A Discourse Grounded on Proverbs, Part 2 · Section 42 – Section 43
Sect. XLII.
Caution againſt Reviling the SpiritANd here once for ever let me caution this Impious Age of coming near unto any thing that looks like, or comes near the Sin that is unto Death, Num. 26, 16even as Moſes charged the Congregation of Iſrael concerning Corah and his Complices, that they ſhould come near thoſe wicked perſons, 1 John 5.16Let me charge thee, O Man, whoſoever thou art, in the fear of God, that thou entertain not a Contemtuous thought much leſs utter a word againſt the written Word of God, in Scripturefor it is (as you have ſeen) the Dictate of the Holy Ghoſt. And here I cannot but make an Honourable mention of that Honourable Perſon who hath made Himſelf truely ſo by that moſt ſerious and ingenious complaint of his of the Prodigious fol…y of the Times whoſe onelyonly wit ſeems to lie in a Prophane and ſcurrilous abuſe of Holy Scriptures. Mr. R. Boyl in his late piece of Scripture ſtyleBut it may be obſerved as of Our Saviours, ſo of theſe Scripture-ſcoffers, that as they were part of our Saviours proof that He was the Prophecyed Meſſiah, for even thoſe ſcoffs, as we have ſeen, were part of what was fore ſpoken concerning him Eight and twenty Generations before he was born; ſo are theſe part of the accompliſhment of the Prophecies of that Book which told the World of theſe Men (ſixteen hundred years almoſt) before they came unto it, Be mindful (ſaith the Apoſtle) of the Words which were ſpoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of VsUs the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 2 Pet 3, 2, 3knowing this firſt, that there ſhall Come in the Laſt days Scoffers. Wherefore We revere in our Thoughts what they revile with their tongues, and ſo much the more Becauſe They do ſo. Matth. 18, 7But as Our Lord ſaith Offences muſt needs come, yet they bring their Wo with them, ſo let me ſay to theſe Men in the Prophets words,Iſaia, 28, 22 Be not Mockers leſt your Bands be made ſtrong.
Further, Take we heed that our THOUGHTS deſpiſe not any of the Operations of this Holy Spirit, 2 Sam. 6.16as prophane Michal did holy David in her heart:In Prayer Jude 20 S. Iude ſpeaks of Praying in the HOLY-GHOST; and S. Paul of Praying always with all Prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit.Eph. 6.16 Zech 12, 10The Old Teſtament ſpeaks of a ſpirit of ſupplication, and the New of a ſpirit of Adoption, Rom, 8 15crying or whereby we cry Abba, Galat. 4, 6Father. The ſpirit helpeth our Infirmities, Rom: 8, 26for We know not what to pray for (there's matter) as we ought (there's the manner) but the ſpirit it ſelf maketh Interceſsion for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered: Verſe 27,And he that ſearcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the ſpirit, &c.
Preaching Rom▪ 12, 6So likewiſe ſaith the Apoſtle, having gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us, whether Propheſie, Verſe 7, 8let us Propheſie according to the proportion of Faith, or Miniſtry, let us wait on Our Miniſtring, or he that teacheth, on teaching, or he that exhorteth on exhortation; Now the manifestation of the Spirit (ſaith he) is given to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12, 7ſo that where there's no manifeſtation of the Spirit in the Preacher, there can be no profit to the Hearer, Verſe 8…for to One is given by the Spirit the word of wiſdom to apply, to another the word of knowledge to explain, (ſome excel in one thing ſome in another: but all) by the ſame Spirit, And (ſaith he) I give You to underſtand, Verſe 3that no man ſpeaking by the ſpirit calleth Ieſus accurſed: Now there are diverſities of gifts but the ſame ſpirit. 'Tis the Spirit when we meditate,Verſe … John 15, 26that muſt take of Chriſts and ſhew it unto us; and▪ 16 14And when we ſpeak 'tis the Spirit that muſt give us utterance, Acts 2, 4and Preaching muſt be not in the inticing words of Mans wiſdom, 1 Cor. 2, 4but in the demonſtration of the Spirit.
Sanctification, moreover,Sanctification, 1 Pet: 1, 2 Rom. 8, 9 Every true Chriſtian is a Saint. is a peculiar work of the Spirit in every true Chriſtian; For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the ſame is none of his. The Corinthians were made Saints, when they were Converted and made Christians. 1 Cor. 1, 2To the Church of God which is at Corinth, &c called to be Saints; And ſuch were ſome of You (ſaith the Apoſtle to them) but now you are Sanctifyed by the Spirit of our God, 2 Cor. 1, 1 chap 6, 11Eph. 1, 1, 15ſo the Apoſtle ſalutes the Saints in Achaia, Rome, Epheſus, Rom. 1 7. mock Saints&c. We have known indeed the Blaſphemy of too many who have ſaid they are Saints and are not, Revel: 2, 9 and 3 9 No ground for reviling the Truebut do lie, but are of the Synagogue of Satan (like thoſe Brethren in Iniquity, who troubled Iſrael,Gen. 34, 30 and made him ſtink among the Inhabitants of the Land,) who ſhall bear their own judgement, yet this ſhall no more excuſe thoſe Iſhmaels, Galat. 4, 29who perſecute thoſe that are truly born after the Spirit, Dan▪ 7and Revile the very Saints of the most High (as the Prophet calls them) then it doth the Indignityes done to the True Chriſt, Matt. 24, 24becauſe (as was Propheſyed) Falſe Christs do ariſe.
all the godly have Gods Spirit, Rom. 8, 15The Scripture ſaith expreſsly That the Children of God, are led by the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit, are after the Spirit, Verſe 5, 9do walk after the Spirit, are in the Spirit, Ga. 5, 16, 25muſt walk in the Spirit, and 6, 18do ſow the Spirit, do reap the Spirit, have received the Spirit, who is in them, Rom. 18, 15whom they have of God as Fruit-bearer, 1 Cor: 6, 19Law giver, yet a Liberty giver and Life-giver, as a Builder, Galat. 5, 22 Rom. 8, 2 Epheſ. 21 22and as an In-dweller, to mortify and to quicken, to Convince and to Comfort, to teach and to bring to remembrance, 1 Co…. 3, 16to guide into the way, to uphold in the way, Ro. 8, 9 11 13 John 16.7, 8 & 14.26 and 16, 13 Pſalm …1:18 and 143, 10 Ep. 1, 13, 16and lead to the end, to be the earneſt of their Inheritance, and the Witneſs of their Son ſhip, the ſeal and the ſealer, wherewith and whereby they are ſealed unto the day of Redemption, by whom they have an acceſs to the Father, Rom. 8, 14who are alſo an habitation of God through the ſpirit. Epheſ 4, 3 & 2, 18, 22Such are the undoubted Operations of the Spirit in thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, for hereby We know that We dwell in Him, and He in us, 1 John 4, 13becauſe He hath given us his Spirit.
And therefore take heed, good Reader, of reviling any of theſe workings, or of ſcoffing at the words (for ſurely we cannot but think that the Holy-Ghoſt knows beſt how to expreſs his own workings) O think of this,Hebr. 10:62 that deſpight done to the SPIRIT of Grace ſuppoſeth a Trampling under foot the Son of God; And truly one would think one might ſay in this Caſe as Ahaſuerus did in another, Who is He, and where is He that durſt preſume in his heart to do ſo? Heſter 7, 5O Tremble, good Chriſtian at the very Thought of ſuch a thing, that the Holy Spirit of God ſhould be grieved or vexed by the ſons of Men,Epheſ. 4, 30 Iſaia. 63, 10 but eſpecially that any ſhould preſume to Blaſpheme him. And let this ſerious thought dwell with thee, That it is the Sin againſt the Spirit of Grace that excludes from Grace to Repent of SIN: Thou therefore that boweſt the knee at Our Father, and at the Name Ieſus, Remember that there is a Third, who together with the Father and the ſon, is to be Worſhiped and Glorifyed.
Sect. XLIII.
TO proceed, He that hath Right Thoughts of the Spirit thinks himſelf alike beholding to the ſpirit, High thoughts of our Obligati ns to the Spiritas to the Father and the Son, in the buiſineſs of his ſalvation, for to the working of the Father and the Son, both which are Great and Glorious in mans ſalvation, there muſt be added the ſupply of the ſpirit, For God hath choſen us to ſalvation, Phil. 1, 19as well through ſanctification of the ſpirit, 2 Theſ. 1, 13:as through the Belief of the Truth. And therefore (ſaith Chriſt) I will pray the Father, John 14.16and he ſhall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you for ever, even the ſpirit of Truth, &c. And again, It is expedient for you that I go away that I may ſend Him to you.and 16.7
It is Expedient; that's a great word, He ſaith not onelyonly, it will be as well for you if He come to you, as if I had ſtayed with you; but it is expedient for you that I go, that He may come; As in works that muſt paſs through more hands then one, it is Expedient that the Firſt hand be taken off, that the Finiſhing hand may come. And therefore the Finiſhing Work is the Spirits work.the finiſhing work in mans Salvation the Spirits work The Father (by his Mercy,) The Son (by his Merit and Mediation) and the Spirit (of the Father and the Son) by his In-dwelling,) as theſe Three are One in themſelves, ſo in Mans ſalvation,1 John 5, 11 which (Scripture ſaith) is in the ſon, given us by the Father, but ſent us home by the ſpirit. When the Comforter is come (ſaith Chriſt) whom I will ſend to you from the Father, John …3, 16John 15:21even the ſpirit of Truth, He ſhall testify of Me. The Grace of Our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 13, 14and the Love of God is brought home to us, and We to it, by the Communion of the Holy-Ghoſt. The Son by his Incarnation (which was the Work which his Father gave him to do) brought Heaven Down to us,John 17, … and the ſpirit in our Regeneration (wherein we are ſaid to be Born of the ſpirit) makes us his Temples and Gods Habitations,John 3, … Ep. 2, 21, 22and builds as up to Heaven.Hebr. 9, 14 The Son Offers up Himſelf, and makes us acceptable to a Iuſt God, Epheſ. 1, 6through his comlineſs, that is to ſay, his Righteouſneſs, put upon us; And there is alſo an Offering up of us, a making of us amiable to an Holy God by the Holy Spirit, That the Offering up of the Gentiles (ſaith the Apoſtle) might be Acceptable being ſanctifyed by the Holy-Ghoſt.Rom 15.16 The Maker of the New Covenant is the Father, 2 Cor, 6:8Hebr. 8, 6The Mediator of it is the Son; And the great Matter of it is the Spirit, for this is the ſum of All,Exek. 36, 22 I will put my ſpirit within You, who is therefore called the Holy ſpirit of Promiſe. Epheſ. 1:13 Holy Spirit the great New Teſtament promiſe. Luke 2, 25For as the Coming of the Meſsiah was the Great Hope and Expectation of the Fathers of the Old Teſtament, which is therefore called a waiting for the Conſolation of Iſrael, ſo the coming of the Holy-Ghoſt in the New, and therefore called a waiting for the Promiſe of the Father; Acts 1, 4…And therefore when the Primitive Diſciples were curiouſly inquiſitive, and deſirous of the Knowledge of the Times and ſeaſons, Verſe 7, 8Our Gracious Saviour who beſt knew what was beſt for them, confines them to and comforts them with this Expectation that the Holy-Ghost ſhould come upon them. And Oh that many whoſe vehement Deſires run out that way, (viz.) after knowledge of times and ſeaſons, would endeavour more for the ſweet Influences and Incomes of the Holy-Ghoſt,Fruits of the Spirit whoſe Fruits (ſaith the Apoſtle) are Love, Ioy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Galat. 5, 22 23Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, againſt which there is no Law.