peace between God and you ye are all of you old and young bought with a price ransomed by the blood of God ye are not your own Christ hath taken away your sins and does now begin upon a new score God hath exprest the greatest love imaginable he hath redeemed you his enemies this in the Old or New Testament is never told them for then the Ministers of the Gospel should find all the Pagans a Church bought with the blood of Christ and the reality of a Church should be in all societies of the earth But such glad news are preached to the chosen in the visible Church only never to Brasilians Paul preaches at Athens Acts 17. Creation not one word of Redemption as also Aristotle Plato and others should beget over again to God Creator all their disciples whom they find rude and ignorant and infuse by moral swasion and teaching a new life of learning and all rude and ignorant men before they be taught Methaphysick Mathematicks should be dead in ignorance enemies in their heart to knowledge and Philosophy and the same ground should make Ministers suppose there were no learning and teaching of the Father in drawing of men to Christ by that Omnipotency which raised Christ from the dead and created the world John 6. 44 45. Ephes 1. 17 18. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 4. as true real Fathers of the new-birth by only the letter of the Gospel as Aristotle and Plato are fathers to beget Philosophy in men Now for any remedying Gospel-promise that is made to Brasilians to purchase by way of merit we shall believe it when Mr. Baxter shall prove that to Indians and Brasilians who lived and dyed without the sound of the least notice or rumour of the Gospel Christ hath purchased and merited grace to believe the Gospel 2. That Christ by the blood of his Crosse hath made peace betwixt God and the Brasilians who so lived and dyed without the Gospel that Christ hath satisfied upon the Crosse for their sins against the Law and born their fins in his own body on the tree that Brasilians being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes Brasilians are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. that Christ suffered for Brasilians to bring them to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. that Christ bought Brasilians from their vain conversation with his blood 1 Pet. 1. 18. that Christ gave himself for wild Indians that he might redeem them from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. And who so tell us of a general dubious and conditional intention in the Father giving his Son to death and of the Son's giving himself to death for all these poor savages to whom he would never send the air of a rumour that he so loved them and of a special intention going along with the free decree of Election to glory that so many only should live unto righteousnesse be redeemed from all iniquity are holden to prove two such redemptions two such loves of Christ dying two such intentions and decrees two such providences one special redemption one special greatest love one special intention one fatherly providence indeed toward the elect we find John 10. 10 11. John 3. 16. John 11. 51 52. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rev. 1. 5 6. Rev. 5. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Tit. 1. 14. Gal. 1. 4. John 15. 13. Rom. 8. 32 33. Isa 53. 4 5 6. Rev. 14. 4. all which places make the redeemed to be loved with the greatest love sanctified bought from their vain conversation redeemed from among men made Kings and Priests to God delivered from this present evil world redeemed from all iniquity c. we leave the other General dubious love intention and reconciliation of Brasilians to our Adversaries to be made out by Scripture And Q. What is the grace of Christ's meritorious blood if it be shed for all and every one if it put the nature and free will of all and every one in a better condition and if his merit restore not the image of God into a more firm and excellent condition then we had in the first Adam and what healing of nature and the restoring of the image of God is made to the savages who eat men as we do beevs kill their aged fathers use wives promiscuously and never heard one word of the Gospel CHAP. XIIII The Law discovereth the disease but heals it not 2. How nature begins and the spirit acts 3. We not God in withdrawing his grace must be the culpable cause of non conversion 4. Some truth we must first physically hear and consider before we believe KNowledge or the commanding Law strengthens the wicked desire by forbidding it A strong stream runs with more strength that a dike of stone and clay stands in its way I know not saith Augustine epist contra Hilarium 89 c. de spir lit 4. how that which is desired becomes more pleasant because it is forbidden Nescio quo enim modo hoc ipsum quod concupiscitur fit jucundius dum vetatur the letter of the Law or bare knowledge meets with unrenewed nature and then a severe master and a froward servant make no work betwixt them the Law came in that sin might abound Rom. 5. Jubet Lex magis quam juvat docet morbum esse non sanat imo ab eo quod non sanatur augetur ut attentius sollicitius gratiae medicina quaeratur The Law commands but it helps not it teacheth the disease to be there but heals it not There are two extremities here we love on the one hand the barbarous opus operatum the literal deed done in praying the charm of the external work is by hand if God sell not the blessing yet I have blown words of praying up to Heaven and told down the price It 's heavenly wisedom to go about praying and other means not as acts of trading for our nighest ends but as acts of serving and glorifying of God though no thing should redound to us but we use praying and hearing as a man doth his horse or his ship all for self-use and self-ends Ah can the man charm the blessing of the Holy Ghost with bare words when scarce the literal attention goes along and here our Idolatrry saith I buy and God will not sell I plow and God binds up the clouds the Lord pays not the reward of a rich harvest to the merit of plowing on the other hand let ordinances reading praying and hearing of the Bible sleep until the spirit blow and we forget it is not the Spirit of the Father which works without the word and the testimonies the tools of the Father is this God's Spirit or a delusion plow not sow not until it be first harvest blow not at the fire until it first flame boldly pray not until the Spirit breath strongly but first give words I pray you to be a
and then must you be dry and withered in all your actings whereas influences and manifestations are promised to the lovers of Christ Joh. 14. 21. he that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe to him These sure are the revelations and manifestations of the Spirit John 15. 24. Christ puts a strong wall of difference between the hating world and the disciples v. 24. now they have both seene and hated both me and my Father but not so ye v. 26. when the comforter is come whom J will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me v. 27. and ye also shall beare witnesse because ye have been with me from the beginning Here are actings of the spirit in the disciples who love the father and Christ that the spirit acteth them to bear witness of him to the world upon all hazards even to death and torment We see what workes and actings of the spirit is in the Spouse sick of love for Christ which are in that song of songs to be seen comparing Cant. 2. 5. Cant. 5. 8. with other places of the song these works of the spirit are seen 1. A desire to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1. 2. 2. A spirituall smelling of his good oyntments Cant. 13. 3. A prayer to be drawn and a vow to run being drawn Cant. 1. 4. 4. A resolution to rejoyce in his love with all the virgins and chaste followers of Christ Cant. 1. 4. to rejoyce more in his love then in wine 5. A desire to be where Christ dwelleth in the tents of the Shepherds a sound Ministry Cant. 1. 7. 6. A profession of intimate love to Christ so as he lies as a bundle of myrrhe betwixt her brests all the night Cant. 1. 13 16. an extolling of Christ as the apple-tree among all the trees of the forrest Cant. 2. 3. and a delighting to taste the fruits of his love 7. A spiritual feeling in being taken into his celler-house of wine Cant. 2. 4. a desire to be refreshed and established with the promises and comforts of the preached Gospel Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love 8. The feeling of his love-imbracements when they are on v. 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraceth me 9. Because the whole song is a song of love there is a charge given not to offend Christ v. 7. 10. An eying of him by faith in his approaches in the delivery of his people in his coming in the flesh to save the world in the preached Gospel in all which his coming leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills saith That no impediment of the enemies and the powers of hell and no evil deserving of sin can obstruct his gracious motions to save and comfort his own v. 8 9. 11. The discerning of Christ's calling us in the Gospel v. 10 11 12. My Beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my love my fair one and come away 12. The discerning of his desire of our worship of the Churches praying doctrine and discipline v. 14 15. O my dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy vice c. 13. The Churches claiming of interest mutual betwixt Christ and his Spouse v. 16. My Beloved is mine and I am his 14. The observing where Christ is his feeding among the lillies in his Church which is clean and comely by his beauty 16. He feedeth among the lillies 17. untill the day breake c. 15. The Spouses desire of his company v. 17. Turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether a desire of being with him for ever in glory as Rev. 22. v. 17 20. 16. The Spouses careful seeking of Christ and spiritual restlesness till she find him Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. I sought him whom my soul loved I sought him but I found him not c. 17. The sweet spiritual smell of the so loved Church v. 6 c. 18. Chap. 5. The Spouses discerning of his knock and voice though she sleep 2. The acknowledging of her sinful denying to let him in 3. The Spirit of Christs acting upon her heart till the bowels of love were stirred in her v. 4. 4. The opening to him 5. The smell of her obedience which she felt like dropping myrrhe v. 5. 19. The Spouses swooning and falling dead at his departure 20. The Spouses praying and seeking him when now he had withdrawn himself and the missing of the sweet actings of the spirit to her sense v. 6. 21. Her seeking of him at the watchmen 1 6 7. 22. Her desire that other professors the daughters of Jerusalem may in prayer hold forth to Christ her spiritual state of love-sickness v. 8. 23. Her preferring of Christ to all other beloveds in Heaven or Earth v. 9. 14. The Spouses high exalting of Christ in all his parts endowments graces and lowliness My Beloved is white and ruddy v. 10 11 12 c. all these and many others the like teach that the spirit in such excellent operations and graces hath his dwelling and seat in an heart strongly filled with the love of Christ But who hates Christ 1. All persecuters of his members John 15. 18. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before you And it is exponed v. 20. If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you And whoever loves not the Brethren are not translated 1 John 3. 14. and they who love them not hate them 1 John 3. 14. compared with v. 15. how carnal lust and the love of glory from men hindereth influences of the Spirit to love Christ See John 8. 42. If God were your father ye would love me 44. Ye are of your father the Divel the lusts of your father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning v. 50. I seek not mine own glory The strong love of Christ in the heart is a chamber and a house for the Spirit to act in 2. Not desiring of God but an abhorring or a soul abhorring of God hinders influences of the Spirit 1. Are there any who abhor God such a sad word is spoken of the Jews Zech. 11. 8. Three Shepherds also I cut off in one month and my soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me Departing from God as a whorish woman forsakes her huband is charged upon the confederat people harlotry upon every high hill and under every green tree Jer. 2. 20. even when they said We will not transgress Hos 4. 12. The spirit of whoredom hath caused them to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God 13. And can the holy spirit
9. Lord I have called daily unto thee I have stretched out my hands unto thee Psal 102. the afflicted soul saith v. 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass And here though buried and dead bones scaâ—tered at the grave mouth as when one heweth timber speak and pray to God Psal 141. and the Church so overwhelmed so that they cannot speak Psal 77. 4. yet they speak prayers 2. There is holy complaining layed in the bosome of an apprehended angry God and though arrows of God stick in the flesh Psal 38. 1 2 3 4. Psal 119. 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust 28. My soul droppeth away for heaviness 83. I am become like a bottle in the smoke Psal 42. 1 2. Psal 6. 1 2 3 prayes and complaines in a holy way to God Like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a dove mine eyes fail with looking upward O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me 3. It 's half a closing with a sinful disposition when it paines us lesse Paul protests against the fleshes sinful disposition Rom. 7. 15. I allow not the evil which I doe 2. He disowns it v. 17. It 's no more I that doe it but sin in me 3. He condemes himself for it v. 18. I know in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good 4. He complaines of it 23. I am led captive to the law of sin 5. His complaining so grows that he ends in an out-cry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and triumphs victoriously in Christ v. 25. From which it is clear that Paul and the flesh part open enemies and that there is no treaty of peace betwixt the spirit and the sinful disposition flowing from the flesh as if the flesh and the spirit were two free co-equal independent Lords and Princes and each must have his own kingdome and princedome to himself and the one must not encroach upon the other for the flesh and its complices must down and the spirit must be up in Christ Nor is there any arbitrary agreement of the matter for the spirit yields no liberty to sin nor gives away one jot or tittle of the holy Law to say Herod by the new covenant may keep his lust and Herodias so he gladly hear John the Baptist 4. There ought to be a going about of all duties of praying believing hearing praising c. under the lowest ebbings of the spirit and the saddest deadness so deadness and indispositions be the sin and sinful affliction and the afflictive sin of the child of God for our obedience to God is the more spiritual that it hath no moral motive from sense and comfort but rather the contrary save onely the word of command So excellently Christ Heb. 10. 9. Loe I come to doe thy will to suffer wrath and the curse for man but Psal 40. 8. I delight to doe thy will thy Law is within my heart His delight was in that saddest commandement to speak so in laying dow his life for his sheep and so had no sense to bear him up for an agony and sadnesse and sorrow to death was upon the holy Saviour when he obeyed and that peculiar law was in the inner part of his heart It 's true his Father loved him for it John 10. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again But 1. It 's a question if in the act of suffering he felt that love when he complained that he was forsaken of God 2. Therefore the Father loved Christ and Christ did abide in his love because he kept his Fathers commandements John 15. 11. because they were the Fathers commandements 2. It 's a temptation to act under deadness which actually blunts the heart therefore to obey under a formal temptation is more spiritual obedience As for Christ to pray to believe to exhort his disciples to watch and when pain wrath the actual pressing curse puts him to tears and hideous cries Heb. 5. is a perfect copy to all obedience lesse thanks to you to pray when the heart is oyled with real influences and feasted with some holy and the bridegrooms hony-comb and the feelings of the out-lettings of freest love as what praise to a wheel to roll down the mount or for the fire to cast heat or the Sun to yield light Feelings of the strong impulsions and breathings of Christs love carry along such a strong necessity of obeying Christs love being a stronger and a more imperious commander then a fiery Law almost steals away the elective power but to pray under the frame and current of a dead disposition working and re-acting on the contrary from a principle that is strongly real but from pure moral influences from the pure spiritual commands 1 Thess 5. 17. Pray without ceasing and Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble is the most spiritual and perfect obedience That wine hath the most kindly taste and colour of wine and is preserved most connaturally that hath it's being on the mother grape it 's not so when there is something of art I know not what to preserve it by steel or something like that Hence appears the decitfulnesse of our hearts when the delight in the duty comes rather from a meer physical cause less moral to wit from the heavenly flamings of quickening influences not from the command the only kindly mother and moral motive of obedience The withdrawing of the rayes and beams of the personally near Godhead now as it were under a cloud which was wont to give the savourness of strong delight made our Redeemers obedience as is said the more excellent 2. It speaks much of savoury graciousnesse when the temptation is cos gratiae a whetstone to grace and to the spirit of adoption and as sailes and oares to praying and does not blunt us in duties 3. The greater combate with nature the more perfect is the obedience Abraham's natural disposition was strong to love Isaac his onely sonne to let the child take his good night at his aged mother but the command of Jehovah his God in covenant so prevailed as he would shift the temptation and hid the matter from the mother Sarah and strongly second the design of Gods trying with resolved pure spiritual obedience from only the command of God CHAP. VI. The place Luke 24. 32. Did not our heart burn c. is opened 2. Believers can tell the history of the actings of the Spirit 3. Feelings may be strongest after the actings of the Spirit 4. The differences between literal heat and spiritual heat in many particulars 5. And betwixt the Spirits actings with the Word and Enthusiastical raptures There be other holy dispositions most considerable specially these 1. Burning of heart 2. Enlargedness of heart 3. Fixedness of heart 4. Love-sickness after Christ Besides these there be special dispositions to pray
but a mock to say that God's speciall grace doth make men willing for Americans and Brasilians are Lords having in their power both general and special grace except Mr. Baxter yield to us a grace which doth predetermine or indecâ—inably bow fix and set the free will the way the Lord decrees and that the Lord must infuse a new supernatural power and it is above us to have special saving grace and that the Lord bestows on his chosen because he hath freely chosen them and then the matter is not in their may have or may not have 7. Mr. Baxter would have done well to have put one Scripture at least to this For neither in that John 7. 37 38. nor Rev. 22. 7. cries the Lord to Brasilians and Indians Whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life for that promise is made only to those within the visible Church who are the called of God and doe and may hear it But the Brasiilians and millions of that kind are not the called of God 8. A remedying Law we acknowledge in the new Covenant but it is remedying to clear the justice of God and to make these within the visible Church the refusers of the Gospel more inexcusable then Sodome Matth. 10. 15. then Tyrus and Sidon Matth. 11. 23 21 22 23 24 then a people of an unknown language Ezech. 3. 5 6 7. But 1. It should be proved from Scripture by Mr. Baxter before he had asierted with Mos Amyrald and other Universalists his new remedying Law as remedying the justly deserved misery of Americans and Brasilians For sure if Christ died for them and hath stricken with all the savages on earth â—ews and Gentiles for whom he died and with all generations of men a new Gospel-covenant of the greatest love among men in Christ's dying for them and yet this Covenant is never revealed to them by either revelation made by preachers nor by the works of Creation and Providence nor by the Law of the Gospel written in the hearts of these men There is 1. little Remedy for clearing the glory of divine justice to make their furnace hotter in Hell for a Chymerical and imaginary sin of which their conscience cannot accuse them for how can they be guilty in rejecting a Christ they never heard of and by no superable providence could hear in that the Gospel came neither by Angels nor by Men gifted with tongues nor by inspiration to their knowledge and this darkens the glory of God's justice It s true Abimelech and Pharaoh and others may be plagued for sins they actually know not but light of conscience teacheth that Adultery and Oppression of innocent strangers deserve judgement But read we ever that Brasilians Indians or the wisest of Heathen Socrates Plato Cicero and the most tender of them die with any such challenge ah we sinned against the blood of the Son of God shed for us What and shall the Lord write and speak to Israel in their hearing I brought you ouâ— of Egypt and yet he will not tell the millions of the Heathen Christ dyed for them and saved them from the guilt of sin and everlasting wrath as touching their everlasting destruction which love yet he expressed not to them 2. Though it ill becomes us to censure the wisedom of God if the Lord rebuke those within the visible Church for refusing offered mercy as Jer. 3. John 5. 40. John 8. 21. how doth he not reprove the Brasilians for rejecting a promise of so much love 3. As no reprobate can be guilty of love of Election to glory from eternity suppone such a love had been in the heart of God towards them because it was never revealed to them So if there be such a law of grace and Covenant-promise the Law-giver the Mediator God-man was never revealed to the Brasilians 2. Where is this wide promise and Covenant to be found in Scripture who are the parties 3. What is the nature of the Covenant whether is it a Covenant of works do this and live or a Covenant of grace believe this and you have the reward of the Gospel preached to wit the restored image of God and where is this in Scripture 4. A remedying Law must bring a remedy to men the remedy is either real and so some real help must be conferred upon fallen man shew if there be one Brasilian healed and saved thereby a real power of believing in Christ and laying hold on the Gospel-promise remote or nearer cannot be given to all in Christ for any thing we read in Scripture since the Brasilians are heirs of wrath cannot receive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. cannot believe or come to Christ John 6. 44. cannot submit their wisedom to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. cannot bring forth good fruit more then thistles or thornes can bring forth figs or wine grapes Luke 6. 43 44. Matth. 7. 16 17. being dead in sins Ephes 2. 2 5. Walking in the vanity of their mind having their underâ—tanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness that is in their hearts Ephes 4. 17. 18. Enemies in their minds by wicked works Colos 1. 21. Foolish disobedient deceived serving divers hearts Tit. 1. 3. having an heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26. uncircumcised Deut 30. 6. Jer. 9. 26. deceitful above all things desperately wicked Jer. 17. 9. every imagination of mans heart only evill every day Gen. 6. 5. from his youth Gen. 8. 21. So that a Brasilian must be born over again or he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God John 3. 3. Nor can flesh and blood but the Father of Christ only cause us believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God Matth. 16. 16. Now this is but a moral work to Mr. Baxter to cause a dead man live and if there were no intrinsecal wound impotency and deadness in the soul but only moral dimness of mind so as the literal clear external and objective proposal of the Gospel which wakens the stupid will as Pelagians and Arminians say perfects the whole work of the new-birth and grace is nothing but the letter of the Gospel and the strongest operation of this grace is onely moral swasion and counsel as if by Rhetorick and good words the mid-wife could bring forth the birth and this remedy that Christ brings to Brasilians is at best the raising of man dead and rotten in the grave by blowing a Trumpet beside him and by making a perswasive oration over his dead corps if so the man so raised was never dead Nor is the remedying Law so much for a preaching of the Gospel comes never to the ears of millions with whom this remedying Covenant is made and it were a strong inducement as any can be to move Brasilians Americans those of China and Turkey to receive the Gospel to shew them Christ by the blood of his Crosse hath made
by the rod of God the Asyrians Job spoiled by the Caldeans and Sabeans Christ Jesus crucified by Herod Pilate and the Jews Otherwise the Lord could yield no comfort in his word to the godly when oppressed by the wicked but the like Comfort not your selves my dear people under persecutions from the wicked for I permitted these evils but these calamities befal you before I knew them contrary to my will and holy determination I cannot without forcing of wicked will hinder them or safely and indeclinably secure and save you therefore stay your prayers to me and believe not that I can avert these evils Here is a most cursed necessity which our adversaries lay on God while as they would eschew an holy harmless and most wise necessity of providence Ob. 2. But by the adversaries way it follows that there is a foregoing reason why the will of Adam made choice of that sinful act because God predeterminated the will thereunto and the reason of the first omission or not consideration in Adam or his sleepiness is ob defectum praedeterminationis divina because of the defect of divine praedetermination Therefore because 2. God withdrew his actual influence of praedetermination it was no more in the dependent power of Adam to obey that Eat not then the Sun can move when God draws away his actual influence so must the original of sin be reduced on God So strange Answ 1. A reason ratio why any man sins is in good Grammer a moral motive inducing a man to sin and that works by way of perswasion Let not the Reader be perswaded that we teach that the real influence of God or that his holy concourse any way is a moral motive of obedience or of sin as if Adam had been perswaded to sin because he saw and felt the Lord did first withdraw his concourse or influence whither it praedeterminate or move by praedetermination or collateral joyning therefore Adam was morally induced to sin this is a goodly dream 2. Ratio a reason here must be taken for a physical and a reall not a morall cause now the adversary abstained from the word cause And 1. we say Adam not through defect or want of the Lords holy praedetermination as if therefore ideo for that cause he sinned because the Lord did withdraw his influences but the adequate culpable moral cause of Adams sinning and of his chosing of a vitious action for Adam in sinning is only and properly a moral cause under a law is his own free-will freely declining from the rule there is no defect or moral want of Gods praedetermination because the soveraign Lord who is above a law was not obliged to joyn his praedeterminating influence to Adam but rather obliged to withdraw his praedetermination from the man who in the same moment of time was willing to want that praedetermination for God out of holy soveraignty withdraws in the same moment his influence in which Adam sinfully rejects the same influence 3. This Adversary if he would turne the word ratio reason into the word cause or concurrence would see himself at a loss it will follow that the cause why Adam sinned is because God denied his causative concurrence and so the Argument shall hurt his cause for the concurrence of God is causative then must the Lords withdrawing of his concurring influence be the collateral cause of Adams sinning except he say that man hath in his power the concurrence of God and if so Adam and all mens free-will must be Lord of omnipotency and omnipotent concurrences and then why but God must rather make prayers and requests to our free-will to incline and move his omnipotency to concur to acts of obedience then free-will should make prayers to God that he should by his grace incline our hearts to his testimonies 2. Must not the created free-will of man by this be placed in the royal seat and throne of divine providence to domineer over and dispose of all free acts of obedience and disobedience as it seems good to the Creature And 3. so must the soveraign King be Lord of all free acts at the second hand with the good leave of created free-will And 4. the number of all free actings of final obedience and disobedience and of the saved and damned must be in the hand of created free-will and that primarily and so in the creaâ—tures power must be the Book of Life first by way of free determination and with the Lord and the Lamb the Book of Life is but as a second copy and a conditional roll containing so many as the creature first determines 5. And so must our Immanuel God manifested in the flesh ere he can get entrance in the world have a pass subscribed by free-will and God shall come in the flesh and be Mediator and King absolutely as man will it 's not then eternal love who fore-ordained the medicine and the Physitian before ever the man was sick and if free-will had so pleased Christ God man should have been holden out of the world and the gates for ever closed on him so as knock as he pleaseth free-will might have refused to open and let him in 6. Experimental grace and pardoning mercy might have stood afar off and lost man never have tasted thereof yea such riches of grace should never have been in the world 7. Mans free-will if it be the only determiner of it self and his own free acts and if the strong dominion of grace for fear of strangling of liberty created had no determining power might well have sent that saving Redeemer back to heaven again to his Father and none of mankind should ever have received Christ tasted of his precious love his sweet promises and the offered salvation for created free-will is such as may nill will refuse let God decree and allure draw move determine as he can or will yet omnipotency of grace cannot ravish free-will 8. Yea such is free-wills nature that by its independent self-determination the holy Ghost in all his sweetest attractions in the emanations and flowings of love which is stronger then death his strong and powerful breathings and mighty drawings by a power not inferiour to that which raised Christ from the dead may be frustrate and broken for free-will may stand out as a rock of iron and adamant against the strong actings of omnipotent grace and be not a whit moved at the perfume and sweet smelling ointments of Christ his beauty the refreshments of the house of wine his tenderest consolations 9. For if free-will say not Amen though Christ work compleatly his work make his soul an offering for sin yet shall not Christ see his seed nor be satisfied with his wages for free-will may refuse to yield the redeemed over to God as captives overcomed by his soul delighting and powerful drawings 10. Nor shall it be in the power of the Almighty to be faithfull and true in fulfilling his promise of giving a new heart to the elect
fear that Christ shall be wanting in bestowing influences so do many weak ones is a broken half faith looking upon Christ as half a Saviour what he that died to purchase the spirit shall he not carry on the work of redemption by applying it and carrying on of what he hath begun Indeed among men he who made the Ship by art hath neither art nor power to command wind and tide for sailing for they are done by diverse powers the one by a created the other by an uncreated power but here the same merit of bloud which purchased grace habitual did also make due and connatural in its own kind actual influences of saving grace to carry on the work hence a case of Christian and supernatural prudence it is so to fear our own sinful weaknesse and to be humbled and cast down for our propension to fall away as to believe that constant and everlasting love shall work to will and to do to the end Then 1. tormenting Popish fear Ah I shall I may fall away 2. And the weak practical doubting of this it may be I shall perish I cannot stand out And 3. the law spirit of bondage I cannot be saved who am so sinfully weak and wicked have all three this in commune an undervaluing of the power of the free love and an overvaluing of the strength of corruption as if wickednesse and he that in the world were greater then he that is in these who are born of God 1 John 4. 4. and stronger then grace for its natural to be of that opinion that grace worketh not irresistibly prevailingly and with all might according to his glorious power Collos 1. 11. and according to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding great power by which he raised Christ from the dead Ephes 1 18 19. and so while legally we distrust and fear our own weaknesse we do unbelievingly doubt of the mighty power of grace though we see it not for to see unbelief it is so spiritual a sin is almost to overcome it among all sins it is most invisible and best seen with the light of the Spirit faith sees well unbelief but unbelief can neither see faith nor it self 2. There is required of believers the exercise of faith in laying hold on the promises of actual influences from Christ the Mediator John 15. 2. Every branch that leareth fruit in me for that must be repeated the Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Chriâ—t but to cause us will and do is a spiritual blessing Ephes 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made neer not by Redemption only but actual believing in the bloud of Christ. 2. Ephes 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit By the influences of that spirit whom Christ sent in his own name John 14. 26. 3. If the spirit glorifie Christ by receiving of Christ and shewing it to Christs own Disciples John 16. 14. then all the influences of the spirit in acts gracious when the spirit teacheth and bringeth to remembrance all things John 14. 26. convinceth of sin John 16. 8. guideth and leadeth John 16. 13. Rom. 8. 14. mortifieth Rom. 8. 13. quickneth Rom. 8. 10 11. comforteth and sealeth and confirmeth John 14. 16. Ephes 4. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22. must be done by influences of the spirit received from Christ For saith Christ He shall receive of mine Heb. 13. 13. By Christ therefore let us offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually 4. Also what we suit from God in the name of Christ that we suit from Christs merits and death But we ask all which we ask in Christs name John 14. 14. John 15. 17. And therefore do obtain from God for Christs sake and the merits of his death the inclining of the heart to his testimonies to be led in his way not to be led into temptations to persevere to the end to be taught his way and if there were any grace such as all gracious influences are which comes not from Christ in whom it is and from whose fulnesse it is it must be referred to another cause then to Christ 5. All the promises are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. and so must the promise of perseverance be Jer. 31. 39 40. Isa 54. 10. Isa 59. 21. and so the promise of influences of grace to persevere 6. Christs undertaking as High Priest Advocate and Intercessor is to carry on and perfect as Mediator all that are given to him of the Father and to lose none but to raise them up at the last day and to give them life eternal John 17. 1 2. 11. 12. John 6. 37 38 39 40. 1 Cor. 1. 7 8. 1 John 2. 1 2. Heb. 7. 22 23 24 25. Heb. 9. 13 14 15 16 17 24 25 26 27 28. Heb. 10. 10. John 14. 16. Luke 22. 31 32. Rev. 8. 3 4 5. 7. Christ as head by the influence of life and saving grace acts upon all the members by quickening them to will and to doe Ephes 4. 16. Eph. 2. 21 22. Eph. 1. 21. 22. Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. 8. Christ as King gives repentance and remission Acts 5. 31 32. Then must he by that power royal give influences to acts of repentance and of faith 9. As Prophet he opens the heart to understand the Scriptures Luke 24. 45. Act. 9. 17. and so must give influences for that effect Hence are we to look for the watering of the garden of red wine every moment from Christ the fountain of life and to know that we should wither from the root if Christ withdraw his influence and so grace puts us under a necessity of grace to carry on the work of salvation 2. Yea it is to believe Christ is but an imperfect and half a Saviour and wanting in his Office if we doubt he shall give influences to perfect to the end what he hath begun then branches out of Christ and cut off from him must wither 1. Make sure union with the Vine-tree if you would be sure of growing to the end 2. Know the way to the well of life be much with Christ and lie and be neer to the well if you would have influences every moment 3. The most glorious and shining Professors that are not in Christ shall turn Apostates a plant above the earth with borrowed earth on the top of an house may grow for a short space but shall wither 4. Heathen influences from a Creator without Christ shall not bear you out the vertues of Tully of Seneca Regulus are of that nature that they may dry up 5. Yea weak Believers doubting that Christ shall give influences to work in you to will and to doe is 1. To question whether Christ shall
Physician for sick sinners But except we seek a knot in a Rush 1. It s Adam's duty and all mankinds in him to stand obey and never sin and God wills this obligation to lie upon man as an eternally obliging duty And this is true even now and eternally Adam ought never to have sinned 2. God never willed Adam nor commanded him in Law or Gospel either absolutely or comparatively to put the Lord to seek a remedy or a Saviour to satisfie for us or to pardon sin we read of no such will 3. Nor is it fit to say that the Lord had rather David committed adultery and murther by God's permission and be pardoned for it then not to commit it for if this be meant of the commanding will of God no man can justly charge us with putting such contradictory wills upon God as also its unpossible that God can will the adultery of David to be by any other will then his will of purpose and hloy decree And then 4. The righteous Lord loves righteousnesse yet the Lord absolutely and simply willed rather the holy free submissive obedience of the second Adam to be then he wills the final obedience of the first Adam and he wills more the manifestation of the glory of his free grace pardoning mercy revenging justice in that excellent of the most excellent our Emanuel then the legislative glory of Adam and all his possible final obedience and the Lord wills no end rather then his own glory but the Lord never commands us to will but what he approveth and its needless to enquire whether a more eminent declarative glory could be then that which is the delight of the Lord's soul the pleasure of the Lord love greater then any man hath the rejoycing of the Lord loved and desired to be read looked unto with wondring and adoring by the holy Angels nor can any inherent righteousness of man please the Lord in any imaginable measure and manner as the obedience of Christ in offering himself to God through the eternal Spirit Heb. 4. 14. And if it be true that lost man gains more in the second Adam Christ Jesus then he lost in the first Adam clear it is that there is no comparison between the declarative glory of the Gospel to wit the glory of the humble willing and eminently and admirably excellent obedience of Christ God-man in dying tali modo and the declarative glory of the Law 2 Cor. 3. or between the glory of the righteousnesse of God through saith and the glory of the inherent righteousness through the grace of God for the righteousness of God through faith must be more excellent then the righteousness of man or then all the acts of man by grace believing hoping lovering repenting praying praising eternally in Heaven suffering of martyrdome and therefore it cannot be said that God would rather in an antecedent and principal intention have us to forbear sin and Adam to stand in Law-obedience then to put him to remedy sin and out of the greatest love of God to man to send his Son in the World to save sinners as if the intention and heart-purpose of God had been principally that the first Adam should stand and all in him and the Court of the Law of Works should be for ever and that the Lord in a second intention and as if it were compelled by a cross wind must sail into a next best and second harbour which yet undoubtedly is the excellentest and highest declarative glory of the Lord which the conceptions of Angels or Men can reach and was if I may so speak the eternal delight of the Lord while as yet he had not made the earth or the fields Pro. 8. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. though I am far from thinking that any thing without God doth conclude his holy Soveraignty yet the Lord's soul delighting in the holy obedience of Christ and the eternal declarative glory thereof shall be highest to me and in the hearts I conceive of the godly the most eminent revealed end and to Scripture 4. Neither is it better pleasing to God not to sin then when the man hath sinned to seek pardon for sin in the bloud of Christ I know not what Scripture so speaks or so teacheth both the one and the other is the approving and commanding will of God and if the Gospel be more glorious and excellent then the Law 2 Cor. 3. as it must be the seeking of a pardon is a duty commanded in the Gospel and Covenant of grace and not sinning is as such an act commanded in the poor and simple Covenant of works given to Adam I shall heartily yield to sin upon hope of pardon if any intelligent pure and only Antinomians so teach is utterly unlawful but upon supposition that the person is a sinner it is a more gracious act of obedience yea more glorious if I may so speak to fly to our Sanctuary and Citie of refuge Jesus Christ upon Gospel-principles then upon Law-principles not to sin And thus must the comparison of betterness and excellency be made But the arguing seems to infer that it is our mind that God willeth us to desire and practically to will rather that Christ the Physician should appear in the declarative glory of grace mercy pardoning punishing justice then that we should practically will our own Law-odedience but this is forced on us and is not our mind but a wicked Principle of Libertines for we ought rather to obey the Law and practically to will final obedience to the Law of works and eschew sinning as Hell rather then desire and with a more intense and a stronger practical will seek the incarnation of God for that practical will can never be in us without sinning Yea 4. It is a shame to compare together the righteousness of God and we are in Christ made this righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. and the inherent mixt imperfect righteousness of a renewed man for the one needs no pardon and the other is sinful and as menstruous cloaths without a pardon Isa 64. 6. I mean not that the believing praying c. of the regenerate are formally and in the substance of the act sins but by accident they are sinful and polluted but even in the substance of the act they are nothing comparable to the acts of obedience in Christ which are every way complete and perfect according to the strictest rule of the Law of works Yea 5. It s a false ground to say that by justification or remission of sins as some say but they are not every way the same only the guilt of sin is removed or only deliverance from eternal punishment for Christ's dying and satisfying is ours he dying in our stead and place and we dying in him legally not physically and so are we not only by his satisfaction which is made ours and by faith applyed to us negatively freed from Hell but positively righteous
3. Would God give me a new power I would run now this power he denyes to me and gives to many That this special practical doubt may be fully removed 1. A word to the Objector 2. To the Objection To the Objector 1. If the Lord had given me the same grace that he gave David I should run as David 1. It is of much concernment who moves the Objection whether a Convert or a non-convert it is commendable in neither but in an unhumbled non-convert it is senseless If the sense be had the Lord bestowed on me the grace habitual and actual such as he bestowed on David I should be a man according to the Lord's heart as well as David No thanks no praise or glory to David that he is a man according to God's heart True and therefore no guilt is upon the Objector nor is any punishment due to him that he remains in cursed nature this follows not 2. The sense is had I grace I should be a gracious man what is this but I would have been a convert if God had made me a convert But 1. The Objector says no more then the fallen Angels had the Lord made us Divels to be elect Angels and confirmed us in grace then should we have been elect Angels So might Judas have said had grace made me the beloved Disciple that leaned on Christ's bosome I should have been a sound believer this is a meer speculation no preaching of heart-love to the man Christ all the Reprobate may say had the Lord made us all holy and sinless men in a personal union with Christ we should all have been Christ's Cursed Libertines and Quakers so call themselves have they any more of the outlettings and flowings of free grace for that not a whit 2. If God would give me the grace which he bestowed on David I should be a man according to God's heart True but what is this to one who still dwels in nature should the sleeper say had I laboured more and slumbred and lain in my bed less I should have been richer but that supposition will neither be bread to feed him nor a web to cloath him there is nothing here but only idle wishing O if I had bread and such empty desires cannot feed an hungry man who is both idle and hungry Were the Objector a Seeker and did he search for wisedom as silver and dig for her as for hid treasures it were real or rational hunger but there is not a right esteem of bread there is no wise life-hunger such as is in living men 3. It were good that the Objector were humbled and did lie at the water side and complain oh if his Ship would fetch me over and his wind would blow Who shall deliver me what shall I doe were he loathing his own ways and highly in love with such ways of godliness as David and the Saints walked in it were good joyn despairing in self and feeling of a wretched condition with some desires of David's grace that should be liker a laying hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you But the Objector is full and rich and self-righteous and whole and needs not the Physician and his own civil hell torments him not A Heaven of work-holiness and law-righteousness is the lie that is in his right-hand he feeds upon such ashes 4. The Objector would be convinced of his backward desires O if I had grace I would then labour and run Is it not 1. A contradiction he loves to be watered with the streams and dewings of Christ and hates and loaths the fountain But now have they both seen and hated me and my father John 15. 24. The world cannot receive the Spirit John 19. 17. and so must hate the Spirit and all his influences Fools hate wisedom And 2. Every spece and kind of being is delighted with its own being the Serpent hath not a desire or a real love to be turned into a man nor would a Lion be turned into a Lamb nor a Divel into an elect Angel that desire is contrary to the malice he hath to the image of God in the elect Angels the withered Earth loves rain and dew it would be perfected in its kind but a body of sin fights to keep its own being and would not be destroyed by an habit of grace nor doth an heir of wrath and a limbe of Satan seriously desire to be a child of God nor one tormented in Hell really will to be a holy Saint in Heaven he only would be an eased and painless man and seeks not to be free of blaspheming God See Balaam's and the rich man's desire Numb 23. 10. Luke 16. 24. Rev. 6. 15 16 17. 3. True it is we love not moral influences and to be actors in holiness that spoils and robs the man of his sweet lusts we would be content to be passive and have the breathings of the Spirit come upon us sleeping and without toyl that we might feel the only sweetness and delight of duties not the duty and the gracious acting it self as a man loves to have been made holy not to be holy nor to be made holy by acting and toyling for the man who hates the Spirit and hates Christ as the unrenewed Objector doth how can he love unfainedly either the gracious habit of holiness or the gracious influences of Christ and therefore we may have a desire of the Lord 's real and physical influences and hate holy moral influences for the damned only deprecate torment but they make no prayers to God to be made holy Mark 5. 7. Matth. 8. 29. Rev. 6. 16. 4. He who so objects being a non-convert yea all converts in this life in so far as there are in us the remainders of a body of sin close not a little with that divinity of Satan Gen. 3. 5. Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil and therefore love to be independent and to be from under God as is the unhappy word of Spira in point of suffering O if I were above God So speak the enemies of our Lord who love not gracious influences as Christ is a wel-governing a sweetly awing Lord in all his influences Psal 2. 3. Let us break their bands and cast away their cords though they be silken cords So the Citizens of Christ Luk. 19. 14. hate him and set mans will on Jesus Christ's throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will not have this man to reign over us the World hates a ruling and reigning Christ and so we hate his holy actings and the wishing to have grace and gracious influences ruling in us is a dream we really desire no such thing but love an independency of our own as was the unlucky prayer of the son who loved not to be under his heavenly Father Luke 15. 12. The younger son said to his father Father give me the portion of goods that falleth
that sent me draw him Then are we enclined to make war with God because he will not give us drawing influences and bestows them upon some Hence these Disciples gave over all use of means ver 66. Went back and walked no more with Jesus What then shall they doe they cannot force God to draw them if the Lord will save us it s good if not we cannot mend it we 'l follow Christ and his new-Gospel no more 4. Is it to you fools so approved a course to give over means so blessed of God If it can be made out that the influences of God do so serve in a manner the instustry of men then are ordinances and means not to be neglected 1. Means used are the Lord's way of comming to us and our way of coming to him whether in the word preached Acts 2. 36 37. Acts 4. 4. Acts 10. 44. Acts 16. 14. John 4. 9 10 29 30 39 40 41 John 4. 50 51. or in miracles or any other lawful way 2. Because to some certain using of means in faith there is a promise of an effectual blessing made Pro. 2. My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandments with thee Ver. 2. So that thou encline thine ear unto wisedome Ver. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me John 3. 18. 36. John 5. 24. John 11. 25 26 27. Prov. 3. 1 2. Prov. 4. 20 21 22. 3. Neglect of means is dreadfully punished of God Prov 1. 24 25 26 27. Prov. 5. 12. Prov. 6. 9 10 11. Luke 14. 16 17 18 19. 10. 24. Hence the killing of the Prophets and of the heir is plagued with being cast out of the Vineyard and the removal of the word of the Kingdom 4. The assiduous using of means and Jacob's wrestling in prayer all the night until day-light receiveth the influence of a blessing and of the hearing of the prayer in faith and feeling Gen. 32. 26. 29. and it puts the soul in a nearest capacity to receive influences from God love-sickness near the throne is near to influences of grace glory as sweet smelled herbs are near to such influences so as presently they yield honey Some refined earth curiously hardened by the influences of the Sun is near to be turned unto fine gold or choice silver when we go about earthly business with half a heart or godly indifferency and with a distance from the Creature we grow more heavenly and more disposed to receive the influences of God But such a promise as this made to an unrenewed man yet in nature this doe and ye shall be converted I read not or let nature doe and grace follow or let common grace begin and the special grace of conversion shall follow It cannot be proved by the word which Mr. Baxter saith Appendix to his Aphorismes answer to Obj. 10 11. pag. 260. That men would not accept Christ and so believe for remission before their lives be reformed and that Reformation of life must go before the belief or knowledge of pardon though not before justifying faith For 1. This is to bid men keep a distance from holy Jesus and not come at him or touch him by faith though the soul be humbly trembling before him as the woman Luk. 8. 47 48. Mark 5. 33 34. until they be holy and righteous It is very like to this come not within sight of the Physician by faith until first you be healed and reformed or come not to buy the fine linnen and the righteousness of the Saints until first you be well cloathed with your own inherent righteousnesse But who shall heal the sick and cloath the naked sinner if it be not Christ Now Christ not believed in for pardon is he at so huge a distance from a sinner that he cannot heal if never seen and never touched by faith 2. This is to bring in an inherent physical pardoning and justification by works the Scripture knoweth not of any justification but one and that is through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus 3. What is meant by Reformation whether halfe or whole whether begun or compleat reformation of life who le and compleat reformation there is none while the end and departure out of this life and so no man is to believe remission of sins until they be going out of the body This is the comfortless doctrine of Papists never to know and be assured of the graces freely given us of God as in 1 Cor. 2. 12. and that Christ is in us except we be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. and never to know that we have life eternal and never to know that God hears us and that we are of God contrary to 1 John 5. 13 14 15 19. until we be going out of the world as if Paul and John did write onely to comfort dying Corinthians and believers and none could be of good cheer and love Christ much knowing their sins were forgiven none could have hope joy unspeakable and full of glory and know they know God and are translated from death to life because they love the Brethren until they be expiring contrary to Mark 5. 24. Matth. 9. 1 2. Luk. 7. 47 48 50. Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 8. 18 24. Col. 1. 5 27. 1 Pet. 1. 5 6. Matth. 5. 11 12. 1 John 2. 3. 1 John 3. 14. as if the holy Ghost should comfort us and bid us rejoyce at fancies and at Moon shines which we have to day and may loose to morrow If he mean half and begun Reformation it must be begun justification begun regeneration begun conversion and believing savingly begun but not compleat Now men cannot reform their life until they please God Heb. 11. 5 6. nor can Enoch reform his life and walk with God till he believe and believing necessarily is a laying hold of Christ for pardon Acts 10. 43. Luk. 7. 50. Matth. 9. 1. 4. Nor can there be a continued tract of repentance and begun reformation of life which is a work of the Gospel and New Covenant not of the Law except there be a hopeful mourning for sin and a looking to him by faith whom we have pierced Zech. 12. 10. nor is it godly sorrow working repentance to salvation never to be repented of as 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. which wants faith of salvation and faith of salvation in Christ without faith of pardon yea or begun justification without faith of pardon is unpossible Nor can there be a bringing forth fruit in Christ as implanted in the Vine-tree which is only reformation of life acceptable to God while men be first by faith engrafted in Christ as branches growing in him John 15. 1 2 3 4 5. nor walking in God's Commandments while first the heart of stone be removed and a new heart and a new spirit given as Ezech. 36. 26 27. Isa 44. 1
they were born There is a temper of solid walkers by faith enjoying much peace yet not acquainted with great Spring-tydes nor with extreme low ebbs of the outlettings of the holy Ghost I speak not of Moses as a Prophet who saw God and whom the Lord knew face to face Deut 34. 10. 3. Some are led through fewer slips and fals as John the disciple who leaned on Jesus bosome excepting his fall of Angel-worship and some other few he seems not to be so high bended as Peter who in Satans place disswaded Christ from the working of our Redemption denyed the Lord with cursing did fouly Judaize Gal. 2. 4. And it were hard to make all the Prophets of Jonah's mould whose fear to preach to great Niniveh was extreme and yet his courage of faith and patience to be cast in the Sea with his own advise and consent was as great and his cruel selfishness to desire that all Niniveh old and young should be destroyed rather then his prophetical honour should be darkned in the least shews what a piece of man he was and his justifying his anger against God for a blast of wind on his head and the withering of a poor herb a gourd do all hold forth that God leads some in a way of influences beside the rest O how is our meek Lord troubled and to speak so cumbred to bear all our manners sinful tempers and humours 5. Nor are all Saints of the altitude of Elias his zeal a man much and wholly for God and fervent in prayer yet he seems to challenge more zeal to himself for the slain Prophets digged down Altars broken Covenant then was in the holy Lord himself and so prays that God would take away his life as if he were the last man of the true Church of God living on Earth and yet we read in all his sufferings no apprehension of the anger and indignation of God such as was in others 6. None are so trailed through Hell and fiery indignation as Job David Jeremiah Heman there appear in them some habitual mistakes of the love of God or rather because sinful acquired habits are scarcely to be found in the renewed more fixed inclinations to apprehend wrathfulness and Law-dispensation in God and few are led this way and the outlettings of influences of grace must be various here 7. Neither should it be strange if we might place Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and others in a seventh class who had their own complainings One saying my leanness my leanness another fasting and walking in sackcloth for the sanctuaries desolation and yet most submissive to the holy dispensations of God In all which another mans compasse is not our rule of sayling nor is the Lord 's various dispensation to his children which is ordered by his decree and will of pleasure not by his commanding and approving will the Scripture rule that we are to follow in looking after Influences Every one would submit to be ordered of God he hath almost a various way of leading his own if the same compleat ransome the same Promises the same Guide and Steersman to Heaven be mine and the same hope of glory yet the manifestations of God the love visits the influences of grace are hardly the same It s then a faulty ground of some never one was like me none of my condition in the world since the Creation Every one thinks their own hell on earth the only hell 2. Nor should Christians be unwilling to know the spiritual condition one of another you may fall upon some in your very course and kind It s like David Psal 71. 7. Heman Psal 88. 15. the suffering Church Lam. 1. 12. Psal 102. 6 7. Elias 1 King 19. 10. Isaiah and Christ and the children of Christ who were wonders and signs Isa 8. 18. Heb. 2. 13. who were there alone as worlds wonders might judge themselves like no other though the man Christ could not mistake his own spiritual estate as to their case spiritual and God's dispensation towards them 8. The Soveraignty of God's dealing with consciences in the Old and in the New Testament is to be observed It is not 1. To be denyed but the desertions under the Law in some respect were more fiery and legal the typical dimness and darkness made them to see less love and more Law and lesse of Christ the seat of mercy and more of the curse and of wrath as the night darkness renders spirits and dreadful things more terrible 2. It was the purpose of God to awe generally that people more with Law-fear and bondage then his people under the New Testament But it is a wicked doctrine of some Anabaptists and others that all desertions are under the N. Testament cried down and gone and it is our legal mistake say they that works trouble of conscience under the N. Testament and an exercise of such as are under the Covenant of works though it may be said law-sorrow pursued these of the Old Testament but the Saints now are less passive and more active in pursuing sorrow according to God yet in another respect because of greatness of light and Gospel experiences and a higher measure of illuminations and spiritual presence in more abundance is promised and prophecied As that all shall be taught of God the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Isa 54. 11 12 13. Isa 11. 6 9. Ezec. 36. 26 27. Isa 44. 1 2 3 4. Joel 2. 28. Zech. 12. 10. under the New Testament therefore the desertion is the sadder Thirst near to the fountain is more intollerable so we read not in the N. Testament of one like unto Job chap. 3. c. 6. c. 16. c. 19 nor of such as David Psal 6. Psal 38. nor of Heman Psal 88. nor of the Church Psal 77. Psal 102. yet is there nothing harder then that of Paul 2 Cor. 1. we cannot say whether it was his persecution at Ephesus or some great sickness yet it is a most sad tryal ver 8. 9. 1. We was pressed out of measure 2. Above strength 3. In so much that we dispaired even of life 4. But we had the sentence of death in our selves and what ever be the kind for even Christ had so much the more sorrow at the withdrawing influences of the comforts that immediately flowed from the God-head personally united and this was Christ's hell in part therefore we are to look upon desertions in the song of Solomon as prophetical and relating to the desertions in the New Testament in the which the rise of the grief is not so much from the apprehension of sin legally tormenting as from the sense of the want of the sweet comforting presence of God and of the wel-beloved Christ yet there is as much in that of pain as in
that be said by Isa 40. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his counsellour hath taught him Ver. 14. With whom took he counsell who instructed him and taught him in the path of judgement and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of understanding Or what needs that Job 21. 22. Shall any teach God knowledge seeing he judgeth things that are high What a God is an unknowing God who needs a lesson from the creature or from some higher God and then who taught that other God who is supposed to be higher then the most high what a carnal mind is this that chaseth the Almighty God out of the world 4. What doe they who curse the day the stars the twilight the birth as Job chap. 3. A gracious heart saith let the Lord be the Lord and closes with all the attributes of God and with all the influences of Omnipotency wisedome goodness and justice on men and of love mercy grace bounty forbearance to the Saints and to their own soul this is to sing mercy and to sing judgement whereas its a note of Atheisme to wish and vote out of the world God his attributes and all the acting and influences of mercy justice truth grace soveraignty and to say It s not the Lord the Lord can neither doe good neither can be doe evil Zeph. 1. 8. So would we beware to fight with the Lord's dispensations of grace he is Lord and Soveraign disposer of his own comforts whether we look upon comforts as duties commanded 2 Thes 5. 17. Jer. 31. 15. or as a reward of duties from the Lord Rom. 15. 4. Psal 27. 14. 2 Thes 2. 16. Isa 66. 13 14. he is the Lord of all influences to work in us to will and to doe and Master of his own rewards The Lord is Master of his own love-visits and is neither debtor to the man Christ nor to the elect Angels yea the Lord 's saving influences go along with his free decree of Election and look as the Lord of nature preserves the speces of Roses of Vine-trees though this or that individual rose or vine-tree may wither and be blasted so he holds on the work of believing praying of hoping and persevering to the end though there may be a miscarrying in this or that particular act of faith and some deadness in praying hic nunc And as in a great work of a water-mill some one of the wheels may be broken and yet the Mill is kept a going and the Ship still under sayl though some instrument or other be wanting and laid aside for a while So when there is a withdrawing of feeling of a presence in praying as Cantic 5. 6. I called him but he answered me not yet influences flow in another duty of praising ver 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy and the chief among ten thousand And when there are withdraw-drawings of God as touching vigourousness of believing Why art thou disquieted O my soul c. yet are there very large outlettings of God in love-sickness and strong desires after the Lord Psal 42. 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God So is it that some River which floweth a far other way in a new cutted out Channel the former being dried up So the bloud runs in another vein and still furnisheth strength to the body nor is there cause to complain as if all strength were gone for when the afflicted man eats ashes for bread and drinks tears the heart is withered as grass and the mans bones are burnt as an hearth Psal 102. the flood breaks out in another corner Ver. 12. But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations V. 19. He looks down from Heaven 20. To hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose them that are appointed for death There is some spiritual compensation in the Lord 's forbidding the wind to blow in one earth when it strongly blows in another Some deadned deserted ones are much meekned and made to speak out of the dust and fed and fatned also with hunger yea if it were but lying at the gate of Christ and knocking though no answer at all be returned it hath much of Christ in it in other considerations deadness may be on and want of holy vigorous acting of faith and yet spiritual complainings yea and with the complainings fervent praying Psal 119. 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word Ver. 28. My soul melteth for heaviness strengthen me according to thy word Ye would judge righteously of the Lord and see whether or no ye complain without cause for though there be fainting yet there is hoping Psal 119. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word Some children are always malecontent and still weeping nothing in the house can please them it s the fault of some greedy wretches who have abundance and yet still complain of want It were good to turn our censuring of the Lord's providence into complaining of our own evil hearts it follows humble and diligent obedience that hath sweetness of submission Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they that keep thy Law and nothing shall offend or as the word is stumble their feet There is a heart-covenanting with God when the man saith God shall doe nothing that shall stumble me his killing of me his casting me out of his presence into hell shall not offend me Job 1. 22. 2 Sam. 16. 10. The man Christ could be broken or offended at nothing whether the traytor sell him or the disciples forsake him or the Jews apprehend him or the souldiers spit on his face or Pilate condemn him or the people nod the head shoot out the lip and mock him there is nothing can break Christ but the Scriptures must be fulfilled in Christ's sufferings If the Lord slay Aaron's sons Aaron holds his peace Let me be rained upon with showres of influences from Heaven or let my fleece be dry and let me be a bottle in the smoke yet there is no unrighteousness with God and in him is no darkness Ah I am dead but the Lord guides well ah he is a Lion to me and a Leopard but the Lord is good to the soul that waits for him The man that stumbles least at the sins of others and their falls is the man nearest to God's heart Psal 18. 18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity They wronged me ver 25. But I kept my self from my iniquity and what can ye say against his withdrawings will ye make it a quarrel that he hides his face there is a deep of soveraignty between the Lord 's withdrawing from Hezekiah and Hezekiah's pride God hardens Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh hardens his own heart Joshua 11. 19 20. Isaiah 57. 17. Psalm 81. 11 12. Qu. But what shall be done under deadness Ans 1. If there be any life life helps life the one
ship or bird for they are such principles as doe actively render the soul able for works of grace and in nothing doe we fail more then in not striking on the flint to bring out fire We improve not heavenly dispositions as the Prophet complaines Isa 64. 7. There is none that stirs up himself to take hold on thee Qu. But to act when the soul is under an indisposition is as if the bird should fly without wings Answ If we speak of the renewed ones that are in Christ when dispositions heavenly seem to be a fire quenched out and turned to cold ashes we are to stir up and awake the habit of grace and act thereby for the instinct and nature of the new man hath in it virtually gracious acts and we are to improve the habit of grace 2. When one disposition is smothered with the down-casting of unbelief yet is there an half of a contrary spiritual disposition alive working contrary to unbelief by reason whereof David chides his own soul Psal 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance Whether Davids soul pleads against Davids soul by the habit of grace or by an heavenly disposition or by both it sayes something to this that all dispositions spiritual are never so removed but there is a seed of God which may be wakened up 2. When the disposition is smoared with heaviness there is another counterworking heavenly disposition Psal 119. 28. My soul melteth for heaviness Then there hath been some disposition of deadnesse on yet behold a disposition to pray counterworking that disposition Strengthen me according to thy word v. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation Fainting speaks some weaknesse yet there is a disposition to hope which counter-acts fainting But I hope in thy word v. 83. I am become like a bottle in the smoke which is some disposition to deadnesse on the spirit but see the counter-working disposition but I do not forget thy statutes 3. As the Spirit at length in the renewed prevailes over the flesh Rom. 7. 23 24. so the gracious disposition is victorious over and hath the better of the sinful disposition So whatsoever was Davids doubting disposition at another time or now when he is forced to flee to the cave and part with his few Souldiers his faith and believing disposition prevailes over his fears and doubting as is clear v. 1. My soul trusteth in thee 3. He shall send from heaven and save me 7. My heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Else could a slain man buried in the cave sing and give praise And let this be considered as the third property and character of heavenly dispositions Hence under indispositions we would doe as those who would be over the water if one foord be too deep try another and try every foord there is an indisposition to believe there may be a spiritual disposition to pray beside it set to praying there is a deadnesse that hinders praying that the Church cannot speak Psal 77. 4. yet there is in the Church a disposition to praise in the same Psalm v. 14. Thou art the God that dost wonders thou hast declared thy strength among the people 15. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people the sons of Jacob and Joseph Then set about praising there is nothing left but the habit of grace dispositions motions experiences are all gone turn over the promises and act upon the habit and blow upon the live coal and strengthen that which remaines when one instrument is broken the tradesman makes use of another 2. Though sinful dispositions for a while and the flesh have the better wait on the Lord and trust to his strength and act the heavenly flamings of God at length shall prevail The Spouse is drowsie for a while and refuses to open and shifts Christ of lodging Cant. 5. 2. yet at length when Christ puts in his hand by the hole of the door faith and heavenly dispositions are victorious and she rises and opens and misseth and seeks and prayes and becomes sick of love for him v. 6 7 8. and bursts out in a high song of extolling her beloved v. 10 11 12. Job is under much sadnesse of unbelief and dumpishness of spirit Job 19. 6. Know that God hath overthrown me and hath compassed me with his net 7. Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no judgment Hard words if there be no judgment for an oppressed man crying to God there is no providence no governing God who rules the world yet v. 25. I know that my Redeemer lives I know I shall see him Get any of the habit of grace and spiritual dispositions and act with them and ye shall not want victorious influences upon this ground because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 John 4. 4. 3. Get heavenly dispositions and God shall act upon his own work and bring forth all his own actings out of his own seed Now the way to get heavenly dispositions is 1. to be much in perusing the word and promises Davids meditating 2. Learning 3. Observing loving the testimonies of God prove that David was a heavenly disposed man Psal 119. 2. Keep communion with God in praying hearing reading conferring He who is much and daily among the oyntments of the Apothecaries smels shall cleave to him whether he will or not Luke 24. 34. John 7. 45 46. Cant. 2. 4 5 6. 7. 3. Mind much seek much the things that are above Col. 3. 1 2 3. 4. Cherish the Spirit obey him grieve him not work with him be instrumental under his breathings follow sweetly and willingly his drawings See Ephes 4. 29 30. 1 Thess 5. 19 20. Cant. 3. 4. Cant. 5. 8 9 10. 11 12 c. 5. Beware of frequent smoaring divine light deal tenderly with the light of the natural conscience and tenderly with convictions and warnings if so you can hardly want divine dispositions and suitable influences 1 Sam. 24. 4 5 6. My heart is fixed I will sing Awake up my glory See the touch of the Spirit in his heavenly dispositions set afloat the tongue 2. The Psaltery and Harp 3. David 4. Davids heart to sing and praise and though they were all sleeping they are all awakened out of their sleep As a great high Spring-tide set all the ships afloat though there were many hundreds of them And this is the Fourth Character of heavenly dispositions in which these are considerable 1. Such as are the dispositions such are the acts in their nature 2. Strong and mighty dispositions have strong and mighty actings 3. Smaller actings of dispositions waken up the soul to strong actings Sinful dispositions to the love of the world to vain-glory empty pleasures bring forth sinful actings the
inclines and weighs the soul to spiritual acting and the Spirit must attend the stirring of saving light so inclining the heart with gracious influences 3. When we give way to deadnesse and act literally and carry on the bulk of praying hearing as willing to get the body of the work over and wrestle not for life and power in praying and blow not upon the dead heart to stir up the habit of grace the Spirit withdraws and acts not on deadnesse as the Sun moves not vital spirits in a dead carrion or dead corps for there are none in it the naked name of living professours in the Church of Sardis when it was but a name is plagued with deadness and so with withdrawing of influences Revel 3. 1. the Cocks clapping with the wings adds strength to the crowing should we if the iron be blunt and the edge not whet add and put too more strength Eccles 10. 10. and seek life by stirring as sea-men by sayling about seek and fetch wind we should increase warmnesse of life and hoised up sails should receive wind for humble sense of coldnesse and deadnesse and missing of life is a good sign when it brings forth Psal 119. the prayer so frequent Quicken me Quicken me prayers used as Matins and Vespers and wandering of heart and whorish gadding of the thoughts in private praying brings on deadnesse and as a Smith blows not the bellows on cold iron and cold fewel where there is no sparkle of kindling of fire at all neither doth the North or the South-wind in heavenly influences blow upon such hearts Would ye have God to be more serious in his influences when you are formal and not serious at all in the work 4. Security obstructs actings of grace the Spouse sleeps and Cant. 5. 2. the Spirit withdraws influences to open to the beloved the Disciples sleep when Matth. 26. Christ exhorts them to watch and pray and can the Spirit breath upon a lying and sleeping sluggard there is godly fear on the heart but Peter and the rest of the Disciples in their shameful flight and stumbling at the sufferings of Christ after their fearlesse and fleshly undertaking saying that they should rather die then forsake him prove that the spirits withdrawing by which they fell in that sin goes along with security we would watch and fear always and the contrary of fearing alwayes is hardening of the heart Prov. 28. 14. which infers a withdrawing of that enlightning and softening grace Where there is rising at midnight to praise Psal 119. 62. a preventing of the dawning of the morning to cry to God Psal 119. 147. there must be a continued showr of outlettings of influences of grace for the lengthening out of hoping all the day long as when Christ cannot sleep but watches and prays when others sleep the life of this must hold forth a sea of flowing in continued actings of grace in him 5. A prophane heart void of God and filled with Atheisme also obstructs the flowings of the Spirit so the wicked Psal 14. 4. call not upon the Lord there is not an owning of a God to be worshipped Psal 14. 4. and the thing that goes along with that is oppression they eat up my people as they eat bread and what gracious influences can there be there especially when the Lord complains They are corrupt they have done abominable works 3. They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy c. and the root is Atheisme The fool hath said in his heart There is not a God God breathes not in his influences on such as deny there is a God till he first blow away the influences of Satan who would darken and blot out the ingraven notions of a Godhead because Satan cannot be an Atheist himself he would make the world speculative Atheists but because he cannot do this he fills the world with practical Atheists it can neither be blotted out of the heart of damned men nor divels but a God and Judge there is but men live without God as if there were not a God and these two species of Atheism are dreadful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists without God creator 1. When men laugh at a God-head that created all and live by Policy as State-Atheists Or 2. By Reason as moral Atheists or by Nature as many Philosophers and some Physitians such are dead and dry rocks never rained on by influences seldome while the skaddings of the river and streams of brimstone waken them are they out of a sleep for influences on the creature in all its operations especially in these of grace are most proper actings of holy providence he who denies there is such a thing in the world as fire or a Sun must deny that there is heat and light in the world But the other sort of Atheists without Christ God Immanuel are more inexcusable as a Gospel-Atheist is farther from influences of grace then a Pagan-Atheist as is clear from Matth. 10. 15. Matth. 11. 22 23 24. Matth. 12. 41 42. because farther from salvation how few have been converted who were first temporary hypocrites and long despisers of the Gospel 2. who have been long moral naturalists and 3. long bitter and virulent enemies to the Gospel and the godly though otherways grave and civil Be much in believing that God is Heb. 11. that leads the way to the noble actings of faith in Abel v. 4. Enoch v. 5. Noah v. 7. Abraham v. 8. c. and the faith that God is and rules and is good to Israel and that he punisheth wicked men though he make them rich leads the Prophet to the faith of God his gracious providence in guiding the godly by his counsel in holding them by the right hand Psam 73. 1 2 3 c. 23 24 25. 6. The inconstancy of affections obstruct influences even now Martha believed and then Lord he stinketh for he hath lain four days John 11. 27 39. The ebbing and flowing of the Sea the waxing of the Moon the full Moon the declining of it the article of the change have all divers and contrary influences on our bodies on diseases on living dying birth and health and so may we judge of influences from the suddain changes of the heart As 1. It may be taken away Hos 4. 11. stollen away 2 Sam. 15. 6. and as moveables can be stollen away and hid though lands legally by fraud may be stollen away yet physically they cannot be hid so the love and bensil of the heart may and can be stollen away and when hearts are from under the possession of the right owner the Lord our God they are not under his influences when they are not in his world and Kingdom of grace but in Satans power hearts benighted are from under the influence of the Sun and therefore cannot receive the rays and beams of the Sun in the night 2. Except the Lord pursue even renewed hearts they are not the same
joyn strong and vehement actings of ours High-bended and fervent acts of obedience come not but from strong habits of grace but here I speak of mighty stirrings of influences here we would beware of straining affectation of shouting and expression of delight some bring more out then is within when literal crying and shouting does exceed the inward impulsion of the Spirit it 's dreadful to lye of the Holy Ghost and of his impulsions but to the point Our actings would be proportioned to the Spirits stirring Mighty rivers come from a huge arm of the Sea some streams flowing from little small fountaines run scarce the fourth part of a mile 1 Cor. 15. 10. Strong labouring câ—mes from strong and abundant grace I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me A strong influence of the Spirit calls for a strong virtual consent especially when the Spirits impulsion of joy is strong Cant. 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his table and feasts the Spouse with quickening influences and satisfies her soul as with marrow and fatness my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof The spikenard is here the precious oyl or oyntment of spikenard John 12. 1 2 3. that is the smell of her actings of joy delight love were strong and exceeding savoury as his table was a Kings table and fat and the actings of his spirit strong then followes a suitable strong expression of delight v. 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved unto me he shall lie or lodge all night betwixt my breasts And Cant. 2. 4. the King brought me into his house of wine that is into the chamber of the most spiritual and soul-delighting consolations of the Gospel that rejoyce and cheer the heart as excellent wine doth one that is fainting as Psal 104. 15. Prov. 31. 6 7. compared with 2 Cor. 1. 6. 2 Thess 2. 18 19. And the Spouse joynes to this a most vehement disposition of soul-sickness of love for Christ v. 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love As also godly sorrow for sinne 2 Cor. 7. 10 11 15. a special work of the Spirit and princely and kingly gift of his Spirit who was raised from the dead to act this sorrow in us Acts 5. 31. as also swoooning and dying at the absence and withdrawing of Christ the beloved Cant. 5. 6. is a fruit of the Spirit and to sleep and eat and drink and rejoyce when the holy Spirit is saâ—ned and when he withdraws his actings is a dismal and sad token though there may some influence of corruption be in sorrowing because the Spirits actings are suspended as they are our comforts or apples to delight children and not as duties that we owe for Christs love to us and conscience of his command which saith Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce alwayes in the Lord c. and here we would beware of worldly sorrow that causeth death Sorrow and heart-breaking because of the breaking of created comforts as if God were not the soules portion and the Saints all in all should be eschewed this sorrow blunts and deadens the soul from drinking in influences of glory as far Luke 9. v. 32. also Law-sadness dumpish servile down-casting because it deadens and kills as the Law doth must be eschewed indeed sadness that Evangelically mortifies and deadens to created spiritual comforts may quicken the believer to a more vigorous delighting in Christ himself who is more then comfort Psal 119. My soul droppeth away for heaviness and that puts fire in the soul to pray Strengthen thou me according to thy word It appears to be spiritual sorrow that breaks out in prayer Matth. 26. 38 39. Psal 18. 4 5 6. Psal 61. 2. Psal 102. 4. There are in the fourth Class two affections hope and audacity or fool-hardiness which would be taken heed unto Now with hope which looks to good to come and hardly attained we must take in faith one of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Sometimes one affection in its carnality will counterwork another Luke 24. 41. The disciples believe not for joy and wondering But the special ground is unbelief the wide desire of unbelief thinks God cannot be so abundantly good as to restore to them Christ from the dead and the carnal reasoning of wondring contradicts a possibility of the resurrection over-acting of one affection to wit of joy when it 's literal counter-works the actings of the Spirit in the faith of the promises Hence must Christ soften the heart with swasory actings before the man believe and consider what Christ does morally Luke 24. He opens the Scriptures to the two disciples Luke 24. 27. He rebukes their unbelief v. 25. and as to his own disciples he sent them word with eye-witnesses who saw him that he was risen again but their words seem idle tales to them Luke 24. 11. And he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart Mark 16. 14. 3. He appeared and spake to them 4. He made their senses witnesses by causing them see and touch his hands and feet 5. He did eat with them which was an action of life 6. He wrought a miracle of bringing multitudes of fish to their net but all is to little purpose until he take a real and effectual way by the working of the Spirit Luke 24. 45. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures Then the opening of the Scriptures though in the mouth of Christ avail little to faith except the Spirit of Christ open another lock even the heart This is one of the first works of the Spirit to convincethe conscience of unbelief John 16. 8 9. and when the Spirit hath taken that castle and brought the soul to be sensible of unbelief he can easily take in the rest of the works frequent casting to of new oyl to the lamp keeps it shining and new fewel causes the fire to flame Frequent repeated acts of believing bring the disciples to get the grace to doe greater works then Christ did because Christ went to the Father John 14. 14. Believe influences of grace and have influences of grace abundantly furnished to you ask the Spirit in faith and the Father is as willing to give the Spirit as a Father is to give bread to his hungry child so here faith makes a fair wind Luke 11. 9 10 11 12 13. It is not so in nature the husbandmans natural faith that it shall be a sweet warm fruitful Summer makes not a fruitful Summer The Sea-mans natural faith believing fair winds and no storms at all makes it not to be so for often faith here is but fancy but faith acting dayly upon the precious promises of the word brings strong gales and summer-influences of heart warmness of the Spirit and in a manner creates new blowings of the North and South-wind fainting under the breathings and knocking 's of
the Spirit of Christ makes him withdraw Cant. 5. 2 6. Here unbelief binds up the wind and breathings of the spirit as it doth the mighty actings of Christ Mat. 13. An unbeliever as touching his state is a Pagan and doth the holy spirit dwell in an Heathen Lively hope for there is a dead and withered hope is no less a fruit of the spirit then faith This is a specifick difference between an unconverted Pagan who wants the spirit and a convert who hath the spirit The former is one who has no hope and so is without God and without Christ and without the Spirit of God in the world and so is not capable of influences Ephes 2. 12 13 14. and one whom the Lord according to his abundant mercy hath begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. For in such a man there be many actings of the Spirit As Faith 2. Perseverance therein v. 4 5. Rejoycing in God v. 6. Patient believing in the furnace v. 7. Love v. 8. all which are fruits of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. And hope under deadness spreads abroad the sailes and hoises them up to receive and gather in the wind it brings home influences of grace to lie at the tide and wait until the wind blow sweetly and fairly from the Spirits earth Hope is the onwaiter expecting showrs of influences in the conscionable using of the means The hope of him who purifies not himself 1 John 3. 3. shall wither hope to the end still flourishing growes on the right tree and speaks a communion with the spirit which hath conjoyned with it the obedience of children the not fashioning our selves to former lusts and holiness like unto God who hath called us 1 Pet. 1. 13 14 15 16. otherwise the hope shall be a broken tree and hath nothing to doe with the Spirit Many say they hope well and it 's good to hope well and live upon thoughts that they shall be saved yet are profane and godless walking after their lusts this is sinful boldness and the spirit dwells in none such There is a boldness of faith in access to God and in approaching to the throne of grace Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 4. 16. by which Davids soul makes her boast in the Lord Psalm 34. 2. It hath these undoubted graces of the spirit faith praying glorying in tribulation patience the love of God spread abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. 5. The fifth Class of impediments come from these two 1. Despair and anger What workings and saving impulsions in the spirit can be in Cain Saul and Judas is not conceivable Hope that makes not ashamed Rom. 5. as is said dwells sweetly with the spirit 2. The violence of the passion of anger overclouds the soul so that Elisha is not capable to receive prophetical influences and to prophesie he was so incensed against wicked Jehoram 2 Kings 3. But when the minâ—â—rel played the hand of the Lord came upon him and he prophesied Theodoret saith with the sweetness of the harmony of the Psalms the mind of Elisha was calmed and composed from the storm of anger The sound of musick saith Cajetan makes an inward contracting and gathering together of the actings of the mind and so an elevating of the heart to God Here it is as when blood runs out at mouth or nose the cutting of a vein in the arm makes a diversion of the blood and causes it run in its right channel The sweetness of musick drawes the soul to a bended attention to consider the harmony that it may the more greedily drink in delectation Peter Martyr on the place saith As David by singing a spiritual song chased away the evil spirit from Saul so would Elisha waken up the good spirit by heavenly Psalmes as the sounding of a Trumpet hath influences upon the mind of souldiers to valorous and heroick acts in warre Now musick spiritual the matter being Psalmes to God and it 's like Elisha called for some of the Levites who could sing psalmes on the harp as they were used in publick worship can withdraw the soul in anger from acts of revenge to acts of spiritual attentionâ— musick 2. That being done the soul is setled and the blood for the Physical definition of anger is a kindling of the blood about the heart the moral description of it being a desire of revenge to hold off a contrary and to preserve nature and when the blood is setled and fallen from the heart the organs of prophecying are in a little better frame then when the soul and heart is boyling like a pot in heat and flaming of anger 3. By bending of the mind to a spiritual object the sweet musick in praising of God the some of anger is removed and a spiritual disposition to praise which is nearer by nature to spiritual prophetical influences then the flamings of sinful carnal anger as aer insitus the air that is within in the ear fits the organs to receive the sound and lumen insitum fitteth the eye to receive the species and images of colours and so to see by the contrary the foming of anger within hinders the incoming of prophetical influences as a contrary holds out a contrary Intus apparens prohibet extraneum So the Apostles wills us to put away anger if we would pray rightly 1 Tim. 2. 1 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath and doubting or contending Anger drowns the soul and renders it like green wet timber unfit to receive the flaming and soul-warming influences of the spirit of adoption 2. A meek quiet spirit like that of Christs is the fittest work-house of heavenly influences Christ the most lovely and meek of men and an infallible copy thereof Mat. 11. 29. Isa 53. 6. Isa 40. 11. Isa 42. 2 3. had the most frequent influences of the in-dwelling Godhead as Isa 61. 1 2 Psalm 45. 7. John 3. 34. 2. Moses was the meekest man on the earth and much of the actings of the spirit were on his soul and he had the most near manifestations of God The Lord spake to him mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches he beheld the similitude of the Lord Numb 12. 8. Deut. 34. 10. Exod. 34. 5 6. Q. What Prophet was fourty dayes in the mount with the Lord and eat not but Moses Exod. 33. 11. There arose not a Prophet like unto Moses c. 3. John the disciple of love called the beloved disciple gets the name of divine and he saw more glory and more of the visions of God then Peter who is the pretended Vicar of Christ and Head of the Catholick Church so doe Papists dream of an Head-ship For John saw Christ in his glory Revel 1. which made him fall dead at his
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
comfortable necessity which lies on Christ to confer influences of grace Influences not fundamental not simply necessary Influences of grace for the habit of saving grace and influences for a gift How we may know when we act pray or hear c. from a gift and when we act from a grace Some pray from a meer gift when they mistakingly imagine they pray from the saving habit of grace the mistake is habitual in hypocrites only actual hic nunc in sound Believers Grace sanctifies the gift used in all due and spiritual circumstances but the gift can never fanctifie grace The same word but not the same influences act upon all within the visible Church We are not to rest upon the actings from a gift but watchfully to try when we act from a gift and when we act from a grace Calvin praelect in Jerem. 15. 18. distinguendum inter ipsam doctrinam quae pura fuit inter ipsos homines prophetas nunc autem dum in seipsum descendit propheta fatetur se agitari multis cogitationibus quae carnis infirmitatem redoleant nec careant omni vitio Differences betwixt the influences of grace and these of glory The habit of grace is a permanent disposition The habit of grace is given through the merit and grace of Christ From the habit of grace we perform suitable actings Vital actions flow from supernatural habits The differences of the habit of grace from other habits We are to follow holy resolutions with prayer 2. Godly trembling and 3. Faith The falshood of vowes A strong habit of grace produces easy and connatural and strong acts of grace Actions supernatural and influences suitable are some way due to the habit of grace Sometimes the habit of grace is qualified with heavenly dispositions We should pursue the dispositions of grace when they are added to the habit with spiritual actings We are to stir up the habit of grace thoughâ— deadned The Lord by insusing the habit of grace comes under some necessity to give suitable influences thereunto Divers necessities under which the Lord is to confer influences of grace Christ advocates for the elect yet not converted to bring them in to himself John 17. 6 9 10. The Spirits office puts him under a necessity of giving influences Vses from the Lords necessity of giving gracious influences First to frame doubts about predestination tâ— life and to miss eternall love before we miss inherent saving grace is Satans method Whether the habit of grace may cease in the regenerate from all its operations The habit of grace is not eternal The habit of grace ceaseth not How many acts we may bring out of the habit of grace There is a consenting to the temptation which is a wishing that our lust and Gods Law might both stand and a virtual wishing that the Law of God had never had being Eight evidences that in the regenerate the saving habit of grace never ceaseth from omitting some influences What dispositions spiritual are and how they differ from the habits of grace Get heavenly dispositions and influences follow connaturally Dispositions are not ever alike but various and changeable Evidences that dispositions goe and come Spiritual dispositions are different from the affections There are heaven'y dispositions in the as well as in the affections Bad spiritual dispositions creep on on the children of God There is some acting and life under much deadness in the â—egenerate Many sweet spiritual actings may be under indispositions No agreement betwixt these two champions the flesh and the Spirit It 's fit to go about duties under indispositions Less of sweet real influences and more of moral influences from the word makes obedience the more perfect We can tell the actings of the spirit when they are on and after they are over and gone Differences betwixt spiritual heart-burnings of the love of Christ and literal heat 1. Difference Feeling may be stronger after actings of the spirit are gone 〈◊〉 Difference Spiritual â—arning of heart leaves some impression◠〈◊〉 which literal heat 〈…〉 〈…〉 4. Difference There is sweet leading no violence spiritual in heart-burnings for Christ it s not so in the literaâ— heart 5. Difference The heavenly beat goes along with the Scriptures open and applied not so the literal heat Hence considerable differences betwixt motions of the Spirit and loose Ensiasms Literal heat is all upon the letter and forms not so as the spiritual heat David was Ps 119. and a believer may be under some straitning A true and a false missing What straitning is and whence it is Divers sorts of straitnings Rules to be free of straitning and to get enlargement of spirit Every heaviness is not weakness of faith How far we may undertake obedience upon supposal of grace How dispositions necessarily fetch influences We have not assurance to be delivered from sin hic nunc How we are to rely on God for influences What enlarging of heart David speaks of Psal 119. 32. We cannot engage in our strength or habitual grace to run in the ways of the Lord. Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre c. opened What use we are to make of our inability to run except God enlarge the heart How men naturally complain of sin original We do not so much as by strength of nature we may do and we add to our own lameness and unjustly complain of God for our sinful impotency The Spirit as the Spirit lays no obligation on us but to move in Scriptural duties No violence but from our selves hinders us to believe God loves using of external meanes pro tanto How farre we may act to fetch the wind and to get influences Branches of enlargedness of heart Mr. Leigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 active eructare evomere tanquam ebrium Metaph. depromere producere Influences on Angels and the glorified ones Many straitned and dead ones reproved Prayer begets heavenly dispositions to pray and heavenâ—y dispositions to pray beget prayer and faith c. Holy acts beget holy acts and holy dispositions beget holy dispositions The Lord so frames his precepts and promises as our actings are suitably required to his influences The differences of the 1 Spiritual state 2 Of the temper 3 Of the condition What Davids present disposition was The doubling of words or sentences noteth certainty 2. Addition of assurance 3. Freeness of affection It 's fit to make an eike to the holiness of influences which the Lord offerâ— to us We may speak to God and profess in prayer the sincerity of our heart to God and the causes why It 's hard to guide well grace and glory so long as sin dwells in us The Lords giving of grace laies bands on him to give more grace and to add new influences to old What a heart the repenting thief and what an heart Hezekiah brought out before the Lord in his dying 2. Property of holy dispositions Dispositions spiritual are seeds of holy actings Zeal