Chapter V
His operations in every part and member of the church and body of Christ.
III. It is next to be considered what the Holy Ghost doth in every part and member of this body of Christ, the church ; what he doth for every particular saint. For look, what he is to, and in the church universal, that he is first unto, and in, every saint in particular ; for it is the particular individual saint that makes up the church universal ; even as reason is first and principally in every particular and individual man ; and by means thereof it is that reason is found, and so abounds in a body or assembly of men. They meeting together, every one severally brings a portion of it with him thereunto ; so as the main of his work lies and consists in what he doth in and to every member. And when he falls upon assemblies of
saints as met, yet it is so as he falls on the whole, by visiting the particular souls so assembled, and out of respect unto each single soul ; as when the rain falls upon a field of corn, it falls upon the whole for every particular blade s sake, watering every stalk at its root, and so all grow up together. Hence therefore, Acts ii., where the fulfilling of those promises made in the 14th and 15th chapters of John, were in the first fruits of them accom
plished, it is expressly indigitated that the Spirit sat upon each of them :
* And they were all (that is, every one of them) filled with the Holy Ghost ; as organ pipes use to be with the common blast of the bellows that breathes wind into them, though by the difference of the pipes there
ver. 3,
is a differing sound. And thus the Holy Ghost doth, as one Spirit, inform and inspire the whole body of Christ, as the soul doth the whole body of a man. Eph. iv. 4, There is one
bo<Jy, and one Spirit, and the Spirit is
CHAP. V.J IN OUR SALVATION. 17
the same in every member. Now consider with yourselves, if there were but one common soul (as some have feigned to be in the system of the world) which acted, and enlivened every man and thing in the world, you would
acknowledge that it must be a mighty, vast, and burthensome work which
is incumbent upon that great soul (whatever it were), and which it under
goes at every moment. But thus it is in reality with this great Spirit, the
soul of the whole church, who both informs and enliveneth the whole, and
every member of it.
What therefore is next to be considered, is the activity of this Holy Spirit upon us, and in working in us.
1. First, in general ; he worketh no less than all that is wrought, 1 Cor.
* But all these worketh that one and self-same Spirit, dividing to
xii. 11,
every man severally as he will. As of Christ, who is the Word, it is said
in the point of the first creation (John i. 3), that without him there was not
anything made that was made ; so of the Spirit in this new creation we may say, that without him there is not anything wrought in us that is
wrought.
But let us consider particularly his works.
(1.) In regeneration, which is his prime work in us. He is the author of all the principles or habits of grace, of that whole new creature, of that workmanship created to good works, the spiritual man, which is called spirit; that divine nature, which is the mass and lump of all things pertaining to life and godliness ; that which is born of the
Spirit, John iii. 6 ; the image of Christ, which is styled Christ formed in
us, Gal. iv. 19. That divine nature is the image drawn. But who is the immediate former, the limner ? It is the Spirit of God ; 2 Cor. iii. 18, We are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord. And that place shews that not only the first draught of that image is of his drawing, the ground colours, but all the additional
lines that follow after, to perfect it all along, from one end of the work to
the other. For he attributes that continual change wrought after conver
* from glory to glory, unto this Spirit. And
sion, in every degree of it,
therein he so speaks of himself and these believing Corinthians, yea, all
believers. We are thus changed all along by beholding, &c. All the
changes into that image are by the Spirit of the Lord. No hand hath skill
or power to add to this work ; none able to mingle colours orient and lively enough but he. In the same chapter the believing Corinthians are declared
to be the epistle of Christ, so far as they were or shewed themselves
Christians in reality. And Christ and his graces are the perfect original and exemplar; and these Corinthians, so far as they had advanced in Chris
tianity, were for essential parts the entire copy, which in some degree does
express to the life that original. And there is not a letter or tittle added
* For ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered (indeed says the apostle)
in the copy which is not found in him, 2 Cor. iii. 3,
* by us (as the pens),
* but written with the Spirit of the living God ; not
with ink, nor in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart : unto
the draught of the least line of which no art or pencil of man can reach, or
hath colours orient enough to write it. For all and every tittle, every
stroke, is no other than an inward living disposition of heart, like unto the
divine life and nature of Christ, the Son of the living God, and therefore
requires the living power of the Spirit of the living God (as he is there
styled) to concur to the creating of it ; Ps. li. 10, 11, Create in me a clean
heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from
VOL. VI. B
18 THE WOKK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. For as he vouch
safes to become the ink, so he bears the part of a hand, too, of a ready writer. The Spirit is the finger of God (Mat. xii. 28, compared with Luke
xi. 20), the sole artist that guides those pens that cast this ink, as there
also (in ver. 6) it follows : God hath made us able ministers of the New Testament ; not of the letter (for even that New Testament hath also letter
* but of the
to men unregenerate, and is but the dispensation of a notion),
Spirit, or power. Let us go over the particular actings of the soul, which are as a drawing out of those created principles, whether at or in our first conversion or
afterwards ; and we shall find that each and every particular thereof are
attributed to this Spirit.
[1.] Hast thou seen thy sinful condition, and been humbled, as to hell, for it ? It is the Spirit s proper work, for which he was sent. Thus says
Christ, John xvi. 8, When he is come he shall convince the world of sin. And he says it to his apostles, when he was to send them into the world
to convert men. And this is the first work of the three there rehearsed, that the Holy Spirit beginneth with, in conversion, viz., a conviction of a
state of sin and unbelief. As it follows, of sin, because they believed not on me, and consequently, of damnation, as having lived without God and
Christ in the world ; and this work, though it may seem too low for him,
yet he is pleased to bear a title from it, and is termed a Spirit of bondage to us, as causing us to see our bondage to sin, and death, and hell : Eom.
viii. 15, For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear ; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
It is one and the same Spirit there spoken of, in respect of two contrary
operations, who hath the title there of both. It is the Holy Ghost who is
that Spirit of adoption there spoken of, whereby we (afterwards) cry, Abba, Father. This you may also see, Gal. iv. 6, and in the next ver. 16 of that Rom. viii. It is the Spirit who also witnesseth to us that we are the sons
of God ; and by the opposition it will follow that if the Holy Ghost be the
Spirit of adoption spoken of, that he also was that Spirit of bondage ; inas much as he doth discover to us our bondage ; even as he is termed the
Spirit of adoption, because he testifies our sonship. And the discovery of this our bondage is an infinite favour. For do not the great and wise ones of the world go hoodwinked quick to hell in a moment, and know not whither they are going until they are there ? And of thyself thou couldst never have been thoroughly convinced of that ; for the heart is deceitful above measure, who can know it ? None without the light of this Spirit. For it is the spirituality of the law whereby he instructs men to know wisdom in the hidden point of their corrupt nature, as David, confessing it,
speaks, Ps. li., 5th and 6th verses compared together, Behold, I was
sliapen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou
desirest truth in the inward parts ; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. And without the light of which law the same David
likewise confesseth, Ps. xix. 12, Who can understand his errors ? cleanse thou me from secret faults. By which secret sins he understands the im mediate ebullitions of corrupt nature. And it is he that searcheth the
deep things of God, 1 Cor. ii. 10 ; the hidden wisdom, ver. 7 ; hid in God, Eph. iii. 9 ; and reveals it to us, ver. 5. It is he, the same Spirit, that
searcheth the deep deceitfulness of men s hearts, and reveals it to them, which David called wisdom in the hidden part. And it is THOU (says he
to God) that makest me to know it ; that is, thou by thy Spirit, who
CHAP. V.] IN DUE SALVATION. 19
knowest all things, 1 Cor. ii. 10. And this for him to vouchsafe to do for him, to take the same pains to do it, as ever mother or schoolmaster took to teach a child from his alphabet to read, is an act of infinite grace. It
is he that gives thee eyes to see, and an heart to understand, who holds the candle to thee, and points with his finger to every sin. Let us all consider the unpleasingness of this work, which were it not that it is neces
sary for his saving thee, he who is the Holy Spirit would never rake into such foul and filthy jakes and dunghills of lusts and by-ends, unbelief and
presumptions. This must needs be a loathsome work to him, by reason of the objects he is exercised in, and tedious in itself. And this is the entrance into conversion.
[2.J It is this Spirit which works repentance upon this discovery of sin, and turns our hearts from sin to God effectually. John the Baptist came
preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Now by what, or whose power was it, that repentance was wrought in the hearts of multitudes that were his hearers ? It was the Holy Spirit. He shall come (says the prophet) in the spirit and power of Elias, Mai. iv. 6. The spirit of Elias was the Holy Ghost, resting on him (2 Kings ii. 15), as he did on the Baptisi
: Luke i. 15, He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother s womb. And it is spoken to signify the power that should accompany his ministry, to work repentance, as it follows in the next verse ; And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord his God. And thereupon it is, that this prophecy of Malachi s is alleged, ver.
17, He shall come in the spirit and power of Elias, and turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. So as that which is spoken of Paul s ministry among the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. i. 5, that it came not
in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, might (though in a lower degree) be said of his. And yet the first and eminent eifect of his
ministry was seen in the working of repentance, as it is often said, in Acts 13th and 19th chapters. It may likewise be observed, as serving to tlr s
purpose, that when Christ gave that new commission to his apostles, to
preach repentance in his name unto all nations, for the remission of sins
(as in Luke xxiv. 47), the withal renews the promise of the Father, which was the Holy Ghost ; ver. 49, Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. And why is that annexed to the former, as the preface
thereto, And behold, shews, but because the giving of the Holy Ghost, even after Christ s ascension, was to work repentance in men s hearts by that their preaching ? Yea, and he commands them (as with a caution, in
the following words), that they should tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until
they were endued with power from on high. Without whom, and the power of whom, their preaching repentance would have had no efficacy at all, to move men to turn unto God ; but through whose operation God gave Israel, Acts v. 31, 32, yea, and the Gentiles, repentance unto life, Acts xi. 18.
[3.] The work of faith is of his operation ; and therefore he is ^tyled
1 The Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. iv. 13. And the same Spirit that wrought faith in the New Testament, is said to have done it in the Old, as that place shews ; 2 Cor. iv. 13,
* We having the same Spirit of faith, &c. ; the same which David and*they in the Old Testament had. It is therefore also, that
to be full of the Holy Ghost and of faith are joined ; Acts vi. 5, Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost : also Barnabas is said to be a man full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, Acts xi. 24. Let us view some special acts of faith, and see how the working of them
is ascribed to the Holy Ghost.
20 THE WOKK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
First ; He gave thee a spiritual sight of Christ and God s free grace, which drew thy heart unto them.
He gave thee a sight of God s free grace, when thou hadst seen thy sins and thy undone condition, and thy heart was thrown off the hinges of thy former hopes on selfrighteousness, and the bladders of presumptions upon God s mercy upon false grounds pricked and fallen ; and thou wert left
utterly at the loss, and knewest not what to do to be saved. Who was it
* door of hope (Hosea ii.), and gave thee the first
opened to thee the first
ken, hint, and glimpse of grace and mercy ; and that God would abundantly and freely pardon thee, if thou wouldst seek him and ply thyself to him ? Who was it then that laid before thee that allsufficient lighteousness of
faith ; and that did set thy heart on work to seek it ? Even the good
Spirit, who is therefore called The spirit of grace and supplication, Zech.
xii. 10. He became a Spirit of grace, in making a discovery of that rich and free grace in God s heart to be inclining towards thee, and therewith became the Spirit of supplication in thee, inflaming thee, as a condemned man for life, to seek after that grace and pardoning mercy in God. And from thence he led thee to the cross of Christ, and made and set such a
lively picture of him, as crucified before thine eyes (Gal. iii. 1), as all angels and men could never have pourtrayed, no more, yea, infinitely far less, than
they can the sun. It was he, the same Spirit of grace, that did it ; and so it follows, Zech. xii. 10,
* And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced. Thus also, John xvi. 8, it is said, When he is come, he
shall convince the world of righteousness (which Christ there enumerates as the Spirit s second work in calling us) ; even of that allsufficient right eousness of Christ, offered up for satisfaction to the Father ; who was
* made
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And when the word of faith sounded in thy heart and ears, thou hadst not eyes to see
it ; therefore this fountain for sin and uncleanness to wash in must be opened (as it is said, Zech. xiii. 1), or men descry it not. Thou wert
ready to perish for thirst, as Hagar was, Gen. xxi., and lifted up thy voice and weptest. But as God opened her eyes, and she saw a well (ver. 19) just by her : so did the Spirit thine, to spy out Christ and his righteousness, which is hid unto the world. As I heard one say on his deathbed, Oh ! where had I been if I had not spied out Christ ! It was this Spirit of
grace who caused thee to look towards him, and first set thy eyes and heart to see him, and look on him that was pierced, as all that are saved should be brought to do, as they did on the brazen serpent, John iii.
14, 15.
Secondly ; When thou didst find (being come to this fountain) that the well was deep, and thou hadst not wherewith to draw ; and while thou wert but looking down into it, with a longing eye after it ; but couldst not reach into it, to wash thyself in it ; but layest as that poor impotent man did at the pool, utterly without strength (as John v.) to have stepped in :
it was then the Holy Ghost sprinkled of it upon thy heart, and caused thine
iniquity to pass away (1 Pet. i. 2) ; Through sanctification of the Spirit, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood indeed is the blood of Jesus, but the sprinkling (in that place) is attributed to the Spirit, as well as obedience. It was Christ shed that blood (it is therefore there called the blood of Jesus Christ), but it is the Spirit that sprinkleth it, and he
sprinkleth it with both hands, on thy heart, to wash away thy spots ; and therefore in ver. 22 they are said to have purified their souls in obeying the truth, through the Spirit
: which is spoken of the obedience of faith
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 21
for justification, as well as sanctification ; as the parallel words of the same
apostle, in Acts xv. 8, 9, compared, shew : God giving unto them the Holy Ghost, even as he did to us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And in 1 Cor. vi. 11, justification as well as sanctification is attributed to the Spirit
: But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. But ye are washed, that is the general ; but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified (two distinct benefits), justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Both of these are by both Christ and the Spirit ; as justification is in the name of the Lord Jesus, so is sanctification too ; and by the like reason they were both justified
* by the Spirit of our God. It is Jesus Christ s nameaffords the merit and virtue for both, but the Spirit is the applier of them and all other blessings.
Thirdly ; And when thou hast been brought to close with Christ for justi fication and righteousness, who was it brought thee to the Father to be
justified by him also ( who justifies the ungodly, Rom. iv. 5), and who
gave thee access to him, when thou stoodest trembling, not daring to
approach to a consuming fire, and everlasting burnings ? It is through Christ we have access (manuduction) by one Spirit unto the Father, Eph. ii. 18. It is both through Christ, and by the Spirit, who leads us, as
well as Christ. And indeed, Christ leads us to the Father (as it were) with one hand, and the Holy Ghost by the other. Yea, it was this Spirit that
taught thee to call God Father (Rom. viii. 15, Gal. iv. 6), and therewith
to seek adoption from him.
Fourthly; When thou art once justified by faith, and hast that righteous ness imputed to thee, who is it hath hitherto kept, and continues to keep thine heart fixedly to wait for, and hold to that righteousness alone for thy
salvation ? And who is it withholds thee from betaking thyself to any other for justification ? Who settles thy hopes solely on it ? It is even
: Gal. v. 5, For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of
this Spirit
righteousness by faith. Justification by faith (as we know) is the eminent
subject of that epistle ; and these words come in in the midst of many other
lesser additional persuasives, which he useth last, after the doctrinal argu ments in the former chapters, tending all to this, that they should stand fast
in that liberty which ver. 1 of this chapter begins with, and which the
righteousness of Christ endows us with ; and that they should renounce that
of works in the point of justification.
We, says he, that is, the generality of believers, Jew and Gentile, ofweak and strong faith, we all do steer this way ; and therefore you that turn aside
to the works of the law for your justification do sever yourselves from the
faith common to the church. With which accords that of the apostle Peter, 2 Peter LI, To them that have obtained like precious faith with us
(apostles, namely), through the righteousness (sv 8ixauu<ruv$) of God and
our Saviour Jesus Christ. This was the true and common faith of
apostles, and all in those times.
Do wait (says he), that is, we not only did rely upon that righteousness
wholly for our first justification (as the papists distinguish), being necessi
tated unto that alone then, because as then we had no other works to rely
upon, but of nature and unregeneracy (which upon conversion are discovered
to be dead works), but ever since we abide by it, and depend upon that
alone for our justification afterward, and that now, when we have other manner of works of true holiness and sincerity renewed in us, and which
22 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
increase more and more in us ; which (if any works could or might) would entice us over to join them with Christ, as a ground of our confidence for
justification. But we are immoveably constant unto this righteousness by
faith, and the hope that is from it, for time to come ; and this continually, all along the remainder of our lives.
* Do wait, says he,
* for the hope of the righteousness by faith. Those words, of righteousness by faith, are a
distinction, severing it from that of works, and is an indigitation that he meant that to be the righteousness, which had been the subject of his dis course. For otherwise, that word, to wait, did sufficiently import that by faith they were expectants of it, without that addition. Those words, for the hope of righteousness, are an extensive speech, and
spoken in many respects, especially three.
1. It respects a waiting for justification still to come upon us, from that
righteousness. Hope is of what is yet to come ; and we not only lay hold on that righteousness to be justified by it at present, but we wait for the hope of justification by it for ever. For we are to be justified continually all along the remainder of our lives ; for it is actus continuus or perpetuus ; and therefore our hopes of justification are to be continued and kept up, and we depend wholly on that righteousness which is by faith, as well as when we were converted at first, or do at this day. It is called an everlasting right eousness, Dan. ix. 24. And it is but one and the same righteousness first and last which we wait for.
2. We wait for that eternal life (which is frequently termed our hope, and the hope of glory), both after death and at the day ofjudgment, as the con
junct consequent of this righteousness ; for glory is an inheritance entailed upon that righteousness of justification, as the holy apostle informs us : Tit.
iii. 7, That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs accord
ing to the hope of eternal life. And at that day it is that justification and
forgiveness of sins is with the solemnity of those words ( Come ye and
inherit, &c.) finally to be pronounced, and admission thereupon is to be
given into eternal glory.
3. Among the persons here expressed by the word we, whose example he
presseth upon these unsettled Galatians, it falls out that there are true believers who have sought God much and long, for the justification by faith
through Christ s righteousness, and the assurance of it ; and God hath been
pleased to defer the manifestation of it to their souls. And there were others that had obtained an assurance of it in some good degree, and yet either
through sins renewed, and other sad and dark temptations, have been weakened in their faith about it. And in that case there are other ways for relief and comfort besides this of the righteousness of faith, that are ready to offer themselves unto such souls, or otherwise are apt to faint in waiting
(as the Psalmist speaks of himself), and to have their souls made sick,
(as Solomon speaks of hope deferred ), and are ready to grow weary, and
give over waiting for the Lord any longer. Now in such a case, who is it that giveth those poor souls (who make the greatest number of believers) patience of hope to wait ? Lam. iii. 29, He putteth his mouth in the
dust, if so be there may be hope, and causeth them to wait (as there it is also said), and causeth them to wait on till God shall reveal himself to their souls (which is the thing I cited this place for, and have opened as I have
done). It is even the Spirit. And for his great honour, it is added by the apostle, We, through the Spirit, wait. It is one of his greatest works in us to hold our hearts constantly fixed to this righteousness, and to settle our whole expectation upon it, and to continue so to do, that we may look
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 23
unto no other righteousness for justification and salvation. These Galatians
having at their first calling embraced Christ nakedly, and him alone, for
justification, as ver. 7 and 8 insinuates, Ye did run well, says he ; who
did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth ? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. One true cause that so many of them after ward had fallen to the doctrine of works was that they would not wait by pure faith, at which this place also glanceth. They would see something in themselves, as a ground of a believing on Christ, and so had recourse to
themselves, to their own doings and actings, for a foundation of it ; at least
to join them in commission with Christ to justify them. A new convert in
Christianity, such an one especially, is in a great danger of thus diverting ;
for the spirit that is within us would of itself go that way, unless power
fully detained from it by this other blessed Spirit in us. The law is in
grafted in every man by nature, and was in pure nature of innocency, which knew no other way for justification but by a man s own righteousness, and it was the law of nature to be thereby justified. And this new nature
that is begotten in a Christian is, in the groundwork of it, materially a con
formity to the same law ; and the law is continued under grace to be a tutor
to instruct it how to walk in truth of holiness. And hence the heart is
apt to listen to the other dictates of it even in the point of justification also. And again it is man s own righteousness which Paul, after many years ex
perience of the righteousness of faith, was yet by reason of the propensity of nature to it, afraid to be found in, Phil. iii. And the dispositions of
righteousness that are renewed in us, and the duties we perform, do often
offer their help to supply the room of faith, giving us confidence ere Christ
comes. And Christ, to try us, stays often long (as Samuel did his coming
to Saul) ere he reveals himself. And as Abraham, waiting long for a child,
turned aside to Hagar, so do we to works. Now in all these hazards, who
took thee by the hand, and taught thee the way of sheer faith, and then
afterward the way of bare waiting upon God ? Who instructed thee by a
strong hand, and would not suffer thee to go in the way of the law, but
< rain down righteousness, as the prophet speaks ? It was this good Spirit ; and
strengthened and secretly supported thy spirit in waiting till God should
nothing else could or had been able to have done it in thee, but that Spirit who moved on the chaos when it was darkness, and but one step from
nothing, and newly come out of nothing, and ready to return unto nothing
again ; and who by his almighty power upheld, hatched, and supported it
from falling into nothing, Gen. i. It is the same good Spirit who enliveneth
and inspiriteth such a soul in its confessions. It was he who fostered and
maintained and kept up this resolved purpose in thy heart, to remain com
fortless for ever, otherwise than by such comforts as Christ and his right
eousness should afford thee. And though thou didst vehemently hunger and thirst after righteousness of justification, as well as of sanctification, yet
thou wouldst have starved rather than have lived upon thy own bread ; that
is, have trusted to thine own righteousness ; and none but Christ, and his
righteousness, who is the Lord our righteousness, and his alone, was it
would satisfy thee ; yea, that none else should was the fixed resolve of thy
heart. It is the Spirit guides and leads thee, thus ver. 18 of this 5th
< If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law, which is spoken
chapter,
in point ofjustification. He took thee by the hand, and gently led thee the
right way therein, as well as (according to what is spoken in respect of
sanctification) he led thee to walk holily. The Spirit is the leader and con
ductor in both, as the coherence with his former and his immediate fore-
24 TEE WOKK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
going discourse do shew, and do suit this of these works to be the scope of these words in common to either.
Fifthly ; When thou didst attain unto joy and peace in believing, though Christ was the peace-maker, yet who was the peace-bringer ? It was the Holy Ghost : Kom. xv. 13,
< Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. All that joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8, that 1 peace which passeth all understanding, Phil. iv. 7, whereby we glory in
tribulation, Rom. v. 2, and are more than conquerors, Rom. viii. 37, to whom is it to be ascribed ? Whose operation is it ? The Holy Ghost s. It is particularly appropriated to him ; and therefore it is styled, joy in the Holy Ghost : Rom. xiv. 17, The kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. As God s kingdom consists of these things, so this joy is a peculiar belonging to his Spirit ; it is his jurisdiction, it is styled joy in the Holy Ghost ; when yet our joy is in God and in Christ objectively, yet in the Holy Ghost effi
ciently, which is therefore elsewhere styled, The joy of the Holy Ghost : so 1 Thess. i. 6. And the consolations we have are called The comforts of the Holy Ghost, Acts ix. 81, as being the author and diffuser of them into our hearts, &c. In which sense our praying is in like manner said to be in the Holy Ghost (Jude, ver. 20), as the inditer of our prayers, Rom. viii. And it is also thus termed joy in the Holy Ghost, by way of a superlative eminency, in difference from all other joys which have ever entered into the heart of man ; and in compare to which all other joys are but as the crackling of thorns, the fuel they are fed with being earthy and terrene. It is a joy not as the world giveth (saith Christ, speaking of his
peace). And it therefore hath the peculiar character of glorious joy, as being joy of another kind, and also unspeakable for degrees and abundance ; more joy than when their corn and wine, increasing never so much, afforded, Ps. iv. 7. We use to distinguish things that are excellent, by joining the name of the workman, author, or efficient, when in his work manship he transcendeth all other artists. And so it is in this. All the sweetmeats of heaven (and this joy is the taste of the hidden manna), he hath the keeping and delivery of them out, where and when he will. And not only so, but he tempers them, and all the cordials out of God the Father s love, and Christ s heart and blood, and mingleth his own love with theirs, and puts them into our hearts, conveying them in promises of the word, and fitly and seasonably applies them, and reserves them for us as we need. And though Christ bequeatheth that peace and joy as his last legacy, he being the purchaser of it by his death, yet it is the Holy Ghost that is his administrator and executor of it, to perform it, and execute his will. He it is that maketh known to us that love which hath lain hid in the heart of God the Father towards a particular soul, in choosing him at
first, and then giving him to Christ, and giving his Son to die for him. It is he who displays that love which is laid out in infinite wisdom, contriving and ordering all about every man s particular salvation who is saved. It is he likewise that takes of Christ s, and shews and brings home his love in giving himself for every such soul, and causeth it to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge ; which he did vouchsafe to our apostle; Who loved me (says he), and gave himself for me, Gal. ii. 20. He shews these things (as Christ s word is), and tells over the stories of them in a way of application and comfort to a man s own heart in particular ; and withal, lets in the taste of them ; and makes the loves of all the three pass
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 25
through and through us, even through our very inwards, as oil that soaks into the bones, and refresheth the marrow within them, even this oil of
gladness, which is purely of his making. And he gives an immediate taste of that love fresh out of the heart of God and Christ, t<nd causeth every faculty in its kind to taste how good the Lord is. He gives us a relish of the sweetness, of the deliciousness of loves ; loves, in the plural, as it isexpressed in Cant. v. 1 ; which we are made abundantly to drink and taste of, as it is said Cant. v. 1. In Rom. v. 5, you have it thus expressed, Hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. Given us he had been afore, to endow us with justifying faith, and all those glorious fruits of it, which he setly had enumerated ; as peace with God, ver. 1 ; access by faith into
grace, ver. 2 ; rejoicing in hope of the glory of God ; glorying in tribulation ; and patience working experience ; and experience, hope
: and that hope rising up, in the end, to a steadiness, solidity, and constancy, as never to be confounded ; no, not in a man s own apprehension or fears. And this hope is wrought by shedding the love of God abroad in the heart, so as never to be violated or temerated by prevailing doubtings any more. And this he reckons last, as the sum, the complement of all the foregoing privi
leges. And this last, as well as all those other, are the effects of the Spirit given us ; for he working those other first, and then this of shedding the love of God over and above. Now that wherein this love of God and Christ
materially or objectively doth consist, the apostle tells us in the following 6th, 7th, and 8th verses, that * God himself hath commended his love to us, that when we were enemies, Christ died for us ; than which there cannot be a
higher strain or note that love could reach unto. Yet the coherence of
this place shews, that if the material part of this love should be declared in words never so illustriously, without the power of the Holy Ghost accom
panying it, and his shedding that love abroad in the heart ; yea, if these
very words were used, whereby God himself commends his love by the Holy Ghost himself, as the penman of them ; yea, if these words were
preached and enlarged upon by the apostles themselves, ay, and by all the
angels in heaven too (if they were sent by God to do it), yet they would
avail nothing upon our hearts to affect them therewith, without a transcend ent operation of this blessed Spirit, whose work and office is to be the Comforter. Yea further, where this Holy Spirit doth, by this and such like words as those, setting forth the love of God and Christ, perfume and bedew the souls of believers in his ordinary dispensation of faith with the consola
tions of the Almighty, more or less ; yet the text in Rom. v. 5 means and
intends, by that shedding abroad God s love, a higher communication of the
love of God than those more commonly vouchsafed. And as there is
promised a pouring forth of this Spirit, so there is a pouring forth joys in
the Holy Ghost more extraordinary, which in its measure doth exceed the
dispensings by the ordinary light of faith believers are accustomed unto. And the reason for this latter dispensation may be resolved unto this, that
this Holy Spirit searching the deep things of God, and knowing the
height, depth, breadth, and length of his love, to the extremest dimensions
of it, and coming immediately upon men s souls from out of the heart of God and Christ, is enabled from thence to bring this their love warm im
mediately out of their hearts and convey it into ours, and give us a true and native original taste of and from the things themselves, and the sweet
ness thereof. And so he sheds it abroad (as the word here is) into every chink and cranny of the soul, thirsting after this love, and brings it as fresh
26 THE WOKK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
as the mother s milk comes out of the dug into the child s mouth or stomach ; and his love so shed into us by the Holy Spirit, is digested or turned into love in us, and returned on our parts towards God and Christ
again. This is another manner of thing than all the words that ever have been or can be uttered ; yea, though penned by the Holy Ghost himself, speaking the greatest things that can be uttered of this love, and enlarging our minds to the most extensive conceptions of the dimensions of this love, so
far as words or arguments by words will avail to do it, though uttered by the tongues of men or angels. But, when the Spirit by the word (for I
speak not of revelations without that word, or besides it), shall add his con diment and seasoning to that love of God set forth in the word, with
diffusing joy which passeth understanding, this doth infinitely surpass even such joys ; as he doth sometimes unto some saints vouchsafe.
Sixthly; If we consider all the fellowship and communion we have with the
persons of the Father and the Son, we shall find that this Holy Spirit is the introducer of us into it, and the manager and transacter of it in us, and for them with us. Our fellowship is with the Father, and with the Son, 1 John i. 3. By means of which it is that our joy mentioned is a full
joy, ver. 4. And all this fellowship is through the help and manifestations of the Holy Ghost : Phil. ii. 1, If there be any comfort in love (which is peculiarly attributed to the Father) ; If any fellowship of the Spirit, who communicates both these. This place seems to speak, in the matter of it, somewhat parallel to that of the same apostle
: 2 Cor. xiii. 14, The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Now it is the love of the Father which ordained Christ and salvation for us ; it is the grace of Christ which works our salvation by redemption ; as you read how grace is in that sense and
respect attributed unto Christ, 2 Cor. viii. 9. But yet it is the Holy Ghost imparts and conveys all things that the Father or Son hath. He takes them and reveals them to us, and so glorifies them both unto us : John
xvi. 14, 15, He shall glorify me, said Christ, for he shall receive of
mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore, said I, he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. In saying, All that the Father hath are mine, he doth plainly affirm that it
is the Spirit that shews all that is the Father s to us, as well as Christ, and what is Christ s. And in that renowned place in the gospel of John, where Christ promiseth that he and his Father will come to us, and make their abode with us, and that he will manifest himself to us, John xiv. ver. 21-23. Yet in the verse 20 immediately foregoing, Christ says, At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you ; in that day, namely, when he should give and send his Spirit, as by this
verse, being compared with verse 16, appears. And therefore it is, that that fulness of joy which ariseth from the communion with these persons is termed, joy in the Holy Ghost (that is, through the Holy Ghost) ; and the communion of the Holy Ghost, although the objects of that joy are the love and persons of the Father and Son.
Seventhly ; All the evidence and witnessing of all or any grace wrought in us (though not accompanied with joy unspeakable and full of glory), as a love in us to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they are all of his
working, and from him.
Do our own consciences witness to any eminent holy disposition that is written in our hearts, such as the apostle professeth he found in his own
heart, even to a willingness to be accursed from Christ, for the glory of
CHAP. V.] IN OUK SALVATION. 27
God, and the salvation of his own countrymen the Jews ? The evidence
of this to his conscience was from the Holy Ghost, without whose testi mony joined to that of his conscience, his conscience would not have wit
nessed it. Natural conscience witnesseth the things of the law naturally in
man, Rom. ii., yet gracious dispositions it cannot. Here the apostle him
self speaketh himself concerning this matter : Rom. ix. 1-3, I speak the truth
in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.
I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kins men according to the flesh. When he says, my conscience bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, he speaks it not only because the Holy Ghost was he that had wrought that grace in him, but that, in point of his conscience witness
ing of it, it was the Spirit who was the cause of that witness. Conscience
indeed was the faculty that was the substance that witnessed this to his
soul, but it was in (that is, from) the Holy Ghost so testifying with it. And therefore if that or any other grace in us be evidenced to us, it is he
that is the eminent witness, and causeth that grace to speak so loud as to
witness it : Rom. viii. 16, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. It may be read
* witnesseth to our spirit, and witnesseth uithom spirit. And though man hath a reflecting faculty
* None knoweth the
as a man, which (1 Cor. ii.) the apostle indigitates,
things of a man, but the spirit that is in man, yet the discerning the
things of God, and of his supernatural working in a man, the apostle in
the same place attributes to the Spirit, as the person who works all, and
makes all in us, and also reveals all that to us which he worketh. He
writes first all graces in us, and then teacheth our consciences to read his
handwriting, which we could never do without his light. In 1 John v. ver.
6 and 7, you read of six witnesses, three in heaven, and three on earth, who are witnesses of two things
: 1, Christ to be the Son of God ; 2, To
believers hearts of their own salvation, as in ver. 1, Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, which also is evident by compar
ing ver. 13, where both these two are put together, as the things believers
might know, through what he had written in this epistle, especially now
last written in those immediate foregone verses. Now you find there in
these 6th and 7th verses, that the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, is men
tioned in either catalogue ; first, among the witnesses in heaven, The
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and yet again this Spirit, that is
a witness in heaven, is yet numbered with those that bear record on earth,
too. Ver. 8, The Spirit, the water, and the blood ; and he, the first,
and as the principal of these on earth, is set before water and blood. One
among other reasons I have apprehended for this, is that he efficiently is
the grand witness with those other two on earth in their witnessing ^ and
to whatsoever they bear their testimony, this Spirit joins with them in it,
and brings home their testimony into our hearts ; as without whom and
which their witness would be of no force. As, for example, if Christ s
blood, when believed on, witnesseth to our hearts, by giving our hearts ease
and peace, it is because this Spirit joins with it in its testimony. If water,
or the new creature (begotten of water and this Spirit, the holy Spirit
is in virtue of
working as water in cleansing us), if that do testify to us^it
the Holy Ghost s conjecture with it, and irradiation of it, and it is that
which gives its validity of testimony to it : as Rom. viii. 16, He witnesseth
with our spirits ; that is, our graces (or that which is born of the Spirit,
all into
which is spirit), and in the same 1 John v. 6, the apostle resolves
this, as the foundation of the other s testimonies, It is the Spirit that
THE WORK OF THE HOLT GHOST [BOOK I.
beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. It is he therefore that bears the name of witness, xar ggo^v, as being the Spirit of truth, as Christ also calls him. And truly in that Kom. viii., where it is rendered, The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits, the Holy Ghost, in the original, hath so composed the words, that they import his witnessing to our spirits as well as with our spirits ; and that witnessing with hath a respect to the witness of the other two persons, the Father and Christ, as with whom this Spirit should witness to our spirits ; they all three, the witnesses in heaven, con joining their testimonies together to persuade our spirit (that is, our souls and graces in them), that we are the children of God. And if so under stood, then the witnessing both of the Father and of Christ unto our salva tion is eminently attributed to the Spirit, who only is named, as also in witnessing the truth by Christ, and the especial honour thereof is given to him, which accords with that fore-cited speech of Christ, John xvi. 14, 15. And thus he is the great witnesser, both of heaven and of earth, to this of our being the sons of God.
Eighthly; As thus in respect of evidencing our graces to us, and his join ing with God the Father and Christ in their testimonies also to us, the Spirit doth the work so as to lead us into all truths of the word and secrets of God whatever, which in this life are revealed ; it is he whom God sends to discover ^and convince us of them all : 1 Cor. ii. 10, He searcheth all the deep things of God. He is the keeper of all those archives of eternity, and they are all committed to his custody, and he lets us into the view of them, and reveals what is revealed of them unto us as he will. There is not a thing that God hath prepared for us that love him, ver. 9 (which is spoken of the hidden things of the gospel, ver. 7), but he is the manifester of it to one or other of the saints ; it is he leads into all truth : 2 Tim. i. 13 and 14, Hold fast the form of sound words, which is in Christ Jesus. But, alas ! might they say of ourselves, we are apt to let them slip and leak out (as Heb. ii. 1), and to be carried away with every wind of doctrine, Eph. iv. (this we are prone to be), therefore he adds, ver. 14, That good thing (so he calls the truth of the doctrine of wholesome words, for bonum et verum convertuntur),
< keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. Who also brings them home to our remembrance when we have forgotten them, John xiv. 26.
And as these matters, in point of faith, and assurance, and joy, and all communion with God the Father and the Son, are transacted by this Spirit, together with the revelation of all truths, so,
^ Ninthly; If we view all and the whole of the work and works of sanctifition that are wrought in us, or proceed from us, it will appear that it is he that works them all in us and for us. This is the third part of the appli cation of salvation to us ; according to that distribution which Christ makes, John xvi. 8, 11, and which he attributes to the Spirit, when he is come, he shall convince the world of judgment, that is, of true holiness, sanctification, and reformation of heart and life; as in the Old Testament frequently, and in the New, that word judgment is used, as Mat. xii. 20. That Christ shall
bring forth judgment to victory, citing ver. 18 out of the Old, viz., out of Isa. xlii. 1,
<
< He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. And in ^respect of his working herein, he hath this denomination made appropriate to him, viz., a Spirit of judgment, purging away the filth of sin in his people, Isa. iv. 4. And holiness is called
< the sanctification of the Spirit, 1 Peter i. 2, and 2 Thess. ii. 13. And for this cause he bears the name of the Holy Spirit, as the eminent efficient of holiness in us.
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 29
And accordingly as men have grown up into, and increased more and more
in, holiness, they have been said to be filled with the Holy Ghost, as, Luke
i. 41, it is said of Elizabeth the mother, and her child the Baptist; and his eminent holiness is expressed by this, He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother s womb, Luke i. 15. And the same strain of speech goes on in the New Testament : Acts vi. 3, Choose men full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. Of Barnabas it was said, A good man, and
full of the Holy Ghost, Acts xi. 28 ; and the superexcelling fulness and
* the
eminency of Christ s graces is set out by this measure, that he had
Spirit above measure ; for this Spirit s indwelling in him was the fountain and standard of his infinitely transcending holiness.
Let us go over the several particulars of that work.
1. Habitual holiness, and all the principles of holiness. I have shewn
afore that they are wholly of his operation, and this our baptism (which is
the seal of regeneration, or of the new creature) doth signify in a special manner. The letter of that word BoUrrw imports not simply to wash, or to
be washed, but to be dyed also. It is also taken from the dyer s vat, into which what clothes are dipped they carry away in them a new habitual
tincture. The Holy Ghost takes a man s heart, and dyes it anew, changeth
it. As a cloth goes into the vat of one colour and comes out of it of another,
< so is he who is born of the Spirit
: he goes wholly flesh, comes out spirit in a good degree, which two are contrary, Gal. v.
2. Mortification of sin and to the world is ascribed to the Spirit
: Horn,
viii. 13, For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye, through the
Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. It was prophesied by Malaclii, Mai. ii. 2, 3, that Christ coming after the Baptist, should
* fuller s soap, and the refiner s fire. Now who is that refiner s fire but this Spirit ? as appears by comparing Isa. iv. 4, where he is styled the Spirit of burning, and the Spirit of judgment ;
* purify the sons of Levi by
the Spirit of burning, consuming and purging out our dross and filth ; and
* baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire, as the Baptist expounded it ; the Holy Ghost, as it is
there also is the prophecy of Christ s coming to
spoken, partly because what remaining filth his baptism of water had not
cleansed out, Christ s Spirit, as fire, should do it ; for, Num. xxxi. 23, the
fire is made a stronger purifier than water ; and even of the Baptist himself
and his ministry (the Spirit of God accompanying it), it was foretold by
Isaiah, chap, xl., that the glory and beauty of the whole creation should be
blasted, and caused to fade and wither, as flowers of the grass are by a wind,
in and to new converts hearts, and deading their souls, being deadened
unto it, when the voice of the crier should come and preach repentance to
the people, and the glory of the Lord (Christ, namely) should be revealed. The grass withered, and the flower faded (ver. 7) in such men s hearts as
were savingly wrought upon by his voice and cry. And how came this to
* The Spirit of the Lord hath blown upon it. And the
pass ? It is added,
apostle Peter expounding this prophecy, says, That all believers wrought
upon by his and the apostle s ministry, had purified their souls, 1 Peter
i. 22, by the preaching of the gospel, and then referreth us unto this very
( For all flesh is as grass, and
place in Isaiah, Being born again ; ver. 23,
the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the
flower thereof falleth away ; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever ; and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you, ver. 24
and 25.
8. There is in Scripture ascribed to the Holy Ghost the implantation of
30 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
all the contrary graces, which are so often compared to flowers and the
gardens of them, and unto trees in orchards and beds of spices, planted
artificially by a florist (which is an allusion the Holy Ghost delights to use
in that book of Canticles) ; the fruits and flowers whereof shall never fade
(as the flower of grass doth), but grow up, and flourish to eternal life ; which flowers, &c., because planted in her heart, the spouse there calleth
her garden upon my garden as also Christ calls it his garden, and both
in that one verse, Cant. iv. 16, which, as appears by ver. 12, was her own
* An enclosed garden is my sister, my spouse, says Christ of her,
self.
* a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. And ver. 13 and 14, Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon ; which is certainly an enumeration of
particular graces in their distinction and variety, if we knew how aptly to
apply those similitudes in each to what is proper to each. But however, it
serves in general to instruct us, that there is such a variety of graces in our
hearts, as here of trees in the spouse s heart, * and that the heart of every saint is an orchard to such spiritual plants growing therein ; and in like
manner, a garden to a like variety of flowers, as in ver. 12. And various
graces are meant by either. And the planting and bringing forth these are all
ascribed to the Holy Spirit, as Christ s chief planter. Thus I understand
that fore-cited ver. 12, * A garden enclosed, a spring shut up, to intend
that she had two things enclosed in her heart.
(1.) All sorts of graces, planted as in a garden, as the effects.
(2.) The indwelling of the Spirit, as the spring and producer of all these
flowers, and accordingly in ver. 15 she is said to be a fountain of gardens, a well of living water, and streams from Lebanon. Now that well of living water is apparently the Spirit
: John iv. 14, But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall
give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life ; which is interpreted to be the Holy Ghost (John vii. 38, 89), which comes
as a spring from Lebanon, that is, from that high mountain, even from
heaven, from the throne of God and of the Lamb, as Rev. xxi. 1, And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of
the throne of God and of the Lamb, which watereth these flowers ; which
well the church hath in her belly, as Christ s word is in that of John the
Evangelist, chap. vii. 38. And all these plants in Christ s garden, which
is the soul oa believer, are of the Spirit s bringing forth and setting; for
as the earth, watered with fructifying water, brings forth plants as at the
first creation, so the soul, bedewed with the Spirit, brings forth trees of
righteousness, of the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified, Isa.
Ixi. 3 ; which (as appears by comparing ver. 1) is recorded as the effect of
Christ s having this Spirit given him : The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
to preach the gospel, whereof this is made the immediate effect, viz., the
communicating the same Spirit unto his members, for this end, to plant in them trees of righteousness. Thus it is ascribed unto this Spirit, and ver. 11 of the same chapter it is added, For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so
the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all
nations. In a word, he is styled the Spirit of grace, Heb. x. 29 as the eminent efficient of all our graces ; and therefore, they that apostatise are
said to do despite unto this Spirit, as he is the efficient of all graces and
gracious workings.
*Qu. garden ? ED.
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 31
4. As the planting, so the drawing them forthwith into act, both bud and fruit, and causing them to grow, is his work also.
(1.) The drawing them forth into act, or the acting of them, or the caus
ing them to shoot forth, is ascribed to him. He is that wind which, blow
ing upon our graces, causeth them to flow out, even as his blowing upon the flower of the grass (as you heard out of Isa. xl.) withers and mortifies the flowers or glories of this world to new converts. And this follows in the next words of the same chapter
* Awake, north wind; and come, thou south ; blow upon my garden, says the spouse, that the
: Cant. iv. 16,
spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. There are two prayers in those word: the first to the Spirit, Come, thou south wind, and blow ; and the second to Christ
himself, Let my beloved come into his garden when it shall be thus blown upon. First, the wind there apparently is the Holy Ghost, Ezek.
xxxvii. 3d, 14th verses compared with 5th, 6th : As the wind bloweth where it listeth, so is he that is born of the Spirit. The Spirit is a quick ening wind (the breath of the living God and of Christ), who coming upon a man doth regenerate him, and infuse a new spirit into him, as Christ had there said. And after he is thus quickened and born, a soul new born of the Spirit, then by blowing thereon the same Spirit doth cause him to
operate and act as such a new creature, who is so high born, should
in some measure do. Insomuch as all and the whole of him who is
truly born again is from this Spirit, not only his first begetting, but
his after actings ; which latter Christ also involves in saying, so is he
that is born of the Spirit, supposing him first to have been begotten anew.
If any shall object, that the Spirit is but one and the same Spirit, viz., the person, and how can he be termed both the north wind and the south
wind, which are not only diverse, but blow contrary ways ? the answer
is, It is true the person of the Holy Ghost is one and the same person, as
in himself considered, but his being said to be a wind is in respect of his
operations upon us ; and so his blasts may blow several ways, not only in
these two points of the compass there mentioned, but several others ; and
in this respect he is said to be seven spirits, Eev. i. 7, from whom grace
is there prayed for as well as from Christ and the Father. And even the
natural wind in the air is one and the same wind for the substance of it, whilst yet it turneth itself about, as God pleaseth, unto several quarters, from north to south, &c. And this objection is preoccupated by the
: 1 Cor. xii. 3, 4, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
apostle
Spirit ; and so on, ver. 6-8, and there are differences of administra
tions, &c. Now, both these contrary winds are needful to cause the
* Come, says the spouse, praying to this Spirit, come, and blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. So then the Spirit s operations upon those graces is the
several graces in believers to flow forth :
blowing upon them ; and their exerting that hidden virtue or active power that lies latent in them, through the excitement and actings of the Holy Ghost, is that their flowing forth. And it is as if she had said, I indeed have these plants and graces habitually rooted in me by thee, holy and
blessed Spirit ; but I am utterly unable so much as so give forth the least
scent or virtue of them (which other plants naturally do) without thy breath
ing on them, and moving and impregnating of them. Yet even earthly plants
yield their fragrancy of themselves yet more strongly and abundantly when
the wind drives them to and fro, and exhales the scent out of them ; but
82 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK I.
she, in the sense of her utter inability, prays to the Spirit to come and in
fluence her.
And from hence, hy the way, we may observe an instance of a warrant
to pray distinctly to the person of the Spirit ; as if it had been said by
her, Awake, and come, thou Holy Spirit. As likewise to pray distinctly to the person of Christ, as she also doth in these next words,
* Let my be
loved come ; and that is, Then be thou also pleased to come and visit thy
garden, when first thy Spirit, sent by thee, hath drawn out and educed from out of those plants that are growing therein, those pleasant savours
so pleasing to thee, which these my graces, when thus acted by the Spirit, do afford. And indeed the many former prayers and petitions, ever and anon found up and down in this book of the Canticles, do put it out of all
question that it is useful, for us thus to pray to each person.
There is not so much as the least good thought, nor the least bud which we with all our inherent graces are able to bring forth, unless this Holy
Spirit efficaciously blows upon us, 2 Cor. iii. 6. It is the Spirit (says he) who is wooro/o ~v, that quickens and gives life ; and he speaks this of the
Holy Spirit joining with the gospel, even the Spirit of the living God, whom he had under that title mentioned afore in ver. 3. And that his quickening relateth unto all and everything of the Spirit of life within us, even unto the
production of but one, a single individual one action, though it also be but
the least good thought, is expressly said in ver. 5 : Not that we are suffi
cient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is
of God ; that is, unless God (the living God) by his living Spirit (as in
ver. 3) do form it in us, and although the matter of a good thought were
cast into our minds, yet as seed thrown into a barren soil, it would sow
this in our hearts, it would instantly become a dead work, such as all the works of unregenerate men are, Heb. vi. 1. So that our eyes should be
fixed upon and entirely ascribe all that is good in us to this Spirit as the
author. And though we and our wills do concur in the acting also, yet he
is the efficient of that concurrence in us, causing us to do ; yea, and is the cause of every degree of that goodness in our actings,
* dividing to every man severally as he will, 1 Cor. xii. 11.
3. The Spirit produceth all the spiritual strength we receive, when our