we speak of to qualifie them for the high places in the World to come is of easie demonstration and proof both from the Scripture and otherwise Be you therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 It might be translated more emphatically you shall therefore be perfect for so the Future Tense in the Indicative Mood is many times used instead of the Imperative only with the greater seriousness and weight As he that enjoyneth or commandeth when he would signifie and express his authority to the height he doth not simply say unto him that he would have him to do a thing do this or that but he saith unto him you shall do it or you must do it So here You shall be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect as if he should say I impose it upon you as a matter of soveraign concernment both unto me and to your selves that you give out your selves to the utmost in striving to imitate the perfection of your heavenly Father and to be as absolute in all things appertaining unto you to do as he is in all things that are honourable and proper for so great a Majestie to do you must not indulge the Flesh nor be careless or loose hearted in observing this my charge which I lay upon you but endeavour with all your might to express all the goodness and sweetness and excellency in every kind which you see in your Heavenly Father Your consciencious submission unto this my Command will both honour me highly as you are my Disciples and I your Lord and Master and will make your faces also to shine in glory above theirs who shall be more remiss or negligent in obeying it Therefore if you regard me or your selves you must remember it And so of Mar. 10.21 to the young man that came to him to know what he should do to inherit eternal life If saith Christ thou wilt be perfect go and sell all that thou hast and give unto the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven Surely our Saviours meaning was not to leave the young man at liberty whether he would be perfect yea or no whether he would be a complete Christian and Disciple of his own but rather to impose this by way of Command upon him Certainly Christ did not tolerate or allow any man in any imperfection He is indeed very graciously and mercifully indulgent unto men in pardoning many weaknesses and imperfections but yet he never so hideth them as not to let them understand that they fall short of what they ought to do or to reprove them for it Again 2 Cor. 13.4 11. This also we wish even your perfection So that perfection that is compleatness in all the Will of God as the Apostle somewhere expresseth it is nothing but what is matter of duty imposed upon all Saints There is no fear in love but perfect love saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.18 casteth out fear By the way perfection in love argueth perfection in every thing besides for love is said to be the keeping or fulfilling of the whole Law But why should he say there is no fear in love The meaning questionless is not That there is no fear mingled with the affection of Love or that fear was not any part or ingredient in it These are too flat Notions for the Holy Ghost No but there is no fear in Love that is with Love * The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in is frequently used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with so that where Love hath place proportionably to the degree of it there is no fear that is there is no reasonable occasion much less any necessity of fear viz. That God is a man's enemy Love doth not admit I mean if the nature and genius of it be duly considered and consulted it incourageth all those that have it not to admit so much as a disposition of fear in the same lodging with it But saith he perfect Love that is Love when it is sincere and cometh to any perfection to any considerable maturity and strength that it beginneth to fill the soul of a man and commandeth all things to be done which the nature of Love requireth now it casts out and dischargeth the heart and soul of such a troublesome and fad Companion as Fear is he speaketh of Fear that hath torment or pain or rather punishment as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth meaning for sin in it It is a certain sign that he that feareth that is that feareth wrath and vengeance and destruction from God is not perfect in Love towards God but his Love is maimed and weak and acteth at a low rate Now when a man's Love is thus broken it is not of sufficient authority and power to do the execution we speak of but Fears and Jealousies of God's displeasure will keep possession in the same heart with it and will be ever and anon â—nsulting over it But saith he being made perfect and grown to any strength that it filleth the soul now it throweth off all such fears The reason in a word why or the manner how Love casteth out the fear specified when perfect may be thus conceived A man when he loveth God perfectly with an intireness and throughness of affection he cannot lightly but know that he doth love him A man can hardly carry fire in his besome and not know it But when his Love acteth brokenly and is at many defaults in the course of it as if it had a miscarrying womb now a man is apt to suspect whether indeed he doth really and truly love him or not because they that love him not may now and then by fits and by starts as we use to say and in a good mood quit themselves both in words and in deeds like unto those who do truly and unfeignedly love him Yea those many things which Herod did at the preaching of John were such a kind of fruit which the true love of God oft-times beareth Now when a man cometh to reflect upon himself as one that truly and unquestionably loveth God it is not likely that he should be jealous whether God loveth him or no only supposing that he certainly knoweth and believeth that God knoweth as well nay much better than himself that he loveth him Men loving themselves and their own welfare and peace cannot so far destroy nature out of them as to seek the prejudice or ruine of those whom they certainly know to be their fast and faithful Friends Nor can the Judgments or Consciences of persons that know least of God be so far ignorant or misprizant of him as to think that he intends the misery or destruction of any of those whom he most infallibly knows to be with their whole hearts and souls devoted in love unto him and to his glory But this by the way to give a little light to a Scripture of most rich and precious importance to those that either desire
displeasure against it Withdraw the fuel from the fire and it will go out of it self Even so do but remove sin from the sight of God and the fire of his Displeasure and Anger will go out and extinguish of themselves Where sin and unrighteousness tell no tales unto God and make no complaint in his ears there strife ceaseth and all his thoughts towards you will be love and peace Secondly By your being filled with the Spirit as all things hereby will be taken out of the way which are likely to obstruct your peace with God So likewise all those things which are most proper to nourish and advance your peace with him will abound in you If you shall ask me What are these I answer They are the fruits of righteousness and true holiness especially when they shall abound and advance in the Lives and Conversations of men Like the Waves of the Sea when one Wave drives on another So when one Act of righteousness and holiness shall follow in the neck of another and when they shall encrease and rise higher and higher there will be all things in being that are apt and proper to feed nourish and maintain the most solid peace in the breast of men towards God And these things are most apt and proper to create peace perfect peace for men in the breast of God and suffer no touch or tincture of any displeasure to rest there For as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 4.18 that perfect love casteth out fear namely out of the hearts of men So doth an excellent strein of righteousness or perfection in men cast all thoughts of War Enmity or Opposition unto men out of the heart of God In the second place As these things being in men viz. waies and works of righteousness especially as was even now said when they abound clear and rid the heart and soul of God from all Enmity and hard intentions towards his Creatures men or women So doth the sense and consciousness of these things in men themselves introduce and bring into their souls the sense and fruits of this blessed posture of soul towards them This createth a clear and strong apprehension in them that things are so and so according to their hearts desire they know there is no touch of any fire of displeasure against them The clear pregnant and lively testimony of a man's Conscience that he doth work righteousness especially that he abounds therein cannot lightly but make him to be a man of a serene Spirit and one that fears no colours from heaven And if one strein of righteousness only viz. Mercy as James saith Chap. 2.13 rejoyceth against Judgment i. e. magnifieth it self doth not fear is not subject to fear that God should set himself at any time against the merciful man the very nature of this Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment Now then if it be so that one vein of righteousness hath such a mighty Spirit in this kind to enable a man to rejoyce against judgment How much more when there shall be a confluence or meeting together of all the waies and streins of righteousness in the whole course of a mans life and conversation If righteousness with the little finger be able to do so much how much more can the whole body do when it is in all its strength and glory This must needs advance the Soul of a man in assurance that all is well between God and him as John saith in the place even now hinted at upon a like occasion Perfect love casteth out fear because Love is of that nature that a man cannot when he doth love another and withal knoweth that such a man knows that he loves him be under any fear of receiving any hurt from him Upon this ground it is that the Apostle saith that perfect love casteth out fear because a man knows that God is privy to the state of his heart and knoweth whether he love him or no. If I know certainly that I love such or such a man and withal know that he knows that I do love him and wish well unto him it is impossible that I should be afraid of this man in as much as I know that he hath a full assurance of my good real and cordial affection unto him Now how can I fear or be jealous that he should seek my hurt or ruine A man's Friend is part of himself and a man cannot but seek his own good and peace As no man ever hated his own flesh So certainly no man ever yet hated his Friend whom he certainly knew to be his Friend for as I said he is even as himself In like manner it is impossible but that a lively sense and consciousness of that love which a man beareth unto God must needs raise a mighty glorious and triumphant confidence in the soul that all things are right and straight between God and him that his interest is perfect whole and entire with him and that there remaineth not so much as the least spark of the fire of anger there Thirdly and lastly by being filled with the Spirit Sect. 13 you will have an entrance also in abundance into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in respect of the joy thereof Peace importeth freedom or exemption from troubles and disturbances But joy importeth the inward and high satisfaction pleasure or contentment of mind which is created or raised in the Soul by the apprehension and consideration of the excellent goodness of this peace together with the sweet Priviledges and Enjoyments of this Kingdom Now this joy we speak of the joy of the Everlasting Kingdom of Christ must needs be according to that Character which the Apostle Peter gives of it which is a taste or first fruits of that Kingdom unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 The reason hereof is because there shall be such a mighty and such an incredible abundance of all desirable and precious things both to raise and to maintain this joy which will certainly meet together in this Kingdom in that state and condition which the Saints shall be brought unto when the Kingdom of Christ shall be set up in the World All Lebanon saith the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.16 is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering If all the wood that grew in Lebanon at least that did grow in his daies were cut down and one fire made of it all How exceeding great above measure would this fire and flame and burning be Now God will summon as it were the whole Creation together He will call to the Heavens to the Sun Moon and Stars and all the Hosts of them He will call to the North and to the South to the East and to the West He will call to the Seas and to the deep places He will call to the Beasts of the Field and to the Fowls of Heaven to bring in whatsoever they have in their Treasure or keeping and which will
this affection as the Earth is to give unto the Trees fixedness and fastness of standing where its place at present is of standing when it hath once shot its roots into it and wrapped them about the stones of it as Job 8.17 When a tree is thus rooted it will bear a strong gust of wind without being borne down or overturned by it So when a man hath had his soul judgment and conscience much exercised with interessed and ingaged in when he hath throughly pondered and kindly digested those great and blessed truths which have a kind of imperious and commanding influence upon men to cause them to love God and men he will become one spirit with this heavenly affection and so as it were incorporated in soul with it that the strength of death it self will hardly be able to separate him from it much less is he in any great danger of being overcome by other temptations For the other Metaphor of being grounded or rather as the word signifies founded in love this I conceive notes the constant exercise or practice of the affection as the former of rooting pointed at the method or means of introducing and setting it in the soul And as an house or building for from these it is borrowed stands firm and fast upon its foundation and is not removed of and on at any time So he prayes for the Ephesians That in order to the end mentioned they may be and continue as uniform and constant in shewing love both unto God and men as well in doings as in sufferings without interruption or declining at any time But to come to the latter Question propounded how Sect. 5 or why a being rooted and grounded in love should make men capable or able to comprehend the love of Christ in the four Dimensions specified There are two things to be considered in the business First Love is of a dilating and enlarging nature it opens the heart to a greater wideness and makes it capacious to receive many things which otherwise it would not Charity or Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 meaning that it disposeth and inclineth men to believe and hope the best in all things concerning others viz. where there is no apparent ground to judge otherwise Whilst the heart of a man is destitute of the love of God and men it is scant and narrow and as it were clung together there is no room in it for things of any great extent or compass to be received or entertained there Men that love none but themselves their hearts are shut up against God and men and they think that all other hearts are so likewise Whereas if a man be sensible that he himself hath a large heart can do and suffer thus and thus can spend and be spent upon the Service of God and the Generation of men round about him such a man will be ready to say of others it may very well be that they likewise are the same or rather greater in goodness with my self That men find themselves inclined by nature to give good things unto their Children that ask them is as Christ plainly intimateth Mat. 7.11 a rise and advantage unto their Faith to believe that God much more is ready and willing to give good things unto those that shall by prayer ask them of him Therefore when a man shall find his heart drawn out in this heavenly affection of Love far beyond his Children even unto God his Father and unto all his Brethren descending from the same Progenitors and partakers of the same flesh and bloud with him and shall for some space of time have had the experience of the real genuine and constant working of this affection in him this must needs facilitate and prepare the way of his Faith throughly to believe all that immense love which Christ bare and yet beareth unto the World as it is held forth and asserted in the Gospel And this is in the Apostles Phrase before us to comprehend the love of Christ in all the Dimensions of it This then is one Consideration in which to be rooted and grounded in love must needs be conceived to enable men to the said comprehension Or else another thing may be that God considering how highly he doth honour and prize this heavenly affection of Love where he findeth it how greatly he delighteth in it in his Creature therefore hath reserved such a great and excellent reward as that comprehension we speak of to stir up the hearts of men to desire and possess themselves of it And haply this may be the meaning 1 Cor. 2.9 As it is written eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The place hath formerly been understood as if it were meant of the enjoyments in Heaven but now men more generally and more truly understand that by the things here spoken of are meant the hidden and secret things of the Gospel the several strains and contrivances of the manifold wisdom and counsel of the righteousness and love of God that are couched there Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things c. Some understand the heart of a natural man or of a person not yet converted But I conceive he means as well the heart of a man converted but meanly and weakly furnished with the Love of God as unconverted God is said to have prepared in the Gospel things of most rare and wonderful consideration for those that love him meaning those that love him like himself that love him as Peter speaketh with a pure heart fervently because he reserveth for and intendeth the discovery and revelation of His most wise and profound Counsels here unto such persons judging them the only meet and worthily qualified subjects for such Communications Love and true Friendship are the most reasonable and equitable grounds of imparting secrets unto men according to that of our Saviour to his Disciples Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Master doth but I have called you Friends that is have dealt with you as with Friends knowing that you truly love me for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Joh. 15.15 The Gospel consists of the plain and easie things of God and of the deep things of God as the Apostle distinguisheth 1 Cor. 3.10 Now the spirit of a man by the ordinary assistance only of the Spirit of God may search and comprehend the easie and plain things of God in the Gospel but it must be the Spirit of God which he is wont in special manner to give to those that obey him Acts 5.32 that is who express their love to him by obeying him Joh. 14.21.23 which Spirit is called the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 that searcheth that enableth men to
understand and compute the just and exact weight and worth of every mans service and to set out respectively unto the persons to be rewarded rewards exactly proportionable must needs argue and declare a mighty depth a marvelous comprehensiveness and exquisiteness of wisdom in him Christ maketh it a Point as well of wisdom as of faithfulness in a Steward being made Ruler over an Houshold to give them their portion respectively in due season Who is then that faithful and wise Steward Who c. Luke 12.42 The transcendent excellency of that wisdom and understanding which God gave unto Solomon is thus expressed And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the Sea-shore 1 Kings 4.29 So where we read his understanding is infinite spoken of the understanding of God himself Psal 147.5 the Margent out of the original hath it Of his understanding there is no number To accommodate a great multiplicity of various and different occasions so that none of them suffers through any defective or undue management requireth an understanding either very numerous or rather without number This is another reason to prove that God intendeth to walk by the Rule of proportion not of an uniform or absolute equality in rewarding of his servants Fourthly and lastly If God will punish differently more or less according as men have sinned more or less according to the different degrees of their demerits then there is little question to be made but that he will proportionably reward men more or less according to the different degrees of their righteousness and faithfulness Now the reason of this Consequence viz. That if God will punish sinners more or less according as they have sinned in greater or lesser measures then is it reasonable to conceive that he will reward righteousness accordingly the reason I say of this Consequence is because otherwise he would seem to be more intent upon the punishment of evil doers than he is upon the rewarding of the righteous We see that he is intent and resolved upon a course of Justice in the punishment of wicked men both according to the nature and measure of their wickedness which sheweth that he hateth sin with a perfect hatred So that if he should not reward righteousness where it is exalted to a greater degree and shines with greater beauty answerable to the line and lustre of it it would argue that his affection of love were but cold and dead to righteousness in her greatest advancements in comparison of what his affections of hatred and revenge are unto sin in the high provocations of it But it is a common saying among learned Divines and questionless not more common than true that God alwaies punisheth all sin citra condignum short of the demerit and desert of it Yet it is more unquestionably and apparently true of the two that he rewardeth all righteousness ultra condignum over and beyond the worth and desert thereof This many expressions in the Scriptures concerning the bounty of God in rewarding his Saints do fully manifest That passage of Christ in the Parable of the Talents Mat. 25. which he putteth into the mouth of the Lord personating himself as speaking to his good and faithful servants one after another sufficiently evinceth it Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things c. ver 21 23. So again he confirms the same where he saith And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward meaning according to the notion and import of the figurative expression he shall be abundantly rewarded Mat. 10.42 Those expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily I say unto you and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall in no wise lose c. shew both that Christ is very intent upon and as it were taken up with thoughts and purposes of rewarding even the meanest services of his Saints and likewise that such services as these shall most assuredly be rewarded the redoubling of the Negative Particle in the Greek Tongue fortifying the Negation And whereas the services performed unto God by sufferings for righteousness sake are deservedly judged the greatest and highest of all services yet even of these the Apostle saith For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 compared here with Mat. 5.10 11 12. But the truth of this Point That God in rewarding righteousness surmounts all merit thereof needs little proof being I suppose acknowledged by all that are called Christians And as for that which was the bottom and ground-work of the Argument in hand viz. That God doth punish sin and sinners differently the Scripture is yet more manifest Luk. 12.47 48. And that servant that knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he c. Nothing can be more plain than that men that shall sin against knowledge and contrary unto knowledge shall be punished more than they that sin out of ignorance especially if it be not voluntary or affected So again Mat. 11.21 22. It shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment c. And so easier for Sodom and Gomorrah c. which clearly sheweth That God doth intend different punishments proportionable to the several degrees of sin and wickedness committed in the World Rods for lesser and fewer Scorpions for greater and more sins Nor shall we need to say more for the clearing of this the matter being so evident And for the reason built in the Consequential way upon this foundation it cannot reasonably be denied as was formerly argued viz. That if God hateth sin in all the degrees and aggravations of it proportionably and punisheth it accordingly with greater and lesser punishments it can with no good congruity of his love unto righteousness in all the measures and advancements of it be supposed but that he intends to honour it with rewards answerable in proportion unto them all and so with greater where he finds it in a greater clevation as with lesser where it only reacheth an inferiour line Only against this Doctrine two or three things may be objected Sect. 10 which we shall briefly propose and answer 1. Eternal life is said to be the gift of God Rom 6.23 If so then must it not be supposed that he giveth it freely and so may give it uniformly unto all his Saints and without any unequal distribution of it unto them according to their several attainments in righteousness respectively I answer 1. That Eternal life may be called the gift of God because the collation of it proceedeth from the free purpose and good pleasure of God to
greatest rewards assigned by God unto righteousness and Christian worth in any kind their hearts will never serve them to fly that high pitch of righteousness and true holiness which without controversie they stand engaged in duty to do nor yet to suffer those things from the World which their Christian Profession may very possibly require at their hands This I might clearly shew you by the light of Nature and grounds of Reason but I shall content my self to demonstrate it by the clearer light of the Scriptures only First It is evident from many passages here Sect. 16 that men are not wont to undertake any thing of difficulty trouble or charge at least if they so apprehend it but upon hope of reaping some advantage or benefit in one kind or other by it Who planteth a Vineyard saith the Apostle and eateth not of the fruit thereof Meaning that no man would be at the cost and trouble of planting a Vineyard did he not desire and hope to eat of the fruit thereof that is to accommodate himself in one kind or other by it So again Who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock 1 Cor. 9 7. Soon after For our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope he supposeth that no man thresheth upon any other terms should be partaker of his hope Afterwards towards the end of the same Chapter And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it for a corruptible Crown c. meaning out of a desire and hope to obtain such a Crown It is repugnant to the very nature and frame of a rational being to be drawn forth into action in one kind or other but by a desire and hope of compassing some end But of this there is little question Secondly Mens ingagements and actings are never like to rise higher than the level of that good which is desired and hoped to be obtained by them I mean if they understand the just value and worth of it Men will not as our common Proverb is buy Gold too dear If they put themselves to any hardship to knowingly expose themselves to any danger they must be inspired hereunto both by a desire and hope of some purchase proportionably considerable in their eye They that strove for Masteries would not have been so districtly and austerely abstemious as the Apostle intimates as we lately heard they were had it not been for a Crown which however corruptible as he there speaketh was notwithstanding in their apprehensions highly valuable David indeed endeavouring to render himself as a person inconsiderable unto Saul expressed himself to him thus For the King of Israel is come out to seek a Flea as when one hunteth a Partridge in the mountains 1 Sam. 26.20 But if Saul had not looked upon the suppressing of David as a matter of a thousand times greater consequence unto him than the catching of many Fleas or the taking of many Partridges he would not have put himself to the trouble and charge of coming out with an Army of men to pursue him And if the life of Sampson had not been judged a great Prize by the Philistines of Azzah they would not have lost their sleep and watched all night to have made themselves Masters of it Yea God himself knowing that men would never take the Yoke of his Son Jesus Christ upon them nor submit unto the holy Discipline of the Gospel in the exercises of Repentance Mortification Self-denial c. nor expose themselves to the bloudy hatred and malice of the World for righteousness sake unless their spirits were raised and heightned to such great engagements as these by hopes of very signal and glorious recompenses and rewards he applieth himself unto and treateth with them accordingly giving them assured hopes of life and immortality and blessedness for evermore upon their obedience He doubtless considered that lesser or lighter encouragements or retributions than these though in Conjunction with the most prevailing Arguments and Motives otherwise as Ingenuity Goodness of Nature Love of Righteousness Love of God c. yet would not do that holy and happy execution upon the hearts and spirits of men which must be done to make them Proselytes unto true godliness and persons after his own heart to fulfil all his pleasure This the Holy Ghost himself plainly teacheth in several places By which saith Peter that is by which glory and power of God or according to some Copies which read not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom viz. Christ are given unto us most great for so the Original and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Clearly implying that God had no other way agreeable to his Wisdom and meet to be taken with such a Creature as man to reduce men from their sensual vain and wicked dispositions and practices wherein they were deeply habituated and engaged with the rest of the World unto a conformity to himself in holiness but only by promises and these no whit less for the matter and good things contained in them nor less precious in respect of the abundant assurance given for the performance of them than those that he hath now given unto them in the Gospel The express tenour of the words if they be diligently minded give out this Notion Men would never have been wooed from Sin and Vanity to espouse Righteousness and true Holiness by any other means motives or perswasions whatsoever without being invested with an hope and this pregnant and lively of as great things as the Gospel promiseth to be possessed and enjoyed in due time Of the same import is this also of the Apostle John And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 The Particle and Pronoun this is emphatical intimating that it is the Prerogative or signal priviledge of that hope which he had immediately before mentioned ver 2. to set men on work to purifie themselves according to that great Exemplar of all purity and holiness Jesus Christ and that none other hope but this either formally or materially nor any nor all other means without it are able to engage the Sons or Daughters of men about so heroick and heavenly a work Now this hope of which he speaks this glorious thing that it puts every man that hath it upon purifying himself by the best pattern and as near unto it as he is able humane infirmity considered he signifies to be an hope of being like or of being made like unto Christ himself in respect of his glorified and blessed estate which by a near-hand interpretation amounteth to as much as is contained in all those great and precious Promises of the Gospel lately spoken of I shall upon this
Wine when it is red and giveth its colour in the Cup or glass when it moveth it self upright i. e. when it springs or sparkles Prov. 23.31 Look not on it when it is red c. i.e. do not fix thine eye upon it do not continue looking on it for so the word looking oft imports his meaning is not that a man should not simply see or cast his eye upon it as if there would be danger in such a case for then he could not tell when or how to observe this Precept but his meaning is if a man will fix his eye upon it there is danger of being inflamed with inordinate love unto it So our Saviour Mat. 5.28 Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her i. e. until he lusts after her or after any such manner that he comes to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart Now this sheweth when and how this lusting cometh to be propagated in the heart if there be any loveliness in the Creature this may draw our hearts forth as it were of course unto such covetings The reason why men and women hate not sin with a more vehement vigorous and perfect hatred than generally they do is partly because they do not frequently and with intenseness of mind consider the abundance of evil that is in it that violent and virulent Antipathy or contrariety that is in it to their comfort and peace in many kinds For certain it is that sin hath enough in it to set all the World on fire with enmity to it Yea as the Devil when he had sinned had that in him and upon him which being looked upon by God was sufficient to throw him down from Heaven into the bottom of Hell So likewise hath sin that in it which being clearly seen and diligently considered by men is sufficient to cast it down out of the heavens of mens love and desires into the deepest hell of their hatred and indignation So on the other hand it is as true concerning righteousness in general which Plato the Philosopher had a glimmering of And as it is with Righteousness in general so it is with and also concerning that excellent peece or member of it whereof we speak A being filled with the Spirit This is such a Master-peece of humane felicity it hath so much worth and goodness and desirableness in it that was it thoroughly known and frequently whetted upon the thoughts and minds of men and women they need take no further care how to come by such covetings after it as those now prescribed unto you as a means in the first place to obtain it unless happily it be to satisfie themselves in this that it is nothing but what is attainable For if indeed you shall look upon it as a thing absolutely out of your reach your souls will hardly put forth in coveting or desiring after it But this scruple being removed you would soon find your hearts full of those covetings and desires so full that they would not be long able to contain themselves but that they would break forth and utter themselves in such other waies and means which they shall understand to be proper and likely to obtain it If you ask me But what is there so excellent Sect. 8 so greatly desirable in this being filled with the Spirit which being known and narrowly considered by us must needs as you say set us on coveting after it and so put us into a nearer capacity of obtaining it I reply first in the general the desirableness of it is such so exceeding great that neither the Tongue of men or Angels are sufficient to express it it is of kin to the peace of God and partakes herewith in that property that it passeth all understanding so that when we shall travel many dales yea many years with our minds and understandings to search out and discover the riches of it we shall leave much hereof undiscovered and unknown But more particulary First Such a filling with the Spirit as we speak of will leave no place for foolish and hurtful lusts in one kind or other to play their parts within us which as Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.11 Fight against the soul that is against the peace comfort and prosperity of it As upon the bringing in of the Ark into the Tabernacle the Tabernacle was filled with smoak Exod. 40.34 And so in the Dedication of the Temple the Priests could not enter because of the glory there 1 Kings 8.10 11. even so when the soul when the inner Temple of the heart of a man or woman shall be filled with the Spirit of God there will be such a glory of holiness there that there will be no standing or abode for those base Companions unclean impure carnal and sensual desires and inclinations No but they will all be scattered as the Mist is scattered before the Sun when it ariseth in its might These Companions which have haunted your souls and inner man hitherto Pride Envy and Malice and inordinate love of the World Pleasure Ease and all such kind of things as these they will be sensible of the glorious presence of this Spirit of God in you they will not be able to abide it his presence will fright away all those Aliens and strangers that are contrary to him It is true the greatest filling with the Spirit that flesh and bloud is at lâ—ast ordinarily capable of obtaining will not wholly overwhelm or drown the flesh as to extinguish the motions or stirrings of it in men This is clear from many Scriptures and particularly from that of the Apostle Gal. 5.17 .. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit When by reason of the contrary lustings between the Flesh and the Spirit he saith they cannot do the things they would he speaks not so much indeed not at all of the species kind or substance of the Action but of the spiritual and exact manner of performing it Yea cannot do the things ye would his meaning is not that though they were willing to pray yet because of the lusting of the flesh they could not pray or though they were willing to hear the word yet they could not hear but thus ye cannot pray ye cannot hear or ye cannot give Alms as ye would that is with as much Faith with as much Fervency with as much Freedom and enlargement of Heart and Soul as ye desire The Flesh will be still interrupting and mingling it self with your actions and in preciseness and strictness of speech that which a servant of God or spiritual man properly would do is not simply to pray or simply to hear or to give Alms or the like But to do these and all other services and actions after the best and purest manner without any reluctancy or gainsayingness or interruption so that when men pray and do not pray thus when they hear and give Alms and do not both the one and the other upon such terms as these they
the Spirit of God was in men before they believed for otherwise they neither could or would ever have believed yea and a long time before they believed otherwise there would have been no workings of Conscience or movings unto things either morally or spiritually good When men are prevailed with by him to believe he advanceth his presence in their souls and now moveth them to things Actions and waies of a more worthy and blessed consequence and import and of a nearer and stronger Connexion with their supreme good and happiness as to love God with all their hearts with all their souls to embrace waies of Excellency waies of Righteousness and true Holiness to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh c. By the way When I say that the Spirit of God moveth the hearts of men when they believe I do not say or suppose withal that Believers alwaies are prevailed with by these movings of the Spirit to do the things or effectually to consent to the doing of the things whereunto they are thus moved For though the Spirit be Omnipotent yet he is a voluntary Agent and so can exert or put forth his Omnipotency in what degree or manner of efficacy himself pleaseth and we have heretofore I remember upon occasion shewed and proved unto you that the Spirit of God is not pleased to work either compulsively or necessitatingly upon the hearts and wills of men but only so as to leave them at liberty at least a possibility of going their own way contrary to that whereunto he moveth To plead that God is Omnipotent and from hence to conclude that therefore he should not fail of any or all things which he intendeth to do it clearly sheweth that men do not understand the true nature of God For though God be Omnipotent yet God useth his Omnipotency according to Rules of Wisdom and Counsel Now therefore he putteth forth his Omnipotency only in putting men into a capacity of doing such things upon which he will reward them which capacity would be utterly destroyed in case men should be necessitated to do any thing pleasing unto God Only this by the way Now this is one thing why the Spirit of God is not an under Agent because that men covld never have called for nor sought for his assistance did not the Spirit first move them thereunto Therefore hence it is evident that he is the principal Agent and yet this notwithstanding he may truly and properly be said to be drawn into our assistance by us Secondly This is by God himself Enacted and established for a Law between his Spirit and his Saints That when they having any spiritual Work services or Exercise to perform shall apply themselves unto the Spirit now at hand and dwelling in them after such a manner and upon such terms as we shall presently declare unto you If they shall seek for his help and assistance herein that then he will aid and assist accordingly he will not deny them but will condescend graciously unto them and assist them Now by the knowledge and consideration of this Law and confidence that there will be no failing on the Spirits part all which too are preventing wise wrought in men by the Spirit they are encouraged to make their recourse unto him and to depend upon him for his assistance at all times of need In this case the application of the Creature to the Spirit of God being submissive and obediential and not authoritative there is no reason or ground to judge or call the Creature the principal Actor or Mover in what is done by the assistance of the Spirit though the Creature may properly enough be said to engage the Spirit to assist in such and such Actions As when David being to encounter with his Enemies calling upon God for his help and his presence with him in the Battle may properly and truly enough be said hereby by his Prayer to engage God to him in his Battel yet it doth not follow from hence that David was the principal chief or first Actor in the Battel Because first It is God that freely maketh that gracious Covenant with David as with other Saints that if they call upon him in time of trouble Psal 50.15 or danger he will hear and deliver Secondly Because that it was God that put it into David's heart and stirred up David's spirit to go and apply himself by Prayer for his help in such a case Thirdly and lastly That which David did in this case to draw in God to his assistance he-did it in subordination to the will and good pleasure of God in that kind who had encouraged him to call upon him in a day of trouble There is a like consideration in Believers engaging the Spirit of God and his aid in all our spiritual occasions works and employments For first the Spirit of God hath made a Law that if we will call upon him upon the Spirit in the time of our need he will be present with us and help us But then secondly Because we are engaged hereunto I mean to call upon him for his assistance by his instigation hereunto Thirdly and lastly All that you do in this kind it is in subjection to his will and pleasure These things being considered it is clear that the Creature Man though he have a power to obtain the Spirit yet he is not principal Actor but the Spirit of God is the principal Agent Thus much for answer to the first Question A second Question was How Sect. 3 and by what means we may engage or prevail with the Holy Ghost to Act with us and to assist us in such occasions of our spiritual Concernments as have been mentioned To this I answer This may and ought to be done by these four means First By disclaiming when we go about any thing any spiritual duty or service our own strength and sufficiency as to the performance of it in an holy and acceptable manner as of our selves without the presence and assistance of God I say when men and women shall present themselves in all their works and services as weak and impotent unless they be endued with strength from on high this is one special strain that doth marvelously comport with the Spirit and that which is in the first place to be done by us if we desire to do any thing if we desire his help and assistance at any time Now to present our selves altogether weak without some such presence and assistance we speak of this is that which will awaken us to do things by the Spirit For the way to do things by the Spirit is not to forbear the doing of things or duties our selves or not to perform any services I say it is not to forbear the doing of things until we find the Spirit of Grace and feel it to work upon us But to go about that which is our duty to do in the season of it with a serious and humble acknowledgment and deep sense of our