The Spirits Touchstone, Part 7
Several ſigns whereby we may know we are taught of the Spirit.
1. He that hath the teachings of the Spirit upon his heart is of an humble Spirit. We finde in Scripture that the holy men of God, both in the Old and in the New Teſtament, when they have approached near to God to have any revelation from him, or after they have had a revelation they have abaſed themſelves, and have been of a more ſubmiſſive frame of Spirit. Iſa. 6. Job 42. Job after God had appeared unto him and ſhewed him his own weakneſs, and his Juſtice in proceeding with him ſuch a way, ſaith, I abhor my ſelf in duſt and aſhes. Iſa. 65.5. Iſ. 34.11.He doth not contemne his weak brother; and like thoſe in Iſaiah ſay, Stand by for I am holier then thou, but as David, he ſaith, Come unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord, and what he hath done for my ſoul. He doth not think the better of himſelf, but the more lowly, and doth admire the Free-grace and love of God unto his ſoul. See how Paul magnifies the Free-grace of God in diſcovering unto him the Myſtery of Jeſus Chriſt, Ʋnto me who am leſs then the leaſt of all the Apoſtles, is this grace given that I ſhould make known to the Gentiles the unſearchable riches of Chriſt: Eph. 3.8.So a gracious ſoul is not proud of the teachings of the Spirit upon his heart, but counts meanly of himſelf, and exalts the Grace of God, that ſuch a one as he who was formerly ſerving divers luſts, ſhould be admitted into the number of Gods Favorites, and to partake of his ſecrets; he is ſo far from being proud, that he will ſtoope and condeſcend to the meaneſt Chriſtian for their ſouls good. The heart of man is full of wickedneſs, it is a neſt full of unclean birds, for if a world of iniquity be in the tongue, Jam. 3.6.How much iniquity is there in the heart? Now when the Spirit ſhall lead us into every cell and corner of our hearts, as the Lord did the Prophet Ezekiel c. 8. and ſhall ſhew the ſtill greater and greater abominations, and ſhall rip up every feſter'd corner therein, and let out all the ill blood, certainly this cannot but humble a child of God; the more a man ſees his own vileneſs, the more he admires the goodneſs of God unto him, and is ſenſible of the evil of his ſin.Jam. 4.6. foreign, Ex adverſo ſeponit. As God communicates himſelf to none but to the humble ſpirit, God reſiſteth the proud, but he giveth Grace unto the humble; ſo none have the teachings of the Spirit, but thoſe that are humble.
2. If there be the teachings of the Spirit upon the heart, there will follow more joy then can well be conceived of Archimedes when he had found out a Mathematical demonſtration, cryed out foreign, I have found it, I have found it; how much more wilt thou rejoyce when thou ſhalt know the things of God! If Simon when he ſaw Chriſt in the Temple cryed out, Now Lord let thy ſervant depart in peace, Luk. 2.29.for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation. O how wilt thou rejoyce when thou ſhalt ſee Chriſt in thy heart dwelling there by a lively faith? It is not Chriſt come in the fleſh that ſaves us, but Chriſt come in the heart, Chriſt in us is the hope of glory; Col. 1.27.Knowledge is better then life, how much better is the Knowledge of God? If it be ſuch a pleaſure to a man to know that which he never knew before, what a pleaſure is it to know by the witneſs of the Spirit upon our hearts, that God in Chriſt is reconciled to us? Saith the Spouſe to Chriſt,Cant. 1.2. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for his love is better then Wine. Theſe words hold forth three things. 1. The great familiarity between Chriſt and his Church; As a kiſs is a ſign of homage and obedience. Pſal. 2. Kiſs the Son leaſt he be angry. i. e. Obey the Son, do homage to him; ſo it is a ſign of familiarity and love, therefore, ſaith the Apoſtle,1 Cor. 16.20. Greet ye one another with a holy kiſs, you know, friends after long abſence uſe at their meeting to ſalute each other with a kiſs of love,The familiarity of Chriſt & a Believer, is in the kiſſes of his mouth i. e. the teachings of the Spirit. to ſhew their mutual joy at their meeting together again. 2. That this familiarity and mutual love between Chriſt and his Church comes in by his Word, and by the teachings of his Spirit; he doth not ſay with the kiſſes of his lipps, but with the kiſſes of his mouth; the word [Kiſſes] is taken in Scripture for flattering, ſoft, and pleaſant words, ſhewing forth ſome love and charity, Prov. 27.6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kiſſes of an enemy are deceitful. The Churches deſire is, that Chriſt would inſtruct her by his Word and Spirit, for his love is better then wine. 3. The love of Chriſt in the kiſſes of his mouth to his Spouſe, is better then wine; all the compariſons in this book of Canticles are drawn from things which do moſt of all title our minds and delight our ſenſes; Wine amongſt thoſe things which belong to the taſte, is the ſweeteſt. The love of Chriſt in the teachings of his Spirit, is better then all things, better then Wine, then Wine which maketh glad the heart of man. If Chriſts love in the kiſſes of his mouth be better then wine, then certainly the joys which come in by the teachings of Gods Spirit, are better then the joys which come in by wine; all the joyes which come in by theſe carnal delights are of a periſhing nature, as ſoon as the act is paſt, the pleaſure is paſt. A drunkard as ſoon as his cup is down, the pleaſure vaniſheth; but the joyes that come in by the Spirits teachings are abiding joyes, all other joyes have a ſting at the end of them; ſin it hath a fair entrance,The diſference between the joyes of the Spirit, and other joyes. but at the length it bites like an Adder, and ſtings like a Scorpion; but the joy that comes from the Spirit is without ſorrow, it is not adulterate Wine, but pure and ſweet Wine, Pſal. 122.1. I was glad when they ſaid unto me, let us go into the houſe of the Lord. Pſal. 27.4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, that will I ſeek after, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple. As the Doctrine of Chriſt exceedeth all other Doctrine, ſo it breedeth a greater delight and joy in the heart then other Doctrines do. He that hath the light of the Spirit will diſcern therein a ſecret and hidden Manna which the world knoweth not of; As the dew deſcendeth upon the ground, and rejoyceth the earth, and maketh it to flouriſh; ſo the Spirits teachings are by the dew to refreſh the barren and drooping Spirit, Hoſ. 14.5. I will be at the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the Lily, and caſt forth his roots as Lebanon, Dent. 32.2. My doctrine ſhall drop as the rain, my ſpeech ſhall diſtil as the dew, as the ſmall rain upon the tender herbe, and as the ſhowers upon the graſs. As the dew in Spring and Autume, when the Aire is temperate and clear doth freſh the ground and make the herbs to flouriſh, and to give a ſweet ſmell; ſo the teachings of the Spirit they cauſe our hearts to rejoyce, they come as the rain upon the dry ground, and as the dew upon the tender herbe.Phil. 4.4. A Chriſtian ſhould alwayes be of a joyful Spirit, Rejoyce in the Lord always, and again, I ſay unto you rejoyce; 2 Cor. 11, 30.ſaith Paul, I rejoyce in my infirmities; what if thy ſins were never ſo many, Did not Chriſt ſatisfie for thy ſins? Are thy afflictions heavy upon thy Spirit, the joyes which flow in from the Spirit of God, will ſuperabound and exceed all thy afflictions, beſides the Spirit will teach thee.Heb. 12.10 1. That all thy afflictions are but to make thee partaker of the holineſs of God.Rom. 8.28 2. That they ſhall work for thy good, all things ſhall work for the good of them who love God. 3. All thy afflictions cannot hinder God from loving of thee. God loves a Saint in priſon, in nakedneſs, in famine, in diſtreſs; God loved Job on the Dunghill, Lazarus with his ſores, Paul in priſon; yea I may ſay God is more choice of a Saint under affliction then at another time; as the Goldſmith looks well to the mettal while it is in the Furnace,A ſimile. leſt that the leaſt grain of ſilver be conſumed with the droſs; ſo God is very careful leſt that the leaſt grain of his ſervants Graces may periſh under the fire of affliction. 4. That all thy afflictions ſhall make thy future glory. 5. That the croſs of Chriſt hath ſanctified the Croſs unto thee.
3. If thou haſt the Spirits teachings upon thy heart, thou wilt not grudge at the diſpenſation of God to others, but wilt do what lies in thy power to teach others Thou wilt be ſo far from grudging that thou wilt magnifie the Grace of God, and bleſs God for what he hath done for others as well as for thy ſelf, Act. 26.27. I would to God, ſaid Paul, that not onelyonly thou, but alſo all that hear me this day, wete both almoſt and altogether ſuch as I am, except theſe bonds. Likewiſe Moſes when they told him that Eldad and Medad propheſied, ſaid,Num. 11.29. I could wiſh that all the Lords people were Prophets. So Chriſt, Mat. 18. Father, I thank thee that thou haſt hid thoſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes, &c. Chriſt did not envy us his fellow brethren, neither was he aſhamed to be called our brother, neither was he unwilling to undergo that great work for the ſalvation of our precious ſouls, but he was glad when he ſaw the fruit of his travaile, and it rejoyced his ſeed; he ſhall ſee the travaile of his ſoul and be ſatisfied. A ſpiritual man owns the gifts and Graces of God in the hearts of others,Luk. 1.41. as well as in his own heart; as the Babe in Elizabeths wombe leaped for joy at Maries ſalutation, ſo will the new-come Babe within thee leap for joy when thou ſhalt hear of the ſalvation brought to light to others. It is the Divels ſpirit, and a carnal fleſhly ſpirit to envy the gifts and Graces which are in others; but it is a ſigne of a true Chriſtian ſpirit to acknowledge the leaſt grain of true Grace in others, and to cheriſh it as much as we can. Chriſt ownes whatſoever is of his Spirit in us, a little faith if it be true ſhall have its reward, and ſo ſhould we do; Chriſt acknowledged a little ſtrength in the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3.8. Thou haſt a little ſtrength, and haſt kept my word, Rom 9.3.and haſt not denied my name. Paul was ſo far from envying his Countriemen, that he wiſhed himſelf accurſed from Chriſt for his brethen the Jews; and Moſes deſires to be blotted out of the book of life; Exod. 32.32.Nay thou wilt do all the good that thou canſt whence once God hath taught thee to teach others; ſaith Chriſt to Peter, When thou art converted ſtrengthen thy brethren. Luk. 22.32. Joh. 1.41.Andrew as ſoon as he had found the Meſſiah, he preſently telleth his brother Simon of it, that he might alſo be one of Chriſts Diſciples; and if ever the true Meſſiah the King of Glory hath once entred into thy heart, there will be ſuch meltings of the heart within thee, that thou canſt not refrain, but thou muſt diſcover the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt to others. The woman of Samaria in the fourth of John, as ſoon as ſhe had found the Meſſiah, ſhe preſently left her water-pots and went into the City, telling the Samaritans that ſhe had found the Meſſias. So likewiſe wilt thou do if ever the Sun of righteouſneſs hath riſen in thy heart. So the converted thief he preſently ſtrives to convert his fellow Thief, Feareſt thou not God, ſaith he,Luk. 23.40. ſeeing thou art in the ſame condemnation? The light of the ſpirit in a regenerate ſoul cannot be hid, the more thou ſmotherſt it, the more it riſeth up, as the fire the more it is preſſed down, by and by it riſeth up in a greater flame; Saith Chriſt, No man lighteth a candle, Mat. 5.15.and putteth it under a Buſhel. So the Spirit it doth not create a new light within us for nothing, but that we might ſhine to others and light others, and that others might ſee by our light, and be warmed by our fire. Miniſters are the lights of the world in a more eminent way, as being publike lights, lights ſet upon a hill that all may take notice of them.☞ They are the Beacons of a Nation to foretell thoſe dreadful Judgements which are coming upon them for their ſins if they do not repent. They are to call upon private Chriſtians, that they hang out their lights to the world, that others ſeeing their good works might glorifie their Father which is in heaven.Mat. 5.16. Here private Chriſtians are lights. Every private Chriſtian is to hang out his light in a private way, and to ſhew to others what God hath done for his ſoul, As every man hath received, ſo let him freely give, The manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. This is quite oppoſite to the Phariſaical temper of the Separatiſts of our times;☞ they hold it unlawful to have any ſpiritual commerce with a wicked man, as if they themſelves were too worthy to ſpeak unto them, and to pray with them and for them, and ſo they are more worthy then Chriſt; or as if they were ſo wicked that they were paſt all cure and remedy.Mr. Baxter. If wicked men ſhould be ſhut out of Gods thoughts of love and mercy, as they are out of the affections of the ſeparatiſts, hell would enlarge her ſelf exceedingly. It is true we are to make none our companions but the godly, ſaith David, I am a companion of all them that fear thee, Pſal. 119.63.but yet for the good of their ſouls, we muſt not be ſtrangers and unacquainted with them. How knoweſt thou, O thou Religious ſoul, but that by thy good conference, holy life, and pious walking with God, thou mayeſt gain thy brother, and win him over from his vile courſe of life to a conſcientious performing of the will of God. Chriſt kept company with Publicans and ſinners, but it was for the good of their ſouls. O that there were not a too cenſorious Spirit in the hearts of Gods people to count them forſaken of God, and not amongſt the number of his Saints, who are caſt out by them out of their ſocieties. If we were of the right ſtampe, we ſhould as the Apoſtle, Become all things to all men in a lawful way that we may win all. Yea it is impoſſible, if thou haſt the teachings of the Spirit upon thy heart, but that thou ſhouldſt make mention of the name of the Lord. The Prophet Jeremiah. when he had a word from the Lord to deliver to the people he could not keep it in, though he ſtrove as much as he could to do it, it was as fire in his bones till it was revealed.Jer. 20.9. It is a great burden to a gracious ſoul, that he cannot hold forth the truths of God, as the Spirit hath held them forth to his own ſoul. It is one of the greateſt troubles to a ſaithful ſoul, when he comes to dye that he hath not been ſo ſerviceable to the Church of God as he might have been, if he had improved that light and thoſe talents which God hath given him to the beſt advantage. We muſt have charity towards all, we muſt wiſh well to all, pray for all, relieve all according to our abilities; we muſt love all; we muſt love our enemies, but familiarity with all is not expedient; we muſt edifie all, and ſtrive to convert all to the faith of Jeſus Chriſt. Now there be none ſo fit to edifie others as thoſe who have the ſpirits teachings upon their hearts, Gal. 6.1. Yee which are ſpiritual reſtore a fallen brother in the ſpirit of meekeneſs. A ſpiritual man is beſt acquainted with the evil nature of ſin, and what ſhame and ſorrow it brings along with it, with the wrath of God, and with the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, and that beauty and comelineſs which is in his wayes.
4. If thou art taught by the ſpirit, thou art a man of another ſpirit then thou wert heretofore; as it was ſaid of Caleb, he was a man of another ſpirit, Num. 14.24.ſo thou wilt be of another ſpirit. Wert thou before carnal, now thou ſhalt be ſpiritual. Wert thou of a malicious ſpirit, thou ſhalt have a ſpirit of love. Wert thou of a proud ſpirit, contentious, high minded ſpirit, thou ſhalt be of an humble and of a meek ſpirit. Wert thou under a ſpirit of bondage, thou ſhalt be under a ſpirit of liberty, a ſpirit of adoption. Wert thou of an unclean, froward, perverſe, fooliſh ſpirit, thou ſhalt be of a clean, milde, and of a wiſe ſpirit. Wert thou of a baſe cowardly frame of ſpirit, that thou wert aſhamed to make mention of the name of the Lord, thou ſhalt be of a couragious ſpirit, full of a holy zeal for the glory of God. Wert thou of a fearful, doubting, drooping, ſad, ſorrowful dejected ſpirit, thou ſhalt be of a merry, joyful, and of a lightſome ſpirit. It is ſaid that after Moſes came down from the Mount, his face did ſhine, he had been a talking with God, and afterward his face did ſhine; So every faithful ſoul after he hath been in the Mount of contemplation, and hath had the ſpirit inſtructing him in the things of God, his heart doth ſhine with the oyle of Grace, and his life doth ſhew forth the praiſe of him who hath called him out of this ſtate of darkneſs into this marvellous light.
5. He is of a meek ſpirit that hath the teachings of the ſpirit upon his heart, Pſal. 25.8. The meek will he guide in judgement, and the meek will he teach his way, Iſa. 28.18, 19. In the day ſhall the deaf hear the words of this book, and the eyes of the blinde ſhall ſee out of obſcurity and out of darkneſs; The meek alſo ſhall encreaſe their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men ſhall rejoyce in the holy one of Iſrael. Pſa. 149.4. The Lord taketh pleaſure in his people, he will beautifie the meek with ſalvation. Iſa. 61.1. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek to binde up the broken ſpirit. Moſes Numb. 11.3. Who is called the meekeſt man of all the men that were upon the earth, had the neereſt approach to God of any that we read of in the book of God; he ſpoke with God as a man ſpeaks with his friend, or as one man ſpeaks to another, He ſpoke with God face to face. We muſt be children in our own account, if we would be taught by the ſpirit, Pſal. 131.2. Surely I have behaved and quieted my ſelf as a childe that is weaned of his mother: my ſoul is even as a weaned childe, i. e. As a childe is gentle and ſubmiſſive, you may do what you will with a weaned childe; ſo he was of a tractable ſpirit ready to yeeld and to ſubmit to Gods diſpenſations whatſoever they might be unto him; Saith he,Mat. 18.4. He that is not as a little childe, ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 1 Cor. 14.20.A little childe in reſpect of meekneſs and gentleneſs, and love and amity, according to the Apoſtle, In malice be ye as children, but in underſtanding be ye men. The poor receive the Goſpel; The poor in ſpirit that tremble at the word of God, that are wrought upon by a kinde work of the ſpirit upon their hearts, that dread the exceeding goodneſs of God, and thinke themſelves unworthy of any mercy at all at Gods hands, who can undergoe any thing what God is pleaſed to impoſe upon them, confeſſing that God puniſheth them far leſs then their iniquities deſerve, that God cannot inflict too ſevere a puniſhment on them for their ſins,Signes of poverty of ſpirit. and that if any thing beſides hell it is a fruit of mercy, and who groan under the burden of their ſins, and under the apprehenſion of Gods love unto them who are willing to receive any thing from Gods hand; Theſe are the fitteſt men to be inſtructed from heaven, if we could perfectly go out of our ſelves, and purge our ſelves of all created love, we ſhould have the flowings in of Divine grace upon our hearts abundantly. If the ſpirit ſhould teach wicked men, it were but to caſt darts againſt a rock,It is reported of Tygers, that they enter into a rage upon the ſent of fragrant ſpices: ſo do ungodly men at the bleſſed ſavour of Godlineſs. It is reported of ſome Barbarous Nations, who when the Sun ſhines upon them, ſhoot their A…ows againſt it; ſo do wicked men at the light and heat of godlineſs, Burroughes. which are ſo far from admitting any entrance, that they caſt back the darts againſt him that ſhoots them, but the meek ſpirited man is ready to receive whatſoever the ſpirit ſhall dictate unto him. What ever is written upon a proud and a carnal heart, it is as if it were written upon the ſand, now you know what is written upon the ſand every blaſt of winde is apt to deface; ſo every blaſt of temptation will blot out whatſoever is written upon a carnal mans heart, but what is written by the finger of God upon a meek ſpirit, it is as it were engraven in marble never to be done out again. Therefore I know no greater ſigne that ſome that pretend moſt of all to the ſpirit in theſe times, are moſt of all void of it, becauſe they are of ſuch a railing, contentious, froward, perverſe, malicious ſpirit; I am ſure they were never ſo taught by the ſpirit of God, for the ſpirit of God is a ſpirit of love, a ſpirit of meekneſs, a ſpirit of gentleneſs; meekneſs is a fruit of the ſpirit. While they ſpeak of perfection and living without ſin in this life,Phil. 3.13, 14. they cry down the Apoſtle Paul who thought himſelf not prefect,foreign. A Metaphor drawn from thoſe who run in a race, who when they approach the Goale, preſs forward with all their might, their Arms and Leggs to touch it. but ſtill preſt on to the mark of the price of the high calling of Jeſus Chriſt. As long as we are of the Laodicean temper, and think our ſelves rich and wanting nothing, we are never like to come to Chriſt to buy raiment of him, and to have that ſpiritual eye-ſalve whereby we may diſcerne the things of God; but when we are like Chriſt, meek and lowly, then we ſhall finde reſt unto our ſouls. God deals with men as he finds them, Pſal. 18. With the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf froward, Mat. 11.29.and with the upright thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf upright. Many times Gods people are of crabbed and knotty ſpirits, that God for the preſent is as it were at a ſtand what he ſhould do with them, O Ephraim what ſhall I do unto thee! Hoſ. 6.4.O Judah what ſhall I do unto thee! Now as the Carpenter plains the peece of wood, ſo the Lord plains their hearts; mountains ſhall be turned into valleys, and the Lords way ſhall be made ſtraight before him, and of rugged ſpirits they ſhall become ſmooth and the froward ſpirits become meek and quiet, that the Lord Jeſus by his ſpirit might be pourtrayed in their hearts; as the peece of wood when it is plained and made ſmooth is apt to receive any form whatſoever the Carpenter pleaſeth; ſo our hearts when they are once ſoftned by the Spirit, and ſmoothed by the planer of affliction, God can mould them and faſhion them as he pleaſeth. A meek ſpirit is of a docible diſpoſition, ready to receive, and moſt apt to retain: moſt thankfull for what he hath, and ever mindfull of its own unworthineſs. Now here for to prevent miſtaking, I ſhould ſhew the nature of meekneſs, to wit, what this meekneſs is,Severall kindes of meekneſs. but I ſhall only ſhew the ſeverall kindes of meekneſs, which are four.
1. A naturall meekneſs, ariſing out of the conſtitution of a mans body.
2. A morall meekneſs, ariſing from good precepts, inſtructions and examples.
3. A ſtoicall meekneſs, which is a ſameneſs of ſpirit upon all occaſions, this is rather a ſtupidity then a meekneſs.
4. An artificiall meekneſs, which is when men can reſtrain their paſſions, though their heart is as full of envy as it can hold. Such was Eſans meekneſs to Jacob.
5. A true meekneſs,A true meekneſs what it is. which is a ſpirituall frame of heart, whereby a man gives no provocation, and is ready to receive any, and whereby a man moderates, ſubordinates, and governs all his anger to the glory of God, and to the good of others. Meekneſs is paſſions jaylor. True meekneſs is not alwaies the ſame, but when Gods glory is blaſphemed, or any waies diminiſhed, then it turns to zeal and an holy anger.Exod. 32.20, 21, 22. Moſes the meekeſt man upon the earth, when he ſaw the idolatry of the Iſraelites, he broke forth into an holy anger, being grieved in his ſpirit for the diſhonour done to God.
6. If thou haſt the Spirits teachings upon thy heart, thou art one that feareſt God: Pſal. 25. What man is he that feareth the Lord, Tiberius Gaeſar thought no man fit to receive his ſecrets; and yet the Lord vouchſafeth the godly his own ſecrets. None but Noblemen, Lords and Dukes might be made partakers of State-ſecrets; the godly are heavenly Lords and Nobles, and the privy States men of heavens Court. Such honour have all the Saints to know the things of God.him ſhall he teach in the way that he ſhall chooſe. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant. Mal. 4.2. Ʋnto you that fear my name ſhall the ſun of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his wings. The fear of God it puts a bridle to our luſts and corrupt affections which choak the things of God. As an unruly horſe may be curb'd with a bit and a bridle; ſo the fear of God it is as it were a bit and a bridle to curb the extravagancy and the breaking forth of ſinne. The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil. As a brick wall keepeth in the waters from overflowing the ground and banks, from breaking in upon the meadows, ſo the fear of God puts a ſtop to the breaking forth of many a ſin, which otherwiſe we ſhould commit. Now when the ſtrength and the power, and the dominion of ſinne is taken away, the Spirit comes in with more freedom into the ſoul. When Joſeph was tempted by his Miſtreſs unto uncleanneſs, he having the fear of God before his eyes, refuſed her with this ſaying, How ſhall I do this great wickedneſs, and ſinne againſt my God! Gen. 39.40, 41.Becauſe of this he is clapt up by a falſe ſlander of his Miſtreſs into priſon: But the Lord was with Joſeph in priſon, and ſhewed him mercy. And Joſeph becauſe he feared God, had the ſpirit of revelation given him that he could interpret dreams. He expounded the chief Butlers and Bakers dream, and Pharaohs dream. And the Lord honoured him in the ſight of Pharaoh and all his ſervants. By humility and the fear of the Lord come riches, Pro. 22.4.honour and life. Daniel becauſe he feared God,Dan. 9.24. and would not conſent to worſhip other gods, the Lord revealed unto him the expiration of the ſeventy years captivity which was at hand. And Noah becauſe he feared God,Heb. 11.7. an hundred and twenty years before the overflowing deluge came, had this ſecret committed unto him, that God did intend to drown the world for that deluge of ſinne which was then in it. By faith Noah being Warned of God, being moved with fear, prepared an Ark for the ſaving of his houſe, and thereby condemned the ungodly World. The ſalvation of the Lord is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our Land. The fear of Gods glorious Majeſty, and unqueſtionable authority, puts the ſoul into a fit capacity to be taught by the Spirit. As long as a man is preſumptuous, ſelf-confident, and thinks himſelf ſomewhat when he is nothing, there is no place for any doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt. God uſually puts men into great fears and terrours, and then raiſeth them up, before he communicates himſelf unto them: Jer. 3.33. I will put my fear before them, and write my law in their hearts. Severall kindes of fear.There is a fourfold fear.
1. A naturall fear, which in it ſelf is not ſinfull, becauſe God hath put this affection of fear into our hearts. So Chriſt feared to die.
2. A ſervile or a ſlaviſh fear, when men fear God, not for his goodneſs, but only for his juſtice and his greatneſs: Contrary to the Prophet, who ſaith, Fear the Lord and his goodneſs. Hoſ. 3.5.When they fear God as a conſuming fire, but not as a gracious Father. When they fear to offend out of a ſenſe of hell, and not out of any love they bear to God.
3. A filiall fear, when men fear to offend God who hath been ſo gracious a Father unto them, who hath done them ſo much good, and ſhewed them ſo much mercy. When they conſider what an ocean of love was ſhewed unto them by God, when they lay wallowing in their blood, by pitying them in their condition, and ſhewing them mercy in Jeſus Chriſt. The love of God conſtrains a Saint to an obedience of him. And a childe of God hath ſuch ingenuity in him, and ſuch a ſon-like affection to God his Father, that he would not willingly grieve him for the whole world.
4. A reverentiall fear, ſo the Angels in heaven they are ſaid to fear God, becauſe they do him reverence. The Saints reverence God,Rev. 4.10. caſting down their Crowns before him that ſitteth upon the Throne. That vaſt diſproportion between God and the creature, he being the fountain and we the ſtreams; who hath his being of himſelf, depending upon none, and we continually depending upon him; cannot but work a reverence and a godly ſear in the hearts of thoſe that love him and embrace him.
7. If thou haſt the Spirits teachings upon thy ſpirit, upon thy heart, thou wilt ſtill deſire to have further diſcoveries of the Spirit upon thy heart. Thou wilt much be exerciſed in all thoſe waies and means the Spirit uſeth to come down. Much in private prayer, in that heavenly duty of ſpirituall meditation, much at home with thy ſelf, and leſs gadding abroad in thy deſires and affections. There was a time when the children of Iſrael ſaid unto Moſes, Exod. 20.19.Speak thou unto us and we ſhall hear, let not the Lord ſpeak unto us leſt perhaps we die. But when was this? When the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, with thunderings and lightnings to give his Law unto his people. But now under the Goſpel when the Spirit is poured forth abundantly, a childe of God rather cries out with the Prophet Samuel, Speak Lord, 1 Sam. 3.10.for thy ſervant heareth. Let not Moſes, or thy ſervants only inſtruct me, but rather do thou ſpeak, my Lord God, by thy Spirit in my heart, who art the enlightner of all the Prophets, for thou alone with them canſt perfectly inſtruct me, but they without thee can profit nothing. As Mary ſate down at Chriſts feet to hear the gracious words which proceeded from his mouth, ſo thou wilt wait at the Ordinances to have more flowings in of the Spirit upon thee.☜ When a ſoul ſhall remember, at ſuch a time ſuch a ſpirituall truth was imparted unto me, at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a place I was convinced that ſuch a thing was a ſinne, and by the power of the Spirit overcome to a forſaking of it: that ſuch a thing was a duty; that I was ſetled in my mind concerning ſuch a Tenet; that I had a fuller aſſurance of Gods love upon my heart than formerly; this will make the ſoul pant and breath after a more full manifeſtation of ſpirituall things. As David cries out,Pſal. 42.2. When ſhall I come and appear before God? ſo thou wilt cry out, When will the time be that I ſhall have another teaching of the Spirit upon my heart!Pſal. 63.2. Lord, let me ſee thy outgoings in the Sanctuary, as formerly I have ſeen. Let me hear thy voice, O bleſſed Saviour, for ſweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Teach me thy ſtatutes, ſhew me wiſdoms path. Inſtruct me in the way that I ſhould walk in. Shew unto me the joy of thy ſalvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.
8. He that hath the Spirits teachings upon his heart, is of a heavenly minde, and can perform all duties in a ſpirituall manner. As it is impoſſible for a man at once to look upwards towards heaven, and downwards towards the earth; ſo it is impoſſible for a Chriſtian with one and the ſame judgement and affection, to look upon earthly and heavenly things. He counts the riches and honours and pleaſures of the world, but as crumbs caſt to dogs; but as triviall things not worth the mentioning, in compariſon of the enjoyment of God in Chriſt. He is reſolved not to be put off with thoſe common mercies, and not to receive his good things in this life; but he tramples upon all theſe things under the Moon, as mutable, and that paſs away, having his eye fixt upon that eternall weight of glory in heaven, and upon that Crown of bliſs and happineſs reſerved for him.A ſimile. As children when they come to be men they put away childiſh things, bowling-ſtones, counters, and all other vain and fooliſh ſports and pleaſures, and become more ſerious and ſolid, weighing what will become of them, and how they may live in the world; ſo when thou art taught of the Spirit, thou wilt abandon all former delights when thou wert in the fleſh, and count the world thy enemy, which would have kept thee from Jeſus Chriſt, yea the memory of thy vain converſation, when thou livedſt according to the courſe of the world, will be bitter unto thee, and thou wilt count all the things of this world but toys and trifles in compariſon of the true and the heavenly riches. When a ſpirituall man hath the things of this life, he doth not ſet his heart upon them, he doth not truſt in them,Mat. 6.33. he looks upon them but as additionals, and as a handfull over and above into the bargain of eternall life; but his heart is where is treaſure is, even in heaven. In the fulneſs of all things his heart is empty: and in the want of all things he can enjoy all things in Jeſus Chriſt. The more the underſtanding is enlightned to ſee the excellency of a thing, and the neceſſity of it,Whether the will follows the laſt dictate of the practicall underſtanding. preſently the will cloſeth with it. And though in outward things the will doth alwaies follow the laſt dictate of the practicall underſtanding, for Medea ſaid,
— Video meliora, probó que ,
Deteriora ſequor.—
Yet the will of a Saint cannot but follow the laſt dictate of the practicall underſtanding taught by the Spirit. Now the Spirit it puts a new face upon things; it takes away the falſe painted mask which the world and our own corrupt hearts had caſt upon thoſe tranſitory things, and that vizard Satan had put upon them, and ſhews us the emptineſs, the inſufficiency, the vanity, the mutableneſs, the inconſtancy, and the periſhing nature of them, that they are weak inconſiderable things which cannot afford the leaſt ſolid joy and comfort. That the pleaſures of ſin and the world are but as the cracklings of thorns under a pot, which blaze for the preſent,Eccl 7 6. but ſuddenly are out. That all the creatures are but broken ciſterns,Jer. 2.13. pits which can hold nothing but muddy and defiled comforts. Beſides the Spirit it teacheth us the fulneſs of God, the ſufficiency that is in Jeſus Chriſt, the joys that flow in from above, and what a maſs of glory is treaſured up for us if we continue faithfull unto the death.Mark 14.25. That the time is at hand when we ſhall drink the new wine of eternall conſolation with Jeſus Chriſt in the Kingdom of heaven hereafter. When a man hath a ſpirit of diſcerning, to diſcern between the true riches, and the fading riches of this world, and the Spirit hath enlightned his underſtanding, and he ſees the what things are prepared for him hereafter; if he love God and keeps his Commandments. He is more Saint-like, and is as it were a ſtranger upon earth, ſeeking reſt and finding none, till he come to his Fathers houſe and finiſhed his courſe. One that is taught of the Spirit, can do all duties in a ſpirituall manner. He can pray in the Spirit, ſing in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, live after the Spirit, warre after the Spirit, rejoyce in the Spirit, and ſubdue his ſinnes by the ſtrength of the Spirit. His affections, deſires, aims, and intentions are heavenly. You may ſee a ſpirituall man by his going, by his talking, by his eating and drinking, by his company, by his continuall courſe and progreſs in his life. Watch him narrowly,☞ and you may ſee ſomewhat of the Spirit in his common carriage: he doth not minde the world: he lives as it were a ſtranger upon earth: all his diſcourſe is about his fathers buſineſs, and of heavenly things. He cares not ſo much what becomes of his body, ſo his ſoul may proſper. All his delight is with the excellent, and with thoſe that fear God. He is often upon his knees confeſſing his ſins, and abhorring himſelf for his iniquities. He is much with God, and little with the world, and if it ſtood with Gods good pleaſure, and the Churches good, he could be abſent from the body,Phil. 1.23, 24. that he may be preſent with the Lord. Self-deniall is the great leſſon he is continually a conning; ſinne is his greateſt burthen, the world his purgatory, Jeſus Chriſt his only joy, God his portion, and heaven his reſt.