in judging not being able to judge whether wee have truely repented or not To helpe this consider whether your repentance arise from a naturall conscience or an heart truely changed for that is all in all If your heart be changed and from that and not from a naturall conscience enlightned ariseth your repentance but this is hardest of all to know You may know it two waies 1. By the inward differences 2. By the outward effects First by the inward differences and they are five First if it come from an heart truely changed thou shalt finde thy selfe doing all holy duties with a naturall inclination as the fire to ascend although thou meetest with many impediments yet never leavest striving but inwardly delightest in Gods law A naturall conscience may doe much but never make us inwardly from the bent of the heart to will good now in spirituall things it s more to will then to doe as Saint Paul would have the Corinthians not onely to doe but also to will Hence is it that Nehemiah desires the Lord to heare the prayers of them that did desire to feare him This is the very Character of a Saint The naturall conscience if there were no hell would sinne love it and use it but inwardly to desire holinesse for it selfe is an infallible signe so that were there no heaven nor hell yet hee would choose holinesse and could doe no otherwise when it is his meat and drinke as our Saviour speaketh to doe Gods will Now a man soundly an hungry will eat though not hired so would he doe the workes of holinesse though there were no reward If you have this disposition sure I am you have truly repented if you have not feare and labour after it Secondly the naturall conscience tells us this should be done urgeth it and blames if it bee not done and hence ariseth hearty resolution and purposes but it never enables to doe it therefore hee never performes what he purposeth but a heart truly changed enables us to doe it As Paul saith I can doe all things through Christ not some but all whereas the naturall man cannot but sinne because as Saint Peter sayes the will is not stirred nor changed therefore although much may be done yet it will downe againe as a stone if not changed into fire though it be lifted up yet it wil fall downe againe Now the naturall conscience cannot change the will therefore cannot he resist finne but the true Convert can say he can be chast he can resist lusts and the like the other say and say truly they cannot but sinne for the naturall conscience cannot change and therefore they grow wearie of it because it is not naturall if they were truly changed they would doe it with ease Thirdly the naturall conscience can goe no further then it 's enlightned it may approve formall civill living and holinesse in the generall but it cannot so approve of holinesse in the particular that the stricter any man is the more they approve him and desire to be like him A man truly spirituall is burthensome to a natural conscience though never so much enlightned the high degrees of holinesse doe make him distaste him Wherefore canst not thou delight in them that are good thou hast care to feare Fourthly the naturall conscience may make a man abstaine from many sinnes but hee abstaines from none out of a detestation and hatred of them he may indeed hate a morall vice because hee may have a morall vertue contrary to it but hee cannot hate sinne for nothing is contrary to sinne but grace which he hath not If therefore you abstaine from sinne out of a hatred to it it 's certaine you are changed else though you abstaine it 's but from a naturall conscience Moses and Lot abstained from uncleannesse so that they wept and were vexed that was a signe of change else abstaine never so much it 's not true grace But if thou hatest it because it's sinne and hatest all sinne both small and great it 's certaine thou art changed Fifthly the naturall conscience may make us love some good men and God also with a naturall love because hee giveth them some good blessings and may rejoyce in God with some flashes of joy as Hebr. 6. But to love God in his Attributes with the love of delight and conjugall love to love him because he is holy just c. this an heart unchanged cannot doe and the reason is because that all love of delight ariseth from similitude and none thus love God which are not changed and so like him But you may say How can I know this love of God I answer It 's easie enough to be knowne For 1. He that loves God keeps his Commandements 2. The Commandements of God are not burthensome unto him But besides this you may know in your heart whether you love him or no as you can tell if you love a friend for then your heart will be toward him you will delight in him Now if these signes be not in you you may justly doubt that your repentance is no more than the repentance of Iudas was 2. But now because these inward effects of sound repentance are hard to be discerned wee will now consider the outward effects of true repentance which are foure First Constancie true repentance holds out all false repentance is inconstant for it ariseth from passion which is ever inconstant and therefore the repentance comming from it must needs be inconstant whether it be from feare or from novelty of holinesse or perswasion or companie or some sudden joy what-ever it be not being a true change it ceaseth as heat that arising from rubbing goes away when the rubbing is ended but it would continue if it arose from a soule giving life to the body Indeed I confesse some passion may stay longer then other as Ioash Amazia but when once Iehoida dyes they will cease Secondly an evennes uniformity in their lives counterfeits cannot ever be the same but the godly are still the same in all courses and places Indeed they may be often uneven from the suddennesse of the occasion as the newnesse of the ayre in the new Country may make one sicke but it kils not so a godly man in what place or time soever remaines the same thogh he get disadvantage by it as a sheep falling into a ditch may be fouled but is a sheep stil but the wicked is cleane another man he casts off the passion of goodnesse and is cleane changed but the godly man cannot cast off his nature because he is borne of God therefore cannot sinne that is in the manner he did before Thirdly generality of obedience the hypocrite ever rowles some sweet morsell under his tongue and so doth something wherein he savoureth himselfe but the godly man leaves all sinnes But you will say the godly also have some beloed sin some infirmities to which they are inclined I answer there
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
regard of the qualitie and disposition to what it was and yet in substance remaines the same as for example put Iron into the fire the Iron is the same it was in substance before it came into the fire but now it hath another qualitie it was cold and stiffe and hard and unplyable but now it is hotte and soft and plyable and this change is throughout in every part of it and yet it is Iron still So it is with the Spirit when it comes into the heart of a Christian he mingleth and infuseth spirituall life into all the parts of the soule and therefore it is said if Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sinne but the Spirit is alive The body is dead that is as touching raigning sinne he is like a tree that wants both sap and roote or as a man that is dead that wants a soule hee is now dead whatsoever he was before but the spirit is alive to God Therefore examine if this thorow great change be in you see then what death there is in you to sinne and what life unto holinesse I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you in such a frame as to be fit for heaven And againe the Apostle calles it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. be you metamorphosed that is throughly changed new moulded againe in 2 Corin. 3. 18. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turne but it must bee a great change as the changing of Christs Spirit for your owne spirit which if you have then you shall come out of every affliction and every difficultie like gold out of the furnace like cloath out of the die of Lions you shall bee Lambes of Serpents you shall be Doves therefore see whether this change be in you or no if this change be in you then when your old guests that is your old lusts shall come and finde that his old companion is cast out of doores and that the soule is swept and cleansed hee will not stay but seeke abiding else-where but on the contrary if your opinions of sinne be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evill company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the Spirit and so long as you remaine thus doe you thinke that Christ will come and sup and dine with you and yet you will not erect a building for Him in your hearts therefore if you would have Christ and the Spirit then labour to get holinesse The fourth signe whereby you may know whether you have the spirit or no is this if it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will doe by you as the Angels doe by assumed bodies they take them up for a time and doe many things with them to serve their owne turnes but they doe not put life in them such is the common spirit but the sanctirying spirit puts life into the soule Wherefore examine your selves whether the spirit makes you living men or no for when the sanctifying Spirit shall joyne with the soule of a man it will make him to doe suteable things and bring forth suteable actions for as the body is dead without the soule so the soule hath of it selfe no spirituall life to good without the spirit wherefore as Paul speakes of unchast widdowes that they are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. vers 6. so I may say of every man that hath not the spirit they are dead men dead to God to good to grace to holinesse I say there is no life without the Spirit men are not living men because they walke and talke and the like but they are living men that live in the spirit and by the spirit and on the contrary there is no true life neither are men to bee esteemed living men that want the spirit Now for the examination of our selves by this rule consider First wee have but an assumed body of grace and holinesse when in the practice of life we assume unto our selves onely the outward forme of godlinesse but regard not the power cleaving in our affections to that which is evill and leaving the things that are truely good I doe not say when you hate good but when you preferre evill before it in your choise and set it at the higher end of the Table and serve it first and attend upon it most when that crosseth holinesse but you will not againe crosse it for the Love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you thinke of your selves you have not the sanctifying Spirit but a common spirit without life Secondly you have but an assumed body of grace if you have it not in a feeling manner the sanctifying spirit workes a spirituall sence and taste in the soule that is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste they will bee sweet unto you it will purge out that which is contrary to the growth of the inward man on the contrary the common spirit will never make you to taste grace as it is grace or because it is grace that is grace will not bee a dainty thing it will bee without a good savour Therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can rellish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying spirit but an assumed habit of grace that is a common spirit without the life of grace Thirdly as assumed bodies are unconstant that is walke onely for a time but they walke not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on the rule A man that is living in Christ you shall still find him living and moving and doing the actions of the new man a man that hath but a common spirit may do somethings that are good hee may keepe and presse downe some sinne awhile but not alwayes neither then because it is sinne but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some other thing Againe he may have some taste and rellish of spirituall things but hee is not purged and cleansed by them First he may walke as a living man walkes that is performe holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither doe they performe them in obedience but out of selfe love that is they are still ebbing and seldome flowing they omit ofter then they performe Therefore let me exhort you that are alive and have beene dead be you carefull to prize your life and you that have beene alive but now are dead that is you that have falne from your holinesse and zeale and have lost your first love and strength labour now to recover it againe And you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to dye if there bee any here
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
loath the creature but sinne all the imperfections and blemishes and diseases and infirmities of the creature makes not God to loath it if there be not a mixture of sinne with it because they are not contrary unto God they fight not against God but sinne fights against the purity and holinesse of God and therefore Gods hatred of the creature is onely a hatred for sinne Secondly to us it is the greatest evill the argument stands thus that which deprives us of the greatest good is the greatest evill but this sinne doth Ergo. for it doth deprive us of all things that are good but especially of two things wherin standeth our chiefest good As first it deprives us of the best outward good which is God as the Prophet saith Your sinnes separate betweene you and your God and they keepe good things from you of all other good especially they hinder the comming of grace into your hearts Now what greater evill can there be then this to keepe both God and his Grace from us Secondly it deprives us of the chiefest good within us as for example First it deformes the beautie and strength of the inward man Secondly it weakens that grace that is within that is it makes us unable to resist evill this is the nature of sinne Thirdly if you cannot see it in these then come unto the effects that it workes and it will appeare to be the greatest evill First it turnes all the faculties and parts of the soule body to evill and is the breeder of all distemperature as feare and horrour in the soule Secondly it brings all the evill that doth befall a man in this life they all come by sinne all shame reproach povertie disgrace punishment comes by sinne now if you will but consider sinne in these you will see it to be evill but especially you shall see the evill of sinne in a distressed conscience what feare what amazement what astonishment and despaire what sorrow what anguish of heart is there as upon Iudas no restitution will serve no comfort will worke no perswasion will prevaile thus if you looke upon sinne it will appeare the greatest evill Fourthly sinne is the greatest evill if you consider the medicine that must come to heale it Christ must lay downe his glory for a time hee must abase himselfe hee must come from heaven to earth he must take our nature upon him and humble himselfe unto a cursed death before sinne can be healed now put them altogether sinne is evill by nature Againe it is evill because it deprives us of the greatest good both within us and without us it is the cause of all diseases shame and reproach such an evill that nothing will heale but the blood of Christ looke upon sinne thus cloathed and it will appeare the greatest evill Make conscience therefore of little sinnes for they bring great evils though the sands of the Seas be but little yet a many heaped together make a great burthen so sinne though but in an idle word thought or behaviour seeme to be but a little sinne yet lay many of them together and they will breake the soule and make it barren and unfit to good if a man owe but little debts yet if they be many if he looke and cast them up in the totall hee will finde himselfe presently to bee but a bankerupt so it is with sinne what though the sinne be but a little sinne yet give this a little vent put it to action and this sinne will proove a great sinne give once consent and in time it will be a raigning sinne and when it is thus then it turnes the soule into evill sets it on a rage imprisons it makes it to obey and to be a slave to Sathan now what greater evill can there bee then sinne thus much for the first meanes to get the Iudgement rectified which will see sinne so as to humble it The second meanes to be humbled is this you must labour to make your hearts fit to be humble and that you may doe this you must doe these things First you must labour to get some sense of holinesse that is you must get the heart in a frame of grace for except a man get the spirit he will not be humbled but when there is holinesse bred in the heart then he will see sinne to be humble hee will see sinne out of his place Take any heavy thing especially water and in its place it is not heavy but let it be remooved out of its place and it will be a heavy burthen even so will sinne bee unto you when you have once gotten the spirit you will then see sinne out of his place and to be a heavy burthen that you will not willingly beare it but you will stoope under it and therefore the more holinesse that any man gets the more will be his sight of sinne and where there is most sight of sinne there will be most griefe for sinne and this griefe is alwayes accompanied with this humiliation that I speake of and where there is the greatest humiliation for sinne there is the greatest doore of mercy opened where there is most sence of sinne there the heart is best fitted for grace and in this case the more tender of conscience the better Christian. Secondly if you would be fit to bee humble consider another thing which is the punishment of sinne if you continue in sinne you shall be damned deprived of glory you were once good consider now wherein your happinesse consists consider that you have an immortall soule and that you must be called to an account the serious considerations of these things will make you to bee humble Nebuchadnezzar when he is brought to be like a beast then he confesseth that the Lord is God and humbles himselfe even so should wee Againe doe but consider that all things are in the hands of God and that every one of you in particular are and that he is able presently to dispose of you as he will Againe consider that God is alwayes every where that hee sees all things and that he will judge all men and that a day of judgement a day of departure to judgement is appointed unto all consider also the severity of the Iudge the sentence that hee will pronounce the punishment that he will inflict the eternity of the time I say if men would but consider these things wishly they would not goe on in sinne as they doe but the want of consideration of these things keepes men from Christ. For if the adulterer would but consider what the Scripture saith that no adulterer shall be saved or if the covetous man or drunkard c. that wholly devotes themselves unto evill would but consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9. that none of these should inherit the Kingdome of God they would not goe on in sinne as they doe Againe if they did but consider that all sinne ends in paine that
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