Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The two ſpirits of the world and of God, 1 Cor. 2, 12. and the differences in order to influences opened. 3. The characters of the ſpirit of God, and the relation of the ſpirit to the word. 3. The ſpirit of Antichriſt. 4. The more of the ſpirit the more activity in the ways of God. 5. The Spirit of God a praying ſpirit. 6. No praying without the ſpirit. 7. The ſuſpending of influences. 8. We are to pray for influences. 9. Two-fold power and efficacy. 10. The difference betwixt the ſpirits acting, and the literal acting of the word.
BUt influences of the Spirit are mainly here to be eyed; and if any have the ſpirit, he cannot want the influences of God. The Spirit is, as it were, all ſaving influences, and ſuch as are void of the ſpirit, know not any thing of ſaving influences; Yea, the Father and the Son let out all their influences in, and by the Spirit.
Therefore to open this; conſider
1. That there are two ſorts.
2. The characters and differences of the Spirit of God which ſpeak a ſpiritual man, and ſpiritual influences.
3. What are the divers influences to be taken notice of: The two ſpirits are clear, 1 Cor. 2. 12. But we have not received the ſpirit of the world, but the ſpirit which is of God. Paul had ſaid that the world and the Princes of the world knew not the myſtery of the Goſpel; why? They had not crucified the Lord of glory, had they known him. As alſo the ſpirit teacheth it, ver. 10. how is that proved? from the nature of an infinite ſpirit, that ſearcheth all the things of the infinite God; even as a mans ſpirit ſearcheth all the things of a man, v. 12. How can we know the things of God, they are far above us. He anſwers, we who have received, not the ſpirit of the world, but the Spirit of God, doe know the things that are graciouſly given us of God: they know the things of God; But v. 12. we are ſuch.
Q. What is meant by the ſpirit of the world?
Anſ. Its the humane ſpirit, by which we know Arts and Sciences,The ſpirit of the world. and the things of a preſent world, which is alſo the Spirit of God, and a ſingular gift of God. But there is ſomewhat more in this ſpirit: a carnal ſpirit that is oppoſite to the Spirit that is of God, a ſpirit that judges the depths of Goſpel wiſedom to be fooliſhneſſe, ver. 13, 14.
Hence the differences of the two ſpirits.
1. There are no ſaving influences due to the ſpirit of the world. The worlds ſpirit ſees the myſteries of Philoſophy and Arts, and the good things of a preſent flowing world, and no more. And as an old man ſees all that a child can ſee and know, and much more in a more ſolid way: So the children of God often, as Moſes, Solomon, Daniel, Paul, ſee with the ſpirit of the world in this ſenſe all which the men of the world ſee, and in a more ſpiritual way; and beſide, the Spirit of God in them knows higher things that are hid from the world and their ſpirit. As,
1. How Heaven lies, how many Summers are in one year in that land.
2. The rivers of wine and milk,The glorious things which the ſpirit of God ſhews. Iſa. 55. 1. the garden, the ſecond Paradiſe, the tree of life that bears twelve manner of fruits every monethmonth, and the leaves ſerve to heal the Nations, and the pure river of water of life clear as chryſtal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, Rev. 22. 1, 2. Rev. 2. 7.
3. What a plantation is there? what ſtreets of gold the rich citizens walk in with their feet? Rev. 21. the ſtructure of the new Jeruſalem, the twelve ports, the foundation of the wall, garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones, the building of the wall of Jaſper, what a bride the Lamb's wife is, as ſhee is busked and adorned with the glory of God, what a joyful company of harpers cloathed in white follow the Lamb? Rev. 14. Rev. 19.
Yea 4. Even in this life in the lower countrey, and the out-fields, the fruits that grow in the land are good, Rom. 14. 17. Gal. 5. 22. Pſal. 72. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 4, 5, 6. Pſal. 16. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9. what a life-guard for Kings ſons? Iſa. 6. 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 34. 7. Pſal. 91. 11, 12. and on the other hand, what golden nothings and clay-dreams does the ſpirit of the world follow after? what ſpiritual gallantry is in the man, that ſays and reſolves, time and all that Solomon had ſhall not ſatisfie me; I muſt either be a King above time or have nothing. Will a beggar aſpire to a Kingdom; or a ſow ſeek after pearls? what does the ſpirit of the world, but lie, and ſwear, and whore, and oppreſſe in the ſons of diſobedience? the godly is of a far more excellent ſpirit.
5. Its a poor ſpirit that acts in Cicero, Seneca, and other Pagans: the baſtard and the ſervants priviledge is little to a Kings heir and ſon.
As to the ſecond, the differences of that Spirit which is of God are conſiderable.
1.How the ſpirit of God dwels in his own. The ſpirit, John 14. 17. remains in his own, and dwels in them, as in his houſe, Rom. 8. 11. as a man remains and works in a ſhop or work-houſe; and the ſoul, lives, breaths, acts, diſcourſes in the man: ſo the ſpirit of adoption, prays, groans, believs, teacheth, witneſſeth, ſpeaketh, heareth in the believer, Matth. 10. 19. Rom. 8. 16, 25, 26. Now the world cannot receive this ſpirit, John 14. 27. no more then the noble ſoul of man can find lodging in a brute beaſt: try what ſpirit acts in you, and the principles of your actions, and you ſhall know the influences. Every mans moral actings are as John's baptiſme, from Heaven or of Men; what ſparkles of influences kindle the heart in your actings?
2. The Spirit of God, John 16. 13. foreign, He ſhall guide the way to you in all truth; Rom. 8. 14. as many foreign, as are led, driven either as a flock by the ſhepherd, or as a ſhip by the wind, are the children of God. The Spirit is a Pilot and a Steerſman acting and moving in the Saints, directing, counſelling, enſpiring in all actings: its eaſie to know the ſpirits leading by what it drives at,The ſpirit of the world in the Antichriſt and divers other ſpirits lead the world. Rev. 16. 13. For they are the ſpirits of divels working miracles, which go forth to the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty. This he ſays of the three unclean ſpirits like frogs (the Popes firebrands and incendiaries) who came out of the mouth of the Dragon, out of the mouth of the beaſt, and out of the mouth of the falſe Prophet. What helliſh influences muſt drive theſe men delivered up to ſuch leaders? There is a ſpirit who rules in the children of diſobedience, Satan the Prince of the air, Eph. 2. The ſpirit of giddineſſe and errour leads Egypt, Iſa. 19. 14. The ſpirit of whoredome, Hoſ. 4. 12. Hoſ. 5. 4. that inclines to Idolatry. The ſpirit of lying, 1 Kin. 22. 22. The ſpirit of errour, 1 John 4. 6. The ſpirit of unbelief that was in the ten ſpies led and drive many, Num. 14. 24. But Caleb had another ſpirit with him. It's the ſin of the time we live in, to perſecute & reſiſt the ſpirit; and the more outlettings of the ſpirit that appear in Steven, the more the Jewes ſet themſelves againſt him. For Acts 7. 27. they cry out with a loud voice, and ſtop their eares, and run upon him, when he ſaw heaven open, being full of the Holy Ghoſt; he was before full of the Holy Ghoſt, but now there is a high ſpring-tide, and a new mighty flowing of the influences of the Holy Ghoſt; and the height of goodneſſe and excellent actings of the ſpirit, drawes out their malice to the full, as Steven told them, 51. Ye have alwayes reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt. foreign, is to fall croſſe with all the might in a hoſtile way upon the ſpirit. O tremble to hate and fight againſt the marrow of godlineſs, and to mock the ſpirit! O that it were not this day the ſin of Scotland, and of the generality of the Miniſters of the Goſpel in this Land! In the Prelates times the ſeekers of God met not with ſuch bitterneſſe as even now they meet with.
3.Liberty of ſtirring follows the ſpirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. Ʋphold me with thy free Spirit, Pſal. 51. 12. It's proper to natural men in whom the ſpirit dwels, not to be vile ſlaves to luſts; and the more of the ſpirit in any, the more active are they in the Lords wayes; and hardly can the ſpirit be where there are not influences of grace. For it's the Spirits office to be ſtirring and active (as the horſes of Egypt are fleſh and not ſpirit, that is, lumpiſh, dead, feeble, unable to ſave, not ſpirited & active to deliver) and in this eſpecially the actings of the ſpirit appear in the fiery ſpiritneſs of heavenly influences. Would ye be carried on and helped in duties; get the ſpirit and ye cannot miſſe heavenly influences; the drineſſe of the earth ſpeaks the ſuſpending of rain and dew in the clouds, and a heaven of braſs; the man is dead, and under bands, and ſtraitned in prayer, then muſt the ſhowres of influences be reſtrained. Pſal. 51. 12. Ʋphold me with thy free ſpirit. What then? v. 13. Then Ile teach tranſgreſſors thy wayes. Take a work where there are an hundred wheels, of which the higher moves the lower; then when the firſt and higheſt moves not, all the ninety and nine muſt ſtand. When the ſpirit breathes not, and influences are reſtrained, what wonder if the ſoul be deadned? For the Marigold loures and weeps, in its kind, and droops when the Sun is down: our prayers would blow upon the North and South wind that they may blow: The breathing and blowing of prayer do readily waken up the ſpirit, though he muſt ſtir in praying alſo, elſe we are dead and breathleſs.
4.Praying is proper to the ſpirit. The ſpirit that is of God is a praying ſpirit, Jude. Praying in the Holy Ghoſt. Of all the Tongues and Languages on earth, the Holy Ghoſt loves moſt to ſpeak prayerwiſe, and in the language of humble ſupplications. Rom. 8. 29. We know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought. What then? ſhall the work lie? Nay, the ſpirit takes it off the poor mans hand; but the Spirit it ſelf maketh interceſſion for us with ſighs that cannot be expreſſed. And rather or ſpiritual work be at a ſtand, the Third Perſon lends a lift to the groaning ſoul that cannot pray: For the Spirit helps our infirmities. And then praying is a maſs of influences for faith, for holy deſires, for ſenſe of want; yea, and no man gets the ſpirit but the praying ſon, Luke 11. 11. Only this ſhall bide a queſtion, How ſhall they pray for the Spirit that want the Spirit? Anſw. Yea Magus, though in the gall of bitterneſſe, is commanded to pray, Acts 8. 21. The Law commanded praying to God incarnate when he is revealed to be incarnate. As the firſt command charges all to know the Lord practically in all the wayes of Law and Goſpel by which he ſhal reveal himſelf; and the Lord hath not abated a whit, and come down from his holy rigorouſneſſe, as if the Lord would make amends,Baron. de peccato mort. & veniali. and give us (as ſome Pelagians ſay) a lower and milder Law, which forbids not venials. Et peccata quotidianae incurſionis praeciſe ſub periculo aeternae condemnationis. Yea but there is not any Law nor Goſpel which forbids not ſin under the ſame penalty that the Law forbids; and the Goſpel forbids not adultery and murder in David, but he is free from eternal puniſhment, if he be humbled for theſe ſins, as he muſt be humbled for leſſer and venial ſins, Pſal. 19. 12. Pſal. 51. 5. Pſal. 130. 3, 4. God may ſtrait all men to pay the very ſtock which he gave them in Adam.
2. Are not men inexcuſable, when they will not await the wind, and lie at the tide, and uſe meanes, but refuſe to command body and legs to preſent themſelves to the ſea-ſide and the ſhip? The body and legs have no influence on the winds, ſo they declare that they hate the covenant and bargain of grace as well as the Law, who refuſe to ſtir in his ways.
3. The firſt giving of the ſpirit is like the growing of lillies and flowers wilde on the mountaines,The ſpirit prevenes nature; nature prevenes not the ſpirit. plough or ſpade can do nothing to cauſe them ſo to grow in the garden and the infield. Pelagians muſt not get their will, their common univerſal grace is not the ſpirit of Adoption; and thoſe who ſay men can pray who never received the ſpirit of Adoption (happily they may complement with the Lord in word) but
They deny prevening grace, and in effect ſay, that nature prevenes grace, and men prevene God; and not grace prevenes nature: For if there be ſuch a thing as prevening nature, this were to ſay the child is born before the mother, and the apple growes before the tree, and the bloom is before the herb. Nay, to pray for the ſpirit, and not to pray in the ſpirit, ſhall never be my Divinity; that were to buy Rubies and Jaſper-ſtones with clay and common flints and rocks; nay nature cannot trade without grace. And while the Lord creates the roſe-tree, the roſe-tree cannot ſeed nor bring forth roſe-trees. Oh but it concernes us much, Miniſters and Profeſſors, to have the ſpirit, and to have more of it. Too many Miniſters in the Land caſt never fire on the people; they never warm hearts but by hewing, and ſtriking, and hammering upon the Letter; the fire of the Lord falls not down upon the ſacrifice. Ah, our fleece is dry, and we are like the Land not rained upon. And let men ſpeak, Can ye live without the Spirit and his influences, more then ye can live without God and without Chriſt in the world? And who cries, Lord, can my dry bones live?Characters of a ſpiritual ſoul. miſſe ye the anointing? The complaining of the ſuſpending of influences, of the ebbing of the free manifeſtations, flowings, and out-lettings of free grace, ſpeaks a ſpiritual diſpoſition. For,
1. The Church complains to God of it, Iſa. 63. 17.
2. Yielding to a temptation is a pain to the Saints, Pſal. 73. 21, 22.
3.We are to pray for influences. The Saints pray for influences of grace, for teaching, leading, quickening, inclining of the heart to the way of God, uniting of the heart to fear the name of God; then muſt the withdrawing of theſe be evil.
4. When we pray againſt temptations to ſin, and not to be led into temptation.
5. When we pray for the ſpirit of grace to be poured on us from on high, we pray not for the giving of the bare habit, for that could not hinder David, Lot, Peter, Aſa, Iehoſhaphat, Aaron, Hezekiah, and others of the Saints, to fall into ſad and hainous tranſgreſſions; but we ſuit alſo from the Lord the ſanctified uſe and exerciſe of grace, and ſo muſt ſuit influences.
6. When we pray that God would not take his ſpirit from us, Pſal. 51. 12. nor forſake us, nor take the word of truth utterly out of our mouth, Pſal. 119. 43. we then alſo pray that he would not withdraw gracious influences.
7. A gracious finding how ſweet, ſafe, and comfortable it is to be acted, led, moved, guided by the ſweet influences of the ſpirit, cannot but be grieved at the departure of ſuch a guide and counſellour.
8. It's lawful to ſeek ſenſe of Gods loving countenance, in joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 7, 8. in delighting in God, and in duties relating to him and our brethren, and in the conſolations of the Holy Ghoſt, and in the ſpirits work of ſanctifying us; then we may, and are to be grieved at the withdrawings of God, that we ſee not his power and glory in the Sanctuary, as we have ſometimes done, Pſal. 63.
5.The ſpirit conveys the word; the ſpirit's relations to the word. The ſpirit that is of God goes along with the word, if we 1. conſider the ſpirits relation to the word. My ſpirit and my words, Iſa. 59. 21. For the Goſpel is the chief chair and ſeat of the ſpirit, Rom. 1. 16. Iſa. 53. 1. The word is, as it were, the work-houſe and ſhop, and the ſpirit the worker; the word the ſhip or chariot, and the ſpirit drives and ſtirs the promiſes. The ſpirit honours ſo the word, the ſpirit moves and acts when the word moves and acts; the ſpirit utters not a groan but according to the will of God in the word, Rom. 8. 26, 27. Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet ſpake theſe words, foreign, the Holy Ghoſt fell upon thoſe that heard the word. When the ſhip or the chariot moves, the Pilot or Steerſ-man and the Coach-man are moved with them. The poor Miniſter often drives an empty coach, and carries but ſounds and letters; but when the ſpirit ſtrikes in with the word, and is ſteerſ-man in the ſhip, the veſſel is afloat, and ſayls gallantly before the wind.
2. The word preached is the breathing of the ſpirit, and the ſpirit ſpeaks and breaths through the word, and it is the word of the ſpirit; the holy Ghoſt propheſied well of you, &c.
3. The ſpirit is referred to the word as the ſoul to the body; the body is but a lump of dead clay if the ſoul be removed, and the word is ſo many ſounds, ſyllables, and letters, if the ſpirit act not; this is a ſimilitude and would be well exponed.A two-fold power of the word. There is a two-fold power, one ſubjective and material, which comes from the Author the holy Ghoſt; in which regard the word of God from the Author the Holy Ghoſt hath actu primo as touching the matter and efficient cauſe, holineſs, livelineſs, divinity, majeſty of ſtyle even as contradiſtinguiſhed from the ſpirit acting with it; there is no word, no book, no ſpeech of Angels or Men comparable to it.Of the power of the word and the power of the ſpirit, and how they are differenced. There is 2. A formal power which agrees to the word actu ſecundo as the ſpirit going along with the word makes it effectual, to enlighten, to teach, to rebuke, to convince, to perſwade; ſo our Divines ſay (a modern Lutheran widely miſtakes) the efficacy of the word is from the ſpirit, 2 Cor. 10. 4. the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty; how mighty, not of themſelves, but mighty through God. We make not the word of it ſelf, a dead inky letter, as Papiſts and Libertines both doe. The like diſtinction is clear in a Sword or an Axe of ſteel, both the one and the other from the matter and artificer that made them hath actu primo ſharpneſs and aptneſs to cut: Suppoſe the Artificer that made both be dead, yet the ſharpeſt two-edged ſword that is, except it be weelded by the arm of a valiant man can doe no good in war: And the like may be ſaid of the Axe, both are dead things of themſelves.
Hence 1. Since we are meer Meſſengers, we cannot breath life in the word only, like the Trumpeter that blows his warm breath through a dead trumpet of Braſſe; but he blows or breaths no valour or courage in the ſouldiers, that was not in them before. But if the ſpirit goe along and breath life in the hearers they ſhall live, as ſpeaking and acting are conjoyned, Ezech. 2. 1. Son of man ſtand upon thy feet, and I will ſpeak to thee. 2. Then the ſpirit entered into me, when he ſpake to me, and he ſet me on my feet. So John 5. 25. Ezech. 37. 7, 8. It not a little concerns Miniſters and Hearers to pray that the ſpirit may go along with the word: otherwiſe the ſhepherds ſinging through an …aten reed ſhall never feed ſheep or lambs, and make them fat: and people often receive in their ears, a noiſe of words and ſyllables, and are not fed with ſounds. It's true, Chriſt and the Prophets and Apoſtles preached in the ſpirit and in the lively power of God,Speaking in the ſpirit is not ever ſaving to the hearers. and yet nothing but the letter came to the ears of many of their hearers, Iſa. 53. 1. Iſa. 28. 9. the hearers are but as weaned children: Mat. 13. 13, 14, 15. the hearers are fatted hypocrites. And a poor man ſpeaks the letter of the word, and happily deadly and weakly; yet betwixt the ſpeakers mouth and the hearers heart, the ſpirit ſtrikes in and the dead man lives.
2. The letter of the word ſpoken by Chriſt lies dead, until the Comforter which is the Holy Ghoſt come: then he ſhall teach you all things (in a lively way, which the man Chriſt, as man only did not) and bring all things to your remembrance, John 14. 26.
3. The light may remain only light and literal and uſeleſſe: the Diſciples in the garden with Chriſt knew they ſhould watch and pray, yet they ſleep. The ſpirit brings not up literal light to ſpiritually quickning light, John 16. 7. The ſpirit ſhall convince the world of ſin, becauſe they believe not in me. What did not all the Prophets convince the world of ſinful unbelief? Iſa. 7. If ye believe not, ye ſhall not be eſtabliſhed. Iſa. 53. Who hath believed our report? Did not Chriſt himſelf convince the world of ſinful unbelief? John 3.The ſpirit's convictions. 18, 36. John 5. 24. John 11. 26, 27. and all the Miniſters of the New Teſtament convince men that they ought to believe and receive Chriſt by faith? But all theſe are but literal convictions, until the ſpirit carry into the heart the marrow of the promiſes and threatnings of the Goſpel with a ſtrong hand,In the ſpirit's conviction there is ſome new ſtrength added to the word. and the natural man while he is in the mouth of Hell with Judas is convinced of the Law deſerving, and of unbeliefs deſert, but not of actual damnation. The deceit of the conſcience is this, that all are under ſin and the curſe, who believe not but God muſt give a general ſuſpenſion againſt the Goſpels decree and ſentence of death for my unbelief, and to moſt of mankind. Ah, this is not to be convinced of unbelief by the ſpirits working: Nor in all this does the ſpirit adde any divine majeſty and power to the word which was not in the word before, when he effectually perſwades and convinces; As the hewer puts no metal in the Axe which was not in it before, only he applies powerfully his ſtrength and art to the effects which he produceth by the Axe and other tools, by which he makes curious carved work. Nor does the ſouldier adde any new ſharpneſſe to the Sword which it had not before, only he uſeth the Sword for valorous exploits. All that the ſpirit doth is in the powerful and effectual application of threatnings and promiſes in actual perſwading to believe; all the majeſty and heavenly power the word hath actu primo from the immediately inſpiring ſpirit: and this is alike to all; only much godly trembling is required that the ſpirit may in his mighty influences goe out with the word.
2. Hence that is wild-fire and ſparkles of hell not the ſpirit of Chriſt nor the influences of grace when a dumb ſpirit ſpeaks not in the word, but in ſignes, images, ceremonies deviſed by men, as a dumb man ſpeaks with his fingers. The Spirit of God loves to work and act with his own tools in the teſtimonies and promiſes; the Spirit of the Lord never bids burn the Bible.A ſtate of pure ſpirit and of all ſpirit beyond the word in this life is a fancy. Antiochus had ſuch influences from hell, and not from the Lord. Some make the Bible a horn-book for new beginners only as images are, and the man muſt be all ſpirit turned into pure ſpirit; why then do themſelves ſpeak, write ſuch fooleries? why do they eat, drink, ſleep, hear? ſuch as are all ſpirit doe none of theſe. But though holy men of God were far from making the ſpirit both Law and Goſpel, none had more of the ſecrets, and myſterious viſions of God revealed to him then John; he ſaw Chriſt in his glory, Rev. 1. 14, 15, 16. he ſaw Heaven open, and the Throne and glorious company, the new Jeruſalem; Yet Rev. 1. 3. he ſaith, Bleſſed is he that readeth; Can one that is all ſpirit ſpeak of reading when he had ſeen all theſe viſions of God? Rev. 22. 18. he puts a ſeal of honour on Canonick Scripture; he is charged to write in his divine Epiſtles, Theſe things I have written, I write to you fathers, &c. When Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and entred in a moſt ſpiritual life, Luk. 24. 27. he expones the Scriptures: who ſo mock the Scriptures loath the Spirit alſo.