The 7. means If you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must get the spirit all other means will nothing avail you except you get this for this is that that makes them effectual and makes a difference betwixt men Sampson was strong and so were other men but Sampson was stronger then othermen because he had the spirit and it is said oâ— Iohn the Baptist that he came in the spirit of Eliah That is he had the same spirit that Eliah had and therefore he had the greater efficacie If Iohn had not had this spirit he had been but as other men therefore whatsoever you do labour above all things to get the spirit nothing will strengthen the inward man except you have the spirit It is the spirit that makes the inward man to grow strong And thus much for the means for the strengthening of the inward man And for this point Now we proceed The next thing to be considered is the means which the Apostle layes down whereby they may be strengthened in the inward man Is to have the spirit That he would grant you c. That you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man That is if you would knowwhat would strengthen you it is the spirit hence note this point That Whatsover saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace any man hath It all proceedes from the sanctifying spirit I say all saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit Yet do not mistake me as if I did exclude the Father and the Son for they work together in every act The Father works not without the Son The Son works not without the Father The Father the Son work not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit work without the Father and the Son for what one doth all doe But I ascribe the work of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper work of the spirit to sanctifie and he is the strengthener of all grace That is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things And then through Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the soul Therefore those 3. distinctions of the Trinitie are good The Father is of himself alone the Son is of the Father and the holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son That is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and is sent into the hearts of his children to work grace and holiness in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely worker and strengthener of Grace because proceeding from such an holy Fountain as the Father and the Son are the fruit must needs be holy and the way to get sanctification and holiness is to get the holy Spirit Now in that that is sent to sanctifie Two things are to be required First he that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountain But the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy Fountain and pure which is God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy work that he worketh The second thing that is 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 of himself Now this is the excellencie of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holiness it self that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holiness And therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will shew you how the Spirit strengtheneth the inward man working holines and sanctification And this will appear in four things especially The first way how the Spirit strengthneth grace in the the soul Is this By giving unto the soul an effectual operative and digestive facultie that is by rearing the inward man in the soul and setting up the building of grace And this he doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace into every facultie even as the blood is in used into every vain or as the soul goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit go through all the parts of the soul by infusing spiritual life and power into them therefore the Apostle cals it in the Ephes 4. his effectual power that is he hath such efficacie in working that he infuseth spiritual life into the soul. The second way how the spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soul Then he enables the soul to do more then it could do by nature That is by putting new habits and qualities into the soul As first when a man can do no more then a natural man can do by nature then the spirit fortifies and enables the soul to act holily and spiritually As for example any hand can cut with a cheesil or the like instrument But if he can by it make a picture this is a work above nature No man can do it unless he have Art and Time about it so when the spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to do more then he can naturally do Water you know of it self is cold but if you would have it of another qualitie then you must put a qualitie of fire in it so the soul is dead and cold by nature but if a qualitie of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can do Therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you that is whether you have new habits of patience love hope experience That is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soul by which it is able to do more then naturally it can do as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the rooms and then it fills and furnisheth 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 enables and helpes us to use those habits to good when we have them for herein appears the power and the excellencie of the spirit not onely to give spiritual life and strength but also to enable us to the use of that strength for the strengthening of the inward man There may be qualities and habits in the soul and yet want of power to use them As for example a man that is asleep he hath habits and qualities but he wants power to use them so it is with those that are not strengthened in the inward man But he that hath the spirit hath power withal to use those habits to good therefore it is said that They spake as the spirit gave them utterance that is they had power from the spirit to speak to do and use those habits that were in them
within I speake of those actions which are actions of mercy be you mercifull therefore as your heavenly father is for that is a sign that you have the same spirit that he hath when God cometh into the heart of any man he receiveth the spirit of the father And therefore as you would have a witnesse and testimony to your selves that you are the sons of God be you merciful There is a natural mercy I confess found in those that have not mercy indeed but this God accepteth not because such mercies are but counterfeit to the true mercy Labour to be merciful as God is to abound in mercy that every one may fare the better for you wherever you dwell and whatsoever you doe let all your actions be works of mercy so will God accept them and be ready to render mercy to you again INWARD STRENGTH The desire of a Christian. Text EPHES. 3. 16. That you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man THese words are a part and indeed the sum of that excellent and divine prayer that Paul made for the Ephesians the principal thing that the Apostle prays for is this that they may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man and this the Apostle sets down in such a manner that he answereth all doubts that might hinder the Ephesians from obtaining this gracious priviledge For first they might demand this of Paul you pray that we may be strong in the inward man but how or what means shall we use to get this strength the Apostle answereth to this and tels them the means to be strong in the inward man is to get the spirit that you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man Secondly but they might demand But how shal we do to get the spirit The Apostle answereth to this you must pray for him for your selves as I do for you for I pray that he would grant you the spirit that you may be strengthened in the inward man and thus you must do for your selves be earnest in prayer to get the spirit which he hath promised to those that ask it Thirdly They might demand but what should move God to give us his spirit and to hear our prayers To this he answers that the moving cause is the riches of his glory that you may be strengthened in the Inward man Fourthly they might demand yea but what shall we be the better for this strength if we get it To this the Apostle answereth in the verses following then saith he you shall be able to comprehend with all saints what is the length and the height the depth and the breadth of the riches of the love of God towards you in Christ. Now in that the Apostle above all other good that he wisheth unto them prayes for this that they may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man I gather this point That which is to be desired of every Christian and to be earnestly sought for is this that they may be strengthened in the Inward man I gather it thus Saint Paul was now to pray for some special good to the Ephesians and considering what might be most profitable and advantagious he makes choice of this above all other good things making it the sum and substance of his prayer that you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man I shall not need to prove this by any other places of scripture because the place in hand sufficiently proves the point as being the main scope and intent of the spirit of God in this place to shew the necessity of this doctrine of strengthening the inward man But for the fuller explaning of this point we will first shew you what this strength is and then wee will come to the uses There is therefore a twofold strengthening 1 There is first a natural 2. There is a supernatural Strength First I say there is a Natural strength and this is when a man is naturally strong or able either in the parts of his body or in the guifts of his minde as for example a man that hath a strong memory this is a natural strength or in other qualities of the minde or else when a man is strong in the parts of his body these are natural strengths but this is not the strength that is here meant Secondly there is a Supernatural strength and this is two fold The first is a Supernatural strength which is received from the evil spirit which is when Satan shall joyn with the spirit of a man and adds a Supernatural strength and so makes him to doe more or suffer more then otherwise by Nature he were able to doe With this spirit are all the enemies of the Church strengthened Paul himself before he was committed was strengthened by this spirit Some men have more then a natural strength to undergo torments and yet not to shrink at them but this is not the strength here meant But there is a Second supernatural strength which comes from the sanctifying spirit whereby a Christian is able to do more then naturally he could doe and this is the strength which is here meant in this place and with this strength all the Saints are strengthened that is this was the strength that Eliah Stephen Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the rest had this made them speak boldly in the name of Christ. But you shall the better understand what this strength is if you doe but consider the particulars which are these The first particular wherein this spiritual strength is seen is this if a man chearfully thrive under many afflictions that is when they can rejoyce under great troubles and tryals they have this strength as Acts 5. 41. it is said of the Apostles that they departed from the Councel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ he that bears some troubles hath some strength but to bear great troubles is required great strength that is to stand fast to Christ to profess his name as the holy Ghost saith in Rev. 2. 13. there where Satan hath his throne must needs be a great Supernatural work of the spirit The Second particular is this in the hour of temptation when the storms arise and the flouds lift up their voyce the heart is stablished being founded upon the rock so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it all Satans darts fall upon such a state as an arrow upon a rock the heart is fixed like mount Zion The third particular wherein this spirituall strength is seen is this when a man doth believe though hee have all reason and strength against him this is to be strong in the inward man but to go further that you may the better know what this strength is I wil give you a definition of it It is a general good disposition or right habit a temperature or a due frame of the mind wherby it is enabled to
please God in all things 1. I say it is a general good disposition or right habit because a disposition to some one particular good is not strength as for example to have present passion to good not to continue argueth not strength in the inward man or to have the understanding strong yet to have the will and affections weak is not to be strong in the inward man but they must be all fortifi'd as for example a man or a woman is not said to be perfectly beautiful except they be beau tiful in all parts for beauty is a fit composure of all parts so likewise a man is not throughly strong but imperfect except he be strong in all parts that is strong in the understanding strong in the will strong in the affections Secondly I call it a temperature or due frame of the mind because it sets the soul in order that is it sets new bits on the faculties and fit obiects for those habits the soul was before like a disordered instrument or clock that went at randome every thing was out of its place but when this strength of the inward man is communicated to the soul it frames it a new that is it puts it into a right temper again Thirdly it is a frame whereby a man is enabled to please God in all things because it sets a good hew upon all our actions for as varnish makes all colours fresh so doth the strength of the inward man it sets a deep die upon all our actions puts a grace upon them and makes them beautiful nothing without it will hold trial every thing that hath the tincture and virtue of the strength of the Inward man will hold good it sets the stamp of holiness upon them as implanted by the spirit and therefore they are acceptable unto God Now that you may know the better what this strength is you must first inquire what weakness is now by weakness we doe not mean weakness before a man be converted for that cannot so properly be called weakness as wickedness and therefore know that this weakness which the Apostle speaks of here which is proper unto Christians is of two sorts The First is weakness or a small measure of grace as in 1 Cor. 3. 1. That is those that are weak in knowledge and habes in Christ. The Second kinde of weakness is this when one that hath been strong is now fallen sick and weak that is he is fallen into a consumption of grace so that he cannot use his strength and his grace as formerly he could Now those that are weak in the first kinde they grow stronger and stronger but they that are weak in the second way they grow weaker and weaker therefore if there be any here that are such that have made profession of Christ but now are fallen unto the love of the world that were once lively and quickly to good duties but are now backward and cool my counsel to them shall be the same which Christ gives to the Church of Ephesus in the Rev. 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and to doe their first workes lest their Candlestick be taken from them that is let them remember what they were in times past and what they are now and let them humble themselves and turn again into the right way and be ashamed of themselves that they have run away so far from Christ and that in time too lest their Candlestick be taken away from them that is lest those opportunities to good and the offers of grace be taken away from them Again as there are kindes of weaknesses so there are degrees of weaknesses The first degree of weakness is that which followes a relapse and this is of two sorts 1 Sensible 2 Insensible First Sensible and that is when the understanding is good in regard of the grace it knowes yet not in regard of the good it feels 2. There is a weakness Insensible and is such as cannot be felt and this is when men change their opinions of sins that is when they have thought otherwise of it then they now do As for example before they thought every sin a great sin but now they think some to be little or none at all The Second degree of weakness is that which followes the new birth and that is of two sorts 1 General 2 Particular First General weakness and this is when the judgement will and affections are all weak that is when a man is weak in all the parts of the soul and over-run with an universal feebleness The Second degree is a particular weakness and that is when a man is Generally strong and yet weak in some parts as for example a ship may be strong built or generally strong and yet having a leak in it cannot be said to be strong in all parts because it hath that in it which will at last destroy it so it is with a Christian if there be but a leak that is a weakness in one part of the soul he is not strong in the inward man therefore a man must take heed of all weakness though a man may be generally strong that he be not weak in some things Now I come to the Reasons wherefore we should be strong in the inward man and they are these The first Reason wherefore we should be strong in the inner man is this because it will fit us for many imployments that is it will make us go through much work with great ease to perform the weightiest duties in Religion in such manner as otherwise we could never be able to perform and this should perswade men the rather to pray earnestly for this because God rewards men according to their works that is it is not for beauty riches or dignity that moves God to give grace and glory unto any but according to their works a good reason it is therefore to perswade men to be strong in the Inner man that they may be able to go through great matters for God and that with great strength and this should make men to beg the spirit because he works in us effectually to the strengthening of us in the Inward man The Second reason why you should desire to be strong in the Inward man is this because it brings most comfort and chearfulnes into the soul. First because it makes us do all that we do with facility and easiness that which we do is easie unto us As for example a man that is weak in judgement and understanding any high point of Religion is weariness unto him because he wanteth a capacity to conceive now that which is not rightly conceived or understood he hath no comfort nor delight in it but it is with irksomness much weariness unto nature where as the same things unto a man of larger capacity they are easie unto him and he delights in them Secondly the more strength a man hath in the Inward
Thus Sampson by the power of the spirit had power to use his strength And in the Acts 4 32 it is said that the Apostles spake boldly That is they had power for you must know that there may be habits of grace in the heart and yet want of power but when the spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to do Thus it is said that the spirit came upon Saul and he prophesied That is he was able to do more then before he could do and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action that is power to do yet is but then when the spirit seems to absent it self from the soul and this was that which the Apostle speaks of Heb. 12. 12. Brethren you have forgotten the Consolation That is your spiritual strength may lie hidden dead and forgotten but the spirit will return and then you shall finde good again The fourth way whereby the spirit strengthens grace in the soul is by giving efficacie and power unto the means of growth which is a special advantage for strengthening of the inward man for as he sets up the building and furnisheth the Roomes and gives power unto the soul to use them so that which makes all these effectual is this when he gives power and efficacie unto the means that are for the strengthening of the inward man Now you know that the word is the onely ordinary means to work new habits and qualities in us that is to câ—lâ—…s and beget us into Christ but if the spirit should not add this unto them namely efficacie they will never beget us into Christ Therefore this is the means to make all effectual that is it gives a blessing to the means of grace The word alone without the spirit is as I told you as a scabberd without a sword or bâ—t as a sword without a hand that will do no good though you should stand in never so great need therefore the Aâ—ostle joyns them together in the Acts 20. he cals it the word of his grace that is the spirit must work grace or else the word will nothing avail you Again prayer is a means to strengthen the inward man but it the spirit be not joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the scripture saith Pray in the Holy Ghoâ—t That is if you pray not by the power of the Holy Ghost you will never obtain grace or sanctification The spirit is unto the means of grace as rain is unto the plants that is as rain makes the plants to thrive and and grow so it is the spirit that makes the inward man to grow in holiness Therefore it is the promise which God makes unto his Church in Isai. 44. 3. He will pour water upon the dry ground That is the heart which was before barren in grace and holiness shall now spring up in holiness and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I pour out my spirit upon them Therefore you see how the spirit doth strengthen grace in the soul by setting up the building of grace in the soul and then by furnishing the Roomes with new habits and qualities of grace And then by giving power unto the soul to use those habits And then by giving a blessing unto all the means of grace The use of this stands thus If the spirit be the onely means 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 seem to have to himself if it proceed not from the spirit it is no true strength but a half and counterfeit seeming strength For a man may thus argue from the cause to the effect That that is the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects And on the contrary That which is not the true cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so that no natural thing 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 foolish virgins had in Matth. 25. which seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a feigned strength because they had not the spirit It is the spirit that must give you assurance of salvatiâ—n and happiness And I have chosen this point 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 It is the sign of those that are Christs they have the spirit In the 1 Cor. 2. 10. The spirit searcheth the deep things of God which he hath revealed unto us by his spirit And in the Ephesians 1. You were sealed with the spirit of Promise and in the Rom. 8. That they should be raised by the spirit which dwelleth in them and again As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your sâ—lves whether you have the spirit but above all places there are 2. places which prove the necessitie of having the spirit The one is this place which is my Text That you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man and the other place is that which Saint Iohn hath in the 1 Iob. 3. 14. By this we know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the Brethren That is if we be united in the bond of love that is a sign that we have the spirit and having the spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed we must be changlings from sin to grace before we can be saved Therefore examine what effectual spiritual strength you have what spiritual 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 help you in this thing I will lay down some signs by which you may know whether you have the spirit or no. The first sign 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 spiritual heat and zeal now if you find this in you then it is the sanctifying spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ in Matth. 3. That he will baptize them with the spirit and with fire That is he will baptize them with that spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spiritual heat and zeal and therefore it is said in Acts 2. that they had tongues
to bee 296. Rules for the use of humane authority 305. John 14. 1. D. Our hearts should be established in the day of fear 327. Means to manage this duty ibid. Rom. 7. 23. D. There is a Law of sin in every mans nature inclining him to that which is evil 352. What this inclination is ibid. How a Law 353. How it warreth as a Law 354. D. 2. In every regerate man there is a contrary Law c. 360. Why called the law of the minde 361. USE To bewail our condition under this law in our members 368. How to know the law of natural conscence from the law of the minde in the regenerate 370. Philip. 2. 21. D. Every man ought to seek the things of Jesus Christ. 371. Reasons 375. How to know when we do the things of Christ faithfull 388. What it is to give our selves to Christ. 390. 2 Chron. 32. 24 25. D. Praier is the chief means to obtain any thing at Gods hand 397. USE To esteem that precious ordinance of prayer 398 Mercies without prayer nor blessings 399. What kind of prayer obtains blessings 400. D. 2. Gods answer to our praiers is to bee observed 402. 3. God ready to hear our prayers 405. 4. The Lord tenders a weak faith 406. 5. God expects thank fulnesse answerable to his mercies 407. Conditions of thank fulnesse 408. In what cases God expects extraordinary thanks 411. Rev. 22. 17. D. God invites sinners to come unto him 419 Reasons of it 420. Many Objections answered 421 422. USES 1. To take heed how we refuse Christ offered 426 2. Faith a grace very pleasing and acceptable to God 432. DIVINE MERCY MAGNIFIED Ephes. 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inward man c. THese words are a part of the heavenly prayer which the Apostle makes for the Saints at Ephesus we may gather three observations out of them First That God is exceeding rich in mercy Secondly That his shewing mercy is his glory Thirdly That when we are to beg any thing at Gods hands we may use the motive that Saint Paul doth here unto God do it for the riches of thy glory or for the riches of thy mercy The first point That God is rich in mercy I have handled formerly and in what respect he is rich in mercy Therefore I shall now draw some consectaries from it One is to move men to câ—me in to God Because he is so infinitely rich in mercy When the Hue and Crye is made after the thief you know it makes him runne away the faster but the proclamation of pardon brings him in The Law and the judgements of God bring not men in of themselves but the promises of mercy win them to come in and this use we should make of the mercies of God to be moved and invited by them to come in and partake of them Secondly it offers a ground of humble confidence to all distressed and heavy loaden sinners God i ready to forgive and succour them because he is rich in mercy and not onely so but his mercy is exceeding precious for except these two go together a man cannot be said to be rich the thing must be precious and he must have much of it for to have much of that which is base and mean is not to be rich Now for as much as Gods mercy is precious and he is rich in it despise not therefore the precious mercies of God If God be rich in mercy if there be abundance of mercy in Iehovah then let us lay hold of this abundance and look after our portion in it This is another excellent use we are to make of it for to what end is it made known that God is rich in mercy or to what purpose is it manifested not that we should barely know it but that we should use it not that we should contemplate it in God but that we should enjoy it for our selves For this riches and mercie of God is not onely plenty but bounty not onely a treasure laid up in him but it is like a Common dose bestowed upon all the poor in the countrey all that will may come and take what they need this is the use you should make of the abundance of Gods mercie otherwise if you make no profitable nor Saving use of it what is it to you The apostle saith All Scripture is written for this end that we might have comfort now if it be true of all places of Scripture then it is true of these especially that declare the mercies of God it is that we may have comfort now what comfort is there to dwell by full barnes when a man may not partake of that fulness I say it is no comfort except you have your part in them So when you hear of the riches of the patience and long suffering of God what comfort is this to you except you take your part of them Therefore now I am to exhort you come and make your selves rich out of these riches let not the mercies of God be in vain to you but when you hear that God is rich in mercie let that move you to get an interest in it When we hear of riches and treasures it inflameth everie mans desire to have a part of them the riches of the land of Canaan drew the Israelites out of Egypt and the riches of the garners of Egypt made them goe downe thither in Iacobs time when there was a famin in Canaan What makes Merchants to take such dangerous voyages to the East and west Indies and to the furthest parts of the world but rich Commodities now when you hear that God is rich in mercie what use should we make of it but to take of these mercies There is enough to be had for the mercies that concern the outward man as riches honour longe life gold and silver he hath abundance you may take freely of them for the riches of the inward man he is rich in mercie full of grace and truth and you may take your fill of them he is rich in Comfort he hath fatlings and wine prepared in a word seeing there is so much mercie in God let it not be in vain to you let them not lye before you as if they did not concern you affectionately embracethem that you may have your part in them this is the use the scripture makes of the mercies of God St. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians that they might knowe what the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the Saints is c His meaning is not onely that they should see them and look upon them for what were that to them but that they might take part of them and not onely have a mental but an experimental knowledge of them Why did Saint Paul preach the unsearchable riches of Christ but that men should have their desires stirred up to
Satan comes and robs us of all the good that otherwise we might do first he robs us of our selves by stealing from us the strength of our affections And secondly he robs our parents of us making us the object of their grief And thirdly he robs the Church and Common-wealth of us by making us unprofitable Instruments And beloved if you look into the world you shall find it true as for example look unto young men they are busied in eating and drinking and rising up to play but never regard the strengthening of the Inward man and so having poured out their souls to vanity become unprofitable to others and dishonourable in their generations And beloved the soul is unto some as the salt is unto meat onely to keep it from putrifaction for the body is advanced into the souls place but what is the reason that we put it thus doth not this prove that true which Solomon saith I have seen servants ride and masters go on foot that is when you imploy your selves and spend your time and pains in getting of outward dignitie and decking the outward man and little regarding the beautifying of the Inward man You prefer dross before gold copper before silver you set the body in the souls place you set the servant on horseback but the master must go on foot in a word you do not things like or beseeming Christians and on the contrary you doe things like your selves when you prefer the Inward man first Fourthly Consider that it is an immortal soul thy Inward man is of a different original from thy outward why do you eat meat that perisheth in the use of it that is why do you dote upon the outward man that perisheth in the using that will stand you in no stead if you keep it and why do you not rather labor for the meat which perisheth not that is why do you not labour to get this strength of the Inward man which is of an immortal substance that will never faile nor perish in the use as for example you have built a temple here which is in it self a good work but I say except you build also in your selves the Temple of the Inward man all your labour all you pains all your cost is but lost labour that is will perish and stand you in no stead when you should need it and the whole scope of the scripture is to this end to shew you the vanity of earthly things that you should not set your affections upon them because they perish in the use And again wherefore doe you lay out mony for that which profiteth not consider therefore that it is a spirit and again it is infused into the body to bear rule and the body to be but a servant to the inward man But that you bee not deceived there is a Natural strength whereby some men will go very farre and there is a moral strength take heed you rest not in that I speak not against Natural and moral strength because it comes from God and is good for I say we do not take away those but we exalt the other above them therefore I beseech you look that you do not content your selves therewith but labour to strengthen the Inward man And here a question ariseth seeing there is a Natural and a spiritual strength how shall a man come to know whether that the strength he hath be a moral or a spiritual strength yet as I say we do not destroy Natural strength but we use it as men do wilde horses and beasts they tame them to make them sit for service so we should use these as means to carry us to their right end we will then come to shew the difference between Natural and spiritual strength The First difference is this the spiritual strength goes further then the natural strength that is look what the natural man can do with the natural strength the spiritural man can do more he can go further both in degree and measure and the reason is because grace elevates nature that is it brings it unto a higher pitch grace is unto the soul as a prospective glass unto the eye it brings things a far off nigh hand Again it causes a man to see things in a more excellent manner or as matter that is elevated by fire so is he that hath this strength that is he is able to do more then a natural strength can do This was that which made a difference between Sampson and other men he had a natural strength and he had a strength to do more then other men could do and that this strength doth go further then natural strength we will prove by these particulars First the spiritual strength enables you to see more and to prize grace more the natural strength shewes you something in your journey but it shewes you not the end of your journey whereas the sight that the inward man brings unto the soul adds unto it as in 1 Iere. 31. 1. Then shall ye know me that is they knew me before but now they know me in another manner then before grace presents things unto the soul in another hue then nature doth Secondly In performances all natural strength leades a man unto a form of godliness but this strength gives a man power and ability to do good labour therefore for this strength that your heart may be in such a frame in holiness that you may do Gods will on earth as the angels do in heaven which the carnal man cannot do that is he that hath not this strength he will never labour to please God after that manner because he cares no further for grace but that he may escape hell but the spiritual man will not be contented to have the pardon of sin except he may have Grace and Holiness too Thirdly It enables him to go further in judgement of things that is the natural man cares not if he can get but just so much holiness as will bring him to Heaven but the spiritual man will not be content with any measure but it is with a spiritual man as it is with the sun the clearest sun shine shewes the most moates the clearest glass the least spots and the best water is next the Fountain even so when the spiritual man is strong in the Inward man it sees the more moates and bracks in the spiritual strength and labours for more strength against weakness which a natural man cannot conceive of as in the 1 Pet. 4. 4. They think it strange that you run not with them into the same excesse of Ryot that is they know not the reason or they cannot conceive what should keep men from loving such and such vices which they love like blind men they hear the Pipe but see not the persons that dance so they hear the word but they see not the rule by which the spiritual man goes As a Country man that comes and sees a
is They would not put off the motions of the spirit but they would strike while the Iron is hot and grinde while the winde blowes But men will not believe and therefore it is that they go on in sin as they do It is not so for earthly things men are easily to be brought to believe any promise of them As for example If a man shall come and tell a man of a commoditie which if he would buy and lay by him it would in a short time yield an hundred for one oh how ready would men be to buy such a commoditie with the wise Merchant Matth. 8. 44. they would sell all that ever they had to buy this oh that men would be thus wise for their souls Beloved I tell you this day of a commoditie the best the richest the profitablest commoditie that ever was bought even Christ grace and salvation for which if you will but lay out your stock to buy them you shall have them that is if you have but a desire to rest your wearied souls on Christ to lay him up in your hearts I tell you it will yield you an hundred for one Christ who is the commoditie himself saith Mark 10. He that for saketh Father and Mother wife and children and life for my sake shall receive an hundred fold in this life and everlasting life in the world to come but men will not believe that but time will come when you shall see it to be true and befool your selves that you lost so precious a bargain as Christ and salvation is for the disbursing of a little profit and pleasure but as I said before the difference lies here men want faith and hence it is that they neglect the strengthening of the inward man And are so over-burthened with losses and crosses because they want faith And so much for the third difference The fourth difference is this natural strength leads a man unto a form of godliness but the spiritual strength leads a man unto the power of godliness I call that the form of godliness when a man doth perform or do any thing with carnal affections not to a right end and it is known by this when men fall away from that stedfastness or form or shew of holiness which they seemed to have this form of godliness is the same with that Heb 6. which have tasted of the word of life and yet notwithstanding fall away that is they seemed to have tasted of saving grace and to have the power with the form but it was not so because they continued not that is they lost the form which made them seem to be that which now it appeares they were not Again I call that the power of godliness which is performed by the Divine power force and efficacie of the spirit in the Rom. 2. it is said that The Gentiles that were not under the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law That is they did not by the power and efficacie of the spirit but by Nature This Paul speakes of in the 2 Tim 2. 3. In the later time men shall come in form of godliness that is with a form or shew without substance or power of the spirit But the inward strength which is in the Inward man doth not onely teach you to do but also it teacheth you how to do them from an inward principle of sanctiing grace But know also men that have but a common strength have some bubbles and motions to good and they seem to have this strength because they have the law of nature written in their hearts and they may promise much and yet not be spiritually strong having onely a form because he cannot do spiritual actions in a spiritual manner for he goes about them with a natural strength which should be performed with a spiritual strength in 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation That is when aman is truly regenerated when he hath not power of his own to do the will of God then he hath the spirit to help him that is they are not only kept by his power but also they are inabled to all the acts of grace betwixt this and salvation The fift difference between the natural and the spiritual strength is this That which proceeds from the spirit is alwayes joyned with Reluctancy of the will but in the natural strength there is no Reluctancy because there is no contraries but in the spiritual man there are two contraries the flesh and the spirit in every new man there are two men and you know these can never agree but are still opposing one another As for example a man that is going up a hill he is in labour and pain but he that is going down a hill goes with much ease so there is much labour and pains which a spiritual man takes to subdue the flesh but the natural man hath no reluctancy at all that is he hath no fighting and strugling with corruption but he goes without pain because he is but one he is one man and one cannot be divided against it self but in every spiritual man there are two men the old man and the new man the flesh the spirit And hence growes that spiritual combate Gal. 5. 13. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that they cannot do the things that they would These two men in a regenerate man strive for masteries And you must know also That in a natural man there may be a kind of reluctancy in the will against some particular sin as covetousness strives against pride and pride against niggardness yet not fighting against it as it is a sin but as it crosseth and twarteth his covetousness and pride Again know that a natural man may have reluctancy in some part of the soul as in the conscience the conscience being sensible of sin hence it may convince the man and yet the rest of the faculties be at peace but where this spiritual strength is it is in all parts not one facultie against another but all are fighting against sin in the whole man Now the reason that there is not this reluctancy in every facultie in a natural man is because he wants saving grace to oppose the workings of sin That is grace is not in the facultie opposite unto the corruption that is in it but in the holy man there is And therefore he is like Rebekah there are twins in him Iacob and Esau the flesh and the spirit hence it is that Paul complaineth so in Rom. 7. I finde another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind A Law That is I find something in me that is contrary unto me and in my members That is in my body and soul notwithstanding I see the evil of sin as most contrary to grace yet I cannot avoid it I cannot do the things that I would But
the natural man doth not hate the evil of sin otherwise then as it brings punishment Secondly I do delight in the Law of God in the inward man That is howsoever I am captivated and violently carryed unto the committing of sin yet it is against the desire of my soul he hath no pleasure he can take no delight in it for his delight is in the Inward man But the natural man looks upon the Lawes of God as burthens and therefore he will not submit himself unto them because he is not strong in the Inward man he promiseth but he performs not he yields and yields not That is to some thing but no to every thing thus much for this last difference betwixt natural strength and the spiritual strength Secondly is it so that the strength of the inward man is to be desired above all things then in the second place it may serve for exhortation to all men that they would labour to grow strong in the Inward man And that they would now at the last gather the fragments of their thoughts and desires which have been formerly set to get other things wholly to imploy them for the getting of this strength And so much the rather because other things are as the husk without the kernel or as the scabberd without the sword which will do a man no good when he stands in need of them As for example to be strong in riches honour credit and this is all the strength that most men desire what good will these do when you come to wrestle with sin and death yet men are violent after these but to be strong in the Inward man who seekes or inquires after it I know every man desires to be strong in all earthly strength but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the Inward man It is the folly weakness and sickness of men they look all without doors and upon outward things That is to the strength of the outward man but they seldom or never look within at all that is to strengthen the Inward man Oh that I could perswade you as I said before to gather up your thoughts and desires together and set the soul in assurance of grace that you may mortifie these inordinate affections which keep back the strengthening of the Inward man as covetousness pride pleasure self-love vain glory and the like Then it would be an easie work and no burthen unto you to strengthen the Inward man but here men stick the way is too narrow it is a hard matter to perswade men to it That is To make them believe there is such excellencie in the one not in the other that grace is the better part Therefore that I may the better prevail with you to attend to the strengthening of the Inward man I will lay down some motives to incite you to it The first motive to move you to strengthen the inward man is this Because your comfort lies most in the Inward man There is all your comfort and therefore to strengthen that is to adde unto your comfort As for example the sun brings comfort with it because that bringeth light so the more of the Inward man you have the more light and joy Now the reason wherefore the strengthening of the Inward man brings the more comfort is because it is the greater facultie and the greater the faculty is the greater is the joy or sorrow As for example take a man that is troubled in mind none so humble none so Penitent none so sorrowful as he and therefore it is said that a sound heart will bear his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear That is a man may be able to speak of any grief but the grief of a troubled minde who can expresse On the contrary take a man that is at peace with God who so joyful and comfortable as he Now the outward man is the lesser facultie and therefore it is capable of the lesse comfort That is It doth not in any measure know what true comfort and joy there is in the Inward man Again what joy the outward man hath in these outward things it is but according to the opinion of the inward man That is the comforts is no more then they are esteemd of the Inward man If the inward man do not esteem them as worthy the rejoycing in they will not bring comfort Again all the pains and labour and all things else you do bestow upon the outward man is but lost labour that will do no good brings no sound peace to the spirit and who will bestow labour on a vain thing but if you strengthen the Inward man the labour that you take about that will bring you great advantage it will arm you against all losses and Crosses and reproach and povertie that you shall meet withall in the world whiles you are in the way to Heaven Again consider that though you be strong in the outward man yet you are moveable subject to shaking and fleeting but it is otherwise with the Inward man it makes a Christian stedfast and immoveable That is it will so establish the heart in grace that he will stand firm unto Christ in all estates It is with the outward man as it is with the seas Though he strength of the stream run one way yet the winde blowes contrary it moves and stirrs and strives and disquiets it when losses and crosses come they break the frame and strength of the outward man but the Inward man is like the firm ground let the winde blow never so violent yet it moves not it stands fast Again in the abundance of outward things there is no true contentment neither in the want of them But where the strength of the Inward man is there is no cause of dejectedness this difference we shall see in Adam and Paul Adam though he was Lord of all things and had the rule of all the creatures Yet when he was weak in the inward man what joy had he nay what fear had he when he hid himself in the garden Again look upon Paul who in the want of these outward things is not dejected at all as in Acts 16. It is said that when Paul and Silas were in prison in the stocks the prisoners sung for joy Now what was the reason of it but this because they were strong in the Inward man and therefore you see that all true peace is that which cometh from within and when you rejoyce in that your rejoycing is good that is you stand upon a good bottom Alas you think to have contentment in your riches but you will be befooled they will deceive you If you build upon them you will build without a foundation and go upon another mans leggs Now were it not far better for you to get leggs of your own and to build upon a sure foundation And this you shall do if you strengthen the inward man Again consider if you
is a Lion That is he is strong in grace secondly be is a grey hound That is he is swift in the performance of all holy duties Thirdly a hee goat serviceable to God and profitable to the Church fourthly a King to rule and over-rule his Iusts Every spiritual man is a King because he bears rule in the inward man but it is not so with a wicked man his lusts rule him that he is a slave and not a King and therefore the Apostle saith let not sin reign in your bodies to obey it in the lusts thereof That is if it once reign it will rule and if it rule you must obey whatsoever drudgery or slavery is injoyned you Therefore labour to get strength in the Inward Man And know also that you shall not only be free from the slavery of sin but you shall also keep your excellencie And therefore it may be said of every one that is weak in the inward man as Iacob said of Reuben in the 42. of Genesis Thou art become as weak as water That is thou wast that which thou art not now thou wast excellent but now thou hast lost it So I say unto you if you lose the strength of the inward man you will lose your excellency Now no man would willingly lose his excellencie if you would not lose you must keep strength in the inward man In the 1. Psal. the Psalmist sets forth the excellencie of that man that is strong in the Inward man He shall be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water First he sets forth the propertie of the spiritual man he shall be green secondly he shall be as a tree planted that is that shall not easily be plucked up Thirdly his perpetuitie his branches shall shall never wither That is he shall never grow unseemly Fourthly his fruitfulness he shall bring forth fruit in season that is he shall be fruitful in grace But on the contrary when a man grows weak in the inward man it will be far otherwise with him he will be like a tree that hath lost both sap and root leaf and fruit set in an barren soil with withered branches and fruitless fit for nothing but the fire but if a man can keep the strength in the Inward man neither reproach disdain nor shame or the Divel shall be able to make a man miserable Therefore keep the vigour of the inward man safe whatsoever becomes of the outward man And there is good reason why you should keep the inward man safe because it keepes the soul and directs it to that right end In the 1. Eccles. The wise man saith all things are vanitie and vexation of spirit That is when a man loseth his happiness in the Inward man Though he keep the outward man secure yet it is but vanitie and vexation of spirit That is he goes besides the rule he should go by For there is a rule unto every creature that he is to go by And the nearer the creature comes unto the rule the more excellent is the creature but if it go besides the rule it looseth its excellency As for example the fire and water they are excellent creatures if they keep to their rule But if they exceed their rule they become hurtful so the rule of the soul is the law put into the Inward man And the closer you keep to this the more excellent you are Therefore that you may keep your excellency which you cannot do except you strengthen the Inward man let this move you to a diligent attendance to it In the third place this may serve for direction for you may say unto me you have shewed us what this inward man is And the differences betwixt the inward strength and the outward strength And you have also laid down Motives to move us to strengthen the inward man But alas how shall we strengthen the Inward man To help you in this work I will lay down some means by the use of which you may be strengthned But before I come unto the particulars it will not be amisse to stand upon the general That is to perswade you a little to desire to be strong for if you could but bring your hearts unto this but desire to be strengthned it will be a great means to move us to prevail against whatsoever may seem to hinder us from it I say if you did but desire it that is if you did but know the excellency of the Inward man it would work a holy desire in you and a true desire will let no means escape that will further a man This is the same means that Christ useth to his Disciples when he would have them in love with faith If you have faith saith he but asmuch as a grain of Mustard seed you shall be able to remove mountains That is if you did but know the excellency of this grace of saith you would desire it and if you did but desire it you would never rest till you had got it so if you did but prize grace and the worth of the Inward man at a high rate you should be sure to gain it Therefore you know the promise in the 5. of Matthew Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after vighteousness for they shall be satisfied Therefore if you would but bring your hearts unto this frame as to hunger after the strength of the Inward man you shall have it or if you can but bring your hearts to this temper as to desire and seek after the strength of the Inward man you shall find it as in Prov. 2. 7. If thou searchest for her as for silver and diggest for her as for hidden treasure then thou shalt find her That is if thou didst but esteem the Inward man as men do silver and prize it as a rich treasure at a high rate Then the effect would follow you shall find it So then if you will desire salvation and happiness and the strength of the Inward man you shall have it for you will never thrive in grace until you have a desire to thrive grace will not grow till there be a desire wrought in the soul for when men do not delight in the inward man they never grow in grace and holiness That is they are not as trees planted that bring forth seasonable fruit but are barren do what you will to it the soul is naught for the spirit hath not yet tilled the heart and sown in it the first beginning of the seed of grace which is an earnest desire after it Now as it is good in the bodily â—â—ckness to know the means of recovery so in the sickness and weakness of the Inward man it is good to know the means by which it may be strengthned Therefore we will come to the particular means for the strengthning of the Inward man The first means to strengthen the Inward man is to abound in spiritual knowledge because the more
knowledge the more strength for the spirit of Divine truth is the strength of the soul for as the soul is unto the body so is the word unto the Inward man the body is dead without the soul not able to do any thing so the Inward man without the spiritual strength which is wrought in the soul by the saving knowledge of the word is nothing but weakness Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow by it That is knowledge in the word will make you grow strong in Christ The contrary to this we see the Apostle upbraids the Corinthians with 1 Cor. 3. 1. And in the Heb. 5. 13. because they were weak in knowledge he calls them babes for saith he He that is not expert in the Word of Righteousness he is a Babe Therefore labour to abound in spiritual knowledge that you may be strong in the Inward man I presse this the more because I fear many of you are weak because you are ignorant That is you want this spiritual knowledge you know in our ordinary talk we count ignorance folly That is when a man doth any thing that he should not do or would not do if he did but understand himself we say that man is weak in judgement or it is folly surely this weakness in the Inward man is folly indeed and a man cannot shew his weakness more then to be weak in spiritual knowledge And yet you must know that a man may have much knowledge that is worldly knowledge and the notional or speculative knowledge of Divine truthes and yet be but weak in the inward man for there is an artificial knowledge which fills the brain but the spirit goes no further and descends no lower That is it doth not sanctifie that knowledge in the heart and the inward man Again there is a knowledge of the spirit or experimental which is an operative knowledge and goes along with this other knowledge and bends it to Sanctification and is practical but yet you must know I say before you can be strong there must be some proportion between the spiritual knowledge and the spiritual strength as for example one man eates and is fat and lusty another man eates and is still lean so some have as much as others have and yet are not so strong as others And yet we say not but as the lean man is strengthened by the meat he eates so he that hath weaker knowledge is strengthened by it but where the Lord works by his spirit the greatest knowledge accordingly strength is increased Therefore I beseech you labour for a full measure of saving knowledge that is for a working purging operative and powerful knowledge And this I do not onely speak unto you that are weak but also unto you that are strong that you be careful to adde unto your knowledge for what is the reason that you do not grow in grace but because you are not careful to adde more knowledge unto that which you have It may be you pick some good thing from some Sermons or from some good book but presently you forget them you do not make it your own by Meditation it slips out of your memory again and so doth you no good but if you would be careful to adde unto it you would grow stronger in the inward man then you do And here is the misery of us that are spiritual Builders other Builders when they have built a house the owner lookes to it himself and keepes it in reparations but when we have done what we can to build up in the inward man and think that you will put to your hands your selves when we are to further the work of grace you begin to pull down your buildings again your selves by your ignorant and loose lives That is by following your pleasure your sporting and gaming and prophaning the Lords day Therefore you must labour to grow in knowledge if you will grow strong in the inward man The second means to be used if you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must be diligent in the use of all means as the wise man saith The hand of the diligent maketh rich so where there is much diligence in the use of the means of grace there is much strength in the inward man no men get spiritual strength but they that are diligent And therefore this is the reason that men are not strong in the spiritual strength because like the sluggard you are not diligent in the use of the means That is you take no pains for grace and therefore it is that you get no increase for according to the proportion of your pains so is the inward man strengthened And as you use them more diligently so you find the strength of them more operative and powerful for it is in the soul as it is with the body If you be not diligent and careful to feed the body it will wither and consume away and grow weak so if you feed not the soul diligently and use the means constantly you will breed weakness in the soul and the more remisse and secure you are in the performance of holy duties the weaker you are It may be you think it will not weaken you to omit private prayer but omit it once and it will make you careless and the more you neglect it the more unfit and undisposed will you find your selves when you would and your strength will abate Or you think you may prophane one Sabbath or you may take your pleasure immoderatly sometimes but beloved it will make you secure That is the more a man doth in this kinde the more he may do For this is true in every act every act inclines a habit and a habit brings custom so it is as true in good things the beginning of good things brings many particular good things And therefore if you can but get your hearts in a frame of grace you shall find a supply of grace because Christ saith unto whom soever hath unto him shall be given That is he that hath grace is careful in the use of the means by Gods appointment he shall thrive in holiness for if you once get but the beginnings of saving grace and be industrious and careful to imploy them then you will in time grow strong you know what Christ said unto the servant that had used his Talent well he had more given him So if you be diligent in the use of the means the inward man will grow strong but for the using of the means observe these Rules The first Rule that I would have you observe if you would have the means effectual is this you must use all the means If you use but part of the means you will not grow strong for as it is with the body so it is with the inward man for the health and growth of the body a man will use all
means labour and recreation In health for the whetting of the facultie Physick in sickness In a word he will use every thing that he may strengthen the body Thus you must do for the strengthening of the inward man you must use all means As hearing of the word receiving the Sacrament prayer Meditation conference Communion of Saints particular resolutions to good or else the inward man will not grow strong These are the food that the inward man feeds on It is wîth the inward man as it is with a plant If you would have a plant to grow then you must set it in a good soil you must dig about it and dung it and water it but if you be careless where you set it it will not prosper and thrive even so if you do not add fatness of soil to the beginning of grace That is if you do not use all the meanes As the Communion of Saints and prayer and hearing of the word the inward man will not grow strong but wither and die that is you will be dwarâ—es in grace and holines The second Ruls if you would have the means effectual is this you must look that you perform holy duties strongly for then the means do strengthen the inward man when they are don with strong affections That is when a man useth them not remissâ—ly and coldly for remisse actions weaken the habit As for example take water that is exceeding hot and put cold water to it and you will weaken it so perform Holy duties and use the means of grace remissely and they will weaken the habit to good that is it will work an indisposition in the soul. Therefore do them strongly with much zeal and fervency of affections that the inward man may grow strong by the performance of them The third Rule if you would have means effectual Then you must be constant in the use of the means for what is the reason there is so little thriving in grace that men remain cripples in grace but because they use the means of grace but by fits and halfes That is they are not constant in a good course of life they are still off and on they shoot sometimes short and at other times they hit the mark That is they come seldom unto the means Now and then they pray and now and then they use the Communion of Saints Now this inconstancie disableth the facultie and weakens it And therefore it is impossible you should thrive in grace except you be constant The Apostle Iames calls them unstable men That is let these never think to receive strength in the inner man till they come to more constancie in good Therefore labour to be constant in Prayer in hearing in Meditation in the Sacrament and in conference which if you be not you will not grow strong in the Inward man The fourth Rule if you would have the means effectual is this you must take heed of depending on the means without an eye to God in them For know that the means without God is but as a pen without ink a pipe without water or a scabberd without a sword That is they will not strengthen the inward man without God for it is the spirit that puts life in the means And yet you must not cut off the pipe from the well head that is you must not depend upon God without the use of the means but you must use both First seek unto God and depend upon him for the strengthening of the inward man and withall use the means constantly because as water is carryed from the well head through the pipe And so from the pipe to many places so the means are as pipes to conveigh graces unto the soul therefore use them and â—ut them not off by carelesness if you do you will cut off the strength of the inward man The third means if you would strengthen the inward man is You must get rectified judgements That is you must see that your judgements be right for men do deceive themselves in their judgements they think that they have strong judgements and that they are able to judge of things when indeed they are marvellous weak And that you may not deceive your selves I will lay you down some signes of a rectified judgement The first sign of a rectified judgement is this you shall know it by your constancy That is so much constancie in good and so much is your judgement rectified And on the contrary so much inconstancy and so much weakness As for example when a man hath propounded a rule to himself is not constant in it it argueth that he is weak in his judgement because he keepes not close to the Rule That is there are stronger or more arguments to the contrary which makes him to fall away and not sit down by the Rule That is he is posed because he is but weak in judgement As for example suppose a man should come and proffer a man an 100. pounds not to leave such a practise And another man should come offer him two hundred pounds to leave it If the man be weak in judgement he will be drawn by the greater reward though it be to his hurt Therefore if you would not be beaten off and made to sit down by stronger Arguments then you have in your selves then you must get your judgements rectified which you shall know by your constancy in Holy duties or whether a little profit or pleasure will draw you away if you do whatsoever you think of your selves your judgements are weak The second sign whereby you shall know whether your judgements be rectified is this examine whether your Passions be strong Strong sinful passions argue a weak judgement when the passions of a man are strong it weakeneth the understanding and therefore Paul in the Acts 14. when they would have made him a God he cries out We are men subject to like Passions as you are That is full of weakness As if he should say your vehement passions in this thing proves your weakness of judgement Therefore labour to have strong affections to good for the strength of affections come from the inward man Again the strength of the affections shew the abiding of the spirit in the soul. As in the 1 Sam. 11. 6. it is said that The spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he was angry That is his affections were strong for Gods glory And in the Acts 4. 32. After they were filled with the Holy Ghost they spake boldly That is they had strong affections for Gods glory And therefore the spirit is compared to fire and oil for fire that burns and consumes and oil that mollifies and softeneth so doth the spirit therefore examine whether you burn in the inward man That is see whether you have strong affections to good if not your judgements are weak And again see what cheerfulness you have examine whether your hearts are soft tender and
men that at such a time would have been hot and zealous where are the generation of these men surely they are all gone for there is no heat nor zeal left It is true we abound in knowledge that is we have the same knowledge that they had but we want their zeal and Spirit and we have the same gifts but we want their spirit Therefore let us now shew our selves to be in the Spirit that is to have the Spirit in us by our zeal against evil But you will say that many holy men that have the Spirit yet they are not so hot and zealous against evil but are marvellous mild and patient First to this I answer that holy men may have pits wherin they may be faln I say they may have dross as well as gold and hence they may be driven through a strong passion and lust not justly to scale sins aright whence ariseth remissness and neglect both in doing good and resisting evil But this in a regenerate man I call but a passion because it continues not for prayer and the Preaching of the pure word will recover this again that is it will recover his strength and make him zealous against sins But if you see a man what profession soever he makes of Christ that can wink at sin and not be moved at it and the word nor prayer do not kindle this holy fire in him Then plainly that man is a dead man there is no spark of holiness in him Therefore I may say to every such holy man as they were wont to say to Hannibal that he hath fire in him but he wants blowing so I say unto you if you have the spirit you have heat in you but if this heat do not appear at all times or at sometime it is because it wants blowing for when they have just occasion to exercise the strength of the inward man for Gods glory they will shew that they have zeal in them and are hot and lively to good and not dead in sin As for example this is the difference between a man that is dead and a man that is in a swoon the man that is in a swoon if strong waters and rubbing of his joints do not recover him it is a sign that he is dead so if the word will not work in you but you remain senseless and dead without spiritual heat in you it is a sign that you are more then in a swoon that is you are already dead in the Inward man It is said of the Adamant that it will not be heated with fire so I say of you if the word will not heat you when you are rubbed with it it is a sign that you are like the Adamant dead unto grace Secondly to this I answer that howsoever some men that are faithful are not so zealous it is true yet I say it is no good argument to say that because counterfeit drugs and wares have the same sent and smell that good wares have therefore they are as good or that the good wares have not the like It were better to say that they have the fame but the difference is in this that they have a false die and glosse upon them 〈◊〉 soâ—l say there is false and counterfeit zeal and there is a true zeal That is there may be a zeal without heat as a Painter may Paint the similitude and proportion of fire but he cannot give heat unto it or as there may be pieces of coin counterfeit as well as pieces of true Metal so there may be a counterseit fire as well as true fire So I say men may be sanctified and yet be mild and not of a hot and fierie disposition That is they do not so burn in the Spirit as others do It is not therefore good to conclude that it matters not whether you be zealous or no for howsoever it be true in him it may be false in thee And know also that this weakness is joyned with much holy zeal though it be not outwardly expressed for certainly as where true fire is there is heat so where there is the Spirit there is zeal Therefore examine whether you have heat in you if you have not you have not the Spirit The second sign whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you find that you are not onely able to do more then you would naturally do But you have also holiness joyned with it this sign I make of two parts because a man may do many things that carry a shew above nature and yet want holiness but if they be above nature and then have holiness joyned with them it is a sign that you have the sanctifying Spirit First I say it will make you to do more then you could do by nature that is it puts another manner of strength in you by which you are able to do those things which before you were not able to do As for example it will work in you a Patience above a natural Patience This we see in Christ himself when he was crucified he opened not his mouth he was like a Lamb That is he had more then natural patience also this is true in Paul Peter and the rest of the Saints also it works in us love above a natural love therefore it was said that Christ was full of love and had compassion on the multitude Again it works joy in a man beyond natural joy this we see in Paul and Silas when they were in prison they sang for joy And the Disciples in Acts 4. Rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ. Again it works in a man boldness above a natural boldness and therefore it is said in Acts 4. That they preached the word with great boldness That is with a boldness above a natural boldness And so Luther he was endued with a Spirit of boldness else he would never have been so bold in the defence of the Truth if he had not had another spirit in him Again it works in a man wisdom above a natural wisdom and therefore 1 Sam. 18. it is said of David that the Spirit of the Lord was with him therefore Saul was afraid of him And so Abimelech feared Abraham because he saw a great measure of wisdom and discretion in him Again it works in a man strength above a natural strength because to the strength of nature they have another added Again it will make you see above a natural sight Therefore it is said they shall not need to teach one another but they shall be all taught of God That is they shall see into the excellencie that is in God Therefore examine your selves whether you have the Spirit or no by this for if you have the sanctifying Spirit then you shall be able to keep down lusts to have power and abilitie to sanctisie the Sabbath power to pray power to hear power to confer power to
if you find your own spirit dead in you and Christs spirit quick and lively in you And this you shall know also by your affections That is if you have other affections both to God and Christ to holiness and to the Saints then you had before it is certain you have the spirit for this is that which followes the spirit for when the sanctifying spirit comes into the heart of a Christian it works another kinde of love in a man then a man naturally hath and again it makes a man live another kind of life then he did before Thus it was with Paul in 2 Gal. 20. I live but not I but Christ in me That is there is a proportion and likeness between the life of a Christian and Christ. That is when the spirit enters into the heart Then it will begin to put off the old man and to put on the new man it will put off their own power and strength to good and put on Christ onely Yet mistake me not I say not the substance of the soul is changed for the soul in substance is the same as it was before But here is the difference when the spirit comes it puts new qualities and habits unto it it alters and changes the disposition of it it gives it that sense which before it felt not and the sight which before it saw not hence it is throughly changed in regard of the qualitie and disposition of what it was and yet in substance remains 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 unpliable but now it is hot 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 spiritual life into all the parts of the soul and therefore it is said if the Spirit of Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sin but the Spirit is alive That is he is like a tree that wants both sap and root or as a man that is dead that wants a soul he is now dead whatsoever he was before Therefore examine if this thorow and great change be you see then what death there is in you to sin and what life unto holiness I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you into such a frame as to be fit for Heaven And again the Apostle cals it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. Be you met amorphosed That is throughly changed new moulded again In the 1 Cor. 3. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turn but it must be a great change the changing of Christs spirit for your own spirit which if you have then shall you come out of every affliction every difficulty like gold out of the furnace like cloth out of the die of Lions you shall be made Lambes of Serpents Doves Therefore see if this change be in you or no. If this change be in you Then when your old guest that is your old lusts shall come and find that their old companions be cast out of doors and that the soul is swept and changed they will not stay but seek abiding elsewhere And on the contrary if your opinions of sin be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evil company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the spirit And so long as you remain thus do you think 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 labour to get holiness The fourth sign whereby you may know whether you have the spirit is this If it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will do by you as the Angels do by assumed bodies They take them up for a time and do many things with them to serve their own turns but they do not put life into them So in like manner examine whether the spirit makes you loving men or no. That is when the sanctifying spirit shall joyn with the soul of a man it will make him do sutable things and brings forth sutable actions The body is dead without the soul so the soul hath of it self no spiritual life to good without the spirit Therefore that which Paul speaks of unchaste widowes that they are dead while they live so I may say of every man that hath not the Spirit they are dead men dead to good to grace to holiness I say there is no life without the Spirit Men are not living men because they walk and talk 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 be esteemed living men that want the spirit Now the difference between the assumed bodies and the bodies which have the souls joyned with them are these By the examinnation of which it will appear that the most men which think they have the spirit are deceived with the common spirit That is beause they do the actions of assumed bodies The first property of an assumed body is this we have but an assumed body of grace and holiness when in the practise of life we take unto our selves the things that are evil and leave the things that are truely holy and good I do not say when I hate good but when I prefer evil before good setting it at the higher end of the Table and serving it first and attending on it most That is when holy duties become troublesome and wearisom unto you when it goes against the hair as we say that they crosse our nature and yet you will not crosse it for the love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you think of your selves you have not the sanctifying spirit but a common spirit without life The second propertie of an assumed body of grace is if you have it not in a feeling manner The sanctifying spirit works a spiritual sence and taste in the soul. That is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste it will be 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 be a daintie thing and it will be without a good savour therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can relish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying Spirit but an
Christian like walking and holy conversation And this is the same the Apostle speaks of when he would assure them of their resurrection to life in Rom. 6. If you die with Christ you shall also rise with him again That is if your actions be the actions of the spirit proceeding from the inward man and have some resemblance of Christ then you shall rise again and live with him And in Rom. 8. he comes to the works of the spirit So many saith he as are led by the Spirit they are Sons of God That is they are led unto all holy actions and the duties of sons and then he comes in Galat. 5. unto the fruits of the spirit The fruits of the spirit are love joy and peace c. well then examine whether you have the spirit by the actions of the spirit and by the working and fruits of the spirit and by the teaching of the spirit For it is the Spirit which is the doctor of the soul that teacheth it all spiritual and saving knowledge and therefore the Lord saith you shall not need to be taught of any other for you shall be all taught of God that is mens teaching will never be effectual to work grace and holiness in you except God teach by his spirit Now you must know that there is a two fold teaching First there is a teaching of beast by man that they may be serviceable unto men by this to put men in mind of the spiritual teaching God hath put such a power in the creatures that they cannot chuse but they must do it there is a necessitie laid upon them by God in the very instinct of nature So when the spirit comes into the heart of a Christian it openeth another light in the minde and therefore the Apostle saith that you need not teach you to love for you are taught of God to love one another That is there is a necessitie laid upon you and therefore you must needs love I grant that sometimes a thief may be in the high way but it is for a bootie and a holy man may be out of the way That is slipt aside but here is the difference the one sets himself of purpose to do evil and the other is inforced unto evil unwillingly And you shall know the difference between these two in these 2. things If a holy man have gone besides the way as soon as the passion or temptation is overpast he will return again into the right way he will not go forward nor stand still but he will return But the other though in some sence he knowes it and is told he is besides the rule yet he cares not he will go on forward Therefore examine what fruits of the spirit you bring forth and what wayes you delight in Are you in the way of holiness do you delight to pray to hear to receive do you love God and Christ and the Communion of Saints Then it is a sign that you have the Spirit But on the contrary if you follow drunkenness and uncleanness and prophaning of the Sabbath in gaming and in sporting and idleness you never had the Spirit Again consider what are your walkes that is do you follow your old evil haunts now as fast as ever you did it is a sign that you have not the Spirit Again think not that it will excuse you to say that whatsoever your actions be yet you have good hearts for you must know that your hearts are far worse then your actions as I said before for if you had the Spirit it would not be idle in you but as it makes the heart holy so it sends forth holy speeches and actions in the life The working power of the spirit is excellently set forth in that passage between Eliah and Elizeus in the Kings It is said that Eliah cast his mantle about Elizeus presently he cries out let me go first saith he and take leave of my Father and then I will go with thee Eliah might well have reasoned thus with him what have I done unto thee or what have I spoken unto thee that thou shouldest thus reply unto me as if I tied thee unto the contrary Said I any such word unto thee that thou mightest not go But there was a necessitie laid upon Elizeus by the spirit to go with him and therefore he could not chuse but break out into these words That is the spirit now entred into his heart that he was not now his own man he must now go where the spirit would have him and do that which the spirit bid him and so we see in Act. 4. 20. when the Jewes came to Peter and commanded that he should not preach Christ unto them he answereth that he cannot chuse but he must preach Christ And in the beginning of the chapter you shall see the reason of it They had received the holy Ghost and they spake boldly Therefore you see the spirit is not idle but marvellous working and operative Therefore examine what power you have what actions you have and what fruit you bring forth But you may say that sometimes the spirit seems to be dead in the heart therefore it is not alwayes working To this I answer that the propertie of the spirit is alwayes to work and it doth alwayes work but he may sometimes withdraw his actions of growing as when a Temptation comes which before you have resisted but now you are taken with it then the spirit seems to absent himself by withdrawing his power but notwithstanding he works still for in the instant there is lusting and labouring in you against it and afterwards he gives you power to return again Again it is not alwayes thus with you but sometimes onely Thus much for the first use The next use stands thus if the holy ghost doth strengthen us in the inward man then let me above all things exhort you to seek the spirit because it will strengthen you in the inward man For what would a man desire either for the outward or inward man but if he have the spirit he shall obtain it Would a man be enabled to pray would a man be enabled to bear losses and crosses would a man master particular lusts is a man in bondage and would be set at liberty from sin is a man spiritually dead and benummed is a man spiritually affrighted with sin would a man walk as a Christian man ought to walk would a man be enabled to every good work would a man love in a word would a man do any thing that is holy and good Let him get the Spirit and he shall do these and much more Thus much for the general what the spirit can do for a Christian. Now I come unto the particulars what the spirit will do unto them where he comes and those I will reduce in these four particular things The first benefit is this which a Christian gets by enjoying
reason of it but because he wanted the spirit and on the contrary when the Disciples had received the Spirit They spake with boldnesse The fourth effect that the spirit begets i holy and heavenly desires in the soul therefore the Church in Cant. 2 is marvellous inquisitive to find Christ and what is the reason there is in men such a want of holy desires but because they have not the spirit The fifth effect is That the spirit begets holy indignation holy anger is an effect of the spirit and therefore thé Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 7. What indignation and wrath This he speaks in the commendation of the Corinthians men will not be angry with sin as an evil untill they get the Spirit The sixth effect of the spirit is holy affections It will make you have heavenly affections towards God to grace to the Saints Therefore the Lord saith Eze. 26. 21. I will give you a new heart Carnal men they may do some things to make their children to reverence them as to love them in regard of some donation that is they may proffer an object but they cannot beget holy affections That is the onely work of the Spirit thus to change the heart The seventh effect of the spirit is this It will purge the soul i. e. it will cast out all rubbish out of the soul There fore the Lord saith that he will purge the sons of Levi as silver That is that they may be fit for the service of the Priesthood he will purge out of them by the spirit that which other wayes would make them unfit And David in Psal 51. often prayes That the Lord would purge him and then after he prayes for the restoring of the spirit making the absence of the spirit the cause of his uncleanness The eighth effect of the spirit is It kindles holy affections to good in us and this is that that giveth us great advantage against sin I say we have no small advantage against the devil when the heart is full of heavenly affections and that for these reasons First because the more holy affections the better man That is God accompts more of him A man is esteemed of God as he hath or hath not holy affections a man is that which he is in his affections that is a man is not a good man because he knowes much but he is a holy man because he hath holy affections when he is full of love to God to Christ and to the Saints The second reason is because holy affections are a means or a second cause of good That is they are the cause of good actions as for example for a man to suffer for Christ and yet not to do it with holy affections out of love unto Christ That is nothing worth Therefore when the affections are ripe they are drawn upwards by the spirit both to do and to suffer The third reason is because holy affections they widen the soul that is they make the soul large for when holy affections are dead in you the soul will begin to shrink in even as cloth that is not thorowly made when water fals upon it it will run in but if you stretch it it will come to its own length again so when the spirit comes and â—…rks holy affections they widen the soul and make it large and firm Therefore that you may have large hearts in prayer and in meditation labour to get the spirit that you may have holy affections kindled in you The fourth benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it will make the heart good because it is the proper work of the holy ghost to sanctifie the heart that is to cleanse and change it and so make it good It is the work of the Spirit to work repentance a thorow change because men for the most part mistake repentance That is men do think that if they be turned this way and that way from this sin and from that sin though it be not from every sin and evil way that they have true repentance but they are deceived For repentance is a true change of the whole man consisting both of soul and body whereby the parts and faculties of both are turned a quite contrary way That is the heart is turned out of the way of sin into the way of holiness Now that a partial turning is not repentance I will make it clear by this comparison Take any natural thing that is of an earthly substance whose nature is to go downwards Yet you may force it upwards by means that you may use As for example Water you know is of an earthly substance and the nature of it is to descend yet you see by the force and strength of the sun it is drawn upwards first into vapors and then congealed into ice and snow and rain and then it will not rest till it descend again But there is another motion of things light and spiritual clouds ascend upwards and are not forced but naturally do it Even so a carnal man may do the same things that a spiritual man doth he may keep down some lust and he may forsake some evil That is he may forsake his drunkenness and his uncleanness and his old evil haunts but yet he doth not forsake all neither doth he keep out sin by the spirit but by a natural strength if he do a good action itâ—… by constraint he is forced by something to do it but it changeth not his heart a whit he may take a resolution to be good and to be better yet to change his own nature is not in his own power for this is the work of the holy Ghost Thus much for this use and for this point We now come to a third point the Apostle saith he would have them To be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man noting thus much that God must give them the spirit before they could have him The point is this That The Spirit is a free gift I say that the sanctifying Spirit is a free gift I gather it thus The Apostle here prayes That God would give them the Spirit Not that they had deserved it and so should have it by merit as the Papists teach but he must give it them freely without defert of their own I need not stand in the proving of it long That the Spirit is a free gift onely I will shew you briefly how the Spirit is a free gift and this shall be in these five particular things First the Spirit is a free gift and it must be free because the Spirit is a gift and what more freer as we use to say then a gift is Now it is a free gift because it is not merited by us at Gods hands it is not extorted and drawn from God by force nor merited by desert because all the good that is in us is wrought by God it is God that
planted them with such graces as flourish and grow up in them Thirdly as one delights in a Feast so God delights in them Cant. 5. 1. I have eaten my honey comb with my honey I have drunk my wine with my milk Revel 3. 20. I will come and sup with them I delight in them as in a Feast Fourthly where a man dwells there he is active one that doth nothing is not said to dwell in the place but rather to be imprisoned as one said of an idle man pointing to his body hic situs est his soul was buried in his body So Christ is said to dwell in us in regard of his activity and influence in regard of the works that he doth in us he works efficaciously in the soul making it fit for himself Christ hath an influence into the Saints he is still active in them furnisheth them with qualities that they had not and with actions that they did not before as one having an house makes his garden he dwells in us as the fire in the iron That is as the fire giveth to the iron all the qualities and properties of fire as hot burning and giving light it makes it like the fire so the spirit of a man when Christ dwelleth in him is made as the Spirit of Christ in all thinâ—s according to that degree of grace that he hath received We now come to the second thing we propounded and that is to shew you the benefits that we have by Christ his dwelling in our hearts and those are six First Where ever Christ dwelleth he maketh that person glorious he filleth his heart with glory This I take out of the Psal. 24. v. 7. Be ye lift up ye everlasting doors That the King of glory may come in The meaning is this when ever Christ cometh into any mans heart he comes as the King of glory That is not as one that is glorious in himself and keepeth his glory to himself but as one that communicateth his glory to that place where he cometh For there is that difference between Christ his coming in to an house and the coming of a Prince when a Prince cometh though he bring never so much glory with him yet he putteth it not upon the house the house remaineth the same But when Christ cometh into the heart he changeth he altereth the house he beautifieth and decks the soul with such excellencies as in themselves are glorious and appear glorious unto the view of others So Moses when he was with God his face did shine when he came down from the Mount because there God communicated his glory to him Indeed it is true that was an outward visible glory but yet the resemblance of that inward glory which God communicateth to the soul of him in whom he dwelleth That is he makes an impression of his own glory of his own Image upon that heart into which he cometh he stampeth it I say upon the heart and it is glorious in the Inward man it shineth forth also in the life and conversation even as the light shineth through the window so is it when Christ dwelleth in the heart he putteth a glory there which shineth forth makes him glorious in the eyes of others giveth a gracious and heavenly tincture to all his actions And the reason is because where he dwelleth he bringeth the spirit with him the Spirit of glory resteth upon them as you have it in 1 Pet 4. The Spirit of glory resteth upon you when you are railed upon for his names sake That is that spirit dwelleth in you covereth you and let them say what they can they shall not be able to hurt you for you are compast about with light even with the glorious Spirit of God As if one should cast dirt upon the Sun he cannot obscure the glory of it because light dwells in it so when men speak evil of the Saints disgrace and revile them they cannot hurt them for there is glory in them that shineth about them Now glory is nothing else but the manifestation of some excellencie to the view of others so we attribute still the word glory to such in whom we see some excellency to see a man in gorgeous apparel An Army under banners to see a ship under sail we say they are glorious So Michal said of David How glorious was the King of Israel to day because then he manifested himself Now when God sheddeth abroad his Spirit into the heartâ— of any whom he infuseth the graces of his Spirit into them he is said to put glory into them This Christ doth wheresover he cometh because he furnisheth them with grace and every grace is glorious As it is said of wisdom in the Proverbs He that is in estimation for wisdom and glory That is for wisdom which is glorious so when Christ cometh into the heart of any he makes them wise and therefore glorious The like may be said of anâ— other vâ—rtue therefore in the Epistle of Peter vertue and glory are joyned together In a word the Image of God is in them which is compounded of many graces Now that image is a glorious Image 2 Cor. 3. You are changed to the Image of God from glory to glory That is from one gloâ—i us degree of grace to another And this is the first bâ—n siâ— we have by Christ he makes them glorious in whom he dwelleth because he putteth his graces in them and stamps his similitudes upon them Secondly A second benefit that we have by Christs dwelling in us iâ— this where ever he dwelleth he ruleth and governeth he guideth the spirit wherein he dwelleth he keepeth the heart in order from mutinies and tumults he keepeth all the affections in obedience And this is a great benefit and this he doth where he dwelleth Therefore in Psal. 24. it is said Be you lift up ye everlasting doors speaking there of the soul which onely is everlasting and the King of glory shall come in That is he ruleth as a King dwelleth as a King that ruleth in the place where he cometh That as Satan ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience so Christ ruleth in the children of obedience he guideth them and governeth them he ordereth their steps the right way That is when there are in them lusts fighting in their mind a law in their members rebelling against the Law of the spirit he keepeth down these Rebels he mortifieth these lusts and therefore in Rom. 8. The affections are said to be servants to righteousness That is because righteousness ruleth in the hearts of those in whom Christ dwelleth But you will say what benefit is this what priviledge is it to have Christ rule us it seemeth rather to be contrary it seemeth rather that this is to be restrained and to be over-ruled is it not better to have our liberty I answer that it is not but it is a great priviledge to
the budding and putting forth of the spirit therefore all such blossomes are precious and they should be nourished in you you should not let them wither for want of sap and that you may have from Christ for it is he that quickeneth every man by his Spirit That look as the old Adam maketh sin active in every one that is born of him so the second Adam communicateth grace and life to those that are ingrafted into him by faith Therefore he is called a quickening spirit even as a man liveth when the soul is conjoyned to the body so the soul liveth when Christ is conjoyned to it Look upon all the living Saints the reason why they live among such a multitude of dead men is because Christ is in them if you see one more holy then another more active more nimble in the wayes of Gods commandments then another it is because Christ dwelleth more in him then in another if you find your selves more ready and more strong to perform any duty it is because Christ helpeth and quickeneth you for he is your life In a word all the life you have is derived from his inhabitation and dwelling in you And this is the fourth Benefit that we receive from Christ he makes us living men The fifth benefit we have and receive from Christ his dwelling in us is that he consecrateth us and maketh us holy Know ye not saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 17. That ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit dwelleth in you That is Christs act no man is holy but he whom Christ consecrateth and he consecrateth the soul That is he sanctifieth it sets it apart maketh a temple peculiar to himself for holiness is nothing but an appropriating something to Gods use and sequestring it from common uses Now when Christ works such a work in the spirit of a man he is said to consecrate a man to sanctifie him And that he doth when he revealeth to us the vanitie of earthly things on one side And the excellencie of heavenly things on the other side By this means the heart is weaned from those and is knit and married to these in a conjugal love so that it loveth him and nothing besides and this I say Christ doth by revealing the truth making earthly things to appear vain as they are and God to appear beautiful and excellent as he is For when he appeareth as he is we cannot but love him and that is the reason it is said Sanctifie them with thy truth that is when any man hath the truth revealed unto him he seeth things as they are then his spirit cleaveth unto God loveth God marrieth it self unto God keepeth it self proper unto him weaneth itself and estrangeth it self from all other things That which is called sanctifying in that place you shall find in two places of Scripture exprest in such tearms as express this double act of Christ which I named unto you as in the 2 Tit. verse penult He hath purified to himself a peculiar people that is he hath emptied them of whatsoever may draw them from God and hath sanctified them by his spirit And so again in the 30. Deut. 6. And the Lord God will circumcise the heart that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. That is I will draw you to me your hearts shall cleave to me Now then when these two acts are done the heart circumcised and love put into it that it cleaveth to God without separation This is the sanctifying of the heart this Christ works wheresoever he cometh And my Brethren this is not an easie thing to do and indeed no man can do it but Christ for this holiness of spirit is not onely an abstaining from the things common and unclean from pollution of flesh and spirit it is not an abstaining from them out of judgement onely but then a mans spirit it is holy when he hath an inward propence inclination to that which is good and an aversness to that which is evil When the spirit hath a new quality put into it Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good this is holiness not to abstain from the evil onely but to abhor it not onely to do the good but his spirit cleaveth to the good loveth the good So it is said Lot had his righteous soul vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites that is he had a holy soul and in this his holiness was seen that he vexed c. So Moses his holiness appeared when he wept when he saw the people commit idolatry so Paul his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the idolatry of the people of Athens So when a mans spirit stiâ—reth it self after this manner when from that new quality that is put into it it works out the uncleanness that is in it this is the holiness of the spirit and no man hath it but from Christ. As the needle unless it have it from the Loadstone could not have that property of looking to the North so it is with the spirit of a man before Christ dwelleth in him before he hath put a new quality of holiness he never looks towards God but when it is done once it cannot do otherwise therefore those in whom Christ dwelleth cannot sin that is cannot delight in sin this is a great benefit therefore and this holiness of spirit they have in whom Christ dwelleth To be holy in all manner of conversation to be holy at all times in all places in all that he doth to have a holiness of spirit acting and appearing therein It is a hard thing and therefore the benefit is the greater so now how much unholiness we may find in the spirits of men when the spirit of a man steppeth out and doth what it doth to its own ends and looks not to Christ but to other ends this is unholiness and adultery of the spirit therefore those the trade of whose life is not to look at God in their actions but to themselves to pass from pleasure to pleasure and from sport to sport and all for themselves those also that are so much occupied in worldly businesses that God is forgotten this is exactly contrary to holiness for here the spirit turneth it self from God whereas we should be holy in all manner of conversation holy in every thing holy in eating holy in drinking holy in recreation holy in all our business holy in mirth c. But you will ask how shall that be When you do all these as to God as fitâ—ing you for his service when you put God as the end unto all that you do then is your spirit holy you know that place Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God That is respect God in it make not your selves the utmost end of it for then your heart is unholy for holiness is to keep the
up in their hearts you see how God for sook them and how angry he was with them get humbled hearts therefore When you can say to Christ in good earnest as the Centurion said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof that is the best way to draw his favour to you You know how readily Christ healed his servant how he admired him Again the neerer you draw unto him the more he will dwell in you it is the Apostle Iames his counsel or rather the Spirit of God â—y St. Iames Iâ—… 5. Draw neer to God and he will draw neer unto you And Christ himself in Iohn 15. 4. Abide in me and I will abide in you That is if we would come nâ—â—r him we must not suffer our selves to go a whoring after the things of the world but mind him draw neer unto him then would he dwell in you Again the wider you open the door wâ—â—n he knocks the further he â—ntrâ—th Rev. 3. I stand at the door and knock if any man will open the door I will come in and sup with him that is I will come in and dwell with him enter commons with him Now â—…re said to open the door when you yield to his knocking that is when you are stirred up to any good duty by hearing the Word all all provocations are knocking at the door the more you yield to these and the more willing you are to perform holy duties the more you open and so the more Christ dwelleth in you Again the less you live to your selves and the more you are emptied of your selves the more Christ dwelleth in you the less you live to pleasures and the more you are emptied of whatsoever is in you the more will Christ dwell in you Again the cleaner you keep your heart the more will he delight to dwell in you a man that is of a neat disposition loveth not to be in a soul place so Christ abhorreth to dwell in a heart that is â—oul and unclean the more clean therefore you keep your heart from Rebellions and unruly lusts and the more you are free from any kind of vanity and the more you grow up in holiness the more will Christ delight to dwell in your heart Again the larger spirit a man getteth and the stronger he is in the inward man These are the means whereby you may get Christ to dwell in your hearts and the more humble and contrite spirit you are of the nearer you draw unto him the wider ye open the doors when he knocks the less you live to your selves the cleaner you keep you heart the stronger you are in the inward man why then the more you shall have Christ governing you the more you shall have him putting his glory upon you the more you shall find him comforting and refreshing your hearts the more you shall find him quickning you to every good work the more he will defend you the more he will consecrate you But still remember that it is Christ that doth all when you do any holy duty when you have any strength to perform any thing that is of any special moment it is Christ that dwelleth in you that acteth in you as the Apostle saith it is Christ that liveth in me that is if you see any holiness in me if you see me excelling others in grace if you see me doing great and strong actions of Religion it is not I that do it but Christ that liveth in me it is he that strengtheneth me therefore for a man to think to live the life of grace without Christ is as if a man should think to live a natural life without a soul no wonder therefore that you cannot abstain from such and such a lust that you cannot pray that you cannot sanctifie the Sabbath no wonder seeing you want Christ no man else can do it Sampson when God was departed from him became as another man the reason why he did such marvellous things above the reach of other men was because God was with him the reason why the Saints do so much is because God is in them he liveth in them he enableth them to do all that they do therefore if you find your selves as common men as other men not able to do peculiar things not able to reach that pitch of holiness which God requireth and is expressed in the lives of the Saints know that the reason is because you have not Christ remember that it is Christ that doth all and therefore in all the things that you do if you find your selves at a dead lift if you be unable to do a holy duty labour to sigh for Jesus Christ say Lord I can do nothing without thee it is thou that must enable me to every good work I cannot so much as think a good thought without thee labour thus to have recourse to Christ it is he that must quicken and enliven us or else we are but dead men Secondly If Christ live in the Saints then let them know what priviled â—e they have and triumph and rejoice in it It is good for us my Brethren often to reflect upon these spiritual priviledges remember now that you have Christ in you that must be a great advantage to you When Moses was to go up with the people into the promised Land he would not be content with â—n Angel but he would have Gods own presence God yieldeth to his opportunity You see by that how much Moses esteemed of Gods presence know therefore that it is a great benefit to have the presence of Christ in the soul learn to esteem it so it bringeth much comfort and another kind of comfort then any other creature can bring Again consider if Christ dwell in you you are made living Temples in the 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. Ye as living stones are built up a spiritual house a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. They were dead stones and dead Temples before and this is a great priviledge for we have all the benefits that the Temple had no sacrifice you know was accepted but from the Temple no prayer was accepted but what came from the Temple or directed towards the Temple So it is with the Saints all their prayers are accepted because Christ dwelleth in them and they are his spiritual Temples to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Christ it is peculiar to them alone others may pray and hear the Word and do some other outward duties of Religion but they are not acceptable because they are not Temples of Christ. Consider this my Brethren and rest not in your outward performances nor priviledges labour to have the assurance of being the Temples of God it is that which makes your sacrifice accepted This confuseth the common error men think they may satisfie their lusts c. and yet if they pray morning and evening receive the Sacrament at least
where there is nothing so beaten upon both in Old and New Testament as that we should trust in God and not upon our selves and that this which belongs to every child of God that shall be saved is no conceit of impossibility but this faith belongs to every child of God therefore not impossible to be attained and this is plainly proved Gal. 3. 26. where it is said Ye are all the Sons of God by faith there is none the Son of God but by believing in the Son of God and Act. 13. 40. So many as were ordained to eternal life believed which shews that all such shall have this faith that is a true and a saving faith not the counterfeit faith of the world for it is a gift common to all Gods children without which a man cannot be a Son of God A third hindrance is a conceit that it is very hard and difficult though not impossible a man may labour will some say seven years and never attain thereunto But admit it be hard as it is indeed so to flesh and blood to which every good course is irksom yet consider that the first point in Christianity is to deny our selves and to go to Christ alwayes knowing that whatsover the first Adam lost the second Adam Christ Jesus hath it for thee Nâ—w Christ he hath bidden thee to take upon thee his yoâ—k and that is part of it even this conquering and triumphing faith and whatsoever belongs to Christs yoak it is easie Iohn 14 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me saith Christ where he commands thee to believe and Mat. 11. 28. Christ calls thee to come to him if thou be heavy laden and weary of thy sins Why shouldst thou then fear any thing when he can make all things easie to thee Go therefore to God in Christs Name he hath promised to give thee above all thou canst ask or think This conceit of difficulty in obtaining such a faith it belongs onely to sluggish and slothsul Christians who yet notwithstanding for the things of this world will sit up all night and ride and run through thick and thin Be not thou less careful and diligent for thy soul this faith this excellent thing will quit all thy pains if thou dealest not in thine own wisdom and strength but goest out of thy self and seekest it of Christ which if thou doest then shalt thou find it no hard thing but easie because God will give it thee in the use of the means if thou be constant therein Let not therefore this misconceit by any means hinder thee A fourth let or hindrance is a conceit that it is either needless or at least not of such absolute necessity but that a man may do well enough though he come not to such assurance and confidence in his faith as to insult and triumph therein And this is a conceit that hinders those that are more forward in profession then others and in the performing of some duties more careful yet go not home to God so throughly as they should but keep their souls aloof as it were from God but without this faith it is impossible for them to know whether they be elect or reprobates hypocrites or the true children of God indeed and therefore let such know it is of absolute necessity 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that they are in the faith saith the Apostle except ye be as reprobates Let not therefore any such conceit still possess thee but seeing this saith is of absolute necessity as the truth of Gods Word shews pluck up thy heart and go to God for it A fifth impediment is a conceit that this is the onely way to open a gap to all licentiousness but who are they that say thus surely none but Athiests that fear neither God nor man or else Papists that are blinded themselves and would blind others Oh that such learned men as many of them be should be so grossly ignorant of Gods truth Indeed they that have not this faith may open a gap to all licentiousness but no true believer that hath found this conquering and insulting faith for he is the most fearful man of all other to commit sin and before this a man never makes conscience of sin Act. 15. 9. and Act. 26. 15. when this once comes it opens his eyes and makes him pry into his own heart to see what a dunghil it is and so makes him labour to cast out all his filthy affections and sinful lusts and to endeavour after holiness and righteousness so far is this from making a man licentious for it is the very roâ—t from whence all holiness of heart and life flows and therefore let no man suffer this conceit to hinder him from seeking this faith We shall be kept to the possession of that salvation we once believed and hoped for if we could quite lose it again then must there be something stronger then the power of God but we know that cannot be for God onely hath power to consume all things from the earth in a moment with the breath of his nostrils and therefore there is nothing above his power O then in how blessed an estate are they above all the world whom the Lord hath pleased to set in such an estate as once to be assured of this faith and walk in it Beware therefore of conceits a conceit had almost made the Iaylor to kill himself Acts 16. 27. 2 Kings 7. 19 20. a conceit hindered the Prince go thou therefore by sound judgement from the Word of God false suppositions and conceits make men so differ as they do All conceits at last will fall on thy head and thou with thy false conceits as chaâ—t be blown away labour thou therefore for truth and right in all things that will be a Buckler which will defend thy head but make account the Devil will hinder thee herein what he can for he knows well enough if thou once get this thou wilt soon be gone out of his Kingdom Now come we to consider the means which God hath appointed to work this faith and encrease it in our selves which be indeed abundant but the main means of all is the lifting up the standard The preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ And therefore we are diligently to attend at wisdoms posts to hear Gods word Rom. 10. 14. It is that which opens the heart and so lets in Christ who by his spirit doth inable us from an inward light and power to say Lord I believe and therefore am assured of my salvation This faith leaves not a man with his sins about him to go on in the course of this world still doubting for he can tell how he came by his faith and it is not a common but a true substantial faith that will never fail when hee comes to stand most in need of it and is no conceit or bare imagination gotten by contemplation but a settled perswasion arising from Gods
may strengthen and enable us to serve him that so we may please him in all things with fear and reverence so likewise 2 Pet. 3. ult But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ growth is properly of that which is a permanent thing of that which is an inherent thing as when a thing is said to grow whiter and whiter c. so I say grace is an inherent quality which is stamped upon the heart which is begotten in the heart But then I add that it is a supernatural quality that is it is such a quality as elevates and raiseth a man that enableth a man to do more then he is able to do by the strength of nature As for example to illustrate it If you take water of it self you know it is able to make your hands cold or any thing that is put into it but if you will have water do any thing above the nature of it you must put in a higher quality if you will have it heat you must put it to the fire So it is here we are able to do the things agreeable to nature without any special help but when we are to do the duties of new obedience to please God to do things that nature cannot reach unto we must have a higher quality infused into our hearts therefore I say grace is a supernatural quality that raiseth nature that elevates it that helps it to do more then otherwise it is able to do Again I add that it is a supernatural peculiar quality because there are some common supernatural gifts as those gifts of temperance knowledge patience meekness and the like these are the gifts of the Holy Ghost and these are many times wrought in the hearts of those that are not truly sanctified and these are supernatural gifts too but yet they are but common gifts they are such gifts as the Holy Ghost bestows upon those that are not elected to life But now saving grace is a gift peculiar to the Elect peculiar to those that are within the Covenant therefore to make a distinction we put them together in the description and say it is a supernatural peculiar quality Again further I add that it is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost because no creature in heaven or earth is able to work grace in any mans heart for to put grace into the heart is to put life into the heart now to put life into the heart is the property of the Spirit it is he that makes a man to live another life that as it is onely fire that can beget heat so it is onely the Holy Ghost that can beget life It is true other instruments are used the Word is an instrument and holy men are instruments but yet it is the Holy Ghost that works it principally and all instruments can do nothing without the influence of the Holy Ghost I add again to make it yet more full that it is wrought by the Holy Ghost whereby we are enabled to please God All those other common graces and all the effects and fruits of them though the things be good in themselves and supernatural because they come from the holy Spirit yet they do not please God that is the Lord is not so well pleased as to accept the man that is the Subject and the Agent of them to eternall life Onely by faith a man is able to please God and faith you know is the principle and root of all other graces it is onely grace that makes a man able to please him because the Lord delights in that which is like to himself This grace is the stamp and Image of God till a man then have such a quality in him and that all the works that he doth proceeds from this Image he pleaseth not God Lastly I add it enableth him to please God in all things for it is the property of grace that as it hath a general being spread through the whole soul so it hath general effects that is it hath an influence into all a mans life into all his actions so that whatsoever he doth there is some tincture of grace seen in it some leaven as I may say of grace some taste of grace Such a grace as is bestowed upon a man as a common gift it helps a man to do such a particular business it makes him mâ—ek it makes him temperate it makes him to understand his profession it makes him able to rule c. but yet this property it hath not to have a general influence into all that a man doth into all his actions for that is only the property of saving grace it enableth us to please God in all things So we see briefly what grace is Now I say this grace strengtheneth us wheresoever it is it makes a man strong in the inner man it makes him able to do the duties of new obedience he is not onely willing and desirous and purposing to do them but it gives him power and strength and vigor to go through with the work and the reasons are two First because grace changeth the nature of a man when a mans nature is changed that he doth naturally he doth it strongly There is nothing so strong as the course of nature you see it is hard to turn that other things that are not natural their course is easily altered but to make a man another man of a Lion to make him a Lamb this grace can do and nothing else Now take all feigned and counterfeit things they are feigned and return quickly to their own nature again You know guilded things last not long the guilt weareth off colours that are not wadded they will not last because they are but counterfeit and counterfeit things abide not they have no strength in them Now grace changing a mans nature it runs strongly it makes a man able to do the things he is set on work to do that is the first Reason Secondly Grace is the vigour or strength or efficacy of the spirit the very force and power of the holy Ghost As it is said of the Gospel It is the power of God to salvation so you may say grace it is the power of the spirit All other things in a man do but proceed from the flesh that is they have a root in the flesh common graces have a rise in our selves though there is a help of the holy Ghost in them yet there is something of the flesh in them Now whatsoever cometh of the flesh though it be beautiful yet it is as a flower that will fade away There is a weakness in all flesh as there is a strength in spirit which is intimated Isa. 21. 3. Fear not the Egyptians for they are flesh and not spirit As if he had said if there be nothing with them but an arm of flesh they are but weak for weakness is that that follows the flesh as naturally as
For in many things we sin all but the course of life contrary to the profession as some flashes of goodness make not a good man so some slips make not an evil man therefore in thus speaking they speak against Christians It is not to be expected that Religion should be spoken against under the name of Religion For if the Devil could speak against it he would not speak against it under the name of Religion but Hypocrisie when therefore these words are so general and he that speakes them knowes they will not be so taken it is a sign that Religigion is spoken against under the name of hypocrisie and religious men under the name of Hâ—pocrites They say they speak against the shewes cannot men be religious say they in secret but they must hang out flags of it and be so much in appearing Where the truth of Religion is there will be showes painted Religion and painted fire cannot heat break â—orth or ascend but if it be true fire or true Religion it will break forth and shew it self as they say in the Spanish proverb three things cannot be kept in fire love and a mans cough so I may add grace as a fourth As there cannot be a candle in a Lanthorn but it may be seen through the horn so there cannot be true grace but there will be shewes so that shewes cannot be separated from Religion which is true no more then light from the Sun or heat from the fire Shews are commanded as well as substance for as the Glory of a King is in the multitude of his Souldiers so the Glory of Christ is in them that profess his Name we are commanded as well to confess in mouth as to believe in heart What need speaking against shewes in these blasting times which have nipt them in the head when all that can be said is not enough to keep men from denying of Christ. They say although they know not what to call it yet they love religion and religious men therefore they mean not them and they think it much uncharitableness to be so judged of Many while they thus speak that they conceive it not to be religion that they speak against I may say of them as Peter said of them that crucified Christ they did it of ignorance for had they known that they would not have crucified the Lord of life so if they knew it were religion they spake against they would not speak thus But it is their misery that they know it not and it is but a little excuse to say I was a blasphemer saith Paul but I did it out of Ignorance and zeal so Christ saith the Jews knew not what they did and yet his blood shall be required of them Yea it is upon them as we see at this day and Iude saith they spake evil of the things they knew not and yet their sentence is they shall be reserved to the blackness of darkness So though they know not that it is religion that they speak against yet they are persecutors and God accounts them so Saul heard a voice saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when he himself thought he had done well And if they say Lord we know it not I will answer them that in as much as they did it to these they did it to me In other cases there is a difference and some plead for ignorance as if a man kill another man in stead of a stag he is no murtherer but if a man strike at Religion with his tongue though he knew it not he is a blasphemer because he is bound to know for if a man be brought up among hereticks he is an heretick because he is bound to the contrary Let these therefore that have used these speeches kick no more against pricks least they bring that curse on them which was on them that brought an ill report upon the holy-land viz. that they should not enter into it The second use is for hearers that they have a part in this exhortation as well as Ministers as they must deliver nothing but that which is wholesome so they must receive none else and there are two duties for them First As the Minister must not mingle any thing in his preaching but that which is sound so hearers must be careful not onely that they do not here gross points of heresie but if there be any tincture of error in the points they hear they must not maintain them As one that hath an Antipathy with a thing as with a serpent will not onely be affraid of it whilest it is alive but he is loth to handle the skin of it though it be stuft with hay So hearers should be afraid of the tincture of the skin of heresie A man cannot be too curicus of infectious things for as he will not come into the house where they are so he will not touch the cloth of those that have them For we ought to hate the garment spotted with the flesh First Hearers must be rightly disposed to receive that which is wholesome and therefore three duties in scripture are commanded to hearers 1. To be able to discern that which is wholesome that which is not 1 Thes. 5. 21. prove all things 1 Ioh. 4. 1. try the spirits that is get spiritual tasts whereby you may judge of it for as the pallat or the taste diserns corporal food so there is a faculty in every regenerate soul for this end that it may discern betwixt that meat which is wholesome and that which is not As a natural mans taste is a signe of natural life so a spiritual taste is a signe of a spiritual life and it is certain that they whose pallats are not vitiated with corrupt humors can judge of their meat Rom. 12. 2 be transformed in the renewing of your mindes to try as a Toutch-stone doth the silver what is the acceptable will of God from that which is not And they that finde not this taste in them either they have no spiritual life or else their pallats are vitiated with corrupt humors If therefore we want this discerning taste we must labour to get it if we be sick and our pallats do corrupt we must labour convalescere to wax whole that so we may judge a right For as the best hearers love the purest word so the hearers whose hearts are full of corruption love the froth of eloquence Secondly To desire that which is good 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word As if he should have said there are no babes but they will desire the dugge Perhaps you may keep them quiet with apples a while but they will cry for it at length And if you have once tasted of the sweetness of the Word you will desire it when you have found out what meat is nourishing then desire it that is chuse the savourest meat read the books that are must
that all things shall work for good we are commanded to give thanks in all things Ephes. 5. 25. There is great reason to thank God for all things since a part and portion of our comfort and happiness is in all things in Iohn 16. Christ useth these words he tells them that they should mourn and the world should rejoyce but their sorrow should be turned into joy Now I conceive the meaning of those words not onely to be this that they should have an exchange in time their sorrow and mourning should not last alway with them but they should have a condition of comfort But this I take it is further implyed that that joy and those comforts that succeeded their sorrow that happiness should be answerable in the degree and quantity to that sorrow and sufferings they had For you know when one thing is turned into another the more of the substance there is of that from which the conversion and change is made so much accrews to that in which the change is made As for example in Iohn 2. we read of a change of water into wine There were six water pots full Now so much water as there was so much wine when the miracle was wrought If there had been twelve pots more if they had been all full there had been so much wine as there was water So brethren the more sorrow and trouble and affliction any man undergoes here when a change comes when the Lord comes about to us and turns all comfort comes in more abundance it comes in more plenty This I take to be the meaning of David Psal. 30. 11. he useth the same word that Christ doth to his disciples thou hast turned my heaviness into joy and the latter part of the verse seems to favour this interpretation thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness implying that as Davids sorrow was large enough to make a garment of sackcloth so his joy was large enough to make him a vesture of gladness So we have this assurance that all shall work for the best whatsoever God hath in hand to do with us and however he deal by us we shall see it to be best in the latter end For God can draw light out of darkness take that rule that is the purest comfort and light that is drawn out of darkness I say God will do it thoughâ—â— be hard he will set his mighty hand to do it In Iudges 14. Sampson slew a Lion that came roaring upon him put the case that six Lions had come upon him roaring if Sampson had been sure of the victory and to have slain them as fast as they came on him it had been no matter how many he had meet with especially considering that within a few dayes after as we see in the story he came and in the carkase of the Lion he found honey This Lion resembles the troubles and afflictions of this world that come roaring upon us and threaten a deluge and confusion but we have the promise of God that cannot deceive us God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but with the temptation will give an issue Now what if they come never so thick and roar never so loud what if the waves threaten to overwhelm us as David saith we are sure of the victory before hand As Samson found honey in the carkase so when we look back upon affliction conquered and subdued we shall find honey in the carkase that is abundance of comfort and experience of the love of God helping us to go through them and overcoming them But you will say it is true it may be God will give an issue but it may be a great while first alas what shall we do in the mean time If we had any thing to support and sustain our selves this were something we should be able to endure while Gods rod rested on us but this fills our spirits full of bitterness this is that which is gall and wormwood To this I answer there is none of us that love our outward estate that love our Children and houses better then a usurer loves his money yet we see he usually takes this course he puts it out of his hand a long time upon security knowing that being abroad it works for him all the while and will come home with advantage Why then should Christians make more adoe and trouble themselves more about this if at any time God borrow these things at their hands their life or credit or outward man God takes them for a time that he may restore them again more rich and plentiful then he took them But you will say how shall we do in the mean time yet we are not satisfied alas if God should strip us of all comfort we do not know where to betake our selves what will become of us we shall go out of home and harbor userers though they do so and so with their money yet they keep so much by them that they may live upon and they are rich men c. To this in a few words I answer many times men that love money we see what hard shift they make to live though their money increase we see they pinch and pine so what if a Christian have nothing else to find himself with the comfort and contentment of his being what if he have nothing to live by but faith and a joyful expectation of deliverance that he sees comming though afar off Such a mans case is not much to be pitied Heb. 11. 35. there is a notable place It is said they are racked not accepting deliverance they made not reckoning of deliverance that is they did not care for it they did not desire it What was the reason It is said that they might obtain a better resurrection So they might have it at that day at the great day they cared not for the present what pain they did undergoe You know it is a usual thing with men if there be any great sum or payment of money comes to them they say they desire rather to have the whole sum together though they stay longer then to have it by small parcels it doth them little good So if we were able to see and conceive it were better for us to have it at the day of the resurection it were better then to have our comfort to have that reward together as it were that the Lord hath provided and laid up for us You see the Lord himself that is wise for his glory and more provident then we can be for our happiness and comfort he hath taken this course to make one notible day of the world for his glory You see in the mean time how he suffers himself to be contemned and suffers an eclipse of his glory he suffers men to live in rebellion and opposition against him he suffers men to swear and blaspheme his name Now it is in
and through temptation it will vanquish and subdue corruption and bring him on his knees and so he falls flat before the Lord In such a case I say a man that hath his corruption subdued though it were a tryal tentimes greater and more sore yet he may live upon better terms with the Lord and more comfortably then another man with a lighter cross As it falls out many times in the time of War and hostility between two Cities or Nations the weaker part in the time of War indures and sustains more inconvenience and blood-shed and loss of men then after the full conquest is made especially if the government of the Conqueror be moderate and just as it is sometimes So as long as a man stands out with God in pride of spirit and will not yield he lives far more uncomfortably then when he is truly humbled and subjected to God Thirdly and lastly these general and greater afflictions may be born more comfortably and a less may more disquiet and trouble the heart because when a man hath been afflicted but in some one thing or a few things and hath many outward contentments and comforts yet remaining to him this is the usual course of men in such a case they think when their spirits are bruised and wounded with grief of heart they have lost such a friend they have lost part of such an Estate or credit then presently they fall to other things that are left them and they think to make themselves whole there when they have lost their contentment in one particular they enjoy they think to make them whole and to supply it with the outward things that remain This succeeds not because the wound that is made in the spirit by the loss of that whatsoever it be thou art crossed with it may be the anger of the Lord is mixed with it it may be the arrow of the Lord sticks in thy soul. Now if that be thy case all the outward application of comforts of the world will not do the turn Onely that hand that strook the arrow in our side is able to pluck it out of us And we see nothing more frequent and usual in the world men as long as they have other things to solace themselves with to set their delight on they never go to God If a man go to God for comfort it is as it were because he shuts every door else against him he hath no passage else that he must needs go that way or no way Therefore as long as God affords men the things of the world to solace and comfort them they do their utmost to seek it there but when God takes away all things and strikes away every prop that he hath nothing to rest on as the Dove that Noah sent that had no rest for the sole of her foot till she returned to the Ark this forceth a man of necessity to the Lord. Now though the wound were ten times more grievous and heavy coming to the right Physitian the Lord that made the wound he can cure it and comfort a man again If a man have but a scratch with a pin if he have an unskilful Chyrurgion the wound goes on to ranckle more and more and at last it costs a man his life On the other side if a man have a wound that is dangerous if he go to one that is skilfull this man recovers and lives in the world So many times many men live with disquiet minds they go to the world and seek to be whole there they seek their Physitian there and make the wound that is made worse and the latter end is worse then the beginning But now though a man be never so empty of comfort and be struck down and the hand of God be never so heavy upon him if he go to God and seek to him the Lord is able to make him a comfortable man again and to revive his spirit and bring him again from the grave So we see that objection fully answered that though we be not able to stand under lighter afflictions we may be able and strong enough to bear greater So much for this time THE LAVV OF SIN and GRACE COMBATING Rom. 7. 23. But I see another Law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members THat which is to be done for the solemnity of this day which hath been most profitable and necessarily set a part by the Church for the rememberance of our deliverance from the Gun-powder Treason I leave it to be performed by another We have now pitched upon a text which will serve for our particular use This day indeed puts us in mind of a great Treason which was intended against the whole State both of Church and Common-wealth and this will put us in mind of a Treason within us Now it is true that these outward Treasons and when we hear of Wars and rumours of Wars such things as are terrible to us every man is ready to be affected affrighted with things of this nature change of state loss of goods abreption of life these things are naturally terrible to us the very hearing of them But this now is a War within which is much more dangerous and concerns every one of us to be affected with a thousand times more for it is a deadly War a War that devours the soul the other destroys onely the body this is a War which kills us with an everlasting death when as the other is onely the loss of a temporal life And this is a War which is for the most part forgotten and not minded for it is a fight that makes no noise it comes not with the sound of drums and trumpets it carrieth along with it no terrible appearance hence it is that we think of it but little Now what do we serve for that are the watch-men of your souls but to stir you up to a mindfulness of this War to sound an allarm to you and if you will be stirred up to work your deliverance well if not we have delivered our own souls and he that perisheth his blood shall be upon his own head In this Chapter in the verse before my Text the Apostle Paul triumpheth in that liberty which he had through the grace of God I delight saith he in the Law of God concerning the inner man though I find many temptations to the contrary But when he had exprest that triumph he comes now with another caution which he expresseth in these words that I have read But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the Law of sin that is in my members That is I find in my self a strong inclination a strong habit of sin carrying me violently to that which is evil Now this he sets forth by these properties First he calls it a Law Secondly he saith it is