The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CAP. XI.
An Exhortation to labour to get this excellent ſpirit.
IT is an uſe of Exhortation; let us labour to get this other ſpirit; Every one deſires to be eminent, to be above others in eſtate, in eſteeme, in naturall excellencies; if we would faine be eminent, let us labour to be eminent in ſpirituall bleſſings, in getting our ſouls endued with higher ſpirituall excellencies than others have. It is cōmendable to ſtrive to be as eminent here as we can, eſpecially you whom God hath raiſed higher than your brethren in other things; in the Nobility of your births, the eminency of your places, the greatneſſe of your eſtates: Doe you labour to be as high above others in the excellencies of your ſpirits; that as your birth is other, your places other, your eſtate other than cōmon mens, ſo your ſpirits may be other ſpirits? What an excellent thing is it, to have a ſpirit ſutable to ones condition? A great Alagnus an… mu… mag…am fortu…am decet.mind becomes a great fortune, ſayes Seneca. He means greatnes of minde in the exerciſe of vertue, which only gives a true greatneſſe to the mind. I know this is a powerfull argument with you, to make grace lovely & deſirable in your eies, to tell you that it will raiſe your ſpirits, that it will put beauty and glory upon them, that it will adde greatneſſe and excellency to them. The world is much for brave and Noble ſpirits; we deſire your ſpirits may be ſo: onelyonly miſtake not the true Nobleneſſe, the true excellencie of ſpirit; certainly it is inthat which may bring you neareſt to God, the higheſt excellencie: You can no way be ſo honourable, as by the raiſing of your ſpirits by grace: Wiſdome with an inheritance is good, wiſedome with birth and eminency of place is a great bleſſing indeed; to be rich in goods, and rich in goodneſſe, is a happy connexion. You would account it a great diſgrace not to have education ſomewhat ſutable to your birth and qualitie; what can be ſaid more diſhonourable of a man than this, He hath left him indeed a great eſtate, and is of a great houſe, but he hath no breeding? What? is a competent meaſure of knowledge, in tongues, and Divitiae non faciunt inſignes, niſiquos poſſunt bonis operibus facere clariores. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16.Arts, and other things ſutable to your births and eſtates, accounted a beauty and ornament to them, and is not grace and godlineſſe much more? Doe theſe adde an excellencie to your quality, and put an honour upon your dignities, and will not godlineſſe much more? Shall Sea and Land be travelled over with much hazard, ſoule-hazard, and bodilyhazard, with great expence of eſtate, to get knowledge of faſhions, and a Gentile behaviour, becauſe you thinke they will be Ornaments to your great eſtates you are borne to; and ſhall no labour be undertaken to get godlineſſe, to get your ſpirits raiſed by grace, as an ornament to the greatneſſe of your birth, and eminencie of your eſtate? How is this, to ſleight the very glory of God himſelfe, and to contemne the higheſt dignity men or Angels are capable of? Are any places ſo fit for wiſedome, as the high places of the City? Prov. 9. 1, 3. Wiſdome hath builded her houſe, ſhee hath hewen out her ſeven Pillars, ſhe cryeth upon the higheſt places of the City. How honourable doth godlineſſe make thoſe, whoſe birth, whoſe place is honorable in the eyes of God, his Saints, bleſſed Angels, and in the conſciences of all? How well doth grace ſuite with the higheſt dignity, as a bright ſhining Diamond in a golden Ring? as the world is drawn more conſpicuous and full in a large Mappe, than in a ſmall; ſo the beauty and excellency of grace and godlineſſe, appeares more conſpicuous and glorious in great men and honourable, than in thoſe who are of a meaner ranke.
Firſt, you had need of other ſpirits; more need than others for the improvement of thoſe great mercies that you have above others. As ſome fowle that have great wings, yet can flie but little; ſo many men have great eſtates, but not having ſpirits to improve them, they are of little uſe. Know, that your eſtates are either mercies or miſeries, bleſſings or curſings to you, according as you have hearts to improve them: if they be improved for God, as advantages to honour God by, to doe good withall; they are then great bleſſings indeed: and that is as great an argument of the truth of grace, as any, to be as earneſt with God for an heart to improve an eſtate, or a place of dignitie for God, as to rejoyce that Divites ſunt, non qui divitias habent, ſed qui utuntur illis ad opera juſtitiae. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16.you have ſuch an eſtate for your ſelves, or that you are in ſuch an eminent place, whereby you may get honour to your ſelves. Where God gives not a more excellent ſpirit than others, as well as an higher condition than others; there an eminent eſtate is made but as fewell for a nouriſher and maintainer of all manner of evill, to afford opportunities for acting of ſinne; and is not this the excellencie that many account to be in their eſtates, in that it is higher than others, in that they can have their wils, and ſatisfie their luſts more than others?
Secondly, you had need of other ſpirits, for the improving of the large 2opportunities of ſervice for God and his Church, that you have more than others; theſe are as great bleſſings, as your eſtates, or any dignities you have above others. God betruſts you with much, in giving you ſuch large opportunities of ſervice, for the honour of his great Name. If your birth be high, your eſtates high, and your ſpirits indued with excellencie from on high, how fit then are you to be uſed by God in high and honourable ſervices? Hence the converſion of a great man is of exceeding great conſequence; whereupon Saint Paul was ſo loath to loſe the Converſion of the Deputy Sergius Paulus, who began to liſten to his preaching; of whom we reade Acts 13. verſe 7. and ſo on: Therefore when Elymas withſtood him in this work, ſeeking to turne away the Deputie from the Faith, the ſpirit of S. Paul roſe againſt him with much indignation; and being filled with the Holy Ghoſt, hee ſet his eyes on him, and ſaid, O full of all ſubtilty and all miſchiefe, thou childe of the devill thou enemy of righteouſneſſe, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the right wayes of the Lord? And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou ſhalt bee blind. As if S. Paul ſhould have ſaid, What? will you hinder me in ſuch a great work as this, wherein God may have ſo much honour in the converſion of this Noble-man, this man of publike and eminent place? this indeed is to be full of all miſchiefe, to bee an enemie of all righteouſneſſe. Thus you ſee how his ſpirit was ſtirred when he was put in feare of being hindred in ſuch a notable prize as this: As a man when likely to have a great draught, there comes in one and diſturbs him, and is like to hinder him of it. Surely, S. Paul ſaw that it was a wonderfull great bleſſing to the Church, to have great men to be brought in, to the obedience of the faith, and to be added to it.
And further it is obſerved, that God going along with S. Paul, and finiſhing the work of the converſion of this great man; that upon this Saint Paul had his name Paul given him, being changed from Saul, and called Paulus, from that notable worke of the converſion of this Paulus Sergius. As many great Captains amongſt the Heathen were wont to have their names changed upon their ſucceſſe in ſome noble enterprize, and great victories; as Scipio Africanus, hee was called Africanus from his Conqueſt of Africa.
3 You who are in high and eminent 3dignities, you are the earneſt prayers of Gods ſervants in all places, that God would raiſe you up with truely noble, excellent, and gracious ſpirits, that you may bee inſtruments of his glory: How bleſſed you, if God fulfils the prayers of his ſervants upon you! What great pity is it, that ſuch bleſſed opportunities of ſervice, of honouring God, themſelves, and families, as you have, ſhould be loſt for want of ſpirits? Were it not more honorable to you, and your houſes, to be imployed as publique bleſſings to Church and Common-wealth, to have thouſands of ſoules bleſſe you, and bleſſe God for you, than for you to go ſiner than others, to have your tables better furniſhed than others, to ſport and game more than others, to ſpend more than others?
4 Againe, you had need of other 4 Tutum est peccare aut…ribu… istis.ſpirits, for your example is looked at more than others, either in good or evill; as Chriſt ſaid of himſelfe in another caſe, If I bee lifted up, I will draw all men after me: ſo I may ſay, If godlineſſe be lifted up in the examples of great ones, it will draw all men after it. What ever evill is ſeene in you, is not onelyonly followed by others, but uſed as a plea to maintaine and encourage that which is evill in many others. Charles the fifth was wont to ſay, that as the Ecclipſe of the Sun is a foretoken of great commotions; ſo the errours and overſights of great men, bring with them great perturbations to the places where they live.
5 Their ſinne is worſe than others, 5for it doth more hurt, and therefore their puniſhment will bee greater than others; as their actions are exemplary, ſo will their puniſhments. Hence that place, Mich. 6. 5. O my people, remember from Shittim unto …ilgal; at Shittim the Lord deſtroyed the Heads of the people, Num. 25. 4. The deſtruction of great ones is to be for ever remembred.
6 And yet further, you have need of other ſpirits, becauſe you have temptations greater and ſtronger than others; therefore if you have not the more excellent ſpirits, you are in greater danger than others. The high eſtate of great outward dignitie, is a very dangerous eſtate, if God gives not an extraordinary ſpirit. There is a notable ſtory of Pius Quintus, that Pope, who excommunicated Queene Elizabeth; my Author of the ſtory is a Jeſuite, Cornelius à Lapide; one highly eſteemed amongſt the Papiſts, and therefore the truth of it is to bee the leſſe ſuſpected: the ſtory is this; he ſayes, that this Pope Pius Quintus was wont to ſay of himſelfe, that When I was firſt in religious Orders (that is, without any further Eccleſiaſticall dignity) I had a very good hope of the ſalvation of my ſoule; Cornelius … Lapide in his Comment upon Numb. 11. verſe 11. Cum eſſem Religioſus, ſperabam benè de ſalute animae meae, Cardinalis factus, extimui; Ponti ex creatus, penè deſpero.but being made a Cardinall, I began to be much afraid; but now bein Pope, I do even deſpaire. So, ſayes Cornelius, did Clement the eight, that followed after him, thinke of himſelfe. Thus by this example wee ſee what a dangerous thing it is, to bee raiſed in outward honour, and yet ſtill the ſpirit to continue baſe and vile.
7 Above all, you who are honourable and great in the world, you had need labour to bee gracious, becauſe ſin is more unſutable to your condition, than to others. It was the complaint of the Church, Lam. 4. 5. that thoſe who were brought up in Scarlet, did embrace the dung: How unſutable was this, to have the higheſt places, and the loweſt ſpirits? Bernard writing to a noble Virgin, who was godly, he ſayes, that others were cloathed with purple and ſilke, but their conſciences were poore & beggerly; they gliſtered with their Iewels, but were baſe in their manners; but you (ſayes he) without, are meanly clad, but within ſhine exceeding beautifull, not to Sedes prima vitâimâ. Bern. Indu untur purpurâ & Byſ…, & ſubin de conſcientia pannoſa jacet; fulgent monilibus, moribus sordent, è contra tu foris pann… ſa, intus ſpectoſa reſplendes divinis aſpectibus, non humanis. Bern. ep. 113. ad Sophiam virginem nobilem. Plutarch.humane, but to Divine eyes. How unſutable was the one, but how comely and ſutable the other? It is reported of Scipio Aſricanus, that when he took new Carthage, he took a young Gentlewoman priſoner who was ſo faire that ſhe raviſhed all mens eyes; this Scipio then ſaid, If I were but a common ſouldier, I would enjoy this Damſell, but being Commander of an Armie, I will not meddle with her: and ſo preſerving her entire, reſtored her to her friends. Thus he, though a Heathen, thought wickedneſſe too meane for, and unſutable to greatneſſe. Sinne is uncomely any where, much more uncomely amongſt great ones; and grace is comely where ever it is, much more to the great ones of the earth. As Aeneas Sylvius was wont to ſay concerning learning, I may ſay the ſame concerning godlineſſe; Popular men ſhould eſteeme learning as ſilver, Noble men ſhould account it like Gold, and Princes ſhould prize it like Pearles. Thus if godlineſſe be as ſilver to ordinary men, it is to be accounted as gold and pearls to you. The Scripture compares beauty in a woman without wiſdom, to a Pearl-in a Swines ſnour, Pro. 11. 22. as a thing unſutable: Thus are all outward excellencies where there is not grace.
8 And would it not be a grievous thing to you, to ſee poore, inferiour, meane men and women to be lifted up to glory, & your ſelves caſt out, an eternall curſe? have not many of them moſt excellent pretious ſpirits? doe they not doe God farre more ſervice than you? doe they not bring more honor to his Name, than ever you did? Think then with your ſelves, Why ſhould God put thoſe who are of ſuch choice pretious ſpirits, into ſuch a low condition, and raiſe me to ſuch an high? Is it not becauſe he intends to give me my portion in this life, but reſerves better mercies for them afterwards? It would bee very grievous indeed if it ſhould prove ſo.
9 The hopes we have of the continuance of our peace in the happy enjoyment of thoſe pretious liberties of the Goſpel, that in ſo great mercy have been continued unto us, depends much upon the worke of Gods grace upon your ſouls: If God takes off your ſpirits from common vanities, the pleaſures of the fleſh, from the poore low things of the world, from your own private ends, and cauſes the feare of his great Name to fall upon them, and raiſeth them to the love of, and delight in the great things of godlineſſe, to be given up wholy to him, to lift up his great Name; we ſhall then look upon you as the joyfull hopes of our ſouls, that God ſtill doth & will delight in the bleſſing, peace & proſperity of his people: But if we ſee darkneſſe upon your ſpirits, then a diſmall night of darknes is upon us. As when we ſee it wax dark in the valleys, we ſay, it is towards night; if it begins to be dark upon the hills, it is nigh night; but if it be dark in the skie, it is night indeed: So where we ſee the workes of darkneſſe amongſt the people, it is a ſigne that a night is comming; but where we ſee them in thoſe of a higher ranke, in the Gentry, it makes us feare that the night is nearer; but if in the Nobility, and the great men, then it is a diſmall night indeed.
Wherefore be you exhorted in the Name of the Lord, to labour much that you may have more gracious and holy ſpirits than others, together with your dignities, whereby you are lifted up above others. Wee envie not your honours, we deſire that they may be raiſed higher by grace. Grace may well ſtand with the enjoyment of all your dignities, yea, grace is the only thing that bleſſeth them, and advanceth them.
And you whoſe ſpirits God hath raiſed above others, in the excellencies of your parts, and many excellent endowments of learning you have, who are men of larger underſtandings, of higher apprehenſions than others, and can looke upon ordinary men as low and meane in reſpect of the difference between your parts and theirs: Do you labour yet to raiſe your ſpirits higher by grace and godlineſſe, that as you differ from them in naturall excellencies, ſo you may differ from them much more in ſpirituall and divine? How eminent would you be in grace, if thoſe parts and abilities of learning you have, were ſanctified for God? What bleſſed inſtruments might you be of glory to God, of comfort and encouragement to his people? but otherwiſe your parts and gifts are poiſoned; a ſinfull wicked heart will poiſon all. It may be ſaid of many, as it was of Pope Eugenius the ſecond, he was a man of great Learning, and great Eloquence, with a mixture of great hypocriſie: If it may bee thus ſaid of any, He is a man indeed of excellent parts, very learned, of ſtrong abilities, but he hath a corrupt ſpirit; he is a man of a corrupt minde; ſurely theſe parts are all poiſoned; no marvell then, though ſuch men ſwell ſo much by reaſon of them. Parts unſanctified doe exceedingly enlarge mens ſpirits, to be ſo much the more capable of ſpirituall wickedneſſe, more than others of meaner and lower parts can be; your parts will aggravate all your ſinnes, and increaſe your damnation: It is a lamentable thing that ſuch excellent parts and abilities as many have, which might be of ſo great uſe, for God and his Church, yet that they ſhould vaniſh into froth.
It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus, a famous man, an oppoſer of the corruptions of thoſe times in which he lived, which was in the 13. Century: He compared the Schoole-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his ſides; yet notwithſtanding, he was gnawing hungerly on a flintſtone. Thus they, leaving the wholeſome food in the Scriptures, buſied themſelves with ſubtile queſtions, wherein there was no edification, or comfort to the ſoule; thus their excellent parts did all vaniſh into nothing. Now if it be ſo grievous a thing, for parts and learning to be imployed about meane and unworthy things, how much more grievous is it, when they are employed againſt God? Oh, what great cauſe have we then to pray for theſe men, whoſe ſpirits are raiſed by naturall parts? and how great cauſe have they themſelves to ſeeke God, and to uſe all meanes, that their ſpirits might bee likewiſe raiſed by grace, that, that great bleſſing of parts, and learning might be bleſſed to them, by Gods beſtowing upon them this other ſpirit? Oh conſider, what an opprobrious thing it is to you, that God ſhould have more feare, honour, ſervice, from men of lower, farre meaner, weaker abilities; That their hearts ſhould cloſe more with the wayes of godlineſſe; That their hearts ſhould be more enlarged towards God than yours; That they ſhould enjoy more heavenly, ſpirituall communion with God than you, Quam innumerabilis ex…ſtant & ſemper extiterint, qui ſint aut ſuerint ſine ulla doctrna boni, ex philoſophis autem perraro fuerit qui aliquid in vit… laude dignum ſecerit. Lact. li. 3. cap. 15. E… lib. 5. cap. 1. Nutant plurimi, & maximè qui literarum aliquid attigerint.yea, ſuch communion with God, as you are altogether unacquainted withall; And that at length their ſoules ſhould be ſaved, and for ever bleſſed, when yours ſhall be caſt out as filth, and an everlaſting abhorring from the preſence of the Lord: What a grievous thing will it be to you, when it ſhall appeare, that your parts ſhall ſerve for no other and than to enlarge your ſoules to be more capable of the wrath of God, than other men? for be you aſſured, that none are ſo filled with Gods wrath as knowing men.
It was the grievous complaint of S. Auſtin in his time; The unlearned, Surgunt indocti, & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum doctrinis noſtri… de rudimur in ge…en …am.ſayes he, riſe up, and take heaven by force, and we with all our learning, are thruſt down into hell. It is a ſpeech well knowne to Scholers; of how great uſe might it be, if God did ſettle it upon their hearts? And S. Bernard hath a ſpeech ſomewhat to the like purpoſe; Let the wiſe of the world, ſayes he, who minde high things, and yet feeding upon the earth, let them Smite ſapientes hujus ſaeculi alta ſapientes & terram lingentes, ſapienter deſc…ndera in In…rnum. Bern. de vita ſolitaria ad frat… de Monte Dei.with their wiſdome goe downe into hell. And Luther hath a notable ſtory, which may be very uſefull for this purpoſe. It is in his writings upon the fourth Commandement, which he makes the third; It is to ſhew, how the holineſſe of the ſpirits of meane and unlearned men, ſhall confound great underſtanding learned men, where there is not the like godlineſſe.
In the time of the Councel of Conſtance, he tells us, There were two Cardinalls riding to the Councell, and in their journey they ſaw a ſhepherd in the field weeping; one of them pitying him, ſayes, that he could not paſſe by, but he muſt needs go to yonder man and comfort him; and comming neare to him, hee aſked him, why he wept? he was loath to tell him at firſt; but being urged, he told him, ſaying; I looking upon this Toad, conſidered that I had never praiſed God as I ought, for making mee ſuch an excellent creature as a man, comely and reaſonable; I have not bleſſed him, that hee made not me ſuch a deformed Toad as this. When the Cardinall heard this, hee was ſtruck with it, conſidering that hee had received greater mercies than this poore man; and he was ſo ſtruck, as hee fell downe preſently dead from his Mule; his ſervants lifting him up, and bringing him to the Citie, hee came to life againe, and then cried out; Oh Saint Auſtine, how truely didſt thou ſay; The unlearned riſe, and they take heaven, and we with all our learning, wallow in fleſh and bloud!
You therefore, whom God hath honoured with excellent parts, that you may not be thus confounded another day, before the Lord and his bleſſed Angels, and Saints, bee you reſtleſſe in your ſpirits, till you finde God hath added a further beautie to them, even the beautie of holineſſe, the ſanctifying graces of his Holy Spirit, that may make you lovely in his eyes, truely honourable before him, and for ever bleſſed of him. Take heed you reſt not either in gifts of learning, or in gifts of moralitie; the gifts of moralitie are yet a further ornament to mens ſpirits, but yet they come ſhort of thoſe divine excellencies of ſpirit, that will make it bleſſed for ever.
Wee reade of many, who were very eminent in morall excellencies, and yet altogether ſtrangers from the life of grace. As for example, Ioſephus lib. 15. c. 8. reports of Herod the King, that which would make one thinke, hee was raiſed to very high morall excellencies: once making a ſpeech to his Army, amongſt other paſſages he hath this; Perhaps ſome men will ſay, that right and equitie is on our ſide, but that the greater number of men, and meanes are with the other; but this their ſpeech is unworthy of my followers: for with thoſe with whom juſtice is, with thoſe alſo God is, and where God is, there neither wants multitude, nor fortitude. And Cap. 12. he reports of him, that in the time of a famine, he cauſed all his veſſels of gold and ſilver to bee melted, to buy corne withall for the reliefe of the poore. That Herod likewiſe which S. Luke ſpeakes of in the 12. Acts 23. who was ſmote by the Angel, and eaten of wormes, yet even this man had many excellent morall gifts: Ioſephus reports of him, That hee was a man of a moſt milde Ioſeph. lib. 19. cap. 7.diſpoſition, readie to helpe thoſe which were in adverſitie, free from outward groſſe defilements, and that there was no day paſt him, in which he did not offer Sacrifice; and for a teſtimony of his mild & gentle temper, he tels a notable ſtory of him, that when one Simon a Lawyer, in his abſence, had ſcandalized him with many grievous accuſations before the people; As that hee was a profane man, and that upon juſt cauſe he was forbidden to enter the Temple: when Herod was certified of theſe things, and came to the Theatre, he commanded that this Simon ſhould be brought to him, and would have him ſit downe next to him, and in peaceable and kinde manner hee ſpake thus to him, Tell me, I prethee, what thing thou ſeeſt fault-worthy, or contrary to the Law in me? This Simon not having any thing to anſwer, beſought him to pardon him; the King grew friends with him, and diſmiſſed him, beſtowing gifts on him. What a ſhame is this example to many Chriſtians? and yet wee would all be loath to bee in this mans condition. It is reported likewiſe of Titus, whom God made a grievous ſcourge to the Jewes, yet hee was ſo meeke, ſo liberall, ſo mercifull, of ſo milde and ſweet a nature, that he was uſually called, The love and delights of Am…r & deliciae humam generis.mankind: If hee had done no good in any day, hee would uſe to ſay, I have loſt this day. Suetonius tels of him, that hee was wont to uſe this ſpeech, That none ſhould goe away ſad from ſpeaking with a Prince. Excellent things are likewiſe reported of Trajan, he was accounted a patterne of upright dealing, in as much as when a new Emperour was afterwards elected, the people were wont to wiſh him The good ſucceſſe of Auguſtus, and the uprightneſſe of Trajanus: and yet the perſecution of Chriſtians under him was very grievous. It is likewiſe ſaid of Antoninus Philoſophus, that he was of ſuch a ſweet temper, that hee was never much puft up in proſperity, nor caſt downe in adverſitie.
Thus we ſee, men may have excellent gifts of morality, and yet all theſe but as the flowers that grow on brambles, far different from thoſe graces of this other ſpirit that wee ſpeake of, which only growes upon the tree of life: As many a faire flower may grow out of a ſtinking root, ſo many ſweet diſpoſitions, and faire actions may bee, where there is onelyonly the corrupt root of nature. It is true, learning and moralitie are lovely, they are pearles highly to be eſteemed, they are great bleſſings of God; but there is a pearle of price that is beyond them all, which the true wiſe Merchant will labour to get, and will be content to ſell all to obtaine, as Matth. 13. 45, 46. And this pearle of price is that, by which this other ſpirit comes to be ſo excellent above all that learning and morality, or any common gifts can make it. It is ſaid in that place of S. Matthew, That the wiſe merchant ſought other goodly pearles: common gifts are to bee ſought after, as things that have much excellency in their kind; but it was that one pearle of great price that hee ſold all for: It is that grace of God in Chriſt, that raiſes the ſpirit above all other excellencies, and is to bee prized and ſought after above all things whatſoever. And that you may know, that there is a great deale of difference betweene naturall endowments, morall vertues, and true ſpirituall excellencies; that this other ſpirit is farre beyond the excellencies of theſe, take theſe notes of difference.
1 This other ſpirit is a renew…d ſpirit; A new ſpirit will I give ya, 1ſaith the Lord, in 11. Ezek: 19. It doth not ariſe out of principles bid up with us; the Lord makes the ſpirit ſenſible of its natural corruption and weakeneſſe, and of the Almighty worke of his grace upon it. It … made another ſpirit, by a high and ſupernaturall worke of God upon the ſoule, working a mighty change in it, creating new principles, new habits. Examine what change have you found in your ſpirits; if they be no other then ever have beene, yea; if the change be onelyonly graduall, not eſſentiall, if it be onelyonly the raiſing of ſome naturall principles, ſo as to enable you to live in ſomewhat a fairer way then you did; if it bee not the worke of God breaking your ſpirits in pieces, and making of them anew, if it bee not a new creation in you; ſurely then, yet, your ſpirits are void of that true bleſſed excellency, that this other ſpirit hath.
2 This other ſpirit workes from 2God, and for God; it is ſenſible of the need it hath of continuall influence from heaven, & it drawes vertue and efficacy from God, conveying his grace to the ſoule, through that bleſſed covenant that hee hath made with the children of men in Jeſus Chriſt; & receiving thus grace from on high, it is acted up to God himſelfe, it lookes at God in what it doth, it is carried out of love to him, with unfained deſires to lift up his great Name. Morall vertues are wrought by that reaſonableneſſe the ſoule ſees in ſuch vertuous actions, and the higheſt pitch they reach to is, the love to that equity which appeares in them to a mans reaſon; and therefore the ſpirit of a man, that is raiſed no higher then theſe, bleſſeth it ſelfe rather then God in the exerciſe of them; It is farre from drawing any vertue from God, in a way of covenant of grace, or from denying it ſelfe, and returning all the praiſe, and honour to God.
Seneca was a man of as brave a ſpirit for Morality, almoſt as ever lived, and yet ſee how farre hee was from working from God, and for God; obſerve a ſtrange expreſſion of his in one of his Epiſtles: The cauſe Beata vitaecauſa et firmamentum eſt ſibi fidere; turpe eſt Deo; ſatigare▪ Quidvotis opus eſt: f… te ſoelicem: bonam mentem ſtultum eſt opta re, cum poſſis à te impetr…re: … tio recta et con ſummata falicitatem …o…nis implevit.and foundation of a bleſſed life, is to truſt ones ſelfe, to bee confident in ones ſelfe; it is a ſhamefull thing to weary God, ſaith hee, in prayer for it. What needs prayer? Make thy ſelfe happy. Its a fooliſh thing to deſire a good mind, when thou mayeſt have it from thy ſelf: right reaſon is enough to fill up the happyneſſe of a man.
3 Where true ſpirituall excellency is, there is a connexion of all ſpirituall 3excellencies, of all graces, Epheſ. 5. 9. The fruit of the ſpirit is in all goodneſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and truth, and the reaſon is, becauſe all are united in one root, namely in love to God, and holineſſe: The beauty and comelineſſe, that God puts upon the ſpirit in the worke of grace, is a perfect beauty and comlineſſe, Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting, there is all true ſpirituall bleſſings, Epheſ. 1. 3. Bleſſed bee God, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſsings; ſo the words are in your bookes, but in the Originall, bleſsings is in the ſingular number, with all ſpirituall bleſsing; there is all, and yet but one bleſſing; to note, that ſpirituall bleſſings are ſo knit together, that they all make up but one bleſſing: and therefore where there is one truely, there none can be wanting; there is ſuch grace as in the growth of it, it ſprings up to eternall life: There is ſuch a perfection as wants onelyonly the ripening, and it would bee the ſame with the life in heaven; but where there wants any eſſentiall part, though it bee ripened never ſo much, let it grow up never ſo faſt, it will never come to be perfect. Thus if there be any worke of grace wanting, if there be any defect in the principle, though that, that be there, grow up never ſo faſt, yet it would never attain unto eternall life; Therefore in the work of ſanctification, where it is true, though it bee never ſo weake, yet there is this perfection, that there are all graces in it; but where there is onelyonly a ſweet nature, where there is onelyonly ſome morall worke upon the ſpirit, there are onelyonly ſome particular excellencies; The moſt Morall man that ever lived, hath had ſome way of evill, that his ſpirit hath run out unto.
4 Where there are true ſpirituall 4excellencies, there is an impulſe of heart, a ſtrong bent of ſpirit, in following after the Lord; there is ſuch a powerfull impreſſion of divine truths upon the ſoule, as preſſes it on with ſtrength in Gods wayes, ſo that it cannot eaſily bee hindered, as the Propher ſaith, Eſay 8 11. That the Lord ſpake to him with a ſtrong hand, that he ſhould not walke in the way of the people; ſuch a ſpirit hath not onelyonly ſome deſires, and ſome wiſhes, to that which is good; but goes on bound in the ſpirit, as S. Paul ſayes of himſelfe; The love of Chriſt conſtraines him; there is a power of godlineſſe where it is true. When Eliah had caſt his Mantle upon Eliſha, the ſpirit of Eliſha was preſt to follow him, 1 King. 19. 19, 20. ſo that when Eliſha deſired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them, and ſaid, that then he would follow him, Eliah anſwershim, What have I done to thee? Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance, to draw him after him; for what was the caſting of his Mantle upon him, to worke ſuch an effect in him? but together with the caſting of his Mantle, there went a ſpirit into Eliah, that hee could not but follow him: Such a powerfull worke is there in the ſanctifying graces of Gods Spirit, as with ſtrength to cauſe the ſoule to follow him; there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it, as before there was a law of ſinne.
But where there are onelyonly ſweet natures, there men are eaſily drawne one way, and as eaſily drawn the other way; they joyne with thoſe that are good in good actions, but their hearts are not ſo ſet on that they doe, but that they may bee eaſily taken off, and carried another way.
Fifthly, where there are onelyonly 5moral principles, there the ſoule ſees not into, is not ſenſible of, turnes not from the evill of ſinne, as the greateſt evill; it ſees not ſuch evill in it, as to make it ſubſcribe to the righteouſneſſe of God in all thoſe dreadfull things that are threatned againſt it, but thinkes they are too hard; Surely, God is not ſo ſevere a God; God forbid things ſhould bee ſo as thoſe wee read of in the Goſpell. When Chriſt ſpake that Parable concerning thoſe who ſmote the ſervants of the Lord of the Vineyard, Luke 20. 16. and told them, that the Lord ſhould come & deſtroy thoſe Huſbandmen, and give his Vineyard to others: It is ſaid, When they heard that, they ſaid, God forbid: So many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of God denounced againſt ſinne, they ſay, God forbid; they thinke indeed, that ſinne ought not to bee committed; but they doe not thinke it ſo great an evill, as to procure ſo great miſeries; but if their ſpirits were right, they would apprehend ſinne, as oppoſite to an infinite good, and ſo having a kind of infiniteneſſe of evill in it; they would not onelyonly yeeld to the Juſtice of God revealed, but acknowledge, that there are greater and more fearefull miſeries due to it than can be conceived: yea, they would ſee cauſe, that if God ſhould bring thoſe evils upon them for their ſinne, that there is infinite equitie that they ſhould lay their hands upon their mouthes, and take ſhame to themſelves, and acknowledge the Lord to bee righteous for ever.
Sixthly, where there are onelyonly naturall and morall excellencies, they 6do not raiſe the ſoule to a love of the ſtricteſt wayes of God; they thinke of accurateneſſe and exactneſſe in Gods wayes to be but niceneſſe and too much preciſeneſſe; luke-warmeneſſe is the onelyonly temper ſutable to them; they thinke wiſedome conſiſts in the remiſſion of godlines, not in the improvement of it; & what is beyond their temper, they judge as weaknes and folly; and it muſt needs bee that morall men muſt have ſuch thoughts of the ſtrictneſſe of the wayes of God, becauſe that good they have is ſuch as ariſes from the principles of naturall reaſon, and makes a naturall good its end; and therefore all their vertue and goodnes muſt be ſuch as muſt not ſtretch nature, but muſt be ſubſerviet to that naturall good they frame to themſelves. Now the obſerving of ſome Rules and Duties of Religion, will ſuite well with this; and ſo farre they approve and like well of Religion: and here they ſticke, and thinke any thing that is further than this, is folly, and more than needs. The worke of godlineſſe in the power of it, muſt needs be diſtaſtefull to them, becauſe it ſeekes to empty a man of himſelf, to cauſe him to deny himſelfe; to fetch all from principles beyond himſelfe, & to be for a higher good than himſelfe is, which is an infinite good: and therefore, if it were poſſible, it would work infinitely towards it, but howſoever, it will ſet no limits to it ſelfe.
Seventhly, where there is onelyonly nature or morality, there is no ſenſe 7of the breathings of Gods Spirit in his Ordinances; the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them: a meere morall man can like well enough of preſenting himſelfe in the Ordinances, but he feeles no vertue in them, no impreſſion that they worke upon him, that abides on his ſpirit after the Ordinances are done; he knowes not what it is to enjoy God in them, he knowes not what it is to ſtirre up himſelfe to take hold on God in the exerciſe of them; thoſe excellencies that hee hath, are not drawne out, maintained or increaſed by ſpirituall objects and duties; but it is otherwiſe where true ſpiritual excellencies are; ſuch a one goes to Ordinances and holy duties with expectation to meet with the Lord there: Hee can diſcerne and feele the gracious preſence of the Lord; he findes the Spirit of the Lord breathing graciouſly upon his ſpirit, and rofreſhing his ſoule with much quickening, and life and ſweetneſſe; hee findes his ſpirit drawne out by them, his heart much inlarged, his graces much increaſed in the uſe of them; or if at ſome times he wants this, then hee is ſenſible of the want of it, of that difference that now hee feeles betweene that which ſometimes hee hath had, and that which now hee wants; but the other is ſenſible of no ſuch want, all times are alike with him.
Thus you ſee how you may examine your ſpirits, whether the excellencies of them be naturall, whether they be onelyonly morall, or truely ſpirituall. By theſe Notes you may ſee, that to bee true of your ſelves, that our Saviour ſaid to his Diſciples in another caſe; You know not of what ſpirit you are. Though God hath given you many excellent bleſſings, beautified your ſpirits with many excellents endowments, which are in themſelves lovely & deſirable; yet he hath not raiſed your ſpirits to that true ſpirituall excellency that he uſeth to raiſe the ſpirits of his people unto, even in this world. There are yet other higher excellencies to be attained to, to be ſought after, without which all the other you have will vaniſh, and never bring up your ſoules to the enjoyment of God as yours in Chriſt.
But what ſhould be done that we Queſt.may get another ſpirit?
Worke what you can upon your Anſ.hearts what ever truth may further 1convince you, of the difference of ſpirits; that you may bee throughly convinced, that there is indeed a vaſt eſſentiall difference, and that you may ſee into the evill of your ſpirits, and bee ſenſible of the want of this true ſpirituall excellency, and lie downe before God dejected, and humbled in the ſight thereof.
Secondly, bee much in the company 2of the godly. When Saul was among the Prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him, & he began to propheſie too. Elijah told Eliſha, that if he were with him when he was taken up, then hee ſhould have his ſpirit come upon him; wherefore Eliſha kept cloſe to him, & would by no meanes leave his company. By being much in the company of the godly, you will come to ſee ſome beams of the excellency of their ſpirits ſhine out to you, whereby you will ſee that your ſpirits are not like theirs; that they are in a happier condition than you; that they are men in a nearer reference to God than you; you will ſoone diſcerne, that ſurely the world is miſtaken in theſe men.
Thirdly, frequent the Ordinances 3of God, where the Spirit uſes to breath; ſet your ſoules before the worke of Gods Spirit: The Spirit breaths where it liſteth, therefore it muſt bee attended upon in thoſe wayes which it ſelf chuſeth. Though your ſpirits bee never ſo dead, and polluted, who knowes but that at length in the attending upon God in his way, the Spirit of God may breath upon you, may breath in you the breath of life? it hath breath'd upon as dead, polluted ſpirits as yours, and it hath cleanſed them, ſanctified them, it hath filled them full of ſpirituall and glorious excellencies.
Fourthly, nouriſh and make good uſe of thoſe common workes of 4Gods Spirit you have already; they have much excellency in them; & if they be not reſted in, but improved, they may be very ſerviceable for the worke of Gods grace; but as Chriſt ſayes of the riches of the world, If you bee not faithfull in them, who will truſt you with the true riches; ſo if you be not carefull to make uſe of the common works of Gods Spirit, how can it be expected that the Lord ſhould bleſſe you with further mercy this way? Bee ſure you doe not wilfully go againſt the rules of right reaſon you are convinced of; do not darken that light of reaſon that God hath ſet up in you; do not extinguiſh thoſe ſparkes in naturall conſcience that God hath kindled there; do not dead thoſe principles you have received in your education; uſe that ſtrength of reaſon, reſolution, and naturall conſcience you have, to keepe in your ſpirits, that they bee not let out to feed upon ſinfull delights. With what face can you complaine of weakneſſe, and yet feed your diſtempers? There is little hope of ſuch as have extinguiſhed the light of their common principles, which once they had in an eminent māner; their light of reaſon once was at leaſt as a faire Candle-light, but now it is like the ſnuffe in a ſocket, almoſt drowned & quenched with their filthy luſts. How juſt with God were it, that theſe men ſhould be left to die and periſh for ever in their filth?
Fifthly, ſeek earneſtly from God to renew, to ſanctifie your ſpirits; it is 5he that is the Father of ſpirits, and the ſpirit of man is under no other power, but the power of God himſelfe; and he hath the command of all, and with him there is abundance of ſpirit, and he is willing; yea, hee hath promiſed to give his Spirit to them that aske it, Luke 11. 13.
But you will ſay, how can I pray Queſt.without the Spirit?
I anſwer, put thy ſelfe upon prayer, and who knowes but aſſiſtance and Anſ.bleſſing may come? preſent thy ſelfe before the Lord, tell him what thou apprehendeſt of the vileneſſe, of the filthineſſe of thy ſpirit; what convictions thou haſt of the neceſſitie of the renewing of it, of the excellencie thou ſeeſt in the ſpirits of his ſervants; tell him of thoſe deſires thou haſt to be bleſſed with ſuch a ſpirit: O Lord, thou haſt given me many bodily bleſſings, great bleſſings of my eſtate more than others, many excellent gifts; but Lord there are other mercies my ſoule wants; Oh that thou wouldeſt give me another ſpirit! As this Caleb, Ioſhua 15. 19. gave his daughter Aohſah a bleſſing, namely, the upper ſprings, and the neither ſpring, ſo doe thou ſeeke of God, that as he hath given thee the bleſſing of the nether ſprings, ſo hee may give thee the bleſſing of the upper; namely, that he may bleſſe thy ſoule with true ſpirituall bleſſings.
Sixtly, be ſure thou lookeſt up to 6God in Chriſt, to ſeek this mercy in him; look on him as annoynted by the Father with the fulneſſe of the Spirit; look to him in whom all the fulneſſe of the God-head dwels bodily, that out of this fulneſſe, ſpirituall bleſſings may bee conveyed to thee; for otherwiſe whatſoever thou ſeekeſt for of God, and not in this way, thou ſeekeſt but in a naturall way.
Seventhly, be carefull to obſerve 7the beginnings of thoſe ſpeciall ſtirrings of Gods Spirit in thee, thoſe gales that ſometimes thou mayeſt feele, and then put on what poſſibly thou canſt; then ſollow the work of Gods grace, make much of ſuch beginnings, give up thy ſelfe to the power of them; turne the motions of Gods Spirit into purpoſes, and thoſe purpoſes into endevours, and thoſe endevours into performances, and ſeeke that thoſe performances may bee eſtabliſhed. Wee doe not know what we loſe, when at any time we loſe the ſtirrings of Gods Spirit in our hearts. Who knowes but that thy eternall eſtate may depend upon thoſe ſparkes that hee is now kindling in theé? It is a great wickednes to ſtifle the child in the wombe, when it is new conceived; and is it not a great wickednes to ſtifle thoſe bleſſed motions that are conceived by the worke of the Holy Ghoſt? And for a concluſion of this point, let thy ſpirit be for ever reſtleſſe untill thou feeleſt God graciouſly comming in unto thee; let no merciemercy ſatisfie thee, till God gives thee ſoule-mercies, and bleſſes thee with his choice ſpirituall bleſſings, ſuch as are peculiar to thoſe who are good in his eyes.
A GRACIOVS Cap. 1.SPIRIT FOLLOWS GOD FVLLY. The ſecond Part.
Numb. 14. 24.
And hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land, wherein he went; and his ſeed ſhall poſſeſſe it.