he is above all and seeth all beneath him therefore the greatest men in the world are holy men they are above all other men and without usurpation they passe a censure upon the course and state of other men though they be never so great howsoever the Image of God is upon them in regard of their authority and the like yet in their dispositions they are base and slaves to their corruptions and to Sathan they are not out of the base rancke of nature Now a man that is a child of God hee is taken into a better condition and hath a spirituall liberty in him hee judgeth all things and is judged of none they may call him this and that it is but malice and a spice of the sinne against the holy Ghost but their hearts tells them he is otherwise he shall judge them ere long for The Saints shall judge the world therefore Christians should know and take notice of their excellency where the Spirit of God is there is liberty to judge all things as farre as they come within their reach and calling to judge aright of all things therefore we should know how to maintaine the credite of a Christian that is to maintaine a liberty independant upon all but God and other things with reservation as farre as they agree with conscience and religion thus we see how we may judge of this liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty He doth not say licenciousnesse to shake off all governement for by too much licenciousnesse all liberty is lost but where the Spirit of God is there is liberty for a true Christian is the greatest servant and the greatest freeman in the world for he hath a Spirit that will yeeld to none in things Spirituall he reserves a liberty for his judgement yet for outward conformity of life and conversation he is a servant to all to doe them good love makes him a servant Christ was the greatest servant that ever was he was both the servant of God and our servant and there is none so free the greater portion of the Spirit the more inward and Spirituall freedome and the more freedome the more disposition to serve one another in love and to doe all things that a man should doe outwardly all things that are lawfull we must take heede of that mistake not this Spirituall liberty it stands with conformity to all good lawes and all good orders and there is a great mistake of carnall men for want of this they thinke it liberty to doe as men list it is true if a man have a strong and a holy understanding to be a good leader to it but it is the greatest bondage in the world to have most freedome in iâ—l as I sayd before those that are most free in ill are most slaves of all for their corruptions will not suffer them to heare good things to bee where good things are spoâ—en to accompany with those that are good their corruptions hath them in so narrow a custodie some kinde of men their corruptions are so malignant and binding that they will not suffer them to be in any opportunity wherein their corruptions may be restrayned at all but they hate the very sight of persons that may restraine them and all lawes that might restraine them Now this is the greatest slavery in the world for a man to have no acquaintance with that that is contrary to his corrupt disposition Well new Lords new Lawes as soone as ever a man is in Christ and hath Christs Spirit he hath another law in his soule to rule him contrary to that that there was before before he was ruled by the law of his lusts that carried him whither he would but now in Christ he hath a new Lord and a new law and that rules him according to the regiment of the Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Vse 4 Againe seeing where the Spirit of God is there is this sweete and glorious liberty let us take heede by all meanes that we doe not grieve the Spirit when wee finde the holy Ghost in the use of any good meanes to touch upon our soules oh give him entrance and way to come into his owne chamber as it were to provide a roome for himselfe as Cyprian saith Consecra habitaculum c. enter into thy bed chamber consecrate a habitation for thy selfe so let us give him way to come into our soules when hee knockes by his sweete motions Wee that live in the Church there is none of us all but our hearts tell us that we have ofâ—en reâ—isted the holy Ghost weâ— might have beene saved if we had not beene rebellious and opposite Grieve not the Spirit by any meanes Quest. How is the Spirit grieved Ans. Especially these two or three wayes Answ. The Spirit being a Spirit of holinesse is grieved with uncleane courses with uncleane motions and words and actions he is called the holy Spirit and he stirres up in the soule holy motions like himselfe he breathes into us holy motions and hee breathes out of us good and holy and savory words and stirres us up to holy actions Now when we give liberty to our mouthes to speake rottenly to sweare I am ashamed almost to name that word when we give liberty to such filthinesse is not this a grieving of the Spirit if we have the Spirit at all If wee have not a care to grieve our selves doe we not grieve all about us therefore take heed of all filthy unholy words thoughts or carriages it grieves the Spirit Then the Spirit is a Spirit of love take heede of cankor and malice wee grieve the Spirit of God by cherishing cankor and malice one against another it drives away the sweete spirit of love therefore make conscience of grieving the Spirit he will not rest in a malicious heart who is the Spirit of love Againe the Spirit of Christ wheresoever it is it is joyned with a spirit of humility God gives grace to the humble it empties the soule that it may fill it it empties it of what is in it of windy vanity and fills it with it selfe therefore those that are filled with vaine high proud conceites they grieve and keepe out the good Spirit of God for wee should empty our soules that the Spirit of God may have a large dwelling there or else we grieve the Spirit in a word any sinne against conscience grieves the Spirit of God and hinders spirituall liberty because Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty would we preserve liberty we must preserve the Spirit if we sinne against conscience wee hinder liberty every way we hinder our liberty to good duties when a man sinnes against conscience hee is dead to good actions conscience tells him why doe you goe about it you have done this and that
hath done for us Christ hath freed us by his death from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God from death and damnation and the like Now whatsoever Christ hath done the Spirit workes faith to make this our own by uniting us to Christ when Christ and wee are one his sufferings are ours and his victory is ours all is ours then the Spirit perswading us of the love of God and Christ redeeming us from that cursed slavery wee were in that Spirit it workes love in us and other graces whereby the dominion of sinne is broken more and more and wee are set at liberty by the Spirit Now the Spirit doth not worke liberty properly originally but Christ is the grand redeemer but Christ redeemeth two wayes He redeemes us by paying the price and so he only redeemeth for he payed the price to divine justice wee are in bondage to the wrath of God under his justice and so there must be satisfaction to justice before wee can bee free Then we are in bondage to Sathan as Gods Executioner and Iaylor now from him we are freed by strong hand so Christ freeâ—eth us by his holy Spirit working such graces in us as makes us see the loathsomenes of that bondage working likewise grace in us to be in love with a better condition that the Spirit discovers to us so that the Spirit brings us out by discovery and by power All that Christ freeth by vertue of redemption paying the price for all those hee frees likewise by his Spirit discovering to them their bondage and the blessed condition whereunto they are to bee brought to a state of freedome which freedome hee perfects by little and little till he bring them to a glorious freedome in heaven And the reason of this that where Christ doth free by way of redemption to dye and satisfie Gods justice for any to those hee gives his Spirit by which Spirit they are set at liberty the reasons are manifold to name one or two Christ doth save all that hee doth save answerable to the nature of the party saved hee saves them as reasonable persons for he saves us that he may make us friends hee saves us as men and redeemes us as men he doth not only pay a price for us as wee buy a thing that is dead but likewise he frees us so as wee may understand to what and by whom wee are freed and what condition wee are freed from therefore there must be a spirit joyned with the worke of Christ to informe us throughly being creatures fit to bee informed And God intending to come into covenant with us that we may be friends with him which is our glory and happinesse he acquaints us as frends with all the favours and blessings that hee hath done for us hee acquaints us what misery hee brings us out of and what happinesse he brings us unto and what is our duty this is the worke of the spirit to shew us what he hath done for us that we may be friends And then it is a ground to love God God saveth us by a way of love in the covenant of grace his desire is that wee may love him againe and maintaine love Now how can this bee without the Spirit of God discover what God in Christ hath done for us therefore there must bee the Spirit to shew to the eye of the soule and to tell us this Christ hath done for us Then againe there must be a fitting for Heaven for that glory that God intends us in election now this fitting must be altogether by the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctifyed Christ in the wombe the same Spirit that annointed Christ annoints all those that are Christs that they may be fit for so glorious a head so there must bee the Spirit as well as Christ in the worke of redemption and liberty Now this Spirit of God doth set us at liberty in all the course and whole carriage of Salvation from the beginning to the end Hee sets us at liberty at the first in calling us He sets us at liberty when we are justified Hee sets us at liberty when he sanctifieth us And hee sets us then at liberty fully in glorification First of all the Spirit of God is a Spirit of liberty when we are first called powerfully and effectually For living in the Church sets us not at liberty unlesse the spirit stir us up to answere a divine call for many are called but few are chosen In the Church there is Hagar and Ishmael as well as Isaack there are hypocrites as well as sound Christians there is outward baptisme as well as inward there is outward circumcision of the flesh as well as inward of the Spirit a man may have all these outward priviledges and yet notwithstanding be a slave in the bosome of the Church for Ishmael was a bondslave though he were in the house of Abraham therefore the first beginning of spirituall liberty is when the spirit of God in the ordinances in the meanes of Salvation stirres up the heart to answere Gods call as it were when we are exhorted to beleeve and repent the Spirit gives power to Eccho to God Lord I beleeve helpe thou my unbeleefe Lord I repent and desire to repent more and more when the spirit of God in the ordinance saith seeke my face Thy face Lord will I seeke be thou mine Lord and I will be thine this spirituall Eccho and answere of the soule comes from the Spirit of God in calling and it is the first degree of liberty Now this answere of the soule by the power of the spirit overpowring our corruptions is together with the obedience of the inward man to goe out for man answereth the call not onely by the speech of the heart Lord I doe it but he doth it indeede therefore when by the power of the Spirit we come out of the world and out of our corruptions and walke more freely in the wayes of God then we are set at spirituall liberty now the Spirit doth all this for if it were not the Spirit that perswaded the soule when the Minister speakes alas all ministeriall perswasions are to no purpose if the Spirit doe not stirre up the soule to answere all speech is to no purpose from men but this the Spirit doth in the first place he openeth the eyes with spirituall eye salve to see our naturall bondage he openeth our eyes to see I must come out of this condition if I will be saved of necessity or else I am miserable for ever and it is enough for the soule of a miserable man if he be convinced to see his misery and bondage what he is by nature for let us be convinced of that once and all the rest of the linkes of the golden chaine of Salvation will follow let a mâ—n be convinced that he is as the Scripture saith he is
and as hereafter he shall finde to his cost you shall not neede to bid him come out of his conversation and condition and worldly course that he is in all this will follow where there is conviction of Spirit therefore the first worke of the Spirit in Spirituall liberty is to convince us of sinne and misery and then to worke as I sayd an answere of the soule and an obedience of the whole man this I will not bee long in being a cleare point Where the Spirit is there is liberty againe in matter of justification there is a liberty and freedome of conscience from sinne and the curse of sinne and all the danger that followes upon sinne by the Spirit Object But you will say the liberty of justification is wrought by Christ wee are justified by the obedience of Christ and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us Answ. It is true Christ is our righteousnesse but what is that to us except wee have something to put it on except we be united to Christ what good have wee by Christ if Christ bee not ours if there be not a spirituall marriage what benefit have we by him if we have not him to pay our debt for his riches to bee ours and our debt to bee his there must be a union first Now this union is wrought by the Spirit it is begun in effectuall calling from this union there comes to bee a change his righteousnesse is mine as if I had obeyed and done it by my selfe and my debts and sinnes are his this is by the Spirit because the union betweene Christ and mee is by the Spirit for whatsoever Christ hath done it is nothing to me till there be a Vnion and then freedome is by the Spirit likewise because the Spirit of God workes faith in me not onely to unite and knit me to Christ but faith to perswade me that Christ is mine and that all his is mine and that my debts are his this supernaturall hand of faith the Spirit workes to lay hold upon Christ and then to perswade me for the Spirit is a lightsome thing and together with the graces it tells mee the graces it workes As reason besides reason it tells me that I use reason when I doe it hath a reflex act so the Spirit of Christ it hath a reflex act upon it selfe for being above reason it doth not onely lay hold upon Christ it doth not onely doe the worke but it tels me that I doe so when I doe therefore it not onely tells me that Christ is mine when I beleeve but it assures mee that I doe beleeve it carries a light of its owne I know the light by the light and reason by reason and faith by faith together with the reflex act joyning with it so that the reflect act joyning with it so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect as it is a meanes of union whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine and mine to be Christs and likewise it assures me that I doe beleeve when I doe beleeve without errour for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ not onely to know the priviledges by Christ but the graces of Christ. And beloved unlesse the Spirit should doe it it would never be done for the soule of man is so full of terrours and feares and jelousies that except the Spirit of God witnesse to my spirit that God is reconciled in Christ and that Christs righteousnesse is mine I could never be perswaded of it for the soule it alway thinkes God is holinesse it selfe and I am a masse of sinne what reason have I to thinke that God will bee so favourable to such a wretch to such a lumpe of sinne as I am were it not that God the Sonne hath satisfied God the Father God hath satisfied God and the Spirit certifies my conscience so the Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God that knows whâ—â— love is in the brest of God and therefore he searcheth the heart hee searcheth the heart of God and he searcheth my spirit except the Spirit should tell me that God the Sonne hath satisfied and God the Father will accept of the satisfaction of God the Sonne I should never bleeve it therefore God must stablish the heart in a gracious liberty of justification as well as that God the Sonne hath wrought it It is no wonder that men of great parts without grace are full of terrours and despaire for the more parts and wit a man hath without the Spirit of God the more hee disputes against himselfe and entangles himselfe with desperate thoughts but when the Spirit is brought to speake peace to the soule in Christ and makes the soule to cast it selfe on him for salvation then Gods Spirit is above the conscience though conscience be above all things else yet God is above conscience and can still the conscience and the Spirit tells us that God the Father is reconciled by the death of God the Sonne and when God witnesseth what God hath wrought then conscience is at peace Thus we see how the Spirit sets us at liberty in the great matter of justification So likewise in the matter of holy life in the whole course of a holy life Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty and freedome from the slavery of sinne for there the understanding is freed from the bondage of ignorance and there the will is freed from the bondage of rebellion there the affections likewise and the whole inward and outward man is freed but this liberty of holinesse inherent liberty it doth spring from the liberty that wee have by justification by the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are perfectly righteous and freed from all the title that Sathan hath in us wee are freed from the curse of God from the Law are inabled in a course of Sanctification to goe on from grace to grace the Spirit of Christ comes after justification for whom God gives forgivenesse unto hee gives his Spirit to sanctifie them the same Spirit that assures mee of the pardon of my sinne sanctifies my nature where the Spirit is of sanctification it breakes the ruling power of sinne before then the whole life is nothing but a continuall sinning offending of God but now there is a gracious liberty of disposition a largenesse of heart which followes the liberty of condition when a man is free in state and law from wrath and from the sentence of damnation then he hath a free and volentary disposition wrought to serve God freely without feare or constraint When a man is under the bondage of the Law when he is under the feare of death being armed with a sting whatsoever he doth he doth it with a slavish minde where the Spirit of God is there is the Spirit of adoption the Spirit of Sonnes which is
liberty of will but God saw wee were all ill husbands of grace and goodnesse that he would not trust us againe therefore he trusted God-man the second Adam with grace and hee sends his Spirit into us and conveyes grace from glory to glory by degrees and all by the Spirit of the Lord. And in the next place this point of doctrine should mervailously comfort and stay us and direct us Vse 2 It should comfort us when we finde no goodnesse at all nor no strength at all nor no strength at all in our natures doth God expect that wee should have any thing from our selves who expects any thing from a barren wildernesse our hearts are such God knowes it well enough there is no goodnesse in us no more than there is moysture in a stone or a rocke therefore he looks that we should begge the Spirit of him and depend upon him for the Spirit of his Sonne to open our eyes with the Spirit of illumination to reveale his love to us and then to sanctifie us and to worke us more and more to glory and to worke out all corruption by little and little he expects that we should depend upon him for the Spirit in all things we doe Therefore Christians are much to blame they thinke to worke and to hew out of their owne nature the love of God and keepe a doe with their owne hearts as if they had a principle of grace in themselves as of themselves and they may long enough worke that way but that is not the way but acknowledgement that in our selves as of our selves as Saint Paul saith we cannot doe any thing we cannot so much by all the power in the world as thinke a good thought If wee should live a thousand yeares there cannot rise out of our hearts a good desire of our selves all is out of us from the Spirit of the Lord Now thereupon we must not looke for it in our selves but goe to God for his holy Spâ—rit goe to Christ for his Spirit for the Spirit proceeds from them both that hee would enlighten us and sanctifie us as I shewed in particular before we must not therefore presume that we can doe any thing of our selves and so wee must not despaire shall we despaire when once wee beleeve in Christ when we have abundance of grace and Spirit in our head Christ and he can derive his Spirit as hee pleaseth he gives the Spirit by degrees as he pleaseth for he is a voluntary head to dispence it as he will he is not a naturall head who shall despaire when he is in Christ who is compleate and in him wee receive grace for grace grace answerable for grace in him Let none presume that he can doe any thing of himselfe for you see how God suffered holy men to miscarry it was folly in this case in Peter to presume of his owne strength Though all forsooke Christ yet would not he he presumed upon his owne strength God left him to himselfe you see how foulely he fell so it is with us all when wee presume upon the strength of our nature and parts We must not come to this holy place in the strength of our owne wit and parts but come with a desire that the Spirit may joyne with his ordinances and make them efficatious for our change all change is by the Spirit of the Lord nothing workes above his owne sphere It is above the powâ—r of nature to worke any thing supernaturall therefore if we will profit by the Word come not with presumptuous spirits but lift up our hearts to God that his Spirit may cloath the ministery with vigour and power that he may convey holy truthes into our hearts and make them effectuâ—ll for the changing of the inward and of the outward man then we come as we should all is by the Spirit of the Lord blessing all meanes whatsoever without which all meanes are dead therefore we must open as that flower that opens and shuts as the Sunne shines on it so must wee as Christ shines on us and we ebbe and flow as hee flowes upon us we shine or are darke as hee shines on us as the ayre is no longer light than the sunne shines so we are no longer lightsome and open and flow and are carryed to any thing than Christ by his Spirit flowes on us for we doe what we doe but we are patients first to receive that power from the Spirit we heare and doe good workes but the activity and power and strength comes all from the Spirit of God Vse 3 Hence likewise wee may make another use of tryall whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no whether wee have the holy Ghost which is called here the Spirit of the Lord I will not goe out of the text for tryalls if a man have the Spirit of God it openeth the eyes of his soule to see in the glasse of the Word the face of God shining on him in Christ if a man have the Spirit he sees God as a Father by the Spirit of â—illumination AgaineÌ„ if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast the Spirit of love Gods Spirit manifesteth the hidden love of God that was hid in the breast of God to his soule for the Spirit of God searcheth the breast of God and the secret of God and it searcheth my heart Now he that hath the Spirit of God knowes the love of God in Christ to him it reveales the love of God the heighth and breadth and depth of it to our Spirits as in the text we see the gracious love of God in Christ and then wee love him againe And thereupon where the Spirit is it changeth it is not onely a Spirit of illumination but of sanctification where hee dwels hee sanctifieth the house and makes it a Temple it is efficatious where the Spirit is it will worke it is like the wind where it is it will stirre it will move where it moves not it is not at all where the Spirit alters not the condition from bad to good and from good to better suspect that it is not there at least it will move as the pulses will have a drawing in and a sending out by stirring so there will be some operation of the Spirit that is discernable to a judicious eye alway some stirring where the Spirit of God is The Papists slander us willingly I thinke against many of their consciences that understand any thingâ— Oh say they we will have Christians like sathan to appeare as Angels of light and blackamores in white garments that have their teeth white and nothing else so your Christians put on the garment of Christs righteousnesse let them put on that and then though they be not changed a whit it is no matter who teacheth thus we teach out of this Text that First of all the Spirit of God opens our eyes he takes off the vayle and then wee see the
us is according to the Image of Christ that we may be like Christ so Christ is the beginning and the end and Christ is all hee workes from Christ and to Christ. Let us examine therefore if wee have the Spirit of Christ whether it change us and examine if wee have the Spirit from what reasons and grounds it changes us and then wee may upon some comfortable grounds say we have the Spirit indeed If we have not the Spirit how shall we come to have the Spirit what meanes must wee use to get it In a word this Chapter excellently sets out that for the Gospell is called the Ministery of the Spirit for the opening of the love of God in Christ which is the Gospell is the Mynistery of the Spirit why because God hath joyned the Spirit with the publishing and opening of these mysteries therefore study the Gospell and heare unfolded divine Evangelicall truthes the more wee heare of the sweete love of God in Christ the more the Spirit flowes into the soule together with it the Spirit goes together with the Doctrine of the Gospell which is called the ministery of the Spirit Therefore let us delight in hearing Evangelicall poynts the love of God opened in Christ. A civill morall man Oh he is taken mightily if hee heare a morall witty pollitique discourse that toucheth him and he is in his element then What is this to the Gospell this hath its use Oh but the Spirit goes with the opening of the Gospell with Evangelicall points and if our hearts were ever seasoned with the love of God these points of Christ and the benefits and priviledges by Christ they will affect us more then any other things in the world that is one meanes to studdy the Gospell to heare the truths of the Gospell opened where the Spirit workes Againe the Spirit of the Lord it is given to us usually in holy community the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the Actes when they were gathered together and surely wee never finde sweeter motions of the Spirit then now when wee are gathered at such times about holy businesse as this day wee never find the Spirit more effectuall to alter and change our soules then at such times Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the midst of you but by the Spirit saith Christ warming and altering and changing the soule For God infâ—seth al grace in communion as we are members of the body mysticall those that have â—ullen spirits a spirit of separation that scorne all meetings they are carryed with the spirit of the devill and of the world they know not what belongs to the things of God It is the meeâ—e spirit that subjects it selfe to the Ordinance of God the Holy Ghost falls usually upon men when they are in holy Communion And in Luke 11. there God will give the Holy Ghost to all that begge him pray for the holy Ghost as the most excellent thing in the world he shal be given to them that begge him as if he should say there is nothing greater then that and God will give him to them that aske him Therefore come to God and in any thing wee have to doe empty our selves and beg the Spirit for the more a man empties him of his owne confidence in regard of holy performance of duties the more wee wil desire to be filled with the fullnesse of the Spirit and this sense of our owne emptines will force prayer Therefore know that of our selves wee can doe nothing holily that may further our reckoning but by the Spirit doe all things therefore in a sense of our owne emptinesse and begge the Spirit As likewise when wee are framed by the Spirit to obedience those that obey the motions of the Spirit the Spirit joynes morâ— and more closely with their soules God gives his Spirit to them that obey him those that obey the first motions of the Spirit they have further degrees What is the reason that men have no more Spirit in the Ordinances The holy Ghost knockes at their hearts and would faine have entrance and they resist it as Stephen saith now the Holy Ghost is willing to enter upon the soule but he is resisted therefore if you will have him more and more let us open our soules that the King of glory may come in the Spirit is willing to enter especially in holy assemblies saith Saint Iohn I was on the Lords day I was in the Spirit that is as if he were drowned in the Spirit on the Lords day when we are about holy exercises we are never more in the Spirit than then let us open our soules to the Spirit and then we shall find the Spirit joyning with our soules the Spirit is more willing to save us and to sanctifie us then wee are to entertaine him Oh that we were willing to entertaine the sweete motions of the Spirit our natures would not be so defiled and we so uncomfortable as we are there are none of us all but wee finde comfortable motions in holy exercises thus wee may get the Spirit of the Lord that doth all that illuminates and sanctifieth and ruleth and rests in us Vse 4 And let us learne I beseech you hence to give the third glorious person the Holy Ghost his due since wee have all by the Spirit let us learne to give the Spirit his due and learne how to make use of the worke of the Spirit there are severall workes of the Spirit you see here what the Spirit doth We all the Spirit unites us together it is a Spirit of union it knits all together by one faith to God all meete in God the Father reconciled and we all are joyned together by love wrought by the Spirit With open face who takes away the vayle wee are all vayled by nature the Spirit takes away the vaile from our eyes and from the truth what is the reason the Gospell is so obscure the Spirit takes not away the vaile it teacheth not by the Ministery or else it takes not away the vaile from the eyes the Spirit takes away the scales from our eyes and the Spirit in the ministery takes away the obscurity of the Scriptures all those that wee call graces the free gifts the ministeriall gifts they are the gifts and the graces of the Spirit and they are for the graces of the Spirit skill in tongues and in the Scriptures and in other learning are given to men that they may take away the vaile from the the Scriptures that they may be lightsome and then when the Spirit is given he takes away the vaile from the soule by his owne worke and then with open face we behold the glory of the Lord What doth open our eyes to see when the vaile is taken off the Spirit wee have no inward light nor sight but by the illumination of the Spirit all light in the things and all sight in us it is by
THE EXCELLENCIE OF THE GOSPELL above the LAW Wherein the Liberty of the Sonnes of God is shewed With the Image of their Graces here and Glory hereafter Which affords much Comfort and great Incouragement to all such as Begin Timely and Continue Constantly in the wayes of God By R. Sibbs D. D. Mr. of Katherin Hall Cambridge and Preacher of Grayes-Inne London Begun in his life time and published by T. G. and P. N. LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes and are to be sold bâ— Iohn Bartlet at his shop at the Signe of the guiâ—â— Cup neere S. Austins gate 1639. The Contents VVHat 's meant by Spirit 15. Christ. †1. Hath the Spirit 16. 1. In himselfe ib. 2. In greater measure than any other 17. Quest. When was the fullest measure of the Spirit in Christ 24. †2. Giveth the Spirit 25. 1. To Ordinances 25. 2. To Persons 27. He worketh all by the Spirit 28. He communicates the Spirit to us diverse wayes 34. Influence ib. Merit 35. Example 37. Quest. Why the Spirit was given in greatest abundance after the resurrection 38. Vse 1. How to reconâ—ile Scriptures 44. Vse 2. Why the Ordinances are no more effectuall 45. Vse 3. Of comfort from the exaltation of our nature in Christ. Formality is the sinne of this age 50 Vse 4. Comfort that Christ hath fulnesse of the Spirit 52. Why Christians are so darke spirited 54 Vse 5. We must labour to be in Christ that we may get the Spirit 57. Motives to get it 57. 58. c. The Spirit is the Soule of the Soule 63. How to know if we have the Spirit ib. c. The Spirit compared to fire 65. 66 It convinceth and what it is to convince 67. 68 It makes us like unto Christ. 69 Directions how to get the Spirit 70. 71 c. 1. The knowledge of Christ makes all things comfortable 73 74 2. We must not trust to any performance without Christ. 75 3. We must be carefull of the meanes 76 77 The Spirit workes Liberty 78 And Liberty is desired of all men 79 There is Liberty 1. Christian. 81 2. Evangelicall 82 We are in bondage without the Spirit 89 The more Liberty without Christ the more Slavery 85 Liberty wrought by Christ applyed by the Spirit 89 How the Spirit worketh Liberty 89 90 As 1. By Correction 90 2. By Faith ib. 3. By Love ib. Christ redeemeth a wayes 1. By Price 91 2. By strong hand 92 All that Christ redeemes he frees by his Spirit 93 The reasons are foure 1. Because wee are saved as Men. 91 2. We are freed to be friends with God 93 3. Else we cannot love God 95 4. Else wee cannot be fitted for heaven 96. The Spirit sets us at liberty in all the course of Salvation from the beginning to the end 96 Instances hereof 1. In our Vocation 97 2. In our justification 102 3. In our Sanctification 110 4. In our Glorification No benefit by Christ without Vnion 103 The heart is full of feares without the Spirit 106 Why men of great parts without the Spirit are in great feares 108 109. Sanctification springs from Iustification 110 Sanctified Christians esteeme basely of all things but Christ. 113. The Liberty of Sanctification is not a liberty of freedome from all conflicts 116 Comforts against the dullnesse of flesh 117. Christians are Kings over their lusts 122 As appeares 1. By their freedome from the consequents of sinne 124 2. By their freedome in good 4. Witnesse 236 Pretty short but sweete uses of these 237 c. Why men are enemies to Gods free grace 240 c. The glory of God greater in the Gospell then in 1. Adam 242 243 c. 2. It is above that in Creation 244 3. Than to Angels 245 The Vses of it 249 250 c. 257 c 262 c. How to thinke of mercy in temptation 264 Often offences exclude not mercy 266 The Gospel discovers Christs mind to us 271. and his love 274 275 We cannot see divine things but in a glasse that is darkely 280 How our soules are helped by our senses 289 The Sacraments are Gods glasses to see Gods love in Christ. 290 291 c. Wee see God diverse wayes 1. In his creatures 297 2. In his word ibid. 3. In Christ in the flesh 298 4. By faith 299 Faith compared to sight foure wayes 1. As the noblest sense 301 2. As the largest ibid. 3. As the surest 302 4. As the most working 303 How to keepe the eye of the Soule cleâ—re 305 What the vaiâ—es are that hinder our beholding of Christ. 314 315 A twofold use of a Vayle 1. Of subjection 2. Of obscurity 316 Wee have boldnesse in the Gospel 319 c. 321 c. How to recover boldnesse with God 326 327 The Church inlarged by Christs comming 332 A necessity of our change 338 c. And why 340 341 c. This change twofold 1. Reall â— Graduall 345 Christ the patterne of this change 358 And why 362 c. Christians musts study Christ 372 c. How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell 38â— The more we are like Christ the more wee are beloved of God 389 How to become like Christ. 391 Three things comfortable to us in Christs death 395 How to know that wee are changed to Christs Image 401 c. Motives to stir us up to get Christs Image 406 407 Christ in this change is all in all 414 415 Every good thing in man is in Christ first 418 The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell Three sights most efficacious and comfortable 1. To see God in Christ. 2. Christ to see us in God 3. Wee to see our selves in Christ. 430 c. How to know that we see the glory of God as we ought 434 Love works imitation 436 No saving knowledge without a change 440 The glory of a Christian very large 444 Foure degrees of it 445 Christs Image is grace and glory 452 The glorious condition of a Christian enlarged 451. 460. 472. 476 Why the world despiseth those that are gracious 465 466 c We must labour for grace that we may be glorious 474 Why men maligne those that are good 479 480 c. Wee must not blemish our grace by sinning against conscience 481 Grace will cheere us against the disparagements of the world 483 c. The esteeme of grace a note of grace 486 Grace and Glory goe both under one name 490 c. Grace is of a growing condition 498 499. 503. 518. No change in Heaven 531 c. There be degrees in the glory of a Christian. 536 T is a part of Heaven to know the glory of it 541 Growth in grace notes the truth of grace 542 Its growth insensible 548 Christians compared to the best things 558 A wicked man cannot desire heaven 560 Comforts against death and reproaches 559. 565 Christians must thanke God for glory to come 568 569 c. All good in us by the Spirit 574
quickeâ—s all his members too first hee receives the Spirit himselfe and the same Spirit that filled and sanctified his humane nature the samâ— Spirit sanctifieth his Church which hee loves even as himselfe as he loveth that his owne humane nature which the holy Ghost sanctified so doth he love his owne mysticall body his Church being mystically united to him and sanctifieth it by the same Spirit Christ dispenseth his Spirit unto us as Head of his Church and this he doth in divers respects 1. As he is God by way of immediate influence he powreth it out upon us as the prime and pricipall cause and this he doth as God not as man for the Man-hood cannot worke above it selfe it cannot doe the worke of God it cannot worke grace or give the Spirit 2. As he is Man considered as joyned together with the God-head by way of merit and satisfaction he procureth the Spirit to bee given powred out which is done by the Father and the Sonne on all those who are beloved in the Sonne so that the Spirit is given by Christ with the Father as Mediator Meritoriously for hee by suffering and satisfying procured the gift Christ himselfe is the first gift yea the greatest that ever was given the giving of Christ to dye to satisfie the wrath of God and to obtaine eternall life Next to 〈◊〉 maine gift is the gift of the Spirit in which is the seed of all gifts and graces and this we have by his Merit and Mediatorship Yet this wee must likewise remember that although Christ be sayd to give the Spirit as he doth yet the holy Spirit giveth it selfe too for there is such an unity in the Trinity of consent and nature that though the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit yet the Spirit comes of his owne selfe though the Father and the Sonne give the Spirit yet the Spirit giveth himselfe 3. Wee have the Spirit from Christ not onely by way of Merit but in some kind by way of Example hee is the exemplary cause of all graces in us looking to whom wee are transformed as wee shall see afterwards from glory to glory For when wee consider that Christ hath done so much for us as to save us and redeeme us and dye for us this begetteth a love in us to Christ and makes us often to thinke of him and desirous to imitate him as wee usually doe such as we love and highly esteeme of The dispensation of the Spirit is in most abundance after the resurrection of Christ as hee appeared in himselfe then to bee most spirituall and glorious after he rose againe so then being as the Sun in its full height and perfect beauty casteth his beames most plentifully abroad and that for these reasons 1. Because then hee having finished the worke of Redemption and satisfied the wrath of God fully and given contentment to Divine Justice and accomplished all by his death there was nothing to hinder the blessed gift of the Spirit It is sayd that before the holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not glorified The gift of the holy Ghost especially depends upon the glorifying of Christ when he had fulfilled the worke of Redemption and was raised to glory God being pacified gave the holy Ghost as a gift of his favour 2. Then againe after his Resurrection and Ascension he did give the holy Ghost more abundantly than before to his Church because now hee is in heaven and hath the advantage of the place being exalted on high As that glorious creature the Sunne by the advantage it hath being placed in the heavens above us is able to shine upon the greatest part of the earth at all times and wee need not call the Sunne downe from its place to come into our houses or fields or gardens no where it is seated in its proper place or orbe it hath the best opportunity in most abundance and largest extent to send downe heat and light and influence to inferiour things So Christ doth his Church more good now he is in heaven from whence he sends the Spirit then hee could doe if hee were below because though his Humane nature be confined in heaven his person is every where and being ascended now farre above all heavens he giveth gifts more liberally and plentifully insomuch as he filleth all things Eph. 4. hee enlargeth the tents of his Gospel and hath taken in a greater people to himselfe We see in Winter when the Sunne is low and neare the earth all things are dead and cold but when the Sunne in the Spring commeth to over-top us to bee in a higher point above us wee see how all things put a new garment upon them there is a new vigour and freshnesse in them so there was more abundant vigour of the Spirit when Christ came in the Flesh his vertue appeared much more every way then before But when this blessed Sonne of righteousnesse was advanced and seated at the right hand of his Father where his Nature was perfectly inriched and perfectly adorned with all kind of graces whatsoever in the highest glory of them his influence of light and heat now beginneth to be increased and the efficacy and working of it to bee felt every where The glorious beams of the Sunne beganne to be scattered and the light of the Gospel to shine to a greater number of people now there was no respect of persons whether Jew or Gentile bond or free male or female all was one the Commission was enlarged to all Mark 16. Goe preach the Gospell to every Creature and with the Word the Spirit went and was received and those that were added to the Church even such as should be saved were many thousands Thus have wee opened the meaning of the words and shewed how Christ is that Spirit both in respect of the Spirits being eminently in him and his giving of it and spirituall gifts by it all the vigour and life and influence we have that is spirituall and supernaturall and above the ordinary course is from the Spirit and whatsoever the Spirit hath or doth for us is done as sent from Christ in whom the Spirit is in all fulnesse Now wee shall shew how many wayes the consideration of these truths will be profitable and usefull to us in the course oâ— our lives and for the comfort of our spirits Vse Christ is the Spirit of the Scriptures of all Truths of all Ordinances Wee may be this bee able to reconcile the Scriptures one place with another where they sâ—eme to contradict The Law is said to be a 〈…〉 a ministr ation of condemnation c. 2. Cor. â— but in the 19. Psal. there it is sayd The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. These places are thus reconciled The Law is said to be dead so it is without Christ without the Spirit which quickneth and so is â—he Gospell too even a savour of death and so
not away nay it strengthneth the liberty of the soule it is an idle objection and a great stay of many that are willing to be deceived oh if grace confine a man determine him as the word is sway him one way perpetually that hee holds on to the end and leaves him not at liberty to his will this confining and swaying one way it is an abridging him of his liberty c. No for it comes not from weakenesse of understanding but from strength of understanding and it is perfect liberty to doe well therefore on the contrary it is so farre from abridgeing the liberty of the soule that it cannot doe ill or that it cannot but persevere to doe good that â—t is the strength of liberty For I would know whether the first Adams liberty were greater or the liberty in heaven the second Adams liberty our liberty in grace or that in glory the liberty of the first man was that he might not sinne if hee would the liberty of Christ was that he could not sinne at all which thinke you was the chiefe he that could not or hee that might sinne if hee would was there not a more gracious and blessed liberty in Christ than in Adam when he might not sinne if he would Is this a worse liberty then when a man cannot sinne so when the Spirit of God beares that sway over the soule and takes away that potentiallity and possibility to sinne that a man cannot sinne because hee will not his will is so carried by the strength of judgement this is the greatest good I will not moove out of this circle if I goe out of this I shall be unhappy and this is the greatest liberty of all What doe we pray in the Lords prayer but for this liberty Thy will bee done that is take me out of my owne will more and more conforme my will to thine in all things the more I doe so the more liberty I have the strength of that petition is that we may have perfect liberty in serving God The greatest and sweetest liberty is when wee have no liberty to sinne at all when we cannot sinne it is greater chastity not to have power to resist to be impregnable in continence and sobriety when there is such a measure of these graces as they are not to bee overcome it is greater strength than when they may be prevailed over so men mistake to thinke this the greatest liberty to have power to good or evill that is the imperfection of the creature man was at the first created free to either good or evill of himselfe that he might fall of himselfe this was not strength but a thing that followed the creature that came out of nothing and that was subject to fall to his owne principles againe but to have the soule stablished that it shall not have freedome to ill it is so stablished in good it hath the understanding so englightned and the will so conâ—irmed and strengthned that it is without danger of temptation that is properly glorious liberty and that is the better endowment of both so that we see it cleerely that grace takes not away liberty but establisheth it Now besides this inward spirituall liberty that we have by the Spirit there is an outward preserving liberty that must bee a little touched and that is two fold A liberty of preaching the Gospell and a liberty of discipline as well call it of government that is in the Church of God and should be at least in all places because wee are men and must have such helpes Now these are liberties that the Spirit bestowes upon the Church wheresoever there is an inward spirituall liberty men are brought into the Church by the liberty of the Gospell and preserved by government there must be a subjection to Pastors there must be teaching and some discipline or else all will be in a confusion Now this inward liberty is wrought by the liberty of the Gospell Quest. What is the liberty of the Gospell Ans. When there is a blessed liberty in the Church to have true liberty opened the Charter of our liberty Quest. What is the Charter of our liberty Answ. The Word of God when the Charter and Patent of our liberty is layd open in laying it open we come to have interest in those liberties therefore the liberty of the Temple the liberty of the Church of the Word and Sacraments and some order in the Church with it it brings in spirituall liberty and preserves it it is as it were the bonds and sinewes of the Church Now where the Spirit of God is with the Gospell there is this liberty of the Gospell there are the doores of the Temple and Sanctuary set open as blessed be God this kingdome hath had with the Spirituall liberty there is an outward liberty of the Tabernacle of God and the house of God that wee can all meete to heare the Word of God and to receive the Sacraments that we can all meete to call upon God in Spirit and in truth and these outward liberties beloved are blessed liberties for where God gives these outward liberties hee intends to bestow and to convey Spirituall liberty how shall we come to Spirituall liberty without unfolding the Charter the Word of God therefore Christ hath established a ministery Apostles and Doctors and Pastors to edifie the Church to the end of the world and therefore wee see where there is no outward liberty of unfolding the Word where there is no outword liberty of the ministery there wants this inward liberty for God by the preaching of the Gospell sets us at liberty Againe when Christ preached the Gospell first it was the yeere of Iubile Now in the yeare of Iubile all servants were set at liberty and those that had not sold their inheritances might recover them againe if they would this Iubile was a type of the Spirituall liberty that the Gospel sets us at those that have served sinne and Sathan before if they will regard the gracious promises of the Gospell they may of slaves of sinne and Sathan become the free men of Iesus Christ. But in those times some would be servants still and would not be set at liberty their eares were boared for perpetuall slaves and it is pitty but their eares should be boared for everlasting slaves that now in the glorious Iubile of the Gospell resolve still to be slaves When a Proclamation of liberty was made to come out of Babylon all that would many would sticke there still so many are in love with Egypt and Babylon and slavery it is pitty but they should bee slaves but those that have more noble spirits as they desire liberty so they should desire spirituall liberty especially and here you see how to come by it Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and where the ordinance of God is that is the ministery of the Spirit there is the Spirit
in it but see both these wrapped and knit together indissolvable our Salvation and Gods glory wee hinder Gods glory if we beleeve not his mercy in Christ to us so at once we wrong our selves and him and wee wrong him not in a meane attribute but in his mercy and goodnesse wherein hee hath appointed to glorifie himselfe most of all and therefore I beseech you let us yeeld to him the glory of his mercy and let us thinke that when wee sinne wee cannot glorifie him more then to have recourse to his mercy when Sathan tempts us to runne from God and discourageth us as hee will doe at such times then have but this in your thoughts God hath set himselfe to bee glorious in mercy above all other attributes and this is the first moving attribute that stirres up all the rest and therfore God will account himselfe honoured if I have recourse to him let this thought therefore be as a City of refuge when the avenger of blood followes thee flee presently to this sanctuary thinke thus let not mee deny my selfe comfort and God glory at once Where sinne abounds grace abounds much more Though sinnes after conversion staine our profession more then sinnes before conversion yet notwithstanding goe to the glorious mercy of God still to seventy times seventy times there is yet mercy for these we beseech you bee reconciled saith Saint Paul to the Corinthians when they were in the state of grace and had their pardon before let us never be discouraged from going to Christ. Oh but I haue offended often and grievously What saith the Prophet My thoughts are not as your thoughts but as high as the Heavens are above the earth c. Therefore howsoever amongst men oft offences breed an eternall allyenation yet notwithstanding with God it is not so but so oft as we can have Spirit to goe to God for mercy and spread our sinnes before him with broken and humble hearts so often we may take out our pardon Compare Exod. 33. with Exod. 34. Moses in Chap. 33. had desired to see the face of God there was some little curiosity perhaps in it God told him that none could see him and live to see the face of God in himselfe must be reserved for heaven we are not proportioned for that sight But in the next Chapter there he shewes himselfe to Moses and how doth he shew himselfe and his glory to Moses The Lord the Lord gracious mercifull long suffering cloathed all in sweete attributes he will be knowne by those names now then if wee would know the name of God and see God as hee is pleased and delighted to discover himselfe to us let us know him by those names that he proclaimes there shewing that the glory of the Lord in the Gospell especially shines in mercy and as I said before it must bee glorious mercy that can satisfie a distressed conscience how soever in the time of ease and peace we thinke a little mercy will serve the turne but when conscience is once awaked it must be glorious and infinite mercy must allay it And therefore those that finde their consciences any thing wounded with any sinne stand not out any longer with God come and yeeld lay downe your weapons there is mercy ready the Lord is glorious in his mercy in Iesus Christ it is a victorious triumphing mercy over all sinne and unworthinesse whatsoever Looke upon God in the face of Iesus Christ as you have it in 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded Light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledg of God in the face of Iesus Christ. In the face of Christ God is lovely lovelinesse and excellency is in the face above all the parts of the body The Glory of God Wee are never in such a condition as we ought to be except grace be glory to us and when is grace glory to a sinner Oh when he feeles the weight and burthen of his sinne and languishing desires Oh that I might have a droppe of mercy then grace is glory not onely in Gods esteeme but in the eye of the sinner indeed we are never soundly humbled till grace in our esteeme be glory that is till it appeare excellent and victorious I beseech you remember it we may have use of it in the time of desertion How is this grace of God in Christ conveyed to us yet nearer By the Gospell As in a glasse The Gospell is the good Word of God Heb. 6. It reveales the good God to us and the good Christ it is a sweete word for Christ could doe us no good without the word if there were not an obligation a covenant made betweene God and us the foundation of which covenant is the satisfaction of Christ if there were not promises built upon the covenant of grace whereby God hath made himselfe a debtor what claime could a sinfull soule have to Christ and to Gods mercy but God hath bound himselfe in his word therefore the grace of God shines in Christ and all that is in Christ is conveyed to us by the word by the promise The Gospell then is a sweete word You know that breeding promise of all others Gen. 3. The seed of the woman that repealed and conveyed the mercy of God in Christ to Adam So the continuance of that and all the sweet and gracious promises bud from that all meete in Christ as in a cenâ—er all are made for him and in him he is the summe of all the promises all the good things wee have are parsels of Christ Christ he is the word of the Father that discovers all from the bosome of his Father therefore he is named the Word the Gospell is the word froÌ„ him Christ was discovered to the Apostles and from the Apostles to us to the end of the world by his Spirit accompanying the ordinance so the Myrrour wherein we see the glorious mercy of God is first Christ God shines in him and then there is another glasse wherein Christ is discovered the glasse of the Gospell thus it pleaseth God to condiscend to stoope to us poore sinners to reveale his glory the glory of his mercy fitly and sutable in a Saviour God-man God incarnate God our Brother God our Kinsman and to doe it all yet more familiarly to discover it in a word and then to ordaine a Ministery together with the Word to lay open the riches of Christ for it is not the Gospell considered nakedly but the Gospell unfolded by the Ministery Christ is he great Ordinance of God for our Salvation the Gospell is the great Ordinance of God to lay open the unsearchable riches of Christ the casket of this Iewell the treasury of his treasure the grace and love and mercy of God are treasured in Christ and Christ and all good things are treasured in the Gospell that is the rich Myne and the Ministery of
what apprehensions we shall have of God there but sure it is more excellent than that that is here therefore this implyes imperfection We consist of body and soule in this world and our soules are much confined and tyed to our sences imagination propounds to the soule greater things than the sences so God helpes the soule by outward things that worke upon the sences sence upon the imagination and so things passe into the soule God frames his manner of dealing sutable to the nature he hath created us in therefore he useth the Word and Sacraments and such things whereby hee makes impressions upon the very soule it selfe And this indeed by the way makes Spirituall things so difficult as they are oft times because wee are too much inthralled to imagination and sence and cannot abstract and raise our minds from outward sensible things to spirituall things therefore you have some all the dayes of their life spend their time in the barke of the Scriptures and they are better than some others that are all for notion and out side such things as frame to the imagination and never come to know the Spirit of the Scriptures but rest in outward things in languages and tongues and such like whereas these things leade further or else they come not to their perfection the Scripture is but a glasse to see some other excellencies in it We see as in a glasse Now the use of a glasse among us especially is two fold It is either to helpe weakenesse of sight against the excellencie of the object when there is a weake sight and an over excellent object then a glasse is used or some polite and cleare body as we cannot see the sunne in it selfe the eye is weake and the sunne is glorious these two meeting therefore together we helpe it by seeing the Sunne in water as in an eclipse if a man would judge of an eclipse he must not looke on the sunne but see it in water and there behold and discerne these things so to see the glory of God in himselfe it is too glorious an object our eyes are too weake how doth God helpe it he helpes it by a glasse by God manifest in the flesh and by the Word and Sacraments whereby we come to have Communion with Christ to apply this more particularly Now that we are to receive the Sacrament conceive the Sacraments are glasses wherein wee see the glory of the love and mercy of God in Christ for take the bread alone as it doth not represent and figure better things and what is it and take the wine alone as it doth not represent better things and what is the wine but an ordinary poore creature Oh but take them as they are galsses as things that convey to the soule and represent things more excellent than themselves so they are glorious ordinances take a glasse as a glasse it is a poore thing but take the glasse as it represents a more excellent thing than it selfe so they are of excellent use so bread and wine must not be taken as naked elements but as they represent and convey a more excellent thing than themselves that is Christ and all his benefits the love and mercy and grace of God in Christ and so they are excellent glasses therefore I beseech you now when you are to receive the Sacrament let your mindes be more occupied than your sences when you take the bread thinke of the body of Christ broken and when you thinke of uniting the bread into one substance thinke of Christ and you made one when the wine is powred out thinke of the blood of Christ powred out for sinne when you thinke of the refreshing by the wine thinke of the refreshing of your spirits and soules by the love of God in Christ and of the love of Christ that did not spare his blood for your soules good how doth Christ crucified and shedding his blood refresh the guilty soule as wine refresheth the weake Spirits thus consider them as glasses where better things are presented and let your mindes bee occupied as well as your sences and then you shall be fit receivers as in a glasse We behold c. God when he made the World this glorious frame of the creatures and all their excellencies he created light to discover it selfe and all other excellencies for light is a glorious creature it discovers it selfe it goes with a majesty and discovers all other things good and bad whatsoever and together with light God created sight in man and other sences to apprehend the excellencie of the creation what were all this goodly frame of creatures the sunne and moone and starres and glory of the earth if there were not light to discover and sight to apprehend it by Is it so in this outward creation of the old heavens and old earth that must be consumed with fire and is it not much more in the new creation there is excellent glory mervailous glory wondrous grace and Christ c. must there be light and must there not be an eye to discover this surely there must therefore it is sayd here We behold God puts a Spirituall eye by his Spirit into all true beleevers whereby they behold this excellent glory this glorious grace that God may have the glory and wee the comfort those are the two maine ends God intends his owne glory and our Salvation there must be a beholding how should he have glory and wee comfort unlesse all were conveyed by spirituall sight Well then the Spirit creates and workes in us Spirituall sences with Spirituall life there are Spirituall sences sight and taste and feeling sight is here put for all We behold There are many degrees of sight it is good to know them therefore I will name some of them We see God in his creatures for The heavens declare the glory of God they are a booke in folio there God is layd open in his creatures that is a goodly sight but what is this to the knowledge of him in his will to us what he meanes to us the creatures discover not what he meanes to us Besides therefore the sight of God in the creatures there is a sight of God in his will in his Word and promises there we see what he is his grace is revealed in Christ and what his good will to us is and his will from us what he will doe to us and what he will have from us againe there wee see him as a spouse sees her husband in a loving letter which concernes her selfe we see him as the heire sees a deed made to him with an inheritance he sees with application it is not a bare sight but a sight with seeling and discovery of a favour so the sight in the Word and Sacraments it is a higher sight there was a sight of Christ when he was in the flesh when hee was covered with the vaile of our flesh upon
earth it was a sweeâ—e sight Abraham desired to see it and Simeon when he saw it was willing to be dissolved and to depart he had enough but that outward sight is nothing without another inward sight of faith There is a sight therefore of faith and other sights are to no purpose if they be without this a sight of God shining in Christ and this is perfected in heaven in the sight of glory when we see him as hee is Now there is a comfort in all these sights to see him in his Word and workes it was a glorious thing to see him in his bodily presence and by faith to see God in Christ to see his face in Christ oh it is a sweete and lovely sight to see God shining in Christ oh but what is all this to the sight of him after in glory Now this beholding meant here especially is the beholding of faith in the Ordinances in the Word and Sacraments We all behold as in the glasse of the Word and Sacraments by the eye of faith faith is expressed by beholding by knowledge for indeede faith is nothing but knowledge with application therefore faith includes knowledge what is faith but o know God and Christ and the promises as mine Christ in the Sacrament as mine as verily as the outward things are mine knowledge with application is faith therefore when I â—ay faith I include knowledge We behold The knowledge of the minde is compared to the eye of the body knowledge and faith is compaâ—ed to seeing and beholding for many reasons First because sight is the most gâ—orious and noble sence it is the highest in situation and the quickest in apprehension for in a moment presently sight apprehends its objâ—ct in the highest heavens so it is with faith it is the most noble sight of all and it is quicke as sight is for faith is that Eagle in the cloud it breakes through all and sees in a moment Christ in heaven it lookes backeward and sees Christ upon the crosse it lookes forward and seeeth Christ to come in glory faith is so quicke a grace that it presents things past things above things to come and all in a moment so quicke is this Eagle-eye of Faith Againe it is the largest sence for we can see almost the whole hemisphere at one view that a little thing in the eye shold apprehend so much in a moment as it is quick in apprehension so it is large in comprehension Againe it is the most sure sence sight more then hearing therefore that divine act of knowledge is compared to seeing beleeving is compared to beholding when faith lookes upon God in the glasse of the word and promises it is as certaine as the object is certaine Now how certaine is the object the mercy and love of God in Christ who is truth it selfe is most certaine Then it is that sence that workes most upon the soule sight for what the body seeth the soule is affected and mooved with the affections of desire and love rise out of sight it workes upon the affections most therefore the knowledge that stirres up the affections and works upon the heart is compared to sight it affects us marveilously for answerable to our faith we love and joy and delight it alters the frame of the whole man therefore it is expressed here by beholding divine spirituall knowledge it workes upon the heart So wee see why this beholding spirituall of the understanding and soule is compared to outward sight it is called beholding because it is a most noble spirituall act of the soule and it is most certaine and sure faith is the evidence of things not seene and it workes upon the heart and soule Therefore wee should labour to cleare this eye of the soule that wee may behold the glory of God in the glasse of the Gospell Quest. How shall wee have the eye of our soules fit to behold the glory of God Answ. Wee must fixe the eye of the soule fixe our mediation upon the glory of God and the excellency of Christ a moving rouling eye seeth nothing therfore we must set some time apart to fixe our meditations upon these excellent things in the Gospell Then againe wee must labour to have the hinderances remooved both within and without Sight within is hindred by some inward suffusion wee must labour that the soule be cleansed and purged from all carnall passions and desires and base humours that wee may clearely behold this spirituall object unlesse the soule be spirituall it can never behold spirituall things the bodily eye cannot apprehend rationall things nor the rationall eye beholds not spirituall things therfore there must bee a spirituall eye the soule must be purged and sanctified by the Spirit there must bee some proportion betweene the soule and spiritual things before the soule can behold them therefore as the soule must bee fixed upon this meditation so the Spirit of God must sanctifie and purge the soule Outward hindrances of sight as dust in the eyes and clouds c. they hinder sight Sathan labours to hinder the sight of the soule from beholding the glory of God shining in the Gospell with the dust of the world as the Apostle saith in the next chapter The God of this world blindes the eyes of men that they behold not the glory of God shining in the Gospell therefore if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that they beleeve not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine upon them therefore take heed of too much worldly things of fixing our soules upon the dust of the world upon things here below the sight of Christ and of God in Christ it is not gotten by looking below by fixing the soule upon base things below let us looke therefore that our soules be inwardly cleansed and fixed upon spirituall things and then we shall the better behold the glory of God shining in the Gospell And we should preserve this sight of faith by hearing begets seeing in Religion death came in by the eare at the first Adam hearing the Serpent that hee should not have heard death came in by the eare so life comes in by the eare we heare and then wee see as we have heard so have wee seene say they in the Psalme It is true in Religion most of our sight comes by hearing which is the sence of learning God will have it so therefore wee should maintaine all we can this beholding of the glory of the Lord in the glasse of the Word and for that end heare much You will aske mee what is the best glasse of all to see and know Christ inâ— If you aske a Papist he will shew you crucifixes and such kinde of things Oh but to behold Christ in the glasse of the word with a Spirit
heaven and how can wee doe that except we befitted for it the Church is the fitting place for glory we enter into heaven in the Church here we are hewed and squared here if we bee not holy here wee shall never enter into heaven there must be a change begun here if ever it bee perfected in heaven no uncleane thing shall come there as soone as ever Sathan an Angell of light sinned he was tumbled out of heaven it will brooke no uncleane thing no uncleane thing shall ever come there againe therefore our nature must be altered sutable to that place and glorious condition before we come to heaven except we be new borne we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God there is direct Scripture for it Beloved this is forgot men trust to the grace and mercy of God and looke not after a châ—nge and this holds many from imbracing the Gospell in the truth of it from knowing Christ as the truth is in him they heare they must be changed which they are unwilling to they beleeve that God is mercifull and that Christ dyed c. they snatch so much of the Gospell as may serve to build them up in selfe-love so farre they thinke all is well but when they see such grace as must teach them to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and such grace as must change and alter them this they cannot brooke they are content to goe to heaven if they may have it in a way to hell in maintaining their corruptions being proud and covetous and worldly as they are this must not be of necessity there must be a change Nay I say more beside the former reasons the soule that truely desires mercy and favour desires alwayes power against finne pardon and power goe together in Gods gift and in the desire of a Christians soule there is no Christian soule but hee desires the grace of sanctification to change him as much as the grace of pardon for he lookes upon corruption and sinne as the vilest thing in the world and upon grace and the new creature as the best thiâ—g in the world there is no man changed but he hath those apprehensions of sanctification Remember this against some weake conceites likewise that would have all the change in justification they rent Christs Offices as if he were all Priest and not a King to governe as if he were righteousnesse and not sanctification as if he had merit to dye for us and to give us his righteousnesse and no efficacy to change our natures as if in the covenant of grace God did not write his law in our hearts but onely forgive our sinnes hee doth both in the covenant of grace and where God makes a combination we must not breake it efficacy and merit justification and sanctification water and blood goe together there must bee a change but to follow the point a little further There must be change because no holy action can come from an unchanged power and faculty actions spring from powers and faculties they are sutable to them therefore there must bee a change in the powers and faculties of the soule before there be a change in the life and conversation these three follow in nature The forme and living and being of things and powers And action issuing from the power so in the life of grace and sanctification there is a power and ability to beleeve in God and to be holy and to love God and then the actions of love Spring from that power we live and then we have a power to move in nature being and life and moving goe together so if wee have a being in grace we have a power to move I beseech you therefore consider the necessity of a change of the inward man of the powers faculties of the soule can the eye see without a power of seeing or the eare heare without a faculty of hearing can the soule performe sanctified actions without a sanctified power it is impossible And especially the alteration and change is in the will which some would have untouched they would have it free those that would have no more given to grace than needes must but grace workes upon the will most of all divinity rules the will especially for the bent of the will makes a good or a bad man and the desires of the will carry the whole man with it we are as the bent is of our will we are as the choyse of our will is if the choyse and bent and by as be the right way by the Spirit it is good if the will bee not inclined and wrought to goe the best way there is no worke of grace at all though all grace come in through the understanding enlightned that is the first yet it goeth into the will it passeth through the understanding into the will and it puts a new taste and rellish upon the will and affections Well you see therefore that the grace wrought in the Gospell it is not a meere perswasion and intreaty c. but a powerfull worke of the Spirit entring into the soule and changing it and altering and turning the bent and inclination of the will heaven-ward whereas by corruption of nature turnes the soule downeward to things below when the Spirit of God entreth into the soule it is not onely by meere outward perswasion to leave it to the liberty of will but it altereth the taste of the will the soule is carried up and is shut to things below it useth the world as though it used it not we must have great conceites to the worke of grace the Scripture hath great words of it it is an alteration a change a new man a new creature new birth c. we see the necessity of a change Againe another reason is this God where he cals and dignifies he also qualifies Princes cannot qualifie those they rayse but God whom he advanceth to glory he fits and qualifies for glory where he bestowes his mercies and favours to life everlasting he calls to great matters and hee also changeth them If Saul were changed when he came to bee a King in regard of a new quality shall wee thinke that God will call any to the participation of his glorious mercy in Christ in pardoning their sinne and accepting them to life eternall but he will change them No whosoever he calls to glory he changeth and altereth their dispositions to bee fit for so glorious a condition as a Christian is called to there must bee a change Proud men love not to heare of this it is a prejudice to their former authority what I that was accounted a wise man now to be a foole I that was accounted so and so to alter all my frame and course and to turne the streame another way the world will say I grow madde I say because grace altereth and changeth all Old things are past away and all things are become new those that are carnall and
when the nature of man is so subject to the power of grace that though there be rebellions in us as there will be while we are in this world yet they cannot overpower the principle of grace all this while a man is a glorious Christian because he is not subject to the common humors and infirmities and weakenesses of men therefore that makes a Christian glorious when he brings every thought and affection and every corruption as much as may be to the subjection of the Spirit of glory to the Spirit of Christ in him though old Adam stirre in him yet he brings him downe that hee doth not discover himselfe to the scandall of the Gospell and profession and to the weakening of the love of good things in the hearts of others it shall not break out he subjects these rising thoughts here grace is glorious Another man cannot doe this he cannot love God he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot resist temptations not inwardly he may forbeare an action out of feare but a Christian can love and feare and delight in good things and he can resist and hee can enjoy the things of this life in a subordinate manner to better things a worldling cannot doe it there is a glory upon a Christian a derivative glory from Christ for we shine in his beames wee are changed according to his Image from glory to glory Object The thing is not much questionable that grace is glorious but it may bee objected doth grace make one glorious then how comes the world to despise such as have grace such as are like Christ I answere it is from blindnesse Answ. from Spirituall drunkennesse and madnesse they cannot discerne of things they are besotted they see no difference therefore they cannot discerne things that are excellent but take a man in his right principles take a sober man and he will see an excellency in a Christian above himselfe Againe grace is not made so much of oft times in the world because it is joyned with so many infirmities our life is hid with Christ it is hid under infirmities and under afflictions oft times and being hidden it doth not appeare so much in this world And then againe however men force upon themselves a contempt of grace and of the best things yet notwithstanding it is but forced for their conscience stoopes at it witnesse conscience when it gives evidence on their death bed take a man when he is himselfe when he is sober when he is best able to judge when those things are taken from him that obscured and darkened his judgement and then you shall have him justifie all things that are good both gracâ— and the meanes of grace Againe it must be so that we may bee conformable to Christ the world misguideth the state of a Christian they thinke them vile and base persons so they did Christ the head of the Church you see how Christ was esteemed his glory was vayled with our nature and with misery a while but it sparkled out oft times in his miracles Now this was that hee might suffer and performe the worke of Salvation for the devill nor the wicked world would never have done that they did to him if his glory had broken forth to the full luster of it So it is with the body misticall of Christ the world misjudgeth of them it appeares not now what they shal be hereafter nor what they are now indeed because God will have them conformable to Christ If so bee that the glory of Christians were discovered in the true lustre who would wrong a Christian if they did see him indeede to be a member of Christ and an heire of heaven the care of Angels and the price of Christs death if they did see him in his excellency all the world would admire him and make another man of him then of Potentates and Monarches but how then should he be conformable to his head in afflictions the head was to save us by death hee must be abased the world must take him as a strange man and we that must be conformed to him wee must passe as unknowne men in the world but not so unknowne but that grace breakes out sometimes to admiration and imitation and when it hath not imitation it stirres up envy and mallice in others in the children of the devill therfore notwithstanding all objections grace is glory it makes us like Christ who is glorious who is the Lord of glory And then it drawes glory with it glorious peace and glorious comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost the attendants of grace in the hearts of Gods people is it not as I said a glorious thing for a man to have that peace in him that passeth all understanding that shall settle and quiet his soule in all tumults in the world when all things are turned upside downe for a Christian to stand unmooveably built upon the Rocke Whence comes this glorious pitch but from grace grace and peace one follow another then for a man to have inward joy and comfort in the midst of afflictions and disconsolations in the world it is a wonderfull and a gloriousthing it in called joy unspeakeable and glorious grace therefore in regard of that that followes it in this world it is glory Hence it is that the wise man saith that the Righteous is more excellent then his neighbour hee is more glorious then another man as pearles are above pebbles he is more excellent in life in death and after death especially for there is a growing from glory to glory he is glorious in life more glorious in death when his soule shall be put into glory in heaven and most of all glorious when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints as it is in â— Thess. so he is excellent in life and in death and for ever for another man that is but a man a man said I nay if a man be but a man hee is either like a devill in subtilety or a beast in sensuallity hee carries the image either of a beast or of the devill besides a man a righteous man therefore that hath the Image of God stamped upon him hee is better then another man every way for hee is in a higher ranke of creatures grace sets a man as farre above other men as other men are above other creatures At the first the creatures reverenced God in Adam they came and tooke their names from him they were subject to him so grace is a glorious majesticall thing wicked men even Herod reverenced grace in Iohn Baptist and evill men reverence it in their hearts in Gods people though their mouthes speake against it a Christian is a Spirituall man as reason lifts a man above other creatures so the Image of God set upon a man it lifts raiseth him above other men Vse 1 If grace and the Image of God and Christ in us be glory and make us
to finish our course with joy as Saint Paul speakes of himselfe And doth God bring us from glory to glory til he have brought us to perfection of glory then I beâ—eech you let us before hand be thankfull to God as we see in the Epistles of blessed Saint Paul and Peter Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled reserved in Heaven saith Saint Peter and so Saint Paul let us beginne the imployment of Heaven before hand for why doth God discover to us that he wil bring us to glory why doth he discover it to our faith that excellent state that we might beginne Heaven on earth as much as might be and how shall we doe that by the imployment of Heaven what is that Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts There is nothing but magnifying and glorifying of God there shall be no neede of Prayer there are prayses alway and so much as we are in the prayses of God and glorifying of God for his mercy and love in Christ so much wee are in Heaven before our time I beseech you therefore be stirred up in consideration of this that wee are leading on by degrees from glory to glory till wee come to perfection let us even give God the praise of all before hand for it is as sure as if wee had it For one way how things to come are present is by faith Glory to come is present two or three wayes already that may stirre us up to glorifie God before hand The glory to come is present to Christ our head wee in our Husband are in Heaven now he hath taken Heaven for us And in regard of faith that is the evidence of things not seene it is the nature of faith to present things to come as present to faiâ—h glory to come is present present in Christ and we are part of Christ Christ misticall and members and we in our head are in Heaven already and sit there and to faith that makes things present that are to come we are in heaven already And we have the earnest of Heaven the first fruites of the Spirit wee have grace which is glory the beginnings of glory we have the first fruites and earnest Now an earnest is never taken away but is made up by the bargaine with the rest so the earnest of the Spirit of God the first fruites of peace and joy of comfort and liberty to the throne of grace these are the beginnings of Heaven therefore be much in praising God Oh that wee could be so if wee could get into a frame and disposition to blesse God we could never be miserable no not in the greatest afflictions for thankefulnesse hath joy alway when a man is joyfull he can never be miserable for joy inlargeth the soule when is a man most joyfull but in a state of thankfulnesse and what makes us thankfull so much as to consider the wonderfull things that are reserved in another world the glory that God is leading us to by little and little from glory to glory till wee bee perfect Even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As here is taken according to the phrase in the Greeke and there is the like word in the Hebrew it signifieth likenesse and similitude sometimes and sometimes otherwise it is not here meant as if we were like the Spirit of the Lord but this change is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord that is it is so excellent and so strong that you may know that it is done by none but the Spirit of God Againe As by the Spirit of the Lord that is so farre as the Spirit of the Lord changeth us it implyeth those two things that is it is done by the power of the Spirit that we may know it is done by the Spirit of the Lord and then as by him and no further for we no further shine then he enlighteneth us as the ayre it is no further light then the Sun shines into it so we have no more glory strength comfort and peace or any thing gracious and glorious then the Spirit of God shines into us Therefore he saith As by the Spirit of the Lord. It is so glorious and excellent and so farre forth as he doth it as by the Spirit of the Lord so he expresseth the meaning of that phrase Now you see here the Doctrine is cleare that all that I have spoken of before comes from the Spirit of the Lord and from no other cause The beholding the transforming the degrees of transforming from glory to glory the taking away of the vayle all is from the Spirit of the Lord To goe over the particulars The Holy Ghost doth open our eyes to behold the glory of the Lord and therefore he is called the Spirit of illumination The Holy Ghost takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeleife and thereupon hee is called the Spirit of Revelation The Holy Ghost upon revealing the love of God to us in Christ and the love of Christ to us and illuminating our understandings to see these things he breedes love to God againe shewing the love of God to us and thereupon he is called the Spirit of Love now when Gods love is shed into us by the Spirit of illumination and Revelation then we are changed according to the Image of Christ and thereupon the Holy Ghost from the working of a change is called the Spirit of sanctification because he is not onely the holy temple of that blessed Person but he makes us holy and because this change is a glorious change a change from one degree of grace to another till we come to be perfect in Heaven hereupon it is called a Spirit of glory as Saint â—eter saith the spirit of glory resteth on you that is the Spirit of peace of love of comfort of joy c. The Spirit in regard of this blessed attribute working all these he is called the Spirit of glory the Spirit hath diverse names according to the diverse operations hee workes in the Saints and People of God as here the Spirit of Illumination of Revelation of love of sanctification of glory all is by the Spirit whatsoever is wrought in man it is by the Spirit all comes from the Father as the Fountaine and through the Sonne as Mediator but whatsoever is wrought it is by the Holy Ghost in us which is the substantiall vigour in the Trinity all the vigour and operation in the Trinity upon the creature it is by the Holy Ghost the third person As in the creation the Spirit mooved upon the waters and mooving there and brooding on them framed the whole module of the creatures all were framed by the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost upon the water of our soules frames the new creature frames all this change from glory to glory all is by the Holy Spirit Therefore it is here in the passive tearme We are
changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord so in the chayne of Salvation you have passive words in them all Whom God foreknew he chose and whom hee chose hee justified and whom he justified he glorified all because they come from God and the Spirit of God so here we are transformed from glory to glory all is by the Spirit of God the third person for beloved even as from God toward us all things come through the Sonne by the Spirit so backe againe all things from us to God must come by the Spirit and through Christ wee doe all by the Spirit as all things are wrought in us by the Spirit God gives us the Spirit of Prayer and supplication and the Spirit of Sanctification and we pray in the Spirit and worke in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit wee doe all in the Spirit to shew that the Spirit doth all in all in this new creature and worke of Sanctification it is by no lesse then the Spirit of the Lord For beloved as it was God that redeemed us so it is God that must change us as it was God that wrought our Salvation and reconciled us no lâ—sse person could doe it so it must bee God that must perswade us of that glorious worke and fit us for it by his holy Spirit it is God that must knit us to our head Christ and then by little and little transforme us to that blessed condition that Christ hath purchased for us God the Sonne doth the one and God the Spirit doth the other you have all the three persons in this place for wee see the glory of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost shining in lesus Christ. Christ is the Image according to which we are changed the Spirit is he that changeth us according to that Image God shewes his mercy in Christ we knowing and apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by the Spirit are changed by that Spirit from glory to glory so that the blessed Trinity as they have a perfect unity in themselves in nature for they are all one God so they have a most perfect unity in their love and care and respect to mankinde we cannot want the worke of any one of them all their worke is for the good of mankind The Father in his wisedome decreed and laid the foundation how mercy and justice might be reconciled in the death of the mediator Christ wrought our Salvation the Holy Ghost assures us of it and knits us to Christ and changeth and fits us to be members of so glorious a head and so translates and transformes us more and more from glory to glory It is a comfortable consideration to see how our salvation and our fitting for salvation till wee be put in full possession of it stands upon the unity of the three glorious persons in the Trinity that all joyne in one for the making of man happy I will name two or three Doctrines before I come to that which I meane to dwell on As first that The Spirit comes from Christ. It is said here By the Spirit of the Lord that is of Christ Because Christ doth spirare as well as the Father the Father doth spirare and the Son doth breath the Holy Ghost proceedes by way of spiration from both therefore the Spirit is not only the Spirit of the Father but of the Sonne as we see here The Spirit of the Lord. Christ sends the Spirit as well as the Father I will send you the Comforter The Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and hee doth report to us the love of the Father and of the Sonne and therefore 2 Cor. 13. The shutâ—ing up of the Chapter The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost c. As the Holy Ghost hath communion in proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and knowes the secrets of both so he reveales them to us the love of God the Father and the Sonne and the communion of the the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Sonne as well as from the Father he is called here the Spirit of the Lord. Then againe the Spirit is a distinct person from Christ it is said before The Lord is that Spirit that might trouble men how to know that The Lord is that Spirit men might thinke that Christ is all one with the Spirit No here the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of the Lord he meanes he is another distinct person from Christ and the Spirit is God as well as Christ because the Spirit hath the operations of God attributed to him to change and transfrome and make new wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory Even as by the Spirit of the Lord creation and renovation of all new is from an Almighty power all the power in Heaven and earth cannot make that that was not to be especially that that was contrary and opposite to be now for a man in opposition and enmity to Religion to be changed to a better Image to the Image of Christ it argueth an Almighty power these Doctrinall poynts I doe but onely touch I come to that that I judge more usefull that is that What soever â— good in us it comes from the Spirit of God What need I stand upon reasons whatsoever is above nature it must come from Gods Spirit the Spirit is the Authour of all things above nature grace whereby wee are like Christ it is above nature therefore it must bee by the Spirit of God Besides that which riseth of nothing and is opposite and hath Sathan to oppose it it must have an Almighty power to work it Therefore whosoever workes any thing that is supernaturally good in us hee must be above the devill we cannot so much as call Iesus with a feeling but by the Spirit of God we cannot thinke a good thought all is by the Spirit whatsoever is gracious and comfortable in us I should bee overtroublesome to you to be much in so cleare a common argument as this is therfore I wil hasten to make some use of it Vse 1 And therefore put out of your thoughts I beseech you when you look to have any grace or comfort wrought shut out of your hearts too much relying upon any outward thing thinke not that education can make a man good or plodding can make a man good in bodily exercise in hearing much in conferring much in custome or education or any paines of our owne these are things that the Spirit will be effectuall in if we use them as wee should but without the Spirit what are theyâ— nay what is the body of Christ without the Spirit The flesh prositeth nothing what is the Sacrament and the Word dead things without the Spirit of the Lord nothing can worke upon the soule no outward thing in the world but the Spirit of God and the
Three parts of the Text. Happinesse of man in two things Doct. The mercie of God his glory Glory what Excellency Evidence Victory Witnesse Severall attributes shine on severall occasions All attributes terrible without mercie Why men are enemies to Gods free grace The glory of God in the Gospell greater than that in Adam The glory of God in Gospell above that in Creation Gods glory to man more than to Angels 1 Cor. 14. The glory of Gods mercy shineth in Christ. To imbrace this mercy God joynes our good with his glory To admire the love of God We may glory in Gods love without danger Glorious mercy will satisfie conscience Comfort from Gods mercy How we may looke at our owne Salvation How to thinke of mercy in temptation Often offences exclude not from mercy How God shewed Moses his glory Exhortation to accept mercy When we account grace glorious Necessity of the Gospell God condescends in giving the Gospell Motions of the Spirit in men unconverted God must be seene in some glasse God hath ingaged himselfe by his promise We cannot see Divine things but in a glasse Sight weak here perfect in heaven Our soules helped by our sences What makes spirituall things difficult Vse of a glasse To helpe weake sight Sacraments glasses Degrees of sight In the creatures In the Word Of Christ in the flesh Of faith Faith compared to sight It is the noblest sence It is largest It is the surest It is most working Vse How to keepe the eye of the soule cleare To â—ixe it on the object Remoove hinderances Inward Outward Spirituall sight presered by hearing The best glasse to know Christ in The vayle tooke away But in part Two fold use of a vayle Why men see not though the Gospell be unvailed Boldnesse in the Gospell Feare taken away by the Gospell Boldnesse in sinne weakneth boldnesse of faith How to â—ecovâ—r boldnesse with God Comfort in community in Religion To labour for union Necessity of a chang Simil. Reasons why our nature mâ—st be changed Because naturally we are opposite to God Simile Change double We cannot â—lse be fitted for heaven Every true Christian desires it A change in Sanctification as well as justification We can performe no holy action else The change especially on the will God qualifies whom he dignifies All good in Christ opposite to the ill in Adam Why the 〈◊〉 of Gods children is unâ—ltâ—rable Why Christ changeth us into his Image He is a powerfull head and husband We are predestinate to his likenesse Christs end is to destroy sathans work in us We could have no communion with Christ else To stuâ—â—dy Christ. Christs carriage Toward his friends To weake Christians To those that had but seeming grace To his Father To himselfe To his enemies To the Devill To Hypocrites How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell The more we are like Christ the more beloved of God And of one another Simil. Who keepe Christ alive in the world How we come to be like Christ. How we are dead and risen with Christ. Three things comfortable to us in Christs death Whence hatred of sinne proceedes How to know if we be changed to Christs Image Most desire to be changed into the likenesse of the world Meditate on Christ. The sight of remainder of sin Christ all in all in changing us The gift of the Spirit For Christ. From Christ. The patterne of all grace from Christ. The reasons of this câ—ange from Christ To see all that is good and comfortable in Christ first This change wrought by beholding The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell Vpon what ground we are changed by beholding Three efficatious sights How to knoW if we see the glory of God as we ought Love workes imitation Repentance a turning If there were not a change God would be forsworne Foure degrees of the glory of a Christian. Sin makes us shamefull Glorious comforts in religion Growth in grace glory The glory of the soule in heaven Of bodie and soule at the resurrection Grace is glory It is Gods image Mans perfection Terible to al opposites Wisedome Humility Selfe deniaâ—l Boldnesse with God Love Hope The glorious condition of a Christian. Difference betweene a Christan and another man Why the world despise those that are gracious From blindnesse of carnall men From Saints infirmities It is but a forced contempt We must be conformed to Christ. Grace in others either imitated or envied The excellency of Christians above others Two sorts of carnall men To labour for grace that we may be glorious No man glorious but a Christian Oppose this glory to the base esteem of carnall men Comfort our selves in the disparagements of the world To know whether we have grace by our esteeme of it In himselfe In others The state of grace and glory both goe under one name Heaven must be begun here Comfort that grace and glory have the same name Difference betweene the state of the godly and wicked Grace glorious when it is in strength Grace of a growing nature From our disposition From Gods purpose Simil. Grace more refined in aged Christians The least degree of grace glory in respect of the state of nature To labour for strength of grace Priviledges of growth in grace Not to be discouraged in the weaknesse of grace God leads his by degrees to heaven It is our owne fault that we are not more perfect Not to be discouraged in seeming interruption of spirituall growth The least beginnings and the perfection of grace have the same name and why Simile No change in Heaven Why we are not brought to perâ—â—ction here Not to â—â—are death Degrees in the glory of a Christian. A part of heaven to know the glory of it To trâ— the truth of our graces Christians grow when they thinke they doe not Why God brings us on by little and little Not to decay in grace Christians compared to the best things A â—icked man cannot desire heaven Account must be givâ—n for examples To beare the reproach of Christ. Vse 7. To be thankfull for glory beforehand In our head By Faith In the first fruites The workâ— of the whole Trinity in mans salvation Doct. Doct. Not to rest too much in outward performances The Spirit quickens all ordinances The Word and Spirit compared to the blood and arterieâ— The Spirit in Christ naturall and mysticall In the state of grace we must looke for nothing from our selves Comfort in want of goodnesse in us When men trust their owne strength they fall Whether we have the Spirit It openeth the eyes of the soule It discovers Gods love It sanctifieth Slander of the Papists He promotes sâ—nctification The Spirit a Counsellor It abides It changeth by reasons from Christ How to get the Spirit By hearing the Gospel In holy Communion Prayer To give the Spirit of God his dâ—e Whence the glory of times and places is Why more are converted now than formerly The danger of unprofitablenesse under meanes Spirituall judgements â—errable
are the Sacraments also as well as the Word dead Ordinances if Christ be not in them The Law is sayd to be perfect and to convert the soule so it doth when the Spirit goeth along with â—t as it did ordinarily before Christ came in the flesh as in Davids time but after Christ was come who was the substance of those shadowes they became beggerly Rudiments as in Pauls time and the Spirit did not worke with them but with the Gospel the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 2. Vse And we may understand likewise from hence what the reason is that an Ordinance at one time differeth so much from it selfe at another time in respect of the life and comfort of it as we often find even in our owne experience as also why the same Ordinance be it the Word or Sacrament c. at the same time is profitable to one and another hath no benefit at all by it This is from the presence or absence of Christ who is that Spirit What is the reason that Wine or Aqua-vitae doth more refresh and strengthen then common water It is of the same substance of the same colour that other water is but there is more spirit in it all things worke answerable to the spirits that is in them So what is the reason that â—he reading or hearing of â—he same thing affecteth one â—nd not another at all the â—ubstance of the thing is the â—ame but the spirit is not â—he same the spirit goeth with the one and not with â—he other Wee grant that our negligence in preparation and attention our pride and earthly-mindednesse our want of faith to mingle with the Word these or â—he like may be causes why wee are many times sent â—mpty away yet this still â—ust be observed as a most â—vident truth that all the efficacy and fruit of any Orâ—inance dependeth upon Christs being present in it who is that Spirit that quickneth 〈◊〉 most powerfull meanes that ever was ordayned for our good will be dead and heartlesse if hee be not there by his Spirit to put life into it It may seemâ— strange what Iohn saith chap. 6. The flesh profiteth nothing The flesh of Christ our nature which Christ tooke and in which so much was wrought for us which is the greatest Ordinance o◠〈…〉 this flesh profiteth not nor will there be any benefit of it if it be not applied unto us spiâ—â—â—ually for it is not the flesh simply considered but as by it and with it we receive the Spirit of Christ which Spirit quickneth and maketh the flâ—sh oâ— Christ meat indeed As iâ— is with the flesh of Christ 〈◊〉 with all other ordinanâ—es the Scriptures profit â—othing preaching profitâ—th nothing the Sacraâ—ents will profit nothing â—â—here is none of these will 〈◊〉 meate indeede unlesse 〈◊〉 spirit of Christ quicâ—â—en them Therefore we ought to 〈◊〉 with all the ordiâ—â—nces of God a desire â—â—at Christ would joyne â—â—is spirit and make them â—ffectuall wee ought to â—ome to the ordinances in 〈◊〉 dependance upon Christ â—or a blessing upon them 〈◊〉 for his presence in â—â—em who is the life and â—cope of all and then wee â—hould not finde such dulâ—esse and deadnesse in them It is the sinne oâ— this age this formality it is the sinne of those thaâ— have any thing in them set desperate drunkardâ— and roarers and such wretches a side as plainely discover themselves to be acted by the spirit oâ— the Devill take them thaâ— conforme themselves iâ— any fashion to religion the killing sinne that they lyâ— under is this same deaâ— formality they will heare a Sermon now and then looke on a booke and iâ— may be pray morning and evening but never looke up to the living and quickning spirit Iesus Christ so that all they doe is dead and loathsome like salâ— that hath no savour What is the best liquor if it hath lost its life and spirit but flat and unsavory and blood when the spirits are out of it what is it but loathsome goare so are all their performances even like sacrifices that had no fire in them the Lord loathed such sacrifices as he did Cains and so hee doth all our flat and livelesse services yea and our persons too being as Iude saith fleshly and not having the spirit Vse 3 What neede is there that we should sanctifie all we take in hand by prayer when we goe to heare a Sermon when wee take up the Bible to reade a Chapter alone by our selves or in our families we should lift up our eyes and hearts and voyces to heaven we should say to Christ Lord joyne thy Spirit be present with us without thee thy Word is dead our hearts are dead and will harden under the meanes and darken in the light and we shall fall under the heavie condemnation of these secure and formall times if thou leavest us Vse 4 Christ is sayd to be that spirit to send the spirit as God and to receive it as man in fulnesse and that for our sakes it is a point of much comfort that there is such abundance of Spirit in our nature in Christ and for the behalfe of the Church that wee have a fulnesse to receive of It was a comfort to Iosephs brethren and that family that Ioseph was full of honour and rules the second in the kingdome therefore they should want nothing that was good in Egypt is it not a comfort for Christians to know that Christ is the spirit that he hath the spirit to give the spirit of wisedome in all straights the spirit of truth to keepe us from all errours the spirit of strength for all services the spirit of comfort for all afflictions hee that is their Lord hath abundance of spirit in him and for them therefore when we want any grace or gift of the spirit wee should goe to Christ for God doth all by Christ Christ doth all by the spirit desire Christ that hee would vouchsafe his spirit to rule us counsell us comfort us and strengthen us Therefore in our emptinesse as indeede we are empty creatures of our selves let us goe to Christ for the spirit he hath received that fulnesse for us desire him that out of his fulnesse he would vouchsafe to give unto us It is the reason why Christians are so dead and so dull and so darke in their spirits they doe not first consider themselves and then goe to Christ we should all in all exigents whatsoever make use of this our great high Treasurer the great high Steward of heaven and earth of this our Ioseph the second Person in heaven he is at the right hand of God and all to fill his Church with his spirit our comfort is now that our strength and comfort lyes hid in Christ that is neere to us as man and neere to God as God he is betweene the Father and us he is neere the Father as being of the same nature with him hee is neere us