mans conscience either to make choise of Christ and his graces or else of his owne sins and his delights there is Christ on the one side and all his graces with heaven and happinesse thereunto belonging and on the other hand sinne and all the delights thereof our vile lusts pleasures and profits wee stand in a middle betweene them both and put Christ into the one scale which we have in our hands and our sinnes and lusts into the other then this question is made in the court of every particular mans conscience which of these wilt thou make choise of whether Christ and his Spirit shall live in thee or thy vile sinnes if we answer it is better to live in our whoredomes in our prophannesse it is better to live in our pleasures than to choose Christ what doe wee else but preferre Barabbas before Him wee condemne the Iewes but wee have much more need to condemne our selves they did it in the time of their ignorance and we doe it in the time of our knowledge they did it in the time of Christs humilitie and we now he is in his glory they did it once but we often and therefore if there bee a question come into the court of thy conscience by the hearing of a Sermon whether the spirit of Christ shall dye or thy sinnes when wee make choice of our sinnes and let the spirit of Christ die in us what doe wee but as the Iewes did preferre Barabbas before Christ and therefore every one should labour to take this home to himselfe The fourth Meanes was Flagendo by whipping of Christ this was worst of all and when he had so done he puts on him a purple garment and so brought him forth then Pilate said unto them Behold the man as who should say if there be pity or any mercy in you Looke on the man and let it move you to let him goe now this one word of Pilate Looke on the man is good for every Christian to remember to looke upon the man to looke upon Christ to consider what a deale of paines hee hath suffered what a deale of labour it cost to redeeme us Ecce home Looke upon the man see how his shoulders were whipped his face buffetted his head crowned with thornes how his sides were pierced how his hands and feete were nailed his body racked and tormented all this he hath done to redeeme thy soule therefore doe not thou sell that for a small matter which cost Christ so deere Every morning let us consider this one word of Pilate Behold the man and when wee are about our labours in the fields when we goe to bed looke upon Christ and consider what a deale of paines it cost Christ to redeeme us Secondly we must looke upon Christ and consider what wee are to looke for at the hands of the world if Christ was crowned with a crowne of thornes then wee must not looke to bee crowned with a crowne of gold If he suffered such contumelies and reproaches then wee must not looke to goe scot-free if wee suffer with him wee shall raigne with him if we would partake with him in his glorious crowne then must we with him in some sort be crowned with thornes SERMON XVIII IOHN 19. 5. Behold the Man WE shewed the last day how before Pilate condemned Christ he used foure meanes to deliver Him first by speaking for Him secondly by sending Him to Herod thirdly by associating him with Barabbas fourthly by scourging him that so pitie might have staied the cruelty of the high Priests and Scribes but all would not availe their fury pressed on to his death The uses whereof wee were the last day cut short of by reason of the time therefore now we will prosecute the same The first use is that in looking on Christ wee may see what we are to looke for at the hands of the world for if hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes Then we must not looke to be crowned with a crowne of gold if he was mocked and scoffed at we must not looke to goe free Ecce homo behold the man if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him in glory And therefore doe not thou looke to partake with him in his crowne of glory unlesse thou partake with him in the crown of thornes In the 18. of Iohn Pilate asked Christ if hee was a king he answered hee was but his kingdome was not of this world even so a Christian may say my kingdome is not of this world but I looke for a kingdome above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Secondly a Christian may comfort himselfe in afflictions and troubles by looking on Christ Ecce homo behold the man let thy troubles and thy afflictions be what they will be yet they are not like to Christs he was God we are men he the sonne and wee the servants he pure and holy we wretched and sinfull therefore let thy troubles bee what they will sure it is thou canst not attaine to the halfe of Christs to the crowne of thornes the buffettings mockings and railings upon to his whippings rackings and tormentings therefore if wee looke upon Christs wounds we shall finde ours to be nothing to his thus we must comfort our selves in our afflictions by looking on Christ Thirdly we may comfort our selves in temptations for as a Christian hath his Ecce homo so the devill will have his time for it when we be sick and like to die then he will come and say Ecce homo behold the man thou hast seemed to be a great professor but now death seazeth on thee and thou must be flung into the grave and there consumed to dust and therfore what canst thou doe for thy selfe A man must not be discouraged at this but must have his Ecce homo and send him backe againe to Christ and say behold the man behold Christ hee hath done for me hee hath gone before death hath seazed upon mee he hath beene trampled and trodden under foot of it flung into the grave and risen againe therefore seeing Christ hath gone before me I must not be afraid to follow his steps that he hath stepped in before me The third generall point which we observed in the condemnation of Christ is what it was that made Pilate stand so stiffe for Christ though after he was drawne on to condemne him partly through feare of Casar and partly through the importunitie of the people Now there were five reasons that made him stand so stiffe for Christ 1. His owne conscience 2. The admonition of his wife 3. Christs strange silence 4. His holy Confession and protestation 5. His Commination First his owne conscience for hee was perswaded hee was an innocent man and delivered unto him through the malice of the Iewes therefore hee was loth to condemne him and so sinne against his conscience and yet he was but a heathen man therefore what a pitifull
up against the day of redemption as S. Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed unto the day of redemption so also in this place that I read unto you If any man hath not the Spirit of God in him hee is none of his Therefore it is good for a man to know by certaine and unfallible markes and tokens whether hee hath the Holy Ghost in him or no. The Papists say we cannot bee certaine and sure of this by unfallible tokens there may bee some probabilitie of it and some likelihood but it cannot be certaine But this is erronious and false For first it is contrary to the Scripture as 1 Iohn 4. 13. hereby know wee that hee dwelleth in us and wee in him because hee hath given us of his Spirit so also 2 Corinth 1. 22. who hath sealed us and hath given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts and Chapter 13. of the same Epistle know yee not your own selves how that Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates so it is plaine by Scripture that a man may know certainly that the Spirit of God is in him Secondly it is contrary to reason for we see in nature that a man cannot have life in him but it will bee seene by breathing stirring or moving so there cannot bee the Spirit of God in a man but it will bee seene by moving or stirring in the life of grace Thirdly it is contrary to the Doctrine of their own Divines not onely their old Schoolemen but also their late writers which now I will not trouble you with So we see our Doctrine is plaine by Scripture by reason and by their own Schoolemen and late writers who disproove them but wee will spend no more time about it but doe with this question as they did by the body of Amasa spreade a cloath over it that it doe not hinder us in the pursuite of better things Now the point is how a man may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no In handling wherof there must bee good caution used that the wicked bee not hardened and the godly discomforted Therefore wee will observe two things 1. A rejection of the false markes 2. A declaration of the true markes First a rejection of the false notes and markes being five in number First that there may bee many good things of nature in a man and yet he may want the holy Ghost hee may bee a mercifull man pittifull to the poore quiet and peaceable a just dealer a chaste man and yet hee may want the sanctifying Spirit as Rom. 2. 14. the Apostle shewes The Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law Now the Gentiles had nothing but meere nature and yet they did many things contained in the Law they were inclined to love and to mercy c. So Act. 28. 2. when Paul and those that were with him had suffered a Shipwrack and were come to the shore the Barbarians kindled them a fire and being meere naturall men yet they were mercifull and pittifull men for it is said they shewed kindnesse to them so Math. 19. 11. Christ shewes that there were some chast that were so borne of their mothers belly they are not made chast by the Spirit of God but they have it by nature Now there bee thousands deceived this way because they bee peaceable and quiet men doe no body any harme are just dealers and chast livers they thinke the bee as holy as the Spirit of God can make them and their estate is very good but they are deceived because a man may have good parts of nature and yet want the Spirit of God goodnesse of nature is a good thing and as not to bee condemned so not to bee built upon therefore let us see what is the defect I answer the defect is that there was nothing but nature and they went no further than nature would lead them therefore we must not content our selves with meere nature but wee must labour to feele some things in our selves above it I will make this plaine by example a man by nature is able lift a hundred weight or two but if hee bee able to lift a thousand pound weight there is something above nature in him so by nature a man may love his friends but when hee feeles this that hee can love God above his enemies pray for them that hate him then there is something above nature in him So likewise by nature a man loves sinne and delights in it now when hee feeles in himselfe that hee hates sinne and labours to repent it and to beleeve the Gospell this is a comfortable evidence that there is something above nature that there is the worke of grace in him Secondly a man may have restraining grace and yet want the Spirit of God A man may refraine from swearing lying whoredome drunkennesse covertousnesse deceiving and from a number of sinnes and yet hee may want the sanctifie of the Holy Ghost as Luk. 18. 11. saith the Pharisee Lord I am not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers c. the Pharisee had restraining grace hee refrained from a number of sinnes and yet he wanted the Spirit of God for Christ tels us that the Publican went away justified rather than hee so likewise Lahan Genes 31. 29. saith to Iacob I am able to doe you evill but the God of your Fathers spake unto mee yesternight saying Take heede that thou speakest not to Iaakob ought save good Laban had restraining grace and yet wanted the Spirit of God for hee had a number of other small sinnes This deceiveth a number for because they refraine from swearing lying whoredome drunkenesse and from a number of grosse sinnes therefore they thinke they have the Holy Ghost in them But here we see that we may refraine from many sinnes and yet want the Spirit of God Now because restraining grace is a good thing and is that David prayeth for Psal. 19. Lord keepe me from presumptuous sinnes that is Lord restraine mee or Lord hold me back where is then the defect I answer the defect is in two things First They did labour to restraine their sinne and did not kill it Secondly They did restraine from some sinnes and did not refraine from all sinnes First they did restraine their sinnes and did not kill and mortifie them As a man that comes into his garden and sees a Moule hath cast up and hath made a foule racket and stir if hee treades it onely downe with his feete and doth not kill the Moule within a little while after it will bee as bad as it was at first so when men restraine sinne and doe not labor to kill it upon every occasion it will be ready to break our againe Augustine shewes this by an example if a wolfe commeth into a
any thing so saith he Rom. 6. 22. But being freed from sinne wee are made servants to God this is another worke of the Spirit that a man is desirous to please God alwayes for Iustification and Sanctification still goe together there is no man can finde the pardon of his sinnes but in some measure hee shall hae strength against them these be the foure workes of the Spirit in a new beginner therefore consider with thy selfe hast thou beene ever humbled for thy sinnes not for some one as Iudas was but for all sinnes hast thou drawne in all thy sinnes as farre as thy judgement can informe thee then hast thou desired to be reconciled to God and to be at one with him to be brought into the covenant of grace hast thou desired I say it as an hungry man doth his meat or a thirstie man his drink dost thou desire it above life and liberty and whatsoever is deare in thy sight Againe hast thou laid hold on the promises that God hath made in Christ dost thou labour to be found in Christ Lastly hast thou a setled purpose to walke with God as farre as frailtie will permit if thou feele these things in thee bee of good comfort here is the worke of the Spirit but if thou feele not these things in thee there is as yet no worke of the Spirit for these things bee in a Christian though hee bee but a day old in Religion The second thing that we are to consider is whether there be a right order of the worke for the Spirit workes in order God is the God of order and therefore the spirit workes in order as Ezek. 37. in the raising of the dead bones First there was a voyce amongst them and did forewarne them that they were but dead and drie bones Secondly there was a noyse and clattering of bones a trembling and a running together of them Thirdly there were sinewes grew on the bones and flesh on the sinewes Fourthly life came into them and then they stand up so it is in the conversion of a sinner First there is a voyce to forewarne them that they are but dead and drie bones that there is no life of grace in them not being able to stir a foote in the wayes of God Secondly there is a noyse and running together of the bones a desire of reconciliation and to bee brought within the estate of grace Thirdly flesh on the bones that is to lay hold on the promises of God And lastly life comes into the bones they stand up then a man is inabled in some measure to walke with God And therefore consider with thy selfe Hast thou motions and desires and hast not beene humbled first in sense and feeling of thy sinne here indeede is a worke but it is not the right order of the worke for first they must be humble Now as the Spirit growes stronger so there are stronger motions and actions wrought in a Christian for as it is in the naturall life so it is in the life of grace wee see the weaker a man is the weaker bee his actions and the stronger he is the stronger bee his actions As when a man is sicke he may bee so weake that hee is not able to goe by a staffe but as he growes well so his strength growes againe and his actions are stronger so it is with a Christian although he bee weake and not able to creepe at first yet as he growes stronger so his Actions will be stronger and stronger Now the worke of the Spirit is in two things in a strong Christian 1. In his Mortification 2. In his quickning First Mortification and that is in three things as first A man that is strong in the spirit will make strong resistance against sinne and will not be easily foyled and put off for every little matter Wee see a weake tree the winde will bend and bow it as if it would fall downe and make the tops touch the ground and yet the tree may be rooted but if it bee a strong tree the winde cannot bend or bow it so if a Man be a weake Christian he is carried this way and that way with every winde as it were but if he be strong he will make strong resistance against sinne therefore it is said of Ioseph Gen. 39. 15. That hee consented not to his Mistris though she lay at him from day to day and 1 Pet. 5. 9. it is said Resist the Divell being strong in the Faith So then a strong Christian will make strong resistance against sinne therefore when as it is so with a man that there is a temptation offered and hee makes no resistance hath no strength against sinne but falls into it I will not say this man is no Christian but I will say he is but a weake Christian The second is That no Man that is strong in spirit although hee sinne through temptation doth fall into it so easily as others or with that delight but there is a reluctation and a striving against it as Peter Marke 14. 68. when he denied his Master he crept into the Porch hee would not willingly have done it If a Man strike a blow at one though hee cannot keepe of the blow yet he may breake it so that it shall not be so great so the Spirit of God doth though it keepe not a Man from sinne yet it may breake the force of it that a Christian shall not so easily commit it but that there will be a resistance and a reluctation against it they will not so easily commit it as others doe Thirdly although they fall into sinne yet they will not lie long in their sinne but will returne to God upon every little touch So David 2 Sam. ult when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and 2 King 7. the two Lepers their hearts smote them and they said we have not done well in concealing good newes so it is with a strong Christian every little touch will make him returne to God renew his faith repentance and hope of Heaven he is never at quiet till he bee brought home to God These are the workes of Mortification The second is workes of quickning in a strong Christian and they are foure First Hee that is strong in the Spirit the Spirit will enable him to performe spirituall Service put him on prayer and other Christian duties hee shall doe such things as hee never thought he should have done as Phil. 4. 13. saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthens me Secondly A strong Christian hath a strong Certificate that his sinnes are pardoned For the weaker a Christian is the weaker is his certificate and the stronger he is the stronger it is as a Childe in the cradle the weaker it is the weaker is the crie and the stronger it is the more strength hath
as Philosophers say the end of a thing is the first thing in intention the last in execution which doth order the rest of the actions and is like the sterne of a ship that commeth behind but yet doth order and guide it this way and that in all the turnings so eternall life is the first thing in a Christian mans intention and the last thing in execution which must order all our actions for to what end doe wee pray repent us of our sinnes and walke holily and obediently here but to this end that wee may come to everlasting life Wee see when the Merchants have beene trading a long time at Sea at last they put their ship into the harbor to rest and stay there so when Christians have beene in the Sea of this world a long time trading they must put their ship into the harbour that is come to life everlasting there to rest and stay themselves Great is the folly of the men of this world who dote and thinke upon the things of this life which the Devill knew well when hee said Iob 1. all that a man hath hee will give for his life c. even the very skinne and yet this life is but a shaddow of that life and a way unto it Therefore brethren let us bee in love with eternall life let it bee our wisedome so to spend our time here in the feare of God as that wee may come to life everlasting Which is the next thing we are to speak of but here mans wisedome becomes folly in that the deepest reach of any created understanding is too shallow to comprehend the immeâ—sity of this life for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 9. Eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him so saith David also Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that trust in thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men S. Paul also saith That he was taken up into Paradise heard words which cannot bee spoken which are not possible to be uttered This is so great a matter as the tongues of Angells are not able to expresse it and therefore when I or any other am to speake of life everlasting wee are to consider that no man is able to expresse it for if a man stand on the Sea-shore and looke on it hee cannot see the length breadth and the extension of it yet they may see that it is an infinite great thing so though life everlasting bee a thing that no man can see the full extension of yet wee may conceive it to bee an exceeding glorious thing therefore whatsoever wee heare any man to speake of eternall life wee are to conceive it is more than any man can expresse It is not as David saith Psal 48. 8. As we have heard so wee have seene in the citie of our God But as the Queene of the South said of the wisedome of Salomon that the one halfe was not told mee which I have seene So wee may say when wee come to possesse everlasting life it was a true saying that Gods Preachers told mee of Heaven and of everlasting life but they have not told me halfe that which I finde and therefore oh that God should shew such mercie to poore sinners here in this life to give them hope of Heavenly things and make them partakers of everlasting life of whom wee may say with David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I ô Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight ô Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come c. So wee may say Lord what am I and what is my Fathers house that thou shouldest bestow this great mercie and goodnesse on mee so vile a creature Now wee are to consider of this in two heads 1 In the things we shall be freed from 2 In the things we shall enjoy First the things we shall be freed from are six first from all necessities of nature here are a number of things we stand in need of an house to put our heads in meat and drinke to nourish us cloathes to cover our nakednesse wee have need of fire to warme us and a bed to lye on and sleepe and physick and a number of things but in the life to come God shall be all in all to us musick to our eares Manna to our tast wee shall drinke of the Rivers of his pleasures and the kingdome of God shall be a house for us to dwell in and the armes of God a bed for us to lye in wee shall bee fed with Angels food with the contemplation of God for Christ wee know told the Iewes I have meat that yee know not Now if the contemplation of God bee so great here in the estate of Grace much more it will be in the life of Glory where wee shall no more hunger nor thirst nor be subject to nakednesse or infirmities of nature we shall have need of nothing for God shall be strength to our bones and rest to our eyes c. therefore thinke of this thou that art a poore Christian to comfort thy selfe with when thou art in want and necessitie when thou wantest food to feed thee clothes to keepe thee warme that one day thou shalt bee freed from all the necessities of nature but the wicked shall be subject to hunger and thirst and to all the miseries of nature if they doe desire but the least drop of water to refresh them they shall not have it The people of God shall be free from all these things which now kings and queenes are subject unto for God shall be all in all to them At thy right hand there are joyes and pleasures for evermore as David saith Psalm 16. 11. then we shall not need house food rayment or sleepe but shall be freed from all these things Secondly from all the labours of this life here wee are subject to sore labour for it is the sentence of God upon us all Gen. 3. 19. that in the sweat of our face we must eate our bread till wee returne to dust againe and Psal 128. 2. It is the blessing of Gods people that they shall eate the labour of their hands so we see all are subject to labour as it is Iob 5. 7. Man is borne to labour as the sparkes fly upwards but here is the comfort of it if a man feares God and repents him of his sinnes gets faith in Christ and walkes holily here he shall one day bee freed from all labours even so saith the Spirit Revel 14. 13. Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them and Saint Paul layes it
suffer all his paines at one time but there was some space and intermission betweene them which must teach us that it is the Goodnesse and Mercy of God that all our afflictions come not upon us at one time but there is a space betweene them this the Prophet Esai 57. 16. doth note as a mercy of God where it is said For I will not contend for ever neither will I bee alwaies wroth for the Spirit should faile before me and the Soules which I have made all our troubles shall not come at an instant nor all our temptations lest our spritis should faile but there shall bee a space and a time betwixt them so Matth. 4. it is said that the devill left Christ for a season hence appeares not onely the goodnesse but the mercy of God that the devill doth leave tempting of us for a season yea even God himselfe doth leave and cease to bring all his afflictions upon us at one time still there is some intermission and space betweene them that so wee may bee quite overcome but may have a breathing time to recover our strength againe The third is that it was the ninth houre of the day a little before his death This must teach us that greatest extremitie for the most part of a Christian is at the time of his death so we see Esai 38. 12. Hezekiah complaining Mine age is departed and is remooved from me like a shepheards tent I have cut off like a weaver my life he will cut me off with pining sicknesse from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me c. so in the Revelation wee see because the devill hath but a short time to continue therfore he rages and takes on the more and bends all his forces to bring troubles upon the people of God There bee two especiall times that the devill is busiest to disturbe Gods people first at their entrance into a Christian calling so Matth. 4. no sooner was Christ called to his office but he was straight-way tempted of the devill the same still he doth to us no sooner are we entred into a Christian course or calling having given our names to Christ but we are assailed by him I have shewed you heretofore if a prisoner breake prison the jaylor will lay all the country about till he hath gotten him againe and if he take him he will lay more irons upon him and use him worse than he did before so the devill doth when a man is once converted and brought to God escaped out of his thraldome hee will labour by all meanes to catch hold on him againe so that wee see at the entrance of a Christian into an holy course the devill will bee most busie Secondly at the time our death when because the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death the devill thrusts himselfe in with death that he might make death more bitter and strong thereby to destroy us if hee could Ioh. 14. 30. saith Christ for the prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me so Gen. 15. when the Sunne was downe the fowles came and fell upon the carkasse of the beast that Abraham had killed for a sacrifice in like maner when sorrow is at hand or when death is come the devill will be most busie to hinder us therefore being forewarned wee should labour to get faith patience repentance with other graces fitting for a Christian that so we may stand at that time before God and bee able to say with Christ Ioh. 14. 30. The prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me Secondly what he complained of that he was forsaken of God it is a very strange thing that the Sonne of God should be forsaken yet very true in respect of the bitternesse of his passion and sense of his humanity he being oppressed with infinite dolour and paines and this complaint of his is not of desperation and diffidence for he cals God his God but of contention and strife with his most bitter and sorrowfull tentation This must teach us that if the Sonne of God was forsaken when hee found sinne upon him though it were but imputed then wee may bee sure that if God finde sinne upon us he will forsake us Here we are to observe foure things 1. What it is to be forsaken 2. How farre He was forsaken 3. For what Hee was forsaken 4. His carriage in this estate First to be forsaken of God is nothing else but to want the gratefull presence of God in goodnesse and grace Now there is a twofold presence there is a generall presence to sustaine and uphold us in our being and actions which is common to all thus the devill hath the presence of God which is that presence Paul speaketh of in the Acts In him we live moove and have our being let a Carpenter make a house and when he hath done let him goe whether hee will the house will stand but it is not so with us for God when hee hath made us must uphold us or else wee fall to the grave and come to nothing as a staffe in a mans hand as long as he holds it so long the staffe stands but if hee withdraw his hand it fals so it is with the world and all things in it Now besides this generall presence there is a particular presence in grace and goodnesse such as is spoken of Psalm 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth So that God is not onely present to sustaine and uphold us in the life of nature but to be present with us in the life of grace therfore to want the presence of God is to want the comfortable feeling of God in grace and goodnesse this is meant by being forsaken of God to finde Gods angry countenance against us for sinne Secondly how farre forth Christ and so a Christian may be said to bee forsaken I answer two waies 1. The one is in the life of nature 2. The other is in the life of grace First in the life of nature when God takes away our sight our strength our health our breath or life and thus the dearest servants of God may bee forsaken thus Christ was forsaken and the Theefe on the crosse he was not freed of his bodily paines yea and hee lost his life too but God did not forsake him in the life of grace hee gave him his Spirit and grace still And thus the poore Martyrs were forsaken in the life of nature Heb. 11. it is said some were racked and some were sawne asunder I but God did not forsake them in the life of grace therefore they suffered willingly the spoiling of their goods thus the dearest of Gods servants may be forsaken yea this kinde of forsaking is needefull as in some diseases when a Physitian comes and seeth a man hath abundance of blood whereby he is subject
doubt our selves that our case is bad seeing wee cannot finde the graces of God in us for of a truth they will not lye hid but will grow and increase if they be nourished by the use of good meanes But here may be an objection made many a Christian complaineth he cannot feele there is a growth and an increase of grace in him to this I answer two things First a Christian may grow though he feele not the growth in one grace or other even as a tree groweth continually till it commeth to a perfection and to his full growth but it doth not alwayes grow in one place sometimes it groweth in the body sometimes in the bough and branches and sometime close and secret in the rootes which close and secret growth is as needfull for the tree as that which is sensible and visible so a Christian growes continually but not alwayes in one grace sometimes in one and sometimes in another sometimes in the body and sometimes in the branches and sometimes in the roote close and secret that is in humility which close and secret growth in a Christian is as needfull as that which is visible and sensible Secondly I answer that a Christian sees not his growth because there be some impediments that hinder the same we see in experience that a Childe may feed on good meat and yet he may not grow nor thrive with it and the reason is because it doth secretly eate chalke or coales or dirt or salt and then it will not grow even so it is in a Christian though he feed on good meat on the Word of eternall life yet because he feeds on chalke or coales or dirt or salt secretly that is he hath close and secret sins which he commits unseene and this it is that hindereth his growth in grace but if he leave his sinnes and repent of them then he shall feele a growth and an increase of grace in him The foruth conclusion is although the graces of God grow and in crease in a man yet they come not to perfection in any here in this life as Rom. 8. 23. saith the Apostle and not only the creatures but al we which have received the first fruits of the Spirit even wee which are Apostles and Teachers of the Church doe sigh and groane c. we see Numb 13. 23. that the Children of Israel being in the wildernesse sent certaine men to spy out the land who when they returned home brought with them a cluster of grapes that they might taste of the fruit of the land and so long possesse it so the Lord hath given us a taste of the Spirit and of heaven here in the wildernesse of this world that we might long for enjoying thereof and be in love with it Here an objection may be made is there no man full of the Spirit of God we see Act. 6. that Steven was full of the Spirit of God and Act. 11. Barnabas was full of the Spirit of God Now this may be answered three wayes First Comparatively in comparison of others they were said to bee full in regard they had a greater measure of the Spirit than others as Phil. 3. 12. the Apostle saith of himselfe that he is not yet perfect but he striveth to perfection and yet afterward he saith as many as be perfect let them be thus minded that is that are perfect in regard of others so they were full of the Spirit in comparison of others Secondly they were full in regard of the stirring and working of the Spirit fill a vessell brim-full and it will runne over fill a pot with water halfe full and set it on the fire and the heate of the fire will make it goe over and fill the pot so although a man bee not full of the Spirit yet hee may be full in regard of the working and stirring of the Spirit so they might be full of the Spirit Thirdly they might be full of the Spirit in regard of some particular act as the Schoolemen say that is that they were fitted for the place and office they were appointed to and so Stephan was full of the Spirit of God because he was fit for the office he was appointed and so likewise of Barnabas Now there be two consequents that arise from this Doctrine of which the next time if God please SERMON LV. ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his TWo questions have beene handled already concerning the Holy Ghost first how a man may come by the Holy Ghost and secondly in what measure hee is given to the Faithfull the answer thereunto we laid downe in foure conclusions first That there is but a portion of the Spirit given to the Faithfull here in this life Secondly as it is but a portion of the Spirit that is given so it is but a little portion and a little measure because all the workes of God beginne in weakenesse Thirdly though it begin in weakenesse yet it growes and increases Fourthly though grace growes in a Christian yet that it never comes to fulnesse of spirit they doe receiver but the first fruits and beginnings of the Spirit Now follow the two consequents of this Doctrine First That seeing no man hath fulnesse of Spirit in this world therefore no man hath fulnesse of joy for all our comfort is mixed with sorrow like as in the cup that Christ did drinke of at this passion vineger and gall were mingled together So the cup of every man comfort here is mingled with griefe and sorrow If we had fulnesse of Spirit then wee should have fulnesse of joy but because wee have not therefore our joy is mingled with griefe Secondly that seeing no man hath fulnesse of the Spirit in this world therefore there is no man that is perfectly regenerated or perfectly sanctified in this world all the people of God lie under the burthen of their corruption groning as the Apostle Paul complaineth of himselfe Rom. 7. 22. When I would doe good evill is present with mee Many times when a prisoner is let out of prison his chaines and bolts are not straight knocked off but hee is glad to trayle them about with him till he hath begged his fees so although a man bee freed by the Spirit of God yet he must traile his chaines and his fetters about with him till hee hath begged his fees that is till the clogs and fetters of his sinnes bee knocked off by mortalitie and death hence wee conclude there is no freedome from this burthen till wee come to heaven The third Question is How wee may know whether wee have the holy Ghost iâ— us or no which is a point worthy our learning because it is the Holy Ghost that seales us