Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The fourth particular by which we fetch influences of grace is by heavenly and ſpiritual diſpoſitions: hence in this we ſpeak
1. Of heavenly diſpoſitions, in order to heavenly influences.
2. Of our actings to come under the influences of grace.
3. Of the obſtructions and impediments of heavenly influences, and the contrary cures.
AS touching diſpoſitions:
1. What diſpoſitions are, and how differenced.
2. Of the diviſion of good and evil diſpoſitions.
3. Get heavenly diſpoſitions, and influences connaturally follow.
4. Evidences that diſpoſitions go and come.
5. Spiritual diſpoſitions are different from the affections.
6. There are heavenly diſpoſitions through all the powers and affections of the ſoul.
7. Sinful diſpoſitions are in all, and they latently creep in.
8. Actings and life under deadneſs.
9. Many ſweet actings there are under deadneſs.
10. It's fit to go about duties under deadneſs.
11. Leſs of ſtrong real influences, and more of moral influence prove the obedience to be more perfect.
1.What diſpoſitions ſpiritual are, and how they differ from the habits of grace. Diſpoſitions are moveable qualities of the ſoul, beyond and above the habit inabling us to act graciouſly, and to perform actions ſuitable to thoſe diſpoſitions; I ſpeak now of gracious diſpoſitions, for there are wicked and ſinful diſpoſitions added to the habit of ſin original.
2. Gracious diſpoſitions are moveable qualities, this differenceth the diſpoſition from the habit of grace; and therefore know wherein ſpiritual diſpoſitions and ſpiritual habits agree; and 2. wherein they differ. 1. Both are above nature, for we being born in ſin, mind, conſcience, will, and affections, being polluted and corrupt in ſuch heirs of wrath; no man is born with habits of grace, or gracious diſpoſition. 2. Through the want of both, all are alike unfit by nature to be the work-houſe of the holy Ghoſt. 3. Both the habit of grace, as it is proved Book 2. and much more gracious diſpenſations are the purchaſe of the merit of Chriſt. 4. Both are the ſupernatural gifts of God infuſed from above, and neither of them acquired or purchaſed by natural actings: it's clear of the habit of grace. John 14. 16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall ſend you the Comforter. Chriſt ſends him, the Father ſends him in Chriſts name. John 14. 26. he ſhall receive of mine and ſhew it to you. Now the holy Spirit, the Comforter dwells in the Children of God not perſonally, though he be ſaid to dwell in them, and to ſpeak in them. 1. In the habit and divine power, given to them to confeſs Chriſt before men, Matth. 10. 19. Acts 4. 8. or in preaching, working of miracles, Acts 6. 8. or in praying, Acts 6. 10, 11. Acts 7. 55, 56. 2. In actuating that power, in giving grace actually to will and to do, to confeſs, propheſie, Luke 1. 27, 41, 42. Luke 2. 27, 28. to pray▪ Acts 7. 55, 56. as the Lord is ſaid to thunder in the clouds, to give rain, not that he is perſonally united with the clouds, but becauſe he creats in the clouds the power of thunder and raining, and doth actually determine the clouds to rain. 5. Supernatural habits and ſupernatural diſpoſitions are neer to other, as the fire and the flaming of the fire, the clouds and the rain, the ſea, and the ebbing and flowing of the ſea; not that the diſpoſition is the very operation and ſecond act of the habit, but becauſe the dipoſition is a quality ſuperadded to the habit, or the neerer principle and power of ſpiritual acting. Stephen, and Peter, and John, were full of the holy Ghoſt, habitu, from the time that the holy Ghoſt was given them; but when they are conveyed to anſwer before the rulers, they are ſaid to ſpeak being full of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 4. 8. Acts 7. 55, 56. which is either an enlargement of the habit of grace, or a new ſpring-tide of the ſame ſea, or a new infuſed diſpoſition, promiſed by our Saviour, and given foreign, Luke 12. 11, 12. Matth. 10. 19. Mark 13. 11. in that ſame hour. And
3. There is much nearneſs of heavenly habits, diſpoſitions, and heavenly influences; and they are like other, as life and breathing,Get heavenly diſpoſitions, and influences follow connaturally. fire and the flaming of the fire. get heavenly diſpoſitions, and influences of grace to pray, to praiſe, to believe, almoſt connaturally follow. When the tide of the Spirit flows, Steven and the Apoſtles muſt prea…, and boldly confeſs their precious Maſter Chriſt Jeſus; and this is great condeſcenſion of love, that the ſpirit and the ſinful believer are fellow-workers; for the Spirit to act in the man Chriſt, or in the elect Angels, is not ſo much a wonder, for they never …inned: influences upon us, who have but a ſort of obediential power, as we are ſinners, ſuch as is the power of ſwimming in iron, is lowlineſs of love. What is it for the Spirit of grace and glory to beat upon ſuch broken and miſtuned harps, and to bring forth ſuch excellent actings, as praying, praiſing, confeſſing, believing, rejoycing in God, in ſuch unhandy tools? What holy trembling is required in us, that we offend not ſuch an honourable and glorious help, and that we neglect not to joyn his own habit to his own influences, when he renders the work ſweet and eaſie! O let us lend our heart, and give organs, and a work-houſe to the Spirit, who comes down to ſigh in ſinners! He mourns like a dove, and weeps like a father who hath loſt his firſt-born in heirs of glory.
Q. But is not the habit of grace and ſpiritual diſpoſitions all one and the ſame?
Anſw. They are not one: For 1. The habit is the ſeed of God that remaines alwayes in us, 1 John 3. 9. and the anointing that dwels in us,Diſpoſitions are not ever alike, but various and changeable. 1 John 2. 20, 27. but a diſpoſition comes and goes, ebbs and flowes. A child of God will be under deadneſs and witheredneſs, the ſoul cleaving to the duſt, dropping away for heavineſs, like a bottle in the ſmok…, when the man with the habit of grace will pray like one ſweating and rowing with oars againſt the tide and ſtream. Why doth David pray ſo often to be quickened, if he was ever in a lively diſpoſition?
2. Doth not experience teach that there be times when David ſaith,Evidences that diſpoſitions goe and come. 2 Sam. 7. 27. Thy ſervant hath found his heart to pray this prayer. Was not this ſo much as to ſay, the heart and diſpoſition to pray is loſt ſometimes, and is away, Pſal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed, O Ood, my heart is fixed or prepared.
3. To ſay that ſpiritual diſpoſitions are as permanent and conſtant as habits, is to deny the going and coming of the Spirit in Chriſts love-viſits. Now certain it is the Spouſe is not ever ſick of love for Chriſt, as Cant. 2. nor is there ſuch a flaming of love diſpoſitions, as when the Spouſe ſaith Cant. 1. 5. A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved to me, he ſhall lodge all the night between my breaſts. When a ſleepy drowſineſs is on, that ſhe ſuffers the welbeloved to knock, and ſtand and knock, while his head is full of dew, and his locks wet with the rain of the night, and refuſes to open, yea poſitively gives a reaſon that ſhe cannot lodge him in the houſe, nor between her breaſts, I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on? Such a ſpiritual love-ſickneſſe is far off.
4. When a contrary diſpoſition to adultery is on, and Davids hand at the pen writing a letter to contrive the killing of innocent Ʋriah; and the unbelieving fear of loſſe of life is upon Peter, ſo that he denieth his Lord, there could not be an heavenly diſpoſition to make ſpiritual ſongs, to pray, to praiſe, to confeſs Chriſt before men, on either the one or the other.
5. If thoſe heavenly diſpoſition were ever in it, it ſhould ſpeak much againſt the liberty of the bleſſed Spirit, whoſe breathings and out-lettings are ſoveraignly free. Now by this the work of grace ſhould be like the work of nature: we ſee the fountain alwayes caſts out her ſtreames, the Sun ever gives light; the work grace hath a day and a dark night, and Sun-light and Moon-light; that we are in a ſtate of outlawry when he withdraws, to be humbled to the duſt for abuſed love-viſits, and may know what is Chriſts, and what is ours; the fire is ever alike diſpoſed to caſt heat; a mill-ſtone, if not hindered, is alike diſpoſed to fall to the earth, or down the mounrain.
Q. Are not ſpiritual diſpoſitions nothing elſe but the hearts affections?
Anſw. Spiritual diſpoſitions are different from the affections.Diſpoſitions heavenly are different from the affections, much more then they are different from the habit of grace.
1. The ſpiritual diſpoſitions goe and come; the heart and affections of love, joy, ſorrow, remain.
2. The heart is one thing, and the heavenly preparedneſs of the heart is another thing: As the ſubject iron differs from the fierceneſs and heat in iron, and the water differs from the cold and heat that goes and comes from and to the water; ſo diſpoſitions are ſpiritual qualities, and the affections the ſubject; the heart is ſometimes cold, and ſometimes hot, lively or dead, as the Lord is pleaſed to viſit.
Q. May we not then ſay that diſpoſitions are the affections heavenly diſpoſed?
Anſw. Not ſo neither; the affections are not the compleat and adequate ſubject of heavenly diſpoſitions,There are heaven'y diſpoſitions in the as well as in the affections. becauſe there is often a heavenly diſpoſition in the mind to know ſpiritual truths; ſo Elihu, Job 34. 32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me. An heavenly propenſion in the mind to be taught of God, Pſal. 119. 18, 26. There is a heavenly diſpoſition of the ſpiritual mind to believe the Scriptures; and in place of that there is a ſlowneſs to believe divine truths, rebuked by our Saviour, Luke 24. 25.
3. There is a ſpiritual diſpoſition in the conſcience of the Centurion, Luke 23. 47. in Thomas, John 20. 27. in Peter 5. 8. The contrary whereof was in the Phariſees and Rulers wreſtling againſt the manifeſt light of God, Matth. 12. 22, 23, 24. Matth. 21. 33, 34. & 45, 46. Matth. 28. 11, 12, 13. John 9. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. & 34, 35. John 42. 47, 48. Acts 4. 13, 14, 15. Acts 13. 44, 45. As alſo there is a heavenly diſpoſition in the memory to retain the word, Pſal. 119. 11. forbidden, Heb. 2. 1. And gracious diſpoſitions goe through the whole ſoul, in order to all gracious actings, in mind, conſcience, will, memory, affections of love, faith, hope, deſire, fear, anger, and order to all the ſpiritual duties that can be performed by men, as ſinful diſpoſitions may be in all the powers of the ſoul; if ſo, the heart being ſo tickleſome a piece, ſo ill to be guided, it is of great concernment to ſee with what diſpoſitions the heart is ſeaſoned, and who they be that lodge here: as heat and cold come in the water by turnes, as the ſummer is hot, and the winter cold, ſo the ſoule even of the child of God hath ebbings and flowings of dead and lively diſpoſitions; as the frequent triumphing and rejoycing, and the ordinary and much repeated complaints of the Saints doe abundantly evidence, Pſal. 22. Pſal. 31. Pſal. 77. Pſal. 89. Lam. 3. Jer. 20.
There is a ſinful diſpoſition.
2. The children of God may act ſpiritually under ſinful diſpoſitions.
3. What acts they then put forth.
4. The obedience performed under greateſt indiſpoſitions, upon the ſole motive of the word, is the moſt ſpiritual obedience.
5. Sometimes the leſſe ſenſe, the more ſpiritual is the obedience.
That there be ſinful and gracious diſpoſitions in men can hardly be denied
1. In all men by nature there is the habit of natural and original ſin. Hence an indiſpoſition, and a reluctancy to believe in Chriſt, to love, deſire, fear God.
2. There is an acquired wicked diſpoſition in Doeg, he loves to lye; a diſpoſition ſatanical and and helliſh in Saul when the evil ſpirit troubles him, he is diſpoſed to kill David.
But the ſpecial ill diſpoſition here is the dead untowardneſs of the children of God to pray, or praiſe, or confeſs Chriſt, &c.
Hence theſe conſiderations of this indiſpoſition.
1. That it may befal the children of God.
2. That they may act under this indiſpoſition.
3. What acts they may and ought to performe under it.
As to the firſt, it needs not much probation.
1. A doubting diſpoſition comes on the diſciples Matth. 8. when the ſhip is a drowning, and they in hazard of ſinking. Chriſt reproves not the act not ſo much as the root and diſpoſition,Bad ſpiritual diſpoſitions creep on on the children of God. v. 26. foreign; why are ye fearful? He ſayes not, why fear ye? and he rebukes both in Peter, Matth. 14. 31. foreign, for what end ſhouldſt thou doubt? and both are clearly reproved, when they were foreign, affrighted, 37, 38. why are ye troubled, jumbled, or put out of order? or why doe dialogues, or bounded or racketted thoughts aſcend in your hearts?
2. Job, David, and Jeremiah, ſadly complaining and challenging God as an enemy, as fiery, and a God burning with ho… diſpleaſure, and as lying waters; and that ſayes, that hardly could they but be under a diſpoſition and fretting impatience.
3. El…ſha is ſo jumbled, that the ſoul is made like muddy water with indignation at Jehoram, that he is in no ſpiritual diſpoſition or capacity to ſee the viſions of God, 2 Kings 13. 14, 15. and Jonah is diſtempered at tender mercy in the Lord towards great Ninive, and old and young in it, a ſtraw, the withering of a gourd: the renewed ſoul may be hammered and knocked to pieces like a broken cryſtal glaſs, while the Lord be pleaſed to ſoldar the broken pieces of the ſoul together again.
As to the ſecond,There is ſome acting and life under much deadneſs in the …egenerate. under ſuch diſpoſitions there may be ſome ſtirring of the habit of grace, and of the new creation; the ſoul either under ſwooning or ſleeping is ſtill acting as the ſoul one way or other: it's not to be ſuppoſed that the life of God in a believer can more intermit all ſort of lively and vital actings, then the ſoul can live of breathing, or to communicate vital heat to the body: the unbroken and intenſe habit of ſin in the unrenewed, is the mother-indiſpoſition that hinders influences of grace; as caſt ſparkles of fire on cold iron, it makes no flaming, becauſe of the denſity and coldneſs of the object: the Lord does not beſtow every the ſame Sun-influences on the thiſtle or nettle, and on the vintry; nor is it ſuppoſed that God more beſtowes actual influence of ſaving grace upon a man dead in ſinne, until there be a new heart, and the life of God firſt infuſed in him, then the Lord beſtowes moral or rational influences on a horſe or a mule that hath no underſtanding. Now caſt ſparkles of fire upon flax or tow (though the ſparkles be ſmall) and there is preſently flaming: if the Lord but blow upon the ſmalleſt meaſure of the ſpiritual life of God, though under many aſhes, and a huge deal of indiſpoſition, and there is ſome work flaming, which will beger more fire. There is much deadneſſe and dulneſſe of life in the affections to act in duties; when there is life, and ſome quickneſs of ſpiritual light, the life and warmneſs retiring in to the heart the fountain of life, when there is paleneſſe and coldneſſe in the external members: and as fire within creates fire in the neareſt dry fewel, there is an act of renewed light conſenting Rom. 7. to the good to be done, and yet deadneſſe in the affections to perform, and lively light in the half ſleeping Spouſe, diſcerning the knock, voice, and words of the beloved, and aſſenting that it were juſt to open to Chriſt, and give him lodging in his own houſe; and yet a prevailing drowſ…eſſe in the affections, refuſing to let him in.
As to the Third,Many ſweet ſpiritual actings may be under indiſpoſitions. under indiſpoſitions there may be divers lively actings. As
1. Terrors and diſtractions, and all the waves of Gods diſpleaſure. Heman Pſal. 88. 1. O Lord God of my ſalvation, I cry day and night before thee. v. 9. Lord I have called daily unto thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee. Pſal. 102. the afflicted ſoul ſaith, v. 4. My heart is ſmitten and withered like graſs. And here though buried and dead bones ſca…tered at the grave mouth, as when one heweth timber, ſpeak and pray to God, Pſal. 141. and the Church ſo overwhelmed, ſo that they cannot ſpeak, Pſal. 77. 4. yet they ſpeak prayers.
2. There is holy complaining layed in the boſome of an apprehended angry God; and though arrows of God ſtick in the fleſh, Pſal. 38. 1, 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 119. 25. My ſoul cleaveth to the duſt. 28. My ſoul droppeth away for heavineſs. 83. I am become like a bottle in the ſmoke, Pſal. 42. 1, 2. Pſal. 6. 1, 2, 3, prayes and complaines in a holy way to God; Like a crane or a ſwallow, ſo did I chatter, I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord I am oppreſſed, undertake for me.
3. It's half a cloſing with a ſinful diſpoſition, when it paines us leſſe. Paul proteſts againſt the fleſhes ſinful diſpoſition, Rom. 7. 15. I allow not the evil which I doe.
2. He diſowns it, v. 17. It's no more I that doe it, but ſin in me.
3. He condemes himſelf for it, v. 18. I know in me, that is, in my fleſh dwelleth no good.
4. He complaines of it 23. I am led captive to the law of ſin.
5. His complaining ſo grows, that he ends in an out-cry, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? No agreement betwixt theſe two champions the fleſh and the Spirit.and triumphs victoriouſly in Chriſt, v. 25. From which it is clear that Paul and the fleſh part open enemies, and that there is no treaty of peace betwixt the ſpirit and the ſinful diſpoſition flowing from the fleſh, as if the fleſh and the ſpirit were two free, co-equal, independent Lords and Princes, and each muſt have his own kingdome and princedome to himſelf, and the one muſt not encroach upon the other; for the fleſh and its complices muſt down, and the ſpirit muſt be up in Chriſt: Nor is there any arbitrary agreement of the matter; for the ſpirit yields no liberty to ſin, nor gives away one jot or tittle of the holy Law, to ſay Herod by the new covenant may keep his luſt and Herodias, ſo he gladly hear John the Baptiſt.
4. There ought to be a going about of all duties, of praying, believing, hearing, praiſing, &c. under the loweſt ebbings of the ſpirit, and the ſaddeſt deadneſs; ſo deadneſs and indiſpoſitions be the ſin and ſinful affliction,It's fit to go about duties under indiſpoſitions. and the afflictive ſin of the child of God; for our obedience to God is the more ſpiritual, that it hath no moral motive from ſenſe and comfort, but rather the contrary, ſave onelyonly the word of command. So excellently Chriſt, Heb. 10. 9. Loe I come to doe thy will, to ſuffer wrath, and the curſe for man; but Pſal. 40. 8. I delight to doe thy will, thy Law is within my heart. His delight was in that ſaddeſt commandement (to ſpeak ſo) in laying dow his life for his ſheep, and ſo had no ſenſe to bear him up; for an agony, and ſadneſſe, and ſorrow to death was upon the holy Saviour, when he obeyed, and that peculiar law was in the inner part of his heart. It's true, his Father loved him for it, John 10. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life that I might take it again.
But 1. It's a queſtion if in the act of ſuffering he felt that love, when he complained that he was forſaken of God.
2. Therefore the Father loved Chriſt, and Chriſt did abide in his love, becauſe he kept his Fathers commandements, John 15. 11. becauſe they were the Fathers commandements.
2. It's a temptation to act under deadneſs, which actually blunts the heart; therefore to obey under a formal temptation, is more ſpiritual obedience. As for Chriſt to pray, to believe, to exhort his diſciples to watch, and when pain, wrath, the actual preſſing curſe puts him to tears and hideous cries, Heb. 5. is a perfect copy to all obedience: leſſe thanks to you to pray when the heart is oyled with real influences,Leſs of ſweet real influences, and more of moral influences from the word makes obedience the more perfect. and feaſted with ſome holy, and the bridegrooms hony-comb, and the feelings of the out-lettings of freeſt love; as what praiſe to a wheel to roll down the mount? or for the fire to caſt heat, or the Sun to yield light? Feelings of the ſtrong impulſions and breathings of Chriſts love carry along ſuch a ſtrong neceſſity of obeying Chriſts love, being a ſtronger and a more imperious commander then a fiery Law, almoſt ſteals away the elective power, but to pray under the frame and current of a dead diſpoſition working and re-acting on the contrary, from a principle that is ſtrongly real, but from pure moral influences from the pure ſpiritual commands, 1 Theſſ. 5. 17. Pray without ceaſing, and Pſal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, is the moſt ſpiritual and perfect obedience. That wine hath the moſt kindly taſte and colour of wine, and is preſerved moſt connaturally, that hath it's being on the mother grape; it's not ſo when there is ſomething of art (I know not what) to preſerve it by, ſteel or ſomething like that. Hence appears the decitfulneſſe of our hearts, when the delight in the duty comes rather from a meer phyſical cauſe, & leſs moral, to wit, from the heavenly flamings of quickening influences, not from the command, the only kindly mother and moral motive of obedience. The withdrawing of the rayes and beams of the perſonally near Godhead now (as it were) under a cloud, which was wont to give the ſavourneſs of ſtrong delight, made our Redeemers obedience (as is ſaid) the more excellent.
2. It ſpeaks much of ſavoury graciouſneſſe, when the temptation is cos gratiae, a whetſtone to grace, and to the ſpirit of adoption, and as ſailes and oares to praying, and does not blunt us in duties.
3. The greater combate with nature, the more perfect is the obedience. Abraham's natural diſpoſition was ſtrong to love Iſaac his onelyonly ſonne, to let the child take his good night at his aged mother; but the command of Jehovah his God in covenant ſo prevailed, as he would ſhift the temptation, and hid the matter from the mother Sarah, and ſtrongly ſecond the deſign of Gods trying with reſolved pure ſpiritual obedience from only the command of God