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
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
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
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
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
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
planted them with such graces as flourish and grow up in them Thirdly as one delights in a Feast so God delights in them Cant. 5. 1. I have eaten my honey comb with my honey I have drunk my wine with my milk Revel 3. 20. I will come and sup with them I delight in them as in a Feast Fourthly where a man dwells there he is active one that doth nothing is not said to dwell in the place but rather to be imprisoned as one said of an idle man pointing to his body hic situs est his soul was buried in his body So Christ is said to dwell in us in regard of his activity and influence in regard of the works that he doth in us he works efficaciously in the soul making it fit for himself Christ hath an influence into the Saints he is still active in them furnisheth them with qualities that they had not and with actions that they did not before as one having an house makes his garden he dwells in us as the fire in the iron That is as the fire giveth to the iron all the qualities and properties of fire as hot burning and giving light it makes it like the fire so the spirit of a man when Christ dwelleth in him is made as the Spirit of Christ in all thinâ—s according to that degree of grace that he hath received We now come to the second thing we propounded and that is to shew you the benefits that we have by Christ his dwelling in our hearts and those are six First Where ever Christ dwelleth he maketh that person glorious he filleth his heart with glory This I take out of the Psal. 24. v. 7. Be ye lift up ye everlasting doors That the King of glory may come in The meaning is this when ever Christ cometh into any mans heart he comes as the King of glory That is not as one that is glorious in himself and keepeth his glory to himself but as one that communicateth his glory to that place where he cometh For there is that difference between Christ his coming in to an house and the coming of a Prince when a Prince cometh though he bring never so much glory with him yet he putteth it not upon the house the house remaineth the same But when Christ cometh into the heart he changeth he altereth the house he beautifieth and decks the soul with such excellencies as in themselves are glorious and appear glorious unto the view of others So Moses when he was with God his face did shine when he came down from the Mount because there God communicated his glory to him Indeed it is true that was an outward visible glory but yet the resemblance of that inward glory which God communicateth to the soul of him in whom he dwelleth That is he makes an impression of his own glory of his own Image upon that heart into which he cometh he stampeth it I say upon the heart and it is glorious in the Inward man it shineth forth also in the life and conversation even as the light shineth through the window so is it when Christ dwelleth in the heart he putteth a glory there which shineth forth makes him glorious in the eyes of others giveth a gracious and heavenly tincture to all his actions And the reason is because where he dwelleth he bringeth the spirit with him the Spirit of glory resteth upon them as you have it in 1 Pet 4. The Spirit of glory resteth upon you when you are railed upon for his names sake That is that spirit dwelleth in you covereth you and let them say what they can they shall not be able to hurt you for you are compast about with light even with the glorious Spirit of God As if one should cast dirt upon the Sun he cannot obscure the glory of it because light dwells in it so when men speak evil of the Saints disgrace and revile them they cannot hurt them for there is glory in them that shineth about them Now glory is nothing else but the manifestation of some excellencie to the view of others so we attribute still the word glory to such in whom we see some excellency to see a man in gorgeous apparel An Army under banners to see a ship under sail we say they are glorious So Michal said of David How glorious was the King of Israel to day because then he manifested himself Now when God sheddeth abroad his Spirit into the heartâ— of any whom he infuseth the graces of his Spirit into them he is said to put glory into them This Christ doth wheresover he cometh because he furnisheth them with grace and every grace is glorious As it is said of wisdom in the Proverbs He that is in estimation for wisdom and glory That is for wisdom which is glorious so when Christ cometh into the heart of any he makes them wise and therefore glorious The like may be said of anâ— other vâ—rtue therefore in the Epistle of Peter vertue and glory are joyned together In a word the Image of God is in them which is compounded of many graces Now that image is a glorious Image 2 Cor. 3. You are changed to the Image of God from glory to glory That is from one gloâ—i us degree of grace to another And this is the first bâ—n siâ— we have by Christ he makes them glorious in whom he dwelleth because he putteth his graces in them and stamps his similitudes upon them Secondly A second benefit that we have by Christs dwelling in us iâ— this where ever he dwelleth he ruleth and governeth he guideth the spirit wherein he dwelleth he keepeth the heart in order from mutinies and tumults he keepeth all the affections in obedience And this is a great benefit and this he doth where he dwelleth Therefore in Psal. 24. it is said Be you lift up ye everlasting doors speaking there of the soul which onely is everlasting and the King of glory shall come in That is he ruleth as a King dwelleth as a King that ruleth in the place where he cometh That as Satan ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience so Christ ruleth in the children of obedience he guideth them and governeth them he ordereth their steps the right way That is when there are in them lusts fighting in their mind a law in their members rebelling against the Law of the spirit he keepeth down these Rebels he mortifieth these lusts and therefore in Rom. 8. The affections are said to be servants to righteousness That is because righteousness ruleth in the hearts of those in whom Christ dwelleth But you will say what benefit is this what priviledge is it to have Christ rule us it seemeth rather to be contrary it seemeth rather that this is to be restrained and to be over-ruled is it not better to have our liberty I answer that it is not but it is a great priviledge to
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
purse he cannot abide to let it be tryed but if it be sound and good he is not affraid to bring it to the touchstone God in this case will take nothing for currant but what hath his own stamp upon it The word of God hath that in it that will try us let us therefore every one deal sincerely with our own hearts as in the sight and presence of Almighty God that so we may know whether we have this blessed Grace of Faith or no. But before we come to this let us consider these grounds First That all that live under the Gospel have if not though it be called the word of Faith and be the very meanes to beget Faith For this look 2 Thess. 3. 2. where it is given as a reason why those that truly receive the Gospel are so reproached and hardly dealt withall by the world even because all men have not Faith for if all had Faith then could all be of the same minde and Holinesse Righteousnesse and Love would be their delight Secondly That this triumphing Faith which upholds a man and opens his mouth to speak upon grounds of Faith is so far from being a common giâ—t to all that but few indeed have it It is a special and peculiar grace that makes a man triumph over condemnation That this was hard to be found the Prophet complains in his dayes Isa. 53. 1. Lord Who hath believed our report And that not among the heathen onely but even among the people of God The like complaint Christ takes up in the very words of the Prophet Iohn 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. He admires at the paucity of true believers So now the sound of the Gospel hath come to all of us but who shewes this faith of Gods elect in them This also we may see in the parrable of the sower wherein is set forth the estate of the visible Church Where there is but one sort of the four kinds of hearers that bring forth this fruit Three sorts come to hear some but for fashion sake or compelled thereunto some to get knowledge onely some to carpe scoff or catch somewhat to run to rulers with or to judge that which shall judge them one day This triumphing faith it ariseth from an Immortal seed of Gods word alone Thirdly That though there be but few that have this faith yet not the poorest and meanest of Gods children if they have any true hope of Gods mercy but in his time shall come to it Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed whosoever is Gods childe shall have this faith and therefore Titus 1. 1. it is set out to be a pecular grace and gift of God that onely belongeth to the elect Gal. 3. 6. all are said by faith in Christ to be Gods sons Iohn 10. our Saviour shewes as none will so none can believe but such as are Gods sheep that is his elect even those that are chosen in Christ to eternal life The fourth thing we are to consider as a matter to bee believed is That those that have this faith that will save their souls they may know they have it Which is against Bellarmines reasons of diffidence and doubting First They may know it to themselves for their comfort and next they may make it known to others by the fruits thereof 1 Cor 2. 12. That we may know saith the Apostle the things which are given us of God in Christ which is spoken in common to all that truly believe and not onely to any special person the true beleever hath such a light going along with his faith that he comes to know though not perfectly yet truly and infallibly that God hath chosen Adopted and sanctified him c. He takes hold of the promise of Salvation upon Gods commandment Faith is that which receiveth the word and promise and cherisheth himself in a special manner in the Word and Sacrament The Devils works are in darknesse God gives his in light and therefore his children are called Saints in light Col. 1. 12. and Iohn 15. 10. He that believes in the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself So that thou needest not have others tell thee that thou dost believe for if thou hast faith indeed t is not so hid and buried in thy heart but that thou mayest know it Secondly Others also may know it as it manifests it self in the fruits Rom. 1. 8. Their faith was spoken of far and near which was known by their wonderful change they were become new creatures such as were now of a holy life and conversation for which Paul thanks God and desires to be with them to be comforted with their faith and his own Nâ—xt to this considâ—r that this triumphing faith wheresoever it is kindled it will endure the tryal even the fire of Gods spirit it will endure also the fiery tryal of affliction 1 Cor 3. 13. It is not a chaffie or counterfeit faith that all the troubles or temptations can blow away But being begotten by the word it pacifies the conscience and stablishes the heart in the bloud of Christ And purges the heart to make it fit for the Holy Ghost to dwell in also it works by love and makes a man not churlish and froward but loving and that even to his very enemies for Christ sake thy heart will tell thee thus much and make thee say I thank God I have this faith in me Lastly seeing it is thus namely that it is the duty of all every one that lives under the Gospel to prove his heart and search it to the bottom 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the faith this shewes that it is not a thing to be taken as granted that we have this faith except we find that we have it indeed but to search and try our selves for it Because else we are in a great danger even in the state of reprobates Therefore examine thy self and if thou hast it bless God that ever thou wert born to be brought to such a blessed state wherein thou mayst thus triumph Now for the notes whereby thou mayest try thy self they may be these The first is taken out of Rom. 8. 15. yea have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abbâ—… Father Thou hast found thy self before to have bin in an estate of bondage as those believing Romans there who were accepted in an estate of fear and bondage under the curse of the Law and condemnation even in despair of themselves the spirit of Bondage for that time shews us the law that condemns us and makes it to triumph over a man so long as it lasts try therefore if thou hast felt thy conscience set on thee and found thy self to be condemned for thy sins Thus all Gods children truly converted indeed have felt though some more some less and lyen under it some a longer