The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Treatise · Part 21

The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law · Treatise · Part 21

p. 572Even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

As, here is taken according to the phrase in the Greeke, and there is the like word in the Hebrew, it signifieth likenesse, and similitude sometimes, and sometimes otherwise, p. 573it is not here meant as if we were like the Spirit of the Lord, but this change is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord, that is, it is so excellent, and so strong that you may know that it is done by none but the Spirit of God.

Againe, As by the Spirit of the Lord, that is, so farre as the Spirit of the Lord changeth us, it implyeth those two things, that is, it is done by the power of the Spirit, that we may know it is done by the Spirit of the Lord, and then as by him and no further, for we no further shine then he enlighteneth us, as the ayre, it is no p. 574further light, then the Sun shines into it, so we have no more glory, strength, comfort, and peace, or any thing gracious, and glorious, then the Spirit of God shines into us: Therefore he saith, As by the Spirit of the Lord. It is so glorious, and excellent, and so farre forth as he doth it, as by the Spirit of the Lord, so he expresseth the meaning of that phrase.

Now you see here, the Doctrine is cleare, that all that I have spoken of before, comes from the Spirit of the Lord, and from no other cause.

The beholding, the transforming, the degrees p. 575of transforming, from glory to glory, the taking away of the vayle, all is from the Spirit of the Lord: To goe over the particulars,

The Holy Ghost doth open our eyes, to behold the glory of the Lord, and therefore he is called the Spirit of illumination. The Holy Ghost takes away the vaile of ignorance, and unbeleife, and thereupon hee is called the Spirit of Revelation. The Holy Ghost upon revealing the love of God to us in Christ and the love of Christ to us, and illuminating our understandings, to see these things, he breedes love to God againe, shewing p. 576the love of God to us, and thereupon he is called the Spirit of Love, now when Gods love is shed into us by the Spirit of illumination, and Revelation, then we are changed according to the Image of Christ, and thereupon the Holy Ghost, from the working of a change, is called the Spirit of sanctification, because he is not onelyonly the holy temple of that blessed Person, but he makes us holy, and because this change is a glorious change, a change from one degree of grace to another, till we come to be perfect in Heaven, hereupon it is called a Spirit of glory, as Saint …eter p. 577saith, the spirit of glory resteth on you, that is, the Spirit of peace, of love, of comfort, of joy, &c. The Spirit in regard of this blessed attribute, working all these, he is called the Spirit of glory; the Spirit hath diverse names, according to the diverse operations hee workes in the Saints, and People of God, as here the Spirit of Illumination, of Revelation, of love, of sanctification, of glory, all is by the Spirit; whatsoever is wrought in man, it is by the Spirit; all comes from the Father as the Fountaine, and through the Sonne as Mediator, but whatsoever is wrought it p. 578is by the Holy Ghost in us, which is the substantiall vigour in the Trinity; all the vigour, and operation in the Trinity upon the creature, it is by the Holy Ghost, the third person. As in the creation, the Spirit mooved upon the waters, and mooving there, and brooding on them, framed the whole module of the creatures, all were framed by the Holy Ghost, so the Holy Ghost upon the water of our soules frames the new creature, frames all this change, from glory to glory, all is by the Holy Spirit: Therefore it is here in the passive tearme, We are changed from glory to p. 579glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord, so in the chayne of Salvation, you have passive words in them all: Whom God foreknew he chose, and whom hee chose, hee justified, and whom he justified, he glorified, all because they come from God, and the Spirit of God, so here we are transformed from glory to glory, all is by the Spirit of God, the third person, for beloved even as from God toward us all things come through the Sonne by the Spirit, so backe againe, all things from us to God, must come by the Spirit, and through Christ, wee doe all by the Spirit, as all p. 580things are wrought in us by the Spirit. God gives us the Spirit of Prayer, and supplication, and the Spirit of Sanctification; and we pray in the Spirit, and worke in the Spirit, and walke in the Spirit, wee doe all in the Spirit, to shew that the Spirit doth all in all, in this new creature, and worke of Sanctification, it is by no lesse then the Spirit of the Lord For beloved, as it was God that redeemed us, so it is God that must change us: as it was God that wrought our Salvation, and reconciled us, no l…sse person could doe it, so it must bee God that must perswade us of that glorious p. 581worke, and fit us for it by his holy Spirit, it is God that must knit us to our head Christ, and then by little and little transforme us to that blessed condition,The work… of the whole Trinity in mans salvation. that Christ hath purchased for us; God the Sonne doth the one, and God the Spirit doth the other, you have all the three persons in this place, for wee see the glory of God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, shining in lesus Christ. Christ is the Image, according to which we are changed, the Spirit is he that changeth us, according to that Image, God shewes his mercy in Christ, we knowing, and apprehending the p. 582mercy of God in Christ by the Spirit, are changed by that Spirit, from glory to glory, so that the blessed Trinity, as they have a perfect unity in themselves, in nature, for they are all one God, so they have a most perfect unity in their love, and care, and respect to mankinde, we cannot want the worke of any one of them all, their worke is for the good of mankind. The Father in his wisedome decreed, and laid the foundation, how mercy and justice might be reconciled in the death of the mediator, Christ wrought our Salvation, the Holy Ghost assures us of it, and knits p. 583us to Christ, and changeth and fits us to be members of so glorious a head, and so translates, and transformes us more and more, from glory to glory.

It is a comfortable consideration to see how our salvation, and our fitting for salvation, till wee be put in full possession of it stands upon the unity of the three glorious persons in the Trinity, that all joyne in one for the making of man happy.

I will name two or three Doctrines, before I come to that which I meane to dwell on:

As first that,

The Spirit comes from Christ.Doct.

p. 584It is said here, By the Spirit of the Lord, that is, of Christ, Because Christ doth spirare, as well as the Father: the Father doth spirare, and the Son doth breath, the Holy Ghost proceedes by way of spiration from both; therefore the Spirit is not only the Spirit of the Father, but of the Sonne, as we see here, The Spirit of the Lord. Christ sends the Spirit, as well as the Father, I will send you the Comforter, The Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne, and hee doth report to us the love of the Father, and of the Sonne, and therefore, 2 Cor. 13. The shut…ing up p. 585of the Chapter, The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, &c. As the Holy Ghost hath communion in proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, and knowes the secrets of both, so he reveales them to us, the love of God the Father, and the Sonne, and the communion of the the Holy Ghost, so, the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Sonne, as well as from the Father, he is called here the Spirit of the Lord.

Then againe, the Spirit is a distinct person from Christ, it is said before, The Lord is that Spirit, that p. 586might trouble men how to know that The Lord is that Spirit, men might thinke that Christ is all one with the Spirit, No; here the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of the Lord, he meanes, he is another distinct person from Christ, and the Spirit is God as well as Christ, because the Spirit hath the operations of God attributed to him, to change and transfrome, and make new, wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, Even as by the Spirit of the Lord, creation, and renovation of all new, is from an Almighty power, all the power in Heaven and earth cannot make that p. 587that was not to be, especially that that was contrary and opposite to be, now for a man in opposition, and enmity to Religion, to be changed to a better Image, to the Image of Christ, it argueth an Almighty power, these Doctrinall poynts I doe but onelyonly touch, I come to that that I judge more usefull, that is, that

What soever … good in us it comes from the Spirit of God.Doct.

What need I stand upon reasons, whatsoever is above nature, it must come from Gods Spirit, the Spirit is the Authour of all things above nature, grace whereby wee are like p. 588Christ, it is above nature, therefore it must bee by the Spirit of God.

Besides, that which riseth of nothing, and is opposite, and hath Sathan to oppose it, it must have an Almighty power to work it. Therefore whosoever workes any thing, that is supernaturally good in us, hee must be above the devill, we cannot so much as call Iesus, with a feeling, but by the Spirit of God; we cannot thinke a good thought, all is by the Spirit whatsoever is gracious, and comfortable in us. I should bee overtroublesome to you, to be much in so cleare a common argument as this is, therfore p. 589I wil hasten to make some use of it.

Vse. 1 And therefore put out of your thoughts, I beseech you,Not to rest too much in outward performances. when you look to have any grace or comfort wrought, shut out of your hearts too much relying upon any outward thing, thinke not that education can make a man good, or plodding can make a man good in bodily exercise, in hearing much, in conferring much, in custome or education or any paines of our owne, these are things that the Spirit will be effectuall in, if we use them as wee should, but without the Spirit what are they… nay, what is the body of Christ p. 590without the Spirit? The flesh prositeth nothing, what is the Sacrament, and the Word, dead things without the Spirit of the Lord, nothing can worke upon the soule, no outward thing in the world, but the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God workes upon the soule by the meanes of grace, by gracious habits and qualities wrought: for he doth not worke upon the soule immediately, before he alter and change the soule, the Spirit workes upon the s…ule by altering, and changing of it, and when it hath altered the soule, then it joynes with the soule, and alters and changeth p. 591it according to the Image of Christ, more and more still.

I beseech you in your dayly practise all learne this, that you trust not too much to any outward performance, or taske, to make Idols of outward things, people when they would change their dispositions, and bee better, they take a great deale of p…ines in hearing, and reading, and praying,The Spirit quickens all ordinances. all these are things necessary, but they are dead things without the Spirit of Christ; therefore in the use of all those outward things, whatsoever they be, looke up to …hrist, that is, the quickning Spirit, that p. 592sends the Spirit into our hearts, the Spirit must enliven and give vigour to all these things, and then somewhat will be done in religion, in hearing, and reading, and praying, and receiving the Sacrament; Therefore in all these looke to the Spirit first; hee laboureth in vaine that relieth not wholly upon the Spirit of God, that trusts not to a higher strength than his owne, it must be a higher strength than our owne, that must worke any good in our soules, either grace, or comfort, or peace, and therefore in the use of all things, as the proverbe is, p. 593oculos, ad coelum, &c. let the eye bee to heaven, when the hand is at the sterne at the same time, and then we shall be transformed, and changed by the Spirit of God. Know that in all meanes alway the spirit is the principle efficient blessing, cause of all, and therefore before we set upon any thing that is good,The Word and Spirit compared to the blood and arterie…. wherein we looke for any spirituall good, desire God by his holy Spirit that hewould …loath what shall be sayd; words are winde without the Spirit, the Spirit must goe with the ordinances, as the Arteries goe together with the Veines. You know in the Veines in the p. 594body there are Arteries that goe with them, they convey the spirits, the veynes convey the blood, that is a dull thing without the Spirits of it selfe, if there were no Spirits in the Arteries, what would the blood in the veines be, nothing but a heavie uncomfortable humour, but the Arteries that come from the heart, the fountaine of life, being joyned, and conveying the spirits, they quicken the blood that comes from the Liver, so the veines and arteries joyne together to make the blood cheerefull: The Word and truth of God are like the blood in the p. 595veines, there is a great deale of matter in them, but there is no life at all, there must the Spirit goe along with them, to give life and quickning to the Word, to cloath those divine truthes with the Spirit, and then it workes wonders, not else: Paul spake to Lydia Ast. 16. but the holy Ghost opened her heart, the Spirit hath the key of the heart to unlocke, and open the heart, we speake to the outward man, but except the inward man be opened by the Spirit of God and unlocked, all is to no purpose, therefore let us pray for the Spirit of this changing, all is by the Spirit p. 596of the Lord.

It is in mysticall Christ,The Spirit in Christ, naturall and mysticall. even as it was in naturall Christ, all his grace was from the holy Ghost as man: for though he were conceived of the holy Ghost, he was annoynted by the h…ly Ghost, he was sealed by the holy Ghost, he was lead by the holy Ghost into the wildernesse, he offered himselfe by the Spirit, he was raysed by the Spirit, he was full of the Spirit. As it was in Christ naturall, so it is in Christ mysticall, that is, in the Church, all is by the Spirit: as he was conceived in the wombe by the Spirit, so we are conceived to be Christians p. 597by the Spirit, the same Spirit that sanctified him sanctifieth us: but first the Spirit by way of Vnion sanctifieth us, by knitting us to him the head of all, and then unction comes after union, annoynting after union, then the Spirit when he hath knit us to Christ, workes the same annoynting that he did in Christ. Therefore we are called Christians of Christ not onelyonly partakers of the naked name, but of the annoynting of Christ, that annoynting that runnes downe the head of our spirituall Aaron, to the skirts, to every poore Christian. All change, all comfort, all peace, is from p. 598the Spirit of Christ, therefore give him the glory of all, if wee Finde any comfort in any truth, it comes not from us, but from his Spirit, and wee must goe upward to him againe, as all descends from heaven, from the Father of lights, and from the Spirit of God, so all must ascend againe, yeeld him the prayse of all. And one worke of the Spirit is to carry our soules up: for the Spirit as it comes from heaven to change us, so it carries us up againe to view, and to imitate Christ, to be where Christ is, as water when it is to be carryed up, it is carryed as high as the p. 599spring head, from whence it came, so the Spirit comming from Christ, it never leaves changing and altering of us, till it have carryed us to Christ againe, therefore as it is the work of the Spirit to carry us to Christ, so let us desire it may carry us before hand, for the good worke begun in us, in thankefulnesse that we may begin heaven upon earth, all is from the Spirit of Christ.

A man now in the state of grace must looke for nothing from himselfe,In the state of grace we must looke for nothing from our selves. for as we are saved altogether out of our selves by Christ the mediator, so the fitting for that glorious p. 600S…lvation, that we have purchased by Christ, it is by the Spirit, the working of our salvation is by God, and the assurance of it to our soules, is by the holy Ghost, by the witnesse of God sealed to us, and the fitting and preparing, and changing, and sanctifying of us it is by the holy Ghost; all is out of us, in the covenant of grace, wherein God is a gracious Father in Christ, all is out of us in regard of the spring. The worke indeed is terminated in us, the Spirit of God alters our understanding, will, and affections, but the spring is out of us, as in Paradise those foure streames that p. 601watered Paradise, that runne through it, yet the head of them was out of Paradise, in another part of the world, so though the worke of the holy Ghost, the streames of the Spirit runne through the soule, and water it, yet the spring of those graces, the holy Ghost is out of us, and Christ the roote of Salvation is out of us, for God in the covenant of grace will not trust us, as in Adam God trusted us with grace, hee had grace in his owne keeping, if he would he might have stood, he had liberty of will, but God saw wee were all ill husbands, of grace and goodnesse, that p. 602he would not trust us againe, therefore he trusted God-man, the second Adam, with grace, and hee sends his Spirit into us, and conveyes grace from glory to glory, by degrees, and all by the Spirit of the Lord.

And in the next place, this point of doctrine should mervailously comfort, and stay us, and direct us.

Vse. 2 It should comfort us when we finde no goodnesse at all, nor no strength at all, nor no strength at all, in our natures, doth God expect that wee should have any thing from our selves?Comfort in want of goodnesse in us. who expects any thing from a barren wildernesse? our p. 603hearts are such God knowes it well enough, there is no goodnesse in us, no more than there is moysture in a stone or a rocke, therefore he looks that we should begge the Spirit of him, and depend upon him for the Spirit of his Sonne, to open our eyes with the Spirit of illumination, to reveale his love to us, and then to sanctifie us, and to worke us more and more to glory, and to worke out all corruption by little and little, he expects that we should depend upon him for the Spirit in all things we doe.

Therefore Christians are much to blame, they p. 604thinke to worke, and to hew out of their owne nature the love of God, and keepe a doe with their owne hearts, as if they had a principle of grace in themselves as of themselves, and they may long enough worke that way, but that is not the way, but acknowledgement that in our selves as of our selves (as Saint Paul saith) we cannot doe any thing, we cannot so much by all the power in the world as thinke a good thought: If wee should live a thousand yeares, there cannot rise out of our hearts a good desire of our selves, all is out of us from the Spirit of the p. 605Lord: Now thereupon we must not looke for it in our selves, but goe to God for his holy Sp…rit, goe to Christ for his Spirit (for the Spirit proceeds from them both) that hee would enlighten us, and sanctifie us as I shewed in particular before, we must not therefore presume that we can doe any thing of our selves, and so wee must not despaire, shall we despaire when once wee beleeve in Christ, when we have abundance of grace, and Spirit in our head Christ? and he can derive his Spirit as hee pleaseth, he gives the Spirit by degrees as he pleaseth, for he is a voluntary p. 606head to dispence it as he will, he is not a naturall head, who shall despaire when he is in Christ, who is compleate? and in him wee receive grace for grace, grace answerable for grace in him.

Let none presume that he can doe any thing of himselfe:When men trust their owne strength they fall. for you see how God suffered holy men to miscarry: it was folly in this case in Peter, to presume of his owne strength, Though all forsooke Christ, yet would not he, he presumed upon his owne strength, God left him to himselfe, you see how foulely he fell, so it is with us all, when wee presume upon the strength p. 607of our nature and parts. We must not come to this holy place, in the strength of our owne wit, and parts, but come with a desire that the Spirit may joyne with his ordinances, and make them efficatious for our change, all change is by the Spirit of the Lord, nothing workes above his owne sphere: It is above the pow…r of nature to worke any thing supernaturall; therefore if we will profit by the Word, come not with presumptuous spirits, but lift up our hearts to God that his Spirit may cloath the ministery with vigour and power, that he may convey holy truthes into p. 608our hearts, and make them, effectu…ll, for the changing of the inward, and of the outward man, then we come as we should, all is by the Spirit of the Lord, blessing all meanes whatsoever, without which all meanes are dead, therefore we must open as that flower that opens and shuts as the Sunne shines on it, so must wee as Christ shines on us, and we ebbe and flow as hee flowes upon us, we shine or are darke, as hee shines on us, as the ayre is no longer light than the sunne shines, so we are no longer lightsome, and open, and flow, and are carryed to any p. 609thing, than Christ by his Spirit flowes on us: for we doe what we doe, but we are patients first to receive that power from the Spirit, we heare, and doe good workes, but the activity, and power and strength comes all from the Spirit of God.

Vse. 3 Hence likewise wee may make another use of tryall, whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no,Whether we have the Spirit. whether wee have the holy Ghost, which is called here the Spirit of the Lord?

I will not goe out of 1the text for tryalls:It openeth the eyes of the soule. if a man have the Spirit of God, it openeth the eyes of his soule, to see p. 610in the glasse of the Word, the face of God shining on him in Christ, if a man have the Spirit he sees God as a Father, by the Spirit of …illumination.

2Againē, if thou hast the Spirit of God,It discovers Gods love. thou hast the Spirit of love, Gods Spirit manifesteth the hidden love of God (that was hid in the breast of God) to his soule: for the Spirit of God searcheth the breast of God, and the secret of God, and it searcheth my heart: Now he that hath the Spirit of God, knowes the love of God in Christ, to him it reveales the love of God, the heighth, and p. 611breadth, and depth of it, to our Spirits as in the text, we see the gracious love of God in Christ and then wee love him againe.

And thereupon where 3the Spirit is it changeth,It sanctifieth. it is not onelyonly a Spirit of illumination, but of sanctification, where hee dwels hee sanctifieth the house, and makes it a Temple, it is efficatious, where the Spirit is, it will worke, it is like the wind, where it is it will stirre, it will move, where it moves not it is not at all, where the Spirit alters not the condition from bad to good, and from good to better, suspect that it is p. 612not there, at least it will move, as the pulses will have a drawing in, and a sending out, by stirring, so there will be some operation of the Spirit that is discernable to a judicious eye, alway some stirring, where the Spirit of God is.

The Papists slander us willingly,Slander of the Papists. I thinke against many of their consciences that understand any thing… Oh say they, we will have Christians like sathan, to appeare as Angels of light and blackamores in white garments, that have their teeth white, and nothing else, so your Christians put on the garment of Christs righteousnesse, let them p. 613put on that, and then though they be not changed a whit, it is no matter, who teacheth thus? we teach out of this Text, that:

First of all, the Spirit of God opens our eyes, he takes off the vayle, and then wee see the glory of Gods mercy in Christ, pardoning our sinnes, for the righteousneffe, and obedience of Christ, and then that love warmes our hearts, so that it changeth our hearts by the Spirit, from one degree of grace to another there is a changing power that goes with the love of Christ, and with the mercy of God in Christ, this … p. 614Doctrine, the same Spirit that justifieth us by applying to us the obedience of Christ, the same Spirit sanctifyeth us, therefore their allegations, and objections are to no purpose, wee see here the Spirit of the Lord changeth us.

And so for your common Atheisticall professors, that professe themselves Christians, they partake of the name, but not of the annoynting of Christ, true Christians that are annoynted with the Spirit of Christ, it will inforce a change. Beloved, we cannot behold the Sunne, but wee must be enlightned, we cannot behold the Sunne of righteousnesse p. 615but we shall be changed, and enlightned. The eye of faith, though we thinke not of it, though it looke upon Christ for justification, and forgivenesse of sinnes, yet notwithstanding at the same time incensibly there is an alteration of the soule, if a man looke up for other ends, yet at the same time there is an enlightning by the Sunne, so at the same time that wee looke upon the mercy of God in Christ, at the same time there is a glory shines upon us, and wee are altred and changed, though we thinke not of it, at the very instant that we apprehend justification and forgivenesse p. 616of sinnes, in the mercy of God in Christ, at the same instant there is a glory put upon the soule, we cannot have commerse with the God of glory, but we shall be glorious: Therefore, there is no man that hath any thing to doe with God, that hath not some glory put into his soule, whatsoever he is.

Therefore, let no man thinke hee hath any thing to doe in Religion, till he finde the worke of the Spirit altering and changing him: He hath the title of Holy Spirit, from the blessed worke of sanct…ying an… changing, he …

p. 617And when hehath changed 4us,He promotes s…nctification. he governes and guides us from glory to glory, where the Holy Ghost is, therfore he promotes the worke of grace begunne, he doth not onelyonly move us but promove, he promotes the worke begunne, therefore those that have the Spirit of God, they rest in no degree of grace, but grow from grace to grace, from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith, till they come to that measure of perfection that God hath appointed them in Christ, those therefore that set up their staffe, and will goe no further, that thinke all is well, they p. 618have not the Spirit of God for the Spirit stirres up to grow from one degree of grace to another, to adde grace to grace, and to enter further and further into the Kingdome of grace, and to come nearer to glory still.

5For this end the holy Spirit dwels in us,The Spirit a Counsellor. and guides us, as it is Rom. 8. he is a Tutor to us, where the holy Ghost is in any body, it is as a counseller, Guide mee by thy counsell, till thou bring me to glory: It is a Tutor, as Noblemens children, they have their Tutors, so Gods children are nobly borne, they have their Tutor, and Counsellor, as well as Angels p. 619to attend them, they have the Spirit of God to tell them, this doe, and that doe, and here you have done ill, they have a voyce behind them, to teach them in particular wherein they have done amisse, they that have the Spirit, finde such a sweete operation of the Spirit, the Spirit is a teacher, and a counsellour to them, they that are acquainted wi…h the government of Gods Spirit, they find i checking them presently when they doe ill, … grieves them when they grieve the Spirit, so it teach…th them in particular …usinesses, doe this, doe not that. Thus wee may p. 620know if we have the Spirit, if it guide and governe us from glory to glory, till wee come to per…ection, where the Spirit is all in all in heaven.

Another evidence is 6this, the Spirit where it is it rests and abides,It abides. because it doth not onelyonly change us at the first, but it leads us from glory to glory, as Saint Augustine saith, wicked men have the Spirit of God knocking, and he would saine enter, as the wickedest man, when he heares holy truthes discovered, the Spirit of God knockes at his heart, and he findes sweete motions in his poysonfull rebellious nature, but this is p. 621but the spirit knocking, that would have entrance, but Gods children have the spirit entering, and dwelling, and resting there. The spirit of God resteth on Christ, and it rests on Christs members, how can it change them, and having done so, guide and governe them from glory to glory, but hee must rest there, hee must take up his lodging and residence, a Christian is not an ordinary house, but a Temple, he is not an ordinary man, but a King, he is not an ordinary stone, but a Pearle, he is not an ordinary tree, but a Cedar, hee is an excellent person, and therefore the p. 622Spirit of God delights to dwell in him: As the excellency of the body is from the soule, so the excellency of the soule is from the spirit dwelling in him. However in particular operations, the spirit suspends his acts of comfor…ing and guiding, to humble them for their presumption, alway the Holy Ghost is in the heart though he be hid in a corner of the heart, I will send you the Comforter, and hee shall abide with you for ever, saith Christ, thus we see how we may try ourselves, whether we have the Spirit of the Lord o… no: If wee have not the Spirit, we are none of his, p. 623wee are none of Christs, Rom. 8. 13. And then whose are we, if wee bee none of Christs? Doe but thinke of that, therefore if wee would not be men, not having the Spirit, that is, men dead, lead with a worse spirit then our own, let us labor to know whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no? Let us see what change there is to the likenesse of Christ: for the Spirit, as it comes from the Lord▪ so it makes us like the Lord, and wee 7are changed by reasons from the Lord,It changeth by reasons from Christ by reasons and considerations from Christ, and from the love of God in Christ, because the spirit takes from Christ p. 624whatsoever he hath; Hee shall take of mine, &c. that is the comfort, hee comforts the soule with, hee fetches them from his death and blood-shed, and the love of God in him, that he takes of Christ, so there is a change wrought is us, by reasons fetched from the love of God in Christ, those conforming reasons, God hath given his Sonne, and Christ hath given himselfe, and wee feele the love of God by the Spirit, if the Spirit worke any grace, or comfort by considerations fetched from Christ, this is the true Spirit, the change and alteration that it workes in us, is according p. 625to the Image of Christ, that we may be like Christ so Christ is the beginning and the end, and Christ is all, hee workes from Christ, and to Christ. Let us examine therefore, if wee have the Spirit of Christ, whether it change us, and examine, if wee have the Spirit, from what reasons and grounds it changes us, and then wee may upon some comfortable grounds say we have the Spirit indeed.

If we have not the Spirit, how shall we come to have the Spirit? what meanes must wee use to get it?

In a word,How to get the Spirit. this Chapter excellently sets out p. 6261that, for the Gospell is called the Ministery of the Spirit:By hearing the Gospel. for the opening of the love of God in Christ, which is the Gospell, is the Mynistery of the Spirit, why? because God hath joyned the Spirit with the publishing, and opening of these mysteries, therefore study the Gospell, and heare unfolded divine Evangelicall truthes, the more wee heare of the sweete love of God in Christ, the more the Spirit flowes into the soule together with it, the Spirit goes together with the Doctrine of the Gospell; which is called the ministery of the Spirit: Therefore let us delight p. 627in hearing Evangelicall poynts, the love of God opened in Christ.

A civill morall man, Oh he is taken mightily, if hee heare a morall witty pollitique discourse that toucheth him, and he is in his element then. What is this to the Gospell? this hath its use, Oh but the Spirit goes with the opening of the Gospell, with Evangelicall points, and if our hearts were ever seasoned with the love of God, these points of Christ, and the benefits and priviledges by Christ, they will affect us more then any other things in the world, that is one meanes to studdy the Gospell, p. 628& to heare the truths of the Gospell opened where the Spirit workes.

Againe, the Spirit of 2the Lord, it is given to us usually in holy community:In holy Communion. the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the Actes, when they were gathered together; and surely wee never finde sweeter motions of the Spirit then now, when wee are gathered at such times, about holy businesse, as this day wee never find the Spirit more effectuall, to alter, and change our soules, then at such times: Where two or three are gathered together, I will be in the midst of you, but by the Spirit, saith Christ, warming, p. 629and altering, and changing the soule: For God inf… seth al grace in communion, as we are members of the body mysticall: those that have …ullen spirits, a spirit of separation, that scorne all meetings, they are carryed with the spirit of the devill, and of the world, they know not what belongs to the things of God. It is the mee…e spirit that subjects it selfe to the Ordinance of God, the Holy Ghost falls usually upon men when they are in holy Communion.

And in Luke 11. there God will give the Holy Ghost to all that begge 3him;Prayer. pray for the holy Ghost as the most excellent p. 630thing in the world, he shal be given to them that begge him, as if he should say, there is nothing greater then that, and God will give him to them that aske him: Therefore, come to God, and in any thing wee have to doe, empty our selves, and beg the Spirit: for the more a man empties him, of his owne confidence, in regard of holy performance of duties, the more wee wil desire to be filled with the fullnesse of the Spirit, and this sense of our owne emptines will force prayer.

Therefore, know that of our selves wee can doe nothing holily, that may p. 631further our reckoning, but by the Spirit, doe all things therefore in a sense of our owne emptinesse, and begge the Spirit.

As likewise when wee are framed by the Spirit to obedience; those that obey the motions of the Spirit, the Spirit joynes mor… and more closely with their soules, God gives his Spirit to them that obey him, those that obey the first motions of the Spirit, they have further degrees: What is the reason that men have no more Spirit in the Ordinances? The holy Ghost knockes at their hearts, and would faine have entrance, and they resist it, as p. 632Stephen saith, now the Holy Ghost is willing to enter upon the soule, but he is resisted; therefore if you will have him more and more, let us open our soules, that the King of glory may come in; the Spirit is willing to enter, especially in holy assemblies; saith Saint Iohn, I was on the Lords day, I was in the Spirit, that is, as if he were drowned in the Spirit on the Lords day: when we are about holy exercises, we are never more in the Spirit than then, let us open our soules to the Spirit, and then we shall find the Spirit joyning with our soules, the Spirit is more p. 633willing to save us, and to sanctifie us, then wee are to entertaine him, Oh that we were willing to entertaine the sweete motions of the Spirit? our natures would not be so defiled, and we so uncomfortable as we are: there are none of us all, but wee finde comfortable motions in holy exercises, thus wee may get the Spirit of the Lord, that doth all, that illuminates, and sanctifieth, and ruleth, and rests in us.

Vse. 4 And let us learne I beseech you, hence to give the third glorious person,To give the Spirit of God his d…e. the Holy Ghost his due, since wee have all by the Spirit, let us learne to give p. 634the Spirit his due, and learne how to make use of the worke of the Spirit, there are severall workes of the Spirit, you see here what the Spirit doth, We all, the Spirit unites us together, it is a Spirit of union, it knits all together by one faith to God, all meete in God the Father reconciled, and we all are joyned together by love, wrought by the Spirit, With open face, who takes away the vayle? wee are all vayled by nature, the Spirit takes away the vaile from our eyes, and from the truth, what is the reason the Gospell is so obscure? the Spirit takes not away the vaile, it teacheth p. 635not by the Ministery, or else it takes not away the vaile from the eyes, the Spirit takes away the scales from our eyes, and the Spirit in the ministery takes away the obscurity of the Scriptures, all those that wee call graces, the free gifts, the ministeriall gifts, they are the gifts and the graces of the Spirit, and they are for the graces of the Spirit, skill in tongues, and in the Scriptures, and in other learning, are given to men that they may take away the vaile from the the Scriptures, that they may be lightsome, and then when the Spirit is given, he takes away the p. 636vaile from the soule by his owne worke, and then with open face, we behold the glory of the Lord: What doth open our eyes to see, when the vaile is taken off? the Spirit; wee have no inward light nor sight, but by the illumination of the Spirit, all light in the things, and all sight in us, it is by the illumination of the Spirit. And then the change according to the Image of Christ, this is altoge…her by the Spirit of Christ, it is altogether from the holy Ghost. Christ baptiseth With the Holy Ghost, and with fi…e, and Christ came By blood, and by water; by blood, to dye for p. 637us, and by water, by his Spirit to change us, and purge and cleanse us: all is by the Spirit, Christ came as well by the Spirit as by blood. This change and the graduall change from glory to glory, all is by the Spirit; therefore wee should not thinke altogether of Christ, or God the Father, when we goe to God in prayer, but thinke of the worke of the Spirit, that the holy Ghost may have his due.

Lord without thy Spirit my body is as a thing without a soule, a dead, loathsome, stiffe, unapt, carkasse, that cannot stirre a whit; and so my soule without the operation p. 638of thy holy Spirit, it is a stiffe, dead, unmoveable thing, and therefore by thy Spirit breath upon me, as thy holy Spirit in the creation did lye upon the waters, and brood as it were all things there, lying upon the waters it fashioned this goodly creature, heaven, and earth, this Mundus, so the Spirit of God lying upon the waters of the soule, it fashions all graces, and comforts whatsoever they are, all is wrought by the Spirit in the new creature, as all in this glorious fabricke of the world was by the Spirit of God. Let the Spirit of God therefore have due acknowledgement, p. 639in all things whatsoever.

And what are we to looke to mainely now? the knowledge of God the Father, and his love to us shining in Christ, all is in Christ, and if we would have any thing wrought in us, any alteration of our natures, let us begge the Spirit that we may have the discovery of the love of God in Christ, & the Spirit attending upon the Gospell.

And because we have all these aboundantly in these latter times, of the Church, in the second spring of the Gospell, in the reformation of religion, after our recovery out p. 640of Popery, there is a second spring of the Gospell, oh belovd, how much are we beholding to God? never since the beginning of the world was there such glorious times as we enjoy. Wee see how the holy Apostle doth preferre these times, before former times, when the vayle was upon their eyes, and when all was hid in ceremonies, and types, and such things among the lewes, Now saith he, we behold the glory of God, and are changed by the Spirit from glory to glory.

To conclude all,Whence the glory of times and places is. therefore consider that the glory of the times, and the p. 641glory of places, and persons, all is from the revelation of Christ by the Spirit, which hath the Spirit accompanying it: the more God in Christ is layd open, the more the times and places, and persons, are excellent. What made the second temple beyond the former? Christ came at the second temple, therefore though it were baser in it selfe, yet the second Temple was more glorious than the first: what made Bethelem that little City glorious? Christ was borne there: what makes the heart where Christ is borne, more glorious than other folke? Christ is p. 642borne there, Christ makes persons and places glorious. What makes the times now more glorious than they were before Christ? what made the least in the Kingdome of heaven, greater than Iohn Baptist? he was greater than all that were before him, and all that are after him, are greater than he, because his head was cut off, he saw not the death and resurrection of Christ, and the giving of the holy Ghost, he saw not so much of Christ, so that the revelation of Christ, and the love of God in Christ, it is that that makes times, and persons, and places glorious, all glorious, p. 643because the vayle is taken away from our eyes, we see Christ the King of glory in the Gospell flourishing, and the love of God manifested, and by the Spirit of God the vayle is taken away inwardly as well as outwardly, now for a fuller discovery of Christ than in former times,Why more are converted now than formerly. comes the glory of the times, now there are more converted than in former times, because the Spirit goes together with the manifestation of Christ: what is the reason that this Kingdome is more glorious than any place beyond the Seas? because Christ is here revealed p. 644more fully than there, the vayle is taken off, and here we see the glory of God with open face, which changeth many thousands from glory to glory, by the Spirit of God, that accompanies the revelation of the Gospell; Is there any outward thing that advanceth our Kingdome, before Turkey, or Spaine? &c. No▪ thing, their government, and riches, and outward things, are as much as ours if not more: the glory of places and times are from the revelation of Christ, that hath the Spirit accompanying of it, that Spirit changeth us from glory to glory, our times are more glorious than p. 645they were a hundred yeeres or two before, why? because we have a double revelation of Christ, and of Antichrist; we see Christ revealed, and the Gospell opened, and the vayle taken off, we see Antichrist revealed that hath masked under the name of head of the Church, and hath seduced the world.

Now this double revelation, challengeth acknowledgement of these blessed times: what should all this doe, but stirre us up to know the time of our visitation, & to thankfulnesse, to blesse God that hath reserved us for these places, and Countries p. 646that we live in, to cast our times to be in this glorious light of the Gospell to be borne in; what if we had beene borne in those darke Egyptian times of Popery? our lives had not beene so comfortable, Now we live under the Gospell, wherein with open face, we see the glory of the mercy of God in Christ, the unsearchable riches of Christ opened, and discovered to us. And together with the Gospell the ministery of the Spirit, goeth the Spirit, and those that belong to God, thousands by the blessing of God are changed from glory to glory.

Certainely if we share p. 647in the good of the times we will have hearts to thanke God,The danger of unprofitablenesse under meanes. and to walke answerably, that as wee have the glorious Gospell so we will walke gloriously, that we doe not by a base and fruitlesse life, dishonour so glorious a Gospell: I beseech you let us thinke of the times, else if we be not the better for the glorious times, if the vayle be not taken away, we are under a fearefull judgement, The god of this world hath blinded our eyes, doe wee live under the glorious light, and yet are darke, that wee see no glory in Christ, we see nothing in religion, but are as ready p. 648to entertaine Popery as true religion; is this the fruite of the long preaching of the Gospell, and the vayle being taken off so long? certainely the God of this world hath cast the dust of the world into our eyes, that we can see nothing but earthly things: wee are under the seale of Gods judgement, he hath sealed us up to a darke state, from darkenesse of judgement, to the darkenesse of hell without repentance: therefore let us take heed how we live in a dull, and dead condition, under the glorious Gospell, or else how cursed shall we be? the more wee are exalted p. 649and lifted up above other people, in the blessings of God this way, the more we shall bee cast downe; Woe be to Ch…razin, &c. and Heb. 2. How shall wee escape of we …glect… so great Salvation.

I beseech you let us take heed how we tri…le away our time, these precious times and blessed opportunities, for if wee labour not to get out of the state of nature, into the state of grace, and so to be changed from glory to glory, God in justice will curse the meanes we have, that …n hearing wee shall not heare, and seeing we shall not see, and he will secret…y and insensibly harden p. 650our hearts: it is the curse of all curses, when we are under plenty of meanes, to grow worse and duller, oh take heede of Spirituall judgements above all others,Spirituall judgements …errable. tremble at them, they belong to reprobates and cast-awayes▪ Let us labour for hearts sencible of the mercies of God in Christ, and labour to bee transformed, and moulded into this Gospell, every day more and more▪ That that hath beene spoken shall bee sufficient for this time, and for this whole Text.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Sibbes, The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law (1639)