Spirit and how they are knowne from illusions Page 169. as 1 By what goes before them as 1 The word imbraced by faith Page 171 2 Deep humiliation Page 172 3 Selfe-denyall Page 174 4 Comfort victory Page 175 5 Spirituall strength put forth in duty Page 176 2 By what accompanieth them as 1 Pryzing ordinances Page 177 2 Liberty boldnesse with God Page 179 3 And for the most part Sathans malice Page 180 3 By what follweth them 1 More humility Page 180 2 Increase of spirituall strength Page 181 3 A joyfull expectation of Christ Page 183 4 Other degrees of sealing from the divers degrees of revelation Page 185 Vnto the day of RedeÌ„ption § 3 Of the day of Redemption Page 191 From the consideration of what formerly hath beene spoken some generall conclusions are collected Page 202 I Concl. Wee may attaine to the knowledge that wee are in the state of grace Page 203 All that have faith have not assurance Page 209 II Concl. Vpon knowledge of our state of grace for the present wee may be assured of our future full redemption Page 215 Why we pray for forgivenesse of sinnes notwithstanding Page 218 This assurance we have Page 221 that first God may be glorified 222 secondly our soules comforted Page 223 III Concl. This assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit Page 224 IIII Concl. The sealing of the Spirit unto salvation should bee a prevailing argument not to grieve the Spirit Page 228 1 To those that are not as yet sealed Page 230 2 To those that are sealed either in a lower 233. or higher worke of sealing 236 and that from 1 Ingenuity Page 237 2 Benefit received from the Spirit Page 239 3 A kinde of necessity Page 240 4 The nature of love Page 241 5 And other graces as faith and hope that worke by assimilation Page 242 The doctrine of assurance is â—0 doctrine of liberty Page 243 But of deepe and sweet inâ—agement Page 244 Therefore we should preserve he worke Page 247 FINIS Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby yee are sealed unto the day of redemption WHether the words bee a Command ensuing from authority or counsell from wisedome or a caveat from Gods care of our soules it is not materiall considering both Counsell and Caveats of the great God have both force of a Command with some mixture of the sweetnesse of love the Apostle as his manner is from in the largenesse of his Spirit riseth from a particular disswasive from corrupt communication Scope of the words in the verse before to this generall advise of not grieving Gods Spirit by sinne especially against conscience inlightened and this disswasive from evill is inforced from a dangerous effect of grieving the spirit of God and the danger of grieving ariseth from this that it is the Spirit of God and God himselfe whom we grieve and a holy Spirit holy in himselfe and holy as the cause of all holinesse in us and hee that after he hath wrought holinesse in us sealeth and confirmeth us in that act of grace untill the day of our glorious redemption so that the grounds of not grieving are from the greatnesse and goodnesse of the person whom we grieve and from the greatnesse and constancy of the benefits we have by him Holy Ghost called Spirit why To speake something of the person the holy Spirit is called a Spirit not onely by nature as being a spirituall essence but in regard of his person and office he is both breathed from the Father and the Sonne as proceeding from them both and by office breathed into ail that God hath given Christ to redeeme and him to sanctifie he is so the spirit of God in proceeding from God as that he is God which who so denieth deny their owne Baptisme being as well Baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost as into the Father and the Sonne and no lesse a person then God is needfull to assure our soules of Gods love and to change our nature being in an opposite frame who can reveale to us the minde of GOD but the Spirit of God and herein wee may see the joynt forwardnesse both of the Father and Son and holy Ghost when both Father and Sonne joyne in willingnesse to send so great a person to apply unto us and to assure us of that great good the Father hath decreed and the Son performed for us Holy Spirit That attribute the Spirit delights in is that of holinesse which our corrupt nature least delights in Holinesse not onely an attribute in God but the excellency of all his attributes He is holy in mercy in justice in goodnesse c. and most opposeth holinesse is the glory and crowne of all other excellencie without which they are neither good in themselves nor comfortable to us It implies a freedome from all impuritie and a perfect hatred of it an absolute perfection of all that is excellent What is it then to grieve such an holy Spirit before whom the heavens themselves are impure and not onely the Divels tremble but the Angels cover their faces What shall wee thinke then of them which doe not onely neglect but despise yea oppose this holinesse and indure any thing else what is hated in the world with â—eene and perfect hatred but holynesse without which yet wee shall never see God nor enter into that pure place into which we all professe a desire to enter Two desires in man by nature There was planted in man by nature a desire of holinesse and a desire of happinesse the desire of happinesse is left still in us but for holinesse which is the perfection of the image of God in us is both lost and the desire of it extinguished and that men might the better drive it out of the world under a forme and shew of it they oppose the truth of it and that with the greater successe because under that great colour the Divell and his Vicar carry all their divellish policies under a shew of holinesse We see in Popery every thing is holy with them but that which should be holy the truth of God and the expression of it The man of sinne himselfe must have no worse title then his Holinesse a shew of devised holinesse pleaseth mans nature well enough as being glorious for appearance and usefull for ends But the truth of it being crosse to the whole corrupt nature of man will never be entertained untill nature be new moulded by his holy Spirit in the use of holy meanes sanctified by himselfe for that end it is this that makes a man a Saint and civill vertues to be graces which rayseth things that are otherwise common to an higher degree of excellency this is that to a Christian which reason is to a man it gives him a being and a beauty different from all other it makes every action we doe in obedience to GOD a service and puts a religious respect
Answ a comfortable sweet life indeed it requires the most care and watchfulnesse of any life in the world being the best life it is begun here and accomplished in an everlasting life in heaven Nothing in this world neither our estates nor our favour with great persons can be preserved without watchfulnesse and shall wee thinke to preserve the chiefe happinesse of our soules without it having so many enemies without and within that labour to draw us into a cursed condition Motives not to grieve the Spirit Therefore to stirre us up to the practise of these duties that wee may give contentment to so sweet a guest consider what reason we have to regard the Spirit and his motions from the good we have by them The holy Spirit of God is our guide who will displease his guide A sweet comfortable guide that leades us through the wildernesse of this world as the cloud before the Israelites by day and the pillar of fire by night so hee conducts us to the heavenly Canaan if wee grieve our guide we cause him to leave us to our selves The Israelites would not goe a steppe further then GOD by his Angell went before them It is in vaine for us to make toward heaven without our blessed guide wee cannot doe nor speake nor thinke any thing that is holy and good without him whatsoever is holy and pious it growes not in our garden in our nature but it is planted by the Spirit There is nothing in the world so great and sweet a friend that will doe us so much good as the Spirit if we give him entertainment Indeed he must rule he will have the keyes delivered to him we must submit to his government And when he is in the heart hee will subdue by little and little all high thoughts rebellious risings and despairing fears This shall be our happinesse in heaven when we shall be wholly spirituall that God shall be all in all wee shall be perfectly obedient to the Spirit in our understandings wils and affections The Spirit will then dwell largely in us and will make the roome where hee dwelleth sweet and lightsome and free subduing whatsoever is contrary and bring fulnesse of peace and joy and comfort And in the meane time in what condition soever wee are wee shall have suteable helpe from the Spirit Wee are partly flesh and partly spirit God is not all in all the flesh hath a part in us wee are often in afflictions and under clouds Let us therefore prize our fellowship with the Spirit For are we in darkenesse he is a Spirit of light Are wee in deadnesse of spirit he is a Spirit of life Are wee in a disconsolate estate hee is a Spirit of consolation Are we in perplexity and know not what to do he is a Spirit of wisedome Are wee troubled with corruptions Hee is a sanctifying a subduing a mortifying Spirit in what condition soever we are hee will never leave us till hee hath raised us from the grave and taken full possession of body and soule in heaven hee will prove a comforter when neither friends nor riches nor any thing in the world can comfort us How carefull should wee be to give contentment to this sweet Spirit of Gods No Christian is so happy as the watchfull Christian that is carefull of his duty and to preserve his communion with the holy Spirit of God for by entertaining him hee is sure to have communion with the Father and the Sonne It is the happiest condition in the world when the soule is the Temple of the holy Spirit when the heart is as The holy of holies where there be prayers and prayses offered to GOD. The soule is as it were an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving heavenly truths It is an heavenly condition a man prospers to heavenward when the Spirit of God is with him You know Obed-Edom when the Arke was in his house all thrived with him so while the Spirit and his motions are entertained by us wee shall bee happy in life happy in death happy to eternity For it is he By which you are sealed to the day of redemption The Apostle sealeth this grave admonition by an atgument taken from the Spirits sealing of them to the day of redemption Wee are all by nature in bondage to sinne and corruption we are all redeemed from sinne by the first comming of Christ and are to be redeemed from corruption by the second There is a day appointed for this glorious worke In the meane time God would have us assured of it aforehand This assurance is by sealing And this sealing is by the Spirit none esleneed doe it no meaner person can doe it And what respect is due to the Spirit for doing so gracious a worke that wee grieve him not and not onely so but that wee indevour so to please him as hee may with delight goe on with this blessed worke that it hath pleased him to take upon him As the duty is spirituall so the arguments that inforce it are spirtuall and the argument here is fetched from that which hath a most constraining force love expressed in the sweetest fruit of it and the stability of it sealing and sealing to the day of redemption as if the Apostle should reason thus God the Father hath ordained you to salvation by the redemption of Christ his Sonne and that you might have the comfort of it in the way to it against all discouragements you may meet with the holy Ghost hath assured you of it and set his seale upon you as those that are set apart for so great salvation that the sence of this love might breed love in you againe and love breed a care out of ingenuity not to offend so gracious a Spirit The holy Spirit by which you are sealed THe holy Ghost delighteth to speake in our owne language we cannot rise to him therfore he stoopeth to us This sealing is either sealing of persons or of good things intended to the persons Sealing is not onely a witnessing to us but a worke upon us and in us carrying the Image of him that sealeth us whereby we are not onely assured of the good promised to us but fitted for the receiving of it God prepareth no good for any but whom hee prepares and fits for that good There is not only an outward authorising of the great grants we have by promise oath and Sacrament but an inward by the spirit perswading of our interest in them and working that which doth authorise us to lay claime unto them after the use of a seale both in confirmation and representation and resemblance of him that sealed The persons sealed are first Christ and then those that are given to Christ Christ is sealed The sealing of Christ 1 By the Father Chrisâ— was ordained by him to beâ— a Saviour in our nature predestinate to be the head of the Church Wherefore he often saith hee came to doe
holy Spirit distinguisheth and rankes men as they were distinguished before all worlds and as they shall be at the day of judgement the beginning of that distinction that shall bee afterwards is in this life A seale maketh the imapression of an Image the Princes Image useth to be in his seale so is Gods Image in his which destroyeth the old Image and print that was in us before Holy and good men by this worke of the Spirit are distinguished 1 From civill men by the worke of holinesse which meere civiil men have not at all but despise And secondly from seeming good men by the depth of that worke the Spirit of God workes a new nature in them whereby they are distinguished Now nature in every creature is carried to one thing more then to another There is a distinct propension in a good man to God to grace and goodnesse his aymes and bent are distinct and thereupon he hath a greater inlargement of heart sutable to his great aymes hee looks above the world and worldly men they are narrow low base spirited men the best of them Againe things by nature worke from within Herein painted hypocrites are distinguished from a true substantial Christian he workes from a principle within another man is moved as the Automata things of motion Simile Clockes and the like engines of wit that move from a weight without that poyseth them if they doe any good it is from somewhat without that swayeth their aymes and ends and not from an inward principle nature workes from an inward principle light things goe upward and heavie things downeward naturally artificiall things are forced Thus good men are distinguished from those that are seemingly holy there is a new nature wrought in them Againe nature is constant what is done naturally is done constantly heavie bodies goe alwayes downeward and light bodies upward every creature works according to his nature an holy man is exercised in holinesse constantly because hee doth it from an inward principle from a worke and stampe within Different things may seeme the same as wilde hearbs may have the colour and forme of those that are planted in the garden but there is difference in the vertue of them Similie the seeming graces and actions of an hypocrite they have no vertue in them as there are some drugges without vertue dead things But there is a distinguishing vertue in the faith of a Christian whereby he overcomes the world and his lusts whereby hee doth all duties prayes and heares and is fruitfull in his conversation in all his graces there is a comforting strengthening vertue Similie True gold hath the vertue to comfort and strengthen the heart that Alchymy gold hath not True grace hath a working comforting vertue Another mans formall artificiall actions have no vertue in them neither is it intended they being only put on to serve a turne Two men may doe the same things and yet there bee a grand difference the one doing them from the seale of the Spirit from a deeper dye and stamp of the Spirit the other if from the Spirit yet it is but from a common work at the best Some dyes cannot beare the weather but alter colour presently but there are others that having something that give a deeper tincture will hold The graces of a true Christian hold out in all kinde of weathers in winter and summer prosperity and adversity when superficiall counterfeit holinesse will give out thus we see the seale of the Spirit serves for distinction The use of a seale is likewise for appropriation 3 Appropriation Merchants use to seale their wares they would not have others have any right unto A Christian is Gods in a more peculiar manner than others there is not onely a witnesse of the Spirit that God is his but the Spirit workes in him an assent to take God againe there is a mutuall appropriation Can. 6. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine when the soule can say thou art my God it is not frustrate because God saith before I am thy salvation where the Spirit seales God appropriates Psal 4. GOD chooseth the righteous man to himselfe And wee may know this appropriation by appropriating God againe Whom have I in heaven but thee Psal 73. and what have I in earth in comparison of thee There is no action that God works upon the soule but there is a reflect action by the Spirit to God againe If God chuse and love us we chuse and love him againe God appropriates us first wee are his and wee are Christs wee are Gods because hee hath given Christ for us we are Christs because hee hath given himselfe for us we are as the Apostle saith a people of acquisition A people purchased purchased at a deare rate by the bloud of CHRIST those that are Christs the Spirit appropriates them this appropriation is by sealing Againe we use to see our seale onely upon that wee have some estimation of 4 Estimation set mee as a seale saith the Church in the Canticles upon thy right hand have mee in thy eye and minde as a speciall thing thou valuest The witnesse and worke of the Spirit shewes Gods estimation of us the Scripture is abundant in setting forth the great price that God sets on his children they are his Children his Spouse his Friends his Portion his Treasure his Coyne he sets his marke his likenesse on them they are things hallowâ—d and consecrated they are first-fruits Israel is a holy thing Ier. 2.3 their titles shew the esteeme that God hath of them he values them more than all the world besides which are as chaffe and drosse The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour As there is a difference of excellency betweene pretious stones and other common stones betweene fruitfull and barren trees so there is amongst men and in this regard God sets a higher esteeme upon some and thence it is that they have those honourable and glorious titles in Scripture of Sonnes Heires Kings and co-heyres with Christ when others are termed drosse and dung and thornes and have all the base termes that may be Now this estimation by sealing is knowne to us by the grace God works in us common gifts and priviledges and favours of the world are no seale of Gods estimation If God should give a man kingdomes and great Monarchies it seales not Gods love to him at all but when God makes a man a spirituall King to rule over his base lusts this is a seale of Gods valuing him above other men Therfore we should learne how to value others and our selves not by common things that cast-awayes may have but by the stampe of God set on us by the Spirit which is an argument that God intends to lay us up as coyne for another treasury for heaven It is the common grand errour of the times to be led with false evidences Many thinke God loves them because
left studies to maintaine Though corrupt nature hath no good in it for we deserved to bee like divels yet God intending to have civill society out of which he usually gathers his Church preserveth in mans nature an hatred of sinnes that overthrow society such sins therefore being committed against more light wound more as in case of murther notorious perjury theft c. Gods method in dealing with sinners Therefore God oft gives up men upon breach of the first Table to breaches of the second that so they may come to more griefe and shame as being the breakers of both Tables Men never fall into the breach of the second Table but upon breach of the first No man despiseth mans Law but he despiseth Gods law first No man breakeâ— the law of nature but he despiseth the God of nature Prophane Atheisticall persons that glory in the breach of the third Commandement by swearing GOD meets with them by giving them over to grosse abhominable sinnes of the second Table which vexeth them more though they should noâ— than sins against the first Table exposing them besides inward griefe to open shame then God opens Conscience to tell them not onely that they are too blame for their grosse sinnes but for the root of them Atheisme prophanenesse loosenesse which are sinnes against the first Table This is an aggravation of sinnes against knowledge when our knowledge hath beene holpen and strengthened by education by example of others running into our eyes which is a more familiar teaching than that of Rule and strengthened also by observation and experience of our selves and the former strength wee have had against the sinne wee now commit and sweetnesse we have found in the resisting of it None are worse than those that have been good and are naught and might be good and will be naught When there is more deliberation and fore-knowledge of the dangerous issue and this also joyned with the warning of others As Reuben said unto the rest of hiâ— brethren Spake I not unâ— you c So may Gods Spirit and conscience say tâ— men Did not I acquaiâ— you with the danger of sinâ— You are now in misery anâ— terrours of conscience buâ— did you not sleight formeâ— admonitions and helps and meanes Conscience is aâ—â— inferiour light of the Spirit to doe things against conscience is to doe them against the Spirit God spake to me and I heeded him not how doth God speake When conscience speakes and saith this is good this is bad then God speakes conscience hath somewhat divine in it it is a petty god it speakes from God especially when the Spirit joynes with conscience then God speakes indeed then there is light upon light Some sins grieve more than other Vpon divers respects some sinne may grieve more or lesse than another As the holy Ghost is a Spirit so spirituall sinnes grieve most as pride envy imprinting upon the soule as it were a character of the contrary ill spirit Carnall sinnes whereby the soule is drowned in delight of the body may more grieve the spirit in another respect as defiling his Temple and as taking away so much of the soule love and delight carry the soule with them and the more deeply such sinnes enter into the creature besides the defilement the lesse strength it hath to spirituall duties grace is seated in the powers of nature now carnall sinnes disable nature and so sets us in a greater distance from grace as taking away the heart Hos 4. Hereupon the Apostle sets being filled with wine contrary to being filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 And hence it is the Apostle forbids in the former words uncleane communication the holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth hates hypocrites being painted sepulchers but as a spirit of purity hates soule livers and soule-mouth'd speakers as open sepulchers They cannot therefore but much grieve the spirit that feed corrupt lusts and studie to give contentment and pay tribute to the flesh to which they owe no service and are no debters and by sowing to the flesh from which wee can reape nothing but corruption Gal. 6. When our thoughts are exercised to content the outward man to contrive for the things of the world onely this is to pay tribute of the strength and vigour of our affections to the utter enemy of Gods Spirit and our owne soules when our thoughts runne deeply into earthly things we become one with them Who will think himselfe well entertained into an house when there shall be entertainement given to his greatest enemy with him and shall see more regard had and better countenance shewed to his enemy than to him when the motions of corrupt nature are more regarded then the motions of the Spirit The wisedomâ— of the Spirit which is from above is first pure and maketh us so and rayseth the soule upward to things above Christians indeed have their failings but if true Christian examine himselfe his heart will say that every day hee intends the glory of God and the good of the state hee lives in hee hath a larger hearâ— than a base worldling that keepes within the sphere oâ— himselfe spending all his thoughts there and consults onely with flesh and bloud with profit and pleasure to heare what they say Such basenesse cannot but grieve the Spirit as contrary to our hopes and heavenly calling which are glorious It is a dangerous grieving of the Spirit when instead of drawing our selves to the spirit we will labour to draw the spirit to us and study the Scriptures to countenance us in some corrupt course and labour to make God of our minde that wee may goe on with the greater libertie When men get to themselves teachers after their owne â—â—sts as many doe especialâ—y if they be in place Ahab â—hall not want his 400 false Prophets When men cut â—he rule and standard to fit â—hemselves and not fit themselves to it You have some that are resolved whaâ— to do and yet will be askinâ— counsell and if they havâ— an answer to their mindeâ— then they rest if not theâ— their answer is This is youâ— judgement but others aâ—â— of a contrary opinion anâ— thus they labour to makâ— the Spirit of God in his Mâ—nisters to serve their turne so did the Iewes in Ieremâ—â—â— time Jer. 42. Some will father thoâ—â— sinfull affections that ariâ—â— from the flesh and aâ—â— strengthened by Sathanâ— upon the holy Spirit counting wrath that is kindleâ— from hell to be fire of holâ— zeale comming from heaven Thus the enemies 〈◊〉 Religion thinke they doâ— God service in their massacres such are those that wickedly oppose the wayes of God and yet are ready to say Glory be to the Lord such men study holinessen in the shew that they may overthrow it in the power and will countenance an ill course by Religion Such also are faulty who lay the blame of an uncomfortable life upon Religion when men are therefore uncomfortable because
opposite part that cavell at the truth to shew their parts this is too ordinary among the wits of the world Neglect of prayer and dependance This grieves the holy Spirit also when men take the office of the Spirit from him that is when we will doe things in our owne strength and by our owne light as if we were gods to our selves Man naturally affects a kinde of divinity it was the fault of Adam and till God drive him out of himselfe by his Spirit and by afflictions he sets much by his owne parts and wit and thereupon neglects prayer and dependance on God as if the Spirit had nothing to doe with his regiment When men set upon actions in the strength of naturall parts perhaps they may goe on in their course as civill men but never as Christians to have comfort of their actions because they will bee guides and gods to themselves If a man belong to God God will crosse him in such wayes wherein he refuseth to honour God and to give him his due place he shall miscarry when perhaps other men shall have successe though it be to harden them to destruction This is a subtle way by which Sathan abuseth men The life of a Christian is dependant on an higher principle than himselfe to rule and guide him Overmuch worldly businesse Another way whereby wee commonly grieve the Spirit of God is when the minde is troubled with a multitude of busines wherâ— the soule is like a mill where one cannot heare another the noyse is such as takes away all entercourse It diminisheth of our respect to the holy Spirit when wee give way to a multitude of businesse for multitude of businesse begets multitudes of passions and distractions that when Gods Spirit dictates the best things that tend to our comfort and peace wee have no time to heed what the Spirit adviseth Therefore we should so moderate our occasions and affaires that we may be alwaies ready for good suggestions If a man will be lost let him lose himselfe in Christ and in the things of heaven for if wee be drowned in the world it wil breed discomfort Omission of duties Lastly omission or slight performance of duties grieve the Spirit the Spirit as he comes from the Father and the Sonne from God so he is great in himselfe being God Offer this to thy King saith Malachy when hee saw them come negligently and carelesly to the worship of God when people heare drowsily and receive the Sacrament unpreparedly this grieves the Spirit because it comes from irreverence and disrespect And the reason why so many are dead hearted is because they make no conscience of omissions of drowsinesse of negligent cold performances Such Christians what doe they differ from carnall men induties for they will heare pray receive Sacraments He is the best Christian that is the most reverend Christian the most carefull Christian most jealous over his owne heart Vsually those are the richest in grace Even amongst good men those that are most carefull and watchfull over themselves they goe away inriched with the greatest blessing Therefore let us heare and so heare let us receive and receive Thus So let us eate of this bread c. The Scripture fixeth a reverend respect before duty sutable to the Majestie of the great God whose businesse we are about The Spirit grieved in others is grieved by Besides grieving Gods Spirit in our selves there is an heavy guilt lyes upon us for grieving the Spirit in others which is done many wayes First Neglects by neglecting the grace of God in them or despising them for som infirmities which love should cover Contempt Contempt is a thing which the nature of man is more impatient of then of any injury those that are given this way to wrong others are punished with the common hatred of all Censures Wee likewise grieve the spirit of others by sharpe censures and the greater our authority is the deeper is the griefe a censure inflicteth many weake spirits cannot enjoy quiet while they are exercised with such sharpenesse They thinke themselves excommunicated out of the hearts of those in whose good liking they desire to dwell By superiours Againe those that are above others grieve the spirits of those under them by unjust commands as when Masters presse their Servants to that which their consciences cannot digest and so make them sinne and offer violence to that tender part By inferiours Againe wee grieve the Spirit of others when those that are inferiour shew themselves untractable to those above them in magistracie or ministerie When they make them spend their strength in vaine thus the Spirit of God in Noah strove with the old world our duty is therefore to walke wisely in regard of others and if it bee a dutie to please men in all things lawfull in the way of humanity much more ought we to please Christians in those things wherein wee doe not displease God as being joyned in communion with them in the same spirit Yet here wee must remember that it is one thing to crosse the humour and offend the pride of another and another to grieve the Spirit in him no cures can bee wrought without griefe in that kinde and if wee grieve not their spirits when such humours prevaile in them we shall grieve our own for neglect of duty By ill example the Spirit is grieved And in the last place this causeth another griefe when those that are good watch not over their waies the Spirit is grieved for the reproches of religion thaâ— come from the wicked for what say they doth religion and the Spirit teach yet this thus Christians make the name of God to be ill spoken of and this grieves the Spirit and will grieve them if they belong to God Oh wretch that I am that I should open the mouthes of others and grieve the spirit of God not onely in my selfe but in others because he is grieved by mee Scandalous courses either by unreasonable use of our liberty without respect â—o the weakenesse of others â—r by actions that are in themselves evill or of ill reâ—ort by such actions wee â—rieve the spirits of others An ill example alwaies eiâ—her grieveth or infecteth The spirit of Lot was grieved for the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites which no question hastened their ruine How it may be knowne when the Spirit is grieved How shall we know when we grieve the Spirit wee may know that by the sins before mentioned as the cause of griefe Againe the Spirit will bring report of â—â—s owne griefe wee may know wee have offended a friend when he leaves our company so we may know wee have discontented the Spirit by spirituall defenâ—ons both in respect of assiâ—stance in the performance oâ— duties and resisting temptaâ—tions and bearing afflictiâ—ons as also in respect oâ— comfort as when wee find a strangenesse and dulnessâ— of disposition unlesse it be
before The reason why wee can neither have grace to beleeve nor know wee beleeve nor when wee know we beleeve enjoy comfort without a fresh new act of the Spirit is because the whole carriage of a soule to heaven is above nature where the Spirit makes a stand we stand and can goe no further wee cannot conclude from right grounds without some helpe of the Spirit some doubts some feares will hinder the application to our selves even as those that live in some damnable sinne cannot but grant that those that live in such a sinne shall never inherit heaven and their conscience tels them they live in such a sinne yet selfe-love blindes them so that they will not conclude against themselves that they shall be damned so true beleevers cannot conclude for themselves without divine light and helpe It pleaseth God thus to keepe every degree and act of sealing in his owne hand to keep us in a perpetuall dependance upon him and to awe us that wee should not grieve the Spirit of grace and cause him to suspend either act of grace or comfort Ioy and strong comfort come from a superadded seale of the Spirit The works of the Spirit are of a double kinde either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace or upon us by shining upon our soules in sweet feelings of joy what the Spirit worketh in us is more constant as a new nature which is alwayes like it selfe and worketh uniformely but comfort and joy are of the nature of such priviledges as God vouchsafeth at one time and not another to some and not to others This degree of sealing in regard of joy hath its degrees likewise sometimes it is so cleare and strong that the soule questioneth not its state in grace ever after but passeth on in a triumphant manner to that glory it lookes for Sometimes after this sealing there may bee interrupting of comfortable communion of farre as to question our condition yet this calling into question comes not from the Spirit which where it once witnesseth for us never witnesseth against us but it is a fruit of the flesh not fully subdued it is a sinne it selfe and usually a fruit of some former sinne For howsoever wee should not doubt after a former witnesse of the Spirit yet there will be so much weakening the sence of our assurance as there is yeelding to any lust The knowledge of our estate in grace and comfort thereupon though it may bee weakened by neglcd of our watchfulnesse yet still it hath the force of an argument to assure us when the Spirit pleaseth to direct us to make use of it because Gods love varies not as our feeling doth and a fit doth not alter a state The childe in the wombe stirres not alwaies yet it lives and that may bee gathered from the former stirrings This degree of sealing by way of witnesse and comfort is appropriated to the holy Spirit every person in the blessed Trinitie hath their severall worke the Father chuseth us and passeth a decree upon the whole ground-work of our salvation The Sonne executeth it to the full The Spirit applyeth it and witnesseth our interest in it by leading our soules to lay hold upon him and by raising up our soules in the assurance of it and by breeding and cherishing sweet communion with Father and Son who both of them seale us like wise by the Spirit This joy comfort is so appropriated to the Spirit as it carrieth the very name of the Spirit and is one of the three Witnesses on earth that witnesseth not onely Christ to bee a Saviour but our Saviour The three witnesses on earth are the Spirit water and bloud for the better conceiving of which place wee must know thâ—â— great worke of Christ of redemption and justification was typified in the old Testament by bloud and the great worke of Christ of redemption justification was typified in the old Testament by bloud and the great worke of our sanctification typified by their washing To answer which types when Christs side was pierced there came forth both bloud and water shewing that Christ came not onely by bloud to justifie us but by water to sanctâ—fie us Hereupon bloud and water have the power to bee witnesses The bloud of Christ being sprinckled on the heart by the Spirit doth pacifie the conscience in assuring it that God is pacified by bloud as being offered by the eternall Spirit this quieting power sheweth that it was the bloud of God and shed for me in particular The witnesse of water is from the power the Spirit hath to cleanse our nature which no creature can doe but the Spirit of GOD change of nature is peculiar to the Author of nature If wee feele therefore our natures altered and of uncle become holy in some measure wee may know we are the children of God as being begotten by the Spirit of Christ conforming us to his owne holinesse our spirit as sanctified can witnesse to us that wee are Christs But oft it fals out that our owne spirits though sanctified cannot stand against a subtill temptation strongly inforced God super-addes his owne Spirit guilt often prevailes over the testimony of bloud that of water by reason of stirring corruptions runneth troubled Therefore the third the immediate testimony of the Spirit is necessary to witnesse the Fathers love to us to us in particular saying I am thy salvation thy sinnes are pardoned And this testimony the Word ecchoeth unto and the heart is stirred up and comforted with joy unexpresseable So that both our spirits and consciences and the spirit of Christ joyning in one strongly witnesse our condition in grace that wee are the sonnes of God In this threefold testimony the order is this bloud begets water satisfaction by bloud procures the Spirit from God as a witnesse of Gods love and by feeling the power of bloud and water we come to have the Spirit witnessing and sealing our adoption unto us to establish us in the state of grace against stormes of temptation to the contrary The Spirit petiwadeth to looke unto bloud convinceth the heart of the efficacie of it and then quieteth the soule which giveth it selfe up to Christ wholly and to whole Christ and thence feeles his heart established against carnall reason so as hee can and doth oppose Christs bloud to all the guilt that doth arise And this witnesse of the Spirit comforting the soule is the most familiar and affects most If wee feele it not as oft we do not then rise upward from want of this joy of spirit to water and see what worke we finde of the spirit in clensing our soules and if wee finde these waters not to runne so clearely as to discerne our condition in them then goe to the witnesse of bloud and let us bathe our soules in it and then we shall finde peace in free grace procured by bloud for oft times a Christian is driven to that passe that nothing can comfort him within or
all good meanes Thus wee waiting God will so farre reveale himselfe in love to us as shall assure us of his love and stirre up love againe and the same Spirit that is a Spirit of Revelation will bee a Spirit of sanctification and so adoption Dignity and fitting qualities sureable to dignity go both together In that grand inquirie about our condition there is a great miscarriage when men will beginne with the first worke of the Father in election then passe to redemption by Christ I am Gods and Christ hath redeemed mee and never thinke of the action of the third person in sanctification which is the neerest action upon the soule as the third person himselfe is nearest unto us And so fetch their first rise where they should set up their last rest Whereas wee should begin our inquirie in the worke of the third person which is next unto us and then upon good grounds we may know our redemption and election The holy Spirit is both a Spirit of Revelation and of Sanctification together as hath beene said for together with opening the love of the Father and the Son hee fitteth us by grace for communication with them People out of selfe-love will have conceits of the Fathers and Sonnes love severed from the worke of the Spirit upon their hearts which will prove a dangerous illusion Although the whole work of grace by the Spirit arise from the Fathers and Sonnes love witnessed by the Spirit yet the proofe of the Fathers love to us in particular ariseth from some knowledge of the worke of the Spirit the errour is not in thinking of the Fathers and Sonnes love but in a strengthening themselves by a pleasing powerlesse thought of it against the worke of grace by the Spirit which their corruption withstands So they will carve out of the worke of the Trinitie what they thinke agreeable to their lusts whereas otherwise if their heart were upright they would for this very end think of Gods love and Christs to quicken them to duty and to arme them against corruption To the day of Redemption Redemption double There is a double redemption redemption of the soule by the first comming of Christ to shed his bloud for us redemption of our bodies from corruption by his second comming Wee have not the perfect consummation and accomplishment of that which Christ wrought in his first comming till his second comming then there shall bee a totall redemption of our soules and bodies and conditions There is a double redemption as there is a double cōming of Christ the first and the second the one to redeeme our soules from sinne and Sathan and to give us title to heaven the other to redeeme our bodies from corruption when Christ shall come to bee glorious in his Saints As likewise there is a double resurrection the first and the second and a double regeneration of soule and body In sicknesse weaknes of body or when age hath overtaken us that we cannot live long here and the horrour of the grave the house of darkenesse is presented to us Oh let us thinke there will bee a redemption of our bodies as well as of our soules Christ will redeem our bodies from corruption as he came to work the redemption of our soules from sinne and death and hee that will redeeme our bodies out of the grave he will redeeme his Church out of misery hee will call the Iewes hee that will doe the greater will doe the inferiour When wee heare of this let us thinke with comfort of all the promises that are yet unperformed Full redemption not yet Secondly full redemption is not yet What need I bring Scripture to prove it It is a point that every mans experience teacheth Alas let our bodies speake◠wee are not free from sicknesse and diseases nay what is our life but a going to corruption the sentence is passed upon us earth returneth to earth till death wee are going to death so besides sicknesse and weakenesse here we must dye and after death bee subject to corruption The Apostle in this respect calleth our body a vile body As for our soules though they bee freed from the guilt and damnation of sinne yet there are remainders of corruption that breed feare and terrour and though they be freed from the rule of Sathan yet not from his molestation and vexations by temptations In a word our whole state and condition in this world is a state and condition of misery wee are followed with many afflictions so that there is not yet perfect redemption whether we looke to body soule or state the body being subject to diseases the soule to infirmities the state to misery But there is a day appointed for it A day of Redemption By a day wee are not to understand the time measured by the course of the Sunne in 24 houres but in the Scriptures meaning a day is a set time of mercy or judgement As there was a solemne day the fulnesse of time for the working of the first redemption so there is a solemn time set for the second redemption when all the children of God shall bee gathered those that lye in the dust shall be raised and for ever glorified It is the day of all dayes that day that by way of excellency is called THAT day in the Scriptures and the day of the Lord. The day that were should thinke of every day especially in sicknesse and trouble and crosses and molestations from the wicked world and in sense of the remainders of corruption There is a day of redemption to come that will make amends for all The frequent thoughts of that day would comfort us and keepe us from shrinking in any affliction and trouble it would move us to a carriage and conversation answerable to our hopes and also it would helpe to fit us it would infuse a desire of qualification to be prepared for that great day The day of Redemption ought to be thought on But how little of our time is spent in thoughts this way If wee could oft thinke of the day of redemption our lives would bee otherwise both in regard of gracious as also of cōfortable carriage should we be disconsolate at every losse and crosse at sicknesses and the thought of death when wee shall be turned into our first principle the earth if wee did thinke of the day of redemption when all shall be restored againe all the decayes of nature and the Image of God be perfectly stamped the thought of this would make us goe willingly to our graves knowing that all this is but a preparation for the great day of redemption The first day of redemption when Christ came to redeeme our soules and to give us title to heaven It was in the expectation of all good people before Christ they are said to wait for the consolation of Israel that was the character to know those blessed people by And what should be the distinguishing character
our soules It is an argument to them that are 1 Not sealed It is an argument of force whether we be not yet sealed or be sealed if not sealed then gieve not him whose onely office it is to seale entertaine his motions give way to him that hee may have scope andliberty of working Set no reasons against his reasons hearken to no counsell against his counsell stand not out his perswasions any longer but yeeld up your spirits to him lest hee put a perioâ— to his patience hee is long suffering but not alwayes suffering if hee give us up to our own spirits wee shall onely be witty to worke out our owne damnation wee are not given up to our owne spirits but after many repulses of this holy Spirit and at length what now will not serve for an argument to perswade us shall bee used hereafter as an argument to torment us The Spirit will helpe our spirits to repeate and recall all the motions to our owne good that wee formerly put backe Wee should thinke when conscience speakes in us God speakes and when the Spirit moves us it is God that moves us and that all excuse will be cut off answere will bee did not I tell you of this by conscience my deputy did not I move you to this good by mine owne Spirit Take heed of keeping out any light for light where it doth not come in and soften hardens none so hard hearted as those upon whom the light hath shined there is more to bee hoped from a man that hath onely a naturall conscience then from him whose heart and spirit hath beene long beaten on there is more to bee hoped from a heathen Pilate than a proud Pharisee Those that will not bee sealed to their salvation it is just with GOD that they should be seâ—led up to their destruction the soule without the spirit is darkenesse and confusion full of selfe accusing and selfe tormenting thougâ—ts it we let the Spirit come in it will scatter all and settle the soule in asweet quiet 2 Those that are sealed either in a 1 Lesser degree For those that have beene sealed by the Spirit and yet not so fully as to silence all doubts about their estate those should out of that beginning of comfort which they feele study to bee pliable to the Spirit for further increase The Spirit sealeth by degrees as our care of pleasing the Spirit increaseth so our comfort increaseth our light will increase as the morning light unto the perfect day Yeelding to the Spirit in one holy motion will cause him to leade us to another and so on forwards untill wee bee more deepely acquainted with the whole counsell of God concerning our salvation otherwise if wee give way to any contrary lust darkenesse will grow upon our Spirits unawares and we shall be left in an unsetled condition as those that travaile in the twilight that cannot perfectly finde out their way Wee shall be on and off not daring to yeeld wholly to our lusts because of a worke of grace begun nor yeeld wholly to the Spirit because we have let some unruly affection get too much strength in us and so our spirits are without comfort and our profession without glory We shall lye open to Sathan if hee be let loose to winnow our Faith for if our state come to bee questioned wee have nothing to alledge but the truth of our graces and if wee have not used the Spirit well we shall not have power to alledge them nor to looke upon any grace wrought in us but upon those lusts and sinnes whereby wee have grieved the Spirit they will bee set in order before us and so stare us in the face that wee cannot but fixe our thoughts upon them And Sathan will not lose such an advantage but will tempt us to call the worke of grace in question which though it bee a true worke yet for want of light of the Spirit to discerne it wee cannot see it to our comfort Whereas if the Spirit would witnesse unto us the truth of our state and the sincerity of our graces wee shall bee able to hold our owne and those temptations will vanish 2 Those that are sealed in a higher degree For those that the holy Spirit hath set a clearer and stronger stampe upon that doe not question their condition they of all others should not grieve the Spirit A Spirit of ingenuity will â—inder them and stirre up 〈◊〉 shame in them to requite so ill such a friend Nothing so ingenuous as grace what is commendable in nature is in greater perfection in grace How doth the conscience of unkindenesse to a friend that hath deserved well of us trouble our spirits that wee know not with what face to looke upon him And will not unkindenesse to the Spirit make us ashamed to lift up our face to heaven Benefits are bonds and the greater favour the stronger obligation now what greater favour is there then for the Spirit to renew us according to the Image of God our glorious Saviour who carried the Image of Sathan before And by this to appropriate us unto GOD to be laid up in his treasure as carrying his stampe and by this to bee separated from the vile condition of the world although wee carry in us the seeds of the same corruption that the worst doth differing nothing from them but in GODS free grace and the fruits of it For God to esteeme so of us that have no worthinesse of our owne but altogether persons not worthy to bee beloved as to make our unworthinesse a foile to set out the freenesse of his love in making us worthy whom he found not so For the Spirit by sealing of us to secure us in the midst of all spirituall dangers and to hide us as this secret ones that that evill one should not touch us to hurt us These as they are favours of an high nature the more care they require to walke worthy of them We cannot but forget our selves before wee yeeld to any thing against that dignity the Spirit hath sealed us to Nature helped with ordinary education moveth every man to carry himselfe answerable to his condition a Magistrate as a Magistrate a Subject as a Subject a Childe as a Childe and wee thinke it disgracefull to doe otherwise and shall that which is disgracefull to nature not be much more disgracefull to nature renewed and advanced by the Spirit And indeed as wee should not so wee cannot grieve the Spirit so farre forth as wee are renewed 1 Ioh. 3. Our new nature will not suffer us to dissemble to be worldly to bee carnall as the world is wee cannot but study holinesse wee cannot but be for GOD and his truth wee cannot but expresse what we are and whose wee are It is impossible a man should care for heaven that doth not care for the beginnings of heaven hee cannot bee said to care for full redemption and glory that