or no. Now that a man may know this the better I will make it cleere by this example Take a bottle that is full of water and another that is full of Aqua-vitae looke upon them outwardly and they are all one in colour but if you taste the one is hote and lively but the other is cold and rawe so if you looke unto the outward formall actions of wicked men they have the same colour that the actions of the holy men have but if you taste them examine their lives and search into their hearts you shall finde a great difference the one of them it may be may seeme to have life and heate in them but they want the Spirit for they have neither a loathing of sinne nor power to resist sinne they may put a false colour upon their actions but it will not hold they may restraine some lusts for some ends but such cannot master and subdue them and it may heat a part of his heart but it cannot heat all his heart but where the sanctifying Spirit comes it heats all the soule kindles a holy fire in all the faculties to burne up sinne which is there And this was the difference betweene Iohn Baptists Baptisme and the Baptisme of Christ. Iohn would baptize them with water but Christ in the spirit and with fire therefore examine what heat there is in you against evill and what zeale there is in you to good are you cold in prayer in conference in the Communion of Saints it is a signe that you have not the spirit it may be you heare and reade and pray and conferre but see with what heat you doe them Is it with you in these things as the Apostle would have you to be in earthly 1 Cor. 7. 30. 31. To sorrow as if yee sorrowed not to use the world as if you used it not doe you performe holy duties with that coldnesse as if you cared not whether you did them or did them not doe you heare as if you heard not and doe you receive the Sacrament as if you received it not and doe you pray as if you prayed not and doe you love as if you loved it not then surely you have not the Spirit And on the contrary if you finde spirituall heat and zeale in you a nimblenesse and quicknesse to good it is a signe that you have the Spirit for it is the propertie of the Spirit to heate the soule therefore the Prophet saith That the zeale of thine House hath even eaten mee up Intimating I have such a measure of zeale wrought in mee by thy Spirit that I cannot see thee in the least measure dishonoured but I must burne with zeale Therefore examine what zeale you have for God and godlinesse are you hot for the things of the world and cold for grace and holinesse whatsoever you thinke of your selves yet you have not the sanctifying Spirit There is not a holy man or woman that belongs unto Christ but they have this holy fire in them and yet I would not have you to mistake mee as if every Christian did attaine unto the like heate and zeale as others doe For you must know that some have more some have lesse according unto the measure of the sanctifying Spirit that they have but this you must know that you must be full of heate full in some measure answerable unto the measure of the sanctifying Spirit but if you finde no heate at all in you then you have not a graine of the Spirit not to be hot is to bee luke-warme and luke-warmenesse is that which God hates it is a temper mixt which is both loathsome to nature and odious to God Revel 3. 15. the Laodiceans were neither hotte nor cold but luke-warme that is they had neither heate to good nor so cold as to forsake the truth Sinne and holinesse stood in aequilibrio together and they had as good a minde unto the one as unto the other now because it was thus with them therefore saith God I will spue them cut and then in the next verse hee exhorts them to be zealous and amend except you labour to bee hot in the Spirit you cannot be saved Titus 2. 14. the Apostle saith That Christ dyed that hee might purchase unto himselfe a people zealous of good workes this zeale must not bee a constrained zeale but a willing zeale and if there were no other motive to move men to bee zealous but this because Christ came to redeeme them for this end that they might be zealous for his glory if there bee any sparke of the fire of the Spirit in him it will burne at Christs dishonour and if Christ came unto this end to make men zealous then surely Christ will not loose his end but they that Christ will save shall be zealous therefore I beseech you labour to be strong in the inward man and labour to get the Spirit that you may be zealous but alas men have drunke too much of this Cup of giddinesse they thinke they need not be so zealous as they are but I say if you be not it is a signe that you have not the Spirit especially it stands men now upon if they have any holy zeale in them to show it I say it is time you should show it when you see such halting betweene two opinions show your zeale by hating and abhorring popery and by labouring to draw men from it especially now when we see men so desirous to goe into Egypt againe which is to be lamented in these dayes for which the Lord hath stretcht out his hand against us but where is our zeale what spirituall heate is there in us where are these men that at such a time would have beene hot and zealous nay where are the generation of these men surely they are all gone for there is no heate and zeale left it is true we abound in knowledge we have the same knowledge that they had but we want their zeale and spirit and we have the same gifts but we want their Spirit but let us now at length shew our selves to be in the spirit to have the Spirit in vs by our zeale against evill But you will say that many holy men that have the Spirit yet are not so hot and zealous against evill but are marvellous milde and patient therefore a man may have the Spirit and yet not bee zealous First to this I answer that holy men may have pits wherein they may be falne They may have drosse aswell as Gold and hence they may bee drawne by a strong passion and lust not justly to weigh sinnes aright whence ariseth remissenesse and neglect both in doing good and resisting evill but this in a regenerate man I call but a passion because it continues not for prayer and the preaching of the pure Word will recover this againe that is will recover his strength and make him zealous against sinnes but if you see a man whatsoever
profession hee makes of Christ that can winke at sinne and not bee moved at it and the Word nor prayer doth not kindle this holy Fire in him then certainely that man is a dead man there is no sparke of holinesse in him therefore I may say unto every holy man as they were used to say to Haniball that hee had fire in him but hee wanted blowing so I say unto you if you have the Spirit you have heate in you but if this heate doth not appeare at all times or at sometimes it is because it wants blowing for when they have a just occasion to exercise the strength of the inward man for Gods glory they will show that they have zeale in them and be hot and lively to good and not dead in sinne for this is the difference betweene a man that is dead and a man that is in a swone take a man that is in a swone if Aqua-vitae and rubbing of his joynts will not recover him it is a signe that he is dead so if the Word will not worke heate in you it is a signe that you are more then in a swone you are already dead in the inward man it is said of the Adamant it will not be heated with fire so I may say if the Word will not heate you when you are rubbed with it is a signe you are like the Adamant dead unto grace Secondly to this I answer that howsoever some men that are sanctified are not so zealous as are some hypocrites which is true yet I say it is no good argument to say that because counterfeit druggs and wares have the same sent and smell that the good wares have that thererefore they are as good or that the good wares have not the like but it were better to say that they have not the same and that the difference is in this that the affections have a false dye and glosse put upon them and so there is a false and counterfeit zeale and there is a true zeale As there may be yellow peeces counterfeit aswell as yellow peeces true mettall so there may be counterfeit fire as well as true fire this then I say men may bee sanctified and yet be milde and not of so hot and fiery a disposition They may not so burne in the Spirit as others doe but yet it is not good to conclude that it matters not therefore whether you be zealous or no for howsoever it is true in him yet it may be false in thee and know also that this meekenesse is joyned with much holy Zeale though it be not outwardly expressed for as certainely as where true fire is there is heate so where there is the Spirit there is zeale therefore examine whether you have heate in you if you have not you have not the Spirit The second signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this If you finde that you are not onely able to doe more then you could naturally but you have also holinesse joyned with it This signe I make of two parts because a man may do many things that may carry a show above nature and yet want holinesse but if they bee above nature and then have holinesse joyned with them then it is a signe that you have the sanctifying Spirit First I say it will make you to doe more then you could doe by nature it puts another manner of strength in you by which you are able to doe these things which before you were not able to doe as for example it will worke in you a patience above a naturall patience this wee see in Christ himselfe when he was crucified he opened not his mouth he was like a lambe he had more then naturall patience this is true in Paul Peter and the rest of the Saints Againe it works in us love above a naturall love therefore it is said that Christ was full of love hee had compassion on the multitude Againe it works in a man a joy more then naturall joy this wee see in Paul and Silas when they were in prison they sang for Ioy and the Disciples in the Acts rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ. Againe it workes in a man boldnesse above naturall boldnesse and therefore it is said Acts 4. 14. that they preached the Word with great boldnesse that is with a boldnesse above a naturall boldnesse and so Luther he was indued with this Spirit of boldnesse because else he would never be so bold in the defence of the truth if he had not had another Spirit in him Againe it workes in a man wisedome above a naturall wisedome 1. Sam. 18. 12. it is said of David that the Spirit of the Lord was with him and therefore Saul was afraid of him and so Abimelech feared Abraham because he saw in him a great measure of wisdome and discretion Againe it works in a man strength above naturall strength because with the strength of nature they have another added to it Againe it will make you see above a naturall sight therefore it is said they shall not need to teach one another but they shall bee all taught of God they shall see into the excellencies that are in God Now examine your selves whether you have the Spirit or no I say by this if you have this power to worke above nature For if you haue the Spirit you shall finde your selves able to keepe downe your lusts have power and abilitie to sanctifie the Sabbath power to pray power to heare power to conferre power to meditate power to love power to obey all above nature a power to forsake life and libertie riches and honour pleasure and all things if they come in competition with Christ which no man will doe except hee have the Spirit Secondly as it giues strength and other excellent qualities above nature so it addes unto it holinesse it puts a tincture and a good dye upon all your actions it warmeth the gift of the minde and puts the heart in a frame of grace many men have a kinde of strength but they want holinesse and sanctification with it now a man is said to bee a holy man when the soule is separated and divorc'st from things that are contrary to its salvation and happinesse and joyned and united unto Christ wholly and totally then and not till then is a man a true holy man it is with a holy man in this case as it is with a spouse shee is separated from others and united unto her husband therefore they that have the Spirit have holinesse with it the vessels in the time of the Law they were holy vessels because they were appointed for Gods worship in like manner when the Spirit comes into the heart it sanctifies it and makes him a holy man by making him in all his aymes and ends to pitch upon Gods glory and this can no man doe till Christ bee
speciall meanes for the strengthning of the inward man for as hee sets up the building and furnisheth the roomes and gives power unto the soule to use them so that which makes all these effectuall is this when hee gives power and efficacy unto the meanes that are for the strengthning of the inward man now you know that the Word is the onely meanes to worke new habits and qualities in us to call us and beget us unto Christ. And if the Spirit should not adde this unto it namely efficacy it would never beget us unto Christ therefore this is the meanes to make all effectuall it gives a blessing unto the meanes of grace the Word alone without the Spirit is as I told you but as a scabberd without a sword or a sword without a hand that will doe no good though you should stand in never so much need therefore the Apostle joynes them together Act. 20. 32. he calles it the Word of his grace that is the spirit must worke grace by it or else the Word will nothing availe you Againe prayer is a meanes to strengthen the inward man but if the Spirit bee nor joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the holy Ghost saith pray in the holy Ghost that is if you pray not by the power of the holy Ghost you will never obtaine grace or sanctification The Spirit is unto the meanes of grace as raine is unto the plants raine makes plants to thrive and grow so the spirit makes the inward man to grow in holinesse therefore it is the promise that God makes unto his Church in the Scripture that hee will powre water upon the dry ground The heart that before was barren in grace and holinesse shall now spring up in holinesse and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I shall powre my Spirit upon them therefore you see how the Spirit doth strengthen grace in the soule by building and setting up the building of grace in the soule and then by furnishing the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace and then by giving power unto the soule to use those habits to good and then by giving a blessing unto all the meanes of grace The use of this stands thus If the Spirit be the onely meanes to strengthen the inward man then it will follow that whosoever hath not the holy Ghost hath not this strength and whatsoever strength a man may seeme to have unto himselfe if it proceed not from the Spirit it is no true strength but a false and counterfeit strength for a man may thus argue from the cause unto the effect the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects and on the contrary that which is not the cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so I may reason that no naturall strength can bring forth the strength of the inward man because it wants the ground of all strength which is the Spirit and therefore you may have a flash or a seeming power of strength such as the Virgins had Matth. 25. that seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a fained strength because they had not the Spirit it is the Spirit that must give you assurance of salvation and happinesse And I have chosen this point especially in regard of the present occasion the receiving of the Sacrament before which you are especially to examine your selves whether you have this or no which if you have not then you have neither strength in the inward man nor any right or interest unto Christ For I may well follow the Apostles rule that they that are Christs have the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth the deepe things of God which hee hath revealed unto us by his Spirit Ephes. 1. 13. You were sealed with the Spirit of promise Rom. 8. 11. That they should bee raised by the Spirit that dwelleth in them and againe as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your selves whether you have the Spirit but above all places there are two places which prove the necessity of having the Spirit the one is this place which is my text That you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man and the other is the place which Saint Iohn hath in 1 Iohn 3. 14. By this wee know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the brethren it is a signe to judge of your spirituall strength by your love if we be united in the bond of love it is a signe that wee have the Spirit and having the Spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed so that you must be changelings from sinne to grace before you can be saved Examine therefore what effectuall spirituall strength you have what spirituall love there is amongst you and so accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you have any right or interest unto Christ and that I may helpe you in this thing I will lay downe some signes by which you shall know whether you have the Spirit The first signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you have the sanctifying Spirit you will be full of fire that is it will fill you with spirituall heat and zeale now if you finde this in you then it is the sanctifying Spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ Matth. 3. 11. that hee will baptize them with the Spirit and with fire that is he will baptize you with that Spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spirituall heate and zeale and therefore it is said Act. 2. 3. that they had tongues as of fire and againe it is said that the Apostles were stirred up with boldnesse to speake that is when they saw God dishonoured this Spirit kindled a holy zeale in them it set their hearts on fire it set their tongues on fire so when the spirit enters into the heart of a Christian it will fill it full of heate and zeale the heart the tongue the hands the feete and all the rest of the parts will be full of the heate of the spirit And it is unpossible that any man should have true zeale except hee have the spirit therefore it is said that they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance they spake with a great deale of zeale of another nature and qualitie then they did before Well then examine what heat and zeale you have in your actions so much heate so much spirit Hee shall baptize you with the Spirit and with fire If you have the sanctifying Spirit you shall know it by the zeale that is in you in the performance of holy duties therefore I say this is an excellent signe whereby a man may know whether he have the spirit
their deaths 2. Be not discouraged for any opposition or hatred that thou shalt meet withall what though they hate thee yet they have that within them that will approve thee Wee cannotapprove our selves to their wils affections or lusts but whether they will or not we may approve our selves to their conscienees It is therfore a basenesse when we labor to approve our selves to any by doing evill the best way is to approve our selves to their consciences and take Davids course who when Micholl scofsed at him for dancing before the Arke sayes If this bee vile I will yet be more vile so shall I bee had in honour of the Virgins So likewise Art thou hated for Religion Labour to exceed in that so shall they honour thee in their consciences and it 's better to approve thy selfe to their consciences for they indure then to their lusts for they are vanishing and their good opinion of thee shall vanish Hee that reproves shall finde more favour in the latter end then he that flatters because he approves himselfe to the conscience this onely to the lusts Now followes the carriage of the Elders towards Iudas they excused themselves saying What is that unto us Looke thou to it although they were the chiefest Agents therein Whence learne this Doctrine That there is a marvellous aptnesse in the nature of man to excuse a sinne when hee hath committed it The Pharises here were the men that moved and hired Iudas to betray Christ Iudas was but the Instrument they used and they had purposed to have put him to death although Iudas had never betrayed him yet they say What is that to us Thus also Adam having done that that was directly contrary to Gods Command yet excuseth himselfe Thus did the Kings of Israel as Asah when hee had committed an evident sinne he would not acknowledge it but when the Prophet comes to tell him of it hee falls a threatning of him Thus also did Amaziah First because all sinne after it 's committed leaves a blot in the minde which is compared to a shadow which darkens the minde so that it cannot see For that that the Apostle sayes of hatred 1 Joh. 2. 9. that such an one as hates his brother liveth in darkenesse the same may bee said of all other sinnes Secondly because actuall sinnes increase the passion which at the first made us commit it now the stronger the passions are the more is the judgement corrupted Thirdly because sinne worketh on those faculties which should judge it weakeneth the judgement and is like a blow on the head that taketh away all sense Fourthly because actuall sinne grieveth the holy Ghost and makes him depart and it is hee onely that convinceth us of sinne and therefore how can we see when hee is gone that enlightneth us And when this holy Spirit is gone then in comes the evill spirit which puts into us false reasons and so we by them excuse our selves The Use is first therefore to let us take heed of declining from God and falling into any sinne seeing it 's so difficult a thing to get out of it againe What makes us to recover but a sight of our sins Now falling into sinne blindeth our eyes wherefore it must needs be very hard to recover Seeing then it 's so hard to recover take heed of first falling into sinne for a man that is a little fallen into sinne is like a man in a quicke-sand ready to sinke deeper and deeper Suppose a man doth pollute Gods Sabbaths at the first there is sorrow for it afterward he beginnes to doe it more and more but at last he doth it with delight What is said of uncleannesse is true of all sinnes Prov. 30. 20. Shee wipes her mouth i. e. excuseth so that although she must needs confesse it to be a sinne yet in that case shee accounteth it none Secondly if thou art fallen into any sinne remember thy aptnesse to excuse it and labour to get out as soone as thou canst 1. Remember what thy judgement was of that sinne before thou fellest into it although now thou judge it small Thy judgement is like a glasse before it is crackt it shewes true but after it is crackt it representeth things otherwise then they are Thinke with thy selfe therefore how ill once thou thoughtest that sinne and seeing thy owne judgement is blinded helpe thy selfe with other holy mens judgements concerning that sinne 2. Labour to abstaine from the acting of that sinne and so will light come in againe by a little and a little and then thou wilt see the uglinesse of it for no man sees the uglinesse of a sinne untill first he comes out of it And now we come to their Answer What is that to us looke thou to it From hence againe learne this Doctrine That for the most part in the time of our extremity wee have least comfort from those which were our companions in evill Iudas here comes to the High Priests which were his companions in the betraying of Christ but they give him poore comfort What have wee to to doe with that looke thou to it Miserable comforters to a man in his extremity Now the Reasons are taken first From Gods Justice it 's just with God when men joyne against him to set them one against another Thus he set Abimilecke and the men of Sechem one against another God sends an evill spirit betweene them he can make enemies to be friends and friends to be enemies There are abundance of such examples in hystories Secondly from mans nature which is apt to love the treason and hate the Traytor he hath a love to the lust and so may love the treason hee hath a principle in him to hate the Traytor Thirdly from the nature of their love it 's for commodity or gaine or some by end or other and therefore when the commodity ceaseth that also ceaseth yea and often turnes to hatred as Ammons love to Thamar did This should teach us to take heed how wee joyne with men to doe evill It 's better to joyne to their consciences in doing well for their consciences will continue then to their lusts for they wil end and then their love to you wil end also Hence it 's said in the Proverbs That he that reproveth shall finde more favour in the end than he that flattereth Many rejoice in the love of evil company but all that love is but like glasse sodered together when God sendeth the fire as he did to Abimilecke to melt that they fall asunder and all their love ceaseth Now the next thing is Hee cast downe the thirty peeces of silver And here the Doctrine is this That that that is the greatest comfort when God once turnes his hand against us proves most discomfortable Iudas here thought these thirty peeces of silver a great matter but when once God moved his conscience he casts them away So suppose a man get
favour honor riches or any other thing naughtily it will prove but a trouble 1. From the curse of God although the thing in it selfe be good yet God ever mixeth some evill with it which maketh it bitter Stollen bread is sweet but God filleth the mouth with gravell All misery with Gods favour is most sweet as Pauls imprisonments and whippings and Iosephs but on the contrary side all pleasure with Gods displeasure is bitter 2. Because sinne makes the soule sicke and then it 's never well untill it casts up and thus Iudas the thirty peeces burdening his soule must cast them up Many goe on in sinne and are never troubled As in our bodies though there be ill humours yet they make not a man sicke untill they be stirred so doth not sinne untill God stirres it as here hee did in Iudas and then it makes us sicke This should therefore move men to take heed how they turne saile for their owne advantage Suppose by going from God thou gettest what thou wouldest yet God can make that comfort to prove but a burthen unto thee as hee did Iudas his thirty silver peeces Be therefore content to lose all before thou lose God Now followes the event of all Hee went and hanged himselfe Whence learne That Gods wrath and sinne are exceeding terrible and unsupportable when they are once charged on the conscience This made Iudas to hang himselfe Doe but a little consider mans nature how loth to destroy himselfe how afraid to be killed and you shall find it to bee some great matter that must cause him to make an end of himselfe and to cast himselfe into that which he feared namely hell thus heavy is sinne when God once chargeth it on the conscience that it maketh a man doe all this Indeed sinne was as heavy before but then it lay at our foot and we felt it not but when God layes it once on our shoulders and on our Consciences then shall wee feele the burthen thereof to be farre beyond all torments that can be imagined See this in Christ when God did but charge our sinnes on him how intollerable werethey Now for your better understanding of this point I will first shew you what this horror of conscience is which I will doe by explaining these five questions following By what meanes is this horror of conscience wrought Two wayes sometimes by Gods owne Spirit sometimes by Satan First it 's done by Gods owne Spirit when by it the mind is enlightned to see that he is in bondage by reason of sinne Hence it is that it is called the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8. Secondly and more frequently by Satan when hee by Gods permission doth vexe and terrifie the soules of men and drive them to despaire and this is called horror and the vexing of the soule Now whether this horror of conscience bee wrought by Gods owne Spirit or by Satan we may know by these foure differences 1. If wee find any falshood mingled with this trouble of conscience then it comes from the Divell for the holy Ghost mingles no falshood but onely enlightens and shewes the truth light makes a thing seeme as it is 2. You may discerne of it by the affection it striketh in us for that that the Devill causeth in us striketh a hatred of God but that that Gods Spirit worketh in us causeth a servile feare 3. You may know it by the extremity of anguish it causeth Gods Spirit worketh by meekenesse and consolation but the Divell worketh by extremity of terror and feare 4. You may know it by the manner of doing for the Divell doth it disorderly suddenly and violently without any equality but the Spirit proceedeth orderly first it enlightneth the mind and then it raiseth objections and so goeth on by a little and a little but the Devill worketh violently Hence is that that Satan is said to buffet Paul for all buffeting betokeneth violence Indeed sometime the Spirit doth unequally but yet there is a great difference betweene Satans working and his What is to bee thought of such a condition I answer That such a condition being simply in it selfe considered is very miserable because it estrangeth and draweth the heart away from God yea and from Christ who is the end of Gods works and so therefore must needs be a most haynous sin but yet as God useth it it is a signe or one of the first steps to faith and a good meanes to subdue and weaken the stubbornnesse of our hearts Quest. How may wee know whether God intends this for a punishment or for a preparation of grace Answ. You may know it by the event for when God doth it for the salvation of the creature then after it there followes grace but if it brings not grace after it if there be onely a plowing and no harvest the pricking with a Needle and no thred then it 's a sparke of hell fire and the very praludium of hell What shall wee then thinke of those that never had this horror and trouble of conscience Their estate for all that may be very good for this vexation is not absolutely needfull although humiliation is wherefore if thou hast it not seeke not after it for God useth many meanes yet thou mayest take hence occasion the more to try thine estate Whether comes this horror from mellancholly or how shall wee disceme it from mellancholly If thou apprehend sinne and the wrath of God then it is horror of conscience for when the faculty is pinched upon the right object to wit sinne then it 's no melancholly but in horror the conscience is pitched upon the right obeject viz. sinne for that is the proper object of the conscience As for melancholly that is not griefe but extendeth griefe as varnish is not colour but doth extend the colour Indeed melancholly may bee joyned with it and draw it forth but it comes not wholly from that but from some other inward principle As the fatnesse of the soyle may bring forth the corne the sooner but yet that is not the cause thereof but the root that it hath Againe I answer that all diseases are healed by their contraries If that this were melancholly then might it be healed by merry company which is the contrary unto it but if it bee the horror of conscience then must it onely be healed by the apprehension of Gods love in Jesus Christ. Whether may it befall the childe of God to be in this case after he is in the estate of grace or not I answer That this extremity of horror which Iudas here tasted of never befals the childe God after he is in the estate of grace and my reason is this Because that as perfect love casteth out all feare so where there is some love left there is no perfect feare Indeed Gods children are never wholly without feare Rom. 8. yet in their greatest
receive his mercy I answer you know not what mercy is It may be thou thinkest if thou hadst more repētance or more humiliation then thou wert fit for mercy but thou art deceived for the more thy heart is out of order the fitter thou art for mercy for the greates thy sin hath bin the more will his mercy be seen in the forgivenes therof And therfore never look what your sinnes have been in time past but see what your purpose resolutiō is for the time to come and which is the hardest thing to do labor to beleeve in Christ for the pardon of thy sins and apply the promises to thy self for a sin is never soundly healed until we apply the promises for unlesse we apply the promises we cannot truly delight in God untill we do truly delightin God we cannot hate sin thinke well of God goodnes And therfore to conclude all let us here be exhorted to labour for faith above al things which daily will increase grace in us FINIS THE SAINTS SPIRITVALL STRENGTH Excellently and Amply set forth in three Doctrines drawne from EPHES. 3. 16. That he would grant you c. By the late Reverend and learned Preacher IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Maiesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke 1634. The Contents of the Saints Spirituall Strength DOCTRINE I. STrength in the inward man is to be desired above all things of every good Christian page 66 A twofold strength Naturall strength in mind p. 67 Supernaturall body  Supernaturall strength proceeds 1. From the evill spirit to worke evill ibid. 2. From the sanctifying Spirit to doe good p. 68 Spirituall strength consists in 1 Bearing wrong patiently ibid. 2 Thriving under afflections  3 Beleeving against Reason  The description of Spirituall strength p. 69 Of weakenesse two kinds 1. Of Grace p. 70 2. Of Relapse ibid. Of weakenesse two degrees 1. Sensible in the will and affections p. 71 2. In the change of the heart 1 Generall in all parts of the soule p. 72 2 Particular in some parts weake though generally strong ibid. Reasons of the Doctrine I. Strength in the inward man fits us for many imployments ibid. REAS. II. It brings most comfort for 1 It makes us d ee all things with facility p. 73 2 It makes the soule healthy ibid. 3 It brings cheerefulnesse into the heart p. 74 4 It brings plenty of all good to the soule ibid. 5 It strengthens against temptations ibid. USE I. To reprove such as care not to get this spiritual strength p. 75 Let them consider 1 The excellency of the inward man fitting for great imployments p. 76 2 By it they are made like unto the Image of God p. 77 3 By it they are inabled to doe things Honorable to God p. 78.  Profitable to men  4 It is an immortall soule they labour for p. 79 Differences betweene the naturall and spiritual strength 1. The spirituall strength goes further than the naturall p. 80 It inables a man 1 To see more p. 81 82. 2 To doe more  3 To judge better  4 To increase in all parts  II. It hath another beginning Gods Spirit another end Gods glory p. 83 III. It hath a strong faith p. 85 A double worke of faith 1 To empty a man of all his owne righteousnesse 87 2 To stir up a desire after God in Christ. ibid. IV. It leads a man to the power of Godlinesse p. 92 V. It is alwayes joyn'd with reluctancy of will p. 93 USE II. To exhort all men to labor for strength in the inward man p. 95 Motives to perswade hereto are 1 Comfort lyes most in the inward man p. 96 2 It is pleasing to God p. 99 3 It prospers the outward strength p. 101 4 It is the being of a man p. 102 VSE III. To direct a man how he should get his inward man strengthened p. 105 Meanes to strengthen the inward man are 1. Abounding in spirituall knowledge p. 107 2. Diligence in the use of the Meanes p. 110 Rules to be observed in using the Meanes 1. To use all the meanes p. 111 2. To performe holy duties strongly p. 112 3. To be constant in the use of the Meanes p. 113 4. Not to depend on the meanes without God ibid. 3. Labouring to get rectifi'd Iudgements p. 114 Signes of a rectifi'd Iudgement 1 Constancy 2 Strong affections to good p. 115 3 Patience under the Crosse p. 116 4 Hardnesse to be deceiv'd with the things of the world p. 117 5 Strength in the time of try all p. 118 4. Removing excuses and hinderances p. 119 Hinderances are 1. The spending strength upon other things p. 121 2. Strong lusts and unmortifi'd affections ibid. 5. The getting spirituall courage and joy p. 122 6. The getting a lively faith p. 124 7. The getting of the Spirit p. 125 DOCT. II. ALL saving grace or strength of grace a man hath proceeds from the sanctifying spirit p. 126 The Spirit strengthens the inward man 1. By infusing into the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull faculty p. 128 2. By enabling the soule to doc more than it could by Nature ibid. 3. By putting new habits into the soule p. 129 4. By giving efficacy and power to the meanes of growth p. 131 USE I. To teach us hee that hath not the holy Ghost cannot have this strength in the inward man p. 132 Signes to know whether a man hath the Spirit or no 1. Fulnesse of zeale p. 134 2. Doing more than Nature can p. 141  Holinesse p. 143 3. Examination of the Meanes by which the Spirit came into the heart p. 144 You may know whether the Spirit was receiv'd by Preaching of the Word 1 By a deepe humiliation that went before p. 145 2 By a thorow change in the soule p. 146 4. Putting life into the soule p. 149 'T is no true life 1. If but the forme of godlinesse p. 150 2. If not in a feeling manner p. 151 3. If onely for a time ibid. 5. By trying whether it be the Spirit of adoption 153 6. Manner of working p. 154 7. Carriage of words and Actions a mans conversation p. 156 To doe evill of set purpose and to bee forc'd unto evill unwillingly is the maine difference betweene the wicked and holy man p. 157 USE II. To exhort us above all things to seeke the Spirit p. 159 Benefits that come by having the Spirit 1 A good frame of grace in the heart p. 160 2 An ability to beleeve things hee otherwise would not p. 161 3 The breeding heavenly and spirituall effects in the soule p. 163 Holy affections doe much advantage us 1. Because wee are the better men p. 165 2. Because they are the meanes of good p. 166 3. Because they enlarge the soule ibid. 4. Because they cleanse and change the heart DOCTR
III. THe Spirit is a free gift p. 168. How said to bee a free gift in five particulars p. 169 USE To terrifie those that be not sanctified by the spirit lest they be deprived p. 170 Meanes to get the Spirit I. Knowledge of him p. 171 Simon Magus and some men now commit the same sinne in three particulars p. 172 II. Faith p. 173 III. An earnest desire joyn'd with Prayer p. 174 IV. Obedience p. 176 V. Wayting on the Meanes THE SAINTS SPIRITVALL STRENGTH EPHES. 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man THESE words are part and the summe of that Divine Prayer that Paul made for the Ephesians the principall thing that the Apostle prayes for is this That they may bee strengthned by the Spirit in the Inward man and this hee sets downe in such a manner that he answereth all doubts that might hinder the Ephesians from obtaining of this grace For first they might demand this of Paul you pray That we might be strong in the Inward man but how shall we or what meanes shall we use to get this strength the Apostle answers to this and tels them the meanes to be strong in the inward man is to get the Spirit that you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man Secondly they might demand I but how shall we doe to get the Spirit the Apostle answers to this you must pray for him for your selves as I doe for you For I pray that he would grant you the Spirit that you may be strengthned in the inward man Thirdly they might demand but what should moove God to give us his Spirit and to heare our prayers to this the Apostle answers that the motive-cause is the riches of his glory that hee would grant you according to the riches of his glory that you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man Fourthly they might demand I but what shall we be the better for this strength if we get it to this the Apostle answers in the verses following then saith he You shall be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the length and the height the depth and the breadth of the riches of the love of God towards you in Christ Now in that the Apostle above all other good things that hee wishes vnto them prayes for this That they may be strengthned by the Spirit in the Inward man I gather this point That which is to be desired of every Christian and to be sought for above all things is this that he may be strongthened in the inward man I gather it â—â—â—r it thus Paul was now to pray for some good to the Ephesians and considering what might bee most profitable for them he makes choice of this above all other good things making it the summe and substance of his prayer that they may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inward man I shall not need to prove it by any other place of Scripture because this in hand sufficiently proves the point as being the maine scope and intent of the Spirit in this place to shew the necessity of this doctrine of strengthening the inward man But for the more fuller explaining of this point we will first shew you what this strength is and then we will come to the uses There is therefore a twofold strength First there is a naturall strength Secondly there is a supernaturall strength First I say there is a naturall strength and this is when a man is naturally strong either in the parts of his body or in the gifts of his mind as for example a strong memory in a man that is a naturall strength and so other qualities of the mind so likewise when a man is strong in the parts of his body as in his armes or legges or necke these are naturall strengthes but this is not the strength that is here meant Secondly there is a supernaturall strength and this is twofold the first is a supernaturall strength which is received from the evill spirit that is when Satan shall joyne with the spirit of a man to doe evill then he addes a supernaturall strength and so makes him to doe more or suffer more then otherwise by nature he is able to doe with this spirit are all the enemies of the Church strengthned withall Paul himselfe before he was converted was thus strengthned and so was hee that killed the French King hee had more then a naturall strength to undergoe all those torments and not to shrinke at them but this is not the strength here meant but there is 2. a supernaturall strength and this is that strength which comes from the sanctifying spirit whereby a Christian is able to doe more then naturally he could doe and this is the strength that is here meant in this place and with this strength all the Saints are strengthned withall This was the strength that Eliah Stephen Iohn Baptist and the Apostles had this made them speake boldly in the name of Christ. But you shall the better understand what this strength is if you doe but consider the particulars of it which are these the first particular in which this spirituall strength is seene is this if a man can beare any wrong patiently without seeking revenge any way it is a signe that they are spiritually strong the second particular wherein this spirituall strength is seene is this if a man can thrive under many afflictions rejoycing under them he hath this this strength as in the Acts 5 41. it is said of the Apostles that they departed from the Councell rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ hee that can beare some troubles hath some strength but to beare great troubles is required great strength that is to stand fast to Christ to professe his name there as the holy Ghost saith in Revelation 2. vers 13. where Satan hath his throne must needs be a great supernaturall worke of the spirit the third particular wherein this spirituall strength is seene is this If a man can beleeve though hee hath all reason and strength of reason against him or if a man can doe all things of knowledge this is to be strong in the inward man But to goe further that you may the better know what this strength is I will give you a description of it that is I will describe what the strength of the inward man is more fully First I say it is a generall good disposition or right habite temperature or frame of the minde whereby it is able to please God in all things I say it is a generall good disposition or right habite because if it be onely in some particulers and that at sometime onely it is not strength as for example to have a passion to good and not to
ever was bought even Christ and grace and salvation which if you will but lay out your stocke of grace to buy him you shall have him that is if you have but a desire to receive Christ and lay him up in your hearts I tell you it will yeeld you a hundred for one Nay Christ the commoditie himselfe saith in Marke 10. He that for saketh father and mother and wife and children and life for my sake shall receive a thousand-fold in the life to come but men will not beleeve it but a time will come when you shall see it to bee true and befoole your selves that you lost so precious a bargaine as Christ and salvation is for the disbursing of a little profit and pleasure but as I said before the difference lyes here men want faith and hence it is that they neglect the strengthning of the inward man and are so over-burthened with losses and crosses because they want faith And so much for the third difference The fourth difference is this the naturall strength leades a man but unto a forme of godlinesse but the spirituall strength leads a man unto the power of godlinesse I call that the forme of godlinesse when a man doth performe or doe any thing with carnall affections not to a right end and this is knowne by this when they fall away from that stedfastnesse or forme and show of holinesse that they seemed to have this forme of godlinesse is the same with that in Heb. 6. A tasting of the Word of life and yet notwithstanding fall away they seemed to have tasted of saving grace and to have the power with the forme but it was not so because they continued not they lost that forme which made them seeme to bee that which now it appeares they were not Againe I call that the power of godlinesse which is performed by the divine power force and efficacy of the Spirit Rom. 2. 14. it is said that the Gentiles that were not under the law did by nature the things contained in the law that is they did it by the efficacy and power of nature Semblable unto this is that of the same Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 3. in the latter time men shall come in a forme of godlinesse that is with a forme in show without substance or power of the Spirit but the inward strength which is the inward man doth not onely teach you to doe but also it teacheth you how to doe them but men that have but a common strength have some bubles to good and they seeme to have this strength because they have the law of nature written in their hearts and they may promise much and yet he is not spiritually strong because he cannot doe spirituall actions in a spirituall manner for hee goes about that with a naturall strength which should be performed with a spirituall strength 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation when a man is truely regenerated when he hath not power of his owne to doe the Will of God then hee hath the spirit to helpe him that is they are not onely kept by the power from evill but also they are inabled to doe good by it The fifth difference betwixt the naturall and spirituall strength is this that which proceeds from the spirit is alwayes ioyned with reluctancy of the will but in the naturall strength there as no reluctancy because there is no contraries but in the spirituall man there is two contraries the flesh and the spirit and you know these can never agree but they are still opposing one another as for example a man that is going up a hill he is in labour and paine but a man that is going downe a hill goes with much ease so there is much labour and paine which a spirituall man takes to subdue the flesh but the naturall man hath no reluctancy at all he hath no fighting and strugling with corruption but he goes without paine because hee is but one and one man cannot be divided against it selfe but in every spirituall man there are two men the old man and the new man the flesh and the spirit and hence growes that spirituall combate Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that they cannot doe the things that they would these two men in a regenerate man strive for masteries and so hinder one the other Yet know also that in the naturall man there may be reluctancy in the will against some particular sinne as covetousnesse may strive against pride and pride against nigardnesse yet not fight against it as it is a sinne but as it crosseth and thwarteth his pride Againe know that a naturall man may have reluctancy in some part of the soule as in the conscience which is sensible of sinne and hence it may convince the man and the rest of the faculties notwithstanding they are at peace but where this spirituall strength is it is in all parts not one faculty against another but all are fighting against sinne in the whole man now the reason that there is not this reluctancy against sinne in every faculty in the naturall man is because hee wants saving grace grace is not in the faculty opposite unto the corruption that is in it but in the holy man there is and therefore he is like Rebecka they have two in them Iacob and Esau the flesh and the spirit and Paul complaines of so much Rom. 7. I finde another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde that is I finde something in me that is contrary unto me In my members that is in my body and soule notwithstanding first I hate the evill of sinne as being most contrary unto grace but yet I cannot avoyde it I cannot doe the things that I would but the naturall man doth not hate the evill of sinne otherwayes then as it brings punishment Secondly I delight in the Law of God in the inward man that is howsoever I am violently carried unto the committing of sinne yet it is against the desire of his soule he hath no pleasure he can take no delight in it for his delight is in the inward man but the naturall man takes Gods Lawes as burthens and therefore he will not submit himselfe unto them because he is not strong in the inward man hee promiseth but he performes not hee yeilds and yeilds not he yeilds to something but not to every thing And thus much for this last difference betwixt the naturall strength and the spirituall strength Is it so that the strength of the inward man is to be desired above all things then as it was in the first place for reproofe so in the second place it may serve for exhortation to all men that they would labour to grow strong in the inward man and that they would now at last gather the fragments of their thoughts and
desires which have beene formerly set to get other things and now wholly imploy them for the getting of this strength and so much the rather because other things are but as the huske without the kernell or as the scabberd without the sword which will doe a man no good when hee stands in need of them as for example to bee strong in riches and honour and credit and and yet this is all the strength that most men desire will doe no good when yee come to wrastle with sinne and death But for to be strong in the inward man who seekes or enquires after it I know you would be strong in all earthly strength but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the inward man It is the folly weakenesse and sicknesse of men they looke all without the doores unto the strength of the outward man oh that I could but perswade you as I said before to gather the rest of your thoughts and desires together and set the soule in a frame of grace that you may mortifie these inordinate affections which keepe backe the strengthning of the inward man as covetousnesse pride pleasure love of vaine glory and the like then it would bee but an easie worke and no burthen unto you to strengthen the inward man but here men sticke the way is too narrow it is a hard matter to perswade men unto it that there is such excellency in the one and not in the other that grace is the better part Therefore that I may the better prevaile with you to strengthen the inward man I will lay downe some motiues to perswade you to it The first motive to move you to strengthen the inward man is because your comfort lyes most in the inward man even all your comfort and therefore to strengthen that is to adde unto your comfort as for example the Sunne brings comfort with it because it brings light therefore the more light the more comfort so the more of the inward man you have the more light and ioy Now the reason wherefore the inward man brings the most comfort is because it is the greater faculty and the greater the faculty is the greater is either the joy or the sorrow as for example take a man that is troubled in minde None so humble so penitent so sorrowfull as he and therefore it is said that the Spirit of a man will beare his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare a man may be able to beare any outward trouble but the griefe of a troubled mind who can on the contrary take a man that is at peace with God who so joyfull and comfortable as he now the outward man is the lesse faculty and therefore it is capable of the lesse comfort it doth not in any measure know what true comfort and ioy there is in the inward man Againe what joy the outward man hath in outward things it is but in the opinion of the inward man they comfort no more but as they are esteemed of the inward man if the inward doe not esteeme them as worthy the reioycing in they will not bring comfort Againe all the paines and labour that you bestow on the outward man is but lost labor that will bring you no great advantage but the strength of the inward man will arme you against losses and crosses and reproach that you shall meete withall in the world whilest you are in the way to heaven Againe consider that though you bee strong in the outward man yet you are moveable subject to shaking and fleeting but it is otherwayes with the inward man it makes a Christian sted fast and unmoveable it will so establish the heart in grace that he will stand firme unto Christ in all estates It is with the outward man as it is with the Seas though the strength of the streame runne one way yet if the wind blow contrary it moves and stirres and strives and disquiets it so when losses and crosses come they breake the frame and strength of the outward man but the inward man is like the dry ground let the winde blow never so violent yet it moves not it stands firme Againe in the abundance of outward things there is no true contentednesse Neither in the want of them where the strength of the inward man is is there cause of dejectednesse This we shall see in Adam and Paul Adam though hee was lord of all things and had the rule of all the creatures yet when hee was weake in the inward man what joy had hee nay what feare had he not when he hid himselfe in the Garden Againe looke upon Paul in the want of these outward things he is not dejected at all as in Acts 16. 25. it is said that when Paul and Silas were in prison in the stockes the prison rung for joy now what was the reason of it but this because they were strong in the inward man And therefore you see that all true joy is that which comes from grace within and when you rejoyce in that your rejoycing is good you stand then upon a good bottome Alas you thinke to have contentment in your riches but you will be fooled by them they will deceive you if you build upon them you will build without a foundation and goe upon another mans legges now were it not farre better for you to get legges of your owne and build upon a sure foundation and this you shall doe if you will strengthen the inward man Againe consider that if you doe not strengthen the inward man you will have wicked thoughts in your hearts and evill actions in your hands were it not better to bee strong in the inward man and to have holinesse and grace in the heart Let this therefore move you to strengthen the inward man because your comfort lyes most in the inward man Thus much for the first motive The second motive to moove you to strengthen the inward man is this if you labour to strengthen the inward man you shall thereby please God If a man had never so much strength yet if it be not the strength of the inward man hee cannot please God he cannot performe any holy dutie in such a holy manner as God will approove of and therefore the Prophet saith That God doth not delight in any mans legs He cares not for any mans strength be it never so great and excellent except it be the strength of the inward man and on the contrary hee regards the holy man with his strength though outwardly weake as in Esa. 56. 2. I will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit hee that is of a contrite spirit he is spiritually strong and therefore I will dwell with him now what is the reason that men seeke so much the favour of Princes but because they may be exalted unto honor then why should not you much more labour to be in favour and have familiaritie
affections that the inward man may grow strong by the performance of them The third rule if you would have the meanes effectuall then you must be constant in the use of the meanes forwhat is the reason that there is so litle thriving in grace that men remaine cripples in grace but because they use meanes of growth but by fits and haltnesse that is they are not constant in a good course of life they are still off and on the rule sometimes the shot will bee short and other times they hit the marke they come seldome unto the meanes now and then they pray and now and then they make use of the Communion of the Lord this inconstancy jogles the faculty and weakens the habite and therefore it is unpossible that you should thrive in grace except you be constant the Apostle Iames cals them vnstable men let these never thinke to receive strength in the inward man till they come to more constancy in good Therefore labour to be constant in prayer constant in hearing in meditation in the Sacrament in Conference which if you bee not you will not grow strong in the inward man The fourth rule if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must take heed of depending upon the meanes without God For know that the meanes without God is but as a penne without Incke a pipe without water or a scabberd without a sword They will not strengthen the inward man without God for it is the Spirit that puts life in the meanes and yet you must not cut off the pipe from the well-head you must not depend upon God without the use of the meanes but you must use both that is first seeke to God and depend upon him for the strengthning of the inward man and withall use the meanes constantly because as water is carried from the Well-head unto the pipe and so from the pipe unto many places so the meanes are as pipes to carry grace into the soule Therefore use them and cut them not off by carelessenesse if you doe you will cut off the strength of the inward man The third meanes if you would strengthen the inward man is this you must get rectified Iudgements that is you must see that your judgements are right for men doe deceive themselves in their judgements they thinke that they have strong judgements and that they are able to judge of things when indeed they are marvellous weake Now that you may not deceive your selves I will lay downe some signes of a rectifyed judgement The first signe of a rectified judgement is this you shall know it by your constancy so much constancy in good and so much is your judgements rectified and on the contrary so much inconstancy and so much weaknesse as for example when a man hath propounded a rule unto himselfe and is not constant in it it argueth that he is weake in his judgement because he keeps not close to the rule or that there are stronger or more arguments to the contrary which makes him to fall away and sit downe from the rule and he is thus posed because he is but weake in iudgement as for example if a man should come and proffer a man one hundred pound not to leave such an action and another man should come and offer him two hundred pounds to leave it if the man bee weake in judgement hee will bee drawne by the greater reward though it bee evill therefore if you would not bee beaten and made to sit downe by stronger seeming arguments than you have indeed in your selfe then you must get your judgements rectified therefore examine your selves whether your judgements be rectified which you shall know by your constancy in holy duties if a little profit or pleasure will draw you away whatsoever you thinke of your selves your judgements are weake The second signe whereby you shall know whether you judgements are rectified is this examine whether your passions be strong for strong passions have weake affections unto good when the passions of a man are strong they weaken the understanding they weaken the will and the affections as touching the truth and therefore Paul in Acts 14. 15. when they would have made him a god he cries out We are men subject unto passions as you are that is full of weakenesse as if he should say your passion in this thing proves your weakenesse of judgement therefore labour to have strong affections to good for this strength in the affections comes from the inward man Againe the strength of the affections unto good show the abiding of the Spirit in the soule as 1 Sam. 11. 6. It is said that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he was angry that is his affections were strong for Gods glory In Acts 4. 32. After that they were filled with the Holy Ghost they spake boldly they had strong affections for Gods glory and therefore the Spirit is compared unto fire and Oyle Fire that burnes and consumes and Oyle that mollifies and softens so doth the Spirit Therefore examine whether you burne in the inward man see whether you have strong affections to good if you have you are strong if not you are weake and againe see what cheerefulnesse you have examine whether your hearts are soft and tender and plyable then it is a signe that the Spirit is there it is true a strong man may have passion but it is but now and then it continues not it is not alwayes yet so much passion as hee hath so much weakenesse there is in him therefore labour to overcome your passions The third signe whereby you shall know whether your Iudgements are rectified or no is this examine what contentment you have to beare losses and crosses I gather this out of Phil. 4. 12. I can saith the Apostle want and abound I can doe all things through CHRIST that strengthneth mee examine therefore when you are abused and reproached for Christ whether you can take it patiently can you be content to suffer disgrace and reproach for Christ if you can then it is a signe that you are strong in Iudgement if not you are weake whatsoever you thinke of your selves Proverbs 27. saith the Wise man a wise man is knowne by his dignitie so I may say a man that is strong in the inward man is knowne by his bearing of reproch without seeking after revenge againe this man is spiritually strong in Iudgement therefore try your Iudgements by your contentednesse The fourth signe whereby you shall know whether you have rectified Iudgements is this examine whether you finde your selves easie to be deceived if so it is a signe that you are weake in Iudgement and therefore this is the argument that Paul uses unto women that they shall not usurpe authoritie over the man 1 Tim. 2. 12. I permit not a woman to beare rule because shee was first deceived shee is easier to be
he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a
his As in the Canticles the Church saith I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine that is because hee is my husband and I am his spouse therefore I will labour to be like him in holinesse and our Saviour prayeth for this holinesse for his Disciples Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth the Word is the meanes to worke holinesse in them when the Word comes then comes holinesse but when profit or pleasure comes to take place then the Spirit of holinesse is as it were pluckt from them but when they have the Spirit then they see the vanity of these earthly things and therefore it is that men are deceived with false and counterfeit wares because they want the Spirit of discerning but when the Spirit of God comes into the heart of a Christian then it showes him the vanity of these things and this he doth by enlightning the mind and therefore it is that they are kept from playing the adulteresses with these things because they have the Spirit of discerning Now examine what strength above nature what conjunction of holinesse have you with it what Spirit of discerning have you are not these things in you then you have not the Spirit The third signe whereby you shall knowne whether you have the Spirit or no is this examine when and by what meanes it came into the heart this is the signe that the Apostle makes in Gal. 3. 2. Did you saith hee receive the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith Preached that is if you have the Spirit then tell me how came you by it when and by what meanes came hee first into the heart But here all the question is how a man may know whether the Spirit be come into the heart in the right manner or no. To this I answer that this you must know that the onely meanes to receive the Spirit into the heart the right conveyance of the Spirit into the heart is by the Word purely preached when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit purely without the mixture of any thing of mans with it and further you shall know whether you have received the Spirit by the preaching of the Word by these two things by the antecedent and by the consequent First you shall know it by that which went before if the Spirit hath beene wrought by the Word then there will bee a deepe humiliation wrought in the soule for sinne and then Christ and the Spirit comes into the heart and begins to cheere up the dejected soule and strengthens the inward man and then thereupon there will be a thorow change wrought in the whole man and it must needs be so because the nature of the Spirit is first to pull downe what mans corruption hath built and then to lay downe the foundation of the spirituall building humilitie and then after to reare the building of grace in the soule as for example if you would know whether the plants receive vertue from the Olive or no then you must know that first they must be cut off and then they must be ingrafted in and then see whether they have the fatnesse of the Olive and then whether they beare the Olive leaves so a man that hath not received the Spirit by the word hee shall see it by the ripenesse of sinnes the corrupt branches the bitter fruite that comes and is brought forth by him but on the contrary if the Word by the Spirit hath cut you down and humbled you throughly in the sight of sinne and then ingrafted you into Christ by working in you a saving justifying faith and if it hath then made you fat and well liking in grace that you have brought forth better fruit then you could before then certainly the Spirit came into the heart the right way and workes in the right manner but as I said it will first humble you by the Word as in Iohn 16. 8. the Spirit shall reproove the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement First he will reproove them of sinne to humble them Secondly of righteousnesse because they have not beleeved the all-sufficiency of Christ. Thirdly of judgement that they might change their opinions that they might doe these things and bring forth such fruit as is agreeable unto God Will. Secondly consider the consequence that is looke to the thing that followes the Spirit where it comes for where the Spirit comes it workes a thorow change in the soule I call it not a bare change but a thorow change for as there may be a glistering shew of something that is like gold and yet no gold so there may be a cessation from sinne and a change from sinne but not truly or thorowly and so not at all for what will it availe Herod to forsake some sinne and like Iohn well in some things if he will not forsake all and like Iohn in the reproofe of all in like manner what if you change your opinions of some sinnes what if you esteeme some sinnes to be sinnes indeed if you have not the like opinion of all whatsoever you thinke of your selves as yet you never had the Spirit therefore if you would know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no in you then examine whether there be a thorow change wrought in you that is whether you doe not onely esteeme every sinne to be sinne but also what spirituall life you find in you I say you shall know whether the holy Spirit be in you by this if you find your owne spirit dead in you and Christs Spirit quicke and lively in you and this you shall know also by your affections if you have other affections both to God and Christ to holinesse to the Saints than you had before it is certaine 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 to live another kinde of life then he did before thus it was with Paul in Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I but Christ in mee that is there is a proportion and likenesse betweene the life of a Christian and Christ that is when the Spirit enters into the heart then it begins to put off the old man and to put on the new man it will put off its owne spirit and strength to good and put on Christs wholly yet mistake mee not I say not that the substance of the soule is changed for the soule in substance is the same as it was before but here is the difference when the Spirit comes it puts new qualities and habits into it alters and changes the disposition of it gives it that sense which before it felt not and that sight which before it saw not Hence it is throughly changed in
regard of the qualitie and disposition to what it was and yet in substance remaines the same as for example put Iron into the fire the Iron is the same it was in substance before it came into the fire but now it hath another qualitie it was cold and stiffe and hard and unplyable but now it is hotte and soft and plyable and this change is throughout in every part of it and yet it is Iron still So it is with the Spirit when it comes into the heart of a Christian he mingleth and infuseth spirituall life into all the parts of the soule and therefore it is said if Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sinne but the Spirit is alive The body is dead that is as touching raigning sinne he is like a tree that wants both sap and roote or as a man that is dead that wants a soule hee is now dead whatsoever he was before but the spirit is alive to God Therefore examine if this thorow great change be in you see then what death there is in you to sinne and what life unto holinesse I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you in such a frame as to be fit for heaven And againe the Apostle calles it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. be you metamorphosed that is throughly changed new moulded againe in 2 Corin. 3. 18. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turne but it must bee a great change as the changing of Christs Spirit for your owne spirit which if you have then you shall come out of every affliction and every difficultie like gold out of the furnace like cloath out of the die of Lions you shall bee Lambes of Serpents you shall be Doves therefore see whether this change be in you or no if this change be in you then when your old guests that is your old lusts shall come and finde that his old companion is cast out of doores and that the soule is swept and cleansed hee will not stay but seeke abiding else-where but on the contrary if your opinions of sinne be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evill company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the Spirit and so long as you remaine thus doe you thinke that Christ will come and sup and dine with you and yet you will not erect a building for Him in your hearts therefore if you would have Christ and the Spirit then labour to get holinesse The fourth signe whereby you may know whether you have the spirit or no is this if it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will doe by you as the Angels doe by assumed bodies they take them up for a time and doe many things with them to serve their owne turnes but they doe not put life in them such is the common spirit but the sanctirying spirit puts life into the soule Wherefore examine your selves whether the spirit makes you living men or no for when the sanctifying Spirit shall joyne with the soule of a man it will make him to doe suteable things and bring forth suteable actions for as the body is dead without the soule so the soule hath of it selfe no spirituall life to good without the spirit wherefore as Paul speakes of unchast widdowes that they are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. vers 6. so I may say of every man that hath not the spirit they are dead men dead to God to good to grace to holinesse I say there is no life without the Spirit men are not living men because they walke and talke and the like but they are living men that live in the spirit and by the spirit and on the contrary there is no true life neither are men to bee esteemed living men that want the spirit Now for the examination of our selves by this rule consider First wee have but an assumed body of grace and holinesse when in the practice of life we assume unto our selves onely the outward forme of godlinesse but regard not the power cleaving in our affections to that which is evill and leaving the things that are truely good I doe not say when you hate good but when you preferre evill before it in your choise and set it at the higher end of the Table and serve it first and attend upon it most when that crosseth holinesse but you will not againe crosse it for the Love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you thinke of your selves you have not the sanctifying Spirit but a common spirit without life Secondly you have but an assumed body of grace if you have it not in a feeling manner the sanctifying spirit workes a spirituall sence and taste in the soule that is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste they will bee sweet unto you it will purge out that which is contrary to the growth of the inward man on the contrary the common spirit will never make you to taste grace as it is grace or because it is grace that is grace will not bee a dainty thing it will bee without a good savour Therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can rellish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying spirit but an assumed habit of grace that is a common spirit without the life of grace Thirdly as assumed bodies are unconstant that is walke onely for a time but they walke not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on the rule A man that is living in Christ you shall still find him living and moving and doing the actions of the new man a man that hath but a common spirit may do somethings that are good hee may keepe and presse downe some sinne awhile but not alwayes neither then because it is sinne but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some other thing Againe he may have some taste and rellish of spirituall things but hee is not purged and cleansed by them First he may walke as a living man walkes that is performe holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither doe they performe them in obedience but out of selfe love that is they are still ebbing and seldome flowing they omit ofter then they performe Therefore let me exhort you that are alive and have beene dead be you carefull to prize your life and you that have beene alive but now are dead that is you that have falne from your holinesse and zeale and have lost your first love and strength labour now to recover it againe And you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to dye if there bee any here
such let them now humble themselves and seeke the spirit with earnestnesse that ye may be renewed that ye may be strengthned and quickned to good and received to favour againe but if you will not but continue in this condition still you have but a name that you are alive but indeed you are dead Rom. 6. 8. it is said that they that dye in Christ shall live in him if you once live the life of grace and have received the sanctifying spirit you shall never dye but live for ever in Christ this was the promise that Christ made unto his Disciples and in them unto every Christian that he would send the spirit and hee should abide with them forever Therefore examine if the spirit doe not remaine in you and make you constant in good it is not the sanctifying spirit The fift signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no is this examine whether it be the spirit of adoption if it make you to call God Father then it is the sanctifying spirit Gal. 4. 6. We have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father this is the property of the holy man no wicked man can call God Father because they have not amity with God they neither love God neither doth God love them The Apostle saith I doe this to prove or know the naturalnesse of your love they that have the spirit they have as it were a naturall inclination wrought in them to love God againe and delight in God and in the Communion of Saints and therefore our Saviour saith Iohn 4. 34. It is my meate and drinke to doe the will of my Father he that hath God for his father will serve him willingly without constraint as willingly as a man will cate meate A man will eate and drinke without wages he needs not have wages to doe that so he that hath the spirit he will delight in doing Gods will hee would serve God though he should give him nothing and this that God is our Father it will raise some like affections in us to love God againe so likewise in prayer to have God to be our father it raiseth some like affections in us whereby wee doe not onely beleeve that the things we pray for wee shall have but we have boldnesse also to come unto him as unto a Father which no man can doe till he have this Spirit of adoption Therefore examine with what confidence and boldnesse you pray with what reverence you heare with what affections you love examine whether you have the Spirit that doth make you to call God Father The sixth signe whereby you shall know whether you have the Spirit or no is this you shall know it by the manner of working if it change you and lye combating in you as Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh if you have the spirit you will have a continuall fighting and striving in the soule and this will not onely be against one or some more particular lusts but it will be against all that it knowes to be sinnes I say not that there is onely a striving or a suppressing but a lusting or a striving and suppressing by way of lusting because a naturall man that hath not the sanctifying Spirit may keepe downe a lust for some by-respects but it is not by lusting it is not because his heart hates it or suppresses it by another power then a naturall power for they retaine the love of sinne still but the opposition and resisting of sinne in the godly is by way of lusting because they hate the sinne and they fight against it with courage Therefore examine what lusting there is in you what hating of sinne and then see with what courage and power you goe about the subduing of it It is said that Iohn Baptist came in the Spirit of Eliah that is he came with that Spirit that is full of power you will fight but faintly against sinne except you have the Spirit Acts 4. they spake with great boldnesse that is they had greater power to speake then before therefore the Lord exhorts all men in Esa. 31. 3. trust not in them they are men and not Gods as if the very name of men were weakenesse they are men they have no power it is God that hath power and therefore trust not in them but in every thing labour to see the power of God in it and seeke for all spirituall power to good from God and examine your selves what power you have when you pray what power have you to goe through it to the end when you heare what power have you to edification when you see evill what power have you to avoid it when you are offered the profits and pleasures of the world what power have you to forsake them if they may proove hurtfull unto the inward man if you have strong lusts in you what power have you to suppresse and lust against them therefore you shall know by this whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no by the manner of working of it The seventh signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this you shall know it by your carriage in your words and actions and by your Christian-like walking and holy conversation and this is the same that the Apostle speakes of when he would assure them of their resurrection unto life in Rom. 6. 8. If you dye with Christ you shall also rise with Christ againe if your actions be the actions of the Spirit proceeding from the inward man and have some resemblance with Christ shewing that you are dead with him then you shall rise againe to life with him and then in Rom. 8. 14. hee comes unto the workes of the Spirit so many saith he as are lead by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God that is they are lead unto all holy actions and then he comes in Gal. 5. 22. unto the first fruits of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace c. well then examine whether you have the Spirit by the actions of the Spirit and by the working of the Spirit and by the teaching of the Spirit for it is the Spirit that is the Doctor of the soule that teacheth it all spirituall and saving knowledge and therefore the Lord saith you shall not need to be taught of one another for you shall be all taught of God that is mens teaching will never be effectuall to worke grace and holinesse in you except God teach you by his Spirit Now you must know that there is a twofold teaching First there is a teaching of beasts by man that they may bee serviceable unto men which may serve to put men in mind of this spirituall teaching for as God hath put such a nature into some beasts that they cannot choose but obey being
taught there is a kind of necessity laid upon them by God in the very instinct of nature so when the Spirit comes into the heart of a Christian it openeth another light in the mind which makes them to doe Gods will as hee teacheth them And therefore the Apostle saith That I need not to teach you to love for you are taught of God to love one another that is there is a kinde of necessity laide upon you therefore you must needs love I grant that sometimes a theefe may be in the high way but it is for a booty and a holy man may be out of the way he may have slipt aside the way but here is the difference the one sets himself of purpose to do evill but the other is forced unto evill unwillingly and you shall know the difference betweene these two in these things if a holy man have gone besides the way assoone as the passion or temptation is once past hee will returne againe unto the right way hee will not goe forward nor stand still but hee will returne but the other though in some sence he knowes it and is told that he is off the rule yet he cares not he will goe on forward therefore examine what fruits of the spirit doe you bring forth and what way doe you delight in are you in the way of holinesse Doe you delight to pray to heare to receive doe you love God and Christ and the Communion of Saints then it is a signe that you have the spirit but on the contrary if you follow drunkennesse and uncleanenesse and prophaning of the Sabbath and idlenesse and goe on herein as in your way you had never the spirit Againe consider what are your walkes that is doe you follow your old evill haunts now as fast as ever you did it is a signe that you have not the spirit Againe thinke not it will excuse you to say whatsoever your actions bee yet you have good hearts you must know that your hearts are much worse then your actions as I said before for if you had the spirit it would not be idle in you but as it makes the heart holy so likewise it sends forth holy speeches and actions unto the life The working power of the Spirit is excellently set forth betwixt Eliah and Elizeus In that story it is said that Eliah cast his mantle about Elizeus then presently Elizeus cryes out let me goe first and take leave of my father and then I will goe with thee Eliah might have well reasoned thus with him what have I done unto thee or what have I spoken unto thee that you should thus reply unto me as if I tyed thee to the contrary said I any such a word unto thee that thou must not goe but there was a kinde of necessitie laid upon Elizeus by the Spirit to goe with him and therefore hee brake out into these words that is the Spirit now entred into his heart that he was not now his owne man hee must goe whither the Spirit will have him and doe what the Spirit bids him and so we see in Acts 4. 20. when the Iewes came to Peter and commanded that he should not Preach Christ unto them he answereth that hee cannot chuse but he must preach Christ and in the beginning of the Chapter you shall see the reason of it They had received the holy Ghost and they spake boldly therefore you see that the Spirit is not idle but he is marvelous working and operative therefore examine what power you have what actions you have and what fruit you bring forth But you may say that sometimes the spirit seemes to bee dead in the heart therefore it is not alwayes working To this I answer that the property of the spirit is alwayes to worke and it doth alwayes worke but he may sometimes withdraw his actions of growing as when a temptation comes and you are taken in it there the spirit seemes to absent himselfe by with drawing his power but notwithstanding he workes still for at the instant there is lusting and labouring in you against it and afterwards hee gives you power to returne againe Againe it is not alwayes thus with you but sometimes thus much for this use The next use stands thus if the holy Ghost strengthens us in the inward man then let me exhort you above all things to seeke the Spirit because it will doe so what would a man desire either for the outward or inward man if he have the spirit he shall obtaine it would a man be inabled to pray would a man bee inabled to beare losses and crosses would a man master particular lusts is a man in bondage and would bee set at liberty from sinne is a man spiritually dead and numbe is a man spiritually affrighted with sinne would a ther they tooke away his strength and it weakens us because it drawes the affections away from God but when the spirit comes then it casts us into another frame as appeares if wee doe but compare these two places together Iames 4. 5. with Act. 20. 22. Saint Iames saith that the spirit lusteth after envy it labours to carry us head long unto the committing of sinne and to the doing of that which is evill but then comes the sanctifying spirit and it stayes us and makes us to lust after good that is it binds up our hearts and suffers us not to doe that which otherwayes wee would doe therefore examine whether you are bound with another spirit that you doe not the evill that you would then it is certaine that you have the holy spirit Therefore Paul in the place before named said that he was bound in the spirit for Ierusalem as if he should say the Spirit of God bound up my Spirit to goe that I cannot otherwise choose therefore what doe you meane to breake my heart doe you meane to hinder mee I tell you there is a kind of necessity laid upon me by the spirit and I must goe whatsoever doth befall me for it is the office of the spirit to bind up our spirits and therefore in Reuel 1. 10. It is said that Iohn was in the spirit that is he was compassed about with the spirit he was in the spirit as a man is in Armour it keepes I say our hearts in a spirituall disposition that it shall not doe the evill that it would The second benefit that a Christian hath by the spirit is this it enables a Christian both to see and beleeve the things that otherwise hee would not beleeve I gather it from that place of the Prophet Isai. 6. 9. where it is said seeing they should see and not perceive and hearing they should heare and not under stand they saw but they wanted another sight which is the sight of the spirit and therefore they cannot see a man may have great sight in humane things by learning and Philosophy and the
knowledge of Arts and Sciences by these he may see both into naturall and spirituall things in some measure but I say hee cannot see as hee should except hee have added unto this another sight which is the sight that the spirit brings and therefore it is called the opening of the eyes and the boring of the eares and it is the same that St. Iohn speakes of in Iohn 1. 5. That the light shone in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not before a man have this sight of the spirit whatsoever he sees yet it is with a great deale of darkenesse but when the spirit comes it drives away this darkenesse by giving us another eye to see thorow it And the darkenesse comprehended it not so that till a man have the spirit he doth neither truely see nor beleeve You cannot beleeve till you have the spirit but when you have got the spirit then you will beleeve in Christ. Wee preach Christ unto all and exhort you to beleeve but what is the reason that some beleeve and others beleeve not but because they doe not see they want the spirit to shew them sinne to humble them and Christ to comfort them and therefore Peter cals them purblind As men that are purblind cannot see things a farre off except they bee neere so men without the spirit are but purblind men that cannot see Christ and Grace and Salvation a farre off as neere but if they had the Spirit then they would see them neere hand that is you would see a marvellous beauty in Christ and holinesse it is that which the Apostle speakes of in 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seene c. that is he saw them before but he saw them not in that manner hee sees them now they are represented unto him in another fashion Againe he sees them in another hue hee sees another beauty in them thus you see the sanctifying spirit openeth the eye of the understanding to see more A blind man might see if hee had but the faculty of seeing so a spirituall blind man will see when hee hath the spirit The third benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it breeds heavenly and spirituall effects in the soule as joy and comfort and the like and therefore in Iohn 14. he is called the Comforter First I say the Spirit will beget joy in the soule and therefore saith Christ hee will speaking of the Spirit lead you unto all peace and joy in beleeving now I make a difference betweene joy and comfort thus joy is unto the soule as a wall is unto a Citie the wall doth compasse the Citie and so is a defence for it that is it keeps pettie dangers out so doth joy it walles and fences the soule and keepes out many enemies that otherwise would destroy it 2. effect is comfort and this I call a Bulwarke because a Bulwarke is of greater strength to beate backe and keepe out any that shall besiege it and makes the Citizens more secure so comfort is the Bulwarke of the soule against the greatest temptations and tryalls it makes the soule secure resting upon Christ. 3. effect that the Spirit begets is boldnesse that is there is no true boldnesse without the Spirit Let Adam witnesse it aske him what boldnesse he had when hee hid himselfe from God and what was the reason of it but because he wanted the Spirit and on the contrary when the Disciples had received the Spirit they spake with boldnesse 4. effect that the Spirit begets is holy and heavenly desires in the soule therefore the Church in the Canticles when shee had got the Spirit shee had bred in her loving desires after Christ as in Canticles 1. 7. shee is marvellous inquisitive where to finde Christ for what is the reason that there is in men such a want of holy desires but because they have not this Spirit 5. effect that the Spirit begets is holy indignation that is holy anger it is an effect of the Spirit and therefore the Apostle saith in 2. Cor. 7. 11. what indignation or wrath this he speakes in the commendation of the Corinthians men will not be angry with sinne as evill till they get the Spirit 6. effect of the Spirit is holy affections it will make you to have heavenly affections to God to grace to the Saints therefore the Lord saith Ezech. 36. 26. I will give you a new heart carnall men they may doe something to make their children reverence them or to love them in regard of some domination they may proffer an object but they cannot beget holy affections this is the onely worke of the Spirit thus to change the heart 7. effect of the Spirit is this it will purge the soule it will cast out all rubbish out of the soule therefore the Lord saith that he will purge the sonnes of Levi as silver that is that they may be fit for the Priesthood he will purge out of them by the Spirit that which otherwise would make them unfit And David often in Psal. 51. vers 2. 7. prayes that the Lord would purge him wash him and cleanse him from his sinne and then after hee prayes for the restoring of the Spirit making the absence of the Spirit the cause of his uncleannesse 8. effect of the Spirit is this it kindles holy affections to good in us I said before that the holy Spirit workes holy affections in us but now I adde that hee kindleth those affections in us to good and this is that which gives us great advantage against sinne I say wee have no small advantage of the divell but great advantage when the heart is full of heavenly affections and that for these Reasons The first Reason is because the more holy affections the better man God accounts more of him a man is esteemed of God as hee hath or hath not holy affections a man is that which he is in his affections a man is not a good man because he knowea much but he is a holy man because he hath holy affections that is he is full of love to God to Christ and to the Saints The second Reason is because holy affections they are a meanes or a second cause of good they are the cause of good actions as for example for a man to suffer for Christ and yet not to doe it with holy affections out of love unto Christ it is nothing worth therefore when the affections are right they are drawne upward by the Spirit both to doe and to suffer The third Reason is because holy affections they widen the soule they make the soule large for when holy affections are dead in you the soule will begin to shrinke in even as cloath that is not throughly made when water falles upon it will runne in but if you stretch it it will come to the same length againe so when the
Spirit comes and workes holy affections they widen the soule and make it large and firme therefore that you may have large hearts in praier in meditation labour to get the Spirit that you may have holy affections kindled in you The fourth benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it will make the heart good because it is the proper worke of the holy Ghost to sanctifle the heart to cleanse and change and so make it good it is the worke of the Spirit to worke repentance in us a thorow change in us I call repentance a thorow change because men for the most part mistake repentance taking that for repentance which is no repentance men thinke that if they be turned this way and that way from this sinne and that sinne though it be not from every sinne and evill way that they have true repentance but they are deceived for repentance is a thorough change of the whole man consisting both of soule and body whereby the parts and faculties of both are turned a quite contrary way the heart is turned out of the way of sinne into the way of holinesse now that a partiall turning is not repentance I will make cleare by this comparison take any naturall thing that is of an earthly substance whose nature is to goe downeward yet you may force it upwards by meanes that you may use as for example water you know is of an earthly substance and the nature of it is to descend yet you see by the force and strength of the Sunne it is drawne upward first into vapors and then congealed into ice and snow and raine and then it will not rest till it descend againe but there is another ascent of the fire and that is upward and not forced but naturally doth ascend up even so a carnall man may doe the same things that a spirituall man doth hee may keepe downe some lust and he may forsake some evill he may forsake his drunkennesse and uncleannesse and his old evill haunts yea he may doe some good but yet he doth not forsake the evill neither doth he doe the good by the power of the sanctifying Spirit but by a naturall strength if he doth a good action it is by constraint he is forced by something Spirit is a free agent it workes freely of himselfe therefore to whom it goes it goes as a free gift Now that the Spirit is a free agent it appeares by this that reason makes man to be a free agent but it is the Spirit that gives reason therefore the Spirit must needs be most free Thirdly the Spirit must be a free gift by his carriage to them hee will save hee might have chosen the elder and not the younger hee might have chosen Esau and not Iacob or if he would have chosen the younger then hee might have brought him first out of the wombe but he will not because he is most free in his choice he will save Iacob and cast off Esau and so he might have chosen honourable and noble men to have both preacht the Gospell and to be all saved by the Gospell he might have chosen them only for salvation but he will not but the poore they shall receive the Gospell he will make choice of them for salvation he might have chosen Simon Magus aswell as Simon Peter but hee will not therefore you see he is free Fourthly the Spirit is free which appeares by the paucitie of them he choses he is at libertie he might have saved more but this shows his freedome he is not tyed to one more then unto another the winde bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 8. hee calles when and whom he will Let them come in that my house may bee full none shall come no more no lesse then I have chosen Fifthly the Spirit is a free gift which appeares by the prosecution of his decree both of Election and Reprobation nothing more free then the Spirit is he might as I said have chosen Esau and not Iacob for there cannot a reason be given wherefore he should chuse the one and not the other he will choose the wife and not the husband hee will choose the husband and not the wife hee will choose the childe and not the father and hee will choose the father and not the childe againe he will choose this man and that woman and not another man or another woman and what is the reason of it surely there can be no reason given of it but because the Spirit is free to choose and choose not thus briefely I have shewed you that the Spirit is a free gift Is the spirit a free gift and doth it worke freely then let them consider this and tremble that are not sanctified by the Spirit and in whom the spirit hath not yet wrought his good worke least they may seeme to be deprived Againe if the wind bloweth where it listeth then it stands you upon to doe as Millars are wont to doe to watch the opportunity and grind if the Spirit doth blow upon you if at any time the Spirit doth kindle any sparke of grace in you take heed of neglecting the opportunity doe not say in this case unto the spirit as Festus said unto Paul that you will heare him another time but bee sure if the spirit commands doe you runne or if he cals be sure to answer him least he call you no more I have often told you that there is a time when he will call you no more therefore thinke with your selves what a time of darkenesse and sorrow it will bee to you then when with the five foolish Virgins you shall be shut out of heaven and happinesse I say there is a time when he will sweare that you shall not enter into his rest and doe not onely labour and watch for the opportunity to take the Spirit when it is offered but labour to get the opportunity Vse the meanes whereby you may get him and for your helpe herein I will lay downe some meanes whereby you may get the spirit The first meanes to get the Spirit is this you must labour to know the Spirit for what is the reason that men doe not receive the spirit but because they know him not they doe not know him in his purity in his free working in his incomprehensible greatnesse in his increate holinesse and therefore they put off the working of the Spirit Men thinke that now their sinne in this kind is not so great as Simon Magus was it is true say they Simon Magus sinne was a great sinne and worthy of punishment because hee thought to have bought the Spirit with money but if wee well consider mens dealings now with the Spirit wee shall finde that the same sinne is committed now I say men thinke they doe not commit this sinne of Simon Magus when indeed you doe you know how great the sinne was in him and what a judgement was inflicted
by pronunciation against him and your sinnes are as great and the same but you know them not and therefore let us compare them together and you shall see that they are the same and all one and that in these three particulers First Simon Magus thought that the Spirit might have beene had at any time for he neglected the meanes and despised that presuposing that at any time with a small reward hee might get it of the Apostles what shall I give thee c. Even so when you put off the spirit is not your sinne the same thinking that you may have him when you will that you can have him at your pleasure to mortifie a strong lust a sinne that you would be rid of and for a sinne that is pleasing unto your nature you can when you will subdue it you can when you will forbeare it and is not this one part of Simon Magus his sinne Secondly Simon Magus thought it was in the power of men to give the Spirit What shall I give thee Peter for the spirit and is not your sinne the same doe not many men thinke that it is in the power of men to give the spirit when all the time of their life they will neglect the calling of the Spirit but in some great affliction when they lye upon their death beds then they will send for the Minister but not till then as if it were in his power to give the Spirit O Sir what shall I doe to be saved can you tell mee of any hope of salvation and the like Thirdly Simon Magus hee desired the spirit to a wrong end namely for his owne advantage That upon whomsoever I shall lay my hands they may receive the holy Ghost and doe not men do the like they desire to have the spirit and they could wish with all their hearts that they had him but yet not for a right end for Gods glory but for some carnall end of their owne that they may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end For know that a man may desire grace but if the ayme of his desire be for his owne end the desire is sinne the same that Simon Magus was therefore I beseech you deferre not put not off the opportunity and remember what the Lord saith Hebr. 3. 15. to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts this is the day now you have the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your soule by it the Word is neere you Well light your candles by it you may now light them whilest the fire is here but if you will not now how will you when the candle is out when you shall be either taken from the meanes or else the meanes from you therfore labour to know the spirit and judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is to beleeve and the best meanes to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the Word preached the preaching of the Word is a meanes to get the spirit and therefore the Apostle saith received you the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith preached Gal. 3. You may know whether you have the spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten faith by the preaching of the Word our Saviour saith that the tree is knowne by his fruit the branch cannot beare fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the roote so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him wee shall never get the spirit therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soule and it will knit him fast unto the soule that he can never depart away from it faith will recover the Spirit if it seeme to want his power of working in the soule it will returne him if he seeme to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit be scanted in it it will widen the narrow bottle of your hearts and you know what Christ said unto the woman in the Gospell So be it unto thee according unto thy faith therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith in your hearts if you would get a large measure of the spirit then get a large measure of faith for what is the reason that men thrive not in the spirit but because they thrive not in faith The third meanes to get the spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer to desire and pray earnestly for the spirit is a meanes to get the spirit an instance of this wee have in Elisha servant to Eliah he earnestly desires and prayes that the Spirit of Eliah his master might bee doubled upon him not that hee meant that hee might have asmuch more againe but that hee might have a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets and hee did obtaine his desire for hee was indued with a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets were even so if you would but desire and pray earnestly for the Spirit you might get him Salomon desired wisedome and prayed for it and he had it and that in a larger measure then those that went before him so if you would pray for the spirit you have his promise Luke 11. 13. That he will give the Holy Ghost unto them that aske him and this hee doth speake by way of opposition if you that are evill can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit that is if a man will bee importunate for grace and the spirit as a child will be unto his father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if hee were my father and I his child then it is true he would give me his spirit but alas he is not for any thing I know neither my father nor I his child To this I answer suppose thou be not his child in thy owne apprehension yet looke backe unto the 8. verse and see what Importunity doth though hee would not open the doore and give him that which he would have yet in regard of the importunity of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have thus doe you though you may have a deniall sometimes no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no deniall and your importunity will at last prevaile with him and to incourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man Iames 1. 5. As no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any failing to shame him he gives unto all men that comes unto him without exceptions of person without any gift freely and reproaches no man that is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from
comming unto him or him from receiving of him he might doe both but he will doe neither and you know the promise the Disciples they must goe unto Ierusalem and he will after a certaine time send the spirit but they must waite for him and this they did by constant prayer and they had the promise made good unto them for the holy Ghost came upon every one of them in Acts 2. 4. so if you be constant in prayer what though for the present you get him not yet at last you shall have him thus much for this meanes if you would have the Spirit you must pray and desire him earnestly The fourth meanes to get the Spirit is to obey him and this you doe when you make him good entertainment when you feed him with heavenly thoughts and doe what he would have you to doe but if you slight him set light by him and will not obey and be ruled by him you will never get him and this you doe when you resist greive and quench the spirit you resist the spirit when you resist that light which the spirit hath wrought in you when you fight against it against its reason and arguments this is a great sinne you grieve the spirit when you mingle two contraries PAVLS CONVERSION OR THE RIGHT VVAY TO BE SAVED As it is excellently well set out in divers Doctrines raised from ACTS 9. 6. And he trembling and astonished c. By the late faithful and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Printed at London for Andrew Crooke 1634. The Contents of PAVLS Conversion NOthing can deject a sinner so much as the fearefull power of God pag. 108 Three things cause an astonishment Suddennesse of evil p. 181 Greatnesse  Inevitablenesse  DOCTRINE I. He that will receive Christ or the Gospell must first bee humbled p. 182 Humiliation how t is call'd in Scripture 1. Pricking of the heart ibid. 2. Poverty in Spirit p. 183 3. A melting heart ibid. 4. A trembling at the Word p. 184 Humiliation of necessity to salvation because without it men keepe backe from Christ. Two hinderances that keepemen from Christ. 1. Vnbeleefe p. 187 2. Neglect of Christ which is twofold 1. Totall refusing all offers of grace p. 188 2. Partiall having a mixture of the love of the world and Christ. p. 189 Men compared to the three grounds in the Gospel p. 190 Whether Humiliation bee absolutely necessary or no p. 191 A two fold sorrow Preparative p. 193  Godly p. 194 Godly and worldly sorrow differ in the Objects p. 195 Causes ibid. Effects p. 196 They are distinguished by the Ingredients p. 197  Continuance p. 198  Event ibid. The degrees of godly sorrow p. 199 The least measure of Humiliation is that which makes a man beleeve in Christ. p. 200 USE I. To examine our selves whether wee have received Christ or no for it must be by a deepe Humiliation p. 201 Without Humiliation no receiuing the Gospell shew'd in five particulars 1. A man will not find any need of Christ. p. 202 2. He will not hold out to entertaine Christ. p. 203 3. He will not for sake all things for Christ. p. 204 4. He will not wholly depend on him p. 205 5. He will not undergo any thing for Christs sake 206 Meanes to attaine humiliation of Spirit are I. A rectifi'd Iudgement p. 207 From a rectifi'd Iudgement proceeds sorrow for sinne in respest 1. Sinne is evill of its owne Nature p. 208 2. It is the greatest evill because it deprives us 1. Of the best outward good which is God ibid. 2. Of the chiefest good within us For 1. It deformes the beauty and strength of the inward man 2. It weakens grace within us p. 209 3. It produces evill effects ibid. 4. It needs the greatest medicine to beale it even Christ himselfe ibid. II. Humility of heart p. 210 The way to get our hearts humbled is 1. To labour for some sense of holinesse p. 211 2. To consider the punishment of sinne ibid. III. Application p. 213 IV. Bringing things to a propinquity p. 216 V. The removall of all excuses p. 818 Excuses or deceits are 1 We doe as well as the best p. 219 2 We have as good meanings as the best p. 221 3 It is our Nature to be thus and thus p. 222 4 Our condition privilegeth us p. 223 The better the condition the more reason to serve God 1 Because a greater account is to be rendred p. 224 2 Because their knowledge is the more p. 225 3 Because a greater Iudgement will bee inflicted p. 226 VI. The obtaining of the Spirit ibid. VII A joyning the Word with the Spirit p. 228 The Word will effectually humble us 1 If we get saving knowledge of the Word ibid. 2 If we receive it as the Word of God p. 229 3 If we bring it home to the Conscience p. 231 Three Rules that the Word by Application may be effectuall to humble us 1 Not to defer or put off the worke of the Spirit p. 232 2 Not to make too much haste out of humiliation p. 233 3 To proportion humiliation to the sinnes p. 235 USE II. To exhort us to get our selves throughly humbled p. 236 Motives hereunto are 1. All we doe till we be humbled is but lost labour p. 237 Reasons hereof are because 1 A broken heart is the Altar on which we must offer ib. 2 An humble soule is a fit habitation for Gods Spirit 238 3 Without humiliation no keeping close unto Christ. ib. 2. Whatsoever profession we make it is worth nothing without humiliation Reasons hereof are because without humiliation 1 A man withers will not hold out in his profession 239 2 He will not grow strong in Christ. ibid. 3 Good duties wil be chok'd as the seed amongst thornes p. 240 3. There can be no sound cōfort without humiliation 241 Two Questions answered 1 What kind of sorrow meant here p. 242 2 Whether it be of absolute necessity to salvation 243 Signes to know whether we be truly humbled or no are I. To love much p. 247 Motives to love Christ grace and holinesse are 1 To consider the goodnesse and exoellency of the thing you are perswaded to ibid. 2 To consider the good you see in Christ is yours if you be his p. 248 II. To tremble at the Word Preached p. 249 III. To be affected with the Word when it comes in the edence of the Spirit p. 251 In the Word two things 1 Meat ibid. 2 Medicine p. 253 IV. To be little in ones owne eyes p. 254 V. To yeeld a generall obedience unto Christ. p. 255 Humiliation fits the soule for obedience because 1 It makes a man see God in his holinesse and power 256 2 It makes him desire the favour of God ibid. 3 It makes him chuse God
is this seeing the object of godly sorrow is sinne whether there be any degrees of this godly sorrow To this I answer that howsoever sinne is the chiefest cause of godly sorrow yet notwithstanding it admits of degrees there are divers degrees according unto the apprehension of the thing conceived some sorrow more and some lesse according to the proportion of grace received every one in one degree or other but the cause in every one is properly sinne but these degrees of sorrow proceed from a three-fold cause First because God will give more grace unto one then unto another where he doth intend to make a great building of grace there hee will lay a deepe foundation of godly sorrow and on the contrary where he doth intend to bestow lesse grace there a lesser foundation will serve as in a temporall building no wise man will lay a great foundation to a little house but will proportion it according to his building Secondly because he seemes to love some above others hee expresses himselfe more unto some then unto others now where God will expresse a large measure of love there hee will worke a great measure of godly sorrow as a father loves that childe best that hee beats most Thirdly because some have a greater measure of knowledge then others some have received a greater measure of illumination then others now there is nothing more forceable to make a man humble then to be spiritually inlightned so long as a man or woman doth not come unto the true knowledge of sinne and the excellencies that are in Christ and grace he will never be humbled The seventh question is this what is the least measure of humiliation To this I answer the least measure of humiliation necessary is that which makes a man beleeve in Christ viz. makes him to flye unto him and to prize Christ above all things as the Prodigall he did not at the first goe unto his father but hee considered of it and when hee sees no way to escape then he saith I will goe unto my father so a Christian that hath the least measure of humiliation and godly sorrow it will make him to flye unto Christ the least measure will give him such a sight of sinne and such a glimpse of glory that hee will prize it above all things it will shew him that there is no way to escape hell but by going unto Christ that nothing will satisfie for sin but the blood of Christ nothing so excellent as grace and holinesse is it will tell him that he that will bee Christs Disciple must doe these two things First he must deny himselfe he must renounce all trust and confidence in any thing for salvation without Christ and hee must deny all abilitie to worke that which is good without the Spirit Secondly he must take up the crosse that is he must suffer what God will have him either in his name or body or goods this is the last measure requisite without which thou wilt not receive Christ and thus much for this last question Is it so that humiliation is so necessary to the right receiving of Christ and the Gospell this should teach us to consider our condition and estate whether we have this condition in us or no let every man by this try his condition whether he hath received Christ or no and this must not be outwardly but inwardly not a sorrow in shew but in substance and thinke not that a little sobbing and sighing will serve the turne a little ringing of the hands a few teares and a little hanging downe of the head but it must be a deepe humiliation such a humiliation that proceeds from the spirit in Romanes 8. 15. you have not received the spirit againe to feare but the spirit of Adoption you once had a slavish feare a feare contrary unto this true feare which was the spirit of bondage but you shall not have it againe but that humiliation shall proceed from another ground namely from the spirit of Adoption whereby you shall feare him not as a Iudge but as a Father therefore let every man enter into his owne heart and see whether this condition bee in him or no and thinke not to come unto Christ or to bee ingrafted into Christ without it for as I said howsoever it is not simply necessary on Gods part yet it is necessary on our parts because wee will not receive Christ and the Gospell till we be thorowly humbled And that you may see the necessity of this duty of humiliation I will shew you in five particulars that a man cannot receive the Gospell except he be humbled First a man or woman must be humble or else he will not receive Iesus Christ. To receive Iesus Christ is the first act of the Gospell and therefore we preach the Gospell generally unto all that whosoever will may have Christ but you must first receive him and this you will not doe till you be humbled till yee thinke you stand in need of Christ till then you will thinke the worke too great and wages too small as for example A woman must first receive her husband and bee united unto him before shee can bee made partaker either of his riches or honour so before a Christian can bee made partaker of the benefits of Christ he must deny himselfe and cleave wholly unto Christ and receive him so as to be ruled by him and to suffer for him But some men will say this is too much what must I so receive Christ that I must forsake all things for him To this I answer it is no marvaile though thou thinke so because thou art not as yet humbled but if thou wert humbled thou wouldest never sticke at any thing when a man is humbled hee is then in the condition that hee should bee both to deny himselfe take up the crosse and to follow Christ when a man is humbled then he cares not to bee trampled under foote for Christ to suffer disgrace reproach and shame for Christ but till then a man will not somethings a man will doe but not this therefore it is necessary to the receiving of the Gospell that a man be humble Secondly to receive the Gospell is to entertaine Christ into the soule hee that entertaines Christ so must retaine him and continue with him he must not take Christ for a day or a yeere but he must take Christ as a woman doth her husband for terme of life nay after life and that in such a manner with such a holy demeanor of himselfe that he may not give the least occasion of evill that may be to Christ. You must take heed of grieving the spirit and you must resist the workes of the devill if you contract with Christ you must takeheed of despising him take heed of giving the Spirit a non-plus And you must continue in all estates and keepe as the Apostle saith your profession
every act sinne wounds the soule it would surely make them humble this is that which the Lord complaines of in Deut. 32. to 29. verse O that my people were wise that they would but consider with themselves viz. their sinnes their afflictions my love in their deliverances that is O that they would but looke backe unto the former account and see what they have done for my love it would cause them to be humble Dolour is the reluctancy of the will now the Will will not strive till there bee a change wrought neither will a man be humbled truly till there be a thorow change in the soule therefore labour after holinesse and get both a sence of holinesse and a sence of sinne and this will humble you The third meanes to get humiliation is application you must apply both what you have received and what you have paid together and then cast up the account first consider what you have received from God and what you doe presently enioy and then consider what have I paid what have I done how have I demeaned my selfe what obedience have I yeilded what thankes have I returned Againe consider the excellency that is in grace and then consider sinne that it is evill by nature that it is evill to me that it brings forth evill effects except you thus wisely apply it it will not humble you you will not feele sinne or esteeme it as a burthen because you will not see it out of its place It will be as a heavy burthen at the foote which though never so heavy yet it is not felt it will not hurt a man so long as it lyeth there even so sinne will not be a burthen unto the soule till it be applyed unto the soule by the spirit but when it is applyed then it will bee like a burthen upon the backe which a man will quickely be weary of sinne will then clogge a regenerate soule and humble him and this wisedome wee may learne of the divell himselfe when hee will bring a man unto despaire hee will still hold out before a man his sinnes and that with aggravation of them that so he may come unto the sight of them and then he will hold out the Iustice and purity of God that he will not let sinne goe unpunished that he shall not be saved that so a Christian may be out of measure dejected and thus a Christian should doe if hee will bee humbled let him still set sinne before him and that not only in the generall but also to apply it in particular unto the conscience and especially in cases of relapse for as figures added to Ciphers doe make the totall the more so relapse in sinne is a great sinne and a particular notice of them will cause great humiliation Againe let man set before him sinnes against knowledge or great sins and this will be a meanes to humble you for what is the sinne against the holy Ghost but sinning against knowledge upon an obstinate will in despight of God and the Spirit and that the sinne of knowledge is a great sinne appeares in Acts 17. 30. At the time of their ignorance God wincked that is so long as you wanted the meanes of knowledge both of knowing mee and my Spirit I little regarded it I wincked at it that is I esteemed it not so great but past it over but now the cause is altered since I came in my owne person and preacht unto you now I will not wincke at your sinne as before I will not passe it over as I did before but I will behold you in another manner After the knowledge of sinne to fall into it and then not to bee humbled is to slight a sinne and to slight a sinne after the committing of it ismore dangerous then the sinne it selfe wounds the soule more provokes Gods wrath against a man the more as a servant after a fault committed when his Master tels him of it if he shall then slight it as not regarding it the slighting of it incenses his Master more against him then the fault it selfe therefore if you would be humbled apply sinne unto the soule and come from the generall unto particular sinnes especially fasten your hearts upon great sinnes that rule in Logicke holds true that generalls worke not but particulars are prevalent As I said before when sinne lyeth like a burthen at the foote it hurts not but when it is laid upon the shoulders then it hurteth saving knowledge breakes the heart and humbles the soule on the contrary ignorance hardens more and more this wee see in Ioh. 4. in the woman of Canaan the reason wherefore she received not Christ was because she wanted knowledge to know her owne estate generall conference and exhortations to receive Christ will not serve till Christ comes in particular unto her and tels her in plaine words that she is an harlot untill then shee little regarded him then shee can bestirre her selfe then shee can confesse and bee humbled and thus hee dealt with Paul in this place Paul why persecutest thou mee and thus hee dealt with Adam what hast thou done hast thou eaten c thus he dealt with Peter Iohn 21. 15. c. Lovest thou mee feed feed feed c the remembrance of particular sinnes wrought a generall change in them and mightily humbled them therefore if you would be humbled apply particular failings and exclude none and God will not exclude thee you know that which will take a great staine out of a garment will surely take out a lesser even so feare not but if God hath given thee a heart to see some great sinne and the assurance of the pardon of that sinne hee will forgive thee all sinnes thus much for the third meanes The fourth meanes to get humiliation is this we must labour to bring things unto a propinquity that is let vs looke upon sinne past as present and so neere at hand for this is our folly wee looke upon sinne great way off and that is the reason that sinne is so little regarded of us because we cannot as we might see how odious it is the Philosopher saith that things a great way off are as if they were not they doe not hurt us and this is the cause why men are not humbled experience proves this you know death is the terriblest thing in the world but yet because we looke upon it a farre off therefore it is that it doth not affright us now to helpe you to bring things to a propinquity that you may be humbled you must observe these two rules First I say you must looke upon things that are past as present consider that the sinne that is past is as great a sinne as ever it was though it seeme afarre off that is committed long agoe it is mans weakenesse to thinke otherwise of sinne a malefactor that hath committed a foule fact a long while agoe if his pardon be
Christ it is necessary that Christians have this kind of sorrow To this I answer first that it is not the greatest turbulent sorrow that breakes the heart and mollifies and softens it but there is another sorrow which I call a tempered sorrow and that sorrow hath in it both a sight of hell and a sight of heaven a sight of sinne and a sight of grace in Christ which farre exceedes this sorrow for as it is with joy the greatest joy is not expressed by laughter for that is the greatest joy that is the joy of the inward man so it is not the greatest griefe that is expressed by teares and as it is not the greatest fire that makes the most crackling and noyse nor that the deepest water that makes the most roaring so is it not the greatest griefe or sorrow that expresseth it selfe by this turbulent passion of the mind but the greatest griefe is nothing when a sinner apprehends sinne within and sees it in its owne colour then it humbles him Secondly to this I answer that there are degrees of this sorrow and this ariseth from the nature of men some men are of a more hardier nature then others and againe some are of a more softer and tenderer disposition for example some mens flesh will heale sooner then others though the wound bee the same so some haue more softer and gentle natures and therefore sooner wrought upon againe some God intendes to build a greater worke upon and therefore hee humbles them the more againe some hee will season aboue others and therefore will humble them the more that so they may bee fit for it Thirdly to this I answer that although all haue not the like measure of sorrow neither the same apprehension of sin that others have therfore are not so much cast downe in such a manner as others are yet it is not because they are not humble at all but because the condition followes it so close that it hath not power to worke that effect in them which it doth in others that see the same condition a farre off or not at all they apprehend Christ by faith and see reconciliation through him and therefore are not so deiected as others that see him not thus and therefore bee not discouraged though thou finde that thy humiliation bee not so great as others the things may bee the same and the apprehension the same but Christ the condition of thy peace is apprehended neere thee by faith and this qualifies the tempest of the soule but Christ is not seene of the other as a Sauiour and this makes the difference as for example there are two men set upon by robbers the one sees no helpe or no way to escape and hereupon hee is marvelously afflicted and astonished because hee findes himfelfe vnable to resist or make his partie good with them but the other man beset with robbers sees another neere hand that will stand close to him and thereupon hee trusts hopes and depends upon the man to helpe him this man sees the danger aswell as the other and feares but his feare is not a distracted feare neither is it so great as the other because it is mixed with joy and confidence in that he sees a way to escape yet he feares the same that the other feares and is truly humbled and thankfull unto him that saves him from the danger thus it is with many Christians they that haue a turbulent kinde of sorrow see death and hell and sinne and damnation but hee sees Christ so farre off that hee cannot depend upon Christ as a Saviour and hence for the present is marvellously cast downe but hee that hath the mixed sorrow spoken of sees the same in the same manner but withall hee apprehends Christ as a helper as a Saviour and here upon is not so much dejected and cast do wne as the other and yet notwithstanding is as truely humbled and thankfull as the other therefore labour to get a heart sensible of sinne that is labour to know sinne and the evill of it and withall labour to see Christ or else you will bee over-frighted with them as a man that is in prison for treason or a great fact hee knowes before what sentence the Iudge and Iury will passe upon him but he cares not if before he have got the Kings pardon so if you know sinne and know the punishment of sinne but know not Christ you will have no comfort in your knowledge labour therefore to get the holy Ghost for it is the worke of the holy Ghost to convince the world of sinne Iohn 16. 9. a man is no sooner convicted but there will be a change wrought in him for a man is then convict when hee is overcome every way and thus the holy Ghost will convince you of sinne seeke what way you will to keepe off the stroke of the Spirit yet you shall not be able and this stroke shall humble you if you belong unto God as it did Paul in this place But you will say how shall I know whether I am truely humbled or no For your better helpe I will lay downe some signes by which you may examine your selves and then accordingly you may judge of your estates The first signe whereby you shall know whether you bee thorowly humbled or no is this if you love much it is a signe that you are thorowly humbled this we see in the woman in the Gospel and it is Christs commendation of her that shee loved much that is she was sensible of that which Christ had done for her therefore her love to Christ was exceeding great no labour too great nothing too precious for Christ and this we see in Paul also Christ did much for Paul and Paul thought nothing too good for Christ therefore peremptorily he concludes that he is ready not onely to suffer but to dye for Christ seeing Christ saved my soule from hell and that by such a price of so much worth as his owne blood was how can I then thinke that my life is too much for Christ therefore examine your selves examine your humiliation by your love if you love him not above all things if you prize him not above all things you were not as yet truely humbled and that I may perswade you to love Christ and grace and holinesse above all things consider these two motives The first motive is this consider the goodnesse of the thing that I perswade you unto the goodnesse and excellency that is in the things of the world makes men to love them men will not love any thing except they see some excellency in it or at least wise esteeme it so but if it be excellent then it winnes their love so it will be with you in this if you see into the excellency that is in Christ and grace it will winne your love you will prize him above all things no man will prize a Iewell till hee know
sinne is called foolishnesse hence then it is extreame folly to commit the least sinne it is good to oppose this conclusion against all the reasons of Satan That wee will not sinne because it will bee our folly and if wee cannot answer in particulers let us answer him in the generall that we will not yeild to any It may bee hee will tell you that you shall gaine some profit or pleasure or sweetnesse or commodity by sinning but if you can bring your hearts not to beleeve this you will never doe it and say the Scripture tels us that it is extreame folly to doe so and we shall find it to be so therefore we will not Let this move you to hare sinne The sixteenth motive to move you to hate sinne is because sinne will take you away from God and God from you and therefore that must needs bee an evill thing and worthy to bee hated of you that will deprive you of God it is the terriblest thing in the world to have God taken away from a man that which makes a man to loose any thing that he loves is hated of him as for example a man that loves and respects his credit he had rather loose any thing then that it is a great griefe unto him to be disgraced to a rich man that loves his riches it is a griefe to part with them and therefore he doth hate a theife so it is the slaying of the soule to part with God a holy man had rather part with wife and children riches pleasures and friends and life it selfe then part with God and therefore it is that in every regenerate man there is bred by the spirit a loathing of all sinne if you would not then part with God hate sinne God and Mammon cannot abide together no more then light and darkenesse Now if these will not move you to hate sinne then consider some motives to move you to hate it in regard of God First consider that God doth take notice of all that you doe he sees into the secret corners of your hearts and makes a diligent search I know thy thoughts a farre off saith God and hee knowes the intent of your hearts Revel 3. 8. I know your workes and patience and so forth I take notice of them I knew them before you did act them therefore in every action that thou goest about say now God sees me what I am doing and hee knowes what I intend to doe it stands me upon to carry my selfe uprightly in this action least he meete with me for he is a God of pure eyes and cannot beare with evill in his owne You know what hee said unto Nathaniel Iohn 1. 48. I knew thee before I saw thee that is thou marvailest how I came to know thee but marvell not for I did not onely know thee but I also know thy heart therefore consider this that God sees you and takes notice of your actions and thoughts Againe consider that so much sinne so much seed and the more seed the greater harvest the more sinne the more punishment therefore labour to hate sinne Secondly consider that when God doth strike for sinne his wrath is exceeding bitter and terrible for if it were not for the wrath of God that followeth sinne afflictions would not bee so bitter and therefore the Lord saith unto the Church Rev. 2. 10. Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer that is feare them not for that which makes them terrible shall not be mingled with them which is my wrath for it is not afflictions that are bitter but sinne in the afflictions that makes them bitter therefore let this make you to hate sinne that you may escape the wrath and vengeance of God Thirdly consider that the longer God stayes from afflicting of sinners the greater and terribler shall the stroke be when it comes and therefore it were better for thee that hast no interest in Christ that hee would strike presently then deferre it longer that so thy punishment may bee the lesser in Amos 5. saith God I will strike at once and I will not strike the second time that is when I doe strike I will strike so that I shall not need to strike the second time and thus the Lord said unto Eli in 1. Sam. 3. vers 12. When I begin I will make an end and this is the greatest punishment that the Lord can inflict against any sinner it is as if he should have said I will not begin to afflict them and then cease and give them space of repentance but I will make an end that is I will doe it in a moment on a sudden I will but make one worke of it I will begin and I will finish it in an instant and this we see the Lord did upon Hephni and Phineas therefore let this moove you to hate sinne Thus much for this point And hee said Arise and goe into the Citie and it shall bee told thee what thou shalt doe The point is this that Christ is exceeding mercifull and exceeding ready to speake mercy unto those that are truly humbled I gather it thus Paul was here strucken downe with an apprehension of sinne and being thus exceedingly humbled in the sight of his sinnes Christ meets him upon the plyablenesse of his will with a word of comfort Arise this word is full of comfort for it is as if hee should have said Paul bee not too much dejected and cast downe at the apprehension of thy sinnes as if there were not aboundant mercie in mee to pardon it but arise that is goe and I will shew thee what thou shalt doe to save thine owne soule and it shall be told thee what thou shalt doe for mee but feare not bee of good comfort now that Christ is full of mercy we will proove it by Scripture Matth. 11. 28. Come unto mee all that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you in these words there are three things First the conditions of the persons that must come and those are such as are weary and heavy laden The second thing is the qualification of the persons that are truly weary and heavy laden first they must bee meeke secondly they must be lowly the third thing is the patterne or teacher of them and that is Christ the best the holiest and wisest Teacher in the world learne of Mee I am ready to teach all and to upbraid no man and then in the last place the thing that they must doe they must take Christs yoke and so they shall be rid of their burthen the summe of it is this if you bee weary and heavy laden with your sinnes and have a desire to be eased it is no more but come unto Christ and hee will ease you that is if you bee heavy laden with sinne Christ is ready to take off your burthen and to put upon them the easie yoke of obedience and holinesse