The divine life in three treatises

CHAP. XII.

11. THE third Relation in which God is to be Known by us, is as he is our Sanctifier and Comforter, which is specially ascribed to the Holy Ghost. And doubtless as the Dispensation of the Holy Ghost is the Perfecting dispensation, without which Creation and Redemption would not attain their ends; and as the sin against the Holy Ghost, is the great and dangerous sin; so our Belief in the Holy Ghost, and Knowledge of God as our Sanctifier by the Spirit, is not the least or lowest act of our faith or Knowledge. And it implieth or containeth these things following.

1. We must hence take notice of the certainty of our common original sin. The necessity of sanctification proveth the corruption, as the necessity of a Redeemer proveth the guilt: It is not one but all that are Baptized, that must be Baptized into the Name of the Son and Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father▪ which is an entering into Covenant with the Son as our Redeemer, and with the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier. So that Infants themselves must be Sanctified or be none of the Church of Christ▪ which consisteth of Baptized Sanctified persons. [Except a man be born again (even of the Spirit, as well as ⟨p. 101⟩water) he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.] For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, Joh. 3. 3, 5, 6. and therefore the fleshly birth producing not a Spiritual creature, will not save without the Spiritual birth: The words are most plain; not only against them that deny Original sin, but against them that misunderstanding the nature of Redemption, do think that all Infants are merely by the price paid, put into a state of Salvation, and have the pardon of their Original sin in common, attending their natural Birth. But these men should consider, 1. That this text and constant experience tell us that the new Birth doth not thus commonly to all accompany the natural birth: and yet without the new birth none can be saved, nor without Holiness any see God. 2. That Pardon of sin is no mans upon the bare suffering of Jesus Christ; but must be theirs by some Covenant or Promise conveying to them a Right to the benefits of his suffering. And therefore no man can be said to be pardoned or saved (without great arrogancy in the affirmer) that hath not from God a promise of such mercy. But no man can show any Promise that giveth Remission of Original sin to all Infants. Produce it, or presume not to affirm it, lest you fall under the heavy doom of those that add to his holy Word. The Promise is to the faithful and their seed. The rest are not the children of the promise, but are under the commination of the violated Law; which indeed is dispensable; and therefore we cannot say that God will pardon none of them; but withal, we cannot say that he will, unless he had told us so. All the world are in a necessity of a Sanctifier: and therefore most certainly (even since Christs death) they are naturally corrupted.