Right Thoughts, Part 2 · Section 42 – Section 44
Sect. XLII.
ANd 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, Caution againſt Reviling the Spirit. Numb. 26.16.even as Moſes charged the Congregation of Iſrael concerning Corah and his Complices,1 John 5.16. that they ſhould not come near thoſe wicked perſons, Let me charge thee, O Man, whoſoever thou art, in the fear of God, that thou entertain not a Contemptuous thought, In Scripture.much leſs utter a word againſt the written word of God, for 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, Mr. R. Boyl la his late piece of Scripture ſtyle.who hath made Himſelf truly ſo, by that moſt ſerious and ingenious complaint of his, of the Prodigious folly of the Times, whoſe onelyonly wit ſeems to lie in a prophane and ſcurrilous abuſe of Holy Scriptures. But 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, 2 Pet. 3.2, 3.and of the Commandment of Us the Apoſtles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this firſt, that there ſhall Come in the Laſt dayes Scoffers. Wherefore We revere in our Thoughts what they revile with their tongues, and ſo much the more Becauſe They do ſo. Matth. 18.7.But as Our Lord ſaith, Offences muſt needs come, yet they bring their woe with them, ſo let me ſay to theſe Men in the Prophets words,Iſaiah 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 6.26. In Prayer. Jude 20. Eph. 6.16. Zech. 12.10. Rom. 8.15. Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.26.as prophane Michal did holy David in her heart. S. Jude ſpeaks of Praying in the HOLY GHOST; and S. Paul of Praying alwayes with all Prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit. The Old Teſtament ſpeaks of a ſpirit of ſupplication, and the New of a ſpirit of Adoption, crying or whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The ſpirit helpeth our Infirmities, for 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. 12.6. Verſe 7.8.So likewiſe ſaith the Apoſtle, having gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, whether Propheſie, let 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 withall, 1 Cor. 12.7.ſo that where there's no manifeſtation of the Spirit in the Preacher, there can be no profit to the Hearer, for to One is given by the Spirit the word of wiſdom to apply,Verſe 8. to another the word of knowledge to explain, (ſome excel in one thing,Verſe 3. ſome in another: but all) by the ſame Spirit, And (ſaith he) I give You to underſtand, that no man ſpeaking by the ſpirit calleth Jeſus accurſed: Verſe 4. John 15.26. and 16.14. Acts 2.4. 1 Cor. 2.4.Now there are diverſities of gifts, but the ſame ſpirit. 'Tis the Spirit when we meditate, that muſt take of Chriſts, and ſhew it unto us; And when we ſpeak, 'tis the Spirit that muſt give us utterance, and Preaching muſt be not in the inticing words of Mans wiſdom, Sanctification… 1 Pet. 1.2. Rom. 8.9. Every true Chriſtian is a Saint. 1 Cor. 1.2. 2 Cor. 1.1. Chap. 6.11. Eph. 1.1, 15. Rom. 1.7. Mock Saints. Revel. 2 9. and 3.9. No ground for reviling the True. Gen. 34.30. Gal. 4.29. Dan. 7. Mat. 24.24. All the godly have Gods …ſpirit. Rom. 8.15. Verſe 5.9. Gal. 5.16, 25. and 6.18. Rom. 1….15. 1 Cor. 6.19. Gal. 5.22. Rom. 8.2. Epheſ. 2.22. 1 Cor. 3.16. Rom. 8.9, 11, 13. John 16.7, 8. & 14.26. and 16.13. Pſalm 51.18. and 143.10. Eph. 1.13, 16. Rom. 8.14. Eph. 4.3. & 2.18.22. 1 John 4.13.but in the demonſtration of the Spirit.
Sanctification, moreover, 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. To 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 ſanctified by the ſpirit of our God ſo the Apoſtle ſalutes the Saints in Achaia, Rome, Epheſus, &c. We have known indeed the Blaſphemy of too many who have ſaid they are Saints, and are not, but do lie, but are of the Synagogue of Satan (like thoſe Brethren in Iniquity, who troubled Iſrael, and made him ſtink among the Inhabitants o… the Land) who ſhall bear their own judgment, yet this ſhall no more excuſe thoſe Iſhmaels, who perſecute thoſe that are truly born after the ſpirit, and Revile the very Saints of the moſt High (as the Prophet calls them) then it doth the Indignities done to the True Chriſt, becauſe, as was Propheſyed) Falſe Chriſts do ariſe.
The Scripture ſaith expreſly, That the Children of God, are led by the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit, are after the Spirit, do walk after the Spirit, are in the ſpirit, muſt walk in the ſpirit, do ſow the ſpirit, do reap the ſpirit, have received the ſpirit, who is in them, whom they have of God as Fruit-bearer, Law-giver, yet a Liberty-giver, and Life-giver, as a Builder, and as an In-dweller, to mortifie and to quicken, to Convince and to Comfort, to teach and to bring to remembrance, to guide into the way, to uphold in the way, and 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, who are alſo an habitation of God through the ſpirit. Such 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, becauſe 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 Children 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? Heſtr. 7.5.O 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,Eph. 4.30. Iſaiah 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 Jeſus, Remember that there is a Third, who together with the Father and the Son, is to be worſhiped and glorified.
Sect. XLIII.
High thoughts of our Obligations to the Spirit.TO proceed, He that hath Right Thoughts of the Spirit, thinks himſelf alike beholding to the ſpirit, as to the Father and the Son, in the buſineſs 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. 2.19.as well through ſanctification of the ſpirit, 2 Theſ. 1.13. John 14.16.as through the Belief of the Truth. And therefore (ſaith Chriſt) I will pray the Father, and 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, And 16.7.that I may ſend Him to you.
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.The finiſhing work in mans Salvation the Spirits work. And therefore the Finiſhing work is 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 Indwelling,) as theſe Three are One in themſelves, ſo in Mans ſalvation, which (Scripture ſaith) is in the Son, 1 John 5.11. John 3.16. John 15.21.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, even the ſpirit of Truth, He ſhall teſtify of Me. The Grace of Our Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 13.14.and 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 17.4. and the ſpirit in our Regeneration (wherein we are ſaid to be Born of the ſpirit) makes us his Temples and Gods Habitations, and builds us up to Heaven.John 3.8. Eph. 2.21, 22. Hebr. 9.14. Epheſ. 1.6. The Son Offers up himſelf, and makes us acceptable to a juſt God, through 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,Rom. 15.16. That the Offering up of the Gentiles (ſaith the Apoſtle) might be Acceptable being ſan…tified by the Holy Ghoſt.2 Cor. 6.8. Hebr. 8.6. The Maker of the New Covenant is the Father, The Mediator of it is the Son; And the great Matter of it is the Spirit, for this is the ſum of All, I will put my ſpirit within you, Ezek. 36.2.who is therefore called the holy ſpirit of Promiſe. Eph. 1.13. Holy Spirit the great New Teſtament promiſe. Luke 2.25. Acts 1.4. Verſe 7.8.For 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; And therefore when the Primitive Diſciples were curiouſly inquiſitive, and deſirous of the Knowledge of the Times and Seaſons, Our 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 whole 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. Gal. 5.22, 23. whoſe Fruits (ſaith the Apoſtle) are Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, againſt which there is no Law.
Sect. XLIV.
Bleſſed fruit.O Bleſſed Fruit of the thrice-Bleſſed Spirit (for this was the Bleſſing of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jeſus Chriſt,Gal. 3.14. even that we might receive the Promiſe of the Spirit through Faith. The Fruit that undid us was Forbidden Fruit, Gen. 3.17. Chap. 2.17. Rom. 8.2. and 6.22.Fruit againſt Law, but againſt ſuch there is no Law: Man Eating of that Fruit, was to die the Death, but this Spirit of Life makes us free from the Law of Death, ſo that now We have our fruit unto holineſs, and the end Everlaſting Life.
Sweet Fruit. 2 Cor. 3.17.Sweet Fruit, may I well ſay, if Life be ſweet or Liberty (for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty) or if Peace be ſweet, or Love lovely, or Joy joyous: Or if theſe be not enough, here is Temperance, Meekneſs, Faith, Goodneſs, &c. We may ſay here (as 'tis ſaid in the Canticles) at our good are all manner of pleaſant fruits: Cant. 7.13.Here, I am ſure, I may ſay, and not beguile my Reader,Gen. 3.6. are fruits pleaſant to the Eyes, and good for Food (for the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteouſneſs, and Peace, Rom. 14.17. 1 Cor. 2.11.and Joy in the Holy Gho…t) and truly to be deſired to make one Wiſe, for the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God, Verſe 12.13.now we have received not the Spirit of this World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things alſo we ſpeak not in the words which mans wiſdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghoſt teacheth, comparing ſpiritual things with ſpiritual; and therefore He is called the ſpirit of Wiſdom and Revelation, Eph. 1.17, 18.that We might know the hope of his Calling, and the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints.
The Fruit forementioned was of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Gen. 2.19. Eph. 5.7. In all goodneſs and truth.but the Fruit of the Spirit is in all GOODNESS, Righteouſneſs, and TRUTH. Here is ALL Good, and No Guile. So then if Goodneſs it ſelf be Good, if Righteouſneſs be Deſirable (for We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteouſneſs by Faith,) if Truth be amiable,Gal. 5.5. (for He is alſo called the Spirit of Truth, John 15.26. and 16.13. Eph. 3.16. 2 Cor. 3.18. Phil. 2.1.and ſaid to guide into All Truth.) In a word, if according to the Riches of the Glory of God, We are ſtrengthened with might in the inner man by the Spirit, changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory by the ſame Spirit; If there be any Conſolation in Chriſt, or comfort of Love joyned with the fellowſhip of the Spirit; If God be a good Gueſt, (for Ye are the Temple of God, if the Spirit of God dwell in you, 1 Cor. 3.16.) Or if Heaven be worth having, or that it be good for us that dwell in this Tabernacle, to be clothed upon, 2 Cor. 5.4.that Mortality might be ſwallowed up of Life, the Earneſt whereof is the Spirit, Verſe 5.Surely well may the Fruit of the Spirit be ſaid to be in All Goodneſs. As Mony anſwers All things, in temporal Reſpects,Eccleſ. 11.19. Spirit anſwer… all good things. ſo where one Evangeliſt ſaith, how much more ſhall your Father give good Things, &c. The other reads, How much more ſhall he give the holy Spirit to them that ask him, ſo that the Holy Spirit anſwers All good Things.
Drunkards quench this Spirit. Iſa…ah 28.1. 2 Theſ. 5.19. Hoſea 4.11. Eph. 5.18. Luke 21.38.And here I cannot but lament the Drunkenneſs of our Ephraim, who by abuſing good things, ſin away the Beſt Thing, quenching the Spirit with ſtrong Drink, which as it takes away mans heart, ſo it keeps away Gods Spirit, as Scripture ſaith, be not drunk with Wine, wherein is exceſs, but be filled with the Spirit, for that clean Spirit can not dwell in an Heart (eſpecially) overcharged with Surfeiting, Drunkenneſs, and odious exceſs.