of Christ by the Holy Spirit The curious enquiries of some of the Schoolmen and others are to be left unto themselves or rather to be condemned in them For what was farther in this Miraculous Operation of the Holy Ghost it seems purposely to be hid from us in that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Power of the most High shall overshadow thee Under the Secret Glorious Covert hereof we may learn to adore that Holy Work here which we hope to rejoyce in and bless God for unto Eternity And I suppose also that there is in the Word an allusion unto the Expression of the Original Acting of the Holy Spirit towards the newly produced Mass of the Old Creation whereof we spake before Then it is said of Him that He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were hovering and moving over it for the Formation and Production of all things living For both the Words include in them an allusion unto a Covering like that of a Fowl over its Eggs communicating by its cognate warmth and heat a principle of Life unto their Seminal Virtue Sect. 14 It remaineth only that we consider how the same Work of the Conception of Christ is assigned unto the Holy Ghost and to the Blessed Virgin For of Her it is said expresly in Prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 7. 14. A Virgin shall Conceive the same Word that is used to express the Conception of any other Woman Gen. 4. 1. Hence She is termed by the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Dei genetrix which last at least I wish had been forborn Compare it with the Scripture and there will appear an unwarrantable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it So Luk. 1. 31. The words of the Angel to Her are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt Conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son where Her Conception of Him is distinguished from her bringing of him forth And yet in the Ancient Creed commonly called the Apostles and generally received by all Christians as a Summary of Religion it is said he was Conceived by the Holy Spirit and only Born of the Virgin Mary An. The same Work is assigned to both as Causes of a different kind unto the Holy Spirit as the active efficient Cause who by his Almighty Power produced the Effect And the Disputes managed by some of the Ancients about de Spiritu Sancto and ex Spiritu Sancto were altogether needless For it is his Creating Efficiency that is intended And his Conceiving is ascribed unto the Holy Virgin as the passive material Cause for his Body was formed of her Substance as was before declared And this Conception of Christ was after her Solemn Espousals unto Joseph and that for sundry Reasons For 1. under the
may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And these are some of the principal Instances of the Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of the Head of the Church The whole of them all I confess is a Work that we can look but little into only what is plainly revealed we desire to receive and imbrace considering that if we are his we are predestinated to be made conformable in all things unto him and that by the powerful and effectual Operation of that Spirit which thus wrought all things in him to the Glory of God And as it is a matter of unspeakable consolation unto us to consider what hath been done in and upon our Nature by the Application of the Love and Grace of God through his Spirit unto it so it is of great Advantage in that it directs our Faith and Supplications in our Endeavours after Conformity with him which is our next End under the enjoyment of God in Glory What therefore in these Matters we apprehend we embrace and for the depth of them they are the Object of our Admiration and Praise Sect. 13 Secondly There is yet another Work of the Holy Spirit not immediately in and upon the Person of the Lord Christ but towards him and on his behalf with respect unto his Work and Office And it comprizeth the Head and Fountain of the whole Office of the Holy Spirit towards the Church This was his witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ namely that he was the Son of God the true Messiah and that the Work which he performed in the World was committed unto him by God the Father to accomplish And this same Work he continueth to attend unto unto this day and will do so to the consummation of all things It is known how the Lord Christ was reproached whilst he was in this World and how ignominiously he was sent out of it by Death Hereon a great contest ensued amongst mankind wherein Heaven and Hell were deeply ingaged The greatest part of the World the Princes Rulers and Wise Men of it affirmed that he was an Impostor a Seducer a Malefactor justly punished for his Evil Deeds He on the other side chose twelve Apostles to bear Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life the Truth and Purity of his Doctrine the Accomplishment of the Prophesies of the Old Testament in his Birth Life Work and Death and in especial unto his Resurrection from the Dead whereby he was justified and acquitted from all the Reproaches of Hell and the World and their Calumnies refelled But what could the Testimony of twelve poor Men though never so honest prevail against the confronting Suffrage of the World Wherefore this Work of bearing witness unto the Lord Christ was committed unto him who is above and over all who knoweth how and is able to make his Testimony prevalent John 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Accordingly the Apostles plead his concurring Testimony Acts 5. 32. And we are his Witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him And how he thus gave his Testimony our Apostle declares Heb. 2. 4. God also bearing witness with them that is the Apostles both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his Will The first principal End why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those miraculous Effects in them that believed in Jesus was to bear witness unto his Person that he was indeed the Son of God owned and exalted by him For no Man not utterly forsaken of all Reason and Understanding not utterly blinded would once imagine that the Holy Spirit of God would work such marvelous Operations in and by them who believed on him if he designed not to justifie his Person Work and Doctrine thereby And this in a short time together with that effectual Power which he put forth in and by the Preaching of the Word carried not only his Vindication against all the Machinations of Satan and his Instruments throughout the World but also subdued the generality of Mankind unto Faith in him and Obedience unto him 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. And upon this Testimony it is that there is real Faith in him yet maintained in the World This is that which he promised unto his Disciples whilst he was yet with them in the World when their hearts were solicitous how they should bear up against their Adversaries upon his absence I will saith he send the Comforter unto you and when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment of sin because they believe not on me of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is Judged John 16. 7 8 9 10 11. The Reason why the World believed not on Christ was because they believed not that he was sent of God John 9. 29. By his Testimony the Spirit was to reprove the World of their Infidelity and to convince them of it by evidencing the Truth of his Mission For hereon the whole issue of the Controversie between him and the World did depend Whether he were Righteous or a Deceiver was to be determined by his being sent or not sent of God and consequently God's Acceptance or Disapprobation of him That he was so sent so approved the Holy Spirit convinced the World by his Testimony manifesting that he went to the Father and was exalted by him for it was upon his Ascention and Exaltation that he received and poured out the Promise of the Spirit to this purpose Acts 2. 33. Moreover whilst he was in the World there was an unrighteous Judgment by the instigation of Satan passed upon him On this Testimony of the Spirit that Judgment was to be reversed and a contrary Sentence passed on the Author of it the Prince of this World For by the Gospel so testified unto was he Discovered Convicted Judged Condemned and cast out of that Power and Rule in the World which by the darkness of the Minds of Men within and Idolatry without he had obtained and exercised And that the Holy Spirit continueth to do the same Work though not absolutely by the same means unto this very day shall be afterwards declared And by these Considerations may we be led into that Knowledg of and Acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ which is so necessary so useful and so much recommended unto us in the Scripture And the utter neglect of Learning the Knowledg of Christ and of the Truth as it is in him is not more pernicious unto the Souls of Men than is the learning of it by undue means whereby false and mischievous Ideas
crassa impletione accipiunt quam tamen talis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu impletio locorum in Mundo omnium quae vel expansionem corpoream in quantitate continua vel multiplicationem imo infinitam multitudinem unius ejusdemque corporis in discreta praesupponit ex humana speculatione orta est falsoque nostris Ecclesiis aâ—â—ingitur wherein yet he confesseth that it is taught Ne cogitanda quidem sit pio homini sed potius Omnipraesentia Christi Hominis uti promissa est modo nobis ineffabili credi multo certius aliunde sciri possit ex ipsius promissione Matth. 28. 20. This way as we say with the Scripture is by his Spirit the perfect manner of whose Presence and Operation is ineffable Sect. 6 Fourthly As he represents the Person and supplies the Room and Place of Jesus Christ so he worketh and effecteth what-ever the Lord Christ hath taken upon himself to Work and Effect towards his Disciples Wherefore as the Work of the Son was not his own Work but rather the Work of the Father who sent him and in whose Name he performed it so the Work of the Holy Spirit is not his own Work but rather the Work of the Son by whom he is sent and in whose Name he doth accomplish it John 16. 13 14 15. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shew it unto you He comes to reveal and communicate Truth and Grace to the Disciples of Christ. And in his so doing he speaks not of himself that is of himself only He comes not with any absolute new Dispensation of Truth or Grace distinct or different from that which is in and by the Lord Christ and which they had heard from him The Holy Spirit being promised unto the Disciples and all their Work and Duty being suspended on the accomplishment of that Promise whereas he is God they might suppose that he would come with some absolute new Dispensation of Truth so that what they had learned and received from Christ should pass away and be of no use unto them To prevent any such Apprehensions he lets them know that the Work he had to do was only to carry on and build on the Foundation which was laid in his Person or Doctrine or the Truth which he had revealed from the Bosom of the Father And this I take to be the meaning of that Expression For he shall not speak of himself he shall reveal no other Truth communicate no other Grace but what is in from and by my self This was the Holy Spirit to do and this he did and hereby may we try every Spirit whether it be of God That Spirit which revealeth any thing or pretendeth to reveal any Thing any Doctrine any Grace any Truth that is contrary unto that is not consonant to yea that is not the Doctrine Grace or Truth of Christ as now revealed in the Word that brings any thing new his own or of himself that Spirit is not of God So it is added 2. Whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This which he hears is the whole Counsel of the Father and the Son concerning the Salvation of the Church And how is he said to hear it which word in its proper signification hath no place in the mutual internal Actings of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity Being the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceeding from both he is equally participant of their Counsels So the outward Act of Hearing is mentioned as the sign of his Infinite Knowledg of the Eternal Counsels of the Father and Son He is no stranger unto them And this is a general Rule That those words which with respect unto us express the means of any thing as applyed unto God intend no more but the signs of it Hearing is the means whereby we come to know the mind of another who is distinct from us And when God is said to hearken or hear it is a sign of his knowledg not the means of it So is the Holy Spirit said to hear those things because he knows them As he is also on the same account said to search the deep things of God Add hereunto that the Counsel of these things is originally peculiar to the Father and unto him it is every where peculiarly ascribed therefore is the participation of the Spirit therein as a distinct Person called his hearing Hereunto 3. his great Work is subjoyned He saith Christ shall glorifie me This is the Design that he is sent upon this is the Work that he comes to do even as it was the Design and Work of Jesus Christ to glorifie the Father by whom he was sent And this are they alwayes to bear in mind who stand in need of or pray for his Assistance in their Work or Office in the Church of God He is given unto them that through him they may give and bring Glory to Jesus Christ. And 4. how the Holy Spirit doth glorifie the Lord Christ is also declared He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you The Communication of Spiritual Things from Christ by the Spirit is here called his receiving of them as the communication of the Spirit from the Father by the Lord Christ to his Disciples is called the receiving of the Promise The Spirit cannot receive any thing subjectively which he had not as an addition unto him It is therefore the Oeconomy of these things that is here intended He is not said to receive them as though before he had them not For what can he who is God so receive only when he begins to give them unto us because they are peculiarly the things of Christ he is said to receive them For we can give nothing of anothers but what we receive of him Good things are given unto us from Christ by the Spirit For so it is added and shall shew them unto you He shall make them known unto you so declare them and manifestly evidence them to you and in you that you shall understand and have experience of them in your selves shew them by Revelation instructing you in them by communication imparting them to you And what are these things that he shall so declare They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my things saith our Saviour The things of Christ may be referred unto two Heads His Truth and His Grace John 1. 17. The first he shews by Revelation the latter by Effectual Communication His Truth he shewed unto them by Revelation as we have declared him to be the Immediate Author of all Divine Revelations This he did unto the Apostles by his Inspirations enabling
promised that he will do himself in us towards us and upon us It is our Duty to believe that he will so do And to fancy an inconsistency between these things is to charge God foolishly 3. If there be an Opposition between these things it is either because the Nature of Man is not meet to be commanded or because it needs not to be assisted But that both these are false and vain Suppositions shall be afterwards declared The Holy Spirit so worketh in us as that he worketh by us and what He doth in us is done by us Our Duty it is to apply our selves unto his Commands according to the Conviction of our Minds and his Work it is to enable us to perform them 4. He that will indulge or can do so unto sloth and negligence in himself on the account of the promised working of the Spirit of Grace may look upon it as an evidence that he hath no interest or concern therein For he ordinarily giveth not out his Aids and Assistances anywhere but where he prepares the Soul with Diligence in Duty And whereas he acts us no otherwise but in and by the Faculties of our own Minds it is ridiculous and implies a Contradiction for a Man to say he will do nothing because the Spirit of God doth all For where he doth nothing the Spirit of God doth nothing unless it be meerly in the infusion of the first Habit or Principle of Grace whereof we shall treat afterwards 5. For Degrees of Grace and Holiness which are enquired after they are peculiar unto Believers Now these are furnished with an Ability and Power to attend unto and perform those Duties whereon the encrease of Grace and Holiness doth depend For although there is no Grace nor Degree of Grace or Holiness in Believers but what is wrought in them by the Spirit of God yet ordinarily and regularly the Increase and Growth of Grace and their thriving in Holiness and Righteousness depend upon the Use and Improvement of Grace received in a diligent Attendance unto all those Duties of Obedience which are required of us 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. And me-thinks it is the most unreasonable and sottish thing in the World for a Man to be slothful and negligent in attending unto those Duties which God requireth of him which all his Spiritual Growth depends upon which the eternal welfare of his Soul is concerned in on pretence of the efficacious Aids of the Spirit without which he can do nothing and which he neither hath nor can have whilst he doth nothing Sect. 8 Here lies the Ground and Foundation of our exercising Faith in particular towards him and of our acting of it in Supplications and Thanksgivings His participation of the Divine Nature is the formal Reason of our yeelding unto him Divine and Religious Worship in general but his acting towards us according to the Sovereignty of his own Will is the especial Reason of our particular Addresses unto him in the exercise of Grace for we are baptized into his Name also Sect. 9 Seventhly We may observe that in the Actings and Works of the Holy Spirit some things are distinctly and separately ascribed unto him although some things be of the same kind wrought by the Person in and by whom he Acts or he is said at the same time to do the same thing distinctly by himself and in and by others So John 15. 26 27. I will saith our Saviour send the Spirit of Truth and he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Witness of the Spirit unto Christ is proposed as distinct and separate from the witness given by the Apostles He shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness And yet they also were enabled to give their witness by him alone So it is expresly declared Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Their witnessing unto Christ was the Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit upon them and the Effect of his Work in them And he himself gave no other Testimony but in and by them What then is the distinct Testimony that is ascribed unto him It must be somewhat that in or by whomsoever it was wrought it did of its own Nature discover its Relation unto him as his Work So it was in this Matter For it was no other but those Signs and Wonders or Miraculous Effects which he wrought in the confirmation of the Testimony given by the Apostles all which clearly evidenced their own Original So our Apostle Heb. 2. 4. The word was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God co-witnessing by Signs and Wonders He enabled the Apostles to bear witness unto Christ by their Preaching Sufferings Holiness and constant Testimony which they gave unto his Resurrection But in this he appeared not he evidenced not himself unto the World though he did so in and by them in whom he wrought But moreover he wrought such visible miraculous Works by them as evidenced themselves to be Effects of his Power and were his distinct Witness to Christ. So our Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God The Witness which our own Spirits do give unto our Adoption is the Work and Effect of the Holy Spirit in us If it were not it would be false and not confirmed by the Testimony of the Spirit himself who is the Spirit of Truth and none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. If he declare not our Sonship in us and to us we cannot know it How then doth he bear witness with our Spirits What is his distinct Testimony in this Matter It must be some such Act of his as evidenceth it self to be from him immediately unto them that are concerned in it that is those unto whom it is given What this is in particular and wherein it doth consist we shall afterwards enquire So Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come The Bride is the Church and she prayeth for the coming of Christ. This She doth by his Aid and Assistance who is the Spirit of Grace and Supplications And yet distinctly and separately the Spirit saith come that is he puts forth such earnest and fervent desires as have upon them an Impression of his immediate efficiency So v. 20. carrieth the sense of the place namely that it is Christ himself unto whom She sayes come or they pray for the hastning of his coming Or they say come unto others in their Invitation of them unto Christ as the end of v. 17. seems to apply it Then is it the Prayers and Preaching of the Church for the Conversion of Souls that is intended And with both the Spirit works eminently to make them effectual Or it may be in this place the Spirit is taken for the Spirit in the Guides and Leaders of the
Church They praying by his especial Guidance and Assistance say Come or Preachers say unto others Come and the Bride or the Body of the Church acted by the same Spirit joyn with them in this great Request and Supplication and thereunto all Believers are invited in the following words and let him that heareth say Come Sect. 10 All these things were necessary to be premised in general as giving some insight into the Nature of the Operations of the Holy Spirit in us and towards us And hereby we have made our Way plain to the consideration of his especial Works in the Calling Building and Carrying on the Church unto Perfection Now all his Works of this kind may be reduced unto three Heads 1. Of Sanctifying Grace 2. Of Especial Gifts 3. Of peculiar Evangelical Priviledges Only we must observe that these things are not so distinguished as to be negatively contradistinct to each other for the same thing under several Considerations may be all these a Grace a Gift and a Priviledg All that I intend is to reduce the Operations of the Holy Spirit unto these Heads casting each of them under that which it is most eminent in and as which it is most directly proposed unto us And I shall begin with his Work of Grace BOOK III. VVORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE New Creation BY REGENERATION CHAP. I. 1. The New Creation Compleated 2. Regeneration the especial Work of the Holy Spirit 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Wrought under the Old Testament but clearly revealed in the New And 10 11 12. is of the same kind in all that are Regenerate 13 14. The Causes and Way of it being the same in all 15 16. It consisteth not in Baptism alone Nor 17 18. in a Moral Reformation of Life But 19 20. a New Creature is Formed in it whose 21 22. Nature is declared and 23. farther explained 24. Denial of the Original Depravation of Nature the Cause of many Noxious Opinions 25 26. Regeneration consisteth not in Enthusiaslick Raptures their Nature and Danger 27. The whole Doctrine necessary dâ—spised corrupted vindicated Sect. 1 WE have formerly declared the Work of the Holy Spirit in Preparing and Forming the Natural Body of Christ. This was the beginning of the New Creation the Foundation of the Gospel-State and Church But this was not the whole of the Work he had to do As he had provided and prepared the Natural Body of Christ so he was to prepare his Mystical Body also And hereby the Work of the New Creation was to be compleated and perfected And as it was with respect unto him and his Work in the Old Creation so was it also in the New All things in their first production had Darkness and Death upon them For the Earth was Void and without Form and Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep Gen. 1. 2. Neither was there any thing that had either Life in it or Principle of Life or any Disposition thereunto In this condition he moved on the prepared Matter preserving and cherishing of it and communicating unto all things a Principle of Life whereby they were animated as we have declared It was no otherwise in the New Creation There was a Spiritual Darkness and Death came by sin on all Mankind Neither was there in any Man living the least Principle of Spiritual Life or any Disposition thereunto In this State of things the Holy Spirit undertaketh to create a New World New Heavens and a New Earth wherein Righteousness should dwell And this in the first place was by his Effectual Communication of a New Principle of Spiritual Life unto the Souls of God's Elect who were the Matter designed of God for this Work to be wrought upon This he doth in their Regeneration as we shall now manifest Sect. 2 1. Regeneration in Scripture is every-where assigned to be the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit John 3. 3 4 5 6. Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Nicodemus saith unto him How can a Man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It was an ancient knowing Teacher of the Church of the Jews a Master in Israel whom our Blessed Saviour here discourseth withal and instructs For on the consideration of his Miracles he concluded that God was with him and came to enquire of him about the Kingdom of God Our Saviour knowing how all our Faith and Obedience to God and all our Acceptance with him depended on our Regeneration or being born again acquaints him with the necessity of it wherewith he is at first surprized Wherefore he proceeds to instruct him in the Nature of the Work whose necessity he had declared And this he describes both by the Cause and the Effect of it For the Cause of it he tells him it is wrought by Water and the Spirit By the Spirit as the Principal Efficient Cause and by Water as the Pledg Sign and Token of it in the initial Seal of the Covenant the Doctrine whereof was then preached amongst them by John the Baptist or the same thing is intended in a redoubâ—ed Expression the Spirit being signified by the Water also under which Notion he is often promised Sect. 3 Hereof then or of this Work the Holy Spirit is the Principal Efficient Cause whence he in whom it is wrought is said to be born of the Spirit v. 8. so is every one that is born of the Spirit And this is the same with what is delivered Chap. 1. v. 13. Who are born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God The Natural and Carnal Means of Blood Flesh and the Will of Man are rejected wholly in this Matter and the whole Efficiency of the New Birth is ascribed unto God alone His Work answers what-ever Contribution there is unto Natural Generation from the Will and Nature of Man For these things are here compared and from its Analogie unto Natural Generation is this Work of the pirit called Regeneration so in this place is the Allusion and Opposition between these things expressed by our Saviour That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit v. 6. And herein also we have a farther Description of this Work of the Holy Spirit by its Effect or the Product of it It is Spirit a new Spiritual Being Creature Nature Life as shall be declared And because there is in it a Communication of a new Spiritual Life it is called a Vivification or quickning with respect unto the State wherein all Men
this Matter all their dayes For they fear the Lord and obey the Voice of his Servant Christ Jesus and yet walk in Darkness and have no Light Isa. 50. 10. They are Children of Light Luk. 16. 8. John 12. 36. Ephes. 5. 8. 1 Thess. 5. 5. and yet walk in darkness and have no Light which Expressions have been well used and improved by some and by others of late derided and blasphemed Sect. 12 And there is great variety in the carrying on of this Work towards Perfection in the Growth of the New Creature or the Increase of Grace implanted in our Natures by it For some through the supplies of the Spirit make a great and speedy progress towards Perfection others thrive slowly and bring forth little Fruit the Causes and Occasions whereof are not here to be enumerated But notwithstanding all Differences in previous Dispositions in the Application of outward Means in the manner of it ordinary or extraordinary in the Consequenâ—s of much or less Fruit the Work it self in its own Nature is of the same kind one and the same The Elect of God were not regenerate one way by one kind of Operation of the Holy Spirit under the Old Testament and those under the New Testament another They who were miraculously Converted as Paul or who upon their Conversion had miraculous Gifts bestowed on them as had multitudes of the Primitive Christians were no otherwise regenerate nor by any other internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit then every one is at this day who is really made Partaker of this Grace and Priviledg Neither were those Miraculous Operations of the Holy Spirit which were visible unto others any part of the Work of Regeneration nor did they belong necessarily unto it For many were the Subjects of them and received miraculous Gifts by them who were never Regenerate and many were Regenerate who were never Partakers of them And it is a Fruit of the highest Ignorance and Unacquaintedness imaginable with these things to affirm that in the Work of Regeneration the Holy Spirit wrought of old miraculously in and by outwardly visible Operations but now only in an humane and rational way leading our Understanding by the Rules of Reason unless the more external Mode and Sign of his Operation be intended For all ever were and ever shall be Regenerate by the same kind of Operation and the same Effect of the Holy Spirit on the Faculties of their Souls Which will be farther manifest if we consider 1. That the Condition of all Men as Unregenerate is absolutely the same One is not by Nature more unregenerate than another All Men since the Fall and the corruption of our Nature by sin are in the same State and Condition towards God They are all alike alienated from him and all alike under his Curse Psal. 51. 5. John 3. 5 36. Rom. 3. 19. Chap. 5. 15 16 17 18. Ephes. 2. 3. Tit. 3 3. 4. There are Degrees of Wickedness in them that are Unregenerate but there is no difference as to State and Condition between them all are Unregenerate alike As amongst those who are Regenerate there are different Degrees of Holiness and Righteousness one it may be far exceeding another yet there is between them no difference of State and Condition they are all equally Regenerate Yea some may be in a greater forwardness and preparation for the Work it self and thereby in a greater nearness to the State of it than others but the State it self is incapable of such Degrees Now it must be the same Work for the Kind and Nature of it which relieves and translates Men out of the same State and Condition That which gives the formal Reason of the change of their State of their Translation from Death to Life is and must be the same in all If you can fix on any Man from the Foundation of the World who was not equally born in sin and by Nature dead in Trespasses and Sins with all other Men the Man Christ Jesus only excepted I would grant that he might have another kind of Regeneration than others have but that I know he would stand in need of none at all Sect. 14 2. The State whereinto Men are brought by Regeneration is the same Nor is it in its Essence or Nature capable of Degrees so that one should be more Regenerate than another Every one that is born of God is equally so though one may be more beautiful than another as having the Image of his Heavenly Father more evidently impressed on him though not more truly Men may be more or less Holy more or less Sanctified but they cannot be more or less Regenerate All Children that are born into the World are equally born though some quickly outstrip others in the Perfections and Accomplishments of Nature And all born of God are equally so though some speedily out-go others in the Accomplishments and Perfections of Grace There was then never but one kind of Regeneration in this World the Essential Form of it being specifically the same in all 3. That the Efficient Cause of this Work the Grace and Power whereby it is wrought with the internal manner of the Communication of that Grace are the same shall be afterwards declared To this Standard then all must come Men may bear themselves high and despise this whole Work of the Spirit of God or set up an Imagination of their own in the room thereof but whether they will or no they must be tryed by it and no less depends on their interest in it than their Admission into the Kingdom of God And let them pretend what they please the true Reason why any despise the New Birth is because they hate a New Life He that cannot endure to live to God will as little endure to hear of being born of God But we shall by the Scripture enquire what we are taught concerning iâ— and declare both what it is not of things which falsly pretend thereunto and then what it is indeed Sect. 15 First Regeneration doth not consist in a participation of the Ordinance of Baptism and a profession of the Doctrine of Repentance This is all that some will allow unto it to the utter rejection and overthrow of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the dispute in this Matter is not whether the Ordinances of the Gospel as Baptism do really communicate internal Grace unto them that are as to their outward manner of their Administration duly made Partakers of them whether ex opere operato as the Papists speak or as a â—aederal means of the Conveyance and Communication of that Grace which they betoken and are the Pledges of but whether the outward susception of the Ordinance joyned with a profession of Repentance in them that are adult be not the whole of what is called Regeneration The vanity of this presumptuous folly destructive of all the Grace of the Gospel invented to countenance Men in their Sins and to hide from them the
necessity of being born again and therein of turning unto God will be laid open in our Declaration of the Nature of the Work it self For the present the ensuing Reasons will serve to remove it out of our way Sect. 16 1. Regeneration doth not consist in these things which are only outward Signs and Tokens of it or at most instituted means of effecting it For the Nature of thing is different and distinct from the Means and Evidences or Pledges of them But such only is Baptism with the Profession of the Doctrine of it as is acknowledged by all who have Treated of the Nature of that Sacrament 2. The Apostle Peter really states this Case 1 Pet. 3. 21. In answer whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The outward Administration of this Ordinance considered materially reacheth no farther but to the washing away of the filth of the Flesh but more is signified thereby There is denoted in it the Restipulation of a good Conscience unto God by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead or a Conscience purged from Dead Works to serve the Living God Heb. 9. 14. and quickned by vertue of his Resurrection unto Holy Obedience see Rom. 6 3 4 5 6 7. 3. The Apostle Paul doth plainly distinguish between the outward Ordinances with what belongs unto a due participation of them and the Work of Regeneration it self Gal. 6. 15. In Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a New Creature For as by Circumcision the whole System of Mosaical Ordinances is intended so the state of Uncircumcision as then it was in the Professing Gentiles supposed a Participation of all the Ordinances of the Gospel But from them all he distinguisheth the New Creation as that which they may be without and which being so they are not available in Christ Jesus 4. It this were so then all that are duly Baptized and do thereon make profession of the Doctrine of it that is of Repentance for the forgiveness of Sins must of necessity be Regenerate But this we know to be otherwise For instance Simon the Megician was rightly and duly Baptized for he was so by Philip the Evangelist which he could not be without a Profession of Faith and Repentance accordingly it is said that he believed Acts 8. 13. that is made a profession of his Faith in the Gospel Yet he was not Regenerate for at the same time he had no part or lot in that Matter his Heart not being right in the sight of God but was in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity v. 21 23. which is not the Description of a Person newly Regenerate and Born again Hence the Cabbalistical Jews who grope in darkness after the old Notions of Truth that were among their Forefathers do say That at the same instant wherein a Man is made a Proselyte of Righteousness there comes a New Soul into him from Heaven his old Pagan Soul vanishing or being taken away The Introduction of a New Spiritual Principle to be that unto the Soul which the Soul is unto the Body naturally is that which they understand or they chuse thus to express the reiterated Promise of taking away the Heart of Stone and giving an Heart of Flesh in the place of it Sect. 17 Secondly Regeneration doth not consist in a Moral Reformation Life and Conversation Let us suppose such a Reformation to be extensive unto all known Instances Suppose a Man be changed from Sensuality unto Temperance from Rapine to Righteousness from Pride and the Dominion of Irregular Passions unto Humility and Moderation with all Instances of the like Nature which we can imagine or are prescribed in the Rules of the strictest Moralists Suppose this change be laboured exact and accurate and so of great use in the World Suppose also that a Man hath been brought and perswaded unto it through the preaching of the Gospel so escaping the Pollutions that are in the World through Lust even by the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Directions of his Doctrine delivered in the Gospel yet I say all this and all this added unto Baptism accompanied with a Profession of Faith and Repentance is not Regeneration nor do they comprize it in them And I have extended this Assertion beyond what some among us so far as I can see do so much as pretend unto in their confused Notions and sophistical Expressions about Morality when they make it the same with Grace But what-ever there may be of Actual Righteousness in these things they do not express an inherent habitual Righteousness which whosoever denies overthrows the Gospel and all the whole Work of the Spirit of God and of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we must stay a while This Assertion of ours is by some not only denyed but derided Neither is that all but who-ever maintains it is exposed as an Enemy to Morality Righteousness and Reformation of Life All Vertue they say is hereby excluded to introduce I know not what imaginary Godliness But whether we oppose or exclude Moral Vertue or no by the Doctrine of Regeneration or any other God and Christ will in due time judg and declare Yea were the confession of the Truth consistent with their Interests the decision of this doubt might be referred unto their own Consciences But being not free to commit any thing to that Tribunal unless we had better security of its freedom from corrupt Principles and Prejudices than we have we shall at present leave all the World to judg of our Doctrine with respect unto Vertue and Morality by the Fruits of it compared with theirs by whom it is denied In the mean time we affirm that we design nothing in Vertue and Morality but to improve them by fixing them on a proper Foundation or ingrafâ—ing them into that Stock whereon alone they will thrive and grow to the Glory of God and the good of the Souls of Men neither shall we be moved in this Design by the Clamorous or Calumnious out-cries of Ignorant or Profligate Persons And for the Assertion laid down I desire that those who despise and reproach it would attempt an Answer unto the ensuing Arguments whereby it is confirmed with those other which shall be insisted on in our Description of the Nature of the Work of Regeneration it self and that upon such Grounds and Principles as are not destructive of Christian Religion nor introductive of Atheism before they are too confident of their success Sect. 19 If there be in and required unto Regeneration the infusion of a new real Spiritual Principâ—e into the Soul and its Faculties of Spiritual Life Light Holiness and Righteousness disposed unto and suited for the Destruction or Expulsion of a contrary inbred habitual Principle of sin and enmity against God
enabling unâ—o all Acts of Holy Obedience and so in order of Nature antecedent unto them then it doth not consist in a meer Reformation of Life and Moral Vertue be they never so exact or accurate Three things are to be observed for the clearing of this Assertion before we come to the Proof and Confirmation of it As 1. That this Reformation of Life which we say is not Regeneration or that Regeneration doth not consist therein is a necessary Duty indispensibly required of all Men. For we shall take it here for the whole course of Actual Obedience unto God and that according to the Gospel Those indeed by whom it is urged and pressed in the room of Regeneration or as that wherein Regeneration doth consist do give such an Account and Description of it as that it is or at least may be Foreign unto true Gospel-Obedience and so not contain in it one Acceptable Duty unto God as shall afterwards be declared But here I shall take it in our present enquiry for that whole Course of Duâ—â—â—s which in Obedience towards God are prescribed unto us 2. That the Principle before described wherein Regeneration as passivâ—ly considered or as wrought in us consists doth alwayes certainly and infallibly produce the Reformation of Life intended In some it doth it more compleatly in others more imperfectly in all sincerely For the same Grace in Nature and Kind is communicated unto several Persons in various Degree and is by them used and improved with more 〈◊〉 care and diligence In thâ—se therefore that are adult these things are inseparable Therefore 3. The difference in this Matter 〈◊〉 unto this Head We say and believe that Regeneration consiâ—s in Spirituali Renovatione Naturae in a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature Our Modern Socinians that it doth so in Morali Reformatione vitae in a Moral Reformation of Life Now as we grant that this Spiritual Renovation of Nature will infallibly produce a Moral Reformation of Life so if they will grant that this Moral Reformation of Life doth proceed from a Spiritual Renovation of our Nature this difference will be at an end And this is that which the Ancients intend by first receiving the Holy Ghost and then all Graces with him However if they only design to speak ambiguously improperly and unscripturally confounding Effects and their Causes Habits and Actions Faculties or Powers and occasional Acts infused Principles and acquired Habits Spiritual and Moral Grace and Nature that they may take an opportunity to rail at others for want of better Advantage I shall not contend with them For allow a new Spiritual Principle an infused Habit of Grace or gracious Abilities to be required in and unto Regeneration or to be the Product or the Work of the Spirit therein that which is born of the Spirit being Spirit and this part of the Nature of this Work is sufficiently cleared Now this the Scripture abundantly testifieth unto Sect. 20 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature This New Creature is that which is intended that which was before described which being born of the Spirit is Spirit This is produced in the Souls of Men by aS Creating Act of the Power of God or it is not a Creature and it is superinduced into the essential Faculties of our Souls or it is not a New Creature for what-ever is in the Soul of Power Disposition Ability or Inclination unto God or for any Moral Actions by Nature it belongs unto the Old Creation it is no New Creature And it must be somewhat that hath a Being and Subsistence of its own in the Soul or it can be neither New nor a Creature And by our Apostle it is opposed to all outward Priviledges Gal. 5. 6. Chap. 6. 15. That the production of it also is by a Creating Act of Almighty Power the Scripture testifieth Psal. 51. 10. Ephes. 2. 10. And this can denote nothing but a New Spiritual Principle or Nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God No say some a New Creature is no more but a changed Man it is true but then this Change is Internal also yes in the Purposes Designs and Inclinations of the Mind But is it by a real Infusion of a new Principle of Spiritual Life and Holiness No it denotes no more but a new course of Conversation only the Expression is Metaphorical a New Creature is a Moral Man that hath changed his Course or Way For if he were alwayes a Moral Man that he was never in any vitious Way or Course as it was with him Matth. 19. 18 19 20. then he was alwayes a New Creature This is good Gospel at once overthrowing Original Sin and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Doctrine I am sure was not learned from the Fathers whereof some used to boast Nay it is much more fulsome than any thing ever taught by Pelagius himself who indeed ascribed more unto Grace than these Men do although he denied this Creation of a New Principle of Grace in us antecendent unto Acts of Obedience And this turning all Scripture-Expressions of Spiritual Things into Metaphors is but a way to turn the whole into a Fable or at least to render the Gospel the most obscure and improper way of teaching the Truth of things that ever was made use of in the World Sect. 21 This New Creature therefore doth not consist in a new course of Actions but in renewed Faculties with new Dispositions Power and Ability to them and for them Hence it is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He hath given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Divine Nature is not the Nature of God whereof in our own Persons we are not subjectively Partakers And yet a Naâ—ure it is which is a Principle of Operation and that Divine or Spiritual namely an Habitual Holy Principle wrought in us by God and bearing his Image By the Promises therefore we are made Partakers of a Divine Supernatural Principle of Spiritual Actions and Operations which is what we contend for So the whole of what we intend is declared Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness It is the Work of Regeneration with respect both to its Foundation and Progress that is here described 1. The Foundation of the whole is laid in our being renewed in the Spirit of our Mind which the same Apostle else-where calls being transformed in the Renovation of our Minds Rom. 12. 2. That this consists in the participation of a new saving Supernatural Light to enable the Mind unto Spiritual Actings and to guide it therein shall be afterwards declared Herein
But as it hath been in part already manifested and will fully God assisting be evinced afterwards that in our Regeneration the native Ignorance Darkness and Blindness of our Minds are dispelled Saving and Spiritual Light being introduced by the Power of God's Grace into them That the pravity and stubbornness of our Wills are removed and taken away a new principle of Spiritual Life and Righteousness being bestowed on them and that the Disorder and Rebellion of our Affections are cured by the infusion of the Love of God into our Souls so the corrupt Imagination of the contrary Opinion directly opposite to the Doctrine of the Scriptures the Faith of the Antient Church and the Experience of all sincere Believers hath amongst us of late nothing but Ignorance and ready Confidence produced to give countenance unto it Sect. 25 Thirdly The Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration doth not consist in Enthusiastical Raptures Extasies Voices or any thing of the like kind It may be some such things have been by some deluded Persons apprehended or pretended unto But the countenancing of any such Imaginations is falsly and injuriously charged on them who maintain the powerful and effectual Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration And this some are prone to do wherein whether they discover more of their Ignorance or of their Malice I know not but nothing is more common with them All whom in this Matter they dissent from so far as they know what they say or whereof they affirm do teach Men to look after Enthusiastick Inspirations or unaccountable Raptures and to esteem them for Conversion unto God although in the mean time they live in a neglect of Holiness and Righteousness of Conversation I Answer if there be those who do so we doubt not but that without their Repentance the Wrath of God will come upon them as upon other Children of Disobedience And yet in the mean time we cannot but call aloud that others would discover their diligence in attendance unto these things who as far as I can discern do cry up the Names of Virtue and Righteousness in opposition to the Grace of Jesus Christ and that Holiness which is a Fruit thereof But for the Reproach now under Consideration it is as applyed no other but a Calumny and false Accusation And that it is so the Writings and Preachings of those who have most diligently laboured in the Declaration of the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration will bear Testimony at the great Day of the Lord. We may therefore as unto this Negative Principle observe three things 1. That the Holy Spirit in this Work doth ordinarily put forth his Power in and by the use of Means He worketh also on Men suitably unto their Natures even as the Faculties of their Souls their Minds Wills and Affections are meet to be affected and wrought upon He doth not come upon them with involuntary Raptures using their Faculties and Powers as the Evil Spirit wrests the Bodies of them whom he possesseth His whole Work therefore is rationally to be accounted for by and unto them who believe the Scripture and have received the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive The formal efficiency of the Spirit indeed in the putting forth the exceeding greatness of his Power in our quickning Which the Ancient Church constantly calleth his Inspiration of Grace both in private Writing and Canons of Councils is no otherwise to be comprehended by us than any other Creating Act of Divine Power for as we hear the Wind but know not from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of God yet these two things are certain herein First That he worketh nothing nor any other way nor by any other means than what are determined and declared in the Word By that therefore may and must every thing really belonging or pretended to belong unto this Work of Regeneration be tryed and examined Secondly That he acts nothing contrary unto puts no force upon any of the Faculties of our Souls but works in them and by them suitably to their Natures and being more intimate unto them as Austin speaks than they are unto themselves by an Almighty Facility he produceth the Effect which he intendeth Sect. 20 This great Work therefore neither in part nor whole consists in Raptures Extasies Visions Enthusiastick Inspirations but in the Effect of the Power of the Spirit of God on the Souls of Men by and according to his Word both of the Law and the Gospel And those who charge these things on them who have asserted declared and preached it according to the Scriptures do it probably to countenance themselves in their hatred of them and of the Work it self Wherefore 2dly where by Reason of Distempers of Mind Disorder of Fancy or long continuance of distressing Fears and Sorrows in and under such Preparatory Works of the Spirit which sometimes cut Men to their Hearts in the sense of their sin and sinful lost condition any do fall into Apprehensions or Imaginations of any thing extraordinary in the wayes before-mentioned if it be not quickly and strictly brought unto the Rule and discarded thereby it may be of great danger unto their Souls and is never of any solid Use or Advantage Such Apprehensions for the most part are either Conceptions of distempered Minds and discomposed Fancies or Delusions of Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light which the Doctrine of Regeneration ought not to be accountable for Yet I must say 3dly That so it is come to pass that many of those who have been really made Partakers of this gracious Work of the Holy Spirit have been looked on in the World which knows them not as mad Enthusiastick and Fanatical So the Captains of the Host esteemed the Prophet that came to anoint Jehu 2 Kings 9. 11. And the Kindred of our Saviour when he began to Preach the Gospel said He was besides himself or extatical Mark 3. 21. and they went out to lay hold of him So Festus judged of Paul Acts 26. 24 25. And the Author of the Book of Wisdom gives us an account what acknowledgments some will make when it shall be too late as to their own Advantage Chap. 5. 3 4 5. They shall say crying out because of the trouble of their Minds This is he whom we accounted a scorn and a common reproach We Fools esteemed his Life madness and his latter End to have been shameful but how is he reckoned among the Sons of God and his Lot is among the Holy Ones From what hath been spoken it appears Sect. 26 Fourthly That the Work of the Spirit of God in Regenerating the Souls of Men is diligently to be enquired into by the Preaching of the Gospel and all to whom the Word is dispensed For the former sort there is a peculiar Reason for their Attendance unto this Duty For they are used and employed in the Work it self by the Spirit
of God and are by him made instrumental for the effecting of this New Birth and Life So the Apostle Paul stiles himself the Father of them who were Converted to God or Regenerate through the Word of his Ministry 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have you not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel He was used in the Ministry of the Word for their Regeneration and therefore was their Spiritual Father and he only though the Work was afterwards carried on by others And if Men are Fathers in the Gospel to no more than are Converted unto God by their Personal Ministry it will be no Advantage unto any one day to have assumed that Title when it hath had no Foundation in that Work as to its effectual success So speaking of Onesimus who was Converted by him in Prison he calls him his Son whom he had begotten in his Bonds Philem. 10. and this he declared to have been prescribed unto him as the Principal End of his Ministry in the Commission he had for Preaching the Gospel Acts 26. 17 18. Christ said unto him I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God which is a Description of the Work under Consideration And this is the principal End of our Ministry also Now certainly it is the Duty of Ministers to understand the Work about which they are employed as far as they are able that they may not Work in the Dark and Fight Uncertainly as Men beating the Air What the Scripture hath revealed concerning it as to its Nature and the manner of its Operation as to its Causes Effects Fruits Evidences they ought diligently to enquire into To be spiritually skilled herein is one of the principal Furnishments of any for the Work of the Ministry without which they will never be able to divide the Word aright nor shew themselves Workmen that need not be ashamed Yet is it scarcely imaginable with what rage and perversity of Spirit with what scornful Expressions this whole Work is traduced and exposed to contempt Those who have laboured herein are said to prescribe long and tedious trains of Conversion to set down nice and subtile Processes of Regeneration to fill Peoples Heads with innumerable Swarms of Superstitious Fears and Scruples about the due Degrees of Godly Sorrow and the certain Symptoms of a through-Humiliation p. 306 307. Could any mistake be charged on particular Persons in these things or the prescribing of Rules about Conversion to God and Regeneration that are not warranted by the Word of Truth it were not amiss to reflect upon them and refute them But the intention of these Expressions is evident and the reproach in them is cast upon the Work of God it self And I must profess that I believe the Degeneracy from the Truth and Power of Christian Religion the Ignorance of the principal Doctrines of the Gospel and that scorn which is cast in these and the like Expressions on the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by such as not only profess themselves to be Ministers but of an higher Degree than ordinary will be sadly ominous unto the whole State of the Reformed Church amongst us if not timely repressed and corrected But what at present I affirm in this Matter is That it is a Duty indispensibly incumbent on all Ministers of the Gospel to acquaint themselves throughly with the Nature of this Work that they may be able to comply with the Will of God and Grace of the Spirit in the Effecting and Accomplishment of it upon the Souls of them unto whom they dispense the Word Neither without some competent knowledg hereof can they discharge any one part of their Duty and Office in a right manner If all that hear them are born dead in Trespasses and Sins if they are appointed of God to be the Instruments of their Regeneration It is a madness which must one day be accounted for to neglect a sedulous enquiry into the Nature of this Work and the means whereby it is wrought And the ignorance hereof or negligence herein with the want of an Experience of the Power of this Work in their own Souls is one great cause of that lifeless and unprofitable Ministry which is among us Sect. 27 Secondly It is likewise the Duty of all to whom the Word is Preached to enquire also into it It is unto such to whom the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know you not your own Selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates It is the Concernment of all individual Christians or Professors of Christian Religion to try and examine themselves what Work of the Spirit of God there hath been upon their hearts and none will deter them from it but those who have a design to hoodwink them to Perdition And 1. the Doctrine of it is revealed and taught us For secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever that we may do all the Words of the Law Deut. 29. 29. And we speak not of curious Enquiries into or after hidden things or the secret veiled Actions of the Holy Spirit but only of an upright endeavour to search into and comprehend the Doctrine concerning this Work to this very end that we might understand it 2. It is of such Importance unto all our Duties and all our Comforts to have a due Apprehension of the Nature of this Work and of our own Concernment therein that an enquiry into the one and the other cannot be neglected without the greatest folly and madness Whereunto we may add 3. the danger that there is of Mens being deceived in this Matter which is the Hinge whereon their Eternal State and Condition doth absolutely turn and depend And certain it is that very many in the World do deceive themselves herein For they evidently live under one of these pernicious Mistakes namely That 1. either Men may go to Heaven or enter into the Kingdom of God and not be born again contrary to that of our Saviour John 3. 6. or that Men may be born again and yet live in sin contrary to 1 John 3. 9. Works of the HOLY SPIRIT Preparatory unto Regeneration CHAP. II. 1. Sundry things Preparatory to the Work of Conversion 2. Material and Formal Dispositions with their Difference 3 4. Things in the power of our Natural Abilities required of us in a way of Duty 5. Internal Spiritual Effects wrought in the Souls of Men by the Word 6 7. Illumination Conviction of Sin Consequents thereof 8. These Things variously taught 9. Power of the Word and Energie of the Spirit distinct 10. Subject of this Work Mind Affections and Conscience 11 12 13. Nature of this whole Work and Difference from Saving
it will be made to appear that not only the Act of believing and turning unto God is the sole Work and Effect of Grace which the Pelagians did not openly deny and the Semi-pelagians did openly grant but also that all Power and Ability for it properly so called is from Grace also Sect. 44 1. Col. 1. 13. We are said to be delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Power of Darkness The word signifies such a Power as consists in Authority or Rule that bears sway and commands them who are obnoxious unto it Hence the Sins of Men especially those of a greater Guilt than ordinary are called Works of Darkness Ephes. 5. 11. not only such as are usually perpetrated in the dark but such as the darkness also of Mens Minds doth encline them unto and naturally produce That also which is here called the Power of Darkness is called the Power of Satan Acts 26. 18. For I acknowledg that it is not only or meerly the internal Darkness or blindness of the Minds of Men in the State of Nature that is here intended but the whole State of Darkness with what is contributed thereunto by Satan and the World This the Prophet speaks of Isa. 60. 2. Behold Darkness shall cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People but the Lord shall arise upon thee Such a Darkness it is as nothing can dispel but the Light of the Lord arising on and in the Souls of Men But all is resolved into internal Darkness For Satan hath no Power in Men nor Authority over them but what he hath by means of this Darkness For by this alone doth that Prince of the Power of the Air work effectually in the Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. Hereby doth he seduce pervert and corrupt them nor hath he any way to fortifie and confirm their Minds against the Gospel but by increasing this blindness or darkness in them 2 Cor. 4. 4. Sect. 45 An Evidence of the Power and Efficacy of this Darkness we may find in the Devil himself The Apostle Peter tells us That the Angels who sinned are kept unto Judgment under Chains of Darkness 2 Pet. 2. 4. It is plain that there is an allusion in the words unto the dealings of Men with stubborn and hainous Malefactors They do not presently execute them upon their Offences nor when they are first apprehended They must be kept unto a solemn day of Tryal and Judgment But yet to secure them that they make no escape they are bound with Chains which they cannot deliver themselves from Thus God deals with fallen Angels For although yet they go to and fro in the Earth and walk up and down in it as also in the Air in a seeming Liberty and at their pleasure yet are they under such Chains as shall securely hold them unto the great Day of their Judgment and Execution That they may not escape their appointed Doom they are held in Chains of Darkness They are alwayes so absolutely and universally under the Power of God as that they are not capable of the Vanity of a Thought for the subducting themselves from under it But whence is it that in all their Wisdom Experience and long-continued Prospect which they have had of their future eternal Misery none of them ever have attempted or ever will a mitigation of their Punishment or Deliverance from it by Repentance and Complyance with the Wild of God This is alone from their own Darkness in the Chains whereof they are so bound that although they believe their own everlasting ruine and tremble at the Vengeance of God therein yet they cannot but continue in their course of Mischief Disobedience and Rebellion And although Natural Men are not under the same obdurateness with them as having a way of Escape and Deliverance provided for them and proposed unto them which they have not yet this Darkness is no less effectual to bind them in a State of Sin without the powerful Illumination of the Holy Ghost than it is in the Devils themselves And this may be farther manifested by the Consideration of the Instances wherein it puts forth its Efficacy in them Sect. 46 First It fills the Mind with enmity against God and all the Things of God Col. 1. 21. You were Enemies in your Minds Rom. 8. 7. The Carnal Minds is enmity against God it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can it be And the Carnal Mind there intended is that which is in every Man who hath not received who is not made Partaker of the Spirit of God in a peculiar saving manner as is at large declared in the whole Discourse of the Apostle v. 5. 6 9 10 11. So that the Pretence is vain and directly contradictory to the Apostle that it is only one sort of fleshly sensual unregenerate Men whom he intends This confidence not only in perverting but openly opposing of the Scripture is but of a late date and that which few of the Ancient Enemies of the Grace of God did rise up unto Now God in himself is infinitely Good and Desirable How great is his Goodness How great is his Beauty Zech. 9. 17. There is nothing in him but what is suited to draw out to answer and fill the Affections of the Soul Unto them that know him he is the only Delight Rest and Satisfaction Whence then doth it come to pass that the Minds of Men should be filled and possessed with enmity against him Enmity against and hatred of Him who is absolute and infinite Goodness seem incompatible unto our Humane Affections But they arise from this Darkness which is the Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by the Ways that shall be declared Sect. 47 It is pretended and pleaded by some in these dayes that upon an Apprehension of the Goodness of the Nature of God as manifested in the Works and Light of Nature Men may without any other Advantages love him above all and be accepted with him But as this would render Christ and the Gospel as objectively proposed if not useless yet not indispensibly necessary so I desire to know how this enmity against God which the Minds of all Natural Men are filled withal if we may believe the Apostle comes to be removed and taken away so as that they should love him above all seeing these things are absolute extreams and utterly irreconcileable This must be either by the Power of the Mind it self upon the proposal of God's Goodness unto it or by the effectual Operation in it and upon it of the Spirit of God Any other way is not pretended unto and the latter is that which we contend for And as to the former the Apostle supposeth the Goodness of God and the proposal of this Goodness of God unto the Minds of Men not only as revealed in the Works of Nature but also in the Law and Gospel and yet affirms that the Carnal Mind which is in every Man is enmity against him And in
So is it asserted Ephes. 1. 19 20. That we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his Power towards us who believe according to the working of his Mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead The Power here mentioned hath an exceeding Greatness ascribed unto it with respect unto the Effect produced by it The Power of God in it self is as unto all Acts equally Infinite he is Omnipotent But some Effects are greater than others and carry in them more than ordinary Impressions of it Such is that here intended whereby God makes Men to be Believers and preserves them when they are so And unto this Power of God there is an Actual Operation or Efficiency ascribed the working of his mighty Power And the Nature of this operation or efficiency is declared to be of the same kind with that which exerted in the raising of Christ from the Dead And this was by a real Physical Efficiency of Divine Power This therefore is here testified That the Work of God towards Believers either to make them so or preserve them such for all is one as unto our present purpose consists in the acting of his Divine Power by a real internal Efficiency So God is said to fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And hence the Work of Grace in Conversion is constantly expressed by words denoting a real internal Efficiency such are Creating Quickning Forming Giving a new Heart whereof afterwards Where-ever this Work is spoken of with respect unto an Active Efficiency it is ascribed unto God He Creates us anew he Quickens us he Begets us of his own Will but where it is spoke of with respect unto us there it is passively expressed we are Created in Christ Jesus we are new Creatures we are Born again and the like which one Observation is sufficient to evert the whole Hypothesis of Arminian Grace Unless a Work wrought by Power and that real and immediate be intended herein such a Work may neither be supposed possible nor can be expressed Wherefore it is plain in the Scripture That the Spirit of God works internally immediately efficiently in and upon the Minds of Men in their Regeneration The New Birth is the Effect of an Act of his Power and Grace or no Man is born again but it is by the inward Efficiency of the Spirit Sect. 30 3. This Internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men as to the Event is infallible victorious irresistible or alwayes efficacious But in this Assertion we suppose that the measure of the Efficacy of Grace and the End to be attained are fixed by the Will of God As to that End whereunto of God it is designed it is alwayes prevalent or effectual and cannot be resisted or it will effectually work what God designs it to work for wherein he will work none shall let him and who hath resisted his Will There are many motions of Grace even in the Hearts of Believers which are thus far resisted as that they attain not that effect which in their own Nature have a tendency unto Were it otherwise all Believers would be perfect But it is manifest in Experience that we do not alwayes answer the Inclinations of Grace at least as unto the Degree which it moves toward But yet even such Motions also if they are of and from Saving Grace are effectual so far and for all those ends which they are designed unto in the Purpose of God for his Will shall not be frustrate in any Instance And where any Work of Grace is not effectual God never intended it should be so nor did put forth that Power of Grace which was necessary to make it so Wherefore in or towards whomsoever the Holy Spirit puts forth his Power or acts his Grace for their Regeneration it removes all Obstacles overcomes all Oppositions and infallibly produceth the Effect intended This Proposition being of great importance to the Glory of God's Grace and most signally opposed by the Patrons of corrupted Nature and Man's free Will in the state thereof must be both explained and confirmed We say therefore Sect. 31 1. The Power which the Holy Ghost puts forth in our Regeneration is such in its Acting or Exercise as our Minds Wills and Affections are suited to be wrought upon and to be affected by it according to their Natures and natural Operations Turn thou me and I shall be turned draw me and I shall run after thee He doth neither act in them any otherwise than they themselves are meet to be moved and move to be acted and act according to their own Nature Power and Ability He draws us with the Cords of a Man And the Work it self is expressed by perswading God perswade Japhet and alluring I will allure Her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably For as it is certainly effectual so it carries no more repugnancy unto our Faculties than a prevalent Perswasion doth So doth Sect. 32 2. He doth not in our Regeneration possess the Mind with any Enthusiastical Impressions nor acteth absolutely upon us as he did in extraordinary Prophetical Inspirations of old where the Minds and Organs of the Bodies of Men were meerly Passive Instruments moved by him above their own natural capacity and activity not only as to the Principle of Working but as to the manner of Operation But he works on the Minds of Men in and by their own natural Actings through an immediate influence and impression of his Power Create in me a clean Heart O God He worketh to will and to do 3. He therefore offer no Violence or Compulsion unto the Will This that Faculty is not naturally capable to give Admission unto If it be compelled it is destroyed And the mention that is made in the Scripture of compelling compel them to come in respects the certainty of the Event not the manner of the Operation on them But whereas the Will in the depraved Condition of Fallen Nature is not only habitually filled and possessed with an aversation from that which is good Spiritually alienated from the Life of God but also continually acts an Opposition unto it as being under the Power of the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God And whereas this Grace of the Spirit in Conversion doth prevail against all this Opposition and is effectual and victorious over it it will be enquired how this can any otherwise be done but by a kind of Violence Compulsion seeing we have evinced already that Moral Perswasion and Objective Allurement is not sufficient thereunto Answ. It is acknowledged That in the Work of Conversion unto God though not in the very Act of it there is a Reaction between Grace and the Will their Acts being contrary and that Grace is therein victorious and yet no Violence or Compulsion is offered unto the Will For Sect. 34
like that which is in a dead Man unto the Acts of Life Natural if there be not an alike Power of God required unto our Deliverance from that Condition and the working in us a Principle of Spiritual Obedience as is required unto the raising of him that is dead they may as well say That the Scripture speaks not truly as that it speaks metaphorically And that it is Almighty Power the exceeding greatness of God's Power that is put forth and exercised herein we have proved from Ephes. 1. 18 19. Col. 2. 12 13. 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And what do these Men intend by this quickning this raising us from the Dead by the Power of God A perswasion of our Minds by rational Motives taken from the Word and the Things contained in it But was there ever heard of such a monstrous Expression if there be nothing else in it What could the Holy Writers intend by calling such a Work as this by a quickning of them who were dead in Trespasses and Sins through the mighty Power of God unless it were by a noise of insignificant words to draw us off from a right understanding of what is intended And it is well if some are not of that Mind Sect. 50 2. The Work it self wrought is our Regeneration I have proved before that this consists in a new spiritual supernatural vital Principle or Habit of Grace infused into the Soul the Mind Will and Affections by the Power of the Holy Spirit disposing and enabling them in whom it is unto Spiritual Supernatural Vital Acts of Faith and Obedience Some Men seem to be inclined to deny all Habits of Grace And on such a Supposition a Man is no longer a Believer than he is in the Actual Exercise of Faith For there is nothing in him from whence he should be so denominated But this would plainly overthrow the Covenant of God and all the Grace of it Others expresly deny all gracious supernatural infused Habits though they may grant such as are or may be acquired by the frequent Acts of those Graces or Vertues whereof they are the Habits But the Scripture giveth us another Description of this Work of Regeneration for it consists in the Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 23 24. Be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on that new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness That Adam in innocency had a supernatural Ability of living unto God habitually residing in him is generally acknowledged And although it were easie for us to prove that whereas he was made for a supernatural End namely to live to God and to come to the enjoyment of him it was utterly impossible that he should answer it or comply with it by the meer strength of his natural Faculties had they not been endued with a supernatural Ability which with respect unto that End was created with them and in them Yet we will not contend about Terms Let it be granted that he was created in the Image of God and that he had an Ability to fulfil all God's Commands and that in himself and no more shall be desired This was lost by the Fall When this is by any denyed it shall be proved In our Regeneration there is a Renovation of this Image of God in us Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds And it is renewed in us by a Creating Act of Almighty Power which after God or according to his likeness is created in Righteousness and true Holiness There is therefore in it an Implantation of a new Principle of Spiritual Life of a Life unto God in Repentance Faith and Obedience or Universal Holiness according to Gospel-Truth or the Truth which came by Jesus Christ John 1. 18. And the Effect of this Work is called Spirit Joh. 8. 5. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It is the Spirit of God of whom we are born that is our new Life is wrought in us by his Efficiency And that which in us is so born of him is Spirit not the Natural Faculties of our Souls they are once Created once Born and no more but a new Principle of Spiritual Obedience whereby we live unto God And this is the product of the internal immediate Efficiency of Grace Sect. 51 This will the better appear if we consider the Faculties of the Soul distinctly and what is the especial Work of the Holy Spirit upon them in our Regeneration or Conversion to God 1. The leading conducting Faculty of the Soul is the Mind or Understanding Now this is corrupted and vitiated by the Fall and how it continues depraved in the State of Nature hath been declared before The sum is that it is not able to discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner for it is possessed with Spiritual Blindness or Darkness and is filled with enmity against God and his Law esteeming the things of the Gospel to be foolishness because it is alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance that is in it We must therefore enquire what is the Work of the Holy Spirit on our Minds in turning of us to God whereby this Depravation is removed and this vitious State cured whereby we come to see and discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner that we may savingly know God and his Mind as revealed in and by Jesus Christ. And this is several wayes declared in the Scripture Sect. 52 1. He is said to give us an Understanding 1 John 5. 20. The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is True which he doth by his Spirit Man by Sin is become like the Beasts that perish which have no Understanding Psal. 49. 12 20. Men have not lost their natural intellective Faculty or Reason absolutely It is continued unto them with the free though impaired use of it in things Natural and Civil And it hat an advance in Sin Men are wise to do evil But it is lost as to the especial use of it in the saving knowledg of God and his Will to do good they have no knowledg Jer. 4. 22. For naturally there is none that understandeth that seeketh after God Rom. 3. 17. It is corrupted not so much in the Root and Principle of its Acting as with respect unto their proper Object Term and End Wherefore although this giving of an Understanding be not the creating in us a-new of that Natural Faculty yet it is that gracious work in it without which that Faculty in us as depraved will no more enable us to know God savingly than if we had none at all The Grace therefore here asserted in the giving of an Understanding is the causing of our natural Understandings to understand savingly This David prayes for Psal. 119. 34. Give me Understanding and I shall keep thy Law The whole Work is expressed by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 16 17 18. That thâ— God of our Lord
our sin and folly when we are negligent herein All Believers are no doubt in some measure convinced hereof not only from the Testimonies given unto it in the Scripture but also from their own Experience And there is nothing in themselves which they may more distinctly learn it from than the Nature and Course of their Prayers with the workings of their Hearts Minds and Affections in them Let profane Persons deride it whilest they please it is the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Grace that enables Believers to pray and make Intercession according to the mind of God And herein as he is the Spirit of Supplications he copyeth out and expresseth what he worketh in them as the Spirit of Sanctification In teaching us to pray he teacheth us what and how he worketh in us And if we wisely consider his working in our Hearts by Prayer we may understand much of his working upon our Hearts by Grace It is said that he who searcheth the Hearts that is God himself knoweth the mind of the Spirit in the Intercessions he worketh in us Rom. 8. 27. There are secret powerfull Operations of the Spirit in Prayer that are discernible only to the great searcher of Hearts But we also ought to enquire and observe so far as we may what he leads us unto and guides us about which is plainly his work in us I do not think that the Spirit worketh Supplications in us by an immediate supernatural Divine Afflatus so as he inspired the Prophets of old who oft-times understood not the things uttered by themselves but enquired afterwards diligently into them But I do say let the proud carnal World despise it whilest they please and at their peril that the Spirit of God doth graciously in the Prayers of Believers carry out and act their Souls and Minds in Desires and Requests which for the matter of them are far above their natural Contrivances and Invention And he who hath not Experience hereof is a greater stranger unto these things than will at length be unto his Advantage By a diligent Observance hereof we may know of what kind and nature the work of the Holy Ghost in us is and how it is carryed on For how in general doth the Holy Spirit teach us and enable us to pray It is by these three things 1 By giving us a spiritual Insight into the Promises of God and the Grace of the Covenant whereby we know what to ask upon a spiritual view of the Mercy and Grace that God hath prepared for us 2 By acquainting us with and giving us an Experience of our wants with a deep sense of them such as we cannot bear without Relief 3 By Creating and stirring up desires in the new Creature for its own Preservation Encrease and Improvement And in Answer unto these things consisteth his whole work of Sanctification in us For it is his effectual Communication unto us of the Grace and Mercy prepared in the Promises of the Covenant through Jesus Christ hereby doth he supply our spiritual wants and sets the new Creature in Life and Vigour So are our Prayers an Extract and Copy of the Work of the Holy Spirit in us given us by himself And therefore by whomsoever he is despised as a Spirit of Supplication he is so as a Spirit of Sanctification also Now consider what it is that in your Prayers you most labour about Is it not that the Body the Power the whole Interest of Sin in you may be weakened subdued and at length destroyed Is it not that all the Graces of the Spirit may be renewed daily encreased and strengthened so as that you may be more ready and prepared for all Dutyes of Obedience And what is all this but that Holiness may be gradually Progressive in your Souls that it may be carryed on by new Supplyes and Additions of Grace untill it come to Perfection Sect. 10 It will be said perhaps by some that they find neither in themselves nor others by the best of their Observation that the Work of Sanctification is constantly Progressive or that Holiness doth so grow and thrive wherever it is in sincerity For as for themselves they have found Grace more vigorous active and flourishing in former dayes than of late the streams of it were fresher and stronger at the Spring of Conversion than since they find them to be in their Course Hence are those complaints among many of their Leanness their Weakness their Deadness their Barrenness Nor were many of the Saints in the Scripture without such Complaints And many may cry Oh that it were with us as in our former Dayes in the dayes of our youth Complaints of this nature do every where abound and some are ready to conclude upon this Consideration that either sincere Holiness is not so growing and progressive as is pretended or that indeed they have no interest therein Yea the like may be said upon a diligent Observation of others Churches and single Professors what Evidence do they give that the work of Holiness is thriving in them doth it not appear rather to be Retrograde and under a constant Decay I shall so far consider and remove this Objection as that the Truth which we have asserted suffer not from it and so be left as an empty Notion nor yet those altogether discouraged who come not up unto a full compliance with it And this I shall doe in the ensuing Rules and Observations 1 It is one thing what Grace or Holiness is suited unto in its own nature and what is the Ordinary or Regular way of the procedure of the Spirit in the work of Sanctification according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace Another what may occasionally fall out by Indisposition and Irregularity or any other obstructing Interposition in them in whom the work is wrought Under the first Consideration the Work is thriving and progressive in the latter the Rule is liable to sundry Exceptions A Child that hath a Principle of Life a good natural Constitution and suitable food will grow and thrive But that which hath Obstructions from within or Distempers and Diseases or Falls and Bruises may be weak and thriftless When we are Regenerate we are as New-born Babes and ordinarily if we have the sincere milk of the Word we shall grow thereby But if we our selves give way to Temptations Corruptions Negligences Conformity to the World is it any wonder if we are lifeless and thriftless It suffices to confirm the Truth of what we have asserted that every one in whom is a Principle of spiritual Life who is born of God in whom the work of Sanctification is begun if it be not gradually carryed on in him if he thrive not in Grace and Holiness if he go not from strength to strength it is ordinarily from his own sinfull Negligence and Indulgence unto carnal Lusts or Love of this present World Considering the time we have had and the Means we have enjoyed what grown
Explanation of it I shall only add three things 1 That this Habit or Principle thus wrought and abiding in us doth not if I may so say Firm its own Station or abide and continue in us by its own natural Efficacy in adhering unto the Faculties of our Souls Habits that are acquired by many Actions have a natural Efficacy to preserve themselves untill some Opposition that is too hard for them prevail against them which is frequently though not easily done But this is preserved in us by the constant powerfull Actings and Influence of the Holy Ghost He which works it in us doth also preserve it in us And the Reason hereof is because the Spring of it is in our Head Christ Jesus it being onely an Emanation of Vertue and Power from him unto us by the Holy Ghost if this be not actually and alwayes continued whatever is in us would dye and wither of its self See Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 3. 3. Joh. 4. 14. It is in us as the Fructifying Sap is in a Branch of the Vine or Olive It is there really and formally and is the next Cause of the Fruit-bearing of the Branch But it doth not live and abide by its self but by a continual Emanation and Communication from the Root Let that be intercepted and it quickly withers So is it with this Principle in us with respect unto its Root Christ Jesus 2 Though this Principle or Habit of Holiness be of the same kind or Nature in all Believers in all that are sanctified yet there are in them very distinct Degrees of it In some it is more strong lively vigorous and flourishing in others more weak feeble and unactive and this in so great variety and on so many Occasions as cannot here be spoken unto 3 That although this Habit and Principle is not acquired by any or many Acts of Duty or Obedience yet is it in a way of Duty preserved encreased strengthened and improved thereby God hath appointed that we should live in the Exercise of it and in and by the Multiplication of its Acts and Duties is it kept alive and stirred up without which it will be weakened and decay Sect. 11 This being what I intend as to the Substance of it we must in the next place shew That there is such a spiritual Habit or Principle of spiritual Life wrought in Believers wherein their Holiness doth consist Some few Testimonies of many shall suffice as to its present Confirmation The Work of it is expressed Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will Circumcise thy Heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live The End of Holiness is that we may live and the principal Work of Holiness is to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts and Souls And this is the Effect of Gods circumcising our Hearts without which it will not be Every Act of Love and Fear and consequently of every Duty of Holiness whatever is consequential unto Gods circumcising of our Hearts But it should seem that this Work of God is only a removal of Hinderances and doth not express the Collation of the Principle which we assert I answer that although it were easie to demonstrate that this Work of circumcising our Hearts cannot be effected without an implantation of the Principle pleaded for in them yet it shall suffice at present to evince from hence that this Effectual Work of God upon our Hearts is antecedently necessary unto all Acts of Holiness in us But herewithall God writes his Law in our Hearts Jerem. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts The Habit or Principle which we have described is nothing but a Transcript of the Law of God implanted and abiding on our Hearts whereby we comply with and answer unto the whole Will of God therein This is Holiness in the Habit and Principle of it This is more fully expressed Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them The whole of all that actual Obedience and all those Duties of Holiness which God requireth of us is contained in these Expressions ye shall walk in my Statutes and keep my Judgements to doe them Antecedent hereunto and as the Principle and Cause thereof God gives a new Heart and a new Spirit This new Heart is an Heart with the Law of God written in it as before mentioned and this new spirit is the habitual Inclination of that heart unto the Life of God or all Duties of Obedience And herein the whole of what we have asserted is confirmed namely that antecedently unto all Duties and Acts of Holiness whatever and as the next Cause of them there is by the Holy Ghost a new spiritual Principle or habit of Grace communicated unto us and abiding in us from whence we are made and denominated holy Sect. 12 It is yet more Expressly revealed and declared in the New Testament Joh. 3. 6. There is a Work of the Spirit of God upon us in our Regeneration we are born again of the Spirit And there is the Product of this Work of the Spirit of God in us that which is born in this new Birth and that is spirit also It is something existing in us that is of a spiritual Nature and spiritual Efficacy It is something abiding in us acting in a continual Opposition against the Flesh or Sin as Gal. 5. 17. and unto all Duties of Obedience unto God And untill this spirit is formed in us that is our whole Souls have a furnishment of spiritual Power and Ability we cannot perform any one Act that is spiritually good not any one Vital Act of Obedience This Spirit or spiritual Nature which is born of the Spirit by which alone we are enabled to live to God is that Habit of Grace or Principle of holiness which we intend And so also is it called a New Creature He that is in Christ is a new Creature 1 Cor. 5. 17. It is something that by an almighty creating Act of the Power of God by his Spirit that hath the Nature of a living Creature is produced in the Souls of all that are in Christ Jesus And as it is called the new Creature so it is also a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and a Nature is the Principle of all Operations And this is what we plead for The Spirit of God createth a new Nature in us which is the Principle and next Cause of all Acts of the Life of God Where this is not whatever else there may be there is no Evangelical Holiness This is that whereby we are enabled to live unto God to fear him to walk in his Wayes and to yield Obedience according to his Mind and Will See Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10 11. this the Scripture plentifully
are not all equally vitious and sinfull But after the flesh goes the bent of the Soul and the generality of its Actings To walk after the Spirit consists in our being given up to Rule and Conduct or walking according to the Dispositions and Inclinations of the Spirit that which is born of the Spirit Namely a Principle of Grace implanted in us by the Holy Ghost which hath at large insisted on before And 3 The External Fruits and Effects of these two Principles are contrary also as our Apostle expressely and at large declares Gal. 5. 19 20 21 22 23 24. For whereas in the Enumeration of the Works of the Flesh he reckons up Actual sins as Adultery Fornication and the like in the Account he gives of the Fruits of the Spirit he insists on Habitual Graces as Love Joy Peace he expresseth them both Metaphorically In the former he hath repect unto the vitious Habits of those Actual Sins and in the latter unto the Actual Effects and Duties of those Habitual Graces Sect. 8 5. There being this universal Contrariety Opposition contending and warfare between Grace and Sin the Spirit and the Flesh in their inward Principles Powers Operations and outward Effects the Work and Duty of Mortification consists in a constant taking part with Grace in its Principle Actings and Fruits against the Principle Acts and Fruits of Sin For the Residence of these contrary Principles being in and their Actings being by the same Faculties of the Soul as the one is increased strengthened and improved the other must of necessity be weakened and decay Wherefore the Mortification of Sin must consist in these three things 1 The cherishing and improving of the Principle of Grace and Holiness which is implanted in us by the Holy Ghost by all the wayes and means which God hath appointed thereunto which we have spoken unto before This is that which alone can undermine and ruine the power of Sin without which all Attempts to weaken it are vain and fruitless Let men take never so much pains to Mortifie Crucifie or Subdue their sins unless they endeavour in the first place to weaken and impair its strength by the increase of Grace and growing therein they will labour in the fire where this work will be consumed 2 In frequent actings of the Principles of Grace in all Duties Internal and External For where the Inclinations Motions and Actings of the Spirit in all Acts Duties and Fruits of Holy Obedience are vigorous and kept in constant Exercise the contrary Motions and Actings of the Flesh are defeated 3 In a due Application of the Principle Power and Actings of Grace by way of opposition unto the Principle Power and Actings of Sin As the whole of Grace is opposed unto the whole of Sin so there is no particular Lust whereby Sin can act its power but there is a particular Grace ready to make effectual Opposition unto it whereby it is mortified And in this Application of Grace in its Actings in Opposition unto all the Actings of sin consists the Mystery of this great Duty of Mortification And where men being ignorant hereof have yet fallen under a Conviction of the Power of Sin and been perplexed therewith they have found out foolish wayes innumerable for its Mortification wickedly opposing External Natural bodily Force and Exercise unto an Internal Moral Depraved Principle which is no way concerned therein But hereof we must treat more afterwards under the third Head concerning the Manner how this work is to be carried on or this Duty performed Sect. 9 6. This Duty of weakening Sin by the Growth and improvement of Grace and the Opposition which is made unto sin in all its Actings thereby is called Mortification Killing or putting to Death on sundry accounts First and principally from that Life which because of its Power Efficacy and Operation is ascribed unto Indwelling Sin The state of the Soul by reason of it is a state of Death But whereas Power and Operations are the proper Adjuncts or Effects of Life for their sakes life is ascribed unto sin on whose account sinners are dead Wherefore this corrupt Principle of Sin in our depraved Nature having a constant powerful inclination and working Actually â—â—wards all evil it is said Metaphorically to Live or to have a Life of its own Therefore is the Opposition that is made unto it for its ruine and Destruction called Mortification or Killing being its Deprivation of that strength and efficacy whereby and wherein it is said to live Secondly It may be so called because of the Violence of that contest which the Soul is put unto in this Duty All other Duties that we are called unto in the course of our Obedience may be performed in a more easie gentle and plain manner Though it is our Work and Duty to conflict with all sorts of Temptations yea to wrestle with Principalities and Powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places yet in this which we have with our selves which is wholly within us and from us there is more of Warring Fighting Captivating Wounding Crying out for Help and Assistance a deep sense of such a violence as is used in taking away the Life of a mortal Enemy than in any thing else we are called unto And Thirdly the end aymed at in this Duty is Destruction as it is of all killing Sin as was said hath a Life and that such a Life as whereby it not onely Lives but Rules and Reigns in all that are not born of God By the entrance of Grace into the Soul it looseth its Dominion but not its Being its Rule but not its Life The utter Ruine Destruction and gradual Annihilation of all the Remainders of this cursed Life of Sin is our Design and Aym in this Work and Duty which is therefore called Mortification The design of this Duty wherever it is in sincerity is to leave sin neither Being nor Life nor Operation Sect. 10 And some Directions as our manner is may be taken from what we have discoursed concerning the Nature of this Duty Directive of our own Practices And 1 It is evident from what hath been discoursed that it is a Work which hath a Gradual Progress in the proceed whereof we must continually be Exercised And this respects in the first place the Principle of sin it self Every day and in every Duty an especial eye is to be had unto the Abolition and Destruction of this Principle It will no otherwise dye but by being Gradually and constantly weakened spare it and it heals its wounds and recovers strength Hence many who have attained to a great Degree in the Mortification of sin doe by their negligence suffer it in some Instances or other so to take head again that they never recover their former state whilst they live Sect. 11 And this is the Reason why we have so many Withering Professors among us decayed in their Graces fruitless in their lives and every way conformed to the world There are
the Deeds of the Flesh. It is we that are to mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh it is our Duty but of our selves we cannot do it it must be done in or by the Spirit Whether we take the Spirit here for the Person of the Holy Ghost as the Context seems to require or take it for the gracious Principle of spiritual Life in the Renovation of our Nature not the Spirit himself but that which is born of the Spirit it is all one as to our purpose the Work is taken from our own Natural Power or Ability and resolved into the Grace of the Spirit Sect. 16 And that we go no further for the proof of our Assertion it may suffice to observe That the Confirmation of it is the principal Design of the Apostle from the second Verse of that Chapter unto the end of the 13 th That the Power and Reign of Sin its Interest and Prevalency in the Minds of Believers are weakened impaired and finally destroyed so as that all the pernicious Consequences of it shall be avoyded by the Holy Ghost and that these things could no otherwise be effected he both affirms and proves at large In the foregoing Chapter from the 7 th Verse unto the end he declares the Nature Properties and Efficacy of In-dwelling sin as the Remainders of it do still abide in Believers And whereas a two-fold Conclusion might be made from the Description he gives of the Power and Actings of this sin or a double Question arise unto the great Disconsolation of Believers he doth in this Chapter remove them both manifesting that there was no cause for such Conclusions or Exceptions from any thing by him delivered The first of these is that if such if this be the Power and Prevalency of In-dwelling sin if it so obstruct us in our doing that which is good and impetuously incline unto evil what will become of us in the End how shall we answer for all the Sin and Guilt which we have contracted thereby We must we shall therefore perish under the Guilt of it And the second Conclusion which is apt to arise from the same Consideration is that seeing the Power and Prevalency of Sin is so great and that we in our selves are no way able to make Resistance unto it much less to overcome it it cannot be but that at length it will absolutely prevail against us and bring us under its Dominion unto our everlasting Ruine Both these Conclusions the Apostle obviates in this Chapter or removes them if laid as Objections against what he had delivered And this he doth Sect. 17 1 By a Tacit Concession that they will both of them be found true towards all who live and dye under the Law without an Interest in Jesus Christ. For affirming that there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus he grants that those who are not so cannot avoyd it Such is the Guilt of this sin and such are the Fruits of it in all in whomsoever it abides that it makes them obnoxious unto Condemnation But 2 There is a Deliverance from this Condemnation and from all liableness thereunto by free Justification in the Blood of Christ v. 1. For those who have an Interest in him and are made partakers thereof although sin may grieve them trouble and perplex them and by its Deceit and Violence cause them to contract much Guilt in their surprizals yet they need not despond or be utterly cast down there is a stable ground of Consolation provided for them in that there is no Condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus 3 That none may abuse this Consolation of the Gospel to countenance themselves unto a Continuance in the service of sin he gives a Limitation of the Subjects unto whom it doth belong namely all them and only them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit v. 1. As for those who give up themselves unto the Conduct of this Principle of In-dwelling sin who comply with its Motions and Inclinations being acted wholly by its Power let them neither flatter nor deceive themselves there is nothing in Christ nor the Gospel to free them from Condemnation It is they only who give up themselves to the Conduct of the Spirit of Sanctification and Holiness that have an interest in this Priviledge 4 As to the other Conclusion taken from the Consideration of the Power and Prevalency of this Principle of sin he prevents or removes it by a full Discovery how and by what means that Power of it shall be so broken its strength abated its prevalency disappointed and its self destroyed as that we need not fear the Consequents of it before mentioned but rather may secure our selves that we shall be the death thereof and not that the death of our Souls Now this is saith he by the Law or Power of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus v. 2. And thereon he proceeds to declare that it is by the effectual working of this Spirit in us alone that we are enabled to overcome this spiritual Adversary This being sufficiently evident it remaineth only that we declare the Way and Manner how he produceth this Effect of his Grace Sect. 18 1 The Foundation of all Mortification of Sin is from the Inhabitation of the Spirit in us He dwells in the Persons of Believers as in his Temple and so he prepares it for himself Those Defilements or Pollutions which render the Souls of men unmeet Habitations for the Spirit of God do all of them consist in sin inherent and its Effects These therefore he will remove and subdue that he may dwell in us suitably unto his Holiness Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Our mortal Bodyes are our Bodies as obnoxious unto Death by reason of sin as v. 10. And the Quickening of these mortal Bodyes is their being freed from the Principle of Sin or Death and its Power by a contrary Principle of Life and Righteousness It is the freeing of us from being in the Flesh that we may be in the Spirit v. 9. And by what Means is this effected It is by the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the Dead that is of the Father which also is called the Spirit of God the Spirit of Christ v. 9. For he is equally the Spirit of the Father and the Son And he is described by this Periphrasis both because there is a similitude between that Work as to its Greatness and Power which God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead and what he worketh in Believers in their Sanctification Ephes. 1. 19 20. and because this Work is wrought in us by vertue of the Resurrection of Christ. But under what especial Consideration doth he effect this Work of mortifying sin in us It is as
Sin who have not that Grace and Holiness in the Renovation of the Image of God which is pleaded for seem to have more peace and Quietness in their Minds They have not that inward Conflict which others complain of nor those Groans for Deliverance Yea they find satisfaction in their Lusts and Pleasures relieving themselves by them against any thing that occasioneth their Trouble Sect. 9 Ans. 1 For that Peace and Order which is pretended to be in the Minds of Men under the Power of Sin and not sanctified it is like that which is in Hell and the Kingdom of Darkness Sathan is not divided against himself nor is there such a Confusion and Disorder in his Kingdom as to destroy it but it hath a Consistency from the common End of all that is in it which is an Opposition unto God and all that is good Such a Peace and Order there may be in an unsanctified Mind There being no Active Principle in it for God and that which is spiritually Good all works one way and all its troubled streams have the same Course But yet they continually cast up mire and dirt There is onely that Peace in such Minds which the strong man armed that is Sathan keeps his Goods in untill a stronger than he comes to bind him And if any one think that Peace and Order to be sufficient for him wherein his Mind in all its Faculties acts uniformly against God or for Self Sin and the World without any Opposition or Contradiction he may find as much in Hell when he comes there Sect. 10 2 There is a Difference between a Confusion and a Rebellion Where a Confusion is in a State all Rule or Government is dissolved and every thing is let loose unto the utmost Disorder and Evil. But where the Rule is firm and stable there may be Rebellions that may give some parts and places Disturbances and Damage but yet the whole State is not disordered thereby So is it in the Condition of a sanctified Soul on the Account of the Remainders of Sin there may be Rebellion in it but there is no Confusion Grace keeps the Rule in the Mind and Heart firm and stable so that there is Peace and Assurance unto the whole state of the Person though Lusts and Corruptions will be rebelling and warring against it The Divine Order therefore of the Soul consisting in the Rule of Grace subordinating all to God in Christ is never overthrown by the Rebellion of Sin at any time be it never so vigorous or prevalent But in the state of unsanctified Persons though there be no Rebellion yet is there nothing but Confusion Sin hath the Rule and Dominion in them And however men may be pleased with it for a season yet is it nothing but perfect Disorder because it is a continual Opposition to God It is a Tyranny that overthrowes all Law and Rule and Order with respect unto our last and chiefest End Sect. 11 3 The Soul of a Believer hath that Satisfaction in this Conflict as that its Peace is not ordinarily disturbed and is never quite overthrown by it Such a Person knowes Sin to be his Enemy knowes its Design with the Aids and Assistances which are prepared for him against its Deceit and Violence and considering the Nature and End of this Contest is satisfied with it Yea the greatest hardships that Sin can reduce a Believer unto do but put him to the Exercise of those Graces and Duties wherein he receiveth great spiritual Satisfaction Such are Repentance Humiliation godly Sorrow self-Abasement and Abhorrency with fervent Outcryes for Deliverance Now although these things seem to have that which is grievous and dolorous prevailing in them yet the Graces of the Spirit of God being acted in them they are so suited unto the Nature of the New Creature and so belong unto the spiritual Order of the Soul that it finds secret Satisfaction in them all But the Trouble others meet withall in their own Hearts and Minds on the Account of Sin is from the severe Reflexions of their Consciences only and they receive them no otherwise but as certain Presages and Predictions of future and eternal Misery Sect. 12 4 A sanctified Person is secured of success in this Conflict which keeps blessed Peace and Order in his Soul during its Continuance There is a two-fold success against the Rebellious Actings of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin 1 In particular Instances 2 In the whole Cause And in both these have we sufficient Assurance of Success if we be not wanting unto our selves 1. For suppose the Contest be considered with respect unto any particular Lust and Corruption and that in Conjunction with some powerfull Temptation we have sufficient and blessed Assurance that abiding in the diligent Use of the Wayes and Means assigned unto us and the Improvement of the Assistance provided in the Covenant of Grace we shall not so fail of actual Success as that Lust should conceive bring forth and finish Sin 2 Cor. 2. 12. But if we be wanting unto our selves negligent in our known Duties and principal Concerns it is no wonder if we are sometimes cast into Disorder and foyled by the Powers of Sin But 2. As to the general Success in the whole Cause namely that Sin shall not utterly deface the Image of God in us nor absolutely or finally ruine our Souls which is its End and Tendency we have the Covenant Faithfulness of God which will not fail us for our security Rom. 6. 12. Wherefore notwithstanding this Opposition and all that is ascribed unto it there is Peace and Order preserved by the Power of Holiness in a sanctified Mind and Soul Sect. 13 Secondly But it will be further Objected That many Professors who pretend highly unto Sanctification and Holiness and whom you judge to be partakers of them are yet peevish froward morose unquiet in their Minds among their Relations and in the World yea much outward Vanity and Disorder which you make Tokens of the internal Confusion of the Minds of Men and the Power of Sin do either proceed from them or are carryed on by them And where then is the Advantage pretended that should render Holiness so indispensibly necessary unto us Ans. If there are any such the more shame for them and they must bear their own Judgement These things are diametrically opposite to the Work of Holiness and the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And therefore I say 1 That many it may be are esteemed Holy and Sanctified who indeed are not so Though I will judge no man in particular yet I had rather pass this Judgement on any man that he hath no Grace than that on the other hand Grace doth not change our Natures and renew the Image of God in us 2 Many who are really holy may have the double Disadvantage first to be under such Circumstances as will frequently draw out their natural Infirmities and then to have them greatned and heightned
upon bare conviction a Contest before in the Soul but it was meerly between the Mind and Conscience on the one hand and the Will on the other The Will was still absolutely bent on Sin only some Head was made against its Inclinations by the Light of the Mind before Sin and rebukes of Conscience after it But the Conflict begins now to be in the Will it self A new Principle of Grace being infused thereinto opposeth those habitual Inclinations unto Evil which were before predominant in it This fills the Mind with Amazement and in some brings them to the very door of Despair because they see not how nor when they shall be delivered So was it with the Person instanced in Lib. 8. Cap. 5. Voluntas nova quae mihi esse caeperit ut te gratis colerem fruique te vellem Deus sola certa jucunditas nondum erat idonea ad superandam priorem vetustate roboratam Ita duae voluntates meae una vetus alia nova illa carnalis illa spiritalis confligebant inter se atque discordando dissipabant animam meam Sic intelligebam meo ipso experimento id quod legeram quomod caro concupisceret adversus spiritum spiritus adversus carnem Ego quidem in utroque sed magis ego in eo quod in me approbabam quam in eo quod in me improbabam Ibi enim magis jam non ego quia ex magna parte id patiebar invitus quod faciebam volens The New Will which began to be in me whereby I would love thee O my God the only certain sweetness was not yet able to overcome my former Will confirmed by long continuance So my two Wills the one Old the other New the one Carnal the other Spiritual conflicted between themselves and rent my Soul by their disagreement Then did I understand by experience in my self what I hard read how the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the Flesh. I was my self on both sides but more in that which I approved in my self than in what I condemned in my self I was not more in that which I condemned because for the most part I suffered unwillingly what I did willingly This Conflict between Grace and Sin in the Will he most excellently expresseth Cap. 9 10 11. delivering those things which more or less are evident in the Experience of those who have passed through this Work His Fluctuations his Promises his Hopes and Fears the Ground he got and lost the pangs of Conscience and travel of Soul which he underwent in the new Birth are all of them graphically represented by him Sect. 29 In this tumult and distress of the Soul God oftentimes quiets it by some suitable Word of Truth administred unto it either in the Preaching of the Gospel or by some other means disposed in his Providence unto the same End In the midst of this storm and disorder he comes and sayes Peace be still For together with his Word he communicates some influence of his Grace that shall break the rebellious strength and subdue the Power of Sin and give the Mind satisfaction in a full Resolution for its everlasting Relinquishment So was it with him mentioned when in the condition described he was hurried up and down almost like a distracted Person whilst he suffered the Terrors of the Lord sometimes Praying sometimes Weeping sometimes alone sometimes in the company of his Friends sometimes walking and sometimes lying on the Ground he was by an unusual occurrence warned to take up a Book and read The Book next him was that of Paul's Epistle which taking up and opening the place he first fixed his eyes upon was Rom. 13. 13 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Immediately on the reading of these Words there was an end put unto his perplexing Conflict He found his whole Soul by the Power of Almighty Grace subdued wholly to the Will of God and fixed unto a prevalent Resolution of adhering to him with a relinquishment of Sin with an assured composure upon the account of the success he should have therein through Jesus Christ. Immediately he declared what he had done what had befallen him first to his Friend then to his Mother which proved the occasion of Conversion to the one and inexpressible joy to the other The end of the Story deserves to be reported in his own words Arripui librum aperui legi nec ultra volui legere nec opus erat Statim quippe cum fine hujusce sententiae quasi luce securitatis infusa cordi meo omnes dubitationis tenebrae defugerunt Tum interjecto aut digito aut nescio quo alio signo codicem clausi tranquillo cum vultu indicavi Alipio At ille quid in se ageretur quod ego nesciebam sic indicavit Petit videre quid legissem ostendi attendit etiam ultra quam ego legeram ignorabam quid sequeretur Sequebatur vero infirmum autem in fide assumite Quod ille ad se retulit mihique aperuit Sed tali admonitione firmatus est placitoque proposito bono congruentissimo suis moribus quibus a me in melius jam olim valde longeque distabat sine ulla turbulenta cunctatione conjunctus est Inde ad matrem ingredimur indicamus gaudet Narramus quemadmodum gestum sit exultat triumphat benedicit tibi qui potens es ultra quam petimus aut intelligimus facere Lib. 8. Cap. 12. Having read these Verses I would read no more nor was there any need that so I should do For upon the end of that Sentence as if a Light of Peace or Security had been infused into my Heart all darkness of doubts fled away marking the Book with my Finger put into it or by some other sign I shut it and with a quiet countenance declared what was done to Alipius And hereupon he also declared what was at Work in himself whereof I was ignorant He desired to see what I had read which when I had shewed him he looked further than I had read nor did I know what followed But it was this he that is weak in the Faith receive which he applyed unto himself and declared it unto me confirmed by this Admonition with a firm purpose and suitable to his manners wherein he formerly much excelled me he was joyned to me without any turbulent delay We go in hereon unto my Mother and declare what was done She rejoyceth We make known the manner of it how it was done she exulteth and triumpheth and blesseth thee O God who art able to do for us more than we know how to ask or understand And these things doth the Holy Man express to bear witness as he sayes Adversus typhum humani generis to repress
the swelling pride of Mankind And in the Example of Alipius we have an Instance how variously God is pleased to effect this Work in Men carrying some through strong Convictions deep Humiliations great Distresses and perplexing Terrors of Mind before they come to Peace and Rest leading others gently and quietly without any visible disturbances unto the saving Knowledge of himself by Jesus Christ. Sect. 30 Secondly A second thing which befalls Men under this Work of Conviction is a dread and fear as to their Eternal Condition There doth befal them an apprehension of that Wrath which is due to their Sins and threatned in the Curse of the Law to be inflicted on them This fills them with afflictive Perturbations of Mind with Dread and Terror Consternation and Humbling of their Souls thereon And what befalls the Minds of Men on this account is handled by some distinctly under the Names or Titles of Dolor legalis timor servilis attritio mentis compunctio cordis humiliatio animae Legal sorrow servile fear attrition of Mind compunction and humiliation and the like And as these things have been handled most of them by Modern Divines and cast into a certain series and dependance on one another with a discovery of their Nature and Degrees and how far they are required in order unto sincere Conversion and sound Believing so they are all of them treated on in their way by the School-men as also they were before them by many of the Fathers The charge therefore of Novelty which is laid by some against the Doctrine of these Things ariseth from a fulsome mixture of Ignorance and Confidence Whether therefore all things that are delivered concerning these things be right or no sure enough I am that the whole Doctrine about them for the substance of it is no newer than the Gospel and that it hath been taught in all Ages of the Church What is needful to be received concerning it I shall reduce to the ensuing Heads Sect. 31 1. Conviction of Sin being ordinarily by the Law either immediately or by Light and Truth thence derived there doth ordinarily accompany it a deep sense and apprehension of the eternal danger which the Soul is lyable unto on the account of the guilt of the Sin whereof it is convinced For the Law comes with its whole Power upon the Mind and Conscience Men may be partial in the Law the Law will not be partial It doth not only convince by its Ligh◠but also at the same time condemns by its Authority For what the Law speaks it speaks unto them that are under the Law It takes Men under its Power and then shutting them under Sin it speaks unto them in great severity This is called the coming of the Commandment and slaying of a Sinner Rom. 7. 9. 2. This Apprehension will ordinarily ingenerate disquieting and perplexing Affections in the Minds of Men nor can it be otherwise where it is fixed and prevalent As 1. Sorrow and Shame for and of what they have done Shame was the first thing wherein Conviction of Sin discovered it self Gen. 3. 7. And Sorrow alwayes accompanieth it Acts 2. 36. Hearing these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were pierced with perplexing Grief in their Heart Their eyes are opened to see the Guilt and Sense of Sin which pierceth them through with dividing Sorrow 2. Fear of Eternal Wrath This keeps the Soul in bordage Heb. 2. 14. and is accompanied with torment The Person so convinced believes the threatning of the Law to be true and trembles at it An eminent Instance whereof we have in our first Parents also Gen. 3. 16. 3. Perplexing unsatisfactory Enquiries after Means and Ways for deliverance out of this present Distress and from future Misery What shall we do What shall we do to be saved is the restless enquiry of such Persons Mich. 6. 8. Acts 2. Acts. 14. 3. These things will assuredly put the Soul on many Duties as Prayer for Deliverance Abstinence from Sin endeavours after a general change of Life in all which and the like this Conviction puts forth and variously exerciseth its power Sect. 32 4. We do not ascribe the Effects intended unto the meer working of the Passions of the Minds of Men upon the rational Consideration of their State and Condition which yet cannot but be grievous and afflictive These Things may be so proposed unto Men and pressed on them as that they shall not be able to avoid their Consideration and the Conclusions which naturally follow on them And yet they may not be in the least affected with them as we see by experience Wherefore we say moreover that the Law or the Doctrine of it when the Consciences of Men are effectually brought under its Power is accompanied with a secret Vertue from God called a Spirit of Bondage which causeth a sense of the Curse of it to take a deep impression on the Soul to fill it with fear and dread yea sometimes with horror and despair This the Apostle calls the Spirit of Bondage unto Fear Rom. 8. 15. and declares at large how all that are under the Law that is the convincing and condemning Power of it are in bondage nor doth the Law in the Administration of it lead or gender unto any thing else but Bondage Gal. 4. 22 23 24. Sect. 33 5. The substance of these things is ordinarily found in those who are converted unto God when grown up unto the use of Reason and capable of Impressions from external Administrations Especially are they evident in the Minds and Consciences of such as have been engaged in any open sinful couse or practice But yet no certain Rule or Measure of them can be prescribed as necessary in or unto any antecedaneously unto Conversion To evince the Truth hereof two things may be observed 1. That Perturbations Sorrows Dejections Dread Fears are no Duty unto any only they are such things as sometimes ensue or are immitted into the Mind upon that which is a Duty indispensible namely conviction of Sin They belong not to the Precept of the Law but to its Curse They are no part of what is required of us but of what is inflicted on us There is a Gospel-Sorrow and Humiliation after believing that is a Duty that is both commanded and hath Promises annexed unto it But this Legal Sorrow is an Effect of the Curse of the Law and not of its Command 2. God is pleased to exercise a Prerogative and Sovereignty in this whole Matter and deals with the Souls of Men in unspeakable variety Some he leads by the Gates of Death and Hell unto Rest in his Love like the People of old through the waste and howling Wilderness into Canaan and the Paths of others he makes plain and easie unto them Some walk or wander long in Darkness in the Souls of others Christ is formed in the first gracious Visitation Sect. 34 6. There is as was said no certain Measure or Degree of these Accidents or