From what hath been discoursed we may also try the spirits that are gone abroad in the world, and which have been exercising them- selves, at several seasons, ever since the ascension of Christ. The iniquity of the generation that is past and passing away lay in open, cursed opposition to the Holy Ghost. God hath been above them, wherein they behaved themselves presumptuously. Satan, whose design, as he is god of this world, is to be uppermost, not to dwell wholly in any form cast down by the providence of God, hath ndw transformed himself into an angel of light; and he will pretend the Spirit also and only. But there are " seducing spirits," 1 Tim. iv. 1 ; and we have a " command not to believe every spirit, but try the spirits," 1 John iv. 1 : and the reason added is, " Because many false prophets are gone out into the world;" — that is, men pretending to the revelation of new doctrines by the Sjiirit ; whose deceits in the first church Paul intimateth, 2 Thess. ii. 2; calling on men not to be " shaken in mind by spirit." The truth is, the spirits of these daj's are so gross, that a man of a veiy easy discerning may find them out; ' Iiuportitnce, in an obsolete sense of the word, invport or meaning. — Kd.
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and yet their delusion so strong, that not a few are deceived. This is one thing that Hes evident to every eye, — that, according to his wonted course, Satan, mth his delusions, is run into an extreme to his former actings.
Not long since, his great design, as I manifested, was to cry up ordinances Avithout the Spirit, casting all the reproach that he could upon him.; — now, to cry up a spirit without and against ordinances, casting all reproach and contempt possible upon them. Then, he would have a ministry without the Spirit; — now, a Spirit without a ministry. Then, the reading of the word might suffice, Avithout either preaching or praying by the Spirit ; — now, the Spirit is enough, with- out reading or studying the word at all. Then, he allowed a literal embracing of what Christ had done in the flesh ; — now, he talks of Christ in the Spirit only, and denies him to be come in the flesh, — the proper character of the false sphit we are warned of, 1 John iv. 1 . Now, because it is most certain that the Spirit which we are to hear and embrace is the Spirit promised by Christ (which is so clear, that him the Montanists' paraclete, yea, and Mohammed, pretended him- self to be, and those of our days affirm, Avho pretend the same), let us briefly try them by some of the effects mentioned, which Clmst hath promised to give the Holy Ghost for: —
The first general effect, as was obsei-ved, was this, — that he should bring to remembrance the things that Christ spake, for our guidance and consolation. This was to be the work of the Holy Ghost to- wards the apostles, who were to be the penmen of the Scriptures: this is to be his work towards believers to the end of the world. Now, the things that Christ hath spoken and done are " written that we might believe, and believing, have life through his name," John xx. 31 ; they are written in the Scripture. This, then, is the work of the Spirit which Christ hath promised; — he shall bring to our remem- brance, and giye us understanding of the words of Christ in the Scripture, for our guidance and consolation. Is this, now, the work of the spirit which is abroad in the world, and perverteth many? Nothing less. His business is, to decry the things that Christ hath spoken which are written in the word; to pretend neiu revelations of his own; to lead men from the written word, wherein the whole work of God and all the promises of Christ are recorded.
Agam : the work of the Spirit promised by Christ is to glorify him : " He shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you," John xvi. 14. Him who was to suffer at Jerusalem, who then spake to his disciples, it was to make him glorious, honourable, and of high esteem in the hearts of believers; and that by showing his things (his love, kindness, grace, and purchase) unto them. This is the work of the Spirit. The work of the spirit that is gone abroad,
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258 OF COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
is to glorify itself, to decry and render contemptiVjle Christ that suffered for us, under the name of a Christ without us; which it slights and despiseth, and that professedly. Its own glory, its own ho- nour, is all that it aims at; wholly inverting the order of the divine dispensations. The fountain of all being and lying in the Father's love, the Son came to glorify the Father. He still says, " I seek not mine own glory, but the gloiy of him that sent me."' The Son having carried on the work of redemption, was now to be glorified with the Father. So he prays that it might be, John xvii. 1, " The hour is come, glorify thy Son;" and that with the glory which he had before the world was, when his joint counsel was in the carrjdng on the Father's love. Wherefore the Holy Ghost is sent, and his work is to glorify the Son. But now, as I said, we have a spirit come forth whose whole busi- ness is to glorify himself; whereby we may easily know whence he is.