Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	put_v	spirit_n	stony_a	3,973	5	11.7036	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12183	The excellencie of the Gospell above the law Wherein the liberty of the sonnes of God is shewed. With the image of their graces here, and glory hereafter. Which affords much comfort and great incouragement, to all such as begin timely, and continue constantly in the wayes of God. By R. Sibbs, D.D. Mr. of Katherin Hall Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes-Inne, London. Begun in his life time, and published by T.G. and P.N.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1639 (1639)	STC 22492; ESTC S117300	150,485	668

but he doth not enter into the soule nor alter and change the soule hee doth not worke upon the soule as an inward worker but onely as an outward intreater and perswader and allurer propounding objects and with objects perswasions and allurements this is too shallow a conceite for so deepe a businesse as this for the Spirit works more deepely than so it puts a new life into the soule it takes away the stony heart and gives a fleshly heart those phrases of Scripture are too weighty to fasten such a shallow sence upon them onely as to intreate them to be converted as a man would intreate a stone to be warme and to come out of its place he might intreate long enough but the Spirit with that speech it puts a new life and power and then acts and stirres that power to all that is good Object Oh say they which is their maine objection here is a prejudice to the liberty of the will this is to overthrow the nature of man Answ. Oh by no meanes this is no prejudice to the liberty of the will for the Spirit of God is so wise an agent that he workes upon the soule preserving the principles of a man it alters the judgement by presenting greater reasons and further light than it saw before and then it alters the will that we Will contrary to that wee did before by presenting to the will greater reasons to be good than ever it had to be ill before then the soule chooseth freely of its owne will any thing when it doth it upon discovery of light and reason with advisement and reason then the soule doth things freely when i● doth them upon the designment of reason when judgement tells me this is good Now when the Spirit changeth the soule it presents such strong reasons to come out of that cursed estate I am in and to come to the blessed estate in Christ that the will presently followes that that the understanding presents as the chiefe good of all here the freedome is preserved because the will is so stirred by the holy Ghost as that it stirres it selfe being stirred by the holy Ghost and upon this ground it sees a better good So that grace takes not away liberty no it stablisheth liberty though we hold that in effectuall grace the Spiri● of God workes upon the soule throughly yet notwithstanding wee preserve liberty because we say that the soule works of its owne principles notwi●hstanding grace because the Spirit of God acts and leades the soule according to the nature of the soule the Spirit of God preserves things in the manner of doing of things it is the manner of doing of the reasonable creature to doe things freely therefore the Spirit working upon the soule it preserves that Modus though it worke effectually upon the soule and the more effectually it workes upon the soule the more free the soule is because it seeth reason to doe good therefore the more we give to the Spirit in the question of grace and nature the more we stablish liberty and prejudice it not Where these three or foure rules are observed there liberty is preserved though there be a mighty working of the holy Spirit As. First where the will chooseth and makes choise and inclines to a thing with the advisement of reason alway that must be or else it is not a humane action now when the Spirit of God sets the will at liberty a man doth that he doth with full advisement of reason for though God worke upon the will it is with inlightning of the understanding at the same time and all grace in the will comes through the understanding as all heate upon inferiour things it comes with light so that though heate ch●rish the earth it comes with light so all the worke upon the soule is by the heate of the Spirit but it comes from the light of the understanding so the freedome of the soule is preserved because it is with light Againe where freedome is there is a power to apprehend other things as well as that it doth to reason on both sides I may doe this or that for that power to reason on both sides is proper to the soule alway now grace takes not alway that power to reason on both sides for when a man is set at liberty from the base slavery of ill to doe good he can reason with himselfe I might have done this and that if I would be damned so that the judgement is not bound to one thing onely but the judgement tells him hee might have done otherwise if he would but he sees hee must doe this if hee will not bee damned Againe where there is liberty and freedome there is an enla●gement to understand more things then one or else there were no freedome and though the soule bee determined to chuse one thing and not many yet of it selfe it hath power to choose many things to make this cleere a little some creatures are confined to one thing out of the narrownesse of the parts they have some are confined to one thing out of the largenesse of parts these seeme contrary but thus I will give this instance to make it cleere the creature that is unreasonable is alway confined to one manner of working because they want understanding to worke in a diverse manner birds make their nests and Bees make their hives alwayes after one manner because of their narrownesse that they have not choyse Now when the Spirit sets a man at liberty to holy things he is confined to good especiall this is in heaven this is out of largenesse of understanding apprehending many goods and many ills and that good that hee conceives to be the best good out of a large understanding he is determined to that one so that though the Spirit of God take away as it were that present liberty that a man cannot doe ill it will not suffer him to be so bad as he was yet it leaves him in a state of good to doe a multitude of good things And then though it confine him to a state of happinesse that he cannot will the contrary yet here is no liberty taken a way because it is done out of strength of knowledge not out of narrownesse because there is no more things for him to judge but out of largenesse telling him this is the best of all and carries all the soule after it the glory of heaven robbes not a man of is power What is the reason they are determined eternally to that that is good Is it for want of understanding that the Angels choose not ill No they know what ill is by speculation but there is a strength of understanding to know that that is good and the understanding where it hath a full light it carries the will to choose therefore where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty notwithstanding all objections to the contrary the Spirit takes

c. Notes wherby we may know that we have the Spirit 609 6●0 c. All good in us from the Spirit 624 Hence learne to give the Spirit his due 633 634 c. FINIS Excellency of the GOSPEL above the LAVV. 2 COR. 3. 17 18. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty But wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. THe Apostle beginneth this Chapter with the commendation of his Ministry having beene put upon it by their undervaluing of him yet so as together with himselfe he commendeth them as his best and onely Testimoni●l and Letters of commendation vers 2. and so maketh way for himselfe to fal into a more set and large commendation of the glorious Gospell it selfe whereof God hath made him so able a Minister to them vers 6. And because the excellency of any thing is best commended by comparing and setting by it something else that excels in it selfe and yet is exceeded by it therefore he carrieth along his commendation of the Ministery of the Gospell through the whole Chapter by comparing it with the Law and the Ministery of the Old Testament This comparison is made by the Apostle First more briefly in laying down some distinct properties and prerogatives of the Gospell wherein it excelleth the Law vers 6. as 1. that this was the Min●stery 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 qaickeneth And then by Inferences drawne from these properties thus briefly summed up the Apostle more largely illustrates the transcendent Glory of the Gospell and howfarre 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 ingraven in s●ones was glorious verse the seventh that is if the litterall notions and bare knowledge of the Law which like so many dead words or Characters maketh no a●●eration at all but leaueth their hearts hard and stony like the Tables on which the law was written which remained stones still If this was glorious even the litterall ●●owledge of the Law as 〈◊〉 was both in the Jewes own account of themselves and in the judgement of the Nations amongst whom they liued How shall not the ministration of the Spirit bee 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 inke 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 through alteration in the wholeman as the writing within in the Tables of their hearts is knowne and read of all men so that their lives and conversations being answerable to that spirituall 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 no by the Law Gal. 3. 2. which is a Spirit of glory and worketh gloriousthings both in the hearts and lives of men must needs be rather glorious 2. Another Inference wee have in the 9. verse if the ministration of condemnation be glorious that is if that word which concluded men under sinne and pronounced the sentence of death upon them bee glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory For it is more glorious to pardon than to condemne to give life than to destroy It is the glory of a man to passe over an offence Prov. 19. and in God it is called the riches of his glory Rom. 9. 23 The Law which was made glorious in terrifying condemning and stopping the mouthes of men in so much as they had not a word to say for themselves hath no glory by reason of the glory of the Gospell that excelleth even in this respect that it bringeth such a righteousnesse 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 verse the eleventh if that which is done away was glorious as the old Covenant is which was made old by the comming of the New Heb. 8. and by it removed as a thing growne weake and shaken Heb. 12. much more that which remaineth which is the New Covenant which cannot bee shaken but shall remaine and is the everlasting Gospell Rev. 14. is more glorious as Gods last works exceed the former and taketh away the remembrance of them in comparison as when hee createth New heavens and a New earth the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde Esa. 65. 4. There is another excellency of the Gospell above the Law which the Apostle addeth and insisteth upon it more largely then upon all the rest and that is the comfortable plainnesse and perspicuity of the Doctrine and Ministry of it verse the twelfth Seeing we have such hope wee use great plainnesse of Speech In which it excelled the Ministry of Moses which was in much difficulty and obscurity and that in a threefold respect layd downe in the 13 14 and 15 verses 1. The Matter of it was terrible tending to the shame confusion of face and condemnation of the hearers insomuch as they were notable to stand before him nor stedfastly to behold his face it was such a dazling and amazing light that shined in his Ministry 2. The Manner of delivery was in obscure and darke 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 Ministery by reason of the Types and Shadowes which was the vaile hee put upon his face 3. Their minds were blinded there was a vaile upon their hearts which is evident by experience in the Jewes at this day who so cleave in their affections to Moses and to the Shadowes and Ceremonies of his Ministry that they reject the scope and end of it which is Jesus Christ crucified And they can doe no other for although the vaile that was upon Moses face by removed as it is by the doctrine of the Gospell which sheweth us in all possible plainnesse what the drift and meaning of Moses was in all those Types and Ceremonies yet untill the Gospel in the Spirit and efficacy of it commeth home to their hearts and taketh off the vayle that is upon their hearts also that is untill their naturall blindnesse and obstinacy be taken away which cannot be but is

because it is carryed with the current of nature but in age it is more refined that that is that knowledge they have is more pure and more setled and that love and affection is more refined there is lesse selfe-love and that zeale they have it is joyned with more heavenly discretion there is lesse wild fire there is lesse strange fire with though there be lesse heate of nature that it doe not worke in outward demonstrations to the eye of the world yet it is more refined and pure so grace growes thus likewise in the purity and perfection of it Not altogether pure for somewhat will sticke to our best performances savouring of the worst principle in nature for as we carry flesh and spirit alway so that that comes from them will savour of corruption yet lesse in a growne Christian that is a father in Christianity than in another From glory to glory Grace is glory in regard of the state before the least degree of grace is glory in regard of the state of nature but grace is not glory properly till it come to a growth grace is not glorious so in comparison to other Christians that are growne in regard of the state of nature grace is glory take it in the lowest for is not this a glory for a man to be taken into the fellowship of Christ to be the Sonne of God and an heire of heaven to have Angels for his attendants to be begotten by the glorious Gospell the Word of God that imortall seede whatsoever thing is about a Christian it is glorious is not he glorious that hath God the Father and God the Son the Lord of glory and the holy Ghost the Spirit of glory and the glorious Gospell and glorious Angels for his attendants every thing is glorious in a Christian in every Christian there is this so grace is a kinde of glory but notwithstanding wee must not content our selves with that grace is then especially glory when it comes to growth we must labour that grace may appeare what is glory properly glory is excellency and victory over the contrary with manifestation excellency manifested Now a man is sayd to bee glorious in grace when his grace comes to be excellent in view and victorious over the contrary with publick manifestation Vse 1 Now this we ought to labour for though grace be glory in respect of the former estate yet in the ranke of Christians wee ought to be glorious that is more and more gracious both In regard of God that God may have the more glory from us the more grace the more esteeme from him because we resemble him And in regard of Christ Iesus the more glorious we are the more wee resemble him Let us labour to be more and more glorious in regard likewise of the Church whom we shall benefit more the more we grow in grace the more we shall prevaile with God by our prayers who prevayled more with their prayers than Moses and such men Againe when grace is glorious that is with victory and full manifestation the more we are fit to give a luster and light that others seeing it may glorifie God to draw others to the love of grace when they see grace glorious now grace is then glorious in us that others may be incouraged when wee can resist strong temptations when we are not like children carried away with the winde of every doctrine this is a glorious thing when a Christian can hold his owne in the worst times when it is a witty thing to be a Christian as Hillary sayd in a time of schisme it required a great deale of wit to be a Christian it requires a great deale of wit and studdy to hold a man on in Christianity And for a man to bee strong against temptations and the world whether it frowne or fawne that hee cares for neither but holds his owne is not this a glorious thing when a man shall carry himselfe as a Lyon breake through oppositions in ill times and fall square cast him as you will in all conditions here is a glorious Christian therefore though grace be glory that must not content us but wee must labour to have such a measure of glory as that we may be glorious in our owne ranke is it not a glorious thing when a man can breake through doubts and feares that trouble other folke too much as the sunne is sayd to be in glory when he is gotten on high there are many clouds in the morning but when the funne is gotten to his height at noone day hee scatters all so a Christian is in his glory and exaltation when he can scatter doubts and feares and terrours that trouble other weake beginning Christians therefore when we are troubled with scruples with this and that we should labour to get out of them that grace may be glorious to shew that we have gotten such a light and such a convincing knowledge and that wee are so rooted in fa●th and grace that the Spirit of Christ in us hath broken through all these clouds and mists and made us glorious From glory to glory Our glory it is not like a torrent that runs a maine for a time and after is dryed up for ever grace it is a continuing and an increasing thing it continues still as the streame that it is fed with is an ever-living spring so is grace it is fed with the grace in Christ and he is a never-dying spring a fountaine for that grace in him is fed with his divinity therefore there must be a perpetuall Spring in Christ so where Christ hath opened a spring in the heart hee will feede that grace perpetually Vse 2 Let none be discouraged that have grace begun in them God will goe on with his own grace when hee hath begunne a good Worke hee will finish it to the day of the Lord Though grace be little at the first yet it shall not stay there it growes up we know not how but at last it is glorious indeed for till grace be growne it is little discerned from other things as betweene weeds and herbes there i● little difference when they be green till they be growne grace is little at the first as a graine of Mustardseed Ierusalem is not built in a day as wee say of Rome you have some that are a weaker sort of Christians that are good they would faine be in Canaan as soon as ever they are out of Egypt and I cannot blame them but hereupon they are discomforted as soone as ever they have grace in them they would have their pitch presently out of spiritual covetousnesse Oh that I had more knowledge and more victory c. these desires are good for God puts not in vaine desires into the hearts of his children but they must be content to be lead from glory to glory from one degree of grace to another Christ himselfe grew more in favour with God and man as that

changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord so in the chayne of Salvation you have passive words in them all Whom God foreknew he chose and whom hee chose hee justified and whom he justified he glorified all because they come from God and the Spirit of God so here we are transformed from glory to glory all is by the Spirit of God the third person for beloved even as from God toward us all things come through the Sonne by the Spirit so backe againe all things from us to God must come by the Spirit and through Christ wee doe all by the Spirit as all things are wrought in us by the Spirit God gives us the Spirit of Prayer and supplication and the Spirit of Sanctification and we pray in the Spirit and worke in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit wee doe all in the Spirit to shew that the Spirit doth all in all in this new creature and worke of Sanctification it is by no lesse then the Spirit of the Lord For beloved as it was God that redeemed us so it is God that must change us as it was God that wrought our Salvation and reconciled us no l●sse person could doe it so it must bee God that must perswade us of that glorious worke and fit us for it by his holy Spirit it is God that must knit us to our head Christ and then by little and little transforme us to that blessed condition that Christ hath purchased for us God the Sonne doth the one and God the Spirit doth the other you have all the three persons in this place for wee see the glory of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost shining in lesus Christ. Christ is the Image according to which we are changed the Spirit is he that changeth us according to that Image God shewes his mercy in Christ we knowing and apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by the Spirit are changed by that Spirit from glory to glory so that the blessed Trinity as they have a perfect unity in themselves in nature for they are all one God so they have a most perfect unity in their love and care and respect to mankinde we cannot want the worke of any one of them all their worke is for the good of mankind The Father in his wisedome decreed and laid the foundation how mercy and justice might be reconciled in the death of the mediator Christ wrought our Salvation the Holy Ghost assures us of it and knits us to Christ and changeth and fits us to be members of so glorious a head and so translates and transformes us more and more from glory to glory It is a comfortable consideration to see how our salvation and our fitting for salvation till wee be put in full possession of it stands upon the unity of the three glorious persons in the Trinity that all joyne in one for the making of man happy I will name two or three Doctrines before I come to that which I meane to dwell on As first that The Spirit comes from Christ. It is said here By the Spirit of the Lord that is of Christ Because Christ doth spirare as well as the Father the Father doth spirare and the Son doth breath the Holy Ghost proceedes by way of spiration from both therefore the Spirit is not only the Spirit of the Father but of the Sonne as we see here The Spirit of the Lord. Christ sends the Spirit as well as the Father I will send you the Comforter The Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and hee doth report to us the love of the Father and of the Sonne and therefore 2 Cor. 13. The shut●ing up of the Chapter The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost c. As the Holy Ghost hath communion in proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and knowes the secrets of both so he reveales them to us the love of God the Father and the Sonne and the communion of the the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Sonne as well as from the Father he is called here the Spirit of the Lord. Then againe the Spirit is a distinct person from Christ it is said before The Lord is that Spirit that might trouble men how to know that The Lord is that Spirit men might thinke that Christ is all one with the Spirit No here the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of the Lord he meanes he is another distinct person from Christ and the Spirit is God as well as Christ because the Spirit hath the operations of God attributed to him to change and transfrome and make new wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory Even as by the Spirit of the Lord creation and renovation of all new is from an Almighty power all the power in Heaven and earth cannot make that that was not to be especially that that was contrary and opposite to be now for a man in opposition and enmity to Religion to be changed to a better Image to the Image of Christ it argueth an Almighty power these Doctrinall poynts I doe but onely touch I come to that that I judge more usefull that is that What soever ● good in us it comes from the Spirit of God What need I stand upon reasons whatsoever is above nature it must come from Gods Spirit the Spirit is the Authour of all things above nature grace whereby wee are like Christ it is above nature therefore it must bee by the Spirit of God Besides that which riseth of nothing and is opposite and hath Sathan to oppose it it must have an Almighty power to work it Therefore whosoever workes any thing that is supernaturally good in us hee must be above the devill we cannot so much as call Iesus with a feeling but by the Spirit of God we cannot thinke a good thought all is by the Spirit whatsoever is gracious and comfortable in us I should bee overtroublesome to you to be much in so cleare a common argument as this is therfore I wil hasten to make some use of it Vse 1 And therefore put out of your thoughts I beseech you when you look to have any grace or comfort wrought shut out of your hearts too much relying upon any outward thing thinke not that education can make a man good or plodding can make a man good in bodily exercise in hearing much in conferring much in custome or education or any paines of our owne these are things that the Spirit will be effectuall in if we use them as wee should but without the Spirit what are they● nay what is the body of Christ without the Spirit The flesh prositeth nothing what is the Sacrament and the Word dead things without the Spirit of the Lord nothing can worke upon the soule no outward thing in the world but the Spirit of God and the

liberty of will but God saw wee were all ill husbands of grace and goodnesse that he would not trust us againe therefore he trusted God-man the second Adam with grace and hee sends his Spirit into us and conveyes grace from glory to glory by degrees and all by the Spirit of the Lord. And in the next place this point of doctrine should mervailously comfort and stay us and direct us Vse 2 It should comfort us when we finde no goodnesse at all nor no strength at all nor no strength at all in our natures doth God expect that wee should have any thing from our selves who expects any thing from a barren wildernesse our hearts are such God knowes it well enough there is no goodnesse in us no more than there is moysture in a stone or a rocke therefore he looks that we should begge the Spirit of him and depend upon him for the Spirit of his Sonne to open our eyes with the Spirit of illumination to reveale his love to us and then to sanctifie us and to worke us more and more to glory and to worke out all corruption by little and little he expects that we should depend upon him for the Spirit in all things we doe Therefore Christians are much to blame they thinke to worke and to hew out of their owne nature the love of God and keepe a doe with their owne hearts as if they had a principle of grace in themselves as of themselves and they may long enough worke that way but that is not the way but acknowledgement that in our selves as of our selves as Saint Paul saith we cannot doe any thing we cannot so much by all the power in the world as thinke a good thought If wee should live a thousand yeares there cannot rise out of our hearts a good desire of our selves all is out of us from the Spirit of the Lord Now thereupon we must not looke for it in our selves but goe to God for his holy Sp●rit goe to Christ for his Spirit for the Spirit proceeds from them both that hee would enlighten us and sanctifie us as I shewed in particular before we must not therefore presume that we can doe any thing of our selves and so wee must not despaire shall we despaire when once wee beleeve in Christ when we have abundance of grace and Spirit in our head Christ and he can derive his Spirit as hee pleaseth he gives the Spirit by degrees as he pleaseth for he is a voluntary head to dispence it as he will he is not a naturall head who shall despaire when he is in Christ who is compleate and in him wee receive grace for grace grace answerable for grace in him Let none presume that he can doe any thing of himselfe for you see how God suffered holy men to miscarry it was folly in this case in Peter to presume of his owne strength Though all forsooke Christ yet would not he he presumed upon his owne strength God left him to himselfe you see how foulely he fell so it is with us all when wee presume upon the strength of our nature and parts We must not come to this holy place in the strength of our owne wit and parts but come with a desire that the Spirit may joyne with his ordinances and make them efficatious for our change all change is by the Spirit of the Lord nothing workes above his owne sphere It is above the pow●r of nature to worke any thing supernaturall therefore if we will profit by the Word come not with presumptuous spirits but lift up our hearts to God that his Spirit may cloath the ministery with vigour and power that he may convey holy truthes into our hearts and make them effectu●ll for the changing of the inward and of the outward man then we come as we should all is by the Spirit of the Lord blessing all meanes whatsoever without which all meanes are dead therefore we must open as that flower that opens and shuts as the Sunne shines on it so must wee as Christ shines on us and we ebbe and flow as hee flowes upon us we shine or are darke as hee shines on us as the ayre is no longer light than the sunne shines so we are no longer lightsome and open and flow and are carryed to any thing than Christ by his Spirit flowes on us for we doe what we doe but we are patients first to receive that power from the Spirit we heare and doe good workes but the activity and power and strength comes all from the Spirit of God Vse 3 Hence likewise wee may make another use of tryall whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no whether wee have the holy Ghost which is called here the Spirit of the Lord I will not goe out of the text for tryalls if a man have the Spirit of God it openeth the eyes of his soule to see in the glasse of the Word the face of God shining on him in Christ if a man have the Spirit he sees God as a Father by the Spirit of ●illumination Againē if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast the Spirit of love Gods Spirit manifesteth the hidden love of God that was hid in the breast of God to his soule for the Spirit of God searcheth the breast of God and the secret of God and it searcheth my heart Now he that hath the Spirit of God knowes the love of God in Christ to him it reveales the love of God the heighth and breadth and depth of it to our Spirits as in the text we see the gracious love of God in Christ and then wee love him againe And thereupon where the Spirit is it changeth it is not onely a Spirit of illumination but of sanctification where hee dwels hee sanctifieth the house and makes it a Temple it is efficatious where the Spirit is it will worke it is like the wind where it is it will stirre it will move where it moves not it is not at all where the Spirit alters not the condition from bad to good and from good to better suspect that it is not there at least it will move as the pulses will have a drawing in and a sending out by stirring so there will be some operation of the Spirit that is discernable to a judicious eye alway some stirring where the Spirit of God is The Papists slander us willingly I thinke against many of their consciences that understand any thing● Oh say they we will have Christians like sathan to appeare as Angels of light and blackamores in white garments that have their teeth white and nothing else so your Christians put on the garment of Christs righteousnesse let them put on that and then though they be not changed a whit it is no matter who teacheth thus we teach out of this Text that First of all the Spirit of God opens our eyes he takes off the vayle and then wee see the

glory of Gods mercy in Christ pardoning our sinnes for the righteousneffe and obedience of Christ and then that love warmes our hearts so that it changeth our hearts by the Spirit from one degree of grace to another there is a changing power that goes with the love of Christ and with the mercy of God in Christ this 〈◊〉 Doctrine the same Spirit that justifieth us by applying to us the obedience of Christ the same Spirit sanctifyeth us therefore their allegations and objections are to no purpose wee see here the Spirit of the Lord changeth us And so for your common Atheisticall professors that professe themselves Christians they partake of the name but not of the annoynting of Christ true Christians that are annoynted with the Spirit of Christ it will inforce a change Beloved we cannot behold the Sunne but wee must be enlightned we cannot behold the Sunne of righteousnesse but we shall be changed and enlightned The eye of faith though we thinke not of it though it looke upon Christ for justification and forgivenesse of sinnes yet notwithstanding at the same time incensibly there is an alteration of the soule if a man looke up for other ends yet at the same time there is an enlightning by the Sunne so at the same time that wee looke upon the mercy of God in Christ at the same time there is a glory shines upon us and wee are altred and changed though we thinke not of it at the very instant that we apprehend justification and forgivenesse of sinnes in the mercy of God in Christ at the same instant there is a glory put upon the soule we cannot have commerse with the God of glory but we shall be glorious Therefore there is no man that hath any thing to doe with God that hath not some glory put into his soule whatsoever he is Therefore let no man thinke hee hath any thing to doe in Religion till he finde the worke of the Spirit altering and changing him He hath the title of Holy Spirit from the blessed worke of sanct●●ying an● changing he 〈…〉 And when hehath changed us he governes and guides us from glory to glory where the Holy Ghost is therfore he promotes the worke of grace begunne he doth not onely move us but promove he promotes the worke begunne therefore those that have the Spirit of God they rest in no degree of grace but grow from grace to grace from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith till they come to that measure of perfection that God hath appointed them in Christ those therefore that set up their staffe and will goe no further that thinke all is well they have not the Spirit of God for the Spirit stirres up to grow from one degree of grace to another to adde grace to grace and to enter further and further into the Kingdome of grace and to come nearer to glory still For this end the holy Spirit dwels in us and guides us as it is Rom. 8. he is a Tutor to us where the holy Ghost is in any body it is as a counseller Guide mee by thy counsell till thou bring me to glory It is a Tutor as Noblemens children they have their Tutors so Gods children are nobly borne they have their Tutor and Counsellor as well as Angels to attend them they have the Spirit of God to tell them this doe and that doe and here you have done ill they have a voyce behind them to teach them in particular wherein they have done amisse they that have the Spirit finde such a sweete operation of the Spirit the Spirit is a teacher and a counsellour to them they that are acquainted wi●h the government of Gods Spirit they find i checking them presently when they doe ill 〈◊〉 grieves them when they grieve the Spirit so it teach●th them in particular ●usinesses doe this doe not that Thus wee may know if we have the Spirit if it guide and governe us from glory to glory till wee come to per●ection where the Spirit is all in all in heaven Another evidence is this the Spirit where it is it rests and abides because it doth not onely change us at the first but it leads us from glory to glory as Saint Augustine saith wicked men have the Spirit of God knocking and he would saine enter as the wickedest man when he heares holy truthes discovered the Spirit of God knockes at his heart and he findes sweete motions in his poysonfull rebellious nature but this is but the spirit knocking that would have entrance but Gods children have the spirit entering and dwelling and resting there The spirit of God resteth on Christ and it rests on Christs members how can it change them and having done so guide and governe them from glory to glory but hee must rest there hee must take up his lodging and residence a Christian is not an ordinary house but a Temple he is not an ordinary man but a King he is not an ordinary stone but a Pearle he is not an ordinary tree but a Cedar hee is an excellent person and therefore the Spirit of God delights to dwell in him As the excellency of the body is from the soule so the excellency of the soule is from the spirit dwelling in him However in particular operations the spirit suspends his acts of comfor●ing and guiding to humble them for their presumption alway the Holy Ghost is in the heart though he be hid in a corner of the heart I will send you the Comforter and hee shall abide with you for ever saith Christ thus we see how we may try ourselves whether we have the Spirit of the Lord o● no If wee have not the Spirit we are none of his wee are none of Christs Rom. 8. 13. And then whose are we if wee bee none of Christs Doe but thinke of that therefore if wee would not be men not having the Spirit that is men dead lead with a worse spirit then our own let us labor to know whether we have the Spirit of Christ or no Let us see what change there is to the likenesse of Christ for the Spirit as it comes from the Lord so it makes us like the Lord and wee are changed by reasons from the Lord by reasons and considerations from Christ and from the love of God in Christ because the spirit takes from Christ whatsoever he hath Hee shall take of mine c. that is the comfort hee comforts the soule with hee fetches them from his death and blood-shed and the love of God in him that he takes of Christ so there is a change wrought is us by reasons fetched from the love of God in Christ those conforming reasons God hath given his Sonne and Christ hath given himselfe and wee feele the love of God by the Spirit if the Spirit worke any grace or comfort by considerations fetched from Christ this is the true Spirit the change and alteration that it workes in