against me And seeing the Lord hath given me an opportunity to testifie the truth for the Cause sake wherein I suffer and which the Author of these Sermons did own to his death I hope no inconvenience can arise from this brief Apology thus briefly represented to the little Remnant of the Womans Seed who in these dayes of Hypocrisie and Apostacy keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ One word to my Fellow-prisoners in this glorious Cause from the Word of the Lord and it is a part of those glad tydings which they through Grace may bee abundantly refreshed in the remembrance of as I have been in this long time of Oppression THERE REMAINETH A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. A Sabbatisme so the Word is an holy solemn Rest and it hath reference to the World to come even the state of the Saints in the Thousand years This hath been in all Ages good news to so many as being pilgrims and strangers for the Lords sake in this present evil world have been alwayes hated reproached oppressed persecuted tormented slaughtered by the four great cruel wild Beasts Dan. 7. Oh what a voluminous Martyrology would that be which can comprehend all the cruelties bloody Massacres and despiteful dealings with the Saints of the most High which have been perpetrated upon this earth since Cain slew his brother Abel which can exemplifie in punctual narrations of truth all the Methods Stratagems Pretences and Policies which Persecutors have and will make use of for the suppressing of that spirit which with boldness doth justly contradict them in their wickedness and Abominations It s not a work for a finite creature to undertake none are sufficient Historiographers of these things but the Three who bear Record in Heaven where there is a Book of Remembrance written for those which feared Jehovah and thought upon his Name in their Generations Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God and our Father how sweet is his presence in a prison to his suffering servants Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the treasures of Egypt And wee from the overflowings of Divine Love have such glorious Incombs that we would not exchange the least of them for all the gold and silver which is coming from the West-Indies to the New Court. As the noble Marquess Galeacius Caracciolus when Golden Temptations were presented Let their money perish with them saith he who account all the gold in the world worth one dayes communion with Jesus Christ in the holy Spirit Dear Brethren in Bonds for the Lords sake How is it with you Have you cheerful lively spirits Do you live in the sense of the love of God shed abroad in your hearts by the holy Spirit which is given to you Doth your faith grow exceedingly Doth your love and zeal abound more and more for the Lord Jesus and his Interest What ripeness and readiness of spirit soul and body do you find to arise to come forth and to march in the honorable Expeditions of the Lamb against the Beast Are you prepared to follow the Lord fully Oh let us for I desire to be of that number let us never give the Lord rest till he burn with fire that Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth together with all her Daughters and until Jerusalem the New Jerusalem be established the praise of all the Earth We cannot but wait and hope till the Spirit cloath 〈◊〉 as it did Amazia 1 Chron. 12.18 that we may speak saying in a mystery Thine are we David and on thy side thou Root of Jessai peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine Helpers for thy God helpeth thee And I make no Question but â—re it be long there will be a coming to our David day by day to help him untill it become a great Host like the Host of God and so to turn the Kingdom of Saul unto him whose right it is according to the word of the Lord. For do the Kings of the Earth at home or abroad think of setling and establishment at this time of the day Alas poor creatures their glass is almost run out The God of Heaven is numbring their Kingdoms and finishing them The God of Heaven is weighing the new and old Tyranical Monarchies and will find them too light The God of Heaven will work Divisions in their Kingdomes and will give them all to his Son and his Saints It is true their ghostly Fathers and their Court-Chaplines do put this evil day afar off and perswade their Majesties their Highnesses and their Excellencies c. that we are possessed with on evil spirit of Sedition and Emnity against Government but we dare say to our Father who sees in secret and tryes the reins that they Lye and speak not the truth for he knows who knows all things that the desire of our souls is to be under the best Government that ever was or will bee in the world We confess we groan to be delivered from that Bondage which we are in under the Tyrants of the world we would not have the Beast nor any of his Horns to exercise such cruel domination over us as in time past because we had a little reviving from our former yokes by the out-stretched Arm of the Almighty and it was sweet unto us and we long for a full possession wherefore let us oh let us beleeve and the Lord increase our faith that we shall take them captives whose captives we are and we shal rule over our oppressors We shall meet and magnifie the Lord together and those followers of the Lamb who have prayed and wrestled in prayer for us and for the present it will be of use to look into those good works and comfortable words which this servant of the Lord who lived and dyed in the testimony of this truth doth spread before you who purposed to visit you and to incourage your hearts and to strengthen your hands in God yea and to be refreshed by you I mean you who are removed far off and thrust into holes and corners contrary to All Rules of Righteousness But though he purposed Jehovah preverted who doth all things according to the counsel of his own will and it becomes us who remain alive and have through grace received a Kingdom which cannot be shaken to serve the Lord in our Generation acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And now oh that those precious truths handled by him might through the blessing of the Almighty become spiritual nourishment to us in our captivity The first Kingdom is founded upon the New Covenant Christ Jesus is the onely foundation c. It is good we shouldbe put in remembrance of these things though we do know them and are through the rich supply of the spirit in some measure established in the present truth I might inlarge but I shall not detain you nor the other Readers any longer but
barke the outside of the Oake hereby he may get as well some sap from Christ whilst he thus hangs upon him in an outward way as may somewhat helpe to make him greene keeping life in him for a time as doth the sap he hath from his owne roote and hereby his life is partly from his owne roote which affords him so much sap as gives him strength to cling to this living Oake and partly from that sap which by clinging to Christ in an outward way he draw's from him Yet because this soule hath not Christ for his roote but what nourishment he getts from him is onely in an outward way by an outward cleaving to him clinging about him to which he is assisted and enabled by that strength that is afforded him from his owne roote the old Adarâ— Hence it comes to passe that at one time or other this cleaving soule which receives not his strength life nourishment from Christ by vertue of a reall union with Christ as his roote but by vertue of an outward cleaving and sucking from Christ doth dye and wither therefore I say a difference there is betwixt clinging to Christ and thereby sucking for a time some sap from him and union clinging is not union neither is the coming of sap that way the same with that sâ—p that comes by vertue of the union of the Tree the sap the Ivie getts is forced from the Oake into it selfe by clinging about it and violent sucking but now the sap that comes from the roote into the Tree that ascends in a naturall way So where union is with Christ as the roote the soules feeles the sap its strength holines c. flowing into it from Christ in a secret yet wonderfull naturall way so that it flow's into it without the soules striving and struggling to force this sap to its selfe but it comes in a naturall way it flow's up secretly and in a manner indiscernably into it the soule begins to feele it selfe full of sap but knowes not how it was filled hardly now this being come into it then it causeth this soule to put forth dayly new branches leaves buds and fruit but where it is otherwise though sap may be had from Christ yet it is but a forced thing a thing extorted by outward clinging and as the Ivie when it s owne roote doth not afford it sufficient sap to make it cling to the Oakes dyes so this soule when it s owne strength the strength received from old Adam by which it clings to Christ in an outward way shall faile it that it can cling no longer it will dye and wither notwithstanding for some time whilst its owne strength served it to cling close it did receive a kinde of life and nourishment from him FINIS The Promise of the Father ACTS 1.4 Waite for the Promise of the Father The whole verse runs thus And being Assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which saith he you have heard of me WHat promise is this which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when he is now ascending into heaven doth give a strict and speciall command to his Disciples to looke at and waite for calling and entitling it The promise of the Father To that I answer This promise is no other but the promise of the holy Spirit and that is cleare from the following words which saith he yee have beard of me This promise of the Father that they were now commanded to waite for it was that promise that Christ had been minding them of sometime before Waite for the promise of the Father which yee have heard of me which I told you of and minded you of before now what was that promise that Christ had been minding of his Children of againe and againe not long before this time If we looke into Johns Gospel we shall finde that the promise of the Spirit Christ did againe and againe pitch the faith of his Disciples upon and that Immediatly before his death before he was taken from them John 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you And ver 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you So againe Chapter 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me So againe Chapter 16.7 8 9.10 verses Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and when he comes he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgement Of sin because they beleive not on me of righteousness because I goe to my Father and yee see me no more Yea this is cleare in the verse following our Text For John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy-Ghost not many dayes hence So that that great promise which Christ had been minding his Children of a little before which he points at here which saith he yee have heard of me it was the promise of the Spirit and it was not the Spirit in that speciall way of working in glorious miracles and interpreting of Tongues and the like but indeed it was the promise of the Spirit in generall for he referr's to that promise of the Spirit which they had heard of him which was as a Comforter as the leader and guider into all truth as a Testifier of the Love of Christ to the soule as a bringer to remembrance of whatsoever Christ had said unto them as a glorifier of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his Children he shall glorifie me so that it lookes to the promise of the Spirit in generall when Christ saith it s that yee have heard of me Quest 1. But why doth Christ call it the promise of the Father doth not Jesus Christ himselfe promise the Spirit doth not Christ say I will send you another Comforter is it not the promise of Jesus Christ himselfe as well as of the Father why doth he then call it the promise of the Father Ans 〈◊〉 Because Christ himselfe as Mediator hath the promise of the Spirit from the Father Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soule delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him c. And it s fulfilled to Christ Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me saith Christ for he hath anointed me to preach
what men thought of him it was this he had a holy sincere end when the Corinthians iudged him saith he I care not to be judged of you or of mans judgement So in such a day as this when the people of God are under sufferingâ— and who may be under sufferings it 's onely knowne to the Lord O that the Lord would give us to have such ends in our actions as may be holy and sincere that we may have comfort joy and peace 10 Reas 10 We had need to look into our ends for If a man have false ends he will never be able to continue and hold out in a good worke It 's very remarkable that we have in these men here that ran after John What went yee out into the wildernesse to see They were very earnest and very hot and very zealous they had a great delight in Johns Preaching I but saith Christ What went ye ought to see What is your end it was bad He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light It held but for a season they make a very great profession and seem much to owne John and to owne the truth and seem much to be taken with the word but have a wrong end therefore they rejoycing but for a season they came to have their hearts hardned and they rejoyce no more Therefore what need have we to look into our owne hearts and observe our aimes and ends and indeed that we may know our ends 1 It 's good to be jealous of our owne hearts that there may be some end that lyes deeper than I am aware of or than I doe discern It s good to have a holy jealousie over our hearts in our acting that there may be some end that we see not 2 If we would know whether we have a right end It 's good to take a view of our owne hearts and ends at such a time as we have most light and have fairest opportunity and advantage When we have most light that is at such a time when the Lord doth most clearly shine upon the soule if there be any time wherein you have a more clear sight of the love of God then at another at that time look into your heart to see your ends 3 Looke into them at such time as we seem to have a helping opportunity There are two times which if we fall in with will give us great help to look into our ends First Look into our ends When we see others more eminent than we and that goe before us in graces and abilities when we see them drop for then the soule hath some stirring and working and I may come to get a sight into my ends the more by that opportunity Secondly Look into our ends at such time when others doe censure and judge us If a Christian be censured by another that is a good time for him to look into his end that will make him look more narrowly and pry into every corner of his heart 4 Beg of the Lord That he would be pleased to come search and try for after all our trialls if God doth not try us we may be at a losse and deceived and herein was the sincerity of Davids heart manifested Prove me and try me O Lord saith he And so it 's with every gratious heart he will say Prove me and try me O Lord. if there be any wickednesse if there be any corruption that I doe not see Prove me and try mâ— O Lord if there be any Hypocrisie that I havâ— not yet found Prove me and try me O Lord We are to be much in begging of the Lord thaâ— he would try us and prove us 5 If we would see fully into our ends Then as soone as ever thou doest find any false end presently deliver it as a Traytor to be executed Say Lord I have found out such a juggle I have found out such a bye way wherein my heart is gone good Lord come and destroy it Lastly Keep the love of Christ warm upon thy heart O labour so to goe to Christ as that the love of Christ may be warm upon thy heart that thou mayest live in the light of that love and the more thou seest of that love the more will thy soule desire to live according to it FINIS The Idolls Abolished ISAIAH 2.18 And the Idolls he shall utterly Abolish WOuld you know the time to which this Prophecy looks the second Verse tells us in generall The last dayes And it shall come to passe in the last dayes now because last dayes is taken sometimes largely for the whole of Gospel times sometimes strictly for the very last of the last times therefore in other expressions of this Prophecy it 's held forth that last dayes is to be taken strictly as 1 This relates to the time when the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines vers 2. The Mountaine of the Lords house is Christs Kingdome which is the Lords Mountaine it shall be established in the top of the Mountaines that is in the top of worldly Kingdomes when yet hath this ever been Indeed we have for many Generations had Antichrist lifting up his Scepter above worldly Princes but we are all clear enough that yet there hath been no fullfilling of this Prophecy But as the Devil when he sees any glorious work of Christ to come forth he will forestall it and set up something of his owne that shall be so like it that we are sometimes almost deceived so the subtill Dragon seeing that in time such a thing should be a Kingdome of Christ should over-top all the Kingdomes of the world he fore-runs it and sets up a thing like it viz. a Kingdome of his owne which himselfe sets up rules in such is Antichrist whose rise is not from God but from the Devil nor is Christ there served but the Dragon is worshipped Revel 13 14. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power untothe Beast This Kingdome the blind of Christs by which the world hath been deceived and wondred after it before which the Kings of the earth have laid their Crownes hath been set up But all discerning soules know this to be the Divels Kingdome no Gods the very Throne of Iniquity not of Holinesse but when was there such a Kingdome of Christs over-topping others 2 This relates to a time when the Law shall goe forth out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem vers 3. By Law being distinguished from Word of the Lord I understand the Civill Law the Law of Civill Government as by the word of the Lord the spirituall Law This therefore relates to a time when Civil Government shall be in the hands of the Saints when the Law of the world shall goe forth from Sion and the Spirituall Law also the Preaching of the Gospel from Jerusalem that is from the Cities or Churches of the
it may be I am glorious in the outward parts of obedience and it may be in Comfort too O but is Christ my foundation is Christ at the bottome of all my comfort It may be I performe a great many duty 's but is Christ at the bottome of all my duties O have I yet the Lord Jesus Christ as the foundation for my soule to looke unto O Christians if ever there was a day now it s a day to looke to your foundation when the Lord is shaking heaven and earth even shaking the world and shaking it to peices he will yet shake more than ever he hath shaken till he hath shaken out all the rotten professors that are not founded upon himselfe the good Lord make you to looke to your foundation what a good thing is it to stand firme upon Christ when heaven and earth and all the things of the world shall be shaken yet we shall not be shaken being upon the right foundation the Lord build all your soules upon his Son if you would be upon this foundation say good Lord doe thou come and build how long have I been building and how long have I been working but good Lord come thou and build O that every one of you would but learne thus much as to goe home and say to the Lord Jesus Christ Lord come thou and build good Lord take the worke out of my hands and build thy selfe I shall lay all beside the foundation but come and take the worke out of my hand and if God will come and settle us upon his Son as the foundation of all then shall we have Joy unspeakable and full of glory then shall we Joy and glory in our God then shall we have that comfort and peace which passeth all understanding then shall our soules have heaven begun here that shall last to all eternitie O the Lord build all upon this foundation and let no poore soule here be discouraged those oftentimes that have least cause to be shaken are most shaken and the hypocrite that hath most cause is least shaken poore troubled soules they are apt to be shaken when they heare these things but art thou convinced Soule that thou hast built upon a false foundation do'st thou say thou art undone for ever that there is no hope for thee no rather say blessed be the Lord I have seene my false bottome now I come to the Lord O Lord doe thou build me O Lord doe thou take my soule into thy hand the Lord doe this for every poore soule here that you may all who meete here together meete with the generall Assembly of the first-borne whose names are written in heaven and then shall you not count it in vaine that you have followed the Lord and laid the foundation not in your selves but in the Son of God which the Lord Grant Here followeth the Prosecution of the Point as it was found in the Authors Notes QVest 3. What is Christ the foundation of Ans 1. Of the Fathers Eternall Election Election is built upon Christ he is the bottome stone thereof Eph. 1.4 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Christ is the first of the Fathers Election if I may so say Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soule delighteth and all others are Elected in him Hence the Apâ—stle concludes that the foundation of God standeth sure that is Gods decree of Election cannot be overturned it hath such a bottome Stone Secondly Of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace is the most blessed thing in the world it s the Magazine of faith Comfort and Holines a Saints strong Tower of defence against all assaults Now Christ is the foundation of this glorious Covenant of grace Hence it s said to be made with him Psal 89.3 I have made a Covenant with my Chosen He is called the Mediator of this Covenant Heb. 8.6 But now he hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises And Chapter 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant his blood is called the blood of the Covenant Zach 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy Covenant Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant Yea he is called the Covenant it selfe Isai 42.6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousnes and will hold thine hand and will keepe thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentills Chapter 49.8 I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherite the desolate heritages Thirdly Of all the Promises of God this followes upon the other if of the Covenant then of the promises every promise is built upon him Hence observe the promises still run to Christ the first promise that ever was made runs to Christ the Womans seede the promises afterward given to Abraham looke to Christ Gal 3.16 Now to Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seede which is Christ All the Leviticall Types and shaddowes which were a representation of things to come did looke to Christ the great Sacrifice Hence the Apostle concludes all the promises of God to be in him and because in him to be firme and Immutable 2 Cor 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Fourthly Of all a Saints speciall priviledges as First Reconciliation 2 Cor 5.18 19. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not Imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation Rom 5.10 11. For if when we were Enemies we were Reconciled to God by the death of his Son much mere being reconciled we shall be saved by his life and not onely so but we also Joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement Coll 1.20 21 22. And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
among Divines That a man in the first worke is meerely Passive aâ— a childe when first conceived and formed in the wombe is meerely passive it doth nothing so it s with a Soule in the first worke it therefore doth nothing in laying Christ as a foundation but Christ is first by the father laid as a foundation in the soule and then the soule Acts it beleives it repents it obey's c. And indeed it s a thing Impossible to conceive that man by any act of his either his faith repentance obedience c. should lay Christ as a foundation seeing the creature is a finite thing and all his acts are like himselfe finite but Christ is the Infinite God now how can a finite hand or power moove an Infinite thing how can that which is finite bring downe that which is Infinite and lay it as a foundation the laying Christ therefore as a foundation is not the act of the creature but of God onely Quest 5. But how doth God lay Christ as a foundation Answ 1. By razing all other foundations one soule as I said before builds upon his Legal convictions mournings humiliations another upon his resolutions vowes Covenants his acts of revenge upon himselfe his reformation Another on his Joyes Comforts his disposition of heart that sometimes he finds to a duty and his sincere aymes as he thinkes therein Another upon his particular words given in sometimes to beare him up under straits's sometimes to encourage to his duty and upon his faith in these c. Now when God comes indeed to lay Christ as a foundation in any soule if a soule have such foundations God will shake them all yea raze them to the ground So that now the soule will see and say my convictions mournings humiliations resolutions vowes covenants acts of selfe-revenge reformations are nothing nothing as to evidence Gods love to my soule I may be miserable perish and be undone for ever notwithstanding this my priviledges Church-ship participation of ordinances are nothing I may be a cast-out for ever notwithstanding these my comforts joyes good fits to duty good aymes therein as I thinke are nothing as to build any hope here for I may be deceived and gull'd in all these and perish eternally notwithstanding these my words given in in straights when I have been going to some worke and my faith laid upon these are nothing as to assure me God is my father I may be under a mistake in all these Now is the soule stripped bare and naked and become truly poore in spirit for whereas before it thought it selfe rich and had many things convictions humiliations vowes reformations comforts joyes particular words faith in these which it could muster up as evidences of Gods love to it now it sees it hath nothing at all it cannot bring forth one thing that can evidence to it it is a childe of God or got beyond the hypocrite And now it lies Lord a Christ or nothing a naked Christ or nothing I have tryed all foundations now they are nothing they are all shaken to pieces razed to the ground Thus the soule hang's as 't were betwixt Earth and heaven or Hell and heaven rather not knowing what will become of him but a little glimpse he hath that Christ can save him yet and some inward groanings there are O Christ or nothing Christ now to be my Comfort my wisdome my righteousnes my sanctification c or nothing Secondly By making an Inward discovery to the soule that all that which it hath sought to the Law for is laid up in Christonely and to be had from him Now the soule sees that whereas before it ran to the Law for conviction of sin repentance obedience faith Comfort c. that all this is treasured up richly in Jesus Christ and it must have these things if it will have the true and not be put off with counterfeit ware from Jesus Christ onely now the soule begins to looke after a new conviction of sin repentance saith obedience Comfort c. And whereas it thought before that it had all these now indeed it sees it had them not what it had was onely counterfeite ware the true ware being to be had onely from Christ out of his warehouse now it cry's Lord give me the wisdome of Christ the sanctification of Christ that faith that repentance obedience Comfort that is in Christ and flow's from him now begins Christ to be all and there is nothing that hath any credit with the soule but what is Christs it cares not for repentance faith Comfort c. if it be not Christs But as before it said I am nothing my convictions humiliation reformation comfort faith c. are nothing now it saith otherwise Christ is all Christ is my wisdome my righteousnes my sanctification my repentance my faith my Comfort my obedience my strength to stand c. that is I looke for all these no where but in and from Christ Thirdly By enabling the soule to make a direct actuall close with Christ for all these This is that coming which followes the drawing hearing learning of the father John 6.44 45. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father cometh unto me But note that this latter is not so properly laying of the foundation for the foundation is laid in the two former as the uniting of the soule to the foundation or the soddering of the soule and foundation Cementing them into one in order to spirituall growth and fruitfulnes for the foundation Christ being by the father planted in the soule his wisdome righteousnes sanctification c. being laid at the very bottome of all it is necessary that now to the end that this wisdome grace holines c. might shoot up into the soule and cause the glorious buddings forth of Gospel light grace and holines in it that there should be a soddering of the soule and the foundation for as the tender graft partakes of the sap that is in the stocke by such a union with the stocke as makes the graft and stocke grow into one so the participation of that light life grace Righteousnes Holines of which the blessed foundation Christ is full is conveyed into the soule by such a knitting of this foundation and the soule together as makes them inseparably one now flowes up out of the foundation that wisdome grace Holines that is in it into the soule and the soule which before was emptied of all and had the sap of old Adam that wisdome righteousnes holines c. which springs from old Adam let out hath the new Adam sending up his living sap into it and now the soules faith repentance obedience c. are all such as this new sap sends forth that is it is all grace of another kinde its faith is of another kind to what before it had its repentance and obedience
what brave words come out but what the mind of the Spirit is therein the great thing God lookes after is what the Spirit groanes after what the mind of the Spirit is so that all our boldness at the Throne of Grace all our helpe and assistance and our speaking so as to put up such Petitions onely as are the will of God it s all lodg'd up in this blessed promise of the holy Spirit Eightly All our Assurance and Evidence from heaven it s lodg'd up in this promise hath a poore soule any assurance any hope any Evidence O here it s lodg'd the Spirit is our earnest and evidence He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit as the giving one an earnest is an assurance of the bargaine so the Spirit of God is the earnest which assures the Children of God of their glorious Inheritance with the Saints in light The Spirit is called the first fruites the first fruites were the assurance of the harvest 's coming they are the beginnings of the harvest so the Spirit of God in the hearts of Gods children is the first fruits its the seale wherewith the children of God are sealed After ye beleived ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and grieve not the holy Spirit of God wherewith you are sealed to the day of redemption that comes and seales up heaven to them and glory to them the Spirit comes and witnesses to them and with them that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Chidlren of God He saith before Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he should have said we have not the old Covenant spirit the old Testament spirit the spirit of bondage to feare but the glorious new Covenant spirit which helpes us to goe to God and call him father what can be a more glorious witnesse and evidence to a Christian than this yet this spirit alone cannot beare witnes therefore he saith in the next verse The Spirit it selfe beareth witnes with our spirit that is with this glorious Gospel-new-Testament spirit the Spirit of God himselfe comes and witnesseth with this Gospel-spirit with this spirit of Adoption that we are the Children of God this sweete Gospel-spirit that is wrought in us it would not witnesse alone but the Spirit of God comes and puts his seale upon it and saith O this is a true worke of mine a true worke of the father in a child so it beares witnes with our spirit Ninthly The being and the Habit of Grace it s laid up in this promise the Spirit of God its the roote and principle of all grace in the Saints those habits of grace within are but the off-spring of the Spirit in the soule Grace it s not a thing naturall a thing that we bring into the world with us but a thing created and begotten now the creating and begetting principle it s the holy Spirit the Spirit it is that doth create and beget all grace were not the Spirit first given there would be no habits of grace in any all grace in the hearts of the Saints it s from this blessed Spirit and therefore it s laid up in this glorious promise Tenthly All the Acting of every grace it s laid up in this promise also the acting of faith and patience and humiliation and all grace as we have not the principle or habit of grace from our selves but from the blessed Spirit so every act of grace it s from the holy Spirit also as the Lord saith of his Vineyard I will keepe it and water it every moment God keepes his Vineyard and waters it too and he waters it every moment or else it would wither and decay so the Lord keepes us and our grace and waters us every moment else we should decay the Spirit of God it is that comes and waters us and waters all our grace though the soyle be never so good the fruite is not brought forth if there be not dropping from heaven upon it so let the soule be good and the plant of grace in the soule yet if the Spirit doe not come and continually drop upon and water our hearts there will be no fruite brought forth every soule therefore that is able to put forth any grace he hath this from the blessed Spirit O what a wretched thing therefore is it that there should be such a thing in the world as the slighting of this blessed Spirit that any man in the world should slight and contemne this blessed Spirit wherein all our grace is and the acting of every grace lyes in it and it s the exceeding greatnes of the power of the Spirit that makes every grace to act looke upon faith in the first acting it s not wrought by us but by an exceeding great power even the same that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead when he lay under all our sinnes and his Fathers wrath it s that power that workes the first acts of faith that exceeding greatnes of power that helps us to beleive and so it is in all other grace and the people of God doe know that their strength is not in themselves nor their growth in themselves I cannot be holy I cannot walke humbly by any strength of my owne I cannot beleive I cannot love the Saints nor love God or the cause of God by any strength of my own I cannot doe it of my selfe all the acting of my grace its from the blessed Spirit of God Eleventhly All those convictions that are wrought in the soule they are from the Spirit of God all the conviction in the soule whether of sin or of righteousnes it is from the Spirit of God If a poore soule come to be convinc't of sin that he is an unbeleiver it s the Spirit of God must convince the world of sin because they beleive not in Christ if a soule come to see all his righteousness nothing whether it lye in the workes of the Law or in the very acts of beleiving that all is nothing it s the Spirit must convince the soule of righteousnes men run from one peice of righteousnes to another from confession of sin to vowes and promises and thence to Reformation and so to higher things but this doth not convince till the Spirit of God come and convinces the soule and then it saith Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can doe nothing I am empty O that thou wouldest come and fill me with thy holines all that can be done by man and the utmost of reason and parts and the utmost demonstration of truth to the eare can never doe this till the Spirit of the Lord come Twelfthly All those hints of truth those remembrances of truth those bringings of the blessed word and promise of Christ to our mind they are all laid up in this