within, the

fian.

Holy Ghost, Cor. vi. 19. And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. iii. 16. Without this the apostle reckoneth no man a Chriftian. If any man (faith he) have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. These words immediately follow thofe above-mentioned out of the epiftle to the Romans, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be the Spirit of God The Spirit dwell in you. The context of which fheweth, that the main token apoftle reckoneth it the main token of a Chriftian, of a Chri- both pofitively and negatively: for in the former verfes he fheweth how the carnal mind is enmity against God, and that fuch as are in the flesh cannot pleafe him. Where fubfuming, he adds concerning the Romans, that they are not in the flesh, if the Spirit of God dwell in them. What is this but to affirm, that they in whom the Spirit dwells are no longer in the flesh, nor of those who pleafe not God, but are become Chriftians indeed? Again, in the next verfe he concludes negatively, that If any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his; that is, he is no Chriftian. He then that acknowledges himself ignorant and a stranger to the inward in-being of the Spirit of Chrift in his heart, doth thereby acknowledge himself to be yet in the carnal mind, which is enmity to God; to be yet in the flesh, where God cannot be pleafed; and in fhort, whatever he may otherways know or believe of Chrift, or however much fkilled or acquainted with the letter of the holy fcripture, not yet to be, notwithstanding all that, attained to the leaft degree of a Chriftian; yea, not once to have embraced the Chriftian religion. For take but away the Spirit, and Chriftianity remains no more Chriftianity, than the dead carcafe of a man, when the foul and fpirit is departed, remains a man; which the living can no more abide, but do bury out of their fight, as a noisome and useless thing, however acceptable it hath been when actuated and moved by the foul. Laftly, Whatfoeper is ex-. cellent,

acts that

formed by

in all ages.

cellent, whatsoever is noble, whatsoever is worthy, whatfoever is defirable in the Chriftian faith, is afcribed to this Spirit, without which it could no more fubfift than the outward world without the fun. Hereunto have all true Chriftians, in all ages, attributed their ftrength and life. It is by this Spirit that they avouch themselves to have been converted to God, to have been redeemed from the world, to have been ftrengthened in their weakness, comforted in their afflictions, confirmed in their temptations, imboldened in their fufferings, and triumphed in the midft of all their perfecutions. Yea, the writings of all true Chriftians are full of The great the great and notable things which they all affirm and notabie themselves to have done, by the power, and virtue, have been and efficacy of this Spirit of God working in them. and are perIt is the Spirit that quickeneth, John vi. 63. It the Spirit was the Spirit that gave them utterance, Acts ii. 4. It was the Spirit by which Stephen fpake, that the Jews were not able to refift, Acts vi. 1o. It is fuch as walk after the Spirit that receive no condemnation, Rom. viii. I. It is the law of the Spirit that makes free, ver. 2. It is by the Spirit of God dwelling in us that we are redeemed from the flesh, and from the carnal mind, ver. 9. It is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us that quickeneth our mortal bodies, ver. 11. It is through this Spirit that the deeds of the body are mortified, and life obtained, ver. 13. It is by this Spirit that we are adopted, and cry ABBA Father, ver. 15. It is this Spirit that beareth witness with our fpirit that we are the children of God, ver. 16. It is this Spirit that helpeth our infirmities, and maketh interceffion for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered, ver. 26. It is by this Spirit that the glorious things which God hath laid up for us, which neither outward ear bath beard, nor outward eye bath feen, nor the heart of man conceived by all his reasonings, are revealed unto us, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. It is by this Spirit that both wisdom and knowledge,

and

Calvinofthe neceffity of the Spirit's

in us.

and faith, and miracles, and tongues, and prophecies, are obtained, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10. It is by this Spirit that we are all baptized into one body, ver. 13. In fhort, what thing relating to the falvation of the foul, and to the life of a Chriftian, is rightly performed, or effectually obtained, without it? And what fhall I fay more? For the time would fail me to tell of all thofe things which the holy men of old have declared, and the faints of this day do themselves enjoy, by the virtue and power of this Spirit dwelling in them. Truly my paper could not contain the many teftimonies whereby this truth is confirmed; wherefore, befides what is above-mentioned out of the fathers, whom all pretend to reverence, and thofe of Luther and Melanthon, I fhall deduce yet one obfervable teftimony out of Calvin, because not a few of the followers of his doctrine do refuse and deride (and that, as it is to be feared, because of their own non-experience thereof) this way of the Spirit's in-dwelling, as uncertain and dangerous; that fo, if neither the teftimony of the fcripture, nor the fayings of others, nor right reason can move them, they may at least be reproved by the words of their own mafter, who faith in the third book of his Inftitutions, cap. 2. on this wife :

"But they allege, It is a bold prefumption for any to pretend to an undoubted knowledge of indwelling God's will; which (faith he) I fhould grant unto "them, if we should ascribe so much to ourselves "as to fubject the incomprehenfible counfel of God "to the rashness of our understandings. But while "we fimply fay with Paul, that we have received "not the fpirit of this world, but the Spirit which is "of God, by whofe teaching we know thofe things "that are given us of God, what can they prate

against it without reproaching the Spirit of God? "For if it be an horrible facrilege to accufe any re"velation coming from him, either of a lie, of un

<< certainty

"certainty or ambiguity, in afferting its certainty "wherein do we offend? But they cry out, That "it is not without great temerity that we dare fo "boast of the Spirit of Chrift. Who would believe "that the fottishness of these men were so great, "who would be efteemed the mafters of the world, "that they fhould fo fail in the first principles of religion? Verily I could not believe it, if their

own writings did not teftify so much. Paul ac"counts those the Sons of God, who are actuated by "the Spirit of God; but these will have the children "of God actuated by their own fpirits without the Spirit of God. He will have us call God Father, "the Spirit dictating that term unto us, which only "can witness to our fpirits that we are the Sons of "God. Thefe, though they cease not to call upon "God, do nevertheless difmifs the Spirit, by whofe guiding he is rightly to be called upon. He denies "them to be the Sons of God, or the Servants of Chrift, who are not led by his Spirit; but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit of "Chrift. He takes away the hope of a bleffed refurrection, unless we feel the Spirit refiding in us; but "these feign a hope without any fuch a feeling; but

"

perhaps they will anfwer, that they deny not but "that it is neceffary to have it, only of modefty and "humility we ought to deny and not acknowledge "it. What means he then, when he commands the "Corinthians to try themselves, if they be in the "faith; to examine themselves, whether they have "Chrift, whom whofoever acknowledges not dwelling in him, is a reprobate? By the Spirit which he "bath given us, faith John, we know that he abideth And what do we then elfe but call in "queftion Chrift's promife, while we would be "efteemed the fervants of God without his Spirit, " which he declared he would pour out upon all bis? "Seeing these things are the firft grounds of piety, "it is miferable blindness to accufe Chriftians of

« in us.

"pride,

Without

prefence,

muft cease.

"pride, because they dare glory of the prefence the Spirit's of the Spirit; without which glorying, ChriftiChristianity" anity itself could not be. But by their example they declare, how truly Chrift fpake, faying, That "his Spirit was unknown to the world, and that "thofe only acknowledge it with whom it re"mains." Thus far Calvin.

Query 3. What is the

Spirit?

John 16. 13.

and 14.26.

If therefore it be fo, why should any be fo foolish as to deny, or fo unwife as not to feek after, this Spirit, which Chrift hath promised shall dwell in his children? They then that do fuppofe the indwelling and leading of his Spirit to be ceased, muft alfo fuppofe Chriftianity to be ceafed, which cannot fubfift without it.

Thirdly, What the work of this Spirit is, is partly work of the before fhewn, which Christ compriseth in two or three things, He will guide you into all truth; He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. Since Chrift hath provided for us fo good an instructor, why need we then lean fo much to thofe traditions and commandments of men wherewith so many Chriftians have burthened themfelves? Why need we fet up our own carnal and The Spirit corrupt reafon for a guide to us in matters fpiritual, the guide. as fome will needs do? May it not be complained of all fuch, as the Lord did of old concerning Ifrael by the prophets, Jer. ii. 13. For my people have committed two evils, they have forfaken me, the fountain of living waters, and bewed them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that can hold no water? Have not many forfaken, do not many deride and reject, this inward and immediate guide, this Spirit that leads into all truth, and caft up to themselves other ways, broken ways indeed, which have not all this while brought them out of the flesh, nor out of the world, nor from under the dominion of their own lufts and finful affections, whereby truth, which is only rightly learned by this Spirit, is fo much a stranger in the earth?

From