2. the spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. Yea this Spirit is God as hath been proved before and therefore this spirit must needs be excellent and so consequently the communion or fellowship of the Spirit 2. The commodity of this communion of the holy Ghost For 1. The Holy Ghost will teach informe and instruct Thou gavest thy good spirit to instruct them Neh. 9. 20. He is the spirit of counsell and knowledge and understanding Esa 11. 2. We are naturally blind and ignorant of the truth and many errors creep in and insinuate themselves under the name of truth but the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth and will inlighten our minds and teach us to know and understand the truth Joh. 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Joh. 14. 26. Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Joh. 16. 13. How ignorant were the Apostles before they had received the Holy Ghost in that measure as afterwards they did Are ye so without understanding also said Christ unto them Mar. 7. 18. when they thought that which was a plain speech to be a parable So Christ having spoken of his Passion it is said that they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not Luke 9. 45. So concerning some things that were done unto Christ according as it had been prophecied of him S. John saith These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified and so they had received a greater measure of the Spirit for the Holy Ghost â—â—s not yet given in such measure because Jesus was not yet glorified Joh. 7. 39. then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Joh. 12. 16. So Joh. 20. 9. As yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead Thus it was with them for a while but when the Holy Ghost was plentifully powred upon them then they were filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Esa 11. 9. So much their words and writings do make manifest 2. The Holy Ghost will strengthen and incourage The Prophet Jeâ—emie complains They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth Jer. 9. 3. Even they that both know and also love the truth yet may be so timorous and faint-hearted as not to dare to avouch it and to stand up in defence of it though God call them to it as is clear by the example of Peter when he denied Christ But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of might and of power Esa 11. 2. and 2 Tim. 1. 7. How weak and fearfull were the Apostles whilst they had but as it were a scantling of the Spirit They all forsook Christ and fled from him when he was apprehended by his adversaries and Peter who had professed most courage and confidence of all others most bewrayed his weaknesse being not able to indure the encounter of a silly damosell as the story shews of him But afterward when they had the spirit in more abundant measure they were so full of courage and boldnesse that their greatest adversaries did admire it When the Jewish Rulers and Elders examined Peter and John about a miracle that tâ—â—y had wrought in making a lame man sound saying By what power or by what name have ye done this Then Pâ—ter filled with the Holy Ghost mark that said unto tâ—em Ye Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Now when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Act. 3. 7. 13. So v. 31. it is said of the Apostles that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word with boldnesse And v. 33. And with great power gave the Apostles witnesse of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost will direct and order Courage without wisdom and discretion will do hurt rather then good but wisdome and courage joyned together will do much good and no hurt A wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgment saith Solomon Eccl. 8. 5. that is a wise man knoweth both when to do a thing and how to do it Now the Holy Ghost being the spirit of wisdome will order and direct us to do things wisely in due time and in right manner Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost was also full of wisdome so that although he had to do with most implacable adversaries yet they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. So Christ promised unto his Disciples saying I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say or resist Luk. 21. 15. And how they should be indued with such wisdom we may see by that Luk. 12. 12. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same houre what ye ought to say And so Mat. 10. 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you 4. The Holy Ghost will comfort and incourage as to do the will of God so also to suffer what by his permission and providence shall be inflicted for so doing For though the godly behave themselves never so well and wisely yet they may fall into the hands of their inraged persecutors as that Protomartyr Stephen and so the other Martyrs did But though they do yet as it fared with Stephen and the Martyrs as their sufferings abound so shall their consolations abound also 2 Cor. 1. 5. For the spirit of glory and of God resteth on them 1 Pet. 4. 14. And this spirit will make them to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. It is such a peculiar work of the Holy Ghost to afford comfort that he is stiled the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 7. And sound joy is called joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 3. Consider we the necessity of this communion of the Holy Ghost 1. Without the Holy Ghost we can know nothing viz. of the things of God the things that concern salvation For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of
man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. 12. v. 14. But the naturall man who is destitute of Gods spirit receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned 2. Without the Holy Ghost we can do nothing viz. that is pleasing unto God Not pray for the Holy Ghost is the spirit of grace and of supplications Zach. 12. 10. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8. 2â— 27. So neither can we without the Holy Ghost rightly hear the word or receive the Sacrament or perform any other duty whatsoever For the Holy Ghost being the Spirit of grace without the Holy Ghost we can have no grace and we must have grace whereby to serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. Whatsoever service is performed by the unregenerate who are not indued with Gods spirit though in it self considered it is pleasing unto God yet as done by them God is not pleased with it They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. 3. Without the Holy Ghost we can enjoy nothing viz. that is truly good for us The Holy Ghost being the Spirit of Christ and of God we can have no communion with Christ nor with God but by the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost being the spirit of life the spirit of grace the spirit of glory without the holy Ghost we can have no life neither of grace here nor of glory hereafter therefore we have that hope which maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. This may suffice to demonstrate what a desirable thing the communion of the holy Ghost is Vse 1. And if it be so then O the wretched folly and madnesse of many who desire and labour for any thing rather then for this communion Let Elisha or whosoever will seek a double portion of the spirit so they may have a double portion of the things of the world of the profits pleasures and honours of it it 's all they desire If the holy Ghost in the mouths of his Miâ—â—â—ters strive with them they oppose and resist him all they can Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Act. 7. 51. If the holy Ghost insinuate himself a little into them putting good motions into them presently they quench the spirit which the Apostle bids Christians beware of 1 Thes 5. 20. saying Quench not the spirit that is the good motions of the spirit which like sparks are kindled within you If the holy spirit begin to search them and to discover their sins unto them and to put them in mind of their estate to God-ward they are weary of such a guest Like Felix who when Paul reasoned before him of righteousnesse and temperance and judgment to come trembled and said Go thy way for this time when I have convenient season I will send for thee Act. 24. 25. They judge this spirit to be a spirit of melancholy and therefore to drive it away they betake themselves to their merry company wine strong drink and the like This is all that many do care for the communion of the holy Ghost Some will say but we desire this communion more then so It is well but let all take heed of deceiving themselves as we are all apt to do Let our desire of this communion be proved rather then presumed and so I come to a second use of the point viz. for examination and triall Vse 2. Secondly therefore let us examin and try our selves whether the Communion of the holy Ghost which is so much to be desired be an object of our desires or no and let us try it thus 1. Are we sensible of the want of the spirit They that do not feel the want of a thing will never desire to enjoy it When Elisha desired of Eliah that he might have a double portion of his spirit Thou hast asked a hard thing said Eliah unto him Neverthelesse if thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee but if not it shall not be so 2 King 2. 10. Upon which answer of Eliah Bernard hath a no lesse Nunqnam absque conscientiâ nostrâ magistra unctio tollatur â— nobis si duplicato munere volumus non fraudari Bern. pious then elegant observation viz. that the spirit of God must never be absent from us but so that we are sensible of it if we would have the spirit to be doubled upon us 2. Do we affect those in whom is found the manifestation of the spirit they that are carnall love those that are carnall and so will they that are spirituall love those that are spirituall This is a speciall evidence of the holy Ghost dwelling in us if we delight in those in whom the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost do appear and shine forth David having much of Gods spirit in him and desiring still more calls the Saints excellent and professeth that all his delight was in them Psal 16. 3. And it is said of Barnabas that when he came to Antioch and had seen the grace of God which was there bestowed upon believers he was glad and exhorted them all that that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord And the reason follows immediately why he was thus affected For he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost Act. 11. 23. 24. 3. Are we carefull to use the means whereby to obtain the spirit It is but a fained and frivolous desire that doth not put forth it self in endeavours to obtain the thing desired Some pretend above others to magnifie the Spirit and to be all for the spirit yet vilifie the word which is the means whereby to obtain the spirit Surely the spirit which such vaunt of is none of Gods spirit but their own spirit not a spirit of illumination but of illusion not spiritus veritatis the spirit of truth but spiritus virtiginis a spirit of giddinesse Isai 19. 14. or as we read it a perverse spirit For God in his Covenant with his people joyneth his spirit
holy spirit is appropriated to the third Person of the Trinity but the other Persons are a spirit too they are indeed all one and the same spirit having all one and the same essence and nature the divine nature of Christ is called the spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the flesh that is his humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is by his divine nature And our Saviour here in the Text having immediately before spoken of the Father the first Person of the Trinity saith God viz. the Father yet not excluding but including the Son and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit That God is a spirit may be further proved by these Arguments 1. That which is of most excellency must needs belong unto God O Lord how excellent is thy Name saith David Psal 8. 1. 9. His Name only is excellent saith he Psal 148. 13. Now as amongst all things substances so amongst all substances spirits are most excellent As substances are of more excellency then accidents so are spirits of more excellency then bodily substances the soul is more excellent then the body and Angels being meer spirits are more excellent then men who are not incorporeall as the Angels are God therefore being most excellent must needs be as a substance not an accident so a spirit not a bodily substance Indeed God is so excellent that no names can be found out whereby sufficiently to expresse his nature he infinitely transcends all other substances and all other spirits but yet apprehending God as we are able we cannot but attribute the names of substance and of spirit unto him 2. Invisible substances are called spirits by this our Saviour proved that he was not a spirit Luk. 34. 29. as the Disciples supposed because he was a visible substance The soul of man being a spirit is not visible so neither the Angells as being spirits They have indeed sometimes appeared unto men but that was only in respect of those bodies which for the time they assumed and after this manner hath God himselfe also appeared as we find in Gen. 18. and Gen. 32. and thus more especially by the Incarnation God viz. the second Person of the Trinity the Son one and the same God with the Father and the Holy Ghost was made visible by this means God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Word was made flesh that is the Son of God God the Son was made man and dwelt among us and we behâ—ld his glory c. Joh. 1. 14. but God in himself as God is invisible so he is stiled 1 Tim. 1. 17. and so Joh. 1. 18. it 's said No man hath seen God at any time and 1 Tim. 6. 16. whom no man hath seen nor can see It 's said indeed of Moses that he saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. that is by the eye of Faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb 11. 1. he saw him like as Abraham saw Christs day many ages before Christ came into the world Joh. 8. 56. but properly Moses did not see God neither could see him God being as in that very place is expressed invsible 3. Gods immensity and ubiquity his being in every place yet so as not to be included in any place proves that he is a spirit For although not every spirit is immense and every where present neither the souls of men nor the Angells are so yet every substance that is so must needs be a spirit For bodily substances are necessarily limited and circumscribed they have their bounds within which they are contained He is not here for he is risen said the Angell to those that came to seek Christ in the sepulâ—hre Mat. 28. 6. Christ having a true humane body in that respect could not be both in the grave and out of it at the same time But God is every where at all times Do not I the Lord fill heaven and earth saith he Jer. 23. 24. God is said to be in heaven as there especially shewing forth his glory Heaven is my Throne saith he Esa 66. 1. but he is not confined there no the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee said Solomon to God 1 King 8. 27. therefore God is no corporeall substance but a spirit Vse 1. This serves to confute that grosse conceit of the Anthropomorphites who held God to have the form and shape of a man and thus absurdly doe now some simple ones conceive of God but if God be a spirit then he neither hath the shape of a man nor any other bodily shape whatsoever Ob. But it is said that God made man after his own Image and likenesse Ans That is not meant in respect of bodily shape as if God had the like shape as man hath But first because man is a rationall and understanding creature in which respect still since the fall man retains in him the Image and likenesse of God Jam 3. 9. Gen. 9. 6. And secondly as man hath dominion over the other creatures in this respect man is said to be the Image of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly and principally man was at first made after the image and likenesse of God in that he was made righteous and holy Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. The image of God therefore is seated in the soul although it appear and shine forth in the body viz. as by outward and bodily actions man doth shew forth his reason and understanding and doth exercise authority over the creatures and if he be regenerate that righteousnesse and holinesse with which he is indued Ob. But in Scripture God is often said to have eyes ears hands c. Ans The Scripture speaks of God after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner of men condescending to the weaknesse of our capacitie because we see with eyes heare with ears work with hands therefore these bodily parts and members are attributed unto God only to signifie that God doth exercise the same acts though not in the same manner as we exercise with and by these parts and members to shew that God doth see the Scripture attributes eyes to shew that he doth heare it attributes ears and to shew that he doth work it attributes hands unto him but properly God doth see without eyes hear without ears and work without hands having no bodily part or member whatsoever Vse 2. This also makes for the confutation of Papists who make pictures and images whereby to represent God whereas he is a spirit and so cannot be set forth by any bodily representations the second Commandement forbids the making of any image of similitude to represent God by it And what a strict charge doth Moses give the Israelites The Lord saith he spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice Take ye therefore
dissemble that the adversaries of the Doctrine concerning the Trinity do except against this place as not written by S. John nor any part of the Scripture and they have some colour for this exception For it is confessed that in some Greek copies these words are not extant nor in the Syriack Translation which is ancient and of good account as likewise that Chrysostome and some other ancient writers in their Commentaries upon the Epistle make no mention of these words which argues that they did not find them in those books which they perused But to this I answer 1. That this Text for the matter contained in it fully agrees with other places of Scripture so that although this Text were not yet the truth which it containeth may otherwise sufficiently be proved 2. Those words in the Verse following in earth shew that these words in the seventh Verse are genuine and not to be omitted for those words in that Verse in earth answer to these in this Verse in heaven 3. Most of the Greek copies have this Text in them and so hath the vulgar Latine Translation Hierome also as ancient as Chrysostome reads it as part of the Epistle and so doth Cyprian Cyprian de vint Eccles one more ancient then them both neither doth it appear that these words were ever questioned untill after such time as the Arrian Heresie impugning the Divinity of Christ was growne up so that it is most probable that as Hierome and others conceive these words were scraped out by the Arrians as making sore against them and so came to be wanting in some copies and to be omitted by some Commentators The Heresie of the Arrians for a while prevailed Ingemuit orbis se miratus est factum esse Arrianum Hieron much and bore great sway in the world especially in the Eastern parts of it And it hath been the wicked policy and practice of Heretikes to expunge such places of Scripture as were most pregnant against them which they might do in some copies though not in all Tertullian chargeth Marcion an Arch-heretike with this crime and thereupon calls him the Mouse of Pontus the Countrey of which Marcion was because like a Mouse he gnawed the Scriptures and cut away some part of them so farre as he was able Gods prooidence and goodnesse towards his Church is to be admired in preserving the Scripture notwithstanding all the machinations and devices of heretiques and other professed adversaries to abolish it And thus much for the vindication of the Text. I will not stand about the coherence of the words but something must be said for the explication of them There are three viz. three Persons which are presently after expressed that beare witnesse in heaven viz. to the truth spoken of v. 6. namely that Christ came both by water and blood both to sanctifie and to justifie and to be a perfect Saviour of his people from their sins by taking away both the staine and the guilt of them The Father the first person of the Trinity so called in reference to the second Person commonly called the Son The Word that is the Son the second Person of the Trinity for that is here meant by the Word Thus also the second Person is termed Joh. 1. 1. 14. and Revel 19. 13. For there by the Word of God is not meant the Word of God either written or spoken but the substantiall Word Christ the Son of God the second Person of the sacred Trinity as is evident there by the context why the second Person is called the Word is not so clear by the Scripture divers reasons are alledged and some such as seem over-Philosophicall and too remote from the simplicity of the Scriptures That which seems to have most ground in the Scripture is this that the second Person the Son taking upon him the nature of man became the Interpreter of the Father and as his Word making knowne his will unto men No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. These words follow but a little after those wherein this only begotten Son is called the Word so Heb. 1. 2. It 's said that in these last times God hath spoken unto us by his Son In this respect may the Son be called the Word or because he is the Word or * In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is also put for thing and so in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. 3 Acts 8. 21 5. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk ◠thing so much spoken of by the Prophets To him give all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. Howsoever this is clear and this may suffice that by the Word both in the Text and elsewhere in the Scripture the Son is meant And the Holy Ghost The third Person of the Trinity called the Spirit the holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost God as God is a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. and so is holy and therefore this appellation of Spirit and holy Spirit or Holy Ghost belongs also to the Father and to the Son yet it is more peculiarly attributed and in a manner appropriated to the third Person why it is so I will not now stand to inquire And these three are one Some most Orthodox expound it thus agree in one as it is expressed of those other three that beare witnesse in earth v. 8. And this is true yet the phrase used here differing from that which is used v. 8. I see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. not that they are to be taken as equivalent and importing both one and the same thing some one or two copies indeed are said here to have the same phrase as v. 8. but generally it is otherwise Unum sunt not in unum and so Cyprian read it are one not agree in one and he was before the time of Arrius by whom or by some of whose sect probably this place was either razed out or corrupted This therefore is the meaning of the words and so much the phrase imports that these are essentially and substantially one that they are one essence and one substance one God This Exposition is agreeable to other places of Scripture to the words themselves and is generally imbraced From the words thus explicated there ariseth Doct. this Doctrine That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God First they are three dictinct Persons differing each from other so that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost neither is the Son the Holy Ghost they are clearly distinguished Mat. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him And loe a voyce from heaven
built so the great house of the world that comprehends all things in it had God for the builder or maker of it Hence then the conclusion is this That God is Doct. he who made all things In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth saith Moses Gen. 1. 1. And then he shews distinctly how all the severall kinds of creatures were made of God So Neh. 9. 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their host the Earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is therein And Revel 4. 11. Thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Moses writing of the Creation makes no expresse mention of the Angels It seems that his purpose was onely to expresse the Creation of things visible yet they may be implicitly mentioned in the word Heaven thereby being meant all things in heaven all the host of heaven as it is expressed Gen. 2. 1. Neh. 9. 6. Now by the host of heaven are meant both the Sun Moon and Stars Deut. 4. 19. and also the Angels 1 King 22. 19. Howsoever though it be not so cleare when the Angels were created yet the Scripture is expresse for this that they were created and that they also as all other things are Gods creatures Praise ye him all his Angells Let them praise the Name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created Psa 148. 2. 5. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers c. Col. 1. 16. The light of naturall reason is sufficient to demonstrate that God made the world the heaven and earth and all things therein for whatsoever is must either be of it self or be made by some other if it be of it self then it is God for only God is of himself if it be made by some Quòd Deus mundum fecerit nulli tutius crededimus quà m ipsi Deo Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 11. c. 4. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa other then either by God immediately or by that which was made by God so that either immediately or mediately all things are of him But as Austine saith that God made the world we do not more safely believe any then God himself His testimony is above all other arguments and ratiocinations whatsoever Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11. 3. The work of the Creation is common to all the three Persons To the Father To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. to the Son All things were made by him Joh. 1. 3. By him were all things created c. Col. 1. 16. to the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God hath made me Job 33. 4. Vse 1. Hence let us see and consider the excellency of God and so give him the glory due unto him God is excellent Psal 8. 1. and because of his excellency he is to be glorified Psal 148. 13. Now Gods excellency appears by the creation of the world the world is a glasse wherein to behold Gods excellency His eternall power and Mundus est speculum Deitatis Godhead are clearly seen from the creation of the world being understood by the things that are made Rom. 1. 20. The heavens declare the glory of God Psal 19. 1. His glory is above the earth and Pulchra terra pulchrum coelum sed pulchrior ille qui fecit illa heaven Psal 148. 13. Whatsoever excellency is in any thing is from God and consequently much more in God and therefore the glory of all must be given unto God For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. Blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and above all praise Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven c. Neh. 9. 5 6. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things c. Revel 4. 11. More particularly by the Creation of the world we may see 1. The excellency of Gods power that could make all things of nothing Philosophy tells us that nothing is made of nothing It is true in respect Ex nihilo nihil fit of naturall agents they must have some matter to work upon else they can do nothing But Divinity tells us that all things were made of nothing that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11. 3. This is most true in respect of God a supernaturall agent By this God shewes himself to be God doing that which none can do but he One saith excellently If any besides One shall say I am God he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew us such a world as this is and say this is mine of my making The Lord saith David is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heavens Psa 96. 4 5. The gods saith Jeremie that have not made the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from under these Heavens He hath made the earth by his power Jer. 10. 11 12. 2. The excellency of Gods wisdome who could make such an infinite variety of creatures and not the least or meanest of them but to have its use and office in the universe He hath established the world by his wisdome and hath stretched out Deus cum sit bonum nullo indigens bono non nisi ex benigno honitatis suae affectu mundum creavit Aug. Confess the heavens by his discretion Jer. 10. 12. 51. 15. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all Psal 104. 24. 3. The excellency of Gods goodnesse Thou art good and doest good saith David unto God Psal 119. 68. This was it that moved him to make the world not that he had any need of the creatures for from all eternity he was most blessed and happy in himself but that he might communicate his goodnesse to the creatures The earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord saith David Psal 33. 5. And again The earth is full of thy riches so is this great and wide Sea c. Psal 104. 24 25. Moses saith of the severall things that God made God saw that it was good and of them all collectively that they were very good hereby intimating unto us as Austine observes that there was no Scriptura per omnia Dei opera subjungens Et vidit Deus quia bonum est completisque omnibus inferens Et vidit Deus omnia quae secit ecce bona valdè nullam aliam causam faciendi mundi intelligi voluit nisi ut bona fierent Ã
made Ioh. 1. 3. That by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 16 17. It is God also that doth preserve all things Neh. 9. 6. Yet this likewise is ascribed unto Christ He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. Only God can raise the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. Rom. 4. 17. Yet this Christ did as the History of the Gospell sheweth and that not instrumentally and ministerially but authoritatively and by his owne power Young man I say unto thee arise Luk 7. 14. Maid arise Luk. 8. 54. Lazarus come forth Ioh. 11. 43. None can forgive sins but onely God Esa 43. 25. yet this Christ did Mar. 2. 5. 12. The Scribes were right in this that none but God can forgive sins viz. authoritatively as Christ did onely in this they were wrong that from a true principle they inferred a false conclusion viz. that therefore Christ taking upon him so to forgive sins was a blasphemer Christ by the miracle which immediately he wrought before their eyes shewed that he was another manner of person then they took him to be and that he had power to forgive sins as he did To redeem and to save are acts properly belonging unto God Esa 49. 26. I the Lord am thy Redeemer and thy Saviour Yet Christ also is our Redeemer and Saviour as the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles every where do shew 5. Divine worship is given unto Christ such as may not be given to any but to God onely When he was a young Infant the Wisemen fell downe and worshipped him Mat. 2. 11. His Disciples seeing him ascend up into heaven they worshipped him Luk. 24. 52. Of him it was said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. All these places as the circumstances of them do evince speak of religious worship which is peculiar unto God and may not be given to any meer creature Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. The Angell would not be worshipped by John but bad him give that honor to God and worship him Rev. 19. 10. 22. 9. More particularly Faith and Hope are onely to be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. yet they are and ought to be in Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me Ioh. 14. 1. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. In him shall the Gentiles trust Rom. 15. 12. Prayer is to be made only unto God Call upon me saith God Psal 50. 15. yet Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost gave this honour unto Christ he prayed unto him saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. 55. 59. Thus both testimonies of Scripture and arguments drawn from Scripture make it most evident that Christ is God truly and properly so called even one and the same God with the Father But divers places there are which may be objected as seeming to make against this truth which therefore are to be cleared that it may appeare that beeing rightly understood they do not make against it Object 1. Mark 13. 32. Christ speaking of the day of Judgement saith Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells that are in heaven nor the Son but the Father If the Son be ignorant of that which the Father doth know how then is he God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father Answ Some interpret that so as that the Son is said not to have knowne the day of Iudgement because he did not know it so as to make it knowne unto others In which sense the Apostle said I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. But this Exposition cannot be admitted for so neither doth the Father know that day viz. so as make others also know it Therefore the true meaning of the words is that Christ there spake of himself as Man not denying but that in some other respect he did know that which in respect of his humane nature was not known unto him Object 2. But againe when one came unto Christ saying Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternall life Christ said unto him Why callest thou me good There is none good but one that is God Luke 18. 18 19. Here Christ seemes to deny himselfe to be God Answ Not so Christ spake onely in respect of that opinion which he to whom he spake had of him who looked on him as a man and no more neither was it Christs meaning that no meer man may be called good for it is said of Barnabas that he was a good man Acts 11. 24. But his meaning was to teach that when any goodnesse is found in man the praise and glory must be given unto God who alone is essentially good if any besides him be good it is onely by participation from him and therefore the honour is due unto him For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Rom. 11. 36. Object 3. But may some say Doth not Christ himself confesse himself inferiour to the Father saying My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14. 28. Answ Yes but how not simply and absolutely but only in some sort viz. in respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact ad loc of his humane nature whereby he took upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2. 7. but otherwise he was in the forme of God and thought it not robbery to be-equall with God v. 6. That Christ there spake of himself as Man may appear by the words immediately going before I go unto the Father this Christ did as Man for otherwise as God he was then with the Father yea in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14. 11. 10. 38. Object 4. Againe it may be objected that Christ John 17. 3. speaking to the Father saith thus This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ where Christ seems to make his Father only the true God Answ Nay he makes his Father the onely It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true God but there is great difference betwixt these two Propositions The Father is the only true God and Only the Father is the true God The one imports that there is but only one true God and that the Father is this God the other imports that none but the Father is this God which is false for the Son also is this only true God this true God which is only one and so also is the Holy Ghost The same Answer serveth for that 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God the Father The Apostle there
11 12 13. And that of Peter Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. In a word let 's have a care so to assure our selves of interest in Christ by faith and so to shew forth our faith in Christ by our love and obedience unto him that as he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. Surely I come quickly v. 20. So we may have courage and confidence to say as there immediately it followeth Amen even so come Lord Jesus The six and twentieth SERMON 2 COR. 13. 14. And the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all THese words are a part of the conclusion of this Epistle The Apostle usually begins and ends with prayer in the behalf of those to whom he writes So in other Epistles and so in this Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Chap. 1. v. 2. And here in like manner The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen I am to treat only of that part of the verse which concerns the Holy Ghost and before I come to the doctrine which the words afford I must insist a little upon the name nature person and operation of the Holy Ghost 1. For the name Holy Ghost Ghost is as much as Of the name Holy Ghost spirit and ghostly as much as spirituall In the Scripture where this Person called the Holy Ghost is spoken of our Translators sometimes use the word Ghost and sometimes the word Spirit Yet as I observe they do not altogether use the words promiscuously but with this difference Where the word Holy is not prefixed they alwaies The word Ghost explained use the word Spirit and not the word Ghost And so also when this Person is spoken of in relation to God or to Christ although the word Holy be prefixed As the Spirit not the Ghost the Spirit of God or of Christ not the Ghost of God or of Christ his holy Spirit not his Holy Ghost Otherwise when this Person is spoken of without any such relation and with the Epithite Holy prefixed they use the word Ghost rather then Spirit But however the word in the Originall is the same and these words Ghost and Spirit differ in sound rather then in sense and signification Now the word in the Hebrew and in the Greek and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus in the Latin the three learned Languages which is rendred sometimes Ghost but more frequently Spirit this word I say is attributed to divers things 1. Sometimes it is taken for breath I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Ezek. 37. 5. In the Originall the word rendred breath is that which usually is rendred Spirit So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2. 26. Where it is said the body without the Spirit is dead in the margent for spirit is breath 2. The word sometimes is used for the wind as Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born of the spirit In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same word which is rendred in the beginning of the verse Wind and in the end of the Spiritus ubi vult spirat verse Spirit the vulgar Latin there hath not Ventus which properly signifieth wind but Spiritus whence we have the word Spirit 3. This word Spirit is used to signifie an incorporeall and immaterial substance A spirit hath not flesh and bones Luk. 24. 39. And thus by spirit sometimes is meant the soul of man VVhen a man dies then shall the dust that is the body made of dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccles 22. 7. Where by spirit is meant the soul of man which is a spirituall substance Thus also the Angels whether good or bad are called spirits The good Angels Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1. 14. The bad Angells when some said unto Christ Lord even the devils are subiect unto us thorough thy name Luk. 10. 17. Christ answered them Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heaven v. 20. And in this sense is the word Spirit attributed unto God Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit And so 1 Pet. 3. 18. By spirit is signified Christs divine nature which is the Son in all the three Persons Being put to death by the flesh that is the humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is the divine nature And peculiarly the third Person of the sacred Trinity hath the name of Spirit appropriated to him Sometimes this Person is called the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. Sometimes the Spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 2. Sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. Sometimes the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as in the Text and other places VVhy the third Person is peculiarly called the Spirit though the Father be a spirit and the Son a spirit as well as the Holy Ghost the Scripture doth not expresse neither is it much material for us to inquire Some give Secundum quod spiritus dicitur à spiritualitate sic convenit toti Trinitati Secundum autem quod dicitur à spiratione sic convenit illi soli Personae quae procedit ut amor c. Bonavent in Sent. l. 1. dist 10. quest 3. this reason that this Person proceeds from the Father and the Son by spiration or breathing which must be understood after a spirituall and ineffable manner It may be said that this divine Person is therefore called the Spirit because he was inspired or breathed into and did breath in the Prophets and Apostles This inward and spiritual inspiration was signified and confirmed by Cum arcanâ inspiratione possâ—t Christus gratiam conferre Apostolis visibilem flatum ad dere voluit ad cos melius confirmandos Calvin in Ioh. 20. 22. that outward and corporall breathing which is mentioned Ioh. 20. 22. Where it is said that when Christ gave the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles he breathed on them and said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Ioh. 20. 22. This Person is called Holy Now there is a holinesse which is only externall and adherent which doth not constitute a thing holy in it self but only in its use and relation Thus Ierusalem is called the Holy City Mat. 4. 5. to wit because The word Holy expounded it had speciall relation unto God it was the City of the great King that is of God Mat. 5. 35. Thus also the Temple and the things of the Temple were holy And thus the water in Baptism and the
bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are holy as having peculiar reference unto God and set apart for holy uses There is also an internall and inherent holinesse whereby a thing is in it self holy And thus all true believers are holy being inwardly purged and cleansed in some measure from the filth and pollution of sin You are washed you are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thus also the good Angels are holy they are called the Holy Angels Mat. 25. 31. And after a most eminent manner God is holy he is stiled the Holy one Iob. 6. 10. Isai 40. 25. Yea it is said that he only is holy Revel 15. 4. to wit independently and essentially men and Angels being but holy by participation And peculiarly holinesse is attributed to the third Person in the Blessed Trinity though the first person and the second person be holy too yet the third person is peculiarly stiled holy it being the peculiar work of this person to sanctifie and make holy Not as if the Father and the Son did not sanctifie as well as the Holy Ghost but the Father and the Son do sanctifie by the Holy Ghost whence sanctification is called the sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 2. 13. because it is peculiarly wrought by the spirit and so much for the name Holy Ghost or holy Spirit 2. The nature of the holy Ghost is to be considered viz. that the holy Ghost is God truly and Of the nature of the Holy Ghost that the Holy Ghost is God properly so called having one and the same divine nature with the Father and the Son for these three are one 1. Ioh. 5. 7. three persons yet but one God as hath been shewed before upon that Text but here the Godhead of the Holy Ghost is to be proved more fully and we have clear testimony of Scripture for it VVhy hath Satan filled thine heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost said Peter to Ananias Act. 5. 3. And he adds presently after Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God v. 4. This clearly shews the Holy Ghost to be God And the same may further be confirmed by divers arguments 1. Divine attributes belong unto the holy Ghost such as are proper unto God and consequently the Holy Ghost is God Ubiquity omnipresence to be every where which is peculiar unto God is attributed to the Holy Ghost Whither shall I go from thy spirit Psal 139. 7. So also is omniscience to know all things which likewise appertains to God only The spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. 2. Divine works are ascribed to the Holy Ghost such works as none can do but only God and therefore also the Holy Ghost is God The work of Creation which is proper unto God belongs to the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God hath made me said Elihu Job 33. 4. And surely he that made him made all So also the work of sanctification belongs only unto God The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly 1 Thes 5. 23. Yet this work is ascribed to the Holy Ghost yea this Person as hath been shewed is therefore called the Holy Ghost because he peculiarly doth work sanctification and make holy 3. Divine honour is given to the Holy Ghost that honor which is due only unto God And this also evinceth that the Holy Ghost is God Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. We may not baptize or be baptized in the name of any but only of God Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 13. Seeing therefore that we baptize and are baptized according to Christs own institution as in the name of the Father and of the Son so also of the holy Ghost it necessarily follows that as the Father is God and the Son God so is the Holy Ghost God also And so in the Text that we have in hand the Apostle prayeth for the Corinthians that they might enjoy as the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son and the love of God the Father so likewise the communion of the Holy Ghost and it is an implicit invocation as of Christ the Son and of God the Father so of the holy Ghost as if the Apostle should have said I pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that his grace and to God the Father that his love and to the Holy Ghost that his communion may be with you all and this may suffice to prove that the holy Ghost is God 3. I passe to the person of the holy Ghost and Of the person of the Holy Ghost here three things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is a Person 2. That the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son 3. That the Holy Ghost is a person proceeding both from the Father and from the Son 1. The holy Ghost is a person not an attribute That the H. Ghost is a person or affection as mercy justice power wisdom and the like For those things which are proper and peculiar to a person are attributed to the holy Ghost as to be vexed grieved They vexed his holy spirit Isai 63. 10. Grieve not the holy spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. True it is the holy Ghost being God cannot properly be vexed or grieved but this as other things in Scripture is spoken after the manner of men but however it argueth that the holy Ghost is a person even as that Psal 95. 10. Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation shews him that spake it to be a person So when the holy Ghost is said to speak to command and injoyn it argues that the Holy Ghost is a person The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul c. Act. 13. 2. Above all that Mat. 3. 16. is most strong and forcible for this purpose There it is said that the Holy Ghost came down in the likenesse of a dove which could not be except the Holy Ghost were a person For nothing but a person can assume a shape wherein to appeare a meer attribute or affection cannot do it 2. The Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the That the H. Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son Father and the Son I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter said Christ to his Disciples Joh. 14. 16. The Comforter there spoken of is the Holy Ghost as appears v. 17. Even the spirit of truth c. and v. 26. The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost This therefore is another a person distinct from Christ the Son and so likewise from the Father For the Father doth send this Comforter the Holy Ghost Iohn 14. 26. Now the person sending and the person sent must
needs be distinct the one from the other And this same reason also proveth the Son and the Holy Ghost to be two distinct persons because the Holy Ghost is sent by the Son When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you said Christ Joh. 15. 26. And so Ioh. 16. 7. If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you The distinction also of the Holy Ghost both from the Father and from the Son is evident by that Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost As likewise by this conclusion whereof the Text is a part The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all These places do clearly shew that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct persons and so S. John speaking of them That the H. Ghost proceedeth both from the Father and from the Son saies There are three and these three 1 Ioh. 5. 7. 3. The Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son this is the difference whereby the divine persons are distinguished one from another the Father proceedeth from none the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Holy Ghost proceedeth both from the Father and the Son that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father the Scripture is expresse Ioh. 15. 26. The spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father And that the Holy Ghost also proceedeth from the Son is there implied Whom I wil send said Christ If the holy Ghost be sent by the son then also he proceedeth from the Son for the Father proceeding from none is never said to be sent by any the 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Holy Ghost inspring the Propâ—â—â—s is called the Spirit of Christ Son proceeding from the Father is said to be sent by the Father 1 Ioh. 4. 9. 10. And so the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is said to be sent by them both the Holy Ghost also is called the spirit of the Son as proceeding from the Son Gal. 4. 6. And so Rom. 8. 9. the Spiof Christ therefore also Christ speaking of the Holy Ghost said He shall receive of mine Ioh. 16. 14. because the holy Ghost hath the divine nature communicated unto him by the Son even as the Son hath it communicated unto him by the Father Quest But some may say How is it said of the Holy Ghost that he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak Ioh. 16. 13. Answ I answer The Holy Ghost is there spoken of as a messenger or an Embassadour one sent by another who is not to speak of himself but what he hath received from him by whom he is sent and Christ spake thus of the Holy Ghost not to derogate from the Holy Ghost but to prevent the spreading of errour and false doctrine under a pretence of the spirit and to assure us that if any Doctrine be dissonant from that which Christ hath delivered it is not from the Holy Ghost but to be rejected though they that vent it doe never so much pretend the spirit for it 4. In the fourth and last place we are to consider Of the operation of the Holy Ghost the operation of the Holy Ghost In respect of operation it is that the Holy Ghost is said to be sent or given Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 5. 5. For the Holy Ghost is not so sent or given as to be where before he was not but only so as to operate otherwise then he did The operation of the spirit is called the manifestation of the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 7. because by the operation of the spirit the presence of the spirit is made manifest the operation it self being such as is manifest Now the operation of the spirit is either such as is common to the Elect and reprobate or such as is proper and peculiar to the Elect. 1. Such as is common to the Elect and reprobate and that is of divers sorts 1. That whereby one is fitted for his particular calling whether it be sacred or civill It is Iudg. 11. 29. that the spirit of the Lord came upon Iephthah And 1 Sam. 11. 6. that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul So Exod. 31. 3. that Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of God The meaning is that Iephthah and Saul by the operation of the Spirit were indued with courage and valour and Bezaleel with wisdome and understanding whereby both they and he were made meet for that office and imployment to which they were called In the primitive times of the Gospel there were extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost as ability to speak strange tongues to work strange cures and to do many miracles and these gifts were common to the reprobate as appears by that Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name and in thy name cast out devills and in thy name done many wonderfull works And then will I professe unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity And when Christ sent the Apostles giving them power to heal the sick to cleanse the lepers to raise the dead and to cast out devils he sent Iudas among them and gave him power in this kind as well as the rest Mat. 10. 1. c. And in respect of those extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost most probably it was that some being asked if they had received the Holy Ghost answered We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Acts 19. 2. It is hardly to be imagined that they who spake this having been partakers as they said themselves of Johns Baptisme could be ignorant whether there were such a divine Person which is called the Holy Ghost but they might be ignorant whether there were such miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost given unto believers It followes there v. 6. that when Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with tongues and prophecied The Holy Ghost did then manifest himself in them by extraordinary gifts which he did confer on them 2. Some measure of illumination This also is a common work of the Spirit the reprobate are illuminated in some measure by the Holy Ghost as well as the elect They who are inlightned and in that respect made partakers of the Holy Ghost may fall away and perish for ever Heb. 6. 4 6. The sin against the Holy Ghost presupposeth this operation of the Holy Ghosts illumination None can fall into this sin but they that are inlightned so as to know the truth and to be convinced of it and yet out of diabolicall malice do impugne and oppose it as they that knew and were convinced in their consciences that Christ did cast out Devills by the
power of God and yet would blaspheme and say that he did it through Beelzebub the Prince of Devills which occasioned Christ to speak of the sin against the Holy Ghost and of the unpardonablenesse of it Mar. 3. 22. 30. 3. Some stirring of the affections this is likewise an operation of the Holy Ghost common to the wicked with the godly thus the Holy Ghost did operate in Agrippa when he said unto Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. And so in Felix when hearing Paul speak of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come he trembled Act. 24. 25. 4. Some restraining grace whereby to withhold from acting the evill which otherwise one would act this also the Holy Ghost doth work as well in the unregenerate as in the regenerate It is probable that this was all that was wrought in Abimelech to whom God said that he withheld him from sinning against him and suffered him not to touch Sarah as he thought to have done Gen. 20. 6. These operations of the Holy Ghost are common 2. There is an operation of the spirit which is proper to the Elect. As 1. Regeneration whereby one is so changed as in a spirituall sense to be borne again and to be a new creature That which is born of the spirit is spirit John 3. 6. Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost that is renewing wrought by the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly thorough Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3. 5 6. This work of the Holy Ghost is peculiar to the Elect. God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation thorough sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 2. 13. In respect of this operation of the spirit some are sensuall not having the spirit Jude v. 19. 2. Direction whereby to be guided in all necessary and saving truth and to be kept from all destructive and damnable errour either in opinion or practice I will put my spirit wtthin you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. Ezek. 36. 27. When the spirit of truth is come he wil guide you into all truth Joh. 16. 13. This promise might have peculiar reference to the Apostles who were guided by the spirit after an extraordinary manner but in respect of things necessary unto salvation it belongs to all believers and to them only For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom. 8. 13. 3. Consolation and incouragement in greatest troubles and afflictions The Holy Ghost is called the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16 17 15. 26. 16. 7. The wicked and reprobate may have some comfort and incouragement but it is frothy and fading whereas that which is wrought in the godly by the Holy Ghost is solid and permanent We glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 3 4 5. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse together with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heirs c. Rom. 8. 16 17. By the spirit the Saints are sealed unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. 30. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. As a seale serves to confirm a writing and an earnest to make a bargain sure so the children of God by the Holy Ghost are confirmed in their faith and assured of Gods love towards them and of their eternall happinesse The seven and twentieth SERMON HAving discoursed in generall of the Holy Ghost I come to the Doctrine which the words of the Text do offer unto our consideration viz. That the communion participation society Doct. and fellowship of the Holy Ghost is a thing much That which in the Text is called the Communion of the Holy Ghost is called Phil. 2. 1. the fellowship of the spirit As the same word in the Originall that is rendred in the one place communion in the other fellowship to be desired The Apostle in the very conclusion of his Epistle praies for those to whom he writes that they might enjoy this communion which argues that it is a thing very precious and desirable The same may appear by that which we read of Elisha who when Eliah being to be taken from him bad him ask what he should do for him made only this request I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me 2 Kings 2. 9. The meaning is not as some are apt to mistake it that Elisha desired to have twice as much of the Spirit as Eliah had but the phrase there used is the same with that which is used Deut. 21. 17. and from thence the true and genuine meaning is to be fetched There it is said that the first born was to have a double portion word for word the mouth of two that is he was to receive twice as much of his Fathers substance as any of his brethren So Elisha desired that he might be reckoned as Eliahs first borne and that he might have twice as much of the Spirit which was upon him as the other Prophets should have Thus is the place to be understood but still it shewes what account Elisha who had already so much of the Spirit as to know the worth of it did make of this communion of the Holy Ghost David also by whom the Spirit of the Lord did speak as he said 2 Sam. 23 2. when his conscience was afflicted for his foule and grievous enormities was very sollicitous in this respect lest he should not injoy the communion of the Holy Ghost as he had done Cast me not away from thy presence saies he unto God and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. And v. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit How the communion of the Holy Ghost is to be prized we may likewise perceive by those exhortations of the Apostle Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Grieve not the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. Be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5. 18. So also by that commemoration which the people of God made unto him of his singular favour shewed unto their Fathers Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them Neh. 9. 20. For the further confirmation of the point let us consider 1. The excellency of this communion which appears by the excellency of the Holy Ghost This Spirit is called good Neh. 9. 20. excellent Dan. 6. 3. the spirit of wisdome Eph. 1. 17. the spirit of truth Joh. 15. 26. 16. 13. the spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. Heb. 10. 29. the spirit of life Rom. 8.
and his word together As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Isai 59. 21. And how did Cornelius and they that were with him receive the spirit but by the word While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word Act. 10. 44. And therefore Paul having said Quench not the spirit immediately adds Despise not prophecying 1 Thes 5. 19. 20. Prayer also is a means whereby to obtain the spirit Indeed we must first have the spirit in some measure before we can pray to any purpose as was shewed before but prayer is a means to obtain the Spirit in greater measure For God wil give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. They therefore who either restrain prayer before God or pray only in formality or fashion sake thinking it enough if they can read a prayer in a book or say a prayer by rote yea will scorn and deride praying by the spirit these I say plainly shew how little they look after the communion of the holy Ghost I am not against all use of book-prayer or of a form of drayer yet I may say to some in this respect as Paul said to the Athenians that they are too superstitious Whether Act. 17. 22. we pray with a book or without in a set form or otherwise yet must we howsoever pray with the spirit or els our prayer is to no 1 Gor. 14. 15. purpose 4. Do we study to bring forth the fruits of the Holy Ghost The fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goonesse faith meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. and v. 25. If we live in the spirit let us walk in the spirit that is if we pretend to be indued with the spirit let it appear by our spirituall life and conversation Vse 3. Thirdly and lastly suffer the word of exhortation and but a word Let this be our desire and care our study and indeavour that we may have the communion of the holy Ghost We have seen the excellency the commodity and the necessity of this communion let us not despise that which is so excellent nor undervalue that which is so commodious nor neglect that which is so necessary VVe have also seen the marks whereby to try whether we enjoy this communion in any measure or no and withall meanes whereby to obtain it let us labour to find those marks in our selves and let us have a care to use those means For so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrsst 2 Pet. 1. 11. The eight and twentieth SERMON MAT. 16. 18. And upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it CHrist having asked his Disciples whom men did say that he was they answered that some said that he was John the Baptist some Elias some Ieremias or one of the Prophets he asking them again whom they did say that he was Peter in the name of them all answered Thou art Christ the Son of the living God VVhereupon Christ commending that confession said Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona for flesh and blood hath hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Vpon this rock The Papists make much ado about this place think it a Rock for them to build the Popes supremacy upon For by the Rock here mentioned they understand Peter and they will have the Church built upon Peter and so upon the Pope as being they say Peters Successor But first the Scripture shewes Christ and only Christ to be the foundation of the Church Thus saith the Lord God behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation c. Esa 28. 16. Which to be meant of Christ appears by S. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 5 6 7 8. And S. Paul is plain and peremptory Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Object Some may object that Eph. 2. 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Answ But first that makes nothing for Peter more then for the rest of the Apostles and for the Prophets also and so makes nothing for the Papists 2. It is meant in respect of Christ who was foretold by the Prophets and preached by the Apostles To him give all the Prophets witnesse said Peter Acts 10. 43. We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord said Paul 2 Cor. 4 5. So that Rev. 21. 14. where it is said that the new Jerusalem had twelve foundations Fundamenta igitur hujus muri sunt quia ipsi doctrinâ suâ exemplo aeterâ—ae tranquillitatis securitatis causa fuerunt electis Riber ad loc and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb that I say by the confession of Ribera a Iesuite is meant in respect of their Doctrine and example as they preached Christ and were followers of him 1 Cor. 11. 1. Here therefore by Rock is not meant Peter but Christ whom Peter confessed or which is to the same effect the confession which Peter made or the faith whereof he made confession Thus Augustine Chrysostome Theophylact and others have expounded it and those of the Ancients that have interpreted it of Peter are to be understood as meanning not his person but his faith and confession viz. in respect of Christ the object of it Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. ad Mat. 16. 18 the latest of the Ancients doth well shew the meaning both of them and of the Text it selfe The Lord saith he doth answer Peter and give him a great reward to wit that the Church should be built upon him For because Peter confessed him to be the Son of God he saith This confession which thou hast confessed shall be the foundation of Believers so that whosoever will build the house of faith must lay this confession for a foundation 2. Though the words in the Originall for Peter and Rock be neer akin yet rhey are different 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words and shew that Christ meant different things by them For otherwise Christ would have said Thou art Peter and upon thee or and upon this Peter I will build my Church Ob. It may be objected that the word in the Syriask Tongue which Christ used is
spirit For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentils whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. The Apostle there speaks of baptizing and drinking because the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper are outward tokens and testimonies of the union of the Saints as they are here upon earth but still he mentions the spirit as that whereby the union is indeed wrought And as union so communion which flows from union For as it is in the naturall body so is it also in the mysticall the members being united one to another have communion one with another because as the members of the naturall body partake all of one soul so the members of the mystical body partake all of one spirit Because the Saints have the communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 14. the fellowship of the spirit Phil. 2. 1. therefore they have communion and fellowship one with another Now the Saints being some in heaven and some on earth there ariseth a fourfold communion or fellowship which the Saints have one with another 1. There is a communion which the Saints in heaven have one with another They certainly rejoyce one in anothers happinesse and praise God one for an other Here men and even sometimes good men through the corruption that is in them envy one another as Aaron and Miriam did Moses Num. 12. 1. But the Saints in heaven are wholly free from this distemper they are made perfect in love and charity which envieth not 1 Cor. 13. 4. rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth v. 6. 2. There is a communion which the Saints in heaven have with the Saints on earth They wish them that happinesse which themselves have attained to and in generall as we may conceive pray for them For though they be not acquainted with the particular estate of the Saints here below yet in generall they know that as they in heaven are triumphant so their fellow-members on earth are militant and therefore charity as the Apostle saith never failing they have a fellow-feeling 2 Cor. 13. 8. of their case so far forth as is consistent with their own happinesse and a care for them 3. There is a communion which the Saints on earth have with the Saints in heaven They rejoyce in their happinesse praise God for them and follow their faith and conversation that so they also may partake of the same happinesse with them Thus far forth the Scripture doth warrant our Communion with the Saints in heaven For the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10. 7. All generations shall call me blessed said the Virgin Mary Luk. 1. 48. And the Apostle bids Be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. But for praying to the Saints departed as they of the Church of Rome teach we have no Scripture to countenance any such Communion but it is quite dissonant and repugnant to Scripture God is he to whom we must pray Call upon me Psal 50. 15. As for me I will call upon God Psal 55. 16. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Psal 32. 6. After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father c. Mat. 6. 9. Neither must we pray in the name of any but of Christ only For there is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. Besides the Saints departed do not understand our particular affairs When a man is dead he is ignorant of the estate of such as had most near relation unto him His sons come to honour and he knoweth it not and they are brought low but he perceiveth it not of them Job 14. 21. 4. There is a Communion which the Saints on earth have one with another this is that communion of Saints which the Scripture chiefly speaeth of They are kindly affectioned one towards another Rom. 12. 10. They rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep v. 15. They have the same care one for another If one member suffer all the members suffer with it if one member be honoured they all rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 25 26. They bear one anothers burthens Gal. 6. 2. As every one hath received the gift so they minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifest grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. More particularly the Saints on earth have communion one with another 1. in respect of spirituall things they joyn together in the use of Gods Ordinances Thus it is said of the primitive Christians that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Act. 2. 42. And v. 46. that they continued daily with one accord in the Temple c. And the Apostle exhorts saying And let us consider one another c. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Heb. 10. 24 25. According to their places and callings they teach and admonish one another Col. 3. 16. They exhort one another Heb. 3. 13. 10. 25. They comfort and edifie one another 1 Thes 4. 18. 5. 11. They pray one for another Ephes 6. 18. Jam. 5. 16. 2. In respect of temporall things they succour and relieve one another It is recorded of the Saints in the Apostles time that they had all things common and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need Act. 2. 44 45. So Act. 4. 32. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any of them that ought of the things that he possessed waâ— his own but they had all things common v. 34. 35. For as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need This example of the primitive Saints the Anabaptists before these times have abused inferring from thence that meum and tuum all propriety of goods ought to be taken away from among Christians and that all things should be so common among them that none should have right to any thing more then another But this is over-grosse For 1. What was done by a few living together in one City cannot conveniently be done by all throughout the vvorld Neither then in the Apostles time was that communion injoyned none was required to part with the interest that he had in any thing as is clear by that of Peter to Ananias Whiles it remained was â— not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power Act. 5. 4. This shewes that Anamas might have chosen whether he would fell his possession or no and when he had sold it whether he would bring
Solomon who were Prophets as well as Kings but also they Kings only and not Prophets as Asa Jehoshaphat Ezekiah and Iosiah and memorable to this purpose is the example of Artaxerxes though a heathen See what a decree he madâ— Ezr. 7. 25 26. And how Ezra blessed God for it v. 27. 28. 2. By providing Orthodox Ministers to teach the truth and by incouraging them that do it Thus Jehoshaphat sent Levites who taught in Judah and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them and went about thoroughout all the Cities of Judah and taught the people 2 Chron. 17. 8 9. And Ezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests the Levites that they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chron 31. 4. 3. By repressing such as pervert the truth and divulge errours The Magistrate is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 13. 4. Now if they do evill that hurt the body and prejudice the temporall estate how much more they that hurt the soul and prejudice the eternall estate 2. Ministers must do it and that 1. By preaching and teaching the truth with all diligence See Act. 20. 28 31. 2 Tim. 4. 1 5. Tit. 1. 10 11. with 2. 1. 2. By refelling such as oppose the truth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non loquintur diserta sed fortia Cypr. confuting their errours a Minister must not only be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. but also able to convince gain-sayers Tit. 1. 9. To this end he must preach not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Apollos was eloquent and that is good but withall he was mighty in the Scriptures Act 18. 24. And so he mightily convinced the Jews and that publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ v. 28. 3. Private Christians must doe it And 1. By praying for good and sound teachers they must pray that they may be sent Mat. 9. 38. And that they may do the work for which they are sent 2 Thes 3. 1. Col. 4. 3. Ephes 6. 19 20. 2. By affording them all incouragement that may be See 1 Thes 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17. 3. By giving no assistance shewing no countenance to false teachers but doing what they may to restrain them See 3 Iohn 10 11. Deut. 13. 6 9. 4. By instructing and admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. 5. By humbling themselves and mourning for the errours that are vented and for those that are seduced See Psalm 119. 158. 136. Vse Let us then according to our places and callings be mindfull of this duty and carefull to perform it to this end let us consider 1. That truth especially the truth of Religion the truth of the Gospell is a thing most precious and excellent Col. 1. 5. most worthy to be contended for with all earnestnesse and to be maintained with all care and diligence God is the God of truth Isa 65. 16. Christ hath stiled himself the truth John 14. 6. the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth John 16. 13. The Gospel is the word of truth Ephes 1. 13. If therefore we contend for other things which in comparison are vain and frivolous how much more should we contend for this which is of such worth of such excellency 2. That the Saints servants of God have ever shewed great zeal in this kind How zealous Paul was for the truth his Epistles every where shew See especially Gal. 1. 8 9 2. 5 11 12 13 14. 4 3. 1 3 4 11 19. 5. 7. 12. of S. John it is recorded by Eusebius and before him by Irenaeus that being in a bath and hearing that Cerinthus one who besides other hereticall opinions denied Christs divinity was come into the place he would stay no longer but departed with all speed saying to those that were with him Let us flie and be gone least the building fall upon us in which this enemy of the truth Cerinthus is So it is said of Polycarpus S. Iohns Disciple that meeting with Marcion another Arch-heretike and being asked by him if he knew him answered Yes I know thee to be the first born of the divell And such was the zeale of Hierome against heretikes and heresies that in his second Apology against Ruffinus he writes thus In this one thing I cannot In uno tibi consentire non possum ut parcam haereticis ut me Catholicum non probem Si ista est causa discordiae non possum tacere non possum yeeld unto thee that I should forbear heretikes and so not prove my self a sound and true believing Christian If this be the cause of our difference I cannot hold my peace I cannot do it 4. That wicked opinions are rather worse then wicked practises corrupt Doctrines more dangerous then corrupt manners Some do well observe that he who had the leprosie in his head is pronounced not simply unclean as others but utterly unclean Levit. 13. 44. Whence is collected that corruption in judgement is worse then corruption in practice And so it is the understanding is the eye and so the light of the soul and if the light be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6. 23. Sound doctrine is a means to reforme a corrupt conversation but corrupt doctrine is a means to marre a good conversation Evill communications corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Whosoever shall break one of the least Commandements and teach men so c. Mat. 5. 19. 4. Great need especially at this time to be earnest for the truth and to do what we may for defence of it For first when was it ever more opposed then now it is What heresie almost was ever broached which is not now taken up and maintained by one or other Scarce any truth in all the sphere of Christian Religion is so sacred as to remain inviolate 2. These wicked opinions that are among us cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of Hereupon Papists take occasion to traduce our Religion and prophane persons to despise all Religion 3. These are times wherein God expects and we pretend Reformation Therefore that now in these times should be such Sects and Heresies amongst us is the more hainous I said surely thou wilt feare me thou wilt receive correction c. but they rose up early and corrupted all their ways Zeph. 3. 7. Thou saidst I will not transgresse when on every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot Ier. 2. 20. 4. We have solemnly sworne unto God and covenanted with him to indeavour in our places and callings the preservation of the truth and the extirpation of heresie and whatsoever is concrary to sound Doctrine Let us remember that of David Psal 76. 11. Vow and perform unto the Lord your God And that of Solomon Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools Pay therefore that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldst not vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Some have shewed themselves very zealous against Superstition Popery Prelacy c. but concerning Sects and Heresies which swarm in the Land have been remisse enough Why is not one part of the Covenant regarded as well as another Zeale if it be not impartiall is not right howsoever we may please our selves in it and vaunt of it as Iehu did Come see my zeal 2 King 10. 16. But Jehu regarded not to walk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the soâ— of Nebat who made Israel to sin v. 31. Had his zeal been sincere it would have shewed it selfe as well against the Idolatrous Worship of thâ— Calves set up by Ieroboam as against that of Bâ—al set up by Ahab Let us consider these things and let the consideration of them incite us by prayer and humiliation and all good means as our places and callings require to indeavour that truth may be preserved and error suppressed that such as are yet in the truth may persist in it and such as are swerved from the truth may be reduced to it or at least may not seduce and draw others from it In a word let us do what in us lies that the land may be purged as from other pollutions and defilements so from these Sects and Heresies that are so rife in it that so the Lord may not as otherwise we must needs fear he will abhor us and depart from us but may still continue his gracious presence with us and rejoyce over us to do us good FINIS
The Apostle saith that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. And it is unquestionable that Christs death was a part and a chief part of his humiliation Therefore so long as he remained dead that is untill his Resurrection he was in the estate of humiliation 6. It appears by Scripture that when Christ died his soul went to heaven and therefore not to hell as taken for the place of torment which is most opposite and contrary unto heaven This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the penitent malefactour Therefore Christs soul being separated from his body went to Paradise which is all one with the third that is the highest heaven as was before shewed Some answer that Christ meant of himself in respect of his divine nature which is in all places and in Paradise or heaven in a more especiall manner in that respect they say Christ did promise the repentant thief that he should be with him that day in Paradise But first Bellarmine doth well refell this Bellar. de Beatitud Sanct. l. 1. c. 3. answer for that Christ promised that the thiefe should be where he was but in respect of his divine nature Christ was with the thief here in this world even then when he played the thief so that in this sense Christ in those words with me had promised no new thing unto him 2. The word of Christ cannot without doing violence unto them be otherwise taken then to import this that as the thief was then in respect of the body partner with Christ in pain and torment so that same day both their souls should be together where they should injoy blisse and happinesse Some therefore yeelding that those words with me have reference to Christ in respect of his soul say that Christs soul betwixt his death and his Resurrection might be both in heaven and in hell the place of torment one while in the one another while in the other But this is a groundlesse conjecture the Scripture Act. 2. clearly Videtur quòd usque ad horam resurrectionis manserit in inferno Aquinas part 3. qu. 5. art 4. enough sheweth that Christs soul from the time of his death was in the hell that it speaks of untill the time of his Resurrection Again some of the ancients do not without cause infer from those words of Christ which he spake when he gave up the Ghost Father into thy hands I commend my spirit For though Christs soul even in the hell of the damned might yet be said to be in the hands of the Father yet much Eusebius Emisenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juenricus Tunc clamor Domini magno conamine missus Aetheriis animam comitem commiscuit auris rather might it be said to be in his hands being in heaven Some arguments used in defence of this opinion are to be answered Ob. As first that drawn from Mat. 12. 40. As Jonas was three daies and three nights in the belly of the whale so shall the son of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth Here by the heart of the earth they understand hell the hell of the damned which they suppose to be in the heart or midst of the earth The Papists also make use of this place for their Limbus before spoken of but it makes for neither opinion For 1. The Scripture doth not declare where hell the place Qui ignis gehennae cujusmodi in quâ mundi vel regionum parte futurus sit hominem arbitror scire neminem nisi fortè cui Spiritus divinus ostendit Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 20. cap. 16. of torment to which the Papists make their Limbus to be contiguous is seated Austin speaking of the fire of hell saith that he supposed no man could tell of what kind it is or in what part of the world except perhaps Gods spirit did reveal it 2. In those words of Christ which are objected by the heart of the earth is meant the grave For Christs abiding so long in the heart of the earth was to be a sign to the Jews as the context sheweth therefore it was to be a thing apparent unto them which his abiding so long in the grave was but not his abiding so long either in Limb or in the hell of the damned For if ever Christ were there yet it was more then the Jews could see but they might see that at such a time he was laid in the grave and that he continued there untill such a time after Ob. Against this it is objected That the heart is put for the midst of a thing and therefore the grave being not the midst of the earth cannot be the heart of it Answ But in the Scripture that part of a thing which is betwixt the extremes though it be not equally distant from the extremes is called the midst or the heart Ezek. 14. 14. 16. 18. 20. where its said if Noah Daniel and Job were in it c. in the originall it is word for word in the midst of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it where by the midst of the Land is not meant precisely the middle part of the Land but any place within it S◠Ezek. 27. 4. Tyrus is said to be in the midst of the sea in the originall as the margent notes it is in the heart of the sea Yet this heart or midst of the sea was not exactly the middle of it for Tyrus as it is said there v. 3. was situate at the entry of the sea Ob. But Bellarmine yet further objects that Christs sepulcher seems to have been above the earth and not at all within it because it was hewn out of a rock as the Scripture telleth us Answ But this hindreth not why it might not be within the earth and that it was so the Scripture sheweth relating how a great stone was rolled to the mouth of the sepulcher Mat. 27. 60. and that John stooped down to look into the sepulcher Ioh. 20. 5. These circumstances argue that the sepulcher was beneath in the earth and therefore might well be called the heart of the earth Ob. Again they argue from Ephes 4. 9. where it is said That Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth which some will have to signifie hell the place of torment and the Papists will have Limbus Patrum to be meant Answ But 1. why the lower parts of the earth should denote the hell of the damned or Limbus Patrum if there had been any such place at all I do not see it being unknown to us as I said before where that hell is seated 2. Therefore Cajetans exposition is much better that by the lower parts of the earth Ad inferiores partes terrae i. e. ad inferiorem partem mundi terram Cajet ad loc Comparatur non una pars terrae cum altera sed tota terra cum caelo
the money that he had for it to the Apostles or no. But thus far that example is to be followed that they which have must communicate to those that want To do good and to communicate forget not Heb. 13. 16. Charge them that are rich in this world c. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. As we have opportunity let us do good unto all especially unto them that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Vse 1. The use of this doctrine is first to convince and reprove such as professe themselves Christians and so consequently Saints â—et do little regard the communion of Saints that communion which all true Saints have with God with Christ and with one another In stead of communion with God some have communion with Satan in stead of communion with Christ they have communion with Belial with fin and wickednesse in stead of communion with Saints they have communion with the ungodly in stead of joyning in the worship and service of God they joyn in the practice of iniquity swearing and swaggering drinking and revelling together and this they account and call good-fellowship but it is far from that fellowship which the Text doth speak of which indeed is the only true good-fellowship God is light saith S. Iohn presently after the Text and in him is no darknesse at all If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we lie and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another c. 1 Joh. 1. 5 6 7. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. Some under a pretence of sanctity violate the communion of Saints they forsake the assemblies of the Saints because of some in those assemblies by whose society they fear to be polluted but this is either great hypocrisie or a grosse errour Let a man examin himself said the Apostle and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup 1 Cor. 11. 28. Therefore it is not the unworthinesse of others that can prejudice thee if thou thy self beest not unworthy Come out from among them and be ye separate how and touch not the unclean thing 1 Cor. 5. 17. So separate as to have no communion with others in that which is evill Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse but reprove them rather Ephes 5. 11. Some will exercise communion of Saints in respect of spiritual things but in respect of corporall things they wil have no such communion The Hebrew Doctors note that there are four sorts of persons 1. Such as will say Mine is thine and thine is Pirke Aboth c. s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine They will communicate to others but only so as that others communicate to them again But Luk. 6. 32. 33. If ye love them that love you what thank have ye for sinners also love those that love them And if ye do good to those to those that do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same 2. Such as will say Mine is mine and thine is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine They will keep what they have and let others keep what they have they will neither be beholding to others nor shall others be beholding unto them And this say some was the disposition of the people of Sodome The Prophet Ezekiel speaking of the sins of Sodome mentioneth this for one neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy Ezek. 16. 49. They are not taxed for robbing defrauding and oppressing the poor but for not succouring and relieving them as they should have done 3. Such as will say Thine is mine and mine is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine They will take from others but will not impart to others these are grossely wicked 4. Such as will say Mine is thine and thine is thine They will impart to others not expecting that they should impart to them againe This is the disposition of the godly it is that which our Saviour requires Love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again that is not hoping to receive the like kindnesse by borrowing afterwards of those who now borrow of you and your reward shall be great c. Luk. 6. 35 36. Vse 2. Secondly as we professe Christianity and so sanctity let us practise this communion which is the communion of Saints and so of all true Christians communion with God and with Christ and with one another To this end first let us have a care that we be Christians indeed and so Saints indeed Saints I say in some measure though not full measure God is holy and Christ is holy and all the true children of God and members of Christ are holy and so if we would have communion with them Simile gaudet fimili we must be holy also For every thing seeks communion with that which is like it selfe Birds of a feather flie together Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. 2. As we must follow after all holinesse so especially Amor. unit amantem cum re amata Love which wo 〈…〉 â—nion and so communion And above all 〈…〉 e things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3. 14. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 1 Joh. 4. 7 8. 3. Humility is also a great means to preserve and maintain this communion Onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10. With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long-suffering forbearing one another in love indeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 2 3. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem other better then themselves Phil. 2. 2 3. The three and thirtieth SERMON Isai 33. 24. The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity THe Prophet here speaking of the Church under the notion of a City and under the name of Sion and Jerusalem v. 20. sheweth what a great benefit belongs unto it and to the members of it viz. the forgivenesse of sins The people that dwell therein in Zion or Jerusalem in the Church they that are so in it as to be of it shall be forgiven their iniquity It is the happinesse of the members of the Church triumphant