The Spirits Touchstone, Part 4
The teachings of the Spirit what they be.
The Spirits teachings upon the hearts of beleevers, are his puttings, writings, printings, ingravings the Law of God, and all thoſe things which accompany ſallvation, upon their hearts; which ingravings, &c. are by a ſecret way, power and method unknown to us, but only to the Spirit, only we feel the effect of the Spirits teachings upon our hearts.
Or, It is the Spirits creating a new light within us, by a ſecret way unknown unto us at the firſt, which light in our conſciences enkindled by the Spirit, doth in all things correſpond and agree with the light of the word, and addes more clearneſs to it in reſpect of our ſelves, that we might know the things of God.
1. I ſay the Spirits teachings are his puttings, writings, printings, engravings the Law of God upon our hearts, together with all thoſe things which ſhall accompany ſalvation: Heb. 8.8, 9, 10. Behold, ſaith the Lord, I will make a new Covenant, and this is that Teſtament that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael; After thoſe daies, ſaith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their mindes, and in their hearts will I write them, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. 2 Cor. 3.2, 3. In that you are manifeſt to be the Epiſtle of Chriſt miniſtred by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of ſtone, but in the fleſhly tables of the heart. Jer. 31.33, 34. But this ſhall be the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, after thoſe daies, ſaith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people; and they ſhall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, ſaying, Know the Lord, for they ſhall all know me from the leaſt of them unto the greateſt of them, ſaith the Lord. You ſee that the Law muſt be firſt written in their hearts by the finger of God, i. e. by the Spirit, before they can know the things of God. Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgements and do them: the Spirit doth not only write upon our hearts the Law of God, but all things which accompany ſalvation. John 17. And when the Spirit comes he ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. There is no truth which accompanieth ſalvation in the Word of God, but the very ſame is written by the finger of God upon the hearts of beleevets. That even as you ſee in a ſeal, when you have put the ſeal upon the wax, and taken it away again, you ſhall ſee it, ſtamp anſwering to ſtamp, character to character, print to print; ſo it is in the hearts of the faithfull, after their hearts are ſoftned, the Spirit of God writes the Law in their hearts. So that there is a Law within anſwerable to the Law without, i. e. an inward aptneſs and diſpoſition, whereby a man is inclined to keep the Law in all points, which Law within us is called the Law of the minde, Rom. 7. I ſee a Law in my members warring againſt the Law of my minde. The teachings of the Spirit do not only put the things of God into our mindes, but ingraff them as naturall diſpoſitions in our hearts, yea, the Spirit of God ingravens them. As when letters are engraved in marble, ſo the teachings of the Spirit engraven the things of God upon our hearts.
I call them the writings, the engravings of the things of God upon our hearts, to diſtinguiſh the teachings of the Spirit, from the motions, impreſſions, flaſhes, illuminations of the pirit. Theſe are but light, ſuperficiall, tranſient works, they reach not to the bottom of the ſoul, but they float at the top: Theſe impreſſions are ſuddenly begun, and ſuddenly ended. They are but as a flaſh of lightning, which is no ſooner ſeen but vaniſheth. They are but as the morning cloud, and as the early dew, which ſuddenly paſs away; as the winde preſently ſcatters the clouds, and the ſunne takes away the dew, ſo all theſe common works of the Spirit paſs away, and melt as the dew before the ſunne. The beſt ſeeming profeſſors that want the teachings of the Spirit, they are but as blazing comets, which appear for a while and preſently diſappear. Wandring ſtarres,Jude 13. to whom is reſerved the blackneſs of darkenſs for ever.Heb. 6.5. Pſal. 34.8. They do but taſte of the goodneſs of God, and ſo away. But the teachings of the Spirit make a Chriſtian, not only to taſte, but to ſee the goodneſs of God. They are permanent upon the ſoul, never to be blotted out again. They are not as the flaſh of lightning, but as the noonday, full of brightneſs and comfort. They are riveted in the ſoul, and imprinted in it.
2. I ſay they are the Printings of the things of God upon the hearts of beleevers. Beleevers only have the teachings of the Spirit. And ye ſhall be all taught of God,Joh. 6.45. i. e. all ye who are under the Covenant of grace, and are interreſted in Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall have the teachings of the Spirit. Unbeleevers may have the motions, the breathings, the quicknings, the flaſhes, and the illuminations of the Spirit, but not the teachings.
3. I ſay theſe printings and writings of the things of God, are done by a ſecret method unknown to us, yet known to the Spirit. What he … tell, but how he writes we cannot tell; what he prints we can tell, but how he prints we cannot tell.Dan. 5 5. As Belſhazzar ſaw the hand when it wrot, but could not tell what the hand did write; ſo beleevers on the other ſide, they ſee the writing of the Spirit, but cannot ſee the hand that writes, nor underſtand how the Spirit writes; yet we are in a farre better condition than Belſhazzar was: For tis better to underſtand the writing, than to know how the hand doth write; what is printed, than how the Spirit prints; as it is farre better to know that we are elected, that we are juſtified, that we are renewed in the Spirit of our mindes, conſidered in themſelves, than to know what Juſtification and Adoption is, though we may know what Juſtification is, and that we are juſtified by the Spirit.
4. Only we ſee the effect of the Spirits teachings upon our hearts; as a woman may know ſhe is with childe, becauſe the infant moves in her belly, ſo we may know what the Spirit hath been doing on our hearts, by that knowledge, zeal, life, heat, motion, activity and courage we find in our ſpirits towards Gods waies. We hear the clock ſtrike, though we do not ſee the hand, or the wheels that ſet it a going; ſo we may ſee our hearts eccho back to the Spirit, though we do not ſee the Spirit ſetting them on work.Ezek. 1.20 As Ezekiels wheels, whereſoever the Spirit went the wheels went, for the ſpirits of the living creature was in the wheels: So becauſe the Spirit of God is in us, whereſoever the Spirit carries us we are carried. The Spirit moves and we are moved; the Spirit praies when we pray, the Spirit witneſſeth when our ſpirit witneſſeth, the Spirit ſets the wheels going and we go. God is of a truth in every Saint, though they cannot ſee him but in his operations. We know that God is in us of a truth, becauſe we act for God, and have the principle of ſpirituall life from him. As we know the evil man hath been teaching of us when we ſee his evil tares, and hereſies, and prophaneneſs to ſpring up: ſo we may know the Spirit hath been teaching of us when we ſee the wheat to grow apace.
Otherwiſe:
The Spirits teachings is the Spirits creating a new light within us, by a ſecret way unknown unto us at the firſt; which light in our conſciences, enkindled by the Spirit, doth in all things correſpond with the light of the word, and addes more clearneſs to it in reſpect of our ſelves, that we may know the things of God.
1. A creating a new light within us.] As God in the naturall creation, created light out of darkneſs, ſo it is in the ſpirituall creation, when the new man, the infant of grace is born in us.Eph. 5.8. Ye were ſometimes darkneſs, but now are ye light in the Lord. In the Lord] that is, Jeſus Chriſt by his Spirit hath enlightened our mindes in the knowledge of him.2 Cor. 4.6. God who cauſed the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath cauſed the light of the Goſpel to ſhine into our hearts through the face of Jeſus Chriſt. This light wrought by the Spirit it is a creation: for before this light ariſeth, before the ſunne of righteouſneſs ariſeth upon us, we were altogether darkenſs, we were darkneſs it ſelf. And as it is ſaid of the people amongſt whom the light of the Goſpel ſhined,Iſa. 9.2. that the people that ſate in darkneſs, and in the region of the ſhadow of death, ſaw marvellous light; ſo we poor ſouls, before the Spirit enlightened us, were in utter darkneſs, as in a dungeon, where there is not the leaſt crany to let in any light.Jude 13. Blackneſs of darkneſs, i. e. in utter darkneſs, according to the Goſpel phraſe, Extream darkneſs, where there is not the leaſt light, not any light at all We were in a ſpirituall ſenſe, as it were, in the blackneſs of darkneſs, but when the Spirit was pleaſed to come into our hearts, he created light out of darkneſs (Non ex materiâ quaſi componente, ſed quaſi ex termino à quo) that is, from darkenſs he hath tranſlated us into marvellous light. Yea I may ſay the Spirits ſetting up a light in the new creature, is more than a creation, if I may ſo ſpeak. For it is harder to create a thing out of its oppoſite in the abſtract, out of darkneſs it ſelf to create light, than to create a thing out of nothing: Excellently therefore did the Spirit of God ſet down this portion of Scripture, to note unto us the great work of the Spirit in ſetting up a light in the heart of man.2 Cor. 4.6 God who cauſed the light to ſhine out of darkneſs. I may ſay that ſpirituall darkneſs which is upon the hearts of unregenerate men, hath a poſitive entity in it, oppoſing the light of the Spirit for a time. (The light ſhined round about,Iohn 1.5. but the darkneſs comprehended it not.) It is a willfull darkneſs, and a wilfull ignorance; but that firſt darkneſs was a non-ens, a meer privation, and as ſoon as ever the light ſhined, the darkneſs vaniſhed away. As to make a man that is born blinde to ſee, is a work equivalent to the work of creation, as Chriſt did. So to remove that blindneſs which is upon our mindes, that naturall blindneſs whereby we are as blinde as beetles in the things of God (We have eyes and ſee not) to remove that blindneſs, and to make us ſee, it is a work of creation, and the only work of the Spirit.
2. A new light.] That is a more excellent light, a more tranſcendent light. More excellent than the light of nature, or the light of conſcience, more excellent than the light of Ordinances, the light of means, the light of naturall improvements. More excellent than the light of knowledge, or any light whatſoever. The light of the Spirit is the moſt excellent light. It may truly be ſaid, In thy light, O bleſſed Spirit,Pſal. 36.9. we ſhall ſee light, in thy comfort we ſhall have comfort, by thy teachings only we ſhall know the things of God. Bleſſed are they that walk in the light of the Spirit. Revel 5.8. The four beaſts, and the twenty four Elders fell down before the Lamb, …nd they ſang a new ſong, ſaying, &c. a new ſong, i. e. a more excellent ſong; a new light, i. e. a more excellent light. 2. A new light in reſpect of that abyſs of darkneſs we were in before. A new thing is either a rare thing, or otherwiſe a thing that never was before. There is no new thing under the ſunne: Eccl. 1.9.that is, there is nothing but what hath been before.
Which light in our conſciences enkindled by the Spirit,Conſcientia eſt judicium rationis practicae circa particularia per ratiocinatiouem deductum è principits univerſalibus contentis in ſyntereſi. Sic Philoſophi. Syntereſis eſt habitus ſive conſervatio printipiorum practicorum. doth in all things correſpond with the light of the Word.] The conſcience, it is an act of the practicall underſtanding, together with the memory, bearing witneſs unto God, by accuſing or excuſing us, accordingly as our deeds be, whether good or evil. Or it is a ſpark of that primitive light left within us ſince the fall, whereby in ſome meaſure we are able to diſtinguiſh between good and evil, and accordingly to judge and conſure our ſelves. Now becauſe the light of the Spirit, it is a diffuſive light, ſpreading it ſelf over all the powers and faculties of the new creature. And not only a diffuſive light, but a perſwaſive, convincing, directive, irreſiſtable light, which diſpelleth all the darkneſs which is upon the ſoul, ſuch a light which is the life, being, and vigour of the ſpirituall life. For as knowledge is the life, of the naturall ſoul, ſo is the light of the Spirit the life of the ſpirituall ſoul, giving life, heat and motion unto it; The light was the life of men. Now becauſe the light of the Spirit is a ſuperadded light to that naturall light which is within us, the light of conſcience, which light conſiſts of the practicall part of the underſtanding, and the memory, both concurring together; therefore though the firſt work of the Spirit is to enlighten our underſtandings, yet becauſe our conſciences, wherein is the ſeat of ſpirituall life, are benummed and dead, and the Spirits teachings, according to the practicall part of them, which is the greateſt part of them, reach to the conſcience; therefore I place the hearts or conſciences, which in Scripture phraſe are Synonymicall, the ſubject of the light of the Spirit. Correſpond with the Word.] The light of the Spirit, and the light of the Word do not claſh one againſt another, but in all things do agree in reſpect of the ſubject matter, though the light of the Spirit is far the clearer, ut antea. By which light of the Spirit we come to know the things of God. Whereupon David praies, Give me, O Lord, thy good Spirit which may leade me into the Land of uprightneſs.
Now I come to ſhew how the Spirit teacheth.
1. By opening the eyes of the underſtanding, and making us to ſee the things of God. A naturall man hath eyes, but they be ſhut, he hath ears, but they be ſtopt. Now the work of the Spirit is to open our eyes and unſtop our ears, that we might hearken to the things of God. We are by nature like the Egytians in the Land of darkneſs, but when the Spirit hath opened our eyes, we are in the Land of Goſhen, in the Land of light. Epheſ. 1.17, 18. That the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of glory, might give unto you the Spirit of Wiſdom and revelation, through the acknowledging of him; that the eyes of your underſtanding may be enlightened, that ye may know what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints.
2. By taking away that enmity that is in our wils againſt the things of God. We hate the things of God by nature. Now the Spirit ſhews the excellency, the beauty, the luſter, the pleaſantneſs, the profit that is in God. It removes thoſe hard thoughts and evil ſurmiſes in our hearts, concerning God and the waies of his worſhip. It ſhews us that godlineſs is profitable for all things, both for the things of this life and of that which is to come.Pro. 3.17. That the waies of wiſdom, are waies of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths are peace. Pro. 22.4.That by humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, honour and life. That there is nothing loſt in ſerving God, and that it is the greateſt ſlavery to do the devils ſervice. That it is better to work out the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs, though with much labour and ſorrow in the world, than to live in ſin though with the greateſt worldly proſperity imaginable. That it is better to undergo a light affliction here, which is but for a moment, than to undergo an eternall weight of torment hereafter, and to loſe an eternall weight of glory; for if thou canſt not endure a ſhort affliction here, how wilt thou endure the fire of hell?Rom. 2. It ſhews us, that to him that worketh righteouſneſs is peace, honour and life, but tribulation, anguiſh and ſorrow follows every ſoul that doth evil, both to Jew and Gentile. The Spirit carries us up on the heavenly mount of contemplation, and ſhews us the riches of Gods houſe, and the treaſures of the new Jeruſalem, ſaying, all theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt worſhip God in ſincerity and truth. It perſwades us of the evil of ſinne, of the neceſſity we have of Jeſus Chriſt, of the beauties of holineſs, of the wrath of God that hangs over ſinners, and that there is nothing but the thred of life (which how ſoon it may be cut God knows) which keeps them from burning in everlaſting fire. It ſhews the willingneſs that is in Jeſus Chriſt to receive poor repenting ſinners. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. It ſets before us the freeneſs of the promiſe,Iſ. 55. Ho every one that thirſteth, let him come and drink of the waters of life freely. Our buying is but receiving, Buy wine and milk without money and without price. That God the Father, and Jeſus Chriſt is more willing to receive us, than we are to come unto him; that God waits to be gracious, Iſa. 30.18.as the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaks; that Gods mercy rejoyceth againſt judgement, and that there is nothing but our unwillingneſs which hinders the marriage union betwixt Chriſt and our ſouls: It ſhews us that the multitude of our ſinnes cannot hinder the effect of Gods mercies,Iſa. 55.8, 9. for Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his waies as our waies; that the Lord is willing to heal our backslidings, Hoſ. 14.4.and to love us freely, for his Name ſake; that Gods bowels yern over us, when he ſees us wallowing in our blood;Ezek. 16. that if God were not more mercifull to us than we are to our ſelves, we had periſhed long ago in our ſinnes: and that if God ſees any thoughts of returning in us, if we would but ſet our faces Zion ward, Jer. 19.5.if we did but feel after the Lord, Act. 17.27.if he did but ſee us afarre off in a repenting frame of ſpirit, ſmiting upon our thighes,Ier. 31. as Ephraim did, as the father did the returning prodigall, he would meet us in the way, and fall upon our necks, and kiſs us; yea he would bemoan us, as God did repenting Ephraim: Is Ephraim my beloved ſonne? Hoſ. 11.8.is he not a pleaſant childe? my repentings are kindled together, and my bowels are turned within me. Saith God, I deſire not the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn from his wicked waies and live. Lam. 3.33God afflicts not willingly, nor grieves the children of men. If we periſh it is not Gods fault, but our own, becauſe we are ſo cruell unto our ſelves. Formerly poor creatures could not endure to think of God.Pſal. 10.4. God is not in all a wicked mans thoughts, his waies are alwaies grievous. The thoughts of God are troubleſom thoughts unto him; his infinite juſtice, exceeding greatneſs, his impartiall dealing with ſinners, when he comes to plead with them for their ſins: Saith God, I will not at all acquit the wicked; theſe are afflicting thoughts to a wicked man: Why? becauſe he thinks that becauſe God is his enemy, all theſe his attributes ſhall be imployed to his everlaſting ruine. It is ſaid likewiſe of the Gentiles, Rom. 1. that they liked not to retain God in their knowledge. But when the Spirit comes it makes the thoughts of God pretious, then the ſoul can ſay, as David did,Pſ. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my ſoul, that is, in the multitude of my diſtracting, dividing, worldly, perplexing thoughts, the comforts that flow in upon the meditation of thy goodneſs, and of that propriety which I have in thee, that thou art my portion, my God, my rock, that is higher than I, to which I may continually reſort, this doth comfort my ſpirit. The naturall man he counts Chriſt, and the Word, and the conſcientious Miniſter who deals plainly and powerfully with him his greateſt enemies. He cannot endure to ſee his beloved ſinne reproved, to hear of his Dallilah, to hear of hell, of the wrath of God, and of the day of judgement, no, it is as bad as death to him to hear of theſe things. He cannot bear it, that Chriſt muſt be his Lord, the Spirit his teacher, the Word his rule, and Gods glory his end; that he muſt become a new convert, and that he muſt leave behinde him his old companions, his old deſires, his old cuſtoms, his old principles, his old ends, and his laws, and that he muſt become another man, altogether new; all old things muſt be done away, and all things muſt become new.Heb. 12. Now the Spirit teacheth,Iohn 3. that without holineſs he ſhall never ſee the face of God. That unleſs he be born again, he ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of heaven. That if any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature: 2 Cor. 5.17.That it is impoſſible to enter into the new Jeruſalem with an unclean heart. Beſides the Spirit takes away thoſe objections which are in carnall mens hearts, againſt the purity of religion. What needs this preciſeneſs, this Phariſaiſm muchneſs in duty? to be alwaies praying, and alwaies hearing, and the like: It is a weariſomneſs to the fleſh, it duls the ſpirit, and makes one melancholy, it is more then needs be required. As long as our hearts are upright with God, and we deſire to glorifie him in all his waies, and we have upright intentions, this is ſufficient for heaven, though we are not ſo much in duty as the phariſaicall men are. Now the Spirit ſetting home the love of Chriſt upon our hearts, and ſhewing us what he hath done for us, brings us off from this lure, to a perfect reſignation of body and ſoul to his ſervice. Moreover, he ſheweth us that we muſt be holy in all manner of converſation:foreign. That we muſt walk exactly, and as much as in us lies, keep every circumſtance that is contained in the Law of God. And truly there is not a more certain ſign of an upright heart, than to have an univerſall reſpect to all the Commandments of God. When out of a conſcience to the command of God, we would not commit the leaſt ſin, or omit the ſmalleſt duty. When the enmity is removed, and the prejudice taken out of our hearts, and all our miſgivings and miſapprehenſions rightly placed, we can eaſily hearken to the voice of the Spirit.