speciall meanes for the strengthning of the inward man for as hee sets up the building and furnisheth the roomes and gives power unto the soule to use them so that which makes all these effectuall is this when hee gives power and efficacy unto the meanes that are for the strengthning of the inward man now you know that the Word is the onely meanes to worke new habits and qualities in us to call us and beget us unto Christ. And if the Spirit should not adde this unto it namely efficacy it would never beget us unto Christ therefore this is the meanes to make all effectuall it gives a blessing unto the meanes of grace the Word alone without the Spirit is as I told you but as a scabberd without a sword or a sword without a hand that will doe no good though you should stand in never so much need therefore the Apostle joynes them together Act. 20. 32. he calles it the Word of his grace that is the spirit must worke grace by it or else the Word will nothing availe you Againe prayer is a meanes to strengthen the inward man but if the Spirit bee nor joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the holy Ghost saith pray in the holy Ghost that is if you pray not by the power of the holy Ghost you will never obtaine grace or sanctification The Spirit is unto the meanes of grace as raine is unto the plants raine makes plants to thrive and grow so the spirit makes the inward man to grow in holinesse therefore it is the promise that God makes unto his Church in the Scripture that hee will powre water upon the dry ground The heart that before was barren in grace and holinesse shall now spring up in holinesse and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I shall powre my Spirit upon them therefore you see how the Spirit doth strengthen grace in the soule by building and setting up the building of grace in the soule and then by furnishing the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace and then by giving power unto the soule to use those habits to good and then by giving a blessing unto all the meanes of grace The use of this stands thus If the Spirit be the onely meanes to strengthen the inward man then it will follow that whosoever hath not the holy Ghost hath not this strength and whatsoever strength a man may seeme to have unto himselfe if it proceed not from the Spirit it is no true strength but a false and counterfeit strength for a man may thus argue from the cause unto the effect the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects and on the contrary that which is not the cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so I may reason that no naturall strength can bring forth the strength of the inward man because it wants the ground of all strength which is the Spirit and therefore you may have a flash or a seeming power of strength such as the Virgins had Matth. 25. that seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a fained strength because they had not the Spirit it is the Spirit that must give you assurance of salvation and happinesse And I have chosen this point especially in regard of the present occasion the receiving of the Sacrament before which you are especially to examine your selves whether you have this or no which if you have not then you have neither strength in the inward man nor any right or interest unto Christ For I may well follow the Apostles rule that they that are Christs have the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth the deepe things of God which hee hath revealed unto us by his Spirit Ephes. 1. 13. You were sealed with the Spirit of promise Rom. 8. 11. That they should bee raised by the Spirit that dwelleth in them and againe as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your selves whether you have the Spirit but above all places there are two places which prove the necessity of having the Spirit the one is this place which is my text That you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man and the other is the place which Saint Iohn hath in 1 Iohn 3. 14. By this wee know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the brethren it is a signe to judge of your spirituall strength by your love if we be united in the bond of love it is a signe that wee have the Spirit and having the Spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed so that you must be changelings from sinne to grace before you can be saved Examine therefore what effectuall spirituall strength you have what spirituall love there is amongst you and so accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you have any right or interest unto Christ and that I may helpe you in this thing I will lay downe some signes by which you shall know whether you have the Spirit The first signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you have the sanctifying Spirit you will be full of fire that is it will fill you with spirituall heat and zeale now if you finde this in you then it is the sanctifying Spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ Matth. 3. 11. that hee will baptize them with the Spirit and with fire that is he will baptize you with that Spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spirituall heate and zeale and therefore it is said Act. 2. 3. that they had tongues as of fire and againe it is said that the Apostles were stirred up with boldnesse to speake that is when they saw God dishonoured this Spirit kindled a holy zeale in them it set their hearts on fire it set their tongues on fire so when the spirit enters into the heart of a Christian it will fill it full of heate and zeale the heart the tongue the hands the feete and all the rest of the parts will be full of the heate of the spirit And it is unpossible that any man should have true zeale except hee have the spirit therefore it is said that they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance they spake with a great deale of zeale of another nature and qualitie then they did before Well then examine what heat and zeale you have in your actions so much heate so much spirit Hee shall baptize you with the Spirit and with fire If you have the sanctifying Spirit you shall know it by the zeale that is in you in the performance of holy duties therefore I say this is an excellent signe whereby a man may know whether he have the spirit
knowledge of Arts and Sciences by these he may see both into naturall and spirituall things in some measure but I say hee cannot see as hee should except hee have added unto this another sight which is the sight that the spirit brings and therefore it is called the opening of the eyes and the boring of the eares and it is the same that St. Iohn speakes of in Iohn 1. 5. That the light shone in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not before a man have this sight of the spirit whatsoever he sees yet it is with a great deale of darkenesse but when the spirit comes it drives away this darkenesse by giving us another eye to see thorow it And the darkenesse comprehended it not so that till a man have the spirit he doth neither truely see nor beleeve You cannot beleeve till you have the spirit but when you have got the spirit then you will beleeve in Christ. Wee preach Christ unto all and exhort you to beleeve but what is the reason that some beleeve and others beleeve not but because they doe not see they want the spirit to shew them sinne to humble them and Christ to comfort them and therefore Peter cals them purblind As men that are purblind cannot see things a farre off except they bee neere so men without the spirit are but purblind men that cannot see Christ and Grace and Salvation a farre off as neere but if they had the Spirit then they would see them neere hand that is you would see a marvellous beauty in Christ and holinesse it is that which the Apostle speakes of in 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seene c. that is he saw them before but he saw them not in that manner hee sees them now they are represented unto him in another fashion Againe he sees them in another hue hee sees another beauty in them thus you see the sanctifying spirit openeth the eye of the understanding to see more A blind man might see if hee had but the faculty of seeing so a spirituall blind man will see when hee hath the spirit The third benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it breeds heavenly and spirituall effects in the soule as joy and comfort and the like and therefore in Iohn 14. he is called the Comforter First I say the Spirit will beget joy in the soule and therefore saith Christ hee will speaking of the Spirit lead you unto all peace and joy in beleeving now I make a difference betweene joy and comfort thus joy is unto the soule as a wall is unto a Citie the wall doth compasse the Citie and so is a defence for it that is it keeps pettie dangers out so doth joy it walles and fences the soule and keepes out many enemies that otherwise would destroy it 2. effect is comfort and this I call a Bulwarke because a Bulwarke is of greater strength to beate backe and keepe out any that shall besiege it and makes the Citizens more secure so comfort is the Bulwarke of the soule against the greatest temptations and tryalls it makes the soule secure resting upon Christ. 3. effect that the Spirit begets is boldnesse that is there is no true boldnesse without the Spirit Let Adam witnesse it aske him what boldnesse he had when hee hid himselfe from God and what was the reason of it but because he wanted the Spirit and on the contrary when the Disciples had received the Spirit they spake with boldnesse 4. effect that the Spirit begets is holy and heavenly desires in the soule therefore the Church in the Canticles when shee had got the Spirit shee had bred in her loving desires after Christ as in Canticles 1. 7. shee is marvellous inquisitive where to finde Christ for what is the reason that there is in men such a want of holy desires but because they have not this Spirit 5. effect that the Spirit begets is holy indignation that is holy anger it is an effect of the Spirit and therefore the Apostle saith in 2. Cor. 7. 11. what indignation or wrath this he speakes in the commendation of the Corinthians men will not be angry with sinne as evill till they get the Spirit 6. effect of the Spirit is holy affections it will make you to have heavenly affections to God to grace to the Saints therefore the Lord saith Ezech. 36. 26. I will give you a new heart carnall men they may doe something to make their children reverence them or to love them in regard of some domination they may proffer an object but they cannot beget holy affections this is the onely worke of the Spirit thus to change the heart 7. effect of the Spirit is this it will purge the soule it will cast out all rubbish out of the soule therefore the Lord saith that he will purge the sonnes of Levi as silver that is that they may be fit for the Priesthood he will purge out of them by the Spirit that which otherwise would make them unfit And David often in Psal. 51. vers 2. 7. prayes that the Lord would purge him wash him and cleanse him from his sinne and then after hee prayes for the restoring of the Spirit making the absence of the Spirit the cause of his uncleannesse 8. effect of the Spirit is this it kindles holy affections to good in us I said before that the holy Spirit workes holy affections in us but now I adde that hee kindleth those affections in us to good and this is that which gives us great advantage against sinne I say wee have no small advantage of the divell but great advantage when the heart is full of heavenly affections and that for these Reasons The first Reason is because the more holy affections the better man God accounts more of him a man is esteemed of God as hee hath or hath not holy affections a man is that which he is in his affections a man is not a good man because he knowea much but he is a holy man because he hath holy affections that is he is full of love to God to Christ and to the Saints The second Reason is because holy affections they are a meanes or a second cause of good they are the cause of good actions as for example for a man to suffer for Christ and yet not to doe it with holy affections out of love unto Christ it is nothing worth therefore when the affections are right they are drawne upward by the Spirit both to doe and to suffer The third Reason is because holy affections they widen the soule they make the soule large for when holy affections are dead in you the soule will begin to shrinke in even as cloath that is not throughly made when water falles upon it will runne in but if you stretch it it will come to the same length againe so when the
he sets forth the actions of wicked men therefore let not this excuse hinder you from being humble because you doe good Secondly the second deceit or pretence is this they say they have as good meanings as the best whatsoeuer they may speake and they have as good harts as the best whatsoeuer they doe and therefore they are humble enough that is they neede no more humiliation To this I answer briefely you lye for if your actions be naught your heart is worse and if your speeches bee rotten your meaning is farre worse then either thy action or thy speech if your speeches bee rotten and smell of hell and yet say that you meane better or that your meaning is better then you outwardly expresse it is false for we say that if wee see sparkes of fire come out of the chimney we conclude that the fire within is farre greater so if thy speeches and actions be bad thy meaning is worse there is a greater fire within actions are but the fruits of the heart or branches that proceed from it Now in a naturall plant wee say that if the fruit bee bitter the root is much more bitter because the cause is alwaies greater then the effect euen so if thou hast naughty speeches and actions if there be bitternesse in them thy meaning hath much more bitternesse in it because it is the root from which these spring therefore let not your good meaning keepe you from being humble Thirdly the third pretence is this they say it is their nature to bee thus and thus they haue a naturall inclination vnto some particular sinne and therefore they thinke that God will bee mercifull unto them in that thing and they neede not to be humbled To this I answer that this pretence of yours aggravates your sinne the more for the more inclination that there is in your nature unto any particular sinne the greater is the sinne for inclination with consent is more odious unto God then a violent lust not consented unto which may sometimes breake out in a regenerate man without full consent the more inclination the more cause of humiliation this did David hee adds unto his sins his inclination to sinne to aggrauate them the more and to humble him the more as if the inclination gaue a greater strok upon his conscience then the action it selfe as in Psal. 51. I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceiue me that is that which makes my sin the more heynous and offensiue unto God is this because it proceeds from a naturall inclination of my corrupt nature it was borne with him and it grew up with him and this was that that troubled him and thus it is with every regenerate man Secondly to this I answer that when a man hath any inclination unto any sinne there is not such an inclination but it is or may bee restrayned by the minde but if the mind giue consent then like woade it adds unto the colour and makes the sin the more inexcusable because there is no reluctancie in the will against it but yeelds it strength unto the inclination therefore if you doe thus you add transgression unto the sinne take heede of plucking away your strength in resisting your naturall inclinations for know that it is one thing to be beset with sinne and another thing to consent unto it therefore let your inclination of nature be as it is a cause to humble you and not to keepe you from humiliation The fourth deceit or pretence is from their conditions which keepe them from beeing humble especially in the younger sort who thinke themselues in such condition that they haue a kinde of priviledge and neede not to bee humble therefore the wise man Eccl. 11. well knowing the folly of youth and what a vaine thing it will bee to reclaime them from their sinnes saith Reioyce O young man in thy youth as if hee should say for you young men it will bee a vaine thing for mee to speake unto you you will not forgoe your pleasures and your lusts and bee humbled therefore for your parts reioyce that is take your fill goe on in that course that you will not bee reclaymed from But yet remember that for all these things you must come to iudgement that is you shall bee called to an account for all your vaine and sinfull pleasures and humbled for them if not humble To this I answer for any man to thinke that hee may have excuse for sinnes because hee is in such or such a condition except they bee sinnes of infirmity hee is a foole hee never knew for what end hee came into the world for example Is thy condition greater then others art thou richer or more honourable or wise or more beautifull or strong then others are thou hast the greater cause to serve God and bee humble and that for these reasons First because you haue more accounts to make up then others have and againe you haue more wages then others have and therefore you are more inexcusable if you be negligent and carelesse where much is given there much shall be required you are bound with greater bonds and therefore your forfeits are much greater if you breake with God if a Master giue great wages vnto his servant it will bee but a vaine excuse a false reasoning if hee should thence conclude that therefore he may be more carelesse then others nay rather he should conclude the contrary that because my Master doth thus and thus for me therefore I ought to be more careful and diligent then others and if it be thus before men how can you imagine that this will excuse you before God Secondly you had more neede to bee humble because your knowledge is or should be the more and therfore in Ier. 5. 5. saith God I will goe into the house of the great men for they know my name that is they have more time to get knowledge then others haue that are in meaner conditions they haue not such meanes such time such opportunitie to get knowledge as you haue they have many outward hinderances which you have not but these have broken the yoke wherefore a Lyon shall slay them and that is because they be ignorant I will not excuse them I will take a strict account of them because they ought to know me better then others that have not the like meanes that are not freed from the distracting cares of the world as they were therefore let all in high places labour to excell in grace and abound above others in spirituall knowledge and take an example from the Nobles of Berea as they were more honorable then others in regard of place so they were above others in regard of grace they searcht the Scripture they abounded in spirituall knowledge Thidly consider that as your wages are more and your talents are more and your accounts are more so likewise your
REMAINES OF THAT REVEREND AND LEARNED DIVINE JOHN PRESTON D. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne â—â—ntaining three excellent Treatises Namely IVDAS'S Repentance The Saints Spirituall Strength PAVLS Conversion HEBR. 11. Being dead hee yet speaketh LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke 1634. IVDAS HIS Repentance OR THE LAMENTABLE EFFECTS OF A STARTLED CONSCIENCE Delivered in eight severall Doctrines raised from the third fourth and fifth Verses of the 27. Chapter of the Gospell by St. MATTHEVV All the usefull and profitable Observations of that late Reverend Divine IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Printed at London for Andrew Crooke 1634. The Contents of JVDAS Repentance DOCTRINE I. SVch as a Mans life is such is his Name after death page 3 REASON I. God blessethor curseth man according to his workes p. 4 1 In regard of his Truth ibid. 2 In regard of his Glory ibid. REAS. II. Manappeareth like himselfe p. 4 REAS. III. Other men in the end speake truth without enuie or feare p. 5 USE I. Not to be secretly wicked for God is a publike rewarder of all ibid. USE II. To cleansethe heart from sinne by daily repentance left sin should rot the name p. 6 USE III. To encourage good men their ill reports shall soone vanish p. 7 To discourage wicked men their good reports shall not long last p. 7 DOCT. II. Sinne seemes small before it be committed after most vile and hainous p. 8 REAS. I. Lust blindes the eyes of our understanding p. 9 REAS. II. The Divell lessens the sinne before committed aggravates it afterward ibid. REAS. III. God leaves a man to himselfe ibid. Good men for sinne sometimes of God left to themselvs 1 For increase of Gods glory p. 10 2 For awakening their consciences ibid. The reason of insensiblenesse in grose sinnes p. 11 USE To beware of the Divels subtile temptations ibid. Satans deceits to draw man into sinne are 1 Promise of pleasure profit c. p. 13 2 Hope of escape and going to heaven p. 14 3 Hope of leaving it when we will p. 15 4 Neerenesse to vertue p. 16 5 Pronenesse of Nature ibid. 6 Turning away the thoughts to something else p. 17 7 Beginning by degrees ibid. DOCT. III. Tishard to discerne false Repentance Confession and Restitution from true False Repentance goes very farre both in respect of the Reasons drawne from the Grounds and Concomitants p. 19 I. The Grounds of false Repentance 1. Selfe-love p. 20 2 Common gifts of the holy Ghost to disapprove the foulenesse of Sinne. p. 21  Hate the uglinesse  3 Aiarnall apprehension of beautie sweetnesse and excellencie in Gods wayes ibid. 4 Good Education ibid. II. False Grounds of Confession 1 Passion p. 22 2 Evident discovery of sinne  3 Torture of conscience  III. False ground of Restitution is the burthensomenesse of sinne ibid. USE I. To shew the vanitie of Popish Doctrine ibid. USE II. To exhort men to try whether their owne Repentance be true or false p. 23 Two things hinder this judging of a mans selfe I. Vnwillingnesse to search the causes whereof are 1 Along perswasion of ones good estate 2. A desire to taine some delightfull sinne II. Inability to judge Helpes to judge whether ones Repentance be true or false are by I. Inward Differences five 1 An inward inclination to holy Duties p. 24 2 An abilitie to performe good purposes p. 25 3 A particular apprebation of holmesse p. 26 4 A detestation of all sinne ibid. 5 A love to God in his Attributes ibid. II. Outward Effects 1 Constancie p. 27 2 An uniformitie in life p. 28 3 Generalitie of obedience ibid. The godly man differs from the wicked in his Relapse 1 In using all meanes against his sinne and shunning all occasions p. 29 2 In not allowing himselfe in it ibid. 3 In labouring to overcome it ibid. 4 In increasing more and more in grace ibid. Differences betweene true and false confession are 1 Confession of the least and secretest sinnes p. 30 2 Constancie ibid. 3 A good ground namely Humiliation ibid. Differences betweene true and false Restitution is a cheerefull not unwilling restoring the things we love and delight in ibid. VSE III. To teach men what to judge of others Repentance p. 31 USE IV. To shew the wofull case of such as have not gone so farre in Repentance as Iudas did ibid. DOCT. IV. Good things are approved in wicked mens consciences whether they will or no. p. 31 REAS. I. Because it is not in mans owne power to iudge as he list but from the light of conscience p. 32 REAS. II. Because Godwill have glory from all his creatures p. 33 USE I. To teach us to thinke well of the waies of God ibid. USE II. Not to be discouraged with any opposition ibid. DOCT. V. Mans nature apt to excuse sinne after t is committed p. 34 REAS. I. Actuall sinneleaves darknesse in the minde ibid. REAS. II. It begets passion that corrupts the judgement p. 35 REAS. III. It weakens the faculties of the soule ibid. REAS. IV. It drives away Gods Spirit from us ibid. USE To flye sinne that blindes our eyes and binders our receverie ibid. USE II. Being falne to remember how apt we are to excuse sinne p. 36 DOCTR VI. Companions in evill least comfortable in times of extremitie p. 36 REAS. I. Gods justice who sets them one against another that joyne against him p. 37 REAS. II. Mans nature apt to love treason hate the traytor ibid. REAS. III. Their owne love being gaine or somebase end ibid. VSE I. To make us beware how we joyne with wicked men ibid. DOCTR VII The greatest comfort in sinne proves commonly the avost discomfortable p. 38 REAS. I. The Curse of God ibid. REAS. II. Sinne makes the soule sicke ibid. VSE I. To make men take beed how they turne from God to sinne p. 39 DOCT. VIII Gods wrath and sinne charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible and insupportable p. 39 What horror of conscience is shewed in six Questions QVEST. I. How horror of conscience wrought 1 By Gods Spirit p. 40 2 By the Divell ibid. Notes to discerne by which of these t is wrought are 1 By the falsehood mingled with the trouble of conscience 2 By the Affection it striketh in us 3 By the extremitie of anguish it causeth 4 By the manner of doing it p. 41 QVEST. II. What a condition such are in ibid. QVEST. III. Whether God sends it for a punishment or preparation of Grace ibid. QVEST. IV. What is to be thought of those that are in such trouble of Conscience p. 42 QVEST. V. How to be discerned from melancholly ibid. QVEST. VI. Whether it may befall the childe of God in the estate of Grace p. 43 As in joy A good thing  The conjunction of that to
favour honor riches or any other thing naughtily it will prove but a trouble 1. From the curse of God although the thing in it selfe be good yet God ever mixeth some evill with it which maketh it bitter Stollen bread is sweet but God filleth the mouth with gravell All misery with Gods favour is most sweet as Pauls imprisonments and whippings and Iosephs but on the contrary side all pleasure with Gods displeasure is bitter 2. Because sinne makes the soule sicke and then it 's never well untill it casts up and thus Iudas the thirty peeces burdening his soule must cast them up Many goe on in sinne and are never troubled As in our bodies though there be ill humours yet they make not a man sicke untill they be stirred so doth not sinne untill God stirres it as here hee did in Iudas and then it makes us sicke This should therefore move men to take heed how they turne saile for their owne advantage Suppose by going from God thou gettest what thou wouldest yet God can make that comfort to prove but a burthen unto thee as hee did Iudas his thirty silver peeces Be therefore content to lose all before thou lose God Now followes the event of all Hee went and hanged himselfe Whence learne That Gods wrath and sinne are exceeding terrible and unsupportable when they are once charged on the conscience This made Iudas to hang himselfe Doe but a little consider mans nature how loth to destroy himselfe how afraid to be killed and you shall find it to bee some great matter that must cause him to make an end of himselfe and to cast himselfe into that which he feared namely hell thus heavy is sinne when God once chargeth it on the conscience that it maketh a man doe all this Indeed sinne was as heavy before but then it lay at our foot and we felt it not but when God layes it once on our shoulders and on our Consciences then shall wee feele the burthen thereof to be farre beyond all torments that can be imagined See this in Christ when God did but charge our sinnes on him how intollerable werethey Now for your better understanding of this point I will first shew you what this horror of conscience is which I will doe by explaining these five questions following By what meanes is this horror of conscience wrought Two wayes sometimes by Gods owne Spirit sometimes by Satan First it 's done by Gods owne Spirit when by it the mind is enlightned to see that he is in bondage by reason of sinne Hence it is that it is called the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8. Secondly and more frequently by Satan when hee by Gods permission doth vexe and terrifie the soules of men and drive them to despaire and this is called horror and the vexing of the soule Now whether this horror of conscience bee wrought by Gods owne Spirit or by Satan we may know by these foure differences 1. If wee find any falshood mingled with this trouble of conscience then it comes from the Divell for the holy Ghost mingles no falshood but onely enlightens and shewes the truth light makes a thing seeme as it is 2. You may discerne of it by the affection it striketh in us for that that the Devill causeth in us striketh a hatred of God but that that Gods Spirit worketh in us causeth a servile feare 3. You may know it by the extremity of anguish it causeth Gods Spirit worketh by meekenesse and consolation but the Divell worketh by extremity of terror and feare 4. You may know it by the manner of doing for the Divell doth it disorderly suddenly and violently without any equality but the Spirit proceedeth orderly first it enlightneth the mind and then it raiseth objections and so goeth on by a little and a little but the Devill worketh violently Hence is that that Satan is said to buffet Paul for all buffeting betokeneth violence Indeed sometime the Spirit doth unequally but yet there is a great difference betweene Satans working and his What is to bee thought of such a condition I answer That such a condition being simply in it selfe considered is very miserable because it estrangeth and draweth the heart away from God yea and from Christ who is the end of Gods works and so therefore must needs be a most haynous sin but yet as God useth it it is a signe or one of the first steps to faith and a good meanes to subdue and weaken the stubbornnesse of our hearts Quest. How may wee know whether God intends this for a punishment or for a preparation of grace Answ. You may know it by the event for when God doth it for the salvation of the creature then after it there followes grace but if it brings not grace after it if there be onely a plowing and no harvest the pricking with a Needle and no thred then it 's a sparke of hell fire and the very praludium of hell What shall wee then thinke of those that never had this horror and trouble of conscience Their estate for all that may be very good for this vexation is not absolutely needfull although humiliation is wherefore if thou hast it not seeke not after it for God useth many meanes yet thou mayest take hence occasion the more to try thine estate Whether comes this horror from mellancholly or how shall wee disceme it from mellancholly If thou apprehend sinne and the wrath of God then it is horror of conscience for when the faculty is pinched upon the right object to wit sinne then it 's no melancholly but in horror the conscience is pitched upon the right obeject viz. sinne for that is the proper object of the conscience As for melancholly that is not griefe but extendeth griefe as varnish is not colour but doth extend the colour Indeed melancholly may bee joyned with it and draw it forth but it comes not wholly from that but from some other inward principle As the fatnesse of the soyle may bring forth the corne the sooner but yet that is not the cause thereof but the root that it hath Againe I answer that all diseases are healed by their contraries If that this were melancholly then might it be healed by merry company which is the contrary unto it but if it bee the horror of conscience then must it onely be healed by the apprehension of Gods love in Jesus Christ. Whether may it befall the childe of God to be in this case after he is in the estate of grace or not I answer That this extremity of horror which Iudas here tasted of never befals the childe God after he is in the estate of grace and my reason is this Because that as perfect love casteth out all feare so where there is some love left there is no perfect feare Indeed Gods children are never wholly without feare Rom. 8. yet in their greatest
he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a
more even as water hardneth Iron when it is hot but this godly sorrow works other effects therefore the Apostle saith I was glad that you were sorrowfull because it wrought repentance in you that is it changed your hearts so much for this question The fourth question is this whether there bee any difference betweene the godly sorrow and that which is false To this I answer that they differ in three things especially 1. In the Obiect  2. In the Causes  3. In the Effects The first difference is in the object the object of worldly sorrow is the punishment of sinne the wrath of God he lookes upon these without any relation to Christ but the object of godly sorrow is sinne as it stands in opposition with the love of God towards him in Christ and howsoever a regenerate man lookes upon the punishment yet in a different degree not so much because he feares punishment as that he should give his father such cause to take such displeasure against him but it is sinne that hee principally lookes upon viz. that he hath displeased so good so gracious a Father as God hath beene unto him and this is that which workes humiliation in him but the other sees the wrath of God and hell death and that finall separation betweene him and happinesse and hereupon for feare of punishment he is humbled Thus you see the difference in the objects The second difference is in the causes the cause of the worldly sorrow is either some judgement present either upon his person or in his substance or in his family or else it is some judgement that hee feares God will inflict upon him hereafter either in his riches or in his credit and reputation amongst men and therefore for feare of these he is humbled But the cause of godly sorrow is the apprehension of sinne as it is contrary unto the nature purity and perfection of God as also of Gods love towards a man he hath an eye given him whereby he sees into the riches of Gods love unto him and then reflects upon himselfe and sees his carriage towards God for such mercy and finding no proportion betweene them hence growes his sorrow that hee should thus requite God with sinne for mercy The third difference is in the effects for as they doe proceed not from one and the same ground so they bring not forth the same but contrary effects and they are three fold First worldly sorrow it drawes the affections of the heart from God because they see him as a judge they cannot love him as a Father he takes God to be his enemy and therefore doth what he can to flye from him because he expects no good from him this we see as before in Adam Cain and Iudas but the godly sorrow it makes a man cleave faster unto Christ to sticke faster unto grace it whets the affections to love Christ to prize Christ more it workes a willing readinesse in the soule to obey it puts by that which would make him flye from Christ Secondly worldly sorrow it hurts the body it breeds diseases it wasts and consumes the Intrailes breeds and brings consumption of the body it duls and makes dead the soule it takes away the rellish of spirituall things it makes a man carelesse to good it daules and makes a man unwilling unto any good But the godly sorrow it is the life of the soule it is the health of the body it quickneth the soule of man unto good it puts a new life into it it workes a readinesse in the will and love in the affections to Christ grace and holinesse Thirdly worldly sorrow it makes a man of a hot and a fiery spirit it stirres him up after evill to reproach and disgrace his neighbour it fils him full of hatred revenge and envy but godly sorrow it breeds another kind of Spirit in him it makes him of a meeke and a quiet spirit wordly sorrow will not put up reproach disgrace and wrong but this will put up all injuries and wrongs and whatsoever else hee meets withall for Christ thus you see the difference betweene these The fifth question is this how shall I know whether my sorrow be a godly sorrow or no. To this I answer you shall know it by these three things 1. By the Ingredients  2. By the Continuance  3. By the Event First I say you shall know it by the Ingredients for first they have not onely the sence of punishment which is common unto the worldly sorrow for I say howsoever it is the property of worldly sorrow to apprehend punishment yet it is likewise required of godly sorrow to be sensible of punishment but there is another light put into him whereby hee sees into the uncleanenesse of sinne he sees sinne in its owne dye not onely sinne to bee sinne but sinne to bee vile and hereupon he will not content himselfe with mercy unlesse he may have grace but the other cares not if he may be free from punishment whether hee hath strength against corruption or no. Secondly you shall know it by the continuance of it godly sorrow is constant but worldly sorrow is but a passion of the mind it changes it lasts not though for the present it may be violent and strong and worke much outwardly yet it comes but by fits and continues not like a land flood which violently for the present over-flowes the banckes but it will away againe it is not alwayes thus but the godly sorrow is like a spring that still keepes his running it is not dryed up but runnes still it is not so violent as the other but it is more sure you shall have it still running both Winter and Summer wet and dry in hot and cold earely and late so this godly sorrow is the same in a regenerate man still take him when you will he is still sorrowing for sinne this godly sorrow it stands like the center of the earth which removes not but still remaines Thirdly you shall know it by the successe and event of it it will turne the heart unto Christ it will make the heart stand more firme in grace it will turne the whole frame of the soule unto God like the Loadstone that will not rest till it hath toucht the Iron or as the needle touched will not stand till it touch the North-pole So it is with this godly sorrow when a man hath received but a touch of the spirit he will never rest till he hath toucht Christ till he be at peace with him nothing will satisfie him till Christ come into the Soule till Christ be his nothing will make him to remove that confidence and trust that hee hath in Christ all things shall goe for Christ. But the worldly sorrow hath another successe namely to flye faster away from God as I have showed in Iudas and Caine. And thus much for this question The sixt question
feare there is in them the root of comfort remaining There are many examples that may bee brought to prove the same but I know none like that of our Saviour Christ who although he was in such unspeakeable horror of conscience that it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee yet this horror was mingled with faith comfort and the assurance of Gods favour So Gods Children may have such sorrow and be so drunken with wormewood that it may make them not to know what to doe yet in all this griefe the fire of Gods love is not quite extinguished but there are some sparkes thereof remaining under these ashes Here is a Caveat to be given of two things First Let those that are in this disposition of minde take heed of that that Satan in this condition may labour to bring us unto for then they are in a disease and those that are in a disease incline unto some thing Take heed then of polluting the Sabbath and other sinnes that hee may intice thee to for Sanus and AEger differ the one desires one thing the other another Secondly Something must bee done positively for the healing of our griefe when that we are in sorrow wee must pitch it upon the proper object to wit sinne and put away all worldly sorrow for that bringeth death but sorrow for sinne that bringeth life All these things thus being expounded the point is manifest That sinne and Gods wrath being charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible Indeed when the burthen lyes on the ground we feele it not but when it lyes on our shoulders So before this horror is charged on the conscience wee feele it not but then is it exceeding terrible It is with griefe as it is with joy There are three things in all joy 1. There is a good thing 2. There is the conjunction of that good thing to us 3. A reflect knowledge thereof So also in griefe there are threethings 1. There is a bad thing 2. The conjunction of that to us 3. The reflecting of the understanding whereby we know the hurt that comes to us thereby When a man feeles and sees and knowes his sinne then is it unsupportable and the reason thereof is because that then a mans spirit is wounded and cannot beare it selfe The Reasons of this point are these three First because that sinne and Gods wrath are in themselves the greatest evill as righteousnesse and Gods favour are the greatest good Men may thinke that punishment were the greatest evill but it is not for that is but the effect of sinne sinne is the cause thereof now we know that the cause is alwayes greater than the effect Now when God shall open our eyes to see this sinne and Gods wrath then it will be an insupportable burthen This is the reason that at the day of Judgement the wicked shall cry Hils and Mountaines fall upon us to hide us from the presence of the Judge because that then God shall open their eyes to see their sinnes which if hee should doe now while they are here on earth would make them cry out as much As it is with comfort so it is with griefe If we know not of it it affects us not As the Army that was about Gebezai it comforted not him because hee saw it not So for griefe although hell and damnation be about us yet if we see it not wee doe not regard it The second Reason is taken from Gods manner of working on the spirit of the creature hee then leaveth it now wee are to know That the greatest comfort the Creature hath is the fruition of Gods presence the greatest griefe is his absence if we want that wee are deprived of all comfort as if the Sunne be absent wee are deprived of all light If there were but a little comfort remaining that would serve to hold the head above the water but if all comfort bee gone it then presently sinketh The proper object of feare and griefe is the absence of good and prelence of evill and both them come by the privation of Gods presence The third Reason is taken from the nature of conscience it selfe when it is awakened because that then it is sensible of the least sinne for every faculty as it is larger so it is more capable of joy and griefe therefore men are said to be more capable of joy and griefe than the bruit beasts and in man the soule is more capable than the body and in the soule conscience of all other parts most capable and as the conscience is capable of the greatest griefe so also of the greatest comfort it is capable of the peace of God which passeth all understanding And surely this horror of conscience is nothing else but a sparke of hell fire which the Heathen had some inkling of when they sayd they were exagitated with the furies Seeing then that the wrath of God is thus insuppartable this should teach us in all things especially to labour to keepe a good conscience and to labour to be free from the guilt of sinne if the wrath of God be the greatest evill then should the whole streame of our endevours be to take heed thereof by labouring for to keepe a pure conscience Proportion your care herein to the good that will come thereby it will bring the unspeakeable comfort without this labour to keepe a good conscience thou wilt neuer have thy heart perfect therefore labour for it consider the good it bringeth Men busie their heads here to the utmost for other things as for Learning Credit Riches Honour and all because they thinke that they are worthy their labour Let us then but consider the fruit that this peace of conscience will bring let us but gather up our thoughts that are busied so much about other things and but consider this a little which if men would but doe they would spend more time about it then they d ee for now these things are done but by the bye and have not that tithe of the time spent about them that should be which we spend about other things But let such know that it is but a folly to goe about that worke with a finger which requires the strength of the whole body When this worke of the building of grace doth require the whole strength of a man and we put not our whole strength thereto it is no marvell if we doe not prosper therein Let us therefore seriously consider our wayes let us consider with what tentations the Devill daily assayeth us Consider that it were as good get ground of the raging Sea as of raging lusts Consider these things with thy selfe I am verily perswaded that the chiefest cause why there is so much deadnesse in those that belong unto Christ is because they consider not their wayes Take time therefore to consider thy wayes It is no wonder to see men complaining of their weaknesse when
as they will not labour to keepe a good conscience it is all one as if a sluggard should complaine of his poverty or an idle scholler should complaine of his ignorance Be exhorted therefore to prize the peace of conscience spend the chiefest of your cares for it what if you loose some few other things so you get that they are all nothing in comparison to that but the common fashion now is to spend but a little time in such things as these are and so thinke that enough too This sheweth us the miserable condition of those that still lye in their sinnes it may be they thinke the burthen thereof to be light and account it not but when the burthen of their sinnes shall be layed upon them they will finde to be intollerable now while the burden lyes not on their shoulders they feele it not but when God shall once say Let him beare the burden of his sinnes we shall finde them to be unsupportable even able to presse us downe to hell as here they did Iudas The common fashion of men is not to regard what sinne they runne into for the escaping of some outward crosse thinking that to be the greater but they shall one day to their cost finde the contrary that these outward punishments and losses are nothing in comparison to the inward that as outward cold and heat is nothing to the inward the heat in summer is nothing to the heat of the feaver so that these outward crosses are but as the heat in summer inward like the heate of the feavor But it s a wonderfull thing to see how men like little children rejoyce and tremble at appearances Children cry not at things to be feared but at things not to be feared as Hobgoblins and the like they cry so doe men most commonly feare those things that are but umbrae doloris for outward evils are like the scabbard without the sword which cannotcut they are only inward evils which are like a deepe pit out of which we cannot be recovered Set your hearts therefore in a right disposition of judging of sinne that you may judge aright thereof as it is in it selfe labour to apprehend Gods wrath for sinne and beat downe those lusts that like mists hinder us from the sight thereof Judge of sinne as the Scripture judgeth of it for that is the true glasse judge of these outward things as they are see how you should judge of them in the day of death and so judge of them now and by this meanes you shall foresee the plague and prevent it Seeing then that sinne is so unsupportable when once it is charged upon the conscience this should teach us earnestly to sue for pardon for it above all other things if we meane to have it It is now become the fashion of the world to pray for the pardon of their sinne in a superficiall manner but such shall never obtaine it but only those that are fervent in prayer for it for God will be glorified of every man both of the unjust and just 2. For the wicked he will be glorified of them at the day of Judgement in their destruction This is the meaning of that place Rev. 1. 7. Behold he commeth with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle because of him But for his owne servants those that he calleth he first woundeth he causeth them for to see their sinnes and the pittifull case they are in by reason of them and then he causeth them to see him in his Attributes of Love Mercy and Judgement and maketh them to sue unto him for pardon as a man condemned and ready to be executed and thus he is also glorified by them Seeke therefore for the pardon of your sinnes if you did but feele the burthen thereof a while as Iudas did you would if you cannot see your sinnes labour to see them Some may here say How shall wee doe to get pardon we desire it with all our hearts Use a right method 1. Labour to be humbled by the Law 2. Labor to be comforted againe by the Gospel 1. For the Law that must humble us 1. By the declaration of the fault 2. By the commination of punishment Which thou must apply unto thy selfe 1. Thou must apply unto thy selfe the corruption of thy nature by reason of thy sinnes 2. Thou must consider what thou hast deserved for this thy sinne Thefirst being as the Jury that tels a man hee is guilty the second being as the Judge that pronounceth the sentence of death This is the way to be humbled and so to come to sound repentance Thus did Paul with Foelix Act. 24 25. He reasoned of temperance righteousnesse and judgement to come 1. He reasoned of Righteousnesse and Temperance that is he told him what righteousnesse and temperance was required of them that should be saved 2. He added judgement to come that is he threatned the terrors of the Law and so made himto tremble So likewise let us doe first consider what righteousnesse temperance purity and holinesse is required of them that would be saved then in the second place considerthe judgement that is threatned if we doe not performe these things Now that we may the better see the fault 1. Fasten thine eyes upon some particular grosse sin as suppose it be of drunkennesse uncleannesse lying against the conscience see if thou art guilty of such sins first as the woman of Samaria did by her adultery Ioh. 4. So David when he had committed adultery first he saw that and the seeing that hee came to see the corruption of his owne nature for it is a loud sound that must first awaken a man then being once awakened he will heare lesser sounds 2. After thou hast thus done then consider the corruption of thy nature looke on all the faculties of the soule see how they are out of square the understanding is dulled the conscience when it should cry then it s still and when it should be still then it cryes the memory ready to forget good things but prone to retaine privy grudges towards our neighbors the will wil do a thing when as the understanding tels it that it is contrary to Gods will therefore should not be done and so likewise for the other affections all which when we have done let us looke on the streightnesse of the law the crookednes of our lives how short we come of doing that we should and then see what we have deserved for it 2. This being done let us comfort our selves with the Promises of the Gospell for grace can never truly be wrought untill by the Gospell we beleeve humiliation cannot do it we must therfore know that God is exceeding merciful more thē we canimagin and lay hold upon his love in Christ by a true faith Every man knowes that God is mercifull but we are not fit for to