The Spirits Touchstone, Part 6
What manner of teachings the Spirits teachings are.
Firſt, They are infallible teachings: The Spirit teacheth truly without the leaſt errour or deceit. He is called the Spirit of truth, becauſe whatever the Spirit teacheth it cannot but be truth: John 14.16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, which ſhall abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. The Spirit is ſaid to lead us into all truth: Joh. 16.13. When the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf, foreign. Dux vobis erit. Dux viae. He ſhall lead you by the hand, as the Nurſe doth a weak ſickly childe; and be a guide unto you in your way. In the way of truth.but what he hath heara of me that ſhall he ſpeak, and he ſhall ſhew you things to come. If truth it ſelf can lie and deceive, then the Spirit may deceive you; but it is impoſſible that truth it ſelf ſhould deceive. God is not as man that he ſhould lie, or the ſonne of man that he ſhould repent. The Spirit it is God, as I have proved already, and therefore 'tis impoſſible he ſhould lie, i. e. deceive or fail us in our expectations, when we wait upon him. If we think the Spirit to be God, and take him for our guide, and we acknowledge him for to be our councellour, it is impoſſible that the Spirit ſhould deceive us of our expectations. Matth. 24.24. There ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts, and falſe Prophets, and ſhall ſhew great ſignes and wonders, and if it were poſſible they ſhall deceive the very elect, if it were poſſible, but 'tis impoſſible they ſhould deceive the elect: 1 John 2.20. They have the unction from the holy one, and they ſhall know all things, i. e. all things that pertain to life and godlineſs. What is the reaſon why we beleeve the Word of God to be true, and as Chrift ſaith, not the leaſt tittle thereof ſhall fall till all things ſhall be accompliſhed, but only becauſe it hath the ſtamp of the divine authority of the bleſſed Spirit.1 Cor. 2. The Spirit teacheth all things, yea tho deep things of God. It is called the Spirit of wiſdom: Iſa. 11.21. It is propheſied of Chriſt, That the Spirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, the Spirit of counſell and might, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord, ſhall reſt upon him. Wiſdom it ſelf, it cannot erre, it cannot deceive. The Spirit it is the fountain of all wiſdom: Iſa 40.13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord? and being his counſellour, hath taught him? v. 14. With whom took he counſell, and who inſtructed him and taught him in the paths of judgement, and taught him knowledge, and ſhewed to him the way of underſtanding? If wiſdom it ſelf, and the fountain of all wiſdom teacheth you, you need not fear that you ſhall be taught amiſs. Popes and generall Counſels, and all men, yea the beſt men may be ſound liars, and may deceive, and put darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs, and may call good evil, and evil good, and may put truth for errour, and errour for truth, but it is quite otherwiſe with the Spirit of truth, which ſhall lead you into all truth.
Queſt. Do not the people of God. erre ſome times and fall into error, how then are the Spirits teachings infallible?
Anſ. 1. As farre as they are taught of the Spirit, they do not erre or fall into any hereſie: Gal. 5. Hereſies are reckoned amongſt the fruits of the fleſh: Theſe are the fruits of the fleſn, envyings, ſtrifes, emulations, hereſies; ſo that errours are not fruits of the Spirit, but fruits of the fleſh. A childe of God may be led away with an errour for a time, Gal. 2.13. As Barnabas was led away by their diſſimulation, ſo a childe of God may be led. away.
2. God ſometimes out of his juſtice may permit a childe of God to runne into waies contrary to the truth, becauſe he did not prize the Word of God as he ought to do, and ſeek it with his whole heart, that afterwards being recovered out of the ſnare of the devil, he may more eſteem the Word of God than formerly. If a Chriſtian who hath lived in England under the means of grace, by providence ſhould be caſt among the Heathen, where there is no knowledge of the true God, but idolatry and falſe worſhip ſet up in place of it, how would he eſteem the Ordinances of Chriſt! So when a gracious ſoul ſhall be given up to the deluſions of Satan for a time, and afterwards be recovered, certainly he would let go all, ere he would loſe this pretious jewel of truth.
Queſt. It is ſaid that the unction of the Spirit teacheth them all things; How can they erre therefore?
Anſ. It is true, that is, there is nothing that belongs to life and ſalvation, but ſome time or other ſhall be revealed to the children of God: The Spirit doth not teach us all the myſteries of God at once, but ſucceſſively, as we are able to receive them: We are not capable to receive all truths at one time. It is with truth, as it is with light, the light grows by degrees, as the ſun aſcends higher and higher in the firmament, ſo the greater is the light,The Spirit teacheth ſucceſſively. and the more it is diſperſed. Truth comes not all at once into the underſtanding, but firſt one truth comes in, and then another. The Logicians ſay, that upon the receiving one abſurdity a thouſand follow, ſo one truth makes way for another. Therefore the perfectioniſts of theſe times, who think, becauſe they ſay they have the teachings of the Spirit, they know all things, and that they need not have any body to teach them, they are in a groſs miſtake, and as the Apoſtle faith, while they think they know all things, they know nothing as they ought to know. Thoſe that are above the Ordinances are beneath ſalvation, and thoſe that contemn the ordinary teachings of the Spirit in his Word, and Miniſters, are farre to ſeek in the extraordinary. The Spirit hath babes to nurture, as well as ſtrong Chriſtians, it hath ſeveral books to reade, to thoſe that are in the loweſt form in the School of Chriſt, and not ſo high and lofty as to thoſe that are in a higher degree. The former he teacheth the principles of the doctrine of God, the later thoſe myſteries which have been kept ſecret from the foundation of the world. The former he deals with in a more gentle and tender way, to theſe he is more rough and more ſevere. Chriſt hath his Lambs, as well as his Sheep, and what doth he do with them, Iſa. 40.11. He ſhall feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſom, and gently leade thoſe that are with young. Chriſt and his Spirit drives on as Jacob did, Gen. 33.13. My Lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me, and if men ſhould drive them over-hard one day, all the flock would die; Let my Lord, I pray thee, paſs over before his ſervant, and I will lead on ſoftly according as the cattell that go before me, and the children are able to bear. Chriſt leads us as we are able to bear, and the Spirit teacheth us as we are able to learn. The light breaks in upon us by little and little, and Chriſt ſaid unto the Apoſtles, he had many things to ſay unto them, but they could not bear them yet; ſo the Spirit hath many things to teach us, but we are not ſufficiently humbled to receive them.Iſa. 42.2, 3 As it is ſaid of Chriſt, ſo it may be ſaid of his Spirit, He will not break the brniſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax, untill he bring forth judgement into victory: that is, he will cheriſh grace and knowledge, though covered over with manifold imperfections, and very ſmall till they ſhall come to that meaſure of perfection which is appointed for them.
Reply. Doth the Spirit teach ſucceſſively, though he will teach us all things which pertain to life and godlineſs? What hindereth but that a childe of God may erre in many things, and yet the Spirit of God be ſaid to teach him all things? v. g. A Schoolmaſter is ſaid to inſtruct his ſcholar in all the rudiments of Grammar, yet the ſcholar may commit ſoleciſmes and falſe concordance; and why? becauſe the Maſter doth not teach him all the elements at once, but by degrees. So the Spirit, though it teacheth all things which pertain to life and ſalvation in time; yet becauſe it teacheth by degrees. a childe of God may in the mean time fall into errour, till the Spirit of God ſhall give in a further light into his ſoul, declaring unto him that his tenent is an errour.
Secondly, They are inward teachings, that is, they reach to the heart. Many times Miniſters teach, but 'tis not from the heart to the heart, but from the heart to the head. We may inform your judgments, but we cannot enkindle your affections, and inflame your hearts with an ardent deſire, and fervent love of the things delivered unto you. The Spirit makes you not only to know the things of God, but in love with the things of God. A ſpirituall man can finde more ſweetneſs in reading one of the Pſalms penned by that ſweet Pſalmiſt of Iſrael Davia, than in reading all the merry books in the world beſides. Another man may reade the Word of God, but it is only the Spirit that can make us delight in the Law of God, according to the inward man. Another man may hear of the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, but it is only the ſpirituall man that eſteems him the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, and deſires him above all things. When the Spirit teacheth the ſoul, let it be never ſo dull of apprehenſion, let its affections be as cold as a ſtone to heavenly things, let him be as Epraim, like a ſilly Dove without a heart, let him be altogether averſe from any thing that is good, yet the Spirit ſhall produce inward heat, life and motion to runne in the waies of God, and not to be weary to go on and not faint. The Spirits teachings will make hearts as hard as rocks to flow forth with rivers of living water, they will cauſe floods to come into the wilderneſs where no water is. It is unexpreſſible what are the kindlings of love, and meltings of heart in a ſoul towards God, that hath once been toucht with this heavenly light of the Spirit from heaven. What is the reaſon we remain ſo dull and ſo cold under ſuch powerfull Ordinances, and ſuch plenteous ſhowrs of grace? Why, I will tell you, you want the inward teachings of the Spirit upon your hearts. In the Word preached you may have light, but you can have no heat, you may have motion, but you can have no zeal. Where the Spirit is, there is light and heat, you will be burning and ſhining lights.
Thirdly, They are evident teachings.1 Cor. 2.4. We reade of the demonſtration of the Spirit; the Spirit when it comes it makes a demonſtration from the effect to the cauſe, becauſe the Spirit worketh in us what it teacheth. The way to faith is by working knowledge in our hearts, and by opening our eyes to ſee in what a caſe we are in by nature, and into what a good condition we are inſtated into by Jeſus Chriſt. Knowledge is put for faith, This is life eternall to know thee, Joh. 17.3.and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou baſt ſent; that is, to beleeve on thee and Jeſus Chriſt. We may know we are taught by the Spirit, if we live in the Spirit, if we walk in the Spirit, if we warre after the Spirit, and not after the fleſh:2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our Warfare are not carnall but ſpirituall, and mighty, to the throwing down of ſinne and Satan. The Spirits writing upon the heart is in great letters, not in ſmall, ſo that he that runnes may reade it, as it is ſpoken of the viſion in Habakkuk, grace is written in legible characters. The Saints of God generally ſtand in their own light,By others, I do not underſtand the world, the wicked world, but the Saints of God. The true Saints are hid to the world. The life of every Saint is hid with Chriſt in God. But one ſpirituall Chriſtian may eaſily diſcern another, becauſe of that likeneſs, which each hath one to another, and the conformity both of them have no Jeſus Chriſt their head. that they cannot ſee thoſe graces in themſelves, which to others are very plain and viſible. True grace loves to lie hid under the vail of humility, the more it ſeeks to hide it ſelf, the more it is diſcovered. The Saints are the Epiſtle of Chriſt known and read of all men. The Spirit doth not teach by tipes and figures, and by ſhadows, but it teacheth the very thing, the very ſubſtance. We reade of the manifeſtation of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.7. But the manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall. Epheſ. 1.17. So the Spirit of revelation, That the God of our Lord Jeſus, and the Father of glory, might give unto you the Spirit of wiſdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. The Spirit it is our remembrancer, to bring all things to our remembrance which Chriſt and his Apoſtles have ſpoken unto us in the word: Saith Chriſt,John 14.26. When the Spirit comes he ſhall bring all things to your remembrance whatſoever I have ſpoken unto you, that is, the things of God ſhall be made ſo plain unto them, as if they had known them of old, as if they were well verſt in them, and the things deeply rooted in their memories. This is quite contrary to thoſe who ſay the Spirits teachings are full of myſteries, dark and obſcure, and hard to be underſtood: What is this but to make the Spirit of God like the impure ſpirit the devil? Indeed when Oracles were in uſe, the devils anſwers were very obſcure; witneſs, when Pyrrhus ſent to the Oracle to know whether he ſhould overcome the Romans, or the Romans overcome him, the anſwer was ſo dubious, that he could not underſtand either of them, before the ſword decided the doubt on the Romans part, Aiote Aeacida, Romanos vincere poſſe. But the Spirit of God teacheth plainly, and when he ſpeaks, he ſpeaks to the purpoſe. If the Spirits teachings ſhould be obſcure, who ſhould interpret the minde of the Spirit, there is none that can reſolve the Spirits meanings, but the Spirit it ſelf; this is the great reſolver of all doubts and queſtions. Wouldſt thou be reſolved whether thou art a childe of God or no,Gal. 4. the Spirit will tell thee. God hath ſent the Spirit of his Son crying in our hearts Abba father. The Spirit of God witneſſeth with our ſpirits that we are the children of God.
Fourthly, The Spirits teachings are irreſiſtible teachings: Acts 6.10. And they were not able to reſiſt the wiſdom and the Spirit by which Stephen ſpake, i. e. the writings of God upon Stephens heart, or the teachings of the Spirit were ſo evident upon him, that they could not withſtand him, or oppoſe what he ſaid. When the Spirit comes, it ſhall convince the world of ſinne, of judgement, and of righteouſneſs: It ſhall convince, if it doth not convert. It ſhall either drive thee beſides thy ſelf,☜ and make thee deſpair of ſalvation, or to go out of thy ſelf, and to truſt in Jeſus Chriſt. There is no oppoſing the Spirit, when he comes with the prevailings of grace upon thy heart. It is ſaid of Chriſt, that he ſpake as one that had anthority, Mat. 7.29.and not as the Scribes: Why? becauſe he ſpake by the Spirit: My words, ſaith he, they are ſpirit and they are life. Joh. 6.63.Let there be never ſo much oppoſition in the heart, never ſo much prevalency of ſinne, let the ſoul be kept never ſo faſt bound and ſetter'd with the vanities of the world, with the devices of Satan, and with the deceitfulneſs of ſinne. Yea ſuppoſing thou wert faſt aſleep in the midnight of earnall ſecurity, yet if the Spirit comes and joggs, as the Angel did Peter, we ſhall preſently awake,Act. 12.7. and the priſon doors ſhall be open, and our fetters ſhall be knockt off, and we ſhall be ſet at liberty. It is our miſery, that when God comes to deal with his Spirit for our ſouls good, the Spirit doth not finde us ſitting ſtill and quiet, and out of the way to heaven, but poſting with all ſpeed in a quite contrary way as faſt as we can to hell. We do not only by nature not love God, but we hate God, and preferre ſinne and the devil before him. Now, when the Spirit comes, ſuppoſing we are at the very brink of hell, juſt dropping in, yet if we hear the voice of the Spirit, that voice which Iſaiah ſpeaks of,Iſa. 30.12. a voice behind thee ſaying, This is the way walk in it, we ſhall return and be as fire-brands pluckt out of the fire. The Spirit when it comes to write the things of God upon our hearts, it doth not finde our ſouls a raſa tabula, a meer blank, wherein there is nothing written; but the rudiments of the world, of the fleſh, and of ſinne are naturally written upon them, the devil is engravened and pourtrayed all abroad upon the heart of a wicked man. Now the finger of God can preſently blot out this writing, and unteach us whatſoever the fleſh, the devil, and the world hath taught us, and write his own characters, as it were, with the juyce of an onyon, never to be blotted out again.Joh. 5.25. It is ſaid in the Goſpel of John, the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Sonne of God, and live, that is, thoſe that are dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, that are ſpiritually dead, that have no ſpirituall life, that do not reliſh the things of God, that cannot move one foot towards heaven, when the Spirit cals (which is meant by the voice of Chriſt) like thoſe dry bones which the Prophet Ezekiel ſpeaks of, they ſhall ariſe and walk, and live the life of faith, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my waies to do them. When the Spirit teacheth,Iſa. 32.4. the heart of the raſh ſhall underſtand knowledge, and the tongue of the ſtammerers ſhall be ready to ſpeak plainly. No naturall impediment, no indiſpoſition can hinder the effects of the Spirit.
Fifthly, They are arbitrary teachings. As the winde bloweth where it liſteth, Joh. 3.8.ſo is every one that is born of the Spirit. The Spirit teacheth when it liſteth, and where it liſteth. The Spirit is a free agent, bound to none, and whatſoever he doth,Matth. 11.25. he doth it freely. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things frem the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes, even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemeth good in thy ſight. By the ſame Spirit is given ſeverall giſts, but all theſe worketh that one and the ſelf ſame Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.11.dividing to every man ſeverally as he will. The Spirit of God, out of a family perhaps it teacheth the Maſter, and leaveth the ſervant in darkneſs; the childe, and leaves the father in darkneſs. And as Chriſt ſaid in the Goſpel of Matthew, Matth. 24.41.there ſhall be two a grinding in the mill. the one ſhall be taken and the other left; ſo ſay I, in the ſame ſeat, at the ſame time, there be many a hearing of the word together, and the Spirit may come and teach one, and leave all the reſt in darkneſs. What a mercy is it therefore to thee, whoſoever thou art, to thee, I ſay, that art ſo highly honoured as to have the Spirit to be thy teacher, that the Lord ſhould open thine eyes to ſee the ugly nature of ſinne, and the excellency that is in Jeſus Chriſt. Why might'ſt thou not have been one of the ignorant, prophane world? one that never kneweſt experimentally and ſavingly, what it is to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt? what it is to ſit down at Chriſts table, and to eat of the feaſt of fat things which he hath prepared for thee? Why maiſt thou not have lived under the diſpenſations of the old Law, when the Patriarchs had but the glimmerings of the Spirit, but that thou ſhouldſt live under the Goſpel? And why under the Goſpel ſhouldſt thou have a more plentifull meaſure of the Spirit, than others? but becauſe it is the Spirits pleaſure it ſhould be ſo: Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemeth good in thy ſight. As Chriſt ſaid to his Apoſtles, though in another ſenſe, Mat. 13.16, 17. Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee the things which you ſee, and the ears which hear the things which you hear; ſo I may ſay to you that live under the teachings of the Spirit in theſe Goſpeltimes, Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee the things which you ſee, and the ears which hear the things which you hear. And as Chriſt ſaid to the woman that came to him ſaying,Luke 11.27. Bleſſed is the womb which bare thee, and the paps which gave thee ſuck; Nay, ſaith Chriſt, rather bleſſed are they which hear the Word of God, and do it: So ſay I, Bleſſed are they that hear the voice of the Spirit ſpeaking in their hearts, and walk up to this voice of the Spirit.
Sixthly, They are determinating, fixing and quieting teachings. They fix the ſoul in the waies of God. They reſolve all the doubts and carnall reaſonings which are in our hearts, and quite ſtop the mouth of fleſh and blood. When Paul had received the Spirit, how couragious was he in the work of the Lord, he that formerly was mad with fury againſt the Church of God, how ſtrongly doth he row the other way. As ſoon as ever Ananias had ſaid, Brother Saul receive thy ſight, Act. 9.his eyes were opened, and his heart enlarged in the knowledge of God, he preſently goes about his Maſters buſineſs to win ſouls over by the evidence of the Spirit, to the obedience of the word: Yea he was ready, not only to be bound for the Lord Jeſus,☞ but to ſuffer for him. A ſpiritual man he chooſeth and pitcheth upon mature and ſerious deliberation with himſelf, being helped by the light of the Spirits teachings, I ſay he chooſeth God for his God, and Chriſt for his Chriſt, and the Spirit for his Spirit, and the Word for his rule, and Gods Commandments for his delight.An implicit faith. Many Chriſtians have but an implicit faith for what they believe, ſome believe the Word of God becauſe they were taught ſo, and ſo were inſtructed by education: others believe ſo, becauſe it is the generall opinion of moſt men; others becauſe this way ſeems the beſt to their corrupt naturall reaſon; others there are, becauſe ſuch a man ſaid ſo, becauſe they are perhaps engaged to him in Church-ſociety, when they have no ground in their own conſciences, why they cloſe with this rather than with that. The devil will have a ſhrewd combate with this mans faith in the hour of temptation, when he ſhall come to die.foreign, efflagitavit The devil hath deſired to winnow thee, as he did Peters faith: He will try thee of what mettall thou art made, whether thou art droſs or ſilver, he will ſift thee throughly (and if thou art found wanting, as I am ſure thou wilt be found, for this faith hath no foundation) thou ſhalt be caſt forth as chaff out of Chriſts floor, to be burned for ever. What is the reaſon that we drive on ſo ſlowly for heaven, why? it is becauſe of the unſetledneſs of our ſpirits. We do not walk by fixed principles. Go to this point, whether the Word be the Word of God, were you never under the buffetings of Satan for a while concerning this thing) hardly any but ſome times or other have been under ſuch a cloud of temptation. If you were really fixed upon this principle, that the Scripture is the Word of God, reading what judgments attends ſinners in their evil courſes, and what happineſs follows the Saints, there could not be ſuch a general ſpirit of prophanneſs amongſt men as there is, and that little care to walk exactly according to the preciſeneſs of the Goſpel. The Spirit quiets our mindes concerning this doubt, by diſcovering unto us the majeſty, purity and perfection of it. A ſpiritual man can ſay, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.12.I know what I ſpeak, I know that God is true, and that there is no unrighteouſneſs in him: God is in me of a truth. Beſides, have we not Atheiſticall thoughts of God, like that fool, Pſal. 14.1. who ſaid in his heart, there was no God, denying the providence of God? When we ſee the wicked men of the world proſper, and we our ſelves counted the offscouring of it; are we not ready to ſay like David, 1 Sam. 27.1.I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul? or that we ſhall fall of everlaſting happineſs? God hath caſt us off for ever, calling the ſervants of God liars, who ſpeak unto us in the name of the Lord, and to diſtruſt the word of promiſe,Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, where there are five negatives for the confirmation of it, I will never, never, never, never, never leave thee nor forſake thee.Pſal. 73. Now as David when he went into the Sanctuary of God, he was better principle'd, and underſtood their latter end; that God had ſet them in ſlippery places, that they might fall and not riſe again. So if we would wait till the Spirit comes down upon our hearts, we ſhould have all theſe carnall reaſonings, and theſe fleſhly doubts removed, and we ſhould be ſetled in the truths of God. When a man is taught by the Spirit, he doth not ſtand to reaſon with fleſh and blood (ſhall I do this, or ſhall I do that, ſhall I chooſe heaven, or ſhall I chooſe hell, ſhall I chooſe ſinne, or ſhall I chooſe grace, ſhall I chooſe God, or ſhall I chooſe Baal) he doth not ſtand reaſoning the caſe, Shall I be religious, or ſhall I not? Shall I truſt all upon Gods bare promiſe, or ſhall I cloſe with the pleaſures of ſin, which are really preſent? but he preſently renouncing all thoſe carnall reaſonings which ariſe from fleſh and blood, preſently ſets upon the work of the Lord, knowing that his labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. So did Paul. Gal. 1. 15, 16. When the Lord had endued him with his Spirit ſutable for his calling whereunto he was called, he ſtood not to reaſon with fleſh and blood, but preſently ſets upon his great Maſters buſineſs, Jeſus Chriſt.The great danger there is in conſulting with fleſh and blood. This conſulting with fleſh and blood hinders many a poor ſoul from a through cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt. Fleſh will ſay, Do not cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt, do not ſerve God, you had better take a certainty for an uncertainty, and thoſe preſent enjoyments here, and live merrily. In conſulting with fleſh and blood, you conſult with the enemy of Jeſus Chriſt, of the Goſpel of his grace, and with an enemy to your own ſouls. Be ſure the fleſh will decide the controverſle on the devils part againſt Jeſus Chriſt. Now the Spirit of God determines the matter on Chriſts part againſt the devil, teaching thee the inſufficiency of all the creatures to make thee happy, and the true happineſs only reſides in God, putting thee into the way wherein God is to be found, and preſerving thee in the ſame, that at length thou maiſt reap everlaſting life.
Seventhly, The teachings of the Spirit are conſonant to the Word; they agree with the Word of God. As the minde of the Spirit in one place of Scripture agrees with the minde of the Spirit in another, and there is a ſweet harmony in the Word of God: So the teachings of the Spirit upon our hearts, they alſo are correſpondent with the word. Saith Paul to the Galatians, Gal. 1.8.If an Angel from heaven ſhould deliver any other doctrine unto you, than what you have received, let him be accurſed. And the Apoſtle by a reſumption or ingemination repeats it again; If any man teach any other Goſpel unto you than what you have received, let him be accurſed: ….11, 12.And why? My Doctrine is not of fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.Note this well ☜ As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, My word which I have delivered unto you being the Word of God, and ſeeing I have received it from God, I am certain God will not ſend a meſſage contrary to his Word, or ſend an Angel from heaven to infirm and weaken that which I have delivered unto you: So I ſay,☜ whoſoever thou art that pretendeſt to revelations and myſteries, and high diſcoveries from God, if the manifeſtations you pretend to be to draw you to the promoting of any thing contrary to the Word of God, or to encourage you in the waies of ſinne, and to carry on the intereſts of the fleſh, it is a lying Spirit, it is not the Spirit of God. I am ſure God will not ſend a meſſage to contradict his own Word, or give in a revelation which ſhall weaken and deſtroy that word which his Apoſtles and Prophets have delivered unto us. I could wiſh that, the Quakers of our times, who pretend ſo much to the Spirit,The Quakers are void of the Spirits teachings. and yet walk after the fleſh, vilifying and reviling the precious ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, their mouths being black with helliſh imprecations againſt the ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, would lay this to heart. Certainly they are void of the Spirits teachings upon their hearts, if any people in the world are void, becauſe they are ſo full of malice againſt the Word of God, which is the minde of the Spirit, and ſo impetuouſly carried by a ſpirit of envy (An envious perſon is the very picture of the devil) againſt thoſe who watch for their ſouls good, that they may be ſaved at the great day of account, Iſa. 8.11. To the Law and to the teſtimony, if they hearken not to theſe, it is becauſe there is no light in them. I know the devil can put on Samuels mantle, and he will bring Scripture in his mouth, as well as the beſt. He brought Scripture to Chriſt,Mat. 4. but you may eaſily perceive him by his cloven foot; it is either to tempt thee to ſinne, as here he did Chriſt, or to ſome errour and hereſie. The devil is Gods Ape;The devil is Gods Ape. and as God hath his miracles, ſo he hath his wonders, as appears by the Sorcerers in Egypt, and he will ſet up his ſtandard by Gods ſtandard in this world. If God hath his revelations, the devil will have his; but you may eaſily difference them by theſe ſignes:
1. The devils revelations are but hidden things. How do men in theſe times who talk much of the light of the Spirit within them, runne all upon Allegories, wreſting the Scripture to their own damnation.1 Cor. 14.32
2. The devils revelations put men into ſtrange paſſions and phrenſies,Spiritus Prophetarum ſubjecti ſunt Prophetis, ie. nihil foreign. ſacient, ſed decentèr & ntilitèr. Et hoc distinguuntur Prophetae veri à vatibus prophauis, quia illi omnia faciunt quodam furore & ecſtafi, alie nautur mentè, & abripiun tur extrà ſeſe, ut ſaepe ſeipſos non intelligant, inde ambiguè etiam ludunt, quia incerti ſunt de rebus. At veri Prophetae non ita: modeſtè, & ſedatè omnia agunt, ſpiritum habeut ſibi ſubjectum, ut nihil indecorum admittant idco libemèr cedunt aliis. Arecius The ſpirits of the Prophers are ſubject to the Prophets, that is, they do nothing diſorderly, but with decency and profit. And by this manner are diſtinguiſhed the true Prophets from the falſe and prophane ones, becauſe they do all things with a certain kinde of fury and madneſs, and are eſtranged in their minds and ſnatch beſides: hemſelves, that many times they do not underſtand themſelves, and ſpeak ambiguouſly, becauſe they are uncertain of the things themſelves: But the true Prophets do not ſo; they do all things modeſtly and quietly, h…y have their ſpirits in ſubjection, ſo that they do nothing ancomely, and can willingly give place to others. and I know not what diſtempers: but the Spirit of God doth not ſo reveal it ſelf, but teacheth in a milde, gentle, and in a quiet way.
3. After the devils revelations there follows great diſquietneſs of minde, and little ſettlement of ſpirit, but they are left in manifold perplexities, ſometimes the light that is within them, as they call it, carrying them to ſuch a place, and ſometimes to another, and whatſoever the light bids them do, that they muſt do. As the evil ſpirit hurried Chriſt up and down, ſetting him upon the pinacle of the Temple, but the teachings of the Spirit bring peace of conſcience and joy in the holy Ghoſt, which is unſpeakable and full of glory, Saith Chriſt, When the Spirit comes, it ſhall ſpeak of me, and ſhall bring all things to your remembrance, Whatſoever I have ſpoken unto you. Whatſoever Chriſt ſpeaks, and the Word ſpeaks, the Spirit ſpeaks; but whatſoever the devil ſpeaks he ſpeaks it of himſelf, and not according to the word, for he was a liar from the beginning, he abode not in the truth, and the truth is not in him.
Eighthly, They are effectuall powerfull transforming teachings. As God by his word in the Creation did create light upon the earth; God ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; ſo God by one word from heaven, by his Spirit, can create light in our underſtandings. As Chriſt by a-word did raiſe Lazarus out of the grave; ſo God by one word, by his Spirit, can raiſe us up from the grave of ſinne to newneſs of life. As thou canſt not hinder the influences of heaven, nor cauſe it not to rain when God hath unlockt his ſtore-houſe of rain, or from keeping the light of the ſunne from the world, much leſs canſt thou hinder the work of the Spirit upon thy heart, the influences of his Divine working. Prov. 21.1. The Lord tunneth the heart of man as he turneth the Water-brooks. One would think that ſuch a one as Saul, a perſecutour, ſhould never have been a Paul, a choſen veſſell to bear his Name before the Gentiles. That a Manaſſeh, who made Jeruſalem to ſwim with blood, ſhould have been a Convert: That a Mary Magdalen, out of whom Chriſt had caſt out ſeven devils, ſhould become a Saint; but ſuch is the power of the Spirit, that though thou hadſt a legion of devils, Chriſt by his Spirit, which is called the finger of God, as Chriſt ſaith, (Luke 11.20 If I by the finger of God caſt out devils) he can caſt them out, and fill thee with his good Spirit. When Chriſt comes to a mans houſe, and ſaith, This day is ſalvation come to thy houſe, as he did to Zacheus, Luk. 19.9. let him be a Publican, he ſhall give half his goods to the poor, and if he hath wronged any man, he ſhall make reſtitution: So when Chriſt ſhall come to thy heart by the Spirit, and cry ſaying, This day is ſalvation come to thy ſoul, thou ſhalt open and become a new creature, be thy former condition what it will. 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face behold, as in a glaſſe, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here you may obſerve this rule,A Rule. That whatſoever is ſpoken of the word in reference to our ſpirituall eſtate it is to be meant of the word as the Spirit goes along with it: Heb. 4.12.foreign, ad intimos receſſus, ad ſpinae medullam uſque penetro. To pierce to the very back bone, as when a beaſt is chined. But the word of God is quick and powerfull, ſharper than any two-edged ſword, dividing between the joynts and the marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts, and of the intonts of the heart, that is the word in the hand of the Spirit is ſo, and not otherwiſe, therefore the word is called, The ſword of the Spirit; and the ſword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. As the ſword cannot cut of it ſelf, but as it is in the hand of a ſtrong, and of a skilfull man; ſo neither can the Word have any effect upon our ſouls, but ſo farre forth as 'tis managed by the Spirit.
Ninthly, They are quiet and comfortable teachings: 'Tis the Spirit alone that teacheth without noiſe of words, without confuſion of opinions, without ambition of honour, with contention of arguments. 'Tis the Spirit alone that in an inſtant raiſeth up the humble minded. As it is ſaid of Chriſt, ſo it may be ſaid of the Spirit, that his voice ſhall not be heard in the ſtreets. The Spirit hath its gentle gales and blaſts of love, it doth not compell men to Jeſus Chriſt, but it invites, perſwades, allures them, and brings them over in a loving way. The voice of the Spirit it is a ſweet gracious inward voice: It is a ſoft voice, which will break the hardeſt rocks: It is a ſoulmelting voice, which will make a ſoul diſſolve into tears, it is not a thundering voice, but a ſecret powerfull voice, calling us from the world to enjoy communion with God. Amongſt the Jews there was a certain revelation called Bathcol, that is, filia vocis, becauſe uſually when it thundered they had a Revelation: Therefore the Jews to this day, when it thunders, uſe to light candles, expecting to hear a voice concerning the Meſſias. Agreeable to this is the place of the Pſalmiſt, I anſwered thee out of the ſecret place of thunder. And when Chriſt was in his transfiguration, ſome ſaid it thundered, others that an Angel ſpoke unto him: But the Spirit doth not teach in a thundering voice, but in a ſweet ſtill voice. And as God was not in the wind, and in the earthquake, and in the fire, but in the ſweet ſtill voice; 1 King 19.12.ſo the Spirit of God, when it teacheth the ſoul, it is by a ſweet and a pleaſant voice.
Tenthly, They are abiding teachings: 2 Cor. 3.3. Saith Chriſt, I will ſend the Comforter to you, and he ſhall abide with you for ever. Jer. 31.33, 34. I will write my Law in their hearts, and put my fear within them, and they ſhall never depart from me. 1 Pet 1.23. Being born again, not of corruptible ſeed, but of incorruptible, of the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever. As none can blot out the Law of nature written naturally on the heart of man,foreign, Communes notiones. Honeſte vivendum, neminem laedendum, ſuum cui que tribuendum for there are certain principles in our hearts, certain generall notions common to all men, to wit that God is to be loved and worſhipped, that we ſhould live boneſtly and reverence our parents, and the like. Therefore the Gentiles when they walked contrary to that naturall light which God had put within them, are ſaid to withhold the truth in unrighteouſneſs: Much leſs canſt thou blot out the teachings of the Spirit. The finger of God writes indeleble characters. We reade of the ſeal of the Spirit: Eph. 1.13.Now you know a ſeal is for two things, 1. For confirmation of the Covenant. 2. For perpetuity; as long as the Bond ſtands ſealed it is in force. As long as the Spirit hath been a Spirit of Adoption to us, we need not ever fear that he will be a Spirit of bondage again. As long as we have Gods ſeal upon our hearts, which ſtands firm and ſure untill the day of redemption, we need not fear but that we ſhall continue ſtedfaſt in the faith of Gods elect.
Eleventhly, They are uniform teachings, that is in reſpect of the ſubject matter, the Spirits teachings are the ſame, to wit, the things of God, though the Spirit hath not alwaies one and the ſame way to communicate thoſe things unto our ſouls.
Twelfthly and laſtly, The Spirits teachings they are the only teachings. As Peter ſaid to Chriſt, when Chriſt asked his Diſciples,Joh. 6.68. Will ye alſo forſake me, Lord whither ſhall we go, thou haſt the words of eternall life? So whither ſhould we go to be taught the minde of God, but to the Spirit in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, to deſire him to inſtruct us by it. As the men that were ſent by the rulers to take Chriſt, brought word back again, that never man ſpake like this man: Ioh. 7.46.So when once thou haſt had the experience of the Spirits teachings upon thy heart, thou wilt ſay indeed and in truth, Never any taught me ſo, as the Spirit hath taught me.
Now my buſineſs is to ſhew unto you That only thoſe that have the Spirits teachings can know the things of God: Which is proved from one place of Scripture, 1 Cor. 2. 14, it is ſaid that the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him. In this place of Scripture you have two parts:
Firſt, A plain Propoſition, which is this, That the naturall man receiveth not the things of God, of the Spirit of God.
Secondly, You have the reaſons of the Propoſition, which are theſe two:
1. Becauſe they are fooliſhneſs unto him.
2. Becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.
It is ſaid, The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit: The Apoſtle doth not here ſpeak of Epicures,foreign. whom Peter 2 Ep. 2. chap. v. 12. cals bruit beaſts; but of the great men of this world, excellent for wit, for wiſdom, and for morall vertues, as Scipio, Cato, Socrates, Ariſtides: Thoſe men cannot diſcern the things of the Spirit. Neither doth he ſpeak there of thoſe who by the juſt judgement of God are delivered up to Satan,foreign opponitur foreign, animalis opponitur ſpirituali. The Schoolmens queſtions are for the moſt part idle and curious, as the moſt of their hypotheticall propoſitions, and the manner of diſputations; for oftentimes they diſpute ex alienis principiis, out of the grounds of other ſciences: they confound Divinity and Philoſophy; and the Media which they uſe oftentimes are impertinent. They truſt too much to the teſtimony of men; they go very raſhly many of them, and ſpeak not ſoberly enough of the great myſtery of the Trinity, bringing in Philoſophicall reaſons: whereas theſe myſteries ſhould rather be adored than ſearched after. They diſtinguiſh were God diſting uiſheth not, being full of vain Philoſophy, and needleſs doctrines. Weems. that ſeeing, they might not ſee; who are called men of corrupt mindes, reprobate concerning the faith; 2 Tim. 3.8. But by the naturall man is underſtood every man whatſoever, that is not taught and inlightened by the Spirit. As fleſhly is oppoſed to ſpirituall, ſo animall or naturall is oppoſed to ſpirituall: So that whoſoever he be, let him have the higheſt perfections of nature or morality, or common endowments, he is an ignoramus in the things of God, if he be void of the Spirit. Wicked men they count ſpirituall things fooliſhneſs. As the wiſdom of the world is fooliſhneſs with God, ſo the wiſdom of God is fooliſhneſs with the world: 1 Cor. 1.25. Though the fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer than men, and the weakneſs of God is ſtronger than men. So we reade of the fooliſhneſs of preaching, in the 21 verſe of the ſame Chapter. Wicked men count preaching of the Word of God fooliſhneſs, and Religion but a toy, a bable, and as a bug-bear to keep us in awe, they cannot ſavour or reliſh any ſpirituall thing. Beſides, ſaies the Apoſtle, they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Now wicked men who are void of the Spirit, they have not that Spirit of diſcerning, which other men have, As a man who hath a vitious humour in his eye, whatſoever he looks upon, it is repreſented under that humour; as if a man hath the Jaundis in his eyes, all things are preſented to his ſight under a yellow colour: So wicked men, becauſe they are ſenſuall and have not the Spirit, as Jude ſpeaks; they look upon all things with a carnall eye, and ſo are not able to diſcern aright. Many times naturall men they judge of things according to their bulk and quantity, they judge of the goodneſs of a prayer, by the length of it; of faith, by a meer caſting of themſelves at all adventures upon Jeſus Chriſt for ſalvation, never ſeeing whether their hearts are purified by faith or no,Indeed the wicked that have learning may perceive and know thoſe things of the Spirit, but they know them in a carnall manner, not in a ſpirituall manner; and howbeit they may reform their outward courſes, and cut off many acts of ſin, and like grace ſomewhat in their hearts; thus farre, and farther may a carnall man go, being but changed, not renewed. Now they cannot ſpiritually diſcern grace, for in regard of ſpirituall diſcerning they are in the dark, even as the eyes if they would ſee without light, the eye-ſight and the goodneſs, and the excellency of the ball will not avail to make them ſee; ſo the wicked, even the learned'ſt of them all, they cannot ſee grace, becauſe they have not the Spirit of diſcerning light; their learning & their wit, and all their good parts cannot ſuffice to deſcry the things of God as they are ſeen by the godly. They ſeeing, ſee not, and hearing they might hear, and not underſtand. This knowledge of the things of God, this ſpirituall knowledge, it is called the Unction of the holy Ghoſt: 1 John 2.20. You have an Unction from the holy One, and you know all things. It is called eye-ſalve, Rev. 3.18. It is called the opening of the eyes, Pſal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things in thy Law. It is called the lightning of the eyes, Pſal. 13.3. Lighten my eyes. It is called ſeeing, Iſa. 29.18. And the eyes of the blinde ſhall ſee out of darkneſs. Mr. Feuner in his myſtery of ſaving grace. or joyned with a true love unto him. They miſtake common grace for ſpeciall grace, and reſt ſatisfied with the common graces of the Spirit, never minding whether they have that prevailing degree of grace to love God and Jeſus Chriſt above all things. They are ready to think themſelves the children of God, becauſe they proſper in the world, and have not croſſes as other men, becauſe they are quiet in reſpect of ſinne, and have no trouble of conſcience upon their hearts as other men have. They are apt to conclude that God loves them, and delights in them, becauſe they have ſometimes more than ordinary raptures of Spirit, and are ſometimes ſtirred up to prayer and the like; becauſe they have more head-knowledge than many other honeſt-hearted Chriſtians have. All theſe falſe concluſions come from corrupt fleſh, becauſe they are not inlightened by the Spirit of God. John 2.11. He that walketh in the dark knoweth not whither he goeth. You are all in the dark unleſs you have the Spirit. If the people of the world had the eyes of the children of God, they could not but love grace and holineſs, and Chriſt, and the Word, and the Miniſters, for the beauty and the excellency that is in them. Then they would ſay with David, Pſal. 84. I had rather be a door-keeper in the houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs a thonſand years: Pſal. 42.1. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee O God; when ſhall I come and appear before God! They would hate ſinne for that odious nature, and that vileneſs that is in it, but their eyes are vitiated, and in ſtead of the Doves eyes of the ſpouſe of Chriſt, their eyes are bewitched with the things of this world: Gal. 3.1. O ye Galatians, who hath bewitched you! It is a bewitching with the eyes, as the Greek word imports. It is ſaid of Agar, that when ſhe was in the wilderneſs, and the Lad was ready to die for thirſt, that God opened her eyes, and ſhe ſaw a well of water: So though Jeſus Chriſt that fountain which is open to Judah and Jeruſalem for ſinne and for uncleanneſs, be daily put before our eyes, yet if God doth not open our eyes, we ſhall never ſee it, we ſhall never taſte of the waters of life. What is the reaſon that David prayed ſo often, Pſal. 119. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Law: Teach me thy ſtatutes. Make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts. I am thy ſervant, give me underſtanding that I may know thy precepts. Why? Becauſe David knew that he could not underſtand the things of God, unleſs he were taught by the Spirit. When the earnall men of the world condemn the children of God for their zeal and conſtancy in his waies, and for their preciſeneſs in living up to the terms of the Goſpel; they may anſwer them as one did his fellow in another caſe for looking upon a picture; ſaid his fellow, Why doſt thou gaze upon it ſo long? O ſaith he, if you did ſee with my eyes, and had that skill to diſcern as I have, you would gaze upon it as long too: So if you did ſee with our light, and had that Spirit of diſcerning which we have, you would be as eager in the waies of God, as we poſſibly can be. Wicked men are not able to judge aright of the worth of grace, and of the excellency of the things above as they ſhould do, therefore they preferre Barabbas before Chriſt, and ſinne before grace; but the godly on the contrary they cry out with that godly Martyr Lambert; None but Chriſt, Nothing but grace; Give us grace and Chriſt and it ſufficeth us. Do you think that men that are bewitched, or that are beſotted, or that are overcome by the power of luft, or that are drunken by the pleaſures of ſinne, or that have no other light to judge by, but that little ſpark which is left within them ſince the fall, which is over-preſſed with the corruptions of ſinne, theſe men are not fit to be competent judges of the minde of the Spirit. Now all men that have not the teachings of the Spirit, they are either drunken men, drunk with the pleaſures of ſinne: Eph. 4. Be not drunk with wine, but be ye filled with the Spirit: Or drunken with the cares of the world, as Martha was, who was cumbred about ſo many things,There is a drunkenneſs wherein Nazarites themſelves may be overcome. The very cares of this world, and voluptuous living have a kinde of inebriating power with them. The exceſs of our affections in the purſuit and uſe of any earthly thing, may be called drunkenneſs. Dr. Sclater. that ſhe could not have time to attend to the ſweet words which dropped forth from Chriſts-mouth: Or they are drunken with ſelf-love, with ſelf-pride, with ſelf-admiration, with ſelf-applauſe, and ſo they lift up themſelves before Jeſus Chriſt. The exceſs and immoderate uſe of a thing, eſpecially when the thing is unlawfull in it ſelf, may be called drunkenneſs; as the Prophet cries forth, O ye that are drunken, but not with wine, Iſa. 29.9. As wiſe Abigail did not diſcover the intent of David over night to Nabal, A ſimile.till the drink was out of his head, and he had ſlept his ſleep, ſo theſe ſwiniſh men cannot underſtand the things of God, till the Spirit of God, of ſwines makes them men, and of men Chriſtians. Many are ſottiſh children, that conſider not the Lord, nor the operations of his hands.Iſa, 1.3. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſs his Maſters crib, but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. They are benummed, the devil having ſeared their conſciences with a hot iron. Now for ſots and innocents to know the things of God, it implies a thing impoſſible to fleſh and blood. Indeed according to the things of the world they may be wiſer than the children of light, but in reſpect of heavenly things they are ſottiſh children. Ask them what Regeneration is, and about the new birth, they are as great ſtrangers to it as Nicodemus was.Ioh. 3.9. Ask them concerning the teachings of the Spirit, and like thoſe in the Acts, Act. 19.2.they will anſwer you, they never heard of the teachings of the Spirit before. Likewiſe men that are ſenſuall, who are led by ſenſe and not by faith, who can believe nothing but what they ſee, and can yield to no truth, but what their blinde underſtandings can reach unto,Arabicum Proverbium, Obstrue quinque feneſtras ut luceat domus, & qui ſunt in eâ. Shut your five windows, that the houſe and all that are therein may ſhine, i. e. Conſult not with your ſenſes, with carnall reaſon, which like Sarah laughs at heavenly promiſes, and looks only to earthly poſſibilities: and as the Sunne, whoſe riſing diſcovers the terreſtiail globe to our ſight, but hides the ſtarres and the celeſtiall. Dr. Stoughton. what they are able to apprehend; theſe are not able to diſtinguiſh between light and darkneſs. Now the Spirit ſubjects our ſenſe to reaſon, and reaſon to faith, that what before we could not cloſe withall for truth, becauſe it was above our capacity to underſtand, by the Spirits witneſſing with our ſpirits, we can more certainly and reſolvedly comply withall and beleeve, than with thoſe things we ſee with our naturall eyes. The more we have to do with ſenſe, the leſs we have to do with God. We finde it in naturall things, that the more retired our ſouls are, and the freer from this body of fleſh, and the more contracted within it ſelf, the higher it ſoars in the meditation of heavenly things. Pleaſant walks and ſolitary places where there is no recourſe, are fitteſt for the ſoul to be buſie within it ſelf, by viewing Gods goodneſs, and raiſing ſweet experiences from ſeverall creatures, and divers objects of the infinite wiſdom, goodneſs and mercy of God in his providence over the world. St Bernard that ſpirituall Father, who had ſweet Soliloquies between God and his own ſoul, much delighted in fragrant places, ſeparate from all company, that thereby he might have the more freedom of ſpirit to have communion with his God. If a ſoul deſires to be guided by the Spirit, let it get from ſenſe as high as it can; leſt like Anſelm's bird intangled with the bird.-lime of the world, the more it flutters to eſcape, the more it is intangled with the pollutions of it. Thoſe which have only that little ſpark of light within them ſince the fall,☜ which is like the ſnuff of a candle in a dark lanthorn, theſe are to ſeek in the things of God. They may have as it were an Owl-light, but to have the Sun-light which is promiſed under the daies of the Goſpel, that the light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun ſevenfold,Iſa. 30.26. this they cannot have. But when the candle of the Lord which is within us, (For the Spirit of man it is the candle of the Lord,) Pro. 20.27is inlightned by a further light ſuperadded by the Spirit from the book of providence, from the book of the creatures, from the book of our own hearts, we are able to draw many ſpirituall concluſions, and are enabled to know the mind of the Spirit in the Word of God.
Is it ſo,Ʋſes. That none can know the things of God, but they that have the teachings of the Spirit? Then
Firſt, It ſhews us this, that blindneſs lies upon the minde of the greateſt part of the world, of the greateſt part of Chriſtians, becauſe the greateſt part of them are void of the Spirit. That they are ſo, I ſhall prove by Scripture, 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There is no inſlavery, no thraldom; no bondage, and therefore in Rom. 8. the Spirit of adoption is put in oppoſition to the ſpirit of bondage. The Spirit is called a Spirit of liberty in three reſpects.
1.The Spirit of liberty. Becauſe it hath reſcued us from a ſtate of bondage.
2. Becauſe it hath put us into a ſtate of liberty.
3. Becauſe it gives us liberty and freedom of ſpirit to come with confidence and boldneſs into the preſence of God. Before we have the Spirit we are in bondage,
1. To ſinne.
2. To the beggarly and ſlaviſh rudiments and cuſtoms of the world.
To ſinne, and ſo the Spirit, as it delivers us from the ſtate of bondage, 'tis called a Spirit of holineſs, a Spirit of ſanctification. His ſervants we are whom we obey; in the ſervice of God there is perfect freedom, but in the ſervice of the devil there is the greateſt ſlavery: What more ſlaviſh than to ſerve a luſt? What greater bondage can there be than to have the devil our Maſter? When the Spirit of God hath ſanctified us and renewed us, then we bear the Image of our heavenly Father, according to that place in John, He that is born of the fleſh is fleſh, Joh. 3.6.and he that is born of the Spirit is ſpirit; that is, he that is born of the fleſh, bears the image of the fleſh; and he that is born of the Spirit, the image of the Spirit. As he that is born of corrupt fleſh is corrupt, ſo he that is born of the holy Spirit of God is holy. Likewiſe we are delivered from the rudiments of the world, and thoſe ſuperſtitious waies wherein the world walketh. How many are there kept in bondage to old cuſtoms in the worſhip of God, to Ceremonies and ſerving of God after the tradition of their fathers; that ſtand upon places and outward form, more than the inward and more ſpirituall part of worſhip? Some cavil at the Churches, calling them Steeple-houſes, and the Pulpit a Tub, and the ſervants of God Tub-preachers. If the Church of God be a Steeple-houſe, what place may we term their private meetings? wherein the ſubject matter of their diſcourſe is to broach and vent forth new fangled notions, nothing materiall to the ſalvation of their ſouls, and how they may vilifie and caſt contempt upon the true worſhip of God, and upon the ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt. Others put too much upon theſe places, as if there were an inward holineſs in them, as if God would rather hear them there, and anſwer them for the place ſake, rather than at another place. Under the Goſpel there is no place more holy than another, for it is not the place that makes the duty holy, as it was under the Law, when the Altar ſanctified the gift, and not the gift the Altar; but duties now put a dignity upon the place, and not the place put a dignity upon the duties. So that this place, the Church, while we are praying it may be called the houſe of prayer, and while we are doing Gods work, and God is manifeſting himſelf unto us, it may be called the houſe of God: As Jacob called the place where he had his viſion, The houſe of God. But yet you muſt obſerve this by the way, that under the Goſpel-diſpenſation, there is not ſo much put upon places, as there was under the Law. God under the former diſpenſation did more immediatly limit his preſence to one place, though not alwaies, for God is found of all them that diligently ſeek him, but his viſible preſence is more reſerved to the Temple, and to his ſhining forth between the Cherubims, over the Mercy-ſeat: 2 Chron. 6.20. God is ſaid to put his Name into the Temple, and the Pſaſmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 80.1. O thou that ſhineſt forth between the Cherubims, in alluſion to Gods manifeſting himſelf over the Mercy-ſeat! Therefore it was Jeroboams ſin which the Prophet Hoſea reproves, that he did not only ſet up Calves to be worſhipped inſtead of the true God, but that he ſet them up in Dan and Bethel, keeping the people from the place of Gods worſhip, where God had put his Name. Yet under this diſpenſation the Church it may be called a holy place, as under the old Law many things are called holy in that it is ſeparated and ſet apart in a publick way, in oppoſition to meeting houſes, for the pure worſhip of God, and a joynt calling upon him in his own way. The Spirit likewiſe puts us into a ſtate of liberty: A ſtate of Sonſhip it is a ſtate of liberty.Rom. 8.11 Therefore we are ſaid to be tranſlated from the Kingdom of darkneſs into the glorious liberty of the children of God. If children then heirs, joynt heirs with Jeſus Chriſt. Now you know a childe when he is under age, he differs nothing from a ſervant, but is under Governours and Tutors, till he comes to be heir and Lord of all things. A reverent Divine whom I heard occaſionally, ſaid that there were four priviledges which attend Adoption. 1. Liberty. 2. Right and title. 3. Correction: and 4. Boldneſs. Now how come we to be the Sons of God, but by the Spirit, the Spirit witneſſeth with our ſpirits that we are the children of God. This ſpirituall freedom it is not ſuch a freedom as the world dreams of;☞ it doth not exempt us from the obedience to the Laws either of God or man;The Spirits liberty what it i. it is not a freeing us from obeying the Civil Magiſtrate; it is not a freeing us from afflictions and croſſes in the world: Nay rather it is a ſign thou art a child of God, and that thou art inſtated into this liberty if thou art corrected; God chaſtneth every ſon whom he receiveth. The Spirit likewiſe gives us freedom and liberty to come with confidence by faith into the preſence of God. Eph. 2. For through him we both have acceſs through one ſpirit unto the Father. By the Spirit we have acceſs by Chriſt unto God the Father, ſo that whatſoever prayer you put up to God the Father;What prayer is accepted by God. if it be not a fruit of the Spirit. and tendred up in Chriſts Name, it ſhall never be accepted. God owns nothing but what is his own. Whatſoever is not of the Spirit it is of the fleſh,Men may be moved with fait ſpeeches, enticing words, eloquent phraſes (as the people of Tyrus and Sidon with Herods eloquent Oration, Act. 12.21.) but all the eloquence in the world is no more to God, than the lowing of an Ox, or the howling of a Dog, if it come not from the Spirit. Dr. Gouge in his whole Armour of God. and whatſoever is of the fleſh it is our own, it comes from us and not from God. A childe of God he is partly fleſh and partly ſpirit. Now God the Father for Jeſus Chriſts ſake, in whom they are in Covenant with him he over-looks all the fleſhly part, all their infirmities, all the wandrings and gaddings of ſpirit in their prayer, and what is the fruit of his own ſpirit, that he receives and looks upon it as a ſpirituall prayer in and for the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt, and becauſe ſome of the actings of the Spirit have been ſeen in it. God ſevers the light from the ſmoak when it aſcends up into heaven, the light is the Spirits, the ſmoak is ours.Having the Spirit we muſt go along with him, pouring forth thoſe deſires which he ſuggeſteth unto us: the fire which God would have continually to burn upon his Altar, came out from the Lord: Rev. 9.24. If ſacrifices were offered up with any other fire, that fire was counted ſtrange, and the ſacrifices no whit acceptable, but abominable to the Lord: the heavenly fire whereby our ſpirituall ſacrifices of prayer muſt be offered up, is that holy Spirit which cometh out from God: he carrieth the very Image of God; we muſt therefore give unto God that which is Gods. A childe of God upon this ground may come with boldneſs to the throne of grace, that God will accept his prayer, becauſe it is a fruit of his Spirit. He may wraſtle with God and never let him alone till he obtain the bleſſing, or ſome gracious anſwer to his prayer, though not in the ſame kind he petitioned for. He can ſay, I am thy childe, thou art my father, I am one with thee by thy Spirit, I belong to thy family both in heaven and in earth, I am one of them for whom Chriſt ſweat drops of blood, for I have thy Spirit interceding for me with ſighs and groans which cannot be uttered, and therefore Lord I know that thou canſt not deny me my petition if it be for my good, and for the glory of thy Name. Now is it ſo, that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, is it not too too evident that the greateſt part of profeſſing Chriſtians are void of the Spirit: Are they not in bondage to ſome ſecret luſt? Doth not their ſpeech bewray them? in ſtead of ſpeaking the language of Canaan, do they not ſpeak the language of Aſhdod? In ſtead of being led by the Spirit of God, are they not led by the ſpirit of the world? While they talk of the Spirit, do they not walk after the fleſh? Have they not the Spirit to talk by, and the world to walk by? Are they not in love with the faſhion of the world, and intangled with the rudiments of it? Can they pray in the Spirit? can they ſing in the Spirit? can they reſtore a fallen brother in the evidence of their own ſpirit? If they can, What means theſe ſwarms of luſts in their hearts, of pride, envy, ſelf-love, contempt of their poor weak brethren, and little regard they have to the promoting the work of the Spirit in the hearts of others. Theſe with many others are true notes, that the greateſt part of Chriſtians are void of the Spirit.
Secondly, Is it ſo, That none can know the things of God, but they that have the teachings of the Spirit upon their hearts, Then I beſeech you to deſire God to give you the teachings of his Spirit. Pray earneſtly for that wiſdom which comes from above that St James ſpeaks of,Jam. 3.17. Which is firſt pure, then gentle, then eaſie to be intreated, which is full of good works. If any man lack wiſdom let him ask it of God, for he giveth liberally and upbraideth none. He will not upbraid thy ignorance, thy poverty, thy former unwillingneſs and diſreſpect, if thou wilt ask it of him. If the Lord bleſſed Solomon ſo much for asking wiſdom before riches,1 King. 3.11. honour, life, that the Lord gave him a wiſe heart, together with riches, honour and life, as an over-plus into the bargain, how much more pleaſant and wellcom will thy petition be to God, if thou askeſt of him ſpirituall wiſdom, which is not to be compared with the moſt precious Rubies, or with the fineſt Gold. If thou would'ſt have ſpirituall wiſdom, deſire God to give thee the Spirit of wiſdom to give thee the grace of unction, as well as the grace of union, that as Jeſus Chriſt had the Spirit of wiſdom reſting upon him, ſo thou maieſt have likewiſe. To ſtirre thee up to this main duty,
Conſider firſt of all,Fidelis mater utra. que praebet infautulo ubera. Sic Deus pater non ſolum dedit filium, ſed ctiam dedit Spiritum ſanctum. Haec duo ubera vino ſunt pulchriora. That thou askeſt nothing but what is agreeable to the will of God: Matth. 7.11. If ye being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask it of him.
2. Thou askeſt nothing but what Chriſt hath promiſed. Saith Chriſt, when I go away the Comforter ſhall come unto you: So likewiſe, I will pray the Father and he ſhall fend you another Comforter. If Chriſt who is the Amen of all the promiſes,Rev. 1.5. who is the true and faithfull duplicate page duplicate page witneſs, who is truth it ſelf: Saith he,John 14. I am the way, the truth and the life, who hath ſealed the Covenant with his own blood, if he hath promiſed the Spirit, he will not be worſe than his word, if thou ask it of him.
3. Conſider that Chriſt was anointed with the Spirit, and received a more plentifull meaſure of it for our ſakes that we might partake of his fulneſs, he was filled with the Spirit, that we might partake of the ſame Spirit with him.Joh. 3.34. Non ad menſuram, i. e ſiue menſurâ. The Spirit was not given unto him by meaſure, that we might have a meaſure of his Spirit.
4 Conſider that we are to ask nothing but what we are to expect at Gods hand under the Goſpel. It is ſaid, that the Spirit was not yet given, becauſe that Chriſt was not yet glorified; Joh. 7.39.that is, it was not poured forth in that meaſure and abundance, as it was to be given after Chriſts aſcenſion. Now Chriſt being aſcended, and ſitting at the right hand of God on high, the Apoſtles long ago, and the Saints in the primitive times, having had the firſt-fruits of the Spirit. When the holy Ghoſt deſcended in the form of cloven tongues, we alſo may expect the gleanings of ſo plentifull a harveſt.Sicut unctio à capite Aaronis in ipſius membra deſcendebat; fic à Chriſto capite vigor Spiritus ſancti in omnia membra dimanat. As the oyntment did runne down from Aarons head to the reſt of his members: So from Chriſt the Head the efficacy of the Spirit flows forth upon all the members. To ſtirre you up to deſire the Spirits teachings, conſider this, that it is a ſingular mercy to be taught by the Spirit. Bleſſed is the ſoul that heareth the Lord, in or by his Spirit, and that receiveth from his mouth the word of comfort. If the Queen of Sheba, 2 Ch…on. 9.7. after ſhe had made triall of Solomons wiſdom, cried out with admiration, Happy are thy men, and happy are theſe thy ſervants that ſtand continually before thee, and that hear thy wiſdom: How much happier are they then that heard the gracious words which proceeded from the mouth of Chriſt when he was upon the earth, and that have the teachings of the Spirit upon their hearts! All other teachings beſides the Spirits teachings will avail nothing. Men may pronounce the words, but they cannot give the Spirit: They may ſpeak marvellous well, but if the Spirit holds its peace, they enflame not the heart. They deliver the letter, but the Spirit opens the ſenſe. They bring forth myſteries, but the Spirit unfolds them: They declare thy Commandments, but the Spirit helps to fulfill them. They ſhew us the way, but the Spirit gives us help to walk in it: They water outwardly, but the Spirit gives fruitfulneſs: Paul may plant and Apollo may water, but it is God that gives the increaſe. All other knowledge, if thou haſt not the light of the Spirit, will little avail to bring thee any ſubſtantiall good, or any true or ſolid comfort. Conſider with me in theſe ſeverall particulars the vanity of all other knowledge, compared with the light of the Spirit, that hereby thou maiſt be ſtirred up to ſeek to God to give the Spirits teachings upon thy heart.
1. All other knowledge it breeds diſtraction of minde, and pierceth the ſoul through with many ſorrows: Eccl 1.18. He that increaſeth wiſdom increaſeth ſorrow, and in much knowledge there is much grief. When a man ſees thoſe many defects and fallings that are in the world, thoſe corruptions which are in Church and State, thoſe evils that attend this miſerable life; ſees the utter impoſſibility to fleſh and blood that theſe things ſhould be amended: For ſaith Solomon, That which is crooked cannot be made ſtraight, Eccl. 1.15.and that which is wanting cannot be ſupplied. The beſt of us fail in many things, and there are many defects in the world which cannot be ſupplied in this miſerable life. When a man that hath his eyes in his head conſiders this, it cannot but be a grief unto his ſoul. The more a man knows, the more he ſeeth his own ignorance, when a fool is proud knowing nothing. He ſees that for all his knowledge, he knows nothing in compariſon of what may be known, and that in many things he is uncertain, and that he errs in many things; this is a trouble and a vexation to his Spirit. Acts 26.24. Saith Feſtus to Paul, Much learning hath made thee mad. Too much ſtudy it is a weariſomneſs to the fleſh: And over-haſty purſuit of knowledge hath crackt the brains of many men; and when they attain'd that they ſought after, they have been as unquiet and unſetled in their Spirits, as ever they were before; yea they have been much more unquiet; for as we commonly ſay, what the eye ſees not the heart grieves not; ſo if men were not more knowing than formerly they have been, there would not be thoſe actings of fear, of diſtruſt, of ſtrifes, contentions and emulations, as there are in their ſpirits. The Poets feign of Promotheus, A Morall.that having ſtoln fire from heaven, his carckaſs was bound to the mountain Caucaſus, where a Vulture doth continually feed upon his lungs. The Morall of it is good, noting unto us this, that when men ſeek after that knowledge which will not profit, they do but eat out their ſpirits with many ſorrows. But the light of the Spirit it is full of comfort; Pſal. 97. Light is ſown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. There is no ſuch comfort like to that which flows in upon a ſanctified knowledge of the things of God.
2. A little knowledge with true grace, is better then all the knowledge in the world without the light of the Spirit. If thou didſt know the whole Bible by heart, and the ſayings of all the Philoſophers, what would it avail thee without charity, and the grace of God. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, but only to know God, and to love him being known. What would it avail thee to diſpute profoundly of the Trinity, if thou be void of humility. It is not knowledge but grace makes a man glorious in the eyes of God. The Kingdom of God it conſiſteth not in words, but in vertue. The Kingdom of God is within you; it cometh not by obſervation. If men, religions men, profeſſing Chriſtians, would beſtow ſo much labour in rooting out of vices, and planting of vertues, as they do to move doubts and queſtions, there would not be ſo much prophanneſs in the world, nor ſo much looſeneſs amongſt Profeſſors.
3. Other knowledge puffeth up, but the light of the Spirit it humbleth:The Titles that the Schoolmen had, do evidently ſhow their monſtrous pride: one was called Jacobus de Voragine, as though he had eaten up the whole book of God in reading it: another Doctor Scraphicus & Angelicus; another Doctor Subtilis, Doctor Irrefragabilis, venerabilis inceptor, Doctor fundatiffimus, Dector illuminatus, Doctor reſolutum.1 Cor. 13. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. As winde in the head makes a man giddy, ſo this vain worldly knowledge, it makes a man giddy and unſtable in the truth. It is as leaven, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; ſo a little vain knowledge will ſwell the heart of man that it can hardly contain it ſelf. A vain knowing perſon he never aſcribes to God his parts and abilities, and gives him the increaſe of his talents, but to himſelf: As Herod did when he had made an elegant Oration in the Auditory, he is ſo farre from giving glory to God, that he ſuffers the people to cry out, It is the voice of a God, and not of a man: So it is uſuall with Scholars, when they have done a thing whereby they have gained credit; as made an elegant Oration, or done ſome great thing whereby they have gained ſome honour,Dr. Goodwin on the variety of thoughts. to be often pondering with themſelves the chief things contained in the work, and to revolve in their mindes thoſe commendable ſpeeches which have been given them for their pains. As the Cow after it hath ſed, it uſeth to chew the cud, ſo theſe do as it were chew the cud, by meditating in their mindes, with ſelfapplauſe and ſelf-pride, what glorious things they have accompliſht, and what praiſe they have obtained for them. And as Nebuchadnezzar prided himſelf in the glory of his outward pomp,Dan. 4.30 ſaying, Is not this great Babel which I have built? So theſe pride themſelves in the glory of their archievements, Have not I done ſuch a curious piece of buſineſs worthy of the name of a Scholar? Pride, ambition and covetouſneſs do ſweetly ſleep in the hearts of many Scholars.Cyprian. What is the reaſon that in theſe later times there ſhall be ſuch an apoſtacy from the faith? This is the reaſon,The true reaſon of apoſtacy in theſe our daies. becauſe knowledge ſhall abound, men ſhall pride themſelves in their parts and abilities, and exalt themſelves above the grace of Jeſus Chriſt, and the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, and therefore cauſe God to give them over to ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeve lies. Ezek. 28.3. The proud King of Tyrus, he thought himſelf wiſer than Daniel, he thought himſelf wiſer and in a better condition than Adam was in Paradiſe, yea he did ſet his heart above God: But the teachings of the Spirit make a man to aſcribe all to God, and to ſay with the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was beſtowed upon me, was not in vain: but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. So much ſanctified knowledge, ſo much grace: For though there may be knowledge without grace, ſo there cannot be grace without knowledge: According to the Apoſtles phraſe, Grow in …ace, 2 Pet. 3.18.and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. So much grace, ſo much humility; ſo much carnal knowledge, ſo much pride; ſo much pride, ſo much ſin.
4 All other knowledge without the teachings of the Spirit, it doth but furniſh a man that he might be a more able inſtrument for the devil, and to carry on his deſignes in the world; becauſe only thoſe who have the Spirits teachings upon their hearts, have a ſanctified uſe of their knowledge. What a ſad thing is it that God ſhould give men parts and abilities only to be the devils drudges, and to do his ſervice. When men ſhall employ their parts againſt the Kingdom of Chriſt, againſt the power of godlineſs, and againſt the Saints and ſervants of God; when men ſhall fight againſt God with thoſe very weapons which he put into their hands. The devil knows that theſe be the fitteſt men to manage his cauſe upon the earth, and therefore he chooſeth theſe above all others, as moſt ſutable to his intent and purpoſe. If the leading party of the times, who are eminent for knowledge, and for a wolviſh ſanctity, who carry as it were all …ore them whereſoever they come, and are applauded of all men for their excellent parts and endowments, be on his ſide; and under the cloak of a counterfeit zeal and a pretended holineſs, can mask over, and palliate over moſt abominable corruptions in the ſight of God, if this party be on his ſide, the devil ſleeps, as it were, in a whole skin, knowing that he hath able Proctors and agents that can bear a great ſway in the world, to ſweep down millions of poor ſouls into hell with the beſom of everlaſting deſtruction. What ſay the Phariſees to the ignorant people when they ſpoke of Chriſt; ſay they, Have any of the rulers beleeved on him? Have any of the Doctors of the Law, who ſit in Moſes Chair? Have any of the Sect-Maſters? Have any of the Rabbies and of the Gymnoſophiſts beleeved on him? and thoſe men are wiſer than you? Thoſe ſhould know ſure how to judge of things better than you, who know not the Law of God, but only as you receive it from their mouths? Who were Paul's enemies but the Epicures and Stoicks, and the Philoſophers of the world? Act. 17.18. Then certain of the Philoſophers of the Epicures and Stoicks encountred him, ſaying, What doth this babler ſay? foreign, Seminiverbius.He ſeemeth to be a ſetter forth of ſtrange Gods. Who was Paul's enemy but Tertullus the Orator, when he was to plead for his life? Who were Chriſts enemies but the Scribes and Phariſees, when it is ſaid that the common people heard him gladly? Julian was a great Scholar, yet a great Perſecutor, and an enemy to Jeſus Chriſt, Learned men are but the devils factors to trade for him, and to gain proſelytes unto his Kingdom.
5. All other knowledge will but aggravate your condemnation, unleſs thou haſt the Spirits teachings, at the day of judgement: Sinnes againſt knowledge, are the next ſinnes to the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt: Saith David, Lord deliver thy ſervant from preſumptuous ſins, Pſa. 19.3ſo ſhall I be free from the great tranſgreſſion. They are ſinnes of a deep dye, ſcarlet ſinnes, ſinnes of ignorance, and ſins againſt knowledge, are both the ſame for ſubſtance, yet knowledge it adds a ſearlet dye unto them. What was Belſhazzars fault?Dan. 5 22 That though he did know the failings of his father Nebuchadnezzar, yet he did not humble himſelf for all this. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, Joh. 3.19.but men love darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds are evil. If I had not ſpoken unto you, John 15.22.ſaith Chriſt, you had not had ſinne, but now you have no cloak for your ſinne. No ſinne comparatively in reſpect of what they now have.You cannot improve your knowledge aright to the glory of God, and to the comfort of your own ſoul, unleſs it be ſanctified unto you by the Spirit. Knowing perſons will have the deepeſt place in hell fire, and will be more tormented than any other perſons whatſoever; for God will enlarge their faculties in hell, and their mindes ſhall be enlightned to diſcern between good and evil. Chriſtians that live under the light of the Goſpel, and have not the light of the Spirit, ſhall have a very low place, if not the loweſt, in hell hereafter. Their condemnation ſhall be greater. Their condemnation ſhall be greater than the condemnation of Ariſtotle, of Pythagoras, and other Heathen Philoſophers, becauſe they live under a clearer light the light of the Goſpel; yet thoſe ſhall ſink very deep into the bottomleſs pit. Whatſoever is not done in faith, and proceeds from the Spirit, and is done after a due manner, and to a right end, to the glory of God, is ſinne, Now all that have not the Spirit of God, let them have never ſo much carnall knowledge, they can never do any thing out of a principle of faith within, and as a fruit of the Spirit, or to the glory of God, as they ought to do, but meerly as reaſon, or as a common knowledge guides them, and no higher. Many will curſe the time that ever they had ſo much knowledge one day, and that they have been ſo greedy after it; when to all eternity they ſhall conſider, and have nothing elſe but to conſider how unprofitably and vainly they have lived in reſpect of that plentifull meaſure of knowledge God hath given them.
6. Other knowledge will never ſatiſfie your ſouls. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear with bearing. The ſoul is infinite in its deſires, in its aims, and in its intentions. A covetous man is never ſatisfied with his riches; an ambitious man with his honours; a luſtfull with his pleaſures; an Epicure with his delicious fare;The knowledg of all things beſides God, are no more able to ſatisfie our underſtanding, than a Peck of Corn is ſufficient to fill up all the vaſt regions that are under the circumference of the higheſt heaven. You may as ſoon fill a purſe with wiſdom, as the ſoul with vain knowledge. the Scholar with his knowledge, but ſtill the more they they have, the more they continually deſire. Hab. 2.5. The ſoul it enlargeth its deſires as …ell: As hell and the grave is never ſatiſfied, ſo neither is the ſoul of man with any created excellency whatſoever. We all deſire knowledge naturally, becauſe knowledge it is the perfection of a rationall ſoul: What is the chiefeſt happineſs of a Chriſtian, and the higheſt perfection that the ſoul can attain unto, but to know God aright, and to rejoyce in that knowledge for ever and ever? Eves affectation of knowing both good and evil; and to be like God in knowledge, was the cauſe of the fall of mankinde. The ſoul it hath a large extent, and is never ſatisfied with the knowledge of any thing, unleſs it laieth hold of the moſt infinite God, who is alone able to repleniſh the ſame, without the knowledge of whom we underſtand nothing, but are compared to the beaſts which periſh.
7. All other knowledge it is ſubſervient to the Spirits teachings, and to that ſpirituall wiſdom which flows from the Spirit. It is ſubordinate and inferiour to it: John 17.3. This is eternall life to know thee, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. Other knowledge it may ſerve us about the inferiour works of Chriſtianity, how to live juſtly, ſoberly, honeſtly, to carry our ſelves prudently in the eyes of the world, and to do many outward good works of Religion; but to make us to approve our hearts to God, to believe on Jeſus Chriſt, to deny our ſelves, to take up Chriſts Croſs daily, and to follow him, this only the teachings of the Spirit can help us to do. It is one thing to be a good man, and another thing to be a good Chriſtian. Morall men who have nothing but tivility in them, and a diſcreet carriage to carry all things ſquarely along in the world, may be called good men, who wrong no body, and live honeſtly and demurely, and are good for the benefit of the Commonwealth, either in a civil, or in an Eccleſiaſticall way, knowing how to direct all things for the beſt advantage both to themſelves and others: Theſe may be called good men. But good Chriſtians, ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, the called ones of God the Father, are only thoſe who are the children of light, and have the light of the Spirit reſiding in them. The Arts and the Sciences may ſerve as the Gibeonites did about the Temple, to perform all the inferiours works of Religion, as farre as ſenſe and reaſon may be a competent judge; but at the ſervice of the Altar the principail thing is the light of the Spirit. Logick ſhews the way of defining and dividing, and of demonſtrating the truth, or the abſurdity of a thing. Ethicks further us in the illuſtration of morall vertues. Metaphyſicks help us in explaining the terms of art, which we uſe in ſetting forth the nature of things; and being the higheſt and the chiefeſt Science how to draw concluſions from inferiour objects in ſubordination to the higheſt, and to reduce all inferiour things to the firſt cauſe. How to diſcourſe of God, of the Angels, of the ſoul, of the Attributes, of the beings of things in a Scholaſticall way. To know the firſt principles of things, with ſeverall compoſed affections which ariſe from thence; and ſo to finde out principles and ſubjects for inferiour Sciences. But what is all this to the knowledge of God in Jeſus Chriſt, to the doctrine of humiliation, of examining our own hearts, to the great doctrine of morrification, and of the Spirits in-being and dwelling in us, to the comforting of diſtreſſed conſciences, to the edifying of the Church of Jeſus Chriſt, and to the purifying of our hearts from that inbred corruption that is within us, to the renewing of the Spirit of our mindes to the obedience of the truth. An humble knowledge of our ſelves is a more ſecure way to God, then a ſearching after criticall things; and of all knowledge, the knowledge of God and our own conſciences is the beſt of all.
8.foreign. Baſilius Chriſtianae religionis finis ac perfec̄tio, non eſt nuda foreign, ſed foreign. Qui humilitatem, caſtitatem, manſuetudinem, temperantiam, charitatem non a…at, etiam Chriſtum non amat, quia Chriſti vita nihil aliud erat, quam humilitas, caſtitas manſuetudo temperantia, charitas. Gerhardus. All other knowledge it makes a man either a good morall man, or a good Mathematician, or a good Grammarian, or a good Linguiſt, or a good Statesman, or a good Merchant and the like: But the teachings of the Spirit make a man a good Chriſtian: Which of theſe do you think is the beſt? To be a good Mathematician, or a good Chriſtian: A good Chriſtian ſhall be ſaved, but a good Mathematician may be damned. It is better to be a good ſcholar in Chriſts School, and to learn apace what the Spirit teacheth us, and daily to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, to be like him in humility, meekneſs, patience, contentment, charity, then to grow apace in humane knowledge, neglecting that knowledge which is for the good of their ſouls. Other knowledge makes a man eminent but for one thing; Aliquis in ſingulis nullus in omnibus, but the knowledge that comes from above makes a man eminent in all things, in all companies, upon all occaſions whatſoever he ſets about. The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour; let him be never ſo rich,Pro. 12.26 never ſo wiſe, never ſo honourable, never ſo mighty, never ſo knowing otherwiſe; let him be what he will be, a righteous perſon that is acquainted with God, and with Jeſus Chriſt, is more excellent than him, if he hath no more but a meer ſcepticall ſcholaſtick knowledge in his head. The light of the Spirit it enlightens the whole ſoul. As the light of a candle preſently diffuſeth it ſelf over the whole room, ſo this light ſpreads it ſelf over the whole man.
9. All other knowledge it is but vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Solomon who is ſaid to know every herb from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Thiſtle that groweth by the wall, whoſe heart was ſo filled with wiſdom, that there was none like him before, or ever ſhall be after him; who wrote abundance of Proverbs, and had the faculty of deciding controverſies, and reſolving hard queſtions, whoſe heart God had endued with wiſdom exceedingly, yet this Solomon writes this Motto upon all things, All is vanity. Socrates who was the wiſeſt man in the world, according as the Oracle pronounced of him, yet what doth he ſay of himſelf, Hoc unum ſcio, quod nihil ſcio, I know this one thing, that I know nothing: Nothing in compariſon of what the Saints know, and nothing in reſpect of that true ſubſtantiall wiſdom which will profit me at the laſt day. Saith true wiſdom,Pro. 8.21. I make him that loveth me to inherit ſubſtance. By wiſdom we are to underſtand either Jeſus Chriſt,foreign Jeſcht, Substantia realitas. who is the ſubſtantiall and eternall wiſdom of God the Father, or complexly, Chriſt Jeſus, and that ſpirituall wiſdom which flows from Chriſt by his Spirit. Subſtance] Jeſch, ſubſtantia, a ſubſtantiall thing. By ſubſtance we are not to underſtand riches, as ſome underſtand, for in common talk a rich man we commonly ſay is a ſubſtantiall man, but reality and the truth of a thing. By this phraſe, I make him that loveth me to inkerit ſubſtance, is meant, reality. Spiritual wiſdom is a reall thing, it gives a reall reward to him that loveth her. Spirituall wiſdom is compared to moſt ſolid things, to rubies, to the moſt precious rubies, and to the fineſt gold. The word which ſignifies ſubſtance is put for wiſdom; Mic. 6.9. A man of wiſdom ſhall ſee thy Name. Hebr. A ſubſtantiall man.Shall ſee thy name, i.e. that he will reverence, fear, love and adore thy Name. Words of ſenſe commonly import their effects with them All other knowledge it is vanity when you have it, and vexation when you cannot attain it: It will do you no good at the day of judgement. God at the day of judgement will not ask you what you know, but what you have done, how you have lived, and whether you have walked up to that knowledge which God hath given you. By all your knowledge you cannot ſupplant one vice, you cannot implant one grace, without the ſanctifying Spirit of God. All other knowledge it is but folly in the ſight of God. The wiſdom of this world it is fooliſhneſs with God:☜ It is folly becauſe it fails in obtaining the chiefeſt good, and the laſt end. That is the beſt wiſdom which makes a man provident, and furniſheth him with means to attain the higheſt end. There is no wiſdom but ſpiritual wiſdom, where by we ſhall ever come to have communion with God, who is the beſt object, and the chiefeſt good, the firſt cauſe and the laſt end. If it were ſo, why did not Socrates, Ariſtotle, Pythagoras, with many other knowing men in the world, attain everlaſting happineſs which they are deprived of, unleſs God out of his infinite mercy, by a ſecret way unknown unto us, receive ſome of the beſt of them into his mercy. For my part I know no other way to ſalvation but by Jeſus Chriſt; to know him in his death and ſufferings, and to be made partakers of his reſurrection, and to be united unto him by a lively faith on our part, and by the Spirit on Chriſts part, and to worſhip the true God being rightly known by us according to that way and method he hath delivered unto us in his Word.
10.Multi propter arbo rem ſcientiae, amittunt arborem vitae. Auguſt. All other knowledge it rather hinders, than promotes the ſalvation of men: It puts a rub in their way to heaven. They cannot ſubmit to the plainneſs of the word, to the fooliſhneſs of preaching, to the wiſdom of God. Saith the Apoſtle,Many for the tree of knowledge do loſe the tree of life. The World by wiſdom knew not God, that is, by all their wiſdom they could not attain to a right knowledge of him, neither did they care for knowing of him. The Gentiles did not like to retain God in their thoughts. Multum ubique ſcientiae, conſcientiae parum. There is a great deal of knowledg in the world, but little of conſcience.In denying the wiſdom of God they go about to eſtabliſh their own wiſdom which is folly in the ſight of God. The Gymnoſophiſts of the world cannot away with this to hear that they muſt be taught by the Spirit. And truly without the Spirit they are but bats in underſtanding, knowing nothing as they ought to do. They make a mock of the Spirit of God. What do you tell us of the Spirit? you ſpirituall men ſee you to it, that you have the Spirit.As Domitian ſcoffed at Saint John the Apoſtle, when he had caſt him into a cauldron of oyl; with this ſaying, Theu art one of the anointed ones: So it is the common practiſe of licentious Eſans, and all vain-glorious perſons who boaſt of their abilities to ſcoff at the godly Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, with this ſaying, Come let us hear what theſe ſpirituall men ſay, let us hear what the Spirit ſpeaks in them to day: And to ſcoff at the godly, calling them the anointed ones of Jeſus Chriſt. As for us we do not care whether we have the Spirit or no. We have learning enough to help us out. As farre as we ſee, we can diſcourſe better of the things of God, and ſpeak more knowingly than you can, which boaſt ſo much of the Spirit. Alas, you are poor ſilly creatures in compariſon of us, who are unacquainted with thoſe things which are farre more excellent and admired by all, than any thing you are capable of. And thus they exalt and magnifie themſelves in the pride of their own worth, and in the vanity of their own imaginations. Theſe men live without God in the world, and are ſtrangers to the life of grace, and to the power of godlineſs, to the croſs of Jeſus Chriſt, and to the love of God ſhed abroad in their hearts. They are all for knowledge, yet for the knowledge which will not profit, they muſt be prying into the Ark, and ſearching after Gods ſecrets, but little minde the knowledge of God. Who were the patrons and ſomenters of hereſies? were they not the Learned men in the world? Ignorant men could never finde out ſuch damnable hereſies as have been vented forth in the world. The Quakers a poor company of ſilly people, carried away with divers luſts, and miſled by the deluſions of the evil one, could never dream of ſuch blaſphemies which they publiſh forth, had not the Jeſuiticall party, the offspring of that triple crowned Monſter at Rome put them into their heads, that by ſowing diſcord and diſſention amongſt the ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, they might overthrow the Church and Commonwealth.In Scholaſticorum ſcriptis plus argutiarum quam doctrinae, plus doctrinae, quam uſus. Whitaker. In the writings of the Schoolmen there is more of ſubtilty than of learning, and more of learning than of uſe. Non niſi in magnis ingeniis magni errores. An argument why the Scripture is the Word of God. Arius a great Scholar, who invented the Arian Hereſie, foreign, ſed non foreign, denying the Divinity of Chriſt. Neſtorius a great Scholar, who broached the Neſtorian Hereſie, who divided the Natures in Chriſt. Eutiches a Scholar, who broached that Hereſie that the two Natures did not remain diſtinct in their properties, but were confuſed and mingled together. Unſanctified knowledge hath alwaies been a great prop to uphold vanities and deluſions in the world, and a great enemy to the truth of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. It is one clear and evident ſign that the Scripture is the Word of God, becauſe there hath gone along with it, publiſhing of it forth to the world, ſuch a prevalency and a power upon the hearts of thoſe with whom they had to deal withall, that let them be never ſo great oppoſers to the Majeſty of it, by their contradicting and blaſpheming, yet all their carnall wiſdom and policy could not avail, but they muſt confeſs it to be the Word of God, though the pride of their hearts, and the vanity of their corrupt mindes would not ſuffer them to obey it.
11. God hath a time when he will blaſt upon all other knowledge, but the ſpirituall wiſdom which comes from the Spirit ſhall endure for ever. When the man of ſinne ſhall be deſtroyed, what a treaſure of vain and fruitleſs knowledge, by the bright ſhinings forth of the light of the Spirit, which hath ſo ſo much been idolized in the world, ſhall fall into the duſt with him? God hath a time to take the wiſe in their own counſels, and to overthrow the devices of the crafty. God blaſted the counſell of Achitophel againſt David, 2 Sam. 16.23. Though Achitophel was accounted as the Oracle of God for wiſdom, whoſe word was uſually taken in difficult matters, yet God at this time when he ſets his wit to plot againſt his ſervant David, he makes his counſell of none effect. The Princes of Zoan are fools;Iſa. 19.11. all their knowledge cannot deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath. There is no evaſion whereby thou canſt ſhift off God, and hide thy ſinnes from him, for God knows all the plottings and contrivances which have been in thy heart all the time of thy life. 1 Cor. 1.27.Hoſ. 5.3. Notitia judicialis, non approbationis. God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe. Saith God in the Prophet Hoſea, I know Ephraim, and Iſrael is not hid from me: I know all their ſhifts and policies and deluſions which they have invented to excuſe themſelves for their idolatry, but when I come to plead with them for the breach of my Covenant, I will lay the glory of their policy in the duſt, and deſtroy them with the breath of my mouth. When once the beams of the Sunne of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe upon thy heart, and God ſhall enlighten thine eyes by his Spirit, then thou wilt count all thy former knowledge, which thou didſt ſo much pride thy ſelf in, but droſs and dung in compariſon of the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt.
But ſpirituall wiſdom endureth for ever, it is of an abiding nature: It is of an eſtabliſhing nature, it confirms and ſtrengthens the ſoul againſt all the temptations and aſſaults it may meet withall. That heart which is filled with this treaſure of heavenly wiſdom, is as impregnable as a Caſtle with bars and irons. Hereby we are inſtructed with the methods of Satan: we can ſearch into the depths of Satan.Rev. 2.24. Hereby we are furniſhed with an abiding ſtore of rich grace, whereby we may hold out in the fiery triall. Wiſdom and knowledge is the moſt durable of any treaſure that is. But when he was deprived of all his outward comforts, riches, houſes, lands, friends, relations, all taken from him, could ſay, Omnia mea mecum porto, I I carry all things away along with me, becauſe that ſtock of knowledge which he had, none could take away from him. So likewiſe a Saint of God hath the ſtock of knowledge and ſpirituall wiſdom that ſhall never be taken away from him. I have read of ſome that have loſt that knowledge which they have got by ſtudy and their own pains taking. Corvinus a great Scholar was brought ſo low by a violent fit of ſickneſs, that after he was recovered he forgat his own name; but the Spiritual Wiſdom which comes from above ſhall never be taken away from you.
2. If thou art taught by the Spirit, it is a ſign thou art the friend of God, John 15.15. Henceforth I call you not ſervants, for the ſervant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you friends: for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made known unto you. foreign. Chryſt. Oh how greatly God condeſcends to the godly! He ſpeaks to them as a man would ſpeak to his friend.Abraham is called the friend of God; ſaith God, ſhall I hide from Abraham the thing which I ſhall do? from Abraham my friend? from him whom I have called by name to be my ſervant? 'Tis one part of friendſhip to reveal ſecrets. Happy ſoul, if God be thy friend, who then ſhall be thy foe? God is a friend that ſticketh cloſer then all relations, then Father, Mother, Brothers, &c.
3. If thou art taught by the Spirit, it is a ſigne thou art in the Covenant of Grace. It is one part of the Covenant that Believers ſhall be taught of God. Jer. 31.33. I will put my Law in their hearts, and they ſhall all know me. It is an exceeding great comfort, and a moſt ſpecial ſpiritual bleſſing to be in the Covenant of grace. 1. Becauſe in the Covenant of Grace God makes himſelf over to the Believer to be his, as the Believer gives himſelf wholly, totally, and finally to be Gods; My beloved is mine, and I am his.Hoſ. 2.19. 2. If God be thine, and thou art the Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt, then all things are thine; marriage makes all things common. 3. If God be in Covenant with thee, all the creatures are in league with thee.