as of fire And again it is said That the Apostles were stirred up with boldness to speak That is when they saw God dishonoured this spirit kindled a high zeal in them that is set their hearts on fire it set their tongues on fire when the spirit enters into the heart of a Christian it will fill it full of zeal the heart the tongue the hands the feet and all the rest of the parts will be full of the heat of the spirit for it is imposssible that any man should have true zeal except he have the spirit Therefore it is said that they spake with New tongues us the spirit gave them utterance that is they spake with a great deal of zeal of another nature and qualitie then they did before Well then examine what heat and zeal you have in your actions so much heat so much spirit He shall Baptize you with the spirit and with fire That is if you have the sanctifying spirit you shall know it by the zeal that is in you in the performance of holy duties Therefore I say it is an excellent sign whereby a man may know whether he hath the spirit or no Now that a man may know by this I will make it clear by this example Take a bottle that is full of water and another that is full of Aqua vitae look upon them outwardly and they are all of one colour but if you tast them the one is hot and lively the other is cold and raw So look unto the formal outward actions of wicked men they have the same colour which the actions of holy men but if you tast them that is examine their lives and search into their hearts you shall find a great difference It may be they may seem to have light and heat in them but they want this Spirit for they have neither a loathing of sin nor power to resist sin They may put a false colour upon their actions but it will not hold And by this they may restrain lusts for some end they cannot Master and subdue them and it may heat a part of his heart but it cannot heat all his heart But where the sanctifying Spirit comes it heats all the soul That is it kindles a holy fire in all the faculties to burn up sin that is there Therefore this was the difference between Iohn the Baptists Baptisme and Christs Iohn could baptize them with water but Christ with the Spirit and with fire Therefore examine what heat there is in you against evil and what zeal there is in you to good Are you cold in prayer in conference in the Communion of Saints it is a sign that you have not the Spirit It may be you read hear pray and conferâ— but see with what heat you do them is it with you in these things as the Apostle would have you to be in earthly things in the 2 Cor. 7. 30. 31. To sorrow as if you sorrowed not to use the world as if you used it not That is do you perform holy duties with that coldness as if you cared not whether you did them or did them not Do you hear as if you heard not and do you receive the Sacrament as if you received it not do you pray as if you prayed not do you love as if you loved not then surely you have not the Spirit And on the contrary if you find spiritual heat and zeal in you a nimbleness and quickness to goodâ— it is a sign that you have the Spirit â—or it is the propertie of the Spirit to heat the soâ—l therefore the Prophet saith The zeal of thy house hath even eaten me up That is I have such a measure of zeal wrought in me by thy Spirit that I cannot see thee in the least measure dishonoured but I must burn with zeal Therefore examine your selves what zeal you have for God and godliness Are you hot for the things of this world and cold for grace and holiness Then whatsoever you think of your selves yet you have not the sanctifying Spirit There is not a holy man or woman that belongs unto Christ but they have this holy fire in them And yet I would not have you to mistake me as if every Christian did attain unto the like heat and zeal as others do for you must know that some have more and some have lesse according to the measure of the sanctifying Spirit that they have but this you must know that you must be full of heat full in some measure answerable to the measure of the sanctifying Spirit but if you find no heat at all in you then you have not a grain of the Spirit in you Not to be hot is to be luke warm and luke warmness is that which God hates it is a temper mixt of both heat and cold loathsome to nature and odious to God and therefore in Revel 3. Because the Laodiceans were neither hot nor cold but luke warm that is they had neither heat to God nor were so cold as to forsake the Truth That is sin and holiness stood in arbitration together and they had as good a minde unto the one as unto the other Now because it was thus with them therefore saith God I will spew them out and in the next verse he exhorts them To be zealous and amend That is except they labour to be hot in the Spirit they cannot be saved Again in Titus 2. it is said by the Apostle That Christ died that he might purchase to himself a people zealous of good works that is this zeal must not be a constrained zeal but a willing zeal And if there were no other motive to move men to be zealous but this because Christ came to redeem them for this end that they might be zealous of good works for his glory if there be any spark of the fire of grace in us it will burn at Christs dishonour And if Christ came to this end to make men zealous then surely Christ will not lose his end but they that Christ will save shall be zealous Therefore I beseech you labour to be strong in the inward man and labour to get the Spirit that you may be zealous But alas men think that they have drunk too much of this cup of giddiness That is they think they need not be so zealous as they are but I say if you be not it is a sign that you have not the Spirit especially it stands men now upon if they have an holy zeal in them to shew it I say it is time you should when you see such halting between two opinions shew your zeal by hating and abhorring Poperie and labouring to draw men from it especially now when we see men so desirous to go into Egypt again which is to be lamented in these dayes for which the Lord hath stretched out his hand against us But where is our zeal That is what spiritual heat is there in us where are those
IOHANNIS PRESTONI VIRI CLARISSIMI S. S. THEOLOGIAE DOCTORIS EFFIGIES RICHES OF MERCY TO MEN IN MISERY OR Certain Excellent Treatises concerning the Dignity and Duty of Gods Children By the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of IESUS CHRIST IOHN PRESTON Doctor of Divinity and Chaplin in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometime Preacher of Lincolns Inne Psal. 34. 8. Taste and see how good the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him LONDON Printed by I. T. and are to be sold by Iohn Alen at the Rising Sun in Pauls Church Yard 1658. THE PREFACE KNow Christian Reader that this Remainder of Doctor Prestons works was never heretofore extant being the last of His that are likely to see the light taken by the same pen that his other works were and no way inferior to those already published Dr. Sibbs of eminent memory contemporary with Dr. Preston and one of those to whom he committed the publishing of what should be thought fit for publick view did in his life time own these Treatises by affixing his approbation to them And the Attestation of such Reverend authority forbids any doubt concerning the Author or worth of the work though this Treatise may inherit Orphans usage being not so exactly polished as it would have been had the Author lived But the filings of Gold and the dust of Diamonds must not be made waste of such advantages have accrucd to the souls of men by his other labors that we could not think it any lesse then a wrong to the Church of Christ to conceal any thing that might make for it 's spiritual benefit Perhaps thou wilt ask why this Piece was so long suppressed To which I answer the age hath doted so much about new lights that we perceived Old Truths to be neglected and laid aside but after men had filld themselves with their own devices and found their souls thriven no more then if they had fed upon ashes the vicious humor came to be abated and their appetite was reduced to a better state by the great Physician who testified his dearest respect to mens souls by the price he paid for restoring of them The intent of these Sermons is to promote the work of grace in the heart and life of a true Believer Not onely to enlarge the knowing faculty but chiefly to improve the practical part and distribute god liness through the whole man The Rickets are not so epidemical in the bodies of Children as in the soules of men and women whose heads are swollen with notions while their feet are feeble in heavenly motion The benefit of this work will better appear by thy serious perusal thereof from which I shall no longer detain thee Farewel Doctor Sibbs his testimony of this Treatise This Treatise hath nothing offensive in it but contains arguments tending to edification and may be of singular use and comfort to all true Believers R. Sibbs THE CONTENTS Of the Sermons in this Book Ephes. 3. 16. Doct. 1. That God is exceeding merciful p. 1. 1. To move men to come unto him 2. 2. It affords a ground of confidence to all distressed sinners ibid. 3. All men are exhorted to look after a portion in his abundant mercy ibid. Quest. What to take his mercies in vain answered 4. Means to partake of Gods mercy 6. Two sorts of mercies to be hungred after 7. Gods mercy a motive to duty 8. Motives to this from the severall properties in a good Master which are all found in God 20. Comfort to the Church from the consideration of Gods mercy 24. Why God afflicts his children 26. Doct. 2. Gods mercy is his Glory or God accounts it his glory to be merciful 28. USE 1. Doubt not but your petitions shall be heard for it is his glory to shew mercy 30. 2. Glorifie God in his mercy which is his glory ibid. Sermon 2. D. 1. Inward strengthning should be the earnest desire of a Christian. 38. Wherein this spiritual strength is seen 40. USE 1. Blaming them that seek not after this strength 44. Advantages of this spiritual strength 49. 2. Exhorting all men to labour after spiritual strength 60. Several motives to labour after it 61 62. 3. Directions for the attainment of spiritual strength 67. Several means 69. Rules propounded 72 c. Hinderances 77. c. D. 2. Sanctifying grace proceeds from the sanctifying spirit 82. How the spirit strengthens grace in the soul. 83. USE 1. Without the holy Ghost wee are without strengthening and sanctifying grace 85. Signs of having the spirit 88. 2. Above all things to labor for the spirit 106. Benefits of having the spirit 107. D. 3. The spirit is freely given 113. USE Terrour to them which have not the spirit 114. Means to obtain the holy spirit 115. Ephes. 3. 17. D. A great prerogative the saints have that Christ dwells in their hearts 121. What it is to have Christ dwell in our hearts 122. The benefits of Christs dwelling in our hearts 125. USE 1. To judge aright of Gods working in your hearts 135. 2. To saints that they would rejoyce in this priviledge that Christ dwells in them 139. Rom. 8. 34. D. Nothing can hinder the salvation of a believer 145. Reasons if it 147. USE 1. To see a necessity of all those blessed means whereby Christ is pleased to communicate himself 150. 2. Confutation of the Church of Rome as to their doctrine of doubting 152. Objections answered 153. 3 Of examination about the certainty of our spiritual state 160. 2 Tim. 2. 1. D. 1. Grace hath a strengthening property 183. Reasons 186 187. USE 1 To examine whether we have grace 189. Strength of grace in three things 192. Grace enables to actions of new obedience 200. And to constancy in it 201. D. 2. All Grace received from Christ. 207. Christs willingnesse to match with us 208. D. 3. Wee must not onely get strength but use it 212. USE To quicken us to our duties in the putting forth of our strength 217. Helps to exercise spiritual strength 219. Necessity of it 223. 2 Tim. 3. 5. D. 1. Godlinesse onely accepted and required of God 233. Godlinesse what 235. To exalt God 237. Reasons of the point 238. USE 1. Not to content our selves with any thing that nature hath wrought in us 242. Application to the Sacrament 246. Godlinesse how wrought 251. 2. Exalt God in your hearts 253. 3 Labour to excell in Godlinesse 256. D. 2. Most men have but a form of godlinesse 257 Reasons of it ibid. USE To examine whether we have onely a form 261. Five differences between the power and form of godlinesse 263. 2 Tim. 1. 13. Doct. The words of a Minister must bee wholesome 271. Reasons of it 273. USE 1. Two sorts of words are reproved 276. 2. The people must receive nothing but what is wholesome 283. 3 We ought to esteem wholesome words as our food 288. 4. What the behaviour of Ministers ought
upon you the riches of his mercy now the more you can promise yourselves this from God the more you can expect it at his hands certainly the more you shall have of his mercy the less you do it the less you shall have if you do it not â—t all you shall have no mercy at all from God the more you can perswade your selves that God is mâ—rciful that he is loving and gracious and will be ready to do for you as you shall need the more of his mercy you sâ—all have according to the largeness of your faith so shall the largeness of the mercy â—â—e For evidence of this look into Heb. 11. the whole chapter shâ—weth what mercies faith bad what mercies Noah Abraham Moses and the Israelites had when they went through the red sea what mercies Samuel and David had the means they had to obtain al these mercies was their faith they beleived and therefore they had them you may there see how it is attributed to their faith The reason why they exceeded others in mercy was because they exceeded others in faith the reason why David was filled with mercy and goodness above others was because he attained to an higher pitch of faith then others Again the want of faith still hindred men from mercy and it is a good argument that is drawn from contraries now unbelief hindred Christs country-men from having any part in his miracles he could do nothing there because they beleived not it hindred the Israelites from that good land of promise they all died in the wilderness because they believed not so Mary she had like to have lost the raising of her brother Lazarus because she began to doubt for when Christ was upon the very point of doing the miracle and Mary she told him he had been dead four dayes Christ staied his hand and said to her Said I not to thee if thou believest c. as if he should say if thou believest not I will not do it The Apostles in the ship being ready to be overwhelmed with waves what was the cause because they doubted Why did ye doubt O ye of little faith Still mercies are kept from us for want of faith therefore it is true on the other side have faith and have mercy have faith in abundance and have mercy in abundance If you would have outward mercies do you believe that God is ready to give riches honour and life that is all a man can desire these God giveth to those that fear him believe this trust to it rest upon it Let Go I know you relie upon him for it the more yoâ— believe this the more you shall have even of these mercies And so for spiritual mercies hath he not promised to give his spirit to those that aske it and that great promise which he made when he ascended up on high that he would send down the holy Ghost the more you believe this the more of the spirit you shall have So for the forgiveness of sins the more you believe this the more assurance you shall have he hath promised to hear your prayers The more you can believe this the more you shall prevail in prayer In a word you know every one best what mercies you would have the more you believe that God is your father expecting it from his hands the more you shall have of any kinde of mercy As it was said of the faith of miracles if you have but faith you may say to this mountain be removed into the bottom of the sea it shal obey you the same may be said of justifying faith do but believe and this you shall enjoy for faith is not a bare opinion a bare perswasion for that is not operative to bring such mercies to you but faith seeth things that are not present as if present the things were before we believed them now God hath promised mercies in abundance they lie open to us the very believing of them is the taking and receiving of them God hath put them upon that Condition and not onely so but if you would have abundance of mercies add still to your faith therefore you have those words be it to thee according to thy faith that is if thy faith be great the mercies thou shalt have shall be great therefore you see now what use may be made of all that hath been said touching the riches of mercies that you might be convinced of this that according to your faith such shall your tastings be of the precious mercies of God the more you are perswaded of the greatness of his precious mercies accordingly shall you partake of them and accordingly will you look upon your selves as bound to obey and love him under the apprehension of his mercies The third meanes to obtain these riches of his mercy is humbly to rely upon the author of them as to desire much and to beleeve much so to depend upon him to wait upon him the more you do that the more readiness will you finde in him to shew you mercie I follow but the scriptures in this and set forth such mercies as is there set forth and this I take out of those places of scripture In thee the Fatherless and widow finde mercy God is still apt to help such as are in Prison and in a low degree Quest. what is the reason of that Ans. Bâ—cause such depend upon God such as have no other fathers to depend upon such are apt to depend upon God and he sheweth mercy to such not because they are fatherless but because they depend upon him So you have it exprest by the Apostle Widowes saith he that are left alone trust in God those saith he are widowes indeed they might have trusted in God while they had husbands but that is our weakness while we have other props we are apt to trust upon them but when they are taken from us we are apt to trust in God So the woman when she had spent all in Physicke then she came to Christ so if we depend upon him we shall be as the fatherl esse and widow that know not where else to have help This winneth God to you for dependance presupposeth trust for upon whom you depend upon him you trust now God will not fail those that trust in him for he hath put so much nobleness and ingenuity into the hearts of men that they will not fail those that put their trust in them now dependance is a trust in God therefore the more you depend upon God the more mercy you shall have he hath put that instinct into every Creature the hen you see covereth her chickens under her winges because they depend upon her He is worse then an Infidel saith the holy Apostle that doth not provide for his houshold because they depend upon him this is an instinct put into the very Infidels If God have put this instinct into the Creature will he not do it himself He
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
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
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
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
meditate power to love power to obey all above nature and a power to forsake life and libertie riches and honour pleasure and all things which no man will do except he have the Spirit Secondly as it gives a strength and an excellent qualitie above nature so it adds unto it holiness that is it puts a tincture of goodness upon all your actions it warmeth the gifts of the minde and puts the heart in a frame of grace many men have a kind of strength but they want holiness and sanctification with it Now a man is said to be a holy man when the soul is separated and divided from things that are contrarie to its salvation and happiness and joyned And then joyned and united unto Christ wholly and totally Then and not until then is a man a true holy man it is with a holy man in this case as it is with a spouse she is separated from others and united to her husband are joyned to the Spirit have holiness with it and separated from sin The vessels in the time of the Law they were holy vessels because they were appointed to Gods worship in like maner when the Spirit comes into the heart it sanctifies it and makes him a holy man by making him in all his aims and ends to pitch upon Gods glory And this can no man do till the spirit of Christ be his In Cant. 6. 3. The Church saith I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine That is because he is my husband and I am his spouse therefore I will labour to be like him in holiness And our Saviour prayeth for this holiness for his Disciples In Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is Truth That is the word is the means to work holiness in them when they want holiness they want all things for when profit and pleasure comes then the Spirit of holiness is as it were plucked from them but when they have the Spirit then they see the vanitie of these earthly things therefore it is that men are deceived with false and counterfeit wares because they want the Spirit of discerning but when the Spirit of God comes into the heart of a Christian then it shewes him the vanitie of these things and this he doth by enlightning the mind and therefore it is that they are kept from playing the Adulteresses with these things because they have the Spirit of discerning Now examine what strength above nature what conjunction of holiness have you with it what Spirit of discerning have you are not these things in you then you have not the Spirit The third sign whereby you shall know whether you have the Spirit or no is this examine when and by what means it came into thy heart This is the sign that the Apostle makes in Galat. 3. Did you saith he receive the Spirit by the work of the Law or else by Faith preached That is if you have the Spirit then tell me how you came by it how and by what means came he first into the heart But here all the Question is how a man may know whether the Spirit be come into the heart in the right manner or no. To this I answer That this you must know that the onely means to receive the Spirit into the heart that is the right conveyance of the Spirit into the heart is by the word purely preached That is when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit purely without the mixture of any thing of mans with it and further you shall know whether you have received the Spirit by the Preaching of the word by these two things 1. By the Antecedent 2 By the Consequent First I say you shall know it by that which went before I say if the spirit hath been brought into the heart by the word then there will be a deep humiliation wrought in the soul for sins And then Christ and the Spirit comes into the heart begins to cheer up the dejected sou and hereupon there will be a through change wrought in the whole man and it must needs be so because the nature of the spirit is first to pull down what mans corruptions have built And then to lay the foundation of the spiritual building Humilitie And then afterwards to rear the buildings of grace in the soul. As for example if you would know whether the plants receive vertue from the Olive or no Then you must know that first they must be cut off from their own stock and then they must be ingrasted into that and then see whether they have the fatness of the Olive and then whether they bear the Olive leaves So a Man that hath not received the the spirit by the word he shall see it by the ripeness of sin the corrupt branches the bitter fruit that comes and is brought forth by him But on the contrarie if the word by the spirit hath cut you down and humbled you throughly by the light of your sin and then ingrafted you into Christ by working in you a saving a justifying faith and if it hath made you fat and well liking in grace that you have brought forth better fruit then you could do before then surely the spirit came into the heart the right way and works in the right manner but as I said it will first humble you by the word as in Iohn 1. 8. The Spirit shall reprove the world of sin of Righteousness and of judgement First he will reprove them of sin to humble them Secondly of righteousness because they have not believed the all-sufficiencie of Christ. Thirdly of judgements that they might change their opinions that they might do those things and bring forth that as fruit is agreeable to Gods will Secondly consider the consequence that is look to the thing that followeth the spirit where it comes in Where the spirit comes it works a through change in the soul I call it not a bare change but a through change for as there may be a glistering shew of something like gold that is not gold so there may be a cessation and a change from sin but not throughly or heartily and so not at all for what will it avail Herod to forsake some and like of Iohn Baptist in some things well if he will not forsake all and like of Iohn Baptist in reproof of all In like manner what if you change your opinions of some sins That is what if ye esteem some sins to be sins indeed if you have no the like opinion of all whatsover you think of your selves as yet you never had the spirit Therefore if you would know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no in you then examine whether there be a through change wrought in you That is whether you do not esteem every sin to be sin but also what spiritual life you finde in you I say you shall know whether the holy spirit be in you by this
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
assumed body and shew of grace That is a common spirit without the life of grace The third propertie of assumed bodies they are unconstant That is assumed bodies walk for a time but they walk not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on from the Rule A man that is living in Christ you shall find him living and moving and doing the Actions of the new man A man that hath a common spirit may do some things that are good he may keep and press down sin for a while but not alwayes nor then neither as it is sin but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some such thing Again he may have some taste or relish o spiritual things But he is not cleansed or purged by them Again they may walk as a living man walks That is perform holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither do they perform them in obedience but out of self love That is they are still ebbing and seldom flowing They omit ostner then they perform Therefore let me exhort you all You that are alive and have been dead be you careful to prize your life And you that have been alive and now are dead That is you that have faln from your holiness and zeal and have lost your first love and strength labour now to renew it again But you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to die If there be any here such let them now humble themselves and seek the spirit with earnestness That they may be renewed That they may be strengthned and quickned to good and received to favour again But if you will not but continue in this condition still you have but a name that you are alive but indeed you are dead In Rom. 6. it is said That they that die in Christ shall live in him That is if you once live the life of grace and have received the sanctifying spirit you shall never die but live for ever in Christ. This was the promise that Christ made unto his Disciples and in them unto every Christian. That he would send the spirit and he should abide with them for ever Therefore examine if the Spirit do remain in you and make you constant in good if not it is not the sanfying spirit The fifth sign whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit is this examine whether it be the Spirit of adoption That is if it make you to call God Father Then it is the sanctifying Spirit in Galat. 4. 6. We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father That is this is the property of the holy man no wicked man can call God Father because he hath not any such relation unto God he neither loves God nor God loves him The Apostle saith unto the Church I do this to prove or know the naturalness of your â—â—ve That is they that have the spirit they have as it were a natural inclination wrought in them to love God again to delight in God and in the Communion of Saints And therefore our Saviour saith in Iohn 4. It is my meat and drink to do the will of my Father That is he that hath God for his Father will serve him willingly without constraint as willingly as a man will eat and drink without wages that is he needs not to have wages to do that so he that hath the spirit he will delight in doing Gods will he will serve God though he should give him nothing And in this that God is our Father it will raise some like affections in us to love God again so likewise in prayer to have God to be our Father it likewise raiseth Son-like affections in us whereby we do not only believe that the things we pray for we shall have but we have also boldness to come unto him as unto a Father which no man can do till he have this spirit of adoption Therefore examine with what confidence and boldness you pray with what reverence you hear with what affection you love That is examine whether you have the spirit that doth make you to call God Father The sixt sign whereby you shall know whether you have the spirit or no is this you shall know it by the manner of working That is if it change you and lie combating in you as in Galat. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh That is if you have the Spirit you will have continual fighting and striving in the soul and this will not be onely against some or more particular lusts but against all that it knowes to be a sin I say not onely that there is a striving or a suppressing but it is by way of lusting Because a natural man that hath not the sanctifying spirit may keep down a lust for â—â—me by-respects but it is not from a 〈◊〉 That is it is not because his heart hates it oâ—â—…sses it by another power then a natuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of sin still But the opposing and resisting of sin in the godly is by way of lusting because they hate the sin and they fight against it with courage Therefore examine what lusting there is in you that is what hating of sin and then see with what courage and power you go about the subduing of it It is said that Iohn Baptist came in the spirit of Elias that is he came with that spirit that is full of power I say you will fight faintly against sin except you have the Spirit when the Disciples had received the Spirit in Acts 4. They spake with great boldness That is they had greater power to speak then before Therefore the Lord exhorts all men in Isai. 30. 3. Trust not in them they are men and not Gods As if the very name of men were weakness That is they are men that have no power it is God that hath power and therefore trust not in them but in every thing labour to see the power of God in it and seek for all spiritual power to good by God and examine your selves what power you have when you pray what power have you to go through to the end when you hear what power have you to edification when you see evil what power have you to avoid it when you are offered the pleasures and profits of the world what power have you to forsake them if they may prove hurtful unto the inward man if you have strong lusts in you what power have you to suppresse and lust against them Therefore you shall know by this whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no by the working of it The seventh sign whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no is this you shall know it by your carriage in your words and actions and by your
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
the spirit That it puts the heart in a good frame of grace I say that the spirit and the spirit onely doth this And I speak of them onely that have the spirit That it sets the heart in a frame of holines and new obedience which nature cannot do because it keepes it in suspense That is the flesh suffereth it not to do what it would as to break the stubbornness of nature the flesh will make you very industrious and painful in evil But the spirit will restrain your libertie in evil That is it will not suffer you to do what you would though the lust and the temptation be violent to carry you away after it the spirit will not suffer you to be carried after that manner so long as the Spirit lives in the heart but if once the Spirit depart out of the heart then he becomes as weak as water Thus it was with Reuben in Gen. 44. Reuben is become as weak as water and he became thus after he had defiled his fathers bed that is when lust and opportunitie met together they took away strength and it weakens us because it drawes away the affections from good But when the spirit comes then it casts us into another frame as appears if we do but compare these two places together that in Iames 4. 5. with that in Act. 20. 22. Saint Iames saith That the Spirit lusteth after envie That is it laboureth to carry us headlong unto the committing of sin and to the doing of that which is evil but then comes the sanctifying Spirit and it stayes us and makes us to lust after God that is it bindes up your spirits suffers us not to do that which other wayes we would do Therefore examine whether you are bound with another Spirit that you cannot do the evil that you would do then it is certain that you have the holy Spirit Therefore Paul in the place forenamed said that he was bound in the Spirit for Ierusalem as if he had said the spirit of God bound up my spirit to go that I cannot otherwise chuse Therefore what do you mean to break mine heart what do you mean to hinder me I tell you there is a necessitie laid upon me by the Spirit that I must go whatsoever death befals me For it is the office of the Spirit to bind up our spirits and therefore in Rev. 1. it is said that Iohn was in the Spirit that is he was compast about with the Spirit he was in the Spirit as a man is in armour It keepes I say our spirits in a spiritual disposition that we cannot do the evil we would The second benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this that it enableth him to see and believe the things that otherwise he would not believe And I gather it from that place of the Prophet Isai. 6. 9. where it said seeing they should see and not perceive and hearing they should hear and not understand That is they see but want another sight which is the sight of the Spirit and therefore he cannot see A man may have a great fight of humane things by learning and Philosophie and the knowledge of Arts and sciences by these he may see both into natural and spiritual things in some measure But I say he cannot see as he should except he have added unto this another sight which is the sight that the spirit brings and therefore it is called the opening of the eyes and the boring of the ears and it is that which Saint Iohn speaks of in Iohn 1. that light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not That is before a man have this sight of the Spirit whatsoever he sees it is with a great deal of darkness but when the spirit comes it drives away darkness by giving us another eye to see withall and the darkness comprehended it not That is the light is so great which the Spirit brings that nothing can eclipse the light of it Now untill a man have the spirit he doth neither see or believe truely you will not believe till you have the spirit but when you have got the Spirit then you will believe in Christ. We Preach Christ unto all and exhort you to believe but what is the reason that some believe and others believe not but because they do not see that is they want the spirit to shew their sin to humble them and to shew them Christ to comfort them and therefore Peter cals them purblind As men that are purblind cannot see things afar off so men without the spirit are purblind men that cannot see Christ grace and salvation a far off as near at hand but if they had the Spirit then they would see them neer hand That is you would see a marvellous beautie in Christ and holiness It is that which the Apostle speaks of in the 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seen nor the ear heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath laid up for them that love him That is he saw them before but he saw them not in that manner that he sees them now They are represented unto him in another fashion Again he sees them in another hue that is he sees another beautie in them Thus you see the sanctifying Spirit openeth the eye of the understanding to see more a blind man might see if if he had but the facultie of seeing so spiritually blind persons may see when they have the Spirit The third benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it breeds heavenly and spiritual effects in the soul as joy and comfort and the like and therefore in Ioh. 14. he is called the Comforter First I say the spirit will bring joy into the soul and therefore in Saint Iohn saith Christ he will lead you speaking of the spirit unto all truth And saith the Apostle The God of peace fill you with all Peace and joy in believing Now I make a difference between joy and comfort thus joy is unto the soul as a wall is unto a City that is as the wall doth compasse the City and so is a defence unto it and keepes out many enemies that other wayes would destroy it so doth joy it walls and fences the soul so as it keepes many dangers out that would ruine it The second effect is comfort and this I call a bulwark because a bulwark is of greater strength to beat off and keep out any that shall besiege it and make the Citizens more secure So comfort is a Bulwark of the soul. That is it strengthens the soul against the greatest temptations and tryals it maketh the soul secure resting upon Christ. The third effect that the spirit begets is boldness there is no true boldness without the spirit let Adam witness it ask him what boldness he had when he hid himself from God and what was the
reason of it but because he wanted the spirit and on the contrary when the Disciples had received the Spirit They spake with boldnesse 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
puts the very first stamp of holiness upon us Secondly The Spirit is a free gift because the Spirit is a free Agent that is it works freely of himself Now reason is the free Agent of the outward man but it is the Spirit that gives reason Therefore the Spirit must be most free Thirdly The Spirit is a free gift by his carriage towards them that he will save he might have chosen the elder and not the younger That is he might have chosen Esau and not Iacob or if he would have chosen the younger Then he might have brought him first out of the womb but he will not because he is most free in his choice he will have Iacob and cast off Esau and so he might have chosen honourable and Noble men to have both preached the Gospel and to be saved by the Gospel he might have chosen them onely for salvation but he will not The poor they shall receive the Gospel That is he will make choice of them for salvation he might as well have chosen Simon Magus as Simon Peter but he will not therefore he is free Fourthly the Spirit is free which appears by the paucitie and fewness that he chuses he is at libertie he might have saved more but this shewes his freedom he is not tied to one more then to another The winde bloweth where it listeth That is he cals when and whom he will Let them come in that my house may be full That is none shall come no more no lesse then I have chosen Fifthly that the Spirit is a free gift appears by the prosecution of his decree both of Election and reprobation nothing more free then the Spirit is he might as I said have chosen Esau and not Iacob for there cannot a reason be given wherefore he should chuse the one and not the other he will chuse the wife and not the husband and he will chuse the husband and not the wise he will chuse the childe and not the father and he will chuse the father and not the childe Again he will chuse this man and that woman and not another man or the other woman and what is the reason of it surely there can be no reason given of it because the Spirit is free to chuse and chuse not Thus briefly I have shewed you that the Spirit is a free gift Is the Spirit then a free gift and doth it work freely Then let them consider this and tremble that are not sanctified by the Spirit For if the Spirit work freely and yet thou hast not sanctification wrought in thee it is a sign that thou doest not belong unto God Again if the winde bloweth where it listeth then it stands you upon to do as Millers and Marriners do to watch the opportunitie and grind when the Spirit bloweth upon you That is if at any time the Spirit doth kindle any spark of grace in you Take heed of neglecting the opportunitie That is do not say in this case unto the Spirit as Festus said unto Paul That you will hear him another time but be sure if the Spirit command do you run or if he cals be sure to answer him left he call you no more I have often told you there is a time when he will call you no more Therefore think with your selves what time of darkness and sorrow it will be to you then when with the five foolish virgins you shall be shut out of heaven and happiness There is a time when he will swear That ye shall not enter into his rest and do not I say onely labour and watch for the opportunity that is take the Spirit when it is offered but labour to get the oportunitie That is use the means whereby you may get him And for your help herein I will lay down some means whereby you may get the Spirit The first means to get the spirit is this you must labour to know the spirit for what is the reason that men do not receive the spirit but because they know him not that is they do not know him in his puritie in his free working in his incomprehensible greatness in his increase in holiness and therefore they put off the working of the spirit when men think now that their sin in this kind is not so great as Simon Magus was It is true say they Simon Magus his sin was a great sin and worthy of punishment because he thought to have bought the spirit with mony But if we will consider mens dealing now with the spirit we shall find that the same sin is committed still I say men think that they do not commit the sin of Simon Magus when indeed you do you know how great the sin was in him and what a judgement was inflicted against him and your sins are as great and the same but you know them not Therefore let us compare them together and you shall see that they are all one and that in these three particulars First Simon Magus thought that the spirit might have been had at any time for he neglected the means and despised it presupposing that at any time with a small reward he might get it of the Apostle what shall I give thee c And so when you put off the Spirit is not your sin the same thinking that you may have him when you will that you can have him at your pleasure to mortifie a strong lust a sin that you would be rid of and for a sin that is pleasing to your nature you can subdue it when you will And is not this a great sin as great as Simon Magus his was but can you do this can you mortifie your lusts have you power over them can you love God and the Saints well if you had never so much time you can never get the Spirit except that God give him Secondly Simon Magus thought that it was in the power of man to give the Spirit Therefore he asked Peter what he should give for the Spirit and is not your sin the same do not many men think that it is in the power of men to give the spirit when all the time of their life they will neglect the calling of the Spirit but in some great affliction that is when they lie upon their death bed then they will send for the Minister but not till then as if it were in his power to give the spirit Oh sir what shall I do to be saved can you tell me of any hope of salvation and the like Thirdly Simon Magus desired the spirit to a wrong end namely for his own advantage that upon whom soever he should lay his hands They might receive the holy Ghost And do not men do the like now They desire to have the spirit and they could wish with all their hearts that they had him but yet not to a right end That is for Gods glory but for some carnal end of their own That you
may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end for know that a man may desire grace but if the aim of his desire be for his own end the desire is sin the same that Simon Magus his was Therefore I beseech you not to defer put not off the opportunitie and remember what the Lord saith in Hebr. 3. To day if you will hear my voice harden not your hearts That is this is the day now have you the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your souls by it the word is near you well then light your candles by it you may now light them whilst the fire is here but if you will not now how will you do when the fire is out That is when you shall be either taken from the means or the means from you therefore labour to know the spirit and Judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is faith and the best means to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the word Preached That is the Preaching of the word is a means to get the spirit And therefore the Apostle said Received you the Spirit by the work of the Law or else by Faith Preached Gal. 3. That is you may know whether you have the Spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten â—aith by the Preaching of the word Our Saviour saith that The Tree is known by his fruit That is the branch cannot bear fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the root so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him we shall never get the spirit Therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and the drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soul and it will knit him fast unto the soul that it can never depart from it Faith will recover the spirit if it seem to want his power of working in the soul it will return him if he seem to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit seem to be scanted in it that is it will widen the narrow bottle of our hearts And you know what our Saviour said to men and women in the Gospel be it unto you according to your Faith Therefore if you would get the Spirit you must get faith in your hearts That is if you would get a large measure of the Spirit then get a large measure of faith for what is the reason that men thrive not in the Spirit but because they thrive not in faith The third means to get the Spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer that is to desire and pray earnestly for the Spirit is a means to get the spirit An instance of this we find in Elishaes servant he earnestly desires and prayes that the spirit 〈◊〉 Eliah his Master might be doubled upon him Not that he meant that he might have as much more again but that he might have a greater measure of the spirit then other of the Prophets and he did obtain his desire for he was indued with a greater measure of the spirit then other of the Prophets were Even so if you would but desire and pray earnestly for the spirit you might get him Solomon desired wisdom and prayed for it and he had it and that in a larger measure then those that went before him so if you would pray for the spirit you have his promise in Luke 11. 14. That he would give the holy Ghost unto them that ask him and this he doth speak by way of opposition If you that are evil can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit That is if a man or woman will be importunate for grace and the spirit as a childe will be unto the father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if he were my father and I were his childe then it is true he would give me his spirit But alas he is not for any thing I know neither my father nor I his childe To this I answer suppose thou be not his childe in thy own apprehension yet look back unto the 14. verse and see what importunitie doth Though a man would not open his door and give his neighbour that which he would have yet in regard of the importunitie of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have this do you though you may have a denial sometimes That is no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no denial and your importunitie will at last prevail with him And to encourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man That is as no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any railing to shame him he gives unto all men that come unto him that is without exception of persons without any by-respects freely and reproacheth no man That is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from coming to him or him from receiving him he might do but he will do neither And you know the promise made to the Disciples They must go to Ierusalem And he will after a certain time send the spirit but they must wait for him And this they did by constant prayer and they had the promise made good unto them for they had the Holy Ghost which came upon every one of them Acts 2. So if ye be constant in prayer what though for the present you get him not yet at last you shall have him thus much for this means If you would have the spirit you must pray and desire him earnestly The fourth means to get the spirit is to obey him and this you may do when you give him good entertainment that is when you indulge him with heavenly thoughts and do what he would have you to do out if you slight him That is set light by him and will not obey and be ruled by him you will never get him And this you do when you resist grieve and quench the spirit you resist that power when you resist the light which the spirit hath wrought in you That is when you fight against it against illuminated reasons and arguments This is a great sin You grieve the spirit when you mingle two contraries together That is when with the profession of Religion you joyn corrupt speeches and actions And you quench the spirit when you neglect the motions of the spirit and the means by which the spirit is got or increased or kept Nâ—w if you do thus you shall never get and retain the spirit But if on the contrary you love cherish and obey the spirit you shall have him and keep him The fifth means to get the spirit is this If you would get the spirit then you must wait upon those means
which are means for the getting of the spirit Neglect none of the means because you know not in which nor when the spirit will come it may be he will come now and not another time it may be he will breath upon you at such a ordinance and not at another In Acts 9. whilest Peter was Preaching unto them The holy Ghost came upon them that heard him So be diligent in waiting upon the means and the holy Ghost at one time or other will come Again he could have sent the spirit to Cornelius without the sending for Peter in Acts 10 But Peter must be sent for and he must Preach unto him and then he shall receive the holy Ghost Thus much for the means and for this time CHRIST the best INHABITANT Text EPHES. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith I Have chosen this Text by reason of this Sacramental occasion which doth represent Christs dwelling in us and it is the second head of Pauls Prayer The first was That they might be strengthened in the inward man This That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith Having in the former discourse opened the words I shall not need to adde any thing here The point hence arising is That it is a great prerogative of which all the Saints are partakers that they have Christ to dwell in their hearts The Apostle prayeth for it being directed by the spirit of God in his prayer and therefore we should esteem of it as of a great priviledge And as of that of which all the Saints are partakers because it is necessarie to salvation none are saved without it Now for the better understanding of it I will first of all shew you these two things 1. What it is to have Christ dwell in our hearts 2. What benefits we receive by his dwelling in them For the first what it is to have Christ to dwell in our hearts To this I answer That then Christ dwells in our hearts when as he works in them in another manner then he did before he hath other works and we see other effects then formerly First he shewes himself kinde and favourable to us inlightning giving comfort refreshing framing and ruling ouâ— spirits that beâ—ore he did not and he doth not in others he is said to dwell in the Temple because his eyes are upon it his ears are there open to hear the prayers of men his mercy seat is there T is true God fills heaven and earth yet he is said to dwell in the Temple because there he manifesteth his peculiar presence so the phrases of the Scripture are to be understood Go not up for God is not with you That is he will not assist you God dwells where he assists he dwells not where he helpes not That you may understand this consider these four particulars First where a man dwells he must come to the house and abide in it so Christ comes into the hearts of believers in whom he dwells and unites himself to them and their hearts to him And that is done by a double act of the Spirit First he humbleth and convinceth men of sin he makes some alive and us to be dead the way to life is death as the corn dies that it may live And this the spirit of bondage doth by putting an edge to the Law by making men desirous of Christ. Secondly the Spirit of adoption that unites us that perswades us that Christ is ours Love makes the union Faith is the agent in this union but it doth it by love as fire is said to heat though the qualitie doth it immediately when after sound humiliation we believe reconciliation with Christ there is a love to Christ then there is a union That is the first word he unites himself to the heart and it to him Secondly It is not enough for a man to come to the place to be conjoyned to it for a time but he must continue there else he dwells not there but is a stranger a dwell â—r must continue Christ abides with us for ever according to that everlasting Covenant which he hath made with 〈◊〉 Is 55. 3 He hath made an everlasting Covenant with us even the sure mercies of David He never seperates himself from us after he comes he continues for ever But it may be objected though Christ will not depart from us yet we may depart from him To this I answer that he will not suffer us to depart from him Ier. 32. 4. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them That is I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me we are knit together without separation he never departs from us nor we from him The reason why we continue in the state of grace is not because grace is of an unsatiable nature for it is a creature and may vanish as all other creatures do But it never failes because it is in Christ and supported by his arm of omnipotencie The light in the air may quickly perish but if the sun be ever with it it never perisheth â—o the water of a stream may fail but if there be a spring to supply it it never fails grace may perish as it did in Adam but men ingrafted into the second Adam can never fall because Christ is never severed from them we have his word for it he keeps us by his power There is an everlasting Covenant on both sides The Sacrament se ls this unto us That God hath made a Covenant that he will never depart from it and we set our seal by it that we will never depart from him Gal 5. 3. He that is circumcised is bound to keep the whole Law So he that receives the Sacrament is bound he engages himself to keep the Law of faith and he receives that oath when he was baptized Thirdly where a man dwells there he must delight else he is not said properly to dwell there a man that is imprisoned is not said to dwell in the spirit because he delights not in it Now Christ is said to dwell in us because he delights in us Esai 62. 4. Thou shalt no more be called forsaken but Hephsebah because the Lord delighteth in thee presence argues delight God delights in the Saints therefore he dwells in them he works in them that which is pleasing to them Artifex amat opus proprium He loves his own workmanship Thus First God delights in them as in those that are beautiful Cant. 4. 1 2 3. Thou art beautiful my Love thou art fair Thou hast Doves eyes thy teeth are like a flock of sheep which are shorn which came up from washing thy lips are a thread of Scarlet thy Temples like a piece of Pomegranate Secondly as one delights in a garden so God delights in them Cant. 4. 12. because he hath
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
once in the year and do some other outward performances they think they make God some amends But alas it is not so the Lord abhorreth all those sacrifices because they come not from his Temple They are not sacrifices offered upon that altar they should be they are not yet of that holy Priesthood spoken of before and yet there is that hypocrisie in the spirits of men that they are neither willing to omit holy duties altogether nor willing to perform them in that holy and zealous manner as they ought Labour therefore to have Chirst dwelling in your hearts otherwise nothing will be accepted I thought to have added something to have made known to you when Christ dwelleth in your hearts As one way to know it where Christ dwelleth there none dwelleth but him as the glory of God filled the Temple so Christ filleth the heart Again where he dwelleth he dwelleth powerfully he is strong able to make men go through with their good purposes and resolutions Again 3. He continueth and abideth there for over he makes them constant in performing holy duties And lastly He is active as the Sun when that dwelleth in the world we see how it enlightâ—eth the world so Christ enlightneth the soul where he dwâ—lleth makes us able to judge all things Again where the Sun cometh it thaweth the frozen earth and causeth a Spring it causeth every thing to flourish so Christ dwelleth in the heart as the Sun in the world or as the soul in the body see what a beauty the soul putteth upon the â—ody what motion what sence such an al eration there is when Christ commeth into a mans heart If you find therefore a power in you to do good duties not weak offers and breeding of good conceptions and yet have no strength to bring them forth Christ is not yet in you But if Christ be in you where he dwelleth he dwelleth powerfully shall the Devil think you powerfully rule those in whom he dwelleth And shall not Christ strengthen and enable those in whom he dwelleth Again if you finde your Religion to be but for a fit if upon sicknesse or upon the apprehension of death or upon the touch of some sermon or upon some fearful accident befalling others or your selves you can pray and hear and perform the outward parts of Gods Worship and yet fall off again afterwards Know for certain that you have not Christ in your hearts for if once he were there he would remove no more â—ut â—nâ—â—le you to constart course of holiness There may be some clâ—uding now and then but the Sun will nâ—ver set upon your hearts Lastly If you find not an alteration in your soul a spring in the inward man as when the Sun cometh into the world life and beauty as when the soul commeth into the body be assured that Christ is not yet come into your heart on the contrary if you do find all these then know that Christ dwelleth in your hearts And this you are to rejoyce in as the greatest priviledge vouch safed to you under the Covenant of Grace THE BUCKLER Of a BELIEVER ROM 8. Verse 34. Who shall Condemn It is Christ that is dead yea rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for us IN this most sweet and comfortable Scripture I mean the eighth Chapter our blessed Apostle Saint Paul shews at large the happy and safe estate of every true believer that hath his part in Christ where he proves at large that there is nothing can hinder and dis-anul that estate but that he must enjoy it according to his faith shewing withal that if any thing could hinder it it must come either from sinne or from the crosse the punishment of sinne Now he shews this and proves it strongly against all the enemies of Salvation that neither sinne nor the crosse can do it and therefore not any thing Sinne cannot do it verse 1. Because there is no condemnation that is for sinne to them The crosse cannot do it because as vers 28. All afflictions they shall work to good for them Therefore once in Christ nothing can hinder them from eternal Salvation And one would think this were sufficient proof yet as if all this were nothing Therefore that he may raise the true believer to the highest pitch of sound and lasting comfort he goes further and would have him to insult and victorio â—sly triumph verse 33 34. and rise to the highest pitch of holy confidence speaking here in a kind of defiance and saying If any man dare be so bold as to accuse one that believes yet where is he that can condemn him as if he had said There is none at all that can So that briefly in these words contained in the Text is laid down every holy believers challenge which he may take up against the face of all enemies whatsoever Wherein observe two parts First A true beleevers challenge in these words Who shall condemn Secondly the person in whose name the challenge is made which is Christs It is Christ that is dead c. For though the beleever is weak in himself yet in the rock Christ strong and invincible For the first viâ— The true beleevers challenge it is the more to be noted because it is laid down by way of interogation For that hath with it a strong confidence and a kind of victorious triumph as if he said there is none at all that can condemn though they may go about it It is not intorrogatio rogantis or dubitantis but instantis â—t triumphâ—…is It is not a question of one asking by way of doubt but of one earnest in affirming and Triumphing So that the point then is this There is not any one in heaven earth nor any where else that can bring in any thing to condemn a true believer in the sight of God Or There is not any thing in this world nor in the world to come to hinder the salvation of a true believer Where we are to consider First What it is to condemn Secondly That all and every one of us before we believe are in the estate of condemnation and therefore easily to be condemned because under the curse of the law and the guilt of sin Thirdly That when we come truly to believe in Christ even then we are not to think to be free from all that will assay and seek to condemn us and bring us to perdition and destruction Fourthly That though there be many as the Devil and all his instruments that aim and endeavour by many means to spoil us of our faith and hinder our salvation and so bring us to destruction yet shall none ever be able to do it Lastly We will make application of all to our selves For the first namely what it is to condemn It is taken diversly either in foro publico as in our courts when one is guilty of some offence against the Law and
debt And the strength of the argument is thus If Christ had not risen again but been still in the power of the grave and kept under by the enemy of our salvation the poor believer might have been justly afraid his debt had not been paid but Christ being risen and out of hold he is out of doubt As when the debtor sees the Kings Son that was his surety at liberty and in the Kings Court he fears not but his debt is paid so when the poor believer sees Christ set free from the power of the grave c. he knows God hath accepted the payment he hath made as sufficient for him Let us therefore look upon our selves as having a part in Christ and know whatsoever he did it was for us even for every true believer so that he rising again we rise again which being so it manifests that God hath accepted Christ his payment if any thing could hinder it must be death and the grave but Christ being risen they have lost their power and so none able to condemn Rom. 6. 9. Christ rose for us never to dye again and therefore that we should never dye eternally A third reason is taken from the sitting of Christ at the right hand of God which puts all out of question that he paid our debt when he laid down his life in that he is risen and ascended up to his Father Now God would never have admitted him to sit at his right hand had the work been unfinished but now being ascended to the right hand of his Father where he is advanced to the highest pitch of honour glory and Majesty and that in our Nature sitting in full authority King of heaven earth there for ever by his spirit to gather and guide all his children and quell the power of their enemies it is apparent that our Sureties payment is accepted so that now nothing can condemn a Believer not his conscience nor any thing else can condemn him and therefore he may triumph over all accusations In the fourth place add unto all this that Christ doth not onely sit at Gods right hand but so as that he also maketh intercession for every true beleever having not onely power but even the same good will and mind that ever he had to do them good consider this well whether thou beleeving needest to fear the face of any enemy whatsoever The poor man that was indebted to the great King For whom the Kings son was pleased to undertake and satisfie when he sees him come out of prison set at liberty in his fathers Court in greater honor and not onely so but highly favoured of the King his father and continually requesting him for that poor man What needs he now care for all his enemies He need not be affraid to look all officers in the face c. Is this the secure and happy estate of every true believer out of himself in Christ. Then see the necessity of using all those means and that constantly whereby Christ our Blessed Redeemer is pleased to communicate himself and this his grace unto us Faith is a special gift and grace and comes from God in Christ and Christ he comes onely in the meanes which are channels and conduit-pipes Therefore if thou wouldest have this grace and be strengthened and increased therein even as thou wouldest have thy soul thus dignified use carefully all the means As The word which is the Scepter of Christs Kingdome submit thy soul to it If thou wilt have an excellent spirit such a one as Ioshua had pray to God for it and take heed of grieving the spirit of God by continuing in the practice of any known sin which is as water that quenches the fire but rather cherish thy faith and put fuel unto it by constant consionable hearing reading prayer meditation receiving the Sacrament holy conference and watching over thy heart For if thou put fuel to thy faith and keep away that which may quench it thou shalt clearly see this blessed truth and find the power of faith in this that hath been said Therefore as thou wouldest have this confidence and comfort in thy heart and soul use the means for it The dilligent hand becomes rich in Gods ordinary providence and so mayst thou in this grace if thou use diligence there is no way else Therefore whilst thou hast time use the means give attendance to the word and all those heavenly meanes before mentioned It s true indeed Christ hath freed himself by dying rising again and bring at the right hand of God and this I believe saith the poor soul in the midst of his fears temptations and troubles of mind but how should I bee comforted in knowing that I am freed from all that danger and condemnation which my sins do deserve Yes upon this ground every beleeving soul and so thou if thou doest believe mayest be sure to be freed as Christ himself is freed and that even because Christ undertook and did all this for the poor believing soul and he had not done it but for him Esai 9. 6. Toâ—us a child is born to us a Sonne is given All he did was for us and for our Salvation so that if Christ hath any happiness thou believing in him mayest be assured of it as Christ himself All Gods intentions towards thee are founded in love else how should that be true Iohn 3. 16. God so Loved the world c. Christ also took all upon him for our sake even to redeem and save us he needed not have done it for himself for he was God in glory c. lift up therefore thy heart by faith and beleeve this and thou shalt find it true though we miserable wretches are unworthy of any such mercies yet is God worthy to be believed Look on Christ and consider who he is and reflect it upon thy self and if thou canst believe the Lord Jesus hath done all this for thy sake To help and strengthen thee to this First Consider Christ did it for us that believe as a surety we were all bannk-rupts in the law of God for want of obedience thereunto now Christ the surety of mankind comes and undertakes for us and hath done iâ— Hebrews 7. 22. He was made surety of â—a better testament Therefore think on him alwayes as thy Surety in glory Christ there is said to be a Surety of better things then the legal Rites were even of the New Testament wherein whatsoever is contained it is for us and there it is treasured up ask and thou shalt have seek and thou shalt find All he did he did as my Surety all the evil he took away and all the good he purchased it was for me A second means or help to strengthen thee if thou art one that art humbled for sin and desirest more and more to believe is to know that God hath bound himself and sworn to it and he is true though every man
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
the shaddow doth the body Now I say grace is the immediate work of the spirit the very power of the holy Ghost which is able to out-wrestle all difficulties and to help us against all spiritual wickednesses assist us in all holy obedience But it may be objected I but grace though it do strengthen thus yet it is but a creature for though it be a quality that is wrought by the holy Ghost in the heart if it be so yet it is but a creature therefore seeing every creature is subject to weakness how doth grace strengthen a man thus To this I answer First that grace is a quality of that nature that it empties a man of himself it is an emptying quality It is not as other indowments other qualities and other habits put into the soul but it is an emptying quality that takes a man off from his own bottom it cuts him off from his own root and ingrafts him into another it teacheth him to depend upon God For if you look upon faith which is the main grace and gift as it were the root and foundation to all other graces is it not an emptying Grace what is faith but to teach a man to trust in God Now no man trusts in another fully but he distrusts himself fully it makes a man nothing in himself and wholly dependant upon the Lord. Even such is grace it takes a man quite off from any root of his own and makes him as ivie that hangs upon and clasps about the tree receives its being and sustenance from it So grace it annihilates the creature as it were it takes a man off from that sufficiency that every man seeks to have in his own spheare in his own nature it teacheth a man to know that he is not able to think a good thought nor to do a good work of himself Again I answer though it be a quality and that our strength is from God immediately yet God will have us to use means and instruments wherein he himself helps us to do For it is true if any man will trust to this habitual grace which I say is an inherent quality wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost if any man will grow careless in the strength of this grace and say well I am now a man grown strong I have now gotten some good measure of grace therefore now I will venture upon occasions of sin c. Here a man makes flesh his arm though he do trust to grace for he ought not so to do he ought to look up to God for another transient exciting and assisting grace besides this inherent quality which I speak of to have a dependance upon him and yet not altogether to rest in that for then a man should not be bound to increase in grace and to grow in it which every man is bound to do grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ. Therefore there is a use of that you must make account you are so much the stronger by it for no man will labour for a thing but he will know some end of it As we see in other things a man may use the strength of horses and of men he may use means and friends but still it is required that he remember how he useth them that his eye be still upon the Lord as him that giveth the strength It is he that keeps that grace in being it is he that must act it and stir it up to do the works we are to do from time to time The chief use we are now to make of it is to examine and try our selves whether we have grace in our hearts or no by this property and character of grace here set down that it makes a man strong thou my son be strong in the grace c. We must I say examine our selves for there are two special times wherein the Lord himself makes a privy search as it were the one is at the time of the Sacrament the other at the day of death Therefore when men come to the Lords Table the Lord as it were goes down himself and takes a view of the guests and sees whether they be so qualified as men ought to be that come to his Table therefore look to your selves now you are bidden examine your selves In the Law a man might not come to the passeover but he must be circumcised those you know were but legal types and resembled somewhat else You must not come to the Lords Supper but there must be this circumcision made without hands there must be such a fitness in you as you may be accepted therefore you must examine your selves when you come hither Again another time wherein the Lord makes this privy search is at our entrance into the wedding chamber at the day of death When the Bridegroom goes in then the Lord searcheth whether we have oyl in our Lamâ—s or no whether those that offer to enter in have any effects any tincture of his Sons blood upon them The effect of his Sons blood you shall see Heb. 9. 14. It is to purge the conscience from dead works If there be no strikes as it were of his blood if there be no dye of it he gives the destroying Angel power to devour them because there is not that grace that is the effect of the blood of Christ they have no oyl in their Lamps therefore they are shut out Therefore I say when we come to the Lords Table let us consider what we do for you must know that the Lord admits none to his Table but friends such as are of his acquainance those that are strangers to him may not presume If thou come to the Lords Table be a stranger to him that is if thou want grace in thy heart this quality that we now speak of thou hast nothing to do here for you must know that no man must sit at his Table here in earth that is not to sit at his Table in Heaven to sit with Abraham Isaak and Iacob in his Kingdom The Lord will take it for a great presumption therefore take heed of intruding upon this duty When the Ark was brought among the Philistines and the Bethshemites would be so bold as to look into it the Lord smote fifty thousand of them for it What was the reason of this say they who shall stand before this holy Lord God If the Lord were thus ready to revenge himself on them for prophaning of that which was but a type what will he do for prophaning the body and blood of his Son You know that is the comparison Heb. 12. If any man transgressed against the Law of Moses he received a recompence and reward What will he do then to those that contemn the salvation that is brought by his Son So if the Lord would do this for the prophaning of the Ark that was but a type of Christ Jesus but a legal rite that had but
a shew of holinesse what will he do when we shall neglect and abuse and prophane those things that are holy indeed We do not know what danger we incur when we come negligently to the Lords Supper You see in 1 Cor. 11. That their negligent coming to the Lords Supper because they did not discern the Lords Body that is because they did not discern the holinesse the preciousnesse and excellency of his body because they did not consider the holinesse of that duty therefore saith the Text the Lord strook many of them with sicknesse and some with death It was certainly some contagion some sicknesse at that time more then ordinary And if you compare it with that before mentioned of the Bethshemites you may see plainly that it is the Lords ordinary course to inflict a more then ordinary judgement upon those that are prophaners of holy things therefore we may well say among other causes that the unholy coming to the Lords Table is the cause of that great plague that of late hath been in this place But you will say I have received it and it may be negligently but I have felt no such thing as this you speak of Perhaps thou hast not but there is the spiritual plague and judgement which the Lord hath put upon thee as a revenge for thy unworthy receiving of the Sacrament When Iohn Baptist came to preach the Scripture saith he brought the ax with him not that men were to be cut off from their natural life but the meaning is when men abuse these holy Ordinances and will not receive the offer of the Gospel and will not profit by the Gospel When we do but preach the Gospel onely to your ears and no more the Lord commonly smites such souls with spiritual judgements he gives up such souls to hardness of heart therefore when you come hither ask your selves this question what grace have I in my heart have I any life any stomack any taste to feed upon the Lord in the Sacrament have I white raiment to cover my nakedness if not what do I here You shall see in 1 Cor. 10. when men offer to come to this Sacrament without grace what saith the Apostle Do you provoke the Lord to anger are ye stronger then he that is the Lord takes it as a provokation to his face as if ye did despight the very spirit of grace and so afterward saith he â—e cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils ye cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of devils and therefore for a man to come to this holy Sacrament and not cleanse himself from all pollution and filthiness of flesh and spirit but will be partaker of the Lords Table and join with it filthiness which should be abhorred in so doing he provokes the Lord to anger and what follows that The Lord will put his strength against him to destroy him Are ye stronger then he Therefore if I might but obtain so much let me intreat you to enter into consideration of this To help you to this we will apply the point That the property of grace is to make a man strong Now this power of grace is seen in three things First the power and strength of grace is seen in this That it heals corrupt nature and it elevates and helps us to do more then common nature can reach to for there are two things in every natural man corrupt nature which is contrary to grace and common nature which is beneath grace Now when saving and sanctifying grace is come into the heart it heals corrupt nature and enableth to do more then common nature can do Consider therefore whether this grace cure those hereditary diseases which we have received from Adam those diseases which breed in the heart Take any thing besides grace if the Syre and the Dam trot it is a hard thing to work the contrary in the off-spring but grace is able to heal those diseases that are hereditary If you bring a man to a Physitian and say such a man hath a hereditary disease which he hath received from his parents he will presently give him over as a desperate Patient but grace can cure those natural and hereditary diseases Therefore in Iames 4. 5. saiâ—h he The spirit that is in us lusteth after envy that is there is this natural disease in every man that his spirit is lusting the word there used i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is still boyling or bubbling forth it is still lusting after envy But how shall we do to help it saith he the Scripture offers more grace that is the Scripture gives grace that can do more then nature can do it is able to heal that very lâ—â—ing whatsoever it be That is you must not think when a man hath a strong natural infirmity hanging upon him that all the vows and resolulutions and purposes in the world can help him it is beyond natural help but it is not past the help of grace When Naaman the Assyrian could not be healed he inquired what he should do and when he came to the Prophet there he was healed so when the Disciples could not cast the Devil out of the man they went to Christ and he was able to do it When thou goest about to cast out any natural infirmity or to heal any of thy hereditary diseases think with thy self though by nature I cannot do it yet let me go to Christ let me go to grace that is able to do it though it be past the cure of nature it is not past Christs cure it is not past the help of grace When Christ was upon the earth they brought to him those that had old festred diseases those that were born blind and deaf and dumb and he healed them The same Christ doth now to the souls of men in the world and that by the vertue and power of grace here spoken of Therefore consider with your selves what natural infirmities you have what hereditary diseases you have if you find that they are not healed in you that those bloody issues run as fresh as ever they did you have not this grace for it is able to heal nature and to cure it wheresoever it comes But you will say Is there any man that hath these natural infirmities so wholly healed and cured I answer No I say not that they are altogether healed but they are cured by grace that is grace so far heals them that it gets the Mastery over them there is the power of grace seen therefore it is called a Kingdom The Kingdom of God is in power that is it is such a Kingdom that gets the Mastery wheresoever it is it hath the dominion over the disease and as we say the power of any object it stands in this that it subdues the faculty so herein the power of grace is manifested in that it overcomes those corruptions that are most
I have declared to you what it is to win your hearts to a more full assent to this that nothing but godliness is accepted we will shew you some reasons for it For a man will ask this What is the reason that God delights not in nature or natural vertues or in moral habits Why doth he not delight in these Why will he accept of nothing but godliness First there is this reason for it because the Lord loves nothing but that which is like himself as indeed no man doth nor no creature No man loves any thing but that which hath a likeness a consimilitude with something within himself For all love you know comes from similitude all delight comes from likeness Therefore the things that have no similitude with us we neither love nor delight in them Now therefore when God looks upon man and sees his own Image upon him when he sees that stamp upon a man he loves it and delights in it for it is like himself But now whatsoever is from nature whatsoever is but moral vertues it is but from the earth and is earthly it is but from the flesh and it is fleshly But that which is supernatural that which is infused into us from God that Image of his which is stamped upon us is from Heaven and is heavenly it is from the Spirit and it is spiritual Now God that is a Spirit and is holy he loves that which is spiritual and holy he loves his own Image wheresoever he finds it Now godliness is onely heavenly for all other beauties that seem so gaudy to us are but from the earth and are the beauty of the flesh therefore the Lord delights not in them the Lord loves it not with the love of complacency so as to be well pleased with it That is one reason Secondly the reason why the Lord doth love nothing but godliness that he loveth none of the rest so as to delight in them for there is a kind of love that he gives them as you know our Saviour Christ looked on the young man in the Gospel and loved him but I say he doth not delight in them he loves them not with that special and peculiar love because all these ornaments they do but beautifie the creature in it self Now no creature may rejoyce in it self or boast in it self no creature may magnifie it self which it would do if it might find an excellency in it self Therefore the Lord will have the creature to find no excellency in it self and therefore he doth not magnifie these things he sets no price upon them And the Lord would have the creature to know so much he onely magnifies and esteems that which draws the creature from it self makes the creature his therefore he prizeth and esteemeth onely the emptying graces You shall see the Scripture doth not magnifie those moral vertues that Aristotle and Plutarch and Seneca and the rest of those Heathens magnified For the scope of the Scripture looks another way and magnifieth those emptying graces most As faith for instance which emptyeth the creature of it self and makes a man to see nothing in himself not to trust in himself but teacheth a man to look for all from God therefore the Scripture magnifieth faith O woman great is thy faith that is this is the thing that onely makes thee amiable this is it that makes me set a high price upon thee And so in that speech to the Centurion I have not found so great faith no not in Israel It was that which set Iacob in that high esteem with God that which got him that title of honour to be called Israel it was his faith And why is it but because the Lord regards that onely in the creature which makes a man his which draws a man nearer to him and more out of himself Now this godliness doth for it makes a man to see nothing in himself but all in God and therefore to follow God altogether to seek God altogether Now all other ornaments all natural and moral vertues do beautifie and adorn the creature within himself they make a man to see something within himself now no creature is to do this no not the creature when it was in the flower of all its bravery When Adam and the Angels would begin to look on something in themselves and forget God and to think that they were some body and would stand upon their own bottom then they fell For the creature of it self is as a glass without a bottom if you set it down it breaks for it hath nothing to sustain it but as long as a man holds it in his hand so long it is safe Such a thing is every creature in it self Angels and men they are without a bottom when the Lord doth not hold them in his own hand when they will go about to stand of themselves they fall and break and that was the cause of the fall of the Angels and the fall of Adam and of all of us in him viz. self-dependance Our repairing again the restoring of the creature must be by learning to be altogether Gods to magnifie God to look to God and to look to him altogether for that is indeed onely prized and magnified by him And this is the second reason wherefore godliness is only accepted by God because it teacheth a man onely to mind him to look to him to draw near to him it makes a man altogether his and not his own We will add one more the Lord regards onely godliness and nothing else because it gives him all the glory Now onely the Lord may seek his own glory because he hath no other end beyond himself Every creature you know is made for a further end and therefore is bound to seek something above it self even as it stands subordinate to that Every man is subordinate a man in the Common-wealth must seek the good of that Every man is subordinate to God therefore he must seek the glory of God for the subordination will so carry it But now the Lord he hath none above himself therefore he may and doth seek his own glory now nothing gives glory to God but godliness In 1 Cor. 11. The man is the glory of God and the woman is the glory of the man The meaning of it is this look how the woman is the glory of the man so is the man the glory of God that is a man must have nothing in himself for then he would have some glory to himself but he must be wholly the Lords he must be wholly fashioned and accommodated to him as the woman to the Husband for then he is the Lords glory Even as a picture you know it hath nothing of it self but all from the Painter therefore the picture is the glory of the Painter we use to phrase it so because it hath all from him we call it the glory of the Painter because it shews his glory And so a
we find it is powerful whereas the form is weak and powerless and inefficatious having a form of godliness saith the Apostle but denying the power So that if you would know whether it be right godliness indeed that you have consider whether it have the power of godliness or no whether it be strong in you for if it be weak and inefficatious that it is able to do little certainly it is not godliness And therefore you may know it by the strength of it it is powerful As you may see by all that which makes up godliness The Word of God is a powerful Word that Word that begets this godliness Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Thess. 1. 5. The Gospel came to you not in word but in power And St. Paul speaking of it in another place he saith It is the power of God to salvation I say it is a powerful Word that doth the thing for which it is sent It hath such a power to heal the soul of a man that is sick to death As we say of Medicines that they are good when they are powerful to do the thing that they are applied for So this Word is powerful to work this change to beget godliness So the Holy Ghost is a spirit of power and therefore Act. 10. 38. It is said that Iesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power That is wheresoever the Holy Ghost is there is much power accompanying of it therefore you have them commonly put together the Holy Ghost and Power Till you be indued with power from on high that is till you receive the Holy Ghost that shall make you powerful Even so certainly it is that as the Word and the Holy Ghost which make up godliness in the hearts of men are powerful and mighty so is godliness it self very powerful You will say powerful in doing what It is powerfull in bringing all into subjection to it it brings every thought and every lust and every unruly affection into subjection It is as a powerful Kingdom set up in the heart of a man for there is a Kingdom of Christ which is set up in the heart of the regenerate and he rules by his Scepter the rod of his mouth his word and that Kingdom is powerful to bring all into subjection As it is 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power That is the Kingdom of God whereever it is found whereever it is set up in a mans heart that is regenerate it not onely teacheth him what he shall do consisting in word but it powerfully ruleth there it brings all into subjection there it makes a man strong to bring down all his lusts to mortifie all his corruptions That as we say of a good rider he is powerful to master and to break the horse he is powerful to guid and to over-rule him Such a thing is godliness in a mans heart Let a mans heart be never so rebellions yet when this Kingdom comes it is a Kingdom of power it brings all into subjection So again it is powerful in enabling us to perform not onely to purpose and intend well but it enableth us to do also it doth not only breed in us good conceptions as oft-times men have but when the children come to the birth there is no power to bring forth So many times men have good purposes and desires but there is no power to bring them into execution But now this godliness enableth us to do to perform all that we purpose Again it enableth us to resist When a temptation cometh a weak man is not able to stand out the bankes are too weak for the stream they are not able to resist the billowes the tempest but godliness makes a man powerful to do all this The form is but weak it makes you able to desire or to purpose and resolve it may be but it doth not bring the thing to act it doth not overcome and overmaster your unruly lusts it brings not all things into subjection It enableth you to take good purposes to your selves but you have not ability to perform those good purposes They are in a weak heart like new wine in old vessels they are weak they last not they continue not there So it is where there is this form onely and no more men purpose well but have no strength to bring them forth And so again where there is but a form you are weak in resistance you are not able to stand out against temptations but when you are assaulted with sutable temptations agreeing with your own lusts when the occasion is present and the temptation is strong you are able to do nothing by way of resistance when there is but a form But where there is true godliness there is a power and ability You see these two things then It is true and not counterfeit whereas the form is counterfeit Secondly where there is godliness indeed there is a power but where there is a form onely there is weakness and no power I will but name the rest Thirdly Where there is true godliness there is substance where the other is onely there is but a shaddow of it You will say what is the substance The substance is that reality in every duty As for example to receive the Sacrament to receive it after a common fashion as men do it that come to it out of custom with some kind of slight and overly preparation but they fail in the substance the substance of receiving is to receive it with faith and love And so again to hear the word to hear it negligently in a common fashion is but the shaddow of hearing there is something like to hearing which carrieth a resemblance of it but the substance of hearing is to hear so as to practise to hear and obey to hear so that the word may work powerfully upon your hearts this is the reality and substance of it And so to pray in a customary manner is the shaddow to do it in an humble and holy fashion is the substance and reality Godliness if it be right it is substantial It is not a meer shaddow and resemblance But I can but point at things Again Fourthly Godliness wheresover it is indeed it goes through with the work it brings the thing to pass but where there is onely a form it sits down in the middle it gives over it holds not out Fifthly And lastly to conclude all the form is but partial but true godlines is total and universal it makes a man do every thing it makes a man able to suffer every thing Where there is but the form onely it makes a man but partial in the duties of godliness he is but here and there in it These things I should have enlarged but so much shall serve for this time and for this Text. A PATTERN OF Wholesome Words OR Pauls Charge to Timothy IN A Treatise on 2 Tim.
profitable delight in them above others and if we were truly thirsty and hungry we would do so A thirsty man stands not to look at the carving of the cup but drinks off the wine and a hungry man had rather have a good meals meat then hear a whole noise of musicians and he will not stand commending but he will fall to his meat though this be too little practised for many when the Word is delivered finde no relish in it but are ready to complain of the plainness and simplicity of the spirit which to do is to do as children that bites the nipples of the teats that gives the sweetest milk And this secondly shews their vanity for when they meet with a Sermon partly good partly not wherein Heterogenies are mixed for otherwise I know not how better to call them this is sure to go into their table books I mean not sound and wholesome points but pretty sayings and frothy matters and these are not unfitly compared to our sileing bowls that let all the milk run through but retain the hairs and that which is nought that sticks in them for how choise soever their eloquence is it is but as hairs in that case although they be flowers in an oration yet are they but weeds in a Sermon Thirdly To hold that which is good to retain and keep it in memory 1 Thess. 5. 21. The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hold it fast let it stay in your affections comprehend it when you have heard it keep it let it not slip away but practise it and this is to hold it Now this is done by recalling and by repeating the Word after it is delivered This is commended in Mary that shee laid up the Word in her heart she laid it as one that layes a thing up to have it to use against another time Why is this Word recorded if not to be imitated suppose they were the words of Angels are not Ministers the Angels of God So it is said that the Holy Ghost brought to the disciples mindes all the things that he had told them Now the Holy Ghost would do no unnecessary thing and doth not Christ speak as well to us as he did to them onely with this difference to them he spake immediately but to us by his Ministers What other was the fault of the first ground the seed lay on a while whilest the â—ower was by but after it was stollen away by the Devil because it was not repeated and wrought in the memory so when a Sâ—rmon is done if it be soon forgot as we have a natural proneness thereunto the Devil hath a hand in it and this hath brought Gods Judgements on many therefore take heed saith our Saviour how you hear Luke 8. 18 when Christ delivered any thing in publick the Disciples repeated it in private and came to Christ and asked him of such things they doubted of Act. 17. 11. The men of Berea searcheth the Scriptures whether these things were so which they had heard which they could not do without repeating Where there is a double duty performed First they did repeat it Secondly they tryed it To make this evident consider these four things First not repeating the Word of God after it is preached doth quench the spirit and that is sin 1 Thess. 5 24. Now it is quenched thus In the time of preaching for that is the time when the Holy Ghost breaths into our hearts as he did into Cornelius when he stirs up motions and we let them die and recall them not we quench and grieve the spirit for then it is a mercy of God to trouble us the time of healing being nigh if he step in as it was in the pool of Bethesda while the heart is soft therefore put in the plough and join with God for we must not be like those that are Sea-sick while they are on the Sea they are troubled but as soon as they get to shore out of the Church door they are well enough If God at any time breaths his Word into us we must do as Mariners do who because they have not winde at their call when it doth blow they hoise up sail and go on their Journey the Word and Spirit blow when it listeth therefore we must take opportunity to set our souls in the way of Heaven to recall the motions which have been stirred up in the inner Chamber of our hearts and to make use of them lest by often neglecting them the Spirit grow wearie and cease to strive any more It is despising of prophesie which is a pearl Mat. 7. 6. Christ will not have him admonished that before contemptuously refused it because he will have no pearls be cast before swine If admonitions be pearls then much more instructions if a private admonition be a pearl then sure publick instructions Now that is despising of prophesie which is made plain thus Suppose a man give another a pearl while the giver is by he looks on it and beholds the beauty of it but when he is gone he casts it away and trampleth it under his feet So it is if while the Word is delivering we attend to it and when Sermon is done reject it and look no more on it but cast it away is not this a despising of prophesie It is food of the soul and therefore not to recal it is as it were children to take meat of their parents hands and perhaps taste of it but after cast it away or it is as if sheep should tread their fodder under their feet So it is when the Word is delivered for it is the food of the soul to receive it and after to cast it away It will not profit us except it be remembred and hid in our hearts we shall get no good by it meat though it be eaten yet if it stay not with us it will not nourish us unless therefore we labour to gather something from it and retain it it will not breed succum sanguinem nourishment in us as it ought But this is much neglected of among men for as many go into Gardens some to see the variety of flowers some to smell of them but onely it is the Bee that fastens on them and gets Honey out of them So many come to Church some to see what variety the Minister hath some get sweetness for the time but onely they that do insidere notare lay them up and minde them get profit by them See this in other things let a man hear a Philosophy Lecture or Logick never so long if he recals not what he hears it will be long enough ere he be an Artist and are not Gods Ordinances much more to be respected Not respecting of it takes Gods name in vain and the Judgement of it is fearful viz. He will not hold him guiltless And that which is a taking of Gods Name in vain is plain thus The
those that are bruised reeds who complain with Paul that they cannot do as they would they are unable to pray and perform good duties as they would they find themselves still weak they are able to grapple with an easy lust but a strong one is too hard for them they are able to creep but not to run the way of Gods commandments Go to the word be conversant there and it will strengthen thee though insensibly as daily sucking makes a child battle though they see it not so if one be conversant in the word he will grow stronger by it and will make himself as a grey-hound comely to run and run apace not onely in plain wayes and like a child that cannot get up a pair of stairs but it will make him climb the craggiest rocks and will make him a victorious King able to overcome strong temptations as St. Paul said to the people when they asked him how they should do when he was gone he said I will commit you to God and his word of grace intimating that if they had that it were no matter whether they had him or no. Therefore if one have lost his first love his first beauty and colour let him go to the word and it will bring it again because it takes away the sickness that takes away the colour onely some cautions must be observed First It must be constantly read it is not enough when we are hindred of other businesses then to take a boâ—k in our hands by accident but it must be read constantly his is commanded the King who hath the greatest buâ—…s Deut. 17. 18 Ios. 1. 10. The word is commanded to be read day and night if we must read it day and â—ight the least that we can do is to read some part of it evâ—ry day The best way therefore is to bind our sâ—lvâ—s 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 privâ—te prayer so to reading for it is a part of the â—…rifice this is eviâ—â—nt in David that did edeeâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appointed food he had rather miss his meat thâ—n this Word he had rather keep a constant course in reading the word then in his appointed food Secondly It must be read with delight and meditation Psal. 1. 2 The blessed man delights in Gods Law and meditates in it day and night viz. he reads and doth delight in that he reads and meditates in it for both go together and therefore he is like the tree planted by the waters side that brings forth his fruit in due season but he that reads it without delight is as a dry tree that sucks no sap from the root and hence it is that meditating is put for reading Ios. 1. 8. Thou shalt meditate in it day and night and so I take all places to be meant where meditation is commended for want whereof a man is confused in those things that he most delights in and will be excellent in therefore the word must be read with delight Thirdly It must be read with prayer if we receive not our ordinary food without prayer much less spiritual why then should we read the word without it the means indeed hath a nourishing faculty inherent in it but yet we must pray or else it will not put forth his force the word bath a nourishing facultie going along with it whereby it nourishes but the holy Ghost must work and cooperate and unless he do so it cannot profit and this is the reason why many hear and profit nothing because the holy spirit works not with it and it works not because they pray not for it that so they may have it Luke 11. 13. God will give his holy spirit to them that ask him had we not need then to pray as David did Psal. 119. Lord teach me thy statutes and open mine eyes to see the wonders of thy Law he reads it but he knowes that prayer will fetch down the spirit pray then for it for that puts a nourishing faculty into the Word and the word nourisheth not without it If we do thus it will strengthen us if we be weak and heal us if we fall into a consumption of grace Fourthly It must be read or heard in faith that was the reason that it nourished not and why it did not strengthen because it wanted faith look what seed is thrown into baren ground it takes no root downward nor brings no fruit upward such is the word to an unfaithful heart but look what seed is sown in good soil and that is fruitful so is it with the word being heard with faith 1 Thes. 1 2. 13. It wrought in all those that believed as if he should have said it is believing of the word that makes it effectual otherwise it is as the shining of the Sun to blind eyes and falling of rain upon rocks Though they of themselves do lighten and be enough of themselves to lighten and make them fruitful yet the fault is not in the Sun nor the rain The word is a sword but faith sets an edge on it to divide between the marrow and the bones that makes it lively without which it is a dead word there is no life at all in it See it in particulars the word saith Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain did you believe this and seriously consider this that it is Gods commandement it would be effectual unto you to make you beware were that in Rom. 7. duly considered that the least sinne keeps on in the state of damnation it would make them look about them and try whether they were in the faith or no. If that in Gal. 5. were seriously considered that whosoever is in Christ hath crucified the flesh and the affections of it that if any lust be alive in us we are not Christians Were this well weighed it would make natural men know that they were in a damnable estate It is profitable therefore in reading of the word to joyn with it such disjunctions as these which follow either it is the word or it is not if it be then it is true or not true If true then infallible for so it is if it be the Word of God and thus ought we to build on it and guide our course of life by it Prov. 12. 13. if that were considered viz. That none should be established by wickedness then men would not get goods by inordinately and by unlawful means nor in an indirect manner if that 1 Cor. 6. 9. were considered that no fornicators nor adulterers shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven if this I say were believed and applyed in particular men would not continue in it nor rest tell they were washed and sanctified if threatnings in the word were throughly believed they would make us fear if the promises were believed they would make us rejoyce if the commandements were believed they would make us obey Concerning outward things if one bring another newes of any true good if he
in the right way and a good man may sometimes miss the the right way and go out of it therefore you must observe what your constant course is For the constant course of a mans life ariseth from the inward root and bent of his disposition and look what the inward bent of his disposition is in that he will be constant Sometimes he may do the contrary yet he will return again As you see waters that are naturally sweet if brackish waters break in to them they grow salt indeed yet if the nature of that water be sweet it will work out that brackishness and return to its former sweetness So here let a mans disposition be good let his heart be regenerate let him be renewed in the spirit of his mind though sin break into him yet he purgeth it out he cleanseth himself from it though sometimes he be stopped in a good course yet he breakes over this damme and falls to his former course that is to those holy wayes that he was wont to walk in So it is on the other side take but an evil man whose course is to do evil though he may be stopped sometimes and may have some good purposes and desires yet his heart works them out and he returns to his old byass And therefore you muâ—…try your selves by your constant course Take a swine put him into a clean medow he keeps himself clean but let him come into a durty lane and he will wallow in the myre and if you wash him again yet if he come near such a puddle again he will do the like and why because his swinish nature is not washed and so long as his nature remains his constant course will be suitable So it is with the unregenerate man when his nature is not changed his constant course will be evil God may sometimes hedg a man in and when a man is put into a way where there is a hedg on either side so long as that lane lasts he must keep on but if he be at liberty when he is at the end of that lane he turns aside So I say God oft times hedgeth in the wayes of men So he hedged in Ioash so long as Iehoiada lived it is said he did that which was upright in the sight of the Lord but after when this hedge was taken away when he died he fell to Idolatry So much for this time SELF-SEEKING Opposite to CHRISTS INTEREST PHILIP 2. 21. For all men seek their own and not the things that are Iesus Christs THe occasion of these words you shall see in the two verses going before them The The Apostle tells the Philippians to whom he wrote that he would send Timothy to them which saith he will be much for your advantage and he gives them this reason of it for saith he in the words before he will be very diligent to do you any good to take care of your matters which he sets out comparatively saith he I have no man like minded who will naturally or faithfully take care to your things Now he gives a reason why he saith he had no man like minded to Timothy that would faithfully and naturally take care for their matters for saith he this is the condition of men this I have found by experience every man seekes his own things and not the things of Iesus Christ. So you see these words containe a complaint of that common condition that common frailty that generall desease and corruption to which all men are subject every man is apt to seek his owne things every man is apt to it and for the most part doth it he seekes his own things and not the things which are Jesus Christs The words are so plain that I need not to analyse or open them or stand long upon the exposition These three things you shall see may very easily be observed out of them First Whereas the Apostle complaines of it as a great fault and a sin that men seek their own things and not the things of Jesus Christ one conclusion hence then is that It is every mans duty or every man ought to seek the things of Iesus Christ and not his own This you know must needs be a conclusion arising from hence for if it be the complaint of the Apostle of the corruption that is in men in this kind then by the contrary rule it must be every mans duty to seek the things of Jesus Christ. Secondly Though this be the duty of every man yet when we look to the execution and performance of this duty every man is ready to do the contrary every man seeks his own things and because every man doth the contrary therefore the duty is the more precious When a man denies himself because there are so few that deny themselves that makes self denial to be the more regarded and esteemed God makes the more account of it for he hath no need of such men as will not deny themselves and seek the things of Jesus Christ. There is scarce any man but seeks his own things therfore you need not wonder why all the world is ready to go in a wrong way a man in this business hath so few to keep him company It is a thing that alway hath been every man is apt to seek his own things Therefore let not a man be discouraged with it it is no more then hath been it is no more then you are 〈◊〉 look for for the most seek themselves and their own things Those that will seek the things of Jesus Christ the world accounts them busie-bodies because they are occupied about things that the world likes not of it hath been the custom of all times to seek their own things and it is in every mans nature thus to do he that doth best and doth deny himself yet he hath the same nature with the rest so then that is the second observation that every man doth it he seeks his own things And lastly from this opposition every man seekes his owne things and not the things of Jesus Christ there is this third conclusion that for the most part our owne things and the things that tend to Jesus Christ and his advantage they are contrary and opposite one to the other for our natures are contrary there is an enmity between Christ and us that which we do for Christ must needs be contrary to our selves that which is for the advantage of Christ for the most part is for our disadvantage And the reason is I say because of the contrariety between our natures and the nature of Jesus Christ and his wayes Now we will begin with the first that It is the duty of every man not to seeke his owne things but the things of Iesus Christ. It is not only the duty of every man but it is best for every man to do it It is a thing that you are all perswaded of that you ought not to seek your
had better to have wanted the Kingdom Gehazi had better to have wanted Naamans courtefie there goes a curse with those things that we have in that manner when we have them without prayer or when we have them by a common providence when we receive them in the neglect of this duty and yet in the mean time we may have as much as others And though this be that which men are ready to object yet this is the way to forfeit all that they have As you know when men will be ready to take in their goods at the Custom-house and to steal the Custom oft-times it is the way to lose all the whole fraight and to for feit their whole venture So it is here when we use the means that God hath appointed and walk in his way and observe his ordinances then we shall have mercies at Gods hands And when God bestowes them not in mercy as a blessing for so he doth not except you seek to him you must needs conclude that you not onely have them as a curse but in having them out of his way you forfeit all the rest Therefore I say prayer indeed is the means to obtain any thing at Gods hands Hezekiah prayed and he was delivered But here one causion is to be added and that is that it is not every kind of prayer it must be such a prayer as the Lord looks for at â—ur hands it must be a prayer so qualified as he hath appointed for though it be true that prayer be the key that opens the door into the Lords treasury and when we go about to open this lock we must have this key otherwise we go in a wrong way yet faith is the hand that must turn this key There are certain conditions required in prayer Every customary formal ordinary prayer will not prevail with God No 〈◊〉 Saint Paul saith I serve him night and day but I serve him in the spirit you must pray in the spirit that is when you pray to the Lord you must pour forth your spirits to him in your petitions your suites that you make to him must not be such only as your understandings dictate to you but the will and affections the intentions of your souls must go together in the performance of the duty otherwise it is but an hypocritical performance of the duty For this is hypocrisie when a man is neither willing to omit the duty altogether nor careful to do it in that manner that he ought Therefore you must know that you may make a prayer that is but the expression of your 〈◊〉 and will he think you receive such a prayer as thâ—… No your prayers must be an expression of those holy â—esirâ—â— that arise from the regenerate part it must be the voice of the spirit in you that is the voice of the regenerate part stirred up and acted by the Holy Ghost When your prayers are such prayers though it be true 〈◊〉 flesh is mingled with them they will prevail for â—hat is still required Therefore I say every prayer will not prevail it must be such a kind of prayer as God appoints Now why hath God appointed prayer It is that our hearts may be quickened and drawn near to the Lord that our hearts may be put into a fitter frame of prayer And therefore when thou shalt pray and thy heart never a whit the warmer never a whit the nearer drawn to God by it the business is not done For the same rule is true in this as in other things a business we say is not done when the end is not obtained when the enterprize is not brought to pass So I say you have not prayed say what you will express what you will except your hearts are made warmer by it and drawn nearer to God by it and brought to a better frame by it When you edifie your selves this is the prayer God accepts Therefore we must take heed of that common errour that because we hear that prayer will prevail therefore we use some certain formalities and make some petitions and so we do make account to prevail with God this is the common errour of people we are deceived in this it is not every kind of prayer that will do it An ordinary prayer would not have recovered Hezekiah and restored him to health It was the fault of Gehazi when he had got the staff he thought to recover the child but he wanted Elisha's spirit A man may make a prayer to God but when he wants the spirit of prayer he cannot expect an answer for the promise is not made to such Therefore when we deliver this point to you that prayer is an effectual means to prevail with God for any thing you must understand that those conditions must accompany it that the Lord requires And so much for this point he prayed to the Lord Who spake unto him We must be very brief in this because we hasten to the next verse Two things we may observe out of these words First That We ought to observe what answer the Lord gives to our prayers You see the Holy Ghost notes it here he prayed to the Lord and the Lord gave him a good answer he told him that the thing he desired should be done I say we should learn when we seek to the Lord to consider what answer we have from him Otherwise we do as children that shoot arrows and consider not where they light When we send our prayers and consider not what answer they have it is an argument that we do it not in faith we do it not diligently but in a negligent manner When a Fowler layeth baits and snares to catch birds if he believe them to be effectual he will be still looking to them to see whether any thing be taken or no to see what successe he hath When we come to call upon the Lord we should consider whether our prayers prevail what success they have You see Elias when he prayed to the Lord he sent his servant to see what answer the Lord had given and he sent him seven times to see whether any cloud appeared he was very dilegent to consider whether the Lord gave him any answer to his prayers Whensoever therefore we call upon the Lord we should observe that For indeed in this our walking with God doth consist when we converse with the Lord from day to day as we ought It stands not in this onely that we open our minds to him and make our requests known to him but that we should consider what the Lord doth unto us back again If the Lord grant our requests we ought to take notice of it that we may praise him and give him thanks If he do not answer them that we may consider what the cause is Many causes it may be there are why the Lord doth not hear It may be thou doest not pray aright It may be thou retainest the love of some