[1.] First, They are all sanxitified hy the Spirit-. J Cor. vi. 11, 'Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God.' I do not say, that they are all equally sanctified by the Spirit, but I say they are aU really sanctified by the Spirit. Though all the servants of Christ have their talents, yet all have not their ten talents, nor all have not their five talents, nor all have not their two talents ; some have only their one talent, Mat. xxv. 15. Though Benjamin's mess was five times as much as his brethren's mess, yet eveiy one of his brethren had their mess, Gen, xliii 32-34,
226 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MaT. VI. 6.
SO though some Christians have five times more measures of the Spirit, and more measures pf light, of love, of holiness, of heavenly-mindedness, &c., than others have, yet every Christian hath some measures of the Spirit, and some measures of grace and holiness, &c. Though some are babes in Christ, and others are children in Christ, though some are young men in Christ, and others old men in Christ, yet every one of them is born of the Spirit of Christ, I Peter ii. 2; 1 John ii. 12-14; John iii. 8. Though none of the people of God in this Hfe^ have the Spirit in perfection, yet every one of them have so much of the Spirit as will bring him to salvation. Every Christian hath so much of the Spirit as will bring Christ and his soul together; and therefore without all peradventure, every Christian hath so much of the Spirit, as will at last bring heaven and his soul together.
[2.] Secondly f They are all led hy the Spirit': Rom. viii. 14, 'As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.' Every child of God hath a twofold guide: the word without, and the Spirit within, Isa. XXX. 20, 21. How the Spirit leads by the rule of the word, and how he leads to God, and leads to Christ, and leads to truth, and leads to righteousness, and leads to holiness, and leads to happiness, I shall not now undertake to shew, Prov. vi. 22, Eph. v. 9.
[3.] Thirdly, They are all upheld and strengthened hy the Spirit : Ps. Ii. 12, ' Uphold me with thy free Spirit ;' or underprop me or sus- tain me, as the Hebrew hath it, with thy free, voluntary Spirit ; or, as the Greek turns it, with thy noble, princely Spirit. So Eph. iii. 16, ' To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.' By the inner man, some understand the regenerate part of man ; others, by the inner man, do understand the soul with all its noble faculties and motions. Take the words which way you will, it is certain that all the spiritual might and strength that a Christian hath, he hath it from the Holy Spirit. Though the Spirit strengthens every Christian in the inner man, yet I do not say that the Spirit strengthens every Christian alike in the inward man. Some have stronger corruptions to subdue than others, and more violent temptations to withstand than others, and greater difficulties to wrestle with than others, and choicer mercies to improve than others, and higher and harder duties of religion to man- age than others, and accordingly they are more strengthened in the inner man than others.
[4.] Fourthly, They are all] partakers of the first-fruits of the 'Spirit : Rom. viii. 23, ' Ourselves have the first-fruits of the Spirit,' which are but as a handful of corn in respect of the whole crop. All the grace and all the holiness which we have from the regenerating Spirit at first conversion is but a drop to that sea, a mite to those talents, which we shall receive in the life to come, 2 Cor. i. 22.
[5.] Fifthly, They are all taught by the Spirit, John xiv. 26. * The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,' Isa. lix. 21.
This promise primarily belongs to the apostles ;
Secondarily, to all believers.
Though these words were spoken at first to the apostles only, yet they were not spoken of the apostles only : Isa. liv. 13, ' And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord ; and great shall be the peace of
Mat. VT. 6.] the privy key op heaven. 227
thy children.' In these words there are three things promised to the apostles :
First, Immediate illumination by the Spirit of God.
Secondly/, A full knowledge of all those truths belonging to their apostolical oflSbe, and that were necessary for them at that juncture of time.
Thirdly, Absolute infallibility as to matter of doctrine.
There are also three things promised to all believers :
First, Mediate illumination, teaching truths by the Spirit of truth, in the use of the means of grace.
Secondly, Knowledge of all truth necessary to salvation.
Thirdly, Infallibility too, so far forth as they adhere and keep close to the Spirit's teaching in the word.
Philo saith that the primitive Christians were called tillers, because, as husbandmen till their fields and manure their grounds, so did they teach their families and nurture their children and servants with good instructions.* Oh, what choice teachings of the Spirit were these primitive Christians under, who made it so much their business, their work, to teach those that were under their charge, 1 Thes. iv. 9, 2 Cor. iii. 8. So 1 John iL 27, ' But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you ; and ye need not that any man teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth.' Not that we know all things simply, or that we need not a ministry to teach and instruct us ; but he speaks comparatively : you shall not be so helped by any instructions without the Spirit, as with the Spirit. The Spirit shall declare the truth as it is in Jesus more clearly, more freely, more particularly, more certainly, more universally, more effectually, than any other is able to do.^ The Spirit, this holy unction, shall teach the saints all things ; not all things knowable, for that is impossible for finite creatures to attain unto. Who knows the motions of the heavens, the influences of the stars, the nature of the creatures, or how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child ? Who knows the reason why the river Nilus should overflow in the summer, when waters are at the lowest ; or why the loadstone should draw iron to it, or incline to the pole star ?
Pliny tells us of one that spent eight and fifty years in learning out the nature of the bee, and yet had not fully attained to it.' How is it possible, then, for the wisest naturalist to enter into the deep things of God ?
Paul, that learned his divinity among the angels, and that had the Holy Ghost for his immediate teacher, tells us plainly that ' he knew but in part,' 1 Cor. xiii. 9-1 1 ; and oh then, how little a part of that part do we know ! But the Spirit teacheth the saints all things ; that is,
First, He teacheth them all things needful for the salvation of their souls, all things necessary to bring them to heaven, John xvii. 3.