Seuen goulden candlestickes houlding the seauen greatest lights of Christian religion shewing vnto all men what they should beleeue, & how they ought to walke in this life, that they may attayne vnto eternall life. By Gr: Williams Doctor of Divinity

CHAP. VI. How the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit are now giuen vnto vs, and how wee may know whether wee haue the same or not.

SEcondly, Christ doth now giue his Spirit other∣wise vnto the Pastors of his Church,* 1.1 sufficiently for the edifying of the same, but through great paines, and diligent searching after knowledge; for now we must not looke for Exthusiasmes, nor thinke to attaine vnto learning and knowledge by reuelati∣ons; but orando, & quaerendo, & bene viuendo; by earnest praiers by continuall watching, and tumbling, and tossing of many bookes, and by wearing and wearying out our selues in reading, musing, and writing of many lines, we must seeke to attaine to a little learning: and when wee haue done all we can, wee can get nothing but what this blessed Spirit please to giue vs; for except the Lord build the house the builder laboureth but in vaine; so except he doth blesse our studies,* 1.2 all our paines and industry will proue no better, then Aethiopum lauare, to wash a blacke Moore; a breaking of our braines, but an attaining to no true knowledge.

But we may be certaine, that if we do our duties, in all humility to seeke and search for grace, our God will most surely giue vs grace, yea, and the same graces, (though not in the same manner, or according to the same measure) which hee did giue vnto his Apostles. And as here it was apparantly seene that these Apostles had the gifts of this Spirit, by these signes and effects of this Spirit; so wee may most certainely know, (if we will diligently search) whether we haue these gifts and graces of Gods Spirit or not, by the works that we doe, and by the things that we finde in our selues: for Si iniurias dimitti∣mus,* 1.3 quod denotat columba, si paenitentiae lachrymis irrigamur, quod nubes, si desiderium habemus rerum aeternarum, quod ignis, si magnalia Dei annuntiamus, quod lingua, tum habemus signum prae∣sentiae Spiritus sancti; If we water our couch with our teares, and bee truly sorry for our sinnes, which is signified by the cloud: if we be purged from all the drosse of sinne, and be eleuated

to desire and loue heauenly things, which is noted in the fire; if wee bee carried against the naturall streame and current of our owne corruptions, which is shewed by the winde; if we re∣mit and forgiue all wrongs done vnto vs, and bee meeke and gentle vnto all men, harsh and sullen vnto none, which are the properties of the Doue; and if we zealously preach and pray, and talke of God, and of his will, his grace and goodnesse to∣wards vs, and render thankes and praise vnto him for the same, which is the office of a fiery tongue; then we doe with the A∣postles shew the effects of Gods Spirit; and we may to our end∣lesse comforts assure our selues that the Spirit of God is in vs.* 1.4 But if we finde none of these things, no hatred of sinne, no loue of vertue, no loathing of the vanities of this world, no lifting vp of our hearts to heauen, no meekenesse with men, no praising of God, but rather finde our selues cleane contrary, defiled with sinne, deboist in our liues, iniuring men, offending God, blaspheming his name with wicked oathes, and breaking his Sabboths with great contempt; then wee should not onely wonder to see the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit in others, as the people did when they saw what had happened vnto the Apostles vpon the day of Pentecost; but we should rather be∣waile and lament the want of the same in our selues; for it is vnpossible that they should haue any part or portion of Gods Spirit, that doe shew no signe nor fruit of Gods grace.

And therefore euery man should try and examine himselfe, whether he finde in himselfe the fruits and effects of Gods Spi∣rit or not. For,

First, the holy Ghost, being like water, if he be in you,* 1.5 then you are washed and cleansed from all filthinesse; and you are like the trees that are planted by the waters side, and doe bring forth their fruits in due season: but if you bee like a barren and drie ground where no water is, or like fruitlesse trees that beare no∣thing but leaues, then certainely the Spirit of God is not in you, and you are fit for nothing but to be hewne downe,* 1.6 and to be cast into the fire.

Secondly, the holy Ghost being like fire, if he be in vs, hee illuminateth the eyes of our vnderstanding, and hee giueth light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death, that

they may walke without stumbling, in the way of peace; but if our vnderstanding bee so darkened, that wee neither know God nor the will of God, then certainely the Spirit of God is not in vs;* 1.7 for if our Gospell be hid, (saith the Apostle) it is hid to them that are lost, that being depriued and void of Gods Spi∣rit, are filled with the spirit of darknesse. A most fearefull say∣ing against them that vnderstand not the great mystery of god∣linesse, that they haue the marke of lost ones; and if hee be in vs, then we must needes be feruent and zealous to doe all good seruice vnto God, as Apollo was, who is said to be hot in spirit, or as the twelue tribes were, who serued God night and day; in∣stantly,* 1.8 saith the Apostle: but if we be cold and carelesse to serue the Lord, then surely we are destitute of this Spirit of God; for how can a man carry fire in his bosome,* 1.9 and not be burnt? so how can we haue the fire of Gods Spirit in our hearts, and not bee feruent to all good works?

Thirdly, the holy Ghost being like a Doue, if hee bee in vs, then we are meeke and lowly in heart; for this heauenly Doue re∣maineth in none but those that are Doues: but if with the Ducke (that flying aloft among the wilde Duckes, did presently alight, and so brought them all with her into her owners net, whereof Alciat saith,* 1.10

Perfida cognato se sanguine polluit ales Officiosa alijs, exitiosa suis.

They doubting not her trayterous heart at all, Did flie with her, and downe with her did fall,)

We doe deceiue our friends, and wrong our neighbours; then surely this Doue-like spirit of God is not in vs; for this holy spi∣rit of discipline flieth from deceit;* 1.11 and the fruit of this spirit is all meekenesse, gentlenesse, and goodnesse.

Fourthly, the holy Ghost being like winde, if hee bee in vs, then all the dust of vanitie is scattered from our hearts; and our soules are carried against the streame of naturall desires, to wish and long for heauenly things. And,

Fiftly, the holy Ghost being like tongues; if he be in vs, then our tongues will be like the pen of a ready writer,* 1.12 and our talking will be of the most highest; Quia ex abundantia cordis os loquitur; &

loquela tua te manifestum facit; because a religious heart will e∣uer expresse it selfe by a godly and a religious tongue;* 1.13 for as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse, so with the tongue confession is made vnto saluation; but if wee talke laciuiously, and speake all words that may doe hurt; if the poyson of aspes be vnder our lippes, and the holy name of God, or the good fame of men be euill spoken of through vs, then surely, surely,* 1.14 this holy spirit of God is not in vs. And if he be not in thee, then I aduise thee to seeke him while he may be found; for the time will come, when he cannot be found,* 1.15 i. e. cum optauerimus salutem in medio gehennae, quae facta est et praedicata est in medio ter∣rae; when wee shall wish for saluation in the midst of Hell, which was wrought, and is preached in the midst of the earth: and therefore now while it is to day, we ought to seeke vnto him, and to pray with the Prophet Dauid, yea and to pray earnestly, that God would renue his spirit within vs,* 1.16 and stablish vs with his free spirit; for, whosoeuer hath not the spirit of Christ,* 1.17 the same is none of his, the same hath no comfort in the world, no assurance of his saluation, no Faith, no Hope, no God, no good.

But if by these infallible rules thou findest that thou hast the spirit,* 1.18 and canst say with that worthie Martyr of our Church, I haue it, I haue it, as hee went vnto the stake to be burned, then remember what the Apostle speaketh, grieue not the spirit, quench not the spirit; spill not this water, lest that spil∣ling this oyle thy lamp goeth out: and then,* 1.19 thy last end will be farre worse then thy beginning; and it had bin better for thee,* 1.20 neuer to haue knowne it, then to turne aside from the holy Commandement: for as Sampson and Saul hauing the spirit of God, liued honora∣bly and did performe most worthie exploits;* 1.21 but hauing lost the same by their sinnes, they became in their liues most mise∣rable, and in their deaths most lamentable; euen so it will hap∣pen from the Lord, vnto all backe-sliders, vnto all them that quench the spirit: therefore (I say) grieue him not, quench him not.* 1.22

But because the chiefest of these gifts for the collecting and the edifying of the Church, is the gift of tongues, whereby the Ministers are inabled for the preaching of Gods Word; there∣fore,

we that are Preachers should here chiefely looke whether we haue this gift of tongues or not; for,

* 1.23First, if our tongues be the pens of a readie writer, that wee can readily speake of the things that we haue made vnto the King, and Preach the Word of Truth in season, and out of season;

Secondly, if these our tongues be not double tongues, but clouen tongues, i. e. able to diuide the Word of God aright, and to giue vnto euery man his owne portion in due season;* 1.24 that is, mer∣cie and comforts vnto the repentant soule, and woes and iudgement vnto the obstinate transgressors, and to teach Faith and workes, loue to God and man;

Thirdly, if these our clouen tongues be of fire; that is, vsed rather to gaine soules, then to get applause, or to gather wealth; to draw men to glorifie God,* 1.25 and not to magnifie our selues; then we may be assured, we haue receiued a part and portion of these gifts and graces of Gods spirit.

But if we be like those great clarks, which they say are rare Schollers, but neuer man was heard to be the better for their learning; they haue it in them, like the fire in the flint-stone, but it neuer comes out of them; they are lothe to preach, they are lothe to write, for then perhaps they should not be deemed so learned as now they are iudged to be; for a foole holding his peace may be thought to be wise: or if we be like Baalams Asse, that neuer spake but twice in all her life; or vse to preach as Naball feasted, once a yeere, when they receiue their rents; or if wee would preach, and cannot, but it were better for vs not to preach at all, then to preach so idly, and so foolishly as we doe; or if we preach more for profit, or the praise of men, then for the glorie of God; then assuredly we doe proclayme vnto the world, that we haue not yet receiued these gifts of fierie clouen tongues from God.

* 1.26Vrbanus writes vnto Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterburie, Monacho feruentissimo, Abbati calido, episcopo lepido, Archi-episcopo remisso; and so it was sayd of Alexander the sixt,

De vitio in vitium, de flamma transit in ignem:

They grew worse and worse, as they did grow greater and greater; and I pray God it be not true among vs; that high

preferment spoyle not many a Preacher. I say no more: but so you see, how the gifts which are giuen for the edifying of Gods Church, were giuen vnto the Apostles, and how euer since, they are giuen vnto all other Preachers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How God be∣stoweth his graces vpon vs
• * 1.2

  Psal. 127.1.
• * 1.3

  The signes whereby we may know whether we haue the Spi∣rit of God or not.
• * 1.4

  1 Cor. 3.85.
• * 1.5

  That we should diligently exa∣mine whether we haue Gods Spirit or not. Psalme 1.3.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 3.10.
• * 1.7

  2 Cor. 4.3.
• * 1.8

  Act. 18.28. c. 26.7.
• * 1.9

  Prou. 6.27.
• * 1.10

  Alciat. de Anate.
• * 1.11

  Wisdome 1. Gal. 5.22.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 45.2. Matth. 12.14.
• * 1.13

  Rom. 10.10.
• * 1.14

  If we haue not the spirit, we ought to seeke him.
• * 1.15

  Bern. ser. 75. in cant.
• * 1.16

  Psal. 51.10.
• * 1.17

  Rom. 8.9.
• * 1.18

  If we haue the spirit of God we ought not to grieue him.
• * 1.19

  1 Thes. 5.19.
• * 1.20

  Luc. 11.26. 2 Pet. 2.21.
• * 1.21

  A fearefull thing to be depriued of Gods spirit. Iud. 16.10. 1 Sam.
• * 1.22

  How Prea∣chers may know whether they haue the gifts to edifie the Church.
• * 1.23

  Psal. 45.2.
• * 1.24

  Luke 12.42.
• * 1.25

  Numb. 12.21.30. 1 Sam. 25.36.
• * 1.26

  Vsher de Christ. ecccles.