CHAPTER V. Some properties of Influences of grace.
PART IV.
CHAPTER I.
Of the impediments of heavenly influences upon the soul in general, and of their cure.
2. There be much using of means and no influences. 3. Means would be used in much humility. 4. We may mar influences of grace.
It is not to be thought that influences, being acts of omnipotency, can properly be hindered; but by way of promise and judicial threatening, he hath revealed in his word that he will give grace to the humble, and resist the proud, James 4:6. 1 Pet. 5:5, and that he will guide and teach the meek and lowly, Psalm 25:9, he certainly promiseth influence of grace to the meek. Hence
1. Quest. Whether God gives ordinarily and always influences of grace, at or in the using of means?
2. Whether men can hinder the holy influences of God?
3. What are the impediments in the soul in general, and their cures with them.
4. What are the impediments in special, and their cures.
As to the first of these four, the following conclusions may be considered.
1. Concl. Often God reveals himself. 1. To Moses waiting on his herding, Exod. 3, he appears to him in the bush: he reveals Christ to the Disciples while they are mending their nets: the Angels declare to the shepherds the birth of Christ while they attend their flocks, yet is there no necessary connection between the one and the other. But could we in conscience, and in reference to God, while we are yet in the state of unrenewed nature attend our callings, we might lie nearer to the Son of righteousness and his influences of grace: a sluggard spiritual may fear spiritual and judicial want of grace.
Ass. 2. There is sometime much seeking of Christ, and no finding, Cant. 3:1, 2, for a time: Magdalene is early up in the morning, and finds for the present, in lieu of Christ, an empty grave, and grave-clothes only; There is much crying to God, and for the time no hearing, Psal. 22:2. Psal. 69:1, 2, 3. It's here as in other means, early up, much laboring, no bread, and the runner getteth not the garland.
The Lord will have 1. free grace to shine above our sweating. 2. He will have us not to sacrifice to the creature, and created diligence, and to painful seeking, and will have us to learn our folly, who place our mercy and will have our Heaven to stand in running and willing and not in his free compassion. Esau runs and hunts, and obtains not the blessing; Jacob stirs less and is blessed: I speak it not to cry down means, but to cry up Christ and free grace. The Lord seems to forbid Jacob to pray, Let me go, for the day dawneth: but he rather encourageth him to pray; but he teacheth that God's hearing and blessing is more than my tears and wresthng.
3. The Lord would have us to examine, whether it be a humble and believing using of means that we go about, or not. The repenting Thief, in three hours upon the Cross runs, and the same day gets Paradise; and many have a fair wind and sail seventy years in a profession, yea, hear much, and believe not, and the ship is broken, and the man perishes; For Matth. 8:11, many shall come from the East, and the West, and sit down at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and the children of the Kingdom (who were first called, and in before them) shall be cast into utter darkness. Do not some sail much and promove nothing to the harbor? Read Rom. 9:31, 32. Ah, tremble to see a man believed to have many thousands, and a great stock in four, in seven ships, and yet the man goes a begging.
Ass. 3. Some means are cursed of God, and God sends judicial influences upon them; Devils believe, and horror take hold on them; Felix hears, and trembles, and shifts influences of believing.
Concl. 4. Where common influences are not entertained, they produce loathing of, and stumbling at the word in Capernaum: the day of grace in the Gospel to Capernaum is the year of vengeance; despise not, if ye wonder, O dreadful, yea, wonder, and despise and hate.
Concl. 5. The more spiritual the actings of God are, such as are Gospel-influences leading to, 1. illumination and clear light; 2. to astonishment and to wondering; 3. to strong conviction, they must be more spiritual, especially above law-influences, upon Barbarians, and the more direful effects they work: when the excellent element, air or water is made contagious, it is the more pestilentious and corrupt; how do diseases, and pests rage? Were the element of water, which is so excellent and useful, turned into blood, how unpleasant would it be to drink of it? Who knows what influences of wrath follow the Pharisees hearing and hating of Christ and the Gospel? The disposition of Children new born were good in hearing, and James his word c. 1:21, is very useful, that we receive the engrafted word in meekness; otherwise ill soil mars the seed, and renders it unprofitable, and the good seed makes the soil worse.
Concl. 6. We are so to use means, in godly trembling, in humility, in faith, as to look that the Lord will send showers upon his own husbandry; and malicious hearers are to be afraid, that rain, dew, summer showers shall cause the bad earth cast up more abundantly briars, nettles, and the like.
As to the 2. Though the procuring of influences be above our reach, except in the way spoken of, yet a small touch of an unskilled man may mar the work of an Horologue, that it cannot act; but much art is required to temper it: it's in the power of a child, with little strength to put a small stone in the wards of a lock, so it can neither open nor shut: we can mar our own comfort, and the work of salvation, and then complain of God to God, as Matth. 25:25, and the damned in Hell complain that God gives not sufficient means, who denies to send Preachers from the dead to them, and gives them a dry and dead book of Moses and the Prophets to give them warning, Luk. 16:29, 30. No husband-man can hinder the rain to fall, the corn to grow, nor the Sun to send down beams and influences of heat and life upon the earth: nor can Saul in the rage of his persecution hinder Christ to shoot his arrows at him, Acts 9. Such as complain most of God, are really most naughty, and may sooner meet with the Lord's wrathful rebuke, then with his softening and pitying mercy.
CHAPTER II.
The Lord keeps an order in sending influences.
2. He maketh short work on some. 3. There is a confluence of influences at one time, and in one work. 4. Despising of the Word. 5. Refusing of Ordinances. 6. Persecuting of the Prophets. 7. Resisting of the operations of the spirit, do all obstruct influences. 8. Praying and praising promove influences. 9. Hardening of the heart, 10. Not profiting by means. 11. Remaining in nature. 12. Actings in wrath, rancor, malice, bitterness, and inordinate passion, obstruct influences. 13. Keep the oil of the spirit clean, if ye would have influences. 14. We are to act morally and physically with the spirit. 15. Prayers obstruct not sovereignty's acting.
The Lord's ordinary way of working is here to be observing; the spirit confers not upon Peter's hearers, Acts 2, influences of faith, and of gladly receiving of the word, v. 41, at the first, before he bestow influences to the pricking of the heart for sin, v. 37, nor does the spirit act upon Saul, Acts, 9, and the Jailor, Acts 16, for their rejoicing in the Holy Ghost and believing, and applying Christ and the promises at the first, until first a law-spirit humble and make the proud to tremble. Then the spirit must use divers instruments, and shoot arrows and influences of law and wrath, and wound the heart with arrows of love: as the Artist, the Carpenter useth sundry tools according to the diversity of timber that he works on, and the Lord here accommodates his influences according to the nature of the soil. It's like Christ's spirit made shorter and more expedite work on the hearts of James and John; for when Christ said unto them, Follow me, Matth. 4:19, 22, they straightway or immediately leave their nets and their father, and follow him. It's as little time betwixt Christ's word to the man sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed and walk, and his walking Mark 2:12, for immediately he took up his bed, and went forth before them all: It's like Matthew 's conversion is of the same nature, Matth. 9:9. Luke 5:27, 28, in which the Lord gives proof, that as some Castles fall at the first shooting of the Canon, so there is no standing out, nor resisting of Christ; for when he adds strength of omnipotency, the work of humiliation, of conviction, of saving faith, or repenting, are all quickly done: as if tilling, sowing, and harvest were all in one day, or one hour.
2. We see also that gracious influences are threaded (as it were) upon gracious influences; every beating of the smiths hammer brings forth at once many sparkles of fire, and a shower of rain is the falling of millions and hosts of drops of rain at once. So in fervent prayer, there must be a cluster of gracious influences; in every sigh and groan there is an acting of the spirit, Rom. 8:26. The work of the spirit must be maimed, imperfect: if godly watching, 2. Prayer, 3 Fervent desire, 4. Humble sense of unworthiness, 5. Faith on the promise, 6. Love to our Father, have not everyone their several influences of grace. When the seven stars arise above the Horizon, if six ascend, the seventh must also ascend; in all which, the poor sinner is far below the influences of grace, they are sent out as sovereignty thinks fit; and here the Lord rains down showers of grace, and a shower is made up of a multitude of drops: yet in the general may sinners counter-work and restrain as it were the influences of grace; they may resist the word, Zech. 7:12. They made their hearts like an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law. Now the Lord cannot give influences out with the preached word where men turn away their ears from the Law, Prov. 28:9, and Act. 7:57, they stop their ears. Wicked men cannot be avenged on the Spirit in his person, or in his several operations of saving grace; yet they avenge themselves on the message, and break in pieces the chariot that carries the Spirits operations, and trample upon his word; be in love with the word to count it your heritage, Sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb; and you as David upon suit, shall have influences to be kept from presumptuous sins. Psal. 19:7, 8, 9, compared with v. 13, and Psalm 119:40. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts, therefore Quicken me in thy righteousness.
2. Men can refuse to come and partake of Ordinances and to be Baptized, as the Pharisees do Luke 7:29, 30, and so reject the counsel of God; and refusing to be among the golden Candlesticks, and the Assembly of his Saints, comes near to trampling on the blood of the Covenant, doing despite to the Spirit of grace, Heb. 10:25, 26, 29. Rejoice to stand within Jerusalem, Psal. 122, for the Church is his vineyard: love a room in his Church, for it lies near to the Sun, and is under the watering and showers of grace. So Christ speaks to the Spirit, Cant. 4:16. Awake O North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. So there is a commission given that the Spirit in its efficacy blow upon the plants and flowers that grow there; the Church is also his garden of red wine which he waters every moment, Isa. 27.
3. Acts 7:51. Ye do always resist the holy Ghost, then must they obstruct the gracious actings of the holy Ghost: and this proves it to be true that Steven said, that they resisted the holy Ghost: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of that just one, of whom ye are murderers, (saith he) they who cast down the lodging they injure the indweller; the godly prophet is the house and lodging of the holy Ghost. 2 Chro. 36:12. Zedekiah humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet, (speaking) from the mouth of the Lord. Now the Spirit acted on the Prophets when they spoke, 2 Pet. 1:12, then esteem the feet of the messengers of God to be pleasant upon the mountains, for they bring glad tidings of peace, and that they only do who have these gifts of the Spirit to pray and believe, Rom. 10:14, 15.
4. The speaking against the manifest operations of the Spirit of the Lord, by which Christ cast out devils, draws so deep as the sin against the holy Ghost, Matth. 12, and such are deprived of pardon, of faith to lay hold on pardon; and such having done despite to the spirit of grace, must indite war against the Spirit and all his operations; therefore cherish and obey the Spirits actings, be willing to be led by him, close with the counsels and breathings of the Spirit; speak to edification, that which ministers grace to the hearers, and that cherishes the sealing of the Spirit, Eph. 4:29, 30. So singing Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual Songs, with making melody in the heart to the Lord, is a proclaiming that there is some fullness of the Spirit; if the Spirit could speak in the Saints, the two native languages of the Spirit would be praying (for that is the cry of the Spirit, Rom. 8:15, 23, 26.) and singing praises, Eph. 5:18, 19, 20. The way to have influences of the Spirit is to pray continually and fervently, and to give thanks always for all things unto God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus, Eph. 5:20.
5. A wicked hardening of the heart, is as if ye would cast water on a weakly smoking fire of green timber, that cannot be a seat, an office-house to the Spirit and his actings, such are interdicted of the spiritual seeing, and of the Spirits hearing of the Spirit. Rom. 11:8. God hath given them the spirit of slumber; eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear to this day. It's dreadful when Prophets preach some stark blind and dead: one of the chief and noble operations of the Spirit, is illumination, and he is a seeing, and an enlightening, and a hearing spirit.
1. Wink not before the shining beams of the Sun; yield heartily to the convictions of the Spirit, John 16:7, such as waste away the light of conscience and the convictions of the Spirit, are not entrusted again with new actings of the Spirits enlightening.
2. Be tender, and stand in awe of smaller sins: it speaks much of the spirit in David, to be smitten with the renting of the lap of Saul 's garment.
6. Some make themselves uncapable of the actings of the Spirit, who seeing great temptations, signs and miracles, have plenty of means, yet remain blind and hard-hearted, and dull of hearing, Deut. 29:2, 3, 4. Heb. 5:11, 12. Joh. 12:37, 38, 39, 40, if we would improve the actings of the Spirit, and delight in the Lord's way, we should have new influences to walk in his paths, Psalm 119:35, and God teacheth David good judgments; for (saith he) I have believed thy commandments, v. 66. So are they-far from new influences who abuse so many plagues and so many deliverances from these plagues, as Pharaoh did, and crush the motions of a trembling conscience, as Felix did; a doubt it may be if ever the like acting of a Law-spirit visit such men again.
7. All such who remain in the state of unrenewed nature are uncapable of the actings of the Spirit: nor does the Spirit lodge in sensual and beastly men, Jude v. 19, nor can the world receive the Spirit of truth, John 14:17, no more than the spirit and breathing of a horse can lodge in a pismire. It's true, John the Baptist was full of the holy Ghost from the womb. Luke 1:15, and the Spirit acts him with joy, v. 41, when Mary saluted her; but John Baptists sin Original was both then pardoned, as touching the damnation thereof, and subdued as touching the dominion of it. Otherwise another spirit acts and works by nature in the sons of disobedience, Eph. 2:2, and these two strong ones can remain and dwell both in one castle; then seek translation, and to be with Christ, if ye would have the Spirit and his influences; multitudes no more complain of the want of the influences of the Spirit then a dead man's corps complains of cold, of hunger, of thirst, or of influences of life from the living soul; nor complain they of sickness. Oh, it speaks life to be pained for the way of the Spirit and his influences: what wonder that ye cannot persuade a sleeping man that he sleeps?
8. Some actings of bitterness, wrath, clamor, anger and malice in the Saints may sadden the Spirit of God, darken the evidence of the Spirits sealing unto the day of redemption, Eph. 4:30, 31. It must be a sort of suffering to the Spirit, and a casting water on the fire, and a deadening to David, as touching vigorous and lively operations, that he acted adultery and murder, which moves him to pray for the restoring to him again the joy of the Lord's salvation, and to be upholden by the Lord's free spirit, Psal. 51:12. Can a King dwell even in a palace when it is burning and smoking about his ears? Therefore holy actings, teaching of sinners, praying, praising, Psalm 51:13, 14:15, to be kind one to another, and tender-hearted, to forgive one another, as Christ did, Eph. 4:32, and to act as the Spirit, and to be holy and heavenly in one walk, puts the Spirit in a sweet composed temper to act and breath abundantly in his flowing's of love and grace.
9. It would be observed that influences of the Spirit are contempered with the actings of grace, with which they concur; the spirit of adoption acts in the grammar of prayer, to cry Abba Father; and he comes down to the language of children learning to speak, and to say Abba; and the Spirit helps our infirmities. O, it must be great help that the Spirit yields; it must be creating of new heavens, or removing of mountains, or dividing of the sea, or something like (say some:) nay the Spirit helps us with a groan; his influences come down to sigh and weep, and mourn like a dove in a Saint, Rom. 8:26. Cant. 2:14. Ezech. 7:16, and if so, it's no wonder that the Spirit breaths not on our wild fire anger. Well, does the Spirit breathe on Christ's holy anger? He was angry and grieved, Mark 3:5, and was saddened at the offending of God. To be angry at the sin of offenders, and yet so as to compassionate the soul of the offender, this is to fix a fit seat for the influences of the spirit; nor can we receive the influences of that spirit who applieth and intimateth pardon and forgiveness when our anger is such to these who injure us as we cannot forgive them; and if anger lodge and take chamber in the bosom and breast of a fool, can the Spirit breathe supplications in such a breast? When the fountain is troubled and muddy with clay, it gives no representation of the face and image to the beholder. Psalm 119:135. Make thy face to shine on thy servant: but the soul is a dusty and muddy glass most unfit to receive the irradiations and beams of such a transcendent sun of glory; yea, it's some way fitted, v. 136, rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law. Then a soul mourning for sin is fit to be shined upon by the Lord: when the man Christ's soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to the death, Matth. 26:38, then is his soul fit to receive darting's of the spirit, to pray most humbly with his face on the ground, v. 39, most believingly, O my Father, O my Father; most fervently with triple praying, 44, more earnestly, Luke 22:44, or more bendedly; then cannot a soul filled with hellish and devilish sorrow, such as was the case of wakened Judas, receive influences of the Spirit to see a pierced Lord, and to be in bitterness as one is for his only son, Zech. 12:10, but must despair, and receive influences of hell for hardness and impenitency.
Obj. But we see the Church lament, 3, very unbelievingly quarrelling with God. v. 8. When I shout and cry, he shutteth out my prayer. 10. He was unto me as a Bear lying in wait, and as a Lion in secret places: And v. 18. I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Yet verse 24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him: then doth not unbelief and sorrow of sad and half despairing, so incapacitate and deaden the soul to receive influences of believing?
Answ. There is a far other consideration of a soul under prevailing corruption, that is either yet not converted, and of a converted man under a strong prevailing temptation: when two contrary champions, the flesh and the spirit, are standing in battle array in the fields, each one enemy attending the motions of another, as in the former consideration: there is a great difference betwixt green timber and dry and withered fuel, or betwixt dry fire-wood and fuel, though dry, yet soaked some days in water; in this ease influences of the spirit from heaven, and influences of the flesh from hell, do not so quickly exchange lodgings, and go and come to and from divers subjects; neither an unrenewed man, nor a David under prevailing lust, are such fitly disposed fields for showers of influences, as in a moment they can cast off deadness and put on a spiritual disposition to receive influences of grace, though there be an active celerity on the Spirits part, for he can go and come quickly, and this is to be seen in a soul under spiritual exercise, even now there is a sad complaining, I said in my haste, I am cast out from before thy face; and yet with the same breath, nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication. Then under sense of being cast out of God's favor, there are also influences to pray, and to pray in faith, and when the Christian fainting saith, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord, Lam. 3:18, she also saith, The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, v. 24. It's clear then that fainting and feeling are near to other, and so influences for the one and for the other are near to other; the quickness and celerity of influences is evident in the sudden ups and downs of the soul, as the shining of the Sun in March and the showring of the clouds are so near to other, he comes in his shining's as a fire-flaught in the midst of our sad lowering and dumpish deadness, and when the Lord pleaseth his visits are speedy and swift.
CHAPTER III.
How the soul is under plenty of means and dispositions heavenly, and yet under scarcity of influences.
2. Praying and love to the word, according to the will of precept, all along through Psalm 119:3. Delighting in the word, reading and meditating thereon fetch heavenly influences. 4. Hence 18, obstructions of influences. 1. Hardness and blindness. 2. Unbelief. 3. Deadness. 4. Security. 5. Irreligious profaneness and Atheism. 6. Unconstancy. 7. Deceitfulness. 8. Pride. 9. Worldly-mindedness. 10. Fiery preposterous zeal. 11. Uncleanness. 12. Malice and bitterness. 13. Worldly sorrow. 14. False joy. 15. Self-love. 16. Willful ignorance of the Gospel, and hatred of Christ. 17. Impatient fretting against providences, the contraries of all which help to fetch heavenly influences. Lasty, the Lord's manner of contributing his influences makes us not passive lumps and blocks; the word shows that God lays a holy necessity on our will, so that we are most willing and free agents in spiritual actings. 18. Vain and wanton thoughts obstruct influences.
The heart, as including will and mind and affections, is the public Inn and lodging that receives all influences.
1. There is a sweet proportion betwixt the influences of the spirit and the new heart.
Quest. How is it then that the soul is under sweet dispositions and plenty of means, and yet wants influences?
Answ. This is to show the absolute freedom of grace, as Cant. 1, the Spouse is in a sweet condition, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better than wine. 3. Because of the savor of thy good ointments, thy name is ointment poured out, therefore do the virgins love thee. 4. The King brought me into his chambers; yet she stands in need of a pull, draw me. v. 7. Tell thou me (O thou whom my soul loves) where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon-day. Here is a soul in love, longing to be embraced and kissed, smelling Christ's precious ointments, taken in to the Kings chamber; yet the prayer to be drawn, and to be instructed where to find him, teacheth, that some are at the well-head, and yet thirsty, and in Christ's banqueting house, and yet the praying of such to be drawn, speaks want of influences, and hunger for more, except Christ intimately apply his influences to will and to do. Cant. 2:4. He brought me into his banqueting house, his banner over me was love. 6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. What is here wanting? Is not this paradise come down from heaven? But the prayer, v. 5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love, is a strong evidence that the Spouse, even in Christ's arms, and in his house of wine, where are all the refreshments of heaven, is not sick only, but fallen into a deep swoon, if Christ hold not up the head, and stay the soul with quickening influences: what then could you make of heaven itself, and of Christ's sweetest embracement's, if he teach not how to improve the fullness of this free love in sweetest actings of heavenly duties? When John is in heaven, and sees heavens glory, yet if the present actings of the spirit go not betwixt him and Angel-worship he roves; influences must then make Christ to be Christ, and heaven to be heaven, and the Spirit must open and let out upon the withered soul streams of the well of life, otherwise there is the banqueting house of wine, and there is yet the hungry and swooning Spouse; there is heaven and fullness of glory, and there is yet miscarrying John: grace must make itself our grace, and he will have us to know to whom we owe the thanks, both of Christ and of the out-letting and emanations of free grace, and of the well of life, and of the flowing's and streaming's of that fountain, and so the created habit of grace is not to be rested on, but Christ acting in his free grace is all in all.
2. The Lord gives influences according to his will of pleasure; but we must stir and pray, and act according to his will of precept. Hence all along, Psal. 119, praying and influences of grace are woven through other, ver. 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust, that is a work of the Lord's gracious will of pleasure; Quicken me according to thy word, that is a duty of praying according to his will of precept.
2. His gracious dealing of his will of pleasure, is brought in as an argument to engage the heart to pray for grace to a duty of the holy will of command. 73. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn thy Commandments. v. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee, O let me not wander from thy commandments.
3. The acting of a duty according to the gracious will of precept, is made an argument why the Lord should bestow saving influences according to his will of pleasure; to promote us in duties, Psal. 119:40. Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness. 58. I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful to me according to thy word. v. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
4. Grace prayed for according to the will of pleasure kindles fire for an engaged heart to do a duty according to the Lord's holy will in his word. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law: Yea I shall observe it with my whole heart. That is, Lord lend me grace, and by that grace I shall repay duty; borrowed grace makes the soul a debtor for duties. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
5. It's comfortable for strengthening of faith, to lay before the Lord the victory of his grace, and the strength of the temptation, broken by going on a duty. Hence a temptation; 23. Princes did sit and speak against me: but an influence of grace to do the duty broke the temptation. But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. 69. The proud have forged a lie against me. A strong temptation; but its broken: but I shall keep thy precepts with my whole heart. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy word.
So all along learn, 1. That our free and voluntary trading with grace bringeth home new ships of gold; and there is no danger of miscarrying and shipwreck.
2. Being once by grace breathed on, we are to hold the wheels a going: grace puts the believer in a holy circle; and running begets more running, and the motion ends at us and begins at free grace.
3. The nearest purchaser of influences is prayer. ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies.
4. Grace given is a strong argument to get more grace; as gold buys more gold.
5. Though grace begin and prevene us, yet the Lord having once given the stock, spiritual want comes from spiritual sluggishness: we are willing to lose the tide and complain without cause of the seas motion.
6. The ordinary chariot and ship that carrieth the influences of grace is the Word of grace. David Psal. 119, is sick of love with the Word, Law, Testimonies. ver. 47. And I will delight myself in thy Commandments which I have loved. 72. The law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of silver and gold. 97. O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter then honey to my mouth. ver. 11, 20, 24, 46, 50, 52, 54, 70, 86, 92, 93, 96, 111, 113, 105, 159, 160, &c. and in that Psalm the influences of the spirit go all along in every verse, in a practical, loving, delightful, panting, lifting of the hands to the Commandments. v. 32. I will run the ways of thy commandments. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law: yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 45. I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts. 44. I will keep thy law continually. 60. I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. 66. I have believed thy Commandments. 74. I have hoped in thy Word. 77. Thy Law is my delight. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy Word. 83. I forget not thy statutes. 87. I forsook not thy precepts. 93. I will never forget thy precepts; for with them thou hast quickened me, &c. All which hold forth, if you would have showers of influences of grace, be in love with the Word, and let it dwell plentifully in you; for look as influences of vigor and life, and heat upon roses, flowers, herbs, grass, apple-trees, vines, corn, go along with light and shining of the Sun, so do the influences of the spirit: and the spirit in his lively actings delights to be carried in the chariot of the Word, Cant. 4:11. Thy lips, O my soul, drop as the honey-comb: honey and milk are under thy tongue, in regard of the precious promises of the Gospel in the sound ministry of the Church, and the savory influences of the spirit that go along therewith; therefore he adds, the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. Cant. 7:9. And the roof of thy mouth is like the best wine, for my beloved that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak; (influences of the spirit of grace must go along with speaking) such as are ignorant of the Word, and loath the precious Gospel and stumble at the Word, cannot receive influences of the spirit.
7. There is some admirable nearness of the word to influences, Psal. 119:11. Thy word have I hid in my heart: that I might not sin against thee. The word in the letter can keep no man from sinning against God.
For it is 1. common to all, and if not received by saith, convinces and condemns.
Nor 2. can the habit of grace in the heart prevent sinning, except sinning unto death; but not such sinning as David might, or could, yea or did fall unto, adultery and murder, of which he was most afraid.
Nor 3. can the literal memory of the word hinder sinning and yielding to dreadful temptations, though it be treasured up in the memory.
Nor 4. speaks he of the spirit, and inward word of the Swenckefieldians, Libertines, and the like, who forsake the rule of faith, the word, and depend upon wicked inspirations: but by the word hidden in the heart, he must mean the Word of God, and the engraven Law of God, Psal. 40:8. Jer. 31:33, not simply, but as it includes the word dwelling in the heart plentifully, Coloss. 3:16, loved, Psal. 116:97, 103, esteemed and prized highly, Psal. 119:72, 128, and believed, 92, 42, 43, and so seldom never have any an high esteem, or an habitual love and faith and hope in, and to the word: but influences to keep from sin go along with that word so hidden in the heart, that look as the heavens, clouds, sun, fail not to join their influences to the seed of vine-trees, roses, plants of fig-trees; and nature goes along with birds to cherish and to warm eggs for the bringing forth of young birds: so, in some infallible way, by promise, God concurs with the so hidden word to produce faith, and love, and all acts of obedience: how much then does it concern these that move the question, what shall we do to fetch the wind, and to purchase influences of grace? To read, hear, consider, love, praise, believe and chose the Word as a treasure.
8. Overcomed temptations have influences suitable to graces victory, Psal. 119:23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes, v. 83, 69, 161, 141.
9. Felt deliverances from the oppression of man, v. 134, sense of the loveliness and excellency of God want not influences, v. 68, & 132, 133.
3. As the earth and the things that grow thereon receive the Sun's influences, so doth the heart qualified with the habit of grace lodge heavenly influences, and the well-tuned string of the Harp and Viol closes sweetly with the smiting of the pulse, or hand of the Musician; but the mistuned string stricken on makes discord, and receives no concord of music: the savory and gracious heart welcomes the breathings of God, when the Spirit can no more act by his influences on a graceless spirit, then a Musician can play harmoniously on a broken Harp, or a mistuned Reed.
Hence these evils of the heart obstruct the influences of grace.
1. Hardness and blindness.
2. Unbelief.
3. Deadness.
4. Security.
5. Irreligious profaneness. and Atheism.
6. Unconstancy.
7. Deceitfulness.
8. Pride.
9. Worldly-mindedness.
10. Fiery zeal.
11. Uncleanness.
12. Malice and hatred.
13. Worldly sorrow.
14. False joy.
15. Self-love.
16. Willful ignorance of the Gospel and hatred of Christ.
17. Impatient fretting against Providence.
18. Disordered thoughts and ignorance of God in Christ.
1. Blindness and hardening of the heart, and Pharaoh 's not setting his heart, Exod. 7:23, on the miracle of turning the water of the river to blood; so that the fish in the river died, and the river stank, hinders influences of obedience, to let the people go, Exod. 8:1, 2, 3. Matth. 13:15. Their eyes have they closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted and I should heal them; as if they were afraid for the saving influences of the saving grace of conversion: so men keep strong forts, and imaginations against God besieging them by the preached Gospel, 2 Cor. 10:5, 6, and will not have their thoughts led captives to the obedience of Christ. Whereas softness and tenderness in Josiah 2 Kings 22:19, 20, brings stooping and self-humiliation, and receives influences for repenting, weeping and renting the cloths before God; for what impressions of grace can the stone or rock, (and such is the heart hardened, Ezech. 36:26) or the Adamant receive, Zech. 7:12? Temptations, signs and wonders do nothing at all to bring down the heart, Deut. 29:3, keep thy heart in some softness and tenderness, and then shall it receive smiting's from God; for the very renting of the lap of the garment of an enemy, the not despising of the cause of a servant, whom the master may easily bear down; or the not warming of the loins of the fatherless, with the fleece of the flock, Job 31:13, 20, in David and in Job have abundant influences of grace going along with them, and this seems an innocent negative: and when such small fins (so they appear to men) leave an impression of remorse, the heart is like melted wax that easily admits a figure and the print of an image of a man or a Lion; Influences are some way due to softness of heart as grace to the lowly, rain and dew to meadows in the valley, Jam. 4:6. 1 Pet. 5:5. Psal. 25:9.
2. As the light of faith leads every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10:5, 6, so doth unbelief dull the heart. The news of Christ risen again are idle tales to the Apostles, Luke 24:11. Unbelievers are men who cannot be persuaded, the Gospel leaves as little impression on the heart as a ship on the Sea, or an Eagle in the Air, where the light of faith leaves not a spiritual capacity for receiving the impressions of the Spirit of grace, and where unbelief reigns: and since unbelief hath conjoined softness and a fainting at the face of great affliction, so as the heart is moved as the trees of the wood, Isa. 7:2, there is not a seat in it under such softness to receive influences for the noble and high actings of the courage of faith in withstanding Kings and Princes, Priests, Prophets, and People, in subduing of Kingdoms, and in the believers godly hardening of himself as a wall of brass and a fenced City against all these; yea, against death and the grave, Jer. 1:18. Cant. 8:6, 7. Ezech. 3:8, 9. Rom. 8:35.
This is carefully to be observed, that the influence of actual grace finds either in the habit of grace, or frames and makes in the heart a gracious aptness and capacity to receive actual influences suitable to the duties in hand, either of believing, patient and joyful suffering for the Lord, and such like. As the Lord in his common influences with the Sun rising and going down, the wind blowing, the Sea ebbing and flowing straineth not, nor forceth the nature of second causes, nor draws them as passive lumps to act against the particular inclination of nature, but carrieth along the natural active principles of the Sun, Wind, Sea, and such like natural causes: so neither doth the Spirit of grace, by his actual influences, carry along the rational powers of knowing, believing, willing, as mere dead and passive blocks, as the Carpenter hewing lifteth an Axe and shaketh and moveth the Saw: but the Lord makes the suitable active concurrences of sinless nature and of grace stirring in its influences to join together and accord friendly, connaturally, and without jarring, or violence done to nature, and so carries on the supernatural and gracious actings of obedience. And therefore as this point, with all getting get wisdom, Prov. 4:5, 6. Prov. 2. Incline the ear, apply the heart; cry, lift up the voice for knowledge, dig for wisdom, as for silver and hid treasures: and then look for influences, v. 9, then shalt thou understand (by way of practice, which cannot want influences of grace) righteousness, and judgment, and equity (yea) every good path. And there is much in the walking by faith, the light of faith being the star-light and the day-light ordering the motion; and beside, which no objective light can do, it inclines and weighs the soul to spiritual acting, and the Spirit must attend the stirring of saving light so inclining the heart with gracious influences.
3. When we give way to deadness, and act literally, and carry on the bulk of praying, hearing, as willing to get the body of the work over, and wrestle not for life and power in praying, and blow not upon the dead heart, to stir up the habit of grace, the Spirit withdraws and acts not on deadness, as the Sun moves not vital spirits in a dead carrion, or dead corps, for there are none in it: the naked name of living professors in the Church of Sardis, when it was but a name, is plagued with deadness, and so with withdrawing of influences, Revel. 3:1, the Cocks clapping with the wings adds strength to the crowing; should we, if the iron be blunt, and the edge not whet, add and put too more strength, Eccles. 10:10, and seek life by stirring, as sea-men, by sailing about, seek and fetch wind, we should increase warmness of life, and hoisted up sails should receive wind; for humble sense of coldness and deadness and missing of life is a good sign when it brings forth, Psal. 119, the prayer so frequent; Quicken me, Quicken me: prayers used as Matins and Vespers, and wandering of heart, and whorish gadding of the thoughts in private praying brings on deadness: and as a Smith blows not the bellows on cold iron and cold fuel, where there is no sparkle of kindling of fire at all, neither doth the North or the South-wind in heavenly influences blow upon such hearts; Would ye have God to be more serious in his influences, when you are formal and not serious at all in the work?
4. Security obstructs actings of grace: the Spouse sleeps, and Cant. 5:2, the Spirit withdraws influences to open to the beloved: the Disciples sleep, when Matth. 26. Christ exhorts them to watch and pray: and can the Spirit breath upon a lying and sleeping sluggard? There is godly fear on the heart; but Peter and the rest of the Disciples in their shameful flight and stumbling at the sufferings of Christ, after their fearless and fleshly undertaking, saying that they should rather die than forsake him, prove that the spirits withdrawing, by which they fell in that sin, goes along with security: we would watch and fear always; and the contrary of fearing always is hardening of the heart, Prov. 28:14, which infers a withdrawing of that enlightening and softening grace. Where there is rising at midnight to praise, Psal. 119:62, a preventing of the dawning of the morning to cry to God, Psal. 119:147, there must be a continued shower of out-lettings of influences of grace for the lengthening out of hoping all the day long: as when Christ cannot sleep, but watches and prays when others sleep, the life of this must hold forth a sea of flowing in continued actings of grace in him.
5. A profane heart, void of God, and filled with Atheism also obstructs the flowing's of the Spirit; so the wicked Psal. 14:4, call not upon the Lord; there is not an owning of a God to be worshipped: Psal. 14:4, and the thing that goes along with that, is oppression; they eat up my people as they eat bread: and what gracious influences can there be there, especially when the Lord complains, They are corrupt, they have done abominable works. 3. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, &c. and the root is Atheism: The fool hath said in his heart, There is not a God. God breathes not in his influences on such as deny there is a God, till he first blow away the influences of Satan, who would darken and blot out the engraven notions of a Godhead; because Satan cannot be an Atheist himself, he would make the world speculative Atheists, (but because he cannot do this) he fills the world with practical Atheists; it can neither be blotted out of the heart of damned men nor devils, but a God and Judge there is; but men live without God, as if there were not a God, and these two species of Atheism are dreadful, Atheists without God creator. 1. When men laugh at a God-head that created all, and live by Policy, as State-Atheists. Or,
2. By Reason, as moral Atheists; or by Nature, as many Philosophers and some Physicians; such are dead and dry rocks, never rained on by influences, seldom while the skaddings of the river and streams of brimstone waken them are they out of a sleep; for influences on the creature in all its operations, especially in these of grace, are most proper actings of holy providence: he who denies there is such a thing in the world as fire, or a Sun, must deny that there is heat and light in the world. But the other sort of Atheists, without Christ, God Immanuel, are more inexcusable; as a Gospel-Atheist is farther from influences of grace then a Pagan-Atheist, as is clear from Matth. 10:15. Matth. 11:22, 23, 24. Matth. 12:41, 42, because farther from salvation; how few have been converted who were first temporary hypocrites, and long despisers of the Gospel? 2. who have been long moral naturalists; and 3. long bitter and virulent enemies to the Gospel and the godly, though otherways grave and civil? Be much in believing that God is, Heb. 11, that leads the way to the noble actings of faith in Abel, v. 4. Enoch, v. 5. Noah, v. 7. Abraham, v. 8. &c. and the faith that God is, and rules, and is good to Israel, and that he punisheth wicked men though he make them rich, leads the Prophet to the faith of God, his gracious providence in guiding the godly by his counsel, in holding them by the right hand, Psam 73:1, 2, 3, &c. 23, 24, 25.
6. The inconstancy of affections obstruct influences; even now Martha believed, and then, Lord, he stinketh, for he hath lain four days, John 11:27, 39. The ebbing and flowing of the Sea, the waxing of the Moon, the full Moon, the declining of it, the article of the change, have all divers and contrary influences on our bodies, on diseases, on living, dying, birth and health; and so may we judge of influences from the sudden changes of the heart. As
1. It may be taken away, Hos. 4:11, stolen away, 2 Sam. 15:6, and as moveable's can be stolen away and hid, though lands legally by fraud may be stolen away, yet physically they cannot be hid; so the love and force of the heart may and can be stolen away, and when hearts are from under the possession of the right owner, the Lord our God, they are not under his influences, when they are not in his world and Kingdom of grace, but in Satan's power; hearts benighted are from under the influence of the Sun, and therefore cannot receive the rays and beams of the Sun in the night.
2. Except the Lord pursue even renewed hearts, they are not the same to close with influences now as they were the other hour.
3. The various words used by the Scripture, As;
1. Bewitching of the hearts, and charming the Galatians from the sound doctrine of Justification through faith only Gal. 3:1, to Justification by works, prove that influences that take yesterday will not take today, for they were hot in running, and then cold in sitting down, Gal. 5:7. Deut. 19:6, while the avenger of blood, his heart is hot. The Galatians were willing to pluck out their eyes of late for Paul, and now their affection to him being soured, they look on him as an enemy, for he telleth them the necessary and lovely truth, Gal. 4:15, 16.
2. The heart is a thing that may be bowed, 2 Sam. 19:14, the metaphor is known to the learned, it may be allured and enticed with fair words, 1 Cor. 2:4, yea, the whole soul may be bought and sold, as Merchants goods, with fair words. 2 Pet. 2:3. False teachers, through covetousness, shall with feigned well decked word, as exquisitely dressed as hair, make merchandise of you.
3. The heart may be turned as streams of a river drawn thorough this part of the land, or this part, Prov. 21:1, and from nilling to willing, as the Lord thinks fit, according to God's will of precept, is often the falling of the Church of Ephesus sinfully from their first spiritual love, Revel. 2:4, and the turning from good to evil.
4. The heart may be engaged, Jer. 30:21, glued and made to stick to such an object, Psalm 119:31, given up and delivered, Eccles. 2:1, 2, 3. Eccles. 1:13. 2 Chron. 20:3, set and fixed to such a way, Judge. 13:3. Judge. 5:9, touched and moved, 1 Sam. 10:26, stirred to such a work, Ezech. 1:1, and then as the Sun in the Spring and Summer, coming near the earth, makes more excellent effects on it then the Sun farther off in Winter; when the Lord comes near, he works otherways on the heart then he doth in his absence; all which with divers other words say it's not easy to lie under and receive the influences of God; the gardens and meadows stir not out of their place, the vine-trees, the corn and grass in mountains, valleys, vineyards, flee not away from the falling of wind and dew, and the aspect and darting's of heat and beams from Sun and Heavens: But ah, unstable hearts, which withdraw from under the actings of the Spirit, and weary of prayer, hearing; whereas the establishing of the heart with savory dispositions, and delighting in the word fetch home influences, as Psalm 119, cleareth.
7. The desperate wickedness and deceitfulness of the heart, Jer. 17:9, puts the Prophet to speak to God, v. 13. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed. Influences then must be withdrawn from deceitful workers; and if the heart be deceitful above all things, then in some regard it's deceitful above Satan, as being a heart-deceiving and murdering of our own souls, beyond the privity of Satan, we boiling in the secret furnace of the heart many naughty thoughts that are unknown to Satan; and who knows the hypocrisy of the heart? And what way God plagues hypocrisy with farther hypocrisy, and by all sins? Heart-deceitfulness is within itself a rooting of itself: now this deceitfulness being so contrary to sincere and singleness of heart must be uncapable of influences, for the upright and sincere heart, and truth in the inward parts, Psalm 51:6, is desired and loved, Psal. 11:7. Psal. 146:8, exceedingly by the Lord, as most like himself. Psalm 11:7. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright. And so as everything loveth its own, the hen warms and cherishes her chickens, and every bird the young ones; so must the Lord follow with heavenly and quickening influences sincerity of heart, when he particularly saith to them, Psalm 32:11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. The Lord must then follow his own planting, (for the loving of the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and the girdle of truth about the loins, is a part of the armor of God, Ephes. 6:14.) with pruning, hedging, digging, and showers from heaven, whereas upon the heart unrenewed and still deceitful, there shall fall no rain; nor is a deceitful heart more capable of lively influences, then thick gross misty air can admit of wind, or then a torch steeped in mire and dirt is in capacity to receive light and flaming; and suppose (which yet is not possible) God should send saving influences on an unrenewed and deceitful heart, remaining such, yet could not such a poisoned stem bud and bring forth acts of saving grace; as the thorn tree in the fattest and choicest soil near the Sun, under influences of a warm heaven, benign clouds, a sweet moderate air, could never bring forth delicious wine, grapes, or pomegranates: prevaricators, hypocrites, and all double-minded halters betwixt the Lord and Baal shall rot in their soil, and be as the heath in the wilderness, and receive nothing of the actings of God; the Lord is far from their reins, Jer. 12:2. God is not in all their thoughts. Psalm 10:4. Salvation is far from the wicked: and what are then the influences of God on them? For they seek not thy statutes, Psal. 119:155, but David, v. 156. Quicken thou me according to thy judgments.
8. Pride hindereth not a little the out-goings of the Spirit; the proud soul is the fallow ground, the unbroken and unplowed earth, and what can be hoped of wheat or a barley harvest from rain and dew, and influences of Sun, air and clouds, where the plough never broke the earth, and the Husbandman did sow nothing? But as for the humble and humbled broken and meekened man, influences are his by the promise of God (O that is a great and an unchangeable thing) Psal. 25:9. The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way. None can be guided and taught practically to walk in the way of God, but these who are acted by influences of grace; Christ thanks the Father because he reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom to babes or young children, Matth. 11:25, and James 4:6. But he giveth more grace, God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace (and so influences of grace, and more influences of grace) to the humble. 1 Pet. 5:5. And see;
2. As the Lord and his servant nature hath provided a providence more active and careful in parents for suck and milk to infants, and for food to weaned children, who are as passive as stones in providing for themselves; so doth the Lord rain in a more abundant providence influences of grace on the meekened and broken spirit. Low valleys lying toward the Sun kindly receive dew and rain, mountains not so.
3. If the bones be of new broken and hot, and the wound green, the tender hand of Christ lovingly and compassionately binds up such broken ones. Isa. 61:1. Psal. 147:3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds: and bones easily know their own place of bones when his hand puts them in place.
4. Iron is the strongest and hardest of metals, yet being hot in the furnace receiveth any impression or figure, and bones yield to the smiting of the hammer, which it doth not when it's cold and stiff: when the cross hath graciously melted and softened the soul, then it receives influences of grace, and is ready to receive, as Saul, Act. 9:6, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? The proud self-arrogant spirit will not receive nor lodge impressions of grace from heaven; be not then high-minded, but fear, otherways there shall be no rain on you, and you shall not be engrafted in Christ.
9. Worldly mindedness and savoring of the things of the flesh keeps the soul both under deadness and distance from God the light of glory, and the heart and conversation in heaven brings forth that which hath a strong influence of grace with it, Phil. 3:20, 21. We look from heaven for our Savior the Lord Jesus, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, when the soul is in heaven, and we all (2 Cor. 3:18.) with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord, we are near to the receiving of the aspects of the glorified Redeemer; But such as mind earthly things, whose God is their belly, Phil. 3:19, can no more receive influences of grace then earth-worms, or the Serpent that eateth the dust; neither can heaven and the life to come have an impression in the gracious influences of God upon a wretched man, who worships clay and hath no heaven but gold; how can influences of God be received in the heart of an Idolater? Heavens glory upon the soul is so transparent, that bread and hunger had no influence upon Moses for forty days, when he was in the mount with God, and then rays and influences of glory could not but be sweetly received on the soul: it's clear in such as stand and live before the throne, who are under the eternally shining summer Sun, and receive eternally influences of glory, Rev. 7:15, the Lamb leading them, they serve God night and day in his Temple, v. 16, and see his face, Rev. 22:4, and reign forever and ever, v. 5, and the Disciples forgot bread and garments, yea and houses for themselves to dwell in (for the three tabernacles were for Christ, and Moses, and Elias, not to shelter them from frosts and rain, and hail, for they feared not the like injuries to glorified bodies) the Disciples say, It's good for us to be here; and so it's good for us to part with houses, with ships, with fishing, with nets, with plucking of ears of corn, or buying of bread, yea it's good to part with Ordinances, preaching to the Jews or Gentiles, with working of miracles, healing the sick, or casting out of devils, influences of glory were as connaturally received in the soul that is near God, and heavenly minded, as the Moon and Stars receive light from the Sun, and dry fuel receives fire where clay and the earthy and drossy, part of the Lord's creation, and his footstool, can receive no light at all; so if earthly mindedness have fixed a seat in the affections, the spirit of grace and glory cannot shine through gross and earthy hearts; give us corn, wine and oil, and the influences of the lovely countenance of God say worldlings, we do little value; whereas it is night and winter, and hell for a child of God, when the Lord withdraws influences of faith and feeling, loving, rejoicing and near communion with God; worshippers of God never miss gracious influences: when the soul is sick after Christ, influences of God, for the high praise of Christ, abound, Cant. 5:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, &c. and Psal. 63:1, when the soul thirsteth for God, and the heart and flesh cry out for the living God, Psal. 88:1, 2, and the soul panteth, as the heart for the water brooks, for God, Psal. 42:1. (which are crying signs of a heart in heaven) then influences of grace, like a high spring-tide, and like a full river, flow most abundantly, even to the satisfying of the soul as with marrow and fatness, and to the tongue praising of God with joyful lips, and the remembering of God in the bed, in the night-watches, Psal. 63:4, 5, 6, and to the extolling of the Lord as God and King, Psal. 88:1, 2, 3, and the breaking of the heart and bones when God is reproached, Psal. 42:3, 10.
10. Fiery zeal hinder influences; burn the Samaritans with fire from heaven, say the Disciples. O Paul (say fiery followers of the Law) would destroy the Law of God, and have Christ and grace all; but received ye the spirit (or his influences) by the Law? Ye know not the wild-fire of revenge and the spirit of anger that leads you, saith Christ to the Disciples, even to the mild beloved disciple John, Luke 9:54. Come (saith Jehu) and see my zeal for the Lord, liar, come see my zeal for Jehu, and for Jehu his new Kingdom; but there were here no influences of the spirit of grace, for 2 Kings 10:31. Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. Therefore Jehu his fire in killing Baal 's priests, and Ahab 's seed, being from false principles, carnal and self ends, and called by the holy Ghost. Hos. 1:4, blood-shed and murder to be avenged of God, must come from bastard influences. And when our savior rights the fire of zeal in John and James, he condemns the Spirit and the influences that made them so brutishly to startle, Luke 9:55.
2. He reduces them to the faith and sound believing of his coming in the world, which was to save men's lives, not to destroy them, v. 56, it's a notable healing of the too hot blood, that is in fiery zeal to believe soundly the meekness of Christ; therefore would hot and wild-fire influences be well tried whence they come, from Heaven or from Hell: for so some who kill the Lord's Apostles, judge then if sparkles of fire can come from heaven, John 16:2, when it is nothing so. Ophni and Phinehas are publicly zealous for the Lord; Moses meek in the injury done to him by Miriam, and by Core and Dathan, and his, is fiery against the golden calf in the Lord's cause; hence influences from God set them a work, and eat them up as zeal for the Lord's house eat up David, Psalm 69:9. Psalm 119:139, and Christ, John 2:17.
11. Fleshly uncleanness put them of Sodom to mock and persecute Lot a preacher of righteousness, Gen. 19:9, and their not hearing of Lot prove their influences were not of God. The holy Ghost clears to us that David, 2 Sam. 11, all along was carried by no saving influences, for there we find 1. His idleness. 2. His sluggishness, in sleeping in day light, when the Ark and people of God were in the fields. 3. His adultery. 4. His sending for Uriah to cover the matter. 5. His causing Uriah to be drunk. 6. His bloody letter to Joab to kill Uriah. 7. His bloodshed. 8. His Atheistical talking the state of the war. 9. Whereas David mourned for the death of Saul and Abner his enemies, and his not looking with godly trembling on works of divine justice in the Army, he passeth this over as a chance of war, in all which the spirit that led him in composing heavenly Prayers and Psalms was now far away: What actings of the Spirit can swine and dogs receive from God? 2 Pet. 2:12, 22. O but a clean hearth-stone, and a chaste, holy and clean house would be kept for the kindling's and flaming's of the holy Ghost. See Tit. 2:3, 4. 1 Thess. 4:2, 3, 4. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20, let the holy Ghost, his temple that he dwells in, be neat, pure, undefiled, for influences are the breathings of the Spirit, and the holy Spirit breaths not on brute beasts, and on slaves to the lust of the flesh.
12. Malice and hatred, called man-slaughter, 1 Joh. 3:15, must bemist the soul, and darken and benight, or overnight both conscience, mind, will, and affections; and so as stones or rocks, or the sea sands can receive no influences from Sun and clouds to bring forth wheat and barley, neither can the heart stuffed with malice, for the very incapacity of the soil is the cause why such ground cannot close with such impressions and influences of God. 2 Sam. 23:1. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, (there must be quickening influences) his word was in my tongue. The man that ruleth in the fear of the Lord shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun riseth, a morning without a cloud, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. The just Prince and Ruler, full of love and mercy to the people of God, and full of righteousness, is like a morning without a cloud, that hath clear influences of a shining Sun; the Lord quickening him with light of love, mercy and righteousness to the people whom he feeds, that he is as the earth receiving from the influence of the Sun, clouds and rain warmness that casteth up tender grass and corn. But v. 6. The sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands. 7. But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place. Then malice reigns so in wicked men, that if a man touch them, and keep society with them in duties of love, they bleed the hands of these that touch them as briars and thorns do, except the hands be fenced with iron and steel. He notes the Nations to whom David and Joshua offered peace, but they blood the people of God; and prepare war, as is clear in the Ammonites to whom David sent a message of love, and they came against him with the sword and war; now they are such thorns as are for the fire, saith David, and that they may be burnt, they require no influences of Sun and rain. Prov. 4:17. They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. Acts of hatred are their meat and drink, and what influences of the spirit can their way, which is the way of darkness, v. 19, require? Rom. 3:15. Their feet are swift to shed blood—for v. 17, the way of peace they have not known, and there is no fear of God before their eyes. Be meek and gentle as Christ, Isa. 42:2, 3. Isa. 53:7, a lamb dumb before the shearer, Luke 23:34. 2 Cor. 10:1, and that holy meek one lay near the Sun and the influences of the Spirit. Isa. 11:2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, Joh. 3:34, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him, neither acteth the Holy Ghost in his sweet breathings on bloody and cruel hearts of persecutors.
13. Worldly sorrow counterworketh sound repentance and godly carefulness, holy defenses, holy anger against ourselves, godly fear, vehement desire, zeal for God, revenge, such by which we are not to be satisfied with our selves, who have committed such wickedness: now all these require influences of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 7 9, 10, 11.
2. The Law-Spirit of bondage being hellish fear, Rom. 8:15, and must be another spirit, then the witnessing spirit, and the influences of the one different from the other: as good wheat, that comes of the plowing and sowing of the husband-man, and wild corn that comes from no plowing or husbandry; but such wild oats grow of their own accord in mountains and in the house-tops, Rom. 8:15, 16, 17.
3. The hypocritical sorrow of Esau weeping for the blessing, and yet saying in his heart, he would kill his brother, could have no influences of the Spirit, Genes. 27:38, 41, for heart-prophanness which was in Esau, Genes. 25:32. Heb. 12:16, 17, cannot consist with saving influences: and Malachi. 2:13, the covering of the Altar with tears, crying and weeping to God was bastard sorrow, for they married the daughter of a strange God: and compare David 's godly sorrow, Psal. 51, wherein he seeks the new heart and the free Spirit to be restored to him (there were there strong influences of the Spirit) with his weeping and mourning for Absalom, when he was killed: and the difference is clear; this latter seems to be but a worldly sorrow; such as mourn excessively for their dead friends 1 Thes. 4:13, banish the Spirit of faith and hope, which cheereth the heart, with the comfort of the last resurrection. Much sorrow spent on (it's a case of conscience to be remembered) the death of a father, brother, husband, wife, children, loss of goods, argues a carnal mind, and blunteth the stirrings of the Spirit: consider Martha her grief for her dead brother, and her unbelief, in tying the not dying of her brother to Christ's presence bodily as man, John 11:21, and her sorrow well near drowns her faith, ver. 39, 40.
14. False joy in corn, wine and oil, in full barns, Psalm 4:7. Luke 12:19, in the pleasant things of a present world must not a little oppose the Spirit in his influences, for where that joy is unrenewed, and full and extreme at only that which is a worldly good thing, the spirit is yet carnal, and no saving influences can be there; in the regenerate the affections are like two contrary rivers, when the one river is full at the flowing in of the sea, the river in the contrary coast is low and ebb; so joy, sorrow, love, desire, &c. as the Spirit prevails, Rom. 7, as the flesh prevails in its motion, so are they up in their fleshly exorbitancies, and low in their motions and flowings toward God, v. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, but the joy spiritual at the coming and receiving of the Gospel, Acts 8:5, 6, 7, 8, the joy of believing, Rom. 15:13, the joy of the hope of glory, Rom. 5:2. Matth. 5:12, the Joy in the midst of heaviness, if need be for a season, which is unspeakable and full of glory, 1. Pet. 1:6, 7, 8, the joy in suffering under reproaches, and the spoiling of our goods, Heb. 10:33, 34. Acts 5:41. 1 Thes. 3:9, the Joying in Christian walking Phil. 4:4, the joy of the holy Ghost Rom. 14:17, and the like, are all fruits of the spirit, and have necessarily conjoined with them heavenly influences to receive the Gospel, Acts 8, to believe with peace of mind, Rom. 15:13, to hope for glory, Rom. 5:2. Matth. 5:12, to be comforted under heaviness, even to love the holy afflicter, 1 Pet. 1:5, 8, to all patience in suffering, Heb. 10:33, 34. Acts 5:41, to walk cheerfully in our Christian course, Phil. 4:4, 5, all which must be wanting in the false and bastard joy of the world; and the like may be said of desire, the more men waste their desires in worldly objects, the less of the Spirit have they; as these two are excellently conjoined, Psalm 73:24. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsels, and afterward receive me to glory. Influences in perseverance in the way of God, by God's counseling and leading, are here insinuated; and beside that a spiritual desire, v. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And in the Earth (there is) none I desire beside thee.
15. Self-love is a note of Apostates in the last days, 2 Tim. 3:2, and of men in the state of nature, where self-love prevails above the love of God; (for natural men make themselves the god of gods, and the god of their false gods, Exod. 20:4. Judge. 2:19. Psalm 81:8. Amos 5:26. Hos. 13:2.) there be men who make themselves their last end, it's contrary to all true holiness and sanctification, and so to all acts and influences of the Spirit; for it is the proper work of the Spirit to make us holy, and he bears the name of the holy Ghost, and of the spirit of sanctification upon that reason; and therefore where self is the man's god, what room is left to holiness, and to the influences of grace? And where the love of God is spread abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost, which is given Rom. 5:5, and hath a seat in the heart, John 21:15. John 14:15. Deut. 10:12. Deut. 6:4, 5, 6. Deut. 30:6, as the habitual fear of God hath also; what doubt is there but the Lord shall join actual influences of grace to his own spiritual habits? Which should put us to self-denial, and to be less wedded to the love of ourselves, and more to love the Lord's Word, Law and Testimonies, Psalm 119:11, 47, 72, 97, 127, 128, &c. to love Jesus Christ, his cause and Gospel more than our own life, Matth. 16:25, 26, then houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children or lands, Matth. 19:29. Matth. 10:37. Luke 14:26, and where this habit of love prevailing in the heart is, the Lord denies not actual influences to his own sincere followers, and strength of grace to seal his truth with their blood, Rev. 12:10, 11. Heb. 11:33, 34, 35. Heb. 10:32, 33, 34, and when self-confidence and self-love, and carnal fear of losing life present prevails by reason of a temptation; as is clear in Peter and the Disciples, who deny and forsake Christ contrary to their undertaking, Matth. 26:31, 32, 33, 34, 35, v. 56, 69, 70, 71, &c. the Lord justly withdraws the influences of his spirit.
16. The ignorance of the Gospel, and the loathing of Christ, renders all Pagans who hear the rumor of Christ but receive him not, and all Reprobates within the visible Church in a worse condition then rocks and deserts are in, for Sun, clouds and rain send influences in them, but the malignity and dryness, and coldness of the soil is the cause why they do not spring and blossom as the gardens and meadows; but though the Lord send common helps to such Pagans and unbelievers, yet it is justice that the Spirit in his influences should be a stranger to such as live strangers to the Son of God, for the Son and Spirit go not contrary ways to their operations. Carnal professors who study only a form of godliness, and aim not at the power of godliness, and do but bear the bare letters and outward bulk of baptism, and the sound of the word preached, and hate Christ, and persecute the godly that are chosen by him out of the world, come under the name of the world, who cannot receive the Spirit nor his influences, John 14:17, and have a spirit of their own, the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2:12, this spirit is their tutor and guide; and such as are out of Christ are led by the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2:2, and are taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2:26. Now can these two spirits, the Spirit of God and the Devil lodge in one and the same dwelling, and exercise their several operation on the same soul? No.
17. The sad fretting's and wresthng's at the providence of God incapacitates men for influences of grace: thrice Psalm 78, the people are said to tempt the Lord, and especially in asking meat for their lust, v. 18, can he provide flesh for his people? v. 20, and the Spirit of the Lord so tempted, lets not out his sweet and saving influences upon such as wrestle with his holy dispensations; was there more of the Spirit letten out to Israel for murmuring at the red sea or less? Yea less, Exod. 15, for after that they murmured again at Morat, Exod. 14, and in the wilderness of Sin, Exod. 16:1, yea, forty years in the wilderness, Psal. 95:9, 10. They tempted God, and did err in heart; and that with their first murmuring in Egypt, was a provoking cause of God's withdrawing his Spirit: all these forty years is called v. 8. The day of temptation; for to tempt God is a great wickedness; he who welcomes all dispensations with godly submission, and can bow to his Lord's will, and cashier and lay aside his own, as the man Christ, nevertheless not my will, but thy will be done, Matth. 26:39, under the greatest suffering that possibly could be on created flesh, as he who is most holily passive to suffer the will of God, is most holily capacitate to receive the holy, spotless, active influences of grace, as was the holy thing Jesus, a wide and capacious vessel, as the wisdom of Angels and men can imagine, in whom was all fullness of grace: be then humble and submissively flexible and bowable to the Lord's will, in his decrees and revealed will, and the Lord shall dwell with you, and look toward you, Isa. 57:15. Isa. 66:2. But what are all these to fetch the wind of the Spirits breathings? For you must have a wind to fetch this wind, a new predetermination and influence of grace to all these duties of heavenly softness. 2. Faith. 3. Liveliness. 4. Watchfulness, &c. opposite to hardness of heart. 2. To unbelief. 3. To deadness. 4. To security, &c. and so we give (say the adversaries) nothing that we can rest on for the acquiring and purchasing of influences of grace, but we must lie dead as passive lumps (say the Libertines and Calvinists what they please on the contrary) that influences begin, and we follow is most necessary,
For 1. The Lord bows, moves, draws, and then in the same moment of time the will follows, runs, inclines itself, as Psalm 119, v. 36, compared with v. 112. Cant. 1:4, draw me, we will run; it's here first the wind blows, and the tide flows, and then we sail.
2. If grace prevene nature, and nature prevene not grace, so we must say.
3. If we pray for the influences of grace, as every page almost of Scripture teacheth us, so we must teach.
4. Otherways salvation and stirrings in the ways of God must begin at nature and at us; so shall we say against all sense, the corn grows to the end the Sun may shine and warm the earth, and the dew and the rain may fall on the grass and corn, and the sea-men sail to the end that the wind may blow? Whereas the contrary is true, the Sun must send influences that the corn may grow.
Answ. We shall be most unwilling to side with cursed Libertines, for what can be in strength of reason said against us comes to this,
If God first, before we stir, must bow and predetermine our souls to good before we can act and stir, then are all influences of grace above our reach absolutely; and then fare well free-will, for he who bows irresistibly our free-will, and firstly to that point of contradiction to willing rather than nilling, choosing rather than refusing, he must domineer over free-will, and make it a mere passive lump.
Answ. If God first by order of nature, but in the same moment of time, must stir and bow our souls to holy duties, before our souls can act and stir themselves, then must God domineer over free-will, and make it a mere passive lump in acting it, it's palpably false; For first, by order of nature, though together in order of time, prius tempore, simul natura, the Lord stirs and determines the Sun to rise and go down, Psalm 104:19, 20. Job 9:7, 8. Send an East-wind to blow in heaven, and by his power bring a South-wind, Psalm 78:26. Loose the bands of the wild Ass, and cause him to dwell in the barren wilderness, Job 39:5, 6. Causes the Hawk, by his wisdom, to stretch his wings toward the North rather than the South, and commands the Eagle to mount up at his command, and make her nest in the rock, v. 27, 28. And say to the snow be thou on the earth, Job 37:6, and stir and determine all causes natural before they stir themselves; yet the Sun in moving, the Wind in blowing, the Eagle in flying, the Snow in falling on the earth, are not for that mere patients, or passive lumps in acting, but have their own activity in their motion; the holy Lord's dominion over the operations of second causes natural or free, neither strains nor doth violence to the one sort of cause nor to the other, but it belongeth to the perfection of the Lord's holy dominion, and perfect providence to master and rule all causes and creatures in being and working.
2. Therefore as the Lord's dominion determines the Sun to rise and move, rather than not to rise, and the Hawk and Eagle to fly toward the North, rather than not to fly toward the North; he destroys not the nature of necessary and natural causes, so we must not bid farewell to the natural operation of the one kind of causes rather than the other.
3. If God first, before we stir and bow our souls, as Ethical, moral, knowing, and considering causes, must move, stir and determine our souls to good, then are all influences of grace above our reach absolutely, and then farewell free-will; there is no necessity of the one connection more than the other, for the Lord's first bowing of our souls by order of nature, before our souls bow themselves to good; the soul being a moral, knowing, and considering cause, as not one, but many Scriptures, Psal. 119:59, 30, 55, 52, 92. Hag. 1:5. Hos. 7:2. Psalm 41:1. Prov. 6:6. Prov. 24:32, &c. prove, shall never conclude that, for the Lord so bows and determines our souls in all our moral actings, as that he leaves the soul to judge, know, consider, esteem, ponder, and weigh in the action, right and lawful, wrong and unlawful, what is acceptable to God, what is displeasing to God, and what is the consequent of the action, whether reward or punishment, Heaven or Hell; and if so, the soul hath virtually, and in the consequent, in its power the foregoing influences of grace, to have them or want them willingly and delightfully.
4. If the Lord must stir and determine the soul to holy and free actings, so as except he turn, move and incline the will, we can do nothing, Prov. 21:1. Ezech. 11:19, 20. Isa. 44:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezech. 36:26, 27. John 15:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Philip. 2:13. And 2. if we must pray that God would effectually, by his grace, draw the will and heart, Cant. 1:4, incline it, Psalm 119:36, teach us, open our eyes, Psalm 119:18, 33, 34, 29, 66, not lead us into temptation, but quicken us, lead us in his way, Matth. 6:13. Psalm 25:4, 5. Psalm 5:8. Psalm 86:11. Psalm 143:10. Psalm 119:40, 88, 156, and that by foregoing knowledge; then do we willingly run at the same time (though there be an order of nature here) the ways of the Lord's commandments, and that not compelled, with joy and delight, without violence connaturally, as is clear Cant. 1:4. Psalm 119:32, 60, 33, 34, 43, 44, 106. Psalm 122:1, as infinite Scriptures prove; now how God's grace makes us both necessarily and willingly to obey, the Scripture is clear, and though we cannot give a natural and philosophic reason, no matter.
18. If we should distinguish betwixt thoughts and conquering, and victorious thoughts. 2. Betwixt fixed and wanton carelessly feeling thoughts. 3. Betwixt guarded and well watched hearts, and masterless hearts; we should know that we hinder and obstruct influences though Sovereignty dispense gracious influences by sinful thoughts, the thoughts being the wings of the soul; can influences have a seat on thoughts marred by us? Surely no more than a bird can fly with broken wings; and the God of nature doth not join his influences with causes impossible to act; he concurs not with the bird to fly when the wings are broken; nor the running of a dead horse, though one should ride on a carrion, and use spur and rod. But when the thoughts are seasoned with the heavenly disposition of a renewed heart, as the buds and blossoms of the vine-tree are in a nearest way to receive influences from the God of nature to become excellent wine-berries, and the most refined earth near to be turned into gold, and to receive influences for that effect; so a heart gratified with heavenly dispositions must be a subject for heavenly thoughts, and if there be a holy heart, heavenly meditations come out in the night, Psal. 63:6, 7. Psalm 139:17. Phil. 3:19, 20.
2. The Lord contempereth the actings of the spirit to the subject, being a moral agent, and all our gracious actings run through the channel of a spiritual judgment; as running the race in Christ came from known and well considered joy set before him, Heb. 12:1. Moses chose Saints suffering more than Court-honor, for heaven or the recompense of reward, looked with another face and representation on the understanding then a poor time Court of clay did; the superexcellent knowledge of Jesus Christ is so praised by Paul, as his heavenly understanding looks on it, as his all, yea, his only all, and his all things beside are stated to his mind as loss and dung. So to Abraham 's mind a tent that shepherds sleep in is judged good enough, and the world a bottomless lodging, because there stands in the eye of his mind a rightly considered City, that hath a foundation whose maker and builder is God, Heb. 11:18. And the cause of Christ's bearing patiently the cross was his sanctified judgment of injuries, and spitting, he under-judged, and in his mind under-prized shame and reproach, Heb. 12:2, as a-very shadow of a shadow and as nothing, and the glory of his Father in a redeemed and ransomed people looked braid and fair, and great on his understanding. Know and consider well, 1. God, an infinite, fair, transcendent God, and the silly poor nothing and kindless nature. 2. Judge rightly of time, and how nothing yesterday and the last year is, and weigh in your understanding vast, high, and braid, and deep, and long eternity, if you have balance with scales that can bear eternity. 3. Understand well obedience, faith the weight of the love of Christ, never quenched with many floods, and sin, hatred of Christ, and the horror thereof. 4. Take a right view of heaven, how it lies in length and breadth, and a right impression of the fire that is never quenched, and the habitual knowledge of the Lord's name, wants not influences for trusting in God, Psalm 9:10, knowledge where to find God in Christ, hath actings of the Spirit to live and dwell with him, to hold him, Cant. 1:7. Cant. 3:1, 2, 3, 4. Joh. 4:10, to pray, to come to him, Joh. 6:45, a soul in darkness, and the gross ignorance of God is not capable of influences of grace, as the center and bowels of the earth and deep pits receive no Sun-light. We can draw on sinful dispositions, yea, we created these dry clouds that are above our withered hearts, by making our inordinate affections Stewards and Caterers to lay in provision for our flesh, Rom. 13:14. 2. We can ask leave at our flesh to take a little sleep, and excuse it, Prov. 6:10. Yet a little slumber. 3. Under drowsiness and security we can refuse to open and let Christ in, Cant. 5:3, and that brings on sad withdrawing's of the actings of the Spirit, v. 6:4. Violence done to sweet dispositions, when they give warning of our debt, may draw to a wronging of the holy Ghost, who is dreadfully jealous if we counter-work the actings and breathings of the spirit, and react against the out-lettings and flowing's of the anointing, and of the well within springing up to eternal life; he puts in his hand by the hole of the door, the Spouse is convinced that it is Christ the beloveds voice, and his knock, and his very words, and no other; yet he is not yielded unto, but resisted.
2. We keep not the oil clean, that it may shine more clearly in the lamp; inky blackness defaces the beauty of the white rose and the lilly; the dustiness and filth of lusts dimness darkens the precious stone, that it loseth luster and color: when a judicial darkness, even on a believer, it covereth the habit of grace, and darkens the spiritual strain, the sin of the spirit is out of measure sinful; the spirit judicially sleeping, sees and hears less in the Prophet Jonah, then carnal reason in the Heathen Mariners, for Jonah sleeps, the Heathen men do wake and fear, when wrath from Heaven blows on their ship: the lesser habit of grace that is young and green in the repenting thief, doth more in adhering to Christ, because actual breathing of the spirit is stronger and more vigorous, then the more rooted and experienced habit of grace in the Apostles, when it is now overwhelmed with the base fear of suffering, for he confesses him to be a King on the Cross, the Disciples fleeing forsake him: and the Lord preaches that we are more debtors to the Spirit of Christ then to the habit of grace; praying, praising, believing, hoping, loving, joying, as acts of kin to the Spirit, gladden the Spirit; what should we then do to fetch the wind? Grieve not the Spirit, but keep the fountain pure and clean from the muddiness of lusts, for in the light of the Spirit you see your own spots. 1 Joh. 3:3. He that hath this hope in him, purifies himself, as he also is pure.
2. Yield not to indispositions, complain of them to God, and pray them away, as Psalm 61:2. Psalm 31:22. Psalm 102:3, 4, 5. Lam. 1:2, 3, 4, 5, &c. 22, 23.
Obj. But it is easy so to say, Be strong in the Lord, I am at huge distance from the Lord?
Answ. 1. The Lord speaks to believers as to moral agents, the actings of faith is in us both moral, and also physical or real (though moral acting in some sense be real, and not imaginary) as the fowler with sweet songs works in a manner morally, or by way of allurement upon the fancy of the bird, enticing it to the net, and the bird also physically makes use of its wings, God joining his influence; so would we, looking to the command and promise of God, be induced to bring will and affections under the acting and breathing of the spirit, and also physically act our faith in the meantime, relying upon God for the flowing's of his spirit.
3. If anything be said, that Sovereignty does also hinder influences, for God hides himself, will your faith and prayers conclude him that he shall not hide himself but shine?
Answ. Sovereignty should counter work Sovereignty; if there were a law passed by the Lord, that ever when we pray in faith in that same very nick and moment of time, he must take off the arrestment of desertion, as if prayer were (to speak so) a sort of charming of holy Sovereignty; But the law is, and the promise, that when we pray in faith for shining influences, he shall remove our night of the hiding of his face, and the Spirits sad withdrawing, not absolutely, but in the way of his own holy and wise Sovereignty, and also the prayer of faith hath some other effect then the present removal of desertion; prayer keeps the soul under sufficient graces, fresh showrings, and stays the burnt man under patient enduring of the fire in condition of a refreshing, cooling and expelling of the heat. The man Christ lies under forsaking; but influences of the Spirit, to pray, to believe, to submit, to hope keeps him vigorous and green, that gloriously and triumphantly he endures the Cross: for suffering pain in faith and joy is more excellent than the removing of pain.
CHAPTER IV.
Of other impediments of influences in particular coming from the mind, will, and some other considerable affections, and their cures.
1. False and heretical light. 2. A corrupt will. 3 From hatred of Christ.
1. The corrupt wisdom and the wicked learning of men, who are carnal and destitute of the truth, can produce nothing, but doting about questions, and strife of words; whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, or blasphemies, evil-surmising's, perverse disputing: these are the genuine fruits of the heretical spirit, 1 Tim. 6:3, 4, 5, and of the wisdom of men, which neither is subject to the law of God and his truth, neither can be subject, Rom. 8:7, &c. of the carnal man, who neither receives the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them: and observe that the Holy Ghost in both places denies both the act and the possibility of the minds subjection to the truth where the judgment is rotten. Now as we may well say, the rock hath no natural power to receive an influence from God, for the growing of wheat on it; nor a thorn-tree to bring forth wine grapes, as our Savior speaks, Matth. 7:16, so neither can the corrupt, and heretical mind produce sound truths; nor can the Lord give influences, in a natural way, to a thistle to bring forth figs: indeed by a miracle, the Lord caused Aaron 's dead withered rod to blossom and bring forth almonds: And Caiaphas (I say not by a miracle) but in an extraordinary way, John 11:51, not of himself, but by the Spirit, prophesied: and so did Balaam. But they did not spiritually, and with the light of faith, know what they prophesied; yea, I would crave leave to doubt, whether they literally knew that Christ God-man was the star of Jacob, the light of the Gentiles, and to die for the Elect: as many Heretics, yea, and the Devils literally know and believe these things with an Historical faith. If you would have breathings of the Spirit to know savingly and to assent to divine truths, motes and dirt and scales must be removed, and the mind renewed: then divine illumination is absolutely needful.
2. Nor acts the Spirit in the polluted mind, and conscience of the world, which cannot receive the Spirit. Now that power of receiving the Spirit, denied of the world, John 14:17, must be both a power natural, and a power acquired by wicked actings; for the elect and redeemed world by a natural power cannot receive the Spirit of truth.
2. If the will be corrupt, that it will not come to Christ, John 5:40, and will not have Christ to reign, Luke 19:14, the man cannot lend a seat to the Spirit and his actings to obey and follow God, until the fallow-ground of the rocky will be plowed and broken, otherwise the man sows among thorns, and labors a husbandry to the flesh, and not to the Spirit; as Paul speaks Gal. 6:8, and the harvest must be corruption and rotten fruit; judge then if the Spirit labors and tills a plot of ground to the flesh; and if the Spirit from on high can send down influences and divine impressions of dew and warm sun-beams upon the fleshes plowed earth: or if nature intend that rain and Sun-heat shall make the rocks bring forth wheat. O how needful is a denied will, when Saul speaks of no will, but Christ's, and commits all to Christ's will, as if his own will were annihilated, though it was perfected, Acts 9, the man is fallen to the earth; And he trembling, and astonished, saith, Lord, what will thou have me to do? There is a strong Emphasis in Lord, and in the word will; His own wicked will was playing the King or the Tyrant over the Saints; and when his will is down, and the will of Christ up, and the man hath been three days in this condition fasting and praying, then comes the spirit to take his own chop and to act in Paul. v. 17. Ananias saith, Brother Saul, the Lord (even Jesus that appeared to thee in the way, as thou camest) hath sent me to thee, that thou mayst receive thy sight, and be filed with the holy Ghost; a humble broken will, deadened to self, and to all things shall be rained on, and such as is rebellious shall be a land of drought, Zech. 14:16. And it shall come to pass that who so will not come up, of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem, to worship the king the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
3. There be strong impediments that obstruct influences of the spirit of grace from all the affections, if the heart be not with all watching watched over.
1. The world that hates Christ, John 15:18, 20, and persecutes him and his servants is the same world which cannot receive the spirit of truth, John 14:17, if ye hate Christ and the Godly, no influences of grace for you. Ye shall hew all your days, be ye minister, or professor, upon hard timber without the Spirits tools; ye shall pray, preach, profess, hear, sing, praise in the letter, without the Spirit and his influences; for ye cannot receive the Spirit of truth, John 14:17, and then must you be dry and withered in all your actings: whereas influences, and manifestations are promised to the lovers of Christ. Joh. 14:21, he that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him.
These sure are the revelations and manifestations of the Spirit. John 15:24.
Christ puts a strong wall of difference between the hating world and the disciples, v. 24, now they have both seen and hated both me, and my Father, but not so ye, v. 26, when the comforter is come, whom J will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. v. 27, and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. Here are actings of the spirit in the disciples who love the father, and Christ, that the spirit acteth them to bear witness of him to the world upon all hazards, even to death and torment. We see what works and actings of the spirit is in the Spouse sick of love for Christ, which are in that song of songs to be seen, comparing, Cant. 2:5. Cant. 5:8, with other places of the song: these works of the spirit are seen,
1. A desire to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1:2.
2. A spiritual smelling of his good ointments, Cant. 13.
3. A prayer to be drawn, and a vow to run being drawn, Cant. 1:4.
4. A resolution to rejoice in his love, with all the virgins and chaste followers of Christ, Cant. 1:4, to rejoice more in his love then in wine.
5. A desire to be where Christ dwelleth in the tents of the Shepherds, a sound Ministry, Cant. 1:7.
6. A profession of intimate love to Christ, so as he lies as a bundle of myrrh betwixt her breasts all the night, Cant. 1:13, 16, an extolling of Christ as the apple-tree among all the trees of the forest, Cant. 2:3, and a delighting to taste the fruits of his love.
7. A spiritual feeling in being taken into his cellar-house of wine, Cant. 2:4, a desire to be refreshed and established with the promises and comforts of the preached Gospel. Cant. 2:5. Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.
8. The feeling of his love-embracement's when they are on, v. 6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraceth me.
9. Because the whole song is a song of love, there is a charge given not to offend Christ, v. 7.
10. An eying of him by faith, in his approaches in the delivery of his people in his coming in the flesh to save the world in the preached Gospel, in all which his coming, leaping over the mountains, and skipping over the hills, saith, That no impediment of the enemies, and the powers of hell, and no evil deserving of sin can obstruct his gracious motions to save and comfort his own, v. 8, 9.
11. The discerning of Christ's calling us in the Gospel, v. 10, 11, 12. My Beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.
12. The discerning of his desire of our worship of the Churches praying, doctrine and discipline, v. 14, 15. O my dove—let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy vice, &c.
13. The Churches claiming of interest mutual betwixt Christ and his Spouse, v. 16. My Beloved is mine, and I am his.
14. The observing where Christ is, his feeding among the lilies in his Church, which is clean and comely by his beauty. 16. He feedeth among the lilies, 17, until the day break, &c.
15. The Spouses desire of his company, v. 17. Turn my Beloved, and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether: a desire of being with him forever in glory, as Rev. 22, v. 17, 20.
16. The Spouses careful seeking of Christ, and spiritual restlessness till she find him. Cant. 3:1, 2, 3, 4. I sought him whom my soul loved, I sought him, but I found him not, &c.
17. The sweet spiritual smell of the so loved Church, v. 6, &c.
18. Chap. 5. The Spouses discerning of his knock and voice though she sleep. 2. The acknowledging of her sinful denying to let him in. 3. The Spirit of Christ's acting upon her heart, till the bowels of love were stirred in her, v. 4:4. The opening to him. 5. The smell of her obedience, which she felt, like dropping myrrh, v. 5.
19. The Spouses swooning and falling dead at his departure.
20. The Spouses praying and seeking him, when now he had withdrawn himself, and the missing of the sweet actings of the spirit to her sense, v. 6.
21. Her seeking of him at the watchmen, 1, 6, 7.
22. Her desire that other professors, the daughters of Jerusalem, may in prayer hold forth to Christ her spiritual state of love-sickness, v. 8.
23. Her preferring of Christ to all other beloveds in Heaven or Earth, v. 9.
14. The Spouses high exalting of Christ in all his parts, endowments, graces and lowhness, My Beloved is white and ruddy, v. 10, 11, 12, &c. all these, and many others the like teach that the spirit in such excellent operations and graces, hath his dwelling and seat in an heart strongly filled with the love of Christ.
But who hates Christ?
1. All persecutors of his members. John 15:18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before you; And it is exponed v. 20. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. And whoever loves not the Brethren are not translated, 1 John 3:14, and they who love them not hate them, 1 John 3:14, compared with v. 15, how carnal lust and the love of glory from men hindereth influences of the Spirit to love Christ; See John 8:42. If God were your father, ye would love me. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, the lusts of your father ye will do; he was a murderer from the beginning, v. 50. I seek not mine own glory. The strong love of Christ in the heart is a chamber and a house for the Spirit to act in.
2. Not desiring of God, but an abhorring, or a soul abhorring of God hinders influences of the Spirit.
1. Are there any who abhor God? Such a sad word is spoken of the Jews, Zech. 11:8. Three Shepherds also I cut off in one month, and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Departing from God, as a whorish woman forsakes her husband, is charged upon the confederate people, harlotry upon every high hill, and under every green tree, Jer. 2:20, even when they said, We will not transgress. Hos. 4:12. The spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God, 13. And can the holy spirit of the Lord, the husband act in a whorish spouse, who grieves that spirit? See Psalm 106:39. Can refreshing's come from the fountain of living waters, to such as Jer. 2:13, forsake the fountain, and hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no waters? Or can the Spirit dwell and act in that soul which abhors God and the spirit of God and his operations? No man will lodge in an Inn in which he knows they lie in wait for his life. Isa. 63:10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit.
2. There are who say, Job 21:14, to God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; and who Prov. 1:29, hate knowledge. Now the spirit of the Lord is a spirit of knowledge, and needs none to counsel him and teach him knowledge, Isa. 40:13, 40. And to one is given by the same spirit (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12:8.) the word of wisdom, to another a word of knowledge by the same spirit; and he is, Ephes. 1:17, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, who gives the knowledge of Christ; the Spirit then will not be a teacher to such as hate the master teacher and all his instructions. Will a man be an instructor to a Disciple or Apprentice, who (to his knowledge) hates and flies from him, and abhors him? Who abhors, mocks, and does despite to the Spirit? And will the Spirits going forth be as the pleasant morning in such a man? Sure the Spirit teacheth not, convinceth not, guideth not in all truth any, John 14:26. John 16:7, 13, but such only as Christ sendeth him unto, John 14:16, 17. & 16:7. I will send him unto you, v. 13. He shall guide you— He shall show you things to come, John 15:26. And therefore he comes to this, Psalm 73:25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And (there is) none upon earth that I desire besides thee. What is such a man? How is he known by another? There be three notes by which he is known, v. 23:1. Nevertheless (though I be a beast and a tempted fool doubting of a providence) I am continually with thee. O blessed company! Then follow two observable actings and influences of the Spirit. 1. The confirming and upholding influence, the supernatural manutenentia, upholding of the Spirit, Thou wilt hold me fast by my right hand. 2. There is the guiding, John 16:13, and leading of the Spirit, Psal. 143:10. Psal. 73:14. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel. So every element acts and moves most connaturally in its own place; the river moves most connaturally within its own channel; it's violent in its motion when it runs above and without its own banks: the wind moves naturally in the air, but most violently and unkindly in the bowels of the earth, for there it causes earthquakes, and swallows up houses and Cities. The Spirit of the Lord acts and breaths sweetly in a believer; but the spirit that moves in a possessed man, is proven to be the spirit of the Devil not of God, because he moves most connaturally, and casteth the possessed one, who is his house, in fire and water, Mark 9, he is not a gracious guest who sets on fire his own lodging. Isa. 26:9. With my soul I have desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me early will I seek thee: and that is a work of the spirit to learn righteousness, when the Lord's judgments are on the earth. v. 12. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. The Spirit refers all acting on earth to God, for the good of his Church; and there follow many expressions of faith and liveliness to the end of the Chapter. v. 13, 14, the Lord's that ruled over us beside thee are dead: the people (v. 16.) prayed to thee in trouble. v. 19. Our dead men buried in Babylon shall live and be delivered: Could we desire and thirst after God, the Spirit should act more abundantly in us.
3. From our joy or delight, and our sadness and sorrow, arise impediments of spiritual influences. As;
1. Carnal sensual delights and the Spirit cannot be together, Jude v. 19, sensual, not having the spirit. The more men are drowned in sensual lusts, the less of the Spirit they have, or nothing at all. The Apostle, Phil 3, makes an opposition betwixt such whose God is their belly, and mind earthly things, corn, wine, and oil, and mind not spiritual things, and so beknow nothing of the Spirit; and himself and sound believers, who have their conversation in heaven, which must speak much spiritual mindedness, and mighty influences of the Spirit, by which the mind, the apprehensions and thoughts, the affections, hope, faith, love, delight, haunt heaven and eternity much. The Scripture calls some swine, 2 Pet. 2:22, some other dogs, Rev. 22:15. Does the holy Spirit dwell and breath in and through a profane and unclean man, such as are swine and dogs? It's strange that the preaching of the Gospel and Satan lodge together in Judas; Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? John 6:7. Matth. 10:1. And when he had called the twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean Spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness. v. 7. Go and preach.
2. Influences of grace, spiritual joy, persevering to the end, can no more find good soil to grow in a rocky, stony, proud, and graceless heart, then corn can grow on stones and rocks, Matth. 13:20, 21, though there be a receiving of the word with joy and delight, that joy is but false metal. The only cure of this is, if we would have our spiritual desires as touching grace, and glory, and other things annexed to this, is to listen to that Psalm 37:4. Delight thy self also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. What was spoken of love-sickness after Christ, the same is true of soul-delighting in Christ, that in any precious actings of the Spirit goes along with both, Psalm 63:7. The souls following hard after God Psalm 63, is a fruit of the other v. 6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches, then v. 5. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness; my soul shall praise thee with joyful lips. Psal. 51:11. Take not thy spirit of holiness from me. Why? What special fruit of that spirit doth he seek, v. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and firmly sustain me with (thy) free spirit, a willing, a princely ruling spirit.
Joy hath a strong impulsion, and hath vehement expressions; as clapping of the hands, Psalm 47:1. Shouting, Psal. 63:7. In the shadow of thy wings I rejoiced. Heb. I shouted. And Matth. 5:12. Rejoice, rejoice and leap for joy, as in a dance. It's excellent to strong impulsions of the Spirit, to join strong and vehement actings of ours. High-bended and fervent acts of obedience come not but from strong habits of grace; but here I speak of mighty stirrings of influences; here we would beware of straining affectation of shouting, and expression of delight; some bring more out then is within, when literal crying and shouting does exceed the inward impulsion of the Spirit; it's dreadful to lie of the Holy Ghost, and of his impulsions: but to the point. Our actings would be proportioned to the Spirits stirring: Mighty rivers come from a huge arm of the Sea: some streams flowing from little small fountains run scarce the fourth part of a mile. 1 Cor. 15:10. Strong laboring comes from strong and abundant grace. I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. A strong influence of the Spirit calls for a strong virtual consent, especially when the Spirits impulsion of joy is strong, Cant. 1:12. While the King sitteth at his table, and feasts the Spouse with quickening influences, and satisfies her soul as with marrow and fatness, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. The spikenard is here the precious oil or ointment of spikenard, John 12:1, 2, 3, that is, the smell of her actings of joy, delight, love, were strong and exceeding savory, as his table was a Kings table and fat, and the actings of his spirit strong, then follows a suitable strong expression of delight, v. 13. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lie (or lodge) all night betwixt my breasts. And Cant. 2:4, the King brought me into his house of wine, that is, into the chamber of the most spiritual and soul-delighting consolations of the Gospel, that rejoice and cheer the heart as excellent wine doth one that is fainting, as Psal. 104:15. Prov. 31:6, 7, compared with 2 Cor. 1:6. 2 Thess. 2:18, 19. And the Spouse joins to this a most vehement disposition of soul-sickness of love for Christ, v. 5. Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. As also godly sorrow for sin, 2 Cor. 7:10, 11, 15, a special work of the Spirit, and princely and kingly gift of his Spirit who was raised from the dead to act this sorrow in us, Acts 5:31, as also swooning and dying at the absence and withdrawing of Christ the beloved, Cant. 5:6, is a fruit of the Spirit; and to sleep, and eat, and drink, and rejoice when the holy Spirit is saddened, and when he withdraws his actings, is a dismal and sad token, though there may some influence of corruption be in sorrowing, because the Spirits actings are suspended as they are our comforts or apples to delight children, and not as duties that we owe for Christ's love to us, and conscience of his command, which saith Phil. 4:4. Rejoice always in the Lord, &c. and here we would beware of worldly sorrow that causeth death. Sorrow and heart-breaking because of the breaking of created comforts, as if God were not the souls portion and the Saints all in all, should be eschewed, this sorrow blunts and deadens the soul from drinking in influences of glory as far, Luke 9, v. 32, also Law-sadness, dumpish servile down-casting, because it deadens and kills as the Law doth, must be eschewed: indeed sadness that Evangelically mortifies and deadens to created spiritual comforts, may quicken the believer to a more vigorous delighting in Christ himself, who is more than comfort, Psal. 119. My soul droppeth away for heaviness; and that puts fire in the soul to pray. Strengthen thou me according to thy word. It appears to be spiritual sorrow that breaks out in prayer, Matth. 26:38, 39. Psal. 18:4, 5, 6. Psal. 61:2. Psal. 102.
4. There are in the fourth Class two affections, hope and audacity, or fool-hardiness, which would be taken heed unto.
Now with hope, which looks to good to come and hardly attained, we must take in faith, one of the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22. Sometimes one affection in its carnality will counterwork another, Luke 24:41. The disciples believe not for joy and wondering. But the special ground is unbelief: the wide desire of unbelief thinks God cannot be so abundantly good as to restore to them Christ from the dead, and the carnal reasoning of wondering contradicts a possibility of the resurrection; over-acting of one affection, to wit, of joy, when it's literal, counter-works the actings of the Spirit in the faith of the promises. Hence must Christ soften the heart with swasory actings, before the man believe and consider what Christ does morally, Luke 24. He opens the Scriptures to the two disciples, Luke 24:27. He rebukes their unbelief, v. 25, and as to his own disciples, he sent them word with eye-witnesses who saw him, that he was risen again, but their words seem idle tales to them, Luke 24:11. And he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, Mark 16:14. 3. He appeared and spake to them. 4. He made their senses witnesses, by causing them see and touch his hands and feet. 5. He did eat with them, which was an action of life. 6. He wrought a miracle, of bringing multitudes of fish to their net, but all is to little purpose until he take a real and effectual way, by the working of the Spirit, Luke 24:45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Then the opening of the Scriptures, though in the mouth of Christ, avail little to faith, except the Spirit of Christ open another lock, even the heart. This is one of the first works of the Spirit, to convince the conscience of unbelief, John 16:8, 9, and when the Spirit hath taken that castle, and brought the soul to be sensible of unbelief, he can easily take in the rest of the works; frequent casting to of new oil to the lamp, keeps it shining, and new fuel causes the fire to flame. Frequent repeated acts of believing bring the disciples to get the grace to do greater works then Christ did, because Christ went to the Father, John 14:14. Believe influences of grace, and have influences of grace abundantly furnished to you: ask the Spirit in faith, and the Father is as willing to give the Spirit, as a Father is to give bread to his hungry child; so here faith makes a fair wind, Luke 11:9, 10, 11, 12, 13. It is not so in nature, the husbandman's natural faith, that it shall be a sweet, warm, fruitful Summer, makes not a fruitful Summer: The Seaman's natural faith, believing fair winds, and no storms at all, makes it not to be so; for often faith here is but fancy, but faith acting daily upon the precious promises of the word, brings strong gales, and summer-influences of heart warmness of the Spirit, and in a manner creates new blowing's of the North and South-wind, fainting under the breathings and knockings of the Spirit of Christ, makes him withdraw, Cant. 5:2, 6. Here unbelief binds up the wind and breathings of the spirit, as it doth the mighty actings of Christ, Mat. 13. An unbeliever, as touching his state is a Pagan, and doth the holy spirit dwell in a Heathen? Lively hope (for there is a dead and withered hope) is no less a fruit of the spirit then faith. This is a specific difference between an unconverted Pagan who wants the spirit, and a convert who hath the spirit. The former is one who has no hope, and so is without God, and without Christ, and without the Spirit of God in the world, and so is not capable of influences, Ephes. 2:12, 13, 14, and one whom the Lord according to his abundant mercy hath begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Pet. 1:3. For in such a man there be many actings of the Spirit. As Faith. 2. Perseverance therein, v. 4, 5. Rejoicing in God, v. 6. Patient believing in the furnace, v. 7. Love, v. 8, all which are fruits of the spirit, Gal. 5:22. And hope under deadness spreads abroad the sails, and hoists them up to receive and gather in the wind: it brings home influences of grace to lie at the tide and wait until the wind blow sweetly and fairly from the Spirits earth. Hope is the on waiter, expecting showers of influences in the conscionable using of the means. The hope of him who purifies not himself, 1 John 3:3, shall wither; hope to the end still flourishing, grows on the right tree, and speaks a communion with the spirit, which hath conjoined with it the obedience of children, the not fashioning ourselves to former lusts, and holiness like unto God who hath called us, 1 Pet. 1:13, 14, 15, 16, otherwise the hope shall be a broken tree, and hath nothing to do with the Spirit. Many say they hope well, and it's good to hope well, and live upon thoughts that they shall be saved, yet are profane and godless, walking after their lusts; this is sinful boldness, and the spirit dwells in none such. There is a boldness of faith in access to God, and in approaching to the throne of grace, Rom. 5:1, 2, 3, 4. Heb. 4:16, by which David's soul makes her boast in the Lord, Psalm 34:2. It hath these undoubted graces of the spirit, faith, praying, glorying in tribulation, patience, the love of God spread abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost, which is given to us, Rom. 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
5. The fifth Class of impediments come from these two. 1. Despair and anger.
What workings and saving impulsions in the spirit can be in Cain, Saul, and Judas, is not conceivable. Hope that makes not ashamed, Rom. 5, as is said, dwells sweetly with the spirit.
2. The violence of the passion of anger overclouds the soul, so that Elisha is not capable to receive prophetical influences, and to prophesy, he was so incensed against wicked Jehoram, 2 Kings 3. But when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied. Theodoret saith, with the sweetness of the harmony of the Psalms the mind of Elisha was calmed and composed from the storm of anger. The sound of music (saith Cajetan) makes an inward contracting and gathering together of the actings of the mind, and so an elevating of the heart to God. Here it is, as when blood runs out at mouth or nose, the cutting of a vein in the arm makes a diversion of the blood, and causes it run in its right channel. The sweetness of music draws the soul to a bended attention to consider the harmony, that it may the more greedily drink in delectation. Peter Martyr on the place saith, As David by singing a spiritual song chased away the evil spirit from Saul, so would Elisha waken up the good spirit by heavenly Psalms, as the sounding of a Trumpet hath influences upon the mind of soldiers to valorous and heroic acts in war. Now music spiritual, the matter being Psalms to God (and it's like Elisha called for some of the Levites who could sing psalms on the harp, as they were used in public worship) can withdraw the soul in anger from acts of revenge to acts of spiritual attention to music.
2. That being done, the soul is settled, and the blood; for the Physical definition of anger is a kindling of the blood about the heart, the moral description of it being a desire of revenge to hold off a contrary, and to preserve nature; and when the blood is settled and fallen from the heart, the organs of prophesying are in a little better frame then when the soul and heart is boiling like a pot in heat and flaming of anger.
3. By bending of the mind to a spiritual object the sweet music in praising of God, the some of anger is removed, and a spiritual disposition to praise, which is nearer by nature to spiritual prophetical influences, then the flaming's of sinful carnal anger, as aer insitus, the air that is within in the ear fits the organs to receive the sound, and lumen insitum fitteth the eye to receive the species and images of colors, and so to see by the contrary the foaming of anger within hinders the incoming of prophetical influences; as a contrary holds out a contrary. Intus apparens prohibit extraneum. So the Apostles wills us to put away anger if we would pray rightly, 1 Tim. 2:1, 8. I will therefore that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting or contending. Anger drowns the soul, and renders it like green wet timber, unfit to receive the flaming and soul-warming influences of the spirit of adoption.
2. A meek quiet spirit, like that of Christ's, is the fittest work-house of heavenly influences. Christ the most lovely and meek of men, and an infallible copy thereof, Mat. 11:29. Isa. 53:6. Isa. 40:11. Isa. 42:2, 3, had the most frequent influences of the in-dwelling Godhead, as Isa. 61:1, 2 Psalm 45:7. John 3:34.
2. Moses was the meekest man on the earth, and much of the actings of the spirit were on his soul, and he had the most near manifestations of God: The Lord spake to him mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, he beheld the similitude of the Lord, Numb. 12:8. Deut. 34:10. Exod. 34:5, 6.
Q. What Prophet was forty days in the mount with the Lord, and eat not, but Moses? Exod. 33:11. There arose not a Prophet like unto Moses, &c.
3. John the disciple of love, called the beloved disciple, gets the name of divine, and he saw more glory and more of the visions of God then Peter, who is the pretended Vicar of Christ, and Head of the Catholic Church (so do Papists dream of a Head-ship.) For John saw Christ in his glory, Revel. 1, which made him fall dead at his feet. He saw a throne set in heaven, and one sat on the throne, and he that sat, was to look upon, like a Jasper and a Sardine-stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne, and four and twenty seats round about the throne, and four and twenty Elders, who cast down their crowns before him that sat upon the throne, c. 4, and the armies in heaven, in earth, and under the earth praising him. He saw in the visions of God the seven Angels which poured the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. He saw Babylon's fall, the vision of the last Judgment, the Bride the Lambs wife adorned with the glory of God. He saw the new Jerusalem, the golden structure of it, the street of gold, the twelve ports, the wall, the foundation of precious stones, the river of water of life, the tree of life. Moses never saw such glory.
3. Hence see we that there may be a sinful incapacity on our part, and that the pure in spirit see God, Mat. 5, and that grace keeps the soul like a calm sea, without storm and wind; and that if we would be near God, we would keep the heart clean and pure. We are to beware of grudging, and act these three duties. 1. Trust in the Lord. 2. Delight in the Lord. 3. Hope patiently for him, Psalm 37:1, 2, 3, 4. There may be an earthquake in the zeal of a meekened Elias; there was no godly men on earth left but himself, as his angry zeal said to him, and the Lord knew 7000, besides him.
The Lord's way of appearing to Elias, 1 King. 19, taught him some other thing; for the Lord was neither in the strong wind that brake in pieces mountains and rocks, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the still small voice, v. 11, 12. The Spirit was not of God which would call for fire from heaven in the disciples to burn villages, and men women and children quick, because they refuse lodging to Christ and his disciples: for therefore meekly, saith Christ, and gravely, Luke 9:55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56. For the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. You know not that these flaming's of the fleshes wild-fire came not from heaven; for they smell not of the meek Son of man, nor savor they of his saving message. No doubt the disciples thought their sparks were kindled at a fire from heaven; but that fire came not from God: seldom does the Lord's Spirit dwell and act in his saving influences in an angry fiery spirit: grace meekens hell and hellish passions in the renewed Saints. There are no passions in the glorified and perfectly meekened ones, who stand before the throne, but such as are pure and unmixed fire for the everlasting praises of God. Hence showers of influences eternally rain on them night and day without ceasing, Isa. 6:2, 3, 4 Rev. 4:8.
The 6th. impediment of heavenly influences is from fear, 2 Tim. 1:7. We are to stir up the grace of God in us, and his gifts not from a legal fear: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind, 2 Tim. 1:7. Then we take up the Spirit of law-bondage and law-fear of our own will: that spirit of fear is not of God's giving or choosing, but it is of our choosing, Rom. 8. Such as are led by the spirit of God are willing followers, v. 15. For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. It's like the devils are uncapable of influences of grace, because of the horror and slavish trembling fear that is upon their conscience: they be ever under the law of works, never under grace, no not so much as in offer, Matth. 8:29. Jam. 2:19. Faith and the spirit of adoption to pray, to believe, influences of grace is the remedy of this. So are we to believe perseverance, and that God shall give influences of grace to the end, Psalm 23. We shall have waterings, and the believers well shall never run dry, Psal. 104:33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live, Psal. 104:33. Psal. 146:1. Psal. 52:8, 9. Then he knew of a stock and a new furniture in heaven, suppose his own well should go dry.
CHAPTER V.
Some properties of Influences of grace.
1. That they are invincible and irresistible. 2. Of free grace. 3. Done by the Lord with a principality of causality. 4. Immediately, both by the immediation of virtue, and of the Lord's own presence. Influences are considered. 1. In the first moment of conversion. 2. In perseverance. 2. God seeks not our consent to our first conversion. 3. We are married to Christ before we consent to the marriage. 4. How the Lord determines free-will without offering violence to free-will. 5. God's dominion is equally over free-will and all natural causes. 6. God acts in all, both by the immediate influence of his power, and also of his person. 7. The Lord most particularly leads his own. 8. What is the right missing of Influences. 9. We are more our own by the Law, and less our own by the Gospel. 10. Christ's care, and the members care.
It is easier here to know what is not to be said, as touching the irresistibility and strength of gracious influences above our free-will, then what to say.
But Influences are considered two ways. 1. Morally, 2. Physically.
1. As they are common to all who hear the word in the visible Church.
2. As influences are peculiar to the elect in the business of conversion.
Assert. 1. Common moral influences that goes along with the word preached may be resisted; for the Jews always resisted the holy Ghost, speaking in the Prophets, Acts 7:51, 52. Zech. 7:11. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped the ear, that they should not hear. 12. Yea they made their hearts as an adamantstone, lest they should hear the Law, and-the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit to the former Prophets. Then the reprobate may and do resist the immediately inspiring spirit in the men of God writing and speaking that word, 1 Pet. 1:20, 21, and the assisting spirit also in the Pastors. It's dreadful in the lower actings of God in the word to despise the Spirit, and to give him battle in his first approaches. I called, and ye refused, Prov. 1:24. Isa. 65:1, 2, 3. A contradicting of, and a warring against the Spirit at the first face is much to be feared. O tremble to speak against, or to counter-work the Spirit at all.
2. Influences proper to the Elect, are so also to be looked on.
1. In the first moment of conversion.
2. In the work of perseverance.
In the first moment of conversion the sinner prevents not Christ: none dead in sins and trespasses ever sent, or could send to heaven for the spirit, and the influences of grace. The Lord comes unsent for, and here is found of them who never sought him, Isa. 65:1.
For as touching the Lord's first love-visit, when he comes upon the sinner dying in his blood, in the infusion of the life of Christ, there is no treaty, no communing betwixt the foundling dying in the open field and Christ. For
1. Our consent is not sought to the first Creation, nor yet to the second, the Lord does not (as it were) parley, nor ask the question at the thirsty wilderness, Shall I pour water on thee, and floods of rain? House of David, will ye yield your consent and good will, that I pour upon you the spirit of grace and of supplication? For the formal infusion of a new heart is not done by moral acting in that point of dispensation.
2. Our Divines on strong grounds, teach that the sinner is a mere patient habet se passive in the formal moment of the Lord's infusing of a new heart, as the wilderness is a patient in receiving rain, Isa. 44:4, 5, the dead man a patient in receiving influences of life, Eph. 2:1. And you hath be quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. John 5:25. The man is a passive subject under a creating power, 2 Cor. 4:6. Eph. 2:10. So Ezek. 36:26. Ezek. 11:19. Zech. 12:10. Yea if adversaries of grace yield an infusion of a new grace, and natural and supernatural power to believe (be that a remote or farther-off power) in all and every man, member of the Visible Church, or Indian, or Brazilian. 1. They must prove it by Scripture. 2. They must show some covenant and promise like to that Jer. 31:33. Ezek. 11:19, 20, betwixt Christ and the Americans, and show whether the offer be moral or not, as well as we. Or 3. they must say with Pelagians, the power of believing was neither broken, nor hurt, nor taken away by the fall. But we may see and read free grace here: Christ leaves no room to our fencing and digladiation. He said not to the foundling, Wilt thou live? Or wilt thou not live? But I said positively unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live. And to make it sure, Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live. Ezek. 16:6. Nor said he to the dry bones, Shall I open your graves, and bring you out loving and believing? John 5:25. Send me your hand-writ and consent out of the graves, else I will not enlive you. Nay he did the work first, and first gave us life, and then sought and obtained our after-consent. As a Prince, who by strong hand conquers a people, never treats with them whether he shall be their King or not, till he first subdue them, take their forts and castles, disarm the inhabitants, and then he offers them good conditions, and gains their after-good will that he rule over them. And we are translated and in Christ's bounds, and have laid down arms, before ever we yield a spiritual, vital, lively, and sincere amen and closing with Christ, that he, and none but he only shall reign over us. And its admirable what branches of freedom are here. As;
1. No husbandman can help the clouds; no art of navigators can create fair winds, nor can our seeking create influences of sensible and feeling finding of him whom the soul loves, Cant. 1.
2. No excellency of means, were it an Angel, and the man Christ preaching, so as all bear him witness, and are astonished at the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, Luke 4:22, can create saving influences; but by the contrary, influences of hell fill them with wrath, that they would cast Christ over the hill, and break his bones, Luke 4:28, 29.
3. Feckless objects fetch influences from hell: as King Herod and all Jerusalem with him are quaking for fear, at the birth of a weeping babe in cradle. Can an infant rise out of his swaddling clothes and cut the Kings throat, Matth. 2:9, and with fire and sword destroy all Jerusalem? Or can a dead corps in the grave rise and slay the soldiers? Mat. 28.
4. For the external calling, many are called, and hear 40, 50, 60, 70, years, and yet no influences of grace fall on them, as if men (ah if it were not so) were the cursed ground and blasted fig-tree: yea contrary to influences, he blasts the roses by withdrawing sap from them, burns the earth, and turns hearts into iron, by forbidding the clouds to rain on them.
5. In a moment he sends flowing showers upon the thief crucified with Christ, and he preacheth Christ a King on the cross.
6. Who knows not the celerity and swiftness of the love-visits of Christ, coming leaping over the mountains, and skipping over the hills? When the man is going down to the pit, the influence that a found ransom it accepted for him, makes him revive so that his flesh shall be fresher than a child's, Job 33:23, 24, 25, and v. 26. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him, saith Elihu.
6. There is a great difference here betwixt Sun-influences and the influences of grace. The apple on the same tree which are nearest to the Suns shining, are most cordial and delicious; they are rawer and sourer, though upon the same stock, that are long in the morning ere the Sun-influences fall on them, and are soon under the afternoon-shadow; but the disciples, shined upon by the influences of the glory of the transfiguration near Christ, and Moses, and Elias, spake they knew not what, and that carnally, Mark 9:5, 6. And who can think there is heterodox Divinity so near heaven as now the Apostles were? So doth John fall dead at the feet of Christ when he is in the Spirit, Revel. 1:10, 13, 17. The well is damned at the head of the fountain.
2. Hence the second Property is clear of itself; it's of free grace we are married here before we spiritually yield that Christ be our husband. We are created of new to be his holy frame and workmanship, and then hardly can we but consent; nor bought we his love-influences. Yea nor is the Lord obliged to give the Sun-influences for shining and moving, nor the fire for casting out heat: He hath interposed his Sovereignty in the contrary when he pleased, Josh. 10:13. Isa. 38:8. Dan. 3:27, to teach that Heaven and Earth have their Charters and their Writs of both being and working, from the free goodness and sovereignty of God.
3. For the third Consideration, the Lord is the cause of his own influences. Of our actings. 2. The efficacious, domineering, insuperable cause. 3. How the effects are ascribed to him principally. To prove the first I need not go back to prove the necessity of divine influences, and that he works all our works in us. The second is more dubious, but it's spoken to before, Christ is such a cause.
1. His strong decree of Predestination must carry him to it.
2. The same power of God that raised Christ from the dead acts here. Elsewhere this is proved by famous D. Tuisse, by Learned Ames, and many of our worthy Divines.
Obj. He who gives an insuperable influence to a free and contingent effect, must render that effect necessary, and not free. 2. He who with man's free-will does insuperably produce the effect, must do violence to man's free-will.
Answ. He who with man's free-will doth insuperably produce the effect by his alone and only physical and real motion, and no other way, as the Lord causeth the Sun to rise and go down, and the fire to give heat, he doth or must do violence to man's free-will. True. But now the Assumption is false; for the Lord doth not so and by such an only physical motion insuperably produce the effect.
He who with man's free-will does insuperably produce the effect, with both an insuperable, physical, and real motion, and also with a moral, persuasive, and legal motion, flowing from a command, he must do violence to man's free-will.
This is most untrue; for the physical and moral influences of God, though both be insuperable, yet neither the one exceeds the other in degrees of necessity, nor do they both jointly exceed the necessity which free-will will impose on itself.
If any object, He who insuperably moves free-will to act, he doth infer violence to free-will: But God doth insuperably move free-will. Therefore
Answ. The proposition is false. 1. The Lord by casting an ague of love-sickness in the soul, moves the free-will of the Spouse, and of the Martyrs to die for Christ, rather than deny him, because love of itself considered as separated from the Lord's physical motions on the soul, works upon the will more strongly and insuperably, then many floods upon a fire, and is hard as hell, or the place of the dead, and marriage-love is cruel as the grave, Cant. 8:6, yet love infers no violence to the will.
2. Commands the Sun and it riseth not, Job 9:7, and commandeth the Sun and it riseth, Psalm 104:19, 22. And the Sun cannot but obey him; for all creatures are his servants, Psal. 119:91, and he moves all natural causes to act, and so to act insuperably, and yet he doth no violence to the natures of Sun, fire, and second causes, in moving them.
He who contributes an insuperable influence with free-will. if that influence be contemperated and sweetly accommodate to the nature, and elective, and rational way of working of free-will acting out of judgment, as our free-will acts here.
He is not a cause inferring violence to free-will. Should he indeed over-drive and over-act the free inclination, contrary to the reason, light, and judgment of the mind, and to the moral and free elective inclination of the will, he should constrain and force free-will: But this he does not, but inclines the heart of David to the Lord's testimonies sweetly, strongly, insuperably; and this David prays for, Psalm 119. Psalm 5. Psalm 19, and the Saints in many places; and neither David nor the Saints in such prayers suit of God to destroy free-will: also the Lord's command, and not the Lord's influence, is our rule of obedience. But since we know not the Lord's actual denying of his influence, because we are willing he should deny it, our sinful non-acting is no less our guiltiness, then if we had the dominion and commandment of the Lord's influences in our power. A Master commands his servant to come to such a place where his Master useth to be, yet neither is the Master obliged to be in the place hic & nunc, neither passes he any promise to be there: if the servant come not to that place, and willingly absent himself, and willingly consent that the Master be not in the place, the servants not coming is a manifest contravening of his Masters command. So the Lord commanding me to pray, though he concur not by his Spirit interceding to help me as he useth to do, my not praying is a contravening of his command, who calls to me, pray hic & nunc under this trouble: For,
1. The Spirits helping, or not helping me to pray is not my rule, but the commandment is my rule.
2. The Spirit is not obliged hic & nunc.
3. I pray not.
4. My willing not praying is a sinful virtual consent to want the help of the Spirit.
Obj. Then should the Suns not moving, but standing still in the firmament, be a contravening of the command of God given in the Creation, when he gave to the Sun a power to move.
Answ. No ropes of Logic can draw the conclusion and antecedent together: The Lord's command to the Sun is not moral, but natural.
2. It's not absolute. The power of moving in the Sun is not to be acted, but according to the sovereignty of God, concurring or not concurring with the Sun, so as the Sun is under only (to speak so) a physical mandate of omnipotency, not under an Ethical, Moral, Legal, or obediential commandment, to move, or to shine, under peril of sin and punishment, as man is, by the holy moral mandate and commandment of God.
Obj. A free cause hath more liberty not to act, or to act, then the Sun hath to give light, and the fire to give heat: Therefore the Lord must have given to free-will a power of nilling and willing, and must tie his influences to await and be ready, concur or not concur, as free-will shall think fit.
Answ. The free will of Angels or men hath no more freedom and exemption from the dominion of providence, then the Sun or the fire hath, but all causes natural or free, are equally under the Lord's dominion.
2. Free will hath no more a dominion over the Lord's dominion and his influences, that are given out, or withdrawn according to this sovereign dominion, then the Sun or the pismire. Yea free-will is under his dominion, and also Prov. 21:1, all the free actings of the creature, as well as the necessary actings of Sun and fire, as is proved. Free-will hath indeed a more dominion over its own acts, being a rational and free agent, then the Sun over its acts.
3. This is considerably comfortable, that the Lord is chief Master of work: Not ye, but your Fathers Spirit speaketh in you, Matth. 10:19. Not I, but the grace of God in me, 1 Cor. 15:10. I live not, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2:20. And yet Paul lives, Paul labors, but let God reign in us.
4. The actings of God in all created effects, especially his influences of grace are letten out immediately, both immediatione virtutis, & immediatione suppositi, by immeate concurring of his power and virtue, and by the personal (as it were) concurrence of himself, so the Lord works not in us to will and to do by a Deputy or Lieutenant, as a King rules and governs another Kingdom, not by himself in person, but by a Deputy, who represents his person; and Princes being far distant, the sea intervening, transact matters of peace and war with other Princes and States, by their Ambassadors and Legates whom they send.
For God is said to be with Moses mouth, not only giving him eloquence, and a tongue, but the Lord spoke in him to Pharaoh, Exod. 4:15. I will be with thy mouth, and with Aaron's mouth, and teach you what to do. Gen. 46:4. Fear not, Jacob, to go down to Egypt, I will go down with thee into Egypt: And I will surely bring thee up again; my power shall be with thee to protect thee, my wisdom to lead thee (this had been much) but he meets with Jacob's fear, ah, I go down to Egypt, God is not in that Idolatrous Land. Fear not (saith he) I the Lord in person shall go with thee, to bless thee, to act in thee. Jer. 1:19. They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee. Why? For I am with thee to deliver thee. Immediatione suppositi. God was Jeremiah's immediate deliverer; for v. 18, he had promised before to be with Jeremiah by the immediation of his power and grace: For behold I have made thee this day a defensed city, an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole Land, &c. The Lord is present by the gracious metal of zeal, faith, invincible courage he put in his Prophet. So Christ, Luke 24:49. Behold I send the promise of my Father unto you. What, will he be away himself then? No: for he saith Matth. 28:29, to the same disciples, Loe, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
2. The Spirit acts in his own, John 14:17. He dwells with you, and shall be in you. v. 26. He shall teach you all things. John 16:13. He will guide you in all truth.
3. Psal. 73:24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel. He may do that though absent, by infusing into the Prophet the habit of wisdom: nay he is nearer hand, v. 2. Nevertheless I am continually with thee, thou hast holden me by my right hand. That is more than power.
4. The action of leading that is ascribed to God, is his only action. Deut. 32:12. So the Lord alone led Jacob, and there was no strange God with him. Now the eyes, legs, wisdom and will of the guide and leader are the travelers: It's true, he led them by right hand of Moses, but who then shall lead Moses? For Moses needed a guide as they, Isa. 63:12. Yea but he was leader in person himself. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble. Now a horse is not led, by giving him power to guide himself, but the leader holds the bridle, and directs the way to the horse. So the Lord's Christ's gentle driving of the ewes with lamb, and Christ's carrying the lambs in his bosom, Isa. 40:11, is an action immediate of Christ and his Spirit. The warmness of life that comes from Christ's own bosom, and from the Spirit spreading warm love abroad in the heart, speaks the personal acting of the Son and Spirit. So drawing, John 6:44. Cant. 1:4, speaks the nearness of the Father of Christ, and of Christ in his acting.
5. This is to be considered. There are two sorts of causes: on in fieri, another in facto esse. The Creator in a manner is but half a cause: the father begets a son: the carpenter builds a ship: the Mason raises up the frame of a goodly house: But the son lives when the father is dead; the ship sails thousands of miles; and the house stands hundreds of years, when the carpenter and the mason are far from them: for they are causes in fieri, only the making of houses and ships.
But there are some causes do more. The soul is a cause of the living man; and when the soul is removed, the man dies: the face looking on the glass is the cause of the image, both in its production and conservation: remove the face, and the image vanisheth away: the Sun is the cause of day-light, which is transfused through the air, from the East to the West. When the Sun goes down to another Horizon, day-light vanisheth away, because the Sun not by a deputy, and by virtue communicated to another, is the cause of the airs enlightening, but is the cause of day-light, both as touching the creating of it in fieri, and as touching the preserving of it, or in conservari & facto esse. So is God the cause of all creatures, both as touching being, and continuation being; the Lord made all things, and when they are made, the house of heaven and earth should return to nothing, if the Lord should withdraw his causative influence. But in a special manner the Lord is every way the cause of grace, of our spiritual life, and of all our actings of grace. The new life should turn to nothing, if Christ withdraw his gracious influence, and it is that our poor little image and spiritual breaths are in his hand, both touching production and conservation by his graces breathing. Hence if the Angel of his presence go with us, his hand in our right hand, Psal. 73:23, let us say, 1. As Moses after the Lord had promised, Exod. 33:15. If thy presence go not (with me) carry me not hence. Ah, who refuse a journey except God go with him, and be at his right hand, and fixes the mind on this, I will not go to the pulpit as a Minister, nor to the bench as a Judge, nor to the field as a soldier, except the Lord lead me, and hold me by his right hand? Do ye miss influences of grace, and the leading of the Spirit in a spiritual way of eating, sleeping, waking, buying, journeying? It is good.
Obj. I cannot stir without God and his influences, that I know.
Answ. The sparrow and the raven, the lion and the wolf, cannot stir without God's influences of nature. Ah, that is poor and hungry. Many have no more help of God to be lead in eating and drinking for God, then the raven and the lion.
Obj. I cannot pray nor hear without the influences of God.
Answ. Ah, you miss influences of God, as concurring with a gift; but ye miss not his gracious and saving influence to pray and hear in faith and feeling to concur with the Spirit of grace.
2. Judas the traitor cannot preach and cast out devils, without a common influence of a God with his gift; and that is all your missing. The renewed man misses that which (in a manner is his due) as a renewed man; and that is the presence of the spirit of grace in his acting. If a horse want a leg, he shall soon miss it when he comes to running; for four legs are due to him by nature, but the horse in running misseth not the wings of an eagle; for wings are not due to him. Gracious influences are not due to a Judas, nor such a guide as the Spirit to any reprobate man; therefore they cannot miss such a gracious guide.
2. It teaches us to be willing to be led as to 1. Deny our will and wisdom; as the blind man should not contend with his leader and guide, as if he did see better than his guide. Slack your high-bended will, and deny it, and cavil not with the Spirit, this way I must go whether my guide will or not: Let your will be as dead, and no will at all; and let the Spirit in his will and wisdom reign in you.
2. Spread out the sails and give them to the wind; resign the heart to the Spirit: obey that, My son, give me thy heart. Give Christ your loves, as Cant. 7:12. Keep none of your heart or love to yourself, but quit fully both to the leading Spirit of Jesus. Your love and your heart, according to the Gospel-dispensation, is not your own, or at your disposing, whatever property natural by law you have over yourself; for the law buys you not. We are less our own, and more Christ's by the Gospel, and more our own by the Law.
Many profess themselves sons, and so to be led by the Spirit, yet they have not given eyes, wisdom, will and love to the Spirit: they keep a great piece of their heart and their love to themselves, and have an inward reluctancy and wresthng against the ways of the Spirit, as yet remaining debtors to the flesh, to pay the debt of service to the flesh, Rom. 8:12, 13, 14.
5. This is comfortable, that Christ makes it the travail of his soul, Isa. 53:11, and his soul-satisfaction to see his seed, and to bring many children to glory, Heb. 2:10. So his souls work is upon keeping such as are given to him, and guiding on his flock, John 10:3, 4, in going before his own sheep, in calling them by name, and in leading them.
2. He keeps such as come, and raiseth them up at the last day, John 6:37, 40.
3. He guides them with prayers, John 14:16, intercedes for them, to reduce them when they go out of the way, Heb. 5:1, 2, and all this with soul-satisfaction and delight, to get all his offspring and children which the Lord hath given to him, fairly landed, and set in the other side of the sea, beyond temptations and hazards, beyond sin and death, as he hath a fellow-feeling and compassion, his bowels being moved, even now, in heaven with our infirmities, Heb. 4:14, 15, so far as is suitable to his glorified state, as our great High Priest, which hath passed into the heavens. So his other affections of desire, as our head, and natural and kindly care to have all his members guided safe in at the gates of heaven: and he must have much soul delight and satisfaction, that his own be led with his holy arm, and gathered in, Isa. 40:10, 11.
We have a loose faith, the head shall care and watch for us, though we sleep; that is, Christ is graciously careful to give influences, whether we sleep or wake, pray or pray not: our care can add nothing to his care; if he will fail in his trust, and sleep, and let us perish, let him see to his own glory; two cares, one in the head, and another in the members, are needless: nay, but his love and care, as head, sends down influences of godly fear and trembling to the members, that they may work with him, Jer. 32:40.
2. Our weakness of faith errs in the other extremity. Ah, can my deadness and hardness be ever subdued! If Christ once sighed for the hardness of sinners hearts, and wept over the slain of Jerusalem, and counted it meat and drink to bring in the Samaritans to the Gospel, John 4:34. Now when Christ is glorified, and the affections of love, compassion, care, are perfected in glory not destroyed, should our unbelief say he now cares not for the hard heart and obstinacy of his redeemed ones? If thy unbelief must take all the care off Christ, and our unbelieving care must do all, let Christ sleep.
3. There is a proportion betwixt head and members, the soul-travel of the head in heaven, and the soul-travel of the members on earth in the use of all means, hearing, praying, praising, go together. Awaking head and sleeping members are unsuitable. He watches prays, and watch ye with him, and pray.
FINIS.
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MONERGISM BOOKS
Influences of the Life of Grace by Samuel Rutherford, Copyright © 2024
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Table of Contents
PART I. OF INFLUENCES OF DIVINE GRACE
CHAPTER I. Mans dubious and tottering estate under the first, his safer estate under the second Adam.
CHAPTER II. God's acting influences.
CHAPTER III. Hence to descend more particularly to inquire
CHAPTER VII. Of the Sovereignty of God in his actings, and especially in influences.
CHAPTER VIII. Divers Particulars in which Sovereignty appears.
CHAPTER X. Sovereignty in actings of grace
CHAPTER XI. Our impotency to duties being reproved, cannot excuse us in the omitting of them.
CHAPTER XII. The Sovereignty of God is wonderful in the various tempers of renewed ones.
CHAPTER XIII. Of striving against Sovereignty.
CHAPTER I. God acts upon the creature first, and not the creature first upon God.
CHAPTER V. Influences of grace are due to the Saints by promise.
CHAPTER VI. The two spirits of the world and of God
CHAPTER VII. Characters of a spiritual disposition are these.
PART III. Influences of Grace.
CHAPTER I. Of divers sorts of Influences.
CHAPTER II. The nature of the habit of grace
CHAPTER III. A supernatural habit is a seed of influences.
CHAPTER VI. The place Luke 24:32.
CHAPTER VIII. Q. 4. Is there no running except God enlarge the heart?
CHAPTER IX. The fifth Question is what is the enlarging of heart.
CHAPTER X. Of fixedness of heart.
CHAPTER XI. Of the fourth disposition, which is Love-sickness.
CHAPTER XIV. The Law discovereth the disease, but heals it not.
CHAPTER I. Of the impediments of heavenly influences upon the soul in general, and of their cure.
CHAPTER II. The Lord keeps an order in sending influences.