Chapter VIII
That a spiritual heart desires heaven, as it is a spiritual happiness ; desires
and prizes inherent graces as spiritual ornaments of the soul, and a divine
likeness, in which God is pleased ; takes pleasure in holy duties, on the
account of his having converse and communion with God in them.
You have hitherto seen how all the benefits reckoned, Eph. i., are spi
ritualised.
Now take heaven itself, which he there also mentions, ver. 11, In whom
we have obtained an inheritance, &c. If any benefit seems to be desired
and affected by the generality of men, it is heaven ; because it is conceived
to be the ultimate happiness that will fill up the natural desire of the soul
to the full. Yet if men did take in true and genuine notions of it, what
that happiness is, and wherein it lies, in the spiritualness of it, and we could
suppose their hearts remained still carnal, nothing would be more unsuited
to them. If (as Christ says to the sons of Zebedee) you knew what you
asked, or knew what it is to be there, none but a heart truly, yea, sub-
limately spiritual, can find in its heart to desire it. The apostle Paul, Eph.
i. 17, 18, prays for these Ephesians, that they might have a spiritual know
* That the God
ledge of the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, in these words,
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your under
standing being enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his
calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Elsewhere it is called an inheritance of the saints, Col. i. 12, as the pos
sessors of it : here (in Eph. i. 18) he speaks otherwise of it, as an inheri
tance, avrov, of him. It is translated, his inheritance in the saints. The
signification of it is, that it is what the saints have by inheriting himself.
I would but ask who or what in heaven is the inheritance of the man Jesus ?
184 THE WOEK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK IV.
It is said, Rom. viii. 17, that we are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ. Now what is Christ s inheritance? It is God himself: Ps. xvi. 5, Thou
art the lot of mine inheritance. It is Christ s speech. It is not a happi ness only from God as the author, but it is in God himself, who is there to be enjoyed. In heaven, God is set afore us to pick all happiness out of ; and so all that happiness must arise from suitableness of heart to him. And therefore the saints are said, Col. i. 18, to be made meet to be par takers of it. And here in this place of Eph. i. 11 it is added, in the saints ; for none else can take comfort or joy in God, Rom. v. 11. Come now, canst thou say, and say it heartily, out of a taste how good the Lord
is, Whom have I in heaven but thee ? Canst thou out of a taste (I say) declare there is nothing on earth which thou hast enjoyed in comparison of him ; so as thy soul saith with itself, If God be in heaven, and if all hold good which the word says of him, and I have him there, though I should have nothing but him, I find I should be happy enough ? Canst thou say this ? It is a sign thy heart is spiritual. 5. Take grace inherent in us, what is it draws out thy heart to desire it but the spiritualness of it ?
(1.) It is certain that grace hath the greatest dowry that any creature, whether in heaven or earth, hath. Godliness is profitable to all things, 1 Tim. iv. 8, having the promise of this life, and a better belonging to it ; but these simply are but additionals unto it ; and it may be thy heart is
only willing to match with so rich an heiress.
(2.) Virtue hath an ornament in it, as it adorns the soul, and is the
perfection of it. And so the philosophers, Plato, Hercules, and others, judged it. But wherein doth the excellency, the spiritualness of grace, lie ?
1. That it is the image of God and Christ, and so is allied to him, of kin to him, as being divine nature. 2. That it fits thee for, and carrieth forth thy heart unto communion and fellowship with God, and is a principle that
enableth thee to sanctify him in thy heart. 3. That it makes thee in these respects beautiful, amiable, yea, glorious in God s eyes and esteem, whose favour thou valuest above life. It makes thee such that Christ
greatly delights in thy beauty, Ps. xlv. Doth God there move the church to get much of grace, Eph. v. 26, 27, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it glorious to himself; that is, for his own delight and rejoicing in her as his spouse ? And doth godliness thus alone considered, or (as the apostle s own phrase is, 1 Tim. vi. 6) in its own selfsufficiency, psra
avragxs/ag, take thy heart to seek it as great gain ? Here is spiritualness. 6. Take duties of obedience, as prayer, reading the word, partaking of the holy ordinances of God : there is a spiritual part in all these ; which
is, to meet with God in them, to sanctify him in the heart whilst we are conversant in them. The law of these duties is to have to do with God ; and if with God, then to glorify him as God in our hearts and affections ; that is the spirit of them. And therefore, 1 Tim. iv. 8, godliness is opposed unto bodily exercise, that is, the outward performance only, for godliness is the spirit of obedience ; which is,
(1.) When God is sanctified as the end of thy duties.
(2.) When he is regarded as the object matter of them, and as one with whom we converse in them, then they are spiritual duties ; when God is sanctified in the heart ; and then God is sanctified, when either the motives for duties are fetched from considerations of God, and he is made the matter of them, and the converse we have with him is from some suitable ness of heart unto him. But that which causeth carnal hearts (or any
CHAP. VIII.] IN OUR SALVATION. 185
heart so far as carnal), to neglect them, or to be weary of them, or wish
they were over and done, is, that the law of them is to have to do with God all that while, who to a carnal heart is burdensome company. And
so carnal men perform these duties to him, as complimenters do visits to
* Will the hypocrite pray
persons whose company they regard not.
always ? says Job. And why will he not ? Because he will not delight himself in the Almighty, Job xxvii. 10. That is the law of the duty, and he cannot consort with God, but overly, and so his prayers grow overly, and in the end he gives over. To pray, or read, to ease thy conscience, and to keep all quiet there, what is it ? That is not the essential part of
the duty. Paul considered the law and duties of it in its spiritual nature, Rom. vii. 14. The law is spiritual and good, and, verse 22, he tells us
that he delighted in the law of God in the inner man, and in every duty of
it. Now delight is out of suitableness, and why ? Because his inner man, that delighted itself in God, was assimilated to God, Rom. viii. 7. The
carnal mind is said to be enmity against God, first, and therefore not subject to the law ; and so the reason men delight not in these duties of the law, whose tendency is to carry the soul up to God, is because they delight not
in God. But the state of the case is quite contrary in a godly man : Ps.
cxliii. 10, Teach me to do, says David, thy will, for thou art my God ;
thy Spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. None but a
spiritual heart could experimentally and feelingly have moved God with
this, as being first moved thereby itself. He had found the Spirit of God
coming upon him in duties, teaching and leading, acting and quickening him, verse 8, and was so good to him, that he loved these inward influences and effluxes of his heart to God therein ; and they were so good to him, so
suited, that he prays for more, and could not be content without it. Oh !
! Oh, therefore, give me him, act me by him in all that I do.
(says David) thy Spirit is good
7. To mention no more ; take God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, which are (as I said) prima spiritualia, the first and chiefest spirituals.
"What suitableness hast thou had unto these, abstractly considered in them
selves, cutting off what accidental goodness is annexed to them as repre sented in the word ? Doth thy soul say at times, yea, at any time, The Lord is my portion ? -Lam. iii. Doth thy naked soul say it of the naked
Lord, and say it heartily from the soul ? Lovest thou him by all thou hast
heard of him, or knowest of him by his attributes, laws, decrees, and dis
pensations ? Thus also for Christ, dost thou love him for himself, and not
only as a Redeemer ? Though to love him as such, he doth allow thee ;
for therein he hath shewn and manifested infinite love unto thee. But yet there is aliquid in Christo formosius Salvatore, there is that in Christ that
is far more amiable than his being a Saviour. Dost thou love him as thy head and husband, more than as thy Saviour ? So a wife unto a physician,
if she loves him, will really do all for him, although she be never so diseased and needs his help (both these relations of head and Saviour in Christ, are
distinctly insisted on, Eph. v.). Or dost thou love him for what God most
loveth him (and that is, that he is his only begotten, and therefore beloved,
Son, and because he pleased his Father in all things), as well as because
out of love he did work thy righteousness ? God therefore loved and
exalted him, because he was obedient to death, Phil, iii., because he loved
righteousness and hated iniquity, Ps. xlv., therefore God exalted him, and
anointed him with the oil of gladness. There are and have been souls that
have found their hearts drawn forth in love to Christ, chiefly because in
186 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK IV.
doing (though for themselves), he expressed so much obedience to his
Father, and thereby shewed he loved them,* John xiv. 31, having that in his eye more than their salvation. And dost thou reckon withal this as
thy chiefest good, and desire of thy soul, to be and live for ever with him ?
Oh, to be with Christ is best of all, says Paul. Dost thou value the in
dwelling of the Spirit ? Canst thou say to God, Thy Spirit is good, who
helps me to all that sweet communion with thyself, and takes of Christ, and gives it to my soul. Oh, take not thy Spirit from me, for thy Spirit is good, &c.
Obj. You will say, these are but notions, and such as are invented to
express in the abstract spiritualness by.
Ans. I answer, they are such notions as will distinguish one day all your souls into heaven, or into hell ; and they are such real notions, as holy and happy souls feel them and live upon them. Paul, you see, writing to them that were spiritual, spiritualiseth all these things in this manner as I have now done, and thus sets out these things, as taking it for granted they (as so represented) would take with spiritual hearts, as suited to them. And therefore he provoketh these Ephesians to bless God for them as spiritual benefits, spiritual in these respects, as he had set them forth ; so he writ, so he preached, and so were their hearts suited to them. I conclude (as the apostle doth, 1 Cor. xiv. 37), If any man think himself to be spiritual, let him acknowledge these things to be spiritual, and then see how they (as such considered) and his heart do agree. Use. You learn hence what is the true measure of judging of our spiritual growth. It is to grow up in what is true spiritualness, which is a raising up all in the soul unto things spiritual, in their spiritualness. It is not a
growth in respect of bulk, either of duties, or knowledge of, or affections
unto, things spiritual, butjstill they must be discerned and loved in their
spiritualness. And by this character is growth in grace, with difference from younger Christians, still expressed. Gal. vi. 1, If any be overtaken in a fault, you that are spiritual, restore such an one : that is, you that
profess to have more grace, and are more deeply acquainted with tempta tions, as in the next words insinuated. Thus also the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. iii. 1. I could not write unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, even babes in Christ. Spiritual men he opposeth to babes, and therefore understandeth by those spiritual persons, grown Christians ; that are raised up to discern of things that differ, and to approve the things that are excellent.
* Qu. him ? ED.
CHAP. I.] IN OUR SALVATION. 187