Of Communion with God, Part 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Some observations and inferences from Discourses foregoing concerning the Spirit. The contempt of the whole Administration of the Spirit by some. The vaine pretence of the Spirit by others. The false Spirit discovered.
THis processe being made, I should now shew immediately §. 1 how we hold the communion proposed with the Holy Ghost, in the things laid down, and manifested to containe his peculiar worke towards us. But there are some miscarriages, in the world in reference unto this dispensation of the Holy Ghost, both on the one hand and the other, in contempt of his true worke, and pretence of that which is not; that I cannot but remark in my passage; which to do shall be the businesse of this chapter.
1. Take a view then of the state and condition of them §. 2 who professing to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ, do yet contemne and despise his spirit as to all its operations, Gifts, Graces and dispensations to his Churches and Saints. Whilst Christ was in the World with his disciples, he made them no greater promise, neither in respect of their own good, nor of carrying on the worke which he had committed to them, then this of giving them the holy Ghost. Him, he instructeth them to pray for of the Father, as that which is needfull for them, as bread for children Luke 11. 13. Him he promiseth them, as a well of water springing up in them, for their refreshment strengthning and consolation, unto everlasting life: John 7. 37, 38, 39. As also to carry on, and accomplish the whole worke of the ministry to them committed: John 16. 8. 9, 10. with all those eminent workes and priviledges before mentioned. And upon his Ascension this is laid as the bottome of that glorious Communication of gifts and Graces in his plentifull effusion mentioned Ephes. 4. 8, 11. 12. namely, That he had received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost: Act. 2. 33. and that in such an eminent manner, as thereby to make the greatest and most glorious difference betwen the Administration of the new Covenant and old. Especially doth the whole worke of the ministry relate to the Holy Ghost; though that be not my present businesse to evince. He calls men to that worke, and they are separated unto him, Act. 13. 2. He furnisheth them with gifts, and abilitys for that employment, 1 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9, 10. Soc that the whole Religion we professe without this Administration of the Spirit, is nothing: nor is there any fruite without it of the Resurrection of Christ from the the dead.
This being the state of things, that in our worship of, & Obedience to God, in our own consolation, sanctification, and ministeriall employment, the Spirit being the Principle the life, soule, the all of the whole; yet so desperate hath been the malice of Satan, and wickednesse of men; that their great endeavour hath been, to shut him quite out of all Gospell administrations.
First his Gifts and Graces were not only decryed, but almost excluded from the publike worship of the Church, by the §. 3 imposition of an operous forme of service, to be read by the minister; which to doe, is neither a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost to any; nor of the ministry at all. It is marvellous to consider what pleas and pretences were invented, and used by learned men, from its Antiquity, its composure or approbation by Martyrs, the beauty of Uniformity in the worship of God established, and pressed thereby &c. for the defence and maintenance of it. But the maine Argument they insisted on, and the chiefe field wherein they expatiated, and layd out all their Eloquence was, the vaine babling repetitions and folly of men praying by the Spirit. When once this was fallen upon, all (at least as they supposed) was carryed away before them, and their Adversaries rendred sufficiently ridiculous. So great is the cunning of Satan, and so unsearchable are the follys of the hearts of men. The summe of all these reasonings amount to no more but this: Though the Lord Jesus Christ hath promised the Holy Ghost to be with his Church to the end of the world, to fit and furnish men with gifts and abilitys, for the carrying on of that worship which he requires, and accepteth at our hands, yet the worke is not done to the purpose; the gifts he bestows, are not sufficient to that end neither as to invocation, nor doctrine, & therefore we will not only help men by our directions but exclude them from their exercise. This I say was the summe of all, as I could undeniably evidence. Were that my present busines. What innumerable evills ensue on this Principle, in a formall setting a part of men to the ministry, who had never once tasted of the powers of the world to come, nor received any gifts from the Holy Ghost to that purpose; of crying up, and growing in, an outside pompous worship, wholly forraign to the power and simplicity of the Gospell; of silencing, destroying, banishing men, whose ministry was accompanyed with the evidence, and demonstration of the Spirit, I shall not need to declare. This is that I ayme at, to point out the publike contempt of the Holy Ghost; his gifts and graces wtih their administration in the Church of God, that hath been found even where the Gospell hath been professed.
Again, it is a thing of most sad consideration, once to call to §. 4 mind, the improvement of that principle of contempt of the Spirit in private men, & their ways. The name of the spirit was grown a terme of reproach. To plead for, or pretend to pray by the Spīrit, was enough to render a man the object of scorne and reproach, from all sorts of men, from the Pulpit to the stage. What? you are full of the Spirit, you will pray by the spirit, you have the gift, come let us heare your non-sence; And yet perhaps these men would think themselves wronged, not to be accounted Christians. Christians, yea have not some pretending themselves to be leaders of the flock; yea, mounted a story or two above their brethren, and claiming a Rule and goverment over them, made it their businesse to scoffe at, and reproach the gifts of the spirit of God. And if this were the frame of their Spirit, what might be expected from others of professed prophannesse? It is not imaginable to what height of blasphemy, the processe in this kind amounted. The Lord grant there be nothing of this cursed leaven still remaining amongst us. Some bleatings of ill importance are sometimes heard. Is this the fellowship of the Holy Ghost that Believers are called unto? Is this the due Entertainment of him whom our Saviour promised to send for the supply of his Bodily absence, so as we might be no loosers thereby? Is it not enough that mē should be contented with such a stupid blindnesse, as being called Christians, to looke no farther for this comfort and consolation, then morall considerations common to Heathens, would lead them, when one infinitely holy and blessed person of the Trinity, hath taken this office upon him to be our Comforter, but they must oppose and despise him also; nothing more discovers how few there are in the world, that have interest in that blessed name whereby we are all called. But this is no place to pursue this discourse. The aime of this discourse is to evince the folly and madnesse of men in generall, who professe to own the Gospell of Chist, and yet contemne and despise his Spīrit, in whomsoever he is manifested. Let us be zealous of the gifts of the Spirit, not envious at them.
Frō what hath bin discoursed we may also try the spirits that are §. 5 gone abroad in the world; & which have been exercising themselves at severall seasons, ever since the Ascention of Christ. The iniquity of the generation that is past, & passing away, lay in open cursed opposition to the holy Ghost. God hath been above them wherein they behaved themselves presumptiously. Satan, whose designe, as he is God of this world, is to be uppermost, not to dwell wholly in any forme cast down by the providence of God, hath now tran formed himselfe into an Angell of light, and he will pretend the Spirit also, and only. But there are seducing Spirits. 1 Tim. 4. 1. And we have a command not to believe every Spirit, but try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 16. And the reason added, is, because many false Spirits are gone abroad in the world, that is, men pretending to the Revelation of new Doctrines by the Spirit, whose deceipts in the first Church Paul into mateth, 2 Thess. 2. 2. Calling on men not to be shaken in mind by Spirit. The truth is the Spirits of these days are so grosse, that a man of a very easy discerning, may find them out: & yet their delusion so strong that not a few are deceived. This is one thing that lys evident to every eye; That according to his wounted course, Satan with his delusions is runne into an extreame to his former actings.
Not long since, his great designe (as I manifested,) was to try up Ordinances without the Spirit casting all the reproach §. 6 that he could upon him: now to cry up a Spirit without and against Ordinances, casting all reproach, and contempt possible upon them. Then he would have a ministry without the Spirit: now a Spirit without a ministry. Then the reading of the word might suffice without either preaching, or praying by the Spirit: now the Spirit is enough without reading or studying the word at all. Thē he allowed a litterall embracing of what Christ had don in the flesh, now he talkes of Christ in the Spirit only, and denys him to be come in the flesh, the proper character of the false Spirit, we are warned of 1 Joh. 1. 3. Now because it is most certaine that the Spirit which we are to heare and embrace, is the Spirit promised by Christ, which is so cleare, that Him the Montanists Paraclete, yea and Mahomet pretended himselfe to be, and those of our daies affirme also pretend the same. Let us briefly try them by some of the Effects mentioned, which Christ hath promised to give the Holy Ghost for.
The first generall Effect, as was observed, was this; that he should bring to remembrance the things that Christ spake for our guidance, and Consolation. This was to be the worke of the Holy Ghost §. 7 towards the Apostles, who were to be the pen-men of the Scriptures: this is to be his work towards Believers to the end of the world. Now the things that Christ hath spoken and did, are written that we might believe, and believing have life through his name Ioh. 20. 30. They are written in the Scripture. This then is the worke of the Spirit, which Christ hath promised, he shall bring to our remembrances and give us understanding of the words of Christ in the Scripture for our guidance, and consolation. Is this now the worke of the Spirit, which is abroad in the world, and perverteth many? Nothing lesse. His businesse is to decry the things that Christ hath spoken which are written in the Word; To pretend new Revelations of his own; To lead men from the written word, wherein the whole worke of God, and all the promises of Christ are recorded.
Againe, the worke of the Spirit promised by Christ, is to glorify him. He shall Glorify me, for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you. John 16. 14. him who was to suffer at Jerusalem, who §. 8 then spake to his Disciples; It was to make him Glorious, Honourable, and of high esteem in the hearts of Believers, and that by shewing his things, his Love, Kindnesse, Grace, and purchase unto them. This is the worke of the Spirit. The worke of the Spirit, that is gone abroad, is to glorify it selfe; to decry, and render contemptible Christ that suffered for us under the name of a Christ without us; which it slights and despiseth, and that professedly. Its own Glory, its own honour is all that it aymes at: wholly inverting the order of the divine dispensations. The fountaine of all being, and lying in the Fathers love, the Sonne came to glorify the Father. He still says, I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me. The Sonne having carryed on the worke of Redemption, was now to be glorifyed with the Father. So he prays that it might be. John 17. 1. The hower is come, glorify the Sonne, and that with the glrry which he had before the world, when his joynt councell was in the carrying on the Fathers Love. Wherefore the Holy Ghost, is sent, and his worke is to glorify the Sonne; but now (as I said) we have a Spirit come forth, whose whole businesse is to glorify himselfe; whereby we may easily know whence he is.
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost sheds abroad the love of God in our Hearts (as was declared) and thence fills them with joy; §. 9 Peace, and hope; quieting and refreshing the hearts of them, in whom he dwells, giving them liberty and rest, confidence and the boldnesse of children. This Spirit whereof men now boast is a Spirit of bondage, whose utmost worke is to make men quake, and tremble, casting them into an unsonlike frame of Spirit driving them up and down with horror and bondage, and drinking up their very naturall spirits & making their whole man wither away. There is scarce any one thing that more evidently manifesteth the Spirit whereby some are now acted, not to be the Comforter promised by Christ then this, That he is a Spirit of bondage and slavery, in them in whom he is, and a spirit of cruelty; and reproach toward others, in a direct opposition to the holy Ghost in Believers, and all the ends and purpurposes, for which as a Spirit of Adoption and Consolation, he is bestowed on them.
To give one instance more; the Holy Ghost bestowed on §. 10 Believers, is a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication, as was manifested. The Spirit wherewith we have to doe, pretends the carrying men above such low and contemptible meanes of communion with God. In a word it were a very easy and facile taske to passe through all of the eminent effects of the Holy Ghost, in and towards Believers; and to manifest, that the pretending spirit of our daies comes in a direct opposition, and contradiction to every one of them. Thus hath Satan passed from one extreame to another: from a bitter wretched opposition to the Spirit of Christ, unto a cursed pretending to the Spirit, still to the same end and purpose.
I might give sundry other instances of the contempt or abuse of the dispensation of the Spirit. Those mentioned are the extreames whereunto all other are, or may be reduced; and I will not farther divert from that which lys directly in my ayme.