爱德华兹：论恩典（英文）

杨宁 · 发表于 2020-6-20 19:40:38

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Title: Treatise on Grace

Creator(s): Edwards, Jonathan (1703-1758)

Rights: Public Domain

CCEL Subjects: All;

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The Backslider in Heart

by

Jonathan Edwards

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[SHEWING] THAT COMMON AND SAVING GRACE DIFFER, NOT ONLY IN DEGREE, BUT IN

NATURE AND KIND."

SUCH phrases as common grace, and special or saving grace, may be

understood as signifying either diverse kinds of influence of God's

Spirit on the hearts of men, or diverse fruits and effects of that

influence. The Spirit of God is supposed sometimes to have some

influence upon the minds of men that are not true Christians, and [it

is supposed] that those dispositions, frames, and exercises of their

minds that are of a good tendency, but are common to them with the

saints, are in some respect owing to some influence or assistance of

God's Spirit. But as there are some things in the hearts of true

Christians that are peculiar to them, and that are more excellent than

any thing that is to be found in others, so it is supposed that there

is an operation of the Spirit of God different, and that the value

which distinguishes them is owing to a higher influence and assistance

than the virtues of others. So that sometimes the phrase common grace,

is used to signify that kind of action or influence of the Spirit of

God, to which are owing those religious or moral attainments that are

common to both saints and sinners, and so signifies as much as common

assistance; and sometimes those moral or religious attainments

themselves that are the fruits of this assistance, are intended. So

likewise the phrase, special or saving grace, is sometimes used to

signify that peculiar kind or degree of operation or influence of God's

Spirit, whence saving actions and attainments do arise in the godly,

or, which is the same thing, special and saving assistance; or else to

signify that distinguishing saving virtue itself, which is the fruit of

this assistance. These phrases are more frequently understood in the

latter sense, viz., nor for common and special assistance, but for

common and special, or saving virtue, which is the fruit of that

assistance, and so I would be understood by these phrases in this

discourse.

And that special or saving grace in this sense is not only different

from common grace in degree, but entirely diverse in nature and kind,

and that natural men not only have not a sufficient degree of virtue to

be saints, but that they have no degree of that grace that is in godly

men, is what I have now to shew.

1. This is evident by what Christ says in John 3:6, where Christ,

speaking of regeneration, says -- "That which is born of the flesh is

flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Now, whatever

Christ intends by the terms flesh and spirit in the words, yet this

much is manifested and undeniable, that Christ here intends to shew

Nicodemus the necessity of a new birth, or another birth than his

natural birth, and that, from this argument, that a man that has been

the subject only of the first birth, has nothing of that in his heart

which he must have in order to enter in the kingdom. He has nothing at

all of that which Christ calls spirit, whatever that be. All that a man

[has] that has been the subject only of a natural birth don't go beyond

that which Christ calls flesh, for however it may be refined and

exalted, yet it cannot be raised above flesh. 'Tis plain, that by flesh

and spirit, Christ here intends two things entirely different in

nature, which cannot be one from the other. A man cannot have anything

of a nature superior to flesh that is not born again, and therefore we

must be "born again." That by flesh and spirit are intended certain

moral principles, natures, or qualities, entirely different and

opposite in their nature one to another, is manifest from other texts,

as particularly: Gal 5:17-- "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit,

and the spirit against the flesh: and they are contrary the one to the

other; so that ye cannot do the things which ye would;" Ver.19, "Now

the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery,

fornication," etc. Ver.22-- "But the fruit if the Spirit is love, joy,

peace," etc; and by Gal. 6:8-- "For he that soweth to the flesh shall

of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of

the Spirit reap life everlasting." Rom. 8:6-9-- "For to be carnally

minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" etc. 1

Cor 3:1-- "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,

but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." So that it is

manifest by this, that men that have been the subjects only of the

first birth, have no degree of that moral principle or quality that

those that are new born have, whereby they have a title to the kingdom

of heaven. This principle or quality comes out then no otherwise than

by birth, and the birth that it must come by is not, cannot be, the

first birth, but it must be a new birth. If men that have no title to

the kingdom of heaven, could have something of the Spirit, as well as

flesh, then Christ's argument would be false. It is plain, by Christ's

reasoning, that those that are not in a state of salvation, cannot have

these two opposite principle in their hearts together, some flesh and

some spirit, lusting one against the other as the godly have, but that

they have flesh only.

2. That the only principle in those that are savingly converted, whence

gracious acts flow, which in the language of Scripture is called the

Spirit, and set in opposition to the flesh, is that which others not

only have not a sufficient degree of, but have nothing at all of, is

further manifest, because the Scripture asserts both negatively, that

those that have not the Spirit are not Christ's. Romans 8:9-- "But ye

are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God

dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none

of his;" and also [positively] that those that have the Spirit are His.

1 John 3:24-- "Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which

he hath given us." And our having the Spirit of God dwelling in our

hearts is mentioned as a certain sign that persons are entitled to

heaven, and is called the earnest of the future inheritance (2 Cor 1:22

and v.5, Eph. 1:14;) which it would not be if others that had no title

to the inheritance might have some of it dwelling in them.

Yea, that those that are not true saints have nothing of the Spirit, no

part nor portion of it, is still more evident, because not only a

having any particular motion of the Spirit, but a being of the Spirit

is given as a sure sign of being in Christ. 1 John 4:13-- "Hereby know

we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his

Spirit." If those that are not true saints have any degree of that

spiritual principle, then though they have not so much, yet they have

of it, and so that would be no sign that a person is in Christ. If

those that have not a saving interest in Christ have nothing of the

Spirit, then they have nothing; no degree of those graces that are the

fruits of the Spirit, mentioned in Gal 5:22-- "But the fruit of the

Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

meekness, temperance." Those fruits are here mentioned with that very

design, that we may know whether we have the Spirit or no.

3. Those that are not true saints, and in a state of salvation, not

only have not so much of that holy nature and Divine principle that is

in the hearts of the saints, but they do not partake of it, because a

being "partakers of the divine nature" is spoken of as the peculiar

privilege of true saints, (2 Peter 1:4.) It is evident that it is the

true saints that the apostle is there speaking of. The words in this

verse with the foregoing are these: "According as his Divine power hath

given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through

the true knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by

these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the

corruption that is in the world through lust." The "Divine nature" and

"lust" are evidently here spoken of as two opposite principles in man.

Those that are in the world, and that are the men of the world, have

only the latter principle; but to be partakers of the Divine nature is

spoken of as peculiar to them that are distinguished and separated from

the world, by the free and sovereign grace of God giving them all

things that pertain to life and godliness, giving the knowledge of Him

and calling them to glory and virtue, and giving them the exceeding

great and precious promises of the gospel, and that have escaped the

corruption of the world of wicked men. And a being partakers of the

Divine nature is spoken of, not only as peculiar to the saints, but as

one of the highest privileges of the saints.

4. That those that have not a saving interest in Christ have no degree

of that relish and sense of spiritual things or things of the Spirit,

of their Divine truth and excellency, which a true saint has, is

evident by 1 Cor. 2:14-- "The natural man receiveth not the things of

the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he

know them, because they are spiritually discerned." A natural man is

here set in opposition to a spiritual one, or one that has the Spirit,

as appears by the foregoing and following verses. Such we have shewn

already the Scripture declares all true saints to be, and no other.

Therefore by natural men are meant those that have not the Spirit of

Christ and are none of His, and are the subjects of no other than the

natural birth. But here we are plainly taught that a natural man is

perfectly destitute of any sense, perception, or discerning of those

things of the Spirit. [We are taught that] by the words "he neither

does nor can know them, or discern them;" so far from this they are

"foolishness unto him;" he is a perfect stranger, so that he does not

know what the talk of such things means; they are words without a

meaning to him; he knows nothing of the matter any more than a blind

man of colours.

Hence it will follow, that the sense of things of religion that a

natural man has, is not only not to the same degree, but nothing of the

same nature with that which a true saint has. And besides, if a natural

person has the fruit of the Spirit, which is of the same kind with what

a spiritual person has, then he experiences within himself the things

of the Spirit of God; and how then can he be said to be such a stranger

to them, and have no perception or discerning of them?

The reason why natural men have no knowledge of spiritual things is,

because they have nothing of the Spirit of God dwelling in them. This

is evident by the context: for there we are told that it is by the

Spirit that these things are taught, (verses 10-12;) godly persons in

the next verse are called spiritual, because they have the Spirit

dwelling in them. Hereby the sense again is confirmed, for natural men

are in no degree spiritual; they have only nature and no Spirit. If

they had anything of the Spirit, though not in so great a degree as the

godly, yet they would be taught spiritual things, or things of the

Spirit, in proportion to the measure of the Spirit that they had. The

Spirit that searcheth all things would teach them in some measure.

There would not be so great a difference that the one could perceive

nothing of them, and that they should be foolishness to them, while to

the other they appear divinely and remarkably wise and excellent, as

they are spoken of in the context, (verses 6-9,) and as such the

apostle spoke here of discerning them.

The reason why natural men have no knowledge or perception of spiritual

things is, because they have none of the anointing spoken of, (1 John

2:27 "The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you,

and you need not that any man teach you." This anointing is evidently

spoken of here, as a thing peculiar to true saints. Ungodly men never

had any degree of that holy oil poured upon them, and therefore have no

discerning of spiritual things. Therefore none of that sense that

natural men have of things of religion, is of the same nature with what

the godly have. But to these they are totally blind. Therefore in

conversion the eyes of the blind are opened. The world is wholly

unacquainted with the Spirit of God, as appears by John 14:17, where we

read about "the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because

it knoweth him not."

5. Those that go for those in religion that are not true saints and in

a state of salvation have no charity, as is plainly implied in the

beginning of the 13th chapter of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians.

Therefore they have no degree of that kind of grace, disposition, or

affection that is so called. So Christ elsewhere reproves the

harisees, those high pretenders to religion among the Jews, that they

had not the love of God in them, (John 5:42.)

6. That those that are not true saints have no degree of that grace

that the saints have is evident, because they have no communion or

fellowship with Christ. If those that are not true saints partake of

any of that Spirit, those holy inclinations and affections, and

gracious acts of soul that the godly have from the indwelling of the

Spirit of Christ, then they would have communion with Christ. The

communion of saints with Christ does certainly very much consist in

that receiving of His fulness and partaking of His grace spoken of,

John 1:16-- "Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace,"

and in partaking of that Spirit which God gives not by measure unto

Him. Partaking of Christ's holiness and grace, His nature,

inclinations, tendencies, love, and desires, comforts and delights,

must be to have communion with Christ. Yea, a believer's communion with

the Father and the Son does mainly consist in his partaking of the Holy

Ghost, as appears by 2 Cor. 13:14--"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost."

But that unbelievers have no fellowship or communion with Christ

appears, (1.) because they are not united to Christ. They are not in

Christ. For the Scripture is very plain and evident in this, that those

that are in Christ are actually in a state of salvation, and are

justified, sanctified, accepted of Christ, and shall be saved. Phil.

3:8-9--"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the

excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have

suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may

win Christ, and be found in Him." 2 Cor. 5:17-- "If any man be in

Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away ; behold, all

things are become new." 1 John 2:5--"But whoso keepeth his word, in him

verily is the love of God perfected : hereby know we that we are in

Him; and 3:24-- "He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and

He in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit

which He hath given us." But those that are not in Christ, and are not

united to Him, can have no degree of communion with Him. For there is

no communion without union. The members can have no communion with the

head or participation of its life and health unless they are united to

it. The branch must be united with the vine, otherwise there can be no

communication from the vine to it, nor any partaking of any degree of

its sap, or life, or influence. So without the union of the wife to the

husband, she can have no communion in his goods. (2.) The Scripture

does more directly teach that it is only true saints that have

communion with Christ, as particularly this is most evidently spoken of

as what belongs to the saints, and to them only, in 1 John 1:3,

together with verses 6-7-- "That which we have seen and heard declare

we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our

fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." Ver.

6--"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness,

we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in

the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus

Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Also in 1 Cor. 1:9--"God is

faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Christ

Jesus our Lord."

7. The Scripture speaks of the actual being of a truly holy and

gracious principle in the heart, as inconsistent with a man's being a

sinner or a wicked man. 1 John 3:9-- "Whosoever is born of God doth not

commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because

he is born of God." Here it is needless to dispute what is intended by

this seed, whether it be a principle of true virtue and a holy nature

in the soul, or whether it be the word of God as the cause of that

virtue. For let us understand it in either sense, it comes to much the

same thing in the present argument ; for if by the seed is meant the

word of God, yet when it is spoken of as abiding in him that is born

again, it must be intended, with respect to its effect, as a holy

principle in his heart : for the word of God does not abide in one that

is born again more than another, any other way than in its effect. The

word of God abides in the heart of a regenerate person as a holy seed,

a Divine principle there, though it may be but as a seed, a small

thing. The seed is a very small part of the plant, and is its first

principle. It may be in the heart as a grain of mustard-seed, may be

hid, and seem to be in great measure buried in the earth. But yet it is

inconsistent with wickedness. The smallest degrees and first principles

of a Divine and holy nature and disposition are inconsistent with a

state of sin; whence it is said "he cannot sin." There is no need here

of a critical inquiry into the import of that expression; for doubtless

so much at least is implied through this, "his seed being in him," as

is inconsistent with his being a sinner or a wicked man. So that this

heavenly plant of true holiness cannot be in the heart of a sinner, no,

not so much as in its first principle.

8. This is confirmed by the things that conversion is represented by in

the Scriptures, particularly its being represented as a work of

creation. When God creates He does not merely establish and perfect the

things which were made before, but makes wholly and immediately

something entirely new, either out of nothing, or out of that which was

perfectly void of any such nature, as when He made man of the dust of

the earth. "The things that are seen are not made of things that do

appear. Saving grace in man is said to be the new man or a new

creature, and corrupt nature the old man. If that nature that is in the

heart of a godly man be not different in its nature and kind from all

that went before, then the man might possibly have had the same things

a year before, and from time to time from the beginning of his life,

but only not quite to the same degree. And how then is grace in him,

the new man or the new creature?

Again, conversion is often compared to a resurrection. Wicked men are

said to be dead, but when they are converted they are represented as

being by God's mighty and effectual power raised from the dead. Now

there is no medium between being dead and alive. He that is dead has no

degree of life ; he that has the least degree of life in him is alive.

When a man is raised from the dead, life is not only in a greater

degree, but it is all new.

The same is manifest by conversion being represented as a new birth or

as regeneration. Generation is not only perfecting what is old, but

'tis a begetting from the new. Then nature and life that is then

received has then its beginning: it receives its first principles.

Again conversion in Scripture is represented as an opening of the eyes

of the blind. In such a work those have light given them that were

totally destitute of it before. So in conversion, stones are said to be

raised up children to Abraham: while stones they are altogether

destitute of all those qualities that afterwards render them the living

children of Abraham, and not only had them not in so great a degree.

Agreeably to this, conversion is said to be a taking away a heart of

stone and a giving a heart of flesh. The man while unconverted has a

heart of stone which has no degree of that life and sense that the

heart of flesh has, because it yet remains a stone, than which nothing

is further from life and sense.

Inference 1. -- From what has been said, I would observe that it must

needs be that conversion is wrought at once. That knowledge, that

reformation and conviction that is preparatory to conversion may be

gradual, and the work of grace after conversion may be gradually

carried on, yet that work of grace upon the soul where by a person is

brought out of a state of total corruption and depravity into a state

of grace, to an interest in Christ, and to be actually a child of God,

is in a moment.

It must needs be the consequence; for if that grace or virtue that a

person has when he is brought into a state of grace be entirely

different in nature and kind from all that went before, then it will

follow that the last instant before a person is actually a child of God

and in a state of grace, a person has not the least degree of any real

goodness, and of that true virtue that is in a child of God.

Those things by which conversion is represented in Scripture hold forth

the same thing. In creation something is brought out of nothing in an

instant. God speaks and it is done, He commands and it stands fast.

When the dead are raised, it is done in a moment. Thus when Christ

called Lazarus out of his grave, it was not a gradual work. He said,

"Lazarus, come forth," and there went life with the call. He heard His

voice and lived. So Christ, John 5:25-- "Verily, verily, I say unto

you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice

of the Son of God : and they that hear shall live,"--which words must

be understood of the work of conversion. In creation, being is called

out of nothing and instantly obeys the call, and in the resurrection

the dead are called into life: as soon as the call is given the dead

obey.

By reason of this instantaneousness of the work of conversion, one of

the names under which conversion is frequently spoken of in Scripture,

is calling: Rom. 8:28-30--"And we know that all things work together

for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to

his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be

conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among

many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called;

and whom he called, them he also justified ; and whom he justified,

them he also glorified." Acts 2:37-39-- "Now when they heard this, they

were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the

apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto

them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus

Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the

Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to

all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Heb. 9:15, (last clause)--"That they which are called might receive the

promise of eternal inheritance." 1 Thess. 5:23-24 --"And the very God

of peace sanctify you wholly... Faithful is he that calleth you, who

also will do it." Nothing else can be meant in those places by calling

than what Christ does in a sinner's saving conversion. By which it

seems evident that it is done at once and not gradually; whereby

Christ, through His great power, does but speak the powerful word and

it is done, He does but call and the heart of the sinner immediately

comes. It seems to be symbolised by Christ's calling His disciples, and

their immediately following Him. So when He called Peter, Andrew,

James, and John, they were minding other things ; but at His call they

immediately left all and followed Him. Matt. 4:18-22-- Peter and Andrew

were casting a net into the sea, and Christ says to them as He passed

by, Follow me ; and it is said, they straightway left their nets and

followed Him. So James and John were in the ship with Zebedee their

father mending their nets, and He called them, and immediately they

left the ship and their father and followed Him. So when Matthew was

called: Matt. 9:9-- "And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a

man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto

him, Follow me. And he arose and followed Him." Now whether they were

then converted or not, yet doubtless Christ in thus calling His first

disciples to a visible following of Him, represents to us the manner in

which He would call men to be truly His disciples and spiritually to

follow Him in all ages. There is something immediately and

instantaneously put into their hearts at that call that they had

nothing of before, that effectually disposes them to follow.

It is very manifest that almost all the miracles of Christ that He

wrought when on earth were types of His great work of converting

sinners, and the manner of His working those miracles holds forth the

instantaneousness of the work of conversion. Thus when He healed the

leper, which represented His healing us of our spiritual leprosy, He

put forth His hand and touched him, and said, "I will; be thou clean."

And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt. 8:3; Mark 1:42; Luke

5:13. And so, in opening the eyes of the blind, which represents His

opening the eyes of our blind souls, (Matt. 20:30 etc., ) He touched

their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they

followed Him. So Mark 10:52; Luke 18:43-- So when He healed the sick,

which represents His healing our spiritual diseases, or conversion, it

was done at once. Thus when He healed Simon's wife's mother, (Mark

1:31,) He took her by the hand and lifted her up; and immediately the

fever left her, and she ministered unto them. So when the woman which

had the issue of blood touched the hem of Christ's garment, immediately

the issue of blood stanched, (Luke 8:44.) So the woman that was bowed

together with the spirit of infirmity, when Christ laid His hands upon

her, immediately she was made straight, and glorified God, (Luke

13:12-13;) which represents that action on the soul whereby He gives an

upright heart, and sets the soul at liberty from its bondage to glorify

Him. So the man at the pool of Bethesda, when Christ bade him rise,

take up his bed and walk, (he) was immediately made whole, (John

5:8-9.) After the same manner Christ cast out devils, which represents

His dispossessing the devil of our souls in conversion; and so He

settled the winds and waves, representing His subduing, in conversion,

the heart of the wicked, which is like the troubled sea, when it cannot

rest; and so He raised the dead, which represented His raising dead

souls.

The same is confirmed by those things which conversion is compared to

in Scripture. It is often compared to a resurrection. Natural men (as

was said before) are said to be dead, and to be raised when they are

converted by God's mighty effectual power from the dead. Now, there is

no medium between being dead and alive ; he that is dead has no degree

of life in him, he that has the least degree of life in him is alive.

When a man is raised from the dead, life is not only in a greater

degree in him than it was before, but it is all new. The work of

conversion seems to be compared to a raising the dead to life, in this

very thing, even its instantaneousness, or its being done, as it were,

at a word's speaking. As in John 5:25, (before quoted)-- "Verily,

verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead

shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."

He speaks here of a work of conversion, as appears by the preceding

verse; and by the words themselves, which speak of the time of this

raising the dead, not only as to come hereafter, but as what was

already come. This shews conversion to be an immediate instantaneous

work, like to the change made on Lazarus when Christ called him from

the grave: there went life with the call, and Lazarus was immediately

alive. Immediately before the call sinners are dead or wholly destitute

of life, as appears by the expression, "The dead shall hear the voice,"

and immediately after the call they are alive; yea, there goes life

with the word, as is evident, not only because it is said they shall

live, but also because it is said, they shall hear His voice. The first

moment they have any life is the moment when Christ calls, and as soon

as they are called, which further appears by what was observed before,

even that a being called and converted are spoken of in Scripture as

the same thing.

The same is confirmed (as observed before) from conversion being

compared to a work of creation, which is a work wherein something is

made either out of nothing, or out of that having no degree of the same

kind of qualities and principles, as when God made man of the dust of

the earth. Thus it is said, "If any man be in Christ he is a new

creature;" which obviously implies that he is an exceeding diverse kind

of creature from what he was before he was in Christ, that the

principle or qualities that he has by which he is a Christian, are

entirely new, and what there was nothing of, before he was in Christ.

Inference 2. Hence we may learn that it is impossible for men to

convert themselves by their own strength and industry, with only a

concurring assistance helping in the exercise of their natural

abilities and principles of the soul, and securing their improvement.

For what is gained after this manner is a gradual acquisition, and not

something instantaneously begotten, and of an entirely different

nature, and wholly of a separate kind, from all that was in the nature

of the person the moment before. All that men can do by their own

strength and industry is only gradually to increase and improve and

new-model and direct qualities, principles, and perfections of nature

that they have already. And that is evident, because a man in the

exercise and improvement of the strength and principles of his own

nature has nothing but the qualities, powers, and perfections that are

already in his nature to work with, and nothing but them to work upon;

and therefore 'tis impossible that by this only, anything further

should be brought to pass, than only a new modification of what is

already in the nature of the soul. That which is only by an improvement

of natural qualities, principles, and perfections -- let these things

be improved never so much and never so industriously, and never so

long, they'll still be no more than an improvement of those natural

qualities, principles, and perfections; and therefore not anything of

an essentially distinct and superior nature and kind.

'Tis impossible (as Dr Clarke observes) "that any effect should have

any perfection that was not in the cause: for if it had, then that

perfection would be caused by nothing." 'Tis therefore utterly

impossible that men's natural perfections and qualities in that

exercise, and however assisted in that exercise, should produce in the

soul a principle or perfection of a nature entirely different from all

of them, or any manner of improvement or modification of them.

The qualities and principles of natural bodies, such as figure or

motion, can never produce anything beyond themselves. If infinite

comprehensions and divisions be eternally made, the things must still

be eternally the same, and all their possible effects can never be

anything but repetitions of the same. Nothing can be produced by only

those qualities of figure and motion, beyond figure and motion: and so

nothing can be produced in the soul by only its internal principles,

beyond these principles or qualities, or new improvements and

modifications of them. And if we suppose a concurring assistance to

enable to a more full and perfect exercise of those natural principles

and qualities, unless the assistance of influence actually produces

something beyond the exercise of internal principle: still, it is the

same thing. Nothing will be produced but only an improvement and new

modification of those principles that are exercised. Therefore it

follows that saving grace in the heart, can't be produced in man by

mere exercise of what perfections he has in him already, though never

so much assisted by moral suasion, and never so much assisted in the

exercise of his natural principles, unless there be something more that

all this, viz., an immediate infusion or operation of the Divine Being

upon the soul. Grace must be the immediate work of God, and properly a

production of His almighty power on the soul.

__________________________________________________________________

SHEWING WHEREIN ALL SAVING GRACE DOES SUMMARILY CONSIST"

The next thing that arises for consideration is, What is the nature of

this Divine principle in the soul that is so entirely diverse from all

that is naturally in the soul? Here I would observe,--

1. That that saving grace that is in the hearts if the saints, that

within them [which is] above nature, and entirely distinguishes 'em

from all unconverted men, is radically but one -- i.e., however various

its exercises are, yet it is but one in its root; 'tis one individual

principle in the heart.

'Tis common for us to speak of various graces of the Spirit of God as

though they were so many different principles of holiness, and to call

them by distinct names as such, -- repentance, humility, resignation,

thankfulness, etc. But we err if we imagine that these in their first

source and root in the heart are properly distinct principles. They all

come from the same fountain, and are, indeed, the various exertions and

conditions of the same thing, only different denominations according to

the various occasions, objects, and manners, attendants and

circumstances of its exercise. There is some one holy principle in the

heart that is the essence and sum of all grace, the root and source of

all holy acts of every kind, and the fountain of every good stream,

into which all Christian virtues may ultimately be resolved, and in

which all duty and [all] holiness is fulfilled.

Thus the Scripture represents it. Grace in the soul is one fountain of

water of life, (John 4:14,) and not various distinct fountains. So God,

in the work of regeneration, implants one heavenly seed in the soul,

and not various different seeds. 1 John 3:9--"Whosoever is born of God

doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him." ... The Day [that]

has arisen on the soul is but one. The oil in the vessel is simple and

pure, conferred by one holy anointing. All is "wrought" by one

individual work of the Spirit of God. And thus it is there is a

consentanation of graces. Not only is one grace in some way allied to

another, and so tends to help and promote one another, but one is

really implied in the other. The nature of one involves the nature of

another. And the great reason of it is, that all graces have one common

essence, the original principle of all, and is but one. Strip the

various parts of the Christian soul of their circumstances,

concomitants, appendages, means, and occasions, and consider that which

is, as it were, their soul and essence, and all appears to be the same.

[I observe]

2. That principle in the soul of the saints, which is the grand

Christian virtue, and which is the soul and essence and summary

comprehension of all grace, is a principle of Divine Love. This is

evident,

(1.) Because we are abundantly taught in the Scripture that Divine Love

is the sum of all duty; and that all that God requires of us is

fulfilled in it, --i.e., That Love is the sum of all duty of the heart,

and its exercises and fruits the sum of all [the] duty of life. But if

the duty of the heart, or all due dispositions of the hearts, are all

summed up in love, then undoubtedly all grace may be summed up in LOVE.

The Scripture teaches us that all our duty is summed up in love;or,

which is the same thing, that 'tis the sum of all that is required in

the Law; and that, whether we take the Law as signifying the Ten

Commandments, or the whole written Word of God. So, when by the Law is

meant the Ten Commandments : Rom. 13:8--"Owe no man any thing, but to

love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" ;

and, therefore, several of these commandments are there rehearsed. And

again, in ver. 10, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." And unless love

was the sum of what the law required, the law could not be fulfilled in

love. A law is not fulfilled but by obedience to the sum of what it

contains. So the same apostle again: 1 Tim. 1:5-- "Now the end of the

commandment is charity" [love].

If we take the law in a yet more extensive sense for the whole written

Word of God, the Scripture still teaches us that love is the sum of

what is required in it. [Thus] Matt. 22:40. There Christ teaches us

that on these two precepts of loving God and our neighbour hang all the

Law and the Prophets, --that is, all the written Word of God. So that

what was called the Law and the Prophets was the whole written Word of

God that was then extant. The Scripture teaches this of each table of

the law in particular.

Thus, the lawyer that we read of in the 10th chapter of Luke, vv.25-28,

mentions the love of God and our neighbour as the sum of the two tables

of the law; and Christ approves of what he says. When he stood up and

tempted Christ with this question, "Master, what shall I do to inherit

eternal life?" Christ asks him what was required of him "in the Law?"

He makes answer, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy

mind, and thy neighbour as thyself;" and Christ replies, "Thou hast

answered right: this do, and thou shalt live;" as much as to say, "Do

this, then thou hast fulfilled the whole law."

So in Matthew 22:36-38, that commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy

God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,"

is given by Christ himself as the sum of the first Table of the Law, in

answer to the question of the lawyer, who asked Him, "Which is the

great commandment in the law!" And in the next verse, loving our

neighbours as ourselves is mentioned as the sum of the second Table, as

it is also in Romans 13:9, where most of the precepts of the second

Table are rehearsed over in particular: "For this, Thou shalt not

commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt

not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet ; and if there be any

other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely,

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

The Apostle James seems to teach the same thing. James 2:8-- "If ye

fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy

neighbour as thyself, ye do well."

Thus frequent, express, and particular is the Scripture in teaching us

that all duty is comprehended in Love. The Scripture teaches us, in

like manner, of nothing else. This is quite another thing than if

Religion in general had only sometimes gone under the name of the Love

of God, as it sometimes goes by the name of the fearing of God, and

sometimes the knowledge of God, and sometimes feeling of God.

This argument does fully and irrefragably prove that all grace, and

every Christian disposition and habit of mind and heart, especially as

to that which is primarily holy and Divine in it, does summarily

consist in Divine Love, and may be resolved into it: however, with

respect to its kinds and manner of exercise and its appendages, it may

be diversified. For certainly there is no duty of heart, or due

disposition of mind, but what is included in the Law and the Prophets,"

and is required by some precept of that law and rule which He has given

mankind to walk by. But yet the Scripture affords us other evidences of

the truth of this.

(2.) The apostle speaks of Divine Love as that which is the essence of

all Christianity in the thirteenth chapter of [the] 1st [Epistle to

the] Corinthians. There the apostle evidently means a comparison

between the gifts of the Spirit and the grace of the Spirit. In the

foregoing chapter the apostle had been speaking of the gifts of the

Spirit throughout, such as the gift of wisdom, the gift of knowledge,

the gift of faith, the gift of healing or working miracles, prophecy,

discerning spirits, speaking with tongues, etc.; and in the last verse

in the chapter he exhorts the Corinthians to "covet earnestly the best

gifts;" but adds, "and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way," and

so proceeds to discourse of the saving grace of the Spirit under the

name of a)ga/ph love, and to compare this saving grace in the heart

with those gifts. Now, 'tis manifest that the comparison is between the

gifts of the Spirit that were common to both saints and sinners, and

that saving grace that distinguishes true saints; and, therefore,

charity or love is here understood by divines as intending the same

thing as sincere grace of heart.

By love or charity here there is no reason to understand the apostle

[as speaking] only of love to men, but that principle of Divine Love

that is in the heart of the saints in the full extent, which primarily

has God for its object. For there is no reason to think that the

apostle doesn't mean the same thing by charity here as he does in the

eighth chapter of the same Epistle, where he is comparing the same two

things together, knowledge and charity, as he does here. But there he

explains himself to mean by charity the love of God: [verses 1-3]

--"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have

knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man

think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to

know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him," etc.

'Tis manifest that love or charity is here (Chap. 13) spoken of as the

very essence of all Christianity, and is the very thing wherein a

gracious sincerity consists. For the Apostle speaks of it as the most

excellent, the most necessary, and essential thing of all, without

which all that makes the greatest, and fairest, and most glittering

show in Religion is nothing -- without which, "if we speak with the

tongues of men and angels, we are become as sounding brass and tinkling

cymbals" -and without which, though we have "the gift of prophecy, and

understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have all faith, so

that we could remove mountains, and should bestow all our goods to feed

the poor, and even give our bodies to be burned, we are nothing."

Therefore, how can we understand the Apostle any otherwise than that

this is the very thing whereof the essence of all consists; and that he

means the same by charity as a gracious charity, as indeed it is

generally understood. If a man does all these things here spoken, makes

such glorious prophecies, has such knowledge, such faith, and speaks so

excellently, and performs such excellent external acts, and does such

great things in religion as giving all his goods to the poor and giving

his body to be burned, what is wanting but one thing? The very

quintessence of all Religion, the very thing wherein lies summarily the

sincerity, spirituality, and divinity of Religion. And that, the

Apostle teaches us, is LOVE.

And further, 'tis manifestly the Apostle's drift to shew how this

excellent principle does radically comprehend all that is good. For he

goes on to shew how all essences of good and excellent dispositions and

exercises, both towards God and towards man, are virtually contained

and will flow from this one principle: "Love suffereth long, and is

kind, envieth not, ... endureth all things" etc. The words of this last

verse especially respects duties to God, as the former did duties to

men, as I would shew more particularly afterwards.

(Here it may be noted, by the way, that by charity 'believing all

things, hoping all things,' the Apostle has undoubtedly respect to the

same faith and hope that in other parts of the chapter are mentioned

together and compared with charity, [as I think might be sufficiently

made manifest, if it were proper here to spend time upon it.] And not

believing and hoping, in the case of our neighbour, which the apostle

has spoken of before, in the last words of verse 5th, and had plainly

summed up all parts of charity towards our neighbour in the 6th verse.

And then in this verse the apostle proceeds to mention other exercises

or fruits of charity quite of another kind--viz., patience under

suffering, faith and hope, and perseverance.)

Thus the Apostle don't only represent love or charity as the most

excellent thing in Christianity, and as the quintessence, life and soul

of all Religion, but as that which virtually comprehends all holy

virtues and exercises. And because love is the quintessence and soul of

all grace, wherein the divinity and holiness of all that belongs to

charity does properly and essentially consist, therefore, when

Christians come to be in their most perfect state, and the Divine

nature in them shall be in its greatest exaltation and purity, and be

free from all mixtures, stripped of these appurtenances and that

clothing that it has in the present state ; and [when] it shall lose

many other of its denominations, especially from the peculiar manner

and exercises accommodated to the imperfect circumstances of the

present state, they will be what will remain. All other names will be

swallowed up in the name of charity or love, as the apostle, agreeably

to his chapter on this, (1 Cor. 13.,) observes in verses 8-10--

"Charity never faileth.... But when that which is perfect is come, then

that which is in part shall be done away." And, therefore, when the

apostle, in the last verse, speaks of charity as the greatest grace, we

may well understand him in the same sense as when Christ speaks of the

command of love God, etc., as the greatest commandment --viz., that

among the graces, that is the source and sum of all graces, as that

commanded is spoken of as the sum of all commands, and requiring that

duty which is the ground of all other duties.

It must be because Charity is the quintessence and soul of all duty and

all good in the heart that the apostle says that it is "the end of the

commandment," for doubtless the main end of the commandment is to

promote that which is most essential in Religion and constituent of

holiness.

3. Reason bears witness to the same thing.

(1.)Reason testifies that Divine Love is so essential in Religion that

all Religion is but hypocrisy and a "vain show" without it. What is

Religion but the exercise and expressions of regard to the Divine

Being? But certainly if there be no love to Him, there is no sincere

regard to Him; and all pretences and show of respect to Him, whether it

be in word or deed, must be hypocrisy, and of no value in the eyes of

Him who sees the heart How manifest is it that without love there can

be no true honour, no sincere praise! And how can obedience be hearty,

if it be not a testimony of respect to God! The fear of God without

love is no other than the fear of devils; and all that outward respect

and obedience, all that resignation, that repentance and sorrow for

sin, that form in religion, that outward devotion that is performed

merely from such a fear without love, is all of it a practical lie, as

in Psalm 66:3-- "...How terrible art Thou in Thy works! through the

greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto

Thee." In the original it is "shall thine enemies lie unto Thee" --

i.e., shall yield a feigned or lying obedience and respect to Thee,

when still they remain enemies in their hearts. There is never a devil

in hell but what would perform all that many a man [has] performed in

religion, that had no love to God; and a great deal more if they were

in like circumstances and the like hope of gain by it, and be as much

of a devil in this heart as he is now. The Devil once seemed to be

religious from fear of torment: Luke 8:28-- "When he saw Jesus, he

cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What

have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech

Thee, torment me not." Here is external worship. The Devil is

religious; he prays -- he prays in a humble posture; he falls down

before Christ, he lies prostrate; he prays earnestly, he cries with a

loud voice; he uses humble expressions -- "I beseech Thee, torment me

not;" he uses respectful, honourable, adoring expressions -- "Jesus,

Thou Son of God most high." Nothing was wanting but LOVE.

And with respect to duties towards men, no good offices would be

accepted by men one from another, if they saw the heart, and knew they

did not proceed from any respect in the heart. If a child carry it very

respectfully to his father, either from a strong fear, or from hope of

having the larger inheritance when his father is dead, or from the like

consideration, and not at all from any respect to his father in his

heart; if the child's heart were open to the view of his father, and he

plainly knew that there was no real regard to him. Would the child's

outward honour and obedience be acceptable to the parent? So if a wife

should carry it very well to her husband, and not at all from any love

to him, but from other considerations plainly seen, and certainly known

by the husband, Would he at all delight in her outward respect any more

than if a wooden image were contrived to make respectful motions in his

presence?

If duties towards men are [to be] accepted of God as a part of Religion

and the service of the Divine Being, they must be performed not only

with a hearty love to men, but that love must flow from regard to Him.

(2.) Reason shews that all good dispositions and duties are wholly

comprehended in, and will flow from, Divine Love. Love to God and men

implies all proper respect or regard to God and men; and all proper

acts and expressions of regard to both will flow from it, and therefore

all duty to both. To regard God and men in our heart as we ought, is

the same thing. And, therefore, a proper regard or love comprehends all

virtue of heart; and he that shews all proper regard to God and men in

his practice, performs all that in practice towards them which is his

duty. The Apostle says, Romans 13:10-- "Love works no ill to his

neighbor." 'Tis evident by his reasoning in that place, that he means

more than is expressed -- that love works no ill but all good towards

our neighbor; so, by a parity of reason, love to God works no ill, but

all duty towards God.

A Christian love to God, and Christian love to men, are not properly

two distinct principles in the heart. These varieties are radically the

same; the same principle flowing forth towards different objects,

according to the order of their existence. God is the First Cause of

all things, and the Fountain and Source of all good; and men are

derived from Him, having something of His image, and are the objects of

His mercy. So the first and supreme object of Divine love is God; and

men are loved either as the children of God or His creatures, and those

that are in His image, and the objects of His mercy, or in some

respects related to God, or partakers of His loveliness, or at least

capable of happiness.

That love to God, and a Christian love to men, are thus but one in

their root and foundation-principle in the heart, is confirmed by

several passages in the First Epistle of John: chap. 3:16-17-- "Hereby

perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and

we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this

world's goods,... how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Chap. 4:20,21--

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he

that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom

he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who

loveth God love his brother also." Chap. 5:1,2-- "Whosoever believeth

that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one loveth Him that

begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we

love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments."

Therefore to explain the nature of Divine Love, what is principally

requisite is to explain the nature of love to God. For this may

especially be called Divine Love; and herein all Christian love or

charity does radically consist, for this is the fountain of all.

As to a definition of Divine Love, things of this nature are not

properly capable of a definition. They are better felt than defined.

Love is a term as clear in its signification, and that does as

naturally suggest to the mind the thing signified by it, as any other

term or terms that we can find out or substitute in its room. But yet

there may be a great deal of benefit in descriptions that may be given

of this heavenly principle though they all are imperfect. They may

serve to limit the signification of the term and distinguish this

principle from other things, and to exclude counterfeits, and also more

clearly to explain some things that do appertain to its nature.

Divine Love, as it has God for its object, may be thus described. 'Tis

the soul's relish of the supreme excellency of the Divine nature,

inclining the heart to God as the chief good.

The first thing in Divine Love, and that from which everything that

appertains to it arises, is a relish of the excellency of the Divine

nature; which the soul of man by nature has nothing of.

The first effect that is produced in the soul, whereby it is carried

above what it has or can have by nature, is to cause it to relish or

taste the sweetness of the Divine relation. That is the first and most

fundamental thing in Divine Love, and that from which everything else

that belongs to the Divine Love naturally and necessarily proceeds.

When one the soul is brought to relish the excellency of the Divine

nature, then it will naturally, and of course, incline to God every

way. It will incline to be with Him and to enjoy Him. It will have

benevolence to God. It will be glad that He is happy. It will incline

that He should be glorified, and that His will should be done in all

things. So that the first effect of the power of God in the heart in

REGENERATION, is to give the heart a Divine taste or sense; to cause it

to have a relish of the loveliness and sweetness of the supreme

excellency of the Divine nature; and indeed this is all the immediate

effect of the Divine Power that there is, this is all the Spirit of God

needs to do, in order to a production of all good effects in the soul.

If God, by an immediate act of His, gives the soul a relish of the

excellency of His own nature, other things will follow of themselves

without any further act of the Divine power than only what is necessary

to uphold the nature of the faculties of the soul. He that is once

brought to see, or rather to taste, the superlative loveliness of the

Divine Being, will need no more to make him long after the enjoyment of

God, to make him rejoice in the happiness of God, and to desire that

this supremely excellent Being may be pleased and glorified. (Love is

commonly distinguished into a love of complacence and love of

benevolence. Of these two a love of complacence is first, and is the

foundation of the other,--i.e., if by a love of complacence be meant a

relishing a sweetness in the qualifications of the beloved, and a being

pleased and delighted in his excellency. This, in the order of nature,

is before benevolence, because it is the foundation and reason of it. A

person must first relish that wherein the amiableness of nature

consists, before he can wish well to him on the account of that

loveliness, or as being worthy to receive good. Indeed, sometimes love

of complacence is explained something differently, even for that joy

that the soul has in the presence and possession of the beloved, which

is different from the soul's relish of the beauty of the beloved, and

is a fruit of it, as benevolence is. The soul may relish the sweetness

and the beauty of a beloved object, whether that object be present or

absent, whether in possession or not in possession; and this relish is

the foundation of love of benevolence, or desire of the good of the

beloved. And it is the foundation of love of affection to the beloved

object when absent; and it is the foundation of one's rejoicing in the

object when present; and so it is the foundation of everything else

that belongs to Divine Love.) And if this be true, then the main ground

of true love to God is the excellency of His own nature, and not any

benefit we have received, or hope to receive, by His goodness to us.

Not but that there is such a thing as a gracious gratitude to God for

mercies bestowed upon us; and the acts and fruits of His goodness to us

may [be,] and very often are, occasions and incitements of the exercise

of true love to God, as I must shew more particularly hereafter. But

love or affection to God, that has no other good than only some benefit

received or hoped for from God, is not true love. [If it be] without

any sense of a delight in the absolute excellency of the Divine nature,

[it] has nothing Divine in it. Such gratitude towards God requires no

more to be in the soul than that human nature that all men are born

with, or at least that human nature well cultivated and improved, or

indeed not further vitiated and depraved than it naturally is. It is

possible that natural men, without the addition of any further

principle than they have by nature, may be affected with gratitude by

some remarkable kindness of God to them, as that they should be so

affected with some great act of kindness of a neighbour. A principle of

self-love is all that is necessary to both. But Divine Love is a

principle distinct from self-love, and from all that arises from it.

Indeed, after a man is come to relish the sweetness of the supreme good

there is in the nature of God, self-love may have a hand in an appetite

after the enjoyment of that good. For self-love will necessarily make a

man desire to enjoy that which is sweet to him. But God's perfections

must first savour appetite and [be] sweet to men, or they must first

have a taste to relish sweetness in the perfection of God, before

self-love can have any influence upon them to cause an appetite after

the enjoyment of that sweetness. And therefore that divine taste or

relish of the soul, wherein Divine Love doth most fundamentally

consist, is prior to all influence that self-love can have to incline

us to God; and so must be a principle quite distinct from it, and

independent of it.

__________________________________________________________________

SHEWING HOW A PRINCIPLE OF GRACE IS FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD."

I. That this holy and Divine principle, which we have shewn does

radically and summarily consist in Divine Love, comes into existence in

the soul by the power of God in the influences of the Holy Spirit, the

Third Person in the blessed Trinity, is abundantly manifest from the

Scriptures.

Regeneration is by the Spirit: John 3:5-6--"Verily, verily, I say unto

thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and

that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." And verse 8-- "The wind

bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst

not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that

is born of the Spirit."

The renewing of the soul is by the Holy Ghost: Titus 3:5-- "Not by

works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy

he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy

Ghost." A new heart is given by God's putting His Spirit within us:

Ezekiel 36:26,27-- "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit

will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your

flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit

within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my

judgments and do them." Quickening of the dead soul is by the Spirit:

John 6:63-- "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." Sanctification is by

the Spirit of God: 2 Thess. 2:13-- "God hath from the beginning chosen

you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the

truth." Romans 15:16-- "That the offering up of the Gentiles might be

acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. 6:11-- "Such

were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are

justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

1 Peter 1:2-- "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of

the blood of Jesus Christ." All grace in the heart is the fruit of the

Spirit: Gal. 5:22, 23-- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

peace, long -suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,

temperance." Eph. 5:9-- "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and

righteousness and truth." Hence the Spirit of God is called the Spirit

of grace, (Heb. 10:29.)

This doctrine of a gracious nature being by the immediate influence of

the Spirit of God, is not only taught in the Scriptures, but is

irrefragable to Reason. Indeed there seems to be a strong disposition

in men to disbelieve and oppose the doctrine of true disposition, to

disbelieve and oppose the doctrine of immediate influence of the Spirit

of God in the hearts of men, or to diminish and make it as small and

remote a matter as possible, and put it as far out of sight as may be.

Whereas it seems to me, true virtue and holiness would naturally excite

a prejudice (if I may so say) in favour of such a doctrine; and that

the soul, when in the most excellent frame, and the most lively

exercise of virtue, --love to God and delight in Him,-- would naturally

and unavoidably think of God as kindly communicating Himself to him,

and holding communion with him, as though he did as it were see God

smiling on him, giving to him and conversing with him; and that if he

did not so think of God, but, on the contrary, should conceive that

there was no immediate communication between God and him, it would tend

greatly to quell his holy motions of soul, and be an exceeding damage

to his pleasure.

No good reason can be given why men should have such an inward

disposition to deny any immediate communication between God and the

creature, or to make as little of it as possible. 'Tis a strange

disposition that men have to thrust God out of the world, or to put Him

as far out of sight as they can, and to have in no respect immediately

and sensibly to do with Him. Therefore so many schemes have been drawn

to exclude, or extenuate, or remove at a great distance, any influence

of the Divine Being in the hearts of men, such as the scheme of the

elagians, the Socinians, etc. And therefore these doctrines are so

much ridiculed that ascribe much to the immediate influence of the

Spirit, and called enthusiasm, fanaticism, whimsy, and distraction; but

no mortal can tell for what.

If we make no difficulty of allowing that God did immediateiy make the

whole Universe at first, and caused it to exist out of nothing, and

that every individual thing owes its being to an immediate, voluntary,

arbitrary act of Almighty power, why should we make a difficulty of

supposing that He has still something immediately to do with the things

that He has made, and that there is an arbitrary influence still that

God has in the creation that He has made?

And if it be reasonable to suppose it with respect to any part of the

Creation, it is especially so with respect to reasonable creatures, who

are the highest part of the Creation, next to God, and who are most

immediately made for God, and have Him for their next Head, and are

created for the business wherein they are mostly concerned. And above

all, in that wherein the highest excellency of this highest rank of

beings consist, and that wherein he is most conformed to God, is

nearest to Him, and has God for his most immediate object.

It seems to me most rational to suppose that as we ascend in the order

of being we shall at last come immediately to God, the First Cause. In

whatever respect we ascend, we ascend in the order of time and

succession.

II. The Scripture speaks of this holy and Divine principle in the heart

as not only from the Spirit, but as being spiritual. Thus saving

knowledge is called spiritual understanding: Col. 1:9-- "We desire that

ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and

spiritual understanding." So the influences, graces, and comforts of

God's Spirit are called spiritual blessings: Eph. 1:3-- "Blessed be the

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all

spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." So the imparting of

any gracious benefit is called the imparting of a spiritual gift: Rom.

1:11-- "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some

spiritual gift." And the fruits of the Spirit which are offered to God

are called spiritual sacrifices: 1 Peter 2:5-- "A spiritual priesthood

to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

And a spiritual person signifies the same In Scripture as a gracious

person, and sometimes one that is much under the influence of grace: 1

Cor. 2:15-- "He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is

judged of no man;" and 3:1-- "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you

as unto spiritual but as unto carnal." Gal. 6:1-- "If a man be

overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the

spirit of meekness." And to be graciously minded is called in Scripture

a being spiritually minded: Rom. 8:6-- "To be spiritually minded is

life and peace."

Concerning this, two things are to be noted.

1. That this Divine principle in the heart is not called spiritual,

because it has its seat in the soul or spiritual part of man, and not

in his body. It is called spiritual, not because of its relation to the

spirit of man, in which it is, but because of its relation to the

Spirit of God, from which it is. That things are not called spiritual

because they appertain not to the body but the spirit of man is

evident, because gracious or holy understanding is called spiritual

understanding in the forementioned passage, (Col. 1:9.) Now, by

spiritual understanding cannot be meant that understanding which has

its scat in the soul, to distinguish it from other understanding that

has its seat in the body, for all understanding has its seat in the

soul; and that things are called spiritual because of their relation to

the Spirit of God is most plain, by the latter part of the 2d chapter

of 1st Corinthians. There we have both those expressions, one

immediately after another, evidently meaning the same thing: verses 13,

14-- "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom

teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things

with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the

Spirit of God." And that by the spiritual man is meant one that has the

Spirit is also as plainly evident by the context: verses 10-12-- "God

hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all

things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of

a man," etc. Also ver. 15-- "He that is spiritual judgeth all things,"

by which is evidently meant the same as he that hath the Spirit that

"searcheth all things," as we find in the forgoing verses. So persons

are said to be spiritually minded, not because they mind things that

relate to the soul or spirit of man, but because they mind things that

relate to the Spirit of God: Romans 8:5, 6-- "For they that are after

the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the

Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death;

but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

2. It must be observed that where this holy Divine principle of saving

grace wrought in the mind is in Scripture called spiritual, what is

intended by the expression is not merely nor chiefly that it is from

the Spirit of God, but that it is of the nature of the Spirit of God.

There are many things in the minds of some natural men that are from

the influence of the Spirit, but yet are by no means spiritual things

in the scriptural sense of the word. The Spirit of God convinces

natural men of sin, (John 16:8.) Natural men may have common grace,

common illuminations, and common affections that are from the Spirit of

God, as appears by Hebrews 6:4. Natural men have sometimes the

influences of the Spirit of God in His common operations and gifts, and

therefore God's Spirit is said to be striving with them, and they are

said to resist the Spirit, (Acts 7:51;) to grieve and vex God's Holy

Spirit, (Eph. 4:30; Isaiah 63:10;) and God is said to depart from them

even as the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul: 1 Sam. 16:14-- "But

the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the

Lord troubled him."

But yet natural men are not in any degree spiritual. The great

difference between natural men and godly men seems to be set forth by

this, that the one is natural and carnal, and the other spiritual; and

natural men are so totally destitute of that which is Spirit, that they

know nothing about it, and the reason given for it is because they are

not spiritual, (1 Cor. 2:13-15.) Indeed sometimes those miraculous

gifts of the Spirit that were common are called spiritual because they

are from the Spirit of God; but for the most part the term seems to be

appropriate to its gracious influences and fruits on the soul, which

are no otherwise spiritual than the common influences of the Spirit

that natural men have, in any other respect than this, that this saving

grace in the soul, is not only from the Spirit, but it also partakes of

the nature of that Spirit that it is from, which the common grace of

the Spirit does not. Thus things in Scripture language are said to be

earthly, as they partake of an earthly nature, partake of the nature of

the earth; so things are said to be heavenly, as they in their nature

agree with those things that are in heaven; and so saving grace in the

heart is said to be spiritual, and therein distinguished from all other

influences of the Spirit, that it is of the nature of the Spirit of

God. It partakes of the nature of that Spirit, while no common gift of

the Spirit doth so.

But here an enquiry may be raised, viz.:--

Enq. How does saving grace partake of the nature of that Spirit that it

is from, so as to be called on that account spiritual, thus essentially

distinguishing it from all other effects of the Spirit? for every

effect has in some respect or another the nature of its cause, and the

common convictions and illuminations that natural men have are in some

respects [of] the nature of the Spirit of God; for there is light and

understanding and conviction of truth in these common illuminations,

and so they are of the nature of the Spirit of God--that is, a

discerning spirit and a spirit of truth. But yet saving grace, by its

being called spiritual, as though it were thereby distinguished from

all other gifts of the Spirit, seems to partake of the nature of the

Spirit of God in some very peculiar manner.

Clearly to satisfy this enquiry, we must do these two things:-- 1. We

must bear in mind what has already been said of the nature of saving

grace, and what I have already shewn to be that wherein its nature and

essence lies, and wherein all saving grace is radically and summarily

comprised viz., a principle of Divine Love. 2. We must consider what

the Scripture reveals to be in a peculiar manner the nature of the Holy

Spirit of God, and in an enquiry of this nature I would go no further

than I think the Scripture plainly goes before me. The Word of God

certainly should be our rule in matters so much above reason and our

own notions.

And here I would say--

(1.) That I think the Scripture does sufficiently reveal the Holy

Spirit as a proper Divine Person; and thus we ought to look upon Him as

a distinct personal agent. He is often spoken of as a person, revealed

under personal characters and in personal acts, and it speaks of His

being acted on as a person, and the Scripture plainly ascribes every

thing to Him that properly denotes a distinct person; and though the

word person be rarely used in the Scriptures, yet I believe that we

have no word in the English language that does so naturally represent

what the Scripture reveals of the distinction of the Eternal

Three,--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,--as to say they are one God but

three persons.

(2.) Though all the Divine perfections are to be attributed to each

person of the Trinity, yet the Holy Ghost is in a peculiar manner

called by the name of Love --A)ga/ph, the same word is that translated

charity in the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians. The Godhead or the

Divine essence is once and again said to be Love: 1 John 4:8 -- "He

that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." So again, ver. 16--

"God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in

him." But the Divine essence is thus called in a peculiar manner as

breathed forth and subsisting in the Holy Spirit; as may be seen in the

context of these texts, as in the 12th and 13th verses of the same

chapter-- "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another,

God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we

that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His

Spirit." It is the same argument in both these verses: in the 12th

verse the apostle argues that if we have love dwelling in us, we have

God dwelling in us; and in the 13th verse he clears the face of the

argument by this, that his love which is dwelling in us is God's

Spirit. And this shews that the foregoing argument is good, and that if

love dwells in us, we know God dwells in us indeed, for the Apostle

supposes it as a thing granted and allowed that God's Spirit is God.

The Scripture elsewhere does abundantly teach us that the way in which

God dwells in the saints is by His Spirit, by their being the temples

of the Holy Ghost. Here this apostle teaches us the same thing. He

says, "We know that he dwelleth in us, that he hath given us his

Spirit;" and this is manifestly to explain what is said in the

foregoing verse-- viz., that God dwells in us, inasmuch as His love

dwells in us; which love he had told us before--ver. 8--is God himself.

And afterwards, in the 16th verse, he expresses it more fully, that

this is the way that God dwells in the saint-- viz.. because this love

dwells in them, which is God.

Again the same is signified in the same manner in the last verses of

the foregoing chapter. In the foregoing verses, speaking of love as a

true sign of sincerity and our acceptance with God, beginning with the

18th verse, he sums up the argument thus in the last verse: "And hereby

we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."

We have also something very much like this in the apostle Paul's

writings.

Gal. 5:13-16-- "Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by

love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even

in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and

devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust

of the flesh." Here it seems most evident that what the apostle exhorts

and urges in the 13th, 14th, and 15th verses,-- viz., that they should

walk in love, that they might not give occasion to the gratifying of

the flesh,--he does expressly explain in the 16th verse by this, that

they should walk in the Spirit, that they might not fulfil the lust of

the flesh; which the great Mr Howe takes notice of in his "Sermons on

the Prosperous State of the Christian Interest before the End of Time,"

p. 185, published by Mr Evans. His words are, "Walking in the Spirit is

directed with a special eye and reference unto the exercise of this

love; as you may see in Galatians 5, the 14th, 15th, and 16th verses

compared together. All the law is fulfilled in one word, (he means the

whole law of the second table,) even in this, Thou shalt love thy

neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, (the

opposite to this love, or that which follows on the want of it, or from

the opposite principle,) take heed that ye be not consumed one of

another. This I say then, (observe the inference,) Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. To walk in the Spirit is

to walk in the exercise of this love."

So that as the Son of God is spoken of as the wisdom, understanding,

and Logos of God, (Proverbs 8; Luke 11:49; John 1, at the beginning,)

and is, as divines express things, the personal wisdom of God; so the

Spirit of God is spoken of as the love of God, and may with equal

foundation and propriety be called the personal love of God. We read in

the beloved disciple's writings of these two --Logos and A)ga/ph, both

of which are said to be God, (John 1:1; 1 John 4:8-16.) One is the Son

of God, and the other the Holy Spirit. There are two things that God is

said to be in this First Epistle of John--light and love: chap.

1:5--"God is light." This is the Son of God, who is said to be the

wisdom and reason of God, and the brightness of His glory; and in the

4th chapter of the same epistle he says, "God is love," and this he

applies to the Holy Spirit.

Hence the Scripture symbol of the Holy Ghost is a dove, which is the

emblem of love, and so was continually accounted (as is well known) in

the heathen world, and is so made use of by their poets and

mythologists, which probably arose partly from the nature and manner of

the bird, and probably in part from the tradition of the story of

Noah's dove, that came with a message of peace and love after such

terrible manifestations of God's wrath in the time of the deluge. This

bird is also made use of as an emblem of love in the Holy Scriptures;

as it was on that message of peace and love that God sent it to Noah,

when it came with an olive-leaf in its mouth, and often in Solomon's

Song: Cant. 1:15-- "Thou hast doves' eyes": Cant. 5:12-- "His eyes are

as the eyes of doves:" Cant. 5:2-- "Open to me, my love, my dove," and

in other places in that song.

This bird, God is pleased to choose as the special symbol of His Holy

Spirit in the greatest office or work of the Spirit that ever it has or

will exert--viz., in anointing Christ, the great Head of the whole

Church of saints, from which Head this holy oil descends to all the

members, and the skirts of His garments, as the sweet and precious

ointment that was poured on Aaron's head, that great type of Christ. As

God the Father then poured forth His Holy Spirit of love upon the Son

without measure, so that which was then seen with the eye--viz., a dove

descending and lighting upon Christ--signified the same thing as what

was at the same time proclaimed to the Son--viz., This is my beloved

Son, in whom I am well pleased. This is the Son on whom I pour forth

all my love, towards whom my essence entirely flows out in love. See

Matt. 3:16,17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33.

This was the anointing of the Head of the Church and our great High

riest, and therefore the holy anointing oil of old with which Aaron

and other typical high priests were anointed was the most eminent type

of the Holy Spirit of any in the Old Testament. This holy oil, by

reason of its soft-flowing and diffusive nature, and its unparalleled

sweetness and fragrancy, did most fitly represent Divine Love, or that

Spirit that is the deity, breathed forth or flowing out and softly

falling in infinite love and delight. It is mentioned as a fit

representation of holy love, which is said to be like the precious

ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard,

that went down to the skirts of his garments. It was from the fruit of

the olive-tree, which it is known has been made use of as a symbol of

love or peace, which was probably taken from the olive-branch brought

by the dove to Noah in token of the Divine favour; so that the

olive-branch and the dove that brought it, both signified the same

thing--viz., love, which is specially typified by the precious oil from

the olive-tree.

God's love is primarily to Himself, and His infinite delight is in

Himself, in the Father and the Son loving and delighting in each other.

We often read of the Father loving the Son, and being well pleased in

the Son, and of the Son loving the Father. In the infinite love and

delight that is between these two persons consists the infinite

happiness of God: Prov. 8:30.--"Then I was by him, as one brought up

with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;"

and therefore seeing the Scripture signifies that the Spirit of God is

the Love of God, therefore it follows that Holy Spirit proceeds from or

is breathed forth from, the Father and the Son in some way or other

infinitely above all our conceptions, as the Divine essence entirely

flows out and is breathed forth in infinitely pure love and sweet

delight from the Father and the Son; and this is that pure river of

water of life that proceeds out of the throne of the Father and the

Son, as we read at the beginning of the 22nd chapter of the Revelation;

for Christ himself tells us that by the water of life, or living water,

is meant the Holy Ghost, (John 7:38, 39.) This river of water of life

in the Revelation is evidently the same with the living waters of the

sanctuary in Ezekiel, (Ezek. 47:1, etc.;) and this river is doubtless

the river of God's pleasure, or of God's own infinite delight spoken of

in Ps. 36:7-9-- "How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore

the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They

shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou

shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is

the fountain of life." The river of God's pleasures here spoken of is

the same with the fountain of life spoken of in the next words. Here,

as was observed before, the water of life by Christ's own

interpretation is the Holy Spirit. This river of God's pleasures is

also the same with the fatness of God's house, the holy oil of the

sanctuary spoken of in the next preceding words, and is the same with

God's love, or God's excellent loving-kindness, spoken of in the next

preceding verse.

I have before observed that the Scripture abundantly reveals that the

way in which Christ dwells in the saint is by His Spirit's dwelling in

them, and here I would observe that Christ in His prayer, in the 17th

chapter of John, seems to speak of the way in which He dwells in them

as by the indwelling of the love wherewith the Father has loved Him:

John 17:26 "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare

it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in

them." The beloved disciple that wrote this Gospel having taken [such]

particular notice of this, that he afterwards in his first epistle once

and again speaks of love's dwelling in the saints, and the Spirit's

dwelling in them being the same thing.

Again, the Scripture seems in many places to speak of love in

Christians as if it were the same with the Spirit of God in them, or at

least as the prime and most natural breathing and acting of the Spirit

in the soul. So Rom. 5:5-- "Because the love of God is shed abroad in

our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us:" Col. 1:8-- "Who

also declared unto us your love in the Spirit:" 2 Cor. 6:6-- "By

kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned:" Phil. 2:1-- "If there

be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any

fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy,

that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of

one mind."

The Scripture therefore leads us to this conclusion, though it be

infinitely above us to conceive how it should be, that yet as the Son

of God is the personal word, idea, or wisdom of God, begotten by God,

being an infinitely perfect, substantial image or idea of Himself, (as

might be very plainly proved from the Holy Scripture, if here were

proper occasion for it;) so the Holy Spirit does in some ineffable and

inconceivable manner proceed, and is breathed forth both from the

Father and the Son, by the Divine essence being wholly poured and

flowing out in that infinitely intense, holy, and pure love and delight

that continually and unchangeably breathes forth from the Father and

the Son, primarily towards each other, and secondarily towards the

creature. and so flowing forth in a different subsistence or person in

a manner to us utterly inexplicable and inconceivable, and that this is

that person that is poured forth into the hearts of angels and saints.

Hence 'tis to be accounted for, that though we often read in Scripture

of the Father loving the Son, and the Son loving the Father, yet we

never once read either of the Father or the Son loving the Holy Spirit,

and the Spirit loving either of them. It is because the Holy Spirit is

the Divine Love itself, the love of the Father and the Son. Hence also

it is to be accounted for, that we very often read of the love both of

the Father and the Son to men, and particularly their love to the

saints; but we never read of the Holy Ghost loving them, for the Holy

Ghost is that love of God and Christ that is breathed forth primarily

towards each other, and flows out secondarily towards the creature.

This also will well account for it, that the apostle Paul so often

wishes grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord

Jesus Christ, in the beginning of his epistles, without even mentioning

the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghost is Himself the love and grace of

God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the deity wholly

breathed forth in infinite, substantial, intelligent love: from the

Father and Son first towards each other, and secondarily freely flowing

out to the creature, and so standing forth a distinct personal

subsistence.

Both the holiness and happiness of the Godhead consists in this love.

As we have already proved, all creature holiness consists essentially

and summarily in love to God and love to other creatures; so does the

holiness of God consist in His love, especially in the perfect and

intimate union and love there is between the Father and the Son. But

the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son is the bond of

this union, as it is of all holy union between the Father and the Son,

and between God and the creature, and between the creatures among

themselves. All seems to be signified in Christ's prayer in the 17th

chapter of John, from the 21st verse. Therefore this Spirit of love is

the "bond of perfectness" (Col. 3:14) throughout the whole blessed

society or family in heaven and earth, consisting of the Father, the

head of the family, and the Son, and all His saints that are the

disciples, seed, and spouse of the Son. The happiness of God doth also

consist in this love; for doubtless the happiness of God consists in

the infinite love He has to, and delight He has in Himself; or in other

words, in the infinite delight there is between the Father and the Son,

spoken of in Prov. 8:30. This delight that the Father and the Son have

in each other is not to be distinguished from their love of complacence

one in another, wherein love does most essentially consist, as was

observed before. The happiness of the deity, as all other true

happiness, consists in love and society.

Hence it is the Spirit of God, the third person in the Trinity, is so

often called the Holy Spirit, as though "holy" were an epithet some way

or other peculiarly belonging to Him, which can be no other way than

that the holiness of God does consist in Him. He is not only infinitely

holy as the Father and the Son are, but He is the holiness of God

itself in the abstract. The holiness of the Father and the Son does

consist in breathing forth this Spirit. Therefore He is not only called

the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit of holiness: Rom. 1:4-- "According to

the Spirit of holiness."

Hence also the river of "living waters," or waters of life, which

Christ explains in the 7th [chapter] of John, of the Holy Spirit, is in

the forementioned Psalm [36:8] called the "river of God's pleasures;"

and hence also that holy oil with which Christ was anointed, which I

have shewn was the Holy Ghost, is called the "oil of gladness": Heb.

1:9--"Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of

gladness above thy fellows." Hence we learn that God's fulness does

consist in the Holy Spirit. By fulness, as the term is used in

Scripture, as may easily be seen by looking over the texts that mention

it, Is intended the good that any one possesses. Now the good that God

possesses does most immediately consist in His joy and complacence that

He has in Himself. It does objectively, indeed, consist in the Father

and the Son; but it doth most immediately consist in the complacence in

these elements. Nevertheless the fulness of God consists in the

holiness and happiness of the deity. Hence persons, by being made

partakers of the Holy Spirit, or having it dwelling in them, are said

to be "partakers of the fulness of God" ar Christ. Christ's fulness, as

mediator, consists in His having the Spirit given Him "not by measure,"

(John 3:34.) And so it is that He is said to have "the fulness of the

Godhead," [which] is said "to dwell in him bodily," (Col. 2:9.) And as

we, by receiving the Holy Spirit from Christ, and being made partakers

of His Spirit, are said "to receive of his fulness, and grace for

grace." And because this Spirit, which is the fulness of God, consists

in the love of God and Christ; therefore we, by knowing the love of

Christ, are said "to be filled with all the fulness of God," (Eph.

3:19.) For the way that we know the love of Christ, is by having that

love dwelling in us, as 1 John 4:13; because the fulness of God

consists in the Holy Spirit. Hence our communion with God the Father

and God the Son consists in our possessing of the Holy Ghost, which is

their Spirit. For to have communion or fellowship with either, is to

partake with Them of Their good in Their fulness in union and society

with Them. Hence it is that we read of the saints having fellowship and

communion with the Father and with the Son; but never of their having

fellowship with the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghost is that common

good or fulness which they partake of in which their fellowship

consists. We read of the communion of the Holy Ghost; but not of

communion with Him, which are two very different things.

ersons are said to have communion with each other when they partake

with each other in some common good; but any one is said to have

communion of anything, with respect to that thing they partake of, in

common with others. Hence, in the apostolical benediction, he wishes

the "grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father,

and the communion or partaking of the Holy Ghost." The blessing wished

is but one--viz., the Holy Spirit. To partake of the Holy Ghost is to

have that love of the Father and the grace of the Son.

From what has been said, it follows that the Holy Spirit is the summum

of all good. 'Tis the fulness of God. The holiness and happiness of the

Godhead consists in it; and in communion or partaking of it consists

all the true loveliness and happiness of the creature. All the grace

and comfort that persons here have, and all their holiness and

happiness hereafter, consists in the love of the Spirit, spoken of Rom.

15:30; and joy in the Holy Ghost, spoken of Rom. 14:17; Acts 9:31,

13:52. And, therefore, that which in Matt. 7:11-- "If ye then, being

evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more

shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask

Him?" is in Luke 11:13, expressed thus: "If ye then, being evil, know

how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your

heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Doubtless

there is an agreement in what is expressed by each Evangelist: and

giving the Holy Spirit to them that ask, is the same as giving good

things to them that ask; for the Holy Spirit is the sum of all good.

Hence we may better understand the economy of the persons of the

Trinity as it appears in the part that each one has in the affair of

redemption, and shews the equality of each Person concerned in that

affair, and the equality of honour and praise due to each of Them. For

that work, glory belongs to the Father and the Son, that They so

greatly loved the world. To the Father, that He so loved the world,

that He gave His only-begotten Son, who was all His delight, who is His

infinite objective Happiness. To the Son, that He so loved the world,

that He gave Himself. But there is equal glory due to the Holy Ghost on

this account, because He is the Love of the Father and the Son, that

flows out primarily towards God, and secondarily towards the elect that

Christ came to save. So that, however wonderful the love of the Father

and the Son appear to be, so much the more glory belongs to the Holy

Spirit, in whom subsists that wonderful and excellent love.

It shews the infinite excellency of the Father thus:--That the Son so

delighted in Him, and prized His honour and glory, that when He had a

mind to save sinners, He came infinitely low, rather than men's

salvation should be the injury of that honour and glory. It shewed the

infinite excellency and worth of the Son, that the Father so delighted

in Him, that for His sake He was ready to quit His own; yea, and

receive into favour those that had deserved infinitely ill at His

hands. Both shews the infinite excellency of the Holy Spirit, because

He is that delight of the Father and the Son in each other, which is

manifested to be so great and infinite by these things.

What has been said shews that our dependence is equally on each Person

in this affair. The Father approves and provides the Redeemer, and

Himself accepts the price of the good purchased, and bestows that good.

The Son is the Redeemer, and the price that is offered for the

purchased good. And the Holy Ghost is the good purchased; [for] the

Sacred Scriptures seem to intimate that the Holy Spirit is the sum of

all that Christ purchased for man, (Gal. 3:13-14.)

What Christ purchased for us is, that we might have communion with God

in His good, which consists in partaking or having communion of the

Holy Ghost, as I have shewn. All the blessedness of the redeemed

consists in partaking of the fulness of Christ, their Head and

Redeemer, which, I have observed, consists in partaking of the Spirit

that is given Him not by measure. This is the vital sap which the

creatures derive from the true vine. This is the holy oil poured on the

head, that goes down to the members. Christ purchased for us that we

should enjoy the Love: but the love of God flows out in the proceeding

of the Spirit; and He purchased for them that the love and joy of God

should dwell in them, which is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The sum of all spiritual good which the saints have in this world, is

that spring of living water within them which we read of, (John 4:10;)

and those rivers of living waters flowing from within them which we

read of, (John 7:38,39,) which we are there told is the Holy Spirit.

And the sum of all happiness in the other world, is that river of

living water which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb, which is

the river of God's pleasures, and is the Holy Spirit, which is often

compared in Sacred Scripture to water, to the rain and dew, and rivers

and floods of waters, (Isa. 44:3; 32:15; 41:17,18, compared with John

4:14; Isa. 35:6,7; 43:19,20.)

The Holy Spirit is the purchased possession and inheritance of the

saints, as appears, because that little of it which the saints have in

this world is said to be the earnest of that purchased inheritance,

(Eph. 1:13,14; 2 Cor. 1:22, v.5.) 'Tis an earnest of that which we are

to have a fulness of hereafter. The Holy Ghost is the great subject of

all gospel promises, and therefore is called the Spirit of promise,

(Eph.1:13.) He is called the promise of the Father, (Luke 24:49.)

The Holy Ghost being a comprehension of all good things promised in the

gospel, we may easily see the force of the Apostle's inquiry: Gal.

3:2-- "This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the

works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? " So that in the offer of

redemption 'tis of God of whom our good is purchased, and 'tis God that

purchases it, and 'tis God also that is the thing purchased. Thus all

our good things are of God, and through God, and in God, as Rom.

11:36-- "For of him, and through him, and to him, and in him, [as ei/V

is rendered in 1 Cor. 8:6,] are all things: to whom be glory for

ever."All our good is of God the Father, and through God the Son, and

all is in the Holy Ghost, as He is Himself all our good. And so God is

Himself the portion and purchased inheritance of His people. Thus God

is the Alpha and Omega in this affair of Redemption.

If we suppose no more than used to be supposed about the Holy Ghost,

the honour of the Holy Ghost in the work of Redemption is not equal in

any sense to the Father and the Son's; nor is there an equal part of

the glory of this work belonging to Him. Merely to apply to us, or

immediately to give or hand to us blessing purchased, after it is

purchased, is subordinate to the other two Persons,--is but a little

thing to the purchaser of it by the paying an infinite price by Christ,

by Christ's offering up Himself a sacrifice to procure it; and 'tis but

a little thing to God the Father's giving His infinitely dear Son to be

a sacrifice for us to procure this good. But according to what has now

been supposed, there is an equality. To be the wonderful love of God,

is as much as for the Father and the Son to exercise wonderful love;

and to be the thing purchased, is as much as to be the price that

purchases it. The price, and the thing bought with that price, answer

each other in value; and to be the excellent benefit offered, is as

much as to offer such an excellent benefit. For the glory that belongs

to Him that bestows the gospel, arises from the excellency and value of

the gift, and therefore the glory is equal to that excellency of the

benefit. And so that Person that is that excellent benefit, has equal

glory with Him that bestows such an excellent benefit.

But now to return: from what has been now observed from the Holy

Scriptures of the nature of the Holy Spirit, may be clearly understood

why grace in the hearts of the saints is called spiritual, in

distinction from other things that are the effects of the Spirit in the

hearts of men. For by this it appears that the Divine principle in the

saints is of the nature of the Spirit; for as the nature of the Spirit

of God is Divine Love, so Divine Love is the nature and essence of that

holy principle in the hearts of the saints.

The Spirit of God may operate and produce effects upon the minds of

natural men that have no grace, as He does when He assists natural

conscience and convictions of sin and danger. The Spirit of God may

produce effects upon inanimate things, as of old He moved on the face

of the waters. But He communicates holiness in His own proper nature

only, in those holy effects in the hearts of the saints. And,

therefore, those holy effects only are called spiritual; and the saints

only are called spiritual persons in Sacred Scripture.

Men's natural faculties and principles may be assisted by the operation

of the Spirit of God on their minds, to enable them to exert those acts

which, to a greater or lesser degree, they exert naturally. But the

Spirit don't at all communicate Himself in it in His own nature, which

is Divine Love, any more than when He moved upon the face of the

waters.

Hence also we may more easily receive and understand a doctrine that

seems to be taught us in the Sacred Scripture concerning grace in the

heart--viz., that it is no other than the Spirit of God itself dwelling

and acting in the heart of a saint,-- which the consideration of these

things will make manifest:--

(1.) That the Sacred Scriptures don't only call grace spiritual, but

"spirit."

(2.) That when the Sacred Scriptures call grace spirit, the Spirit of

God is intended; and that grace is called "Spirit" no otherwise than as

the name of the Holy Ghost, the Third Person in the Trinity is ascribed

to it.

1. This holy principle is often called by the name of "spirit" in

Sacred Scripture. So in John 3:6-- "That which is born of the Spirit is

spirit." Here by flesh and spirit, we have already shewn, are intended

those two opposite principles in the heart, corruption and grace. So by

flesh and spirit the same things are manifestly intended in Gal. 5:17--

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the

flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot

do the things that ye would." This that is here given as the reason why

Christians cannot do the things that they would, is manifestly the same

that is given for the same thing in the latter part of the 7th chapter

of the Romans. The reason there given why they cannot do the things

that they would is, that the law of the members war with [and] against

the law of the mind; and, therefore, by the law of the members and the

law of the mind are meant the same as the flesh and Spirit in

Galatians. Yea, they are called by the same name of the flesh and

Spirit there, in that context, in the continuation of the same

discourse in the beginning of the next chapter:-- "Therefore there is

no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after

the flesh, but after the Spirit." Here the Apostle evidently refers to

the same two opposite principles warring one against another, that he

had been speaking of in the close of the preceding chapter, which he

here calls flesh and Spirit as he does in his Epistle to the Galatians.

This is yet more abundantly clear by the next words, which are, "For

the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from

the law of sin and death." Here these two things that in the preceding

verse are called "flesh and spirit," are in this verse called "the law

of the Spirit of life" and "the law of sin and death," evidently

speaking still of the same law of our mind and the law of sin spoken of

in the last verse of the preceding chapter. The Apostle goes on in the

8th chapter to call aversation and grace by the names of flesh and

Spirit, (verses 4-9, and again verses 12,13.) These two principles are

called by the same names in Matt. 26:41-- "The spirit indeed is

willing, but the flesh is weak." There can be no doubt but that the

same thing is intended here by the flesh and spirit as (compare what is

said of the flesh and spirit here and in these places) in the 7th and

8th chapters of Romans, and Gal. 5. Again, these two principles are

called by the same words in Gal. 6:8. If this be compared with the 18th

verse of the foregoing chapter, and with Romans 8:6 and 13, none can

doubt but the same is meant in each place.

2. If the Sacred Scriptures be duly observed, where grace is called by

the name of "spirit," it will appear that 'tis so called by an

ascription of the Holy Ghost, even the third person in the Trinity, to

that Divine principle in the hearts of the saints, as though that

principle in them were no other than the Spirit of God itself, united

to the soul, and living and acting in it, and exerting itself in the

use and improvement of its faculties.

Thus it is in the 8th chapter of Romans, as does manifestly appear by

verses 9-16-- "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so

be the Spirit of God dwell in you," etc. "Now if any man have not the

Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," etc.

Here the apostle does fully explain himself what he means when he so

often calls that holy principle that is in the hearts of the saints by

the name "spirit." This he means, the Spirit of God itself dwelling and

acting in them. In the 9th verse he calls it the Spirit of God, and the

Spirit of Christ in the 10th verse. He calls it Christ in them in the

11th verse. He calls it the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the

dead dwelling in them; and in the 14th verse he calls it the Spirit of

God. In the 16th verse he calls it the Spirit itself. So it is called

the Spirit of God in 1 Cor. 2:11,12. So that that holy, Divine

principle, which we have observed does radically and essentially

consist in Divine love, is no other than a communication and

participation of that same infinite Divine Love, which is GOD, and in

which the Godhead is eternally breathed forth; and subsists in the

Third Person in the blessed Trinity. So that true saving grace is no

other than that very love of God-- that is, God, in one of the persons

of the Trinity, uniting Himself to the soul of a creature, as a vital

principle, dwelling there and exerting Himself by the faculties of the

soul of man, in His own proper nature, after the manner of a principle

of nature.

And we may look back and more fully understand what the apostle John

means when he says once and again, "God is Love," and "He that dwelleth

in Love dwelleth in God, and God in him," and "If we love one another,

God dwelleth in us," and "His Love is perfected in us," [and] "Hereby

we know that we dwell in him and he in us, because he has given us of

his Spirit."

By this, also, we may understand what the apostle Peter means in his

2nd Epistle 1:4, that the saints are made "partakers of the Divine

nature." They are not only partakers of a nature that may, in some

sense, be called Divine, because 'tis conformed to the nature of God;

but the very deity does, in some sense, dwell in them. That holy and

Divine Love dwells in their hearts, and is so united to human

faculties, that 'tis itself become a principle of new nature. That

love, which is the very native tongue and spirit of God, so dwells in

their souls that it exerts itself in its own nature in the exercise of

those faculties, after the manner of a natural or vital principle in

them.

This shews us how the saints are said to be the "temples of the Holy

Ghost" as they are.

By this, also, we may understand how the saints are said to be made

"partakers of God's holiness," not only as they partake of holiness

that God gives, but partake of that holiness by which He himself is

holy. For it has been already observed, the holiness of God consists in

that Divine Love in which the essence of God really flows out.

This also shews us how to understand our Lord when He speaks of His joy

being fulfilled in the saints: John 17:13-- "And now I come unto thee;

and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy

fulfilled in themselves." It is by the indwelling of that Divine

Spirit, which we have shewn to be God the Father's and the Son's

infinite Love and Joy in each other. In the 13th verse He says He has

spoken His word to His disciples, "that His joy might be fulfilled;"

and in verse 26th He says, "And I have declared unto them Thy name, and

will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in

them, and I in them."

And herein lies the mystery of the vital union that is between Christ

and the soul of a believer, which orthodox divines speak so much of,

Christ's love--that is, His Spirit is actually united to the faculties

of their souls. So it properly lives, acts, and exerts its nature in

the exercise of their faculties. By this Love being in them, He is in

them, (John 17:26;) and so it is said, 1 Cor. 6:17-- "But he that is

joined unto the Lord is one spirit."

And thus it is that the saints are said to live, "yet not they, but

Christ lives in them," (Gal. 2:20.) The very promise of spiritual life

in their souls is no other than the Spirit of Christ himself. So that

they live by His life, as much as the members of the body live by the

life of the Lord, and as much as the branches live by the life of the

root and stock. "Because I live, ye shall live also," (John 14:19.) "We

are dead: but our life is hid with Christ in God," (Col. 3:3.) "When

Christ, who is our life, shall appear," (Col 3:4.)

There is a union with Christ, by the indwelling of the Love of Christ,

two ways. First, as 'tis from Christ, and is the very Spirit and life

and fulness of Christ; and second, as it acts to Christ. For the very

nature of it is love and union of heart to Him.

Because the Spirit of God dwells as a vital principle or a principle of

new life in the soul, therefore 'tis called the "Spirit of life," (Rom.

8:2;) and the Spirit that "quickens." (John 6:63.)

The Spirit of God is a vital principle in the soul, as the breath of

life is in the body: Ezek. 37:5--"Thus saith the Lord God unto these

bones, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live;" and

so verses 9,10...

That principle of grace that is in the hearts of the saints is as much

a proper communication or participation of the Spirit of God, the Third

erson in the Trinity, as that breath that entered into these bodies is

represented to be a participation of the wind that blew upon them. The

prophet says, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon

these slain that they may live," is now the very same wind and the same

breath; but only was wanted to these bodies to be a vital principle in

them, which otherwise would be dead. And therefore Christ himself

represents the communication of His Spirit to His disciples by His

breathing upon them, and communicating to them His breath, (John

20:22.)

We often, in our common language about things of this nature, speak of

a principle of grace. I suppose there is no other principle of grace in

the soul than the very Holy Ghost dwelling in the soul and acting there

as a vital principle. To speak of a habit of grace as a natural

disposition to act grace, as begotten in the soul by the first

communication of Divine light, and as the natural and necessary

consequence of the first light, it seems in some respects to carry a

wrong idea with it. Indeed the first exercise of grace in the first

light has a tendency to future acts, as from an abiding principle, by

grace and by the covenant of God; but not by any natural force. The

giving one gracious discovery or act of grace, or a thousand, has no

proper natural tendency to cause an abiding habit of grace for the

future; nor any otherwise than by Divine constitution and covenant. But

all succeeding acts of grace must be as immediately, and, to all

intents and purposes, as much from the immediate acting of the Spirit

of God on the soul, as the first; and if God should take away His

Spirit out of the soul-- all habits and acts of grace would of

themselves cease as immediately as light ceases in a room when a candle

is carried out. And no man has a habit of grace dwelling in him any

otherwise than as he has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him in his temple,

and acting in union with his natural faculties, after the manner of a

vital principle. So that when they act grace, 'tis, in the language of

the apostle, "not they, but Christ living in them." Indeed the Spirit

of God, united to human faculties, acts very much after the manner of a

natural principle or habit. So that one act makes way for another, and

so it now settles the soul in a disposition to holy acts; but that it

does, so as by grace and covenant, and not from any natural necessity.

Hence the Spirit of God seems in Sacred Scripture to be spoken of as a

quality of the persons in whom it resided. So that they are called

spiritual persons; as when we say a virtuous man, we speak of virtue as

the quality of the man. 'Tis the Spirit itself that is the only

principle of true virtue in the heart. So that to be truly virtuous is

the same as to be spiritual.

And thus it is not only with respect to the virtue that is in the

hearts of the saints on earth, but also the perfect virtue and holiness

of the saints in heaven. It consists altogether in the indwelling and

acting of the Spirit of God in their habits. And so it was with man

before the Fall; and so it is with the elect, sinless angels. We have

shewn that the holiness and happiness of God consist in the Holy

Spirit; and so the holiness and happiness of every holy or truly

virtuous creature of God, in heaven or earth, consist in the communion

of the same Spirit.

__________________________________________________________________

This document is from the Christian Classics Ethereal

Library at Calvin College, http://www.ccel.org,

generated on demand from ThML source.</pre></span></div>

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