and he rejoycingly triumphed over death In a moment there may come in a carnal disposition and drown and quench the smoaking and flaming of an heavenly kindling We might draw down rich influences and sweet actual breathings which are connatural and suitable to spiritual and supernatural influences the Lord though his liberty in breathing when and where he will be admirable yet should we more vigorously improve ordinances and specially promises for ordinarily the Lord would let out more of his breathings did we more improve the habits of grace and sure he that trades not at all with his stock may become poorer and we might make influences more near to us for the habit of grace is nearest of kindred of any thing else to the actual breathings of the Lord and the only culpable cause of our not growing in grace and augmenting of the habit of grace is our own sinful sluggishness CHAP. IV. Now the third particular we proposed to speak to was the connexion between the habits of grace and actual breathings and how we may by using habits fetch home the breathings of the Spirit The habit of grace is to be considered two ways 1. In order to God 2. In its own nature In order to God 1. The Father 2. The Son 3. The Spirit 1. IN order to God and his holy decree if the Lord ordain a certain number to glory and upon that account bestow the habit of grace upon these so chosen then God who doth nothing in vain when he creates powers and habits must intend to send influences to act upon these powers and habits as when God creates the Sun a heavenly body which is apt to move to send forth heat and light he must intend by constant law and decree to joyn his influences to the moving and shining of the Sun otherwise if he had created these heavenly bodies never to be acted upon for the sending forth of their vertues of light heat motion he had created Sun and Stars in vaiâ— â—o if the husbandman make a plough and never make use of it for tilling the ground and make a sickle and never put it in act for reaping he must have made the plougâ— and the sickle in vain If the Lord pour the habit of grace and supplication upon the house of David then have the inhabitants of Jerusalem who have received that gâ—ace ground of faith and hope that the Lord shall suitâ—bly to his intended end and begun work bestow saving influences on them to believe and repent to look on him by faith whom they have pierced and mourn over Christ whom they have slain by their sins as a man mournes and is in bitterness for his first-born Zech. 12. 10. otherwise the Lord bestowes that habit of grace in vain which we are not to imagine of the only wise Lord Psal 89. 47. If the Lord pour water upon the thirsty ground and his Spirit upon the seed of Jacob the nature of husbandry which joyns end and meanes requireth that he joyn to the new heart and new spirit influences for the growing of the seed of Jacob as the willows by the water courses and that he lead the trembling hand at the pen and give influences of grace to swear and subscribe that they shall be the Lords maried land joyned to him in a perpetual covenant Isa 44. 3 4 5. 2. The graciousness of the Lords holy nature revealed Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth to fallen man for he hath revealed no pardoning grace and mercy to fallen Angels nor is that the scope of Moses Exo. 34. or of the Scripture any where Now if so he as the Lord is under some necessity upon supposal that he created men and Angels to declare his pure immixed justice in the fallen Angels so by some necessity of decency suitable to his goodnesse and holy nature he must choose some to glory and give them inherent habits of grace that he may carry them to heaven in a way of voluntary obedience so that upon supposal he hath so declared himself to Angels and men there must be glorious emanations and out-goings of free grace both to ordain some to glory and beautifie them with the habit of faith to believe in him that justifies the sinner and habits of sanctification I say upon supposal he so reveal himself in his word otherwise absolutely and simply the the contrary order that he had placed fallen Angels in mans room and men in the place of fallen Angels had been as just and good as that which now is 3. The holy Lord gives some to Christ and his enduing them with grace to come and giving to them of his free grace the habit of faith it 's an engaging of the holy Lord to give influences suitable to the habit upon the very account that the Lord make over a man to Christ and create his own image in him he intends to make him an honourable vessel in his house and to adorn the man so gifted to Christ as when the Lord builds a house he minds that some shall dwell in it And 2. the great designe of free grace in Christ must in these two bring him under a holy necessity to bring his many children to glory for the decree of election is an act of the three persons John 10. 16. Other sheep I have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are not yet in his actual possession but he hath an actual right to them I have paid a ransome for them them also I must bring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is under a necessity of driving them in then is Christ under a necessity of a decree common to him with the Father and the Spirit to breath upon and cherish the habit of grace that his great designe of free grace in the work of redemption may stand sure and attain its graciously designed end as also he is 2. Under an official and mediatory necessity to the chosen to bestow on them the freely given habit of grace and so I judge with reverence of the judgment of others that Christ hath an advocation and office of intercession for the elect even such as are not yet actually converted not that he extends the same acts of advocation to the chosen converted and to the chosen not yet converted 1. Because Christ as Mediator and high Priest prayes for them and so that habits of grace and influences may be bestowed on them John 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Nor can it be said that Christ intends not they should reap any mediatory fruit of his prayer till they be born and actually believe for he prayes and intercedes for their conversion and faith they yet being in nature and unrenewed for that is true in some sense Christ prays for their faith actual when it is in being and shall actually
own thoughts God will convince them that they do not give over their sins 2. Thou dost not so much as try whether thou canst doe or not when a Master bids a Servant carry a sack of corn to the Mill I cannot says he but cannot you try says his master cannot you go about it no he will not try why then he is wilfull if his master should see him sweating and striving to carry it it were something then he will say he stuck at a cannot but when he will not be at the pains to try he sticks at a will not pag. 10. God offers the good motions of power I will help thee and I will enable thee and thou wilt not be helped Jer. 6. 17. Hearken to the sound of the trumpet but they said they will not hearken O saist thou I do hear the word and I cannot hear it better I do pray dayly and I cannot pray better thus thou retortest upon God as the unprofitable servant Lo here thou hast what is thine lo here is the best faith thy spirit helps me to here is the best obedience that thy power enabled me to doe c. lo there thou hast that is thine thou helpest me with no more 3. God gives thee a talent a new power hath God given thee eyes thou hast more power to glorifie him then he that hath none give account for thy wit Lord I have contrived businesses and bargains with it I have jested quirped been merry with it but why wouldst thou not be witty for God and for the good of thy soul 4. The more power thou hast to repent the more thy will is against it the more your righteousness should encrease it goes the more away like the dew the more the Sun riseth the more it vanisheth away like many the more preaching the farther off 5. Thy cannot is a voluntary cannot I cannot give to the poor saist thou yea thou hadst once Lands and Means and comings in but thou hast spent all at the Ale-house 6. Thou art contented with thy cannot thou canst not be holy and thou art contented not to be thou canst not crucifie thy lust and thou art contented with this cannot nay thou wouldst not be able my people love to have it so Jer. 5. 31 c. A man can doe more good then then he does though not in a gracious manner yea and there be degrees more or lesse in both matter and manner yea and this cannot is the natural cannot of a broken will Lot preached to Sodome and they repent not Jonas preached to Nineveh and they repent though not soundly Christ a greater then Jonah preacheth to the Pharisees and they repent neither soundly nor any other way Sure more might be done in using of means though not without some common grace but so long as wicked will hath a nearest influence in all sinful omissions and transgressions there is no place left to this O God give me no power nor habits nor influences but would ye have done all required to be done with power habits and influences by your poor wicked wills Nay there is a wicked will not which is a pull-back and a sinful obstruction to gracious actings But to say nothing of this more may not believers so far command influences of grace as that they have in their power far off or near hand in potentiâ proximâ vel remotâ sufficient grace to believe and be saved See Cornelius Jansenius tom 3. de grat Chr. Salv. lib. 3. c. who citeth Vasquez 1 part disp 97. Suarez lib. 4. de praedest c. 3. num 19 20. But it is required that the party non ponat obicem lay not a block in the way of the Lord calling him and if he doe not God shall undoubtedly convert him say these men For if God should deny sufficient help of grace especially to Infants upon an intention to damn them saith Theo. Smizing tom 2. tract 3. disp 6. de provid num 179. such a denyal should be against the Covenant that the Father hath made with the Son that he hath accepted the death of the Son for the reconciliation of all mankind and their redemption none excepted And therefore he should 1. Doe a wrong to Christ And 2. to all mankind and sin against the justice of his fidelity if he should deny sufficient help of grace upon an intention of damning them for original sin 3. Such a sufficient grace is due to us not of our selves but in Christ yea but by this Christ hath merited sufficient grace to all and why not pardon of original sin to all and life eternal to all should it not be a wrong to all and a wrong to Jesus Christ and a wrong to free will if such a meritorious purchase of grace be made to all why are they called by nature the heirs of wrath for by this all the Pagans and Heathens by grace are also the reconciled heirs of glory the ransomed of the Lord. 2. Why doe not the Apostles first reveal the drawing and heart-breaking motive of obedience Christ hath dyed for you all and reconciled you to God from the womb 3. What news are these you all are in that blessed Covenant passed betwixt the Father and the Son and Christ hath given a dear ransome of blood to purchase grace to carry you either to Heaven or Hell but he hath purchased for you no glory except by the sweating of free will you make it your actual purchase 4. The Scripture tells us no where that Jesus Christ dyed to break the Decrees of Election and Reprobation and that Christ hath obtained that no man should be damned for Original sin as many as die in Adam Rom. 5. as many are justified and live in Christ both the life of grace and of glory 5. This is the far more wide and broad covenant of grace that the Gospel if men use the light of nature well who are and ever hath been in all ages since the creation the greatest part of mankind shall be sent to them and all shall be put in such a capacity to be saved by Christ and justified in him as Adam was in to be justified and saved by the works of the Law 6. Why doth sin original brook the name of sin of iniquity transgression and a sin for which all die as Psal 51. 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 7. Rom. 8. Heb. 12. c. which indeed it s no sin but pardoned taken away in all mankind and which brings damnation to no man for in justice none can be condemned to death temporal more then to death eternal for that which is no sin at all and such is sin original say they 7. It is without all authority of Scripture that the natural actings of Pagans are so washed in the blood of Christ that they never heard of that they are in their actings meriting the Gospel either of congruity or decency or of common justice or of free promise or by some
the wound green the tender hand of Christ lovingly and compassionately binds up such broken ones Isa 61. 1. Psal 147. 3. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds and bones easily know their own place of bones when his hand puts them in place 4. Iron is the strongest and hardest of mettals yet being hot in the furnace receiveth any impression or figure and bones yield to the smiting of the hammer which it doth not when it 's cold and stiff when the cross hath graciously melted and softened the soul then it receives influences of grace and is ready to receive as Saul Act. 9. 6. trembling and aâ—tonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to doe The proud self arrogant spirit will not receive nor lodge impressions of grace from heaven be not then high-minded but fear otherways there shall be no rain on you and you shall not be ingraffed in Christ 9. Worldly mindedness and savouring of the things of the flesh keeps the soul both under deadness and distance from God the light of glory and the heart and conversation in heaven brings forth that which hath a strong influence of grace with it Phil. 3. 20 21. We look from heaven for our Saviour the Lord Jesus who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body when the soul is in heaven and we all 2 Cor. 3. 18. with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord we are neer to the receiving of the aspects of the glorified Redeemer But such as mind earthly things whose God is their belly Phil. 3. 19. can no more receive influences of grace then earth-worms or the Serpent that eateth the dust neither can heaven and the life to come have an impression in the gracious influences of God upon a wretched man who worships clay and hath no heaven but gold how can influences of God be received in the heart of an Idolater Heavens glory upon the soul is so transparent that bread and hunger had no influence upon Moses for forty days when he was in the mount with God and then rays and influences of glory could not but besweetly received on the soul it 's clear in such as stand and live before the throne who are under the eternally shining summer Sun and receive eternally influences of glory Rev. 7. 15. the Lamb leading them they serve God night and day in his Temple v. 16. and see his face Rev. 22. 4. and reign for ever and ever v. 5. and the Disciples forgot bread and garments yea and houses for themselves to dwell in for the three tabernacles were for Christ and Moses and Elias not to shelter them from frosts and rain and hail for they feared not the like injuries to glorified bodies the Disciples say It 's good for us to be here and so it 's good for us to part with houses with ships with fishing with nets with plucking of ears of corn or buying of bread yea it 's good to part with Ordinances preaching to the Jews or Gentiles with working of miracles healing the sick or casting out of divels influences of glory were as connaturally received in the soul that is neer God and heavenly minded as the Moon and Stars receive light from the Sun and dry fewel receives fire where clay and the earthy and drosy part of the Lords creation and his foot-stool can receive no light at all so if earthly mindedness have fixed a seat in the affections the spirit of grace and glory cannot shine through gross and earthy hearts give us corn wine and oyl and the influences of the lovely countenance of God say worldlings we do little value whereas it is night and winter and hell for a child of God when the Lord withdraws influences of faith and feeling loving rejoycing and neer communion with God worshippers of God never miss gracious influences when the soul is sick after Christ influences of God for the high praise of Christ abound Cant. 5. 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. and Psal 63. 1. when the soul thirsteth for God and the heart and flesh cry out for the living God Psal 88. 1 2. and the soul panteth as the hart for the water brooks for God Psal 42. 1. which are crying signs of a heart in heaven then influences of grace like an high spring-tyde and like a full river flow most abundantly even to the satisfying of the soul as with marrow and fatness and to the tongue praising of God with joyful lips and the remembring of God in the bed in the night-watches Psal 63. 4 5 6. and to the extolling of the Lord as God and King Psal 88. 1 2 3. and the breaking of the heart and bones when God is reproached Psal 42. 3 10. 10. Fiery zeal hinder influences burn the Samaritans with fire from heaven say the Disciples O Paul say fiery followers of the Law would destroy the Law of God and have Christ and grace all but received ye the spirit or his influences by the Law ye know not the wild-fire of revenge and the spirit of anger that leads you saith Christ to the Disciples even to the mild beloved disciple John Luke 9. 54. Come saith Jehu and see my zeal for the Lord liar come see my zeal for Jehu and for Jehu his new Kingdom but there were here no influences of the spirit of grace for 2 Kings 10. 31. Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin Therefore Jehu his fire in killing Baal's priests and Achab's seed being from false principles carnall and selfe ends and called by the holy Ghost Hos 1. 4. blood-shed and murder to be avenged of God must come from bastard influences And when our saviour rights the fire of zeale in John and James he condemnes the Spirit and the influences that made them so brutishly to startle Luke 9. 55. 2. He reduces them to the faith and sound believing of his coming in the world which was to save mens lives not to destroy them v. 56. it 's a notable healing of the too hot blood that is in fierie zeale to believe soundly the meekness of Christ therefore would hot and wild-fire influences be well tried whence they come from Heaven or from Hell for so some who kill the Lords Apostles judge then if sparkles of fire can come from heaven John 16. 2. when it is nothing so Ophni and Phinehas are publickly zealous for the Lord Moses meek in the injury done to him by Miriam and by Core and Dathan and his is fiery against the golden calf in the Lords cause hence influences from God set them a work and eat them up as zeal for the Lords house eat up David Psalm 69. 9. Psalm
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
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
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
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
parts I should doe more for God but more of nature you have and what doe you Is it not thus had I the wings of an Eagle I would flie But these wings you have and you lie and you creep you doe but slumber and sleep in the ways of God you flie not 3. Why is not this said Had I more corruption as it is easie to gain here and doe evil and wax worse and worse I should run with Divels and Reprobate men from evil to worse for this is a truth had I the acquired blinded mind of Pharaoh and trayterous heart of Judas I should be worse then they If it be said there is not the like reason between nature and grace for one habit of saving grace helps to make the will stronger and more bent to gracious actings then gifts or common parts or natural parts Ans It is true the habit of saving grace makes the soul readier to act savingly for God Saving grace doth more strongly effect the will in an habitual way for gracious acts But no habit either of grace or nature can actuate it self and therefore it is presumption in a way of relying on the habit of grace to promise much to our selves 8. Had I extraordinary helps of a teacher sent from Hell I would believe Ans 1. We believe not the word spoken by Angels the Law nor the word spoken by the Lord Heb. 2. 3. and Heb. 12. 25. For if they escaped not who refused him who spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him who speaketh from Heaven Christ came from Heaven and out of the bosome of the Father and hath preached Heaven and Hell to us for he had experience of wrath answerable to the pain of Hell 2. This is no other shift then that of the rich man in the Parable Luk. 16. 30. Nay father Abraham if one went to them from the dead they will repent Now repentance flows not from the Preachers experience though he had seen and felt the pains of Hell or the joys of Heaven nor doth the experience of Heaven's joy or Hell's torment heal the broken and wounded will and the rich man's divinity hath been the same with Pelagians way that if the word be feelingly and dexterously proposed it can waken up the sleeping free will and repentance is a work of nature if the fire be dexterously blown upon it will certainly flame and all depends upon the running and willing of his five brethren Now common grace free will and natural ability at best is but a potency the actual stirring of saving grace must extract and to speak so milk out of the very saving habit acts of sound believing and repenting or then the will and the habit must lie dead far more is this true in natural powers and common graces Now in all this our Saviour answers well the whole doubt he that is not faithful in little can he be faithful in much Luke 16. 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches Verse 12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own Our Saviour reasons most strongly Joh. 3. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things He that is not able to bear a burden of the weight of one pound would he bear a burden of a thousand talents So he If the Lord had given me ten talents I should have equalled David or Paul or the beloved disciple John in grace and holiness Now ye have not improved two talents but digged them in the Earth For it is not here as in earthly things mow a Meadow twelve times in one year and after thrice mowing ye shall have but little take continually away from a deep fountain and draw water from it night and day at length it shall be ebb or dry but act and improve the habit of grace and the more it shall grow and encrease And its certain grace can waken up sleeping free will but free will cannot stir up grace death cannot make use of life but life can work upon deadness The next answer to this had I grace or more grace I should be as holy as David it s a blowing up of nature and a dethroning of Christ For this I when you say I should be holy as David is not that gracious I of which Paul Gal. 2. 20. I live not but Christ lives in me but its I and self divided from self and grace but woe to the will separated from Christ woe to the branch cut off from the green and flourishing tree its good for nothing but the fire woe to the arm sawen off the living body and by this as one saith well If God would give the power you would of your self add the will this is the Pelagian heresie Let God but make a stirring and a blowing and give a sort of will I could doe wonders as if it were not the Lord who works in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. yea it lays little upon God's calling for he calleth Cain and Judas and much yea the All of our salvation on our Answering Christ knocks by word of mouth and I and self free-will opens the heart of Lydia which debaseth Christ and powerfull grace In all which consider had you the influences of grace at your disposing 1. Then might free will bar the Iron door against sin that sin of Angels and men without free wills good leave should never enter the world And the Creature should be more Master and Lord Governour over providence then the Soveraign Lord himself then could the Lord erect no theatre nor set a Chair of free-grace to the Mediator and Lord of grace Jesus Christ while first he took Counsel with created free will and say O creature may I have thy good leave to send my Son to the world and the disease must be consulted shall there be such a precious one as the Physician the healer of sinners It s true no sinner no Saviour no lost one no Redeemer such as our Emanuel but it s known if influences of grace be as Pelagianizing universalists say at the disposing of nature with that absolute indifferency the free creature may stand or may fall let the Al-governing Lord doe his best to the contrary there is here a created Soveraign dominion If God create the creature free it involves a contradiction that God should be free to hold out or bring in sin and hell and misery and God is indifferent except man must irrevocably perish to send his Son in the flesh to saue finners and such a providence might have been if mans free will had so been pleased to dispose of its own free acts and of the influences of God there should for ever
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
the second death Infants then dying Infants are no debtors to the compleat ransome of blood that Christ gave to deliver them from the wrath And when our Saviour blessed Infants and said Of such is the kingdom of heaven his sense must be that infants departing this life in infancie hold heaven by no Charter of Christ the heir of all are not washed from sin are not delivered from wrath to come nor obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ as it is in 1 Thessal 5. 9. 3. What debt is this who of Angels or men can pay the hire of free love to Christ ye were born beasts Tigers Lions Dogs and broods of Satan and the Serpents seed and Christ hath made you sons of God Kings and Priests to God heirs of life co-heirs with Christ partakers of the divine nature the first-born of God written in heaven 4. Never dream that your own strength or good parts of nature can fit and spiritually capacitate you for receiving influences for spiritual duties nature cannot more prepare it self for grace and a gracious state then a Thistle can change it self into a Vine-tree Christ is good at all indispositions of deadnesse of a natural state whom he quickens that man and he only shall live who can help a dead heart but he that is the resurrection and the life and he who raises the dead only can quicken such dead ones 5. It s a bold and proud Pen that would plead and advocate for such a hellish nature and except Satan and his sons Pelagians what do they but depose Christ from his office of the Physician of sinners and bid him go back to Heaven with his Medicaments of free grace There be here no sick folks free will is strong enough new habits of grace are useless the letter and moral acting of the word can raise dead souls shall we thus requite Christ for his free grace 6. Though there be no merit in diligent seeking and hearing the preached Gospel its good to lie near the fountain for all that as motion begets and augments vital heat and activity to move frequent seeking brings home influences so we are here in using means compare Cant. 3. 1 2 3. with v. 4. and Psal 22. 2. with Psal 18. 6. Gen. 32. 26 27 28. But of this hereafter CHAP. III. The second particular of fetching influences is by supernatural actings by the word and spirit 1. It s a question whether justified ones perform any moral actions without any influence of the habit of grace 1. Some heat and warmness may arise materially from actings in duties though customary formal dead 3. The exercises of spiritual actions are the best preparations for spiritual actions 4. Influences of grace oyl the wheels of the soul for more spiritual acting 5. Natural and literal actings though void of grace because they are some way under the institution of a divine command are nearer to saving actings of grace then the contraries of these actions are 6. A practise of free grace in the Lord is to be differenced from a promise of grace 7. How the Lord is under a necessity of giving influences THere be some actings even in renewed men partly from the Spirit partly from nature custome or formality The question is thus framed because it is a disputable question Whether justified ones doe any actions morally good from an only principle natural without any influence of the indwelling spirit at all since their sins after their being in Christ are not committed with the full bensil of the will for the Spirit in some measure retards and weakens the motion of the flesh Rom. 7. and the habit of sin original is weakned and remitted or slacked in its strength in the regenerate and therefore it would seem if the spirit do weaken retard and blunt the actions of the flesh that far more there is in all moral actions that are good morally some influence of the Spirit less or more So the Question is whether or no the children of God may safely set to work though their actions proceed from conscience natural power custome or a meer office with little influence of habitual grace to works of grace that they may fetch influences of grace 1. It s not unlike it may be so for the godly who went to the morning and evening prayers and sacrifices as is clear Psal 141. 2. Acts 3. 1. Luke 1. 8 9. might go about these duties sometime upon meer custome and the children of God who know their own backdrawing hearts shall not denie this and they may pray from a natural conscience and not so much as is required and otherwise they do mind the duty as an Ordinance of God and yet be inflamed with spiritual duties ere they end this is confirmed by family praying at set times so may a Pastor by necessity of his office preach and pray at the beginning with much deadness and coldness and more then an ordinary straitning of spirit and yet a fire flaught of a heavenly kindling falls upon the spirit before the work be ended Any who believes that the wind blows where it lists and that the influences of the spirit are various as touching their degrees may see the truth of this 2. The children of God appear dead cold and unbelievingly to complain in the beginning of praying and of a Psalm as is clear in David Psal 22. 2. exponing that of him as some verity it hath in some points of him v. 2. and in Ezekiah in his song Isa 39. 10. in Jonah 2. 1 2 3. and in the same David Psal 6. Psal 38. in the Church Psal 77. 1 2 3 4 5 6 c. in the afflicted soul Psal 102. 1 2 3 4. and yet there is confidence of believing triumphing rejoycing in God and praising ere the Prayer and Psalm be ended 3. The prayers of the children of God Psal 22. Ps 6. Ps 38. Psal 116. Habak 1. 12. of Heman Psal 88. of Ezekiah Isa 38. of Jonah c. 2. of Moses Psal c. of the Church Psal 102. Psal 89. hold forth to us admirable variety of up-lifting and down-casting of joy of believing of sinking and doubting of hoping and legal fretting strong ebbing and flowing of faith and fainting of light and darknesse as Psal 22. 2. O my God I cry by day and thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent yet arising ver 3. But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel Ver. 4. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them c. And again some fainting is in that v. 6. But I am a worm and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people Ver. 7. All they that see me laugh me to scorn c. At least this might brangle the faith of a sinful man such as David And again there is a rising v. 9 10. But thou art he that took me out of the womb thou didst make
the spirit Psal 119. 32. I shall run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Running speaks more of a spiritual capacity to receive drawing influences either actual or habitual and the enlarging notes straitning and that influences find us dead and bring vigourousness with them Though in this or that act of breathing there shine absolute liberty for who hired the Lord to moisten the withered tree yet there is place for that Question Whether the Lord hath not brought himself under a holy necessity of giving influences to which its answered in these 1. As there is a necessity of a Decree relating to means and end so is there a necessity of a promise as to the former The Lord created the first Vine-tree and the first Rose and they seeded and brought forth other Roses and Vine-trees the Lord first prevenes savingly the dead sinner by an infused habit as we shall hear puts the sinner under an obligation to duties and puts himself because of his intended end to save lost sinners as it were under an obligation of bestowing influences of grace though in another consideration they be given through soveraignty of grace because his holy decree carries him not to be wanting to his own seed nor to forsake the work of his hands Nature giving hunger and the holy and supreme Lord of nature giving appetite to eat and drink gives us also a power of concoction The Bird by an intended end lays one straw and one feather in the nest and so it must lay another and a third and a fourth for the Lord of nature intends a compleat house for the Eggs and the young birds and in like manner the Lord of grace hath a design of grace in his heart to bring many sons to glory And he must upon the like intention proceed to make the seed a tree but first he must make it a plant and ripen the grape and boyl it more with the heat of the Sun until he make it ripe for the wine-presse and the fat So must he add influences dayly of free grace for the perfecting of the work he hath begun in his holy decree as well as in the execution until he perfect it unto the day of the Lord Jesus But 2. There is need to distinguish betwixt a practise of free grace in the Lord some call it half a promise a promise of free grace And these must be cleared As to the former the Lord doth many things of meer grace relating to his free goodness 2. To his free decree of grace 3. To his holy order of working which he hath not promised to do As of his free goodness he creates the world he feeds the Ravens he preserves wicked Sodom from the sword and cursed Cham from being drowned when the whole world in godly Noah's time perished in the waters yet hath he engaged himself by promise to none of his creatures Angels or Men that he shall create the World that he shall feed the Ravens that he shall preserve Sodom 2. According to his free decree of grace he intends from eternity to save Jacob For he loved him before he had done good or evil and he ordains all the chosen to life eternal But because he decrees to bring Jacob and such to glory it follows not that he engaged by promise because of his eternal decree to bring Jacob to glory except we should say what ever God decrees to doe that also he promises to doe which were not good divinity 3. As to his order of working the Lord ordinarily from much labouring and painful sowing brings a rich harvest from careful watching he makes a safe City Yet there is not any promise in the word that from the simply careful use of means the desired end shall follow for the City is often well watched and yet surprized some sow much and reap little Psal 127. 1 2. Hag. 1. 6 9. Yet is there a practise of free grace in this order that the blind men cry Son of David have mercy on us yet they possiby intend only by the way side to beg and Christ of free grace gives them seeing eyes There is no promise of grace that Christ shall heal all blind men begging by the way who shall pray to the Son of David for seeing eyes or that the Lord Jesus who is as mighty now as ever shall send out influences to heal all the blind so crying for seeing eyes the Eunuch reads Acts 8. the Lord falls on him with influences of grace to reveal Christ in a saving manner to him not because he reads or because there is a promise made to save all who read the word Upon sinful ends the multitude Acts 2. come to hear the word their intention of hearing being mocking enemies was naught Yet by a practise of grace not by any promise of grace they are converted Now in this it may be said that the natural yea and faithless use of means hath some influence ex natura rei upon the effect not by promise yet by the decree of God and so by no merit because by no promise for another merit then what is founded upon free promise and not upon the worth and condignity of work and wages I hope never to acknowledge by his grace whom I desire to be my inward teacher and to me reading hearing use of means have a material influence as to the practise not to the promise of grace For according to the Philosophy I learned six is materially a number nearer of blood and kindred to eight then four is yet six and eight are numbers in spece and nature no less different then eight and four or then eight and two which are materially farther different then six and eight which are different only by two So the Embrio before life and the birth now quickened by life differ in nature and spece as living and not living differ Yet the Embrio the shaped organized body void of life is materially nearer to a living birth then the seed is to a living birth So I shall never teach that hearing reading literal considering of the weight of reasons in the Gospel from Heaven from the beauty and preciousness of Christ the excellency of free grace the happy condition of a communion with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ the sweetness of the love of Christ the torment of Hell though there be no acting of grace mixed therewith are unprofitable and hinder us from closing with Christ and that they confer not some influence materially of help in promoving towards Christ What these trusted in may doe as in another thing Hence though there be no promise no moral connection betwixt simple using of means and influences of Christ for saving grace and the incoming of the new creation into the soul yet comparatively a connection there is in this sense 1. As painful tilling sowing and labouring is nearer to a plentiful harvest then lazy sleeping in
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
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
calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe Eph. 1. 17 18 19 20. And if as touching the will and the affections he be wicked in all the frame and imaginations of the heart Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8 21. Jer. 17. 9. Ezech. 36. 26. Ezech. 11. 19 20. and that he cannot believe or come to Christ mediatly or immediatly except it were given him of God John 6. 65. Phil. 1. 29. 1. Act. 5. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 25. and except the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44 45. Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4. Tit. 3. 3. Why should the Masters of general grace tell us that Christ enlightens every man that comes in the world Joh. 1. 9. for men enlightned by Christ the true light are no more blind then seeing men and because this is actual illumination give us a place of Scripture where it is said that all the Brasilians Indians and other Gentiles are actually illuminated by Christ the true light even from the womb If from the womb when was that true Eph. 5. 8. Sometimes ye were darkness but now ye are light in the Lord for such as are actually illuminated by Christ were never darkned for the actual illumination denominates men as truly as the morning light names the air lightsome And when did the Ephesians and other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And if Christ shall destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all nations Isa 25. 7. then there is such a covering and vail over all faces and if people be blind in darkness and under the power of Satan Acts 26. 18. untill the preached Gospel open their eyes If Christ the true light do actually illuminate the Brasilians Indians Turks those of China who never heard the Gospel is a question 2. If Christ stand at the door of the heart of Brasilians Indians and knock and they have power of free-will to open as Martinez saith and the Lord every moment knock and awaken up the will by moral swasion or preaching of the Gospel the Pelagian grace by inspiration which adds no new strength to the will then is there here a market for the buying of influences of saving grace how comes it that never man in Brasilia India was ever converted to Christ and professed Christ The Scripture which saith there is no name under heaven by which men are saved but by the name of Jesus Act. 4. 12. is here silent all stories of human writers are silent 3. The place Rev. 3. 20. is meant of the visible Church of Laodicea v. 14. to the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith the Amen c. 18. I counsel thee to buy of me fine gold tried in the fire c. Did ever Christ by John or any other Apostle or Pastor write Gospel and command faith and repentance to the Angels of the Churches of Brasilia India and those who never heard any such Gospel-counsel to buy fine gold and white raiment and eye-salve from Jesus Christ as also the Jesuit with the same breath names this converting and saving Gospel grace for he cites that of John 15. without me ye can do nothing and the other texts hereafter which our Saviour clearly expones to be growing in Christ as branches in the vine-tree by faith drawing life from Christ v. 4. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me 5. I am the vine 8. for without me the true vine ye can do nothing ye can bring forth no saving fruit Now the bastard-grace which the Jesuit will have to be saving and Christ knocking at the door is nothing but cogitationes affectiones naturales honesti and I should gladly know if Christs meaning John 15. 5. Without me ye Brasilians and Indians and except by faith ye abide in me as branches in the vine-tree you exercise no acts of desiring or thinking on an honest object nor can ye do what is in you to attain to natural thoughts of the same kind Must the Jesuit have the Apostle to speak to the Brasilians and Indians O ye Brasilians work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it 's God that works in you to will and to do Phil. 2. in all honest natural thoughts And 2 Cor. 12. 6. God is in you working all in all that is v. 11. All these worketh the same Spirit of God giving to you Brasilians the spirit of wisedom the gift of healing the gift of working miracles as v. 7 8 9 10. And the God of peace Heb. 13. 20 21. make you Brasilians perfect in every good work to do his will revealed in the Gospel working that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ If this be not abusing of Scripture what is it for he cites these Scriptures So Prov. 1. Wisedom crys without she uttereth her voice in the streets Christ the eternal wisedom of the Father never proclaimed the wisedom of the Gospel which hath so many Gospel-promises annexed to it to the stupid Brasilians read Prov. c. 2. c. 3. c. 4. c. 8. and the manifestation that God makes to the Gentiles Rom. 1. is a natural not a Gospel manifestation But I cannot stay see the Authors on the Margin 3. He who loves persons and hates them e're they be born or do good or ill and hath mercy upon these same by softning and hardning their hearts not because they run or run not or will or will not but because the Lord hath mercy on whom he will then there is no purchasing by our endeavours of the work of conversion 4. All Gospel-promises and all Gospel-threatnings are revealed in the Old and New Testament as well as the Gospel it self and the Gospel-commandment for an unwritten Law and Gospel binds not us But neither in Old or New Testament is there such a promise The nation and the person that doth such things shall be rewarded with the blessing of the preached Gospel Nor is there any such threatning that the nation or person that commit such sinnes and omit such duties shall be punished with the want of the preached Gospel for ever and with the want of faith and repentance only the latter suffers an exception in persons that sin against the holy Ghost for of Nations that sin and that before they hear the Gospel we read not It 's true the word of the Kingdome for great sins may be removed Zech. 11. 5 6 8 9. v. 12 13 14. Amos 8. 4 5 6. v. 11 12. Matth. 21. 33 34 35 41 42 43. Acts 13. 44 45 46 47.
obey the Scripture is clear and though we cannot give a natural and philosophick reason no matter 18. If we should distinguish betwixt thoughts and conquering and victorious thoughts 2. Betwixt fixed and wanton carelesly feeling thoughts 3. Betwixt guarded and well watched hearts and masterless hearts we should know that we hinder and obstruct influences though Soveraignty dispense gracious influences by sinful thoughts the thoughts being the wings of the soul can influences have a seat on thoughts marred by us surely no more then a bird can flie with broken wings and the God of nature doth not joyn his influences with causes impossible to act he concurs not with the bird to flie when the wings are broken nor the running of a dead horse though one should ride on a carrion and use spur and rod. But when the thoughts are seasoned with the heavenly disposition of a renewed heart as the buds and blossoms of the vine-tree are in a neerest way to receive influences from the God of nature to become excellent wine-berries and the most refined earth neer to be turned into gold and to receive influences for that effect so a heart gratified with heavenly dispositions must be a subject for heavenly thoughts and if there be a holy heart heavenly meditations come out in the night Psal 63. 6 7. Psalm 139. 17. Phil. 3. 19 20. 2. The Lord contempereth the actings of the spirit to the subject being a moral agent and all our gracious actings run through the channel of a spiritual judgement as running the race in Christ came from known and well considered joy set before him Heb. 12. 1. Moses chose Saints suffering more then Court-honour for heaven or the recompense of reward looked with another face and representation on the understanding then a poor time Court of clay did the superexcellent knowledge of Jesus Christ is so praised by Paul as his heavenly understanding looks on it as his all yea his only all and his all things beside are stated to his mind as loss and dung So to Abraham's mind a tent that shepheards sleep in is judged good enough and the world a bottomless lodging because there stands in the eye of his mind a rightly considered City that hath a foundation whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11. 18. And the cause of Christs bearing patiently the cross was his sanctified judgement of injuries and spitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he under-judged and in his mind under-prised shame and reproach Heb. 12. 2. as a-very shaddow of a shaddow and as nothing and the glory of his Father in a redeemed and ransomed people looked braid and fair and great on his understanding Know and consider well 1. God an infinite fair transcendent God and the silly poor nothing and kindless nature 2. Judge rightly of time and how nothing yesterday and the last year is and weigh in your understanding vast high and braid and deep and long eternity if you have ballance with scales that can bear eternity 3. Understand well obedience faith the weight of the love of Christ never quenched with many floods and sin hatred of Christ and the horror thereof 4. Take a right view of heaven how it lies in length and bredth and a right impression of the fire that is never quenched and the habitual knowledge of the Lords name wants not influences for trusting in God Psalm 9. 10. knowledge where to find God in Christ hath actings of the Spirit to live and dwell with him to hold him Cant. 1. 7. Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. Joh. 4. 10. to pray to come to him Joh. 6. 45. a soâ—l in darkness and the gross ignorance of God is not capable of influences of grace as the centre and bowels of the earth and deep pits receive no Sun-light We can draw on sinful dispositions yea we created these dry clouds that are above our withered hearts by making our inordinate affections Stewards and Caterers to lay in provision for our flesh Rom. 13. 14. 2. We can ask leave at our flesh to take a little sleep and excuse it Prov. 6. 10. Yet a little flumber 3. Under drowsiness and security we can refuse to open and let Christ in Cant. 5. 3. and that brings on sad withdrawings of the actings of the Spirit v. 6. 4. Violence done to sweet dispositions when they give warning of our debt may draw to a wronging of the holy Ghost who is dreadfully jealous if we counter-work the actings and breathings of the spirit and react against the out-lettings and flowings of the anointing and of the well within springing up to eternal life he puts in his hand by the hole of the door the Spouse is convinced that it is Christ the beloveds voice and his knock and his very words and no other yet he is not yielded unto but resisted 2. We keep not the oyl clean that it may shine more clearly in the lamp inky blackness defaces the beauty of the white rose and the lilly the dustiness and filth of lusts dimness darkens the precious stone that it loseth lustre and colour when a judicial darkness even on a believer it covereth the habit of grace and darkens the spiritual strain the sin of the spirit is out of measure sinful the spirit judicially sleeping sees and hears less in the Prophet Jonah then carnal reason in the Heathen Mariners for Jonah sleeps the Heathen men do wake and fear when wrath from Heaven blows on their ship the lesser habit of grace that is young and green in the repenting theif doth more in adhering to Christ because actual breathing of the spirit is stronger and more vigorous then the more rooted and experienced habit of grace in the Apostles when it is now overwhelmed with the base fear of suffering for he confesses him to be a King on the Cross the Disciples fleeing forsake him and the Lord preaches that we are more debtors to the Spirit of Christ then to the habit of grace praying praising believing hoping loving joying as acts of kin to the Spirit gladden the Spirit what should we then do to fetch the wind grieve not the Spirit but keep the fountain pure and clean from the muddiness of lusts for in the light of the Spirit you see your own spots 1 Joh. 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him purifies himself as he also is pure 2. Yield not to indispositions complain of them to God and pray them away as Psalm 61. 2. Psalm 31. 22. Psalm 102. 3 4 5. Lam. 1. 2 3 4 5 c. 22 23. Obj. But it is easie so to say Be strong in the Lord I am at huge distance from the Lord Answ 1. The Lord speaks to believers as to moral agents the actings of faith is in us both moral and also physical or real though moral acting in some sense be real and not imaginary as the fowler with sweet songs works in a manner morally or by way of
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