A Guide to Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 44
CAP. XLIIII.
Other ſingular priuiledges, wherewith God in this life crowneth the godly, which are the fruits and effects of his holy Spirit.
§. Sect. 1 That God ſealeth vntounto the godly, the aſſurance of their adoption.
THe fifth priuiledge peculiar to the godly, is the fruits and effects of the Spirit, the firſt and chiefe whereof is this, that the Spirit witneſſeth and ſealeth in their hearts and conſciences the aſſurance of their adoption, whereby of the children of wrath and firebands of hell, they become the children of God, and coheires with Ieſus Chriſt of their heauenly Inheritance. For as many Rom. 8. 14, 15, 16.as are led by the Spirit, they are the ſonnes of God. For ye hauehave not (ſaith the Apoſtle) receiued the ſpirit of bondage againe to feare; but yee hauehave receiued the Spirit of adoption, whereby wee cry, Abba Father. The Spirit it ſelfe beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that wee are the children of God. And if children, then heires, heires of God, and ioynt-heires with Chriſt. And againe, Becauſe yee are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into Gal. 4. 6.your hearts, crying Abba Father. So the Euangeliſt Iohn ſaith, that as many as receiued Chriſt, to them he gaue this priuiledge to become the ſonnes of God, Ioh. 1. 12.euen to them that beleeue on his name. So that whoſoeuer lay hold vponupon Chriſt by a true and liuely faith, and bring forth the fruits thereof in holineſſe and newneſſe of life, thereby approuing themſelues to be ſuch as are led by the Spirit, they hauehave this high and honourable priuiledge, that they are the ſonnes of God, and coheires with Chriſt in his Kingdome of glory. The which ſhould be a moſt effectuall regument to perſwade vsus to flee all maner of ſin, that we may not grieue the holy Spirit of God, whereby we are ſealed vntounto the day of Redemption, and to Eph. 4. 30.leade a godly & Chriſtian life, that wee may walke worthy this high calling, & approue our ſelues to be Gods children, by reſembling our 1. Cor. 9. 25.heauenly Father in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. For if wee would thinke no paines too much in the ſeruice of an earthly King, if thereby wee could be aſſured, that he would adopt vsus for his ſonnes, yea, make vsus heires apparant to his Crowne and Kingdome, though corruptible and momentany; how diligent ſhould wee be in ſeruing and pleaſing God, who hath of his free grace aſſured all thoſe that feare and ſerue him, that they ſhall be his adopted ſonnes, and heires of his incorruptible and glorious Kingdome, which ſhall hauehave no end; ſeeing this Crowne bringeth no care with it, but all ſecurity, and ſuch ſurpaſſing ioy and glory, as neither the eye hath ſeene, the eare heard, nor the 1. Cor. 2. 9.heart of man can poſsibly conceiue?
§. Sect. 2 The ſecond ſpeciall priuiledge, is ſpirituall illumination.
The ſecond ſpeciall priuiledge and fruit of the Spirit, peculiar to the godly, is, that he openeth their eyes blinded with naturall ignorance, Pſal. 119. 18. Matth. 11. 25. 1. Cor. 2. 14.ſo as they ſee the wonderfull things of Gods Law, and inlighteneth their darke mindes with ſupernaturall, ſpirituall and heauenly Wiſdome and prudence, ſo as they not onelyonly conceiue of the high and hidden myſteries of Gods Kingdome, which the wiſeſt of the world that are not thus illuminated, are not capable of; but alſo in a ſauing manner are able to bring all they know to vſe, for their ſpirituall direction in all the waies of godlineſſe, which will bring them to heauenly happineſſe. For it is the oyle of the Spirit, wherewith our eyes being anointed, doe ſee and know all things. It is this comfortable 1. Ioh. 2. 20, 27. Ioh. 14. 26.Schoole-maſter that teacheth vsus all things, as our Sauiour ſpeaketh; without whoſe inſtruction wee remaine ignorant of Gods will. For as no man knoweth the things of a man, ſaue the ſpirit of man which is in him; 1. Cor. 2. 10, 11.euen ſo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. And whatſoeuer God maketh knowne vntounto vsus of his ſecret counſels, he reueyleth it vntounto vsus by his Spirit; for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea, the deepe things Apoc. 3. 18.of God. He is that ſpirituall eye-ſalue, wherewith Chriſt anoynteth our eyes that wee may ſee. It is he which by his ſecret whiſperings (as it were) a voyce behinde vsus, teacheth vsus the way of ſaluation, ſaying, Eſa. 31. 21.This is the way, walke yee in it. But yet this voyce is not heard of all, but the faithfull onelyonly, whoſe eares God hath opened. This heauenly Light ſhineth not to all in all places, but onelyonly in Goſhen to the true Iſrael of God, all others ſtill remayning in a more then Egyptian darkeneſſe; and to whomſoeuer it appeareth, it teacheth them to denie Tit. 2. 11, 12.vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, & to liue ſoberly and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. This ſpirituall and diuine Schoole-maſter teacheth not all men; but thoſe that truely feare God; according to that of the Pſalmiſt, The meeke will he guide in iudgement, and the meeke will he teach Pſal. 25. 12.his way. And againe, What man is he that feareth the Lord? him ſhall he teach in the way that he ſhall chuſe. And to ſuch alone, who medirate in Pſal. 117. 99, 100.his Teſtimonies, and keepe his Precepts, he giueth more wiſdome and vnderſtanding then to the ancient, or then to their teachers. The which ſhould be a powerfull reaſon to mooue vsus vntounto the practice of all holy duties in a godly life, ſeeing hereby wee are aſſured of this ſpirituall illumination and heauenly Wiſedome, which is ſo high a priuiledge, that it farre exceedeth all worldly treaſures, in ſo much as he who beſt knew it, could not tell how to value it, or to equall it with any price. Happie (ſaith he) is the man that findeth wiſdome, and the Pro. 3. 14, 15. & 8. 11, 19. & 16. 16.man that getteth vnderſtanding: for the merchandize thereof is better then the merchandize of Siluer, and the gaine thereof then fine Gold. She is more precious then Rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire, are not to be compared vntounto her, &c. So Iob, But where ſhall Wiſdome be found? And where is the Iob 28. 12, 13. &c.place of vnderſtanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the Land of the liuing. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither ſhall ſiluer be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious Onix, and the Saphir, &c. And therefore if men thinke no paines too much to obtaine gold and precious treaſures, how much more ſhould wee labour without wearineſſe for the getting of this Spirituall Wiſdome, which in true worth doth ſo farre exceed them? What care ſhould we take to be in the number of the godly, to whom this diuine Light onelyonly ſhineth? Yea, to be richly ſtored with this treaſure of godlineſſe, wherein this heauenly Wiſdome chiefly conſiſteth? For the feare of the Lord is Wiſdome; and to depart Iob 28. 28.from euill, is vnderſtanding. Or as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh; The feare of Pſal. 111. 10. Pro. 9. 10.the Lord is the beginning of Wiſdome; a good vnderſtanding hauehave all they that doe his commandements.
§. Sect. 3 The third ſpeciall priuiledge, is Sanctification by the Spirit.
The third ſpeciall priuiledge beſtowed vponupon the godly, is, that the Spirit of God ſanctifieth them, changing and renuing their natures, from ſinnefull corruption, to ſanctity and holineſſe. For it ſo inlighteneth their mindes, that they behold ſinne as it is in it owne nature, moſt vgly and deformed, and cauſeth them to condemne it as the greateſt euill. It worketh their wills, hearts and affections to a loathing and deteſtation of it, ſo that they conſent not vntounto it, ſo farre forth as they are renued, euen when the Law of their members, warring Rom. 7. 23.againſt the Law of their mindes, doth leade them captiue. Neither can they ſinne, as in former times, with full conſent of will, becauſe it is in part ſanctified, nilling that which the fleſh willeth, in which regard the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith, that he who is borne of God, ſinneth not, for 1. Ioh. 3. 9.his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is borne of God. And as being thus ſanctified, they are inwardly kept from ſinne, in reſpect of the louelove of it, and free and full conſent vntounto it; ſo alſo from innumerable outward acts of ſinne, into which others fall; partly, becauſe they looke more carefully & conſcionably to their waies, but eſpecially, becauſe the good Spirit of God dwelling in them, quencheth the fiery darts of Satans tentations, by his holy motions and monitions, Gal. 5. 17.which oppoſe and fight againſt them, and ſo ſtayeth them when they are ready to ſlip, and vpholdeth them when they are ready to fall. Yea, by renuing and changing of our natures, it worketh in vsus, ſo farre forth as we are ſanctified, an vtter auerſneſſe to ſinne, and maketh vsus ſpiritually to hate it as much as euer we naturally loued it; ſo that it is no paine to vsus, nor any violence offered vntounto our will, when wee reſiſt and flee from ſinne, as it is to the wicked and vnregenerate, who naturally drinking in iniquity as the Fiſh water, are (as it were) tormented Iob 15. 16.with thirſt, when they are forced to to forbeare it. But though there were no ſhame nor puniſhment to reſtraine them, no law to condemne them, nor heauen or hell to reward or puniſh them, yet they would be a law to themſelues, and with all cheerefulneſſe flee and forſake ſinne, out of that hatred and deteſtation which they hauehave conceiued of it. And as they are thus preſerued from ſinne; ſo beeing quickned by the Spirit of God dwelling in them, they receiue power and ſpirituall ſtrength, whereby they are inabled to doe Gods will, and to ſerue and pleaſe him in the duties of a godly life, & that not with that irkeſome tediouſneſſe which the vnregenerate feele in themſelues, becauſe Gods will and theirs are oppoſite and contrary one to the other, but with cheerefulneſſe and delight, as the Angels in heauen, becauſe their wills, being changed and renewed, are conformed to the will of God, ſo that in doing his will, they doe their own, in which regard it is their meate and drinke, when as with our Sauiour they Ioh. 4. 34.performe the will of their heauenly Father. Now what a ſingular priuiledge is this, to bee freed from the tyranny of ſinne and Satan, ſo as they hauehave no dominion ouer them, to rule and carry them which way they liſt, to their vtter ruine and deſtruction? To leaue ſinne, not as wicked men, for feare of puniſhment, though they louelove it better then the firſt borne of their bodies, yea then their owne liues, but out of meere Micah 6. 6.hatred and deteſtation of it, becauſe there is an auerſeneſſe of their renewed nature vntounto it? To yeeld obedience vntounto Gods Law, not out of terrour and conſtraint, but out of louelove and liking? To long and Pſal. 84. 2.thirſt in our ſoules after Gods preſence, and the fruition of his holy ordinances, and euen to breake with longing after Gods Iudgements at all times, Pſal. 119. 20.that wee may yeeld vntounto them that perfect obedience which he requireth, and we deſire? To eſteeme ſinne the greateſt bondage, and to complaine moſt bitterly, when we are led captiue by it? Finally, to be freed from all burthen and weariſomeneſſe in our obedience, and to eſteeme Chriſts yoke light and eaſie, yea ſweete and pleaſant; ſeeing Gods glory and our ſaluation, our obedience and eternall Pſal. 1. 1, 2. Luke 11. 28.bleſſedneſſe, are inſeparably linked together? All which ineſtimable priuiledges accompanying a godly life, may, as effectuall reaſons, moue vsus to imbrace it.
§. Sect. 4 The fourth ſpeciall priuiledge, is internall and ſpirituall ioy.
The fourth ſpeciall priuiledge, which the Spirit of God bringeth to the godly, is internall ioy, which the Apoſtle numbr… among the fruits of the Spirit, and is a grace that ariſeth out of our iuſtification Gal. 5. 22.and reconciliation with God, peace of conſcience, and aſſurance of our ſaluation, which cannot be croſſed by any occurrent. The which ioy far exceedeth all the ioyes of the world. For they ſatisfy not, but leaue the ſoule empty, ſo that the ioy of one pleaſure, doth but ſtirre vp the appetite to hunger after another, which if it ſhould not be inioyed, leaues nothing but ſorrow behind; whereas this (as our Sauiour ſpeaketh) is a full ioy, in the fruition of God, partly, in ſenſe and feeling, according Iohn 15. 11.to that of the Pſalmiſt, O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good! Pſal. 34. 8.and partly, in the aſſurance of faith, which maketh vsus reioyce in expectation of full fruition. Worldly ioy is ſhort, and momentany, like the crackling of thornes vnderunder a pot, which cauſeth a ſuddaine blaze, & as ſuddenly Eccleſ. 7. 6.goeth out: but the ioy of the Spirit is laſting and permanent, and Iohn. 16. 22.no man (as our Sauiour ſaith) can take it from vsus. That conſiſts in eating and drinking, and the inioying of ſuch company as are like our ſelues; but this, in the ſoules fruition of her beloued Spouſe, whoſe louelove is Cant. 1. 2.better then wine; ſeeing his fauours are ſo full of rauiſhing delight, that the heart is not able to containe them, as we ſee in the example of the Spouſe in the Canticles, who being brought by her Bridegroome into his banketing houſe, was ſo filled, that ſhe euen ſurfeted of his delicacies, which forced her to cry out, Stay me with flaggons: Comfort me with Cant. 2. 4, 5.apples, for I am ſicke of louelove. Of which ſweete and gracious entertainment of the faithfull ſoule, the Pſalmiſt alſo ſpeaketh, They ſhall bee abundantly Pſal. 36. 8.ſatiſfied with the fatneſſe of thy Houſe, and thou ſhat make them drinke of the riuer of thy pleaſures. Finally, the ioy of worldlings accompanieth their proſperitie; but when the euill day commeth, it leaueth and forſaketh them, and is turned into ſorrow and griefe of heart: but the godly reioyce euen in their tribulation & affliction, in their aſſurance of Gods louelove, and becauſe they know that they ſhall worke together for their good, theſe light and momentany afflictions cauſing vntounto them a farre Rom. 5. 3. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Cor. 4. 17. Iam. 1. 2.moſt excellent and an eternall waight of glory. They account it all ioy (as the Apoſtle Iames ſpeaketh) when they fall into diuers tentations, knowing that the tryall of their faith worketh patience. And when they are perſecuted for righteouſneſſe ſake, they being bleſſed in their ſufferings, reioyce, Matth. 5 10, 11and are exceeding glad, becauſe their reward is great in heauen. And thus the Apoſtle ſaith, that the Theſſalonions receiued the Word in much affliction, 1. Theſ. 1. 6.and with ioy in the holy Ghoſt. And that the Hebrewes tooke ioyfully the ſpoyling of their goods, knowing themſelues, that they had in heauen a better, and induring ſubſtance. The which ioy is a ſupernaturall gift, and fruit of the ſanctifying Spirit, which all cannot attaine vntounto, but the faithfull only; and therefore the Apoſtle prayeth for the Romans, that Rom. 15. 13.the God of hope would fil them with all ioy and peace in beleeuing, that they might abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghoſt. It is a priuiledge wherin wicked men hauehave no portion, but is peculiar to the godly, in whom the Kingdome of God is begunne in this life, which none inioy, but they Matth. 6. 33.which ſeeke alſo his righteouſneſſe; ſeeing it conſiſteth not onelyonly in peace Rom. 14. 17.and ioy in the holy Ghoſt, but alſo in righteouſneſſe, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: and therefore, ſeeing thoſe things cannot bee ſeparated, which God hath conioyned, we muſt labour after righteouſnes, if we would be partakers of this ioy; vntounto which, if we doe attaine, we ſhall aſſuredly be filled with it. For if the Apoſtle reioyced in it, as in his Crowne Phil. 4. 1. 1. Theſ. 19. 20.and ioy, when he had beene a meanes of conuerting others, and bringing them into the way of truth and righteouſneſſe; and if the Apoſtle Iohn reioyced ſo greatly, that he profeſſeth he had no greater ioy in any outward Ioh. Epiſt. 2▪ 4. and Epiſt. 3. 3, 4.thing, then when he ſaw his children walking in this way; then what ineſtimable ioy muſt this needs cauſe vntounto vsus, when our ſelues, by walking in the way of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, doe attaine vntounto the aſſurance of our owne happineſſe?
§. Sect. 5 The laſt ſpeciall priuiledge is Chriſtian liberty.
The laſt ſpeciall priuiledge peculiar vntounto the godly, which the Spirit bringeth, is Chriſtian liberty, whereby being freed out of the hands of all Luk. 1. 74.our ſpirituall enemies, we ſerue the Lord in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe without feare, and ſo attaine vntounto the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God, ſeeing his ſeruice is perfect freedome; and hauehave power and dominion ouer all the creatures, ſo as wee may vſe them to all purpoſes, both for neceſſity and comfort, hauing full right and intereſt in them by our adoption. The which priuiledge alſo is a fruit of the Spirit, according to that of the Apoſtle, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And is deriued vntounto 2. Cor. 3. 17.vsus, when as the holy Ghoſt, by a liuely faith applyeth vntounto vsus the vertue and efficacy of Chriſt Ieſus his death and ſatisfaction, whereby this liberty was firſt purchaſed for vsus; in which reſpect, our Sauiour alſo challengeth vntounto himſelfe this power and prerogatiue of ſetting vsus at liberty, as being our alone Redeemer, who hath deliuered vsus out of the hands of all our ſpirituall enemies; If (ſaith he) the Sonne ſhall make you free, you ſhalbe free Ioh. 8. 36.indeed. We were ſubiect to the wrath of God, but our Sauiour hath freed Gal. 3. 13.vsus from it, and by ſatisfying his Iuſtice, hath reconciled vsus vntounto him. We were vnderunder the curſe of the Law, but hee hath freed vsus, by being made a curſe for vsus. Wee were the wretched ſlaues of Satan, and in the ſtate of death and condemnation: but hee by his death hath deſtroyed him that had Heb. 2. 14, 15.the power of death, that is, the deuill, that he might deliuer them, who through the feare of death, were all their life time ſubiect to bondage. Wee were ſeruants to the world, and the vaſſals of the earthly Mammon; but Chriſt hath ouercome the world, both for himſelfe and all his Elect, Ioh. 16. 33.and ſo ſet vsus at liberty out of this thraldome. Wee were the ſeruants of ſinne, which made vsus ſlaues to all other enemies, and obeyed it in the wicked luſts thereof: for as our Sauiour ſaith, Hee that committeth ſinne, Joh. 8. 34.is the ſeruant of ſinne; For his ſeruants wee are whom wee obey, whether of ſinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteouſneſſe. And though with the Rom. 6. 16.Iewes wee were ready to boaſt of our freedome, and (as it were) out of our ſtore, to promiſe liberty vntounto others, like thoſe of whom the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaketh, yet were wee (like them) our ſelues, ſeruants of 2. Pet. 2. 19.corruption. For of whom a man is ouercome, of the ſame hee is brought in bondage. Finally, wee were ſlaues to our owne ſinfull luſts, vile affections, and turbulent paſſions, as wrath, pride, ambition, couetouſneſſe, and voluptuouſneſſe, which were the moſt cruell Lords that euer tyrannized ouer any, ſeeing they kept ſuch a narrow watch ouer vsus, that they gaue vsus not ſo much as a breathing time of liberty, but forced vsus to drudge night and day, not only in the ſight of others, but when wee were retyred into the moſt ſecret corners, becauſe they held in miſerable bondage our ſoules, as well as our bodies, our iudgements, wills, and affections, ſo as wee liked and pleaſed our ſelues in our thraldome, and had no deſire to come out of it. But our Sauiour hath freed vsus from theſe enemies alſo, by mortifying our ſinnes, and crucifying our corruptions, by vertue of his death, applyed vntounto vsus by his holy Spirit. And laſtly, we had no right to any of the creatures, hauing by ſinne loſt our dominion ouer them; but our Sauiour and his holy Spirit, by giuing vsus the liberties and priuiledges of ſonnes, hath reſtored vsus to our right, ſo that they are all become good and pure vntounto vsus, being ſanctified by the Word and 1. Tim. 4. 4, 5. Tit. 1. 15.prayer. But this royall priuiledge of Chriſtian liberty belongeth not to all, but onelyonly to the faithfull, who deſire to ſerue and pleaſe God in the duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. Neither can wee euer attaine vntounto any aſſurance that wee hauehave right and title vntounto it, till wee feele it effectuall in vsus for our ſanctification. For all thoſe who are by Chriſt freed from Gods wrath, and reconciled vntounto him, hauehave heereby a deſire wrought in them to ſerue and pleaſe him, and will not willingly for any worldly hire prouoke his diſpleaſure. They that are freed from the curſe of the Law by the Croſſe of Chriſt, will crucifie their owne luſts, and not runne ſuch a courſe, as will againe make them accurſed. They that are deliuered out of the hands of their ſpirituall enemies, doe worſhip and ſerue Luk. 1. 74.their Lord and Sauiour in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, and being redeemed, Tit. 2. 14.that they may be his peculiar people, they become zealous of good workes. They that are freed from ſinne, in reſpect of the guilt and puniſhment, are alſo in ſome meaſure freed from the corruption of it, ſo as it doeth not Rom. 6. 12.raigne and rule in their mortall bodies, that they ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof, but being freed from ſinne, they become the ſeruants of righteouſneſſe. The Verſ. 19.which ſhould bee a forcible argument to mooue vsus vntounto the duties of a godly life, ſeeing heereby wee may be aſſured of this royall priuiledge of Chriſtian liberty, according to that of our Sauiour; If yee continue in my Ioh. 8. 31, 32.Word, then are ye my Diſciples indeed, and ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free. Whereas if wee neglect them, and ſtill liue in ſinne, yeelding obedience vntounto our owne carnall luſts; wee loſe the benefit and comfort of this priuiledge, and hauehave iuſt cauſe to feare, that as yet wee remaine in that miſerable bondage of the deuill, the world, and our owne luſts.