00.3. Introduction
Introduction
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.—2 Corinthians 3:17-18. THE Apostle beginneth this chapter with the commendation of his ministry, having been put upon it by their undervaluing of him; yet so as together with himself he commendeth them as his best and only testimonial and letters of commendation, ver. 2; and so maketh way for himself to fall into a more set and large commendation of the glorious gospel itself, whereof God ’hath made him so able a minister to them, ver. 6. And because the excellency of anything is best commended by comparing and setting by it something else that excels in itself, and yet is exceeded by it, therefore he carrieth along his commendation of the ministry of the gospel through the whole chapter, by comparing it with the law and the ministry of the Old Testament. This comparison is made by the apostle.
First, more briefly, in laying down some distinct properties and prerogatives of the gospel wherein it excelleth the law, ver. 6, as (1.) That this was ’the ministry of the New Testament;’ that of the law of the Old.
(2.) And ’not of the letter,’ as the law was; ’but of the Spirit.’
(3.) Nor of death, ’for the letter killeth’; but of life, for ’the Spirit quickeneth.’ And then, by inferences drawn from these properties thus briefly summed up, the apostle more largely illustrates the transcendent glory of the gospel, and how far it exceedeth the glory of the law; although it be granted the law be glorious. As
[1.] If that which was but a ministration of the letter written and engraven in stone was glorious, verse the seventh; that is, if the literal notions and bare knowledge of the law, which (like so many dead words or characters) maketh no alteration at all, but leaveth their hearts hard and stony, like the tables on which the law was written, which remained stones still; if this was glorious, even the literal knowledge of the law: as it was, both in the Jews’ own account of themselves and in the judgment of the nations amongst whom they lived: ’how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? verse the eighth; the meaning whereof is largely explained in the third verse; where the Corinthians are said to be an ’epistle written not with ink’ (or dead letters), ’but with the Spirit of the living God’; which kind of writing leaveth not the heart a heart of stone, as the dead writing of the law did, but changeth it into a ’heart of flesh,’ and maketh such a thorough alteration in the whole man, as the writing within, ’in the tables of their hearts,’ is ’known and read of all men. So that their lives and conversations being answerable to that spiritual and gracious writing of Christ in their hearts, they are ’manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ.’ And therefore such a ministry as this is, by which the Spirit of the living God is received (and not by the law, Galatians 3:2), which is a Spirit of glory, and worketh glorious things both in the hearts and lives of men, must needs be ’rather glorious.’
[2.] Another inference we have in the ninth verse; ’If the ministration of condemnation be glorious;’ that is, if that word which ’concluded men under sin,’ Galatians 3:22, and pronounced the sentence of death upon them, ’be glorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For it is more glorious to pardon than to condemn; to give life, than to destroy. It is the glory of a man to pass over an offence, Proverbs 19:11, and in God it is called the ’riches of his glory,’ Romans 9:23. ’The law, which was made glorious,’ in terrifying, condemning, and stoping the mouths of men, insomuch as they had not a word to say for themselves, ’hath no glory, by reason of the glory’ of the gospel ’that excelleth,’ even in this respect, that it bringeth such a righteousness, as by the merit whereof and satisfaction given by it, we are justified and have peace towards God, notwithstanding the utmost rigour of the law.
[3.] The apostle argueth further, ver. 11, ’If that which is done away was glorious,’ as the old covenant is, which was made old by the coming of the new, Hebrews 8:8, and by it removed as a thing grown weak and shaken, Hebrews 12:27, ’much more that which remaineth,’ which is the new covenant, which cannot be shaken, but shall remain, and is ’the everlasting gospel,’ Revelation 14:6, ’is more glorious,’ as God’s last works exceed the former, and taketh away the remembrance of them in comparison. As when he createth ’new heavens and a new earth,’ the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind, Isaiah 65:17.
[4.] There is another excellency of the gospel above the law, which the apostle addeth, and insisteth upon it more largely than upon all the rest, and that is, the comfortable plainness and perspicuity of the doctrine and ministry of it: verse the 12th, ’Seeing we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech.’ In which it excelled the ministry of Moses, which was in much difficulty and obscurity, and that in a threefold respect, laid down in the 13th, 14th, and 15th verses.
(1.) The matter of it was terrible, tending to the shame, confusion of face, and condemnation of the hearers; insomuch as they were not able to stand before him, nor stedfastly to behold his face, it was such a dazzling and amazing light that shined in his ministry.
(2.) The manner of delivery was in obscure and dark expressions, that ’the children of Israel could not see to the end of that which is abolished;’ that is, they could not see the drift and scope of his ministry, by reason of the types and shadows, which was ’the veil he put upon his face.’
What is meant by Spirit?
(3.) Their minds were blinded. There was ’a veil upon their hearts,’ which is evident by experience in the Jews at this day, who so cleave in their affection to Moses, and to the shadows and ceremonies of his ministry, that they reject the scope and end of it, which is Jesus Christ crucified. And they can do no other. For although the veil that was upon Moses’s face he removed, as it is by the doctrine of the gospel, which sheweth us in all possible plainness what the drift and meaning of Moses was in all those types and ceremonies, yet until the gospel in the spirit and efficacy of it cometh home to their hearts, and taketh off ’the veil that is upon their hearts’ also; that is, until their natural blindness and obstinacy be taken away, which cannot be, but is rather increased, by the law—’For although Moses be read, yet until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away,’ 2 Corinthians 3:14—the Jews will unavoidably abide in their ignorance and bondage.
Now, in opposition to this darkness and obscurity of the law in all those respects, the apostle exalteth the gospel in this high and excellent privilege of it, that it is plain, and evident, and full of demonstration, and that the light of it is not terrifying and amazing, but sweet and comfortable. So that we may with much liberty and boldness of spirit look constantly upon the great and glorious things set before us in it, although it be no other but the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[5.] And there is, moreover, such an efficacy and working power in this ministry of the gospel, as it will not suffer men to remain the same without alteration, as they did under Moses’s ministry, though he was read daily, but it will ’change’ them even ’into the image of Jesus Christ, and carry them on still in that image and likeness, from one degree of glory to another,’ after a most admirable and spiritual manner of working. This special excellency and prerogative of the gospel is laid down in the two last verses of this chapter, which are the words upon which we shall more largely insist in the following discourse.
Verse 17. ’Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’
’The Lord is that Spirit’ that takes away the veil that is spoken of before.
He sets down what Christ is by what he doth; Christ is ’that Spirit,’ because he gives the Spirit. And then a sweet effect of the Spirit of Christ, ’Where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty.’ The Spirit here is not taken for the person of God, as if the Holy Ghost had said, ’The Lord is a Spirit,’ and not a bodily thing, though that be a truth. And as it is not meant naturally,* so not personally, ’Christ is that Spirit,’ as if Christ were the Holy Ghost. That were a confusion of persons. Nor as restrained to the third person. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit. Neither, as some heretofore would have it, to shew that the Spirit is Jehovah, God. It is neither to shew that Christ is God, nor that the Spirit is God, nor that Christ is the Holy Ghost. But it is meant in regard of a special dispensation. ’The Lord is that Spirit;’ that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of his church by marriage, office, &c., ’is that Spirit;’ that is, he (1.) Hath the Spirit in himself eminently; and
(2.) Dispenseth and giveth the Spirit unto others; all receiving the Spirit from him as the common root and fountain of all spiritual gifts.
First, He was ’that Spirit,’ as having the Holy Ghost in himself as man. The Holy Ghost filled the human nature and made it spiritual. The Spirit is all in all in the human nature of Christ; and whatsoever he doth, he doth, as it were, being full of the Spirit, in himself. He gives the Spirit as God, and receives it as man. So he both gives and receives. The Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son as God, but the Spirit sanctified Christ as man, as it did in the virgin’s womb. The Holy Ghost sanctified that blessed mass of his body. It sanctified him, and filled him with all graces and gifts; whereupon it is said, ’He received the Spirit without measure,’ John 3:34; that is, in abundance. Christ hath the Spirit in himself in a more eminent excellent manner than all others; and it must needs be so for these reasons:
(1.) From the near union between the human nature and the divine. They are one person. Therefore there is more Spirit in Christ than in all creatures put them together; than in all the angels, and all men, because the divine nature is nearer to Christ than it is to the angels or to any creature.
(2.) Christ hath the Spirit without measure, both in regard of extension and intension, as we say. He hath all graces in all degrees, even next to an infinite. All others have it in their measure and proportion.
(3.) The Spirit doth rest upon Christ invariably. In other men that have the Spirit, it ebbs and flows; it is sometimes more and sometimes less. There be spiritual desertions, not only in regard of comfort, but in regard of grace, though not totally. But the Spirit rests on Christ eternally in a full measure; and therefore you have it thus in Isaiah 11:2, ’The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might,’ &c.
(4.) By reason of his place or offices in relation to the church, as head, husband, king, priest, prophet, &c. The head is made by nature the seat of the more noble faculties, as of seeing, hearing, understanding, judging, and is furnished accordingly with greater plenty of spirits for the ruling and governing the whole body. So Christ is the Head of the church, and the government of all the world is laid upon him, and all excellencies are derived from him unto all his members, as from the root life is derived* unto all the branches. And therefore he must needs have the Spirit in greatest abundance. His fulness of the Spirit is as the fulness of the fountain; ours is but as the fulness of the cistern. He hath grace in the spring; we have it but in the conduit. His graces are primitive; ours derivative. We have nothing but what we have received. Therefore it is said, ’He hath the oil of gladness poured upon him above his fellows,’ Psalms 45:7.
He hath his name from anointing, ’Christ.’† He was anointed; that is, separated and ordained to the office of mediatorship, by anointing, not properly,‡ that is, with any material oil, but with the Spirit. This was in regard of his human nature only, but it was above his fellows; that is, above all kings and priests, for they are his fellows in regard of titles. He was above them all, for all have their anointing from him. Therefore he is the King of kings, and the Prophet of prophets, &c. Also above all his fellows. As we take his fellows for Christians, they are his fellows; ’I go to my God and your God,’ &c., John 20:17. He is the ’first-born’ amongst them, and in all things he hath the pre-eminence.
(5.) He is to be as the pattern, we are to follow him. We are ’predestinated to be conformed to him,’ Romans 8:29, and to grow up to that fulness which is in him. And in this respect there is cause why he should have the Spirit and all the graces of it in greater abundance, that he might exceed all, even Christians of greatest growth and perfection. He is to be a pattern and example to all: to the strongest as well as to the weak. Even Paul himself, who was a leader to others, for the excellency of the grace of Christ that was in him, was yet a follower of Christ. ’Be you followers of me, as I am of Christ,’ 1 Corinthians 4:16.
Quest. When did this fulness of the Spirit come upon Christ? When had he it?
Ans. 1. There was a fulness of the Spirit poured out upon Christ in the union of the human nature with the divine. Union and unction went together. There was anointing of the Spirit, together with the union of the Spirit.
Ans. 2. There was a more full manifestation of the Spirit in his baptism. When the Holy Ghost fell on him in the shape of a dove, then he received the Spirit. He was to enter into the ministry of the gospel. ’The Spirit of the Lord God was upon him,’ because he had anointed him to preach good tidings unto the meek, &c., Isaiah 61:1.
Ans. 3. But the fullest degree of declaration and manifestation of the Spirit upon Christ was after his resurrection; after he had satisfied fully for our salvation. Then the stop of his glory was taken away. For to work our salvation, there was a keeping back of the glory of Christ from his human nature, that he might be abased to suffer for us. When he had fully suffered for us, that stay of his glory, his abasement, was taken away, and then nothing appeared but all glory and Spirit in Christ. All things were put under his feet, and he was set upon his throne as a glorious king. His priestly office appeared in his death, his prophetical office before his death. But then he appeared to be King and Lord of all in the resurrection. Thus we see how Christ is that Spirit; that is, he is full of the Spirit in regard of himself.
Secondly, He is ’that Spirit’ in regard of his dispensations towards his church and children. ’The Lord is that Spirit;’ that is, [1.] of all truths, and [2.] of all persons, to give life and quickening to them.
(1.) First, of truths. What is the scope of the whole Scriptures but Christ? from the first promise of the blessed seed, ’The seed of the woman shall break the serpent’s head,’ Genesis 3:15, to the end of the book. What is all the Scriptures without Christ? The law is a dead letter; yea, and so is the gospel too without Christ. He is ’that Spirit’ which gives life unto all the Scriptures. Moses without Christ is but a shadow without a body, or a body without a soul. Take away Christ, what was the brazen serpent? What was the ark? What were the sacrifices? What is all? Is not Christ ’all in all’ these? The kings, and priests, and prophets, they were types of Christ; all the promises they were made and fulfilled in Christ. The law ceremonial aimed at Christ; the law moral is to drive us to Christ. Christ is the Spirit of all. And the Scripture without Christ it is but a mere dead thing; it is but a shell without a kernel, as it is to the Jews at this day.
(2.) Christ is ’that Spirit,’ in regard of persons, quickening them. He is a universal principle of spiritual life, infusing it into all his church and children. Christ is always with his church from the beginning of the world, and will be to the end. It was no loss to the church that Christ in his bodily presence left it, for he left them ’the Comforter,’ his Spirit, by which he wrought greater works after his ascension than he did before. He is ’anointed with the oil of gladness,’ and grace ’above his fellows,’ Psalms 45:7, but all was for his fellows. Whatsoever he is, or hath, all is for his church and children. ’For us’ he was born, ’for us’ he was given. He is a King, a Priest, a Prophet for us. He died for us, he rose again for us. And he doth all he doth towards the church, as he hath the Spirit, and by the Spirit. The Father is the first in the Trinity, ’from whom’ all comes; and the Son, ’by whom’ all things are; but the Holy Ghost is the immediate worker of all things, next the creature. All things are applied from God the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. What Christ wrought, and what the Father in wisdom devised, was applied by the Spirit; and so the framing of us to be fit for such a glorious condition as we have by Christ, is also by the Spirit. And this is the reason why Christ giveth the Spirit to those to whom he purposeth to give faith or love, or to work any gracious work. For where Christ saveth, he doth it not only by merit and satisfying the wrath of God for us, but also by sanctifying and effectual working in us, that he might be a perfect Saviour. Now the essential vigour and operative principle in all things, either wrought by or from the Father or the Son, is the Spirit. As in man there is his will from which he resolveth and purposeth, there is wisdom and understanding by which he proceedeth, and then there is a vigorous power in man by which he executeth and doth all. So is it in this working of God. The Father plotteth* and determineth of what is to be done; the Son, ’who is the wisdom of the Father,’ 1 Corinthians 1:24, dispenseth what the Father willeth; the Holy Spirit, the power of both, finisheth and worketh all upon us, and therefore he is called the ’power of the highest,’ Luke 1:35.
Whatsoever works come from God to the creature in general, and are wrought in the world, as works of creation and providence, are immediately by the Holy Spirit nakedly considered, as the third person coming from the Father and the Son. And in those special works, wrought in his church and on his children, all things cometh from the Holy Ghost, but not simply considered as the third person, but as he is ’the Spirit of Christ;’ that is, first sanctifying and filling the human nature of Christ, and then sanctifying and filling us. Christ could not give the Holy Ghost immediately to us, we being in enmity with God, and separated from him through our sins; but he must first take it to himself, who having by his death and sufferings reconciled us to his Father, and purchased the Spirit for us, may now dispense and give forth his Spirit to us.
If we had stood in Adam, we should not have received grace so as now we do; fUse 1. Christ is the Spirit of the Scripturesor we should have received it from the first Adam but as from a man. Now we receive it not from mere man, but, which is much more, from the ’second Adam,’ who is God-man. Nay, Adam himself received not his grace after so glorious a manner as we do, for he received it from the Spirit nakedly considered as the third person in the Trinity, and as all other creatures received their excellencies. But we receive it from the Holy Spirit, which doth not only proceed from the Father and the Son, but cometh, as it were, through our own nature, which was marvellously united to God the Son, and made one with him, unto us, and worketh in us.
’The first Adam was a living soul, the last Adam was a quickening Spirit,’ 1 Corinthians 15:45. He quickened himself when he was dead, and he quickens all his members too. First, he receives the Spirit himself, and the same Spirit that filled and sanctified his human nature, the same Spirit sanctifieth his church, which he ’loves even as himself.’ As he loveth that his own human nature, which the Holy Ghost sanctified, so doth he love his own mystical body, his church, being mystically united to him, and sanctifieth it by the same Spirit.
Christ dispenseth his Spirit unto us, as head of his church, and this he doth in divers respects.
(1.) As he is God, by way of immediate influence. He poureth it out upon us as the prime and principal cause. And this he doth as God, not as man, for the manhood cannot work above itself, it cannot do the work of God, it cannot work grace or give the Spirit.
(2.) As he is man, considered as joined together with the Godhead, by way of merit and satisfaction. He procureth the Spirit to be given and poured out, which is done by the Father and the Son on all those who are beloved in the Son. So that the Spirit is given by Christ, with the Father, as Mediator, meritoriously. For he by suffering and satisfying procured the gift. Christ himself is the first gift, yea, the greatest that ever was given, the giving of Christ to die, to satisfy the wrath of God, and to obtain eternal life. Next to that main gift is the gift of the Spirit, in which is the seed of all gifts and graces; and this we have by his merit and mediatorship. Yet this we must likewise remember, that although Christ be said to give the Spirit, as he doth, yet the Holy Spirit giveth itself too. For there is such a unity in the Trinity of consent and nature, that though the Father and the Son send the Spirit, yet the Spirit comes of his own self. Though the Father and the Son give the Spirit, yet the Spirit giveth himself.
(3.) We have the Spirit from Christ not only by way of merit, but in some kind by way of example. He is the exemplary cause of all graces in us; looking to whom, we are transformed, as we shall see afterwards, ’from glory to glory.’ For when we consider that Christ hath done so much for us as to save us, and redeem us, and die for us, this begetteth a love in us to Christ, and makes us often to think of him, and desirous to imitate him, as we usually do such as we love and highly esteem of.
Spirit given in greatest measure after Christ’s resurrection The dispensation of the Spirit is in most abundance after the resurrection of Christ. As he appeared in himself then to be most spiritual and glorious after he rose again; so then being as the sun in its full height and perfect beauty, casteth his beams most plentifully abroad, and that for these reasons,
[1.] Because then he having finished the work of redemption and satisfied the wrath of God fully, and given contentment to divine justice, and accomplished all by his death, there was nothing to hinder the blessed gift of the Spirit. It is said, that ’before, the Holy Ghost was not given, because Christ was not glorified,’ John 7:39. The gift of the Holy Ghost especially depends upon the glorifying of Christ. When he had fulfilled the work of redemption, and was raised to glory, God being pacified gave the Holy Ghost as a gift of his favour.
[2.] Then again after his resurrection and ascension, he did give the Holy Ghost more abundantly than before to his church, because now he is in heaven, and hath the advantage of the place, being exalted on high. As that glorious creature the sun, by the advantage it hath being placed in the heavens above us, is able to shine upon the greatest part of the earth at all times; and we need not call the sun down from its place to come into our houses, or fields, or gardens. No. Where it is seated in its proper place or orb, it hath the best opportunity, in most abundance and largest extent, to send down heat and light and influence to inferior things. So Christ doth his church more good now he is in heaven, from whence he sends the Spirit, than he could do if he were below; because though his human nature be confined in heaven, his person is everywhere. And being ’ascended now far above all heavens,’ he giveth gifts more liberally and plentifully, insomuch as he filleth all things, Ephesians 4:10. He enlargeth the tents of his gospel, and hath taken in a greater people to himself. We see in winter, when the sun is low and near the earth, all things are dead and cold; but when the sun in the spring cometh to overtop us, to be in a higher point above us, we see how all things put a new garment upon them. There is a new vigour and freshness in them. So there was more abundant vigour of the Spirit when Christ came in the flesh; his virtue appeared much more every way than before. But when this blessed Son of righteousness was advanced, and seated at the right hand of his Father, where his nature was perfectly enriched, and perfectly adorned with all kind of graces whatsoever in the highest glory of them, his influence of light and heat now beginning to be increased, and the efficacy and working of it to be felt everywhere, the glorious beams of the sun began to be scattered, and the light of the gospel to shine to a greater number of people. Now there was no respect of persons, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female, all was one. The commission was enlarged to all, Mark 16:15, ’Go preach the gospel to every creature;’ and with the word the Spirit went, and was received; and those that were ’added to the church,’ even such as ’should be saved,’ were many thousands, Acts 2:47.
Thus have we opened the meaning of the words, and shewed ’how Christ is that Spirit,’ both in respect of the Spirit’s being eminently in him, and his giving of it, and spiritual gifts by it. All the vigour and life and influence we have that is spiritual and supernatural, and above the ordinary course, is from the Spirit; and whatsoever the Spirit hath, or doth for us, is done as sent from Christ, in whom the Spirit is in all fulness. Now we shall shew how many ways the consideration of these truths will be profitable and useful to us in the course of our lives, and for the comfort of our spirits.
Uses
Use 1. Christ is the Spirit of the Scriptures, of all truths, of all ordinances. We may by this be able to reconcile the Scriptures, one place with another, where they seem to contradict. The law is said to be ’a dead letter,’ a ’ministration of condemnation,’ &c., 2 Corinthians 3:6, seq.; but in the 19th Psalm there it is said, ’The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul,’ &c., Psalms 19:7. These places are thus reconciled. The law is said to be dead, so it is without Christ, without the Spirit which quickeneth; and so is the gospel too, even ’a savour of death,’ 2 Corinthians 2:15. And so are the sacraments also as well as the word, dead ordinances if Christ be not in them. The law is said to be ’perfect,’ and ’to convert the soul.’ So it doth, when the Spirit goeth along with it, as it did ordinarily before Christ came in the flesh, as in David’s time. But after Christ was come, who was the substance of those shadows, they became ’beggarly rudiments,’ as in Paul’s time, Galatians 4:9. And the Spirit did not work with them, but with the gospel, ’the hearing of faith,’ Galatians 3:2.
Use 2. And we may understand likewise from hence what the reason is that an ordinance at one time differeth so much from itself at another time in respect of the life and comfort of it, as we often find even in our own experience; as also why the same ordinance (be it word, or sacrament, &c.) at the same time is profitable to one, and another hath no benefit at all from it. This is from the presence or absence of Christ, who is ’that Spirit.’ What is the reason that wine, or aqua vitæ, doth more refresh and strengthen than common water? It is of the same substance, of the same colour that other water is. But there is more spirit in it. All things work answerable to the spirits that is in them. So what is the reason that the reading or hearing of the same thing affecteth one, and not another at all? The substance of the thing is the same, but the Spirit is not the same. The Spirit goeth with the one, and not with the other. We grant that our negligence in preparation and attention, our pride and earthly-mindedness, our want of faith to mingle with the word: these, or the like, may be causes why we are many times sent empty away; yet this still must be observed as a most evident truth, that all the efficacy and fruit of any ordinance dependeth upon Christ’s being present in it, who is ’that Spirit’ that quickeneth. The most powerful means that ever was ordained for our good will be dead and heartless if he be not there by his Spirit to put life into it. It may seem strange what John saith, chap. 6 ver. 63, ’The flesh profiteth nothing.’ ’The flesh of Christ,’ our nature which Christ took, and in which so much was wrought for us, which is the greatest ordinance of all, yet this flesh ’profiteth not,’ nor will there be any benefit of it, if it be not applied to us spiritually. For it is not the flesh simply considered, but as by it and with it we receive the Spirit of Christ, which Spirit quickeneth and maketh the flesh of Christ ’meat indeed.’ As it is with the flesh of Christ, so with all other ordinances. The Scriptures profit nothing, preaching profiteth nothing, the sacraments will profit nothing; there is none of these will be ’meat indeed,’ unless the Spirit of Christ quicken them.
Therefore we ought to join with all the ordinances of God, a desire that Christ would join his Spirit, and make them effectual. We ought to come to the ordinances in a dependence upon Christ for a blessing upon them, and for his presence in them, who is the life and scope of all; and then we should not find such dulness and deadness in them. It is the sin of this age, this formality. It is the sin of those that have any thing in them. Set desperate drunkards and roarers and such wretches aside, as plainly discover themselves to be acted by the spirit of the devil. Take them that conform themselves in any fashion to religion, the killing sin that they lie under is this same dead formality. They will hear a sermon now and then, look on a book, and it may be pray morning and evening, but never look up to the living and quickening Spirit Jesus Christ. So that all they do is dead and loathsome, like salt that hath no savour. What is the best liquor if it hath lost its life and spirit, but flat and unsavoury: and blood when the spirits are out of it, what is it but loathsome gore! So are all their performances, even like sacrifices that had no fire in them. The Lord loathed such sacrifices as he did Cain’s; and so he doth all our flat and lifeless services, yea and our persons too, being as Jude saith, ’fleshly, and not having the Spirit,’ ver. 19.
Use 3. What need is there that we should sanctify all we take in hand by prayer! When we go to hear a sermon, when we take up the Bible to read a chapter alone by ourselves, or in our families, we should lift up our eyes and hearts and voices to heaven; we should say to Christ, Lord, join thy Spirit, be present with us; without thee thy word is dead, our hearts are dead, and will harden under the means, and darken in the light, and we shall fall under the heavy condemnation of these secure and formal times, if thou leavest us.
Use 4. Christ is said to be that Spirit, to send the Spirit as God, and to receive it as man, in fulness, and that for our sakes. It is a point of much comfort, that there is such abundance of Spirit in our nature in Christ, and for the behalf of the church, that we have a fulness to receive of. It was a comfort to Joseph’s brethren, and that family, that Joseph was full of honour, and rules the second in the kingdom. Therefore they should want nothing that was good in Egypt. Is it not a comfort for Christians to know that Christ is the Spirit, that he hath the Spirit to give, the Spirit of wisdom in all straits, the Spirit of truth to keep us from all errors, the Spirit of strength for all services, the Spirit of comfort for all afflictions? He that is their Lord hath abundance of Spirit in him, and for them. Therefore, when we want any grace, or gift of the Spirit, we should go to Christ; for God doth all by Christ. Christ doth all by the Spirit. Desire Christ that he would vouchsafe his Spirit to rule us, counsel us, comfort us, and strengthen us. Therefore in our emptiness, as indeed we are empty creatures of ourselves, let us go to Christ for the Spirit. He hath received that fulness for us; desire him that out of his fulness he would vouchsafe to give unto us.