the mystical song, "Awake, thou north wind, and come thou south, and blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out."* I bring the case again to be examined: is no witness so competent to depose for truth, unless it be sensible, and chiefly discerned by the eye? then what ail all sects of philosophers to say, 'That the sun, and all the stars above, work upon these bodies below by heat and light, and likewise by influence?' An invisible virtue, that doth enter into the production of many effects; which seems to have God's approbation with his own voice, who mentions there "the sweet influences of Pleiades, aud the bands of Orion." And can the constellations of the firmament drop down good upon minerals and plants, upon man and beast, and by a secret derivation? What an error, or rather what a madness is it, then, to scruple whether he that made the heavens, can dart celestial beams into man's soul, without a sensible perception! And this is all I will say more unto it: Is not the soul of man above a material apprehension? Pliny, or Galen, or whosoever unadvisedly deny the immortality of it, will yield there is a soul in our composition, that holds all the parts of the body together, and moves, and acts in them; yet, they can as soon take a pencil, and paint an echo, as describe the intelligible nature of a soul, by species drawn out in our sensitive fancy. Therefore it concerns us, in maintenance of the dignity of our own nature, to say, that the Spirit of God can inform our soul, as well as our soul can inform our body. I know not what temptation may rise to gainsay the truth, that the soul is known by her powers and operations, that it justifies itself to be an immaterial substance, a spark kindled in us by God, from reason, and will, and memory. But what evidence is there that there is a divine cause that worketh in, and is more than, these natural faculties? It is requisite to work close unto this question: and I answer, first, because the bounds of nature are known, beyond which, nature cannot reach forth itself: as it works in its own sphere to preserve itself in being, and in well-being, in health, in wealth, in fame and glory, in extending ourselves unto ages to come, by leaving a posterity, in preserving our country where we are born, and the like. But to have our conversation in heaven, at this present in heaven, to ascend thither in our desires, and in the tendencies of all our actions, to aspire to live in blessedness for ever, to long to be at that rest, where there is no sin; to look for a church which hath neither spot nor wrinkle : this could not enter into us to prosecute it all industriously, constantly, cheerfully, but by a supernatural elevation far above the vigour of a soul pressed down by a corruptible body, that is, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Secondly I feel the pulse of that divine Spirit beating in me by "delighting in tribulations" for Christ's sake, and 66 taking pleasure in infirmities" upon the same score. And again, "I am filled with consolation, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations." An obstinate Pagan might arm himself with patience and resolution, to vex his persecutors, and rather fall into them, than decline them, out of spite and contumacy. But self-love being spun out of our bowels, bred in the bone; who could rejoice to endure anguish upon anguish, that God might be glorified, but by strength which we are not born unto, but which is given us, because we are born again of the Spirit? * 2 Cor. xii. 10. + 2 Cor. vii. 4. Go farther yet. How much is the content of a natural man laid aside, when a good Christian in his deliberate thoughts sometimes prays to have the rebellions of his heart kept under by some expedient cross? wisheth for wholesome correction to beat down the rankness of his sins? expects God's fan to winnow the chaff from the wheat. For he knows that as too much light dazzles the eyes, so too much prosperity surfeits the mind. Therefore, a good practitioner in repentance perceives there is no better way to bring him in from his wanderings, than to be scourged home with the gentle hand of God. To which, some expositors say, the spouse alludes (reading one word as it is right in our margin,) “Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have puffed me up. If we be puffed up, it is time to pray that the eye of God's outward mercy be for a little turned from us. But where had nature learnt that lesson, if the Holy Ghost had never taught it? Thirdly As the Apostle says, "No man hates his own flesh." Every man, not overcome with a phrenzy of melancholy, loves his own being, and would preserve his life. The devil, that cannot die, knows how loth we are to die: "All that a man hath, will he give for his life." But how many saints have undergone, how many more are willing to undergo the fiery trial, and offer up their bodies for the testimony of the Lord Jesus? not to be cried up in popularity not to be enrolled in the fame of history, as there was such a sprinkling among the heathen. But they have died like lambs in the midst of wolves, when they have been hated, and evil spoken of in excess, because they would die for the truth of the Gospel, which their persecutors accounted to be blasphemy against the gods which they wor shipped. If parents, or wives, or children, hung upon their arms, and besought them to spare themselves, they threw them off as Christ did Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me."* To see a martyr at the point of death feel no horror in his fleshly nature, but to be raised up as high as the third heavens with zeal; what human power could bring him to it? nothing but the Holy Ghost did, as I may say, lure his soul out of the body, with the bait of a crown of glory. Fourthly: "The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, temperance,"† &c. Is not the tree known by the fruit? Such a cluster hanging all together, growing constantly, and being fair and sound, it is not possible they should grow like a bulrush out of the mud of corrupt nature. "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost," that is, say it effectually, and from true allegiance to serve him as a Lord; for else Christ will say, "Why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"§ This is the Spirit that acts not only in prophecies and miraculous gifts, but in every child of God. Even in the Old Testament, "Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them:"|| 'them,' that is, those that were led out of Egypt by Moses, and hearkened to him. And much more in "The love of God the state of the New Testament; is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us."¶ This might be extended into a great length, that the Holy Ghost is the Comforter, called so by appropriation, though it belong to every person of the Holy Trinity, and is well expressed in the first Divine Song, which is printed before the Psalms of David in metre: * Matt. xvi. 23. § Luke vi. 46. + Gal. v. 22. 1 Cor. xii. 3. ¶ Rom. v. 5. "Thou art the very Comforter In all woe and distress; The heavenly gift of God most high, 991 1 2 This is "the unction, which we have from the Holy One; "the anointing which we have received of him that abideth in you:' an oil to cure the sick;3 an oil fomentation to mitigate aches and bones, and in the heart. 6 5 66 994 anointing oil is of gladness;" a torments in the First, be 2. And can the fruits choose but be answerable to the root? they must needs partake of it. cause all that we do to the honour of God, must be done with gladness, willingly, and cheerfully: else it comes not from the spirit of sons, but either from the spirit of bondage, or rather from the spirit of the world. The new disciples received the word gladly, and were baptized. They continued with one accord daily in the temple, "with gladness, and simplicity of heart." "I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of our Lord." Sing psalms, make a joyful noise unto God." "Let us come with assurance in our supplications that we shall be heard, praying with faith in the Holy Ghost."9 "And then the prayer of the upright shall be God's delight;' ;" 10 and why God's delight, but because his servants delight in prayer. "He that showeth mercy, let him do it with cheerfulness." And he that giveth, offereth a blemished sacrifice, if he do it grudgingly : "For God loveth a cheerful giver." Not so much but our losses and tribulations must be sustained with gladness. "Thy rod and thy staff do comfort me.' Enter into the 1 1 John ii. 20. 4 Psalm xlv. 7. 7 Psalm cxxii. 1. 10 Prov. xv. 8. 12 2 Verse 27. E 13 3 James v. 14. 6 Verse 46. 9 Jude, ver. 20. 12 2 Cor. ix 7. |