to have a specialty in our Divine Love to the Person of Christ. 2. The Uncreated Glories of the Divine Nature whence our Love hath the same Object with that which we owe unto God absolutely 3. That Perfection and Fulness of Grace which dwelt in his Humane Nature as communicated unto him by the Holy Spirit whereof we have treated If you love the Person of Christ it must be on these Considerations Which whilst some have neglected they have doted on their own Imaginations and whilst they have thought themselves even sick of Love for Christ they have only languished in their own Fancies Secondly We are to know Christ so as to labour after conformity unto him And this Conformity consists only in a Participation of those Graces whose fulness dwells in him We can therefore no other way regularly press after it but by an Acquaintance with and due Consideration of the Work of the Spirit of God upon his Humane Nature which is therefore worthy of our most diligent enquiry into And so have we given a brief delineation of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit in and towards the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ the Head of the Church his preparation of a Mystical Body for him in his Powerful Gracious Work on the Elect of God doth nextly ensue The General Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation with respect unto the Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head CHAP. V. 1 Christ the Head of the New Creation 2. Things premised in general unto the remaining Work of the Spirit Things presupposed unto the Work of the Spirit towards the Church the Love and Grace of Father and Son 3. The whole Work of the building of the Church committed to the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. opened 4. The Foundation of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit and its Building by him alone 5. Christ present with his Church only by his Spirit Mat. 28. 19. Acts 1. 9 10. Acts 3. 21. Mat. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16. compared 6. The Holy Spirit works the Work of Christ John 16. 13 14 15. opened 7. The Holy Spirit the peculiar Author of all Grace 8. The Holy Spirit worketh all this according to his own Will 1. His Will and Pleasure is in all his Works 2. He works variously as to the Kinds and Degrees of his Operations How he may be resisted how not 9 How the same Work is ascribed unto the Spirit distinctly and to others with him 10. The General Heads of his Operations towards the Church Sect. 1 VVE have considered the Work of the Spirit of God in his laying the Foundation of the Church of the New Testament by his Dispensations towards the Head of it our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Foundation Stone of this Building with seven Eyes engraven on him or filled with an absolute perfection of all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Zech. 3. 9. which when he is exalted also as the Head Stone in the Corner there are shoutings in Heaven and Earth crying Grace Grace unto him Zech. 4. 7. As upon the laying of the Foundation and placing of the Corner Stones of the Earth in the Old Creation the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy Job 38. 6 7. So upon the laying of this Foundation and placing of this Corner Stone in the New Creation all things sing together and cry Grace Grace unto it The same Hand which laid this Foundation doth also finish the Building The same Spirit which was given unto him not by Measure Joh. 3. 34. giveth Grace unto every one of us according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. And this falleth now under our Consideration namely the perfecting the Work of the New Creation by the effectual Operation and Distributions of the Spirit of God And this belongs unto the Establishment of our Faith that he who Prepared Sanctified and Glorified the Humane Nature the Natural Body of Jesus Christ the Head of the Church hath undertaken to Prepare Sanctifie and Glorifie his Mystical Body or all the Elect given unto him of the Father Concerning which before we come to consider particular Instances some things in general must be premised which are these that follow Sect. 2 First Unto the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church some things are supposed from whence it proceeds which it is built upon and resolved into It is not an Original but a Perfecting Work some things it supposeth and bringeth all things to perfection And these are First The Love Grace Counsel and Eternal Purpose of the Father 2. The whole Work of the Mediation of Jesus Christ which things I have handled elsewhere For it is the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit to make those things of the Father and Son effectual unto the Souls of the Elect to the Praise of the Glory of the Grace of God God doth all things for himself and his Supream End is the manifestation of his own Glory And in the Old or First Creation he seems principally or firstly to intend the Demonstration and Exaltation of the Glorious Essential Properties of his Nature his Goodness Power Wisdom and the like as Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Acts 14. 15 16 17. Acts 7. 24 25 26 27. leaving only on the Works of his Hands some obscure Impressions of the distinction of Persons subsisting in the Unity of that Being whose Properties he had displayed and glorified But in the Work of the New Creation God firstly and principally intends the especial Revelation of each Person of the whole Trinity distinctly in their peculiar distinct Operations all which tend ultimately to the manifestation of the Glory of his Nature also And herein consists the principal Advantage of the New Testament above the Old for although the Work of the New Creation was begun and carried on Secretly and Virtually under the Old Testament yet they had not a full discovery of the Oeconomy of the Holy Trinity therein which was not evidently manifest until the whole Work was illustriously brought to Light by the Gospel Hence although there appear a vigorous acting of Faith and ardency of Affection in the Approaches of the Saints unto God under the Old Testament yet as unto a clear access to the Father through the Son by the Spirit as Ephes. 2. 18. wherein the Life and Comfort of our Communion with God doth consist we hear nothing of it Herein therefore God plainly declares that the Foundation of the Whole was laid in the Counsel Will and Grace of the Father Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. Then that the making way for the accomplishing of that Counsel of his so that it might be brought forth to the praise of his Glory is by the Mediation of the Son God having designed in this Work to bring things so about that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the
and to make them his Temple thereby then is the Holy Spirit God for he it is who according to that Promise thus dwelleth in them So Deut. 32. 12. speaking of the People in the Wilderness he saith The Lord alone did lead him And yet speaking of the same People at the same time it is said That the Spirit of the Lord did lead them and caused them to rest Isa. 63. 14. The Spirit of the Lord therefore is Jehovah or Jehovah alone did not lead them That also which is called in the same People their sinning against God and provoking the most High in the Wilderness Psalm 78. 17 18. is termed their rebelling against and vexing the Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. And many other Instances of an alike Nature have been pleaded and vindicated by others Sect. 32 Add hereunto in the last place that Divine Properties are assigned unto him As Eternity Heb. 9. 14. He is the Eternal Spirit Immensity Psalm 139. 7. Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit Omnipotency Micah 2. 8. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitned compared with Isa. 40. 28. The Power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15. 19. Prescience Acts 1. 16. This Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the Mouth of David spake before concerning Judas Omniscience 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Sovereign Authority over the Church Acts 13. 3. Acts 20. 28. The Divine Works also which are assigned unto him are usually and to good purpose pleaded in the vindication of the same Truth But these in the progress of our Discourse I shall have occasion distinctly to consider and inquire into and therefore shall not in this place insist upon them What hath been proposed cleared and confirmed may suffice as unto our present purpose that we may know who He is concerning whom his Works and Grace we do design to Treat Sect. 33 I have but one thing more to add concerning the Being and Personality of the Holy Spirit And this is that in the Order of Subsistence He is the Third Person in the Holy Trinity So it is expressed in the solemn Numeration of them where their Order gives great direction unto Gospel-Worship and Obedience Matth. 28. 18. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost This Order I confess in their Numeration because of the Equality of the Persons in the same Nature is sometimes varied So Rev. 1. 4 5. Grace be unto you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne and from Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit under the name of the seven Spirits before the Throne of God because of his various and perfect Operations in and towards the Church is reckoned up in order before the Son Jesus Christ. And so in Paul's euctical conclusion unto his Epistles the Son is placed before the Father 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all And some think that the Holy Ghost is mentioned in the first place Col. 2. 2. The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. In this expression of them therefore we may use our liberty they being all one God over all blessed for ever But in their true and natural Order of Subsistence and consequently of Operation the Holy Spirit is the Third Person For as to his Personal Subsistence he proceedeth from the Father and the Son being equally the Spirit of them both as hath been declared This constitutes the natural Order between the Persons which is unalterable On this depends the Order of his Operation for his working is a consequent of the Order of his Subsistence Thus the Father is said to send him and so is the Son also John 14. 16 26. Chap. 16. 7. And he is thus said to be sent by the Father and the Son because he is the Spirit of the Father and Son proceeding from both and is the next cause in the Application of the Trinity unto External Works But as he is thus sent so his own Will is equally in and unto the Work for which he is sent As the Father is said to send the Son and yet it was also his own Love and Grace to come unto us and to save us And this ariseth from hence that in the whole Oeconomy of the Trinity as to the Works that outwardly are of God especially the Works of Grace the order of the Subsistence of the Persons in the same Nature is represented unto us and they have the same dependance on each other in their Operations as they have in their Subsistence The Father is the Fountain of all as in Being and Existence so in Operation The Son is of the Father begotten of him and therefore as unto his Work is sent by him But his own Will is in and unto what he is sent about The Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son and therefore is sent and given by them as to all the Works which he immediately effecteth but yet his own Will is the direct Principle of all that he doth He divideth unto every one according to his own Will And thus much may suffice to be spoken about the Being of the Holy Spirit and the order of his Subsistence in the Blessed Trinity Peculiar Works of the HOLY SPIRIT in the First or Old Creation CHAP. IV. 1. Things to be observed in Divine Operations The Works of God how ascribed absolutely unto God and how distinctly to each Person 2. The Reason hereof 3. Perfecting Acts in Divine Works ascribed unto the Holy Spirit and why 4 5. Peculiar Works of the Spirit with respect unto the Old Creation 6. The Parts of the Old Creation Heaven and its Host. What the Host of Heaven The Host of the Earth 7. The Host of Heaven compleated by the Spirit 8. And of the Earth 9. His moving on the Old Creation Psal. 104. 30. 10. The Creation of Man the Work of the Spirit therein 11 12 13 14 15. The Work of the Spirit in the preservation of all things when created Natural and Moral 16. Farther Instances thereof in and out of the Church 17. Work of the Spirit of God in the Old Creation why sparingly delivered Sect. 1 INtending to treat of the Operations of the Holy Ghost or those which are peculiar unto him some things must be premised concerning the Operation of the Godhead in general and the manner thereof And they are such as are needful to guide us in many Passages of the Scripture and to direct us aright in the Things in particular which now lie before us I say then 1. that all Divine Operations are usually ascribed unto God absolutely So it is said God made all things and so of all other Works whether in Nature or in
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
who is so and on the other that sundry things that properly belong to Persons are in the Scripture figuratively ascribed unto such things as are not so Thus as to the first head of this Exception the Holy Spirit is said to be poured out to be shed abroad to be an Unction or the like of all which Expressions we shal treat afterwards What then shall we say that he is not a Person but only the Power of God Will this render those Expressions concerning him proper How can the Vertue of God or the Power of God be said to be poured out to be shed abroad the like Wherefore both they and we acknowledg that these Expressions are figurative as many things are so expressed of God in the Scripture and that frequently and what is the meaning of them under their figurative Colours we shall afterwards declare This therefore doth not in the least impeach our Argument unless this Assertion were true generally that whatever is spoken of figuratively in the Scripture is no Person which would leave no One in Heaven or Earth On the other side it is confessed that there are things peculiar unto rational Subsistents or Persons which are ascribed sometimes unto those that are not so Many things of this Nature as to hope to believe to bear are ascribed unto Charity 1 Cor. 13. But every one presently apprehends that this Expression is figurative the Abstract being put for the Cencrete by a Metalepsis and Charity is said to do that which a Man endued with that Grace will doe So the Scripture is said to see to foresee to speak and to judg which are Personal Actings but who doth not see and grant that a Metonymy is and must be allowed in such assignations that being ascribed unto the Effect the Scripture which is proper to the Cause the Spirit of God speaking in it So the Heavens and the Earth are said the hear and the Fields with the Trees of the Forrest to sing and clap their hands by a Prosopopeia Now concerning these things there is no danger of Mistake The Light of Reason and their own Nature therein do give us a sufficient understanding of them And such figurative Expressions as are used concerning them are common in all Good Authors Besides the Scripture it self in other Places innumerable doth so teach and declare what they are as that its plain and direct proper Assertions do sufficiently expound its own figurative Enunciations For these and such like Ascriptions are only occasional the direct description of the Things themselves is given us in other Places But now with respect unto the Spirit of God all things are otherwise The constant uniform Expressions concerning him are such as declare him to be a Person endowed with all Personal Propertys no Description being any-where given of him inconsistent with their proper Application to him Sect. 10 If a Sober Wise and Honest Man should come and tell you that in such a Countrey where he hath been there is One who is the Governour of it that doth well discharge his Office that he heareth Causes discerneth Right distributes Justice relieves the Poor comforts them that are in distress supposing you gave him that Credit which Honesty Wisedom and Sobriety do deserve would you not believe that he intended a Righteous Wise Diligent Intelligent Person discharging the Office of a Governour What else could any Man living imagine But now suppose that another unknown Person or so far as he is known justly suspected of deceit and forgery should come unto you and tell you that all which the other informed you and acquainted you withal was indeed true but that the words which he spake have quite another Intention For it was not a Man or any Person that he intended but it was the Sun or the Wind that he meant by all which he spake of him For whereas the Sun by his benign Influences doth make a Countrey fruitful and temperate suited to the Relief and Comfort of all that dwell therein and disposeth the Minds of the Inhabitants unto mutual Kindness and Benignity he described these things figuratively unto you under the notion of a Righteous Governour and his Actions although he never gave you the least intimation of any such Intention Must you not now believe that either the First Person whom you know to be a Wise Sober and Honest Man was a Notorious trister and designed your Ruine if you were to Order any of your occasions according to his Reports or that your latter Informer whom you have just reason to suspect of falsehood and deceit in other things hath endeavoured to abuse both him and you to render his Veracity suspected and to spoyl all your Designs grounded thereon One of these you must certainly conclude upon And it is no otherwise in this Case The Scripture informes us that the Holy Ghost Rules in and over the Church of God appointing Overseers of it under him that he discerns and judgeth all things that he comforteth them that are faint strengthens them that are weak is grieved with them and provoked by them who sin and that in all these and in other things of the like Nature innumerable he worketh ordereth and disposeth all according to the Counsel of his Own Willl Hereupon it directeth us so to order our Conversation towards God that we do not grieve him nor displease him telling us thereon what great things he will doe for us on which we lay the stress of our Obedience and Salvation Can any Man possibly that gives Credit to the Testimony thus proposed in the Scripture conceive any otherwise of this Spirit but as of an Holy Wise Intelligent Person Now whilst we are under the Power of these Apprehensions there come unto us some Men Socinians or Quakers whom we have just cause on many other Accounts to suspect at least of deceit and falsehood and they confidently tell us that what the Scripture speaks concerning the Holy Spirit is indeed true but that in and by all the Expressions which it useth concerning him it intendeth no such Person as it seems to do but an Accident a Quality an Effect or Influence of the Power of God which figuratively doth all the things mentioned namely that hath a Will figuratively and Understanding figuratively discerneth and judgeth figuratively is sinned against figuratively and so of all that is said of Him Can any Man that is not forsaken of all Natural Reason as well as Spiritual Light chuse now but determine that either the Scripture designed to draw him into Errors and Mistakes about the Principal Concernments of his Soul and so to ruine him Eternally or that these Persons who would impose such a sense upon it are indeed Corrupt Seducers that seek to overthrow his Faith and Comforts Such will they at last appear to be I shall now proceed to confirm the Argument proposed Sect. 11 1. All things necessary to this purpose are comprized in the solemn Form of our
them where they are removed and taken away but they cannot teach without him unto the least Spiritual Advantage And those who pretend to be Teachers of others and yet despise his teaching Assistance will one day find that they undertook a Work which was none of theirs But as unto our use of this Assertion it is excepted that the Apostle affirms that Nature also teacheth us 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not even Nature it self teach you Now Nature is not a Person This is the way and manner of them with whom we have to do If any word in a Testimony produced by us have been any where used metaphorically though it be never so evident that it is so used in that place instantly it must have the same figurative Application in the Testimony excepted against although they can give no Reason why it should so signifie And if this course of excepting be allowed there will be nothing left intelligible in the Scripture nor in any other Author nor in common Conversation in the World For there is scarce any Word or Name of thing but one where or other is or hath been abused or used Metaphorically In particular Nature in this place of the Apostle is said to teach us objectively as the Heavens and Earth teach us in what we learn from them For it is said to teach us what we may learn from the customs and actings of them who live proceed and act according to the Principles Dictates and Inclinations of it Every one sees that here is no intimation of an active teaching by Instruction or a reall Communication of Knowledg but it is said figuratively to do what we do with respect unto it And not only in several places but in the same Sentence a word may be used properly with respect unto one thing and abusively with respect unto another As in that saying of the Poet Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem Fortunam ex aliis For Vertue and Industry are to be learned properly but Fortune as they called it or prosperous Events are not so These things therefore are very different and their difference is obvious unto all But we insist not meerly on this or that particular Instance Let any Man not absolutely prepossessed with prejudice read over that Discourse of our Saviour unto his Disciples wherein he purposely instructs them in the Nature and Work of the Spirit of God on whom as it were he then devolved the care of them and the Gospel according unto the Promise John 14 15 16 Chap. and he will need no farther Instruction or Confirmation in this Matter He is there frequently called the Comforter the Name of a Person and that vested with an Office with respect unto the Work that he would do and another Comforter in answer and conformity unto the Lord Christ who was one Comforter and a Person as all grant Chap. 14. 16. If he be not so the intention of this Expression with these Circumstances must be to deceive us and not instruct us He tells them moreover that he is one whom the World neither sees nor knows but who abideth with and dwelleth in Believers v. 17. One whom the Father would send and who would come accordingly and that to teach them to lead and guide them and to bring things to their remembrance v. 26. A Comforter that should come and testifie or bear witness unto him Chap. 15. 26. One that should be sent of Him to reprove the world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Chap. 16. 7 8. and abide with his Disciples to supply his own bodily absence So is he said to Speak Guide Teach Hear to receive of Christ and to shew it unto others v. 13 14. with sundry other things of the same Nature and Importance And these things are not spoken of him occasionally or in transitu but in a direct continued Discourse designed on purpose by our Lord Jesus Christ to acquaint his Disciples who he was and what he would do for them And if there were nothing spoken of him in the whole Scripture but what is here declared by our Saviour all unprejudiced Men must and would acknowledg him to be a Divine Person And it is a confidence swelling above all bounds of Modesty to suppose that because one or other of these things are or may be Metaphorically or Metaleptically ascribed unto this or that thing which are not Persons when the figurativeness of such an Ascription is plain and open that therefore they are all of them in like manner so ascribed unto the Holy Ghost in that Discourse of our Saviour unto his Disciples wherein he designed the Instruction of them as above declared Of the same Nature is that which we discoursed before concerning his searching of all things from 1 Cor. 2. 11. which as it proves him to be an understanding Agent so it undeniably denotes a Personal Action Such also are the things mentioned Rom. 8. 15 16 26. He helpeth our Infirmities he maketh intercession for us He himself beareth witness with our Spirits the particular meaning of all which Expressions shall be afterwards enquired into Here the only refuge of our Adversaries is to cry up a Prosopopaeia Schlicting p. 627. But how do they prove it Only by saying that these things belong properly to a Person which the Spirit is not Now this is nothing but to set up their own false Hypothesis against our Arguments and not being able to contend with the Premises to deny the Conclusion Sect. 26 There are two other places of this Nature both to the same purpose sufficient of themselves to confirm our Faith in the Truth pleaded for And these are Acts 13. 2 4. As they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed The other is Acts 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers These places hold a good correspondence and what is reported in an extraordinary case as matter of Fact in the first is doctrinally applyed unto ordinary Cases in the latter And two things are remarkable in the first Place 1. The Holy Ghost's designation of Himself as the Person unto whom and whose Work Barnabas and Saul were to be separated and dedicated Saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not separate me as in our Translation making the Spirit onely the Author of the Command but separate unto me which proposeth him also as the Object of the Duty required and the Person whose Work was to be attended Who or what then is intended by that Pronoun Me Some Person is directed unto and signified thereby Nor can any Instance be given where it is so much as figuratively used unless it be in a professed Parable That remains therefore to be enquired into Who is intended in that word Me And the words are the words
Grace And the reason hereof is because the several Persons are individed in their Operations acting all by the same Will the same Wisdom the same Power Every Person therefore is the Author of every Work of God because each Person is God and the Divine Nature is the same individed Principle of all Divine Operations And this ariseth from the Unity of the Persons in the same Essence But as to the manner of Subsistence therein there is Distinction Relation and Order between and among them And hence there is no Divine Work but is distinctly assigned unto each Person and eminently unto one So is it in the Works of the Old Creation and so in the New and in all particulars of them Thus the Creation of the World is distinctly ascribed to the Father as his Work Acts 4. 24. And to the Son as his John 1. 3. and also to the Holy Spirit Job 33. 4. but by the way of eminence to the Father and absolutely to God who is Father Son and Holy Spirit Sect. 2 The Reason therefore why the Works of God are thus distinctly ascribed unto each Person is because in the individed Operation of the Divine Nature each Person doth the same Work in the Order of their Subsistence not one as the Instrument of the other or meerly employed by the other but as one common Principle of Authority Wisdom Love and Power How come they then eminently to be assigned one to one Person another to another As unto the Father are assigned Opera Naturae the Works of Nature or the Old Creation to the Son Opera Gratiae procuratae all Divine Operations that belong unto the recovery of Mankind by Grace and unto the Spirit Opera Gratiae applicatae the Works of God whereby Grace is made effectual unto us And this is done 1. when any especial Impression is made of the especial property of any Person on any Work then is that work assigned peculiarly to that Person So there is of the Power and Authority of the Father on the Old Creation and of the Grace and Wisdom of the Son on the New 2. Where there is a peculiar condescention of any Person unto a Work wherein the others have no concurrence but by Approbation and Consent Such was the susception of the Humane Nature by the Son and all that he did therein And such was the Condescention of the Holy Ghost also unto his Office which intitles him peculiarly and by way of Eminence unto his own immediate Works Sect. 3 2. Whereas the Order of Operation among the Distinct Persons depends on the Order of their Subsistence in the Blessed Trinity in every great Work of God the Concluding Compleating Perfecting Acts are ascribed unto the Holy Ghost This we shall find in all the Instances of them that will fall under our consideration Hence the immediate actings of the Spirit are the most hidden curious and mysterious as those which contain the perfecting part of the Works of God Some seem willing to exclude all thoughts or mention of him from the Works of God but indeed without him no part of any Work of God is perfect or compleat The beginning of Divine Operations is assigned unto the Father as he is fons origo Deitatis the Fountain of the Deity it self Of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. 32. The subsisting establishing and upholding of all things is ascribed unto the Son He is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. As he made all things with the Father so he gives them a consistency a permanency in a peculiar manner as he is the Power and Wisdom of the Father He upholds all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. And the finishing and perfecting of all these Works is ascribed to the Holy Spirit as we shall see I say not this as though one Person succeeded unto another in their Operation or as though where one ceased and gave over a Work the other took it up and carried it on For every Divine Work and every part of every Divine Work is the Work of God that is of the whole Trinity unseparably and undividedly But on these Divine Works which outwardly are of God there is an especial impression of the order of the Operation of each Person with respect unto their natural and necessarie Subsistence as also with regard unto their internal Characteristical Properties whereby we are distinctly taught to know them and adore them And the due Consideration of this order of things will direct us in the right understanding of the proposals that are made unto our Faith concerning God in his Works and Word Sect. 4 These things being premised we proceed to consider what are the peculiar Operations of the Holy Spirit as revealed unto us in the Scripture Now all the Works of God may be referred unto two Heads 1. Those of Nature 2. Those of Grace Or the Works of the Old and New Creation And we must enquire what are the especial Operations of the Holy Spirit in and about these Works which shall be distinctly explained Sect. 5 The Work of the Old Creation had two Parts 1. That which concerned the inanimate Part of it in general with the Influence it had into the Production of animated or Living but bruit Creatures 2. The Rational or Intelligent Part of it with the Law of its Obedience unto God the especial Uses and Ends for which it was made In both these sorts we shall enquire after and consider the especial Works of the Holy Spirit Sect. 6 The general Parts of the Creation are the Heavens and the Earth Gen. 1. 1. In the Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth and what belongs unto them is called their Host. Gen. 2. 1. The Heavens and the Earth were finished and all their Host. The Host of Heaven is the Sun Moon and Stars and the Angels themselves So are they called 1 Kings 22. 19. I saw the Lord sitting on his Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left That is all the Holy angels as Dan. 7. 10. 2 Chron. 18. 18. And the Host of God Gen. 32. 1 2. And Jacob went on his Way and the Angels of God met him and when Jacob saw them he said this is God's Host. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word he useth signifieth an Host encamped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 13. The Heavenly Host or Army The Sun Moon and stars are also called the Host of Heaven Deut. 4 19. And lest thou shouldest lift up thine Eys unto Heaven and when thou seest the Sun and the Moon and the Stars even all the Host of Heaven So Isa. 34. 4. Jerem. 33. 22. This was that Host of Heaven which the Jews Idolatrously Worshipped Jerem. 8. 2. They shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon and all the Host of Heaven whom
they have Loved and whom they have served after whom they have Walked and whom they have sought and whom they have Worshipped The Expressions are multiplied to shew that they used all ways of ascribing that Divine Honour unto them which was due to God alone whom only they ought to have Loved to have Served to have Walked after to have Sought and Worshipped So Chap. 19. 13. This they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Queen of Heaven Jerem. 44. 17. Because of its Beauty and Adornings The Host of the Earth is men and Beasts with all other Creatures that either grow out of it or live upon it and are nourished by it And these things are called the Host of Heaven and Earth upon a double Account 1. Because of their Order and beautiful Disposition An Host properly is a Number of Men put into a certain Order for some certain End or Purpose And all their strength and Power all their Terror and Beauty consisteth in and ariseth from that Order Without this they are but a confused Multitude But an Host or Army with Banners is beautiful and terrible Cant. 6. 10. Before things were cast into this Order the Universe was as it were full of Confusion it had no beauty nor Glory for the Earth was void and without form Gen. 1. 2. Hence the Vulgar Latine in this Place renders the Word by Ornatus eorum all their Beauty and Adorning For the Creation and Beautiful disposal of these Hosts gave them Beauty and Ornament and thence do the Greeks call the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an Adorned thing 2. Because all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are God's Armys to accomplish his irresistible Will and Pleasure Hence he often stiles himself the Lord of Hosts of both these Hosts that above of the Heavens the Holy Angels and the Celestial Bodies and that of all Creatures beneath in the Earth For all these he useth and applyeth at his Pleasure to do his will and execute his Judgments Thus One of those Angels slew an whole Host of men in one Night Isa. 37. 36. And it is said that the Stars in their Courses fought against Sisera Judg. 5. 20. God overruled the Influences of Heaven against them though it may be Angels also are here intended And among the meanest Creatures of the Earth he calls Locusts and Caterpillars when he sends them to destroy a Countrey for sin his Host or Army Joel 2. 11. This by the Way Sect. 7 Now the Forming and perfecting of this Host of Heaven and Earth is that which is assigned peculiarly to the Spirit of God And hereby the Work of Creation was compleated and finished First for the Heavens Job 26. 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Or rather His Spirit hath garnished For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agrees with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit and not with He and the word signifies to adorn to make fair to render beautifull to the Eye Thus the Heavens were garnished by the Spirit of God when by the Creation and disposal of the aspectable Host of them he rendred them so glorious and beautiful as we behold So the Targum His Spirit beautified the Face of the Heavens or gave them that comely beauty and Order wherein their Face appeareth unto us Hence the Heavens as adorned with the Moon and the Stars are said to be the Work of God's fingers Psal. 8. 3. That is not only those which were powerfully made but also Curiously wrought and adorned by the Spirit of God For by the finger or fingers of God the Spirit of God is in an especial manner intended Hence those words of our Saviour Luk. 11. 20. but if I with the finger of God do cast out Devils Matth. 12. 28. are if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God By him were the Heavens as it were curiously wrought adorned garnished rendred beautiful and Glorious to shew forth the Praise of his Power and Wisdom Psal. 19. 1. And by the Crooked Serpent which is added to the garnishing of the Heavens the Hebrews understand the Galaxie or Milky way which to the Eye represents the moving or wirthing of a Serpent in the Water This then is peculiarly assigned to the Spirit with respect to the Heavens and their Host the compleating finishing Work is ascribed unto him which we must understand by the Rules before mentioned and not exclusively to the other Persons Sect. 8 And thus was it also in the Earth God first out of nothing created the Earth which comprized the whole Inferior Globe which afterwards divided itself into Seas and dry Land as the Heavens contain in that Expression of their Creation all that is above and over it The whole Material Mass of Earth and Water wherewith probably the more solid and firm substance was covered and as it were overwhelmed is intended by that Earth which was first Created For immediately there is mention made of the Deeps and the Waters without any intimation of their Production but what is contained in that of the Creation of the Earth Gen. 1. 2. This Mass being thus framed and mixed the Spirit of God moved on the Face of the Waters not taken distinctly but as containing that radical Humour which was the Material Principle of Life and Being unto all Creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word Merachepheth signifies an easy gentle motion such as a Dove or other Fowl useth over its Nest or Young Ones either to communicate Vital heat unto its Eggs or to cherish and defend its Young And this will no way consist with that Exposition which some would give in this place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruah they say here signifies the Wind as it doth sometimes and it is called the Wind of God because it was great and mighty For this Phrase of Speech is usual in the Sacred Language to set out the Greatness and Singular Eminency of any thing So a great trembling is called a trembling of God 1 Sam. 14. 15. the Cedars of God and the like But 1. When was this Wind Created The Meteors were not made before the fourth Day with the Firmament the Place of their Residence And whence or what this Wind should be is not to be discovered 2. The Word here used signifies such an easy and gentle Motion as is in Birds when they move themselves upon their Nests And it is but three times used in the Scripture In this Place and Deut. 32. 11. Jerem. 23. 9. In Deut. it is expresly applyed unto the Motion of an Eagle over her young for their safety protection and growth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Eagle fluttereth spreading her Wings over her Young and in the other Place we render it shake All My bones shake that is are in a trembling Motion like the feathers of a fowl over her Nest. No such great and Violent Wind therefore as from thence should be called a Wind of
received And although the direct end of some of them be not the Spiritual Good of them on whom they are bestowed but the Edification of others for the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 4. 12 17. yet there is that excellency and worth in them and that use may be made of them as to turn greatly to the advantage of them that receive them For although they are not Grace yet they serve to stir up and give an edg unto Grace and to draw it out unto Exercise whereby it is strengthened and increased And they have an influence into Glory For it is by the Abilities which they give that some are made wise effectual Instruments for the turning of many to Righteousness who shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. But the Unbelief Ingratitude and Lusts of Men can spoil these and any other good things whatever And these things will afterwards in particular fall under our Consideration In general to be made Partaker of the Holy Ghost is an inestimable Priviledg and Advantage and as such is proposed by our Saviour John 14. 17. Sect. 8 Secondly God is said to SEND him Psal. 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit John 14. 26. The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my Name This is also spoken of the Son I will send unto you the Comforter from the Father John 15. 26. John 16. 7. And in the accomplishment of that Promise it is said he poured him forth Acts 2. 33. Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son in your hearts and in other places the same Expression is used Now this upon the matter i◠the same with the former of Giving him arguing the same Authority the same Freedom the same Bounty Only the word naturally includes in its signification a respect unto a local Motion He which is sent removeth from the place where he was from whence He is sent unto a place where he was not whither he was sent Now this cannot properly be spoken of the Holy Ghost For he being God by Nature is naturally omnipresent and an Omnipresence is inconsistent with a Local Mutation So the Psalmist expresly Psal. 139. 7 8. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into Heaven c. There must therefore a Metaphor be allowed in this Expression but such a One as the Scripture by the frequent use of it hath rendred familiar unto us Thus God is said to arise out of his place to bow the Heavens and come down to come down and see what is done in the Earth Gen. 18. 21. Isa. 64. 1. That these things are not spoken properly of God who is immense all men acknowledg But where God begins to work in any place in any kind where before he did not do so he is said to come thither For so must we do we must come to a place before we can work in it Thus the Sending of the Holy Ghost includeth two things as added unto his being Given 1. That He was not before in or with that Person or amongst those Persons for that especial Work and End which he is sent for He may be in them and with them in one respect and be afterwards said to be sent unto them in another So our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth to send the Holy Ghost unto his Disciples as a Comforter whom they had received before as a Sanctifier I will saith he send him unto you and you know him for he dwelleth with you John 14. 17. He did so as a Sanctifier before he came unto them as a Comforter But in every coming of His He is sent for one especial Work or another And this sufficiently manifests that in his Gifts and Graces he is not common unto all A supposition thereof would leave no place for this especial Act of sending him which is done by Choice and Distinction of the Object Much less is he a Light which is alwayes in all Men and which all Men may be in if they please For this neither is nor can be absent in any sense from any one at any time 2. It denotes as especial Work there or on them where and on whom there was none before of that kind For this cause is he said to be sent of the Father No Local Motion then is intended in this Expression only there is an allusion thereunto For as a Creature cannot produce any Effects where it is not until it either be sent thither or go thither of its own accord So the Holy Ghost produceth not the blessed Effects of his Power and Grace but in and towards them unto whom he is given and sent by the Father How in answer hereunto he is said himself to come shall be afterwards declared And it is the Person of the Spirit which is said to be thus sent For this belongs unto that Holy Dispensation of the several Persons of the Trinity in the Work of our Salvation And herein the Spirit in all his Operations is considered as sent of the Father for the Reasons before often intimated Sect. 9 Thirdly God is said to MINISTER the Spirit Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that gives you continual or abundant supplies of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to give a sufficiency of any thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are dimensum a sufficiency of Provision And addition thereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the Communication of the Spirit is expressed Phil. 1. 19. For I know that this shall turn to my Salvation through your Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the additional supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That Spirit and its Assistance he had before received but He yet stood in need of a daily further supply So is the word used constantly for the adding of one thing to another or one degree of the same thing unto another 2 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 add to your Faith Vertue or in your Faith make an increase of Vertue When therefore God is thus said to Minister the Spirit it is his continual giving out of Additional Supplies of his Grace by his Spirit which is intended For the Holy Spirit is a voluntary Agent and distributes unto every one as he will When therefore he is given and sent unto any his Operations are limited by his own Will and the Will of him that sends him And therefore do we stand in need of supplies of him and from him which are the principal Subject Matter of our Prayers in this World Sect. 10 Fourthly God is said to PUT his Spirit in or upon Men and this also belongeth unto the manner of his Dispensation Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold I have put my Holy Spirit upon
Inward Representations unto their Minds 1. There were sometimes appearances of Persons or Things made to their outward Senses And herein God made use of the Ministry of Angels Thus three Men appeared unto Abraham Gen. 18. 1 2. one whereof was the Son of God himself the other two Ministring Angels as hath been proved elsewhere So was the Burning Bush which Moses saw Exod. 3. 2. The Appearances without similitude of any living thing on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law Exod. 19. The Man that Joshua saw at the Siege of Jericho Chap. 5. 13 14. Such were the Seething-Pot and Almond-Rod seen by Jeremiah Chap. 1. 11 14. as also his Baskets of Figs and many more of the like kind might be instanced in In these Cases God made Representations of Things unto their outward Senses 2. They were made sometimes only to their Minds So it is said expresly that when Peter saw his Vision of a Sheet knit at the four Corners and let down from Heaven to Earth he was in a Trance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 10. 10. An Extasie seized on him whereby for a season he was deprived of the use of his bodily Senses And to this Head I refer Daniel's and the Apocalyptical Visions Especially I do so all those wherein a Representation was made of God himself and his Glorious Throne Such as that of Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 18. and Isa. 6. 1. Ezek. 1. 3 4 5. It is evident that in all these there was no use of the bodily Senses of the Prophets but onely their Minds were affected with the Idea's and Representation of Things But this was so effectual as that they understood not but that they also made use of their visive Faculty Hence Peter when he was actually delivered out of Prison thought a good while that he had only seen a Vision Acts 12. 9. for he knew how powerfully the Mind was wont to be affected by them Now these Visions of both sorts were granted unto the Prophets to confirm their Minds in the Apprehension of the Things communicated unto them for the instruction of others For hereby they were deeply affected with them whereunto a clear Idea and Representation on of things doth effectually tend But yet two things were required to render these Visions direct and compleat Parts of Divine Revelation 1. That the Minds of the Prophets were acted guided and raised in a due manner by the Holy Spirit for the receiving of them this gave them their Assurance that their Visions were from God 2. His enabling them faithfully to retain and infallibly to declare what was so represented unto them For instance Ezekiel receiveth a Vision by way of Representation unto his Mind of a Glorious Fabrick of a Temple to instruct the Church in the Spiritual Glory and Beauty of Gospel-Worship which was to be introduced Chap. 44. 4 5 6 c. It seems utterly impossible for the Mind of Man to conceive and retain at once all the Harmonious Structure Dimensions and Laws of the Fabrick represented This was the peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost namely to implant and preserve the Idea presented unto him on his Mind and to enable him accurately and infallibly to declare it So David affirms that the Spirit of God made him to understand the Pattern of the Temple built by Solomon in writing by his hand upon him Sect. 15 Secondly There were some Accidental Adjuncts of Prophesie which at some times accompanied it In the Revelation of the Will of God to the Prophets they were sometimes enjoyned Symbolical Actions So Isaiah was commanded to walk naked and bare-foot Isa. 20. 1 2 3. Jeremiah to dispose of a Linnen Girdle Chap. 13. 1 2. Ezekiel to lie in the Siege Chap. 4. 1 2 3 4. and to remove the Stuff of his House Chap. 12. 3 4. Hosea to take a Wife of Whoredoms and Children of Whoredoms Hos. 1. 2. I shall be brief in what is frequently spoken unto Some of these things as Isaiah's going Naked and Hoseah's taking a Wife of Whoredoms contain things in them against the Light of Nature and the express Law of God and of evil example unto others None of these therefore can be granted to have been actually done only these things were represented unto them in Visions to take the deeper impression upon them And what they saw or did in Vision they speak positively of their so seeing or doing see Ezek. 8. 3 4. For the other Instances I know nothing but that the things reported might be really performed and not in Vision only And it is plain that Ezekiel was commanded to do the things he did in the sight of the People for their more evident conviction Chap. 12. 4 5 6. and on the sight whereof they made enquiry what those things belonged unto them Chap. 24. 19. Sect. 16 Secondly Their Revelations were accompanied with Local Mutations or their being carried and transported from one place unto another So was it with Ezekiel Chap. 8. 3. 11. 24. And it is expresly said that it was in the Visions of God Falling by Divine Dispensation into a Trance or Extasie wherein their outward Senses were suspended their Operation their Minds and Understandings were unto their own Apprehension carried in a Holy Rapture from one place unto another which was effected only by a Divine and Efficacious Representation of the things unto them which were done in the places from whence they were really absent And these are some of those Accidents of Prophetical Revelations which are recorded in the Scripture and it is possible that some other Instances of the like nature may be observed And all these belong to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or manifold variety of Divine Revelations mentioned Heb. 1. 1. Sect. 17 But here a doubt of no small Difficulty nor of less Importance presents it self unto us Namely whether the Holy Ghost did ever grant his Holy Inspirations and the Gift of Propheste thereby unto Men wicked and unsanctified For the Apostle Peter tells us that Holy Men spake of old as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. which seems to intimate that all those who were inspired and moved by him as to this Gift of Prophesie were Holy Men of God And yet on the other hand we shall find that true Prophesies have been given out by Men seeming utterly void of all sanctifying Grace And to increase the difficulty it is certain that great Predictions and those with respect unto Christ himself have been given and made by Men guided and acted for the most part by the Devil So was it with Balaam who was a Sorcerer that gave himself to Diabolical Enchantments and Divinations and as such a one was destroyed by God's Appointment Yea at or about the same time wherein he uttered a most Glorious Prophesie concerning the Messiah the Star of Jacob being left unto his own Spirit and Inclination he gave cursed Advice and Counsel for the drawing of
and Expressions of the Scripture and the Notions of some Men among us There is not any thing that is good in us nothing that is done well by us in the way of Obedience but the Scripture expressely and frequently assigns it unto the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit in us It doth so in general as to all gracious Actings whatever and not content therewith it proposeth every Grace and every Holy Duty distinctly affirming the Holy Ghost to be the immediate Author of them And when it comes to make mention of us it positively indeed prescribes our Duty to us but as plainly lets us know that we have no power in or from our selves to perform it But some men speak and preach and write utterly to another purpose The Freedom Liberty Power and Ability of our own Wills the Light Guidance and Direction of our own Minds Reasons and from all our own Performance of all the Duties of Faith and Obedience are the 〈◊〉 of their Discourses and that in Opposition unto what is aâ—â—â—bed in the Scriptures unto the Immediate Operations of the Holy Ghost They are all for Grace Not I but Grace not I but Christ without him we can do nothing These are all for our Wills not Grace but our Wills doe all It is not more plainly affirmed in the Scripture that God created Heaven and Earth that he sustains and preserves all things by his Power than that he creates grace in the Hearts of Believers preserves it acts it and makes it effectual working all our Works for us and all our Duties in us But Evasions must be found out strange forced uncouth sences be put upon plain frequently repeated Expressions to secure the Honour of our Wills and to take care that all the Good we doe may not be assigned to the Grace of God To this purpose Distinctions are coyned Evasions invented and such an Explanation is given of all Divine Operations as renders them useless and insignificant Yea it is almost grown if not Criminal yet weak and ridiculous in the Judgement of some That any should assign those Works and Operations to the Spirit of God which the Scripture doth in the very words that the Scripture useth To lessen the Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by Sin to extoll the Integrity and Power of our Reasons to maintain the Freedom and Ability of our Wills in and unto things spiritually Good to resolve the Conversion of men unto God into their Natural good Dispositions Inclinations and the right use of their Reason to render Holiness to be only a Probity of Life or Honesty of Conversation upon rational Motives and Considerations are the things that men are now almost wearied with the Repetition of Scarce a Person that hath Confidence to commence for Reputation in the World but immediately he furnisheth himself with some new tinkling Ornaments for these old Pelagian Figments But whoever shall take an impartial View of the Design and constant Doctrine of the Scripture in this matter will not be easily carryed away with the plausible Pretences of men exalting their own Wills and Abilities in Opposition to the Spirit and Grace of God by Jesus Christ. Sect. 16 2 From what hath been discoursed a further discovery is made of the Nature of Gospel Obedience of all the Acts of our Souls therein and of the Duties that belong thereunto It is commonly granted that there is a great difference between the Acts and Duties that are truely gracious and those which are called by the same name that are not so as in any Duties of Faith of Prayer of Charity But this difference is supposed generally to be in the Adjuncts of those Duties in some properties of them but not in the kind nature or substance of the Acts of our minds in them Nay it is commonly said that whereas wicked men are said to believe and doe many things gladly in a way of Obedience what they so doe is for the substance of the Acts they perform the same with those of them who are truely Regenerate and Sanctified They may differ in their Principle and End but as to their Substance or Essence they are the same But there is no small mistake herein All gracious Actings of our Minds and Souls whether internal only in Faith Love or Delight or whether they go out unto external Duties required in the Gospel being wrought in us by the immediate Efficacy of the Spirit of Grace differ in their Kind in their Essence and substance of the Acts themselves from whatever is not so wrought or effected in us For whatever may be done by any one in any acting of common Grace or performance of any Duty of Obedience being educed out of the power of the Natural Faculties of men excited by Convictions as directed and enforced by Reasons and Exhortations or assisted by common Aids of what nature soever they are natural as to their kind and they have no other substance or Being but what is so But that which is wrought in us by the especial Grace of the Holy Ghost in the way mentioned is supernatural as being not educed out of the Powers of our natural Faculties but an immediate Effect of the Almighty supernatural Efficacy of the Grace of God And therefore the sole Reason why God accepts and rewards Duties of Obedience in them that are sanctified and regardeth not those which for the outward Matter and Manner of Performance are the same with them as unto Abel and his Offering he had respect but he had no respect unto Cain and his Offering Gen. 4. 4 5. is not taken from the State and Condition of the Persons that perform them only though that also have an influence thereinto but from the Nature of the Acts and Duties themselves also He never accepts and rejects Duties of the same Kind absolutely with respect unto the Persons that do perform them The Duties themselves are of a different Kind Those which he accepts are supernatural Effects of his own Spirit in us whereon he rewardeth and crowneth the Fruits of his own Grace And as for what he rejects whatever Appearance it may have of a Complyance with the outward Command it hath nothing in it that is supernaturally Gracious and so is not of the same Kind with what he doth accept CHAP. VIII Mortification of Sin the Nature and Causes of it 1 Mortification of Sin the Second Part of Sanctification 2 Frequently prescribed and enjoyned as a Duty 3 What the Name signifies with the Reason thereof 4 As also that of Crucifying Sin 5 The Nature of the Mortification of Sin explained 6 In-dwelling Sin in its Principle Operations and Effects the Object of Mortification 7 Contrariety between Sin and Grace 8 Mortification a Part-taking with the whole Interest of Grace against Sin 9 How Sin is Mortified and why the Subduing of it is so called 10 Directions for the right Discharge of this Duty 13 Nature of it unknown to many 15 The Holy Spirit
the Author and Cause of Mortification in us 21 The Manner of the Operation of the Spirit in the Mortification of Sin 22 Particular Means of the Mortification of Sin 23 Duties necessary unto the Mortification of Sin directed unto by the Holy Ghost 24 Mistakes and Errors of Persons failing in this matter 28 How Spiritual Duties are to be managed that Sin may be mortified 33 Influence of the Vertue of the Death of Christ as applyed by the Holy Spirit into the Mortification of Sin Sect. 1 THere is yet another Part or Effect of our Sanctification by the Holy Ghost which consisteth in and is called Mortification of Sin As what we have already insisted on concerneth the Improvement and Practice of the Principle of Grace wherewithall Believers are indued so what we now propose concerneth the Weakning Impairing and Destroying of the Contrary Principle of Sin in its Root and Fruits in its Principle and Actings And whereas the Spirit of God is every where said to sanctifie us we our selves are commanded and said constantly to mortifie our Sins For Sanctification expresseth Grace communicated and received in general Mortification Grace as so received improved and acted unto a certain End And I shall be brief in the handling of it because I have formerly published a small Discourse on the same Subject And there are two things that I shall speak unto 1 The Nature of the Duty it self 2 The Manner how it is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost which I principally intend Sect. 2 It is known that this Duty is frequently enjoyned and prescribed unto us Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members that are on the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Iâ—â—atry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be supplyed Mortifie your Members that are on the Earth that is your carnal earthly Affections avoyding or by avoyding Fornication c. And so a distinction is made between carnal Affections and their Fruits Or the special sins mentioned are instances of these carnal Affections Mortifie your carnal Affections namely Fornication and the like wherein there is a Metonymy of the Effect for the Cause And they are called our Members 1 Because as the whole Principle of sin and Course of sinning which proceedeth from it being called the Body of Sin Rom. 6. 6. or the Body of the Sins of the Flesh Col. 2. 11. with respect thereunto these particular Lusts are here called the members of that Body Mortifie your members For that he intends not the Parts or Members of our Natural Bodyes as though they were to be destroyed as they seem to imagine who place Mortification in outward Afflictions and Macerations of the Body he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are on the Earth that is Earthly carnal and sensual 2 These Affections and Lusts the Old man that is our depraved Nature useth naturally and readily as the Body doth its Members And which addes Efficacy unto the Allusion by them it draws the very Members of the Body into a complyance with it and the service of it against which we are cautioned by our Apostle Rom. 6. 12. Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal Bodies that is our natural Bodies that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof which Exhortation he pursues v. 19. as ye have yielded your Members servants unto Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Which some neglecting do take the Members of Christ that is of their own Bodies which are the Members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot 1 Cor. 6. 15. And many other Commands there are to the same purpose which will afterwards occurre Sect. 3 And concerning this great Duty we may consider three things 1. The Name of it whereby it is exressed 2. The Nature of it wherein it consists 3. The Means and Way whereby it is effected and wrought First For the Name it is two wayes expressed and both of them Metaphorical 1 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to mortifie our selves The first is used Col. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is mortifie that is Extinguish and destroy all that Force and Vigour of Corrupted Nature which enclines to earthly carnal things opposite unto that spiritual Heavenly Life and its actings which we have in and from Christ as was before declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is eneco morte macto to kill to affect with or destroy by Death But yet this word is used by our Apostle not absolutely to destroy and to kill so as that which is so mortified or killed should no more have any Being but that it should be rendred useless as unto what its strength and vigour would produce So he expresseth the Effects of it in the passive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 19. He considered not his own Body now dead now mortified The Body of Abraham was not then absolutely dead only the natural Force and Vigour of it was exceedingly abated And so he seems to mollifie this Expression Heb. 11. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we well render of one and him as good as Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimating a Respect unto the thing treated of So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mortifie signifies a continued Act in taking away the Power and Force of any thing untill it comes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead unto some certain Ends or Purposes as we shall see it is in the Mortification of sin Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another word to the same purpose it signifies as the other doth to put to death But it is used in the Present Tense to denote that it is a work which must be alwayes doing If ye do mortifie that is If you are alwayes and constantly imployed in that work And what the Apostle here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deeds of the Body he therein expresseth the Effect for the Cause Metonymically For he intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he expresseth the same thing Gal. 5. 24. The Flesh with its Affections and Lusts whence all the corrupt Deeds wherein the Body is instrumental do arise Sect. 4 2 The same Duty with relation unto the Death of Christ as the Meritorious Efficient and Exemplary Cause is expressed by Crucifying Rom. 6. 6. Our old Man is Crucifyed with him Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Chap. 5. 20. They that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. Chap. 6. 14. By the Lord Jesus Christ the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World Now as perhaps there may be something intimated herein of the Manner of mortification of sin which is Gradually carryed on unto its final Destruction as a Man dyes on the Cross yet that which is principally
place so much at compleat Happiness as perfect Holiness And they who desire Heaven as that which would only ease them of their Troubles and not as that which will perfectly free them of Sin will fall into a state wherein Sin and Trouble shall be Eternally inseperable As therefore we would continually tend towards our Rest and Blessedness as we would have assured and evident Pledges of it in our own Souls as we would have Fore-tastes of it and an experimental Acquaintance with it as who would not know as much as is possible of his Eternal Blessedness this is the Design which we ought to pursue It is to be feared that the most of us know not how much of Glory may be in present Grace nor how much of Heaven may be attained in Holiness on the Earth We have a Generation amongst us that would fain be Boasting of Perfection whilest in their Minds they are evidently under the Power of Darkness corrupt in their Affections and worldly in their Lives But our Duty it is to be alwayes perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord. This pursued in a due Manner is continually transforming the Soul into the Likeness of God Much of the Glory of Heaven may dwell in a simple Cottage And poor Persons even under Ragges may be very like unto God Sect. 22 Thirdly It is from our Likeness and Conformity unto God alone that we are or may be usefull in the World in a due Manner and Order I shall have Occasion to speak more unto this afterwards and shall therefore here only touch upon it with respect unto one Concernment or Circumstance God is the great Preserver and Benefactor of the whole Creation He is good and doth Good the sole Cause and Fountain of all Good that in any kind any Creature is made partaker of And there is no Property of God more celebrated in the Scripture than this of his Goodness and his giving out of the Fruits of it to all his Creatures And he is so only Good that there is nothing so in any sence but by a participation of it and a Likeness unto him therein They therefore who are like unto God and they only are usefull in this World There is indeed or at least there hath been much Good usefull good done by others on various Convictions and for various Ends But there is one flaw or other in all they doe Either Superstition or Vain-glory or Selfishness or Merit or one thing or other gets into all the Good that is done by unholy Persons and brings Death into the Pot so that although it may be of some use in particulars unto individual Persons in some Seasons it is of none unto the general Good of the whole He that bears the Likeness of God and in all that he doth acts from that Principle he alone is truely usefull represents God in what he doth and spoyls it not by false Ends of his own If therefore we would keep up the Priviledge and Preeminence of our Nature and Persons if we would make due and daily Accessions towards Glory and Blessedness if we would be of any real use in this World our great Endeavour ought to be to grow up more and more into this Likeness of God which consists in our Holiness Sect. 23 It will therefore or it may be justly here enquired How or what we may doe that we may thrive and grow up more and more into this Likeness unto God To remit other Considerations unto their proper place at present I answer that there are some Graces of Holiness that are effectually Assimulating and others that are Declarative and Expressive of this Likeness of God in us First Those of the first sort which have a peculiar Efficacy to promote the likeness of God in our Souls are Faith and Love in whose constant Exercise we ought to abide and abound if we intend to grow in Likeness and Conformity to God Sect. 24 1 Faith is a part of our Holiness as it is a Grace of the sanctifying Spirit and it is a Principle of Holiness as it purifies the Heart and is effectual by Love The more Faith is in its due and proper Exercise the more holy we shall be and consequently the more like unto God This were a large Theme I shall confine it unto one Instance The glorious Properties of God as we have shewed before are manifested and revealed in Jesus Christ in his Face do they shine forth The only way whereby we behold them whereby we have an intuition into them is by Faith In Christ are the glorious Excellencies of God represented unto us and by Faith do we behold them And what is the Effect hereof we are changed into the same Image and Likeness from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. This is the great Mystery of Growing in Holiness and Thriving in the Image of God which the World being ignorant of have laboured in vain by other Means to satisfie their Notions and Convictions But this is the great Way and Means of it appointed and blessed of God unto that Purpose namely constantly by Faith in a way of Believing the Revelation made in the Gospel to view behold and contemplate on the Excellencies of God his Goodness Holiness Righteousness Love and Grace as manifested in Jesus Christ and that so as to make use of and apply unto our selves and our Condition the Effects and Fruits of them according to the Promise of the Gospel This is the great Arcanum of growing up into the likeness of God without which however men may multiply Duties in a Complyance with their Convictions they will have never the more Conformity to God And all Professors who come short in this matter do or may know that it ariseth from their want of a constant Exercise of Faith on God in Christ. If therefore we have a real Design of being yet more like unto God which is our Priviledge Safety Glory Blessedness this is the way we must take for its Accomplishment Abound in Actings of Faith and we shall thrive in Holiness And they are but Acts of Presumption under the Name of Faith which do not infallibly produce this Effect Sect. 25 2 Love hath the same Tendency and Efficacy I mean the Love of God He that would be like unto God must be sure to love him or all other Endeavours to that Purpose will be in vain And he that loves God sincerely will be like him Under the Old Testament none in his general Course so like unto God as David called therefore the man after Gods own Heart and none ever made greater Expressions of Love unto him which occurre continually in the Psalms And let men take what pains they can in Acts and Duties of Obedience if they proceed not from a Principle of Divine Love their Likeness unto God will not be encreased by them All Love in general hath an assimulating Efficacy it casts the Mind into the Mould of the thing beloved So Love
ever to be Adored Grace and Love of God herein is a powerfull Motive hereunto For we have no way to express our Resentment of this Grace our Acknowledgement of it our Thankfulness for it but by an holy fruitfull Course of Obedience nor doth God on the Account hereof require any thing else of us Let us therefore enquire what Sence and Obligation this puts upon us That God from all Eternity out of his meer Soveraign Grace not moved by any thing in our selves should first choose us unto Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ decreeing immutably to save us out of the perishing multitude of Mankind from whom we neither then did in his Eye or Consideration nor by any thing in our selves ever would differ in the least What Impression doth this make upon our Souls What Conclusion as to our Practice and Obedience do we hence educe Why saith one If God hath thus chosen me I may then live in sin as I please all will be well and safe in the latter End which is all I need care for But this is the Language of a Devil and not of a Man Suggestions possibly of this nature by the Craft of Sathan in Conjunction with the Deceitfulness of Sin may be injected into the Minds of Believers as what may not so be But he that shall foment embrace and act practically according to this Inference is such a monster of Impiety and presumptuous Ingratitude as Hell it self cannot parallel in many Instances I shall use some Boldness in this Matter He that doth not understand who is not sensible that an Apprehension by Faith of Gods Electing Love in Christ hath a Natural immediate powerfull Influence upon the Souls of Believers unto the Love of God and Holy Obedience is utterly unacquainted with the Nature of Faith and its whole Work and Actings towards God in the Hearts of them that believe Is it possible that any one who knowes these things can suppose that those in whom they are in Sincerity and Power can be such stupid impious and ungratefull Monsters so devoid of all Holy Ingenuity and filial Affections towards God as meerly out of despight unto him to cast Poyson into the Spring of all their own Mercies Many have I known complain that they could not arrive at a comfortable Perswasion of their own Election never any who when they had received it in a due Way and Manner that it proved a Snare unto them that it tended to ingenerate loosness of Life Vnholiness or a Contempt of God in them Besides in the Scripture it is still proposed and made use of unto other Ends. And those who know any thing of the Nature of Faith or of the Love of God any thing of Entercourse or Communion with him by Jesus Christ any thing of Thankefulness Obedience or Holiness will not be easily perswaded but that Gods Electing Love and Grace is a mighty constraining Motive unto the due Exercise of them all Sect. 15 God himself knoweth this to be so and therefore he maketh the Consideration of his electing Love as free and undeserved his principal Argument to stirre up the People unto holy Obedience Deut. 7. 6 7 8 11. And a Supposition hereof lyes at the bottom of that blessed Exhortation of our Apostle Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved Bowels of Mercy Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another These things which are so great a part of our Holiness become the Elect of God these are required of them on the Account of their Interest in Electing Love and Grace Men may frame an Holiness to themselves and be stirred up unto it by Motives of their own as there is a Religion in the World that runs in a parallel Line by that of Evangelical Truth but toucheth it not nor will do so to Eternity but that which the Gospel requires is promoted on the grounds and by the Motives that are peculiar unto it whereof this of Gods free electing Love and Grace is among the principal Farther to confirm this Truth I shall instance in some especial Graces Duties and parts of Holiness that this Consideration is suited to promote Sect. 16 1 Humility in all things is a necessary Consequent of a due Consideration of this Decree of God For what were we when he thus set his Heart upon us to choose us and to do us good for ever Poor lost undone Creatures that lay perishing under the Guilt of our Apostasie from him What did he see in us to move him so to choose us nothing but Sin and Misery What did he foresee that we would doe of our selves more than others if he wrought not in us by his effectual Grace nothing but a Continuance in Sin and Rebellion against him and that for ever How should the Thoughts hereof keep our Souls in all Humility and continual self-abasement For what have we in or from our selves on the Account whereof we should be lifted up Wherefore as the Elect of God let us put on Humility in all things And let me adde that there is no Grace whereby at this Day we may more glorifie God and the Gospel now the World is sinking into Ruine under the weight of its own Pride The Spirits of men the Looks of men the Tongues of men the Lives of men are lifted up by their Pride unto their Destruction The Good Lord keep Professors from a share in the Pride of these Dayes Spiritual Pride in foolish self-exalting Opinions and the Pride of Life in the Fashions of the World are the Poyson of this Age. Sect. 17 2 Submission to the Soveraign Will and Pleasure of God in the Disposal of all our Concerns in this World That this is an excellent Fruit of Faith an eminent part of Holiness or Duty of Obedience is acknowledged and never was it more signally called for than it is at this day He that cannot live in an Actual Resignation of himself and all his Concerns unto the Soveraign Pleasure of God can neither glorifie him in any thing nor have one hours solid Peace in his own Mind This publick Calamities this private Dangers and Losses this the uncertainty of all things here below call for at present in an especial Manner God hath taken all Pretences of security from the Earth by what some men feel and some men fear None knowes how soon it may be his Portion to be brought unto the utmost Extremity of Earthly Calamities There is none so old none so young none so wise none so rich as thence to expect Relief from such things Where then shall we in this Condition cast Anchor whither shall we betake our selves for Quietness and Repose It is no way to be obtained but in a Resignation of our selves and all our Concernments into the Soveraign Pleasure of God And what greater Motive can we have thereunto than this The first Act of Divine Soveraign Pleasure concerning us was
consists 493 34 Real internal Efficiency ascribed unto Grace 269 29 Eminent Effusions of the Holy Spirit accompanyed with effectual Delusions of Sathan at the same time 18 22 Plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise of the Old Testament 122 2 The Elect the subject of the Promise of the Spirit as to Regeneration 357 3 Election the Spring of all true Holiness 442 45 Eternal Election a Cause of and Motive unto Holiness 520 c. No Evidence of Election without Holiness 521 5 Election absolutely considered no part of Gods Revealed Will. 523 10 No man Obliged to believe his Election before Conversion 524 13 Who are bound to believe that they are Elected 525 13 Divine Emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son 35 9 End of Prophesie in the Church 99 5 End of Miraculous Operations 115 21 End of God in the Work of the Old and New Creature 155 2 End of Afflictions and Tryals 343 6 End of Dutyes Two-fold 441 44 End of Legal Commands 535 5 Ends of Holiness for which it is required 414 4 Principal Ends for which the Holy Spirit is promised 357 3 Enforcements unto Obedience from the Authority of God in his Commands 538 10 11 No Enjoyment of God without Purification from Sin 378 Enmity of the Carnal Mind against God and his Wayes 231 49 50 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Enquiry into the Reasons and Difficulties in Holy Duties 438 8 Enthusiastical Raptures no Means of Conversion 186 25 No Enthusiastical Impressions in Conversion 270 32 No Entrance with God without Holiness 504 11 Equity of the Law how it respects the Ability of them that are Obliged by it 249 27 Espousals of the Blessed Virgin with Joseph the Necessity thereof 134 14 Essence and Form of Holiness wherein it consists 415 7 8 Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Evangelical Holiness distinguished from all Pretences thereunto 439 40 No Evangelical Truth inconsistent with Holinesse or repugnant thereunto 507 16 Evidences of Regeneration various 177 11 No Evidence of an Interest in the Oblation of Christ unless we are Holy 556 4 Infallible Evidences of Divine Inspiration 104 10 Evil Spirits and their Operations 37 11 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Evil Spirit how it wrought in Saul 112 18 All Excellencies ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 98 3 How Christ is our Example 447 448 449 Exhortations respect Duty not Ability 244 17 Experience of the work of the Spirit of God in the Souls of Men. 27 31 Experiences of the Truth and Reality of things believed supplyed by the Holy Spirit 341 5 Experience of the Defilement of Sin 372 3 External Duties of two sorts 464 4 Extraordinary Works of the Holy Spirit the several kinds of them 99 4 Extraordinary Acts of Christ during the Course of his private Life 140 F. Face of the Earth by what means Annually renewed 74 9 Facility in Dutyes of Obedience from a Principle of Holiness 436 37 Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Gift of the Holy Ghost how to be regulated 90 16 Faith Actually wrought by Grace 272 36 Faith and Love the Spring of Holiness how they are encreased 340 5 Faith encreased by the due Proposal of its proper Objects 341 5 What Faith is required that a man may please God 362 Faith alone interests us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 388 Faith worketh by Prayer unto the Cleansing of Sin 390 6 How it purgeth the Soul 390 8 Faith whether it be a Fixing of the Imagination 400 The Power of Faith in Conforming the Soul unto God 513 24 Faith of Election tends not to Carelesness 530 22 Faith without Holiness vain 553 38 Faithfulness of God in his Promises to be pleaded in Prayer 360 How the Holy Spirit doth Fall on men 90 17 Reasons of Mens Falling from a Course of Duties 548 26 False pretences unto the Name and Work of the Holy Spirit 13 15 False Prophets how they were Acted ib. 16 False Prophets of two sorts some meerly Acted by the Devil some pretenders only 14 17 False pretences to Divine Revelation Sathans Design therein 15 18 False Prophets why called Spirits 16 21 False Notions of Jews and Mahumetans about the Spirit of God 33 8 The Father how he is said to raise Christ from the Dead 148 All Grace Originally from the Father 163 Dread and Fear attending Convictions of Sin 304 30 Fear inseperable from Guilt 375 Fear of Sin a Fruit of Faith 404 Fear of Man how to be removed 539 13 Fiery Tongues what they signified 54 17 Figurative Expressions multiplyed in the Scripture 48 9 Figurative Expressions setting out the Vileness of Sin 402 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 The Finger of God what it is 72 7 Filiation a personal Adjunct 133 11 Fire on the Altar what it signified 53 16 Fire and Water the Means of all Typical Cleansing 371 1 Folly of men in seeking after Instruction in Moral Duties from others rather than from Christ. 558 11 The Things of God Foolishness unto the Mind of the Natural man how and in what sence 221 31 No Force put upon the Faculties of our Souls by the Operations of the Spirit 187 Forming of the Host of Heaven and Earth the Work of the Holy Spirit 71 7 Forming of the Body of Christ in the Womb the Work of the Holy Spirit 131 10 Foundation of all Church-Order in the Confession of the Lordship of Christ. 4 2 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Foundation of Moral Differences among Mankind 364 Freedome and Bounty in the Gift of the Spirit 82 4 Free-will wherein it ends consists 433 33 Freedom of Corrupted Nature and of Grace 434 33 Frequency in Duties produceth Facility 437 Fruits of Sin Internal and External 476 6 Fruits of Election its onely Manifestation 524 13 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Fulness of Christ what it is and how Communicated 457 71 Fundamental Principles to be attended unto in the tryal of Spirits 17 12 G. Gift of Prophesie honourable in the Church of Old and why 13 16 Gift of Prophesie falsely pretended unto and abused 13 16 The Gift of Prophesie whether ever given to Wicked men 110 17 Gift of Prophesie not a sanctifying Grace 111 18 Gifts of Civil Government from the Holy Ghost 116 22 Gifts for the Discharge of the Office of Mediator Collated on the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost 139 4 Gifts how to be prayed for 360 The Holy Spirit Given of God and how 80 3 Giving and Receiving related ibid. Giving of the Spirit includes Authority Freedom and Bounty 81 4 The Spirit how Given by the Father in the way of Authority 81 4 To Glorifie God as God what it is 44 2 Glorified Body of Christ the Example of ours 149 12 Glorying in Sin its Abomination 397 12
God Author of our Sanctification 322 3 God how he is the God of Peace 323 3 All good in the Scripture ascribed to the Holy Spirit 470 15 A good man who he is 515 516 29 No good in us but what is wrought by the Holy Spirit 11 13 The good Spirit and the Holy Spirit the same 38 12 Good Spirit of God over-ruling the Devil 112 18 Gospel how abused and despised 223 36 Apprehension of Gods Goodness in the Light of Nature not sufficient to reconcile men to him 229 47 No true Apprehension of the Divine Goodness but in Christ. 229 48 Nature of the Gospel with respect unto the Objects of mens Lusts and Desires 233 54 Things peculiarly belonging to the Gospel or its own Things 234 56 Things known in the Light of Nature further manifested in the Gospel 234 What the Gospel superaddes unto Moral Duties 235 57 Gospel sent for the Accomplishment of the Decree of Election 524 11 Nature of Gospel Precepts 535 6 Grace taken two wayes in the Scripture 164 7 Grace how really efficient in Conversion 264 23 Grace of the Gospel overthrown by asserting it to be a Moral Suasion only 265 23 Nature of Converting Grace explained 268 27 Grace victorious and irresistible 270 30 Grace internal not resisted 271 34 Grace produced by a Creating Act. 275 40 Grace and Nature opposed 322 3 All Grace depends on continual Influences from God 344 6 All Grace Originally in Christ. 362 Things wrought in a way of Grace prescribed in a way of Duty 379 Grace excited by Afflictions 392 Sin and Grace cannot bear rule in the same Person at the same time 429 25 Grace and Nature opposed 322 3 Grace how it frees the Soul from spiritual Incumbrances 436 36 Grace how communicated from Christ unto Believers 457 70 Administration of Grace not equal at all times 547 24 Graces acted and exercised in the Oblation of Christ. 144 Graces which are our Duties not absolutely in our own power 322 2 Graces of Holiness improved into Glory 328 10 All Graces excited unto Exercise by the Holy Ghost 341 5 Graces whose Exercise is Occasional onely how they are encreased 343 6 Graces eminently making us like unto God 513 23 Graces declaring our Conformity to God 515 28 Growth in Grace and Wisdom how ascribed unto Christ. 138 2 Growth in Holiness compared unto that of Trees and Plants 346 8 Growth of Holiness secret and indiscernible 347 8 Growth in Holiness an Object of Faith 351 10 Growth in Holiness enjoyned unto us and required of us 339 4 Growth in Holiness an Access towards Glory 511 21 H. Habit of Holiness antecedently necessary to every Act of Holiness 416 8 Habit of Grace preserved by the constant Influences of the Holy Spirit 417 10 Habit of Holiness not acquired but preserved in a way of Duty ibid. Habit of Holiness permanent in its Inclination 427 23 Habits encline unto Acts of their own kind for a certain End 423 15 Infused Habits of Grace proved 280 50 Intellectual Habits the Nature of them 415 8 Habitual Vncleanness equal in all 378 Habitual Pollution inconsistent with any Holiness ibid. Habitual Grace necessary unto all Acts of Obedience 548 26 Tongues and Hands of the Prophets guided by the Holy Ghost 105 10 Harmony between Grace and the Command 551 33 Head of the Church first respected in the New Creation 128 1 The Heart what it signifies and how it is depraved 212 17 Stony Heart how taken away 277 43 New Heart promised what it is 277 44 418 11 Heart the meaning of it in the Scripture 367 Historical Books of the Scripture written by Divine Inspiration 113 19 The Holy Spirit how both Lord and God 6 4 Holy Spirit the onely Author unto us of all spiritual Good 11 12 The Holy Spirit known by his Operations 21 24 Holy Spirit so called from his immaterial substance 34 9 The Holy Spirit so called first because he is essentially holy 35 36 9 10 Holy Spirit called holy from his Work 36 10 Holy Spirit in what sence called the Spirit of God 38 13 Holy Spirit how called the Spirit of the Son 39 14 The Holy Spirit an Eternal Infinite Intelligent Person 46 47 48 49 c. 7 8 9 10 c. The Holy Spirit hath a spiritual substance and subsistence of his own 54 18 Why the Holy Spirit never Appeared in the Person of a Man 55 18 The Holy Spirit the Author of the Ministry of the Church 61 26 The Holy Spirit the Object of mens Actings in Religion 62 28 The Holy Spirit not a Quality or Vertue of the Divine Nature 64 30 The Holy Spirit expresly called God 64 31 The Holy Spirit given of God and how 80 3 The Holy Spirit compared unto Fire and Water and why 88 13 The Holy Spirit One dividing as he pleaseth to others 94 21 The Holy Spirit the Promise and Legacy of Christ. 124 6 The Holy Spirit the Spirit of the Son as well as of the Father and what followeth thereon 130 8 Actings of the Holy Spirit not ascribed unto him Exclusively 130 9 The Holy Spirit supplyes the bodily Absence of Christ. 158 5 Holy Spirit worketh by Means ordinarily 187 25 The Holy Spirit the immediate Sanctifier of all Believers 337 15 The Holy Spirit promised with respect unto his Effects 357 2 Holy Spirit the principal efficient Cause of the Mortification of Sin 481 15 c. Holy Ghost how the Power of the most High 132 No Holiness but by the Gospel and the Grace of it 325 8 Holiness passeth over into Eternity and Glory and how 328 11 Holiness glorious in this Life 329 12 Holiness all that God requireth of Believers 330 13 Holiness commanded in a way of Duty promised in a way of Grace 336 14 Holiness in its true Nature 338 2 Holiness how it is encreased in Believers 340 4 Holiness may thrive where its growth is not discerned 350 10 Holiness pleaseth God wherever it is 361 5 No Holiness beyond the bounds of Relation to Christ. 363 6 Holiness of God wherein it consists 374 4 Where the Principle of Holiness is there will be the Fruits of it 421 All Holiness derived from Christ. 450 451 c. Evangelical Holiness an effect of the Covenant of Grace 459 75 Holiness of God how an Argument of the Necessity of Holiness in us 500 5 Holiness not absolutely of the same use under the New Covenant and the Old 503 9 Holiness necessary unto the future Enjoyment of God 504 13 Holiness the highest Excellency whereof our Nature is capable 509 18 Holiness the Design of God in Election 521 3 Vniversal Holiness how required in the Precepts of the Gospel 535 6 Necessity of Holiness 537 9 Moral Honesty not Holiness 363 6 The Host of Heaven what it is 70 6 Host of the Earth 71 6 Humane Nature of Christ derived no evil from the Fall of Adam Reasons thereof 136 1 Sanctification of the Humane Nature of