Gods providence he hath undergone and all to the benefit of his precious soul what heavenly Soliloquies have been between God and his soul in private Prayer and heavenly Meditations what reiterated conquests he hath had over his domineering lusts and what spiritual wisdome to discern the sleights of the Devil How often he hath had the witness of the spirit upon his heart though for a season the spirit hath withdrawn its testimony What groans and sighs and daily complaints under the sense of the burden of his sins What change hath been wrought upon him considering his vain conversation while he was in the flesh what experimental truths both Theoretical and Practical for the establishment of his soul in grace have been imparted unto him and what future hopes of glory he hath enkindled in his brest by the operation of the spirit that so his faith and hope might be in God alone at the hour of death 2. To express those fears which are within us arising from that original corruption and from that unbelief which is in the best of Gods servants which do most of all shew themselves at such a time A believers fears are commonly more then his hopes when the hopes of a wicked man and of a presumptuous sinner overcome all his fears Fear it is a distracting passion filling the minde with a multitude of trembling amazing astonishing tumultuating perplexing thoughts that a true childe of God many times is in great doubts when he comes to dye but yet the spirit of God will bring in at such a time such sweet experiences of Gods love to his soul of what God hath done for him that though he may not have the full assurance of faith which is without any doubting at all yet he shall have sufficient motives and encouragements to keep him as from sinking and despair and upon firme grounds to repose himself in God for salvation upon the account of Jesus Christ Perfect love casteth out all slavish fear and when once the soul is well grounded in this principle that God loved him in Christ before the foundation of the world of which love he hath had some foretasts thereof by the earnest of his spirit in his heart there is no ground left for despair but for a firme belief that God is his and he is Gods God keepeth his strongest arguments to oppose the greatest conflicts Now I come to answer those doubts which arise from the Spirits teachings on the hearts of Believers 1. Quest How may we distinguish between the teachings of the spirit and that common Illumination spoken of in in the sixth of the Hebrews 4. verse which persons being so enlightned may fall away finally to the perdition of their immortal souls 1. Common illumination never descends to particulars but remaines onely in generals A carnal man may know what faith is what repentance is what humiliation is what self-denial is what sincerity is what new obedience is He may know all those things in a general way but he can never come to particulars by way of propriety unto himself He cannot say I believe I repent I am truely humbled for my sins I have learned the lesson of self-denial I am sincere I am obedient to the will of God but the light of the spirit within makes a Christian to say experimentally feelingly out of that abundance of comfort which he hath by reason of the experience of those things upon his soul that Christ is mine and I am his I have given glory to God by believing I have worked the works of God I have had the spirit of God leading me into the Land of uprightness Rom. 4.20 I have that heavenly fire of love enkindled in my brest by the divine sparks of light from heaven Psal 143.10 which will burn for ever still ascending to be united unto God in heaven The valley of Baca is turned into a valley of vision though not the immediate fruition The teachings of the spirit do make a Christian go to particulars because what the spirit teacheth if it be a habit or a qualification connatural to the soul as spiritual the spirit worketh the same quality in it The spirit teacheth us to believe and the spirit worketh faith in us for faith it is the gift of God 2. Common Illumination produceth but a common faith which is rather presumption then true faith a common love which is rather lukwarmness then the ardent love which is a fruit of the spirit a common joy which is rather like a flash of lightning then that Meridian joy of the Saints of Jesus Christ a common humiliation which is rather an Ahabs humiliation a legal conviction upon the soul by the terror of the Law then any true genuine sorrow for the displeasure done to God by their sins a common hope which is rather self conceitedness and vain confidence then that lively hope which purifies the soul a common well-wishing to leave their sins then a setled determinate resolution to forsake them and to turn to the Lord God with all their hearts As a mans knowledge is so is his faith so is his love so is his obedience Now this knowledge which ariseth from common illumination it never savingly works upon the heart to an hearty obedience of the things known it is never joyned with true Grace but that knowledge which comes from the teachings of the spirit works a true faith in the soul and is ever accompained with all the saving effects of the blessed spirit The Apostle joyns Grace and Knowledge both together Grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 For where there is a sanctified knowledge there is true and saving Grace 3. Common Illumination never makes a man serious in the service of God to serve him constantly let his condition be what it will but as his joys and his outward comforts are so are his services unto God as when the Mood the Fit takes them then they will seem Religious like the Lunaticks which are mad only at the full of the Moon when any profit or honour or any advantage goeth along with the serving of God or when nothing is offered which may displease their carnal minds then who but they in an outward profession for the serving of God but the teachings of the spirit make a Christian resolute in the ways of God like Noah that his whole life shall be nothing else but a continual walking with his God A true Christian let his outward state and condition be what it will yet he will be sure not to forget his God his Maker his Preserver his All in All in whom are all things and in whom he enjoyes all things but like Zachary and Elizabeth as far as he can he will walk in all the commandements of the Lord blamelesly 4. Common Illumination it breeds not the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit whereby a man upon good and solid grounds may truely believe that he
outward worship that we should bow before him and fall down at his presence and testifie the brokenness and contrition of heart by outward gestures as well as heart-worship though that be the principall he aims at Pray observe that God looks to every circumstance of his worship as well as to the essentials of it yea to the least circumstance and when he shall come to revenge the quarrell of his Covenant will severely punish those who have failed in the least particular of his worship O that men would consider this who are all for duty but little for the right performance of it after Gods way and manner ☞ all for worship but care not how they worship God I finde in Scripture 1 King 18.28 that hypocrites have been most in duty Baals Priests used to cut selves from day to night Mat 6.7.23.14 and the Pharisees used to make long prayers but I finde that the people of God have studied more how to please God and to serve him after his own way and method The circumstances of an action saith the Philosopher aggravate the action more than the action it self You will think Nadab's and Abihu's fault to be of no consideration Lev. 10.1 2. as to deserve so great a punishment as to be destroyed for it What was their sinne why they offered fire to the Lord as he commanded but not that fire which he commanded that fire which should be continually kept in upon the Altar for that very use but fetcht elsewhere and therefore 't is called strange fire such fire as the Lord never demanded Let Gods Word be our rule and Gods glory the ultimate end and scope of all our actions and then we cannot do amiss in point of worship and if we continue in well doing at the length we shall reap everlasting life But when men corrupt the Word of God 2 Cor. 2.17 as the Apostles phrase is putting new glosses upon it and making it as a nose of wax to turn every way according as their genius tends and it serves for the carrying on of their designes for how glad are wicked men if they catch at any part of a sentence which according to their blinde apprehensions though to a judicious minde and to one enlightened by the Spirit it is nothing to the purpose or handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cauponantes Adulte rantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A corrumpendo vine atque infuscando ut caupones sâ—lout Men adulterate the word and take away the beauty and the majesty from it when they think to put a lustre upon it by their own inventions mixing it as a Vintner doth water with wine according to the Apostles word or neglecting the Word of God lean to the light of their own understandings and studying strange and unheard-of doctrines under the name of experimentall truths and which by long experience they have found out deliver unto the people the scum and the froth of their own vain mindes as the false Prophets of old who spake lyingly in the Name of the Lord saying they had a vision and a revelation when they had not that so both Minister and people might both fall together and both might be destroyed for ever and ever and rendring themselves abominable in the eyes of God they build their faith upon their own wisdom which is rather folly than wisdom for every man as the Psalmist saith Ps 49.10 by the fall is become brutish in his understanding and is of a reprobate minde that is Tit. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of judgment of a minde that cannot approve of the things of God and neglect the wisdom and the power of God They cry up themselves as Simon Magus did for some body Act. 8.9 for the great power of God as he for his miracles was termed so and delighted in this appellation so these would be so termed for the abundance of the Revelations and the great measure of the Spirit which they pretend to partake of as if they were the only lights in the world and the Oracles which God hath set up in his Church Lord I beseech thee by the power of thy sanctifying Spirit to destroy this Babell in the hearts of those who are thy people that they may not build their faith upon lying vanities and trust to the sparks of their own understandings 1 Sam. 5.4 but that this Dagon of superstition and false worship of will-worship Col. 2.23 and of that worship which seems to carnall flesh glorious and beautifull 2 Cor. 7.1 may fall down at the appearance of Jesus Christ in their hearts that being kept from the pollutions of the flesh and Spirit they may perfect holiness in the fear of God for as long as this wisdom of the world is in us which is foolishness in thy sight there is no room for thy word or for Jesus Christ who is the eternall wisdom of God the Father Joh. 6.27 Let us not build our faith upon traditions and mens inventions and feed upon that meat which perisheth for all ceremonies customs and will-worship is but perishing meat but upon the Word of God as our rule and Jesus Christ for our Saviour that so we may finde comfort and peace of conscience at the hour of death and in the world to come everlasting life To proceed in the context the Apostle having shewed that he did not preach the wisdom of the world yet to magnifie his Doctrine and that he might give it the preheminence Vers 6. he saith Yet we preach wisdom amongst those which are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world that is though our preaching be plain to you who are but as babes in understanding yet we can preach in a higher style and more profound matter amongst those which are perfect that is amongst those who are men in understanding and more knowing in the things of God vers 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery Ver. 8. Wisdom which the world cannot attain unto Vers 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Hence observe Note That a servant of Jesus Christ must suit his style and his matter according to the capacity and judgement of his hearers Saith Luther Optimi ad Vulgus sunt concionatores qui popularitèr pnerilitèr trivialiter docent They preach best to the common people who preach in the plainest way and method The converting of souls to Jesus Christ and the building up Christians in the most pretious faith and comforting sad dejected spirits and destroying the Kingdom of Satan in the hearts of wicked men and to dispossess them of the unclean spirit and to convince gain-sayers who oppose the truth and to vindicate the purity of the Word of God against men of reprobate mindes is the work and main business of a true Ambassadour of Jesus
much how much more will the way of reasoning of one spirit by strength of argument work upon another spirit Arguments are spirituall weapons ☜ and he that stands to argue the case with the devil fights with the devil with his own weapons Who is the great disputer of this world the great Sophister the great Logician but the devil He useth all sorts of arguments to raise fears and jealousies in the hearts of Gods people to drive them to despair and to keep wicked men in their carnall security and desperate presumption He is the spirit of this world he is the great agent that commonly sets all the wheels and the springs a going That drives furiously as Jehn did How Satan is said to be the spirit of the wicked world hurrying wicked men in their pernitious waies The devil is the spirit of the world upon a double account 1. He acts in the world and quickens and puts vigour and brings forth into act that originall corruption that lies rooted in the heart of all men by nature The work of the Spirit it is to give life and heat and motion to cherish and refresh to excite the parts to do their office Now as the Spirit of God moved upon the waters in the first Creation hovering over the Mosaicall matter fomenting and cherishing it so the evil spirit the devil moves upon the filthy puddles in our hearts hovering over that filthy corruption which is in us cherishing and fomenting that body of death which we carry aboot us As the Vulture loves to feed upon dead carkasses so the devil loves to rake up that stinking cartion matter which is in the hearts of all men by nature Now the devil is not only an assistant spirit to the world that sees the wheels a going as the assisting Angels are ☞ which Aristotle supposeth to set the primum mobile a work but he worketh with us and he worketh in the world Sometimes our hearts like a mint out of that abundance of corruption that is in them may coin evil things for sinne in the heart will appear in the life obscene and filthy words do naturally flow from a lustfull heart But yet the coin often carries upon it the devils stamp Pliny speaks of the scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it puts not forth the sting as being loth to lose any opportunity of doing mischief so Satan will lose no fit time to tempt us to draw us to his allurements that he might destroy us Burrought Moses choice if he sees us inventing mischief he will be sure to put to his helping hand Many times the devil is the father of evil thoughts but our own hearts are the mother the devil suggesteth but it 's our own hearts that conceive according to the Psal mist They conceive mischief and bring forth falshood It is the devil that blows up the fire of lust in our hearts and adds fuell to it by his delicious objects That makes men rush into sinne as the horse rusheth into the battell As we commonly say he must needs runne whom the devil drives Satan did but put it into Judas his heart to betray his Master and presently he sets about his business As soon as the devil had entred into him he runs headlong to the destruction of his immortall soul When a man hath winde and tide and the sails be up he must needs go apace Our affections are the sails our carnall interest and self-seeking is the tide and the devil is the winde If our sails are up ☜ and the tide favours us the stream of the times or our Dallilah lusts do prosper and the devil comes and addes winde to the tide and flatters us in our waies by promising us the same gales of prosperity still we fail apace and in abundance of delight for a time till at length we fall down into the Mare mortuum into the dead sea of everlasting misery Think upon this who with a full career swim down with the current of the times and care not whither you are carried so be it your carnall interest may prosper and that you may have the favour of a flattering world You are acted by the devil and certainly at death he will pay you your wages He is that filthy unclean Idolatrous spirit that keeps the world in their superstitious waies and which to this day beguiles the poor Indians and holds the greatest part of the world in Idolatry and Heathenish impiety to the great dishonour of the true God and to their own everlasting condemnation 2. He is the spirit of the world because he not only acts the world but also because the world willingly suffers it self to be acted by him Wicked men are said to be led captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 He leads them in a string to eternall perdition As a Falconer carries his Hawk upon his fist so the devil carries poor creatures They do not take up arms to fight against him Wicked men most properly are said to act evil And because they willingly submit themselves to the devil while they are acted by the devil they may be said to act because they do not resist him The godly are rather acted to evil than said to act evil because they do that which they allow not and which under a serious debate with themselves they utterly hate but they willingly subject themselves to his Government preferring the devil before Christ and these transitory enjoyments before the God of heaven I may say the world is a sworn enemy to Jesus Christ and a faithfull drudge to do the devils drudgery As Christ admits none but voluntiers and suffers none to be of his society but they that willingly submit themselves to his discipline so the devil hath a great army of voluntiers and they willingly accept of his tearms and conditions This only is the difference the godly do take Jesus Christ for their Lord and Saviour directly and as they serve Jesus Christ who is the great Master so they love him and embrace him for their Head and Governour but now the wicked world doth not directly take the devil to be their Lord and Master for the thought of a devil is odious in the hearts of all both good and bad and none would be said to be the devils servants but in as much as they voluntarily do his works and subject themselves to his yoke they may be said indirectly and by consequence not only to have the devil for their Lord Joh. 8. but for their father Ye are of your father the devil for his works ye will do 2. As the world hath Satan for its evil spirit so it hath another evil spirit to wit that imbred evil spirit of wickedness that naturall frame of spirit in the hearts of wicked men continually tending to the waies of sinne This worldly spirit this spirit of sinne or this sinfull spirit 1 Joh. 4.3 it is called
are by nature like the Egytians in the Land of darkness but when the Spirit hath opened our eyes we are in the Land of Goshen in the Land of light Ephes 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory might give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation through the acknowledging of him that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened that ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints 2. By taking away that enmity that is in our wils against the things of God We hate the things of God by nature Now the Spirit shews the excellency the beauty the luster the pleasantness the profit that is in God It removes those hard thoughts and evil surmises in our hearts concerning God and the waies of his worship It shews us that godliness is profitable for all things both for the things of this life and of that which is to come Pro. 3.17 That the waies of wisdom are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Pro. 22.4 That by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches honour and life That there is nothing lost in serving God and that it is the greatest slavery to do the devils service That it is better to work out the peaceable fruit of righteousness though with much labour and sorrow in the world than to live in sin though with the greatest worldly prosperity imaginable That it is better to undergo a light affliction here which is but for a moment than to undergo an eternall weight of torment hereafter and to lose an eternall weight of glory for if thou canst not endure a short affliction here how wilt thou endure the fire of hell Rom. 2. It shews us that to him that worketh righteousness is peace honour and life but tribulation anguish and sorrow follows every soul that doth evil both to Jew and Gentile The Spirit carries us up on the heavenly mount of contemplation and shews us the riches of Gods house and the treasures of the new Jerusalem saying all these things will I give thee if thou wilt worship God in sincerity and truth It perswades us of the evil of sinne of the necessity we have of Jesus Christ of the beauties of holiness of the wrath of God that hangs over sinners and that there is nothing but the thred of life which how soon it may be cut God knows which keeps them from burning in everlasting fire It shews the willingness that is in Jesus Christ to receive poor repenting sinners Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out It sets before us the freeness of the promise Is 55. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come and drink of the waters of life freely Our buying is but receiving Buy wine and milk without money and without price That God the Father and Jesus Christ is more willing to receive us than we are to come unto him that God waits to be gracious Isa 30.18 as the Prophet Isaiah speaks that Gods mercy rejoyceth against judgement and that there is nothing but our unwillingness which hinders the marriage union betwixt Christ and our souls It shews us that the multitude of our sinnes cannot hinder the effect of Gods mercies Isa 55.8 9. for Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his waies as our waies that the Lord is willing to heal our backslidings Hos 14.4 and to love us freely for his Name sake that Gods bowels yern over us when he sees us wallowing in our blood Ezek. 16. that if God were not more mercifull to us than we are to our selves we had perished long ago in our sinnes and that if God sees any thoughts of returning in us if we would but set our faces Zion ward Jer. 19.5 if we did but feel after the Lord Act. 17.27 if he did but see us afarre off in a repenting frame of spirit smiting upon our thighes Ier. 31. as Ephraim did as the father did the returning prodigall he would meet us in the way and fall upon our necks and kiss us yea he would bemoan us as God did repenting Ephraim Is Ephraim my beloved sonne Hos 11.8 is he not a pleasant childe my repentings are kindled together and my bowels are turned within me Saith God I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wicked waies and live Lam. 3.33 God afflicts not willingly nor grieves the children of men If we perish it is not Gods fault but our own because we are so cruell unto our selves Formerly poor creatures could not endure to think of God Psal 10.4 God is not in all a wicked mans thoughts his waies are alwaies grievous The thoughts of God are troublesom thoughts unto him his infinite justice exceeding greatness his impartiall dealing with sinners when he comes to plead with them for their sins Saith God I will not at all acquit the wicked these are afflicting thoughts to a wicked man Why because he thinks that because God is his enemy all these his attributes shall be imployed to his everlasting ruine It is said likewise of the Gentiles Rom. 1. that they liked not to retain God in their knowledge But when the Spirit comes it makes the thoughts of God pretious then the soul can say as David did Ps 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my soul that is in the multitude of my distracting dividing worldly perplexing thoughts the comforts that flow in upon the meditation of thy goodness and of that propriety which I have in thee that thou art my portion my God my rock that is higher than I to which I may continually resort this doth comfort my spirit The naturall man he counts Christ and the Word and the conscientious Minister who deals plainly and powerfully with him his greatest enemies He cannot endure to see his beloved sinne reproved to hear of his Dallilah to hear of hell of the wrath of God and of the day of judgement no it is as bad as death to him to hear of these things He cannot bear it that Christ must be his Lord the Spirit his teacher the Word his rule and Gods glory his end that he must become a new convert and that he must leave behinde him his old companions his old desires his old customs his old principles his old ends and his laws and that he must become another man altogether new all old things must be done away and all things must become new Heb. 12. Now the Spirit teacheth Iohn 3. that without holiness he shall never see the face of God That unless he be born again he shall never enter into the Kingdom of heaven That if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 That it is impossible to enter into the new Jerusalem with an
confidence and boldness into the presence of God Before we have the Spirit we are in bondage 1. To sinne 2. To the beggarly and slavish rudiments and customs of the world To sinne and so the Spirit as it delivers us from the state of bondage 't is called a Spirit of holiness a Spirit of sanctification His servants we are whom we obey in the service of God there is perfect freedom but in the service of the devil there is the greatest slavery What more slavish than to serve a lust What greater bondage can there be than to have the devil our Master When the Spirit of God hath sanctified us and renewed us then we bear the Image of our heavenly Father according to that place in John He that is born of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 and he that is born of the Spirit is spirit that is he that is born of the flesh bears the image of the flesh and he that is born of the Spirit the image of the Spirit As he that is born of corrupt flesh is corrupt so he that is born of the holy Spirit of God is holy Likewise we are delivered from the rudiments of the world and those superstitious waies wherein the world walketh How many are there kept in bondage to old customs in the worship of God to Ceremonies and serving of God after the tradition of their fathers that stand upon places and outward form more than the inward and more spirituall part of worship Some cavil at the Churches calling them Steeple-houses and the Pulpit a Tub and the servants of God Tub-preachers If the Church of God be a Steeple-house what place may we term their private meetings wherein the subject matter of their discourse is to broach and vent forth new fangled notions nothing materiall to the salvation of their souls and how they may vilifie and cast contempt upon the true worship of God and upon the servants of Jesus Christ Others put too much upon these places as if there were an inward holiness in them as if God would rather hear them there and answer them for the place sake rather than at another place Under the Gospel there is no place more holy than another for it is not the place that makes the duty holy as it was under the Law when the Altar sanctified the gift and not the gift the Altar but duties now put a dignity upon the place and not the place put a dignity upon the duties So that this place the Church while we are praying it may be called the house of prayer and while we are doing Gods work and God is manifesting himself unto us it may be called the house of God As Jacob called the place where he had his vision The house of God But yet you must observe this by the way that under the Gospel-dispensation there is not so much put upon places as there was under the Law God under the former dispensation did more immediatly limit his presence to one place though not alwaies for God is found of all them that diligently seek him but his visible presence is more reserved to the Temple and to his shining forth between the Cherubims over the Mercy-seat 2 Chron. 6.20 God is said to put his Name into the Temple and the Psasmist saith Psal 80.1 O thou that shinest forth between the Cherubims in allusion to Gods manifesting himself over the Mercy-seat Therefore it was Jeroboams sin which the Prophet Hosea reproves that he did not only set up Calves to be worshipped instead of the true God but that he set them up in Dan and Bethel keeping the people from the place of Gods worship where God had put his Name Yet under this dispensation the Church it may be called a holy place as under the old Law many things are called holy in that it is separated and set apart in a publick way in opposition to meeting houses for the pure worship of God and a joynt calling upon him in his own way The Spirit likewise puts us into a state of liberty A state of Sonship it is a state of liberty Rom. 8.11 Therefore we are said to be translated from the Kingdom of darkness into the glorious liberty of the children of God If children then heirs joynt heirs with Jesus Christ Now you know a childe when he is under age he differs nothing from a servant but is under Governours and Tutors till he comes to be heir and Lord of all things A reverent Divine whom I heard occasionally said that there were four priviledges which attend Adoption 1. Liberty 2. Right and title 3. Correction and 4. Boldness Now how come we to be the Sons of God but by the Spirit the Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God This spirituall freedom it is not such a freedom as the world dreams of ☞ it doth not exempt us from the obedience to the Laws either of God or man The Spirits liberty what it i. it is not a freeing us from obeying the Civil Magistrate it is not a freeing us from afflictions and crosses in the world Nay rather it is a sign thou art a child of God and that thou art instated into this liberty if thou art corrected God chastneth every son whom he receiveth The Spirit likewise gives us freedom and liberty to come with confidence by faith into the presence of God Eph. 2. For through him we both have access through one spirit unto the Father By the Spirit we have access by Christ unto God the Father so that whatsoever prayer you put up to God the Father What prayer is accepted by God if it be not a fruit of the Spirit and tendred up in Christs Name it shall never be accepted God owns nothing but what is his own Whatsoever is not of the Spirit it is of the flesh Men may be moved with fait speeches enticing words eloquent phrases as the people of Tyrus and Sidon with Herods eloquent Oration Act. 12.21 but all the eloquence in the world is no more to God than the lowing of an Ox or the howling of a Dog if it come not from the Spirit Dr. Gouge in his whole Armour of God and whatsoever is of the flesh it is our own it comes from us and not from God A childe of God he is partly flesh and partly spirit Now God the Father for Jesus Christs sake in whom they are in Covenant with him he over-looks all the fleshly part all their infirmities all the wandrings and gaddings of spirit in their prayer and what is the fruit of his own spirit that he receives and looks upon it as a spirituall prayer in and for the sake of Jesus Christ and because some of the actings of the Spirit have been seen in it God severs the light from the smoak when it ascends up into heaven the light is the Spirits the smoak is ours Having the Spirit we must go along
fruit of the spirit While they speak of perfection and living without sin in this life Phil. 3.13 14. they cry down the Apostle Paul who thought himself not prefect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Metaphor drawn from those who run in a race who when they approach the Goale press forward with all their might their Arms and Leggs to touch it but still prest on to the mark of the price of the high calling of Jesus Christ As long as we are of the Laodicean temper and think our selves rich and wanting nothing we are never like to come to Christ to buy raiment of him and to have that spiritual eye-salve whereby we may discerne the things of God but when we are like Christ meek and lowly then we shall finde rest unto our souls God deals with men as he finds them Psal 18. With the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward Mat. 11.29 and with the upright thou wilt shew thy self upright Many times Gods people are of crabbed and knotty spirits that God for the present is as it were at a stand what he should do with them O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee Hos 6.4 O Judah what shall I do unto thee Now as the Carpenter plains the peece of wood so the Lord plains their hearts mountains shall be turned into valleys and the Lords way shall be made straight before him and of rugged spirits they shall become smooth and the froward spirits become meek and quiet that the Lord Jesus by his spirit might be pourtrayed in their hearts as the peece of wood when it is plained and made smooth is apt to receive any form whatsoever the Carpenter pleaseth so our hearts when they are once softned by the Spirit and smoothed by the planer of affliction God can mould them and fashion them as he pleaseth A meek spirit is of a docible disposition ready to receive and most apt to retain most thankfull for what he hath and ever mindfull of its own unworthiness Now here for to prevent mistaking I should shew the nature of meekness to wit what this meekness is Severall kindes of meekness but I shall only shew the severall kindes of meekness which are four 1. A naturall meekness arising out of the constitution of a mans body 2. A morall meekness arising from good precepts instructions and examples 3. A stoicall meekness which is a sameness of spirit upon all occasions this is rather a stupidity then a meekness 4. An artificiall meekness which is when men can restrain their passions though their heart is as full of envy as it can hold Such was Esans meekness to Jacob. 5. A true meekness A true meekness what it is which is a spirituall frame of heart whereby a man gives no provocation and is ready to receive any and whereby a man moderates subordinates and governs all his anger to the glory of God and to the good of others Meekness is passions jaylor True meekness is not alwaies the same but when Gods glory is blasphemed or any waies diminished then it turns to zeal and an holy anger Exod. 32.20 21 22. Moses the meekest man upon the earth when he saw the idolatry of the Israelites he broke forth into an holy anger being grieved in his spirit for the dishonour done to God 6. If thou hast the Spirits teachings upon thy heart thou art one that fearest God Psal 25. What man is he that feareth the Lord Tiberius Gaesar thought no man fit to receive his secrets and yet the Lord vouchsafeth the godly his own secrets None but Noblemen Lords and Dukes might be made partakers of State-secrets the godly are heavenly Lords and Nobles and the privy States men of heavens Court Such honour have all the Saints to know the things of God him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings The fear of God it puts a bridle to our lusts and corrupt affections which choak the things of God As an unruly horse may be curb'd with a bit and a bridle so the fear of God it is as it were a bit and a bridle to curb the extravagancy and the breaking forth of sinne The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil As a brick wall keepeth in the waters from overflowing the ground and banks from breaking in upon the meadows so the fear of God puts a stop to the breaking forth of many a sin which otherwise we should commit Now when the strength and the power and the dominion of sinne is taken away the Spirit comes in with more freedom into the soul When Joseph was tempted by his Mistress unto uncleanness he having the fear of God before his eyes refused her with this saying How shall I do this great wickedness and sinne against my God! Gen. 39.40 41. Because of this he is clapt up by a false slander of his Mistress into prison But the Lord was with Joseph in prison and shewed him mercy And Joseph because he feared God had the spirit of revelation given him that he could interpret dreams He expounded the chief Butlers and Bakers dream and Pharaohs dream And the Lord honoured him in the sight of Pharaoh and all his servants By humility and the fear of the Lord come riches Pro. 22.4 honour and life Daniel because he feared God Dan. 9.24 and would not consent to worship other gods the Lord revealed unto him the expiration of the seventy years captivity which was at hand And Noah because he feared God Heb. 11.7 an hundred and twenty years before the overflowing deluge came had this secret committed unto him that God did intend to drown the world for that deluge of sinne which was then in it By faith Noah being Warned of God being moved with fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his house and thereby condemned the ungodly World The salvation of the Lord is nigh them that fear him that glory may dwell in our Land The fear of Gods glorious Majesty and unquestionable authority puts the soul into a fit capacity to be taught by the Spirit As long as a man is presumptuous self-confident and thinks himself somewhat when he is nothing there is no place for any doctrine of Jesus Christ God usually puts men into great fears and terrours and then raiseth them up before he communicates himself unto them Jer. 3.33 I will put my fear before them and write my law in their hearts Severall kindes of fear There is a fourfold fear 1. A naturall fear which in it self is not sinfull because God hath put this affection of fear into our hearts So Christ feared to die 2. A servile or a slavish fear when men fear God not for his goodness but only for his justice
present Eccl 7 6. but suddenly are out That all the creatures are but broken cisterns Jer. 2.13 pits which can hold nothing but muddy and defiled comforts Besides the Spirit it teacheth us the fulness of God the sufficiency that is in Jesus Christ the joys that flow in from above and what a mass of glory is treasured up for us if we continue faithfull unto the death Mark 14.25 That the time is at hand when we shall drink the new wine of eternall consolation with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of heaven hereafter When a man hath a spirit of discerning to discern between the true riches and the fading riches of this world and the Spirit hath enlightned his understanding and he sees the what things are prepared for him hereafter if he love God and keeps his Commandments He is more Saint-like and is as it were a stranger upon earth seeking rest and finding none till he come to his Fathers house and finished his course One that is taught of the Spirit can do all duties in a spirituall manner He can pray in the Spirit sing in the Spirit walk in the Spirit live after the Spirit warre after the Spirit rejoyce in the Spirit and subdue his sinnes by the strength of the Spirit His affections desires aims and intentions are heavenly You may see a spirituall man by his going by his talking by his eating and drinking by his company by his continuall course and progress in his life Watch him narrowly ☞ and you may see somewhat of the Spirit in his common carriage he doth not minde the world he lives as it were a stranger upon earth all his discourse is about his fathers business and of heavenly things He cares not so much what becomes of his body so his soul may prosper All his delight is with the excellent and with those that fear God He is often upon his knees confessing his sins and abhorring himself for his iniquities He is much with God and little with the world and if it stood with Gods good pleasure and the Churches good he could be absent from the body Phil. 1.23 24. that he may be present with the Lord. Self-deniall is the great lesson he is continually a conning sinne is his greatest burthen the world his purgatory Jesus Christ his only joy God his portion and heaven his rest Now I come to shew what are the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit that so we may know the one from the other 1. A man hath then an extraordinary teaching of the Spirit upon his heart when he is certain God will give him the same thing he asked of him in prayer in the very same kinde and manner he asked it of God when he is fully perswaded and verily believes that God will grant him the very same thing which he asked of him It is an extraordinary work of the Spirit upon the heart that must produce such a strong confidence in God that God will give him the very same thing he desires When a soul can say I know that God heareth me alwaies and will hear me in this thing and give me my hearts desire especially when there is no promise in the word made to that particular thing which he praies for As suppose thou hadst a friend sick and thou praiest for his recovery and hast such a strong confidence in God by the Spirit that thou undoubtedly believest that he shall recover such a confidence had Luther when he wrote to Myconius hearing that he was sick that without he should recover so he did according to Luthers prayer So had Elijah when he prayed for rain and Jesus Christ when he did his miracles 2. When a soul hath that Plerophory that full assurance of faith without all doubting then he hath an extraordinary teaching of the Spirit upon his heart When he can say with Job I know that my redeemer liveth Job 19.25 and though worms destroy my body yet I shall see him with these very eyes 2 Tim. 4.7 And with Paul I have fought the good fight of faith I have finished my course hence forth there is laid up for me a Crown of life c. When a soul can say by the full evidence of the Spirit upon his spirit without the least wavering or doubting I know that both in life and death Christ shall be unto me advantage When a soul can merrily and cheerfully rejoyce in the expectation of the glory of God Many precious Saints are without this full assurance till they come to die as that godly Martyr Mr Glover was who was full of fears and doubts till he came to the stake and then out of a sense of Jesus Christ he cries out He is come he is come That is Jesus Christ was come with his extraordinary comforts unto his soul the Spirit of God sealing unto him the pardon of his sinnes and the love of Jesus Christ unto his soul 3. When a soul hath such a spirit of zeal courage and magnanimity in the waies of God that though he were the Butt of the whole world and the laughing-stock of men and Angels for the cause of God and were persecuted on all sides yet he patiently can undergo it for the sake of Christ These are Saints of the first magnitude who have more than ordinary to other Saints flowings in of the Spirit upon their hearts Such were the Apostles Luther Ignatius Athanasius Gregory Nazianzen and the like Tempore Athanasii totus mundus gemuit sub Ario. The Martyr Antipas who is spoken of in the Revelation of St John Rev. 2.13 who dwelt where Satan had his seat and kept himself unspotted amongst that wicked and perverse generation and witnessed to the truth with the loss of his life had an extraordinary measure of the Spirit upon his heart 4. When men have an infallible Spirit so that whatsoever they say is truth and as it were an Oracle from God and when upon all emergencies they have Divine influences from the Spirit of grace then they have the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit When they have an infallible Spirit so only had the Apostles For they being universall messengers of Jesus Christ not tied to one particular place but to plant Churches in severall places and to pen one part of the Word of God which was to be a standing rule to the end of the world they were guided by the infallible Spirit of God so that they could not erre in things which belong to faith and piety Only the Apostles were infallible in their doctrine Popes and generall Councils may erre and have erred grosly from the faith Also when upon all exigencies they have the supplies of the Spirit of God then they have the extraordinary teachings of the Spirit so had the Apostles Luke 12.11 And when they bring you unto the Synagogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer or what ye shall
in their infancy as it were till they arrive at heaven Ob. What do you say to that place in Joel Joel 2.28 where it is said that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie c. And to that place in the Prophet Isaiah where it is said Isa 30.26 that the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne seven fold And to that place in John 1 John 2.27 where it is said that you have rectived the unction of the holy one and you need not that any man teach you Ans I answer that in these places of Scripture is only held forth a more plentifull giving of the Spirit under Gospel-times than under the former dispensations Therefore it is said that the Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended The performance of which prophesie was upon the Apostles together with other elected Saints Act. 2. Hence then is no place given for Enthusiasms because it is usuall with the Prophets of the old Testament when they did speak of the restauration or amplification of the Church of God to set it forth Tropically under figures and shadows Zach. 14. Mal. 1.11 with many other places For that place in the Epistle of St John it holds forth unto us this that for those fundamentall truths which the Saints had received from him from which the false Apostles did seek to remove them they needed not again to be re-established in these truths being set home upon their spirits by the Spirit of God but only words of exhortation to stirre them up to execute and to put in practice those fundamentall truths which they had received Ob. But what say you to that passage of Scripture in the 2 of Peter 1.19 where it is said We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto you do well that ye take herd as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day starre arise in your hearts Ans The Apostle in these words doth not take away the use of the word and other means of grace but the scope of the place as I gather from the context rather tends to the establishing of the word and other means of grace till Christ who is the morning starre the day starre in the morning of the resurrection shall arise in the hearts of his elect ones after a more glorious manner than when they were in this body of flesh in this world which is rather a state of darkness than of the light in comparison of that light of knowledge of joy and of comfort which shall be to the Saints in heaven To explain the words The Apostle having before in the foregoing words declared the certainty of the doctrine of the Gospel both from his own experience and from the testimony of God the Father now in these words he confirms the certainty of it from the consent of the Prophets under the old Testament As if the Apostle should have said The Doctrine of the Gospel is confirmed by the Prophets of old therefore the Doctrine of the Gospel is most true and certain therefore if ye mistrust me in commending the Gospelunto you I remit you unto the Prophets of old whose doctrines are a more surer word than this testimony of mine in respect of your selves as yet unto which word of Prophesie you do well to attend as a light which shineth in a dark place as to that light which now under the state of non-conversion and of blindness may do you some good till the vail is taken off from your hearts and Christ the morning starre whom you so much despised arise upon you by his blessed Spirit to unfold this word of prophesie unto you which will then not be a light in a dark place but a true light unto you indeed Christ by his Spirit having unvaild your hearts that you may see that was the Messiah of the world that was the true Christ whom you have crucified and of which this more sure word of Prophesie or all the Prophets have spoken of How this interpretation and explanation of the words may take with many I cannot tell but as yet till God shall give in a further light upon my soul I think it most agreeable to the minde of the Spirit Aretius Lucifer est plena Christi cognitio postquam drsinet usus Propheticae doctrinae The day-starre is the full knowledge of Jesus Christ after the use of prophesying shall cease which is if it be meant of all believers then the words must be thus understood That when the time comes 1. When Ordinances shall cease and the means of grace shall cease which will not be till the end of the world till the dawning of the morning of the resurrection the day starre shall arise in our hearts that is a full and perfect knowledge and enjoyment of Christ 2. If in respect of the Jews to whom he wrote scattered up and down the Nations then the words may be thus interpreted That they do well to attend to the word of prophesie which speaks of Jesus Christ as unto a light in a dark place that is as yet though but a darkish dispensation till Christ the morning starre shall arise and take the vail from off their hearts that so they may see he was the very Messiah of the world whom they have crucified of whom the Prophets of old have foretold Qu. Whether are the teachings of the Spirit upon our hearts a sufficient call for us to undertake the Ecclesiasticall Function No. 1. Because then all elected converted persons should be Pastors of Churches 1 Cor. 12.17 And if all the body were an eye where is the ear for all true believers are taught of the Spirit 2. Because the Spirits teachings are not revelations of high mysteries of things to come a declaring of the whole minde and will of God in respect of every circumstance a furnishing a man in a generall way to know more than is meet for him as a private Christian to know but a writing of all those things in his heart which pertain to life and godliness and which are necessary for him to know as one that must be saved by Jesus Christ 3. Because a man may have the Spirits teachings upon his heart and yet be ignorant of many truths of God because the Spirit teacheth successively ut antea 4. Because we never reade in Scripture that any took upon them to be publick Pastors of Churches but only as it were auxiliaries and helps for the promoting of the work of the Lord in the planting of Churches in the Primitive times as Aquila Priscilla and Apollos were unless besides these teachings they had an immediate call from God or a mediate by man yea though they had extraordinary teachings upon their hearts 5. Because besides the inward call of Gods Spirit which is a secret testimony that
of the Son of God and art thereby become guilty of the death of Jesus Christ and of thy own eternal condemnation Walk up to this precious light seek not to put out the candle of the Gospel lest God in wrath for thy idleness thy unprofitableness thy stubbornness come and put it out himself But walk in the light as long as thou hast the light repent of thy sins repent from thy sins leave thy sins which have crucified Christ which have been nails and spears in thy Saviours side and as thou art willing to be saved by him so likewise be thou governed by him that Christ might be thy Lord as well as thy Saviour lest otherwise by the hardness and impenitency of thy heart thou treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath and the righteous revelation of the judgement of God by despising the riches of Gods Grace revealed unto thee in the Gospel of his Son R m 1.2 3 4. 5. To the light of the conviction of Gods spirit walk up to the light of the spirit convincing thee of thy sins The spirits conviction is the spirits setting home upon the conscience some sin by undeniable arguments A description of the spirits conviction and by an evident demonstration derived from the Word of God whereby the sinner may know that he is guilty of the same sin together with some dreadful place of Scripture holding forth the terrible judgement of God upon those who commit such a sin that thereby he might be drawn to a loathing and to a forsaking of it Sad is their condition who have such a conviction upon their hearts and do not comply with the conviction for the forsaking of their sins That think by merry company by worldly employments by long continuance to shake off this conviction from their spirits Better had it been for thee that thou hadst never been born then that thou shouldst live all thy days in the commission of any known sin or in the omission of any known duty that spirit convincing thee of thy sins Motives against this sin 1. Motives to close with the spirits conviction That in not complying with the spirits conviction thou opposest the spirit in its first werk tending to thy conversion upon thy soul The spirit convinceth before it converteth the spirit of bondage must go before the spirit of adoption The thundering and terrible voice of the Law before the sweet and the still voice of the Gospel the Arrows of the Almighty within thee make way for the sweet oyle of consolation in resisting the spirits interest in this work thou opposest thy own salvation 2. In opposing the light of the spirit by way of conviction upon thy soul thou wilt bring by little and little such a brawniness upon thy conscience such a hardness upon thy heart such a deadness upon thy affections such a customariness in sinning such an indisposition and averseness upon thy soul to any good thing that the meats of grace which should have been for the food of thy soul shall bâ—thy poyson every Ordinance unprofitable and thou shalt be a burden to the earth an abominable creature in the eyes of God the spirits quench-coal an utter enemy to all goodness and when thou comest to dye Magormishabib a terror and an astonishment unto thy self another Francis Spira another Judas another Saul when thou comest to lye upon thy death deb 3. This not walking up to the light of conviction will be an unconceiveable torment and vexation of spirit unto thee in the flames of hell fire When thou shalt have nothing to do else but to consider how foolishly how vainly thou didst spend this transitoty life in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and besides which will be the greatest misery when thou shalt with anguish of spirit and with gnashing of teeth consider that if thou hadst closed with such a spiritual truth committed unto thee in a Sermon perhaps the Minister beseeching thee inviteing exhorting thee perswading thee with tears in his eyes to leave thy beloved sins and to embrace Jesus Christ under the penalty of eternal condemnation and hadst complyed with the conviction of the spirit at such a time upon thy heart thou hadst escaped this place of torment All convictions impressions motions of the spirit which the damned souls have had in this life all powerful Sermons all opportunity for the advantages of their souls all good counsels exhortations beseechings of friends relations acquaintance all that progress which they have made in Christianity and that if they had gone but one step farther they might have obtained heaven if they had not loved this present world too much and with the young man in the Gospel loved their possessions above Christ they might have been while now they are in extream misery and when above all this the consideration of the spirits conviction how that they were convinced in their own consciences by the act of the spirit setting home this sin I say when all these means of grace advantage and precious opportunityes with superadded convictions shall be upon their spirits as then they shall be in a most eminent matter their affections being quickened and raised to the full vigor of them God is the immediate inflicter of the souls punishment in hell their memories strengthened their understandings enlarged and all their vain hopes and confidence ruined to their exceeding grief and misery they will weigh heavier then the sand of the Sea and did not infinite power support them under this unconceiveable torment as well as infinite justice inflict this torment by way of vengeance and in full fury upon them the damned spirits could not subsist one moment What language do you think you should hear supposing you were at hells gate Such as this O wretch that I am what a foolish silly wretch was I that I did neglect so great salvation that I did shift off the spirit striving and pleading with me from time to time convincing me of my sins saying to morrow and next day I will begin a new lesson I will redeem the time I will bethink me of eternity but this morrow never yet came till now it is too late time being swallowed up in this Ocean of eternity O what a sluggard was I to shift off the blessed spirit with such fond foolish and frivolous excuses to make every thing an objection and a doubt to keep me off from an obedience to the truth What a mad fellow was I to create fears where no fear was and to think that Gods wayes were full of bitterness and that pleasure of sin exceeding sweet to make offence and stumble at a crucified Christ to believe the divel to hearken to flesh and blood and to follow the course of this present evil world O that I had those opportunities and those precious means for the good of my soul again afforded me how would I live How would I walk up to that light which God hath