SERMON XI.* WE are speaking of the influence by which the divine life is maintained; and have already shewn what kind of influence it is. We are now, (2.) To shew how it is ascertained unto regenerate souls, or, give you some account of the certainty of it. [1] It is ascertained by the relation they hereupon come to stand in to God. They are his children, his begotten ones. You know it is naturally every one's care to provide for those who have been born of them, unto whom they have been (though but the secondary) authors of life and being. And the apostle argues even in this very case from this reason, Rom. 8. 13, 14. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds. of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: as though he had said, "Do you think that he will not care that his own sons shall live?" And the argument is yet more strong and enforcing, if you consider how this relation terminates, namely, more peculiarly and remarkably upon our very spirits; for so you find he is called the Father of spirits in contradistinction unto the fathers of our flesh, Heb. 12. 9. Therefore the relation leads to a more special care and concern about the life of our spirits, and most especially about that life of them, which is most imme • Preached February 27th. 1677. at Cordwainer's Hall. VOL. Y, diately from him, and most resembles his own: not that natural life, which we have in common with the rest of men,. but that life which is the more peculiar product of his own blessed Spirit, even as it is the Spirit of grace and of holiness. It is in that sense (as we have formerly shewn you at large) that we are said to be born spirit of spirit. It is only a production, or generation secundum quid, and in this peculiar respect, the thing produced being his own holy, living image, or a nature superadded to the human nature conforming unto his own in moral respects, and having been, in this so peculiar a kind, a Parent and an Author of life, it is not at all to be doubted, but the relation will draw with it the greatest care about that life which he hath given. [2.] Add hereunto the paternal love which accompanies the relation. There is many times the relation of a father unaccompanied with the love of a father (though it is very unnatural where it is so) but here it is not so to be understood. It were horrid and blasphemous to think such a thought. Do we suppose him, who is the very Fountain of that natural affection which still descends and flows down, through all the successive generations of the world, in an ordinary stated course, from father to son, to be destitute of it himself; that there is a penury and want, or a failure in the very Fountain? Like as a father, pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Psalm 103. 13. He is the very Fountain and Spring of all that kindness, and pity, and compassion and love, that did ever reside in the hearts of any parents towards their own children, he put and placed it there; therefore we are to conceive it in him, as in its highest original, and its proper and native seat, and therefore fully and most invariably there. And our Saviour's argumentation to this very purpose, how much doth it carry of convictive evidence with it? If ye being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give his Spirit unto them that ask him? Luke 11. 13. And it is an instinct put into all that are of this divine progeny to be still looking up with craving eyes for this Spirit. It is the very sum of the desire of the new creature, it doth, as it were comprehensively enwrap all its desires; it is its very natural sense, "Lord, thy Spirit!" Though it is many times a silent and inexplicit prayer, yet it is as it were, the voice of that new nature, more of thy Spirit. "The exigency of the case speaks, the very langours and faintings of holy souls carry craving in them, though they have not so formed desires, that they can reflect upon them and take notice of them even as the parched ground doth secretly supplicate to the heavens for relief and supplies. Such we know the Psalmist's metaphor is once and again. And do we think that the Father of mercies (as he is called, as well as the Father of our spirits) will not hear the cries, and regard the necessities, even the crying necessities of his own (otherwise languishing and dying) offspring? He that feeds the ravens, will he starve souls? The very sea monsters draw forth their breasts, and do we think that there is less pity and compassion with God? The instinct is natural even in inferior nature, and stronger according as the order of being is more noble in which it is to be found. It is true, there may be among human creatures, some more than monsters, so prodigiously unnatural as not to regard the fruit of their own bodies. Lam. 4. 3. But suppose such a case; if a woman can forget her sucking child, and not have compassion on the fruit of her womb,-yet will not I forget; saith the Lord Isa. xlix. 15. I can never forget you: graven you upon the palms of my hands, as there it is explained. As if the design were to let us know, that he did make it a concern to himself never to forget, that he would always have a remembrancing token before his eyes, to make supply to the necessity of souls, as their case should require. I have [3.] Some thought may possibly occur with some; that though it be true that a fatherly love doth commonly follow the relation, yet, where it hath been in much strength and vigour, possibly something or other may avert it, something may be done by a child to alienate the father's love; we have therefore a yet farther assurance from the divine wisdom and allcomprehending knowledge. From which it must be understood, that when he formed the design of raising up to himself, such a seed from among the lapsed children of men, he had the compass of it lying in view, and all things were present to kis eye that should any way come to influence this design, or have any aspect upon it one way or another, whether to binder or promote it and yet it is manifest that he had such a design, and hath laid and fixed it, having all things in his view, even whatsoever might make most against it. Commonly if the minds and inclinations of persons do alter so, as that they come to disaffect, where heretofore they have borne a very peculiar love and kindness, it is upon some surprize that the alienation begins, something falling out unto them which was altogether unexpected: they did not think that such a one would have served them so and so, or have dealt so with them. But unto /all-comprehending knowledge nothing is new. The blessed · God had the entire prospect of his whole design, nor can we therefore suppose any thing that should alienate his paternal love, after he hath begun to exercise and express it, which he had not obvious unto his notice before. He loves with an everlasting love, from everlasting, to everlasting: Having loved he loves to the end. John 13. 1. And whereas it may be also said, that though we should suppose a continuing love with a father towards his own children, yet he may be reduced to those straits that he cannot do for them as he would; the matter therefore is farther ascertained, [4.] From his all-sufficient fulness. There is still the same undecaying plenitude of Spirit with him, that can never abate or grow less. It is a spring or fountain unexhausted and inexhaustible, that can never be drained or drawn dry. And therefore do we think, that those who have received this life from him shall not continue to live, when there is such love, and kindness, and compassion in conjunction with so rich and undecaying fulness? Methinks to any reasonable understanding this should make the matter very sure. Again, [5.] We are farther ascertained by his express promise. And it is very considerable unto this purpose, how noted and eminent in the Scripture, especially in the New Testament (though we have divers instances too in the Old) the promise is of the Spirit. Indeed the matter is so represented to us, that we have reason to account, that as before Christ's coming, the coming of Christ was the great promise, and the hope of Israel; so after the coming of Christ in the flesh, the gift of the Spirit was the great promise, the promise of the gospel, Christ being (as then he was) actually come. It is therefore to be observed in Acts 2. 38, 39. that the apostle in that sermon calling upon his hearers (who were principally Jews, at least by religion) to repent, he tells them for their encouragement that they should "receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: For the promise is unto you and to your children." Observe the connexion; the giving of the Holy Ghost is spoken of by him as the promise, which did virtually comprehend in it the sum of the gospel: and virtually it did so, for if that were once made good, all would be sure to be made good. And our Saviour speaks of this as what would be a greater good, a good that would more than compensate his own longer abode and presence in the flesh among his disciples: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you, John 16. 7. Certainly it could not be expedient to part with a greater good for a less; no, nor could it be said to be an expediency to part with an equal good for an equal: if then it were expedient that He should go, that the Spirit might come, that must be reckoned a good superior to his mere bodily presence and abode. And so the apostle plainly intimates in 2. 117 Cor. 5 17. compared with what goes immediately before, Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. He speaks of the matter with complacency, and with a kind of jubilation; as though he had said, I do not desire to know him after the flesh any more, that is, in comparison of what he after speaks of, namely, that inward, vital, spiritual union with him, by which the whole frame of the new creation comes to spring up in the soul. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." And it is promised in John 14. 16. that this Spirit shall be given to abide with them for ever, in most exact correspondence unto the end and purpose for which he was to be given, (ver. 19.) to be the continual maintainer of their life. That must be a very constant thing to us which we are continually to live by, for if there were an intercision of life for a moment it would not be recovered. From the privation of a habit there were no return. He says therefore," he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" so fully to answer the exigence of the case, that you shall be no moment destitute of his vital influence. [6.] We are farther assured from the consideration of the divine faithfulness, without the consideration whereof the promise would signify little. For there are many promises made, and not kept; but "he is faithful that hath promised." The promise of an unfaithful person gives very little assurance; but we are to add to the consideration of the express promise of God, that it is most simply repugnant to the perfection of his nature to be capable of deceiving us. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised, Tit. 1. 2. And that eternal life is nothing else but this life, whereof the Spirit hath been the Author, continued and improved unto that blessed, eternal state, till it reach to that plenitude and fullness of life at length. A well of water springing up into everlasting life, John 4. 14. And God, that we might be assured that he will keep his word, hath added hereunto the ratification of his own solemn oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, there might be strong consolation to the heirs of promise, Heb. 6. 17, 18. And as I have said, this is the great promise, which is the very sum of the rest. [7.] This continual vital influence is ascertained unto the regenerate by their union with Christ, considered in conjunction with-his being constituted and appointed a Mediator between God and them. As he is Mediator, he comes to have all that should serve the necessities of their souls lodged in his |