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
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
not sued out hee may be condemned for that fact though there hath beene a long time betweene the fact and the execution so what if thou hast not committed a sinne a great while yet if thou sue not out thy pardon God will iudge thee for that sinne as presently committed looke then upon sinne as present and it will humble thee this Iob did I possessed the sinnes of my youth that is though they were a long time agoe committed yet he lookt upon them as present and this wrought humiliation in him and thus it was with Dauid Psal. 51. My sinnes are euer before me that is they are all seene of me as fresh though neuer so old as if I had now presently committed them Secondly you must looke upon things to come as present bring things within the compasse of a spirituall understanding or else you will not bee humbled look vpon the wrath of God as present looke upon death as present looke upon the britlenesse of thy nature that thou art in the hand of the potter consider how soone the buble may be blowne out looke upon salvation and damnation with an equall eye consider your selues now as if you were to appeare and make up your accounts before God Consider what you would doe if you should now goe into eternity consider the presence of God amongst you which one day you shall see in another manner Doe as Saylors doe when they see a storme a farre off they prepare and esteeme ofit as present Thus should euery Christian doe looke upon euery thing as present for what is the reason that sin is not auoided of many that they sin and remaine as stones without sence but because they doe not apprehend sinne and the punishment thereof as present they looke not vpon the wrath of God as present nor on death and hell as present Belshazzar so long as he looked vpon sinne a far off it neuer mooued him but when he saw the present hand writing that humbled him Things apprehended as present make a deepe impression in the heart either of ioy if good or of feare if euill and therefore if men would but looke vpon sinne and the wrath of God and death and eternall life as present they would be humbled The fifth meanes to get humiliation is this you must labour to remooue these excuses by which men labour to keepe off this blow of the Gospell they are loth to be hit and therfore they labour to shelter and hide themselues because they would not see themselues in such a case as they are in lest they should be humbled which on the contrary if they would but let the Gospel haue his full force at their consciences it wold worke this effect to humble them But I say it is a hard matter to perswade men to see sinnes as present and a hard matter to perswade men to bee humble and consequently a difficult thing it is to make them to beare this blow of the Gospell and to perswade them that humiliation is a necessary condition to salvation and the right receiving of Christ therefore you must labour to remoove the excuses that men make for themselves before they will bee humbled which excuses or rather deceits are these following 1. The first pretence is this We do good as well as the best we ballance our sinnes we heare we receive we give almes we pray in a word wee doe all things that Christians ought to doe therefore we are truly humbled what need wee more to humble our selves To this I answer Well what if you doe pray what if you doe give almes and heare the word and receive the Sacrament though these actions simply in themselves are good yet they may bee nothing worth unto thee unlesse thy heart bee right yea unlesse thine heart be right these actions as they are thine and proceed from thee will be found sinnes before God and so in stead of a blessing may bring a curse upon thee viz. because thou usest holy things in an unholy maner to a wrong end For if thy heart be bad that is estranged from God through infidelitie and unbeleefe whatsoever thy heart meets withall it makes it unrighteous and so puts the tincture of poyson upon it because it is not Gods end that thou aymest at in the doing of these but thy owne end Now it is not only the action but the end of the action that makes it acceptable and dischargeth a Christian in the performance of it Wee know Silver will not goe currant though it bee never so good except the Kings stampe be upon it now the end of the action puts the stampe on the action and makes it goe currant with God for a holy action therefore you that brag of your actions looke unto the end of your actions for unlesse the end bee good the actions are but as counterfeit coyne that every man will refuse that knowes it and you your selves will be esteemed of God but as cooseners are of men worthy to be put to death though the same actions in another are acceptable to God because the sinne is taken away that poisons them So that as a poisonsome stocke turnes the sweet drops of dew that falles upon it unto poyson which yet causeth other trees to bee fruitfull such are unregenerate men continuing in their old sinne without repentance Those things that are good in themselves being performed by them are turned into poyson unto them though being performed by a holy man they are as a sweet odor that makes him more acceptable unto God besides if you doe but examine you shall find that it is not so much you that doe them but some noble quality in you it is either some naturall parts of learning or policy or else some naturall disposition to be kind and loving and meeke c. nature without sanctifying or renewing grace will bring forth such fruit many things you know for a time will hold sent that rather hurt then doe good so these actions that are performed without the spirit though they may carry a sent and smell well yet they hurt the soule because they make you to rest onely in the outward action but if you would doe good and have your actions acceptable unto God then labour to get regenerate hearts because otherwise you will not please God Iehu performed a good action but yet he is branded for it if the end be not good the action is not good to you and therefore let no man rest in the outward action but remember what the Lord accounts of the actions of wicked men He that killeth an Oxe is as if hee slue a man he that sacrificeth a lambe as if he cut off a dogges head he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth Incence as if he blessed an Idoll c. There was nothing so contrary and odious unto God in his worship under the law as these were by which
uses a great deale of difference in afflictions some hee afflicts young he takes them when they are greene others he lets them goe a long on the score till they be old yet he will meete with all at last either sooner or latter therefore thinke not that thou art a greater sinner or that thy sinnes are greater then other mens are or that God loves thee lesse because of thy outward afflictions remember what the Lord said unto the Iewes Luk. 13. 2. 3. Thinke not saith hee that the Galileans on whom the Tower of Shiloim fell were greater sinners then you or others sinners thinke not because judgement was in that manner infflicted upon them that they were greater sinners or that their sinnes were greater and did exceed others but except you repent yee shall all likewise perish I will meete with you and you shall know that your sinnes are as great as theirs was and so looke upon every sinne that God hath punished presently and the sinne is as great still as ever it was as for example the sinne of lying Acts 5. Ananias and Saphira they lyed and you see what a judgement was inflicted upon them because they had lyed to the holy Ghost even against that light which the holy Ghost had revealed unto them and yet you must know that a lye is not the sinne of the holy Ghost for any regenerate man that is in the covenant may through infirmitie speake an untruth and yet not sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost but I say the sinne of lying is now as great as ever it was and he that infflicted that judgement upon them may infflict the like upon thee yet you must know that this sinne is not greater then other sinnes but because men might take heed of this sinne for the time to come he made them examples Againe in Levit. 10. 1 2 3. they that offered strange fire in the time of the law they were strucken with death not that this was a greater sinne then any now but to teach men reverently to draw neere unto God when we have to doe with any of the ordinances of God to use them reverently and to come with reverent hearts unto them Againe let us consider what judgements have befalne lyers and theeves and prophaneners of the Sabbath and drunkards and luxurious persons and cozeners and gamesters that if wee be the like the same judgements may befall us as hath befalne them let us set these as examples to take heed of the like sinnes as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 11. These things fell upon them for our example c. That wee should not lust as some of them lusted c. Now if sinne bee as dangerous unto the soule as ever it was it should teach us to take heed of committing the least evill And that I may the better prevaile with you to forsake sinne consider these motives The first motive to move you to forsake sinne is this because sinne will make you ashamed Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed what will it availe you to doe that thing that afterwards will shame you for though the roote of every sinne seeme to bee sweet yet the fruit of it is bitter that is both shame and sorrow and death and againe on the other side though the roote of every act of godlinesse be a little hard and bitter to the flesh yet the fruite of it is honour and glory And therefore the Prophet saith Iere. 2. 19. that to sinne against God is an evill thing and bitter how sweet soever it may seeme unto you let this therefore move you to hate sinne because it will make you ashamed The second motive to move you to forsake sinne is this because if you sinne God will beate you though election be sure yet you shall not escape correction which shall be more bitter unto you then the sweetest sinne Heb. 12. 6. Hee scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth if thou bee Gods sonne thou must make account to feele Gods rod. The Lord correcteth his children when they sinne for these two reasons The first reason is because sinne is sinne with God in whom soever it is and he will be sure to scourge him in whom it is if thou runne out he will fetch thee in with his crooke and the sweeter the sinne was the bitterer will the scourging bee Rev. 3. 19. Whom I love I rebuke and chasten that is I will doe it without exception of persons a Pet. 1. 4. Iudgement must begin at the house of God Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed or rewarded in this life how much more the sinner if a holy man sinne hee shall bee afflicted then much more a wicked man And againe he that soweth iniquity shall reape affliction hee that sinneth must expect the rodde and it must needs be so because Gods children draw the neerest unto him and he hath said that hee will bee sanctified of those that draw neere unto him Levit. 10. 3. therefore for the keeping of them cleane they must be scowred when they grow foule and rusty they must bee cast into the furnace when they gather drosse The second reason is because his children are the Temples of the holy Ghost wherein God delights to dwell and therefore he will not suffer any uncleanenesse to abide in them long but will quickely sweepe it out with the beesome of affliction as in Revel 2. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art falne and repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come unto thee quickely Ey but I feele nothing for the present I answer yet after though not now thou shalt surely feele it and in that thing that thou lovest most which of all other thou wouldest not bee crost in as David in his Absolon and Moses in his going into Canaan for that is Gods manner if Israel loath Manna God will make it to come out at their nostrils And so thou shalt surely feele thy sinne what ever it be in the end for as in the misdemeanor of youth we sow the seeds of afterdiseases though not presently felt So godly men in their runnings out sow the seeds of after-afflictions though for a while that harvest appeareth not above ground see it in David in Salomon in Asa in Vzziah whether all they smarted not for it in the end and the longer it is deferred the more will come together as those that are sicke seldome are sicke to purpose when it commeth because many humours lye heaped together and lye insensible a-while and then breake forth at once so when thou hast heaped a great many of sinnes together the judgements of God will break out to purpose against thee so that thou shalt feele the weight of them all Ey but I am healthfull and rich and strong and mee thinkes afflictions are not neere
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