or no. Now that a man may know this the better I will make it cleere by this example Take a bottle that is full of water and another that is full of Aqua-vitae looke upon them outwardly and they are all one in colour but if you taste the one is hote and lively but the other is cold and rawe so if you looke unto the outward formall actions of wicked men they have the same colour that the actions of the holy men have but if you taste them examine their lives and search into their hearts you shall finde a great difference the one of them it may be may seeme to have life and heate in them but they want the Spirit for they have neither a loathing of sinne nor power to resist sinne they may put a false colour upon their actions but it will not hold they may restraine some lusts for some ends but such 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 soule kindles a holy fire in all the faculties to burne up sinne which is there And this was the difference betweene Iohn Baptists Baptisme and the Baptisme of Christ. Iohn would baptize them with water but Christ in the spirit and with fire therefore examine what heat there is in you against evill and what zeale there is in you to good are you cold in prayer in conference in the Communion of Saints it is a signe that you have not the spirit it may be you heare and reade and pray and conferre but see with what heat you doe them Is it with you in these things as the Apostle would have you to be in earthly 1 Cor. 7. 30. 31. To sorrow as if yee sorrowed not to use the world as if you used it not doe you performe holy duties with that coldnesse as if you cared not whether you did them or did them not doe you heare as if you heard not and doe you receive the Sacrament as if you received it not and doe you pray as if you prayed not and doe you love as if you loved it not then surely you have not the Spirit And on the contrary if you finde spirituall heat and zeale in you a nimblenesse and quicknesse to good it is a signe that you have the Spirit for it is the propertie of the Spirit to heate the soule therefore the Prophet saith That the zeale of thine House hath even eaten mee up Intimating I have such a measure of zeale wrought in mee by thy Spirit that I cannot see thee in the least measure dishonoured but I must burne with zeale Therefore examine what zeale you have for God and godlinesse are you hot for the things of the world and cold for grace and holinesse whatsoever you thinke 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 mee as if every Christian did attaine unto the like heate and zeale as others doe For you must know that some have more some have lesse according unto the measure of the sanctifying Spirit that they have but this you must know that you must be full of heate full in some measure answerable unto the measure of the sanctifying Spirit but if you finde no heate at all in you then you have not a graine of the Spirit not to be hot is to bee luke-warme and luke-warmenesse is that which God hates it is a temper mixt which is both loathsome to nature and odious to God Revel 3. 15. the Laodiceans were neither hotte nor cold but luke-warme that is they had neither heate to good nor so cold as to forsake the truth Sinne and holinesse stood in aequilibrio 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 spue them cut and then in the next verse hee exhorts them to be zealous and amend except you labour to bee hot in the Spirit you cannot be saved Titus 2. 14. the Apostle saith That Christ dyed that hee might purchase unto himselfe a people zealous of good workes this zeale must not bee a constrained zeale but a willing zeale and if there were no other motive to move men to bee zealous but this because Christ came to redeeme them for this end that they might be zealous for his glory if there bee any sparke of the fire of the Spirit in him it will burne at Christs dishonour and if Christ came unto this end to make men zealous then surely Christ will not loose 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 have drunke too much of this Cup of giddinesse they thinke they need not be so zealous as they are but I say if you be not it is a signe that you have not the Spirit especially it stands men now upon if they have any holy zeale in them to show it I say it is time you should show it when you see such halting betweene two opinions show your zeale by hating and abhorring popery and by labouring to draw men from it especially now when we see men so desirous to goe into Egypt againe which is to be lamented in these dayes for which the Lord hath stretcht out his hand against us but where is our zeale what spirituall heate is there in us where are these men that at such a time would have beene hot and zealous nay where are the generation of these men surely they are all gone for there is no heate and zeale left it is true we abound in knowledge we have the same knowledge that they had but we want their zeale and spirit and we have the same gifts but we want their Spirit but let us now at length shew our selves to be in the spirit to have the Spirit in vs by our zeale against evill But you will say that many holy men that have the Spirit yet are not so hot and zealous against evill but are marvellous milde and patient therefore a man may have the Spirit and yet not bee zealous First to this I answer that holy men may have pits wherein they may be falne They may have drosse aswell as Gold and hence they may bee drawne by a strong passion and lust not justly to weigh sinnes aright whence ariseth remissenesse and neglect both in doing good and resisting evill 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 againe that is will recover his strength and make him zealous against sinnes but if you see a man whatsoever
profession hee makes of Christ that can winke at sinne and not bee moved at it and the Word nor prayer doth not kindle this holy Fire in him then certainely that man is a dead man there is no sparke of holinesse in him therefore I may say unto every holy man as they were used to say to Haniball that hee had fire in him but hee wanted blowing so I say unto you if you have the Spirit you have heate in you but if this heate doth not appeare at all times or at sometimes it is because it wants blowing for when they have a just occasion to exercise the strength of the inward man for Gods glory they will show that they have zeale in them and be hot and lively to good and not dead in sinne for this is the difference betweene a man that is dead and a man that is in a swone take a man that is in a swone if Aqua-vitae and rubbing of his joynts will not recover him it is a signe that he is dead so if the Word will not worke heate in you it is a signe that you are more then in a swone you are already dead in the inward man it is said of the Adamant it will not be heated with fire so I may say if the Word will not heate you when you are rubbed with it is a signe you are like the Adamant dead unto grace Secondly to this I answer that howsoever some men that are sanctified are not so zealous as are some hypocrites which is true yet I say it is no good argument to say that because counterfeit druggs and wares have the same sent and smell that the good wares have that thererefore they are as good or that the good wares have not the like but it were better to say that they have not the same and that the difference is in this that the affections have a false dye and glosse put upon them and so there is a false and counterfeit zeale and there is a true zeale As there may be yellow peeces counterfeit aswell as yellow peeces true mettall so there may be counterfeit fire as well as true fire this then I say men may bee sanctified and yet be milde and not of so hot and fiery a disposition They may not so burne in the Spirit as others doe but yet it is not good to conclude that it matters not therefore whether you be zealous or no for howsoever it is true in him yet it may be false in thee and know also that this meekenesse is joyned with much holy Zeale though it be not outwardly expressed for as certainely as where true fire is there is heate so where there is the Spirit there is zeale therefore examine whether you have heate in you if you have not you have not the Spirit The second signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this If you finde that you are not onely able to doe more then you could naturally but you have also holinesse joyned with it This signe I make of two parts because a man may do many things that may carry a show above nature and yet want holinesse but if they bee above nature and then have holinesse joyned with them then it is a signe that you have the sanctifying Spirit First I say it will make you to doe more then you could doe by nature it puts another manner of strength in you by which you are able to doe these things which before you were not able to doe as for example it will worke in you a patience above a naturall patience this wee see in Christ himselfe when he was crucified he opened not his mouth he was like a lambe he had more then naturall patience this is true in Paul Peter and the rest of the Saints Againe it works in us love above a naturall love therefore it is said that Christ was full of love hee had compassion on the multitude Againe it works in a man a joy more then naturall joy this wee see in Paul and Silas when they were in prison they sang for Ioy and the Disciples in the Acts rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ. Againe it workes in a man boldnesse above naturall boldnesse and therefore it is said Acts 4. 14. that they preached the Word with great boldnesse that is with a boldnesse above a naturall boldnesse and so Luther he was indued with this Spirit of boldnesse because else he would never be so bold in the defence of the truth if he had not had another Spirit in him Againe it workes in a man wisedome above a naturall wisedome 1. Sam. 18. 12. it is said of David that the Spirit of the Lord was with him and therefore Saul was afraid of him and so Abimelech feared Abraham because he saw in him a great measure of wisdome and discretion Againe it works in a man strength above naturall strength because with the strength of nature they have another added to it Againe it will make you see above a naturall sight therefore it is said they shall not need to teach one another but they shall bee all taught of God they shall see into the excellencies that are in God Now examine your selves whether you have the Spirit or no I say by this if you have this power to worke above nature For if you haue the Spirit you shall finde your selves able to keepe downe your lusts have power and abilitie to sanctifie the Sabbath power to pray power to heare power to conferre power to meditate power to love power to obey all above nature a power to forsake life and libertie riches and honour pleasure and all things if they come in competition with Christ which no man will doe except hee have the Spirit Secondly as it giues strength and other excellent qualities above nature so it addes unto it holinesse it puts a tincture and a good dye upon all your actions it warmeth the gift of the minde and puts the heart in a frame of grace many men have a kinde of strength but they want holinesse and sanctification with it now a man is said to bee a holy man when the soule is separated and divorc'st from things that are contrary to its salvation and happinesse and joyned and united unto Christ wholly and totally then and not till then is a man a true holy man it is with a holy man in this case as it is with a spouse shee is separated from others and united unto her husband therefore they that have the Spirit have holinesse with it the vessels in the time of the Law they were holy vessels because they were appointed for Gods worship in like manner when the Spirit comes into the heart it sanctifies it and makes him a holy man by making him in all his aymes and ends to pitch upon Gods glory and this can no man doe till Christ bee
speciall meanes for the strengthning of the inward man for as hee sets up the building and furnisheth the roomes and gives power unto the soule to use them so that which makes all these effectuall is this when hee gives power and efficacy unto the meanes that are for the strengthning of the inward man now you know that the Word is the onely meanes to worke new habits and qualities in us to call us and beget us unto Christ. And if the Spirit should not adde this unto it namely efficacy it would never beget us unto Christ therefore this is the meanes to make all effectuall it gives a blessing unto the meanes of grace the Word alone without the Spirit is as I told you but as a scabberd without a sword or a sword without a hand that will doe no good though you should stand in never so much need therefore the Apostle joynes them together Act. 20. 32. he calles it the Word of his grace that is the spirit must worke grace by it or else the Word will nothing availe you Againe prayer is a meanes to strengthen the inward man but if the Spirit bee nor joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the holy Ghost saith pray in the holy Ghost that is if you pray not by the power of the holy Ghost you will never obtaine grace or sanctification The Spirit is unto the meanes of grace as raine is unto the plants raine makes plants to thrive and grow so the spirit makes the inward man to grow in holinesse therefore it is the promise that God makes unto his Church in the Scripture that hee will powre water upon the dry ground The heart that before was barren in grace and holinesse shall now spring up in holinesse and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I shall powre my Spirit upon them therefore you see how the Spirit doth strengthen grace in the soule by building and setting up the building of grace in the soule and then by furnishing the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace and then by giving power unto the soule to use those habits to good and then by giving a blessing unto all the meanes of grace The use of this stands thus If the Spirit be the onely meanes to strengthen the inward man then it will follow that whosoever hath not the holy Ghost hath not this strength and whatsoever strength a man may seeme to have unto himselfe if it proceed not from the Spirit it is no true strength but a false and counterfeit strength for a man may thus argue from the cause unto the effect the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects and on the contrary that which is not the cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so I may reason that no naturall strength can bring forth the strength of the inward man because it wants the ground of all strength which is the Spirit and therefore you may have a flash or a seeming power of strength such as the Virgins had Matth. 25. that seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a fained strength because they had not the Spirit it is the Spirit that must give you assurance of salvation and happinesse And I have chosen this point especially in regard of the present occasion the receiving of the Sacrament before which you are especially to examine your selves whether you have this or no which if you have not then you have neither strength in the inward man nor any right or interest unto Christ For I may well follow the Apostles rule that they that are Christs have the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth the deepe things of God which hee hath revealed unto us by his Spirit Ephes. 1. 13. You were sealed with the Spirit of promise Rom. 8. 11. That they should bee raised by the Spirit that dwelleth in them and againe as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your selves whether you have the Spirit but above all places there are two places which prove the necessity of having the Spirit the one is this place which is my text That you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man and the other is the place which Saint Iohn hath in 1 Iohn 3. 14. By this wee know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the brethren it is a signe to judge of your spirituall strength by your love if we be united in the bond of love it is a signe that wee have the Spirit and having the Spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed so that you must be changelings from sinne to grace before you can be saved Examine therefore what effectuall spirituall strength you have what spirituall love there is amongst you and so accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you have any right or interest unto Christ and that I may helpe you in this thing I will lay downe some signes by which you shall know whether you have the Spirit The first signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you have the sanctifying Spirit you will be full of fire that is it will fill you with spirituall heat and zeale now if you finde this in you then it is the sanctifying Spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ Matth. 3. 11. that hee will baptize them with the Spirit and with fire that is he will baptize you with that Spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spirituall heate and zeale and therefore it is said Act. 2. 3. that they had tongues as of fire and againe it is said that the Apostles were stirred up with boldnesse to speake that is when they saw God dishonoured this Spirit kindled a holy zeale in them it set their hearts on fire it set their tongues on fire so when the spirit enters into the heart of a Christian it will fill it full of heate and zeale the heart the tongue the hands the feete and all the rest of the parts will be full of the heate of the spirit And it is unpossible that any man should have true zeale except hee have the spirit therefore it is said that they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance they spake with a great deale of zeale of another nature and qualitie then they did before Well then examine what heat and zeale you have in your actions so much heate so much spirit Hee shall baptize you with the Spirit and with fire If you have the sanctifying Spirit you shall know it by the zeale that is in you in the performance of holy duties therefore I say this is an excellent signe whereby a man may know whether he have the spirit
affections that the inward man may grow strong by the performance of them The third rule if you would have the meanes effectuall then you must be constant in the use of the meanes forwhat is the reason that there is so litle thriving in grace that men remaine cripples in grace but because they use meanes of growth but by fits and haltnesse that is they are not constant in a good course of life they are still off and on the rule sometimes the shot will bee short and other times they hit the marke they come seldome unto the meanes now and then they pray and now and then they make use of the Communion of the Lord this inconstancy jogles the faculty and weakens the habite and therefore it is unpossible that you should thrive in grace except you be constant the Apostle Iames cals them vnstable men let these never thinke to receive strength in the inward man till they come to more constancy in good Therefore labour to be constant in prayer constant in hearing in meditation in the Sacrament in Conference which if you bee not you will not grow strong in the inward man The fourth rule if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must take heed of depending upon the meanes without God For know that the meanes without God is but as a penne without Incke a pipe without water or a scabberd without a sword They will not strengthen the inward man without God for it is the Spirit that puts life in the meanes and yet you must not cut off the pipe from the well-head you must not depend upon God without the use of the meanes but you must use both that is first seeke to God and depend upon him for the strengthning of the inward man and withall use the meanes constantly because as water is carried from the Well-head unto the pipe and so from the pipe unto many places so the meanes are as pipes to carry grace into the soule Therefore use them and cut them not off by carelessenesse if you doe you will cut off the strength of the inward man The third meanes if you would strengthen the inward man is this you must get rectified Iudgements that is you must see that your judgements are right for men doe deceive themselves in their judgements they thinke that they have strong judgements and that they are able to judge of things when indeed they are marvellous weake Now that you may not deceive your selves I will lay downe some signes of a rectifyed judgement The first signe of a rectified judgement is this you shall know it by your constancy so much constancy in good and so much is your judgements rectified and on the contrary so much inconstancy and so much weaknesse as for example when a man hath propounded a rule unto himselfe and is not constant in it it argueth that he is weake in his judgement because he keeps not close to the rule or that there are stronger or more arguments to the contrary which makes him to fall away and sit downe from the rule and he is thus posed because he is but weake in iudgement as for example if a man should come and proffer a man one hundred pound not to leave such an action and another man should come and offer him two hundred pounds to leave it if the man bee weake in judgement hee will bee drawne by the greater reward though it bee evill therefore if you would not bee beaten and made to sit downe by stronger seeming arguments than you have indeed in your selfe then you must get your judgements rectified therefore examine your selves whether your judgements be rectified which you shall know by your constancy in holy duties if a little profit or pleasure will draw you away whatsoever you thinke of your selves your judgements are weake The second signe whereby you shall know whether you judgements are rectified is this examine whether your passions be strong for strong passions have weake affections unto good when the passions of a man are strong they weaken the understanding they weaken the will and the affections as touching the truth and therefore Paul in Acts 14. 15. when they would have made him a god he cries out We are men subject unto passions as you are that is full of weakenesse as if he should say your passion in this thing proves your weakenesse of judgement therefore labour to have strong affections to good for this strength in the affections comes from the inward man Againe the strength of the affections unto good show the abiding of the Spirit in the soule as 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 In Acts 4. 32. After that they were filled with the Holy Ghost they spake boldly they had strong affections for Gods glory and therefore the Spirit is compared unto fire and Oyle Fire that burnes and consumes and Oyle that mollifies and softens so doth the Spirit Therefore examine whether you burne in the inward man see whether you have strong affections to good if you have you are strong if not you are weake and againe see what cheerefulnesse you have examine whether your hearts are soft and tender and plyable then it is a signe that the Spirit is there it is true a strong man may have passion but it is but now and then it continues not it is not alwayes yet so much passion as hee hath so much weakenesse there is in him therefore labour to overcome your passions The third signe whereby you shall know whether your Iudgements are rectified or no is this examine what contentment you have to beare losses and crosses I gather this out of Phil. 4. 12. I can saith the Apostle want and abound I can doe all things through CHRIST that strengthneth mee examine therefore when you are abused and reproached for Christ whether you can take it patiently can you be content to suffer disgrace and reproach for Christ if you can then it is a signe that you are strong in Iudgement if not you are weake whatsoever you thinke of your selves Proverbs 27. saith the Wise man a wise man is knowne by his dignitie so I may say a man that is strong in the inward man is knowne by his bearing of reproch without seeking after revenge againe this man is spiritually strong in Iudgement therefore try your Iudgements by your contentednesse The fourth signe whereby you shall know whether you have rectified Iudgements is this examine whether you finde your selves easie to be deceived if so it is a signe that you are weake in Iudgement and therefore this is the argument that Paul uses unto women that they shall not usurpe authoritie over the man 1 Tim. 2. 12. I permit not a woman to beare rule because shee was first deceived shee is easier to be
he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a
regard of the qualitie and disposition to what it was and yet in substance remaines the same as for example put Iron into the fire the Iron is the same it was in substance before it came into the fire but now it hath another qualitie it was cold and stiffe and hard and unplyable but now it is hotte and soft and plyable and this change is throughout in every part of it and yet it is Iron still So it is with the Spirit when it comes into the heart of a Christian he mingleth and infuseth spirituall life into all the parts of the soule and therefore it is said if Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sinne but the Spirit is alive The body is dead that is as touching raigning sinne he is like a tree that wants both sap and roote or as a man that is dead that wants a soule hee is now dead whatsoever he was before but the spirit is alive to God Therefore examine if this thorow great change be in you see then what death there is in you to sinne and what life unto holinesse I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you in such a frame as to be fit for heaven And againe the Apostle calles it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. be you metamorphosed that is throughly changed new moulded againe in 2 Corin. 3. 18. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turne but it must bee a great change as the changing of Christs Spirit for your owne spirit which if you have then you shall come out of every affliction and every difficultie like gold out of the furnace like cloath out of the die of Lions you shall bee Lambes of Serpents you shall be Doves therefore see whether this change be in you or no if this change be in you then when your old guests that is your old lusts shall come and finde that his old companion is cast out of doores and that the soule is swept and cleansed hee will not stay but seeke abiding else-where but on the contrary if your opinions of sinne be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evill company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the Spirit and so long as you remaine thus doe you thinke that Christ will come and sup and dine with you and yet you will not erect a building for Him in your hearts therefore if you would have Christ and the Spirit then labour to get holinesse The fourth signe whereby you may know whether you have the spirit or no is this if it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will doe by you as the Angels doe by assumed bodies they take them up for a time and doe many things with them to serve their owne turnes but they doe not put life in them such is the common spirit but the sanctirying spirit puts life into the soule Wherefore examine your selves whether the spirit makes you living men or no for when the sanctifying Spirit shall joyne with the soule of a man it will make him to doe suteable things and bring forth suteable actions for as the body is dead without the soule so the soule hath of it selfe no spirituall life to good without the spirit wherefore as Paul speakes of unchast widdowes that they are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. vers 6. so I may say of every man that hath not the spirit they are dead men dead to God to good to grace to holinesse I say there is no life without the Spirit men are not living men because they walke and talke and the like but they are living men that live in the spirit and by the spirit and on the contrary there is no true life neither are men to bee esteemed living men that want the spirit Now for the examination of our selves by this rule consider First wee have but an assumed body of grace and holinesse when in the practice of life we assume unto our selves onely the outward forme of godlinesse but regard not the power cleaving in our affections to that which is evill and leaving the things that are truely good I doe not say when you hate good but when you preferre evill before it in your choise and set it at the higher end of the Table and serve it first and attend upon it most when that crosseth holinesse but you will not againe crosse it for the Love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you thinke of your selves you have not the sanctifying Spirit but a common spirit without life Secondly you have but an assumed body of grace if you have it not in a feeling manner the sanctifying spirit workes a spirituall sence and taste in the soule that is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste they will bee sweet unto you it will purge out that which is contrary to the growth of the inward man on the contrary the common spirit will never make you to taste grace as it is grace or because it is grace that is grace will not bee a dainty thing it will bee without a good savour Therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can rellish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying spirit but an assumed habit of grace that is a common spirit without the life of grace Thirdly as assumed bodies are unconstant that is walke onely for a time but they walke not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on the rule A man that is living in Christ you shall still find him living and moving and doing the actions of the new man a man that hath but a common spirit may do somethings that are good hee may keepe and presse downe some sinne awhile but not alwayes neither then because it is sinne but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some other thing Againe he may have some taste and rellish of spirituall things but hee is not purged and cleansed by them First he may walke as a living man walkes that is performe holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither doe they performe them in obedience but out of selfe love that is they are still ebbing and seldome flowing they omit ofter then they performe Therefore let me exhort you that are alive and have beene dead be you carefull to prize your life and you that have beene alive but now are dead that is you that have falne from your holinesse and zeale and have lost your first love and strength labour now to recover it againe And you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to dye if there bee any here
by pronunciation against him and your sinnes are as great and the same but you know them not and therefore let us compare them together and you shall see that they are the same and all one and that in these three particulers First Simon Magus thought that the Spirit might have beene had at any time for he neglected the meanes and despised that presuposing that at any time with a small reward hee might get it of the Apostles what shall I give thee c. Even so when you put off the spirit is not your sinne 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 sinne that you would be rid of and for a sinne that is pleasing unto your nature you can when you will subdue it you can when you will forbeare it and is not this one part of Simon Magus his sinne Secondly Simon Magus thought it was in the power of men to give the Spirit What shall I give thee Peter for the spirit and is not your sinne the same doe not many men thinke 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 when they lye upon their death beds then they will send for the Minister but not till then as if it were in his power to give the Spirit O Sir what shall I doe to be saved can you tell mee of any hope of salvation and the like Thirdly Simon Magus hee desired the spirit to a wrong end namely for his owne advantage That upon whomsoever I shall lay my hands they may receive the holy Ghost and doe not men do the like they desire to have the spirit and they could wish with all their hearts that they had him but yet not for a right end for Gods glory but for some carnall end of their owne that they may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end For know that a man may desire grace but if the ayme of his desire be for his owne end the desire is sinne the same that Simon Magus was therefore I beseech you deferre not put not off the opportunity and remember what the Lord saith Hebr. 3. 15. to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts this is the day now you have the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your soule by it the Word is neere you Well light your candles by it you may now light them whilest the fire is here but if you will not now how will you when the candle is out when you shall be either taken from the meanes or else the meanes from you therfore labour to know the spirit and judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is to beleeve and the best meanes to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the Word preached the preaching of the Word is a meanes to get the spirit and therefore the Apostle saith received you the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith preached Gal. 3. You may know whether you have the spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten faith by the preaching of the Word our Saviour saith that the tree is knowne by his fruit the branch cannot beare fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the roote so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him wee shall never get the spirit therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soule and it will knit him fast unto the soule that he can never depart away from it faith will recover the Spirit if it seeme to want his power of working in the soule it will returne him if he seeme to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit be scanted in it it will widen the narrow bottle of your hearts and you know what Christ said unto the woman in the Gospell So be it unto thee according unto thy faith therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith in your hearts 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 meanes to get the spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer to desire and pray earnestly for the spirit is a meanes to get the spirit an instance of this wee have in Elisha servant to Eliah he earnestly desires and prayes that the Spirit of Eliah his master might bee doubled upon him not that hee meant that hee might have asmuch more againe but that hee might have a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets and hee did obtaine his desire for hee 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 Salomon desired wisedome 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 Luke 11. 13. That he will give the Holy Ghost unto them that aske him and this hee doth speake by way of opposition if you that are evill can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit that is if a man will bee importunate for grace and the spirit as a child will be unto his father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if hee were my father and I his child 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 child To this I answer suppose thou be not his child in thy owne apprehension yet looke backe unto the 8. verse and see what Importunity doth though hee would not open the doore and give him that which he would have yet in regard of the importunity of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have thus doe you though you may have a deniall sometimes no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no deniall and your importunity will at last prevaile with him and to incourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man Iames 1. 5. As no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any failing to shame him he gives unto all men that comes unto him without exceptions of person without any gift freely and reproaches no man that is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from