Hence is that affectionate call of his unto us to be treating with him on this account Chap. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the secret places of the staires let me see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenence is comely When the soule on any account is driven to hide its selfe in any neglected condition in the most unlikely place of abode then doth he call for this communication of its selfe by prayer to him for which he gives the assistance of the Spirit mentioned 2. A way whereby to approach unto God with our desires § 7 This also we have by him provided for us Joh. 14. 5 6. Thomas saith unto Jesus Lord we know not whether thou goest and how can we know the way Jesus saith unto him I am the way no man commeth unto the Father but by me That way which we had of going unto God at our Creation is quite shut up by sinne The sword of the Law which hath fire put into it by sinne turnes every way to stop all passages unto communion with God Jesus Christ hath consecrated a new and living way for the Saints through the vaile that is to say the flesh Heb. 10 20. He hath consecrated and set it apart for Believers and for them alone Others pretend to goe to God with their prayers but they come not nigh him How can they possibly come to the end who go not in the way Christ only is the way to the throne of Grace none comes to God but by him By him we have an accesse in one Spirit unto the Father Ephes. 2. v. 18. These two things then the Saints have for the opening of their hearts at the throne of Grace Assistance and a Way The Assistance of the Spirit without which they are nothing and the way of Christs Mediation without which God is not to be approached unto 3. Boldnesse to goe unto God The voice of sinners in themselves § 8 if once acquainted with the Terrour of the Lord is Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings Isa. 33 v. 14 And no marvell shame and trembling before God are the proper Issues of sinne God will revenge that Carnall Atheisticall boldnesse which sinners out of Christ doe use towards him But we have now boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh and having a high Priest over the house of God we may draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of Faith Heb. 10 9 20. The truth is such is the Glory and terrour of the Lord such the infinite perfection of his Holinesse that on cleare sight of it it will make the soul conclude that of its selfe it cannot serve him nor will it be to any advantage but adde to the fiercenesse of his destruction once to draw nigh to him It is in Christ alone and on the account alone of his oblation and intercession that we have any boldnesse to approach unto him And these 3. Advantages have the Saints of communicating their minds unto the Lord Christ which he hath provided for them because he delights in them To touch a little by the way because this is of great importance § 9 I will instance in one of these as I might in every one that you may see the difference between a spirituall revealing of our minds unto Christ in this Acceptable manner and that praying upon conviction which others practice and this shall be from the first viz. the Assistance we have by the Spirit 1. The Spirit of Christ reveales to us our own wants that we may reveale them unto him we know not what c. Rom. 8. 26. no teachings under those of the spirit of God are able to make our soules acquainted with their own wants its burdens its Temptations For a soul to know its wants its Infirmities is a Heavenly discovery He that hath this assistance his prayer is more then half made before he begins to pray His Conscience is affected with what he hath to do his mind Spirit contend within him there especially where he finds himself most streightned He brings his burden on his shoulders unloads himself on the Lord Christ. He finds not by a perplexing Conviction but an holy sence wearinesse of sin where he is dead where dull and cold wherein unbelieving wherein ttempted above all his strength where the light of Gods countenance is wanting And all these the soule hath a sense of by the Spirit an unexpressible sence and experience Without this prayer is not prayer Mens voyces may be heard but they speake not in their hearts Sence of want is the spring of desire naturall of naturall spirituall of spirituall Without this sence given by the Holy Ghost there is neither desire nor prayer 2 d The expressions or the Words of such persons come exceeding short of the labouring of their hearts and therefore in and after their supplications the Spirit makes intercession with sighes and groanes that cannot be uttered Some mens words goe exceedingly beyond their hearts Did their Spirits come up to their expressions it were well He that hath this Assistance can provide no clothing that is large and broad enough to set forth the desires of his heart and therefore in the close of his best and most fervent supplications such a person finds a double dissatisfaction in them First that they are not a Righteousnesse to be rested on that if God should marke what is in them amisse they could not abide the triall 2. That his heart in them is not powred out nor delivered in any proportion to the holy desires and labourings that were conceived therein though they may in Christ have great refreshment by them The more they speak the more they find they have left unspoken 3 d The Intercession of the Saints thus assisted is according to § 10 the mind of God that is they are guided by the Spirit to make requests for those things unto God which it is his will they should desire which he knowes to be good for them usefull and suitable to them in the condition wherein they were There are many wayes whereby we may know when we make our Supplications according to the Will of God I shall instance only in one that is when we doe it according to the promise When our prayers are regulated by the promise we make them according to the will of God so David Ps. 119. 49. Remember the words wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust He prayes and regulates his desire by the word of promise wherein he had trusted But yet Men may aske that which is in the promise and yet not have their prayers regulated by the promise They may pray for what is in the
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of councell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord c. Many of the endowments of Christ from the Spirit wherewith he was abundantly anointed are here recounted Principally those of Wisdome Councell and Understanding are insisted on on the Account whereof all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge are said to be in him Col. 2. 3. and though this be but some part of the furniture of Jesus Christ for the discharge of his Office yet it is such as where our anoynting to the same purpose is mentioned it is said peculiarly on the effecting of such Qualifications as these so John 2. 22 and 27. the work of the anoynting is to teach us The Spirit therein is a Spirit of Wisdome and understanding of Councell Knowledge and quick understanding in the feare of the Lord. So was the great promise of the Comforter that he should teach us Joh. 14. 26. that he should guide us into all truth Chap. 16. 13. This of teaching us the mind and will of God in the manner wherein we are taught it by the Spirit our Comforter is an eminent part of our unction by him which only I shall instance in Give me leave to say there is a threefold teaching by the spirit 1. A teaching by the Spirit of Conviction and illumination so the Spirit teacheth the world that is many in it by the Preaching of the Word as he is promised to doe Joh. 16. 8. 2. A teaching by the spirit of Sanctification opening blind eyes giving a new understanding shining into our hearts to give us a knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ enableing us to receive Spirituall things in a Spirituall light 1 Cor. 2. 8. giving a saving knowledge of the mistery of the Gospell and this in severall degrees is common to all Believers 3. A teaching by the Spirit of Consolation making sweet usefull and joyfull to the soule the discoveries that are made of the mind and Will of God in the light of the Spirit of Sanctification Here the oyle of the Spirit is called the Oyle of gladnesse That which beings Joy and Gladnesse with it And the name of Christ hereby discovered is a sweet oyntment powred forth that causeth Soules to runne after him with joy and delight Cant. 1. 2. We see it by daily experience that very many have little tast and sweetnesse and relish in their Soules of those Truths which yet they savingly know and believe But when we are taught by this unction oh how sweet is every thing we know of God As we may see in the place of Iohn where mention is made of the teaching of this unction it respects peculiarly the Spirit teaching of us the Love of God in Christ the shining of his Countenance which as David speaks puts Gladnesse into our hearts Psal. 4. 6 7. We have this then by the Spirit he teacheth us of the Love of God in Christ he makes every Gospell Truth as wine well refined § 25 to our Soules and the good things of it to be a feast of fatt things gives us Joy and gladnesse of heart with all that wee know of God which is the great preservative of the Soule to keep it close to Truth The Apostle speaks of our teaching by this unction as the meanes whereby we are preserved from seduction Indeed to know any Truth in the Power sweetnesse Joy Gladnesse of it is that great security of the soules constancy in the preservation and retaining of it They will readily change Truth for Error who find no more sweetnesse in the one then in the other I must crave the Readers pardon for my briefe passing over these great things of the Gospell my present designe is rather to enumerate then to unfold them This one work of the Holy Ghost might it be pursued would require a fuller discourse then I can allot unto the whole matter in hand All the priviledges we enjoy all the Dignity and honour we are invested withall our whole dedication unto God our Nobility and Royalty our interest in all Church advantages and approaches to God in worship our separation from the world the name whereby we are called the liberty we enjoy all flow from this head are all branches of this effect of the Holy Ghost I have mentioned only our teaching by this unction a Teaching that brings joy and gladnesse with it by giving the heart a sense of the Truth wherein we are instructed When we find any of the good Truths of the Gospell come home to our soules with life vigour and power giving us gladnesse of heart transforming us into the image and likenesse of it the Holy Ghost is then at his work is powring out of his oyle We have Adoption also by the Spirit hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption that is either he who is given to Adopted ones § 26 to secure them of it to beget in their hearts a sense and Perswasion of the Fathers Adopting Love or else to give them the priviledge it selfe as is intimated Joh. 1. 12. Neither is that opposite hereunto which we have Gal. 4 6. for God may send the spirit of supplication into our hearts because we are Sons and yet Adopted by his spirit But of this elsewhere He is also called the Spirit of Supplication under which notion he is promised Zach. 12. 10. and how he affects that in us is § 27 declared Rom. 8. 26. 27. and Gal 4. 6. and we are thence said to pray in the Holy Ghost Our prayers may be considered 1. Two waies First as a spirituall Duty required of us by God and so they are wrought in us by the Spirit of Sanctification which helps us to performe all our duties by exalting all the faculties of the Soule for the Spirituall discharge of their respective offices in them 2. As a meanes of retaining Communion with God whereby we sweetly ease our hearts in the bosome of the Father and receive in refreshing tasts of his Love The Soule is never more raysed with the Love of God then when by the Spirit taken into intimate communion with him in the discharge of this duty and therein it belongs to the Spirit of Consolation to the Spirit promised as a Comforter And this is the next thing to be considered in our Communion with the Holy Ghost namely what are the peculiar Effects which he worketh in us and towards us being so bestowed on us as was declared and working in the way and manner insisted on Now these are His bringing the promises of Christ to remembrance glorifying him in our hearts shedding abroad the love of God in us witnessing with us as to our spirituall estate and condition sealing us to the day of redemption being the earnest of our Inheritance anoynting us with priviledges as to their consolation confirming our Adoption and being present
and the fruits of it Doe not many very evidently hold Communion with their lusts and with the world and yet would be thought to have a Portion and Inheritance among them that are Sanctifyed They have neither new name nor white stone and yet would be called the people of the most High May it not be said of many of them rather that God is not in all their thoughts then that they have Communion with him The Lord open the Eyes of men that they may see and know that walking with God is a matter not of forme but power And so farre of peculiar Communion with Father in the Instance of love which we have insisted on He is also faithfull who hath called us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord of which in the next place PART II. CHAP. I. Of the Fellowship which the Saints have with Jesus Christ the Son of God That they have such a fellowship proved 1 Cor. 1. 9. Revel 3. 20. Cant. 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. opened Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. OF that distinct Communion which we have with the § 1 Person of the Father we have treated in the foregoing Chapters we now proceed to the Consideration of that which we have with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now the Fellowship we have with the second Person is with him as Mediator in that Office whereunto by dispensation he submitted himselfe for our sakes being made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 4 5. And herein I shall doe these two things 1. Declare that we have such Fellowship with the Son of God 2. Shew wherein that Fellowship or Communion doth consist For the first I shall only produce some few places of Scripture § 2 to confirme it that it is so 1 Cor. chap. 1. v. 9. God is faithfull by whom ye were called to the Fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. This is that whereunto all the Saints are called and wherein by the Faithfullnesse of God they shall be preserved even Fellowship with Jesus Christ our Lord. We are called of God the Father as the Father in pursuite of his Love to communion with the Sonne as our Lord. Revel chap 3 v. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in-to him and § 3 sup with him and he with me Certainly this is Fellowship or I know not what is Christ will Sup with Believers he refreshes himsefe with his own Graces in them by his Spirit bestowed on them The Lord Christ is excedingly delighted in tasting of the sweet fruits of the Spirit in the Saints Hence is that prayer of the Spouse that shee may have something for his Entertainment when he commeth to her Cant. 4. 16 Awake O North-Wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits The Soules of the Saints are the Garden of Jesus Christ the good ground Heb. 6. 7 8. A Garden for delight he rejoyces in them his delights are with the Sons of Men Prov. 8. 31. and he rejoyces over them Zeph 3. 17. And a Garden for fruit yea pleasant fruit So he describes it Cant. 4. 12 13. 14. A Garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse a spring shut up a Fountaine sealed thy Plants are an Orchard of Pomgranates with pleasant fruits Camphire with Spicknard Spicknard and Saffron Calamus and Cynamon with all trees of Frankincense Mirrbe and Aloes with all chiefe fruits Whatever is sweet and delicious for tast whatever savoury and odoriferous whatever is usefull and medicinall is in this Garden There is all manner of Spirituall refreshments of all kinds whatever in the Soules of the Saints for the Lord Jesus On this account is the Spouse so earnest in the prayer mentioned for an increase of these things that her beloved may sup with her as he hath promised A wake O north wind c. Oh that the breathings and workings of the Spirit of all Grace might stirre up all his guifts and Graces in me that the Lord Jesus the beloved of my soule may have meet and acceptable entertainment from mee God complaines of want of fruit in his vineyard Isa. 5. 3. Hos. 10. 1. want of good food for Christs entertainment is that the Spouse fear'd labours to prevent A barren heart is not fit to receive him And the delight he takes in the fruits of the spirit is unspeakable This he expresses at large chap. 5. 1. I am come saith he I have eat I am refreshed He calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruit of his sweetnesses or most pleasant to him Moreover as Christ supps with his Saints so he hath promised they shall sup with him to compleat the fellowship that they have with him Christ provides for their Entertainment in a most eminent manner There are Beasts killed and Wine is mingled and a table furnished b Prov. ch 9. 2. He calls the spirituall dainties that he hath for them a Feast a Wedding A feast of fat things Wine upon the Lees c. The fatted Calfe is killed for their entertainment Such is the Communion and such is the mutuall Entertainment of Christ and his Saints in that communion Cantic 2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. I am the Rose of Sharon and the lilie of the Valleys As the Lilie among the thornes so is my love among the § 8 daughters as the Aple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sonnes in his shaddow I delighted and sate down and his fruit was sweet to my tast c. In the two first verses you have the description that Christ gives first of himselfe then of his Church Of himselfe v. 1. that is what he is to his Spouse I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys The Lord Christ is in the Scripture compared to all things of Eminency in the whole Creation He is in the Heavens the Sunne and the bright morning starre As the lyon among the beasts the Lyon of the tribe of Judah Among the flowers of the field here he is the Rose and the Lilie The two Eminencies of Flowers sweetnesse of savour and beauty of coulour are divided between these The Rose for sweetnesse and the Lilie for beauty Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these have the preheminence Further he is the Rose of Sharon a fruitfull plain where the choisest herds were fed 1 Chr. 27. 29. so eminent that it is promised to the Church that there shall be given unto her the Excellency of Sharon Isa. 35. 2. This fruitfull place doubtlesse brought forth the most Precious Roses Christ in the Savour of his love and in his Righteousnesse which is as the Garment wherein
there he gives his Saints Entertainment 2. Delight The Spouse is quite ravished with the sweetnesse of this entertainment finding love and care and kindnesse bestowed § 8 by Christ in the assemblys of the Saints hence she cryes out v. 5. Stay me with Flaggons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of Love Upon the discovery of the Excellency and sweetnesse of Christ in the banqueting house the soule is instantly overpowred and cryes out to be made partaker of the fulnesse of it She is sick of Love not as some suppose fainting for want of a sense of Love under the Apprehension of Wrath but made sick and faint even overcome with the mighty actings of that divine Affection after she had once tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ in the Banqueting house Her desire deferred makes her heart sick therefore she cries stay me c. I have seen a glimpse of the king in his beauty tasted of the fruit of his righteousnesse my soule melteth in longing after him Oh support and sustaine my Spirit with his presence in his Ordinances those Flaggons and Apples of his banqueting house or I shall quite sinke and faint Oh what hast thou done blessed Jesus I have seen thee and my soule is become as the Chariots of Amminadab let me have something from thee to support me or I dye When a person is fainting on any occasion these two things are to be done strength is to be used to support him that he sink not to the ground and comfortable things are to be applied to refresh his spirits These two the soule overpowred and fainting with the force of its own love raised by a sense of Christ's prayeth for it would have strengthning grace to support it in that condition that it may be able to attend its duty and consolations of the Holy Ghost to content revive and satiate it untill it come to a full enjoyment of Christ. And thus sweetly and with delight is this Communion carried on 3. Safety His banner over me was Love v. 4. The Banner is § 9 an Embleme of safety and protection a signe of the presence of an host Persons belonging to an Army do encampe under their Banner in security So did the children of Israel in the wildernesse every Tribe kept their Campes under their own Standard It is also a token of successe and victory Psal 20. 6. Christ hath a banner for his saints and that is Love All their protection is from his Love and they shall have all the Protection his Love can give them This safeguards them from Hell death all their Enemies What ever presses on them it must passe through the Banner of the love of the Lord Jesus They have then great spirituall safety which is another Ornament or Excellency of their Communion with him 4. Supportment and Consolation v. 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me Christ here hath the posture § 10 of a most tender friend towards any one in sicknesse and sadnesse The Soule faints with Love spirituall longings after the enjoyment of his presence and Christ comes in with his Embraces He nourisheth and cherisheth his Church Ephes. ch 5. v. 29. Isa. 63. 13. Now the hand under the head is supportment sustaining Grace in pressures and difficulties and the hand that doth embrace the hand upon the heart is joy and consolation in both Christ rejoycing as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62 5. Now thus to lye in the Armes of Christs Love under a perpetuall influence of supportment and Refreshment is certainely to hold communion with him And hereupon v. 1. the spouse is most earnest for the continuance of this fellowship charging all so to demeane themselves that her beloved be not disquieted or provoked to depart In briefe this whole Book is taken up in the description of the Communion that is between the Lord Christ and his saints therefore it is very needlesse to take from thence any more particular instances thereof I shall only adde that of Prov. ch 9. v. 1 2 3 4 5. Wisdome § 11 hath builded her house she hath hewen out her seven pillars She hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her Wine she hath also furnished her table She hath sent forth her maidens she cryeth upon the highest places of the City Who so is simple let him turne in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him Come eat of my bread and drink of the Wine that I have mingled The Lord Christ the Eternall Wisdome of the Father and who of God is made unto us Wisdome erects a spirituall-house wherein he makes provision for the entertainment of those Guests whom he so freely invites His Church is the House which he hath built on a perfect number of pillars that it might have a stable foundation His slaine Beasts and mingled Wine wherewith his table is furnished are those spirituall fatt things of the Gospell which he hath prepared for those that come in upon his Invitation surely to eat of this bread and drinke of this Wine which he hath so graciously prepared is to hold fellowship with him for in what waies or things is there nearer communion then in such I might further evince this Truth by a consideration of all the Relations wherein Christ and his Saints do stand which necessarily require that there be a communion between them if we do suppose they are faithfull in those Relations but this is commonly treated on and something will be spoken to it in one signall instance afterwards CHAP. II. What it is wherein we have peculiar Fellowship with the Lord Christ. This is in Grace This proved Ioh. 1. 14 16 17. 2 Cor. 13. 14. 2 Thess. 3. 17 18. Grace of various acceptations Personall Grace in Christ proposed to Consideration The Grace of Christ as Mediator intended Psal. 45. 2. Cant. 5. 9. Christ how white and ruddy His fitnesse to save from the grace of Union His fullnesse to save His suitablenesse to endeare These considerations improved HAving manifested that the Saints hold peculiar Fellowship § 1 with the Lord Jesus it nextly followes that we shew wherein it is that they have this peculiar Communion with him Now this is in GRACE This is every where ascribed to him by the way of Eminency Joh. 1. v. 14. He dwelt among § 2 us full of GRACE and Truth Grace in the Truth and substance of it All that went before was but Typpicall and in Representation in the truth and substance it comes only by Christ. Grace and truth is by Iesus Christ v. 17. And of his fullnesse we receive GRACE for GRACE v 16. that is we have Communion with him in Grace we receive from him all manner of Grace whatever and therein have we Fellowship with him So likewise in that Apostollicall Benediction wherein the Communication § 3 of spirituall Blessings from the severall Persons unto the Saints is so exactly distinguished it
I say they looke in the first place to the purifying vertue of the blood of Christ which is able to cleanse them from all their sinnes 1 Joh. 1. 7. Being the Spring from whence floweth all the purifying vertue which in the Issue will take away all their Spots and Staines make them holy and without blemish and in the end present them glorious unto himselfe Eph. 5. 26 27. This they dwell upon with thoughts of faith they roll it in their minds and spirits Here faith obtaines new life new vigor when a sence of vilenesse hath even overwhelmed it Here is a fountaine opened draw nigh and see its beauty purity efficacy Here is a foundation laid of that worke whose accomplishment we long for One moments Communion with Christ by faith herein is more effectuall to the purging of the soule to the increasing of Grace then the utmost selfe endeavours of a 1000 ages 2. § 11 They Eye the Blood of Christ as the Blood of Sprinkling Comeing to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant they come to the Blood of Sprinkling Heb. 12. 24. The eying of the blood of Christ as shed will not of its selfe take away Pollution There is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shedding of Blood without which there is no Remission Heb. 9. 22. but there is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sprinkling of blood without which there is no actuall purification This the Apostle largely describes Heb. 9. When Moses saith he had spoken every precept to the People according to the Law he tooke the blood of Calves and of Goats with water and scarlet wooll Hyssop sprinkled both the book and all the People saying this is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoyned unto you More over he sprinkled with blood both the Tabernacle all the Vessells of the Ministry and allmost all things are by the Law purged with blood It was therefore necessary that the patternes of the things in the Heavens should be purifyed with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices then these v. 19 20 21 22 23. He had formerly compared the Blood of Christ to the blood of Sacrifices as offered in respect of the impetration and the Purchase it made now he doth it unto that blood as sprinkled in respect of its Aplication unto purification and holinesse And he tells us how this sprinkling was performed it was by dipping Hyssop in the blood of the Sacrifice and so dashing it out upon the things and persons to be purifyed As the Institution also was with the Paschall Lamb Exod. 12. 12. Hence David in a sence of the pollution of sin prays that he may be purged with Hyssop Ps. 51. 7. For that this peculiarly respected the Uncleannesse and Defilement of sin is evident because there is no mention made in the Institution of any Sacrifice after that of the Lamb before mentioned of sprinkling blood with Hyssop but only in those which respected purification of uncleannesse As in the case of Leprosy Levit. 14. 6. and all other defilements Numb 19. 18. which latter indeed is not of blood but of the water of separation this also being eminently Typpicall of the blood of Christ which is the Fountaine for separation for Uncleannesse Zech. 13. 1. Now this branch of Hyssop wherein the blood of purification was prepared for the sprinkling of the uncleane is unto us the free promises of Christ. The cleasing vertue of the Blood of Christ lyes in the Promises as the blood of Sacrifices in the Hyssop ready to passe out unto them that draw nigh thereunto Therefore the Apostle argueth from receiving of the Promises unto Universall Holinesse and purity Having therefore these Promises Dearely Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit perfecting Holinesse in the feare of the Lord 2 Cor. 7. 1. This then the Saints doe they eye the Blood of Christ as it is in the Promise ready to issue out upon the Soule for the purification thereof and thence is purging and cleansing vertue to be communicated unto them and by the blood of Christ are they to be purged from all their sinnes Joh. 1. 7. Thus farre as it were this Purifying blood thus prepared and made ready is at some distance to the soule Though it be shed to this purpose that it might purge cleanse and Sanctify though it be taken up with the bunch of Hyssop in the Promises yet the soul may not partake of it wherefore 3. § 12 They look upon him as in his own Spirit he is the only Dispenser of the Spirit and of all Grace of Sanctification and Holinesse They consider that upon his Intercession it is granted to him that he shall make effectuall all the fruits of his Purchase to the Sanctification the purifying and making glorious in Holinesse of his whole people They know that this is actually to be accomplished by the Spirit according to the innumerable Promises given to that Purpose He is to sprinkle that blood upon their soules He is to create the Holinesse in them that they long after He is to be himselfe in them a well of water springing up to everlasting life In this state they looke to Jesus here faith fixes its selfe in expectation of his giving out the Spirit for all these ends and purposes mixing the Promises with faith and so becoming actuall partaker of all this Grace This is their way this their Coumunion with Christ This is the life of Faith as to Grace and Holinesse Blessed is the soule that is exercised therein He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth forth her rootes by the River and shall not see when heat cometh but her leafe shall be green and shall not be carefull in the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeilding fruit Jerem 17. 18. Convinced persons who know not Christ nor the fellowship of his sufferings would spin an holinesse out of their own bowells they would worke it out in their own strength They begin it with tyring endeavours and follow it with Vows Dutys Resolutions Ingagements sweating at it all the day long Thus they continue for a season their Hypocrisy for the most part ending in Apostacy The Saints of God do in the very entrance of their walking with him reckon upon it that they have a Threefold want 1. Of the Spirit of Holinesse to dwell in them 2. Of an Habit of Holinesse to be infused into them 3. Of Actuall Assistance to work all their works for them and that if these should continue to be wanting they can never with all their might power and endeavours performe any one act of Holinesse before the Lord. They know that of themselves they have no sufficiency that without Christ they can doe nothing therefore they looke to him who is intrusted with a fullnesse of all these in their behalfe and thereupon by Faith derive from him an Increase of that whereof
one of these families § 6 to another It is not done in a private underhand-way but in the way of Authority Ioh 1 12. to as many as received him he gave power to become the sons of God Power or Authority This investing them with the power excellency and right of the Sons of God is a forensicall act and hath a legall proceeding in it It is called the making us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. v. 12. A Judiciall exalting us into membership in that family where God is the Father Christ the elder Brother all Saints and Angells Brethren and fellow children and the inheritance a Crowne immortall and incorruptible that fades not away Now this Authoritative translation of Believers from one family into another consisteth of these two parts § 7 1. An effectuall Proclamation and declaration of such a persons immunity from all Obligations to the former family to which by Nature he was related And this declaration hath a threefold object 1. Angells It is declared un to them they are the Sons of God They are the Sons of God and so of the family whereunto the adopted person is to be admitted and therefore it concernes them to know who are invested with the rights of that family that they may discharge their duty towards them unto them then it is declared that Believers are freed from the family of sinne and hell to become fellow Sons and servants with them and this is done two waies 1. Generally by the doctrine of the Gospell Eph. 3. 10. Unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God 1. By the Church is this wisdome made known to the Angells either as the doctrine of the Gospell is delivered unto it or as it is gathered thereby And what is this Wisdome of God that is thus made known to principalities and powers It is that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body with us v. 6. The mystery of Adopting sinners of the Gentiles taking them from their slavery in the family of the World that they might have a right of heirship becoming Sons in the family of God is this wise dome thus made known And how was it primitively made known It was revealed by the spirit unto the Prophets and Apostles v. 5. 2. In Particular by Immediate Revelation When any particular soule is freed from the family of this World it is revealed to the Angells There is joy in the presence of the Angells of God that is among the Angells and by them over one sinner that Repenteth Luke 15. v. 10. Now the Angells cannot of themselves absolutely know the true Repentance of a sinner in it selfe It is a work wrought in that Cabinet which none hath a key unto but Jesus Christ by him it is revealed to the Angells when the peculiar care and charge of such an one is committed to them These things have their transaction before the Angels Luk. 12. v. 8 9. Christ ownes the names of his brethren before the Angells Revel 2. 5. when he gives them admittance into the family where they are Heb. 12. 22. he declares to them that they are Sons that they may discharge their duty towards them Heb. 1. last 2. It is denounced in a judiciall way unto Satan the great § 8 master of the family whereunto they were in subjection When the Lord Christ delivers a soule from under the power of that strong armed one he binds him tyes him from the exercise of that power and dominion which before he had over him And by this meanes doth he know that such an one is delivered from his family and all his future attempts upon him are encroachings upon the possession and inheritance of the Lord Christ. 3. Unto the Conscience of the Person adopted The spirit of Christ testifies to the heart and Conscience of a Believer that he is freed from all engagements unto the family of Satan and is become the Son of God Rom. 8. 14 15. and enables him to cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Of the Particulars of this testification of the Spirit and of its absolving the soule from its old alliance I shall speak afterward And herein consists the first thing mentioned 2. There is an Authoritative engrafting of a Believer actually § 9 into the family of God and investing him with the whole right of Sonship Now this as unto us hath sundry acts 1. The giving a believer a new name in a white stone Revel 1. 17. they that are adopted are to take new names They change their names they had in their old families to take the names of the families whereinto they are translated This new name is A Child of God that is the new name given in adoption and no man knoweth what is in that name but only he that doth receive it And this new name is given and written in a white stone that is the Tessera of our admission into the house of God It is a stone of judiciall acquitment Our adoption by the spirit is bottomed on our Absolution in the blood of Jesus and therefore is the new name in the white stone priviledge grounded on discharge The white stone quits the claime of the old family The new name gives entrance to the other 2. An enrolling of his name in the Catalogue of the houshold of God Admitting him thereby into fellowship therein This is called the writing of the house of Israel Ezek. 13. 9. that is the roll wherein all the names of the Israel the family of God are written God hath a Catalogue of his houshold Christ knows his sheep by name When God writeth up the people he counts that this man was borne in Sion Ps. 87. 6. This is an extract of the Lambs book of life 3 ly Testifying to his Conscience his Acceptation with God enableing him to behave himselfe as a child Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 5 6. The two last things required to Adoption are that the adopted person be freed from all Obligations to the family from § 10 whence he is translated and invested with the Rights and Priviledges of that whereunto he is translated Now because these two comprize the whole issue of Adoption wherein the Saints have Communion with Christ. I shall handle them together referring the concernments of them unto these foure heads 1. Liberty 2. Title or right 3. Boldnesse 4. Correction § 11 These are the four things in reference to the family of the Adopted person that he doth receive by his Adoption wherein he holds communion with the Lord Jesus 1. Liberty The spirit of the Lord that was upon the Lord Jesus did anoint him to proclaime liberty to the captive Esay 67. 1. And where the spirit of God is that is the spirit of Christ given to us by him because we are Sons there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. All spirituall liberty is from the spirit of Adoption What ever
thy offspring that eminent place of Zech. 12. 10. is allwaies in our thoughts Now this expression as is known is taken from the allusion of the spirit unto water and that in relation to all the uses of water both naturall and Typicall a particular relation of them I cannot now insist on perhaps efficacy and plenty are chiefely intended Now this threefold expression of giving sending and powring § 21 out of the spirit gives us the three great properties of the Covenant of grace 1. That it is free he is given 2. That it is orderly ordered in all things and sure from the love of the Father by the procurement of the sonne and thence is that variety of expression of the Fathers sending him and the Son 's sending him from the Father he being the gift of the Father's love and the purchase of the blood of the sonne 3. The efficacy of it as was last observed And this is the second thing considerable 3. The third which is our receiving him I shall speak more briefly of That which I first proposed of the spirit considered § 22 as a spirit of Sanctification and a spirit of consolation is here to be minded Our receiving of him as a spirit of sanctification is a meer passive reception as a vessell receiv's water He comes as the wind on Ezechiel's dead bones and makes them live He comes into dead hearts and quickens them by an act of his Allmighty power but now as he is the spirit of consolation it is otherwise in this sense our Saviour tells us that the world cannot receive him Ioh. 14 17. the world receiveth him not because it seeth him not nor knows him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and abideth in you That it is the spirit of consolation or the spirit for consolation that here is promised is evident from the close of the verse where he is said then to be in them when he is promised to them He was in them as a spirit of quickning and sanctification when promised to them as a spirit of comfort and consolation to abide with them for that purpose Now the power that is here denied to be in the world with the reason of it that they cannot receive the spirit because they know him not is ascribed to Believers they can receive him because they know him So that there is an active power to be put forth in his reception for consolation though not in his reception for Regeneration and Sanctification And this is the power of faith so Gal. 3. 2. they received the spirit by the hearing of the Faith the Preaching of the Gospell begetting faith in them enabled them to receive the Spirit Hence believing is put as the qualification of all our receiving the holy Ghost Joh. 7. 39. this he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive it is Believers that thus receive the Spirit and they receive him by Faith now there are three speciall acts of Faith whereby it goes forth in the receiving of the spirit I shall but name them 1. It considers the spirit in the Oeconomy before described as promised It is Faith alone that makes profit of the benefit of the § 23 promises Heb. 4. 2. now he is called the spirit of that promise Eph 2. 13. the spirit that in the covenant is promised and we receive the promise of the spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 14. so that the receiving of the Spirit through Faith is the receiving of him as promised faith eyes the promise of God and of Jesus Christ of sending the spirit for all those ends that he is desired thus it depends waits mixing the promise with it selfe untill it receive him 2. By Prayer He is given as a spirit of supplication that we may aske him as a spirit of consolation Luk. 11. 13. and indeed this asking of the Spirit of God in the name of Christ either directly or immediately or under the name of some fruit and effect of him is the chiefest work of faith in this World 3. It cherisheth him by attending to his motions improving his actings according to his mind and will which is all I shall say to this third thing or our receiving of the Spirit which is sent of Jesus Christ we doe it by faith looking on him as purchased by Jesus Christ and promised of the Father we seek him at the hands of God and doe receive him 4. The next considerable thing is his abode with us now this is two wayes expressed in the Scripture 1. In generall as to § 24 the thing it selfe it is said he shall abide with us 2. In particular as to the manner of its abiding it is by inhabitation or indwelling Of the inhabitation of the spirit I have spoken fully elsewhere nor shall I now insist on it only whereas the spirit as hath been observed is considered as a spirit of sanctification or a spirit of consolation He is said to dwell in us chiefely or perhaps solely as he is a spirit of sanctification which is evident from the work he doth as indwelling He quickneth and sanctifieth Rom. 8. 11. and the manner of his indwelling as in a Temple which he makes holy thereby 2 Cor. 6. and his permanency in his so doing which as is evident relates to sanctification only but yet the generall notion of it in abiding is ascribed to him as a Comforter Joh. 14. 16. he shall abide with you for ever now all the difficulty of this promise lies in this that whereas the spirit of sanctification dwells in us allwaies and it is therefore impossible that we should loose utterly our holinesse whence is it that if the Comforter abide with us for ever we may yet utterly loose our Comfort a little to clear this in our passage 1. He is promised to abide with the Disciples for ever in opposition to the abode of Christ Christ in the flesh had been § 25 with them for a little while and now was leaving them and going to his Father He had been the comforter immediatly himselfe for a season but is now upon his departing wherefore promising them another comforter they might feare that he would even but visit them for a little season also and then their condition would be worser then ever Nay but saith our Saviour feare it not this is the last dispensation there is to be no Alteration when I am gone the Comforter is to doe all the remaining work there is not another to be looked for and I promise you him nor shall he depart from you but allwaies abide with you 2. The Comforter may allwaies abide with us though not § 26 alwaies comfort us He who is the comforter may abide though he doe not alwaies that work for other ends and purposes he is alwaies with us as to sanctify and make us holy So was the case with David Psalm 51. 11 12. take not thy holy spirit from me the holy
this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit works effectually his power is in it he will work and none shall let him If he will bring to our remembrance the promises of Christ for our Consolation neither Satan nor man sin nor world nor Death shall interrupt our comfort This the Saints who have Communion with the Holy Ghost know to their Advantage sometimes the Heavens are black over them and the Earth trembles under them publick personall calamities and distresses appeare so full of horror and darknesse that they are ready to faint with the Apprehensions of them Hence is their great reliefe and the retrivement of their Spirits their consolation nor trouble depend not on any out ward condition nor inward frame of their own hearts but on the powerfull and effectuall workings of the Holy Ghost which by Faith they give themselves up unto 2. Voluntarily distributing to every one as he will and therefore is this work done in so great variety both as to the § 6 same persons and diverse For the same person full of joy sometimes in a great distresse full of consolation every promise brings sweetnesse when his pressures are great and heavy another time in the least triall seeks for comfort searches the promise and it is farre away The reason is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit distributes as he will And so with diverse persons to some each promise is full of Life and comfort others tast little all their daies all upon the same account And this faith especially regards in the whole businesse of consolation it depends on the soveraigne will of the Holy Ghost and so is not tied unto any rules or course of procedure Therefore doth it exercise it selfe in waiting upon him for the seasonable accomplishment of the good pleasure of his Will 3. Freely Much of the variety of the dispensation of Consolation by promises depends on this freedome of the spirits operation Hence it is that comfort is given unexpectedly when the heart hath all the Reasons in the World to look for destresse and sorrow thus sometimes it is the first meanes of recovering a backsliding soule who might justly expect to be utterly cast off And these considerations are to be carried on in all the other Effects and fruits of the Comforter of which afterwards And in this first generall Effect or work of the Holy Ghost towards us have we communion and fellowship with him The Life and Soule of all our comforts lye treasured up in the promises of Christ. They are the breasts of all our consolation Who knows not how powerlesse they are in the bare letter even when improved to the uttermost by our considerations of them and meditation on them as also how unexpectedly they sometimes break in upon the soule wth a conquering endearing Life and vigour Here Faith deales peculiarly with the Holy Ghost It considers the promises themselves looks up to him waites for him considers his appearances in the word depended on ownes him in his work and Efficacy No sooner doth the soule begin to feele the life of a promise warming his heart relieving cherishing supporting delivering from feare entanglements or troubles but it may it ought to know that the Holy Ghost is there which will adde to his joy and lead him into fellowship with him 2. The next generall work seemes to be that of Joh. 16. 14. The Comforter shall glorify mee for he shall receive of mine and shall § 7 shew it unto you The work of the spirit is to glorify Christ whence by the way we may see how farre that spirit is from being the comforter who sets up himselfe in the roome of Christ such a spirit as saith He is all himselfe for as for him that suffered at Hierusalem it is no matter that we trouble our selves about him this spirit is now all This is not the Comforter His work is to glorify Christ him that sends him And this is an evident signe of a false spirit what ever its pretence be if it glorify not that Christ who was now speaking to his Apostles and such are many that are gone abroad into the World But what shall this spirit doe that Christ may be glorified He shall saith he take of mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what these things are is declared in the next verse all things that the Father hath are mine therefore I said he shall take of mine It is not of the Essence and essentiall properties of the Father and Son that our Saviour speaks but of the Grace which is communicated to us by them This Christ calls my things being the fruit of his purchase and mediation on which account he saith all his Fathers things are his that is the things that the Father in his Eternall love hath provided to be dispensed in the blood of his Sonne all the fruits of Election these said he the comforter shall receive that is they shall be committed unto him to dispose for your good and advantage to the end before proposed So it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall shew or declare and make them known to you Thus then is he a Comforter He reveales to the soules of Believers the good things of the Covenant of Grace which the Father hath provided and the Sonne purchased He shews to us Mercy Grace Forgivenesse Righteousnesse Acceptation with God letteth us know that these are the things of Christ which he hath procured for us shews them to us for our comfort and establishment These things I say he effectually declares to the soules of Believers and makes them know them for their own good know them as originally the things of the Father prepared from eternity in his Love and Good-will as purchased for them by Christ and laid up in store in the Covenant of Grace for theiruse Then is Christ magnified and glorified in their hearts then they know what a Saviour and Redeemer he is A soule doth never glorify or honour Christ upon a discovery or sense of the Eternall Redemption he hath purchased for him but it is in him a peculiar Effect of the Holy Ghost as our Comforter No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. 3. He sheds abroad the Love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. That § 8 it is the Love of God to us not our Love to God which is here intended the context is so cleare as nothing can be added thereunto now the Love of God is either of Ordination or of Acceptation The love of his purpose to doe us good or the Love of Acceptation and approbation with him both these are called the Love of God frequently in Scripture as I have declared Now how can these be shed abroad in our hearts not in themselves but in a sense of them in a spirituall apprehension of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is shed abroad the same word that is used concerning the Comforter being given us Titus 2. 6. God
sheds him abundantly or powers him on us so He sheds abroad or powres out the Love of God in our hearts Not to insist on the expression which is Metaphoricall the businesse is that the Comforter gives a sweet and plentifull Evidence and perswasion of the Love of God to us such as the soule is taken delighted satiated withall This is his work and he doth it effectually To give a poore sinfull soule a comfortable perswasion affecting it throughout in all its faculties and affections that God in Jesus Christ loves him delights in him is well pleased with him hath thoughts of tendernesse and kindnesse towards him to give I say a soule an overflowing sence hereof is an unexpressible mercy This we have in a peculiar manner by the H. Gh it is his proper work as all his works are works of Love and kindnes so this of § 9 communicating a sense of the Love of the Father mixes it self with all the particulars of his actings And as we have herein peculiar communion with himselfe so by him we have communion with the Father even in his Love which is thus shed abroad in our hearts so not only do we rejoyce in and Glorify the Holy Ghost which doth this work but in him also whose love it is Thus is it also in respect of the Sonne in his taking of His and showing of it unto us as was declared What we have of heaven in this World lyes herein and the manner of our fellowship with the Holy Ghost on this account falls in with what was spoken before 4. Another Effect we have of his Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it selfe § 10 bears witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God You know whose Children we are by nature children of Satan and of the curse or of wrath By the Spirit we are put into another capacity and are Adopted to be the children of God inasmuch as by receiving the spirit of our Father we become the children of our Father Thence is he called v. 15. the Spirit of Adoption Now sometimes the soule because it hath somewhat remaining in it of the principle that it had in its old condition is put to Question whether it be a child of God or no and thereupon as in a thing of the greatest importance puts in its claime with all the Evidences that it hath to make good its Title The spirit comes and beares witnesse in this case An allusion it is to judiciall proceedings in point of Titles and Evidences The Judge being set the person concerned layes his claime produceth his Evidences and pleads them his Adversaries endeavouring all that in them lies to invalidate them and disanull his plea and to cast him in his claime In the middest of the triall a person of known and approved integrity comes into the Court and gives Testimony fully and directly on the behalfe of the claimer which stops the mouthes of all his Adversaries and filles the man that pleaded with joy and satisfaction So is it in this case The soule by the power of its own Conscience is brought before the Law of God there a man puts in his plea that He is a Child of God that he belongs to Gods family and for this end produceth all his Evidences every thing whereby Faith gives him an interest in God Satan in the mean time opposeth with all his might sinne and Law assist him many flawes are found in his Evidences the Truth of them all is questioned and the soule hangs in suspence as to the issue In the middest of the plea and contest the Comforter comes and by a word of promise or otherwise overpowers the heart with a comfortable perswasion and bears downe all objections that his plea is good and that he is a child of God And therefore it is said of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When our Spirits are pleading their Right and Title He comes in and bears witnesse on our side at the same time enabling us to put forth acts of filiall obedience kind and Child like which is called crying Abba father Remember still the manner of the Spirit 's working before mentioned that he doth it effectually voluntarily and freely Hence sometimes the dispute hangs long the cause is pleading many years The Law seems sometimes to prevaile sin and Satan to rejoyce and the poor soule is filled with dread about its inheritance perhaps it s own witnesse from its Faith Sanctification former experience keeps up the plea with some life and comfort but the work is not done the conquest is not fully obtained untill the Spirit who worketh freely and effectually when and how he will comes in with his Testimony also cloathing his power with a word of promise he makes all parties concerned to attend unto him and puts an end to the Controversy Herein he gives us holy Communion with himselfe The soule knows his voyce when he speaks nec hominem sonat There is something too great in it to be the Effect of a created power When the Lord Jesus Christ at one word stilled the raging of the Sea and Wind all that were with him knew there was Divine power at hand Math. 4. 39. And when the Holy Ghost by one word stills the tumults and stormes that are raised in the Soule giving it an immediate calme and security it knows his divine power and rejoyces in his presence 5. He seales us We are sealed by the holy Spirit of promise Eph. § 11 1. 13. and grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption chap. 4. 30. I am not very clear in the certaine peculiar intendment of this Metaphor what I am perswaded of the mind of God in it I shall briefely impart In a seale two things are Considered 1. The nature of it 2. The use of it The nature of sealing consists in the imparting of the image or character of the seale to the thing sealed This is to seale a thing to stampe the character of the seale on it In this sense the effectuall Communication of the image of God unto us should be our sealing The Spirit on Believers really communicating the image of God in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse unto the Soule sealeth us To have this stamp of the Holy Ghost so as to be an evidence unto the soul that it is accepted with God is to be sealed by the spirit taking the Metaphor from the nature of sealing And in this sense is our Saviour said to be sealed of God Joh. 6. 27. even from that impression of the power wisedome and majesty of God that he had upon him in the discharge of his Office 2. The End of sealing is twofold 1. To confirme or ratify any grant or conveiance made in writing In such cases men § 12 set their seales to make good and confirme their grants and when this is done they are irrevocable Or to confirme the testimony that is given by any one of the
in trouble Is it any better with them in § 16 their prosperity This indeed is often great and is marvellously described in Scripture as to their lives and oftentimes quiet peaceable ends But have they any true consolation all their days They eate drink sleep and make merry and perhaps heap up to themselves but how little doe these things make them to differ from the beasts that perish Solomons advantage to have the use and know the utmost of these things much beyond any of the sons of men of our generation is commonly taken notice of The account also that he gives of them is known They are all vanity and vexation of Spirit This is their consolation a crackling of thornes under the pot a sudden flash and blaze that begins but to perish So that both Adversity and prosperity slayeth them and whether they are laughing or crying they are still dying Secondly They have no peace No peace with God nor in their own soules I know that many of them upon false bottomes § 17 grounds and expectations do make a shift to keep things in some quietnesse Neither is it my businesse at present to discover the falsenesses and unsoundnesse of it But this is their State True and Solid peace being an effect of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of Believers as hath been declared they who are not made partakers of him have no such peace They may cry Peace Peace indeed when sudden destruction is at hand The Principles of their peace as may be easily evidenced are darknesse or ignorance treachery of Conscience selfe righteousnesse and vaine hope To these heads may all the principles of their peace be reduced and what will these availe them in the day when the Lord shall deale with them I might say the same concerning their joy and hope they are false and perishing Let them then consider this who have satisfyed § 18 themselves with a perswasion of their interest in the good things of the Gospell and yet have despised the spirit of Christ. I know there are many that may pretend to him and yet are strangers from his Grace But if they perish who in profession use him kindly and honour him if he dwell not in them with power where shall they appeare who oppose and affront him The Scripture tells us that unlesse the Spirit of Christ be in us we are dead we are reprobates we are none of Christs without him you can have none of these glorious effects of his towards Believers before mentioned and you are so farre from enquiring whether he be in you or no as that you are ready to deride them in whom he is Are there none who professe the Gospell who have never once seriously enquired whether they are made partakers of the Holy Ghost or no you that almost account it a ridiculous thing to be put upon any such Question who looke on all men as vaine pretenders that talke of the Spirit the Lord awake such men to a sight of their condition before it be too late If the Spirit dwell not in you if he be not your Comforter neither is God your Father nor the Sonne your Advocate nor have you any portion in the Gospell O that God would awake some poor soule to the consideration of this thing before the neglect and contempt of the Holy Ghost come to that dispising of him from which there is no recovery That the Lord would spread before them all the folly of their hearts that they may be ashamed and confounded and do no more Presumptiously FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Romans 8. 35 36. Hebrews c. 10. v. 32 33 34. Christianos ad leones Et puto nos deus Apostolos novissimos elegit veluti bestiarios Tert. de Pud Act. 17. 18. Gal. 6. 12. Semper casuris similes nunquamque cadentes 1 Joh. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes. 5. 8. John 5. 16. Math. 22. 32. Ephes. 2. 1. 1 John 4. 8. Romans 8. 7. Magna hominismiseria est com illo non esse sine quo non potest esse August Ecles 7. 29. Jerem. 13. 23. Acts 4. 12. Is. 33. 14 15. John 1. 18. Heb. 10. 19 20 21. Unus verusque Mediator per Sacrificium pacis reconcilians nos Deo unum cum illo manebat cui offerebat unum in se secit pro quibus offerebat unus Ipse fuit qui offerebat quod offerebat August de Trinit 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Eth. lib. 8. cap. 1. Quemadmo dum nobis arrhabonem spiritus reliquit ita a nobis arrhabonem carnis accepit vexit in Coelum pignus totius summae illuc redigendae Tertul. Resur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot. Eth. lib. 8. c. 7. Cicer. de nat D. lib. 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Eth. 8. Nostra quippe ipsius conjunctio nec miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confaederat voluntates Cyp. de Can. Dominic Magna est etiam illa communitas quae conficitur ex beneficiis ultrocitroque datis acceptisque Cice. Off. 1◠Ecce dico alium esse patrem aliū filiū non divisione alilium sed distinctione Tertul. adv Prax. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. Cont. Cels. lib. 5. Hic tibi praecipue sit puramente colendus Isa. 9. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Mat. 5. 16 45. 6 1 4 68. 7. 21. 12. 50. Luk. 24. 49. Joh. 4. 23. 6. 45. 12. 26. 14. 6 21 23 15. 1. 16. 25 27. 20. 17. Gal 1. 1 3. Ephes. 2. 18. 5. 20. 1 Thes. 1. 1. Jam. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 17 1 Jo. 2. 13. c. Rom 14 10 11 Phil. 2. 10. Jerem. 10. 11. 17. 5 6. Gal. 4. 8. Vin. Evan. cap. 10. Psal. 2. 7. 12. Dan. 3. 25. Math. 3. 17. 17. 5. 22. 45. John 3. 36. 5. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 9. Gal. 1. 16. 4. 6. 1 John 2. 22. 23 24. 5. 10 11 12 Heb. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 10. John 5. 23. Isa. 56. 7. Rom. 10. 12 13 14. Acts 7. 51. Tametsi omnia unus idemque Deus efficit ut dicitur opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa distinguuntur ramen personae discrimine in istis operibus Math. 3. 16. Acts 3. 3. Gen. 19. 24. Gen. 1. 26. Math. 28. 19. 2 Cor 13. 13. Math. 11. 25. Joh. 1. 13. Jam. 1. 18. Math. 3. 17. cap. 17. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 17. Deut. 18. 15 16 17 18 19 20 c. Acts 3. 22. 23 Joh. 5. 25. Isa. 61. 1 2 3. Luk. 4 18 19 Opera ad extra sunt indivisa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazian iamb Car. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem orat 24. See Thom. 22 q. 81. A. 3. q. 84. a. 1. Alexan Ales sum Theol. p. 3. q. 30. m.
peculiarly dispenseth himselfe unto us in free love So the Apostle sets it forth in the following verses this is love v. 9. this is that which I would have you take notice of in him that he makes out love unto you in sending his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him So also v. 10. He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins And that this is peculiarly to be eyed in him the holy Ghost plainely declares in making it Antecedent to the Sending of Christ and all mercyes and benefits whatever by him received This love I say in its self is Antecedent to the purchase of Christ although the whole fruit thereof be made out alone thereby Ephes. 1. 4 5 6. 2. So in that distribution made by the Apostle in his solemne parting Benediction 2 Cor. chap. 13. v. 13. The Grace of the Lord Iesus Christ the LOVE OF GOD and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you Ascribing sundry things unto the distinct persons it is Love that he peculiarly assignes to the Father And the Fellowship of the Spirit is mentioned with the Grace of Christ and the Love of God because it is by the Spirit alone that we have fellowship with Christ in Grace and with the Father in Love although we have also peculiar fellowship with him as shall be declared 3. John chap. 16. v. 26 27. saith our Saviour I say not § 9 unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you but how is this that our Saviour saith I say not that I will pray the Father for you when he saith plainely chap. 14. v. 16. I will pray the Father for you The Disciples with all the Gracious words comfortable and Faithfull promises of their Master with most Heavenly discoveries of his Heart unto them were even fully convinced of HIS deare and tender Affections towards them as also of his continued care and kindnesse that he would not forget them when bodily he was gone from them as he was now upon his departure but now all their thoughts are concerning the Father how they should be accepted with him what respect he had towards them Saith our Saviour take no care of that nay impose not that upon me of procuring the Fathers love for you but know that this is his peculiar Respect towards you and which you are in him He himselfe loves you It is true indeed as I told you that I will pray the Father to send you the Spirit the Comforter and with him all the Gracious fruits of his Love but yet in the point of love it selfe free love Eternall Love there is no need of any Intercession for that for eminently the Father himselfe loves you resolve of that that you may hold Communion with him in it be no more troubled about it Yea as your great trouble is about the Fathers love so you can no way more trouble or burden him then by your unkindnesse in not believing of it So it must needs be where sincere Love is questioned 4 The Apostle teaches the same Rom. chap. 5. 5. The Love § 10 of God is shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given unto you God whose Love this is is plainely distinguished from the Holy Ghost who sheds abroad that Love of his And v. 8. he is also distinguished from the Sonne for it is from that Love of his that the Son is sent and therefore it is the Father of whom the Apostle here specially speaketh and what is it that he ascribes to him even Love which also v. 8. he commendeth to us sets it forth in such a signall and eminent expression that we may take notice of it and close with him in it To carry this businesse to its height there is not only most frequent peculiar mention made of the Love of God where the Father is eminently intended and of the Love of the Father expressely but he is also called the God of Love 2 Cor. 13. 11. and is said to be love so that whoever will know him 1 John 4. 8. or dwell in him by fellowship or Communion vers 16. must doe it as he is Love 5. Nay whereas there is a twofold divine Love Beneplaciti § 11 and Amicitiae a Love of good pleasure and destination and a Love of Friendship and Approbation they are both peculiarly assigned to the Father in an Eminent manner 1 John chap. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he sont c. that is with the Love of his purpose and good pleasure his determinate will of doing Good This is distinctly ascribed to him being laid down as the cause of sending his Son So Rom. 9. 11 12 Ephes 1. 4 5. 2 Thess. 2. 13 14. 1 John 4. 8 9. 2 Iohn chap. 14. v. 23. there is mention of that other kind of love where of we speak If any man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The Love of Friendship and Approbation is here eminently ascribed to him says Christ we will come even Father and Sonne to such a one and dwell with him that is by the Spirit but yet he would have us take notice that in point of Love the Father hath a peculiar prerogative My Father will love him 6. Yea and as this love is peculiarly to be eyed in him so it § 12 is to be looked on as the fountaine of all following gracious Dispensations Christians walke often times with exceedingly troubled hearts concerning the thoughts of the Father towards them they are well perswaded of the Lord Christ and his good will the difficulty lies in what is their acceptance with the Father what is his heart towards them Shew us the Father and it shall suffice Iohn 14. 8. Now this ought to be so farre a way that his Love ought to be looked on as the Fountaine from whence all other sweetnesses flow Thus the Apostle sets it out Titus chap. 3. v. 4. After that the kindnesse and Love of God our Saviour toward man appeared It is of the Father of whom he speakes for v. 6. he tells us that he makes out unto us or sheds that love upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour And this Love he makes the Hinge upon which the great Alteration and Translation of the Saints doth turne for saith he v. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasurs living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another All naught all out of Order and Vile Whence then is our Recovery The whole rise of it is from this Love of God flowing out by the wayes there described For when the kindnesse and love of God appeared that is in the fruits of it then did this alteration ensue To secure us hereof there is not
put their trust in thee Men cannot abide with God in spirituall Meditations He looseth Soules Company by their want of this insight into his Love They fix their thoughts only on his terrible Majesty severity and Greatnesse and so their Spirits are not endeared Would a soule continually Eye his everlasting tendernesse and compassion his thoughts of kindnesse that have been from of old his present gracious Acceptance it could not beare an hours absence from him whereas now perhaps it cannot watch with him one houre Let then this be the Saints first notion of the Father as one full of eternall free Love towards them Let their hearts and thoughts be fill'd with breaking through all discouragements that lye in the way To raise them hereunto let them Consider 1. Whose love it is It is the Love of him who is in himself Alsufficient infinitely satiated with himselfe and his own Glorious § 4 Excellencyes and Perfections Who hath no need to goe forth with his love unto others nor to seek an Object of it without himselfe There might He rest with delight and Complacency to Eternity He is sufficient unto his own love He had his Sonne also his Eternall* Wisedome to rejoyce and delight himselfe in from all Eternity Prov. 8. 30. This might take up and satiate the whole delight of the Father But he will love his Saints also And it is such a love as wherein he seeks not his own Satisfaction only but our good therein also The love of a God the love of a Father whose proper outgoings are kindnesse and Bounty 2. What kind of Love it is and it is 1. Eternall It was fixed on us before the § 5 Foundation of the World before we were or had done the least good then were his thoughts upon us then was his delight in us Then did the Son rejoyce in the thoughts of fullfilling his Fathers delight in him Prov. 8. 30. Yea the Delight of the Father in the Son there mentioned is not so much his absolute delight in him as the expresse image of his Person and the brightnesse of his Glory wherein he might behold all his own Excellencys and perfections but with respect unto his love and his delight in the Sons of men So the order of the words require us to understand it I was daily his Delight and My delights were with the Sonnes of Men. That is in the thoughts of kindnesse and Redemption for them and in that respect also was he his Fathers delight It was from Eternity that he laid in his own bosome a designe or our happinesse The very thoughts of this is enough to make all that is within us like the babe in the wombe of Elizabeth to leap for joy A sense of it cannot but prostrate our soules to the lowest abasement of an humble holy Reverence and make us rejoyce before him with trembling 2. Free He § 6 Loves us because he will there was there is nothing in us for which we should be beloved Did we deserve his Love it must goe lesse in its valuation Things of due debt are seldome the matter of thankfullnesse but that which is Eternally antecedent to our being must needs be absolutely free in its respects to our well being This gives it life and being is the Reason of it and sets a price upon it Rom. 9. 12. Ephes. 1. 3 4. Titus 3. 5. Jam. 1. 18. 3. Unchangeable Though we change every day yet his § 7 Love changeth not Could any kind of provocation turne it a way it had long since ceased It s unchangeablenesse is that which carryeth out the Father unto that infinitenesse of patience and Forbearance without which we dye we perish 2 Pet. 3. 9. which he exerciseth towards us And it is 4. Distinguishing He hath not thus loved all the word § 8 Jacob have I loved but I hated Esau why should he fixe his love on us and passe by millions from whom we differ not by Nature that he should make us sharers in that and all the fruits of it which most of the great and wisemen of the world are excluded from I name but the heads of things Let them enlarge whose hearts are touched Let I say the soule frequently Eye the Love of the Father and that under these Considerations they are all soule-conquering and endearing 2 So Eye it as to receive it unlesse this be added all is in vaine as to any Communion with God We doe not hold Communion § 2 with him in any thing untill it be received by faith This then is that which I would provoke the Saints of God unto even to believe this Love of God for themselves and their own part believe that such is the Heart of the Father towards them accept of his witnesse herein His Love is not ours in the sweetnesse of it untill it be so received Continually then act thoughts of faith on God as Love to thee as embracing thee with the Eternall free Love before described When the Lord is by his word presented as such unto thee let thy mind know it and assent that it is so and thy will embrace it in its being so and all thy Affections be filled with it Set thy whole heart to it Let it be bound with the cords of this Love If the King be bound in the galleries with thy Love shouldest thou not be bound in heaven with his 3. Let it have its proper fruit and Efficacy upon thy heart in returnes of Love to him againe So shall we walke in the Light of § 10 Gods Countenance and hold holy Communion with our Father all the day long Let us not deale unkindly with him and returne him sleighting for his good will Let there not be such an Heart in us as to deale so unthankfully with our God Now to further us in this duty and the daily constant practise of it I shall adde one or two considerations that may be of importance thereunto as 1. It is exceeding acceptable unto God even our Father that we should thus hold Communion with him in his Love that he § 11 may be received into our Soules as one full of Love tendernesse and kindnesse towards us Flesh and Bloud is apt to have very hard thoughts of him to think he is alwaies angry yea implacable that it is not for poore creatures to draw nigh to him that nothing in the World is more desireable then never to come into his presence or as they say where he hath any thing to doe Who amongst us shall dwell with that devouring fire who amongst us shall inhabit with those everlasting burnings say the sinners in Sion and I knew thou wast an austere man saith the evill Servant in the Gospell Now there is not any thing more grievous to the Lord nor more subservient to the designe of Sathan upon the Soule then such thoughts as these Sathan claps his hands if I may so say when he
can take up the Soule with such thoughts of God he hath enough all that he doth desire This hath been his designe and way from the beginning The first blood that Murderer shed was by this meanes He leades our first Parents into hard thoughts of God hath God said so hath he threatned you with death he knows well enough it will be better with you with this Engine did he batter and overthrow all mankind in one and being mindfull of his ancient conquest he readily useth the same weapons wherewith then he so succesfully contended Now it is exceeding Grievous to the Spirit of God to be so slandered in the hearts of those whom he dearely loves How doth he expostulate this with Syon What iniquity g have you seen in me saith he have I been a Wildernesse unto you or a Land of darknesse Syon hath said the Lord hath forgotten me and my God hath forsaken me but can a mother c. The Lord takes nothing worse at the hands of his then such hard thoughts of him knowing full well what fruit this bitter Root is like to beare what Alienation of Heart what drawings back what unbeliefe and Tergiversations in our walking with him How unwilling is a Child to come into the presence of an angry Father Consider then this in the first place Receiving of the Father as he holds out Love to the soule gives him the Honour he aimes at and is exceeding acceptable unto him He often sets it out in an eminent manner that it may be so received He commendeth his Love unto us Rom 5. 8. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us Joh. ch 3. v. 1. Whence then is this folly men are afraid to have good thoughts of God They think it a boldnesse to Eye God as good gracious tender kind loving I speak of Saints but for the other side they can judge him hard austere severe almost implacable and fierce the very worst Affections of the very worst of men and most hated of him Rom. ch 1. v. 31. 2 Tim 3. 3. and think herein they doe well Is not this Soule-deceit from Sathan was it not his designe from the beginning to inject such thoughts of God Assure thy selfe then there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father then for us to keep up our hearts unto him as the eternall fountaine of all that rich Grace which flowes out to sinners in the blood of Jesus and 2. This will be exceeding effectuall to endeare thy soule unto God to cause thee to delight in him and to make thy abode with him Many Saints have no greater burthen in their Lives then that their Hearts do not come clearely and fully up constantly to delight and rejoyce in God that there is still an indisposednesse of Spirit unto close walking with him What is at the bottome of this distemper Is it not their unskilfulnesse in or neglect of this Duty even of holding Communion with the Father in Love So much as we see of the Love of God so much shall we delight in him and no more Every other discovery of God without this will but make the Soule fly from him But if the heart be once much taken up with this the Eminency of the Fathers Love it cannot chuse but be overpowred conquered and endeared unto him This if any thing will worke upon us to make our abode with him If the Love of a Father will not make a child delight in him what will put then this to the venture excercise your thoughts upon this very thing the Eternall Free and Fruitfull Love of the Father and see if your Hearts be not wrought upon to delight in him I dare boldly say believers will find it as thriving a course as ever they pitched on in their lives Sit downe a little at the Fountaine and you will quickly have a farther discovery of the sweetnesse of the streames You who have run from him will not be able after a while to keep at a distance for a moment Ob. But some may say Alasse how shall I hold communion with § 13 the Father in Love I know not at all whether be Loves me or no and shall I venture to cast my selfe upon it How if I should not be accepted should I not rather perish for my presumption then find sweetnesse in his Bosome God seems to me only as a consuming fire and everlasting burnings so that I dread to look up unto him Ans. I know not what may be understood by knowing of the Love of God though it be carried on by Spirituall sense and Experience yet it is received purely by believing Our knowing of it is our believing of it as revealed We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love 1 Joh. ch 4. v. 16. This is the Assurance which at the very Entrance of walking with God thou maist have of this Love He who is Truth hath said it and what-ever thy Heart saies or Sathan saies unlesse thou wilt take it up on this account thou doest thy endeavour to make him a lyar who hath spoken it 1 Joh. 5. 10. Ob. 2. I can believe that God is Love to others for he hath said he § 14 is Love but that he will be so to me I see no ground of perswasion there is no cause no Reason in the world why he should turne one thought of love or kindnesse towards me and therefore I dare not cast my selfe upon it to hold communion with him in his speciall love Ans. He hath spoken it as particularly to thee as to any one in the world And for cause of love he hath as much to fixe it on thee as on any of the Children of men that is none at all without himselfe So that I shall make speedy work with this objection Never any one from the foundation of the World who believed such Love in the Father and made returnes of Love to him againe was deceived neither shall ever any to the Worlds end be so in so doing Thou art then in this upon a most sure bottome If thou believest and receivest the Father as Love he will infallibly be so to thee though others may fall under his severity but Ob 3. I cannot find my heart making Returnes of Love unto God Could I find my Soule set upon him I could then believe his Soule delighted § 15 in me Answ. This is the most preposterous course that possibly thy thoughts can pitch upon a most ready way to rob God of his glory Herein is Love saith the Holy Ghost not that we loved God but that he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 10 19. Now thou wouldest invert this Order and say herein is Love not that God loved me but that I love him first This is to take the Glory of God from him that whereas he loves us without a cause that is in our selves and we have all cause in the World to love him
up in him This then for the present may suffice in Generall to be spoken of the personall Grace of the Lord Christ. He hath a fitnesse to save § 16 having pitty and Ability tendernesse and power to carry on that Work to the uttermost and a Fulnesse to save of Redemption and sanctification of Righteousnesse and the Spirit and a suitablenesse to the wants of all our soules whereby he becomes exceeding desireable yea altogether Lovely as afterward will appeare in particular And as to this in the first place have the Saints distinct fellowship with the Lord Christ the manner whereof shall be declared in the ensuing Chapter Only from this entrance that hath been made into the description § 17 of him with whom the Saints have Communion some motives might be taken to stirre us up thereunto as also considerations to lay open the nakednesse and insufficiency of all other waies and things unto which men ingage their thoughts and desires Something may be now proposed The daughters of Jerusalem ordinary common Professors having heard the spouse describing her beloved Cant. 5. 4 10. c. instantly are stirred up to seeke him together with her chap 6. 1. Whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seeke him with thee what Paul saies of them that crucified him may be spoken of all that reject him or refuse communion with him had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory did men know him were they acquainted in any measure with him they would not so reject the Lord of Glory Himselfe calls them simple ones fooles and scorners that despise his gracious invitation Prov. 1. 24. There is none despise Christ but only they that know him not whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not behold his glory The soules of men do naturally seek something to rest and repose themselves upon something to satiate and delight themselves withall with which they hold communion and there are two waies whereby men proceed in the pursuit of what they so ayme at Some set before them some certain end perhaps pleasure profit or in Religion it selfe acceptance with God others seeke after some end but without any certainty pleasing themselves now with one path now with another with various thoughts and waies like them Isa. 57. 10. because something comes in by the life of the hand they give not over though weary in what condition soever you may be either in greedinesse pursuing some certain end be it secular or religious or are wandring away in your own imaginations wearying your selves in the largenesse of your wayes compare a little what you ayme at or what you doe with what you have already heard of Jesus Christ if any thing you designe be like to him if any thing you desire be equall to him let him be rejected as one that hath neither forme nor comelinesse in him but if indeed all your wayes be but vanity and vexation of spirit in comparison of him why do you spend your thoughts for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfies not 1. You that are yet in the flower of your daies full of health and strength and with all the vigor of your spirits do pursue § 18 some one thing some another consider I pray what are all your beloveds to this beloved what have you gotten by them let us see the peace quietnesse assurance of everlasting blessednesse that they have given you their paths are crooked paths who ere goes in them shall not know peace Behold here a fit object for your choysest affections one in whom you may find rest to your soules one in whom there is nothing will grieve and trouble you to Eternity behold he stands at the doore of your soules and knocks O reject him not least you seeke him and find him not pray study him a little you love him not because you know him not why doth one of you spend his time in idlenesse and folly and wasting of precious time perhaps debauchedly why doth another associate and assemble himselfe with them that scoffe at Religion and the things of God meerly because you know not our deare Lord Iesus oh when he shall reveal himselfe to you and tell you he is Iesus whom you have slighted and refused how will it break your hearts and make you mourne like a dove that you have neglected him and if you never come to know him it had been better you had never been whilest it is called to day then harden not your hearts 2. You that are perhaps seeking earnestly after a Righteousnesse § 18 and are Religious persons consider a little with your selves hath Christ his due place in your hearts is he your all does he dwell in your thoughts do you know him in his excellency and desireablenesse do you indeed account all things losse and dung for his exceeding excellency or rather do you preferre almost any thing in the world before it But more of these things afterwards CHAP. III. Of the Way and Manner whereby the Saints hold Communion with the Lord Christ us to personall Grace The Conjugall Relation between Christ and the Saints Cant. 2. 16. Isa. 54. 5. c. Cant. 3. 11. opened The way of communion in Conjugall Relation Hos 3. 3. Cant. 1. 15. on the part of Christ. on the part of the Saints THe next thing that comes under consideration is the Way whereby we hold communion with the Lord Christ § 1 in respect of that personall Grace whereof we have spoken Now this the Scripture manifests to be by the way of a conjugall Relation He is married unto us and we unto him which spirituall Relation is attended with suitable conjugall affections And this gives us fellowship with him as to his personall excellencies This the Spouse expresseth Cant 2. v. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He is mine I possesse him I have interest in him as § 2 my Head and my Husband and I am his possessed of him owned by him given up unto him and that as to my beloved in a Conjugall Relation So Isa 54. v. 5. Thy maker is thine Husband the Lord of hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel the God of the whole Earth shall he be called This is yeelded as the Reason why the Church shall not be ashamed nor confounded in the middest of her Troubles and Trialls shee is married unto her Maker and her Redeemer is her Husband And Isa. ch 61. 10. setting out the mutuall Glory of Christ and his Church in their walking together he saith it is as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with Jewells such is their condition because such is their Relation which he also farther expresseth ch 62. v. 5 As the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee As it is with such persons in the day of their Espousalls in
a thing which Angells may desire to look into Nay more this whole nature was not only defiled but also accursed not only uncleane but also guilty guilty of Adam's Transgression in whom we have all sinned That the humane Nature of Christ should be derived from hence free from guilt free from pollution this is to be adored But you will say how can this be who can bring a clean thing from an unclean How could Christ take our Nature and § 15 not the defilements of it and the Guilt of it If Levi paid Tithes in the Loynes of Abraham how is it that Christ did not sinne in the Loynes of Adam Ans. There are two things in Originall sinne 1. Guilt of the § 16 first sinne which is imputed to us we all sinned in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 5. 12. whether we render it Relatively in whom or Illatively being all have sinned all is one that one sinne is the sinne of us all omnes eramus unus ille homo we were all in Covenant with him He was not only a naturall head but also a federall head unto us as Christ is to Believers Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 22. so was he to us all and his Transgression of that Covenant is reckoned to us 2 ly There is the derivation of a polluted corrupted nature § 17 from him Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and nothing else whose wisdome and mind is corrupted also a polluted fountain will have polluted streams The first person corrupted nature and that nature corrupts all persons following now from both these was Christ most free He was never federally in Adam and so not liable to the imputation of his sinne on that account It is true that sinne was imputed to him when he was made sinne thereby he took away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1. 29. but it was imputed to him in the Covenant of the Mediator through his voluntary susception and not in the Covenant of Adam by a legall imputation Had it been reckoned to him as a descendent from Adam he had not been a fit High-Priest to have offered sacrifices for us as not being separate from sinners Heb. 7. 25. Had Adam stood in his Innocency Christ had not been incarnate to have been a Mediator for sinners and therefore the Counsell of his Incarnation morally took not place untill after the fall though he was in Adam in a naturall sense from his first Creation in respect of the purpose of God Luk. 3. 23 38 yet he was not in him in a Law sense untill after the fall so that as to his own person he had no more to doe with the first sinne of Adam then with any personall sinne of one whose punishment he voluntarily took upon him As we are not liable to the guilt of those progenitors who followed Adam though naturally we were no lesse in them then him Therefore did He all the daies of his flesh serve God in a Covenant of works and was therein accepted with him having done nothing that should disanull the vertue of that Covenant as to him This doth not then in the least take off from his perfection 2. For the Pollution of our nature it was prevented in him § 18 from the instant of Conception Luk. 35. the holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over shaddow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God He was made of a Woman Gal. 4. 6. but that portion whereof he was made was sanctified by the Holy Ghost that what was borne thereof should be an holy thing Not only the Conjunction and Union of soule and body whereby a man becomes partaker of his whole nature and therein of the pollution of sinne being a sonne of Adam was prevented by the sanctification of the holy Ghost but it also accompanied the very separation of his bodily substance in the wombe unto that sacred purpose whereunto it was set apart so that upon all accompts he is holy harmlesse undefiled Adde now hereunto that he did no sinne neither was there any guilt found in him 1 Pet. 2. 22. that he fulfilled all Righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. his Father being alwaies well pleased with him v. 17. on the accompt of his perfect obedience yea even in that sense wherein he chargeth his Angells with folly and those Inhabitants of heaven are not cleare in his sight and his Excellency and desireablenesse in this regard will lye before us such was he such he is and yet for our sakes was he contented not only to be esteemed by the vilest of men to be a Transgressor but to undergoe from God the punishment due to the vilest sinners Of which afterwards 2 ly The fulnesse of grace in Christs humane nature sets forth the Amiablenesse and desireablenesse thereof should I make it § 19 my businesse to consider his perfections as to this part of his Excellency what he had from the wombe Luke 1. 35 what received growth and improvement as to exercise in the dayes of his fesh Luk. 2. 52. with the complement of them all in glory the whole would tend to the purpose in hand I am but taking a view of these things in transitu These two things ly in open sight to all at the first consideration All Grace was in him for the kinds thereof and all degrees of grace for its perfections and both of them make up that fullnesse that was in him it is Created grace that I intend and therefore I speak of the kinds of it it is grace inherent in a created nature not infinite and therefore I speak of the degrees of it For the Fountaine of Grace the holy Ghost he received not him by measure Joh. 3. 34. and for the Communications of the Spirit § 20 it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Cor. 1. 19. that in all things he might have the preheminence But these things are commonly spoken unto This is the beloved of our soules holy harmelesse undefiled full of grace and truth full to a sufficiency for every end of Grace § 21 full for practice to be an Example to men and Angels as to Obedience full to a certainty of uninterrupted Communion with God full to a readinesse of giving supply to others full to suit him to all the occasions and necessitys of the soules of men full to a Glory not unbecomming a subsistence in the person of the Son of God full to a pefect victory in tryalls over all Temptations full to to an exact Correspondency to the whole law every righteous and holy law of God full to the utmost capacity of a limited created finite nature full to the greatest beauty glory of a living Temple of God full to the full pleasure delight of the soule of his Father full to an everlasting
that hath any acquaintance with these things falls not down with reverence and Astonishment How glorious is he that is the beloved of our soules what can be wanting that should incourage us to take up our rest and peace in his bosome Unlesse all ways of reliefe and refreshment be so obstructed by unbeliefe that no consideration can reach the heart to yeild it the least assistance it is impossible but that from hence the soule may gather that which will endeare it unto him with whom we have to do Let us dwell on the thoughts of it This is the hidden mystery great without controversy admirable to eternity What poor low perishing things do we spend our contemplations on Were we to have no advantage by this astonishing dispensation yet its Excellency Glory beauty depths deserve the flower of our enquirys the vigor of our spirits the substance of our time but when withall our Life our Peace our Joy our inheritance our Eternity our all lys herein shall not the thoughts of it always dwell in our hearts always refresh and delight our soules 4. He is Excellent and Glorious in this in that he is exalted invested with all Authority when Jacob heard of the Exaltation § 25 of his Son Joseph in Egipt and saw the Charets that he had sent for him his spirit fainted and recovered againe through abundance of Joy and other overflowing Affections Is our beloved lost who for our sakes was upon the earth poore and persecuted reviled killed noe he was dead but he is alive and lo he lives for ever and ever and hath the keys of Hell and Death our beloved is made a Lord and Ruler Acts 2. 36. He is made a King God sets him his Ring on his holy hill of Syon Psal. 2. 8. and he is crowned with Honour and dignity after he had been made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death Heb. 2. 7 8 9. and what is he made king of all things are put in subjection under his feet v. 8. and what power over them hath our beloved All power in heaven and earth Mat. 28. 18. as for men he hath power given him over all flesh Ioh. 17. 2. And in what Glory doth he excercise this power He gives eternall life to his Elect ruling them in the power of God Micah 5. 3. until he bring them to himself and for his Enimys His arrowes are sharpe in their hearts Psal. 45. 5. he dips his vesture in their blood Oh how glorious is he in his Authority over his enemys in this world he terrifies frightens awes convinces bruises their hearts and Consciences fills them with feare terrour disquietment unill they yeild him faigned obedience and sometime with outward judgements bruises breakes turnes the wheele upon them staines all his vesture with their blood fills the earth with their Carcasses and at last will gather them altogether beast false prophet nations c. and cast them into that lake that burnes with fire and brimstone He is gloriously exalted above Angells in this his Authority Good and bad Eph. 1. 20 21 22. far above Principalities and § 26 Powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that to come they are all under his feet at his command and absolute disposall He is at the right hand of God in the highest exaltation possible and in full possession of a Kingdome over the whole Creation having received a name above every name c. Phil. 2. v. 9. Thus is he glorious in his Throne which is at the right hand of the Majesty on high Glorious in his Commission which is all power in heaven and earth Glorious in his name a name above every name the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Glorious in his Scepter a Scepter of Righteousnesse is the Scepter of his Kingdome Glorious in his Attendants his Charrets are twenty thousand even thousands of Angells among them he rideth on the Heavens and sendeth out the voyce of his strength attended with ten thousand times ten thousands of his holy ones Glorious in his Subjects all creatures in heaven and in earth nothing is left that is not put in subjection to him Glorious in his way of Rule and the Administration of his Kingdome full of sweetnesse efficacy power serenity holinesse Righteousnesse and Grace in and toward his Elect of Terrour vengeance and certain destruction towards the Rebelliou Angells and men Glorious in the issue of his Kingdome when every knee shall bow before him and all shall stand before his judgement seat And what a little portion of his Glory is it that we have poynted to This is the beloved of the Church its head its Husband this is he with whom we have Communion but of the whole exaltation of Jesus Christ I am elsewhere to treat at large Having insisted on these Generalls for the farther carrying on the motives to Communion with Christ in the Relation mentioned § 27 taken from his Excellencies and perfections I shall reflect on the description given of him by the Spouse in the Canticles to this very end and purpose Cant. 5. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand His head is as the most fine gold his locks are bushy and black as a raven His eyes are as the Eyes of Doves by the rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set His cheeks are as a bed of spices his lips like lillie dropping sweet smelling Myrrh his hands are as gold Rings set withthes beryl his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with saphyrs his leggs are as pillars set upon sockets of fine gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend Oye Daughters of Jerusalem The generall description given of him v. 10. hath been before § 28 considered the ensuing particulars are instances to make good the Assertion that he is the Chiefest of ten thousand 1. The Spouse begins with his head and face v. 11 12 13. In his head she speaks first in generall unto the substance of it it is fine gold and then in particular as to its Ornaments his locks are bushy and black as a raven 1. His Head is as the most fine gold or his head gold solid gold so some made of pure gold so others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the 70 retaining part of both the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Massa auri Two things are eminent in Gold splendor or Glory and duration This is that which the Spouse speaks of the Head of § 29 Christ His Head is his Government Authority and Kingdome Hence it is said a Crowne of pure gold was on his head Ps. 21. 3. and his Head is here said to be Gold because of the Crowne of Gold that adornes it A◠the Monarchy
from him all things are open and naked before him with whom we have to doe It is said of him whilest he was in this World that Jesus knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man Ioh. 2. 24 25. his piercing eyes look through all the thick coverings of hypocrites and the snow of pretenses that is on them He sees the inside of all and what men are there that they are to him he sees not as we see but ponders the hidden man of the heart no humble broken contrite soule shall loose one sigh or groane after him and Communion with him no pant of Love or desire is hid from him He sees in secret no glorious performance of the most glorious hypocrite will availe with him his eyes look through all and the filth of their hearts lies naked before him 4. Beauty and Glory are here intended also Every thing § 38 of Christ is beautifull for he is altogether lovely v. 16. but most glorious in his sight and Wisdome he is the Wisdome of Gods Eternall Wisdome its selfe his understanding is infinite what spots and stains are in all our knowledge when it is made perfect yet it will still be finite and limited his is without spot of darknesse without foyle of limitednesse Thus then is he beautifull and glorious his Head is of Gold his eyes are Doves eys washed in milke and fitly set The next thing insisted on is his cheeks v. 15. His cheeks are as a bed of Spices as sweet flowers or Towers of Perfumes § 39 or well grown flowers There are three things evidently pointed at in these words 1. A sweet savour as from spices and flowers and Towers of perfume 2. Beauty and order as spices set in rowes or beds as the words import 3. Eminency in that word as sweet or well grown great flowers These things are in the Cheeks of Christ the Chaldee Paraphrast who applys this whole song to Gods dealings with the people of the Jews maks these Cheeks of the Churches husband to be the two tables of stone with the various lines drawn in them but that Allusion is strained as are most of the Conjectures of that Scholiast The Cheeks of a man are the seat of Comlinesse and manlike courage The Comlinesse of Christ as hath in part been § 40 declared is from his fullnesse of Grace in himselfe for us His manly Courage respects the Administration of his Rule and Goverment from his fullnesse of Authority as was before declared This Comlinesse and Courage the Spouse describing Christ as a beautifull desireable personage to shew that Spiritually he is so calleth his Cheeks so to make up his parts and proportion And to them doth she ascribe a sweet savour Order and Eminency a sweet savour as God is said to smell a sweet savour from the Grace and Obedience of his servants Gen 8. 2. the Lord smelled a savour of rest from the Sacrifice of Noah so do the Saints smell a sweet savour from his Grace laid up in Christ. Cant. 1. 3. It is that which they rest in which they delight in which they are refreshed with As the smell of aromaticall spices and flowers please the naturall sence refresh the spirits and delight the person so doe the Graces of Christ to his Saints They please their Spirituall sense they refresh their drooping Spirits and give delight to their soules If he be nigh them they smel his Rayment as Isaak the rayment of Jacob They say it is as the smell of a field that the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. and their soules are refreshed with it 2. Order and beauty are as spices set in a Garden bed So are the Graces of Christ. When spices are set in order any one may § 41 know what is for his use and take and gather it accordingly Their answering also one to another makes them beautifull so are the graces of Christ in the Gospell they are distinctly and in order set forth that sinners by faith may view them and take from him according to their necessity They are ordered for the use of Saints in the Promises of the Gospell There is Light in him and Life in him and power in him and all Consolation in him a Constellation of Graces shining with Glory and beauty Believers take a view of them all see their Glory and excellency but fixe especially on that which in the Condition wherein they are is most usefull to them One takes light and Joy another life and power by faith and prayer doe they gather these things in this bed of Spices Not any that comes to him goes away unrefreshed What may they not take what may they not gather what is it that the poore soule wants behold it is here provided set out in order in the promises of the Gospell which are as the beds wherein these spices are set for our use and on the account hereof is the Covenant said to be ordered in all things 2 Sam. 2. 3 4. 3. Eminency his Cheeks are a tower of perfumes held up made conspicuous visible eminent so it is with the Graces of § 42 Christ when held out and lifted up in the preaching of the Gospell They are a Tower of Perfumes a sweet savour to God and man The next clause of that verse is His lipps are like lillyes dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Two perfections in things naturall are here alluded unto First the glory of Colour in the lillys and the sweetnesse of savour in the myrrhe The glory and beauty of the lillys in those Countrys was such as that our Saviour tells us that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayd like one of them Mat. 6. 29. and the Savour of myrrhe such as when the Scripture would set forth any thing to be an excellent savour it compares it thereunto Psal. 45. 8. and thereof was the sweet and holy oyntment chiefely made Exod. 30. 26. mention is also made frequently of it in other places to the same purpose It is said of Christ that Grace was powred into his lips Psal. 45. 2. whence men wondred or were amazed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the words of Grace that proceeded out of his mouth so that by the lipps of Christ and their dropping sweet smelling myrrhe the word of Christ its savour Excellency and usefullnesse is intended Herein is he Excellent and glorious indeed surpassing the Excellencys of those naturall things which yet are most precious in their kind even in the Glory beauty usefullnes of his Word Hence they that preach his word to the saving of the soules of men are said to be a sweet savour to God 2 Cor. 2. 15. and the savour of the knowledge of God is said to be manifested by them v. 14. I might insist on the severall propertys of myrrhe whereto the word of Christ is here compared its bitternesse in tast its efficacy to preserve from putrefaction its usefullnesse in perfumes and
iniquities he is astonished to think that God should do so and admires that he did not take the Advantage of his provocations to cast him out of his presence He finds that with infinite wisdome in all long suffering he hath mannaged all his dispensations towards him to recover him from the power of the Devill to rebuke and chasten his spirit for sinne to endeare him unto himselfe there is I say nothing of greater sweetnesse to the soule then this and therefore the Apostle saies Rom. 3. 25. that all is through the forbearance of God God makes way for compleat forgivenesse of sinnes through this his forbearance which the other doth not 3. They differ in their Ends and aymes What is the ayme and designe of God in the dispensation of that forbearance which is § 15 manifested and may be discovered out of Christ the Apostle tells us Rom 9. 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much longsuffering the vessells of wrath fitted for destruction It was but to leave them inexcuseable that his power and wrath against sinne might be manifested in their destruction And therefore he calls it a suffering of them to walk in their own wates Act. 14. 16. which elsewhere he holds out as a most dreadfull judgement to wit in respect of that issue whereto it will certainly come as Psal. 81. 12. I gave them up to their Lusts and they walked in their own counsells which is as dreadfull a condition as a creature is capable of falling into in this world And Act. 17. 30. he calls it a winking at the sinnes of their ignorance as it were taking no care nor thought of them in their dark condition as it appears by the Antithesis but now he commandeth all men every where to repent He did not take so much notice of them then as to command them to repent by any cleare Revelation of his mind and will And therefore the exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 2 4. and despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and longsuffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance is spoken to the Jewes who had advantages to learne the naturall tendency of that goodnesse and forbearance which God exercises in Christ which indeed leads to Repentance or else he doth in generall intimate that in very Reason men ought to make another use of those things then usually they doe and which he chargeth them withall v. 5. but after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart c. At best then the patience of God unto men out of Christ by reason of their own incorrigible stubbornesse proves but like the waters of the River Phasis that are sweet at the top and bitter in the bottome they swimme for a while in the sweet and good things of this life Luk. 16. 25. wherewith being filled they sinke to the depth of all bitternesse But now evidently and directly the end of that Patience and forbearance of God which is excercised in Christ and discovered in him to us is the saving and bringing unto God those towards whom he is pleased to exercise them And therefore Peter tells you 2 Pet. 3. 9. that he is long suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance that is all us towards whom he exercises forbearance for that is the End of it that his Will concerning our Repentance and Salvation may be accomplished and the nature of it with its end is well expressed Isa. 54. 9. This is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth c. it is Gods taking a course in his infinite Wisdome and goodnesse that we shall not be destroyed notwithstanding our sinnes and therefore Rom. 15. 5. these two things are laid together in God as coming together from him the God of patience and Consolation his patience is a matter of the greatest consolation And this is another property of God which though it may break forth in some ray's to some Ends and purposes in other things yet the treasures of it are hid in Christ and none is acquainted with it unto any spirituall advantage that learnes it not in him 3. His Wisdome his Infinite Wisdome in mannaging things for his own Glory and the good of them towards whom he hath § 16 thoughts of Love The Lord indeed hath laid out and manifested infinite Wisdome in his Works of Creation Providence and governing of the World in Wisdome hath he made all his Creatures How manifold are his works in Wisdome hath he made them all the Earth is full of his riches Psal. 104. 24. So in his Providence his supportment and guidance of all things in order to one another and his own glory unto the Ends appointed for them for all these things come forth from the Lord of Hosts who is Wonderfull in Counsell and excellent in working Isa. 28 29. His Law also is for ever to be admired for the excellency of the Wisdome therein Deut. 4. 7 8. but yet there is that which Paul is astonished at and wherein God will for ever be exalted which he calls the depth of the riches of the Wisdome and Knowledge of God Rom. 11 33. that is only hid in and revealed by Christ. Hence as he is said to be the Wisdome of God and to be made unto us Wisdome so the designe of God which is carried along in him and revealed in the Gospell is called the Wisdome of God and a Mystery even the hidden Wisdome which God ordained before the World was which none of the Princes of this world knew 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. Ephes. 3. 10. it is called the manifold Wisdome of God and to discover the Depth and Riches of this Wisdome he tells us in that verse that it is such that Principalities and Powers that very Angells themselves could not in the least measure get any acquaintance with it untill God by gathering of a Church of Sinners did actually discover it Hence Peter informes us that they who are so well acquainted with all the works of God doe yet bow downe and desire with earnestnesse to look into these things the things of the Wisdome of God in the Gospell 1 Pet. 1. 13. It askes a man much Wisdome to make a curious work fabrick and building but if one shall come and deface it to raise up the same building to more beauty and glory then ever this is excellency of Wisdome indeed God in the beginning made all things good glorious and beautifull When all things had in innocency and beauty the cleare impresse of his Wisdome and Goodnesse upon them they were very glorious Especially man who was made for his speciall Glory now all this beauty was defaced by sinne and the whole Creation rolled up in darkenesse
God they are his Temple As he is a King they are his Subjects he is the King of Saints as he is a head they are his Body he is the Head of the Church as he is a first borne he makes them his Brethren He is not ashamed to call them brethren I shall choose out one particular from among many as an Instance for the proof of this thing And that is this Christ § 3 reveales his secrets his minde unto his Saints and enables them to reveale the secrets of their hearts to him An evident demonstration of great delight It was Sampsons carnall delight in Dalilah that prevailed with him to reveale unto her those things which were of greatest concernment unto him He will not hide his minde from her though it cost him his life It is only a bosome friend unto whom we will unbosome our selves Neither is there possible a greater evidence of delight in close Communion then this that one will reveale his heart unto him whom he takes into society and not entertaine him with things common and vulgarly known And therefore have I chose this instance from amongst a thousand that might be given of this delight of Christ in his Saints He then communicates his minde unto his Saints and unto them only his minde the Councell of his love the thoughts of his § 4 heart the purposes of his bosome for our eternall good His minde the ways of his grace the workings of his spirit the Rule of his scepter and the obedience of his Gospell All spirituall Revelation is by Christ. He is the true light that inlightneth every man that commeth into the world John 1. 9. He is the day spring the day starre and the Sun So that it is impossible any light should be but by him from him it is that the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he shewes them his Covenant Psal. 15. v. 14. as he expresses it at large Joh. 15. 14 15 Ye are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you Hence forth I call you not servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you He makes them as his friends and useth them as friends as bosome friends in whom he is delighted He makes known all his minde unto them every thing that his Father hath committed to him as Mediator to be revealed Act. 20. 24. And the Apostle declares how this is done 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. he hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit for we have received him that we might know the things that are freely given us of God He sends us his Spirit as he promised to make known his minde unto his Saints and to lead them into all truth and thence the Apostle concludes we have known the minde of Christ v. 16. for he useth us as friends and declareth it unto us Joh. 1. 18. There is not any thing in the heart of Christ wherein these his friends are concerned that he doth not reveale to them All his love his Goodwill the secrets of his Couenant the paths of obedience the Mistery of Faith is told them And all this is spoken in opposition to unbelievers with whom he hath no communion These know nothing of the mind of Christ as they ought the naturall man receiveth not the things that are of God 1 Cor 2. 14. There is a wide difference between understanding the Doctrine of the Scripture as in the letter and a true knowing the minde of Christ. This we have by speciall unction from Christ. 1 Joh. 2. 24. we have an unction from the holy one and we know all things 1 Ioh. 5. last Now the things which in this Communion Christ reveales § 5 to them that he delights in may be referred to these two heads 1. Himselfe 2. His Kingdome 1. Himselfe John 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my selfe unto him manifest my selfe in all my Graces desireablenesse and lovelinesse he shall know me as I am and such I will be unto him a Saviour a Redemer the chiefest of ten thousand He shall be acquainted with the true worth and value of the Pearle of Price let others looke upon him as having neither forme nor Comelinesse as noe way desireable He will manifest himselfe and his excellencyes unto them in whom he is delighted that they shall see him altogether Lovely He will vaile himselfe to all the world but the Saints with d open face shall behold his beauty and his glory and so be translated to the Image of the same Glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 14. 2. His kingdome they shall be acquainted with the Government of his Spirit in their hearts as also with his Rule and the Administration of Authority in his Word and among his Churches Thus in the first place doth he manifest his delight in his Saints he communicates his secrets unto them He gives them to know his Person his Excellencys his Grace his Love his Kingdome his will the Riches of his Goodnesse and the Bowels of his mercy more and more when the world shall neither see nor know any such thing 2. He enables his Saints to communicate their mind to reveale § 6 their soules unto him that so they may walke together as intimate friends Christ knows the minds of all He knows what is in man and needs not that any man testify of him Joh. 2. 25. He searcheth the hearts and trieth the reines of all Revel 2. 23. But all know not how to communicate their minde to Christ. It wil not availe a man at all that Christ knows his minde for so he doth of every one whether he will or no but that a man can make his heart known unto Christ this is consolation Hence the prayers of the Saints are Incense Odours and those of others are Howling cutting off a dogs necke offering of Swines blood an Abomination unto the Lord. Now three things are required to enable a man to communicate his heart unto the Lord Jesus 1. Assistance for the worke for of our selves we cannot doe it And this the Saints have by the Spirit of Jesus Rom. 8 26 27. Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God All indeavours all attempts for Communion with God without the supplyes of the Spirit of supplications without his effectuall working in the heart is of no value nor to any purpose And this opening of our hearts and bosomes to the Lord Jesus is that wherein he is exceedingly delighted
promise but not as it is in the promise so James saies some aske and receive not because they aske amisse to spend it on their lusts Ch 4. 3. though the things which God would have us aske be requested yet if not according as he would have us doe it we ask amisse Two things are required that we may pray for the things in the promise as they are in the promise 1. That we look upon them as promised and promised in Christ that is that all the reason we have whence we hope for attaining the things we ask for is from the Mediation and purchase of Christ in whom all the Promises are yea and amen This it is to aske the Father in Christs name God as a Father the fountaine and Christ as the procurer of them 2. That we aske for them for the end of the promise not to spend on our Lust when we ask pardon for sinne with secret reserves in our hearts to continue in sinne we aske the choysest mercy of the covenant to spend it on our Lusts. The end of the promise the Apostle tells us 2 Cor 7. 1. Having thâ—se promises let us cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God when we aske what is in the promise as it is in the promise to this end of the promise our supplications are according to the will of God And this is the first Conjugall Affection that Christ exerciseth towards Believers he delights in them which that he doth is evident as upon other considerations innumerable so from the instance given In returne hereunto for the carrying on of the communion between them the Saints delight in Christ He is their Joy their § 11 Crowne their Rejoycing their Life food health strength desire Righteousnesse Salvation Blessednesse without him they have nothing in him they find all things Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should rejoyce save in the Crosse of Christ. He hath from the foundation of the world been the hopes expectation desire and delight of all Believers The promise of him was all and it was enough that God gave Adam in his unexpressible distresse to relieve and comfort him Gen. 3. 15. Eve perhaps supposed that the promised seed had been borne in her first borne when she said I have gotten a man from the Lord so most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting the 4 th Case and this was the matter of her joy Gen 4. 1. Lamech having Noah given to him as a type of Christ and salvation by him cries out this same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toyle of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed Gen. 5. 29. he rejoyces in him who was to take away the Curse by being made a curse for us When Abraham was in the height of his Glory returning from the Conquest of the Kings of the East that came against the confederate Kings of the vale of Sodome God appears to him with a glorious promise Gen. 15. 1. feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward What now could his soule more desire alas he cryes as Reuben afterwards upon the losse of Ioseph the Child is not and whither shall I goe v. 2. Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I goe Childlesse Thou hast promised that in my seed shall all the earth be blessed if I have not that seed ah what will all other things doe me good Thence it is said that he rejoyced to see the day of Christ He saw it and was glad Joh. 8. 56. the thoughts of the coming of Christ which he looked on at the distance of 2000 years was the joy and delight of his heart Jacob blessing his sons lifted up his spirit when he comes to Iuda in whom he considered the Shilo to come Gen. 49. 8 9 and a little after wearied with the foresight and consideration of the distresses of his posterity this he diverts to for his reliefe as that great delight of his soule I have waited for thy salvation O God for him who was to be the salvation of his people But it would be endlesse to instance in particulars Old Si meon summs up the whole Christ is Gods salvation and Israels glory Luk. 2. 30 31. and what ever was called the Glory of old it was either himselfe or a type of him The glory of man is their delight Hence Haggai 2. 7. he is called the desire of all Nations Him whom their soule loves and delights in desire and long after So is the Saints delight in him made a description of him by way of eminence Mal. 3. 1. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in He whom yee seeke whom you delight in is the description of Christ He is their delight and desireable one the person of their desire To fixe on something in particular In that patterne of Communion with Jesus Christ which we have in the Canticles this is abundantly insisted on The Spouse tells us that she sitts downe under his shadow with great delight ch 2. 3. And this delight to be vigorous and active she manifests severall waies wherein we should labour to find our hearts in like manner towards him 1. By her exceeding great care to keep his Company and society § 12 when once she had obtained it ch 2. 7. I charge you O yee Daughters of Hierusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that ye stirre not up nor awake my beloved untill he please Having obtained sweet communion with Christ described in the verses foregoing of which before here she expresseth her delight in it and desire of the continuance of it and therefore following on the Allusion formerly insisted on she speaks as one would doe to her Companion that had rest with one she loved I charge you by all that is deare to you by the things you most delight in which among the Creatures are most lovely all the pleasant and desireable things that you can think of that you disturbe him not The summe of her ayme and desire is that nothing may fall out nothing of sinne or provocation happen that may occasion Christ to depart from her or to remove from that dispensation wherein he seemed to take that rest in her O stirre him not up untill he please that is never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love its selfe in the abstract to expresse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or earnest affection for so that word is often used When once the soule of a Believer hath obtained sweet and reall Communion with Christ it looks about him watcheth all temptations all wayes whereby sinne might approach to disturbe him in his enjoyment of his deare Lord and Saviour his rest and desire How doth it charge it selfe not to omit any thing not to doe any thing that may interrupt the communion obtained And because
their conjugall affections entire to Christ that they labour by all meanes not to grieve his Holy Spirit which he hath sent in his stead to abide with them This the Apostle puts them in minde of Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the Holy Spirit There be two maine ends for which Christ sends his Spirit to Believers § 23 1. For their Sanctification 2. For their Consolation to which two all the particular acts of purging teaching annoynting and the rest that are ascribed to him may be referr'd So there be two way 's whereby we may grieve him 1. In respect of Sanctification 2. In respect of Consolation 1. In respect of Sanctification He is the Spirit of Holinesse holy in himselfe and the Author of Holinesse in us he workes it in us Tit. 3. 5. and he perswades us to it by those motions of his which are not be quenched Now this in the first place grieves the Spirit when he is carrying on in us and for us a worke so infinitely for our Advantage and without which we cannot see God that we should run crosse to him in ways of unholinesse pollution and defilement So the connexion of the words in the place before mentioned manifests Eph. 4. 28 29 0 31. and thence doth Paul bottome his powerfull and most effectuall perswasion unto holinesse even from the abode and indwelling of this holy Spirit with us 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. indeed what can grieve a loving tender friend more then to oppose him and slight him when he is most intent about our good and that a good of the greatest consequence to us In this then Believers make it their businesse to keep their hearts loyall and their Affections chast to Jesus Christ. They labour instantly not to grieve the Holy Spirit by loose and foolish by carelesse and negligent walking which he hath sent to dwell and abide with them Therefore shall no anger wrath malice envy dwell in their hearts because they are contrary to the Holy meek spirit of Christ which he hath given to dwell with them They attend to his motions make use of his assistance improve his gifts and nothing lys more upon their Spirits then that they may walke worthy of the presence of this holy substitute of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. As to Consolation this is the second great end for which § 24 Christ gives and sends his Spirit to us who from thence by the way of eminency is called the Comforter to this end he seales us anoynts us establishes us and gives us peace and joy of all which I shall afterwards speake at large Now there be two ways whereby he may be grieved as to this end of his mission and our chastity to Jesus Christ thereby violated 1. By placeing our comforts joys in other things and not being filled with joy in the holy Ghost When we make creatures or § 25 creature comforts any thing whatever but what we receive by the Spirit of Christ to be our joy our delight we are false with Christ. So was it with Demas who loved the present world When the ways of the Spirit of God are grievous and burdensome to us when we say when will the Sabbath be past that we may exact all our labours when our delight and refreshment lyes in earthly things we are unsuitable to Christ. May not his Spirit say why doe I still abide with these poore soules I provide them joyes unspeakeable and glorious but they refuse them for perishing things I provide them spirituall eternall abiding consolations and it is all rejected for a thing of nought This Christ cannot beare wherefore Believers are exceeding carefull in this not to place their joy and Consolation in any thing but what is administred by the Spirit Their daily worke is to get their hearts crucifyed to the world and the things of it and the world to their hearts that they may not have living affections to dying things they would faine look on the world as a crucifyed dead thing that hath neither forme nor beauty if at any times they have been intangled with creatures and inferiour contentments and have lost their better joys they cry out to Christ O restore to us the joys of thy Spirit 2. He is grieved when through darkenesse and unbeliefe we § 26 will not doe not receive those Consolations which he tenders to us and which he is abundantly willing that we should receive but of this I shall have occasion to speake afterward in handling our Communion with the Holy Ghost 3. In his institutions or matter and manner of his worship Christ marrying his Church to himselfe taking it to that Relation still § 27 expresseth the maine of their chast choyce Affections to him to lye in their keeping his Institutions his worship according to his appointment The breach of this he calls Adultery every where and whoredome He is a jealous God and he gives himselfe that title only in respect of his institutions And the whole Apostacy of the Christian Church unto false worship is called fornication and the Church that lead the others to false worship the Mother of Harlots On this account those Believers who really attend to Communion with Jesus Christ do labour to keep their hearts chast to him in his Ordinances institutions and worship and that two ways 1. They will receive nothing practice nothing owne nothing in his worship but what is of his Appointment They know that from the foundation of the world he never did allow nor ever will that in any thing the will of the creatures should be the measure of his honour or the principle of his worship either as to matter or manner It was a witty and true sence that one gave of the second Commandement Non imago non simulachrum prohibetur sed non facies tibi it is a making to our selves an inventing a finding out ways of worship or meanes of honouring God not by him appointed that is so severely forbidden Believers know what entertainement all will worship finds with God Who hath required those things at your hands and in vaine doe you worship me teaching for doctrines the traditions of men is the best it meets with I shall take leave to say what is upon my Heart and what the Lord assisting I shall willingly endeavour to make good against all the world namely that that principle that the Church hath power to institute appoint any thing or ceremony belonging to the worship of God either as to matter or to manner beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such ordinances as Christ himself hath instituted lyes at the bottome of all the horrible superstition and idolatry of all the confusion blood persecution and warres that have for so long a season spread themselves over the face of the Christian world and that it is the designe of a great part of the Revelation to make a discovery of this Truth And I
Communion with Christ in § 14 these things and that in the order laid down as 1. How we hold Communion with him in the Obedience of his Life and merit of his Death as to acceptance with God the Father 2. How we hold communion with Christ in his blood as to the Spirit of Sanctification the habits and acts of Grace 3. How we hold communion with him as to the priviledges we enjoy Of which in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. VIII How the Saints hold Communion with Christ as to their Acceptation with God What is required on the part of Christ hereunto in his Intention In the declaration thereof The summe of our acceptation with God wherein it consists What is required on the part of Believers to this Communion and how they hold it with Christ. Some objections proposed to consideration why the Elect are not accepted immediately on the undertaking and death of Christ in what sense they are so Christ a Common or publique person How he came to be so The way of our acceptation with God on that account The second objection The necessity of our obedience stated Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. The Grounds Causes and Ends of it manifested It s proper place in the new Covenant How the Saints in particular hold Communion with Christ in this purchased Grace They approve of this Righteousnesse the grounds thereof Reject their own the grounds thereof The Commutation of sinne and Righteousnesse between Christ and Believers Some objections Answered COmmunion with Christ in purchased Grace as unto Acceptation with God from the Obedience of his Life § 1 and efficacy of his death is the first thing we enquire into The discovery of what on the part of Christ and what on our part is required thereunto for our mutuall actings even his and ours are necessary that we may have fellowship and Communion together herein is that which herein I intend 1. On the part of Christ there is no more required but these § 2 two things 1. That what he did He did not for himselfe but for us 2. What he suffered he suffered not for himselfe but for us That is that his intention from Eternity when he was in the World was that all that he did and suffered was should be for us and our advantage as to our Acceptance with God That he still continueth making use of what he so did and suffered for that end and purpose and that only Now this is most evident What he did he did for us and not for himselfe He was made § 3 under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4. 4 5. He was made under the Law that is in that condition that he was obnoxious to the will and commands of it and why was this to what end for himself no but to redeem us is the ayme of all that He did of all his obedience that he did This very intention in what he did he acquaints us with Joh. 17. 19. for their sakes I sanctify my self that they may be sanctifyed through the truth I sanctify my selfe dedicate set my selfe apart to all that work I have to do I came not to doe my own will I came to save that which was lost to minister not to be ministred unto and to give my life a ransome It was the Testimony he bare to all he did in the world This Intendment of his is especially to be eyed From Eternity he had thoughts of what he would doe for us and delighted himselfe therein And when he was in the world in all He went about he had still this thought this is for them and and this is for them my beloved When he went to be baptized says John I have need to come to thee and comest thou to me Math. 3. 14 15. as if he had said thou hast no need at all of it But says Christ suffer us now for so it becometh us to fullfill all Righteousnesse I doe it for them who have none at all and stand obliged unto all § 4 2. In what He suffered this is more cleare Dan. 9. 21. Messias shall be cut off and not for himselfe and the Apostle lays down this as a main difference between him and the High priest of the Jewes that when they made their solemne offerings they offer'd first for themselves and then for the People But Jesus Christ offereth only for others He had no sinne and could make no Sacrifice for his own sinne which he had not but only for others He tasted death for all Heb. 2. 9. gave his life a ransome for many Math. 20. 10. The iniquity of us all was made to meet on him Isa. 53. 6. he bare our sinne in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 1. loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes. 5. 26. Gal. 2. 20. Rom. 4. 25. Revel 1. 5 6. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Isa. 53 12. Joh. 17. 19. But this is exceeding cleare and confessed that Christ in his suffering and oblation had his intention only upon the good of his Elect and their Acceptation with God suffering for us the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God § 5 Secondly to compleat this Communion on the part of Christ it is required first that there he added to what he hath done the Gospell tenders of that compleat Righteousnesse and Acceptation with God which ariseth from his perfect Obedience and sufferings Now they are twofold 1. Declaratory in the conditionall Promises of the Gospell Joh. 7. 37. Math. 11. 28. He that believeth shall be saved come to me and you shall have life as the Serpent was lifted up c. Christ is the end of the Law of Righteousnesse to them that believe Rom. 10. 4. and innumerable others Now declaratory tenders are very pretious there is much kindnesse in them and if they be rejected they will be the savour of death unto death but the Lord Christ knows that the outward letter though never so effectually held out will not enable any of his for that reception of his Righteousnesse which is necessary to interest them therein wherefore 2. In this tender of Acceptation with God on the account of what he hath done and suffered a Law is established that whosoever receives it shall be so accepted But Christ knows the condition and state of his in this World This will not doe If he do not effectually invest them with it all is lost Therefore 2 He sends them his Holy Spirit to quicken them Ioh. 6. 63. to cause them that are dead to heare his voyce Ioh. 5. And to work in them what ever is required of them to make them partakers of his righteousnesse and accepted with God Thus doth Christ deale with his He lives and dyes with an intention to work out and compleat righteousnesse for them their enjoying of it to a perfect Acceptation before God is all that in the one and other he aymed at Then he tenders it
15 16. I have ordained you that you should bring forth fruite of Obedience and that it should remaine And 3. The Holy Ghost appoints and Ordaines Believers to workes of Obedience and Holinesse and to worke holinesse in others So in particular Act. 13. 2. He appoints and designes men to the great worke of Obedience in preaching the Gospell and in sinning men sinne against him 2. Our Holinesse our Obedience worke of Righteousnesse is § 27 one eminent and especiall end of the peculiar dispensation of Father Sonne and Spirit in the businesse of exalting the Glory of God in our Salvation of the Electing love of the Father the Purchasing love of the Sonne And the Operative love of the Spirit 1. It is a peculiar end of the Electing love of the Father Ephes. 1. 4. He hath chosen us that we should be holy and unblameable So Isa. 4. 3 4. His aime and designe in choosing of us was that we should be Holy and unblameable before him in love This he is to accomplish and will bring about in them that are his He chooses us to Salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth 2 Thess. 2. 12. This the Father designed as the first and immediate end of Electing love And proposes the Consideration of that Love as a motive to Holinesse 1 Joh. 4. 8 9 10. 2. It is so also of the exceeding love of the Son whereof the Testimonys are innumerable I shall give but one or two Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeem us from all inquity and purify to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes This was his aime his designe in giving himselfe for us as Ephes. 5. 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2 Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 6. 5. 3. It is the very worke of the Love of the Holy Ghost his whole worke upon us in us for us consists in preparing of us for Obedience enabling of us thereunto and bringing forth the fruits of it in us and this he doth in opposition to a Righteousnesse of our own either before it or to be made up by it Tit. 3. 5. I need not insist on this The fruits of the Spirit in us are known Gal. 5. 22. And thus have we a twofold bottome of the necessity of our Obedience and personall Holinesse God hath appointed it He requires it And it is an eminent immediate End of the distinct dispensation of Father Sonne and Hoy Ghost in the worke of our Salvation If Gods Soveraignty over us is to be owned If his Love towards us be to be regarded if the whole worke of the ever blessed Trinity for us in us be of any moment our Obedience is necessary 3. It is necessary in respect of the end thereof and that § 28 whether you Consider God our selves or the world 1. The end of our Obedience in respect of God is his Glory and Honour Mal. 1. 6. This is Gods honour all that we give him It is true he will take his honour from the stoutest and proudest Rebell in the world but all we give him is in our Obedience The Glorifying of God by our Obedience is all that we are or can be Particularly 1. It is the Glory of the Father Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your Good workes and Glorify your Father which is in Heaven By our walking in the light of Faith doth Glory arise to the Father The fruits of his Love of his Grace of his Kindnesse are seen upon us and God is glorifyed in our behalfe And 2. The Sonne is Glorifyed thereby It is the will of God that as all men honour the Father so should they honour the Sonne Joh. 5. 23. and how is this done by believing in him Joh. 14. 1. obeying of him Hence Joh. 17. 10. He says He is Glorifyed in Believers and prays for an increase of Grace and Union for them that he may yet be more Glorifyed and all might know that as Mediator he was sent of God 3. The Spirit is Glorifyed also by it He is grieved by our Disobedience Ephes. 4. 30. and therefore his Glory is in our bringing forth fruit He dwells in us as in his Temple which is not to be defiled Holinesse becometh his Habitation for ever Now if this that hath been said be not sufficient to evince a necessity of our Obedience we must suppose our selves to speake with a sort of men who regard neither the Soveraignty nor Love nor Glory of God Father Son or Holy Ghost Let men say what they please though our Obedience should be all lost and never regarded which is impossible for God is not unjust to forget our labour of love yet here is a sufficient bottome ground and Reason of yeilding more Obedience unto God then ever we shall doe whilst we live in this world I speake also only of Gospell Grounds of Obedience and not of those that are Naturall and Legall which are indispensable to all mankind 2. The end in respect of our selves immediately is threefold § 29 1. Honour 2. Peace 3. Usefullnesse 1. Honour It is by Holinesse that we are made like unto God and his Image is renewed againe in us This was our honour at our Creation this exalted us above all our fellow creatures here below we were made in the Image of God This we lost by sinne and became like the beasts that perish To this honour of conformity to God of bearing his Image are we exalted againe by Holinesse alone Be ye holy says God because I am Holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. And be you perfect that is in doing good as your Heavenly Father is perfect Math. 5. 48. in a likenesse and conformity to him and herein is the Image of God renewed Ephes. 4. 23 24. Therein we put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousnesse and Holinesse of truth This was that which originally was attended with power and dominion is still all that is beautifull or comely in the world How it makes men honourable and precious in the sight of God of Angells of men how alone it is that which is not despised which is of price before the Lord what contempt and scorne he hath of them in whom it is not in what Abomination he hath them and all their ways might easily be evinced 2. Peace by it we have Communion with God wherein Peace alone is to be enjoyed The Wicked are like a troubled Sea that § 30 cannot rest and there is no peace to them saith my God Isa. 48. 21. There is no peace rest or quietnesse in a distance separation or alienation from God He is the rest of our
that as to Actuall collation or bestowing he sends him himselfe Chap. 15. v. 26. I will send the Comforter to you from the Father He receives him from his Father and Actually sends him unto his Saints So Chapt. 16. 7. I will send him and v. 14 15. He manifests how he will send him He will furnish him with that which is his to bestow upon them He shall take of mine of that which is properly and peculiarly so mine as Mediatour the fruit of my Life and Death unto Holinesse and give it unto you but of these things more afterwards This then is the Second thing that the Lord Christ doth and which is to be eyed in him he sends his Holy Spirit into our Hearts which is the efficient cause of all Holinesse and Sanctification quickening enlightning purifying the Soules of his Saints How our union with him with all the benefits thereon depending floweth from this his communication of the spirit unto us to abide with us and to dwell in us I have at large elsewhere declared where also this whole matter is more fully opened And this is to be considered in him by faith in reference to the Spirit its selfe 2 ly There is that which we call Habituall Grace that is the § 4 Fruits of the Spirit the Spirit which is borne of the Spirit Ioh. 3. 6. That which is borne of or produced by the Holy Ghost in the heart or soule of a man when he is regenerate that which makes him so is spirit in opposition to the flesh or that enmity which is in us by nature against God It is Faith Love Joy Hope and the rest of the Graces of the Gospell in their root or common principle Concerning which these two things are to be observed 1. That though many particular Graces are mentioned § 5 yet there are not different Habits or Qualities in us not severall or distinct principles to answer them but only the same Habit or Spirituall principle putting forth it selfe in various operations or wayes of working according to the variety of the Objects which it goeth forth unto is their common principle So that it is called and distinguished as above rather in respect of actuall exercise with relation to its objects then habituall Inherence it being one Root which hath these many Branches 2. This is that which I intend by this Habit of Grace A new gratious Spirituall life or principle created and bestowed on the Soule whereby it is changed in all its Faculties and Affections fitted and enabled to goe forth in the way of obedience unto every divine Object that is proposed unto it according to the mind of God For Instance The mind can discerne of Spirituall things in a Spirituall manner and therein it is Light Illumination The whole soule closeth with Christ as held forth in the Promises of the Gospell for Righteousnesse and Salvation that is Faith which being the maine and principall work of it it often gives Denomination unto the whole So when it rests in God in Christ with Delight Desire and complacency it is called Love being indeed the Principle suiting all the Faculties of our soules for Spirituall and living Operations according to their naturall use Now it differs 1. From the Spirit dwelling in the Saints for it is a created Quality The Spirit dwells in us as a Free Agent in an Holy § 6 Habitation This Grace as a Quality remaines in us as in its own proper Subject that hath not any subsistence but therein and is capeable of being intended or restrained under great variety of degrees 2. From actuall Grace which is transient this making its Residence in the soule Actuall Grace is an Elapse of Divine Influence and Assistance working in and by the Soul any Spirituall Act or Duty whatsoever without any praeexistence unto that Act or Continuance after it God working in us both to will and to doe But this Habituall Grace is alwaies resident in us causing the soule to be a meet principle for all those holy and Spirituall opperations which by Actuall Grace are to be performed And 3. It is capable of Augmentation and Diminution as was said In some it is more large and more Effectuall then in others Yea in some persons more at one time then another Hence are those Dyings Decays Ruines Recoverys Complaynts and Rejoycings whereof so frequent mention is made in the Scripture These things being premised as to the nature of it Let us § 7 now consider what we are to Eye in the Lord Iesus in reference hereunto to make an entrance into our Communion with him therein as things by him or on his part performed 1. As I said of the Spirit so in the first place I say of this it is of the Purchase of Christ and is so to be looked on It is given unto us for his sake to believe on him Phil. 1. 29. The Lord on the behalfe of Christ for his sake because it is purchased procured by him for us bestowes Faith by same rule all grace upon us We are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Heavenly places in him Eph. 1. 3. IN HIM that is in through his Mediation for us His Oblation and Intercession Iye at the bottome of this dispensation Were not Grace by them procured it would never by any one soule be enjoyed All Grace is from this fountaine In our receiving it from Christ we must still consider what it cost him want of this weakens faith in its proper workings His whole intercession is founded on his Oblation 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. What he purchased by his Death that nor more nor lesse as hath been often said He intercedeth may be bestowed And he prays that all his Saints may have this Grace whereof we speake Joh. 17. 17. Did we continually consider all Grace as the fruit of the Purchase of Christ it would be an exceeding Endearement on our Spirits Nor can we without this consideration according to the tenor of the Gospell aske or exspect any Grace It is no prejudice to the free Grace of the Father to look on any thing as the purchase of the Son It was from that Grace that he made that Purchase And in the Receiving of Grace from God we have not Communion with Christ who is yet the treasury and store house of it unlesse we look upon it as his purchase He hath obtained that we should be sanctifyed through out have life in us be humble holy believing dividing the spoyle with the mighty by destroying the workes of the Divell in us 2. The Lord Christ doth Actually Communicate this Grace unto his Saints and bestows it on them Of his fullnesse we have all received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. For 1. The Father actually invests him with all the Grace whereof by Compact and Agreement he hath made a purchase as he received the promise of the
Spirit which is all that is of use for the bringing his many Sonnes to Glory It pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell Col. 1. 17. That he should be invested with a Fullnesse of that grace which is needfull for his People This himselfe calls the Power of giving Eternall Life to his Elect John 17. 2. Which power is not only his Abilitie to doe it but also his Right to doe it Hence this Delivering of all things unto him by his Father he lays as the bottome of his inviting sinners unto him for Refreshment All things are delivered unto me of my Father Math. 11. 37. Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest v. 28. This being the Covenant of the Father with him and his promise unto him that upon the making his soule an Offering for sinne He should see his seed and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand Isa. 53. 10. and in the verses following the powring out of his soul vnto death and bearing the sinnes of many is laid as the bottome and procuring cause of these things 1. of Justification by his knowledge he shall justify many 2. Of Sanctification in destroying the workes of the Divell v. 11. 12. Thus comes our mercifull High Priest to be the great possessor of all Grace that he may give out to us according to his own pleasure quickning whom he will He hath it in him really as our Head in that he received not that spirit by measure Joh. 3. 34. which is the bond of Union between him and us 1 Cor. 6. 17. whereby holding him the Head we are filled with his fullnesse Ephes. 1. 22 23. Col. 2. 19. He hath it as a Common person intrusted with it on our behalfe Rom. 5. 14 15 16 17. The last Adam is made unto us a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. He is also a Treasury of this Grace in a morall and law sense not only as it pleased the Father that all fullnesse should dwell in him Col. 1. 19. but also because in his mediation as hath been declared is founded the whole dispensation of Grace 2. Being thus actually vested with this power and priviledge and fullnesse He designes the spirit to take of this fullnesse and to give it unto us He shall take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16. 15. The Spirit takes of that Fullnesse that is in Christ and in the Name of the Lord Jesus bestows it actually on them for whose Sanctification He is sent Concerning the manner and Allmighty efficacy of the Spirit of Grace whereby this is done I meane this actuall Collation of Grace upon his peculiar ones more will be spoken afterwards 3. § 9 For Actuall Grace or that Influence of power whereby the Saints are enabled to performe particular Duties according to the mind of God there is not any need of further Enlargement about it What concernes our Communion with the Lord Christ therein holds proportion with what was spoken before There remaineth only one thing more to be observed concerning those things whereof mention hath been made and I proceed to the way whereby we carry on communion with the Lord Jesus in all these And that is that these things may be considered two ways 1. In respect of their First Collation or bestowing on the Soul 2. In respect of their Continuance and Increase as unto the Degrees of them In the First sence as to the reall Communicating of the Spirit of Grace unto the Soul so raising it from Death unto Life the Saints have no kind of Communion with Christ therein but only what consists in a passive Reception of that life-giving quickening Spirit and power They are but as the dead bones in the Prophet the wind blows on them and they live as Lazarus in the Grave Christ calls and they come forth the call being accompained with life and power This then is not that whereof particularly I speake But it is the second in respect of further Efficacy of the Spirit and Increase of Grace both Habituall and Actuall whereby we become more holy and to be more powerfull in walking with God have more fruite in Obedience and successe against Temptations And in this they hold Communion with the Lord Christ And wherein and how they do it shall now be declared 1. They continually eye the Lord Jesus as the Great Joseph § 10 that hath the disposall of all the Granarys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed unto him as one in whom it hath pleased the Father to gather All things unto an Head Ephes. 1. 10. that from him all things might be dispensed unto them All Treasures all fullnesse the Spirit not by measure are in him And this Fullnesse in this Joseph in reference to their condition they Eye in these Thee Particulars 1. In the preparation unto the dispensation mentioned in the Expiating Parging Purifying Efficacy of his Blood It was a Sacrifice not only of Attonement as offered but also of purification as powred out This the Apostle eminently sets forth Heb. 9. 13. 14. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot unto God purge your Consciences from dead works that you may serve the Living God This blood of his is that which answers all Typicall institutions for carnall purification and therefore hath a spiritually purifying cleansing sanctifying vertue in it selfe as offered and powred out Hence it is called a fountain for sinne and for uncleannesse Zech. 13. 1. that is for their washing and taking away A fountaine opened ready prepared vertuous efficacious in its selfe before any be put into it because poured out instituted appointed to that purpose The Saints see that in thēselves they are still exceedingly defiled and indeed to have a sight of the Defilements of sinne is a more spirituall discovery then to have only a sence of the guilt of sinne This follows every conviction is commensurate unto it that usually only such as reveale the Purity and Holinesse of God and all his ways Hereupon they cry with shame within themselves Uncleane Uncleane Uncleane in their Natures Uncleane in their Persons Uncleane in their Conversations All rolled in the blood of their defilements their Hearts being by nature a very sinke and their Lives a Dunghill They know also that no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdome of God or have place in the new Jerusalem that God is of purer eys then to behold iniquity They cannot endure to look on themselves how shall they dare to appeare in his presence What Remedies shall they now use Though they wash themselves with Nitre and take them much sope yet their iniquity will continue marked Jerem. 2. 22. Wherewith then shall they come before the Lord For the removall of this
they stand in need Thus I say have the Saints communion with Christ as to their sanctification and holinesse From him do they receive the spirit to dwell in them from him the new principle of Life which is the root of all their obedience from him have they actuall Assistance for every duty they are called unto In waiting for expectation and receiving of these blessings on the accounts before mentioned do they spend their Lives and time with him In vaine is helpe looked for from other mountaines In vaine do men spend their strength in following after Righteousnesse if this be wanting Fix thy soule here thou shalt not tary untill thou be ashamed This is the way the only way to obtain full effectuall manifestations of the spirits dwelling in us to have our hearts purified our consciences purged our sins mortified our graces increased our soules made humble holy zealous believing like to him to have our lives fruitfull our deaths comfortable Let us herein abide eying Christ by Faith to attaine that measure of conformity to him which is allotted unto us in this world that when we shall see him as he is we may be like unto him CHAP. X. Of Communion with Christ in priviledges of Adoption the nature of it the consequents of it peculiar priviledges attending it Liberty Title Boldnesse Affliction Communion with Christ hereby THe third-thing wherein we have communion with Christ is Grace of Priviledge before God I meane as § 1 the third head of purchased Grace The priviledges we enjoy by Christ are great and innumerable To insist on them in particular were work for a mans whole life not a designe to be wrapped up in a few sheets I shall take a view of them only in the Head the spring and Fountain whence they all arise and flow This is our Adoption Beloved now we are the Sons of God 1 Ioh. 3. 2. This is our great and fountain priviledge Whence is it that we are so it is from the Love of the Father v. 1. Behold what love the Father hath given unto us that we should be called the sons of God But by whom immediatly doe we receive this honour As many as believe on Christ he gives them this power to become the Sons of God Ioh. 1. 12. Himselfe was appointed to be the first borne among many brethren Rom 8. 29. and his taking us to be brethren Heb. 2. 11. makes us become the Children of God Now that God is our Father by being the Father of Christ and we his children by being the brethren of Christ being the head and summe of all the honour priviledge right and Title we have let us a little consider the nature of that act whereby we are invested with this state and title namely our Adaption Now Adoption is the Authorative translation of a Believer by Jesus § 2 Christ from the family of the world and Satan into the family of God with his investiture in all the priviledges and advantages of that Family To the compleat Adoption of any person these five things rre required § 3 1. That he be actually and of his own right of another family then that whereunto he is adopted He must be the son of one family or other in his own right as all persons are 2. That there be a Family unto which of himselfe he hath no right whereinto he is to be grafted If a man comes into a family upon a personall right though originally at never so great a distance that man is not adopted If a man of a most remote consanguinity doe come into the inheritance of any family by the death of the neerer heires though his right before were little better then nothing yet he is a borne son of that Family he is not adopted He is not to have the plea of the most remote possibility of succession 3. That there be an Authoritative legall translation of him by some that have power thereunto from one family into another It was not by the Law of old in the power of particular persons to adopt when and whom they would It was to be done by the Authority of the Soveraigne power 4. That the adopted person be freed from all the obligations that be upon him unto the family from whence he is translated otherwise he can be no way usefull or serviceable unto the family whereinto he is engrafted He cannot serve two masters much lesse two Fathers 5. That by vertue of his Adoption he be invested in all the rights Priviledges Advantages and Title to the whole inheritance of the family into which he is adopted in as full and ample manner as if he had been borne a son therein Now all these things and Circumstances doe concurre and are found in the Adoption of believers 1. They are by their own originall right of another family § 4 then that whereinto they are adopted They are by Nature the children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Sons of wrath of that family whose inheritance is wrath called the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. For from thence doth God translate them into the Kingdome of his deare Son This is the family of the world and of Sathan of which by nature believers are What ever is to be inherited in that family as wrath curse death Hell they have a right thereunto Neither can they of themselves or by themselves get free of this family a strong man armed keeps them in subjection Their naturall estate is a family condition attended with all circumstances of a family family duties and services rights and titles Relations and observances They are of the black family of sinne and Satan 2. There is another family whereinto they are to be translated § 5 and whereunto of themselves they have neither right nor title This is that family in heaven and earth which is called after the name of Christ. Eph. 3. v. 15. The great family of God God hath an house and family for his children of whom some he maintaines on the riches of his grace and some he entertaines with the fullnesse of his glory This is that house whereof the Lord Christ is the great dispenser It having pleased the Father to gather in one all things in him both which are in heaven and which are in earth even in him Ephes 1. v. 10. Herein live all the Sons and daughters of God spending largely on the Riches of his Grace Unto this family of themselves they have no right nor Title they are wholly alienated from it Eph. 2. 12. and can lay no clayme to any thing in it God driving fallen Adam out of the Garden and shutting up all wayes of Returne with a flaming sword ready to cut him off if he should attempt it abundantly declares that he and all in him had lost all right of approaching unto God in any family relation Corrupted cursed nature is not vested with the least right to any thing of God therefore They have an Authoritative translation from
difference between the liberty that § 21 slaves assume and the liberty which is due to children 1. Slaves take liberty from duty children have liberty in duty there is not a greater mistake in the world then that the liberty of Sons in the house of God consists in this they can performe duties or take the freedome to omit them they can serve in the family of God that is they think they may if they will and they can choose whether they will or no. This is a liberty stolne by Slaves not a liberty given by the Spirit unto Sons The liberty of Sons is in the inward spirituall freedome of their hearts naturally and kindly going out in all the ways and worship of God When they find themselves straitened and shut up in them they wrestle with God for enlargement and are never contented with the doing of a duty unlesse it be done as in Christ with free genuine and enlarged hearts The liberty that servants have is from duty the liberty given to Sons is in duty 2. The liberty of slaves or servants is from mistaken deceiving conclusions The liberty of Sons is from the power of the indwelling Spirit of Grace or the liberty of servants is from outward dead conclusions the liberty of Sons from an inward living principle 2. Love as to the manner of their obedience gives them delight and joy Ioh. 14. 15. If yee love me saies Christ keep my Commandements Love is the bottome of all their dutys hence our Saviour resolves all obedience into the love of God and our Neighbour and Paul upon the same ground tells us that Love is the fullfilling of the Law 1 Cor. 13. 10. where love is in any duty it is compleate in Christ. How often doth David even with admiration expresse this principle of his walking with God Oh saith he how I love thy Commandements This gives Saints delight that the Commandements of Christ are not grievous to them Jacobs hard service was not grievous to him because of his love to Rachel No duty of a Saint is grievous to him because of his love to Christ They doe from hence all things with delight and Complacency Hence doe they long for advantages of walking with God pant after more ability and this is a great share of their Son-like freedome in obedience It gives them joy in it 1 John 4. 18. there is no feare in Love but perfect love casteth out feare when their soule is acted to obedience by love it expells that feare which is the issue of bondage upon the Spirit Now when there is a concurrence of these two Life and Love there is freedome liberty largenesse of heart exceedingly distanced from that straight and bondaged frame which many walk in all their days that know not the Adoption of Sons 2. The Object of their Obedience is represented to them as desireable when to others as 't is terrible In all their approaches § 23 to God they eye him as a Father they call him Father Gal. 4. 6. not in a forme of words but in the spirit of Sons God in Christ is continually before them not only as one deserving all the honour and obedience which he requires but also as one exceedingly to be delighted in as being all sufficient to satisfie and satiate all the desires of the soule when others napkin their tallents as having to deale with an austeer master they draw out their strength to the uttermost as drawing nigh to a gracious rewarder They goe from the principle of life and love to the bosome of a living and loving Father they doe but returne the strength they doe receive unto the fountaine unto the Ocean 3. Their Motive unto obedience is love 2 Cor. 5. 15. § 24 from an apprehension of love they are effectually carryed out by love to give up themselves unto him who is love What a freedome is this what a largenesse of spirit is in them who walke according to this rule Darkenesse feare bondage conviction hopes of Righteousnesse accompany others in their ways The Sonns by the Spirit of Adoption have light Love with complacency in all their walkings with God the world is an universall stranger unto the frame of children in their Fathers house 4 The Manner of their obedience is willingnesse They yeild § 25 themselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead Rom. 6. 13. they yeild themselves give up themselves willingly cheerfully freely with my whole heart saith David Rom. 12. 1. they present themselves a living sacrifice and a willing sacrifice 5. The Rule of their walking with God is the law of § 26 liberty as divested of all its terrifying threatning killing condemning cursing power and rendred in the blood of Jesus sweet tender usefull directing helpfull as a rule of walking in the life they have received not the way of working for the life they have not I might give more instances These may suffice to manifest that liberty of Obedience in the family of God which his sons and daughters have that the poor convinced Gibeonites are not acquainted withall 2. The second thing which the Children of God have by § 27 Adoption is Title They have Title right to all the priviledges and advantages of the family whereinto they are translated This is the preheminence of the true sons of any family The ground on which Sarah pleaded the ejection of Ishmael was that he was the son of the bondwoman Gen. 21. 10 and so no genuine Child of the family and therefore could have no right of heir ship with Isaak The Apostles arguing is we are no more servants but Sons and if Sons then heires Rom. 8. 14 16. then have we right and Title and being not borne hereunto for by nature we are the Children of wrath we have this Right by our Adoption Now the Saints hereby have a double right and Title 1 Proper and direct in respect of spiritualls 2. Consequentiall in respect of temporalls The first also or the Title as adopted Sons unto spiritualls is in respect of the object of it twofold 1. Unto a present place name and roome in the House of § 29 God and all the priviledges and administrations there of 2. To a future fullnesse of the great inheritance of Glory of a Kingdome purchased for that whole family whereof they are by Jesus Christ. 1. They have a Title unto and an interest in the whole administration of the family of God here The supreame administration of the house of God in the hand of the Lord Christ as to the institution of ordinances and dispensation of the spirit to enliven and make effectuall those Ordinances for the end of their institution is the prime Notion of this administration And hereof they are the prime objects All this is for them and exercised towards them God hath given Jesus Christ to be the head over all things unto the Church which is his body Ephes. 1. 22 23. he hath made him the head
spirit of sanctification was still with David but saith he restore unto me the joy of thy salvation that is the spirit of Consolation that was lost when the promise was made good in the abode of the other 3. The comforter may abide as a Comforter when he doth not actually comfort he soule in truth as to the Essence of Holinesse § 27 he cannot dwell in us but withall he must make us holy for the Temple of God is holy but as to his comforting his actings therein are all of his Soveraigne will so that he may abide and yet no actually comfort us 4. The Spirit often works for it and tenders consolation to § 28 us when we doe not receive it the well is nigh and we see it not we refuse to be comforted I told you that the Spirit as a sanctifier comes with power to conquer an unbelieving heart the spirit as a comforter comes with sweetnesse to be received in a believing heart He speakes we believe not that it is his voyce he tenders the things of consolation and we receive them not my sore ran saith David and my soul refused to be comforted 5. I deny that ever the Holy Spirit doth absolutely and universally § 29 leave a believing soule without consolation a man may be darkned clouded refuse comfort actually find none feele none but radically he hath a foundation of Consolation which in due time will be drawn forth and therefore when God promises that he will heale sinners restore comfort to them as Isa. 57. 17. it is not that they were without any but that they had not so much as they needed that that promise is made To insist on the severall ways whereby men refuse comfort and come short of the strong consolation which God is willing that we should receive is not my purpose at present Thus then the Spirit being sent and given abideth with the soules of Believers leaves them not though he variously manifest himselfe in his operations of which in the next place CHAP. II. Of the Actings of the Holy Ghost in us being bestowed on us He worketh effectually distributeth giveth HAving thus declared from whence and how the Holy Ghost is given unto us as a spirit of Consolation § 1 I come in the next place to declare what are his actings in us and towards us being so bestowed on us and received by us Now here are two generall Heads to be considered 1. The manner and kind of his actings in us which are variously expressed and 2. The particular products of his actings in our soules wherein we have Communion with him The first is variously expressed I shall passe through them briefly 1. He is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worke effectually 1 Cor. 12. 11. § 2 all these worketh or effecteth that one and selfe same spirit it is spoken there indeed in respect of his distribution of gifts but the way is the same for the Communication of Graces and priviledges he doth it by working which as it convinces his personality especially as considered with the words following dividing to every man according to his will for to worke according to will is the the inseparable property of a person and is spoken expressely of God Eph. 1. 11. so in relation to v. 6. foregoing it makes no lesse evident his Deity What he is here said to doe as the Spirit bestowed on us and given unto us there is he said as God himselfe to doe there are diversity of operations but it is one God that worketh all in all which here in other words is all these worketh the selfe same spirit dividing to every man as he will What we have then from him we have by the way of his energeticall working It is not by proposing this or that Argument to us perswading us by these or those morall motives or inducements alone leaving us to make use of them as we can But he workes effectually himselfe what he communicates of Grace or consolation to us 2. In the same verse as to the manner of his operation He is § 3 said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he divideth or distributeth to every one as he will This of distribution adds to that of operation choise judgement and freedome He that distributes variously doth it with choise and judgement and freedome of will such are the proceedings of the Spirit in his dispensations to one he giveth one thing eminently to another another To one in one degree to another in another Thus are the Saints in his soveraginty kept in a constant dependance on him He distributs as he will who should not be content with his portion what claime can any lay to that which he distributeth as he will which is farther manifested 3. By his being said to give when and what he bestows § 4 they speake with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance Act. 2. 4. he gave them to them that is freely whatever he bestows npō us is of his gift And hence it is to be observed that in the Oeconomy of our Salvation the acting of no one person doth prejudice the frreedome and liberty of any other so the Love of the Father in sending the Sonne is free and his sending doth no ways prejudice the liberty and Love of the Son but that he lays down his life freely also So the Sati-faction and purchase made by the Sonne doth no way prejudice the freedome of the Fathers Grace in pardoning accepting us thereupon so the Father's and Sonne 's sending of the Spirit doth not derogate from his freedome in his workings but he gives freely what he givts And the reason of this is because the will of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost is essentially the same so that in the acting of one there is the Counsell of all and each freely therein Thus in Generall is the manner and kind of his working in § 5 us and towards us being bestowed upon us described Power choyse freedome are evidently denoted in theexpressions insisted on It is not any peculiar worke of his towards us that is hereby declared but the manner how he doth produce the Effects that shall be insisted on That which remaines in the last place for the explanation of § 6 the things proposed to be explained as the foundation of the Communion which we have with the Holy Ghost is the Effects that being thus sent thus working he doth produce which I shall do not casting them into any artificiall method but taking them up as I find them lying scattered up and down in the Scripture only descending from those which are more generall to those which are more particular neither aiming nor desiring to gather all the severalls but insisting on those which do most obviously occurre Only as formerly so now you must observe that I speake of the spirit principally if not only as a comforter and not as a sanctifier § 7 and therefore the great work of the spirit towards us
all our daies in the constant and continuall supplies of new light power vigor as to our receivings of grace from him belonging to that head of sanctification must be omitted Nor 2 dly shall I insist on those things which the comforter doth in Believers effect towards others in his testifying of them and convincing of the world which are promised Ioh. 15. 26. 16. 8 9. wherein he is properly their Advocate but only on those which as a Comforter he works in and towards them on whom he is bestowed CHAP. III. Of the Things wherein we have Communion with the Holy Ghost He brings to remembrance the things spoken by Christ Joh. 14. 26. The manner how he doth it The Spirit Glorifyes Christ in the hearts of Believers Joh. 16. 14. sheds abroad the love of God in them The witnesse of the Spirit what it is Rom. 8. 16. The Sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. The Spirit how an earnest on the part of God on the part of the Saints Difference between the earnest of the Spirit and tasting of the powers of the world to come Unction by the Spirit Is. 11. 2 3. The various teachings of the Holy Ghost How the Spirit of Adoption and of supplication THe things which in the foregoing Chapters I called Effects of the Holy Ghost in us or toward us are the § 1 subject matter of our communion with him or the things wherein we hold peculiar fellowship with him as our comforter These are now proposed to consideration 1. The first and most generall is that of Ioh. 14. 26. He shall § 2 teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance that I have spoken to you There are two parts of this promise 1. Of Teaching 2. Of bringing to remembrance Of his Teaching I shall speak afterwards when I come to treat of his anoynting us His bringing the things to remembrance that Christ spake is the first generall promise of him as a Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 3 he shall make you mind all these things now this also may be considered two waies 1. Meerly in respect of the things spoken themselves So our Saviour here promiseth his Apostles that the holy Ghost should bring to their minds by an immediate efficacy the things that he had spoken that by his inspiration they might be enabled to write and Preach them for the good and benefit of his Church So Peter tells us 1 Ep. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost that is in writing the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne up by him carried beyond themselves to speak his words and what he indited to them The Apostles forgot much of what Christ had said to them or might doe so and what they did retaine in a naturall way of Remembrance was not a sufficient foundation to them to write what they so remembred for a rule of faith to the Church For the word of Prophesy is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from any mans proper impulse it comes not from any private conception understanding or Remembrance Wherefore Christ promises that the Holy Ghost shall doe this work that they might infallibly give out what he had delivered to them Hence that expression in Luke chap. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is better rendred having obtained perfect knowledge of things from above noting the rise and spring of his so understanding things as to be able infallibly to give them out in a Rule of Faith to the Church then the beginning of the things themselves spoken of which the word it selfe will not easily allow of 2. In respect of the Comfort of what he had spoken which § 4 seems to be a great part of the intendment of this promise He had been speaking to them things suited for their consolation giving them pretious promises of the supplies they should have from him in this life of the Love of the Father of the Glory he was providing for them the sense and comfort whereof is unspeakable and the joy arising from them full of Glory But saith he I know how unable you are to make use of these things for your own consolation The Spirit therefore shall recover them upon your minds in their full strength and vigour for that end for which I speake them And this is one cause why it was expedient for Believers that Christ's bodily absence should be supplied by the presence of the Spirit Whilest he was with them how little Efficacy on their hearts had any of the heavenly promises he gave them when the Spirit came how full of joy did he make all things to them That which was his peculiar work which belonged to him by vertue of his Office that he also might be glorified was reserved for him And this is his work to the end of the World To bring the promises of Christ to our minds and hearts to give us the comfort of them the joy and sweetnesse of them much beyond that which the Disciples found in them when Christ in person spake them to them their gratious influence being then restrained that as was said the dispensation of the spirit might be glorified so are the next words to this promise v. 27. My peace I leave with you peace I give unto you The comforter being sent to bring what Christ said to remembrance the consequent of it is Peace and freedome from trouble of heart what ever peace reliefe comfort joy supportment we have at any time received from any work promise or thing done by Christ it all belongs to this dispensation of the Comforter In vaine should we apply our naturall abilities to remember call to mind consider the promises of Christ Without successe would it be it is so daily but when the Comforter doth undertake the work it is done to the purpose How we have peculiar communion with him herein in faith and obedience in the consolation received in and by the promises of him brought to mind shall be afterwards declared This in generall is obtained Our Saviour Jesus Christ leaving the efficacy even of those promises which in person he gave to his Apostles in their great distresse as to their consolation unto the Holy Ghost we may see the immediate spring of all the spirituall comfort we have in this world and the fellowship which we have with the Holy Ghost therein Only here as in all the particulars following the manner § 5 of the spirits working this thing is alwaies to be borne in mind and the interest of his Power Will and Goodnesse in his working He doth this 1. Powerfully or effectually 2. Voluntarily 3. Freely 1. Powerfully and therefore doth comfort from the words and promises of Christ sometimes break in through all opposition into the saddest and darkest condition imaginable it comes and makes men sing in a dungeon rejoyce in flames glory in Tribulation it will into Prisons racks through temptations and the greatest distresses imaginable whence is
truth of any thing Such was the manner among the Jewes when any one had given true witnesse unto any thing or matter and it was received by the Judges they instantly set their seales to it to confirme it in Judgement Hence is it said that he who receives the Testimony of Christ sets to his seale that God is true Joh 3. 33 The promise is the great grant and conveiance of life and Salvation in Christ to the soules of Believers That we may have full assurance of the truth and irrevocablenesse of the promise God gives us the Spirit to satisfy our hearts of it and thence is he said to seale us by Assuring our hearts of those promises and their stability But though many Expositors goe this way I doe not see how this can consist with the very meaning of the word It is not said that the promise is sealed but that we are sealed and when we seale a deed or grant to any one we doe not say the man is sealed but the deed or grant 2. To appropriate distinguish or keep safe this is the end of § 13 fealing men set their seales on that which they appropriate and desire to keep safe for themselves so evidently in this sence are the servants of God said to be sealed Revel 7. 4. that is marked with Gods marke as his peculiar ones for this sealing answers to the setting of a mark Ezek. 9. Then are Believers sealed when they are marked for God to be heires of the purchased inheritance and to be preserved to the day of Redemption Now if this be the sealing intended it denotes not an act of sense in the heart but of security to the person The Father gives the Elect into the hands of Christ to be redeemed having redeemed them in due time they are called by the Spirit and marked for God and so give up themselves to the hands of the Father If you aske now which of these senses is chiefly intended in this expression of our being sealed by the Holy Ghost I answer the first not excluding the other we are sealed to the Day of Redemption when from the stamp image and Character of the Spirit upon our soules we have a fresh sence of the love of God given to us with a comfortable perswasion of our acceptation with him But of this whole matter I have treated at large elsewhere Thus then the Holy Ghost communicates unto us his own likenesse which is also the image of the Father and the Sonne We are changed into this image by the Lord the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. And herein he brings us into fellowship with himselfe Our likenesse to him gives us boldnesse with him His worke we look for his fruits we pray for and when any effect of Grace any discovery of the image of Christ implanted in us gives us a perswasion of our being separated and set apart for God we have a Communion with him therein 6. He is an Earnest unto us 2 Cor. 1. 22. He hath given the § 14 earnest of the Spirit in our hearts chap. 5. 5. who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit as also Ephes. 1. 13 14. Ye are sealed with that Holy Spirie of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance In the two former places we are said to have the earnest of the Spirit in the latter the Spirit is said to be our earnest of the Spirit then in the first place is as we say Genitivus materiae denoting not the cause but the thing it selfe not the Author of the earnest but the matter of it The Spirit is our Earnest as in the last place is expressed The consideration of what is meant by the Spirit here what is meant by an Earnest will give some insight in to this priviledge which we receive by the Comforter 1. What Grace what guift of the Spirit is intended by this Earnest some have made enquiry I suppose to no purpose § 15 It is the Spirit himselfe personally considered that is said to be this earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. It is God hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts an expression directly answering that of Gal. 4 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts that is the Person of the Spirit for nothing else can be called the Spirit of his Son and in Ephes. 1. 14. he hath given the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that earnest The Spirit himselfe of promise is this earnest In giving us this Spirit he gives us this earnest 2. An earnest it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither the Greek nor the Latine § 16 have any word to expresse directly what is here intended The Latines have made words for it from that expressed here in the greeks arrha and arrabo The Greek word is but the Hebrew herabon which as some conceive came amongst them by the Tyrian â—erchants being a word of trade It is by some renderd in Latine Pignus a pledge but this cannot be here intended A pledge is that property which any one gives or leaves in the custody of another to assure him that he will give him or pay him some other thing in the nature of that which we call a pawn Now the thing that is here intended is a part of that which is to come and but a part of it according to the trade use of the word whence the metaphor is taken it is excellently rendred in our Language an earnest An earnest is part of the price of any thing or part of any grant given before hand to assure the person to whom it is given that at the appointed season he shall receive the whole that is promised him That a thing be an earnest it is required 1. That is be part of the whole of the same kind and nature with it As we doe § 17 give so much mony in earnest to pay so much more 2. That it be a confirmation of a promise and appointment first the whole is promised then the earnest is given for the good and true performance of that promise Thus the Spirit is this Earnest God gives us the promise of § 18 eternall life To confirme this to us he giveth us his Spirit which is as the first part of the promise to secure us of the whole Hence he is said to be the earnest of the inheritance that is promised and purchased And it may be considered how it may be said to be an Earnest on the part of God who gives him and on the part of Believers who receive him 1. He is an Earnest on the part of God in that God gives § 19 him as a choyce part of the Inheritance it selfe and of the same kind with the whole as an Earnest ought to be The full inheritance promised is the fullnesse of the Spirit in the enjoyment of God When that Spirit which is given us in this world shall
have perfectly taken away all sinne and sorrow and shall have made us able to enjoy the Glory of God in his presence that is the fullinheritance promised So that the Spirit given us for the fitting of us for enjoyment of God in some measure whilst we are here is the earnest of the whole 2. God doth it to this purpose to assure us and secure us of the inheritance having given us so many securityes without us his Word Promises Covenant Oath the Revelation and discovery of his faithfullnesse and immutability in them all he is pleased also graciously to give us one within us Isa. 59. 21. that we may have all the security we are capable of What can more be done He hath given us of the Holy Spirit in him the first fruits of Glory the utmost pledge of his Love the Earnest of all 2. On the part of Believers He is an earnest in that he gives them an Acquaintance with 1. The love of God their Acceptation § 20 with him makes known to them their favour in his sight that he is their Father and will deale with them as with children and consequently that the inheritance shall be theirs He sends his Spirit into our hearts cryinb ba Father Gal. 4. 6. and what is the inference of Believers from hence v. 7 then we are not servants but sons and if sons then heires of God the same Apostle againe Rom. 8. 17 If children then heires of God and joynt heires with Christ. On that perswasion of the Spirit that we are children the inference is then heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ We have then a right to an inheritance and an eviction of it This is the use then we have of it even the Spirit perswading us of our sonship and acceptation with God our Father And what is this inheritance of Glory if we suffer with him we shall be glorifyed together And that the Spirit is given for this end is attested 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us The Apostle is speaking of our Union with God which he expresseth in the words foregoing He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him Of that Union elsewhere now this we know from hence even by the Spirit which he hath given us The Spirit acquaints us with it not that we have such an acquaintance but that the Argument is good and conclusive in it selfe we have of the Spirit therefore he dwells in us and we in him because indeed his dwelling in us is by that Spirit and our interest in him is from thence a sense of this he giveth as he pleaseth 2. The Spirit being given as an Earnest acquaints Believers § 21 with their inheritance 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. As an Earnest being part of the whole gives knowledge of it so doth the Spirit as in sundry particulars might be demonstrated So is he in all respects compleatly an Earnest Given of God received by us as the beginning of our inheritance and § 22 the Assurance of it So much as we have of the spirit so much we have of Heaven in perfect enjoyment and so much evidence of its future fullnesse Under this apprehension of him in the dispensation of Grace do Believers receive him and rejoyce in him Every gracious selfe evidencing act of his in their hearts they rejoyce in as a drop from Heaven and long for the Ocean of it Not to drive every effect of grace to this issue to neglect the worke of the Holy Ghost in us and towards us There remaines only that a difference be in a few words assigned between Believers receiving the Spirit ' as an Earnest of the whole inheritance and hypocrits tasting of the powers of the world to come Heb. 5. 6. A test of the powers of the world to come seems to be the same with the earnest of the inheritance But 1. that by the powers of the world to come in that place is intended the joys of Heaven there is indeed no ground to imagine they are nowhere so called nor doth it suitably expresse the glory that shall be revealed which we shall be made partakers of It is doubtlesse the powerfull Ministry of the Ordinances dispensations of the times of the Gospell there called to the Hebrews according their own idiome the powers or greate effectuall things of the world to come that is intended but 2. Suppose that by the powers of the world to come the Glory of Heaven is intended there is a wide difference between taking a vanishing tast of it our selves and receiving an abiding earnest from God To take a tast of the things of Heaven and to have them assured of God as from his Love differ greatly An Hypocrite may have his thoughts raysed to a great deale of Joy and contentment in the consideration of the good things of the Kingdome of God for a season considering the things in themselves but the Spirit as he is an Earnest gives us a pleadge of them as provided for us in the Love of God and purchase of his Sonne Jesus Christ. This by the way 7. The Spirit anoynts Believers We are anoynted by the Spirit 2 Cor. § 23 1. 21. we have an unction from the holy one and we know all things 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and v. 27. I cannot intend to run this expression up into its rise and originall Also I have done it else-where The use of unctions in the Judaicall Church the meaning and intendment of the Types attended therewith The Offices that men were consecrated unto thereby are at the bottome of this expression neerer the Unction of Jesus Christ from whence he is called Messiah and the Christ the whole performance of his office of Mediatorship being called also his Annoynting Dan. 9. as to his furnishment for it concurres hereunto Christ is said to be annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. which is the same with that of Ioh. 3. 34. God giveth him not the spirit by measure We who have the Spirit by measure are anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse Christ hath the fulnesse of the Spirit whence our measure is communicated so he is annoynted above us that in all things he may have the preheminence How Christ was annoynted with the Spirit to his three fold Office of King Priest and Prophet how by vertue of an unction with the same Spirit dwelling in him and us we become to be intersted in these offices of his and are made also Kings Priests and Prophets to God is known and would be matter of a long discourse to handle and my designe is only to communicate the things treated of I shall only therefore fix on one place where the Communications of the spirit in this unction of Christ are enumerated of § 24 which in our Measure from him and with him by this unction we are made partakers and that is Isai. 11. 2 3.
its Acceptation with God in friendship So is Christ said to be our Peace Eph. 2. 14. by slaying the enmity between God and us and in taking away the handwriting that was against us Rom. 5. 1. being justified by Faith we have Peace with God A comfortable perswasion of our Acceptation with God in Christ is the bottome of this peace it enwrapps deliverance from Eternall wrath hatred curse condemnation all sweetly affecting the soule and conscience And this is a Branch from the same Root with that foregoing § 7 A consequent of the Effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned Suppose a man chosen in the eternall Love of the Father Redeemed by the blood of the Son and justified freely by the Grace of God so that he hath a right to all the promises of the Gospell yet this person can by no reasonings nor arguings of his own heart by no considerations of the promises themselves nor of the Love of God or Grace of Christ in them be brought to any establishment in peace untill it be produced in him as a fruit and consequent of the work of the Holy Ghost in him and towards him Peace is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. The savour of the spirit is life and Peace Rom. 8. 6. All we have is from him and by him 3. Joy also is of this number The Spirit as was shewed is § 8 called the Oyle of Gladnesse Heb. 1. 10. his anointing brings Gladnesse with it Isa. 61. 3. the oyle of joy for mourning The kingdome of God is righteousnesse Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 6. Received the Gospel with joy in the Holy Ghost with joy as Peter tells believers unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet 1. 8. To give joy to the hearts of Believers is eminently the work of the Comforter this he doth by the particulars before instanced in that rejoycing in hope of the Glory of God mentioned Rom. 5. 2. which carries the Soule through any Tribulation even with glorying hath its rise in the Spirits shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts v 5. Now there are two wayes whereby the Spirit worketh this joy in the hearts of believers 1. He doth it immediately by himselfe without the consideration of any other Acts or works of his or the interposition of § 9 any reasonings or deductions and conclusions As in sanctification He is a well of water springing up in the Soule immediately exerting his efficacy and refreshment so in Consolation He Immediately works the soule and minds of men to a joyfull rejoycing and spirituall frame filling them with Exultation and gladnesse not that this arises from our reflex consideration of the Love of God but rather gives occasion thereunto When he so sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts and so filling them with gladnesse by an immediate act and operation as he caused John Baptist to leap for joy in the womb upon the approach of the mother of Jesus Then doth the Soule even from hence raise it selfe to a consideration of the Love of God whence joy and rejoycing doth also flow Of this joy there is no account to be given but that the spirit worketh it when and how he will he secretly infuseth and distills it into the soule prevailing against all feares and sorrowes filling it with gladnesse exultations and sometimes with unspeakable raptures of mind 2. Mediately by his other workes towards us He gives a § 10 sense of the love of God with our Adoption and acceptation with him and on the consideration thereof enables us to re-receive it Let what hath been spoken of his operations towards us be considered what Assurance he gives us of the Love of God what life power and security what pledge of our eternall welfare and it will be easily perceived that he lays a sufficient foundation of this Joy and gladnesse not that we are able upon any rationall consideration deduction or conclusion that we can make from the things mentioned to affect our hearts with the joy and gladnesse intended it is left no lesse the proper worke of the Spirit to doe it from hence and by the intervenience of these considerations then to doe it immediately without them This processe of producing joy in the heart we have Psal. 23. 5 6. Thou annoyntest my head with oyle Hence is the conclusion as in the way of exultation surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me Of this effect of the Comforter see Isai. 35. throughout 4. Hope also is an effect of those workings of the Holy Ghost in us and towards us Rom. 15. 13. These I say are the generall § 11 consequents of the Effects of the Holy Ghost upon the hearts of Believers which if we might consider thē in their offspring with all the branches that shoot out from them in Exultation Assurance Boldnesse Confidence Expectation glorying and the like it would appeare how farre our whole Communion with God is influenced by them But I only name the heads of things and hasten to what remaines it is the generall and particular way of our Communion with the Holy Ghost that should nextly ensue but that some other considerations necessarily do here interpose themselves CHAP. V. Some observations and inferences from Discourses foregoing concerning the Spirit The contempt of the whole Administration of the Spirit by some The vaine pretence of the Spirit by others The false Spirit discovered THis processe being made I should now shew immediately § 1 how we hold the communion proposed with the Holy Ghost in the things laid down and manifested to containe his peculiar worke towards us But there are some miscarriages in the world in reference unto this dispensation of the Holy Ghost both on the one hand and the other in contempt of his true worke and pretence of that which is not that I cannot but remark in my passage which to do shall be the businesse of this chapter 1. Take a view then of the state and condition of them § 2 who professing to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ do yet contemne and despise his spirit as to all its operations Gifts Graces and dispensations to his Churches and Saints Whilst Christ was in the World with his disciples he made them no greater promise neither in respect of their own good nor of carrying on the worke which he had committed to them then this of giving them the holy Ghost Him he instructeth them to pray for of the Father as that which is needfull for them as bread for children Luke 11. 13. Him he promiseth them as a well of water springing up in them for their refreshment strengthning and consolation unto everlasting life John 7. 37 38 39. As also to carry on and accomplish the whole worke of the ministry to them committed John 16. 8. 9 10. with all those eminent workes and priviledges before mentioned And upon his Ascension this is laid as the bottome of that
glorious Communication of gifts and Graces in his plentifull effusion mentioned Ephes. 4. 8 11. 12. namely That he had received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Act. 2. 33. and that in such an eminent manner as thereby to make the greatest and most glorious difference betwen the Administration of the new Covenant and old Especially doth the whole worke of the ministry relate to the Holy Ghost though that be not my present businesse to evince He calls men to that worke and they are separated unto him Act. 13. 2. He furnisheth them with gifts and abilitys for that employment 1 Cor. 12. 7 8 9 10. Soc that the whole Religion we professe without this Administration of the Spirit is nothing nor is there any fruite without it of the Resurrection of Christ from the the dead This being the state of things that in our worship of Obedience to God in our own consolation sanctification and ministeriall employment the Spirit being the Principle the life soule the all of the whole yet so desperate hath been the malice of Satan and wickednesse of men that their great endeavour hath been to shut him quite out of all Gospell administrations First his Gifts and Graces were not only decryed but almost excluded from the publike worship of the Church by the § 3 imposition of an operous forme of service to be read by the minister which to doe is neither a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost to any nor of the ministry at all It is marvellous to consider what pleas and pretences were invented and used by learned men from its Antiquity its composure or approbation by Martyrs the beauty of Uniformity in the worship of God established and pressed thereby c. for the defence and maintenance of it But the maine Argument they insisted on and the chiefe field wherein they expatiated and layd out all their Eloquence was the vaine babling repetitions and folly of men praying by the Spirit When once this was fallen upon all at least as they supposed was carryed away before them and their Adversaries rendred sufficiently ridiculous So great is the cunning of Satan and so unsearchable are the follys of the hearts of men The summe of all these reasonings amount to no more but this Though the Lord Jesus Christ hath promised the Holy Ghost to be with his Church to the end of the world to fit and furnish men with gifts and abilitys for the carrying on of that worship which he requires and accepteth at our hands yet the worke is not done to the purpose the gifts he bestows are not sufficient to that end neither as to invocation nor doctrine therefore we will not only help men by our directions but exclude them from their exercise This I say was the summe of all as I could undeniably evidence Were that my present busines What innumerable evills ensue on this Principle in a formall setting a part of men to the ministry who had never once tasted of the powers of the world to come nor received any gifts from the Holy Ghost to that purpose of crying up and growing in an outside pompous worship wholly forraign to the power and simplicity of the Gospell of silencing destroying banishing men whose ministry was accompanyed with the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit I shall not need to declare This is that I ayme at to point out the publike contempt of the Holy Ghost his gifts and graces wtih their administration in the Church of God that hath been found even where the Gospell hath been professed Again it is a thing of most sad consideration once to call to § 4 mind the improvement of that principle of contempt of the Spirit in private men their ways The name of the spirit was grown a terme of reproach To plead for or pretend to pray by the Spīrit was enough to render a man the object of scorne and reproach from all sorts of men from the Pulpit to the stage What you are full of the Spirit you will pray by the spirit you have the gift come let us heare your non-sence And yet perhaps these men would think themselves wronged not to be accounted Christians Christians yea have not some pretending themselves to be leaders of the flock yea mounted a story or two above their brethren and claiming a Rule and goverment over them made it their businesse to scoffe at and reproach the gifts of the spirit of God And if this were the frame of their Spirit what might be expected from others of professed prophannesse It is not imaginable to what height of blasphemy the processe in this kind amounted The Lord grant there be nothing of this cursed leaven still remaining amongst us Some bleatings of ill importance are sometimes heard Is this the fellowship of the Holy Ghost that Believers are called unto Is this the due Entertainment of him whom our Saviour promised to send for the supply of his Bodily absence so as we might be no loosers thereby Is it not enough that mē should be contented with such a stupid blindnesse as being called Christians to looke no farther for this comfort and consolation then morall considerations common to Heathens would lead them when one infinitely holy and blessed person of the Trinity hath taken this office upon him to be our Comforter but they must oppose and despise him also nothing more discovers how few there are in the world that have interest in that blessed name whereby we are all called But this is no place to pursue this discourse The aime of this discourse is to evince the folly and madnesse of men in generall who professe to own the Gospell of Chist and yet contemne and despise his Spīrit in whomsoever he is manifested Let us be zealous of the gifts of the Spirit not envious at them Frō what hath bin discoursed we may also try the spirits that are § 5 gone abroad in the world which have been exercising themselves at severall seasons ever since the Ascention of Christ. The iniquity of the generation that is past passing away lay in open cursed opposition to the holy Ghost God hath been above them wherein they behaved themselves presumptiously Satan whose designe as he is God of this world is to be uppermost not to dwell wholly in any forme cast down by the providence of God hath now tran formed himselfe into an Angell of light and he will pretend the Spirit also and only But there are seducing Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. And we have a command not to believe every Spirit but try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 16. And the reason added is because many false Spirits are gone abroad in the world that is men pretending to the Revelation of new Doctrines by the Spirit whose deceipts in the first Church Paul into mateth 2 Thess. 2. 2. Calling on men not to be shaken in mind by Spirit The truth is the Spirits of these days are so grosse that a
spoken only to prepare our hearts to the communion proposed and what a little portion is it of what might be spoken how might all these considerations be aggravated what a numberlesse number might be added it suffices that from what is spoken it appeares that the work in hand is amongst the greatest duties and most excellent priviledges of the Gospel CHAP. VII The generall wayes of the Saints acting in Communion with the Holy Ghost AS in the account given of the Actings of the Holy Ghost in us we manifested first the generall adjuncts of his actings § 1 or the manner thereof so now in the description of the Returnes of our soules to him I shall in the first place propose the generall actings of Faith in reference to this work of the Holy Ghost and then descend unto particulars Now there are three generall wayes of the soules deportment in this communion expressed all negatively in the Scripture but all including positive duties 1. Now these are First Not to grieve him 2. Secondly Not to quench his motions § 2 3. Thirdly Not to resist him There are three things considerable in the Holy Ghost 1. First His Person as dwelling in us § 3 2. Secondly his actings by Grace or his motions 3. Thirdly His working in Ordinances of the word and the Sacraments all for the same end and purpose To these three are the three cautions before suited 1. First not to grieve him in respect of his Person dwelling in us 2. Secondly Not to quench him in respect of the actings and motions of his grace 3. Thirdly Not to resist him in respect of the Ordinances of Christ and his guifts for their administration Now because the whole generall duty of Believers in their communion with the Holy Ghost is comprised in these three things I shall handle them severally The First Caution concernes his Person immediately as dwelling in us It is given Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God § 4 There is a complaint Isai. 63. 10. of them who vexed or grieved the Spirit of God And from thence doth this Caution seem to be taken That it is the Person of the Holy Ghost which is here intended is evident First from the Phrase or manner of expression with a double article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy spirit And also 2. From the work assigned to him in the following words of Sealing to the day of Redemption Which as hath been manifested is the work of the Holy Ghost Now whereas this may be understood of the spirit in others or in ourselves it is evident that the Apostle intends it in the latter sense by his addition of that signall and eminent priviledge which we our selves enjoy by him he seales us to the day of redemption Let us see then the tendency of this expression as comprizing the first Generall rule of our communion with the Holy Ghost Grieve not the spirit The terme of grieving or affecting with sorrow may be considered either Actively in respect of the Persons grieving or Passively in respect of the Persons grieved In the latter sense the expression is Metaphoricall the Spirit cannot be grieved or affected with sorrow which inferrs alteration disappointment weakenesse all incompatible with his infinite perfections yet men may actively do that which is fit and able to grieve any one that stands affected towards them as doth the Holy Ghost If he be not grieved it is no thanks to us but to his own unchangeable nature So that there are two things denoted in this expression First That the Holy Ghost is affected towards us as one that is loving carefull tender concerned in our good and welldoing and therefore upon our miscarriages is said to be grieved As a good friend of a kind and loving nature is apt to be so on the miscarriage of him whom he doth affect And this is that we are principally to regard in this caution as the ground and foundation of it the Love Kindnesse and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost unto us Grieve him not Secondly That we may doe those things that are proper to grieve him though he be not passively grieved our sin being no lesse therein then if he were grived as we are Now how this is done how the Spirit is grieved the Apostle declareth in the contexture of that discourse verses 21 22 23 24. He presseth to a progresse in Sanctification and all the fruits of Regeneration vers 25 26 27 28 29. He dehorts from sundry particular evills that were contrary thereto and then gives the generall enforcement of the one and the other and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God that is by coming short of that universall Sanctification which our planting into Christ doth require The positive duty included in this caution of not grieving the holy Spirit is this That we pursue universall Holinesse with regard unto and upon the account of the love kindnesse and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost This is the foundation of our Communion we have in generall When the soul considers the love kindnesse and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost unto him when he considers all the fruits and acts of his love and goodwill towards him and on that account and under that consideration because he is so concerned in our ways walkings to abstaine frō evills to walke in all duties of Holinesse this is to have communion with him This consideration that the Holy Ghost who is our Comforter is delighted with our obedience grieved at our evills and follies being made a continuall motive to and reason of our close walking with God in all holinesse is I say the first generall way of our Communion with him Here let us fixe a little We loose both the power and pleasure § 6 of our Obedience for want of this consideration We see on what account the Holy Ghost undertakes to be our Comforter by what ways and meanes he performes that Office towards us what an unworthy thing it is to grieve him who comes to us on purpose to give us consolation Let the soule in the whole course of its obedience exercise its selfe by faith to thoughts hereof and lay due weight upon it The Holy Ghost in his infinite love and kindnesse towards me hath condescended to be my Comforter He doth it willingly freely powerfully what have I received from him in the multitude of my perplexitys how hath he refreshed my soule Can I live one day without his consolations And shall I be regardlesse of him in that wherein he is concerned shall I grieve him by negligence sinne and folly shall not his love constraine me to walke before him to all well pleasing So have we in generall fellowship with him The second is that of the 1 Thess. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit There are various thoughts about the sense of these words § 7 The Spirit in others that is their spirituall gifts say some But then it falls in with what follows vers 20.
despise not Prophesying The Light that God hath set up in our hearts say others But where is that called absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit It is the Holy Ghost himselfe that is here intended Not immediately in respect of his Person in which regard he is said to be grieved which is a Personall affection but in respect of his motions actings operations The Holy Ghost was typified by the fier that was allways kept alive on the Altar He is also called a Spirit of burning The reasons of that AllusioÌ„ are manifold not now to be insisted on Now the oppositioÌ„ that is made to fier in its acting is by querching Hence the opposition made to the actings of the Holy Ghost are called Quenching of the Spirit as some kind of wet wood will doe when it is cast into the the fire Thence are we said in pursuance of the same metaphor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stirre up with new fire the gifts that are in us The Holy Ghost is striving with us acting in us moving variously for our growth in grace and bringing forth fruit meet for the principle he hath indued us withall Take heed saith the Apostle least by the power of your lusts and temptations you attend not to his workings but hinder him in his good will towards you that is what in you lyeth This then is the second Generall Rule for our Communion with § 8 the Holy Ghost It respects his gratious operations in us and by us There are severall and various ways whereby the Holy Ghost is sayd to act exâ—rt and put forth his power in us partly by moving upon and stirring up the Grace we have received partly by new supplys of Grace from Jesus Christ falling in with ocasions for their exercise raysing good motions immediately or occasionally within us all tending to our furtherance in obedience and walking with God All these are we carefully to observe and take notice of Consider the Fountaine whence they come the end which they lead us unto Hence have we Communion with the Holy Ghost when we can consider him by faith as the immediate author of all supplys assistances and the whole reliefe we have by Grace of all good actings risings motions in our hearts of all strivings and contendings against sinne When we consider I say all these his actings and workings in their tendencys to our consolation and on that account are carefull and watchfull to improve them all to the end aymed at as coming from him who is so loving and kind and tender to us we have Communion with him This is that which is intended Every gracious acting of § 9 the blessed Spirit in and towards our soules is constantly by Faith to be considered as comming from him in a peculiar manner His minde his good will is to be observed therein Hence care and diligence for the improvement of every motion of his will arise thence reverence of his presence with us with due spirituall regard to his Holinesse doth ensue and our soules are wonted to entercourse with him 3. The third caution concernes him and his worke in the § 10 dispensation of that great ordinance of the Word Stephen tells the Jewes Act. 7. 51. that They resisted the Holy Ghost How did they doe it why as their Fathers did it As your Fathers did so do ye How did their Fathers resist the Holy Ghost vers 52. They persecuted the Prophets and slew them their opposition to the Prophets in preaching the Gospell or their shewing of the coming of the just one was their resisting of the Holy Ghost Now the Holy Ghost is said to be resisted in the contempt of the preaching of the word because the gift of preaching of it is from him The manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit Hence when our Saviour Promiseth the Spirit to his Disciples to be present with them for the conviction of the world he tells them he will give them a mouth and wisedome which their adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist Luk. 20. 16. concerning which in the accomplishment of it in Stephen it is said that they were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. The Holy Ghost then setting up a ministry in the Church separating men thereto furnishing them with gifts and abilitys for the dispensation of the Word the not obeying of that word opposing of it not falling down before it is called resisting of the Holy Ghost This in the examples of the wickednesse of others are we cautioned against And this enwraps the third generall Rule of our CoÌ„munion with the Holy Ghost in the despensation of the Word of the Gospell the Authority wisdome and goodnesse of the Holy Ghost in furnishing men with gifts for that end and purpose and his presence with them as to the vertue thereof is to be eyed and subjection given unto it on that account On this reason I say on this ground is obedience to be yeilded to the word in the ministeriall dispensation thereof because the Holy Ghost and he alone doth furnish with gifts to that end and purpose When this consideration causeth us to fall low before the word then have we Commuinon with the Holy Ghost in that Ordinance But this is commonly Spoken unto CHAP. VIII Particular Directions for Communion with the Holy Ghost BEfore I name Particular Directions for our Communion with the Holy Ghost I must premise some Cautions as § 1 farre as the directions to be given concern his worship First The Divine Nature is the Reason and cause of all worship so that it is impossible to worship any one person and not worship the whole Trinity It is and that not without ground denyed by the Schoolemen that the formall Reason and object of divine worship is in the persons precisely considered that is under the formally constitutive Reason of their personality which is their Relation to each other But this belongs to the Divine Nature and Essence and to their distinct persons as they are identified with the Essence it selfe Hence is that way of praying to the Trinity by the repetition of the same Petition to the severall persons as in the Letany groundlesse if not impious It supposeth that one person is worshipped and not another when each person is worshipped as God and each person is so As though we first should desire one thing of the Father and be heard and granted by him then aske the same thing of the Son and so of the Holy Ghost And so act as to the same thing three distinct acts of worship and expect to be heard and have the same thing granted three times distinctly when all the workes of the Trinity ad extra are indivisible The proper and peculiar object of divine worship and invocation is the Essence of God in its infinite Excellency dignity Majesty and its causality as the first soveraigne cause of all things Now this is common
of God on the account of our Redemption To him that loved us and washed us with his own blood to him be praise and glory Rev. 1. 6 4 14. And are not the like praises and blessings due to him by whom the work of Redemption is made effectuall to us who with no lesse infinite love undertook our consolation then the Sonne our Redemption when we feele our hearts warmed with joy supported in peace established in our obedience let us ascribe to him the praise that is due to him blesse his name and rejoyce in him And this glorifying of the Holy Ghost in thanksgivings on § 10 a spirituall sense of his consolations is no small part of our communion with him Considering his free ingagement in this work his coming forth from the Father to this purpose his mission by the Son and condescension therein his Love and kindnesse the soule of a believer is powred out in thankfull praises to him and is sweetly affected with the duty There is no duty that leaves a more heavenly savour in the soule then this doth Also in our prayers to him for the carrying on the work of our consolation which he hath undertaken ly's our communion § 11 with him John praies for Grace and peace from the seven spirits that are before the Throne or the Holy Ghost whose operations are perfect and compleat This part of his worship is expresly mentioned frequently in Scripture and all others do necessarily attend it Let the Saints consider what need they stand in of these effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned with many such others as might be insisted on Weigh all the priviledges which we are made partakers of Remember that he distributes them as he will that he hath the Soveraigne disposall of them and they will be prepared for this duty How and in what sense it is to be performed hath been already declared what is the formall reason of this worship and § 12 ultimate object of it I have also manifested In the duty it selfe is put forth no small part of the life Efficacy and vigor of Faith and we come short of that enlargednesse of spirit in dealing with God and are straightned from walking in the breadth of his waies which we are called unto if we learne not our selves to meet him with his worship in every way he is pleased to communicate himselfe unto us In these things he does so in the person of the Holy Ghost In that person do we meet him his Love Grace and Authority by our prayers and supplications Again Consider him as he condescends to this delegation of the Father and the Sonne to be our Comforter and ask him daily § 13 of the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the daily work of Believers They look upon and by Faith consider the Holy Ghost as promised to be sent In this promise they know lies all their Grace peace mercy joy and hope For by him so promised and him alone are these things communicated to them If therefore our life to God or the joy of that life be considerable in this we are to abound to ask him of the Father as Children doe of their Parents daily bread And as in this asking and receiving of the Holy Ghost we have communion with the Father in his Love whence he is sent and with the Son in his Grace whereby he is obtained for us so with himselfe on the account of his voluntary condescension to this dispensation Every request for the Holy Ghost implyes our closing with all these Oh the Riches of the Grace of God Humbling our selves for our miscarriages in reference to him is another part of our communion with him That we § 14 have grieved him as to his Person quenched him as to the motion of his grace or resisted him in his Ordinances is to be mourned for as hath been declared Let our Soules be humbled before him on this account This one considerable Ingredient of Godly sorrow and the thoughts of it are as suitable to the affecting of our Hearts with humiliation and indignation against sin as any other whatever I might proceed in the like considerations as also make application of them to the particular effects of the Holy Ghost enumerated but my designe is only to point out the heads of things and to leave them to the improvement of others I shall shut up this whole discourse with some considerations § 15 of the sad estate and condition of men not interested in this promise of the Spirit nor made partakers of his Consolation 1. They have no true Consolation or comfort be their Estate condition what it will Are they under affliction or in trouble They must beare their own burden and how much to weak they are for it if God be pleased to lay on his hand with more weight then ordinary is easily known Men may have stoutnesse of Spirit and put on great Resolutions to wrestle with their troubles But when this is meerly from the naturall spirit of a man 1. For the most part it is but an outside It is done with respect to others that they may not appeare low spirited or dejected Their hearts are eaten up and devoured with troubles and anxiety of minde Their thoughts are perplexed and they are still striving but never come to a conquest Every new trouble every little alteration in their trialls puts them to new vexation It is an ungrounded resolution that beares them up and they are easily shaken 2. Secondly what is the best of their resolves and enduring it is but a contending with God who hath entangled them the strugling of a flea under a mountaine Yea though on out ward considerations and principles they endeavour after patience and tolerance yet all is but a contending with God a striving to be quiet under that which God hath sent on purpose to disturbe them God doth not afflict men without the Spirit to exercise their patience but to disturbe their peace and security All their arming themselves with patience and resolution is but to keep the hold that God will cast them out of or else make them the nearer to ruine This is the best of their consolation in the time of their trouble 3. Thirdly if they doe promise to themselves any thing of the care of God towards them and relieve themselves thereby as they often doe on one account or another especially when they are driven from other holds all their reliefe is but like the dreaming of an hungry man who supposeth that he eateth and drinketh and is refreshed but when he awaketh he is empty and disappointed So are they as to all their reliefe that they promise to receive from God and the support which they seem to have from him When they are awaked at the latter day and see all things clearly they will find that God was their enemy laughing at their calamity and mocking when their feare was on them So is it with them
Saints in this sense doe not love God for nothing but for that Excellency Lovelinesse and desireablenesse that is in him As the Psalmist says in one particular Psal. 116. 19. I love the Lord BECAUSE so may we in generall we love the Lord BECAUSE Or as David in another case what have I now done is there not a cause If any man enquire about our love to God we may say what have we now done is there not a cause 3. They differ in this also The Love of God is like himselfe equall constant not capable of Augmentation or Diminution Our love § 24 is like our selves unequall increasing waining growing declining His like the Sunne always the same in its light though a cloud may sometimes interpose Ours as the Moon hath its Enlargements and streightnings 1. The Love of the Father is Equall c. whom he loves he loves unto the end and he loves them always alike The § 25 strength of Israel is not a man that he should repent On whom he fixes his love it is immutable it doth not grow to Eternity it is not diminished at any time It is an eternall love that had no beginning that shall have no ending that cannot be heightned by any act of ours that cannot be lessened by any thing in us I say in it self it is thus otherwise in a two fold regard it may admit of chang 1. In respect of its Fruits It is as I said a fruitfull love a § 26 love of Bounty In reference unto those fruits it may sometimes be greater sometimes lesse Its communications are various Who among the Saints finds it not What Life what Light what strength sometimes and againe how dead how dark how weake as God is pleased to let out or to restraine the fruits of his Love All the Graces of the spirit in us all sanctified enjoyments whatever are fruits of his love How variously these are dispensed how differently at sundry seasons to the same Persons experience will abundantly testify 2. In respect of its discoveries and manifestations He sheds abroad § 27 his Love in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom 5 v. 5. gives us a sense of it manifests it unto us Now this is various and changeable sometimes more sometimes lesse Now he shines anon hides his face as it may be for our profit Our Father will not alwaies chide lest we be cast downe he doth not alwaies smile lest we be full and neglect him but yet still his Love in its selfe is the same When for a little moment he hides Isa. his face yet he gathers us with everlasting kindnesse Ob. But you will say this comes nigh to that Blasphemy § 27 that God loves his People in their sinning as well as in their strictest obedience and if so who will care to serve him more or to walk with him unto wellpleasing Ans. There are few Truths of Christ which from some or other have not received like entertainment with this Termes and Appellations are at the Will of every imposer things are not at all varied by them The Love of God in it selfe is the eternall purpose and act of his Will This is no more changeable then God himselfe If it were no flesh could be saved but it changeth not and we are not consumed What then loves he his people in their sinning Yes his People not their sinning Alters he not his Love towards them Not the purpose of his will but the dispensations of his Grace He rebukes them he chastens them he hides his face from them he smites them he fills them with a sense of indignation but woe woe would it be to us should he change in his love or take away his kindnesse from us Those very things which seem to be demonstrations of the change of his Affections towards his do at clearly proceed from Love as those which seem to be the most genuine Issues thereof But will not this encourage to sinne He never tasted of the Love of God that can seriously make this objection The doctrine of Grace may be turned into wantonesse the Principle cannot I shall not wrong the Saints by giving other answer to this objection Detestation of sinne in any may well consist with the Acceptation of their persons and their designation to life eternall But now our Love to God is ebbing and flowing waining and increasing We lose our first Love and we grow again in Love Scarse a day at a stand What poore creatures are we how unlike the Lord and his Love unstable as Water we cannot excell now it is though all men for sake thee I will not anon I know not the man One day I shall never be moved my hill is so strong the next all men are lyers I shall perish When ever was the time where ever was the place that our love was one day equall towards God And thus these Agreements and discrepancies doe farther describe that Mutuall Love of the Father the Saints wherein they hold Communion Other Instances as to the Person of the Father I shall not give but indeavour to make some improvement of this in the next Chapter CHAP. IV. Inferences on the Former Doctrine concerning Communion with the Father in Love HAving thus discovered the nature of that Distinct Communion § 1 which we have with the Father it remaineth that we give some Exhortations unto it directions in it and take some Observations from it 1. First them this is a Duty wherein it is most evident that Christians are but little exercised namely in holding immediate § 2 Communion with the Father in Love Unacquaintednesse with our Mercys our Priviledges is our sinne as well as our Trouble We hearken not to the voyce of the Spirit which is given unto us that we may know the things that are freely bestowed on us of God This makes us goe heavily when we might rejoyce and to be weake where we might be strong in the Lord. How few of the Saints are experimentally acquainted with this priviledge of holding immediate communion with the Father in Love with what anxious doubtfull thoughts do they look upon him what feares what questionings are there of his good will and kindnesse At the best many think there is no sweetnesse at all in him towards us but what is purchased at the high price of the blood of Jesus It is true that alone is the way of Communication but the free Fountaine and Spring of all is in the bosome of the Father Eternall life was with the Father and is manifested unto us Let us then 1. Eye the Father as love Look not on him as an always lowring Father but as one most kind and tender Let us looke on him by faith as one that hath had thoughts of kindnesse towards us from everlasting It is misapprehension of God that makes any runne from him who have the least breathing wrought in them after him They that know thee will