CHAPTER VII. Characters of a spiritual disposition are these.

CHAPTER VII. Characters of a spiritual disposition are these.

PART. II

CHAPTER I.

God acts upon the creature first, and not the creature first upon God.

2. The Lord's dominion of influences on free will. 3. Nor are we to be idle and sleep, because the Lord is Master of his own influences. 4. The Lord commands not us to have, or want influences. 5. Influences are not our warrant to act, but the efficient cause thereof.

Hitherto much hath been said of the Sovereignty of the Lord in divine influences. Now are we to speak of the way of getting these influences, and of the necessity of them, and how we may fetch the wind.

1. By natural actings.

2. By supernatural actings; by the word and promise.

3. By the efficient causes of influences, especially by the Spirit. Hence the division of influences.

1. By the infused habit of grace.

2. By spiritual dispositions.

In all which our faith, praying, using of grace, have their several influences.

What we may do to fetch heavenly influences from God, is above my reach to determine: only let these Propositions be considered.

Prop. 1. God by order of nature first acts upon the creature, and gives his stirring up influence to it. We cannot, in genere causae physicae, first breath upon God; he prevenes the Sun, and the Sun riseth or riseth not, as the Lord pleaseth to act upon it; but no second causes do prevene the first or universal cause: the Sun and Heaven do act first upon the Rose, but the Rose doth not first act upon the Sun and Heaven; Job 37:7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his works, &c. By the breath of God frost is given; this shows that the host of creatures in Heaven and in Earth, and the Sea are all dead passive sleepy cyphers and can do nothing, if the Lord do not stir them. God must be Father, Lord, and Author of all created actings, and faith would without carefulness or unbelief commit all to so wise a Steersman; though (Phil. 4:6.) the Sea shall drown me, the Fire consume me, the Air suffocate me; yet I desire to hear and obey that, Be careful in nothing, but pray, Matth. 6. I shall perish for want, ver. 25. Take no thought. They will kill me, if I confess Christ; Fear not, Matth. 10:28, 29, your Father cares for two sparrows and for every hair of your head. O but the Ship I am in is a sinking. Matth. 8:26. Why are ye fearful? Waken Christ by praying; ah, my little daughter is dead, Fear not, only believe, Mark 5:36, ah they shall deliver us to synagogues and prisons, and bring us before Kings, and all men shall hate us for Christ's sake. True: But there shall not one hair of your head perish; its but our unbelief which sees God suffering all to roll and reel as Fortune, Nature, and Devils will, which makes us sinfully care; For the Lord and Father of Christ cannot vace, and Christ's not working is contrary to John 5:17, but all are in a good hand.

Obj. But Heman saith, Psal. 88:13. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee, So the word <H&G> in piel, antecessit, antevertit, praeoccupavit, anticipavit; its to go before in time, in earliness, Psal. 119:148. Mine eyes prevent the night watch. Deut. 23:4. The Amalekites prevented you not with bread; its to go before in place, Psal. 68:26. The singers went before; its strange that any prayer could prevent God.

Ans. Not properly, he saith himself, Job 41:11. Who hath prevented me (the same word) that I should repay him? Then our preventing of God should lay some debt upon God, which is impossible; and as Paul observes, Rom. 11:35; who gave him first? Therefore 1. He speaks Psal. 88, of God after the manner of men, as if Heman, in a manner, were more early up in the morning to pray then the Lord were ready to hear; the contrary whereof is true; as if Heman 's early praying wakened God, Psal. 44:23. Awake, why sleepest thou? 2. There is a preventing of God as a Deliverer and a Comforter; God's order is, that our praying makes an impulsion and stirring on the Lord first, and then he delivers and comforts, Psal. 24:6. Psal. 18:6, 7, & 16, and so in order to comfort and deliverance in genere mediorum moralium prayer wakens Heaven and puts the Lord a working; but as touching the order of real and physical actings, the Lord prevents us: the string of the Harp or Viol is not said to touch the hand of the Musician, but the Musician's hand toucheth the string, hence is Music. Nor does the Axe stir and lift up the arm of the Carpenter, but the Carpenter's arm lifts up the Axe: therefore they who teach that our prayer and the actings of our free will can, and may prevent grace, in place of preventing grace, give us nature and the creature preventing God: we read of the Father drawing us, and the Son with the odor of his ointments drawing sinners; but to teach that nature prevents grace is to say we are before and above God: whereas the Rose warms not the Sun, but the Sun warms and nourishes the Rose; and the corn and herbs do not refresh the Heaven and the Clouds, but Heaven and Clouds nourish and refresh the corn and grass; and it must be untoward and froward divinity that the sick man heals the Physician. It is the grace (to speak so) of the Lord's free grace that the Lord prevents us, not we him; its impossible that nature can prevent grace.

Prop. 2. Though the Lord's promise and his free decree hath tied himself (in a manner) to be prevented by a moral cause; yet that moral cause even the praying man stirs not until God first prevent him to pray. Hence the Lord moves and wheels about the heart and will of the man, who is most free and most absolute among all the sons of men, even the King, Prov. 21:1, and that not if the King will and say amen with his prior or former or collateral consent, but whithersoever Jehovah will. Hence our prayers that God would incline our hearts to his testimonies, Psal. 119:36. Not incline the heart to any evil thing, Psal. 141:4. Unite the heart to fear his name, Psal. 86:11. So Jacob prays the Lord would give his sons favor in the eyes of the Governor of Egypt a Heathen man as to him: (Esther and her maids pray for grace in the eyes of Ahasuerus,) see Gen. 43:14. The Lord Almighty give you mercy before the man. If God could not indeclinably bow the will to his own way, side, or end, (be it by antecedent predetermination or what way else you shall call it, so the Lord be the more Master of willing and nilling then the creature) but in so doing he should destroy free will; we should in all such petitions pray for the destroying of free will, where sure, we pray for perfecting and the sanctified bowing of free will to obey God. 2. If the dominion of free acts remain strongly in the creatures power, we must in these suits (incline my heart unto thy testimonies) (lead us not into temptation) pray the Lord for that which is not in his power to give. 3. If God do carry free will whithersoever he pleaseth, then we must not defer the only praise of our obedience, and of our victory over temptations, to the grace of God, but to free will which made the discriminating difference. 1. Hence we are to commit our free will to the Lord's dominion of grace, and not to believe that such a tottering Goddess as free will which hath lost and destroyed Angels and the first man Adam, can guide well enough; Yea, 2. we are to bless the Lord for that impotency (if so it may be called) that the sovereign Lord's heavenly influences are not in the creatures coffers, to be husbanded by the creature; how false is it that Christ hath bought free will to himself. 3. How sweet is it that our head Christ, and we in him are more masters of men's hatred and favor, then they are themselves, Prov. 3:1, 4. Psal. 106:46, for would enemies and haters show us favor and love, if they were absolute Masters and Lords of their own hatred and love? Not at all; we must thank and bless a higher hand then such men. 4. Should we pray more, we should be more rained upon in our withered condition, by showers of influences of grace.

Object. By your way we cannot pray for influences, except the Lord bestow on us other foregoing influences.

Answ. What follows but that we are to pray that we may pray, and that we are to pray for our own prayers that they may be steeled with faith and strength of grace; And David prays for his own prayers, Psal. 5:2. Psal. 28:2. Psal. 88:2. Psal. 141:2. 2. Would the Objector relish prayers without influences of grace? Can nature pray in the holy Ghost? Can Christ intercede for the accepting of natures work?

Prop. 3. Because God only is Lord and Master of freewill and of the actings of all creatures, we are not to be idle, and upon that account to act nothing; for then should not the husband-man plow, sow, and labor; for God only is Lord and Master of the actings of the husband-man; and without the influences and blessing from on high, the husband-man's labors from the beginning of the year to the end, were no better than to plant Vine-trees in the bottom of the river Euphrates, or to sow Barley or Wheat in the Ocean sea. And so should the Seaman never sail; for God only can create winds and tide, and God only is Master of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, and of sailing, and of right steering of the Vessel; for since the Lord declares not his mind on the contrary, by forbidding men to pray, and others to plow and sail. 2. Since the Lord offers no positive violence to hinder these actings; And 3. because he commandeth us to do them, it becomes us to set to work, and to act with and under him, and to commit the event and blessing to him. Indeed, if the Lord were so Lord of our actings, as he did all and whole the work, and we did act nothing at all in praying, yea and in plowing, but were mere dead and useless patients, as Libertines dream, something might follow to justify our idleness; but our corruption following Satan teacheth us either to sacrifice to our own net, and say vainly, either we do all, and God does nothing, and so we darken his glory who works all our works in us, and for us, or then we say on the other extreme we do nothing, and God does all; and therefore must we say let God pray, labor the earth, trade and sail, and put our hand in our bosom and sleep? But the former is sacrilege and idolatry, and robs the Lord of his glory, and the latter is proclaimed disobedience; Yea, and whether the influence of God antecedently master the creatures actings, or we jointly and collaterally be mastered and determined by the creature, we are in both cases to act and do what is good, and are not to make God's influence our rule of doing, or not doing.

Prop. 4. Hence to have, or not to have the influence of God, is not commanded in the Word nor have we any physical power over the Lord's acts of Omnipotency; for we do not formally love God and keep his Commandments, in a way commendable (if we speak of the moral cause of obedience) because he works in us both to will and to do, but because he hath commanded us to love him, and to keep his Commandments, John 14:15. Psal. 119:4, 5, 6.

Hence 1. The Libertine is blasphemously wide, the creature can do (says he) nothing good or evil, God worketh all sin, all obedience immediately in us; its in vain to read, pray, hear the word, meditate, confer, or go about works of reforming abuses in religion, because all these are to no purpose, without the spirit. 2. We are not to do anything, because God in his word hath commanded us to do it, but because the Spirit immediately acts in us to do, and immediate impulsion of the Spirit is now instead of the Law and of the word of God, either written or preached; but this is a wicked confounding of the efficient real cause and the strength of which we obey, with the objective cause and morally directing, commanding and persuading rule according to which we are to regulate and order our obedience; yea, and children can contradict this who know that the Mason who employs his strength to build, must be differenced from the Masons Rule and the Art, plummet and line according to which he works: for otherwise its all one as to say the power or faculty visive of seeing were light were colors that are seen, and the soldiers force and strength of apprehending a man, and Law and justice according to which they do it, were all one: a gracious soul doth all acts of obedience upon the account of a command of God, and fetcheth his moral and godly delight from the command of God: the facility and strength of doing is indeed from the Spirit, for whose help he desires to be thankful and to whom he desires to give all the praise and glory.

2. Its a false Spirit which is so contrary to the word of precept and command.

3. Its fit to subscribe to that, Psal. 127:1. Except the Lord build the house, they build in vain that build; except the Lord watch the City, the watchman waketh but in vain. 1 Cor. 3:7. So then neither is he that planteth, nor he that watereth anything but God that giveth increase. But the holy Ghost never dreamed of such an inference, therefore let builders, watchmen and Ministers of the Gospel go to bed and sleep, for God, he alone shall build Cities and Houses, and watch over men and all societies, and bring all souls to Christ; yea, he hath commanded us to act and to help the Lord (so he speaketh, Judges 5:23. 1 Cor. 3:9. 1 Cor. 4:1, and it hath a real truth, though he needs no help from the creature) and we are for his holy commands sake to act, and to eye and trust in him who in all the acts of nature, and economy and art leads the way, and in all the acts of grace; yea, we are to rejoice that the Lord Jesus is Master of work and only Steersman.

CHAPTER II.

What the natural man can do to get influences; the natural man can do more then he does, and can exercise the natural powers to come within the bosom of the net, though he cannot hale himself to land.

2. How the Lord can command the naturally blind to see and believe. 3. How sin original deserves eternal wrath. 4. Its such a sin in infants. 5. The want of original righteousness and a power of believing is a sin in us. 5. How the Lord commands impotent men.

The greater doubt is how the Lord can command supernatural acts to a man drowned in nature: but its not here as when a Tyrant commands a child to wheel about the first heaven, else he shall kill him: for the so moving of the heaven is neither a moral duty, nor was it ever a duty compassable by the physical power of the arm of a child or a strong man. But the main intent of our Lord in laying on supernatural commands upon man unable to believe, is that men may know what they can pay, and what they owe and can never pay, but not of their own pay the debt of faith: the precept is not unrational where the end is rational. 2. Not that the natural man may satisfy, but that he may come and compone, and acquiesce to a friendly Gospel treaty; for nothing heighteneth the price and worth of Christ more in the shining of free grace, nothing kills and renders self-condemned the man more then a seen necessity of forgiving love; yea, the reading of the writ of the Law-debt with tears, when this is holden out to us (the Lord gave a bill of grace to those who had nothing to pay and he forgave them frankly) is a strongly convincing dispensation.

2. Something which is really little or nothing, a natural man may do to fetch the wind when he cannot command it, and cannot sail, he may and often doth exercise the natural faculty of moving from place to place, and comes as a mere natural man, upon a mere natural motive, sinful curiosity, and a purpose violently to apprehend Christ, as the soldiers do, John 7:45, 46, 47, yea, with bloody hearts and a purpose to persecute as the hearers of Peter do, Acts 2, and yet beside and contrary to the will and intent, the man is wrought upon, and converted before he go away; as some go to Sea and sail to India poor with no intention to be enriched with gold, but only to get bread, and yet they come again from India rich with Indian gold, and many precious stones far beside their intention. A man rude and ignorant goes to Athens upon no purpose to become learned, yet providence so disposeth that he falls in love with learning, and studying many years, he returns from Athens a most learned man. Now no man can say that either the Indian gold, or the learning of Athens did contribute any real or physical strength to his loco-motive and natural faculty of journeying to India or Athens: so neither can it be said the Spirit of grace or the Gospel of grace did add any new real and physical strength to Peter 's hearers to cause them to come in under the stroke of the preached Gospel. Now the Gospel is the power of God to salvation; the Apostle useth such spiritual weapons of warfare to cast down strong holds; its the arm of the Lord, Rom. 1:16. 2 Cor. 10:56. Isa. 53:1, and the preached Gospel is the triumphing chariot of Christ conquering, Christ's office-house of free grace. Now a man on his own feet, and by his own strength, though sick, may come to the Physicians office-house where all his medicine boxes and helps and remedies of health are, and be cured ere he go away, and may go away with perfect strength and health; yet he came to the Physicians house in no strength nor health, which he received from his art and medicine. The Word is the net, the Fish may come in its own natural motion within the bosom of the net; but its the strength of the arms of the Fisher, that hales the Fish to land; the Fish catcheth not itself. The word of God is a sharp two-edged sword, and doth the work by the Spirit, Heb. 4:12. The mouth of Christ is like a sharp sword, Isa. 49:2. His arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies, whereby the people fall under him, Isa. 45:5. A man may in his own natural strength come in within the shoot of Christ's arrow, and under the smiting and stroke of the drawn sword of the Gospel; for Christ puts forth his power in his Ministers, and renewed and unrenewed may come and hear.

3. The difference betwixt the Law and Gospel is, that the Law neither promises nor gives strength, but presupposeth that the man hath strength: but the Gospel promiseth a new heart, and the Law engraven in the heart; therefore Christ doth reign in the New Testament in the actual Omnipotency of grace, and men by a mere local motion of nature or some superadded morality good or bad, come in to wisdoms house of wine, and bring themselves in under the scattered fire coals of Gospel-administration, with no intention spiritual to believe and be saved; and so the coming in to hear, and the applying of the natural organ of hearing, the setting on work the unrenewed mind, judgment, conscience, heart and affections to the literal considering and weighing of the strong reasons that are in the Gospel casteth the man and his soul by a good and inevitable consequent under such heavenly flaming's of quickening influences as convey the preached Gospel by an Ordinance of God, in due order, to cause such as are chosen of God believe: its in a man's free will to draw near to the fire, or not to draw near, but when he is come to the fire side, the fire can make him hot, whether he will or no. By a free election a man casts timber in the fire; but without any election, a strong fire cannot choose but burn dry fuel. Its true, the sea-man cannot create winds, nor change the blowing of the wind from East to West; yet he can prepare his vessel, hoist the sails, and fit the ship for receiving the winds. The husband-man hath no command of winds, of rain, of clouds, of summer Sun; yet may he dress, labor, and sit and prepare his rigs and garden to lie under the seasonable influences of such Summer air, rain, dew and impressions of the heaven and the clouds, as the Lord of nature shall afford. Now as all the Kings and Powers on earth cannot command wind and rain; so is there no industry required of the husband-man to procure summer or calm seasons: nor can the Plough act upon the Sun and clouds; nor is the blame to be laid upon the Seamans sleepiness, that the wind is not fair for sailing, and that the Sea flows not so high; yet hath the Lord of purpose left to all unrenewed men born where the Gospel is preached, the gates and ports of wisdoms house open, that they may come and hear, and pass their judgment what they think of Immanuel's land, that runs with wine and milk; yea and the entry to this house is feasible and accessible, by natural strength, to fools and idiots, to learned and unlearned; so that they need not say, Who shall ascend up to heaven? That is, to bring Christ again from above: Or, who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But the word is now near even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach, Rom. 10:7, 8, 9, 10. Deut. 13:14. The preached Law leading pedagogically to Christ in Moses time, and the plainly preached Gospel offered to all in Paul 's time, is an open door to all, who love to come near to Christ and to be warmed by him; in which consideration there is a key put in every man's hand. 1. The unrenewed man turns away his ear from the Law, and will not let the news of the Gospel lodge in his ear, or the outer room of his soul; ye set not a work the literal actings and cogitations of the heart, to think whether Christ, and Heaven and Hell concerns you, or no. So 2. The believer under deadness and saddest desertion, when he is at this, All is but counterfeit work I had before, Psal. 31:22. Jer. 2:4. Job 13:24. God reputes me as an enemy; He may read the word, hear the Gospel preached, and cast himself in Christ's way, and come in under the cast of his saving influences, and so the fire may be kindled of new: the sin is that the natural man useth wit, judgment, memory, for a worldly bargain of gain, but not for salvation. 3. Christ is in his own ordinance: never man before he be converted, can savingly intend his own conversion; Peter and John, and Matthew, when Christ spoke to them, minded no saving work on their spirits; nor did the three thousand, Acts 2, nor the Jailor, Acts 16, mind so much as they met with. Many came to Christ for bodily health, and to be freed of Satan in a bodily possession; yet when they see and hear Christ lying at wait, in ambush, in the preached Gospel, they are beyond their intentions taken captives. There is a great difference betwixt the doing of the bulk and body of an action, and the action commanded by the highest authority of God; even though the man perform not the action upon the account of a divine command. Suppose Naaman had seven times and seventy-seven times washed himself in Jordan, some days before the Prophet of the Lord commanded him to wash, it had been to no purpose, he had not been cleansed from his Leprosy. It were good we prize more that which men call the foolishness of preaching: the Spirit breaths in, and through his own ordinance, when we know not.

Quest. How can it stand with justice to command us, to make ourselves a new heart and a new Spirit, since we are unable to make to ourselves a new heart? Ezech. 18:51, for saith Pelagius, inability to obey cannot be both a sin and a punishment of sin.

Ans. 1. The commands of circumcising ourselves to the Lord, and of making a new heart, which are laid upon us, are materially Evangelic; but as they are charged upon unrenewed men they are formally legal, upon the Lord's intention also Evangelic to the chosen to fit them for Christ: Nor can these commands have this sense; I command and enjoin to you the omnipotent infusion of a new heart. 1. God lays no acts of the infinite and omnipotent God upon the finite creature. 2. It is not his intention, nay nor his will, that reprobates create in themselves, new vital principles of life, since no such supernatural principles of the life of Christ, was merited to them by the death of Christ. 3. Its not physically possible to the Elect or to any to create a new heart to themselves from the very same principles in number, which they lost in Adam: for its a contradiction, that what is done, should not be done, and what is lost, should not be lost. Nor can the Lord command the glorified in Heaven, in whom the habit of holiness is perfected, to be now in glory justified by works; for as its a contradiction, that such as once broke the Law, can be said never to have broken the Law, so is it a contradiction, that such as have once sinned and fallen from Law-righteousness, should ever after, even for eternity be justified by that Law-righteousness which once they lost, or that they should be justified both by grace, or by the redemption that is in Jesus without works, Rom. 3:15. Rom. 4:1, 2, 3, and also should be justified by debt and hire and by works, as Paul opposeth the one to the other, Rom. 4, and no doubt all the glorified were once justified by grace without works; even Abraham, David, and all like them, how then can they be justified by works forever and ever in Heaven? See Rom. 11:6.

Qu. What then requires the Lord in these (believe ye in Christ) [make you a new heart] except we say we have strength natural to obey, and that by natures law many were saved?

Ans. 1. He requires the free act of believing, but withal he requires what is our duty and moral obligation, but not what is our physical strength to perform.

2. He shows our impotency to wrestle out of the pit of misery, except he give us Evangelic strength to escape: nor is it the Lord's intention or decree that such as have fallen in the first Adam should rise again by the first Adam, or their own strength; or should pay of their own, the money that they wasted in Adam.

Or 3. That they should have, or get again the same individual sanctified power, which they lost in Adam.

Or 4. That they should have these influences of God they once lost.

Object. They are either condemned, because they believe not by their own strength, or because they believe not by a supernatural grace, but both are physically impossible. Now we can all keep the Law whole ourselves, justify ourselves, live without sin.

Ans. 1. They are condemned, because they believe not through a supernatural power, which power all are obliged to have; for it was once a concreated and gifted power: and the want of the power of believing is a culpable and sinful want of that image of God, which man is obliged to have, Rom. 3:23.

2. Whatever principle and power of believing be the ground of Gospel-unbelief which condemns men, the sons of Adam love that want, and such as are within the visible Church are condemned for their voluntary unbelief, John 5:24, and John 5:40. Ye will not come to me, that ye may be saved; As for the want of the power of believing, it is common to all mankind, to such as hear the Gospel, and to all the Heathen, and therefore cannot be the nearest formal principle of that Gospel-unbelief, for which they are condemned, who being within the visible Church, do not believe. And upon the same ground the culpable want of the power of believing, as of the rest of the parts of the image of God, must be a sin against the covenant of works, common to all mankind: now such as never heard the Gospel cannot be guilty of a sin proper to the covenant of grace.

Qu. What then? Is that a just command that the Lord should charge, under the highest pain, even of the second death, the blind to see; that is, that the natural man believe, and in the meantime, God judicially puts out his eyes, and out of his absolute freedom refuses to restore to him the faculty of seeing.

Ans. Suppose 1. That the want of soul power to see is both a sin, (the contrary of it being moral goodness a part of original righteousness and of the concreated image of God, to wit, of righteousness and holiness, Ephes. 4:23, 24. Colos. 3:10, which makes a man lovely to God;) as also a punishment inflicted, as Pharaoh 's obstinate hardness is both a heinous sin, and also judicially afflicted for former sins: And then the holy Law may as well charge men to be holy and able to believe, though they be judicially blind: As God may charge Pharaoh 's heart to be soft, and moved with rods, and to yield to the command, (Let my people go) when God judicially hardens the heart.

2. Suppose that man loves willingly to be blind, as all love their native blindness.

3. Suppose the blind man to be under the moral debt of having his seeing faculty, even the complete image of God, and of loving, and not hating his Physician Christ (when revealed and preached) who only can restore his faculty of seeing. Now man remaining after the Fall a reasonable creature, is obliged by the first command to believe God in all he saith, and to love Christ, God incarnate or not incarnate. He from whom the eyes are plucked, cannot be under a moral obligation to see, because the eye seeth not by freedom, that is, inherent in the eye: But a man within the visible Church is obliged to perform all free obedience of believing in Christ revealed, whether habitual or actual, which his Creator commands; so the comparison halts widely.

4. Suppose the man does first with his own hand put out his own eyes, as we did in Adam; and that the relation of penalty follows this blindness, by the will of the just Creator, as its here.

5. Suppose the blind man gave virtual consent to the voluntarily loved want of the lovely and gracious art of the only Physician, who can restore his sight, as the case is here.

6. Suppose that the Creator of eyes hath once given the faculty of seeing, and that he is not obliged to restore it ever when the man casts it away; and that the man a thousand times winks, and shuts his eyes, and hates to be anointed; and you shall see there is no ground to quarrel with the just and holy Lord.

Q. Whereas the contrary opinion that denies original fin to be sin, as Pelagians, Arminians, Socinians, 1. Contradicts Scripture, which calls it both sin and iniquity, Psal. 51:5. Uncleanness, Job 14:4. The frame of the heart evil. 2. Only evil. 3. Continually. 4. From the womb, Gen. 6:5. Gen. 8:21. Offence, Rom. 5:15, 17, 18. Disobedience by which many are made sinners, 19. Indwelling sin, even when Paul is justified. A body of sin, Rom. 7:17, 23, 24. The sin that doth so easily beset us, Heb. 12:1. Shall we teach the Lord to speak?

2. The Lord saith it is an offense by which many be dead, Rom. 5:15. By which the judgment is, by one, unto condemnation. It is the condemnation to the first and second death, from which we are delivered in Jesus Christ, Rom. 5:16. Rom. 8:1. It's an offense by which death reigned as a King. Now if this death be but a temporary death, how is it opposed to the reigning in life by one Jesus Christ, Rom. 5:17? And as sin reigned unto death, even so grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5:21. Now except the Scripture had taught us that there is one sort of sin that deserves temporal death, another that deserves eternal death, we cannot believe Mr. Baxter.

3. It makes us children of wrath (Eph. 2:3.) by nature, as others are. If it be temporary wrath only, and Infants be free of sin that condemns to the second death; Christ bare in his body the sin of no Infants; Christ died for sinners only, the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3:18. Rom. 4:25. Isa. 53:6, 10. Infants are not sinners, nor are sucking Infants laved and washed in his blood, as others, Rev. 1:5. Nor are they sinners whom Christ came to save, 1 Tim. 1:15. Nor are Infants any of the many, or of the all, for whom Christ gave himself a ransom, Mat. 20:28. 1 Tim. 2:6. And since the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to Infants, and they are to be baptized, Act. 2:38, 39, there must be some other name by which Infants must be saved, then by the name of Jesus Christ, contrary to Act. 4:12. For what need is there of Christ's righteousness, and of remission of sins, and redemption in Christ's blood, Rom. 3:25. Ephes. 1:7. Col. 1:13, 14, to Infants, if sin original be no sin.

4. Heathens, ignorant of sin original, are still left by such masters to accuse Justice. If Infants be free of sin, why is nature called by them a step-dame, which hath brought forth men in such misery when they enter in the world? Why do Infants suffer death, burning, drowning, ripping up, and wounding in the womb? Why suffer they such wrath of pining sickness, incursions of Devils, if all these be free of sin? Some say these are temporary evils, but it proves not any sin deserving eternal burning to be in Infants. The Lord needs not my lie; but let any man answer me in point of holy spotless justice, how a punishment of ten degrees can more be inflicted for that which is no sin, nor any transgression of a Law, then a punishment of a thousand degrees? See how Mr. Baxter, with Arminians and Pelagians, can from Scripture teach us of whole sins and half sins, whole wrath and hell, and half wrath and half condemnation, or half hell.

Q. But what Law is there that we should have the power of believing, or the image of God? The covenant of works doth presuppose that image to be in man; otherwise he is not in a capacity to be in covenant with God, therefore it could not be enjoined and commanded in the covenant of works that Adam should have this Image of God. And if so, the want of it must be a mere punishment, not a sin.

Ans. The Lord in creating Adam must necessarily have a twofold Consideration. 1. of a Creator. 2. Another of a Law-giver. In the first the Lord creates Being; but in the latter he is such a special Creator, to wit, a Law-giving Creator, who, while he creates Being, does concreate these noble Principles, and write and by nature engrave the Law of the Image of God, the natural knowledge of God, his holiness, justice, mercy, &c. and of right and wrong, and a natural holiness and innate conformity of the heart to the eternal Law of God in man's soul. A Painter draws the portrait of a living beautiful heroic King, according to the living man; the Painter both gives being to the painted image, and such a being, according to the law and art of painting; he follows exactly and accurately his copy and living sampler, and so gives a law to his own acts of painting. And therefore God, in one and the same act, both creates man, and gives him a being, even holiness, his image, and holy being; and in creating of man, gives, and concreates, and engraves the image of GOD, sound knowledge, right inclinations; and while the Lord creates, he gives and engraves a Law; and while he gives and engraves a Law, he creates man. And therefore it follows not that the covenant of works does not presuppose the image of God in man; and it does not follow but the very act of God in stamping and engraving his image in Adam, is also a giving of him a Law. Yea, God in creating any creature of nothing, does also concreate, as a sort of Law-giver, such a natural Law. Every creature, Sun, Moon, Heaven, Earth, Sea, Man, Angel, ought to be subject as a creature to God Creator in being and operation. Here is both the act of a Creator, and also the act of a Law-giver.

Now the eternal Law of God requires that man's soul should be, by creation, endued with the image of God; and Adam and Eve by that image said Amen to that Law for a time, Eat not, lest ye die. They knew the Law was just, and they knew it was their natural obligation to obey; and how can it be denied but this knowledge was a part of the man's natural goodness and holiness, and so agreeable to the eternal Law of God; and that the contrary of this, to doubt of the truth of this, as Satan induced them to do, Gen. 3, was a blacking of that fair image, and contrary to the law of nature?

2. The more of this image that is left in the souls of men by nature, as the more knowledge, natural justice, and virtue remain in Aristides, Regulus, Seneca, Tullius, &c. the more lovely they are, and so must their [souls have a more natural conformity with the law of nature then other Heathens, who killed their aged Fathers, sacrificed their sons to Devils, used wives promiscuously. Then, what God condemns in us, that we should condemn in ourselves, and therefore are to be humbled for our state we are in by nature. For we are dead in sins and trespasses, by nature the children of wrath, as well as others, Eph. 2:1, 4, We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Psal. 51:5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother warm me. Upon this account the Lord suffers his own to fall and lie in the dust, and to know what beasts they are, as the godly confess, Psal. 73:23. Prov. 30:2, themselves to be. Nothing men are more ashamed of then that they are descended of a traitorous and bloody Family, that sucked the paps of the bear or the wolf, that the father and mother were dogs and swine, and they born of leprous parents: the house of sinful Adam, that we lay claim unto, is a botch-house, and leper-house, and worse: And this is more vile then if there were none of the world that we could claim kindred unto but serpents, dogs, swine and wolves.

2. How proud and shameless are we to deny this running botch of sin original, and say it is no sin? Would it cure a man of a raging pest-boil, to say it was no pest, to give it another name? It's a part of original sin in our Atheism to bely the Lord, and say it is soul-sickness, but it is not sin; it deserves not the second death. Infants then, dying Infants, are no debtors to the complete ransom of blood that Christ gave to deliver them from the wrath: And when our Savior blessed Infants, and said, Of such is the kingdom of heaven, his sense must be, that infants departing this life in infancy, hold heaven by no Charter of Christ, the heir of all; are not washed from sin, are not delivered from wrath to come, nor obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is in 1 Thessal. 5:9.

3. What debt is this; who of Angels or men can pay the hire of free love to Christ? Ye were born beasts, Tigers, Lions, Dogs, and broods of Satan and the Serpents seed, and Christ hath made you sons of God, Kings and Priests to God, heirs of life, co-heirs with Christ, partakers of the divine nature, the first-born of God written in heaven.

4. Never dream that your own strength, or good parts of nature can fit and spiritually capacitate you for receiving influences for spiritual duties; nature cannot more prepare itself for grace, and a gracious state, then a Thistle can change itself into a Vine-tree: Christ is good at all indispositions of deadness, of a natural state; whom he quickens that man and he only shall live; who can help a dead heart, but he that is the resurrection and the life, and he who raises the dead only can quicken such dead ones.

5. Its a bold and proud Pen that would plead and advocate for such a hellish nature, and except Satan and his sons Pelagians; what do they but depose Christ from his office of the Physician of sinners, and bid him go back to Heaven with his Medicaments of free grace? There be here no sick folks, free will is strong enough, new habits of grace are useless, the letter and moral acting of the word can raise dead souls? Shall we thus requite Christ for his free grace.

6. Though there be no merit in diligent seeking and hearing the preached Gospel, its good to lie near the fountain for all that; as motion begets and augments vital heat and activity to move, frequent seeking brings home influences; so we are here in using means, compare Cant. 3:1, 2, 3, with v. 4, and Psal. 22:2, with Psal. 18:6. Gen. 32:26, 27, 28. But of this hereafter.

CHAPTER III.

The second particular of fetching influences is by supernatural actings by the word and spirit.

1. Its a question whether justified ones perform any moral actions without any influence of the habit of grace. 1. Some heat and warmness may arise materially from actings in duties though customary, formal, dead. 3. The exercises of spiritual actions are the best preparations for spiritual actions. 4. Influences of grace oil the wheels of the soul for more spiritual acting. 5. Natural and literal actings, though void of grace, because they are some way under the institution of a divine command are nearer to saving actings of grace, then the contraries of these actions are. 6. A practice of free grace in the Lord, is to be differenced from a promise of grace. 7. How the Lord is under a necessity of giving influences.

There be some actings even in renewed men, partly from the Spirit, partly from nature, custom or formality. The question is thus framed, because it is a disputable question; Whether justified ones do any actions morally good from an only principle natural, without any influence of the indwelling spirit at all, since their sins, after their being in Christ, are not committed with the full force of the will; for the Spirit in some measure retards and weakens the motion of the flesh, Rom. 7, and the habit of sin original is weakened and remitted or slacked in its strength in the regenerate; and therefore it would seem, if the spirit do weaken, retard and blunt the actions of the flesh, that far more there is in all moral actions that are good morally, some influence of the Spirit less or more. So the Question is, whether or no the children of God may safely set to work, though their actions proceed from conscience, natural power, custom or a mere office, with little influence of habitual grace, to works of grace that they may fetch influences of grace.

1. Its not unlike it may be so for the godly who went to the morning and evening prayers and sacrifices, as is clear, Psal. 141:2. Acts 3:1. Luke 1:8, 9, might go about these duties sometime upon mere custom (and the children of God who know their own back drawing hearts shall not deny this) and they may pray from a natural conscience, and not so much as is required, and otherwise they do mind the duty as an Ordinance of God, and yet be inflamed with spiritual duties ere they end; this is confirmed by family praying at set times; so may a Pastor by necessity of his office, preach and pray at the beginning with much deadness and coldness, and more than an ordinary straitening of spirit, and yet a fire flaught of a heavenly kindling falls upon the spirit before the work be ended. Any who believes that the wind blows where it lists, and that the influences of the spirit are various as touching their degrees may see the truth of this.

2. The children of God appear dead, cold, and unbelievingly to complain in the beginning of praying, and of a Psalm, as is clear in David, Psal. 22:2, exponing that of him (as some verity it hath in some points of him, v. 2.) and in Hezekiah in his song, Isa. 39:10, in Jonah 2:1, 2, 3, and in the same David, Psal. 6. Psal. 38, in the Church, Psal. 77:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. in the afflicted soul, Psal. 102:1, 2, 3, 4, and yet there is confidence of believing, triumphing, rejoicing in God and praising, ere the Prayer and Psalm be ended.

3. The prayers of the children of God, Psal. 22. Ps. 6. Ps. 38. Psal. 116. Habak. 1:12, of Heman, Psal. 88, of Hezekiah, Isa. 38, of Jonah. c. 2, of Moses, Psal. &c. of the Church, Psal. 102. Psal. 89, hold forth to us admirable variety of up-lifting and down-casting, of joy, of believing, of sinking and doubting, of hoping, and legal fretting, strong ebbing and flowing of faith, and fainting, of light and darkness; as Psal. 22:2. O my God, I cry by day, and thou hearest not; and in the night season, I am not silent; yet arising, ver. 3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel! Ver. 4. Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted and thou didst deliver them, &c. And again, some fainting is in that, v. 6. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men and despised of the people. Ver. 7. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn, &c. At least this might brangle the faith of a sinful man, such as David; And again, there is a rising, v. 9, 10. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was on my mothers breast, &c. So is there Psal. 102, fainting, ver. 3. My bones are consumed like smoke: and my bones are burnt as a hearth. Ver. 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass. And ver. 12, there is a rising of faith; But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever; and thy remembrance to all generations. Ver. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion. Psal. 77:4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Ver. 7. Will the Lord cast off forever? Its low enough now, and yet how doth the Church lift up her head? Ver. 13. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a Lord, as our God? So Lam. 1:2, 3, 4, 5, 6:7, 8, &c. compared with ver. 2, 22, 23, in which actings under unbelief and customary formality with some glimmering of fainting faith eying the command of God, in the darkness, when there is no light, Isa. 60:10, 11, &c. there go along some farther actings of the spirit: not that we think there is any truth of that of the School-men; To him who doth what he can, by the strength of nature, God denies not helps and influences of grace. Yet in these we see God comes along with his influences.

But if we say 4. That there are in the renewed child of God, some stirrings of the spirit in all these acts, we go about under deadness, then one act of praying, and the influence of grace makes way physically to another, and that to a third; for to say nothing of the promise, To him that hath it shall be given, (of which hereafter) I do but provoke to the experience of the Saints, if here the second pull of prayer be not stronger than the first, and the third then the second, and the fourth above the third; for when the wheels are a going, the Organs of the spirit do not weary: And there is a reserve of fresh strength and a stronger recruit, and supply in Jacob's wresthng until the dawning reserved, and more strength of heavenly violence to prevail with God, then in his wresthng all the night, Gen. 32:26. Let me go (saith the Angel of the Covenant, Christ) for the day breaketh: And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 28. As a Prince thou hast power with God, saith the Lord to him. And we see one throwing about of the key when the lock of the door is rusted, maketh the second throwing about more easy, and the third throw does yet more, and the seventh or the tenth throw makes the passage of the iron bolt yet most easy, and the door at length, with little violence, is opened, when now the rust and straitness is removed: And a flaming of the fire prevailing over a dry tree, makes easy way to a second flaming, and that to a third, and so to all the rest, till the timber be consumed, and the fire be fully victorious. Believing adds to believing; praying begets more praying; and we see motion breeds warmness, and that stronger motion, and cold hearts that are dead, and almost frozen, by one smiting of influences grow hotter, and by two or three or seven actings of the spirit, grow yet hotter, and yet more hot. And there is something in that Cant. 6:11. I went down to the garden of nuts. 12. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariot of Aminadab, or of my willing people. There is some stiffness upon the living man when he first begins to move, but a little motion makes him more agile. Dr. Preston may aim at the like truth. If a man (saith he) were to run a race, if he were to do any bodily exercise, there must be strength of body, he must be fed well, that he may have ability; but the use of the very exercise itself, the very particular act, which is of the same kind with the exercise, is the best thing to fit him for it. So in this duty of prayer; it's true, to be strong in the inner man, to have much knowledge, to have much grace, makes a man fit and able for the duty: But if you speak of the immediate preparation for it, I say, the best way to prepare us for it, is the very duty itself, as all actions of the same kind increase the habits, so prayer makes us fit for prayer: and that is a rule. The way to godliness is the compass of godliness itself; that is, the way to grow in grace, is the exercise of that grace. I wish this man of God, and others more experienced then I, had said more of this unknown subject; and that the Lord would sit builders in both Kingdoms to draw up a body of Theologia practica, that Divinity were more in our hearts, its too much in the heads of many; only I speak here of preparation to receive influences, D. Preston of the preparation to duties, to praying under indisposition. But I would not be understood so, as if I thought acts of influences, which are acts of Omnipotency, might be sharpened and facilitated by our actings; Only my meaning is that the passive capacity of the soul may be widened and enlarged to receive showers of quickening influences from the Lord by frequent acts. Experience, in my weak apprehension, may speak influence of grace oils the wheels of the soul. Prov. 1:5. A wise man will hear, and increase learning: and a man of understanding, shall attain unto wise counsels. We grow hot, like hot iron reddened in the fire, by praying, and are softened and macerated like dry and parched ground, by frequent showers; and though the heart be frozen and cold, when we begin to duties of praying, praising, meditating, conferring of the word, hearing, yet incalescimus, we grow warm by acting: the rising of the Sun causeth the Ice to drop off the houses. Its a naughty heart that is in the same case after frequent prayer, that it was in before; It says that the man hath been sweating at the letter and bark of the duty; little of the bark or letter of the duty takes glueing with the heart, but hardly can the grace of the duty go along with the heart, but there is much that cleaves to the heart; so that influences thaw the heart. Luke 24:32. Did not (say the Disciples) our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while the opened to us the Scriptures? Cant. 1:4. When the King brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, and remember thy love more than wine. Sure when the influences of Christ are fiery and live coals, it is no wonder they leave lively warmings upon the heart. Cant. 4:16. Awake, O North wind, and come thou South, and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out. It must be a speech to the Spirit to breath upon the Saints that they may smell and flow more in the actings of the spirit. Psal. 119:32. I shall run the ways of thy Commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Running speaks more of a spiritual capacity to receive drawing influences either actual or habitual; and the enlarging notes straitening, and that influences find us dead and bring vigorousness with them.

Though in this or that act of breathing there shine absolute liberty; for who hired the Lord to moisten the withered tree? Yet there is place for that Question, Whether the Lord hath not brought himself under a holy necessity of giving influences? To which its answered in these.

1. As there is a necessity of a Decree relating to means and end, so is there a necessity of a promise, as to the former. The Lord created the first Vine-tree, and the first Rose, and they seeded and brought forth other Roses and Vine-trees; the Lord first prevenes savingly the dead sinner and by an infused habit (as we shall hear) puts the sinner under an obligation to duties, and puts himself, because of his intended end, to save lost sinners (as it were) under an obligation of bestowing influences of grace, (though in another consideration they be given through sovereignty of grace) because his holy decree carries him not to be wanting to his own seed, nor to forsake the work of his hands. Nature giving hunger, and the holy and supreme Lord of nature giving appetite to eat and drink, gives us also a power of concoction. The Bird by an intended end lays one straw and one feather in the nest, and so it must lay another and a third and a fourth; for the Lord of nature intends a complete house for the Eggs and the young birds: and in like manner the Lord of grace hath a design of grace in his heart to bring many sons to glory. And he must upon the like intention proceed, to make the seed a tree; but first he must make it a plant, and ripen the grape and boil it more with the heat of the Sun, until he make it ripe for the wine-press and the fat: So must he add influences daily of free grace for the perfecting of the work he hath begun, in his holy decree as well as in the execution, until he perfect it unto the day of the Lord Jesus.

But 2. There is need to distinguish betwixt a practice of free grace in the Lord, (some call it half a promise) and a promise of free grace: And these must be cleared. As to the former; the Lord doth many things of mere grace relating to his free goodness. 2. To his free decree of grace. 3. To his holy order of working, which he hath not promised to do: As of his free goodness, he creates the world, he feeds the Ravens, he preserves wicked Sodom from the sword, and cursed Cham from being drowned, when the whole world in godly Noah 's time perished in the waters; yet hath he engaged himself by promise to none of his creatures, Angels or Men that he shall create the World, that he shall feed the Ravens, that he shall preserve Sodom.

2. According to his free decree of grace he intends from eternity to save Jacob; For he loved him, before he had done good or evil; and he ordains all the chosen to life eternal. But because he decrees to bring Jacob and such to glory, it follows not that he engaged by promise because of his eternal decree, to bring Jacob to glory, except we should say whatever God decrees to do, that also he promises to do; which were not good divinity.

3. As to his order of working; the Lord ordinarily from much laboring and painful sowing brings a rich harvest; from careful watching he makes a safe City; Yet there is not any promise in the word that from the simply careful use of means, the desired end shall follow; for the City is often well watched, and yet surprised: some sow much, and reap little, Psal. 127:1, 2. Hag. 1:6, 9.

Yet is there a practice of free grace in this order; that the blind men cry, Son of David, have mercy on us; (yet they possibly intend only by the way side to beg) and Christ of free grace gives them seeing eyes. There is no promise of grace that Christ shall heal all blind men begging by the way, who shall pray to the Son of David for seeing eyes, or that the Lord Jesus who is as mighty now as ever, shall send out influences to heal all the blind so crying: for seeing eyes the Eunuch reads Acts 8, the Lord falls on him, with influences of grace to reveal Christ in a saving manner, to him; not because he reads, or because there is a promise made to save all who read the word. Upon sinful ends, the multitude, Acts 2, come to hear the word; their intention of hearing, being mocking enemies, was naught; Yet by a practice of grace, not by any promise of grace they are converted. Now in this it may be said, that the natural yea and faithless use of means hath some influence ex natura rei upon the effect, not by promise, yet by the decree of God; and so by no merit, because by no promise (for another merit, then what is founded upon free promise, and not upon the worth and condignity of work and wages, I hope never to acknowledge, by his grace, whom I desire to be my inward teacher) and to me reading, hearing, use of means, have a material influence as to the practice, not to the promise of grace; For according to the Philosophy I learned; six is materially a number nearer of blood and kindred to eight, then four is; yet six and eight are numbers in specie and nature no less different than eight and four, or then eight and two which are materially farther different than six and eight, which are different only by two. So the Embryo before life, and the birth now quickened by life differ in nature and specie, as living and not living differ: Yet the Embryo the shaped organized body void of life is materially nearer to a living birth, then the seed is to a living birth. So I shall never teach that hearing, reading, literal considering of the weight of reasons in the Gospel from Heaven, from the beauty and preciousness of Christ, the excellency of free grace, the happy condition of a communion with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ, the sweetness of the love of Christ, the torment of Hell, though there be no acting of grace mixed therewith, are unprofitable and hinder us from closing with Christ, and that they confer not some influence ( materially ) of help in promoving towards Christ; What these trusted in may do as in another thing. Hence though there be no promise, no moral connection betwixt simple using of means and influences of Christ, for saving grace and the incoming of the new creation into the soul; yet comparatively a connection there is, in this sense.

1. As painful tilling, sowing and laboring is nearer to a plentiful harvest then lazy sleeping in Summer; so discretion and moral walking in the Commandments of God, by which the man is not far from the Kingdom of Heaven, and nearer to it, is nearer to conversion then the godless and flagitious conversation of a dissolute wretch; as he, who is at a distance from a City, by twenty miles only, is nearer to the City, then he who is distant a hundred miles from it; though both be distant from it, and the one formally is out of the City as well as the other; this is a wily comparison. I assert no preparatory dispositions to conversion, as Papists and Arminians teach.

2. The man yet unplowed and never broken by the Law, standing in a whole condition, not caring for, nor either needing, or valuing Jesus Christ is farther from showers of saving influences, then the law-humbled and law-broken sinner, who, though he be but half sick, like the woman with child, who is under raw and far-off showers of child-birth pain, not yet, by some weeks, near her time, needs not yet the help of the midwife, yet looks a far off to child-birth pain.

3. Out of all question the proud gallant that feareth neither God nor reverenceth man, and hath laid Atheistically his count and fixed his thoughts concerning Heaven and Hell, hath something more to do, before Christ rain salvation on him, then he who prays, hears, gives alms, whores not, roars not, blasphemes not; for he hath fewer miles between him and Christ's influences.

4. Therefore though the natural man cannot pray in faith, and the renewed man under a sad and deep deadness, can do little or nothing, yet literal and natural acting at praying is not only better than nothing, but is by way of command in genere mandati divini, more near to praying in faith and fervor then either blaspheming, or no praying at all; even as literal and natural heat is nearer to spiritual and supernatural heat, then extreme coldness; and as fire-heat is nearer to life-heat or vital warmness (for it may and doth often cherish and nourish vital heat) then Ice-coldness; though as touching the nature and kind, fire-heat and vital heat may well be thought to differ in specie and nature, and all the fire-heat on Earth cannot restore vital heat to a dead man; and all the sweet moral qualifications, discretion, natural zeal, civil virtues in their summer greenness cannot put a man in a spiritual capacity to receive divine and supernatural influences; yea, many carry such bewitching lusters to hell with them, and never promove a whit farther then to the state of a civil convert, a saint of Satan, and die so; and by accident civil saints are a huge way farther from Christ, then robbers. Its true, some of our Divines have said natural preparations are hurtful, destructive and noxious to conversion. I wish they speak not so; their meaning is as they are trusted in, and men are by assed by them, praying in the streets and giving of alms with sound of Trumpet so circumstantiated in regard of, 1. The subject, proud Pharisees. 2. In regard of the end, to be seen of men, not to glorify the Lord. 3. In regard of the manner, as self-righteousness trusted in, to the loathing of Christ, are destructive to sincere praying in faith and humble feeling, and to true and sincere acts of charity. But we speak of the acts commanded as to their substance; God highly is provoked at disobedience, when men will not put their finger to a duty: and no doubt hypocrisy, in the manner of doing duties, deadens the heart, and makes the soul unfit to receive influences; But this hinders not but the unrenewed man, and the deadened convert, are to blow the fire, and to go about duties, and to fetch the wind in their kind, and to cast aboard and turn about, that they may sail and fetch the harbor; Yea, and if there be not fire in the ship, without doubt the striking of steel and flint may make fire. If a dead child of God cannot pray, cannot preach, cannot believe, he is to say and take with him words, Lord, I cannot pray, I cannot preach, I cannot believe: Nor in all these is anything said against these two, 1. The rebuking's of such as are in a dead state. 2. The promises of more grace to such as use well what they have: of both these in the following Chapter. And all these some way ripen us for gracious influences.

CHAPTER IV.

It's required of the dead that they live, and that we must not cease from running when the Lord ceases from drawing.

2. Commands put on obligations to duties to such as are indisposed and unable. 3. We are to pray under deadness. 4. Deadness renders not men lawless. 5. The wicked shift of such as pray not for the present, because they are indisposed; but promise they shall pray, praise, &c. when a spiritual disposition comes on.

If the meaning of some be by requiring a moral command to fit us for duties, that such a command is enough, because it's a Gospel-command. Then is it false that a moral command, as such, can fit or ripen us for duties: For Eph. 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest (and it is more than sleeping, there being life in a sleeping man) and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. Here is both precept and promise given to the dead, who of themselves cannot live: Yet it's morally required that they live; and John 5:25. The dead in the graves are to hear the voice of the Son of man. And the Lord binds the command on these that were as the men of Sodom, Isa. 1:5. A sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, the seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters. v. 10. Wash you. v. 16. Make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Isa. 42:18. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind, that ye may see. So the Apostle Peter chargeth Simon Magus, Acts 8:22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee. And Jeremiah speaking to a hardened Prince, speaks as to the earth that hath no ears, Jer. 22:29. O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord. And it's a vain thing to think that these are to be confounded, the obligation to obey, and the impotency and indisposition to obey. For man's wicked weakness cannot remove the obligation which the Lord in his holy Law lays on us: For wasting that brings on inability to pay, makes neither the debt to be unjust, nor does it loose the creditor from his right to crave and pursue the broken man, except we say that poverty may pay all the debts in the world.

2. The Lord lays on rebukes, where he knows Cain cannot answer, Gen. 4:6. Why art thou wroth? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? So the Lord speaks to Pharaoh, Exod. 9:17. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? Deut. 32:6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Psal. 95:10. Forty years long have I been grieved with this generation; it's a people that do err in heart, they have not known my ways. So saith Elias to Ahab, 1 King. 21:20. Thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. Psal. 4:2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye follow vanity and seek leasing? Psal. 58:4. They are like the deaf adder, which stoppeth her ear. 5, which will not hearken to the voice of the charmer. And because we are ready to excuse ourselves from our impotency, the holy Ghost bears this upon them as a charge, Jerem. 13:23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Then may ye do good that are accustomed to do evil. 2 Pet. 2:14. Having eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease to sin, Deut. 29:2, 3.

3. Threatening's and curses are charged upon everyone who abides not in all that is written in the book of the Law to do it, Deut. 27:26. And yet it's beyond controversy that no flesh can keep the Law so as it requires, else Jesus Christ died in vain, Gal. 3. See Deut. 28:4. We are not freed from an obligation to obey and run, even we who are renewed in the spirit of our mind, because the Lord draws not. For charges and commands are laid upon us under indispositions; yea the Lord speaks to such as lived in suffering times, who could not choose but they must be in much heaviness. Phil. 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I say rejoice. So speaks he to weak ones, Eph. 6:10. My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. So speaks Christ to fainting John, when in a swoon he could not command himself, Rev. 1:17. Fear not, I am the first and the last. And to the perishing disciples, Mat. 8:26. Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? And the mourner is most indisposed to believe, Isa. 50:10. He that walks in darkness, and hath no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay on his God. We are bidden be upon the wing and ready, though we be dumpish and indisposed, 1 Thess. 5:17. To obey that, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks. Yea under all contrary dispositions and habits of unbelief we are to act, Isa. 41:14. Fear not, worm Jacob.

2. Our very graves owe living to God, and our sinful deadness ought to yield to Christ living in us; our heaviness owes rejoicing to him, as the night is to remove at the dawning of the day, and the cloud is to dis-appear and vanish at the out-breaking of the Sun-light.

3. We are to pray under deadness, as David doth, Psal. 119. Quicken me in thy way; quicken me in thy righteousness; quicken me according to thy word, &c. v. 37, 40, 88, 107, 156, 159. Deadness, when David had much of the fullness of God, hath been creeping on seven times, and he seven times prays for quickening, like one that is every hour in a swoon; out of one swoon he falls in another, he makes signs to such as are nearby to be comforted with wine and apples, as the Spouse, Cant. 2:5. And therefore this is but a childish shift, I am dead and indisposed, and therefore will not pray, nor believe, nor hear, nor go about any such duties. Because you are dead and indisposed, are you therefore lawless, and freed of all debt of duties which are imposed by either the Law of God? Or 2. the constraining love of Christ? Or 3. bonds and ties laid on you by the free grace of Christ, and the state you are in, being now translated from death to life?

Object. I will go about duties when I am free and spiritually disposed.

Answ. 1. What warrant from the Word to delay duties, that by present obligation of the Law of God are to be done while it is today, lest hardness of heart come on?

2. What assurance can any man have tomorrow, or the next hour, more than the present hour, when deadness is on, that he shall be master of the Spirits breathing on him, to fetch spiritual dispositions? Now omission of praying, and of other duties, is a heinous sin. Can sin be a hire to purchase or buy the breathings of the Holy Ghost? Did ever man get sweet access to God through the Mediator Christ in prayer, who delays praying because he wants a praying disposition? And can the Lord welcome in the Mediator Christ the man who fathers the sinful omission of prayer, and other duties, upon the holy Spirit of God? Loose Professors delay their repentance upon this, when they are old and a dying they shall be more fit for repentance.

3. An indisposition to pray is a great affliction to a godly soul; and the so afflicted is to pray to remove that indisposition, and to seek in prayer a spiritual disposition to pray; and that pray continually, is not, pray only when a spiritual disposition to pray is on; for that should be far from praying continually; and that Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble, suffereth no such exception, Pray to me in trouble, but not except ye be spiritually disposed: For it hath this good sense, call and pray in the day of trouble, and in the hour when the spirit is under the soul-trouble of desertion and indisposition, and when the Lord hides his face and shines not. So the want of a spiritual disposition is the frowning of God upon the soul; and it's an ungracious heart which will not pray when the Spirit in his shining influences withdraws. And therefore

4. It's not the Spirit of the Lord, but the spirit of Satan, which suggests any such carnal arguing. I have no heavenly disposition for the present, therefore I will not pray; for the Spirit of the Lord quickens men to duties, and that is known to be a spirit from hell that weakens men in praying, or in any duties.

CHAPTER V.

Influences of grace are due to the Saints by promise.

2. Some are plagued with plenty of means. 3. The scope of the place, Deut. 29:3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, &c. opened. 4. The nature of the Lord's promise of influences. 5. The efficient causes of influences from the Father and from the Son: influences on the Man Christ. 6. Influences from the Father, how they are ours. 7. Influences from the Son Christ which are promised to us, how they are ours.

There is another way of fetching influences of grace, when we carefully use former grace: as our Savior saith, to him that hath, shall be given. And so grace shall bring more grace: Sowen wheat brings forth more wheat. Psal. 119:1. Blessed are they that walk in the law of the Lord, they shall do no iniquity; then upon the account of a holy walk, the Lord must bestow influences of grace to preserve men from doing acts of iniquity. And there must be a promise of influences, that such as walk in the Law of the Lord, shall walk more in that Law; Prov. 1:5. A wise man will hear and increase more in learning: then to spiritual wisdom there must be a promise of influences to increase spiritual wisdom. Isa. 40. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and walk and not faint. Then waiting on the Lord shall fetch the wind of new quickening influences to wait more upon the Lord, and to run; and they that run, shall run more, and which falls not out in physical running when they are running. Now fresh swiftness and recent vigor of speed shall be given to the runner, and larger breath and spiritness then he had before. None are thriving and growing men as the godly are. Mal. 4:2. But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow as calves in the stall. Prov. 4:18. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more, unto the perfect day.

In which dispensation, 1. Such as are more proud with plenty of means and plague themselves with abundance, occasion the truth of this; that Christ sends the rich empty away, and throws the mighty down from their seats, and their golden and silken chairs, Luke 52:53. And the rich and the full (saith Hannah, 1 Sam. 2:5.) have hired out themselves for bread. And since men will be plagued and poisoned with plenty, let it be so; and that lie upon them as a word of chiding, Deut. 29:3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs and these great miracles. Ver. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day. And is the Lord complaining of himself in this place? No; he will not have them to search into the depth of sovereignty, ver. 29, because God gave them not a heart. Nay, but his scope is to complain of the people's abusing of the plenty of means. I gave you the grace of outward means, but ye misgraced (to speak so) your own heart; therefore it is just that ye be blind and deaf, since ye wickedly wink and stop your ears; though it cannot be denied that God would have them humbled by reflecting on their own willful winking and blindness, yet so as they should tremble and stoop at him, who can give a new heart and eyes and ears, but of sovereignty denies it to the reprobates; of whom he complains, that the chosen may tremble.

2. We are hence led to consider the nature of God's promises, that they are much unlike to the promises and covenants between man and man: For it comes to this; such as have influences from the Lord to run, through his free grace, the Lord of the same free grace giveth new influences to them to run more. The Lord, because he makes some rich in grace, he makes them of rich in grace, yet more rich in grace; and whom he loves freely, he yet more freely loves. And the truth is, the Lord makes himself debtor to his own grace not to our industry. As Augustine, the Lord gave being and milk to my Nurse to feed me, thou gavest me nilling and willing; where is my merit then?

3. Free grace infused the first habit; so by infusion of grace he adds parcels to the first habit; so that the increase of the habit of grace, is as free grace as the first habit; and there is no earning nor hiring of grace, or engaging of the Lord, else grace should not be grace, and works should not be works.

4. By some heinous, old and over years guiltiness, we give place to the Devil, and rotten talking and malice and wrath stealing in; Paul is put to that necessary word, Ephes. 4:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Grieve not the Spirit of God, by which ye are sealed to the day of redemption. For such sins bring on withdrawing of influences. Christ knocks and ye put a little stone in the Key-hole, and the sprent is broken, and the door will neither open nor shut: when the wheels of the Horologue are broke, there is no sound of hours heard; when the bones are crushed, the man cannot walk; the spiritual organs, dispositions and powers of David 's soul were blunted and out of frame, by his adultery and blood-guiltiness: No wonder then the Spirit was unwilling to dwell and act in his wonted lodging, Psal. 51:11. Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not (saith he) thy holy Spirit from me. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Its good to keep the wheels whole.

But sin cannot so interdict or lay an arrestment upon influences as to conclude and restrain the free grace of God: nor does the Lord by the Saints falls, fall from his sovereignty and princedom of grace; yea, rather from the heightening and abounding of sin does the reign and Kingly power of grace shine the more; the more tumid the boil is, and the more the flesh about it burns and flames with the swelling of the humor, the more it is ripened for breaking and healing. A Feaver at the height begins to decline, as the Sea full at the outmost point of the shore does reflow and ebb again. See death and sin's reign, and grace and Christ's reign, Rom. 5:15, 17, 21. See Ezech. 20:23. Ezech. 16:59, 60. Ezech. 26:21, 22, 23. 1 Tim. 1:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, make some ripeness for fullness of grace. Though Christ's reign cannot ebb or fall; But no thanks to the sinner, but great praise to him who makes medicine of the rotten and malignant blood of our wounds.

5. Its considerable that gracious actings fetch influences for other gracious actings; for grace is nearer of kin to grace then nature can be to grace.

Now as touching the Author of influences (that we may come more particularly to the supernaturalness of influences) we know the Father, the Son, the holy Spirit are all in Scripture said to act upon the soul, in a gracious way. It shall not be needful to speak much of the Father's influences upon the man Christ in sending and bestowing the Spirit and the anointing above his fellows upon him: In the influences of the God-head, in a personal union upon the Man Christ in filling him with the holy Ghost from the womb: and especially the Lord was mighty in him in preaching with authority; so that the hearers were astonished, and all wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, in praying while his countenance shined.

And 2. The Lord's influences were evident in disputing with the Doctors in the Temple, when he was but twelve years of age, in silencing the learned enemies in strongly convincing parables.

3. God was mighty in miracles of all sorts, in casting out Devils, healing all manner of diseases instantly without medicine, in raising the dead, in rebuking the sea and the winds, multiplying the loaves, blasting the fig-trees, Acts 16:39. Isa. 61:1. John 3:34. Isa. 11:1, 2, 3.

4. Influences more than ordinary were seen in his strength against the Devils, and justice and wrath of God for our sins, in praying, strong believing, in tears and cries, in preaching and exhorting his Disciples, converting the Thief that suffered with him.

5. He must have had strong and mighty influences in the course of a holy and sinless conversation, in a mortified walk, refusing a Kingdom when it was offered to him, John 6, though he could have born it out; in being poor for us; in having no hole nor lodging to hide his head; in meek and patient forgiving of his enemies; in being much in prayer, spending whole nights in praying; in praying and fasting forty days; in obeying all laws, fulfilling all righteousness, ceremonial, moral, natural; in all works of mercy, obedience to Caesar, to Parents, Brethren, to souls of men; in his virtues of faith, lowhness, meekness, patience, love, zeal, hope, delighting in God.

Now though none can be so near to God as the man Christ, who in one person was not near to God only, but was God-man and Immanuel; yet learn we hence, the nearer we are to God, the more are we under the showers of influences of grace. It's good to be holy, and keep close communion with God, and dwell hard by the Fountain, and we shall be watered. The tree planted by the rivers side hath most influences; and the man that lies in a bed of roses, and is near to spikenard, to myrrh, aloes, and Cassia, and is daily among the herbs, and haunts in the garden of all fragrant smells, will carry some sweet savor away. The Lord Jesus his out-lettings of free love and grace, must run much upon these who are daily near to him. Keep a distance from God, and be much at cups, at chambering and wantonness, in the company of the whore, of the profane, of the swearer, what hope of showers and waterings of influences of grace upon such a cursed soil?

But 2. The Fathers drawing sinners to Christ, John 6:44, the Fathers teaching men, and causing them to hear the learning of the Father, John 6:45, holds forth the influences of the Father upon sinners. Christ's word is remarkable, John 15:1. My Father is the husband-man. When Christ's Father ploughs the sinner, and breaks up the fallow ground of the heart, there must be influences there: for then is the Father fitting the soil for Christ, Col. 1:12. Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us to the kingdom of the Son of his love. That must be a mighty strong influence of the Father that works the man's translation; and the daily work of the care of the Father is much in promoving his work, John 15:2. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Let then the question be, what talk ye to us of predeterminating influences that are above us in the hand of a Sovereign God? How shall our short arm reach these influences? We must have influences of the Father that are at our hand, and under the power of our free-will.

Answ. 1. The Adversaries here deny the freedom and sovereignty of grace in bestowing influences, and submit the actings of grace to the industry of a sovereign man. Bradwardine desired to worship no God who was under man's free-will: I commend him for it.

2. The question is soon answered: The Father of Christ condescends to take on the person, and, as it were, the office of a painful husband-man, who intends to make some noble generous Vine-trees to be planted in the higher garden; and shall an earthly husband-man plow, delve, ditch, plant, purge, and do all that becomes his office? So that it the Vine-tree had wit and reason, it could not make a question, will the husband-man care for me? Will he delve, and dress, and purge me, that I may bring forth more fruit? Far more may the believer say, Christ's Father and my Father is the good husband-man, and both have begun the good work in me. Faith would say, he will not be wanting in his office of husbandry; he will send showers of blessings and influences upon his mount Zion, and upon me a withered and dry twig.

3. Christ saith, John 15. I am the Vine-tree, ye are the branches. Now look what influences of sap and life the Vine-tree sends to the branches, and the head to the members, so will the Lord forever make that good, John 14:19. Because I live, ye shall live also.

1. As King and Prince. Christ must put out his influences for repentance and pardon, Acts 5:31.

2. He is Prophet of the Church: Then opening the heart to understand the Scriptures is his office, and to warm the heart by the word, Luke 24:32, 45.

3. As High Priest he ascended on high, and contributes his influences for sending down the Spirit, Luke 24:49. John 14:16, 17. John 16:7.

Yea, and predeterminating influences to circumcise the heart to the Lord, are promised by him, Deut. 30:6. Ezek. 18:19. Isa. 44:1, 2, 3, 4.

2. When a dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth is promised to him, Psal. 72:8, and that all nations shall serve him, v. 11, and that the heathen shall be his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth his possession, Psal. 2:8, and when the incoming of the Gentiles in their fullness, is promised to him, Isa. 55:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Isa. 42:8, 9. Isa. 11:10, 11, there must be promised a power of bowing their hearts, to make them a willing people to follow Christ, Psal. 110:1, 2, 3. Call this bowing of the heart predeterminating grace, or give it another name, I contend not, or call it an impression of strong delectation on the will, so it be invincible, insuperable, and above the power of free will to resist and oppose the call and drawing power of Christ, no matter though it be not irresistible; which includes the wills free consent.

3. The promises of a seed given to Christ, and that he should see of the travels of his soul; and that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand, Isa. 53, prove that influences of grace must be promised, by which people should be made the seed of Christ, and willing followers of him, which is Christ's soul-travel, and the good-will and pleasure of God prospering in his hand, Isa. 59:20, 21, 22. Isa. 49:5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Psal. 89:27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37.

4. The promises of the covenant between the Father and the Son prove the same; for if God give many children to Christ, and if Christ undertake for these many children, to bring them to glory, to cast none of them forth, but to raise them up at the last day, and to lose none of them; Then must Christ be Master of their free will, and he must have a bar of strong influences on their heart, that it shall not be in the power of Satan, the world or sinful flesh to pluck them out of his hand. Hence against all trepidation of mind, this is removed; what warrant have we, that we can make use of the influences of grace that are in the hands of the Son? These are a fowl flying in the wood, which we cannot command; take these answers.

1. Whatever Mediatory grace is in the Son they are gracious influences laid by for our good; as what sums of money a rich man is to give out for the profit of Minors, he mixes it not with his own, but looks on it as none of his, but to be expended for the good of others; and the Minors having assurance of the faithfulness and care of their Tutors, look upon it as their own: we are by faith to look upon the treasury of Christ that is begun to be bestowed on us; and that Christ shall not withdraw, (being a most faithful Tutor) what is necessary for our best life.

2. Christ being the best of Kings, the most faithful of Priests, and above all the Prophets, Moses, and whoever they were, by office is to give out influences. If we believe that Christ shall acquit himself as a King, then shall his subjects find the out-lettings of grace for repentance and remission, Acts 5:31, for Christ is worthy of his throne and chair of Princely state We are to believe, as our high Priest, he shall, by virtue of his office, apply by the Spirit the blood of atonement and sprinkle the nations therewith; As also, when we sin he gives out influences for believing that our Advocate lives and intercedes for us; and the acts of opening the heart to believe the Scriptures, to be guided in all truth, to be comforted and quickened, come from Christ the great Prophet; and if he be God, what the Governor of Heaven and Earth does by his office, if he feed all living things, the Ravens move not the question what they shall eat tomorrow, nor the Lilies of the field how they shall be clothed: far more, believers are to rest upon this, Christ shall fully execute all his offices in all parts towards them.

3. The Vine-tree, by a flux of nature, sends sap to the branches, and the head does not deliberate nor interpose freedom of will to send down life and influences of life to the members; but nature hath a strong hand in this: at least love is soon resolved in the husband what shall be the influences of good communicated by him to the Spouse. The great thing Redemption is purchased, and will Christ stand and doubt of influences of grace to complete the Redemption, and to make out the life of glory until it come to the fruition and enjoyment thereof?

CHAPTER VI.

The two spirits of the world and of God

1 Cor. 2:12, and the differences in order to influences opened. 3. The characters of the spirit of God, and the relation of the spirit to the word. 3. The spirit of Antichrist. 4. The more of the spirit the more activity in the ways of God. 5. The Spirit of God a praying spirit. 6. No praying without the spirit. 7. The suspending of influences. 8. We are to pray for influences. 9. Two-fold power and efficacy. 10. The difference betwixt the spirits acting, and the literal acting of the word.

But influences of the Spirit are mainly here to be eyed; and if any have the spirit, he cannot want the influences of God. The Spirit is, as it were, all saving influences, and such as are void of the spirit, know not anything of saving influences; Yea, the Father and the Son let out all their influences in, and by the Spirit.

Therefore to open this; consider

1. That there are two sorts.

2. The characters and differences of the Spirit of God which speak a spiritual man, and spiritual influences.

3. What are the divers influences to be taken notice of: The two spirits are clear, 1 Cor. 2:12. But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God. Paul had said that the world and the Princes of the world knew not the mystery of the Gospel; why? They had not crucified the Lord of glory, had they known him. As also the spirit teacheth it, ver. 10, how is that proved? From the nature of an infinite spirit, that searcheth all the things of the infinite God; even as a man's spirit searcheth all the things of a man, v. 12. How can we know the things of God, they are far above us. He answers, we who have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God, do know the things that are graciously given us of God: they know the things of God; But v. 12, we are such.

Q. What is meant by the spirit of the world?

Ans. Its the human spirit, by which we know Arts and Sciences, and the things of a present world, which is also the Spirit of God, and a singular gift of God. But there is somewhat more in this spirit: a carnal spirit that is opposite to the Spirit that is of God, a spirit that judges the depths of Gospel wisdom to be foolishness, ver. 13, 14.

Hence the differences of the two spirits.

1. There are no saving influences due to the spirit of the world. The worlds spirit sees the mysteries of Philosophy and Arts, and the good things of a present flowing world, and no more. And as an old man sees all that a child can see and know, and much more in a more solid way: So the children of God often, as Moses, Solomon, Daniel, Paul, see with the spirit of the world in this sense all which the men of the world see, and in a more spiritual way; and beside, the Spirit of God in them knows higher things that are hid from the world and their spirit. As,

1. How Heaven lies, how many Summers are in one year in that land.

2. The rivers of wine and milk, Isa. 55:1, the garden, the second Paradise, the tree of life that bears twelve manner of fruits every month, and the leaves serve to heal the Nations, and the pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, Rev. 22:1, 2. Rev. 2:7.

3. What a plantation is there? What streets of gold the rich citizens walk in with their feet? Rev. 21, the structure of the new Jerusalem, the twelve ports, the foundation of the wall, garnished with all manner of precious stones, the building of the wall of Jasper, what a bride the Lamb's wife is, as she is busked and adorned with the glory of God, what a joyful company of harpers clothed in white follow the Lamb? Rev. 14. Rev. 19.

Yea 4. Even in this life in the lower country, and the out-fields, the fruits that grow in the land are good, Rom. 14:17. Gal. 5:22. Psal. 72:16. 1 Pet. 1:4, 5, 6. Psal. 16:11. 1 Cor. 2:9, what a life-guard for Kings sons? Isa. 6:2, 3, 4. Psal. 34:7. Psal. 91:11, 12, and on the other hand, what golden nothings and clay-dreams does the spirit of the world follow after? What spiritual gallantry is in the man, that says and resolves, time and all that Solomon had shall not satisfy me; I must either be a King above time or have nothing. Will a beggar aspire to a Kingdom; or a sow seek after pearls? What does the spirit of the world, but lie, and swear, and whore, and oppress in the sons of disobedience? The godly is of a far more excellent spirit.

5. Its a poor spirit that acts in Cicero, Seneca, and other Pagans: the bastard and the servants privilege is little to a Kings heir and son.

As to the second, the differences of that Spirit which is of God are considerable.

1. The spirit, John 14:17, remains in his own, and dwells in them, as in his house, Rom. 8:11, as a man remains and works in a shop or work-house; and the soul, lives, breaths, acts, discourses in the man: so the spirit of adoption, prays, groans, believes, teacheth, witnesseth, speaketh, heareth in the believer, Matth. 10:19. Rom. 8:16, 25, 26. Now the world cannot receive this spirit, John 14:27, no more than the noble soul of man can find lodging in a brute beast: try what spirit acts in you, and the principles of your actions, and you shall know the influences. Every man's moral actings are as John 's baptism, from Heaven or of Men; what sparkles of influences kindle the heart in your actings?

2. The Spirit of God, John 16:13, He shall guide the way to you in all truth; Rom. 8:14, as many, as are led, driven either as a flock by the shepherd, or as a ship by the wind, are the children of God. The Spirit is a Pilot and a Steersman acting and moving in the Saints, directing, counseling, inspiring in all actings: its easy to know the spirits leading by what it drives at, Rev. 16:13. For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth to the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. This he says of the three unclean spirits like frogs (the Popes firebrands and incendiaries) who came out of the mouth of the Dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet. What hellish influences must drive these men delivered up to such leaders? There is a spirit who rules in the children of disobedience, Satan the Prince of the air, Eph. 2. The spirit of giddiness and error leads Egypt, Isa. 19:14. The spirit of whoredom, Hos. 4:12. Hos. 5:4, that inclines to Idolatry. The spirit of lying, 1 Kin. 22:22. The spirit of error, 1 John 4:6. The spirit of unbelief that was in the ten spies led and drive many, Num. 14:24. But Caleb had another spirit with him. It's the sin of the time we live in, to persecute and resist the spirit; and the more out-lettings of the spirit that appear in Steven, the more the Jews set themselves against him. For Acts 7:27, they cry out with a loud voice, and stop their ears, and run upon him, when he saw heaven open, being full of the Holy Ghost; he was before full of the Holy Ghost, but now there is a high spring-tide, and a new mighty flowing of the influences of the Holy Ghost; and the height of goodness and excellent actings of the spirit, draws out their malice to the full, as Steven told them, 51. Ye have always resisted the Holy Ghost. <H&G>, is to fall cross with all the might in a hostile way upon the spirit. O tremble to hate and fight against the marrow of godliness, and to mock the spirit! O that it were not this day the sin of Scotland, and of the generality of the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land! In the Prelates times the seekers of God met not with such bitterness as even now they meet with.

3. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3:17. Uphold me with thy free Spirit, Psal. 51:12. It's proper to natural men in whom the spirit dwells, not to be vile slaves to lusts; and the more of the spirit in any, the more active are they in the Lord's ways; and hardly can the spirit be where there are not influences of grace. For it's the Spirits office to be stirring and active (as the horses of Egypt are flesh and not spirit, that is, lumpish, dead, feeble, unable to save, not spirited and active to deliver) and in this especially the actings of the spirit appear in the fiery spiritness of heavenly influences. Would ye be carried on and helped in duties; get the spirit and ye cannot miss heavenly influences; the dryness of the earth speaks the suspending of rain and dew in the clouds, and a heaven of brass; the man is dead, and under bands, and straitened in prayer, then must the showers of influences be restrained. Psal. 51:12. Uphold me with thy free spirit. What then? v. 13. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways. Take a work where there are a hundred wheels, of which the higher moves the lower; then when the first and highest moves not, all the ninety and nine must stand. When the spirit breathes not, and influences are restrained, what wonder if the soul be deadened? For the Marigold loures and weeps, in its kind, and droops when the Sun is down: our prayers would blow upon the North and South wind that they may blow: The breathing and blowing of prayer do readily waken up the spirit, though he must stir in praying also, else we are dead and breathless.

4. The spirit that is of God is a praying spirit, Jude. Praying in the Holy Ghost. Of all the Tongues and Languages on earth, the Holy Ghost loves most to speak prayer-wise, and in the language of humble supplications. Rom. 8:29. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. What then? Shall the work lie? Nay, the spirit takes it off the poor man's hand; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with sighs that cannot be expressed. And rather or spiritual work be at a stand, the Third Person lends a lift to the groaning soul that cannot pray: For the Spirit helps our infirmities. And then praying is a mass of influences for faith, for holy desires, for sense of want; yea, and no man gets the spirit but the praying son, Luke 11:11. Only this shall bide a question, How shall they pray for the Spirit that want the Spirit? Answ. Yea Magus, though in the gall of bitterness, is commanded to pray, Acts 8:21. The Law commanded praying to God incarnate when he is revealed to be incarnate. As the first command charges all to know the Lord practically in all the ways of Law and Gospel by which he shall reveal himself; and the Lord hath not abated a whit, and come down from his holy rigorousness, as if the Lord would make amends, and give us (as some Pelagians say) a lower and milder Law, which forbids not venials. Et peccata quotidianae incursionis praecise sub periculo aeternae condemnationis. Yea but there is not any Law nor Gospel which forbids not sin under the same penalty that the Law forbids; and the Gospel forbids not adultery and murder in David, but he is free from eternal punishment, if he be humbled for these sins, as he must be humbled for lesser and venial sins, Psal. 19:12. Psal. 51:5. Psal. 130:3, 4. God may strait all men to pay the very stock which he gave them in Adam.

2. Are not men inexcusable, when they will not await the wind, and lie at the tide, and use means, but refuse to command body and legs to present themselves to the sea-side and the ship? The body and legs have no influence on the winds, so they declare that they hate the covenant and bargain of grace as well as the Law, who refuse to stir in his ways.

3. The first giving of the spirit is like the growing of lilies and flowers wild on the mountains, plough or spade can do nothing to cause them so to grow in the garden and the infield. Pelagians must not get their will, their common universal grace is not the spirit of Adoption; and those who say men can pray who never received the spirit of Adoption (happily they may complement with the Lord in word) but

They deny prevening grace, and in effect say, that nature prevenes grace, and men prevene God; and not grace prevenes nature: For if there be such a thing as prevening nature, this were to say the child is born before the mother, and the apple grows before the tree, and the bloom is before the herb. Nay, to pray for the spirit, and not to pray in the spirit, shall never be my Divinity; that were to buy Rubies and Jasper-stones with clay and common flints and rocks; nay nature cannot trade without grace. And while the Lord creates the rose-tree, the rose-tree cannot seed nor bring forth rose-trees. Oh but it concerns us much, Ministers and Professors, to have the spirit, and to have more of it. Too many Ministers in the Land cast never fire on the people; they never warm hearts but by hewing, and striking, and hammering upon the Letter; the fire of the Lord falls not down upon the sacrifice. Ah, our fleece is dry, and we are like the Land not rained upon. And let men speak, Can ye live without the Spirit and his influences, more than ye can live without God and without Christ in the world? And who cries, Lord, can my dry bones live? Miss ye the anointing? The complaining of the suspending of influences, of the ebbing of the free manifestations, flowing's, and out-lettings of free grace, speaks a spiritual disposition. For,

1. The Church complains to God of it, Isa. 63:17.

2. Yielding to a temptation is a pain to the Saints, Psal. 73:21, 22.

3. The Saints pray for influences of grace, for teaching, leading, quickening, inclining of the heart to the way of God, uniting of the heart to fear the name of God; then must the withdrawing of these be evil.

4. When we pray against temptations to sin, and not to be led into temptation.

5. When we pray for the spirit of grace to be poured on us from on high, we pray not for the giving of the bare habit, for that could not hinder David, Lot, Peter, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Aaron, Hezekiah, and others of the Saints, to fall into sad and heinous transgressions; but we suit also from the Lord the sanctified use and exercise of grace, and so must suit influences.

6. When we pray that God would not take his spirit from us, Psal. 51:12, nor forsake us, nor take the word of truth utterly out of our mouth, Psal. 119:43, we then also pray that he would not withdraw gracious influences.

7. A gracious finding how sweet, safe, and comfortable it is to be acted, led, moved, guided by the sweet influences of the spirit, cannot but be grieved at the departure of such a guide and counselor.

8. It's lawful to seek sense of God's loving countenance, in joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14:17. 1 Pet. 1:7, 8, in delighting in God, and in duties relating to him and our brethren, and in the consolations of the Holy Ghost, and in the spirits work of sanctifying us; then we may, and are to be grieved at the withdrawing's of God, that we see not his power and glory in the Sanctuary, as we have sometimes done, Psal. 63.

5. The spirit that is of God goes along with the word, if we 1. consider the spirits relation to the word. My spirit and my words, Isa. 59:21. For the Gospel is the chief chair and seat of the spirit, Rom. 1:16. Isa. 53:1. The word is, as it were, the work-house and shop, and the spirit the worker; the word the ship or chariot, and the spirit drives and stirs the promises. The spirit honors so the word, the spirit moves and acts when the word moves and acts; the spirit utters not a groan but according to the will of God in the word, Rom. 8:26, 27. Acts 10:44. While Peter yet spake these words, <H&G>, the Holy Ghost fell upon those that heard the word. When the ship or the chariot moves, the Pilot or Steers-man and the Coach-man are moved with them. The poor Minister often drives an empty coach, and carries but sounds and letters; but when the spirit strikes in with the word, and is steers-man in the ship, the vessel is afloat, and sails gallantly before the wind.

2. The word preached is the breathing of the spirit, and the spirit speaks and breaths through the word, and it is the word of the spirit; the holy Ghost prophesied well of you, &c.

3. The spirit is referred to the word as the soul to the body; the body is but a lump of dead clay if the soul be removed, and the word is so many sounds, syllables, and letters, if the spirit act not; this is a similitude and would be well exponed. There is a twofold power, one subjective and material, which comes from the Author the holy Ghost; in which regard the word of God from the Author the Holy Ghost hath actu primo as touching the matter and efficient cause, holiness, liveliness, divinity, majesty of style even as contradistinguished from the spirit acting with it; there is no word, no book, no speech of Angels or Men comparable to it. There is 2. A formal power which agrees to the word actu secundo as the spirit going along with the word makes it effectual, to enlighten, to teach, to rebuke, to convince, to persuade; so our Divines say (a modern Lutheran widely mistakes) the efficacy of the word is from the spirit, 2 Cor. 10:4, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty; how mighty, not of themselves, but mighty through God. We make not the word of itself, a dead inky letter, as Papists and Libertines both do. The like distinction is clear in a Sword or an Axe of steel, both the one and the other from the matter and artificer that made them hath actu primo sharpness and aptness to cut: Suppose the Artificer that made both be dead, yet the sharpest two-edged sword that is, except it be wielded by the arm of a valiant man can do no good in war: And the like may be said of the Axe, both are dead things of themselves.

Hence 1. Since we are mere Messengers, we cannot breath life in the word only, like the Trumpeter that blows his warm breath through a dead trumpet of Brasse; but he blows or breaths no valor or courage in the soldiers, that was not in them before. But if the spirit go along and breath life in the hearers they shall live, as speaking and acting are conjoined, Ezech. 2:1. Son of man stand upon thy feet, and I will speak to thee. 2. Then the spirit entered into me, when he spake to me, and he set me on my feet. So John 5:25. Ezech. 37:7, 8. It not a little concerns Ministers and Hearers to pray that the spirit may go along with the word: otherwise the shepherds singing through an oaten reed shall never feed sheep or lambs, and make them fat: and people often receive in their ears, a noise of words and syllables, and are not fed with sounds. It's true, Christ and the Prophets and Apostles preached in the spirit and in the lively power of God, and yet nothing but the letter came to the ears of many of their hearers, Isa. 53:1. Isa. 28:9, the hearers are but as weaned children: Mat. 13:13, 14, 15, the hearers are fatted hypocrites. And a poor man speaks the letter of the word, and happily deadly and weakly; yet betwixt the speakers mouth and the hearers heart, the spirit strikes in and the dead man lives.

2. The letter of the word spoken by Christ lies dead, until the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost come: then he shall teach you all things (in a lively way, which the man Christ, as man only did not) and bring all things to your remembrance, John 14:26.

3. The light may remain only light and literal and useless: the Disciples in the garden with Christ knew they should watch and pray, yet they sleep. The spirit brings not up literal light to spiritually quickening light, John 16:7. The spirit shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not in me. What did not all the Prophets convince the world of sinful unbelief? Isa. 7. If ye believe not, ye shall not be established. Isa. 53. Who hath believed our report? Did not Christ himself convince the world of sinful unbelief? John 3:18, 36. John 5:24. John 11:26, 27, and all the Ministers of the New Testament convince men that they ought to believe and receive Christ by faith? But all these are but literal convictions, until the spirit carry into the heart the marrow of the promises and threatening's of the Gospel with a strong hand, and the natural man while he is in the mouth of Hell with Judas is convinced of the Law deserving, and of unbeliefs desert, but not of actual damnation. The deceit of the conscience is this, that all are under sin and the curse, who believe not but God must give a general suspension against the Gospels decree and sentence of death for my unbelief, and to most of mankind. Ah, this is not to be convinced of unbelief by the spirits working: Nor in all this does the spirit add any divine majesty and power to the word which was not in the word before, when he effectually persuades and convinces; As the hewer puts no metal in the Axe which was not in it before, only he applies powerfully his strength and art to the effects which he produceth by the Axe and other tools, by which he makes curious carved work. Nor does the soldier add any new sharpness to the Sword which it had not before, only he useth the Sword for valorous exploits. All that the spirit doth is in the powerful and effectual application of threatening's and promises in actual persuading to believe; all the majesty and heavenly power the word hath actu primo from the immediately inspiring spirit: and this is alike to all; only much godly trembling is required that the spirit may in his mighty influences go out with the word.

2. Hence that is wild-fire and sparkles of hell not the spirit of Christ nor the influences of grace when a dumb spirit speaks not in the word, but in signs, images, ceremonies devised by men, as a dumb man speaks with his fingers. The Spirit of God loves to work and act with his own tools in the testimonies and promises; the Spirit of the Lord never bids burn the Bible. Antiochus had such influences from hell, and not from the Lord. Some make the Bible a horn-book for new beginners only as images are, and the man must be all spirit turned into pure spirit; why then do themselves speak, write such fooleries? Why do they eat, drink, sleep, hear? Such as are all spirit do none of these. But though holy men of God were far from making the spirit both Law and Gospel, none had more of the secrets, and mysterious visions of God revealed to him then John; he saw Christ in his glory, Rev. 1:14, 15, 16, he saw Heaven open, and the Throne and glorious company, the new Jerusalem; Yet Rev. 1:3, he saith, Blessed is he that readeth; Can one that is all spirit speak of reading when he had seen all these visions of God? Rev. 22:18, he puts a seal of honor on Canonic Scripture; he is charged to write in his divine Epistles, These things I have written, I write to you fathers, &c. When Christ is risen from the dead, and entered in a most spiritual life, Luk. 24:27, he expones the Scriptures: who so mock the Scriptures loath the Spirit also.

CHAPTER VII.

Characters of a spiritual disposition are these.

1. To be willing to be under the guidance of the spirit. 2. Four expressions in the Scripture hold forth opposing of the spirit. 3. We are to acknowledge and adore the spirit in his actings, and join hearty consent thereto. 4. Self-denial. 5. In a bewildered condition to desire to be led by the spirit. 6. Spiritual facility in acting. 7. To act much in public works, in the spirit. 8. Much watching and praying. 9. To converse with spiritual men. 10. To be much in spiritual conference are all characters of a spiritual disposition.

The third particular is, what speaks a spiritual man and spiritual influences?

Ans. He who puts himself under the guidance of the spirit, is a spiritual man: the will of the Guide should be master of the journey.

The Prophets, Acts 13. Paul and Silas, Acts 16. Philip, Acts 8, accurately observe the command of the spirit, as being as binding as the command of the Father and the Son. The commands of God to the men of God were more legal in the Old Testament; but the commands of the spirit now in the New Testament have more of free grace and persuasive leading, Acts 10:19. Acts 11:12. Acts 18:9, 10, 11. John 14:16, 26. John 16:13. We shall speak hereafter of the lying under and obedient receiving of the breathings and influences of the spirit; only here where there is a strong force of will and much freedom in obedience, there is much of the spirit: backdrawing in spiritual works proclaims much carnality; but who had the anointing above measure, was all will, and all heart, and all spirit to obey and suffer, John 10:17, 18. Psal. 40:8, 9.

2. The leading and drawing of the spirit, when it bringeth forth running, and is strongly closed with, speaks a spiritual man, Cant. 1:4. Psal. 119:32. Cant. 3:4. I held him and would not let him go. Is not this violence? Sweet feelings and high commending of him follows; when the spirits violence in drawing, and the spouses violence in running meet, there is a spiritual closing, Cant. 1:4. The King hath brought me into his chambers; and what follows, we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine. See ver. 12, 13. Cant. 2:3. I sat down under his shadow, and his fruit was sweet in my mouth. Delighting in him is followed with his delighting in the Spouse, ver. 6. His left hand is under mine head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

2. Here, if in any, it's true, to him that hath shall be given: he that is willing to be led shall be led; and keeping of the Commandments of Christ makes room for the Father and the Son to come hither and dwell; fire makes more fire.

3. A state of translation is to be gone about; The man hath not the spirit till he be once over the water translated to the Kingdom of the dear Son of God. Christ is not owner of the man that hath not the spirit: If any have not the spirit, he is none of Christ's, Rom. 8:9. Christ and the Spirit cannot be severed; the spirit that is in the first heir is in all the rest; and we should take it hard to be called, or to be none of Christ's,

3. Heed must be carefully taken that none of the Organs or parts of the new creation be broken. A spiritual man cherisheth the spirit in all his operations, he loves and honors his guide and leader. The Scripture notes in four words the wrongs we do to the spirit, Isa. 63:10. They vexed his spirit of holiness; the word is, Psal. 56:6, they painfully wrested: as they gave another figure or fashion to my words, Ephes. 4:30. Grieve not the holy spirit. The word <H&G>, is to sadden rather than to anger, Matth. 14:9. Matth. 17:23. Matth. 26:22. Can a friend lodge in a house, where he is every hour saddened? Is not this to chase him away? And especially to sadden the King in the act of sealing your Writs and Evidences of Heaven, is not this dreadful? Ye shall know the spirit to be saddened when he acts deadly and lently; as the man who rides on a lame and halting horse advances little in the way, the fault is not in the Rider; So when the man is straitened in praying, and he knocks faintly, life and liberty and godly boldness is away; the tools of the worker being broken, how unhandsome is the work?

2. There should be an eike made to the working of the spirit; there is needful a sort of helping of the spirit by widening, opening and enlarging the heart; the extending of love, desires, faith, fear to their outmost borders: there is an opening of the mouth wide commanded, Psal. 8:10. Psal. 24:7. Lift up your heads and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors. Cant. 5:2. Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, &c. And this is needful under the actings of the spirit, that we stretch the soul beyond itself and make an eike to the spirit of his own. Hence that charge 1 Thes. 5:19. Quench not the spirit. The word is, Matth. 12:20. Matth. 25:8. Our lamps are out, or quenched, Mark 9:44, 46. Some cast water upon the fire and holy flaming's of the spirit: this makes a cold hearth-stone, and mightily obstructs the working of God; whereas we should add new fuel to his fire, and blow away the ashes and wrestle against deadness, dullness, faintness, and stir up the grace of God, 2 Tim. 1:6, as smiths with the bellows blow up and quicken the flame: do not quench it in yourself by unbelief and uncheerful walking; and break not one another, know that so do the enemies of Christ: He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; Let him deliver him, since he delighted in him, Psal. 22:8. That is to act Satan's office, when men cast water on the flaming's of the spirit and crush the spirit and his actings in others.

3. Acknowledge and adore the holy spirit as God, and follow not Ananias to play the devil to the Holy Ghost, to try if the holy Spirit shall find out hypocrisy, Acts 5. Satan is the great <H&G>, Matth. 4:3, who tempted the Son; And a man may ride so near the rotten margin on the bank of a mighty River, as he will try the highest of free grace; why but I may do this and be pardoned? Nay, the holy Spirit never said, Sin at will with greediness, thou wast once a believer. It's dreadful to put a trial upon the worth of an infinite ransom. 2. Upon the most noble and transcendent actings of the spirit: this God hath done in me, therefore I have liberty to sin. Tempted free grace is a transgression with so loud a cry, its heard all Heaven over.

4. Join hearty consent to all the actings and influences moral or physical of the Holy Ghost, and be not beaten from that. There is an anger outed in the Father as the offended Law-giver pursuing all that are out of Christ. Ah, who can drink unmixed wrath, as Christ did, and live? And who may stand when he is angry? Then resisting is terrible.

2. There is vengeance in readiness, and grinding of men to powder, and everlasting burning for such as so far resist the Son, as they say, This man shall not reign over us.

3. But there is a vengeance beyond a vengeance, and fiery indignation, and more than an ordinary hell to such as resist the spirit in the Prophets, and do despite to the Spirit of grace, Heb. 10:28, 29, 30. Matth. 12:31, 32. Killing of the Prophets and slaying of them is a sort of killing of the spirit in men, as the Jews killed the Lord of glory in the man Christ, & wished there were neither in the world, God nor the Spirit, nor God incarnate: and this is just as if men would put hands in so much of God and of the Spirit as they find acting anything of God in others or themselves: this hateful persecuting of godliness is the dreadful national sin of this age. Find ye not the actings of the spirit sweet and heaven-like? If so, it speaks a spiritual disposition.

4. Much of self-denial speaks much of the spirit: he who will be least his own is most God's, and partakes most of the divine nature. The spirit loves the room of self; I live not, but Christ (by his Spirit) lives in me, Gal. 2, and the spirit, to speak so, is the full predominant element in the acting (not that nature sinless is wholly dead and passive, as Familists and others teach) and self appears to be sunk into nothing, and is denied: as Matth. 10:20. It's not ye that speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaks in you. Though they be living persons in their nature and being, Peter and John speaks: and yet the spirit so discourses and lays aside the creature called self, and sets up God, that as if self were annihilated and not there at all (I mind no Libertine annihilation) the spirit as the predominant speaks in the man and acts in him, rather than the man. And the Spirit of the Father, prayeth, preacheth, reigneth, actech, disputeth, confesseth in the believer. 1 Cor. 15:10. But I labored more abundantly than they all; then must I in Paul be preferred and exalted above John the beloved Disciple, and all the eminent Apostles? O not; I labored more abundantly; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Acts 6:10. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which Steven spake. He saith not they were not able to resist and dispute against the sinful man Steven. Acts 4:8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, and made answer to the persecuting Rulers; this is a far other thing then if he had said, then answered Peter the Apostle; for Peter was before this, filled with the Holy Ghost, but now the Holy Ghost in a new fullness and flowing of heavenly influences in the man Peter is Master-speaker. In the Prophets this is clear from 2 Pet. 1:21. Prophecy came not of old by the will of man; (though the Prophet was not compelled to prophecy, nor his will Physically sunken down to nothing) but holy men of God spake as, acted by the Holy Ghost. 1 Pet. 1:11. The Spirit of Christ spake in the Prophets beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Though there be a difference betwixt the speaking of a Prophet, and the acting of a believer; there is much of self in the Prophets, who bite with the teeth and cry peace. Micah sets himself against such, cap. 3:8. But truly (saith he) I am full of power, by the spirit of the Lord, and of might, and of judgment to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin. 3. There is little of self in children; the children of God (<H&G>, the word given to sucking children of two years old, Matth, 2:18. Acts 21:21.) are like such as are learning to walk; there is little self-wisdom or of self-designs in the motions of young children. So doth the spirit act with facility and without resistance in the sons of God; Who may not see the color of self, and feel some savor of the creature and of self in men? O if we could savor in looking, speaking, acting, of the spirit! The rivers, loths, and fountains issue themselves in the Sea and be mixed therewith; its the salt Sea and not the rivers which ebb and flow: the under-acting of sinless nature in spiritual actings hindereth not the work to be denied of the man and affirmed of the spirit; So as we say not the man, but rather God in the man acts and speaks. Indeed things are not denominate from their externals; a vessel of copper washed over with silver, or a cup of brass over-gilded and lustered with gold, is not, nor is named a vessel of silver or a cup of gold. Though we name things by their skin and outside, yet when the hypocrite prays, the Lord says the man prays, Psal. 18:41, but the Spirit of God prays not in him. Nor doth the Lord name Magus a true believer from his profession, only the Holy Ghost saith, he believed. It's good when the conversation speaks heaven, and the spirit is visibly seen acting in the behavior and walk of men. It's true, there is much of renewed self, (as 1 Cor. 15:9, 10. Gal. 2:20. Rom. 7:17, 22. 1 Cor. 9:20, 21.) in spiritual actings, and this heightens the excellency of the actions: corrupt self renders the act of praying and preaching wider and bigger, but not better and excellenter; especially in public renewed self rendereth it excellenter.

And 5. Not unlike unto that touched before is a character of a spiritual man, when the man is spiritually bewildered, and doubts of all ways he walks in, except the way he is sure to be of God, Psal. 143:10. Teach me to do thy will, thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. Hence these three follow. 1. The spiritual man doubts of all ways, and knows that he is a bewildered and ignorant traveler of himself, and knows not by his own light, 1. The way. 2. The home and lodging. Or 3. The guide. It saith, the spiritual man judgeth the spirit of God a good leader and guide: it's no sophism a divisis, thy spirit is good, thou art a leader; therefore the spirit is a good leader and guide: it's much to have the faith fixed upon influences of daily guiding by God. 3. It says I am willing to commit my goings to thee; Take the guiding of me; be father, guide, leader, tutor, king to me. All these speak spiritual bewilderedness; And those two are well joined. 1. Sense of bewilderedness; and 2. Praying to the one only guide in heaven and earth: Psal. 119:19. I am a stranger on earth: hide not thy Commandments from me. The Commandments are the way, and a hid and covered way is a misery to a stranger or pilgrim. A frequent sight of ignorance and errors, and a being in love with the spirits leading is good. Though a man could get the work through, be it praying, hearing, reading, warring, governing, eating and drinking, yet he is not satisfied with the bulk of the work, except the spirit be the doer. This gracious spirit looks not so much to praying as to praying in the Holy Ghost; nor to hearing as to hearing in the spirit of faith; nor to fighting, though David be stronger than the enemy, except the spirit of the Lord lead the army, Psal. 60:1, 2, 9, 10. Psal. 140:7, 8. Psal. 18:29, 30, 31. Nay it's not enough to eat and drink except the spirit act the man to eat and drink for God. Men spend and waste away their actings, and call not for the spirit to get them compassed about. We are men abundance to build the Temple, and mighty Kings favor us, and work-men have strength in legs and arms to lay stones in the wall: O but that will not do it, Zach. 4:6. Not by might, nor by power; but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts; and so only is the Temple built.

6. There is a spiritual facility in the spiritual actings of a spiritual man. 1. The acting is connatural and easy when it comes from an inward principle; the stream naturally without violence flows from the fountain, and so doth heat from the fire: nor is it any pain to the earth to fall down and descend, or for the light bodies, fire and air to ascend; it's neither toil nor labor to the Sun to give light: for all these come from principles internal. There is violence in the motion of an Horologue, and therefore the wheels shall be worn out by time; but the actings of the spirit are sweet and facile; grace makes the Commandments not grievous; its no pain but easy to a gracious pastor to love Christ; it breaks neither leg nor arm to desire Christ and be sick for him, and to feed his flock for love to the chief shepherd. 2. Psal. 25:9. The meek will he guide in judgment, the meek will he teach is ways. It's easy for God, to guide any man, to guide and lead Lions and Unicorns; but in the very object there is a facility to counsel a broken and daunted spirit. If a man be in his flower and prime, and rich and mighty, healthy and prosperous, readily he will do but what he will; but if the man be in chains and broken and meekened with the rod of God, he is easily bowed and counseled to what is good; as iron red hot will bow and yield to the smiting's of the hammer: its hard to lead a Lion. The Lord speaks like the Lord to Job, cap. 39:9. Will the Unicorn be willing to serve thee? Or abide by thy cribs? Canst thou bind the Unicorn with his band in the furrows? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? But it is easy to bind a lamb. Meekness is easily led and drawn: when the spirit comes in, the man is made pliable for counsel; he is a plowed and a broken man, who saith, Acts 9, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? There was no pride in him, but the fullness of the spirit of the anointing above all his fellows and all mankind, who said, not my will, but thy will be done. And if any living man should have had his will or a piece of his will, it was a man whose holy will could never crook; and it was now when sinless, holy, harmless nature was debating the greatest question that ever Heaven or Angels knew. But the fullness of the spirit bids him quit his will, and so he did. The sweet passive tractableness of the spirit of grace will enjoin the man to be ranged, bridled and led of God: there be some, whom God can neither lead nor drive: any inspiration falls upon him, a moral influence, this I should and ought to do; but I shall not, I will not do it let God do his best; and it is as if a burning coal were cast into the sea or river, will it burn the sea? Will it be welcomed and received? No, its presently quenched. An unbroken Tyrant void of the spirit, when he heard that charge, Let my people go; They are my servants (saith the Tyrant) not thy people. Exod. 5:2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice, and let Israel go? Let his influences be lodged with meekness. O wrestle not against warnings, but yield to them! So are all gracious influences sweet, delectable and easy; is it pain, nay its sweet and pleasant for a field of Roses, of Vine-trees to receive showers and summer influences from the Sun and Heaven. It was sweet for the baptized man Christ to receive and lodge the Holy Ghost who came down in the form of a Dove on him in all his influences.

7. To act much in the spirit brings more abundance of the spirit. 1. The more public the work be, the more is the man under the spirit. Christ must have been under mighty flowing's of the spirit, who for the public Catholic duty of redeeming mankind was willing to be suspended from the influences of his personal comfort, and to be under that sad cloud of being forsaken of God that God might embrace us. It's the proper work of the spirit to glorify God, John 16:14. He shall glorify me (saith Christ of the spirit) for he shall receive of mine. Then the more we glorify God and Jesus Christ his Son we testify we partake the more of the flowing's of the spirit. The Church hath so much the more of the spirit that she is willing to bear the Lord's indignation, because she hath sinned, Mic. 7:9, and bear public sufferings to illustrate the glory of his justice.

2, We are also with Magdalene and other godly persons so far to be dead to the private comforts of love to Christ and his presence, and waiting about the grave to anoint his body, that we are to wait upon the more public duties of resting in, and of sanctifying of the Sabbath; though otherwise, the rescuing of the life of an ox be mercy above this sacrifice. If we have much of the spirit, we shall patiently submit to the Lord's dispensation of his sovereign withdrawing of influences of comfort, yea and delight in other inferior duties. What though he will not feast me with the apples of the tree of life, and suspend his comforts? What if he withdraw joyful influences of believing, of glorying, and rejoicing in the Lord, and feed the poor sinner with absence and exercise him with sad desertions?

3. It's a spiritual condition, when Christ casts in feelings, and discernible motions of the spirit, and not only knocks, but Cant. 5:2, 4, puts in his hand by the hole of the door, if this follow, my bowels were moved for him. And it's a spiritual condition when the soul fails, and the spouse falls a swoon at these words, Open to me, my sister, my love, &c. Cant. 5:2, 6. And these lesser feelings would be turned into consent, and into fixed resolutions; as the spouse, I opened to my well-beloved; I sought him, but I found him not; I called him, but he answered me not: And that came from the feeling of his hand, put in by the hole of the door, ver. 4, compared with ver. 6. For that word, Quench not the spirit, 1 Thes. 5:19, includes an affirmative; that is, cherish kindly and yield sweetly unto the flowing's and sweet influences of the spirit.

8. A watching condition is a spiritual condition. The Spirit of God is much seen in keeping the soul watching. Ephes. 6:18. Praying with all prayer and supplication in the spirit is joined with watching; For it's added, and watching thereunto with all perseverance: and Jude conjoins praying in the Holy Ghost, with ver. 21, looking for or watching after the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. The spirit is willing (Matth. 26:4, forward, watchful, so is the renewed part,) but the flesh is weak, sleepy, and lazy; And as much as the man hath of the spirit, so much holy watchfulness hath he; and Matth. 25:26, the evil servant that digged his Masters talent in the earth, is called wicked and slothful, sleepy, in opposition to the watching and painful servant, who ver. 20, gained five talents to five talents. Drowsiness counter-works the knockings and gracious influences of the Spirit of Christ's calling, Cant. 5, and answers Christ's piercing words Open to me, my sister, my love, &c. with a carnal excuse from drowsiness; it's not time of night for Christ to seek lodging; I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? Cant. 5:3. The flesh is a sleeping thing, and a dead: were we more diligent and painful we might be richer; lesser motions closed with become the seed of larger motions. The moving of the bowels at Christ's spiritual stirrings that he makes upon the heart grows to this, I rose to open to my well-beloved. Watching guards against sleeping, and watchfulness puts the soul upon a resolution to watch: sleeping guards no more against watching, then then the privation fences off the habit, or doth set a man to work against life. We sit not watchfully upon the motions of the spirit, to warm them and to draw life out of them, as the Hen by careful sitting upon dead Eggs bringeth forth living birds. Who would think a tree and a huge tree can come from a sorry plant? Or sixty or a hundred grains of wheat in harvest to be in one single grain cast in the earth in sowing time? Can the flesh wait for the Lord? Is not hope an act of life? Yea, it's lively hope opposite to a dead and rotten hope: and waking is nearer to life, and influences of life, then sleeping, which is the death of the man as touching the exercise of the sensitive life: Then since the spirit is a spirit of life, and a quickening and living spirit, Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 15, the more watchfulness in any, the more of the spirit; For when the spirit enters in the dry bones, they become an army of living men, whereas before they were farther from life and spirit then sleeping bones. Let us not sleep as do others: but let us watch, and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, 2 Thes. 5:6, 7. The night is far spent, let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife and in envying, Rom. 13:13. This is like the putting on of the Lord Jesus, which is a work of the spirit; for sleeping men put not on their garments. Ministers especially are to watch, yea to watch in all things: then in sleeping they must watch, 2 Tim. 4:5. And hardly can fighting, and enduring hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, commended to the Minister, 1 Tim. 6:12. 2 Tim. 2:3, consist with sleeping, if we know how near Satan the roaring Lion (who sleeps not) is to our quarters and camp, 1 Pet. 5:8. Who can sleep and be secure, and resist Satan? Or stand against him steadfast and fixed in the faith? Ver. 9. Christ is much upon this, by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Watch, Watch, and pray; and lest it slip them again, I say to you, Watch, Matth. 26:38, 40, 45. Matth. 24:42. Matth. 25:13. Mark 13:23. Mark 14:38. Luke 17:26, 27, &c. Luke 21:8, 38, cap. 2:2, 46. How can sleeping men receive influences of grace? Doth the Lord cast influences upon sleeping men's bosoms? So are we to act as our acting way be fathered on the spirit; as the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, upon Samson, and they fight, and the Spirit of the Lord upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiadah, and he prophesied, 2 Chro. 24:20. Luke 1:64, the father of John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied. Simeon came by the spirit into the Temple. This acting in the spirit is opposed to acting in the flesh, and in the spirit of Satan; as Bullinger of one brother who slew his brother, and pretended the spirit: and Pareus tells us the like. As the Lord the Father and Son never spake to Abraham, Moses, to Patriarchs or Prophets, but he made them know it was the Lord; so neither does the spirit act in any, though the way seem violent, as in Phineas and Samuel, their executing of justice, but the Spirit makes it known that it is the Spirit, and that he is not in the mighty wind, nor in the fire, but in the calm voice. So Samuel leisurely and advisedly convinceth Agag ere he kill him, and gives a reason to his conscience from divine justice, 1 Sam. 35:32, 33, though Samuel then had laid down the sword. It's a useful word Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost; and Ephes. 6:18. Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. What, is there a praying in the flesh? Yea, if preaching may be from a principle of the flesh, out of envy and strife, Phil. 1:15, so may praying be from some rotten principle of fleshly presumption. Lord, Lord, open to us. Which us? To us workers of iniquity, Matth. 25:11. Luke 13:25, 26. And 2. some prayer flows from fleshly despair, and not from the spirit. Rev. 6:16. Mountains and rocks fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne. And 3. The enemies of David cry to the Lord out of fleshly fear and unbelief, not in the spirit, Psal. 18:41. There is a praying out of deadness and from the flesh, not from the spirit: and often the mere office and the letter not the spirit prays and preacheth out of the man; it's far from that praying Rom. 8:26. And learn to discern the literal fair influences in praying in the flesh, and the sweet, calm, fiery also, and spiritual paining influences of love-sickness, Cant. 5:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, &c.

10. Conversing with spiritual men, born of the spirit of the same Father, John 5. John 3:1 John 3:14. Psal. 119:63, with Elias, leaning on Christ's bosom, in whom is fullness of the spirit, declares a spiritual man. None of the Disciples saw more spiritual and glorious visions then John in the book of the Revelation: he would have desired to lean on and dwell in Christ's heart, as in his bosom. Brethren love one another; the common nature and spirit of their Father dwells in them. Fowls of the same feathers and colors haunt together. Drunkards, malignants, swearers, love to be together: beware of wearying to haunt with the spirit and spiritual men, and to loath a spiritual Ministry, and to look upon spiritual doctrine as upon fancies: If it be so with you, you shall back to the flesh-pots of Egypt again: its a living near to the fountain to haunt much with the Saints; and as the streams are one in the well, so do the streams run in the same channel, and love to stick together: Natures of the same kind, lambs with lambs love to live together, Psal. 119:13. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. A part of the Air keeps its being best in the whole Element, whereas a part of the Air is corrupted in the bowels of the Earth, where it is out of its own Element: a part of water is best preserved in being in the element of water; put it in a pit or hole of the earth it's alone, and it becomes rotten and unsavory. The Saints keep their spiritual being with the excellent ones in whom is all their delight, Psal. 16:2, as being in their own element: and no wonder if it be their woe to dwell long in Mesech, and in Kedars tents with such as hate peace, Psal. 120:5, 6. Psal. 57:4, 10, nor is this to flatter such as separate from Christ and his Ordinances; nor to say, Stand by thyself, come not near me; for I am holier than thou, Isa. 65:5, and yet they themselves remain among the graves and lodge in the monuments. Be rather frequenting Hospitals of sick ones, making it your work to gain many; it's like to Christ, Luke 16:6, 7, 10. Matth. 9:10, 11, 12, 13. Luke 15. God ordinarily showers influences and promiseth influences to the flocking together of the godly, and the pouring of his spirit on them, Jer. 50:4, 5, 6. Zech. 8:21, 22, 23. Mal. 3:16, and two speaking of Christ, Jesus himself comes in as third man, Luke 24:15, 16, 17, &c. and as if they were the fit soil, he rains down influences of warmness and burning of heart on them while he opens the Scriptures to them, v. 32, see Acts 2:1, 2, 3, &c. Joh. 20:19. It's a spiritual condition to talk of spiritual purposes: when the well is full it must run over; when there is a treasure and abundance in the heart, the spirit comes to the tongue in Zachariah and Simeon, Luke 2:25, 27, and grace seeths and boils up to the tongue, when the conceptions of the King Christ are the good matter indicted by the heart, Psal. 45:1, so to be filled with the spirit, Ephes. 5:18, 19, saith Paul, speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs: —Giving thanks always for all things to God is the spirit's work in his abundant influences. There is a spirit in men seen in language; the sea-man talks of winds; the husband-man of oxen and plowing; the soldier of battles and wounds; and the shepherd of flocks; and the spiritual man of Christ, redemption, imputed righteousness: and as the pilgrims heart, and the pilgrims tongue, the pilgrims thoughts are all upon his way and his home; so is the spiritual man much upon Eternity, Heaven, Christ: for the three noble Conferrers, the transfigured man Christ, glorified Moses, and Elias, speak of the celebrious heavenly subject, the <H&G>, and out-going of Christ when he was to leave the world. The man hath been full of God who could not refrain from speaking of the Lord's testimonies before Kings; and Princes have no great list to hear but of State matters & of conquering new Kingdoms, Psal. 119:46, the rotten, unsavory, worldly and carnal speeches of many, bewray how little of the spirit is within them. It was Christ who had the fullness of the anointing of the spirit within him, Psal. 48:8. I delight to do thy will, O my God, thy law is within my heart. In Sea and Land, and House and Field, by the way side journeying, at every table when he should have eaten he made good that word, ver. 9. I have preached righteousness in the great Congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips thou knowest, O Lord. 10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving kindness from the great Congregation. Influences of grace are required for this; as pag. 45.

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