climb up to a knowing state with God which the Lord in his â—atent purpose and decree did deny to man So the divels quarrel is not with their own apostasie but with the holy Lords dispensation art thou come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to torment us and which is another fault before the time Matth. 8. 29. nor can we move questions concerning the decrees and deep dispensations of God but we must fall upon the Almighty to defend our own sin the damned in hell eternally rail against the decrees of holy and spotless justice and his decrees of giving to them life and being and denying to them the benefit of death Rev. 6. 15 16. but as they blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains so they never repent of their deeds Rev. 16. 11. 6. It 's safe sailing in declining of rocks when we adore the Lords withdrawing of influences and justifie him and bewail our own sinful choice and condemn our selves in the Psal 51. David and in the confession Daniel c. 9. Ezra 9. the humbled people of God do not hint at any heart wrestling with the decree of God but only bewail their own rebellion and not hearkening to the voice of the prophets and desire to sit patiently and in silence in their lot of suffering and reproach and shame It is true they complain Lam. 3. 13. He hath caused the arrow of his quiver to enter into my reins but yet they believe 24. the Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him And 2. they check unbelieving complaining 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sinne 7. It cannot be conceived how a soul in guiltiness must be in a case of invincibly necessitated despair if he conceive and believe the Lord gave me a power to will or not to will free from all divine determination and before any act of his foreknowledge or decree I was finaly and wilfully to reject the Physitian Christ and this the Lord did foreknow but could not efficaciously hinder what place can be left for consolation in God or submission to the holy will of God for this was invincibly to come to pass before any act of his will or praescience 8. Nor can I pray in faith Lord encline my heart unto thy testimonies if the voluntary determination of my own heart to his holy testimonies or the wicked vital refusing to yield unto or to be led by his testimonies go before the act of the Lords knowledge or will or before any efficacious congruous internal and victorious drawing of me to Jesus Christ 9. It cannot be denied but this very way which the Lord hath taken in denying of his influences to the eternal standing of Adam and to law-doing and law-living is the most excellent course and that flesh and blood dare not to appear to countermand herein either infinite wisedom or admirable soveraignty For 1. The Law-heaven the Garland the crown and reward of Law-merit should have been a paradise where there is no tree of life as Rev. 2. 7. no river of water of life no Lamb which is in the midst of the throne to feed and to lead them to the fountain of living waters as Rev. 7. 17. yea it should be darker and a less glorious heaven then the gospel-Gospel-heaven For 2. There should have been there no new heaven nor new earth no chair of estate no high lifted up throne for the power of the Kings of the earth who hath loved us and washen in his blood Nor 3. Should there have been any new song nor any such redeemed Musitians who sing with a loud voice as Rev. 5. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisedom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and what an heaven should that be that wants the fairest rose in that garden it should be only the heaven of God Creator which though glorious yet not so kindly nor so desirable to us wanting the savour and delicious smell of the man Christ head of men and Angels 4. Nor can there be more lovely Christians then that great and fair mystical body of the ransomed of the Lord the lovely company that are before the throne cloathed in white with palms in their hands in sign of eternal victory who have come out of great tribulation and have washen their garments and made them white in the blood of the Lamb and with them their glorious head so that here shall be compleated and perfected Christ mystical It is boldness to weave a web of carnal difficulties against the Lords holy providence he hated the first sin as he doth all sin but to say he was weak and impatient about its entrance in the world blames his omnipotency to say the watchman of Israel was as to all care and vigilance of holy providence sleeping or slumbring and was thoughtless and drowsie not valuing whether his noble Sons of creation Angels and men should fall and irrecoverably and eternally be broken and become fewel for everlasting fire or stand and be eternally happy is injurious to infinite wisedom and the perfection of his holy will to say that the Lord loved such a guest as sin must blame his spotless holiness but if any say Obj. But did man by any necessity of a divine decree sin Answ A compelling necessity everting the creatures liberty there was none but a necessity by which the man was determined to one distinctively to stand or fall not copulatively both to stand and not to stand to obey and disobey there was in created free-will if we suppone there had been no decree Now the holy decree brought no necessity 1. Compelling such as is of a man bound hand and foot 2. No natural necessity such as that of the Sun to give light the fire to cast out heat Nor 3. No bruitish necessity void of a discoursing faculty such as that of the swallow building her nest the Bee making honey but we must say there was some eminent holy and spotless necessity of decree in Christs thrice rather then seven times praying why King Joash smites the ground thrice and stays and smites it not six times 2 Kings 13. 19. why the Lord writes in his booke Psal 139. 16. such a number of drops of rain such a number of drops of snow to make up such a treasure and God determined Job 38. 22. such a number of pound weights of mountains Isa 40. 12. and it was necessary the Lord should determine the names and number of the Stars Psal 147. 4. and why ten acres of a vineyard should yield one bath not two why every mans number of his months should be determined by the statute of a divine decree Job 14. 4 5. 2. Nor wrong we the Lord or free-will either to say God decreed that Joseph should be sold by his brethren David cursed and reproached by Shimei Judah carried away captive by the Babylonians Israel oppressed
descend more particularly to enquire 1. What influences are 2. Whencâ— they come 3. The necessity of influences 4. How they are above us and of the Soveraignty of him who best ows them 5. What we may doe to fetch them INfluences are acts of God concurring with created causes under him and a sort of continued Creation as God of nothing makes all things so in his providence he gives a day to all borrowed beings in their being preserved by him and they are the Lords debtors in being acted by him or then they could not stir nor move 2. The same free goodnesse which is a sort of grace which moved God to create the Sun and give it being so also â—â—ts him to give influences to the motions and actings of the Sun the end that moves the Man to make the Plough and the Cart moves him to draw the Plough and drivâ— the Cart by Beasts so that in reference to the end there is debâ—tum quoddam connaturale some connatural dueness of influences all Creatures are dead Cyphers which sigâ—ifie nothing except the influence of God add a figure to them and they lie dead if he stir them not Some Cows let not down their Milk but to their own Calves and the Creatures are as Pictures and Idols who let out no Efficacy no Vertue except the Lord act upon them Sometimes the Sea ebbs not the Wind blows not the Sun shines not the Fire burns not because this influence is as it were the Charm that is a wanting and he hath a sort of a checklock upon all second causes 3. Though God move and must act in all in causes natural and free so as in some sense he must concur in willing and nilling yet he out of Soveraignty of grace stands more aloofe in bestowing influences to gracious and supernatural nilling and willing for Predestination and free Election to glory here hath place for that he prepared in his eternal decree so many outlettings and emanations of free acts of grace to carry to glory so many selected Angels and Men and denyed these outgoings of free love to others he intending they should be to Angels and Men both their grace and song of praise he hath not given out such refined influences of free love to other Creatures to the motions of Sun and Moon to the Seas ebbing and flowing 4. Q. What then is the fountain cause of gracious influences and breathings of the Spirit Ans Sure Jesus Christ must be the meritorious and fountain cause of such influences For 1. We suppose that Christ is the head of the elect Angels God having purposed to save man of grace he gave this mighty separating influence distinguishing the Standing and Elect Angels from the falling and reprobate Angels else it cannot be said they are Elect Angels as 1 Tim. 5. 21. nor can their standing be of free grace for they could not stand except the Lord had chosen them to stand as the means as he chose them to glory as to the end except the Lord had joyned his predeterminating acting to cause them to stand and reconciled them Colos 1. 20. to himself giving to them medicinal confirming grace that they never should be sick Now the Elect Angels are the special Messengers and New Covenant Officers miniâ—tring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. And the Angels Ezek. 1. are acted in all their motions by that Jehovah whose glory Isaiah saw Isa 6. 1 2 3. John 12. 37. of which Jehovah also Ezekiel 1. v. 28. as v. 12. And the four living creatures went every one straight forward whither the Spirit was to go they went and they turned not when they went And also verse 20. They are then rightly called the Angels of the Lord Jesus 2 Thes 1. 7. for they cover their faces it is noâ— blushing for sin and their feet with wings Isa 6. while they stand before and see the face of their Soveraign and high Master and so its clear that the actings of special and supernatural providence toward and about the redeemed Church come from Christ as head of Angels and as the heir of all things who makes all things new Heb. 1. 2 3. Rev. 21. 5. and who works with the father Joh. 5. 17. in a new-covenant providence to make new Heavens and new Earth and to act all for the elects sake Colos 1. 16. 17. yea and this Spirit at whose direction the living creatures move and rest come and go Zech. 1. 12 20. is the same spirit promised and sent by Christ John 16. 7 13 14. of which Christ he shall receive of mine and give it to you by the influences of this Spirit sent by Christ are the Redeemed led Rom. 8. 14. directed Acts 16. 6 9 10 14. sealed and confirmed Eph. 4. 30. having received the earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 22. taught guided the Word made effectual John 16. 13. convinced of sin and throughly rebuked vers 7 8 9. comforted Joh. 14. 16. and the memory sanctified and quickned to remember necessary truths Joh. 14. 26. and the whole man made able by the anointing for all things 1 John 2. 20 27. Hence these influences of grace are from the spirit not as from the third person of the blessed Trinity simply for so the spirit is the power of God sometimes as Judge sitting and by a Judicial power making tormenting convictions dreadfully effectual upon the consciences of Divels Matth. 8. 29. Luke 4. 34 35. of which the chains of darknesse may be a part 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude v. 6. as also neither from the spirit as the power of God Creator Job 26. 13. Job 32. 8. in making and governing all Psal 104. 30. but from the Spirit as the fruit and purchase of Christs death and merits and as saving grace is from Christ the fountain so also the saving influences of Christ as Mediator and of stirring us up to will and do Phil. 2. 13. and to stand and persevere in the state of grace must be dispensed covenant ways Jerem. 32. 3 37 38 39 40. Isa 59. 20 21. Isa 54. 10 11 12. by his bloud So Christ speaketh to the spirit Cant. 4. 16. Stir up thou North wind come forth thou South blow upon my garden that the spice thereof may flow out Where Christ commands influences of the spirit of the North and South wind though of contrary qualities of cold and heat moist and dry both in sharp rebukes and sweet consolations to fall upon his Church and garden and it is his desire as Spouse and Mediator that the Spirit breath upon and make efficacious the word otherwise there is but deadnesse Ezech. 37. 9. Come from the four winds O wind How upon these slain that they may live John 3. 8. And the flowing of the spices is the souls being quickned revived comforted and the graces increased by the breathings of the spirit Hence 1. the
faithfully acquit himself in the duty of his Office for by office he conferrs influences 2. It s to question his nature whether the Head shall inlive its members CHAP. IV. The necessity of influences of Grace Of the Soveraignty of God in dispensing influences IT is easie to determine that there is a sort of necessity of the Lords bestowing influences upon all natural causes of this before In so far as willing and nilling are acts of second causes in the same sphere with natural causes there seems to be no more reason for denying influences to nilling and willing simply yea or for literal hearing and praying then for plowing and sowing except that here God acts in a dreadful way of Justice toward Pharaoh and other reprobates in leaving them to the actings of their own heart only it may be said that God finding his child under deadness and acting in a dead and literal way as he hath bowels of compassion toward his chosen under the evil of sin that are ready to be drowned he joynes his help of influences seeing his own goe about duties with wrestling and pain since he knows some one way or other they must be over the water and helped otherwise they cannot stir 2. As there are some saving graces from the Mediator so must there be some mediatory influences bestowed covenant wayes upon the chosen of God But 1. Free goodness and not natural necessity made the world and that same freedome intervenes in continuing being and acting in creatures which act by nature Fire casteth heat the Sun light and influences the Sea ebeth and floweth by nature yet there must also be a free new commission sealed from eternity to every acting of nature he commandeth the Sun and it riseth not forbideth the fire to cast out heat and it obeyeth Job 9. 7. Heb. 11. 34. Dan. 3. 27. and it is an obliging and an indearing of the heart to God to come dayly under new debt and multiplied free gifts and it renews acts of love in us as fresh actings of salvation flow whether it be new deliverances Psal 18. 1 2 6 7. Psal 116. 1 2 3 4. or new acts of keeping faith from drying up in the fire 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. so as you being tried as gold verse 8. y◠love having not seen him 2. It extracts acts of praying sense of spiritual slownesse seems to pray Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run and sense of spiritual dulnesse Psal 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 3. Hence comes humble relying upon God when faith is put to believe that at every stirring of the members and at every lifting of the foot for a new step the head must stir in heaven and let down new influences of life and the bottles of Heaven and well of life must let down new flowings of rain every moment upon the withered garden if as much rain fell in one day as would suffice the earth for seven years and a man might eat so much at one meal as he should neither be hungry nor thirsty for five years there should not be such dayly dependance upon new influences for rain and dew dayly and for our dayly bread this day We can but 4. hence but believe the infinite wisedome of the Lord who well knows how to husband and steward his showres for in the man Christ they are continual John 8. 29. He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor dismissed me for I do always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that please him When ever we do what is displeasing to God the Father of Christ leaves us out of the depth of his soveraignty of dispensing influences Christ was never so morally deserted 1. As the Lord would have a falling law Adam to whom he denied influences that nature might be nature so he also would have a standing and never sinning-Adam that grace might appear to be grace 2. Upon supposition that the second Adam is God man it was impossible but the man Christ in all his actions moral should want influences or ever sin or be left alone of the Father but he must always do the thing that pleaseth the Father nor is there any murmuring to be against the dispensation of deepest wisdom why we have not at our pleasure influences of grace that we should never sin as the man Christ never sinned 3. Say we could see no reason the thing is notire the Lord acts in the first elect Angels that they never sin he denied in the first fall influences to the reprobate Angels and since the Lord hath condemned them and tied them with chains of darknesse that their whole actions except the acts of intellectual being and living and the acts of knowing believing desiring fearing c. in the substance of the act should be only moral and only sin in all the substantial circumstances John 8. 44. Satan was a man-slayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stood not in the truth being created in the first truth adhering to God 1 John 3. 8. the Divel sinned from the beginning hence he is called 1 Peter 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary party in law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may drink over So that though there be in men actions of the phansie as to claw the head rub the beard actions of the vegetative life to grow to age to decline in old age senescere pubescere adolescere that are under no Law and so no sins yet all Satans actions are moral these excepted of which we spoke and influences to moral actions granted to reprobate men as to gives alms to go and hear the word visit the sick and imprisoned are denied to Satan Some men are also 2. Reprobate to good works Tit. 1. 16. and cannot believe and here is soveraignty that God works in some vessels of mercy to will and to do not in others 3. As touching the measure of grace and the degrees of saving influences the Lord walketh in a latitude of freedome all men have not alike measure of saving grace and faith 4. His freedome shines in the work of conversion John Baptist is filled with the holy Ghost from the womb Luke 1. 15. but 2. the woman of Samaria Matthew Zachaeus Magdalen Abraham Saul go on in a wretched state of nature for some considerable tract of years and then are visited with influences of life and 3. the Thief that was crucified with Christ upon the Cross in his outgoing is converted and not till then except the soveraign liberty of God silence us no other reason can occur of these things to mans understanding 4. In the Saints this liberty is clear fewer falls in Joseph then in David and so he must be nearer to dayly influences to the one then the other So the Lord left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that
Lord upon the head upon the head Christ and the influence of that anointing upon the members to wit on the meek on the broken-hearted on the captives on those that are bound and sold Then saith the man Christ the Spirit of the Lord hath sent the strong and fountain-influences of the abounding anointing on me and I may send the fruits of these holy influences upon the meek to preach to them glad tidings that they may believe and influences upon the broken hearts that they may be bound up and influences on the captives and prisoners and the sold and oppressed with debt that they may be made free for binding up of hearts and freeing of captives and prisoners are impossible without the healing influences of Christ Then saith he God lets out to me and to the members 〈◊〉 the head receive anointing and a full fountain and I issue out streames and life to the members look then as the dry earth hath a sort of connatural right of meanes and end to the full clouds and bottles of heaven and the rain in the clouds and the cold and dead earth hath a sort of connatural right by the Lords holy appointment to the influences of the Sun so by a decree of free grace the broken-hearted the meek the captives the prisoners have a right of meanes in order to the end to the influences of compassion and tenderness and of real grace that in its fulness is in the soul and heart of the Mediator Christ toward their brokenness bondage and misery who are his Then may the captive and prisoner claime influences from Christ as the dry earth in its kind suites and â—egges that raine that is in the bosome and womb of the clouds for its refreshments and so much the more that fulness of Christs anointing is not only ordered by a free and gracious decree as the meanes for this end to supply the emptiness of the meek and the poor captives but 2. also which is more the influences of the fulness of Christs anointing is due by way of merit and of buying and selling to those captives as when there is a large price of blood given for to redeem the man in his vain conversation as 1 Pet. 1. 18. from the present evil world Gal. 1. 15. from the living to sin and in sin 1 Pet. 2. 24. from all iniquity and the bondage and filthiness thereof Tit. 2. 14. There is a due right in law by way of bargain and payment made to Justice upon Christs part that such ought not to be detained slaves captives and prisoners Now the earth hath no such right by buying nor any Jus emptionis to have rain and influences from the clouds and the sun for the Lord may without violation of any bargain turn the earth into iron and the heavens into brass and so may the Lord simply and absolutely deny the fruits Christs anointing binding up of wounds and freedome to the broken-hearted and to the captives and slaves of sin for any deserving in them yet as touching the bargain and engagement of redemption from sins and the dominion masterdome and law imprisonment thereof the meek and the captives have a more noble right in the surety Christ by way of buying and selling to the healing influences of Christs holy anointing then the world can express See also how the spirit in its fulness is given to Christ Isa 11. 2. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him the spirit of wisedom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Isa 42. 1. I will put my spirit on him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles These be mighty influences on him to whom said John the Baptist God gave not the spirit by measure John 3. 34. 3. There is a right of promise to influences Rev. 2. 7 17 26. Rev. 3. 12 20 21. John 14. 18 21. John 15. 1 2. In Christ promissio facit legale jus Christ as it were oweth me showers of grace for he promised to water me This promise is a draught of the river of life to the deadned spirit 4. There is a mystical dueness and connatural love-right The head by natures law is a sort of debtor for influences of life to the members Here are sweet grounds for the streams to beg from the fountain the members dry and withering from the living head 2. It was fit there should be another higher providence about the head then about the members and so more admirable and transcendent influences extended toward Christ then toward any of the sons of men as that a new star should be created at his birth That 2. God should give testimony of him from heaven immediately This is my beloved Son c. 3. That Angels immediate messengers from heaven should preach his birth-day and place Luke 2. should minister to him in his agony in the garden should watch the corps of this King sleeping in the grave should witness his ascension and what mighty influences above nature must be in his raising the dead commanding devils c. In his coming down from heaven to be man in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily and that the holy body should ascend visibly through the air and through the heavens cleaving yielding and giving way to him what influences in that the clouds are his chariots and that the man Christ intercedes at the right hand of God and sends influences of life all the world over to his members rules all Empires and Kingdomes the languishing and fainting believer is comforted O how suitable is Christs fulness and life to my death and emptiness 3. These must be strong influences that with the anointing Isa 61. 1 2. is given a power to preach the year of vengeance to judge and trample upon the necks of all his enemies that the man Christ shall come visibly and locally from the highest heavens and the heavens bow and yield to his blessed manhood when he comes with his mighty Angels to judge all And he sends 4. influences of judgments through the stars which fight against his enemies Judg. 5. 20. through winds seas and rivers fire and sword and evil Angels that are armed against his enemies Exod. 14. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Exod. 15. 10 11 12. Judg. 5. 21. Gen. 19. 23 24 25. Numb 16. 31 32 33. Psal 78. 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 c. All which teach us not to murmure at providence government of the world Why say we this is sad and yet fallen out God might otherwise have disposed of all and we reflect upon his providence while as we offend at second causes but be comforted in a new world and in a more glorious providence of influences in ruling heaven and earth and in carrying the chosen of God to glory then if all were ruled to our will 1. None shall wither or be blasted that are
planted in Christ and committed to his husbandry 2. We could not in the other first providence which was before sin entred into the world have claimed to influences of glory from the fulness of the anointing that is in Christ for Christ then was not the publick good and communicable treasure of his redeemed he was not our God nor our Emmanuel nor our Goel or Kinsman-redeemer but a reserved and estranged God to be made our God by our own earning and law-merit 3. The Lord Jesus was infinite God and the fountain as large as now but he was not our own fountain nor the influences and waterings due to in our witherings as now 4. Christ is made the new great Lord Factor and publick Agent for his Church to rule all for their good and salvation and heaven and earth and the world and life and death and things present and things to come are put over in Christs hands the morrow the next years deliverance the believers outgoing in death are all made over to Christ and then in Christ all things are ours 1 Cor. 3. 21. and the watering of my witheredness and the quickning of my deadness hic nunc in this same moment of time is first Christs and I got it seasonably from him in a better time and way then according to my time and way Object Many things fall out which may be well otherwise Answ Not so one godly husbandman prayers for rain to his ground another godly husbandman prayes for drought as more useful for his field for he hath rain enough Now is it not good that there is a wise providence in Christ which fits both their prayers and does the business well A number of believers are to fail to such a land they pray for a North-east-wind another number of believers are to sail to another land they suit from the Lord a South-west-wind is it not best that Christ in his new spiritual providence take a course to hear both their prayers to deny both the winds they suit and to bring both in his own way to their desired harbours Object 2. It were better God should hear the prayers of his people in their straits Answ The Lord neither casteth off his foreknown people nor their prayers though visible Israel externally called be rejected 2. God heares wicked mens prayers and grants them not in a way of promise but in his wrath 1 Sam. 8. 22. 1 Sam. 12. 13. Hos 13. 11. Psal 78. 20 24 27 28 29 30. 3. God heares the prayers of his people in way of promise which is better then simple hearing See the judicious Treatise of the servant of God Mr. Gee Obj 3. Many wicked men are green and flourishing that they may swallow Jacob. Answ Nor is it evil that the Lords fire in Sion be hot and fierce that he may remove the dross though the coals that melt the gold be digged out of hell and their flaming against his people sinful and cruel it is not only in relation to him who is above his laws binding Angels and men not evil but equally done in wisedome and righteousness for as much may be said by carnal reason in the Lords efficacious permission of sin which he may hinder in the reprobate as well as some way he hindered it in the elect Angels and in chosen heirs of glory 1. Against the wisedome 2. goodness 3. soveraignty 4. righteousness 5. and love of God as Jesuits Arminians Socinians and others say against the holiness of God No earthly Father but he should fail both against natural love goodness and wisedome should he permit if he could hinder his children to commit sins which shall procure their eternal misery and woe Let all flesh be silent here is holy dominion 8. Divis Some influences of Christ are fundamental and simply necessarâ— and principally promised some not fundamental and less necessary As 1. The influences by which the Lord gives a circumcised Deut. 30. 6. an one and single Ezek. 11. 19 20. a soft and a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Zech. 12. 10. Isa 54. 13. John 6. 45. Isa 44. 1 2 3. These are simply necessary 2. These inâ—uences are also fundamental in which the Lord promiseth and doth put in act the habit of grace for the persevering of believers Ezek. 36. 27. Isa 54. 10. Isa 59. 21. Psal 1. 3 4. Psal 89. 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. John 10. 27 28 29. John 15. 1 2. If Christ plant his planting layes on him some necessity so far to give watering-influences as not to suffer his planted trees to dry up by the roots and to wither root and branch and Christ so builds on a rock his people and believers never to be prevailed against by the ports of hell as he must watch the city that it be not surprised nor the living stones hammered to nothing and removed off the rock and the foundation Christ Christ so buyes with a price his own that he carries them on to the purchased glory and bringeth them actually to the fruition of life eternal for Christ is an established high Priest to intercede for his own and the intercession of Christ is nothing but a continual showring down upon the redeemed ones new vigorous influences as the head so long as it lives night and day sleeping and waking sends down influences of life to the members ever-living and ever-interceding Christ is the fountain running along through the roots of the Lords planting so that they are ever green ever blooming and budding and in old age bring forth fruit John 14. 19. Isa 27. 3. Christ interceding is that live fire on the Altar Isa 6. ever sending forth live flamings and heat of life through his live coals to all his John 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also Now there is no interruption of Christs living by sickness sleeping or death and so he lives alwayes Just as the Sun-beams and rayes of light and heat are kept in their being by the presence of the body of the Sun casting out these influences and the darting out of heat and warmness and light and the flamings are kept in being by the presence of the fire which by new fuel is continued still in the act of flaming so are the Saints kept still in a spiritual living being by Christ issuing out his influences upon them So sweet is the union of dependency daily and momently upon Christ that blessed root of Jesse Ah if we knew what it were to live in Christ to breath in Christ pray in him love in him rejoyce in him suffer and triumph in him praise in him wait in him for the Lord but our actings separated from Christ and his influences of life not known to be such through our unwatchfulness are dreadful Now there be some single influences hic nunc that the Saints may want and be saved as the influence necessary for Peters confessing of Christ when he denied him
thorn-tree brings forth a thorn-tree and the thistle-seed a thistle it 's clear in Cain the Pharisees So gracious dispositions produce acts of love faith hope godly sorrow works of righteousnesse and mercy As wine-grapes grow out of the vinetree and the Lord fits influences of grace for such dispositions like sowing like harvest and here also men gather not figs of thistles the vessel smells of good or sour wine Some must foam out their own shame and all wonder at the gracious words that proceed out of Christs mouth For dispositions in Christ were strong habits of grace and the running-over fountain and fulnesse of the holy Ghost the savour of the breath of the anointing and the dispositions that accompany the fulnesse of the holy Ghost is a very garden and a heaven and here there is some truth in that Cant. 2. 13. The vines with the tender grapes give a good smell Cant. 5. 8 9 10 11. Psal 45. 1 2 3 4. 2. Psal 119. 136. Rivers of teares run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law Some fountaines that are lesse have small streams and ebb-brooks other large fountains have mighty rivers and floods issuing from them we may judg what a fountain both of habits dispositions are within where there comes out joy unspeakable and full of glory leaping for joy fulness of assurance like a ship with full sails and full wind As fulnesse of love and of all spiritual dispositions of tendernesse must be in the bowels and heart of Christ who sends out acts of enduring pain blood shame death horrour of wrath and the curse of a revenging God for sin The love of Christ needs no exhortation to acts of love nor is there need of earnest request and intreaties to the fire to cast out heat and the Sun to give light need you exhort an extreme pined-away sick man to be pained and weak or request the Sunne to shine How mighty and strong are the acts of longing and languishing after Christ that flow from love-sicknesse and then what suitable influences of grace must goe along with these actings what pullings of strength to pluck up mighty cedars what an influence of love in God to bear up all things and so to bear mountaines to bear torments to bear new deaths O what a mighty arm of omnipotent grace Col. 1. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness A power above all that we think or ask Thoughts even of men can goe far and far in apprehending of power and strength ever that can remove out of their place as many millions of mountains and whole earths as Angels and men can write on the outmost and highest heavens East West South and North. Suppose they were all paper and double and treble and multiply them again to millions of millions of heavens and writ new figures of signes and excellencies on them yet the power of grace furnishing influences is above these acts of thinking and counting and yet the short thinkings of unbelief are at this can he help me to spit at fame glory riches and a whole earth of pleasures know ye his strength and his mighty puls that have translated many 3. When the disposition of grace is on a small object brings forth suitable actings Christ lets out one cast of his eye upon Peter and he went out and wept bitterly a small shake of the tree brings down ripe apples they fall of their own accord a gentle quiet gale of wind will cause a light swift vessel to make twice as much way as a huge ship a rent in the garment of a deadly enemy seemes a small transgression but to David it hath a mighty smiting of heart We are afraid to come under the pull of Christs arm as if it were pain and death to be loved and translated by Christ John 5. 40. Isa 30. 10. Jer. 51. 9. Ezek. 24. 13. Some will not be cured and are averse from being drawn to come to Christ and be saved and an hating of meanes is a virtual hating of the sweet and special alluring attractions of grace and we value actings of grace at so low a rate as if we could doe all our alone by pure nature I my self will awake early What was David sleeping or his tongue sleeping or his harp sleeping yea even when the heart is prepared and strongly fixed to praise there is some sleepinesse on the man I insist not on this that none run so swiftly for the price and wager of glory but a cramp or a stitch may come on so as they need a spur and turn dull and slow But the 5th Property of a heavenly disposition is to cause the man reflect upon himself and his own sleepinesse 8 my self will awake early What if tongue and voice awake what if harp and the gift of musick wake if mans heart sleep 1. Grace hath an immanent working and a reflect acting on it self and the mans own heart as well as a transient and a direct acting the vessel of honour or the chosen man purgeth himself 2 Tim. 2. 21. And every man that hath this hope purifies himself even as he also is pure 1 John 3. 3. Jude exhorts so v. 10. Building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Some think if the holy Ghost act pray sigh believe praise in them they need to doe nothing the holy Ghost prayes in me and in my stead Nay but Jude wills you to edifie your self the actings and influences of the holy Ghost are not given to this end that we should sleep and sport and play 21. Keep your selves in the love of God Will not the love of God keep the man in the love of God Shall not Christ in you the hope of glory keep Christ himself in you nay what need were there then of watching Watch thou in all things 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine Then may one take heed to reading and not take heed to himself Acts 20. 28. Paul to the Elders of Ephesus Take heed to your selves and to the flock They shall not heedfully watch over the flock who doe not carefully watch over themselves Is this right that men should doubt of the influences of God and fear that God forgets himself and his own begun work of grace and never fear their own lazy back-drawing Why but we should be on our wings and waken our selves and crow more loudly It 's a gracious complaint Cant. 1. 6. My mothers children were angry with me they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine own vineyard have I not kept Ask hourly what your own heart does how the husbandry at home thrives The Spirit of the Lord was in Jehoshaphat without doubt but 2 Chro. 20. 3. When he heard of the host coming against him he feared and set himself to seek the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord came
Rev. 2. 5. But that proves nothing it 's because the elect in that place doe fail and there be not any chosen thereto called 5. Nor should the glory of conversion be due to the grace of God but to our well-guiding free-will and to the works of righteousnesse that we had done contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 3. Eph. 2. 4 5. if we could procure by our good endeavours our own conversion 6. But so much the man fallen in sin is under the state of enterditement as the eldest Son of a King who is a fool is declared an idiot and the government not committed to him In the Gospel the Lord hath declared man a simple fool and laid the Princedome of grace and glory upon the Catholick Tutor and chief heir Christ Jesus yet we fools will needs be Masters and Free-men before we have served our apprenticeships Gladly would we be from under the dominion of Christ and free grace and be our own yea even fools and mad men take it not well to be fettered and in bands 7. Influences of free grace and the gracious actings of the spirit are paid for by the price of blood Heb. 13. 15. Let us by him then offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 15 20 21. 2 Thess 2. 16. The budding and blooming of the branch in every act of growing depends upon the immediate impulsions of life and from the sap of life that is in the root and the vine-tree Christ Assert 2. But the habit and seed of God being within though the indisposition be great yet we would act doe well 2. Because a natural heat in literal stirring doth pre-paratively work upon the soul though not by way of any Gospel-promise to make it ready to receive an influence of believing Moses his wondering at the bushes burning and it was not consumed made him draw near to see more of God and the acting of faith and wondering ripened Christs hearers for influences of believing so Cant. 5. 6. Moving of the bowels makes way for influences of opening to let the Beloved in and of praying and seeking 2. The very noise and literal stirrings in these actings have far-off acting upon the dead habit to awake it up so beating of the lump of perfume wakens up the smell The blowing of the wind on the garden of delicious flowers extracts sweet smelling the first three or four throwings of the iron bolt in the ship brings not out water but five or six causes the water to flow out apace The two disciples conferring Luke 24. concerning Christ crucified seem cold and indifferent yea there is much unbelief and deadnesse on the Spirit v. 21. We trusted that it should have been he which should have restored Israel though they say he was a Prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people v. 19. Yet their speech saith their heart was very cold concerning his office as Redeemer and concerning his Resurrection but they goe on in the conference and pursue the duty though literally till he begun v. 25 26 27. to open the Scriptures to them and then the heart begins to burn with heat v. 32. It 's considerable that the woman of Samaria's is very literal at the beginning and only concerning Jacobs well yet she going on in the conference there comes a warmnesse and a liking and a seeking of the water of life and a discerning of Christ to be a Prophet and at length a warmnesse of faith in believing him to be Christ and a leaving of the water-pot and a running to the City to invite others to come to Christ Here it is that the first three or four steps bring not heat upon the man but to walk a mile brings warmnesse To strike the flint oftner then once brings out fire at length and when there is a kindled and a fixed habit of grace and gracious dispositions flamings of heavenly dispositions follow apace because creation is a mids to the execution of the decree of predestination to life eternal therefore he who in predestination to life giveth his own to Christ John 17. 2 6 11 12. v. 6. hath established a new supernataral providence or a providence of redemption different from that providence of God Creator which should have been if Adam had never sinned Of this providence these Scriptures are to be understood John 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him 17. He is before all things and in him all things consist Hence Rev. 3. 14. He is the beginning of the Creation of God Col. 1. 15. Who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every creature Rev. 21. 5. And he that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new Heb. 1. 3. Vpholding all things by the word of his power 1. As by the first fall all things fell 2. The first Adam was the publick catholick misguiding Tutor who marred and destroyed all and the Creation and the workmanship of heaven and earth was made subject to vanity because of mans sin and is now as a woman travelling in birth crying in pain under corruption and vanitie Rom. 8. 20 21 22. So the second Adam coming to the throne made a new heaven and a new earth and as a Midwife to the travailing woman brings forth the birth the free sons of God carries on the work in bringing the man Christ in the world for the man Christ is not created and brought in the world by God simply as Creator and Law-giver by the covenant of works but by God as now acting to redeem the world and making a new Creation and a new world 3. Hence the blessing of the creature and of the earth which was under a curse for mans sin Gen. 3. 17 18. is now from Christ whom he hath appointed heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. and by reason of Christs reigning and sitting at the helm of the world and governing all things all the creatures because of this King are called to rejoyce as Psal 96. 11. Let the heaven rejoyce aâ—d the earth be glad let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof 12. Let the field rejoyce and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce Psalm 98. 8. Let the floods clap their hands let the hills be joyful together See Isa 49. 13. Isa 65. 7. Jer. 31. 11 12 13. 4. And look as when a Kings son and heir is married all the servants and Courtiers are cloathed in Scarlet and gorgeous apparel So when Christ is declared Mediator husband and head of the body the Church the whole servants of the creation have a new right through Christ the heir of all to the liberty of the sons of God and to be delivered from bondage And hence the Saints have a right through Christ to the influences of this new providence the chief of which
106. 9. He rebuked the red Sea also and it was dried up God by the interposition of the faith of his own will not have strong walls to stand Heb. 11. 30. but they must fall nor Lions to eat the prey Verse 33. nor a violent fire to burn nor the sword to devour 34. As 2. They act at his command Psal 78. 26. He caused the East wind to blow in the Heavens and by his power he brought in the South wind whether this be by a strong terminating influence which displeaseth adversaries of grace and providence or some other way we contend not for words but if the Scripture hold forth as it doth that the Lord by his strong and invincible dominion doth indeclinably and without any possible failing bring forth his decreed effect some impulsion of God immanent transient or mixed which is terminate upon all second causes there must be for as he can and doth hinder naturall causes to work as the Sunne to move towards his down-going Josh 12. 13. Isa 38. 8. the Lyon to eat the man whereas he did fear the ass 1 Kings 13. 28. so he is the father and cause of all things that fall out Job 38. 28. Hath the rain a father or who hath begotten the drops of dew 29. Out of whose womb came the yce and the hoary-frost of Heaven who hath gendered it 31. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion This teacheth that Job cannot nor can any creature at his nod but the Lord can and he onely binds up or le ts out the influences of Pleiades the starres which rise in the Spring and bring forth flowers and hearbs and orders the course of Orion which bringeth Winter and order the starres that rise in the South and in the North. 34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds that abundance of waters may cover thee See his actings 3. His influences are in things small as in the falling of a Sparrow to the earth not one hair of the head but it is numbred by him Luke 21. 18. Matth. 10. 29 30 31. Not a gourd groweth nor a worm eats it but at his command Jonah 4. 6 7. Amos 4. 7 8 9. Joel 1. 1 2 3 4. Psal 105. 29 30 31 32 33. c. he hath an hand in the bird-nests building Psal 104. 17 18. And 4. The actings of the Lord are in great things as the translation of Kingdoms Dominions and Thrones Dan. 4. 32. Jer. 27. 5 6 7. In all the rises and fallings of Princes the Starres of whatever magnitude Isa 40. 21. 1 Sam. 2. 7 8. Psalm 76. 12. 5. His actings are in matter of lots that seem to be ruled by fortune and chance Prov. 16. 33. Genes 49. Deut. 33. compared with Josh 14. 1 2 3. 6. Especially in bowing the free will and determining all the actions of evil angels 1 Kings 22. 21 22 23. Job 1. 6 7 8. Job 2. 1 2 3. Gen. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. Matth. 8. 29 30 31. and good Luke 2. 9 13. Matth. 28. 1 2 3. Acts 1. 20. 2 Thes 1. 7. leading and determining the free will of all men the King Prov. 21. 1. the Prince Gen. 43. 13. Esther 4. 16 17. compared with Chap. 5. 2. c. 7. 2 3. he graciously enclines the will and hearts of men Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 32. 39 40. Ezek. 36. 27. as the Saints pray Psal 119. 33 34 36 88. Psal 86. 11. Cant. 1. 4. He hardneth the heart and blinds the mind as in his judgement he pleaseth Job 12. 16. Ezek. 14. 9. Exod. 14. 8. Deut. 2. 30. 2 Sam. 12. 11 12. Esay 6. 9 10. Matth. 13. 14 15. John 12. 37 38 39 40. Rom. 1. 24 25 26 27 28. Rom. 11. 8. And many such things are with him the more spiritually minded any is the more bent is the heart to follow and eye God in all his actings and he shall see how wise in heart the steeresman is who watcheth at the helm and it shall appeare what precious thoughts take up the believer who sees such millions and numberless numbers of influences with all the drops of rain hail dew falling between the creation and the dissolving of the world all which he binds in his garment Prov. 30. 2. and what numbers of influences he joyns to all the blasts of winds and storms which he gathers in is fists ibid. what influences of the Almighty must there be at all the actings stirrings and motions of Angels in Heaven of damned spirits of men elect and reprobate of birds beasts creeping things fishes in the wise connection of all these with the Lords intended end And if this be observed suppose the body of the Heavens which in its wide bosome contains all were broken and fell down in many thousand pieces Faith in the infinite wisdome goodnesse and power of God will bid the believer be silent and sleep and hope within his own garment God excellently rules all the best of created things next to that precious thing Christ man is the Church and the Lord will specially care for that and for me among the rest 3. No doubt we are brutish and look to all the stirrings with much Atheisme and little faith as if all stirrings in Nature Societies and Kingdoms were set on work by the sway of Nature and blind Fortune without God as a wheel rolling about with the mighty violence of a strong arm moves a long time after the arm of the mover is removed Or suppose a pair of Charet-wheels were letten loose in the top of a huge Mountain and should move down some hundred thousands of Millions of miles for hundreds of years after the man who set them first a work were dead So we fools believe that God gave a mighty strong shake or some Omnipotent impulsion to all causes natural free and contingent to Heaven and Earth Sea and Land to all Creatures in them Angels and Men and did bid them be a going for he must sleep and could not actually stir them any more Nor can we see God in all and that he contrived this that one should rise early and eat the bread of sorrow and yet be poor another should be wise admirably and want bread another fight valiantly and be foiled and a man run swiftly and lose the race Psal 127. 1 2 3. Eccles 9. 11. and that much sowing hath little reaping Hag. 1. 6. for Hab. 2. 13. Behold is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people should labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity Chaldaea doth sweat and pine her self for the very wind and nothing We see not that nature miscarries and parts with child when his good providence who rules all is not Mid-wife and a barren-womb brings forth many births and she that is no Mother hath a rich issue when soveraignity pleases this is my faith and comfort CHAP. III. Hence to
Soveraignty dispose of hearts to harden them but his outgoings of soveraignty are not always to destroy 2. Our great ones are so far above the bloud the cries and sufferings of the needy let the poor die in the pit they have an higher imployment then to lend their heart to lodge thoughts of compassion toward the afflicted Amos 6. 1 2 3 4. greatness dispises the desolation of the poor but Job 36. 5. Behold God is mighty and dispiseth not any saith Elihu Psal 69. 33. The Lord despiseth not his prisoners why and is he not above their tears yea 34. let Heaven and Earth praise him then must he be great and high above the mourners yet he owns their tears Psal 102. 19 20. 3. And the Lord's Soveraignty hinders him not to give a sort of reckoning of his doings Isa 5. Judge between me and my vineyard Mich. 6. 3. O my people what have I done to thee often pride hindereth sinful soveraigns to ease the heart of the oppressed with a reason of their deeds 2. What is Soveraignty its his superexcellent Highness by which his holy Will essentially wise and just is a Law and Rule to himself to doe what he pleaseth holily wisely most freely But why doth the Lord drive Cart-wheels over the bones of his people let alone he will not doe it always and say it were so This cometh forth from the Lord of hosts which is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28. 29. a godly heart is smitten with the wisdome and authority of holy soveraignty why is Jerusalem spoiled and why are the Nations at ease holy Soveraignty should meeken and silence all men Zech. 2. 13. Be silent O all flesh before the Lord supreme Soveraignty cannot erre and the faith of this quiets the heart under all sufferings Hezekiah Isa 38. 15. What shall I say he hath spoken to me and himself hath done it Divels and Men are to be looked on as passive rods there is no principle of life in the Rod in the Sword to lift up themselves against us they are Wheels rolled about by holy Soveraignty Ah the Physician slew my child the wicked enemy slew the father and the son the malicious rail against me but not any of these dumb Rods did move themselves the Lord bids Shimei curse David the Lord sends the Assyrians against the Nation of his fury Consider the Copy holy Jesus Matth. 26. puts three Seals three Subscriptions to one blanck and sad bill of Wrath Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done How was he the formost in the journey to Jerusalem to suffer as willing that his Bloud be Ink and his Soul and Body sheets of Paper on which might be written as it were to be read by Men and Angels for all Eternity the Glory and Justice of spotless Soveraignty and he who said Amen to the Curse teacheth us if God should say I have no delight in thee to consent 2 Sam. 15. 26. and say here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good to him The wishes of Moses and Paul who desire their parts in the Book of Life and of Christ to be laid in pawn for the shining of the glory of the Lord in saving of many and that expression of David saith that a gracious submission to Soveraignty will bring the man to this Let him doe to me what seems good in his eyes if he say he hath no delight in me well let Angels and Men Read and Sing the Glory of the Lord in the flamings of the holy Soveraignty and spotless Justice of God in my torment and it becomes me consentingly to lay my soul as a threshing floor under his eternal smitings and to judge I owe a spirit to be eternal oyl and fire-wood to eternally revenging wrath The Children of God know how hardly Faith can command Sense to come up to the obligation of receiving in the bosome with kissing and adoring the firie indignation of the Lord. Yet are we to drink with Christ the Cup of sad absence and his holy withdrawings Heman hath come near this and David and Jonah all thy waves have gone over me thy wrath lies hard upon me and yet hear savoury prayers speaking the rejoycing and kissing of soveraignty and prayers comming out of the furnace of Hell Ps 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation I cry day and night before thee What cries of Faith out of the bowels of a Sea of wrath Jonah 2. 2. Out of the belly of Hell I cryed saith Jonah and waves of wrath all the waves all the waves of thy wrath are gone over me saith David Psal 45. 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life O how sweet are these tormenting pain and godly patience pining pain and sweet praises and psalms of Saveraignty The tormented man sings his own Hell in a Psalm sounding up to Heaven Psal 6. Psal 42. Psal 38. God smites me and I love God Psal 42. 7. All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me yet this Sea and all the waves of this Hell cannot quench heavenly love and the fire of thirsting after God v. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God When fiery wrath is in its outgoing the Lord sends out wrath and Arrows that stick fast in the soul but David prays to an angry God he roars and burns in wrath I pray Psal 38. he casts on me waves of Hell I send up tears and cries to him Psal 6 1 6. he breaks me with breach upon breach and sore vexes my soul I believe and trust in his salvation Psal 18. 4 5 6. Thus its possible for a Saint to love his own fiery hell and receive the coals of flaming wrath in his arms for his holy Soveraign and glorious Name who is pleased so to deal with him and upon the Consideration that so it seem good to the only wise and soveraign Lord. But oh how unlike are we to a people in the furnace adoring the Lord in the outgoings of soveraign Justice when the Lord smites some murmure others swear lie whore oppress many mock godliness and hate it all go on to break the marriage-faith of a Land once betrothed to God and ah if the watchmen had not been guides to these who highly wronged Jesus Christ From the former follows patient silence and an use of our submission to his Soveraignty who withdraws his influences from us so as sinning follows thereupon Hence there is a great abuse of repentance which is bastard-repentance We grieve at the fair work of the Lord 's holy permissive providence and are not humbled at our foul sinning resulting by our own fault from such a providence See a Copy of a Law-sorrow repentance I call it not in Adam before any Gospel was heard of Gen. 3. 12.
that or the woman whom thou gave to be with me she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she gave me of the tree There is an Emphasis in the Woman The or that Woman 2. An Emphasis in the Lord's liberality Thou gave her by way of goodness and liberality but I wish the Lord never had been good nor liberal in that kind 3. To be with me as an helper who now is a tempter 4. She as the chief cause gave me of the fruit and I did eat I repent says he in sense that thou was that graciously Good as to give me a tempter but I am not grieved for my own sin in eating So the common excuse woe to the Providence that God sent such an unhappy counseller to me oh what had I to do there So does Job repent in some respect in his weakness not that he came in the world an heir of wrath and a sinner but ah the fatal and wrathful Decree of God that ever I was born to such misery Job 3. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born Jerem. 20. 14. But the Lord willeth the Crucifiers of Christ to mourn that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with wicked hands crucified and slew Christ and yet Peter counsels them Acts 2. 23. to submit humbly to the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God Our deceitful hearts are readier to repent for the holy Events and Facts of divine Providence then for our own sins as if the holy Lord did erre in his permissive providence and we doe not amisse in transgressing of an holy Law But such as are most active to doe the will of God and esteem it their meat and drink to obey his will as Jesus Christ Jo◠4. 34. and go about doing good Acts 10. 38 39. are most passively savoury and graciously submissive to suffer the will of God as he was Matth. 26. Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Isa 53. 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth rightously And Jeremiah who mourned so for sin as he desired his head were waters and his eyes a fountain of tears that he might both be humbled for the judgements and the sins of the people Jer. 9. 1 2. hath said much in the book of the Lamentations for justifying God Lam. 1. 18. Lam. 3. 38 40 41 42. Lam. 4. 10 11 12 13. Lam. 5. 19 20. and was willing himself to be carried captive So was Daniel who mourns and confesseth and fasteth three full weeks Dan. 4. Dan. 10. 2 3. and ascribeth righteousness to God The more submission there is in Job there is the more spiritual frame of a gracious spirit in him Job 1. 21 22. 2 Sam. 16. 10. and they who fret most at suffering as Cain Gen. 4. 13. and Jehoram 2 Kings 6. 23. Shall I wait any longer upon the Lord are most froward and unwilling to doe or act the will of God And on the contrary such are most impatient and blasphemous in suffering as damned reprobates who are less active in doing God's will and denying it 2. The Lord requires unto holy Soveraignty a submission to that permissive providence of his he suspends his gracious influences and what can we doe but sin Say a milstone were tied with Chains in the Air if the Chain break the stone must fall Remove the Sun and it must be dark night The Lord knowingly and of purpose withdraws his influences and Angles or Men in their strength cannot stand Convene and summon the wittiest thoughts of Men and Angels who acknowledge a providence and answer to this suppose a master of a house excellent in goodness and of a deep reach of wisdome to let fall out of his hand two precious stones of incomparable worth Jewels of the price of the half of the Earth and he only can keep them safe yet he suffers them knowingly and purposely to fall and be broken The Lord who hangeth the Earth upon nothing and it s not moved might and could have kept Men and Angels in their integrity but of purpose he suffers them to fall and be broken upon a mighty rock 2. A husbandman hath a huge broad and vast plat of ground most fertile for wheat olive trees the most delicious and excellent vines in great abundance it s a wide land of honey of Milk of many gardens of incomparably fragrant herbs with meadows and grass for millions of flocks he sees a great River shall overflow all this land this husbandman only can fence off the river with a strong bank yet he knowingly suffers the Flood to overflow and drown all that nothing can more grow in it then the bottome of the Sea 3. A Governour of Ten rich and populous Cities knows of a train of fire which by degrees shall at length consume in one flame men women sucking children gold silver houses gardens he can quench the train if he please yet he suffers a strong wind to blow upon it withdraws not water from it which is a sort of fomenting thereof until all be consumed What can here be said to him who gives not account of any of his matters this is the free dispensation of the only wise God to standing and to falling Angels and Men and who can judge God or find him out in this It may seem needless curiosity to determine which of the two Providences and which of the two Wills in the holy Lord must be first or choicest Whether that by which Adam should have stood happy in perfect obedience without fall or sin given to the Covenant of works or that Providence and Will by which the Lord designed to bring in the wonder of mercy and grace Emanuel God manifest in the flesh the delight of Men and Angels it seems to say that the Lord's will is more set upon Adam's final dutie which never had being and which the Lord immutably from Eternity decreed should never be then his holy Will is fixed upon that wonder of the World of Heaven and Earth the riches of the glory of his grace and other attributed in that precious and incomparable mystery God manifested in the flesh It s true God wills us rather to obey and not to wound our selves by sin then put him to pardon our disobedience or to seek a Mediator or remedy for sin But the Lord by his commanding will in his Law chargeth us under the pain of condemnation to obey but the Lord by no commanding will in his Law chargeth himself to provide and seek a Satisfier and Mediator he provides a Redeemer by his will of purpose and holy decree nor willed he ever fallen Adam to solicite his author commanding or decreeing will to provide a
the body of the World or great All and the highest Heaven round about Isa 40. 12 17. the number of Angels good and evil of men of beasts birds fishes creeping things he tells the number of the Stars whether odd or even and calleth them by their names Psal 147. 4. and Soveraignty could have made their number greater by seventy seven Millions so he knows the number of trees herbs flowers leaves of trees piles or threds of grass the number of actions motions intentions purposes of Men and Angels actual and only possible and impossible but never to fall out all the stirrings in Heaven and Earth Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5. 2. He decreed twelve thousand of every Tribe to be sealed a certain number for an uncertain he wrote so many not one more nor fewer Why are many called and few chosen the blessed number of Persons by Country House Head Name to be bought by the ransome of Christ's bloud is agreed upon between the Father and the Son not one more paid for and ransomed not one fewer the number of the Citizens were agreed upon they are not moveable Tenants the Lord loves not to put out or to put in none can take your chair and Crown in Heaven it s a deep to consider how millions of millions of influences and stirrings the Soveraign Lord laid up beside himself from eternity to let out upon his hosts of Creatures and especially Men and Angels and a treasure of influences of grace are with him would we bring our witherednesse under these eternal dewings we should have more of the anointing 3. The Lord's Soveraignty decreed not things only but the connexion of things as between Bread and Wine used according to the Lord's Institution and the broken Body and shed bloud of Christ they suit not together of their own Nature and Essentially therefore by the intervening will of God 2. In things of remote nature this is seen 2 Kings 13. 19. If thou had smitten the ground five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou had consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice The connexion of the Kings smiting of the ground and of smiting of the Syrians is not from the nature of the things themselves but from the free appointment of God if Christ talk with the woman of Samaria and ask of her a Drink of water he shall convert her and the Samaritans before he leave her If Job be spoiled he shall humbly submit himself to God and bless him There may be more or less conveniency between the things but all the connection of things in this kind might in their contraries have been as true if so holy Soveraignty had appointed 3. He who decrees the existence of things in time and place he decrees the co-existence of the same things Now that Joseph should be the subject matter of killing or selling when the Ishmalites came by and that Ahasuerus cannot sleep in the night when that very passage of the Persian Chronicle must be read in the which is the story of Mordecai's loyal revealing the treason was from him and they were tied together by no nature of things by no influences of Planets and Stars but by the Soveraign will of God now the co-existence of things is a real event of providence as is clear It s from the Lord that Peter and Paul lived together in the same age and time and Abraham and David lived not together and from the holy decree of God that Jezebels body be cast out when there is none willing to bury her and from the holy decree of God that the Souldiers came with Spears to break the Legs of Christ and that they find him dead and so break not one bone of him yea the existence and living and acting of all things and the co-existence living and working together of them are from the same providence of God or then from nature or from the blind fortune neither of which we can say and who appoints the meeting of two Seas or the meeting of two Rivers or of two Men at the same place or that the new Star should be in Cassiopeia rather then in another part of the Firmament doth not David bless the Lord who sent Abigail to meet him with a counsel of peace then must these confluences and co-existences of things be written in the Lord's book and so decreed Psal 139. 16. and from the Creator God as the efficient and for God and his glory as the end Rom. 11. 36. Rev. 4. 11. Prov. 16. 4. 5. The wisedom of God so appoints as means for his end that black and white should be in the same body for beauty the poor and the rich the full and the hungry to try the charity of the rich and patience of the poor that some should weep some sing and rejoyce at the laying of the foundation of the second Temple Ezra 3 6. Some of these are acts of mercy Jesus cometh by the way and two blind men sit by the way Matthew Zacheus are in such places and Christ comes by and saves both the one and the other 7. Some are acts of justice as the falling of a piece of a milstone by a womans hand and Abimelech's near approaching to the Tower that a woman might kill him who might twenty other ways have died if the Lord did not rule all the going of Achab to the war 2. The arrow at a venture shot at Achab and passing by hundreds 3. The arrow directed to the one only naked part of his body 4 The washing of the wounds in such a Pool in the field of Jezreel 5. The Dogs licking of the bloud of Achab are all so linked together by the Lord 's holy and just Decree as this is clear if Achab go to the War against the Syrians the Dogs shall lick his bloud and he shall die in the battel 8. The administration of the means of salvation to Capernaum not to Tyrus and Sidon which would rather have repented then Capernaum does prove this is from the Lord if Peter hear the Lord shall effectually perswade him to believe if Cain Pharaoh Judas hear the Lord shall not effectually perswade them to believe The Lord commands reprobates to repent and believe if they would be saved yet did he never decree the belief repentance or salvation of any of them does not Soveraignty here shine who decrees the non-salvation of Judas and the non-effectual drawing of Judas to Christ which saith there be no property so called and bands of conditions lying upon the Lord if Judas repent he shall be saved as if a father promise to his son an hundreth Acres of land upon condition that the son pay him one hundreth shillings if the father only can and must furnish to the son the hundreth shillings and in the mean time deny the purpose in his heart to deny to furnish the hundreth shillings it
cannot be so strictly said that there is the tie and band of a proper condition lying upon the father though it doth lie upon the son And however the ways of the holy Lord be equal yet are they far above our ways and we are to be silenced at the bottomless depth of holy Soveraignty he lays obligations to duties upon us and is free from the debt of paying or bestowing the sum of gracious influences without which we willingly cannot perform these duties upon us and he may justly crave what we cannot pay when our impotency to pay is both our own and also goes along with our elective free chusing and hearty willingness and rejoycing not to pay and to want the sum which only the Lord can of free grace give us O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Rom. 11. 33. To this head also I refer 4. That Soveraignty which hath place in chusing and calling Nations as Israel because he freely loves Deut 7. 7. Israel and their seed not other Nations Deut. 10. 7. he saith preach to Macedonia not to Bithynia and though afterward the Gospel came to Bithynia many deservedly perished old and young ere it came 5. It is admirable Soveraignty how many thousand possible plagues and evils he holds off such as millions of pests and diseases of Egypt and evil beasts Deut. 7. 15. Lev. 26. 6. why the Bones of Christ are not broken why a Dog stirs not a tongue against Israel why one only World not athousand worlds were created he appoints how long what number of minuts hours or years his own shall be in the Furnace the Lord stands beside as Master of the work eyes the melting what quantity of Hony or of Gall shal be in the Cup how many hours ye shall weep how many days or hours the Candle of the Almighty shall shine on your Tabernacle Then be humble when he shines and submissive at the time and measure of sufferings the evils that are holden off us before in their causes they be prepared when we know not should teach us to adore Soveraignty A friend that takes our defence when we are absent and an Advocate who answers for the sick and far distant client and not knowing that his cause is called and debated yea for an heir sucking the Breasts does call for much love and esteem Christ's care shines for Peter and the winnowed believers when he prays and intercedes that their faith fail not when they know not any such thing for a hid love moves much The Lord fences us we not knowing any such thing from drowning and our children in floods deep wells from burning quick from a Hell of torment in every tooth finger bone sinew artery lith member of the body of our selves of father mother son daughter and from spoyling captivity imprisonment gravels guts botches convulsions palsies possessions by Divels madness terror and agony of mind as many children drowned be not quick killed in the womb and perished in the first world and hundreds and millions of the like possible destructions are decreed to pass by me and you and do fall upon others by holy Soveraignties appointment 6. The due timing of the worlds Creation and of all things of time is from admirable Soveraignty why the world had not being ten thousand millions of imaginary ages sooner or so many ages later and from whence came this In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth is a depth of Soveraignty its wonderful Angels and souls of Men are created eternal time cannot wast them the body of man though a creature drawn out of the same nothing is not so There is a Plant that grows a year only there is a Flower that smiles a moneth another three moneths some Roses are green in March some in May some in June only and there is a Tree that grows an hundred years The like disparity there is of the life of Beasts and Birds He hath appointed a time for every purpose under Heaven a time to be born a time to die and accordingly are there several outgoings and influences of the Lord. As 1. He will not have all the four Monarchies flourish at once in there rose and bloom but one to be greater another lesser as all Rivers are not alike nor can all Conquerors be victors at one time 2. The Lord lands some children after three moneths sucking laughing weeping others live some days in the Womb and the Womb is their grave yet often eternity is a recompence for want of time and that is Gold for Iron and Copper others sail fourscore and a hundred years and never find a gracious harbour We fret because the wicked live long and prosper because we forget that Soveraignty hath determined how many hours wicked men shall laugh how many talents or stone weights of the Earth they shall have and because the Bride weeps when shall the night be gone and the day dawn and the King come there is a sort of account rendred of this by John who had been prophecying of all the Vials of wrath to be poured on the Earth especially under the Anti-Christs reign Behold he comes quickly Rev. 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. We complain of circumstances which are well timed by infinite wisedone should sickness and botches come upon Job when poverty had gone before Doth the Lord give an account of the substance or of the circumstances of his actions Job 33. 11. this ounce of Gall must be in or nothing the Child must be drowned in a Fountain and River when there are none to help Job was absent when God laid the corner stone of the Earth 4. The Lord times his actions of deliverance well when our strength is gone Deut. 32. 36. Gal. 4. 4. Exod. 12. 42. Jer. 29. 10. but we do badly time our sins They tempted him and provoked him but when at the red Sea and in the Wilderness Psal 78. 17. Exod. 14. Psal 106. 7. It was untimous sinning in such straits when their very moneth was come so as they could not fly from his hand CHAP. IX Of the Soveraignty of God in the works of Creation and Providence in other considerations 1. IN regard of the Lord's manner of working 2. And of his end of working 3. And of his omnipotent arm 4. Of his holiness he could not in greater wisedom have created things for nothing can be added to infinite wisedom and goodness so infinitenesse was at the creating of a worm as at the creating of the Angel Gabriel but in regard of things created he could have made a more perfect world then this and the Angel-nature mans nature the Sun Birds Beasts of more excellency as touching perfection both of nature and accidents then these that now are But here Soveraignty hath place 2. The foot should not complain why made he not me the head
letter which is common to Seneca and other humane Writers and the Prophets though even the style liveliness majesty and divinity that may be seen in the letter of the Scripture are eminently above the like in other Writers The Spirit immediately inspiring and the Spirit quickning in the Word are both the same Spirit that Christ promised to send John 16. of which Christ ver 14. He shall glorifie me he shall receive of mine a word most mysterious and shall shew it unto you and believers are afraid that their hearts receive some other quickning between the sound of the Word and the actings of the Lord upon their hearts which causeth them to pray for no quickning but according to the Word The like may 3. be said of the salvation of the Lord Psal 91. 16. I will shew him my salvation Isa 12. 2. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Psal 119. 170. Let my supplication come before thee deliver me according to thy word for we are apt to seek strange and whorish influences the like whereof the Lord bestows not upon his people Psal 119. 132. Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou uses to doe to those that love thy name Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people O visit me with thy salvation V. 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance It s cold comfort we reap without the word its true his omnipotency was eternal before there was a Word or Promise made to us but now the Lord will have the Word or Promise to be the officina the work-house of his Spirit and of the quickning influences thereof 5. As also there is a salvation and escape out of prison by keys of our own making and by putting out the hand to iniquity Psal 125. and the heart is much for the bulk of a deliverance from Hell and for the body and lump of a mercy were it Heaven and Baalam's paradise or the end of the righteous whether it be purchased by the ransome of Christ's bloud or no and faith laying hold thereon or no. 6. And we love to have the remission and the righteousness of Christ in his bloud the separated from holiness and sanctification but the Scripture conjoyneth them 1 Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Heb. 10. 10. Heb. 13. 12 13. 1 Pet. 2. 24. yea is a holy justification to speak so is the cleanly kindly sure absolution of the sinner for Christ loves noâ— and washes not in his bloud but such as he makes Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 5. in so saying I honour good works more then Mr. Baxter doth who makes them as good as Christ's bloud even the price of pardon Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. Yea and 7. We could be satisfied with dumb and scrupulous influences and inspirations contrary unto and separated from the Word as Evah Gen. 3. 4 5 6. 1 Kings 13. 18. Matth. 4. 3 6 8 9. 8. What could the powerful influences of God Creator separated from Christ the treasure-house of love and mercy doe to us and if Omnipotency were separated from the promises of the Gospel could it save us in the Lord's way through the bloud of Christ for power in God cannot to speak so save men but by the Name of Jesus Christ the only saving Name under Heaven Acts 4. 12. nor can Omnipotency work a redemption now in this Gospel-dispensation but that which is by bloud Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 13. And that which is to declare the righteousness of God for the remission of sins Power acts by way of compleat satisfaction as the exceeding greatness of God's power to us-ward who believe is of the same size with the mighty power which raised Christ from the dead and set him on the right-hand of God in heavenly places Ephes 1. 14 20. The power of translating a sinner from Satans Kingdome to the Kingdom of the Son of his love works as acted as it were and set on work to act righteously to translate no man but the person for whom a ransome of bloud is given to justice as the Princes right power is only for the good of free and legal subjects Col. 1. 11 12 13. and that all power in Heaven and Earth to save Matth. 28. 18. John 17. 2. Matth. 11. 27. and that Kingly and Royal power to give repetance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5. 31. to forgive sins Matth. 9. 6. to raise and quicken the dead John 5. 26 28 29. is a power in a way purchased by the bloud of attonement Rom. 14. 9. For to this end Christ both dyed and rose that he might be Lord both of the dead and living And by the way it s a righteous power over all flesh and in Heaven and Earth though he died not for all flesh and for all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on Earth it were strange to say Christ died for the reprobate and not for their sins and final unbelief and rejecting of Christ to obtain a power to pardon some of their sins and not all and to give them repentance from some dead works and not from all dead works and to purge them from some but not from all their sins 3. It s most unjust to lay the blame of our sinful omissions upon holy Soveraignty because he withdraws influences For 1. That is to reproach God this is like the malecontentedness of Satan and of Hell for the damned complain that ever they were born and that they cannot be annihilated and that hils and mountains cover them not quick in soul and body yea they storm and rage because God gives them a being capable of eternal woe 2. The wakened consciences of men out of Christ often fall upon this recrimination the gnawing of conscience of Judas is I have sinned and of the young man Prov. 5. 12. How have I hated instruction and my heart dispised reproof Yet it is a more commendable complaining and more hopeful to complain of sinful neglect of means then of divine permissive providence of sin upon the Lord 's withdrawing of gracious influences but conscience in its kindly acting is the tormenting worm that eats self No Divel alledges this its true Satan bites at providence God hedges about a hypocrite Job and God commends him says he Christ torments us before the time Satan trembles and frets at the existence of God and that God is above him Joh 1. 9 10. Matth. 8. 29. Jam. 2. 19. and so all his words to Christ speak a barking at providence Matth. 4. its wrong that the Son of God should want bread it is an useless providence that the man Christ go down stairs for God saith he should save him though he throw himself down headlong Satan is a better
of Soveraignty is dreadful 8. Opposing the operations of the Spirit 9. Dispairing 10. Reproaching proud disputing 11. Submission to want of influences 12. What way the Lord recompenseth desertions 13. Closing with influences of the Law-rebukes ELihu most gravely speaketh Job 33. 13. Why dost thou strive with him for he gives not an account of any of his matters The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to strive and contend in words only as Mercerus and Pagnin either in judgement or out of judgement jurgare And its strange that any dare chide or scold with the soveraign Lord. But 1. Jacob's striving and wrestling in a holy willful peremptoriness in praying the Lord being on Jacob the wrestlers side really to bear him up by his grace is a lawful striving 2. There is a difference betwixt a meer temptation and a threatning The woman of Canaan strives not against Christ's not answering her one word Matth. 15. what he is master of his own Answers When Christ says I came not but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel she strives not he is Master of his own journey from Heaven to Earth yet that Answer weakens her not in the duetie of praying and worshipping But when she is reproached as to her interest in Christ It s not meet to take the childrens bread and to give it to dogs she mildly yet in the boldness of faith contradicts Christ suppose Christ out of his own mouth should deny a child of God to be a child of God there is place for a holy striving and contradicting of him 3. It is a gracious behaviour in the man Christ that he is affected with grief for the Lord 's forsaking and expresseth it with tears and strong cries Heb. 5. Should not the child weep when the father is angry 2. The privation of the greatest good such as the overclouding of the Lord's favour is a due cause of sadness Woman why weepest thou saith the Angel to Magdalen why weep I they have taken away my Lord. 3. It wants not reason I weep for my father is dead there is my mothers grave she is very new buried therefore I weep all my goods are taken away and therefore I weep yet the Lord hath forsaken me and I weep not that is dreadful So Job Jeremiah David Hezekiah are sadly afflicted when the Lord seems angry 4. There is a soveraignty in hearing or not hearing of prayer against which we must not strive 1. Sometime the unwritten bill is answered Isa 65. 24. and the Lord yields to our blank papers and subscribes them 2. Some times he hears the dumb mans signs and his breathing instead of his praying Isa 38. 14 20. Lam. 3. 56. Psal 6. 8. Psal 102. 19 20. 3. Sometimes the Lord hears and sends the message of deliverance but we hear not nor doe we know or feel that he hears Psal 18. 4 5 6. compared with ver 16. Dan. 10. 12. one crying for comfort may be heard and not comforted Isa 66. 13 14. As one whom his mother comforts so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like a green herb 5. The clays no and the great Potters ay and vain mans I will and the Almighties I will not are most unsutable Isa 29. 16. Shall the work say of him that made it He made me not or shall the thing framed say of hint that framed it He hath no understanding Rom. 9. 20. Who art thou O man that replyest against God Isa 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou or thy work He hath no hands Jer. 18. 6. O house of Israel cannot I doe with you as the potter saith the Lord behold as the clay is in the potters hand so are ye in my hand O house of Israel Humble speaking to God doth well become us Abraham excuses his contrary pleading with God Gen. 18. 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak who am but dust and ashes Ver. 30. Oh let not my Lord be angry and I will speak v. 32. Job 42. 3. Therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me that I knew not 3. Beware of murmuring and angry and fretting words against God Exod. 14. 11. Were there no graves in Egypt Exod. 15. 24. Exod. 16. 2. Numb 14. 2 27. and much more It s dreadful to contend with the Almighty and for so small a thing as a drink of water and for a piece of flesh should we fall a pleading with the soveraign Lord 4. Especially we should not counter-work the uncontroulable providence of God for that is to give the Lord battle and to lead an army against him as Isa 9. 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build them with hewen stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them unto Cedars 5. There be divers kinds of striving with the Almighty such are they who blasphemously oppose the shining and convincing power of the Spirit in Christ casting out divels Matth. 12. such are they who gnash with the teeth and spit upon the shining beauty of godliness in Steven Acts 7. and kick against pricks as persecutors doe Acts 9. who if they had the Father and Spirit incarnate as the Son was would crucifie both and would were it in there blasphemous power crucifie the God-head whereas meek yielding to the actings and flowings of the Spirit in others says there must be much of the Spirit there for the Spirit cannot but love the Spirit 6. Despairing stoutly of mercy and the power of grace is of this sort when Cain Judas and others defie Omnipotency and infinite mercy to save them and spitefully hate the influences of saving grace and say mercy cannot save me the compleat ransome of the bloud of God cannot buy me from the second death To this we may reduce a lazie despairing what if I be never saved I can I will doe no more The people are bidden return nay there is no hope say they Jer. 18. 12. but we will walk after our own devices 7. There is here the fainter reproaching of Omnipotency as if God were weary and not able to bring back the captive people Isa 40. 27 28. Hence the Lord must prove his Omnipotency by that rare piece the curtain of Heaven stretched out and a measuring line drawn over the Earth Isa 51. 14 15. Isa 50. 2 2. 8. There is a proud disputing with God when we dare give in a bill against God 1. Ah he takes me for his enemy 2. He hath left off to be gracious An ungracious God is no God O the pride of a tempted mind that dare oppose the very existence of God 3. Some say God hath need to be instructed to govern the world better otherwise what needed
that be said by Isa 40. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his counsellour hath taught him Ver. 14. With whom took he counsell who instructed him and taught him in the path of judgement and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of understanding Or what needs that Job 21. 22. Shall any teach God knowledge seeing he judgeth things that are high What a God is an unknowing God who needs a lesson from the creature or from some higher God and then who taught that other God who is supposed to be higher then the most high what a carnal mind is this that chaseth the Almighty God out of the world 4. What doe they who curse the day the stars the twilight the birth as Job chap. 3. A gracious heart saith let the Lord be the Lord and closes with all the attributes of God and with all the influences of Omnipotency wisedome goodness and justice on men and of love mercy grace bounty forbearance to the Saints and to their own soul this is to sing mercy and to sing judgement whereas its a note of Atheisme to wish and vote out of the world God his attributes and all the acting and influences of mercy justice truth grace soveraignty and to say It s not the Lord the Lord can neither doe good neither can be doe evil Zeph. 1. 8. So would we beware to fight with the Lord's dispensations of grace he is Lord and Soveraign disposer of his own comforts whether we look upon comforts as duties commanded 2 Thes 5. 17. Jer. 31. 15. or as a reward of duties from the Lord Rom. 15. 4. Psal 27. 14. 2 Thes 2. 16. Isa 66. 13 14. he is the Lord of all influences to work in us to will and to doe and Master of his own rewards The Lord is Master of his own love-visits and is neither debtor to the man Christ nor to the elect Angels yea the Lord 's saving influences go along with his free decree of Election and look as the Lord of nature preserves the speces of Roses of Vine-trees though this or that individual rose or vine-tree may wither and be blasted so he holds on the work of believing praying of hoping and persevering to the end though there may be a miscarrying in this or that particular act of faith and some deadness in praying hic nunc And as in a great work of a water-mill some one of the wheels may be broken and yet the Mill is kept a going and the Ship still under sayl though some instrument or other be wanting and laid aside for a while So when there is a withdrawing of feeling of a presence in praying as Cantic 5. 6. I called him but he answered me not yet influences flow in another duty of praising ver 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy and the chief among ten thousand And when there are withdraw-drawings of God as touching vigourousness of believing Why art thou disquieted O my soul c. yet are there very large outlettings of God in love-sickness and strong desires after the Lord Psal 42. 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God So is it that some River which floweth a far other way in a new cutted out Channel the former being dried up So the bloud runs in another vein and still furnisheth strength to the body nor is there cause to complain as if all strength were gone for when the afflicted man eats ashes for bread and drinks tears the heart is withered as grass and the mans bones are burnt as an hearth Psal 102. the flood breaks out in another corner Ver. 12. But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations V. 19. He looks down from Heaven 20. To hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose them that are appointed for death There is some spiritual compensation in the Lord 's forbidding the wind to blow in one earth when it strongly blows in another Some deadned deserted ones are much meekned and made to speak out of the dust and fed and fatned also with hunger yea if it were but lying at the gate of Christ and knocking though no answer at all be returned it hath much of Christ in it in other considerations deadness may be on and want of holy vigorous acting of faith and yet spiritual complainings yea and with the complainings fervent praying Psal 119. 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word Ver. 28. My soul melteth for heaviness strengthen me according to thy word Ye would judge righteously of the Lord and see whether or no ye complain without cause for though there be fainting yet there is hoping Psal 119. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word Some children are always malecontent and still weeping nothing in the house can please them it s the fault of some greedy wretches who have abundance and yet still complain of want It were good to turn our censuring of the Lord's providence into complaining of our own evil hearts it follows humble and diligent obedience that hath sweetness of submission Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they that keep thy Law and nothing shall offend or as the word is stumble their feet There is a heart-covenanting with God when the man saith God shall doe nothing that shall stumble me his killing of me his casting me out of his presence into hell shall not offend me Job 1. 22. 2 Sam. 16. 10. The man Christ could be broken or offended at nothing whether the traytor sell him or the disciples forsake him or the Jews apprehend him or the souldiers spit on his face or Pilate condemn him or the people nod the head shoot out the lip and mock him there is nothing can break Christ but the Scriptures must be fulfilled in Christ's sufferings If the Lord slay Aaron's sons Aaron holds his peace Let me be rained upon with showres of influences from Heaven or let my fleece be dry and let me be a bottle in the smoke yet there is no unrighteousness with God and in him is no darkness Ah I am dead but the Lord guides well ah he is a Lion to me and a Leopard but the Lord is good to the soul that waits for him The man that stumbles least at the sins of others and their falls is the man nearest to God's heart Psal 18. 18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity They wronged me ver 25. But I kept my self from my iniquity and what can ye say against his withdrawings will ye make it a quarrel that he hides his face there is a deep of soveraignty between the Lord 's withdrawing from Hezekiah and Hezekiah's pride God hardens Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh hardens his own heart Joshua 11. 19 20. Isaiah 57. 17. Psalm 81. 11 12. Qu. But what shall be done under deadness Ans 1. If there be any life life helps life the one
part of the worm acts upon the other to bring forth a motion of life 2. Ye have no more reason to chide him for blasting your heart with withering then that the Lord sends a wind upon the Rose and dries it up and the grace of it is gone 3. Meddle not with his part but complain of your part let his soveraignty alone and confess your own guiltiness Isa 64. 6 8. there is a confession of our sin But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and withal an acknowledgment of his Soveraignty we are the clay and thou our potter 4. When the Lord withdraws seek again and again be sick after him Cant. 3. 1 2 3. Cant. 7. 6 7 8. Joh. 20. 1 2 3 13. and know that Christ is never so absent but there may be also much cause of praising and humble blessing God if there be love-sickness for him hunger after him and a spiritual missing of him as there is reason to complain of the withdrawing of his influences For Cant. 3. when Christ is absent he is not absent the soul is shined upon when the soul is overclouded for it is noon-day at mid-night he is absent as to feeling as to finding and quiet enjoying I sought him but I found him not and again I sought him but I found him not but he is strongly present and shining as to influences of grace 1. In painful seeking in the bed by night Cantic chap. 3. ver 1. 2. In and about the broad streets and ways v. 2. 3. In using publick means watch-men saw ye him v. 3. 4. In using other means in private I went a little further 5. In holy missing I found him not v. 1. I found him not v. 2. In holy finding v. 4. I found him 6. And all the while his presence is mighty in the soul-love to him I sought him whom my soul loved four times expressed v. 1. v. 2. v. 3. v. 4. so that the gleaning is better then the full harvest the mid-night absence hath as many sweet priviledges as the noon days presence A sinners seeking loving and longing and languishing after lost Christ is Heaven upon Earth his pawns he leaves behind him are rich and sweet nor can one be out of Heaven in a better desertion then missing and seeking the face of Jacob's God Psal 24. 6. Psal 27. 8. Jer. 50. 4. so groundless often is our complaining that we want Christ that Christ guides and tutors us badly that he mis-guides rather Ah how sinfully querulous are we he does all things well his absence is presence his frownings sweet and profitable Yet is not this spoken to cool our fervour of seeking when we misse him and find him not but rather we are to go on not to say any thing of Law-smiting and of Law-firings of the soul under apprehended wrath especially that which hath Gospel-hope and Gospel-sickness after Christ conjoyned with them Rom. 7. The Law slew me The Law kills no man who is under Christ out of hand yea to such as are under grace somewhat of the Gospel-heaven cleaves to the Law-hell It s a miracle how some are burnt with the Law slain with the terrors of God wounded with the arrows of the Almighty and yet are green in the surnace as Job c. 6. c. 7. 20. I have sinned what shall I doe to thee O thou preserver of men Ver. 21. Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity To strive with the Law were to strive with God so do Divels and reprobates for eternity wrestle with the Law-justice and the Law-curse grace teacheth meek assenting to the Law as good and spiritual neither Christ nor any of his live at ods and variance with the Law Indeed to the Saints the Law is as they say of Elements They exist not in their purity but with some mixture For the Law to believers is managed by Christ and in his hands made use of for saving ends even when the believer is in the Law-furnace nor is there any who could guide make so good use of the Law as Jesus Christ Some there are that one nights waking under the terrors of the Law would make an end of them if invisible Gospel strength were not furnished to them and here there must be a mixture of Law-influences and of Gospel impressions of Christ upon the spirit It speaks much grace in Josiah 2 Kings 22. 19. to feel and suffer with softness and tenderness of a meekned and a tamed heart the smart and pain of the influences of the threatning Law And its prevalency of grace for Hezekiah Isa 39. to stoop to the like and to say good is the word of the Lord even the word of a curse Deut. 28. of threatning the saddest evils as to kick like a fatted horse and to spurn at such impressions of wrath born in upon the conscience in Pharaoh Exod. 10. 28. in Achab 1 Kings 22. 26. in the Priests Prophets and People Jer. 26. 8. of the chief Priests and Pharisees Matth. 21. 45 46. does proclaim much gracelesness of an undanted and unplowed heart where there is any ingredient of Gospel-grace there is a coming down and a stooping to the influences of God of what kind soever yea and generally a gracious spirit dare no more resist and pray against the Lord's will of pleasure or purpose in its event then against any part of the revealed will of God or the will of precept either Law or Gospel The disciples were to watch and pray against the decreed and prophecied scattering of the flock and their fleeing and forsaking of Christ Matth. 26. 31 32 38 41. but there can no case be given in which we may resist the approving will of God in his word that then must be a sweet conformity with God when the heart sweetly closes with impressions of rebukes threatnings convictions and influences of Evangelick commands It s good earth that easily yields and cedes to the breakings and tillings made by the Plough let the word act as the Lord will in all its kinds and the soul says amen but the ground that breaks the Irons of the tilling Plough is convinced to be rocky and barren every string of the harp beaten on by the hand of the Musician gives a resound like it self a Bell of silver hath an other sort of excellent sound then a Bell of Brass or Iron the gracious heart answers to every letter and impression of the word to the promise with faith to the precept with pliableness of obedience to the threatning with softness and godly trembling for all the Word and Law and the several parts thereof are written and engraven in the heart and the gracious heart is a double or a second copy of the Old and New Testament So Achab on the contrary meets every word from Micaiah with hatred and there is a resound and an echo of hatred and persecution which in
the Pharisees meets the words of rebuke in Christ's mouth and bitterness in Herod resounds when John Baptist does rebuke his incest and adultery Take it for a sad condition when there is a practical contrariety and hatred betwixt the heart and the word of the Lord a heart loathing of the word and a rejecting thereof is dreadful whereas the esteeming of the word sweeter then the honey or the honey comb more then thousands of silver and gold the mans treasure his heritage his souls delight and love night and day his work meditation study wisedom do proclaim much of the new creation the word being the seed of the new birth and new creations must love the mother seed it s own native beginning as the streams are of the same nature and likeness with the fountain the Word tries all mens hearts see Joh. 7. 40 41 42 43 44 45 46. Luk. 4. 21 22 23 24 25 28 29. Acts 2. 12 13 37 38 39. Acts 7. 54 55 c. Acts 13. 38 42 43 44 45 46. Acts 14. 1 2 3 4 5 c. Acts 17. 34 35 36. Some believe some mock the natural man cannot close with the word Now Christ is given as a Leader and Commander to the people Isa 55. 4. charge him not as a misleading and a rash guide because he carries you through a wildernesse where there is neither flood nor fountain on the Earth nor dew or rain from Heaven you are withered and no influences come from him let faith complain of the barrenness of the Earth but justifie the driness of the clouds it s the wisedom of God that teacheth the believer to weep because he wants rain and moistness and is sinfully dry and yet to submit to him who denies rain and dew for he gives not here upon just grounds and holily I want deservedly for my just demerit Part. II CHAP. I. 1. God acts upon the creature first and not the creature first upon God 2. The Lord's dominion of influences on free will 3. Nor are we to be idle and sleep because the Lord is Master of his own influences 4. The Lord commands not us to have or want influences 5. Influences are not our warrant to act but the efficient cause thereof HItherto much hath been said of the Soveraignty of the Lord in divine influences Now are we to speak of the way of getting these influences and of the necessity of them and how we may fetch the wind 1. By natural actings 2. By supernatural actings by the word and promise 3. By the efficient causes of influences especially by the Spirit Hence the division of influences 1. By the infused habit of grace 2. By spiritual dispositions In all which our faith praying using of grace have their several influences What we may doe to fetch heavenly influences from God is above my reach to determine only let these Propositions be considered Prop. 1. God by order of nature first acts upon the creature and gives his stirring up influence to it We cannot in genere causae physicae first breath upon God he prevenes the Sun and the Sun riseth or riseth not as the Lord pleaseth to act upon it but no second causes do prevene the first or universal cause the Sun and Heaven do act first upon the Rose but the Rose doth not first act upon the Sun and Heaven Job 37. 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his works c. By the breath of God frost is given this shows that the host of creatures in Heaven and in Earth and the Sea are all dead passive sleepy cyphers and can do nothing if the Lord do not stir them God must be Father Lord and Author of all created actings and faith would without carefulness or unbelief commit all to so wise a Steersman though Phil. 4. 6. the Sea shall drown me the Fire consume me the Air suffocate me yet I desire to hear and obey that Be careful in nothing but pray Matth. 6. I shall perish for want ver 25. Take no thought They will kill me if I confess Christ Fear not Matth. 10. 28 29. your Father cares for two sparrows and for every hair of your head O but the Ship I am in is a sinking Matth. 8. 26. Why are ye fearful waken Christ by praying ah my little daughter is dead Fear not only believe Mark 5. 36. ah they shall deliver us to synagogues and prisons and bring us before Kings and all men shall hate us for Christ's sake True But there shall not one hair of your head perish it s but our unbelief which sees God suffering all to roll and reel as Fortune Nature and Devils will which makes us sinfully care For the Lord and Father of Christ cannot vace and Christ's not working is contrary to John 5. 17. but all are in a good hand Obj. But Heman saith Psal 88. 13. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in piel antecessit antevert it praeoccupavit anticipavit it s to go before in time in earliness Psal 119. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watch Deut. 23. 4. The Amalekites prevented you not with bread it s to go before in place Psal 68. 26. The singers went before its strange that any prayer could prevent God Ans Not properly he saith himself JOb 41. 11. Who hath prevented me the same word that I should repay him then our preventing of God should lay some debt upon God which is unpossible and as Paul observes Rom. 11. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who gave him first Therefore 1. He speaks Psal 88. of God after the manner of men as if Heman in a manner were more early up in the morning to pray then the Lord were ready to hear the contrary whereof is true as if Heman's early praying wakened God Psal 44. 23. Awake why sleepest thou 2. There is a preventing of God as a Deliverer and a Comforter God's order is that our praying makes an impulsion and stirring on the Lord first and then he delivers and comforts Psal 24. 6. Psal 18. 6 7 16. and so in order to comfort and deliverance in genere mediorum moralium prayer wakens Heaven and puts the Lord a working but as touching the order of real and physical actings the Lord prevents us the string of the Harp or Viol is not said to touch the hand of the Musician but the Musician's hand toucheth the string hence is Musick Nor does the Axe stir and lift up the arm of the Carpenter but the Carpenter's arm lifts up the Axe therefore they who teach that our prayer and the actings of our free will can and may prevent grace in place of preventing grace give us nature and the creature preventing God we read of the Father drawing us and the Son with the odour of his ointments drawing sinners but to teach that nature prevents grace is to say we are
of Christ's arrow and under the smiting and stroke of the drawn sword of the Gospel for Christ puts forth his power in his Ministers and renewed and unrenewed may come and hear 3. The difference betwixt the Law and Gospel is that the Law neither promises nor gives strength but presupposeth that the man hath strength but the Gospel promiseth a new heart and the Law engraven in the heart therefore Christ doth reign in the New Testament in the actual Omnipotency of grace and men by a meer local motion of nature or some superadded morality good or bad come in to wisedoms house of wine and bring themselves in under the scattered fire coals of Gospel-administration with no intention spiritual to believe and be saved and so the coming in to hear and the applying of the natural organ of hearing the setting on work the unrenewed mind judgment conscience heart and affections to the literal considering and weighing of the strong reasons that are in the Gospel casteth the man and his soul by a good and inevitable consequent under such heavenly flamings of quickning influences as convey the preached Gospel by an Ordinance of God in due order to cause such as are chosen of God believe it s in a mans free will to draw near to the fire or not to draw near but when he is come to the fire side the fire can make him hot whether he will or no. By a free election a man casts timber in the fire but without any election a strong fire cannot choose but burn dry fewel It s true the sea-man cannot create winds nor change the blowing of the wind from East to West yet he can prepare his vessel hoise the sayls and fit the ship for receiving the winds The husband-man hath no command of winds of rain of clouds of summer Sun yet may he dress labour and sit and prepare his rigs and garden to lie under the seasonable influences of such Summer air rain dew and impressions of the heaven and the clouds as the Lord of nature shall afford Now as all the Kings and Powers on earth cannot command wind and rain so is there no industry required of the husband-man to procure summer or calm seasons nor can the Plough act upon the Sun and clouds nor is the blame to be laid upon the Seamans sleepiness that the wind is not fair for sayling and that the Sea flows not so high yet hath the Lord of purpose left to all unrenewed men born where the Gospel is preached the gates and ports of wisedoms house open that they may come and hear and pass their judgement what they think of Emanuel's land that runs with wine and milk yea and the entry to this house is feazable and accessible by natural strength to fools and ideots to learned and unlearned so that they need not say Who shall ascend up to heaven That is to bring Christ again from above Or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring up Christ again from the dead But the word is now near even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach Rom. 10. 7 8 9 10. Deut. 13. 14. The preached Law leading pedagogically to Christ in Moses time and the plainly preached Gospel offered to all in Paul's time is an open door to all who love to come near to Christ and to be warmed by him in which consideration there is a key put in every mans hand 1. The unrenewed man turns away his ear from the Law and will not let the news of the Gospel lodge in his ear or the outer room of his soul ye set not a work the literal actings and cogitations of the heart to think whether Christ and Heaven and Hell conconcerns you or no. So 2. The believer under deadnesse and saddest desertion when he is at this All is but counterfeit work I had before Psal 31. 22. Jer. 2. 4. Job 13. 24. God reputes me as an enemy He may read the word hear the Gospel preached and cast himself in Christ's way and come in under the cast of his saving influences and so the fire may be kindled of new the sin is that the natural man useth wit judgment memory for a worldly bargain of gain but not for salvation 3. Christ is in his own ordinance never man before he be converted can savingly intend his own conversion Peter and John and Matthew when Christ spoke to them minded no saving work on their spirits nor did the three thousand Acts 2. nor the Jaylor Acts 16. mind so much as they met with Many came to Christ for bodily health and to be freed of Satan in a bodily possession yet when they see and hear Christ lying at wait in ambush in the preached Gospel they are beyond their intentions taken captives There is a great difference betwixt the doing of the bulk and body of an action and the action commanded by the highest authority of God even though the man perform not the action upon the account of a divine command Suppose Naaman had seven times and seventy seven times washed himself in Jordan some days before the Prophet of the Lord commanded him to wash it had been to no purpose he had not been cleansed from his Leprosie It were good we prize more that which men call the foolishness of preaching the Spirit breaths in and through his own ordinance when we know not Quest How can it stand with justice to command us to make our selves a new heart and a new Spirit since we are unable to make to our selves a new heart Ezech. 18. 51. for saith Pelagius inability to obey cannot be both a sin and a punishment of sin Ans 1. The commands of circumcising our selves to the Lord and of making a new heart which are laid upon us are materially Evangelick but as they are charged upon unrenewed men they are formally legal upon the Lord's intention also Evangelick to the chosen to fit them for Christ Nor can these commands have this sense I command and enjoyn to you the omnipotent infusion of a new heart 1. God lays no acts of the infinite and omnipotent God upon the finite creature 2. It is not his intention nay nor his will that reprobates create in themselves new vital principles of life since no such supernatural principles of the life of Christ was merited to them by the death of Christ 3. It s not physically possible to the Elect or to any to create a new heart to themselves from the very same principles in number which they lost in Adam for its a contradiction that what is done should not be done and what is lost should not be lost Nor can the Lord command the glorified in Heaven in whom the habit of holinesse is perfected to be now in glory justified by works for as its a contradiction that such as once broke the Law can be said never to have broken the Law so is it
death another that deserves eternal death we cannot believe Mr. Baxter 3. It makes us children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. by nature as others are If it be temporary wrath only and Infants be free of sin that condemnes to the second death Christ bare in his body the sin of no Infants Christ died for sinners only the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3. 18. Rom. 4. 25. Isa 53. 6 10. Infants are not sinners nor are sucking Infants laved and washed in his blood as others Rev. 1. 5. Nor are they sinners whom Christ came to save 1 Tim. 1. 15. Nor are Infants any of the many or of the all for whom Christ gave himself a ransome Mat. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. And since the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to Infants and they are to be baptized Act. 2. 38 39. there must be some other name by which Infants must be saved then by the name of Jesus Christ contrary to Act. 4. 12. For what need is there of Christ's righteousnesse and of remission of sins and redemption in Christ's blood Rom. 3. 25. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 13 14. to Infants if sin original be no sin 4. Heathens ignorant of sin original are still left by such masters to accuse Justice If Infants be free of sin why is nature called by them a step-dame which hath brought forth men in such misery when they enter in the world Why do Infants suffer death burning drowning ripping up and wounding in the wombe Why suffer they such wrath of pining sicknesse incursions of Devils if all these be free of sin Some say these are temporary evils but it proves not any sin deserving eternal burning to be in Infants The Lord needs not my lye but let any man answer me in point of holy spotlesse justice how a punishment of ten degrees can more be inflicted for that which is no sin nor any transgression of a Law then a punishment of a thousand degrees See how Mr. Baxter with Arminians and Pelagians can from Scripture teach us of whole sins and half sins whole wrath and hell and half wrath and half condemnation or half hell Q. But what Law is there that we should have the power of believing or the image of God The covenant of works doth presuppose that image to be in man otherwise he is not in a capacitie to be in covenant with God therefore it could not be injoyned and commanded in the covenant of works that Adam should have this Image of God And if so the want of it must be a meer punishment not a sin Ans The Lord in creating Adam must necessarily have a two-fold Consideration One 1. of a Creator 2. Another of a Law-giver In the first the Lord creates Being but in the latter he is such a special Creator to wit a Law-giving Creator who while he creates Being does concreate these noble Principles and write and by nature ingrave the Law of the Image of God the natural knowledge of God his holinesse justice mercie c. and of right and wrong and a natural holinesse and innate conformitie of the heart to the eternal Law of God in mans soul A Painter drawes the portraict of a living beautiful heroick King according to the living man the Painter both gives being to the painted image and such a being according to the law and art of painting he followes exactly and accurately his copie and living samplar and so gives a law to his own acts of painting And therefore God in one and the same act both creates man and gives him a being even holinesse his image and holy being and in creating of man gives and concreates and ingraves the image of GOD sound knowledge right inclinations and while the Lord creates he gives and ingraves a Law and while he gives and ingraves a Law he creates man And therefore it follows not that the covenant of works does not presuppose the image of God in man and it does not follow but the very act of God in stamping and ingraving his image in Adam is also a giving of him a Law Yea God in creating any creature of nothing does also concreate as a sort of Law-giver such a natural Law Every creature Sun Moon Heaven Earth Sea Man Angel ought to be subject as a creature to God Creator in being and operation Here is both the act of a Creator and also the act of a Law-giver Now the eternal Law of God requires that mans soul should be by creation indued with the image of God and Adam and Evah by that image said Amen to that Law for a time Eat not lest ye die They knew the Law was just and they knew it was their natural obligation to obey and how can it be denied but this knowledge was a part of the mans natural goodnesse and holinesse and so agreeable to the eternal Law of God and that the contrary of this to doubt of the truth of this as Satan induced them to doe Gen. 3. was a blacking of that fair image and contrary to the law of nature 2. The more of this image that is left in the soules of men by nature as the more knowledge natural justice and vertue remain in Aristides Regulus Seneca Tullius c. the more lovely they are and so must their souls have a more natural conformitie with the law of nature then other Heathens who kil'd their aged Fathers sacrificed their sons to Devils used wives promiscuously Then what God condemnes in us that we should condemn in our selves and therefore are to be humbled for our state we are in by nature For we are dead in sins and trespasses by nature the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2. 1 4 We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother warm me Upon this account the Lord suffers his own to fall and lye in the dust and to know what beasts they are as the godly confesse Psal 73. 23. Prov. 30. 2. themselves to be Nothing men are more ashamed of then that they are descended of a traiterous and bloody Family that sucked the paps of the bear or the wolfe that the father and mother were dogs and swine and they born of leprous parents the house of sinful Adam that we lay claim unto is a botch-house and leper-house and worse And this is more vile then if there were none of the world that we could claim kindred unto but serpents dogs swine and wolves 2. How proud and shamelesse are we to deny this running botch of sin original and say it is no sin would it cure a man of a raging pest-boile to say it was no pest to give it another name It 's a part of original sin in our Atheism to belye the Lord and say it is soul-sicknesse but it is not sin it deserves not
22. Isa 49. 5 6 7 8 9. Psal 89. 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. 4. The promises of the covenant between the Father and the Son prove the same for if God give many children to Christ and if Christ undertake for these many children to bring them to glory to cast none of them forth but to raise them up at the last day and to lose none of them Then must Christ be Master of their free will and he must have a bar of strong influences on their heart that it shall not be in the power of Satan the world or sinful flesh to pluck them out of his hand Hence against all trepidation of mind this is removed what warrant have we that we can make use of the influences of grace that are in the hands of the Son these are a fowl flying in the wood which we cannot command take these answers 1. What ever Mediatory grace is in the Son they are gracious influences laid by for our good as what sums of money a rich man is to give out for the profit of Minors he mixes it not with his own but looks on it as none of his but to be expended for the good of others and the Minors having assurance of the faithfulnesse and care of their Tutors look upon it as their own we are by faith to look upon the treasury of Christ that is begun to be bestowed on us and that Christ shall not withdraw being a most faithful Tutor what is necessary for our best life 2. Christ being the best of Kings the most faithful of Priests and above all the Prophets Moses and who ever they were by office is to give out influences If we believe that Christ shall acquit himself as a King then shall his subjects find the outlettings of grace for repentance and remission Acts 5. 31. for Christ is worthy of his throue and chair of Princely state We are to believe as our high Priest he shall by vertue of his office apply by the Spirit the bloud of attonement and sprinkle the nations therewith As also when we sin he gives out influences for believing that our Advocate lives and intercedes for us and the acts of opening the heart to believe the Scriptures to be guided in all truth to be comforted and quickned come from Christ the great Prophet and if he be God what the Governour of Heaven and Earth does by his office if he feed all living things the Ravens move not the question what they shall eat to morrow nor the Lillies of the field how they shall be cloathed far more believers are to rest upon this Christ shall fully execute all his offices in all parts towards them 3. The Vine-tree by a flux of nature sends sap to the branches and the head does not deliberate nor interpose freedome of will to send down life and influences of life to the members but nature hath a strong hand in this at least love is soon resolved in the husband what shall be the influences of good communicated by him to the Spouse The great thing Redemption is purchased and will Christ stand and doubt of influences of grace to compleat the Redemption and to make out the life of glory until it come to the fruition and enjoyment thereof CHAP. VI. The two spirits of the world and of God 1 Cor. 2 12. and the differences in order to influences opened 3. The characters of the spirit of God and the relation of the spirit to the word 3. The spirit of Antichrist 4. The more of the spirit the more activity in the ways of God 5. The Spirit of God a praying spirit 6. No praying without the spirit 7. The suspending of influences 8. We are to pray for influences 9. Two-fold power and efficacy 10. The difference betwixt the spirits acting and the literal acting of the word BUt influences of the Spirit are mainly here to be eyed and if any have the spirit he cannot want the influences of God The Spirit is as it were all saving influences and such as are void of the spirit know not any thing of saving influences Yea the Father and the Son let out all their influences in and by the Spirit Therefore to open this consider 1. That there are two sorts 2. The characters and differences of the Spirit of God which speak a spiritual man and spiritual influences 3. What are the divers influences to be taken notice of The two spirits are clear 1 Cor. 2. 12. But we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God Paul had said that the world and the Princes of the world knew not the mystery of the Gospel why They had not crucified the Lord of glory had they known him As also the spirit teacheth it ver 10. how is that proved from the nature of an infinite spirit that searcheth all the things of the infinite God even as a mans spirit searcheth all the things of a man v. 12. How can we know the things of God they are far above us He answers we who have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God doe know the things that are graciously given us of God they know the things of God But v. 12. we are such Q. What is meant by the spirit of the world Ans It s the humane spirit by which we know Arts and Sciences and the things of a present world which is also the Spirit of God and a singular gift of God But there is somewhat more in this spirit a carnal spirit that is opposite to the Spirit that is of God a spirit that judges the depths of Gospel wisedom to be foolishnesse ver 13 14. Hence the differences of the two spirits 1. There are no saving influences due to the spirit of the world The worlds spirit sees the mysteries of Philosophy and Arts and the good things of a present flowing world and no more And as an old man sees all that a child can see and know and much more in a more solid way So the children of God often as Moses Solomon Daniel Paul see with the spirit of the world in this sense all which the men of the world see and in a more spiritual way and beside the Spirit of God in them knows higher things that are hid from the world and their spirit As 1. How Heaven lies how many Summers are in one year in that land 2. The rivers of wine and milk Isa 55. 1. the garden the second Paradise the tree of life that bears twelve manner of fruits every moneth and the leaves serve to heal the Nations and the pure river of water of life clear as chrystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22. 1 2. Rev. 2. 7. 3. What a plantation is there what streets of gold the rich citizens walk in with their feet Rev. 21. the structure of the new Jerusalem the
pursuing all that are out of Christ Ah who can drink unmixt wrath as Christ did and live and who may stand when he is angry then resisting is terrible 2. There is vengeance in readinesse and grinding of men to powder and everlasting burning for such as so far resist the Son as they say This man shall not reign over us 3. But there is a vengeance beyond a vengeance and fiery indignation and more then an ordinary hell to such as resist the spirit in the Prophets and doe despight to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10. 28 29 30. Matth. 12. 31 32. Killing of the Prophets and slaying of them is a sort of killing of the spirit in men as the Jews killed the Lord of glory in the man Christ wished there were neither in the world God nor the Spirit nor God incarnate and this is just as if men would put hands in so much of God and of the Spirit as they find acting any thing of God in others or themselves this hateful persecuting of godlinesse is the dreadful national sin of this age Find ye not the actings of the spirit sweet and heaven-like if so it speaks a spiritual disposition 4. Much of self-denial speaks much of the spirit he who will be least his own is most God's and partakes most of the divine nature The spirit loves the room of self I live not but Christ by his Spirit lives in me Gal. 2. and the spirit to speak so is the full predominant element in the acting not that nature sinless is wholly dead and passive as Familists and others teaâ—h and self appears to be sunk into nothing and is denyed as Matth. 10. 20. It 's not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father that speaks in you Though they be living persons in their nature and being Peter and John speaks and yet the spirit so discourses and lays aside the creature called self and sets up God that as if self were annihilated and not there at al I mind no Libertine annihilation the spirit as the predominant speaks in the man and acts in him rather then the man And the Spirit of the Father prayeth preacheth reigneth actech disputeth confesseth in the believer 1 Cor. 15. 10. But I laboured more abundantly then they all then must I in Paul be preferred and exalted above John the beloved Disciple and all the eminent Apostles O not I laboured more abundantly yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Acts 6. 10. And they were not able to resist the wisedom and the spirit by which Steven spake He saith not they were not able to resist and dispute against the sinful man Steven Acts 4. 8. Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them made answer to the persecuting Rulers this is a far other thing then if he had said then answered Peter the Apostle for Peter was before this filled with the Holy Ghost but now the Holy Ghost in a new fulnesse and flowing of heavenly influences in the man Peter is Master-speaker In the Prophets this is cleer from 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophecie came not of old by the will of man though the Prophet was not compelled to prophecie nor his will Physically sunken down to nothing but holy men of God spake as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted by the Holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Spirit of Christ spake in the Prophets before hand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Though there be a difference betwixt the speaking of a Prophet and the acting of a believer there is much of self in the Prophets who bite with the teeth and cry peace Micah sets himself against such cap. 3. 8. But truly saith he I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of might and of judgement to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin 3. There is little of self in children the children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word given to sucking children of two years old Matth 2. 18. Acts 21. 21. are like such as are learning to walk there is little self-wisedom or of self-designes in the motions of young children So doth the spirit act with facility and without resistence in the sons of God Who may not see the colour of self and feel some savour of the creature of self in men O if we could savour in looking speaking acting of the spirit The rivers loths and fountains issue themselves in the Sea and be mixed therewith it s the salt Sea and not the rivers which ebb and flow the under-acting of sinlesse nature in spiritual actings hindereth not the work to be denied of the man and affirmed of the spirit So as we say not the man but rather God in the man acts and speaks Indeed things are not denominate from their externals a vessel of copper washed over with silver or a cup of brasse over-gilded and lustered with gold is not nor is named a vessel of silver or a cup of gold Though we name things by their skin and out-side yet when the hypocrite prays the Lord says the man prays Psal 18. 41. but the Spirit of God prays not in him Nor doth the Lord name Magus a true believer from his profession only the Holy Ghost saith he believed It 's good when the conversation speaks heaven and the spirit is visibly seen acting in the behaviour and walk of men It 's true there is much of renewed self as 1 Cor. 15 9 10. Gal. 2. 20. Rom. 7. 17 22. 1 Cor. 9. 20 21. in spiritual actings and this heightens the excellency of the actions corrupt self renders the act of praying and preaching wider and bigger but not better and excellenter especially in publick renewed self rendereth it excellenter And 5. Not unlike unto that touched before is a character of a spiritual man when the man is spiritually bewildered and doubts of all ways he walks in except the way he is sure to be of God Psal 143. 10. Teach me to doe thy will thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Hence these three follow 1. The spiritual man doubts of all ways and knows that he is a bewildered and ignorant traveller of himself and knows not by his own light 1. The way 2. The home and lodging Or 3. The guide It saith the spiritual man judgeth the spirit of God a good leader and guide it 's no sophisme à divisis thy spirit is good thou art a leader therefore the spirit is a good leader and guide it 's much to have the faith fixed upon influences of dayly guiding by God 3. It says I am willing to commit my goings to thee Take the guiding of me be father guide leader tutor king to me All these speak spiritual bewilderednesse And those two are well joyned 1. Sense of bewilderednesse and 2. Praying to the one onely guide in heaven and earth Psal 119. 19. I am
both and seeks with teares and stayes about the grave until she find her Lord. The Lord must be displeased with our narrowness How little a portion of him doe we see We are not straitned in the Lords heart but in our selves He calls for wider hearts Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. not the mouth but the heart our narrow heart and narrow faith is like the little hand of the child who hath not fingers to hold the large and great apple 2. The fool wants a heart Hos 7. 11. Prov. 9. 4. Then must the fooles of this world know little of an enlarged and wide heart as little as the horse or the mule that hath not the understanding of a man nor have they the heart of the new man Speak to the natural men of the fatness of the Lords house of all the fulness of God and the showers of influences of grace of the anointing of all wisedom and ye speak to new weaned children 3. Idlers and sleepers that run not in the way of Gods commandements but are hot as fire and mad and run as the Galatians in a wrong way are hence rebuked Many run and sleep little after their corn and wine and oyl after their vineyards honours but not with enlarged hearts in the Lords way They run to set up themselves and in place of Religion set up all the wicked religions of hell Toleration is high but he shall be laid hold on who prophecies and cries against the cursed Altar 4. There is a Spirit of deadness on many professors the judgment of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3. 1 2. and hardly can sleepers waken themselves we pray not as David Psal 119. Quicken me quicken me Unrenewed professors are painted men praying and hearing men risen out of the grave dead on their feet preaching praying hearing and yet dead CHAP. X. Of fixedness of heart 2. Prayer begets an heavenly disposition and an heavenly disposition again begetteth prayer 3. Holy acts beget holy acts and an heavenly disposition begets an holy disposition 4. The Lord so frames his precepts and his promises as our actings are suitably required to his influences 5. These three are to be differenced 1. The spiritual state 2. The spiritual temper or constitution 3. The spiritual condition 6. The reason of doubling of sentences and words Psal 57. v. 7. My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise 8. Awake up my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early MY heart is fixed Gen. My heart is prepared my heart is confirmed established The doubling of the word my heart is confirmed noteth the vehemency of affection 2. As also the speaking of it to God O God my heart is fixed declares the sincerity of it 3. The speaking to his tongue to awake it his calling it his glory as Psal 16. 9. My glory rejoyceth that is my tongue expresseth joy is an elegant fiction of a person as speaking to his soul Psal 103. 1. Psal 116. 7. Psal 42. 11. and noteth some dulness in tongue and heart to praise God his bidding his psaltery and harp awake is also an elegant prosopopeia as if the harp could sleep and wake And there is another figure the instrument of musick is put for the gift of musick he tacitely prayer God to waken up his gift and his grace of musick to praise and that God would awake himself to praise being under the sense of the Lords deliverance of him when he fled into the cave for fear of Saul and the Lord delivered him out of the hand of Saul and put Sauls life in his reverence The words contain 1. The disposition of fixedness of heart 2. His vehemency of affection in doubling the expression 3. His speaking of it prayer-wise O God my heart is fixed His sincerity 4. What the disposition wrought in him a fixed resolution to praise and a waking up of his gift of musick awake psaltery and of himself I my self will awake early The word my heart is fixed is rendred by Amsworth my heart is firmly prepared Diodati my heart is re-confirmed or re-assured Calvin in the French my heart is well disposed Geneva prepared Q. How got David this heavenly disposition 1. The occasion was 1 Sam. 24. as the title of the Psalm bears Saul with three thousand men-persons David in the rocks of the wild goats in the wilderness of Engedi Saul went into the cave to cover his feet and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave and David went in and cut the lap of Sauls garment and had in his power to kill Saul and his men counselled him so to doe but in stead of arfrighting Saul and his army the Lord suggests the fear and awe of God he durst not kill him 2. He trusted in God for deliverance another way then to put hands on the Prince as Psal 112. 7. A good man is not afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. This is the fixedness of faith opposite to fear and unbelief when another man would tremble being compassed with three thousand instruments of death as many men as many deaths yet his heart is fixed on God both to believe and to pray David by prayer Be merciful to me O God and by faith gets this confident disposition and this confident disposition brings forth acts of believing in stead of trembling and resolutions to praise and to sing and give thanks But if the question be moved how gets David grace to believe and grace to pray Certainly by influences of grace upon the occasion of the delivery So that here acts of praying bring forth holy dispositions to pray and to praise as is clear Be merciful unto me O God and God both delivered him and gives him fixedness of heart to pray and praise when a natural man would tremble at the sight and fear of so many deaths And again a disposition and fixedness of heart brings forth a resolution to praise and give thanks And 2. a stirring up of himself and his musick to praise yea and actual praising v. 11. Be thou exalted O God above the heavens let thy glory be above all the earth As the herb brings forth the seed and the seed again brings forth the herb and so the herb brings forth the herb and the seed the seed and the apple brings forth the tree and the grape the vine tree and again the tree brings forth the apple and the vine-tree the grape the water is the maker of ice and ice is dissolved into water and again that water is turned into ice Q. What shall beget a holy disposition to pray A. Praying begets a holy disposition to pray When David goes up the mount of Olives fleeing from Absolom he weeps and prayes Psal 3. and that praying begets a fixedness to believe and a disposition to pray v. 6. I shall not be afraid of ten
Peters temper was weak but when he gave a confession of Christ Matth. 16. he was under a gracious disposition and Peters continuing with Christ in his temptations did suppose a gracious dispoâ—â—tion in these acts of his and the rest of the believing Disciples Luke 22. 29 30. 3. The Lords Disciples are all born again Judas excepted but it were hard to say that John the beloved Disciple was of the same temper before the death of Christ with Peter who proved more sinfully rash in many things then John 2. A disposition is a transient impression that may be left upon the spirit by an occurrence of providence which though it sometime continue long is not necessarily alway so Upon the supposed death of Joseph Jacob refused to be comforted upon the departure of the Ark Phineas daughter in law is disposed to die for sorrow which in a great part was a gracious disposition it s like this great deliverance left a strong impression on Davids spirit and brought out praising of God But to the particular this disposition is a fixedness of resolution to believe pray praise having its rise from this present merciful deliverance it s opposed to the trepidation and doubting of unbelief which made him say elsewhere One day or other I shall perish by the hand of Saul which also saith that this was not ever Davids condition but being deserted of God he was under a contrary disposition but good it were alway to keep the heart under such a fixedness Ah but we are up and down out and in as touching stedfastness and unmoveableness in the work of the Lord the Galatians did run well a while the balasting of saving grace is most necessary it was a sad word 2 Tim. 1. 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me John 6. 66. from that time many 2. of his disciples 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took them to things behind went backward and 4. walked no more with him they left both Christ and the profession of Christ It was a sad suspending of influences when all the Disciples forsooke him and fled Matth. 26. My heart is fixed my heart is fixed The second particular is the doubling of the words In this and in the following words we have divers considerable characters and properties of heavenly dispositions 1. The doubling noteth the heat and fervour of affection in David as that My God my God notes the heat of faith two gripes of faith is better then one so saith the tripling of that prayer O my Father O my Father remove this cup Matth. 26. There is fire in the desire Psalm 57. 1. Be merciful to me O God be merciful to me and twice in this Psalm v. 5. Be thou exalted O God c. and again v. 11. Be thou exalted O God Psalm 46. that is doubled the Lord of hosts is with us v. 7 11. for his mercy endureth for ever is repeated twenty six times in one Psalm 1. In sinners in Christ it could not be it notes a sort of distrusting of the Spirit they will not believe the heart at the first word Not unto us O Lord that is not enough the heart is ready to steal the Lord's glory therefore he addeth not unto us but unto thy name give the glory therefore the doubling of it speaks the certainty Gen. 41. 32. 2. It notes that we are to make an eik to our assurance my heart is fixed O God therefore two witnesses are better then one he says it over again my heart is fixed for we shall deny that any such heavenly disposition was in the hour of temptation and say all is but false work in so doing he blows the coal when he finds it smoaking and blows twice and strikes the iron again and again when he finds it hot So he awakes up tongue and voice musick and harp gift and grace to praise the Lord as when he finds his heart in a praising disposition he desires an eik of all creatures in heaven and earth Psalm 103. all the Angels all his hosts all his works in all places of his dominion to joyne with his soule to blesse the Lord v. 20 21 22. 3. It notes a fiercenesse and a strong flaming of the affection and a sort of violence of assenting to the influences of grace which brought on that holy disposition which teacheth us when holy dispositions offer a divine violence to the soul to joyn our violence to his violence we will run that is our violence Draw me that is his violence Psalm 119. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments and press my self to willing and hot obedience if thou shall or when thou shall enlarge my heart 2. To this purpose we are to meet his actings of love Cant. 1. 4. The King brought me into his chambers with extolling and praising his love we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine the upright love thee 3. Let us intend and enlarge the acting of our heart to him Christ puts in his hand by the hole of the door which was a strong inward stirring of the Spirit of Jesus and the Spouse meets this with bended and mighty acts of loving obedience As 1. My bowels were moved for him For whom for him my Beloved who did stand and knock while his head was full of dew and his locks wet with the drops of the night v. 2. 2. I rose up to open to my Beloved and my hands dropped with myrrh and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock Here are both repentance in rising to open whereas she excused and shifted the business before and sense of the savouriness and heavenly feeling as of a sweet smell of myrrh joy sense of joy and delight in obedience to him 4. There is a formal holy violence offered to him the Angel Christ wrestles with Jacob which is a sort of fighting and opposing his strength to Jacobs strength and he opposeth trying and tempting reason to Jacob Let me go for its dawning and Jacob opposeth his violence on the contrary I will not let thee go until thou bless me And the Beloved is wrestling to win away after long absence and much painful seeking Cant. 3. 1 2 3. but the Spouse offers violence on the contrary with all her strength I held him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mothers house and unto the chambers of her that conceived me 5. Its sit to meet a thirst of the Lords Spirit in a flowing of feeling with a thirst of faith when Christ saith to Thomas John 20. 27. Reach hither thy finger and behold my hand and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side this was a great condescension of Christ in bestowing on him a flowing of feeling and Thomas answers it with a strong act of the application of faith My Lord and my God 6. When
a manner legal the Father made him ours by free gift the withdrawing of influences 2. The shining and smiling 3. the suspending of influences needful for the act of feeling is physical and real The Lords outward dispensations make no change of 1. Covenant-interest the Covenant is eternal the Lords absence from his own is not eternal Nor is there change in relation of interest no distance of miles no frowning or hiding of his face makes Christ leave off to be a husband a head a ransom-payer a Father 2. Faith layes hold on right and on propriety When the heirs possession is suspended and an out-lawed heir here is an heir the use of the breathings and influences is removed the mill stands and grindeth not the ground is plowed yet the same Lord and heritor of mill and land remaines Hang not your rights writs and charters upon your sense or upon the ups and downs of the Lords dispensation nor doth a believers heaven stand in the particular out-lettings of the Lords free grace or his withdrawings though the more of the Spirit any hath the more doth their spiritual life and being depend upon the operations of grace as all things that grow and have life depend upon the influences of the Sun and Heaven trees and plants and flowers and herbs suffer a sort of death by the departure of the Sun from them and they begin to live again when in the spring the Sun moves near toward them so are the out-goings and gracious influences of the Sun of righteousnesse to the renewed ones in whom is the life of Christ for Christ keeps in being his own life and cannot but keep it in being and operation Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness v. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you See both the life of grace in this life is kept in being by the Spirit and the life of the body which shall be made spiritual in the resurrection is restored again by the Spirit of Christ 2. Deserted soules under the Lords withdrawing would neither cast away their confidence nor be too securely comforted when the Lord withdrawes to speak to the former the right in Christ is entire 2. The bargain of Redemption Christs act of buying and dying and paying a price for his own 3. The care of the trust and charge of redeemed soules committed to Christ 4. The act of Atonement made by Christ accepted by God by which justice and the law stands fully satisfied are all whole and untouched under desertion For our obedience is neither in whole nor in part neither in toto nor in tanto any penny of satisfaction to the law but payed upon another account All these 4. stand entire and the land and shore sail not and move not though the green Sailer judgeth so because he and the vessel are in sail 2. Nor is it safe to sleep and lie and be secure when the Spirit in his flowings withdraws It speaks some out-cast or out-lawry and the child should not be quiet when he knows the Father is displeased nor would Ministers heal them with all Gospel and hony and lay aside all Law for what cures help the disease and the first fever the same are good some way for the second fever and recidivation I am sick of love As Cant. 2. Greek wounded of love the Hebrew word imports weakness Judg. 16. 11. If they bind me with ropes I shall be weak as another man Hence it implies languishing pain through want of the feeling and enjoying of Christs presence Cant. 2. 5. Cant. 3. 1 2 3. Cant. 3. 6 8. 2. It implies sicknesse and weakening of the person as in Amnons love to his sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 1 2 3 4. It comes from apprehended wrath and the curse of the Law Psal 90. 8. Psal 32. 3 4. Psal 6. 1. Psal 38. 1 2 3 4 c. Dan. 9. 11. Rom. 7. 24. Isa 33. 24. Job 13. 24. Psal 77. 7 8. Psal 88. Psal 80. 7 19. 3. It imports the feeling of that pain The second act of sicknesse Matth. 9. 12. as to the pain through want of feeling and enjoying God 1. Two things are here 1. The want of the life though the believer be still loved chosen redeemed translated from death to life but the Lord who can put a check-lock and an iron bar on all our comforts withdrawes and lets the Spouse swoon and stayes not the heart with flagons of wine and apples that is with the effectual applying of the word of promise by which the heart is established or strengthened Jam. 5. 8. Rom. 1. 11. and by which we stay and rest our selves upon the word the Lord 2 Chron. 32. 6 7 8. Acts 14. 21 22. 2. There is here suspending and the want of the consolations of the Spirit the comforter which is the other want Now the Lord hath holy and necessary reasons why he suspends influences to the feeling and knowledge of these rich comforts 1. His holy Soveraignty Now soveraignty never acts separated from infinite wisedome when it 's most abstract from the object as in making a world or not creating any thing in ordaining of the same lump some to be vessels of honour and some of dishonour There is a reason of the object but never a reason concludent or so objectively binding and limiting the Lord but the contradicent to wit no created world no ordaining of some to honour and some to dishonour should be as good As we see in thousands and millions of possible worlds of other men other Angels and other creatures which he can create 2. Infinite wisedome judges it fitter that old Jacob weep and be not comforted that Joseph be sold into Egypt then be a rejoycing free Patriarch at home that the man Christ lie before him with tears and strong cries then that it be otherwise 3. To infinite wisedom it is clear that a creature and a sinful creature cannot so measure out sense and comfort as the only wise God as it is not so fit all the members of the house servants children strangers should be their own stewards of the bread wine and dainties of the house spices ointments myrrhe aloes and cassia as that there should be one wise and faithful servant over the family that all and every one hand over head run not to the heap Therefore is the Lord to be adored in his wisedome as much in withdrawing influences of sense and comforts as in bestowing them Judge if all the fatherless infants and pupils and minors of the earth were left to be fathers and tutors to themselves how would it be with their inheritances If all the sick on earth were their own only Physicians whether old or
unrenewed and full and extream at only that which is a worldly good thing the spirit is yet carnal and no saving influences can be there in the regenerate the affections are like two contrary rivers when the one river is full at the flowing in of the sea the river in the contrary coast is low and ebb so joy sorrow love desire c. as the Spirit prevails Rom. 7. as the flesh prevails in its motion so are they up in their fleshly exorbitancies and low in their motions and flowings toward God v. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. but the joy spiritual at the coming and receiving of the Gospel Acts 8. 5 6 7 8. the joy of believing Rom. 15. 13. the joy of the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. Matth. 5. 12. the Joy in the midest of heaviness if need be for a season which is unspeakeable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1. 6 7 8. the joy in suffering under reproaches and the spoyling of our goods Heb. 10. 33 34. Acts 5. 41. 1 Thes 3. 9. the Joyingin Christian walking Phil. 4. 4. the joy of the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and the like are all fruits of the spirit and have necessarily conjoyned with them heavenly influences to receive the Gospel Acts 8. to beleive with peace of mind Rom. 15. 13. to hope for glory Rom. 5. 2. Matth. 5. 12. to be comforted under heaviness even to love the holy afflicter 1 Pet. 1. 5 8. to all patience in suffering Heb. 10. 33 34. Acts 5. 41. to walke chearfully in our Christian course Phil. 4. 4 5. all which must be wanting in the false and bastard joy of the world and the like may be said of desire the more men waste their desires in worldly objects the less of the Spirit have they as these two are excellently conjoyned Psalm 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsels and afterward receive me to glory Influences in perseverance in the way of God by Gods counselling and leading are here insinuated and beside that a spiritual desire v. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in the Earth there is none I desire beside thee 15. Self-love is a note of Apostates in the last days 2 Tim. 3. 2. and of men in the state of nature where self-love prevails above the love of God for natural men make themselves the god of gods and the god of their false gods Exod. 20. 4. Judg. 2. 19. Psalm 81. 8. Amos 5. 26. Hos 13. 2. there be men who make themselves their last end it 's contrary to all true holiness and sanctification and so to all acts and influences of the Spirit for it is the proper work of the Spirit to make us holy and he bears the name of the holy Ghost and of the spirit of sanctification upon that reason and therefore where self is the mans god what room is left to holiness and to the influences of grace and where the love of God is spread abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost which is given Rom. 5. 5. and hath a seat in the heart John 21. 15. John 14. 15. Deut. 10. 12. Deut. 6. 4 5 6. Deut. 30. 6. as the habitual fear of God hath also what doubt is there but the Lord shall joyn actual influences of grace to his owne spiritual habits which should put us to self-denial and to be less wedded to the love of our selves and more to love the Lords Word Law and Testimonies Psalm 119. 11 47 72 97 127 128 c. to love Jesus Christ his cause and Gospel more then our own life Matth. 16. 25 26. then houses brethren sisters father mother wife children or lands Matth. 19. 29. Matth. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26. and where this habit of love prevailing in the heart is the Lord denies not actual influences to his own sincere followers and strength of grace to seal his truth with their blood Rev. 12. 10 11. Heb. 11. 33 34 35. Heb. 10. 32 33 34. and when self-confidence and self-love and carnal fear of losing life present prevails by reason of a temptation as is clear in Peter and the Disciples who deny and forsake Christ contrary to their undertaking Matth. 26. 31 32 33 34 35 v. 56 69 70 71 c. the Lord justly withdraws the influences of his spirit 16. The ignorance of the Gospel and the loathing of Christ renders all Pagans who hear the rumour of Christ but receive him not and all Reprobates within the visible Church in a worse condition then rocks and desarts are in for Sun clouds and rain send influences in them but the malignity and driness and coldness of the soil is the cause why they do not spring and blossome as the gardens and meddows but though the Lord send common helps to such Pagans and unbelievers yet it is justice that the Spirit in his influences should be a stranger to such as live strangers to the Son of God for the Son and Spirit go not contrary ways to their operations Carnal professors who study only a form of godliness and aim not at the power of godliness and do but bear the bare letters and outward bulk of baptism and the sound of the word preached and hate Christ and persecute the godly that are chosen by him out of the world come under the name of the world who cannot receive the Spirit nor his influences John 14. 17. and have a spirit of their own the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. this spirit is their tutor and guide and such as are out of Christ are led by the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. and are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now can these two spirits the Spirit of God and the Divel lodge in one and the same dwelling and exercise their several operation on the same soul No. 17. The sad freatings and wrestlings at the providence of God incapacitates men for influences of grace thrice Psalm 78. the people are said to tempt the Lord and especially in asking meat for their lust v. 18. can he provide flesh for his people v. 20. and the Spirit of the Lord so tempted le ts not out his sweet and saving influences upon such as wrestle with his holy dispensations was there more of the Spirit letten out to Israel for murmuring at the red sea or less yea less Exod. 15. for after that they murmured again at Morat Exod. 14. and in the wilderness of Sin Exod. 16. 1. yea forty years in the wilderness Psal 95. 9 10. They tempted God and did erre in heart and that with their first murmuring in Egypt was a provoking cause of Gods withdrawing his Spirit all these forty years is called v. 8. The day of temptation for to tempt God is a great wickedness he who welcomes all dispensations with godly submission and can bow to his Lords will
and then must you be dry and withered in all your actings whereas influences and manifestations are promised to the lovers of Christ Joh. 14. 21. he that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe to him These sure are the revelations and manifestations of the Spirit John 15. 24. Christ puts a strong wall of difference between the hating world and the disciples v. 24. now they have both seene and hated both me and my Father but not so ye v. 26. when the comforter is come whom J will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me v. 27. and ye also shall beare witnesse because ye have been with me from the beginning Here are actings of the spirit in the disciples who love the father and Christ that the spirit acteth them to bear witness of him to the world upon all hazards even to death and torment We see what workes and actings of the spirit is in the Spouse sick of love for Christ which are in that song of songs to be seen comparing Cant. 2. 5. Cant. 5. 8. with other places of the song these works of the spirit are seen 1. A desire to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1. 2. 2. A spirituall smelling of his good oyntments Cant. 13. 3. A prayer to be drawn and a vow to run being drawn Cant. 1. 4. 4. A resolution to rejoyce in his love with all the virgins and chaste followers of Christ Cant. 1. 4. to rejoyce more in his love then in wine 5. A desire to be where Christ dwelleth in the tents of the Shepherds a sound Ministry Cant. 1. 7. 6. A profession of intimate love to Christ so as he lies as a bundle of myrrhe betwixt her brests all the night Cant. 1. 13 16. an extolling of Christ as the apple-tree among all the trees of the forrest Cant. 2. 3. and a delighting to taste the fruits of his love 7. A spiritual feeling in being taken into his celler-house of wine Cant. 2. 4. a desire to be refreshed and established with the promises and comforts of the preached Gospel Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love 8. The feeling of his love-imbracements when they are on v. 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraceth me 9. Because the whole song is a song of love there is a charge given not to offend Christ v. 7. 10. An eying of him by faith in his approaches in the delivery of his people in his coming in the flesh to save the world in the preached Gospel in all which his coming leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills saith That no impediment of the enemies and the powers of hell and no evil deserving of sin can obstruct his gracious motions to save and comfort his own v. 8 9. 11. The discerning of Christ's calling us in the Gospel v. 10 11 12. My Beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my love my fair one and come away 12. The discerning of his desire of our worship of the Churches praying doctrine and discipline v. 14 15. O my dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy vice c. 13. The Churches claiming of interest mutual betwixt Christ and his Spouse v. 16. My Beloved is mine and I am his 14. The observing where Christ is his feeding among the lillies in his Church which is clean and comely by his beauty 16. He feedeth among the lillies 17. untill the day breake c. 15. The Spouses desire of his company v. 17. Turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether a desire of being with him for ever in glory as Rev. 22. v. 17 20. 16. The Spouses careful seeking of Christ and spiritual restlesness till she find him Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. I sought him whom my soul loved I sought him but I found him not c. 17. The sweet spiritual smell of the so loved Church v. 6 c. 18. Chap. 5. The Spouses discerning of his knock and voice though she sleep 2. The acknowledging of her sinful denying to let him in 3. The Spirit of Christs acting upon her heart till the bowels of love were stirred in her v. 4. 4. The opening to him 5. The smell of her obedience which she felt like dropping myrrhe v. 5. 19. The Spouses swooning and falling dead at his departure 20. The Spouses praying and seeking him when now he had withdrawn himself and the missing of the sweet actings of the spirit to her sense v. 6. 21. Her seeking of him at the watchmen 1 6 7. 22. Her desire that other professors the daughters of Jerusalem may in prayer hold forth to Christ her spiritual state of love-sickness v. 8. 23. Her preferring of Christ to all other beloveds in Heaven or Earth v. 9. 14. The Spouses high exalting of Christ in all his parts endowments graces and lowliness My Beloved is white and ruddy v. 10 11 12 c. all these and many others the like teach that the spirit in such excellent operations and graces hath his dwelling and seat in an heart strongly filled with the love of Christ But who hates Christ 1. All persecuters of his members John 15. 18. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before you And it is exponed v. 20. If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you And whoever loves not the Brethren are not translated 1 John 3. 14. and they who love them not hate them 1 John 3. 14. compared with v. 15. how carnal lust and the love of glory from men hindereth influences of the Spirit to love Christ See John 8. 42. If God were your father ye would love me 44. Ye are of your father the Divel the lusts of your father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning v. 50. I seek not mine own glory The strong love of Christ in the heart is a chamber and a house for the Spirit to act in 2. Not desiring of God but an abhorring or a soul abhorring of God hinders influences of the Spirit 1. Are there any who abhor God such a sad word is spoken of the Jews Zech. 11. 8. Three Shepherds also I cut off in one month and my soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me Departing from God as a whorish woman forsakes her huband is charged upon the confederat people harlotry upon every high hill and under every green tree Jer. 2. 20. even when they said We will not transgress Hos 4. 12. The spirit of whoredom hath caused them to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God 13. And can the holy spirit
of the Lord the husband act in a whorish spouse who grieves that spirit See Psalm 106. 39. Can refreshings come from the fountain of living waters to such as Jer. 2. 13. forsake the fountain and hew them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no waters or can the Spirit dwell and act in that soul which abhors God and the spirit of God and his operations no man will lodge in an Inne in which he knows they lie in wait for his life Isa 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit 2. There are who say Job 21. 14. to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways and who Prov. 1. 29. hate knowledge Now the spirit of the Lord is a spirit of knowledge and needs none to counsel him and teach him knowledge Isa 40. 13 40. And to one is given by the same spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 8. the word of wisedom to another a word of knowledge by the same spirit and he is Ephes 1. 17. the spirit of wisedom and revelation who gives the knowledge of Christ the Spirit then will not be a teacher to such as hate the master teacher and all his instructions Wil a man be an instructer to a Disciple or Apprentice who to his knowledge hates and flies from him and abhors him who abhors mocks and does despite to the Spirit and will the Spirits going forth be as the pleasant morning in such a man sure the Spirit teacheth not convinceth not guideth not in all truth any John 14. 26. John 16. 7 13. but such only as Christ sendeth him unto John 14. 16 17. 16. 7. I will send him unto you v. 13. He shall guide you He shall shew you things to come John 15. 26. And therefore he comes to this Psalm 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee What is such a man how is he known by another There be three notes by which he is known v. 23. 1. Nevertheless though I be a beast and a tempted fool doubting of a providence I am continually with thee O blessed company Then follow two observable actings and influences of the Spirit 1. The confirming and upholding influence the supernatural manutenentia upholding of the Spirit Thou wilt hold me fast by my right hand 2. There is the guiding John 16. 13. and leading of the Spirit Psal 143. 10. Psal 73. 14. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel So every element acts and moves most connaturally in its own place the river moves most connaturally within its own channel it 's violent in its motion when it runs above and without its own banks the wind moves naturally in the air but most violently and unkindly in the bowels of the earth for there it causes earthquakes and swallows up houses and Cities The Spirit of the Lord acts and breaths sweetly in a believer but the spirit that moves in a possessed man is proven to be the spirit of the Divel not of God because he moves most connaturally and casteth the possessed one who is his house in fire and water Mark 9. he is not a gracious guest who sets on fire his own lodging Isa 26. 9. With my soul I have desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me early will I seek thee and that is a work of the spirit to learn righteousness when the Lords judgements are on the earth v. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us The Spirit refers all acting on earth to God for the good of his Church and there follow many expressions of faith and liveliness to the end of the Chapter v. 13 14. the Lords that ruled over us beside thee are dead the people v. 16. prayed to thee in trouble v. 19. Our dead men buried in Babylon shall live and be delivered Could we desire and thirst after God the Spirit should act more abundantly in us 3. From our joy or delight and our sadness and sorrow arise impediments of spiritual influences As 1. Carnal sensual delights and the Spirit cannot be together Jude v. 19. sensual not having the spirit The more men are drowned in sensual lusts the less of the Spirit they have or nothing at all The Apostle Phil 3. makes an opposition betwixt such whose God is their belly and mind earthly things corn wine and oyl and mind not spiritual things and so benow nothing of the Spirit and himself and sound believers who have their conversation in heaven which must speak much spiritual mindedness and mighty influences of the Spirit by which the mind the apprehensions and thoughts the affections hope faith love delight haunt heaven and eternity much The Scripture calls some swine 2 Pet. 2. 22. some other dogs Rev. 22. 15. Does the holy Spirit dwell and breath in and through a prophane and unclean man such as are swine and dogs It 's strange that the preaching of the Gospel and Satan lodge together in Judas Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil John 6. 7. Matth. 10. 1. And when he had called the twelve disciples he gave them power against unclean Spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness v. 7. Goe and preach 2. Influences of grace spiritual joy persevering to the end can no more find good soil to grow in a rocky stony proud and graceless heart then corn can grow on stones and rocks Matth. 13. 20 21. though there be a receiving of the word with joy and delight that joy is but false mettal The only cure of this is if we would have our spiritual desires as touching grace and glory and other things annexed to this is to listen to that Psalm 37. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart What was spoken of love-sickness after Christ the same is true of soul-delighting in Christ that in any precious actings of the Spirit goes along with both Psalm 63. 7. The soules following hard after God Psalm 63. is a fruit of the other v. 6. When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches then v. 5. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness my soul shall praise thee with joyful lips Psal 51. 11. Take not thy spirit of holiness from me Why what special fruit of that spirit doth he seek v. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and firmly sustain me with thy free spirit a willing a princely ruling spirit Joy hath a strong impulsion and hath vehement expressions as clapping of the hands Psalm 47. 1. Shouting Psal 63. 7. In the shadow of thy wings I rejoyced Heb. I shouted And Matth. 5. 12. Rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoyce and leap for joy as in a dance It 's excellent to strong impulsions of the Spirit to
feet He saw a throne set in heaven and one sate on the throne and he that sate was to look upon like a Jasper and a Sardine-stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne and four and twenty seats round about the throne and four and twenty Elders who cast down their crowns before him that sate upon the throne c. 4. and the armies in heaven in earth and under the earth praising him He saw in the visions of God the seven Angels which poured the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth He saw Babylons fall the vision of the last Judgment the Bride the Lambs wife adorned with the glory of God He saw the new Jerusalem the golden structure of it the street of gold the twelve ports the wall the foundation of precious stones the river of water of life the tree of life Moses never saw such glory 3. Hence see we that there may be a sinful incapacity on our part and that the pure in spirit see God Mat. 5. and that grace keeps the soul like a calm sea without storm and wind and that if we would be near God we would keep the heart clean and pure We are to beware of grudging and act these three duties 1. Trust in the Lord. 2. Delight in the Lord. 3. Hope patiently for him Psalm 37. 1 2 3 4. There may be an earthquake in the zeal of a meekned Elias there was no godly men on earth left but himself as his angry zeal said to him and the Lord knew 7000. besides him The Lords way of appearing to Elias 1 Kin. 19. taught him some other thing for the Lord was neither in the strong wind that brake in pieces mountaines and rocks nor in the earthquake nor in the fire but in the still small voice v. 11 12. The Spirit was not of God which would call for fire from heaven in the disciples to burn villages and men women and children quick because they refuse lodging to Christ and his disciples for therefore meekly saith Christ and gravely Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of 56. For the Son of man came not to destroy mens lives but to save them You know not that these flamings of the fleshes wild-fire came not from heaven for they smell not of the meek Son of man nor savour they of his saving message No doubt the disciples thought their sparks were kindled at a fire from heaven but that fire came not from God seldom does the Lords Spirit dwell and act in his saving influences in an angry fiery spirit grace meekens hell and hellish passions in the renewed Saints There are no passions in the glorified and perfectly meekned ones who stand before the throne but such as are pure and unmixed fire for the everlasting praises of God Hence showres of influences eternally rain on them night and day without ceasing Isa 6. 2 3 4 Rev. 4. 8. The 6th impediment of heavenly influences is from fear 2 Tim. 1. 7. We are to stir up the grace of God in us and his gifts not from a legal fear For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. Then we take up the Spirit of law-bondage and law-fear of our own will that spirit of fear is not of Gods giving or choosing but it is of our choosing Rom. 8. Such as are led by the spirit of God are willing followers v. 15. For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father It 's like the devils are uncapable of influences of grace because of the horrour and slavish trembling fear that is upon their conscience they be ever under the law of works never under grace no not so much as in offer Matth. 8. 29. Jam. 2. 19. Faith and the spirit of adoption to pray to believe influences of grace is the remedy of this So are we to believe perseverance and that God shall give influences of grace to the end Psalm 23. We shall have waterings and the believers well shall never run dry Psal 104. 33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live Psal 104. 33. Psal 146. 1. Psal 52. 8 9. Then he knew of a stock and a new furniture in heaven suppose his own well should go dry CHAP. V. Some properties of Influences of grace 1. That they are invincible and irresistible 2. Of free grace 3. Done by the Lord with a principality of causality 4. Immediately both by the immediation of vertue and of the Lords own presence Influences are considered 1. In the first moment of conversion 2. In perseverance 2. God seeks not our consent to our first conversion 3. We are maried to Christ before we consent to the mariage 4. How the Lord determines free-wil without offering violence to free wil. 5. Gods dominion is equally over free-wil and all natural causes 6. God acts in all both by the immediate influence of his power and also of his person 7. The Lord most particularly leads his own 8. What is the right missing of Influences 9. We are more our own by the Law and less our own by the Gospel 10. Christs care and the members care IT is easier here to know what is not to be said as touching the irresistibility and strength of gracious influences above our free-will then what to say But Influences are considered two wayes 1. Moral'y 2. Physically 1. As they are common to all who hear the word in the visible Church 2. As influences are peculiar to the elect in the business of conversion Assert 1. Common moral influences that goes along with the word preached may be resisted for the Jewes alwayes resisted the holy Ghost speaking in the Prophets Acts 7. 51 52. Zech. 7. 11. But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped the ear that they should not hear 12. Yea they made their hearts as an adamant-stone lest they should hear the Law and-the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit to the former Prophets Then the reprobate may and doe resist the immediately inspiring spirit in the men of God writing and speaking that word 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. and the assisting spirit also in the Pastors It 's dreadful in the lower actings of God in the word to despise the Spirit and to give him battel in his first approaches I called and ye refused Prov. 1. 24. Isa 65. 1 2 3. A contradicting of and a warring against the Spirit at the first face is much to be feared O tremble to speak against or to counter-work the Spirit at all 2. Influences proper to the Elect are so also to be looked on 1. In the first moment of conversion 2. In the work of perseverance In the first moment of conversion the sinner prevents not Christ none dead in sins and trespasses ever sent or
could send to heaven for the spirit and the influences of grace The Lord comes unsent for and here is found of them who never sought him Isa 65. 1. For as touching the Lords first love-visit when he comes upon the sinner dying in his blood in the infusion of the life of Christ there is no treaty no communing betwixt the foundling dying in the open field and Christ For 1. Our consent is not sought to the first Creation nor yet to the second the Lord does not as it were parly nor ask the question at the thirsty wilderness Shall I pour water on thee and flouds of rain house of David will ye yield your consent and good will that I pour upon you the spirit of grace and of supplication For the formal infusion of a new heart is not done by moral acting in that point of dispensation 2. Our Divines on strong grounds teach that the sinner is a meer patient habet se passivè in the formal moment of the Lords infusing of a new herat as the wildeness is a patient in receiving rain Isa 44. 4 5. the dead man a patient in receiving influences of life Eph. 2. 1. And you hath be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins John 5. 25. The man is a passive subject under a creating power 2 Cor. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 10. So Ezek. 36. 26. Ezek. 11. 19. Zech. 12. 10. Yea if adversaries of grace yield an infusion of a new grace and natural and supernatural power to believe be that a remote or farther-off power in all and every man member of the Visible Church or Indian or Brasilian 1. They must prove it by Scripture 2. They must shew some covenant and promise like to that Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 11. 19 20. betwixt Christ and the Americans and shew whether the offer be moral or not as well as we Or 3. they must say with Pelagians the power of believing was neither broken nor hurt nor taken away by the fall But we may see and read free grace here Christ leaves no room to our fencing and digladiation He said not to the foundling Wilt thou live or wilt thou not live but I said positively unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live And to make it sure Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Ezek. 16. 6. Nor said he to the dry bone◠Shall I open your graves and bring you out loving and believing John 5. 25. Send me your hand-writ and consent out of the graves else I le not enlive you Nay he did the work first and first gave us life and then sought and obtained our after-consent As a Prince who by strong hand conquers a people never treats with them whether he shall be their King or not till he first subdue them take their forts and castles disarm the inhabitants and then he offers them good conditions and gains their after-good will that he rule over them And we are translated and in Christ's bounds and have laid down arms before ever we yield a spiritual vital lively and sincere amen and closing with Christ that he and none but he onely shall reign over us And it 's admirable what branches of freedome are here As 1. No husbandman can help the clouds no art of navigators can create fair winds nor can our seeking create influences of sensible and feeling finding of him whom the soul loves Cant. 1. 2. No excellency of meanes were it an Angel and the man Christ preaching so as all bear him witness and are astonished at the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth Luke 4. 22. can create saving influences but by the contrary influences of hell fill them with wrath that they would cast Christ over the hill and break his bones Luke 4. 28 29. 3. Fectless objects fetch influences from hell as King Herod and all Jerusalem with him are quaking for fear at the birth of a weeping babe in cradle Can an infant rise out of his swadling cloaths and cut the Kings throat Matth. 2. 9. and with fire and sword destroy all Jerusalem or can a dead corps in the grave rise and slay the souldiers Mat. 28. 4. For the external calling many are called and hear 40 50 60 70. yeares and yet no influences of grace fall on them as if men ah if it were not so were the cursed ground and blasted fig-tree yea contrary to influences he blasts the roses by withdrawing sap from them burnes the earth and turns hearts into iron by forbidding the clouds to rain on them 5. In a moment he sends flowing showrs upon the thief crucified with Christ and he preacheth Christ a King on the cross 6. Who knows not the celerity and swiftness of the love-visits of Christ coming leaping over the mountaines and skipping over the hills When the man is going down to the pit the influence that a found ransome it accepted for him makes him revive so that his flesh shall be fresher then a childs Job 33. 23 24 25. and v. 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him saith Elihu 6. There is a great difference here betwixt Sun-influences and the influences of grace The apple on the same tree which are nearest to the Suns shining are most cordial and delicious they are rawer and sourer though upon the same stock that are long in the morning ere the Sun-influences fall on them and are soon under the afternoon-shadow but the disciples shined upon by the influences of the glory of the transfiguration near Christ and Moses and Elias spake they knew not what and that carnally Mark 9. 5 6. And who can think there is heterodox Divinity so near heaven as now the Apostles were So doth John fall dead at the feet of Christ when he is in the Spirit Revel 1. 10 13 17. The well is damned at the head of the fountain 2. Hence the second Property is clear of it self it 's of free grace we are maried here before we spiritually yield that Christ be our husband We are created of new to be his holy frame and workmanship and then hardly can we but consent nor bought we his love-influences Yea nor is the Lord obliged to give the Sun-influences for shining and moving nor the fire for casting out heat He hath interposed his Soveraignty in the contrary when he pleased Josh 10. 13. Isa 38. 8. Dan. 3. 27. to teach that Heaven and Earth have their Charters and their Writs of both being and working from the free goodness and soveraignty of God 3. For the third Consideration the Lord is the cause of his own influences Of our actings 2. The efficacious domineering insuperable cause 3. How the effects are ascribed to him principally To prove the first I need not goe back to prove the necessity of divine influences and that he works all our works in us The second is more dubious but it 's spoken to before Christ is such a
himself in person but by a Deputy who represents his person and Princes being far distant the sea intervening transact matters of peace and warre with other Princes and States by their Ambassadors and Legates whom they send For God is said to be with Moses mouth not onely giving him eloquence and a tongue but the Lord spoke in him to Pharaoh Exod. 4. 15. I will be with thy mouth and with Aarons mouth and teach you what to doe Gen. 46. 4. Fear not Jacob to goe down to Egypt I will go down with thee into Egypt And I will surely bring thee up again my power shall be with thee to protect thee my wisedome to lead thee this had been much but he meets with Jacobs fear ah I goedown to Egypt God is not in that Idolatrous Land Fear not saith he I the Lord in person shall go with thee to bless thee to act in thee Jer. 1. 19. They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee Why For I am with thee to deliver thee Immediatione suppositi God was Jeremiah's immediate deliverer for v. 18. he had promised before to be with Jeremiah by the immediation of his power and grace For behold I have made thee this day a defenced city an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole Land c. The Lord is present by the gracious mettal of zeal faith invincible courage he put in his Prophet So Christ Luke 24. 49. Behold I send the promise of my Father unto you What will he be away himself then No for he saith Matth. 28. 29. to the same disciples Loe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am with you alway even unto the end of the world 2. The Spirit acts in his own John 14. 17. He dwels with you and shall be in you v. 26. He shall teach you all things John 16. 13. He will guide you in all truth 3. Psal 73. 24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel He may doe that though absent by infusing into the Prophet the habit of wisedome nay he is nearer hand v. 2. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand That is more then power 4. The action of leading that is ascribed to God is his only action Deut. 32. 12. So the Lord alone led Jacob and there was no strange God with him Now the eyes legs wisedome and will of the guide and leader are the travellers It 's true he led them by right hand of Moses but who then shall lead Moses for Moses needed a guide as they Isa 63. 12. Yea but he was leader in person himself He led them through the deep as an horse in the wilderness that they should not â—â—umble Now a horse is not led by giving him power to guide himself but the leader holds the bridle and directs the way to the horse So the Lords Christ's gentle driving of the ewes with lamb and Christ's carrying the lambs in his bosome Isa 40. 11. is an action immediate of Christ and his Spirit The warmness of life that comes from Christ's own bosom and from the Spirit spreading warm love abroad in the heart speaks the personal acting of the Son and Spirit So drawing John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. speaks the nearness of the Father of Christ and of Christ in his acting 5. This is to be considered There are two sorts of causes on in fieri another in facto esse The Creator in a manner is but half a cause the father begets a son the carpenter builds a ship the Mason raises up the frame of a goodly house But the son lives when the father is dead the ship sailes thousands of miles and the house stands hundreds of years when the carpenter and the mason are far from them for they are causes in fieri onely the making of houses and ships But there are some causes doe more The soul is a cause of the living man and when the soul is removed the man dies the face looking on the glass is the cause of the image both in its production and conservation remove the face and the image vanisheth away the Sunne is the cause of day-light which is transfused through the aire from the East to the West When the Sun goes down to another Horizon day-light vanisheth away because the Sun not by a deputy and by vertue communicated to another is the cause of the aires enlightning but is the cause of day-light both as touching the creating of it in fieri and as touching the preserving of it or in conservari facto esse So is God the cause of all creatures both as touching being and continuation being the Lord made all things and when they are made the house of heaven and earth should return to nothing if the Lord should withdraw his causative influence But in a special manner the Lord is every waâ— the cause of grace of our spiritual life and of all our actings of grace The new life should turn to nothing if Christ withdraw his gracious influence and it is that our poor little image and spiritual breaths are in his hand both touching production and conservation by his graces breathing Hence if the Angel of his presence goe with us his hand in our right hand Psal 73. 23. let us say 1. As Moses after the Lord had promised Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence goe not with me carry me not hence Ah who refuse a journey except God goe with him and be at his right hand and fixes the mind on this I will not goe to the pulpit as a Minister nor to the bench as a Judge nor to the field as a souldier except the Lord lead me and hold me by his right hand Doe ye misse influences of grace and the leading of the Spirit in a spiritual way of eating sleeping waking buying journeying It is good Obj. I cannot stir without God and his influences that I know Answ The sparrow and the raven the lyon and the wolf cannot stir without Gods influences of nature Ah that is poor and hungry Many have no more help of God to be lead in eating and drinking for God then the raven and the lyon Obj. I cannot pray nor hear without the influences of God Answ Ah you miss influences of God as concurring with a gift but ye miss not his gracious and saving influence to pray and hear in faith and feeling to concur with the Spirit of grace 2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and cast out devils without a common influence of a God with his gift and that is all your missing The renewed man misses that which in a manner is his due as a renewed man and that is the presence of the spirit of grace in his acting If a horse want a leg he shall soon miss it when he comes to running for four legs are due to him by nature but the horse in running misseth not the wings of an eagle for wings are not
due to him Gracious influences are not due to a Judas nor such a guide as the Spirit to any reprobate man therefore they cannot misse such a gracious guide 2. It teaches us to be willing to be led as to 1. Deny our will and wisedome as the blind man should not contend with his leader and guide as if he did see better then his guide Slack your high-bended will and deny it and cavil not with the Spirit this way I must goe whether my guide will or not Let your will be as dead and no will at all and let the Spirit in his will and wisedome reign in you 2. Spread out the sails and give them to the wind resign the heart to the Spirit obey that My son give me thy heart Give Christ your loves as Cant. 7. 12. Keep none of your heart or love to your self but quit fully both to the leading Spirit of Jesus Your love and your heart according to the Gospel-dispensation is not your own or at your disposing whatever property naturall by law you have over your self for the law buyes you not We are less our own and more Christs by the Gospel and more our own by the Law Many profess themselves sons and so to be led by the Spirit yet they have not given eyes wisedome will and love to the Spirit they keep a great piece of their heart and their love to themselves and have an inward reluctancy and wrestling against the wayes of the Spirit as yet remaining debtors to the flesh to pay the debt of service to the flesh Rom. 8. 12 13 14. 5. This is comfortable that Christ makes it the travail of his soul Isa 53. 11. and his soul-satisfaction to see his seed and to bring many children to glory Heb. 2. 10. So his soules work is upon keeping such as are given to him and guiding on his flock John 10. 3 4. in going before his own sheep in calling them by name and in leading them 2. He keeps such as come and raiseth them up at the last day John 6. 37 40. 3. He guides them with prayers John 14. 16. intercedes for them to reduce them when they goe out of the way Heb. 5. 1 2. and all this with soul-satisfaction and delight to get all his off-spring and children which the Lord hath given to him fairly landed and set in the other side of the sea beyond temptations and hazards beyond sin and death as he hath a fellow-feeling and compassion his bowels being moved even now in heaven with our infirmities Heb. 4. 14 15. so far as is suitable to his glorified state as our great High-Priest which hath passed into the heavens So his other affections of desire as our head and natural and kindly care to have all his members guided safe in at the gates of heaven and he must have much soul delight and satisfaction that his own be led with his holy arm and gathered in Isa 40. 10 11. We have a loose faith the head shall care and watch for us though we sleep that is Christ is graciously careful to give influences whether we sleep or wake pray or pray not our care can adde nothing to his care if he will fail in his trust and sleep and let us perish let him see to his own glory two cares one in the head and another in the members are needless nay but his love and care as head sends down influences of godly fear and trembling to the members that they may work with him Jer. 32. 40. 2. Our weakness of faith errs in the other extremity Ah can my deadness and hardness be ever subdued If Christ once sighed for the hardness of sinners hearts and wept over the slain of Jerusalem and counted it meat and drink to bring in the Samaritans to the Gospel John 4. 34. Now when Christ is glorified and the affections of love compassion care are perfected in glory not destroyed should our unbelief say he now cares not for the hard heart and obstinacy of his redeemed ones If thy unbelief must take all the care off Christ and our unbelieving care must doe all let Christ sleep 3. There is a proportion betwixt head and members the soul-travel of the head in heaven and the soul-travel of the members on earth in the use of all meanes hearing praâ—ing praising goe together Awaking head and sleeping members are unsutable He watches prays and watch ye with him and pray FINIS Joan. Strangius de voluntate actionibus dei circa peccatum l. 2. c. 9. p. 211. Sequitur dari priorem actionem cur voluntas Adam elegerit primum actum vitiosum quecunque ille sit nempe quia deus cum praemovit ac praedeterminavit ad istam electionem aut Actionem c. See Rivetn in Cath. orthodoxo tom 2. Q 6. tract 4. n 33. Meratins tom 1. tract de bonitate mal hum acta dispu 11. sc 7. n. 4. Strangius Stranguis ib. Strangius de vol. Act. dei circa p. l. 2. Strangius ib. Strangius de voluntate actio dei circa peccata l. 2. c. 9. p. 214. 2 2. cedit tertia necessitas ex eorum sententia qui dicunt prius ratione nam Deus decreverit condere ante citra peccati eorum praevisioneÌ„ aut considerationem Deum ad manifestandam gloriam justitiae misericordiae craedestinasse ex angelis hominibus alios ad faelicitatem aeternam alios autem improbasse aeternis poenis adjudicandos non potuit fieri ut hoc decretum ex equeretur ex equitur enim Deus quicquid decrevit Non Potuit autem exequi si nullum fuisset peccatum hominum aut Angelorum omnio enim decreta dei samâ— libera sed ex hypothesi unius decreti fit ut aliud necessario ponendum sit ex vi ergo hujus decreti necesse erat ut homo angeli aliqui peccarent God intended that no man should be saved by the law True liberty Grace loves to be restrained from doing evil That the first Adam was to pray for perseverance is not clear Adam was to rely on God for perseverance but as promised by the covenant of works Our grace in the second Adam choicer then that in the first The Lords influences in all Divers write and assert there is not such a thing imaginable as the Lord 's invincible predetermination of second causes but it s but a simple denial of the conclusion Let any man show me how the Lord 's soveraign dominion in procuring all the actings of Angels and Men and of natural causes to be or not to be as pleaseth the Soveraign Lord who doth what he will in Heaven and Earth can stand unhurt and stand it must if ye remove the Lords insuperable predeterminating thereof or some act like this by which all must come to passe or not come to passe as holy Soveraignity will and I shall be silent the arguments for his Dominion being