The Covenant of Gods Free Grace Unfolded and Applied, Doctrine
A Doctrinall Concluſion.
That there be in all ſuch as are effectually called and united unto Chriſt, in-dwelling ſpirituall gifts of grace, wrought and created in us by the Holy Ghoſt, that is, by the begetting whereof, we are begotten and renewed to a ſpirituall life unto God, and ſo become fit members of his Church.
The opening of the terms of this Doctrine.
BY gifts of Grace, I mean holy qualities, the ſame which Philoſophers call vertuous habites, or good diſpoſitions, whereby the faculties and affections of the ſoule, which by corrupt nature are ſet upon a mans ſelf, and earthly things, and cannot ſavour the things of God (and ſo are ſaid to be dead) are hereby ſanctified, and lifted up to God, and ſet upon him and heavenly things, and ſo are ſaid to be quickened and made alive to God. Whence we are ſaid to be begotten again to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. and the faith of the righteous is oppoſed to the dead faith of vain men, Jam. 2.20. Theſe gifts we ſay are wrought, or created by the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe they are the fruits or effects of the Spirit of God in us, Gal. 5.22, 23. wrought by his Almighty creating power out of nothing, Col. 2.12. Pſ. 5 1.10. and thereby making us ſpirituall men, 1 Cor. 2.15. And fit Inſtruments for Gods ſpirituall ſervice, 1 Pet. 2.5. and therefore every one of theſe gifts of grace, whereby any faculty or affection of the ſoule is ſanctified, it is called the ſpirit of ſuch a faculty or affection, as the ſanctified diſpoſition of the mind is called, The ſpirit of a ſound minde, 2 Tim. 1.7. The ſpirit of Faith is the gift of Faith, 2 Cor. 4.13. The ſpirit of love, or of the fear of the Lord, are the gifts of holy love, and fear ſanctifying ſuch affections, 2 Tim. 1.7. Iſai. 11.2. Further, we ſay theſe gifts of grace are in-dwelling, and abiding in every child of God, effectually called and united unto Chriſt; in as much as they are neither mortified and extinguiſhed in us (as ſome would have it) by our union with Chriſt, (for mortification is of corrupt luſts, or of the body of ſin in us, Col. 3.5. Rom. 6.6. not of the gifts of grace;) neither are theſe gifts of grace tranſient and paſſing away, as they would be, if they were meer actions of the Spirit, proceeding and paſſing from us: Nor are they abiding in the Holy Ghoſt, (though he abideth in us) becauſe no created gifts or qualities abide in him; (whatſoever is in him is himſelf:) but they are preſerved in us by the Holy Ghoſt (as they were wrought by him) and are alſo by him increaſed and perfected in us, againſt the day of our diſſolution, when we ſhall be preſented blameleſſe without ſpot or wrincle before the preſence of his glory.
Reaſons of the point.
Reaſon 1 The firſt Reaſon is taken from the expreſſe teſtimony of Scripture, ſpeaking of the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, as being in us, and fruitfull in us, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8. Adde moreover (ſaith hee) to your faith vertue; and to vertue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlineſſe; and to godlineſs, brotherly kindneſſe; and to brotherly kindneſſe, love: For, if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you, that you ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. From whence the Reaſon is concluded, thus: Faith, Vertue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godlineſſe, Brotherly-kindneſſe, Love, they are all in us, and make us fruitfull in Chriſt. The Text is plain; but all theſe are neither the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, for then one Holy Ghoſt ſhould be added to another; or one part of the Holy Ghoſt, ſhould be added to another. Nor are they the actions of the Holy Ghoſt proceeding from us; (for theſe things are in us, and abounding in us, and conſequently abiding in us; and they cauſe us to bring forth actions meet for Chriſtian profeſſion: For they are ſaid to make us fruitfull in the knowledge of Chriſt, verſ. 8. Therefore they are the gifts of grace abiding in us.
Reaſon 2 The ſecond Reaſon is taken from ſuch places of Scripture, as put an expreſſe difference between the Holy Ghoſt and his gifts in us; and the exerciſe of theſe gifts by us. In 2 Tim. 1.6. Stirre up (ſaith Paul to Timothy) the gift of God which is in thee; and verſ. 14. that good Treaſure (or thing) which was committed to thee, keep by the Holy Ghoſt which dwelleth in us: where there is a plain difference between the gift of God, and the ſtirring up of that gift, which is the exerciſe of it, and the Holy Ghoſt which helped him to keep it, and to uſe it.
Object. But hee ſpeaketh of miniſteriall gifts, not of gifts accompanying ſalvation.
He ſpeaketh of both: Anſw. for in the verſe next before (verſ. 5.) hee putteth Timothy in minde of the unfeigned faith which (ſaith hee) is in thee, and which dwelt firſt in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunices, and now in thee alſo. Whence the Reaſon is plain, If unfeigned faith, and other ſuch like gifts of God, dwelt in Timothy, and in his mother, and in his grand-mother, then there be gifts of grace accompanying ſalvation, that dwell in ſuch as are effectually called. But the former is plain out of the Text, therefore ſo is the latter. In 2 Cor. 6.6. the Apoſtle ſaith, He (with the other Apoſtles) approved themſelves as the Miniſters of Chriſt, by pureneſſe, by knowledge, by long-ſuffering, by kindneſſe, by the Holy Ghoſt, by love unfeigned.
Object. But by theſe, Paul and the reſt approved themſelves as the Miniſters of Chriſt; and therefore hee ſpeaketh of miniſteriall gifts, not of gifts accompanying ſalvation.
The inference is naught; Anſw. for a man cannot approve himſelf as a Miniſter of Chriſt by miniſteriall gifts, without ſuch gifts as do accompany ſalvation; and therefore the Apoſtle doth plainly inſtance, not only in miniſteriall gifts, but ſuch alſo as do accompany ſalvation; as pureneſſe, long-ſuffering, love unfeigned. In 1 Cor. 12.4. The Apoſtle ſaith, there be deverſities, foreign, that is, of gifts of grace, which he diſtinguiſheth from operations, verſ. 6.
Object. But hee ſpeaketh of miniſteriall gifts, not of gifts accompanying ſalvation.
Hee ſpeaketh not only of miniſteriall gifts, but of all gifts of grace, by which we are knit to Chriſt, and one to another, as head, and members of one body; and in reſpect of which, The eye cannot ſay to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you, verſ. 21.
Reaſon 3 The third Reaſon is taken from the eſtate of the perſon united to Chriſt, which being united, is not a naturall, but a ſpirituall man. The Reaſon ſtandeth thus: If there be no ſpirituall gifts of grace wrought and created in the ſoul, then Chriſt is united by the Spirit of God to the naturall man; For without ſpiritual gifts, there is nothing but nature in us, to which Chriſt by his Spirit is united. But Chriſt is not united by the ſpirit to the naturall man. Proof of this, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man doth not receive the things of God, nor of the Spirit of God; and therefore doth not receive Chriſt united to him.
Object. A man is not a naturall man, but a ſpirituall man, when the Spirit of God dwelleth in him.
True, Anſw. becauſe the Spirit of God where he dwelleth, worketh gifts of ſpirituall grace; but if he ſhould not, the ſoul would be ſtill naturall, as the Temple of Solomon was ſtill a materiall Temple, (not a ſpirituall Temple, as wee are, 1 Pet. 2.5.) though God dwelt in it, becauſe hee wrought not gifts of ſpirituall grace in the Temple, whereby it might live unto God.
In all union, the things united are diſtinct from the bond by which they are united; Chriſt is one thing, the ſoul is another, the Spirit of God that uniteth them is diſtinct from both. Now, take the Spirit of God as a diſtinct thing from the ſoul, and what is the ſoul but a naturall ſoule? And ſo Chriſt by his Spirit being united to the naturall ſoul, is united to the naturall man.
Reaſ. 4 The fourth Reaſon is taken from the nature and kinde of that life which the members of Chriſt do live: thus, If the members of Chriſts body be living members, and living ſtones, then they live either by ſome gifts of ſpirituall grace created in them, or elſe they live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt, communicated to them. But they do not live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt communicated to them; therefore they live by the gifts of ſpirituall grace created in them. The former Propoſition (or major) is plain, becauſe the diſ-junction is immediate: there is no middle way can be given, but either wee …ſt live a created life by ſome gifts of ſpirituall grace created in us, or elſe we muſt live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt communicated to us. The latter Propoſition (or minor) is as plain; for no creature (if being finite) can live an increated life, which is infinite; but we are creatures, and finite, and the life of the Holy God is increated, and infinite; therefore wee cannot live his life.
Object. The life of head, and members, root and branches, is the ſame.
Firſt, Anſw. the life of Chriſts humane nature is not the infinite and uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt; which may ſerve for another proofe of the latter Propoſition, that wee do not live the uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt communicated to us: For we cannot live an higher or greater ſpirituall life, then the humane nature of Chriſt lived. But the humane nature of Chriſt lived not the infinite and uncreated life of the Holy Ghoſt; for the humane nature of Chriſt was not capable of the infinite attributes of the divine nature; againſt which, when Eutiches taught otherwiſe, he was condemned for an Heretique in the generall Councell of Chalcedon.
The compariſon muſt be ſtretched no further then Chriſt intended to ſhew the meer conjunction between Chriſt and us, ſo far, as that we derive and receive continuall nouriſhment and ſupply of all grace, and fruitfulneſſe thereof from him: But not to imply the ſame individuall life in him and us, as is in the root and branches, head and members; for root and branches make but one tree, and head and members make but one perſon: But wee are not the ſame perſon with Chriſt, and therefore wee have life not the very ſelf-ſame with his, but conformable to his, and faſhioned after his Image; the ſame with his in proportion and reſemblance (as is the Image of the ſeal and of the wax) the ſame in proportion, not the ſame in number. And this muſt needs be ſo, becauſe the fathers before Chriſt, had as truly the ſame ſpirituall life of Chriſt as wee; the life of his divine nature neither of us have, the life of his humane nature was not then in being; and therefore they had only a proportion and reſemblance of his life before his coming, as wee have after his coming.
Reaſon 5 The fifth Reaſon is taken from the change of the heart in converſion: It ſtandeth thus; If in converſion there be ſome thing anew created and begotten in us, which was not created, nor begotten before, then there be new ſpirituall gifts of grace created and begotten in us: For the ſubſtance of the ſoul and body is not anew-created and begotten; it is the ſame it was before, and the Holy Ghoſt cannot be ſaid to be created or begotten in us at all: but in converſion the Lord doth create a new heart in us, Pſ. 51.10. and doth regenerate, or renew a right ſpirit in us, beſide the Holy Ghoſt, of which he ſaith in the next verſe (verſ. 11.) Take not thy holy Spirit from mee. The Holy Ghoſt cannot be ſaid to be created or renewed, for he is no creature, nor was he ever old: And in Ezek. 36.26, 27. hee promiſeth to put a new ſpirit within us, verſ. 26. and withall, promiſeth to put his own Spirit within us, verſ. 27. And his Spirit and our ſpirit are made two diſtinct witneſſes, Rom. 8.16.
Reaſ. 6 The ſixth Reaſon is taken from the Law written in our hearts, under the Covenant of Grace; thus: If there be a law written in our hearts under the new Covenant, then either this is the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, or ſpirituall gifts of grace wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghoſt, whereby we are fitted and enabled (through his leading) to walk in the Law of God, and to keep it. But there is a Law written in our hearts under the new Covenant, Jer. 31.33. and this Law is not the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, for it is the effect and work of the Holy Ghoſt, 2 Cor. 3.3. where it is ſaid to be written by him; now a Law, or an Epiſtle written by any man, cannot be the man himſelf that wrought it.
Reaſon 7 The ſeventh Reaſon is taken from the voluntary concourſe of every child of God, with the Holy Ghoſt in every ſpirituall work; the Reaſon is framed thus: If there be no ſpirituall gifts of grace in the ſoule united to Chriſt, then in every good action the Holy Ghoſt acts immediately the naturall faculties and affections to ſupernaturall effects: (as ſuppoſe he then acteth immediately my naturall love to the ſupernaturall love of God) But in every good action the Holy Ghoſt doth not act immediately the naturall faculties and affections to ſupernaturall effects. Proof of this: If the Holy Ghoſt in every good action do act immediately my naturall faculty or affection to a ſupernaturall effect, then in every good action hee turns the courſe of my naturall faculty or affection againſt his proper and voluntary bent: For my naturall faculty or affection hath no proper or voluntary bent to ſpirituall good effects, but luſteth againſt them, Rom. 8.5. Gal. 5.17. But the Holy Ghoſt in every good action doth not turn the courſe of my faculty and affection againſt their proper and voluntary bent; For then we ſhould not do good actions voluntarily, and then they would be unwelcome and grievous to us, contrary to 1 Joh. 5.3. and then we ſhould loſe our reward, 1 Cor. 9.17.
Object. But God himſelf is ſaid to be our gifts and graces, and therefore they are nothing but his Spirit in us: As God is ſaid to be our confidence (which is all one with faith) Pſal. 65.5. So he is ſaid to be our hope, Jer. 14.8. Pſal. 71.5. our love, our love it ſelf, 1 Joh. 4.16.
Anſw. Firſt, God is ſaid to be our confidence, and hope, becauſe he is the object of our faith and hope; and therefore wee are ſaid, to put our confidence, or to believe on him, 1 Pet. 2.6. Now if it were meant God is the very grace of faith, or confidence which is in us, then when we believe, or put our confidence on God, we ſhould put God upon God, which were abſurd; and if ſomething were lacking in our faith (as there is, 1 Theſ. 3.10.) then ſomething were lacking in God: And if it were meant that God is the grace of that hope which is in us, then when David prayed, he might not be aſhamed of his hope, hee meant, that he might not be aſhamed of his God.
God alſo may be ſaid to be our confidence, or hope, becauſe hee is the author and giver of theſe gifts to his people, Pſal. 119.49.
God is ſaid to be our love, becauſe whatſoever is good in the creature, is in God eminently, and infinitely, and ſo is God himſelf: But if God were that grace of love (which is ſaid to abide in us, 1 Cor. 13.13.) then God were a fruit of the Spirit, for that love which dwelleth in us, is a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22.
The Lord ſcatter our darkneſſe, and lead us by his Spirit of light and truth, into all truth, through Chriſt.