the Spirit being incouragement to dutie or suffering in a good cause the soule by this witnesse of the Spirit findes increase of spirituall mettle it finces it selfe steel'd against opposition 〈…〉 this winde filleth 〈…〉 they are carried on a maine and are frighted with nothing that stands in their way See how the beleevers triumph upon the Spirits witnessing to their spirits that they are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. God usually reserveth such comforts for the worst times Give wine to those that bee of heavy hearts Pro. 31. The sence of this love of Christ is better then wine This refreshing Paul had in the dungeon and hee sung at mid-night After this witnessing therefore looke for some piece of service to doe or tryall to undergoe Much must bee left to Gods fatherly wisedome in this who knowes whom to cheare up and when and in what degree and to what purpose and service and remember alwayes that these inlargements of spirit are as occasionall refreshings in the way not daily food to live upon we maintaine our life by faith not by sight or feeling Feasting is not for every day except that Feast of a good conscience which is continuall but I speake of grand dayes and high feasts these are disposed as God seeth cause 3 Where this sealing of the Spirit is there followeth also upon it a lifting up of the head in thinking of our latter end it makes one thinke of the times to come with joy as the holy Ghost here mentioneth the day of redemption as a motive to them to take heed that they did not grieve the Spirit intimating they should thinke of the day of redemption with a great deale of joy and comfort The Saints are described in Scripture to be those that looke for the appearing of Christ they are Christs and in him their reckonings and accounts are even And therefore with delight they can often think and meditate upon the blessed times that are to come There be divers degrees of sealing arising from divers degrees of revelation God first reveales his good will in his promises to all beleevers this is the privilege of the Church especially in these latter times then by his Spirit reveales those saving truths to those that are his by a divine light So that by argument drawne from the power they feele from truths in searching secrets in casting downe in raising up in staying the soule they can seale to them that they are divine The same Spirit that reveales the power of the Word to mee reveales in particular mine owne interest in all those truths upon hearing them Whereupon they are written in my heart as if they had beene made in particular to me the comfortable truths in the Word are transcribed into my heart answerable to the Word as that God in Christ is mine forgivenesse mine grace mine whereupon adoption in Christ is sealed which God still sealeth further to my soule by increase of comfort as hee seeth cause for incouragement The same Spirit that manifesteâ— in me the word I heâ—â—e and reade to be the truth of God from the 〈…〉 efficacie of it the same Spirit teacheth to aâ—ply it and in applying of it sealeth me Therefore wee ought to desire to bee sealed by the Spirit in regard of an holy impression and then that the holy Spirit would shine upon his owne graces so as we may clearly see what is wrought in us above nature and because this is furthered by revealing his love in Christ in adoption to us wee must desire of Gâ—D to vouchsafe the Spirit of Revelation to reveale the mysteries of his truth unto us and our portion in them in partiâ—ular and so our adoption and in the meane tiâ—e to wait and attend his good pleasure in the use of 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 be a Spirit of sanctification and so adoption Dignitie and fitting qualities suteable to dignity go both together In that grand inquirie about our condition there is a great miscarriage when men will begin 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 foule 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 worke 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 thinke of Gods love and Christs to quicken them to duty and to arme them against corruption To the day of Redemption There is a double redemption redemption of the soul by the first coÌ„ming 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 be a totall redemption of our soules and bodies and conditions There is a double redemption as there is a double coÌ„ming 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 be 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
it selfe which is the highest and that which bringeth most joy page 166 Of such joyes and raptures of the 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 followeth 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 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 we 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 page 233. or higher worke of sealing page 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 no doctrine of liberty page 243 But of deepe and sweet ingagement page 244 Therefore we should preserve the worke page 247 FINIS Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are â—ealed unto the day of redemâ—tion 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 the largenesse of his Spirit riseth from a particular disswasive from corrupt communication 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 constancie of the benefits we have by him 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 breatheth into all 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 own 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 we 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 That attribute the Spirit delights in is that of holinesse which our corrupt nature least delights in and most opposeth holinesse is the glory and crown of all other excellencie without which they are neither good in themselves noâ— 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 keene and perfect hatred but holynesse without which yet we shall never see God nor enter into that pure place into which we all professe a desire to enter 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 anture 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 upon all our actions directing them to the highest end Now that which the Apostle disswades from is from
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 â—eaching than that of Rule â—nd strengthened also by observation and experience â—f our selves and the forâ—er strength we have had â— against the sinne we now commit and sweetnesse we have found in the resisting of it None are worse than â—hose 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 his brethren Spake I not vnto you c So may Gods Spirit and conscience say to men Did not I acquaint you with the danger of sin You are now in misery and terrours of conscience but did you not sleight former admonitions and helps and meanes Conscience is an inferior light of the Spirit to do things against conscience is to do 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 Vpon divers respects some sin may grieve more or lesse than another As the â—oly Ghost is a Spirit so â—pirituall sinnes grieve most â—s pride envy imprinting â—pon the soule as it were a â—haracter of the contrary ill â—â—irit Carnell sinnes whereby the soule is drowned in â—elight of the body may â—â—ore grieve the spirit in aâ—other respect as defiling â—â—is Temple and as taking away so much of the soule â—ove 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 scaâ—ed in the powers of nature now carnall sinnes disable natureâ— and so sets us in a greateâ— 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 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 spiritâ— of purity hates foule â—ivers and foule-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 â—ervice and are no debters â—nd by sowing to the flesh from which we can reape nothing but corruption When our thoughts are exercised to content the outâ—ard man to contrive for â—â—e things of the world oneâ—â— this is to pay tribute of â—â—e strength and vigor of our affections to the utter enemy of Gods Spirit and our owne soules when our thoughts runne deeply into â—arthly things we become â—ne with them Who will thinke himselfe well entertained into an house when there shall be entertainement given to his greatest enemy with him â—nd shall see more regard had and better countenance shewed to his enemy than to him when the motions of corrupt nature are morâ— regarded then the motions of the Spirit The wisedome 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 a true Christian examine himselfe his heart will say that every day he intends the glory of God and the good of the state he lives in he hath a larger heart than a base worldling that keeps within the sphere of 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 coÌ„trary 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 â—raw the spirit to us and â—â—udy the Scriptures to countenance us in some corrupt course and labour to make God of our mind that wee may go on with the greater libertie When men get to themselves teachers after their owne lusts as many do especially if they be in place Ahab shall not want his 400 false Prophets When men cut the rule and standard to fit themselves and not fit themselves to it You have some that are resolved what to do and yet will bee asking counsell and if they have an answer to their minds then they rest if not then their answer is This is your judgment but others are of a contrary opinion and thus they labour to make the Spirit of God in his Ministers to serve their turne so did the Iewes in Ieremies time Some will father those sinfull affections that arise from the flesh and are strengthened by Sathan upon the holy Spirit counting wrath that is kindled from hell to be fire of holy zeale comming from heaven Thus the enemies of Religion thinke they doe 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 holinesse 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 they are not religious enough The wayes of wisedome are the wayes of pleasure In these times being the second spring of the Gospell we must take heed of sinnes against the Gospell Benefits the greater they are being neglected or abused bring the greater judgement The office of the holy Spirit is by the Ministery to lay open the riches of Christ and the glory of Gods grace in him by neglecting so great salvation and by thinking this favour of God to be a common favour we sinne against both Father Sonne and holy Ghost and in that they desire most to be glorified Such therefore as say to the clouds Drop not and to the winds blow not and to the Prophets prophesie not that study to keepe out the light and sin against it as discovering them and awakening them and hindering them from taking that solace in carnall courses of the world as peâ—ing the eyes of others to know them further than they would be known and so to lose that respect they would have in the hearts of men This cannot but grieve â—he Spirit of God and move â—im to take away that truth â—hat we are so far from â—hinking a
he 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 He is a sanctifying a subduing a mortifying Spirit in what condition soever we are he will never leave us till he hath raised us from the grave and taken full possession of body and soule in heaven he will prove a comforter when neither friends nor riches nor any thing in the world can comfort us How carefull should we be to give contentment to this sweet Spirit of God 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 he 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 we shall be 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 argument taken from the Spirits sealing of them to the day of redemption We are all by nature in bondage to sinne and corruption we all are 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 else need do 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 we indevour so to please him as he may with delight goe on with this blessed work that it hath pleased him to take upon him As the dutie is spirituall so the arguments that inforce it are spirituall 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 therefore 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 work 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 he 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 1 By the Father Christ was ordained by him to be a Saviour in our nature predestinate to be the head of the Church Wherefore he often saith he came to do his Fathers will Him hath the Father sealed Ioh. 6. 27. anointing him calling him setting him forth sanctifying him by the spirit and every way fitting him with all grace to be a Saviour 2 He was sealed by the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in flesh abased and exalted for us so as his flesh is the flesh of the Son of God and his bloud the bloud of God 3 Sealed by a testimony from heaven of all three Persons by the Father This is my welbeloved Son by the Holy Spirit descending like a dove by himselfe to his humane nature dwelling in all fulnesse in it Christ is sealed by miracles done upon him and by him by his baptizing and installing into his office and by giving himself up to shed his bloud for sinne by which bloud the Covenant is established and sealed 4 In being justified in the spirit being raised from the dead and declared thereby to be the Sonne of God mightily with power and then advanced him to the right hand of God that through him our faith and trust might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 14. and appearing there for ever for us sheweth not onely his habilitie and willingnesse to save us but that it is done already Wee may see all what ever wee can looke for to our selves performed in our head to our comfort As Christ was sealed and fitted for us so we are sealed and fitted for Christ There is a privy seale in predestination this is knowne onely to God himselfe The Lord knoweth who are his And this knowledge of God of us is carried secret as a River under ground untill his calling of and separating us from the rest of men When first by his Spirit hee convinceth us of what wee are in our selves and of our cursed condition and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for sinne as the greatest evill And then a pardon is more to us then a Crowne then we will wait for mercy and continue so and begge for mercy and that upon Christs own condition by denying and renouncing any thing of our owne then Christ is Christ unto us Indeed after this it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a doore of hope and give some hints of mercy and to let in some beames of love and withall to raise up the soule by a spirit of faith to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit whereby the soule sealeth to the truth of the promise Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is true It is strange that GOD should stoop so low as to receive as it were confirmation by our beleefe but thus GOD condescends in the phrase of Scripture As we are
another In Christs transfiguration upon the Mount Moses and Elias appeared together with Christ In whatsoever transfiguration and ravishment wee cannot finde Moses and Elias and Châ—ist to meet that is if what we finde in us be not agreeable to the Scriptures we may well suspect it as an illusion That you may know the voyce of the Spirit of God from the carnall confidence of our owne spirits inquire 1 What went before 2 What accompanieth it 3 What followeth after this ravishing joy 1 The Word must goe before it in being assented unto by faith and submitted unto by answâ—rable obedience In whom after you beleeved the word of promise you were sealed So that if there be not first a beleeving of the word of promise there is no sealing The God of peace give you joy iâ— beleeving There must be a beleeving a walking according to Rule or else no joy nor peace will bee unto us If we cannot bring the Word and our hearts together it is not Gods but Sathans sealing a groundlesse presumption and it will end in despaire as Christ came by water and bloud so doth this testimony it commeth after the other two First the heart is carried to bloud and from thence hath quiet then followeth water and our nature is washed and changed and then commeth this of the Spirit though it be not grounded on their testimonie but is above theirs yet they goe before Where we thus finde the worke wee may know it to be right by the order of it It commeth after deepe humiliation and abasement though we know our selves to be the children of God in some such measure as wee would not change our condition for all the world yet wee would have more evidence we would have further manifestation of Gods countenance towards us we are not satisfied but waite After wee have long fasted and our hearts melted and softened then God powreth water upon the dry wildernesse and then it comes to passe through his goodnesse and mercy that hee comforts and satisfies the desires of the hungry soule GOD will not suffer the spirit of his children to faile 3 Likewise after selfe-denyall in that which is pleasing to us it is made up with inward comfort 〈◊〉 this selfe-denyall bee from a desire of nearer communion with God God will not faile them in what they desire There are wretches in the world that will deny their sinfull nature nothing if they have a disposition to pride they will bee proud if they have a lust to be rich to live in pleasures to follow the vanities of the times they will doe so they will not say nay to corrupt nature in any thing will God vouchsafe to give any true joy or comfort of spirit to such ones No those that seâ— loose their natures without a checke shall never taste of this hidden Manna But when we deny our selves deny to beare or see that which may feed corruption When we denyâ—â— take delight in that that wee might if we would 〈…〉 course of the world there is a proportionable measure of joy and peace 〈◊〉 coâ—fort in a higher 〈◊〉 made good to the 〈◊〉 God is so good wee 〈◊〉 lose nothing for parâ—ing with any thing for 〈◊〉 sake 4 It is usually found after conflict and victory as a reward To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna Gods children after strong conflâ—ct with some temptation or inward corruption especially that which accompanieth their disposition and temper when they have so conflicted as that at last they get the better they finde by experience sweet inlargement of spirit to strive against them is a signe of grace but to get victory over them even to subdue our enemies under us that rise up against us this bringeth true peace and joy 5 After wee have put forth our spirituall strength in holy duties God crownes our indeavours with increase of comfort A Christian that takes paines with his heart and will not serve God with that which cost him nothing enjoys that which the spiâ—ituall sluggard wishes for and goes without God is so just that those men which have striven to live according to principles of nature have found a contentment proportionable to their indeavours some degree of pleasure attends every good action as a reward before a reward Besides these things that goe before this joy and testimony there are secondly some things that doe accompany it if it bee right as 1 This spirituall comfort inlargeth our hearts to a desire after an high prising the ordinances so farre is it from taking us off from a dependance upon them In the Word and other meanes it found comfort from GOD therefore delights to be meeting GOD still in his owne wayes The eye of the soule is strengthened to see further into truths and is inabled more spiritually to understand the things it knew before as in many of the same truths that wise men understand they understood them when they were yong as when they were old but then more clearly So all truths are more clearely knowne by this the Spirit by which we are sealed is the Spirit of illumination not that it reveales any thing different from the Word but giveth a more large understanding and inward knowledge of the same truths as were knowne before 2 A libertie and boldnesse with GOD for where the Spirit is there is a gratious libertie that is further inlargements from the law guilt of sinne and the feare of the wrath of GOD that wee can come with some boldnes to his throne and to him as our Father a freedome to open our soules in prayer before him This stands not so much in multitude of words or formes of expressions but a sonne-like boldnesse in our approaches in prayer The Hypocrite especially in extremity cannot pray his Conscience stoppes his mouth but where the Spirit sealeth it giveth this liberty freely to open and spread our case before him and call upon him yea under the evidence of some displeasure 3 There doth likewise ordinarily accompany this sealing of the Spirit Sathans malice and opposition who being cast from heaven himselfe envies this Heaven upon earth in a creature of meaner ranke by creation then himselfe wee must not thinke to enjoy pure joy here without molestation If there bee danger of exalting above measure we must looke for some messenger of Sathan After this witnesse it leaves the soule more humble none more abased in themselves then those that have neerest communion with God as we see in the Angels that stand before God and cover their faces so Isa 6. Iob after God had manifested himselfe unto him abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes It brings with it a greater desire of sanctification and heavenly-mindednesse As Elias ascended up into heaven his cloake fell by degrees from him the higher our spirits are raised the more we put off affections to earthly things 2 Againe the end of this further manifestation of
from corruption as he came to work the redemption of our soules from sinne and death and he that will redeeme our bodies out of the grave he will redeem his Church out of misery he will call the Iewes he that will doe the greater will doe the inferiour When we heare of this let us thinke with comfort of all the promises that are yet unperformed 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 we 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 we 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 we are followed with many afflictions so that there is not yet perfect redemption whether we look 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 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 we 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 But how little of our time is spent in thoughts this way If we could oft thinke of the day of redemption our lives would be otherwise both in regard of gracious as also of coÌ„fortable 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 of gracious soules now but to bee such as wait for the comming of Christ how oft in the Epistles of Saint Paul is it There is a Crowne of righteousnesse for mee and for all that wait for the appearing of Christ There was a yeare of Iubile among the Iewes every fifty yeares then all that were in bondage were set at liberty So at this blessed Iubile this glorious day of redemption all that are in bondage of death and under corruption shall be set at everlasting liberty No question but the poore servants that were vexed with hard masters they thought of the Iubile and those that had their possessions tooke away they thought of the Iubile the day of recovering all So let us oft thinke of this everlasting Iubile when we shall recover all that we lost for ever to keepe it and never to lose it againe as we did in the first creation Let us oft thinke of this day it will infuse vigour and strength into all our conversaâ—ion Indeed to the ungodly it is not a day of redemption but a day of judgement and the revelation of the just wrath of God when their sins shall be laid open and receive a sentence answerable Alas there is such a deale of Atheisme in the world and the seeds of it in the best unlesse it be wrought out daily that we forget the God of vengeance and the day of vengeance Would men goe on in sinnes against conscience if they thought of this last day It is impossible such couâ—ses come froÌ„ this abhominable root oâ— Atheisme and unbeliefe foâ— had they but a slight faith it would be effectuall to alter their course in some measure therefore the Scripture gives them the name of fooles though they would be thought to be the onely wise men The foole hath said in his heart there is no God and what followes Corrupt are they and abhominable The cause of all is the foole hath said in his heart he will needs force it upon his heart that there is no God hell nor heaven nor judgement thence come abhominable courses Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption FRom the consideration of all that hath beene formerly spoken of the sealing of the spirit to the day of Redemption there ariseth these foure conclusions First that we may attaine unto a knowledge that we are in that state of grace Secondly that upon knowledge of our state in grace for the present we may be assured of our future full Redemption Thirdly that this assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit Fourthly that the consideration of this assurance wrought by the Spirit is an effectuall argument to disswade from grieving the Spirit For the first wee may know wee are in the state of grace first because the Apostle would not have used an argument moving not to grieve the Spirit from a thing unknowne or guessed at it is an ill manner of reasoning to argue from a thing unknowne 2 Again sealing of us by the Spirit is not in regard of God but our selves God knoweth who are his but we know not that we are his but by sealing 3 The scope of the Scriptures indited by the Spirit is for comfort the Apostle saith so directly and what comfort in an
grieving so holy a Spirit These truths are presupposed First that the holy Ghost is not in us personally as the second Person is in Christ man for then the holy Ghost and we should make one person nor is the holy Ghost in us essentially only for so he is in all creatures nor yet is in us onely by stirring up holy motions but he is in us mystically and as Temples dedicated to himselfe Christs humane nature is the first temple wherein the Spirit dwels and then we become temples by union with him The difference betwixt his being in Christ us is that the Spirit dwels in Christ in a fuller measure by reason that as a head he is to conveigh spirit into all his members Secondly the Spirit is in Christ intirely without any thing to oppose the Spirit alwayes findes something in us that is not his owne but readie to crosse him Thirdly the Spirit is in us derivatively from Christ as a fountaine we receive grace at second hand answerable to grace in him The holy Ghost was in Adam before his fall immediately but now hee is in Christ first and then for Christ in us as members of that bodie whereof Christ is the head it is well for us that he dwels first in Christ and then in us for from this it is that his communion with us is inseparable as it is from Christ himselfe with whom the Spirit makes us one The holy Spirit dwels in those that are Christs after another manner then in others in whom he is in in some sort by common gifts but in his owne he is in them as holy and as making them holy as the soule is in the whole body in regard of divers operations but in the head onely as it understandeth and from thence ruleth the whole bodie so the holy Ghost is in his in regard of more noble operations and his person is together with his working though not personally and though the whole man be the temple of the holy Ghost yet the soule especially and in the soule the very Spirit of our minds as most suteable to him being a Spirit Whence the Apostle wishes the grace of Christ to be with our Spirits the best of spirits delight most in the best of us which is our spirits in the Temple the further they went all was more holy till they came to the holy of holiest So in a Christian the most inward part the spirit is as it were the holie of holies where incense is offered to God continually What a mercy is this that he that hath the heaven of heavens to dwell in will make a dungeon to be a temple a prison to be a paradise yea an hell to bee an heaven Next to the love of Christ in taking our nature and dwelling in it we may wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will take up his residence in such defiled soules The second thing presupposed is that the holy Spirit being in us after hee hath prepared us for an house for himselfe to dwell in and to take up his rest and delight in he doth also become unto us a Counsellour in all our doubts a Comforter in all distresses a Solicitor to all dutie a guide in the whole course of our life untill we dwell with him for ever in heaven unto which his dwelling here in us doth tend he goeth before us as Christ did in the pillar of the cloud and fire before the Israelites into Canaan being a defence by day and a direction by night When we sinne what doe we else but grieve this guide The third ground is that we the best of us are prone to grieve this holy Spirit what use were there else of this caveatâ— we carrie too good a proofe of this in our owne hearts we have that which is enmitie to the spirit within us sinne and an adversarie to the spirit us Sathan These joyning together and having intelligence and holding correspondencie one with another stirre us up to that which grieves this good Spirit The fourth thing presupposed is that we may and ought by Christian care and circumspection so to walke in an even and pleasing course that we shall not grievously offend the spirit or grieve our owne spirits We may avoid many lashes and blowes and many an heavy day which we may thanke our selves for and God delighteth in the prosperity of his children and would have us walk in the comforts of the holy Ghost and is grieved when we grieve him that then hee must grieve us to prevent worse griefe The due and proper act of a Christian in this life is to please Christ and to bee comfortable in himselfe and so to be fitted for all services These things premised it is easie to conceive the equitie of the Apostles disswasive from grieving the holy spirit For the better unfolding of which we wil unfold these foure points First what it is to grieve the Spirit Secondly is wherein we specially grieve the Spirit Thirdly how we may know when wee have grieved the Spirit Fourthly what course we should take to prevent this griefe For the first The holy Ghost cannot properly be grieved in his own person because griefe implyes a defect of happinesse in suffering that we wish removed It implyes a defect in foresight to prevent that which may grieve It implyes passion which is soon raised up and soone laid downe GOD is not subject to change it implyes some want of power to remove that which we feele to be a grievance and therefore it is not beseeming the Majestie of the Spirit thus to bee grieved Wee must thereâ—ore conceive of it as befitâ—ing the Majestie of God â—emoving in our thoughts â—ll imperfections First then we are sayd to grieve God when we doe that which is apt of it selfe to grieve as we are said to destroy our weake brother when wee do that which he taking offence at is apt to misleade him and so to destroy him Secondly we grieve the Spirit when wee doe that whereupon the Spirit doth that which grieved persons doe that is retireth and sheweth dislike and returns griefe againe Thirdly though the passion of griefe be not in the holy Ghost yet there is in his holy nature a pure displicence and hatred of sinne with such a degree of abhomination as though it tend not to the destruction of the offender yet to sharpe correction so that griefe is eminently in the hatred of God in such a manner as becomes him Fourthly wee may conceive of the Spirit as hee is in himselfe in heaven and as hee dwels and workes in us as wee may conceive of God the Father as hidden in himselfe and as revealed in his Son and in his word and as we may conceive of Christ as the secoÌ„d persoÌ„ as incarnate so likewise of the holy Ghost as in himselfe and as in us God in the person of his Sonne
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 likewise 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 that the great worke of Christ of redemption and 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 sanctifie us Hereupon bloud and watar have the power to bee witnesses The bloud of Christ being sprinkled 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 uncleane 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 we 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 perswadeth 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 he 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 we 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 without him in heaven or earth but the free and infinite mercy of GOD in the bloud of Christ whereon the soule relyeth when it feeles no comfort nor joy of the Spirit nor sees no worke of sanctification then it must rest on the satisfaction wrought by the bloud of Christ when the soule can go to God and say If we confesse our sinnes thou art just to forgive them and the bloud of Christ shall cleanse us from all sinne Therefore though I feele not inward peace nor the worke of the Spirit yet I will cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ Hereupon we shall in Gods time come to have the witnesse of water and the Spirit more evidently made cleare unto us The Spirit it is that witnesses with bloud and witnesses with water and by water whatsoever of Christs is applyed unto us by the Spirit but besides witnessing with these witnesses the Spirit hath a distinct witnesse by way of inlarging the soule which joy in the apprehension of Gods fatherly love and Christs setting the soule at libertie The Spirit doth not alwayes witnesse unto us our condition by force of argument from sanctification but sometimes immediately by way of presence as the sight of a friend comforts without helpe of discourse the very joy from sight prevents the use of discourse This testimony of the Spirit containeth in it the force of all word promise oath seale c. this is greater then the promise as a seale is more then our hand as an oath is more then a mans bare word The same that is said of Gods oath in comparison with his bare promise may bee said of this sealing in comparison of other testimonies That as God was willing more abundantly to cleare to the heires of promise their salvation hee added on oath Hebr. 6. 18. So for the same end he added this his Spirit as a seale to the promise and to the other testimonies Our owne graces indeed if we were watchfull enough would satisfie us The fountaine is open as to Hagar but shee seeth it not c. howsoever the Spirit if that commeth it subdueth all doubts As God in his oath and swearing joyneth none to himselfe but sweareth by himselfe so in this witnâ—sse he taketh in no other testimony to confirme it but witnesseth by himselfe And hence ariseth joy unspeakeable and glorious and peace which passeth all understanding for it is an extract of heaven when we see our being in the state of grace not in the effect onely but as in the breast and bosome of God But how shall wee know this witnesse from an enthusiasticall fancie and illusion This witnesse of the Spirit is knowne from the strong conviction it bringeth with it which wayeth and over-powers the soule to give credit unto it But there be you will say strong illusions True bring them therefore to some rules of discerning Bring all your joy and peace and confidence to the Word they goe both together as a paire of Indentures one answers
without a cause above nature None can know the meaning of our broken desires so as to helpe us in our infirmities but that Spirit that stirred up those desires Againe none knowes the grievances of our spirits but our owne spirits and the Spirit of God who knowes all the turnings and corners of the soule Who can mortifie those strong corruptions that would hinder us in the way to heaven but the Spirit cloathing our spirit with power from above who purifieth the coÌ„science but he that is above coÌ„science Who can raise our spirits above all temptations and troubles but that Spirit of power that is above all The strength and vigour of any creature is from the spirits and the strength of the spirits of all flesh is from this Spirit whose office is to put spirit into our spirit As GOD redeemed us with his bloud so GOD must apply this bloud that conscience may bee quieted He onely can subdue the rebellion of our spirits and soften our hearts and make them fit for sealing The Spirit onely can so repoâ—t the mercy of God to our soules as to perswade and worke our hearts to this assurance otherwise we would never yeeld For partly the greatnesse of the state is such that none but God can assure and partly the misgiving and unbeliefe of our heart is such that none but God can subdue it The thing being so great and our deservings so little being unworthy of the things of this life much more of that eternall happinesse this cannot be done without the high and glorious Spirit of God How earnest and desirous then is both the Father and the Sonne to save us that pleased to send such an Orator and Embassador as is equall with themselves to perswade us to assure us to fit us for salvation and how gracious is the Spirit that will vouchsafe to have such communion with such poore sinfull spirits as ours And should not this worke upon our hearts a care not to grieve the holy Spirit and so we come to the fourth conclusion The fourth conclusion is that the sealing of the spirit unto salvation should be a strong prevailing argument not to grieve the Spirit that is not to sinne for sinne onely grieves the Spirit The grace of God saith Paul to Titus that bringeth salvation Christ appeared and what is Christ but grace Christ appeared and the free favour of GOD in Christ whereby wee are assured of salvation which teacheth us what to doe to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Even the consideration of the benefits of Christ that are past such as came with Christs first comming but that is not all Verse 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ The second comming of Christ enforceth likewise the same care of holinesse Our conversation is in heaven and not as theirs spoken of in the former Verse whose end is damnation whose belly is their GOD who minde earthly things no we minde heavenly things and these heavenly desires from whence sprung they but from the certaine expectation of our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies c. that is shall redeeme us fully even our bodies as well as our soules It is an argument of force whether we be not yet sealed or be sealed if not sealed then grieve not him whose onely office it is to seale entertaine his motions give way to him that he may have scope and liberty 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 he put a period to his patience he is long suffering but not alwayes suffering if he give us up to our own spirits we shall only 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 We 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 be 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 be 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 be hoped from a heathen Pilate than a proud Pharisee Those that will not be sealed to their salvation it is just with God that they should be sealed up to their destruction the soule without the spirit is darkenesse and confusion full of selfe accusing and selfe tormenting thoughts if we let the Spirit come in it will scatter all and settle the soule in a sweet quiet For those that have been 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 studie to be pliable to the Spirit for further increase The Spirit scaleth 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 be more deepely acquainted with the whole counsell of God concerning our salvation otherwise if we 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 he be let loose to winnow our faith for if our state come to be questioned wee have nothing to alledge but the truth of our graces and if we 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