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"darkness" and blindness," and therefore not his rule. Even the light that is in godly men, is the knowledge of the rule, and not the rule itself at all, nor ever called so by God. Our rule is perfect; our knowledge is imperfect for Paul himself saith, "We know in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part, shall be done away: now we see through a glass darkly P." "The Gospel is hid to them that are lost," being "blinded by satan "."

There is an admirable, unsearchable concurrence of the Spirit, and his appointed means, and the will of man, in the procreation of the new creature, and in all the exercises of grace, as there is of male and female in natural generation; and of the earth, the sun, the rain, the industry of the gardener, and the seminal virtue of life and specification, in the production of plants with their flowers and fruits. And as wise as it would be to say, it is not the male but the female, or not the female but the male that generateth; or to say, it is not the earth but the sun, or not the sun but the rain, or not the rain but the seminal virtue, that causeth plants with flowers and fruits so wise is it to say, it is not the Spirit but the word and means, or it is not the word and means but the Spirit, or it is not the reason, and will and industry of man, but the Spirit: or, if we have not wisdom enough to assign to each cause its proper interest in the effect, that therefore we should separate what God hath conjoined, or deny the truth of the causation, because we comprehend not the manner and influence-this is but to choose to be befooled by pride, rather than confess that God is wiser than we.

2. You may here discern also, how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers: and how palpably they err, that think the Spirit comforteth or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its evidencing grace. The ten things mentioned pp. 190, 191, is all that the Spirit doth herein. But to expect his comforts without any measure of discerning his graces, which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the promise, this is to expect that he should comfort a rational creature not as rational, but darkly cause him to rejoice he knoweth not why: and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort: for faith restesth understandingly upon the promise, and expecteth the performance of

1 Cor. xiii. 9. 10. 12. VOL. II.

42 Cor. iv. 3, 4.

it to those that it is made to, and not to others. Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort, which all men, even the worst, may take from the universal, conditional promise: and there is much abatement of our fears and troubles that may be fetched from probabilities and uncertain hopes of our own sincerity and interest in the promise. But to expect any other assurance or comfort from the Spirit, without evidence, is but to expect immediate revelations or inspirations to do the work, which the Word of promise and faith should do. The soul's consent to the covenant of grace, and fiducial acceptance of an offered Christ, is justifying, saving faith: every man hath an object in the promise and offer of the Gospel for this act, and therefore may rationally perform it. (Though all have not hearts to do it.) This may well be called, faith of adherence: and is itself our evidence, from which we must conclude, that we are true believers; the discerning of this evidence, called by some, the reflex act of faith,' is no act of faith at all, it being no believing of another, but the act of conscience, knowing what is in ourselves. The discerning and concluding that we are the children of God, participateth of faith and conscientious knowledge, which gave us the premises of such a conclusion.

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3. You may hence perceive also how we are said to be sealed" by the Spirit': even as a man's seal doth signify the sealed to be his own: so the "Spirit of holiness in us, is God's seal upon us, signifying that we are his3. Every one that "hath the Spirit," is sealed by having it: and this is his evidence, which, if he discern, he may know that he is thus sealed.

4. Hereby also you may see what the "earnest and first fruits of the Spirit" is: the Spirit is given to us by God, as the earnest of the glory which he will give us. To whomsoever he giveth the spirit of faith, and love, and holiness, he giveth the seed of life eternal, and an inclination thereto, which is his earnest of it.

5. Hereby also you may see how the Spirit witnesseth that we are the children of God: the word 'witness' is put here principally for evidence: if any one question our adoption, the witness or evidence which we must produce to

Eph. i. 13. Rom. viii, 9. Eph. iv. 30.

• 2 Tim. ii. 19. t 2 Cor. i. 22.

prove it, is the "Spirit of Jesus sanctifying us," and dwelling in us this is the chief part (at least) of the sense of the text, Rom. viii. 16. Though it is true, that the same Spirit witnesseth by (1.) Shewing us the grace which he hath given us; (2.) And by shewing us the truth of the promise made to all believers: (3.) And by helping us from those promises to conclude with boldness, that we are the children of God: (4.) And by helping us to rejoice therein.

II. I have been the longer (though too short) in acquainting you with the office of the Holy Ghost (supposing your belief that he is the third person in the Trinity) because it is an article of grand importance, neglected by many that profess it, and because there are so many and dangerous errors in the world about it. Your great care now must be, 1. To find this Spirit in you, as the principle of your operations : and, 2. To obey it, and follow its motions, as it leadeth you to communion with God. Of the first I have spoken in the first chapter. For the second, observe these few Directions.

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Direct. 1. Be sure you mistake not the Spirit of God and its motions, nor receive, instead of them, the motions of satan, or of your passions, pride, or fleshly wisdom.'-It is easy to think you are obeying the Spirit, when you are obeying satan and your own corruptions against the Spirit. By these fruits the Spirit of God is known. 1. The Spirit of God is for heavenly Wisdom, and neither for foolishness nor treacherous craftiness". The Spirit of God is a spirit of Love, delighting to do good; its doctrine and motions are for love, and tend to good; abhorring both selfishness and hurtfulness to others. 3. He is a Spirit of Concord, and is ever for the unity of all believers; abhorring both divisions among the saints, and carnal compliances and confederacies with the wicked', 4. He is a Spirit of Humility and selfdenial, making us, and our knowledge, and gifts, and worth, to be very little in our own eyes; abhorring pride, ambition, self-exalting, boasting, as also the actual debasing of ourselves by earthliness or other sina. 5. He is a Spirit

"Psal. xix. 7. xciv. 8. Jer. iv. 22. 1 Cor. ii. 4-7.

* Gal. v. 21, 22.

Cic. Nat.

1 Cor. xii. Eph. iv. 3-6. 13. 1 Cor. i. 10. iii. 3. Rom. vi. 17, 18.
Nemo igitur vir magnus sine aliquo afflatu Divino unquam fuit.
D. ii. 166.
Matt. xviii 3. Ephes. iv. 2.

of Meekness, and patience, and forbearance; abhorring stupidity, and inordinate passion, boisterousness, tumult, envy, contention, reviling, and revenge". 6. He is a Spirit of Zeal for God, resolving men against known sin, and for known truth and duty; abhorring a furious, destroying zeal, and also an indifferency in the cause of God, and a yielding compliance with that which is against it. 7. He is a Spirit of Mortification, crucifying the flesh, and still contending against it, and causing men to live above all the glory, and riches, and pleasures of the world: abhorring both carnal licentiousness and sensuality, and also the destroying and disabling of the body, under the pretence of true mortification". 8. The Spirit of Christ contradicteth not the doctrine of Christ in the holy Scripture, but moveth us to an exact conformity thereto. This is the sure rule to try pretences and motions of every spirit by: for we are sure that the Spirit of Christ is the author of that Word; and we are sure he is not contrary to himself. 9. The motions of the Spirit do all tend to our good, and are neither ludicrous, impertinent, or hurtful finally they are all for the perfecting of sanctification, obedience, and for our salvation. Therefore unprofitable trifles, or despair, and hurtful distractions and disturbances of mind, which drive from God, unfit for duty, and hinder salvation, are not the motions of the Spirit of God'. 10. Lastly, The Spirit of God subjecteth all to God, and raiseth the heart to him, and maketh us spiritual and divine, and is ever for God's glory". Examine the texts here cited, and you will find that by all these fruits the Spirit of God is known from all seducing spirits, and from the fancies or passions of self-conceited

men.

Direct. II. "

Quench not the Spirit, either by wilful sin

b Matt. xi. 28, 29. Eph. iv. 2. James iii. 1 Pet. ii. 20-23. Rom. xii. 18-20. Ephes. iv. 31. Col. iii. 8.

Gal. v. 20.

Gal. iv. 18. Numb. xxv. 11, 13. Titus ii. 14. James iii. 15. 17. Luke ix. 55.

Rev. iii. 16.

d Rom. viii. 1. 13. Gal. v. 17. Rom. xiii. 13, 14. 1 Cor. ix. 27. 2 Pet. ii. 19. Col. ii. 18. 21. 23. e Isa. viii. 20.

f 2 Tim. i. 7. Rom. viii. 15. Isa. xi. 2.

14. 2 Cor. iii. 6.

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Gal. v. 22. Zech. xii. 10. 1 Pet. iv.

Phil, iii. 3. 19,

g 1 John iv. 5, 6. 1 Cor. vi. 11. 17. 20. Ephes. ii. 18. 22. 20 1 Pet. i. 2. iv. 6.

or by your neglecting of its offered help.'-It is as the spring to all your spiritual motions; as the wind to your sails: you can do nothing without it. Therefore reverence and regard its help, and pray for it, and obey it, and neglect it not. When you are sure it is the Spirit of God indeed, that is knocking at the door, behave not yourselves as if you heard not. 1. Obey him speedily delay is a present, unthankful refusal, and a kind of denial. 2. Obey him thoroughly: a half obedience is disobedience. Put him not off with Ananias and Sapphira's gift; the half of that which he requireth of you. 3. Obey him constantly: not sometime hearkening to him, and more frequently neglecting him; but attending him in a learning, obediential course of life.

Direct. 111. Neglect not those means which the Spirit hath appointed you to use, for the receiving of its help, and which he useth in all his holy operations.'-If you will meet with him, attend him in his own way, and expect him not in by-ways where he useth not to go. Pray, and meditate, and hear, and read, and do your best, and expect his blessing. Though your ploughing and sowing will not give you a plentiful harvest without the sun, and rain, and the blessing of God, yet these will not do it neither, unless you plough and sow. God hath not appointed a course of means in nature or morality in vain, nor will he use to meet you in any other way.

Direct. IV. Do most when the Spirit helpeth you most.'-Neglect not the extraordinary measures of his assistance: if he extraordinarily help you in prayer, or meditation, improve that help, and break not off so soon as at other times (without necessity): not that you should omit duty till you feel his help: for he useth to come in with help in the performance, and not in the neglect of duty: but tire not yourself with affected length, when you want the life.

Direct.v. Be not unthankful for the assistance he hath given you.'-Deny not his grace: ascribe it not to nature: remember it to encourage your future expectations: unthankfulness and neglect are the way to be denied further help.

Quest. But how shall I know

fects be

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