-- Grand Direct. III. How to believe in the Holy Ghost, and live by his Grace. His Witness, Seal, Ea
O Christian! as ever thou wouldst walk with God, in comfortable communion with him, study and exercise this life of faith, in the daily use and improvement of Christ, who is our life, and hope, and all.
Grand Direct. III.
'Understand well what it is to believe in the Holy Ghost: and see that he dwell and operate in thee, as the life of thy soul, and that thou do not resist or quench the Spirit, but thankfully obey him.'
Each person in the Trinity, is so believed in by Christians, as that in baptism, they enter distinctly into covenant with them; which is, to accept the mercies of, and perform the duties to, each person distinctly. As to take God for our God, is more than to believe that there is a God; and to take Christ for our Saviour, is more than barely to believe that he is the Messiah: so to believe in the Holy Ghost, is to take him for Christ's agent or advocate with our souls, and for our guide, and sanctifier, and comforter, and not only to believe that he is the third person in the Trinity. This, therefore, is a most practical article of our belief.
If the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost be the unpardonable sin, then all sin against the Holy Ghost, must needs have a special aggravation by being such: and if the sin against the Holy Ghost be the greatest sin, then our duty towards the Holy Ghost, is certainly none of our smallest duties. Therefore the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and our duty towards him, and sin against him, deserve not the least, or last place in teaching, learning, and most serious consideration.
Two sorts do most dangerously sin against, or abuse the Holy Ghost.
The first are the profane, who through custom and education, can say 'I believe in the Holy Ghost,' and say, that 'he sanctifieth them and all the elect people of God;' but hate or resist all sanctifying
works and motions of the Holy Ghost, and hate all those that are sanctified by him, and make them the objects of their scorn, and deride the very name of sanctification, or at least the thing.
The second sort are the enthusiasts, or true fanatics, who advance, extol, and plead for the Spirit, against the Spirit; covering their greatest sins against the Holy Ghost, by crying up, and pretending to the Holy Ghost. They plead the Spirit in themselves, against the Spirit in their brethren, yea, and in almost all the church: they plead the authority of the Spirit in them, against the authority of the Spirit in the Holy Scriptures; and against particular truths of Scripture; and against several great and needful duties, which the Spirit hath required in the word; and against the Spirit in their most judicious, godly, faithful teachers. But can it be the Spirit that speaks against the Spirit? Is the Spirit of God against itself? Are we "not all baptized by one Spirit" (and not divers or contrary) "into one body?" But it is
"no marvel, for satan to be transformed into an angel of light, or his ministers into the ministers of Christ, and of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their worksc." The Spirit himself, therefore, hath commanded us, that we "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world:" "Yea, the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devilse." Therefore take heed that you neither mistake nor abuse the Holy Spirit.
I. The doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost, to be believed, is briefly this:—1. That the Holy Ghost, as given since the ascension of Christ, is his agent on earth, or his advocate with men (called by him the Paraclete). Instead of his bodily presence, which, for a little space, he vouchsafed to a few, being ascended, he sendeth the Holy Spirit, as better for them, to be his agent continually to the end, and unto all,
and in all that do believe. 2. This Holy Spirit, so sent, infallibly inspired the holy apostles and evangelists, first to preach, and then to write the doctrine of Christ, contained (as indited by him) in the Holy Scriptures; perfectly imprinting therein the holy image of Godg.
3. The same Spirit in them, sealed this holy doctrine, and the testimony of these holy men, by many miracles and wonderful gifts, by which they did actually convince the unbelieving world, and plant the churches. 4. The same Spirit (having first by the apostles, given a law or canon to the universal church, constituting its offices, and the duty of the officers, and the manner of their entrance,) doth qualify and dispose men, for the stated, ordinary, ministerial work (which is to explain and apply the aforesaid Scriptures), and directeth those that are to ordain and choose them (they being not wanting on their part); and so he appointeth pastors to the church. 5. The same Spirit assisteth the ministers (thus sent in their faithful use of the means,) to teach and apply the Holy Scriptures, according to the necessities of the people, the weight of the matter, and the majesty of the word of God. 6. The same Spirit doth, by this word (heard or read), renew and sanctify the souls of the elect; illuminating their minds; opening and quickening their hearts; prevailing with, changing, and resolving their wills, thus writing God's word, and imprinting his image by his word, upon their hearts; making it powerful to conquer and cast out their strongest, sweetest, dearest sins; and bringing them to the saving knowledge, love, and obedience of God in Jesus Christi. The same Holy Spirit assisteth the sanctified, in the exercise of this grace, to the increase of it, by blessing and concurring with the means appointed by him to that end; and helpeth them to use those means, perform their duties, conquer temptations, oppositions, and difficulties, and so confirmeth and preserveth them to the end. 8.
The same Spirit helpeth believers, in the exercise of grace, to feel it, and discern the sincerity of it in themselves, in that measure as they are meet for, and in these seasons when it is fittest for them. 9. The
same Spirit helpeth them, hereupon, to conclude that they are justified and reconciled to God, and have right to all the benefits of his covenant. 10. Also, he assisteth them actually to rejoice in the discerning of this conclusion. For though reason of itself may do something in these acts, yet, so averse is man to all that is holy, and so many are the difficulties and hindrances in the way, that, to the effectual performance, the help of the Spirit of God is necessary.
By this enumeration of the Spirit's operations, you may see the errors of many detected, and many common questions answered. 1. You may see their blindness, that pretend the Spirit within them, against Scripture, ministry, or the use of God's appointed means: when the same Spirit first indited the Scripture, and maketh it the instrument to illuminate and sanctify our souls. God's image is, (1.) Primarily, in Jesus Christ his Son. (2.) Derivatively, by his Spirit, imprinted perfectly in the Holy Scriptures. (3.) And by the Scripture, or the holy doctrine of it, instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the image of God in Christ, is the cause of his image in his holy word or doctrine, and his image in his word, is the cause of his image on the heart. So a king may have his image, (1.) Naturally, on his son, who is like his father. (2.) Expressively, in his laws, which express his wisdom, clemency, and justice. (3.) And effectively, on his subjects and servants, who are by his laws reduced to a conformity to his mind. As a man may first cut his arms or image on his seal, and then by that seal imprint it on the wax; and though it be perfectly cut on the seal, it may be imperfectly printed on the wax; so God's image is naturally perfect in his Son, and regularly or expressively perfect on the seal of his holy doctrine and laws; but imperfectly on his subjects, according to their reception of it in their several degrees.
Therefore, it is easy to discern their error, that tell men the light or Spirit within them, is their rule, and a perfect rule, yea, and that it is
thus in all men in the world; when God's Word and experience flatly contradict it, telling us that infidels and enemies of God, and all the ungodly are in darkness, and not in the light; and that all that speak not according to this Word, (the law and testimony) have "no light in them;" and therefore no "perfect light to be their rule." The Ministry is sent, to bring them from darkness to light: therefore, they had not a sufficient light in them beforel. "Wo to them that put darkness for light, and light for darkness:" telling the children of darkness, and the haters of the light, that they have a perfect light and rule within them, when God saith, "They have no light in themn." "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even till now." The light within a wicked man, is "darkness" and "blindness," and therefore not his rule. Even the light that is in godly men, is the knowledge of the rule, and not the rule itself at all, nor ever called so by God. Our rule is perfect; our knowledge is imperfect: for Paul himself saith, "We know in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part, shall be done away: now we see through a glass darkly." "The Gospel is hid to them that are lost," being "blinded by satanq."
There is an admirable, unsearchable concurrence of the Spirit, and his appointed means, and the will of man, in the procreation of the new creature, and in all the exercises of grace, as there is of male and female in natural generation; and of the earth, the sun, the rain, the industry of the gardener, and the seminal virtue of life and specification, in the production of plants with their flowers and fruits. And as wise as it would be to say, it is not the male but the female, or not the female but the male that generateth; or to say, it is not the earth but the sun, or not the sun but the rain, or not the rain but the seminal virtue, that causeth plants with flowers and fruits: so wise is it to say, it is not the Spirit but the word and means, or it is not the word and means but the Spirit, or it is not the reason, and
will and industry of man, but the Spirit: or, if we have not wisdom enough to assign to each cause its proper interest in the effect, that therefore we should separate what God hath conjoined, or deny the truth of the causation, because we comprehend not the manner and influence—this is but to choose to be befooled by pride, rather than confess that God is wiser than we.
2. You may here discern also, how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers: and how palpably they err, that think the Spirit comforteth or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its evidencing grace. The ten things mentioned pp. 190, 191, is all that the Spirit doth herein. But to expect his comforts without any measure of discerning his graces, which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the promise, this is to expect that he should comfort a rational creature not as rational, but darkly cause him to rejoice he knoweth not why: and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort: for faith restesth understandingly upon the promise, and expecteth the performance of it to those that it is made to, and not to others. Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort, which all men, even the worst, may take from the universal, conditional promise: and there is much abatement of our fears and troubles that may be fetched from probabilities and uncertain hopes of our own sincerity and interest in the promise. But to expect any other assurance or comfort from the Spirit, without evidence, is but to expect immediate revelations or inspirations to do the work, which the Word of promise and faith should do. The soul's consent to the covenant of grace, and fiducial acceptance of an offered Christ, is justifying, saving faith: every man hath an object in the promise and offer of the Gospel for this act, and therefore may rationally perform it. (Though all have not hearts to do it.) This may well be called, faith of adherence: and is itself our evidence, from which we must conclude, that we are true believers; the discerning of this evidence,
called by some, 'the reflex act of faith,' is no act of faith at all, it being no believing of another, but the act of conscience, knowing what is in ourselves. The discerning and concluding that we are the children of God, participated of faith and conscientious knowledge, which gave us the premises of such a conclusion.
3. You may hence perceive also how we are said to be "sealed" by the Spirit: even as a man's seal doth signify the sealed to be his own: so the "Spirit of holiness in us," is God's seal upon us, signifying that we are hiss. Every one that "hath the Spirit," is sealed by having it: and this is his evidence, which, if he discern, he may know that he is thus sealed.
4. Hereby also you may see what the "earnest and first fruits of the Spirit" is: the Spirit is given to us by God, as the earnest of the glory which he will give us. To whomsoever he giveth the spirit of faith, and love, and holiness, he giveth the seed of life eternal, and an inclination thereto, which is his earnest of it.
5. Hereby also you may see how the Spirit witnesseth that we are the children of God: the word 'witness' is put here principally for evidence: if any one question our adoption, the witness or evidence which we must produce to prove it, is the "Spirit of Jesus sanctifying us," and dwelling in us: this is the chief part (at least) of the sense of the text, Rom. 8:16. Though it is true, that the same Spirit witnesseth by (1.) Shewing us the grace which he hath given us; (2.) And by shewing us the truth of the promise made to all believers: (3.) And by helping us from those promises to conclude with boldness, that we are the children of God: (4.) And by helping us to rejoice therein.
II. I have been the longer (though too short) in acquainting you with the office of the Holy Ghost (supposing your belief that he is the third person in the Trinity) because it is an article of grand importance,
neglected by many that profess it, and because there are so many and dangerous errors in the world about it. Your great care now must be,
1. To find this Spirit in you, as the principle of your operations: and, 2. To obey it, and follow its motions, as it leadeth you to communion with God. Of the first I have spoken in the first chapter. For the second, observe these few Directions.
Direct. I. 'Be sure you mistake not the Spirit of God and its motions, nor receive, instead of them, the motions of satan, or of your passions, pride, or fleshly wisdom.'—It is easy to think you are obeying the Spirit, when you are obeying satan and your own corruptions against the Spirit. By these fruits the Spirit of God is known. 1. The Spirit of God is for heavenly Wisdom, and neither for foolishness nor treacherous craftiness. The Spirit of God is a spirit of Love, delighting to do good; its doctrine and motions are for love, and tend to good; abhorring both selfishness and hurtfulness to othersx. 3. He is a Spirit of Concord, and is ever for the unity of all believers; abhorring both divisions among the saints, and carnal compliances and confederacies with the wicked, 4. He is a Spirit of Humility and self-denial, making us, and our knowledge, and gifts, and worth, to be very little in our own eyesz; abhorring pride, ambition, self-exalting, boasting, as also the actual debasing of ourselves by earthliness or other sin. 5. He is a Spirit of Meekness, and patience, and forbearance; abhorring stupidity, and inordinate passion, boisterousness, tumult, envy, contention, reviling, and revenge. 6. He is a Spirit of Zeal for God, resolving men against known sin, and for known truth and duty; abhorring a furious, destroying zeal, and also an indifferency in the cause of God, and a yielding compliance with that which is against itc. 7. He is a Spirit of Mortification, crucifying the flesh, and still contending against it, and causing men to live above all the glory, and riches, and pleasures of the world: abhorring both carnal licentiousness and sensuality, and
also the destroying and disabling of the body, under the pretence of true mortification. 8. The Spirit of Christ contradicteth not the doctrine of Christ in the holy Scripture, but moveth us to an exact conformity theretoe. This is the sure rule to try pretences and motions of every spirit by: for we are sure that the Spirit of Christ is the author of that Word; and we are sure he is not contrary to himself. 9. The motions of the Spirit do all tend to our good, and are neither ludicrous, impertinent, or hurtful finally: they are all for the perfecting of sanctification, obedience, and for our salvation.
Therefore unprofitable trifles, or despair, and hurtful distractions and disturbances of mind, which drive from God, unfit for duty, and hinder salvation, are not the motions of the Spirit of God. 10. Lastly,
The Spirit of God subjecteth all to God, and raiseth the heart to him, and maketh us spiritual and divine, and is ever for God's gloryg.
Examine the texts here cited, and you will find that by all these fruits the Spirit of God is known from all seducing spirits, and from the fancies or passions of self-conceited men.
Direct. II. 'Quench not the Spirit, either by wilful sin or by your neglecting of its offered help.'—It is as the spring to all your spiritual motions; as the wind to your sails: you can do nothing without it.
Therefore reverence and regard its help, and pray for it, and obey it, and neglect it not. When you are sure it is the Spirit of God indeed, that is knocking at the door, behave not yourselves as if you heard not. 1. Obey him speedily: delay is a present, unthankful refusal, and a kind of denial. 2. Obey him thoroughly: a half obedience is disobedience. Put him not off with Ananias and Sapphira's gift; the half of that which he requireth of you. 3. Obey him constantly: not sometime hearkening to him, and more frequently neglecting him; but attending him in a learning, obediential course of life.
Direct. III. 'Neglect not those means which the Spirit hath appointed you to use, for the receiving of its help, and which he useth in all his holy operations.'—If you will meet with him, attend him in his own way, and expect him not in by-ways where he useth not to go. Pray, and meditate, and hear, and read, and do your best, and expect his blessing. Though your ploughing and sowing will not give you a plentiful harvest without the sun, and rain, and the blessing of God, yet these will not do it neither, unless you plough and sow. God hath not appointed a course of means in nature or morality in vain, nor will he use to meet you in any other way.
Direct. IV. 'Do most when the Spirit helpeth you most.'—Neglect not the extraordinary measures of his assistance: if he extraordinarily help you in prayer, or meditation, improve that help, and break not off so soon as at other times (without necessity): not that you should omit duty till you feel his help: for he useth to come in with help in the performance, and not in the neglect of duty: but tire not yourself with affected length, when you want the life.
Direct. V. 'Be not unthankful for the assistance he hath given you.'— Deny not his grace: ascribe it not to nature: remember it to encourage your future expectations: unthankfulness and neglect are the way to be denied further help.
Quest. 'But how shall I know whether good effects be from the means, or from my reason and endeavour, and when from the Spirit of God?'
Ans. It is as if you should ask, How shall I know whether my harvest be from the earth, or sun, or rain, or God, or from my labour? I will tell you how. They are all concauses: if the effect be there, they all concur: if the effect be wanting, some of them are wanting. It is foolish to ask, which is the cause, when the effect is not produced but