and his people back againe to receive him Answ 1. They being thus prepared the Spirit of God taketh up his seat in the soule by making it a Temple unto himselfe in the name of the Father and of the Son and so are they made an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Gal. 4.6 And because yee are Sons c. where he speaketh not of Sons by actuall regeneration but by Gods Eternall Counsell The same Spirit is also called the Comforter whom Jesus Christ hath promised to send John 16.7,8,9 If I depart I will send you the Comforter and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement Of sin because they beleeve not in me This the holy ghost convinceth men of to be the greatest misery of the soule that they have not beleeved upon Jesus Christ And look as a Talent of gold or some weighty mettall falling into a Vessell of water dasheth out all that is in the vessell to make room for it selfe So the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the soule dasheth out all watry confidences and maketh room for himselfe so as that you may say the Eternall God is there and in very deed because the heart of man is not onely like unto water but is hard and stony therefore the Spirit of God cometh like fire and melteth the iron stone of the heart and softneth it into flesh that now the soul is utterly at a losse not onely in regard of his sins but in regard of his best works also and is most of all convinced of his unbeliefe Now the Holy Spirit of God bring thus shed abroad into the heart at the very first entrance of it into the soule us it doth chiefly convince the soule of Unbelief so 2 The same Spirit worketh faith in the soule to yeeld himselfe unto the Lord and the soule being emptied of himselfe now the Holy Ghost hath infused Faith to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and this is a true saving work though the soule thinketh it selfe in a very sad condition that he should so long live without beleeving in Jesus Christ But he is cleerly convinced what his case is and how vaine his best works are and he lyeth under this work not onely in his judgement but in his heart he now freely submitteth unto the will of God So that the Spirit of God becometh unto the soul not onely as a Spirit of burning to consume all that is like stubble but doth also melt the iron-stone of the heart and softneth it into flesh that the word may take deep impression in it Now there is room for Jesus Christ now faith is wrought there and now a soule can plead with God by faith in prayer he seeth there is no former Covenant that he can plead nor any righteousnesse of his owne but such as Hypocrites will quarrell for and rise up to maintaine as they did against John Baptist pleading their Covenant and their righteousnesse with these things a poore soule is not satisfied but unto you that feare my name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings c. Mal. 4.2 Herein is implyed such a reverent fear that dare not disaffect this kind of yeeldingnesse to the Son In the old Testament it is called Fear in the new Testament it is more generally called Faith yet the Apostle saith Rom. 11.20 Be not high-minded but fear whereby he provoketh them to live by Faith and indeed it is that whereby the soule doth yeeld unto the Lord and this is indeed our Effectuall Calling the Spirit of God taking possession in our hearts and working this faith in us whereby we submit unto the Lord. This is that faith in Jesus Christ that maketh us one with Christ for our effectuall calling bringeth us to be one with him 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ This fellowship or communion standeth in two things 1 In the Unity of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2 In the receiving of Faith on our parts so that by beleeving which is the first thing we doe we yeeld unto the first work of God when this stronger man cometh we yeeld up all our Armour to him and herein standeth our coming on to be in Christ and in God the Father by this Spirit of God that taketh possession of the heart and hath not only burnt up root and branch of our legall righteousnesse but hath also melted us unto a soft frame to yeeld up our selves unto the Lord and now we are fit for any duty the Lord having possest us with his powerfull presence and this is true spirituall Union between the Lord our souls By this faith the Creature doth yeeld up it selfe unto the Lord which is also the work of the grace of God in us having brought us unto holy union w th himselfe Now this faith thus wrought in our effectuall calling is not built upon any Conditionall Promise I mean upon any Promise made to any gracious Condition penitent in us nor can it be built upon any but upon the Absolute free Promise unto the soule according to what we read Isa 43.22 to 2â— Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast not brought me the small Cattell c. See Calvin l. 3. justiâ— c. 2. s 29. In all which we see the absolute freenes of the grace of God So Ezek. 36.26 Object But you will say Though some may be converted by such an absolute Promise yet some mans faith may be built upon a conditionall Promise unto a gratious condition Answ I pray you consider it If it be a condition it is to some good Qualification or other some good work or other of the Spirit of God in the heart of a Christian Was this work wrought before Conversion or after Every Christian knoweth that all workes wrought before Conversion are but drosse and dung to apply Promises to such works were indeed to build upon a sandy foundation What say you then to works after Conversion All works after Conversion are fruits of Faith and if they proceed from faith then faith went before then a mans faith was not built upon a conditionall promise how is it possible that it should when as all works after Conversion are fruits of faith or else they are no true sanctification then faith went before in order of Nature and so was not built upon works but works upon it And therefore all our best Divines doe carry it thus That faith closeth with Christ upon a Promise of free grace otherwise as saith Calvin Justiâ— l. 3. c. 2. s 29. my faith would alwayes be trembling and wavering as my works be Upon a Promise of free grace therefore my faith is built as upon the Promise of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. 5.18,19 The word is it may be spoken outwardly unto
they shall enjoy God in all Psal 16.5,6 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance He saw the Lord in what he did enjoy and when he had any thing it was in God when he wanted any thing it was supplyed in him The like did Jacob find when his brother Esau came against him with 400 men and the Lord turned him from the fiercenesse of his wrath here was the Covenant of Abraham the Lord gave him the mouth and arms and tears of his brother Esau what saith Jacob to all this Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God He saw the power and mercy of God in changing the countenance of his elder brother and that is it which sweetneth all that a man doth enjoy the loving-kindnes of God in all is the blessing of all and this likewise doth Jacob acknowledge Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God hath gratiously given thy Servant and so he looked at them as Gods wives and children and servants and Cattell and this is the very life of the Covenant of Grace when as the Lord is wrapped up in all his blessings when as he giveth himselfe and in himselfe his Christ in Christ Peter and Paul and all things unto his Church 1 Cor. 3.22,23 Rom. 8 32. This is the maine thing given God himselfe the God of the Covenant his Persons Nature Ordinances Providences and now Abraham is made the Lord of the world and so the Apostle doth interpret it Rom. 4.13 the Promise that he should be Heire of the world c. and this is that which Abraham did receive in receiving the Lord to be his God 2 In the Order of giving the Covenant there is something to be observed 1 God giveth first and not the Creature it was not Abraham that gave unto God first for which of all the Creatures shall offer a Covenant unto the Mighty God Rom. 11.35 the Lord hath the preheminence in giving for what should Abraham give unto God if God give not something unto him first He is the first giver 2 He is also the first thing in order that is given for doth he give the world first or Ordinances first or any other spirituall or temporall blessings first No doubtlesse the Lord is the first thing that he giveth by his Covenant and with himselfe all things else also Rom. 8.32 And there is the precedency of Jesus Christ he is given and in him all spirituall blessings as the Apostle saith Ephes 1.3 and this for the order of Nature in giving the Covenant not Obedience first nor Faith first nor any thing else first but himselfe is Donum primum primarium and in him all his goodnesse Exod. 33.19 3 For the Manner of giving in that he giveth himselfe there is implyed both the freedome and eternity of the gift firmnesse therefore and that unto eternity In that he giveth himselfe it must of necessity be done freely for what can any Creature give to purchase God If a man could give thousands of worlds they were not enough to purchase or redeem one soule and if he had millions of worlds to give what were they all to purchase so great a gift as God himselfe is Therefore it must needs be of free gift for the Creature can doe nothing to prevent God God indeed may give with a purpose to receive back againe as God doth require this of Abraham that he should have no other Gods before him c. Gen. 17.1 But though Abraham shall performe this and all the Commandements in an Evangelicall manner yet God himselfe doth undertake in this Covenant to be the Author and finisher of this his faith and obedience Heb. 12.2 And this doth argue the marvelous freedome of the Covenant of Grace for the Lord offereth it out of his grace without the foresight of faith or works for he undertaketh to give both will and deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Object But it may be said Did not the Lord exact it that he should give himselfe back againe or else God would not give himselfe Answ Truly then the Covenant had not been of free Grace but as you see sometimes great Princes will take in a Neighbour Nation into League with them and not tell them of it so doth the Lord deale with his Elect ones otherwise he should not at all intend it nor ever give himselfe unto us for we are not able to give our selves unto him for if Abraham did give himselfe it was because God did take him first and therefore it is that the Apostle telleth us that the Lord took hold of Paul that he might take hold of the Loâ—d Phil. 3.12 I follow after if that I may c Deut. 32.6 If we give up our selves unto the Lord it is because the Lord hath taken hold upon our hearts first Object But doth not the Lord require of him to Circumcise his seed the eighth day Answ So he doth indeed but the Lord giveth him that also God the Father seeth it needfull for the confirmation of their Faith and their everlasting salvation therefore he giveth him Circumcision and giveth him the grace to circumcise his Children I think indeed the Lord doth call for many things under a Covenant of Grace but so as that the Lord 1 Worketh those things in them out of Grace not give Grace out of works 2 He will have them know that those things which they work are nothing without the working of his grace It is true Abraham may circumcise Isaac but who shall circumcise the heart of Isaac It is a small matter to circumcise the flesh so it is a small matter for us to baptize with water but who must wash us from our sins save only the Lord our God So that he doth secretly intimate that what his poor servants doe outwardly he would doe it in effect The Children of Israel shall at the Lords Commandment march about the City of Jericho seaven dayes together and not speak a word and hereby the walls of the City shall faâ—l down flat of what use were these weapons to such an end what would the Lord shew his people hereby hereby he teacheth them to know by what ability and power to bring mighty things to passe they shall doe duties as the Lord commandeth them but he himself shall breath in them to make them effectuall for though we doe never so much yet we cannot reach unto the accomplishment of any good thing Not by might nor by strength but by my Spirit The Lord therefore by his Spirit must work all our works for us Here is the freeness of Gods Covenant in that the Lord giveth himself first Jer. 32 40. You may speak of Conditions in this kind but the Lord doth undertake both for his own part and for our parts also for as the Covenant is free so the Lord will freely maintaine and preserve all his Elect and all from the immutable nature of God it
to ingraffe us into Jesus Christ this is quite contrary to nature Why wherein is it so contrary I answer whereas nature is active for it selfe now it cometh to passe that whereas a soul hath been stirring and busie in his owne strength at length the Spirit of God by the mighty power of his grace being shed abroad into the soule doth burn up root and branch not onely the root of Abraham's Covenant but all the fatnesse of the root of the Wild Olive by which we are fat and lively to all spirituall work in our owne apprehensions so that we work in our owne strength untill the Lord come and cut us quite down and make us to see that there is not the least good thought as of our selves and therefore unlesse the Lord be wonderfully gratious unto us we cannot be saved till it come unto this the soule is not fit for Jesus Christ Thus the Spirit of God may worke powerfully in the hearts of men and burn up their root and branch and this a spirit of burning may doe and yet leave the soule in a damnable condition for ought I know and such as many a soule may be in and yet never come to enjoy saving fellowship with Jesus Christ therefore as this is one arm of God stretched forth for the salvation of his people when he draweth them out of themselves by a Spirit Of Bondage Burning towards Christ So 2 There is a further work of God in drawing us home throughly and effectually to Jesus Christ when he giveth the Spirit of Adoption which reacheth beyond all the former work he hath cut us off from our selves and now we stand in a state quite contrary to nature and if any saving work be wrought in us it is quite contrary to nature if any thing fall upon the heart and soule of a man to bring his will to this passe to lye downe at Gods feet that he knoweth not what to doe and yet whatsoever the Lord calleth him unto he is willing if it were possible to be done he would run through fire and water to doe it but he findeth himselfe unable to doe any thing and now he will tell you that to believe is as impossible for him as to build a world why then bid him wait waite saith he I but I cannot waite and if I seek the Lord I cannot find him and I see others of Gods servants wrought upon gratiously but dead-hearted I nothing will work upon me now in such a case as this the Spirit of God cometh into the heart of a Christian and taketh possession of the soule for Jesus Christ and so draweth the soule to Christ and maketh it there to stay and there to lye down and to be willing to be drawne yet neerer and neerer unto Christ and to be carried an end by him to take all from him to give all the glory to him This Spirit of Adoption doth give a man a Son-like frame to lye prostrate at his Fathers will like unto the Prodigall Son Luke 15.17,18,19 who when he came to himselfe and saw how unable he was to provide for himselfe and how unworthy he was that his Father should doe any thing for him he came and lay downe at the feet of his Father for he is unable and unworthy of any mercy Now this stooping of the heart unto God and yielding unto him to doe with us as seemeth good in his own eyes is such a prostration of the heart wherein the Lord hath taken possession of the soule that now a man is led unto fellowship with Christ that there is None in Heaven but him none in the earth in comparison of him that the soule desireth after and now a man waiteth upon Christ to see what he will doe for him and though he cannot tell you that he waiteth yet he doth waite that he may be helped of God to depend upon him Thus he receiveth all from Christ and giveth all unto him This is the Fathers drawing of the soule which is expounded to be the hearing and learning of the Father of which John speaketh ch 6.45 He that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me which is when the Lord hath drawne the soule out of his naturall corruptions legall reformations pretences of Faith and waiting upon Christ in his owne strength for Faith if it be wanting Then when the soul doth lie at his feet to be disposed of according to the will of God and is in some measure subject unto the Lord though not so much as he could desire and therefore now the soule doth not content or blesse himselfe in any gifts or works of his own but yieldeth himselfe humbly to the Lord to work in him both will and deed of his owne good pleasure and to teach him how to seek and waite and believe and long after Jesus Christ these things he waiteth for Otherwise untill he be thus taught of God the soule will alwayes think that he can doe something and is not able to come out of himself to utter denyall of himselfe but if any man will come unto Christ he must deny himselfe even all his owne gifts and parts and good works whatsoever for a man is never utterly denyed untill there be nothing left of which a man can say This I am able to doe or this is an hopefull thing in me and when it cometh to this passe then will the soule lie down at the will of God and acknowledge that if the Lord would never shew him mercy just and righteous are his judgements Now when the soule and will of a Christian are convinced of these things as well as his judgement that now he waiteth upon Christ as well that he may be able to waite and seek the Lord as he doth for any other good thing from the Lord he waiteth now upon the Lord for a poor spirit and cannot perke up himselfe no more then a bruised Reed can doe Thus when it cometh unto saving work the will and soule of a man is so cast downe that a man cannot tell what to make of himselfe but there he lieth to see what the Lord will doe with him whether he will reach forth the hand of salvation unto him or no. In this case the soule is left utterly void and hath in himself neither root nor branch but seeth how unable he is in himselfe to beleeve or waite nor can he tell whether Jesus Christ be his portion and now doth the Lord take possession and fill the empty soule If you ask me how this spirit cometh into the soule to make it thus to stoop unto Christ You shall find that the Lord useth to convey himselfe unto the soule in some word of Promise of the Gospel that sheweth unto the soule the riches of the grace of God in Jesus Christ something or other is declared of Christ This word being taught in the publick Ministry of the word or brought to remembrance in some spirituall