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
his weakenesse more then to bee weake in spirituall knowledge and yet you must know that a man may have much knowledge as worldly knowledge and the knowledge of divine truthes and yet bee but weake in the inward man for there is a knowledge of Arts which fils the braine with knowledge but the spirit goes no further that is it doth not sanctifie that knowledge in the heart Againe there is a knowledge of the spirit which is an operative working knowledge which goes with this other knowledge and leads it to sanctification and is practicall But yet I say you must know before you can be strong there must be some proportion betweene the spirituall knowledge and the spirituall strength as for example one man eates and is fat another man eates and is still leane so some have asmuch as others have and yet are not so strong as others and yet wee say fatnesse comes by eating so doth the strength of the inward man by knowledge and where the Lord workes by his Spirit by his Spirit I say the most knowledge there is most strength therefore I beseech you labour for a full measure of saving knowledge for a working purging convincing operative and powerfull knowledge And this I doe not onely speake unto you that are weake but also unto you that are strong that you be carefull to adde unto your knowledge for what is the reason that you doe not grow in grace but because you are not carefull to adde more knowledge unto that which you have it may bee you picke some good things from some Sermon or good booke but presently you forget it you doe not make it your owne by meditation and so it doth you no good but if you would be carefull to adde unto it you would grow stronger in the inward man then you doe and here is the misery of vs builders other builders when they have built a house the owner lookes to it himselfe and keepes it in repaire but when we have done what wee can to build you up in the inward man and thinke that you will put to your hands your selves when we are to further the worke of grace you begin to pull downe your building againe your selves by your loose lives by following your pleasure your sporting and gaming and prophaning of the Lords day Therefore you must labour to grow in knowledge if you will grow strong in the Inward man The second meanes to bee used if you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must bee diligent in the use of the meanes as the Wise man saith the hand of the diligent maketh rich as diligence in a calling makes rich so where there is much diligence in the use of the meanes of grace there is much strength in the inward man but no man gets spirituall strength save they that are diligent and therefore this is the reason that men are not strong in this spirituall strength because like the sluggard they are not diligent in the use of the meanes they take no paines for grace and therefore it is that they get no increase for according unto the proportion of your paines so is the inward man strengthned and as you use them more diligently so you find the strength of them more operative and powerfull for it is in the soule as it is in the body if you bee not diligent and carefull to feed the body it will wither and consume away and grow weake so if you feed not the soule diligently and use the meanes constantly you will breed weakenesse in the soule and the more secure and remisse you are in the performance of holy duties the weaker you are it may be you thinke it will not weaken you to neglect private prayer but omit it once and it will make you carelesse and the more you neglect the more unfit and undisposed you will find your selves So you may thinke you may prophane one Sabbath neglecting therein the duties required and serving not God but your owne lusts but beloved it will make you secure the more a man doth in this kind the more he may doe for this is true in every Art every act begets a habite and a habite brings custome so it is as true in good things the beginning of good brings many particular good things and therefore if you can but get your hearts in a frame of grace you shall finde a supply of grace because Christ saith Whosoever hath to him shall bee given hee that hath grace and is carefull in the use of the meanes by Gods appointment hee shall thrive in holinesse for if you but once get the beginnings of saving grace and be industrious and vigilant and carefull to imploy them you will in time grow strong you know what Christ said unto the servant that had used his Talent well he had more given him so if you be diligent in the use of the meanes the inward man will grow strong but for the using of the meanes observe these rules The first rule that I would have you observe if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must use all the meanes for if you use but a part of the meanes you will not grow strong at it is with the body so it is with the inward man a man for the health and growth of the body will use all meanes labour in health Physicke in sicknesse recreation for the whetting of the faculty in a word he will vse every thing that hee may strengthen the body thus you must doe for the strengthning of the inward man you must use all meanes as hearing the Word receiving the Sacrament Prayer Meditation Conference the Communion of Saints particular resolutions to good or else the inward man will not grow strong these are the food that the inward man feeds upon it is with the inward man as it is with a plant if you would have a plant to grow then you must set it in a good soyle you must digge about it and dung it but if you bee carelesse where you set it It will not prosper and thrive even so if you doe not adde fatnesse of soyle unto the beginnings of grace if you doe not use all the meanes as the Communion of Saints and Prayer the inward man will not grow strong but wither and dye you will bee dwarfes in grace and holinesse The second rule if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must looke that you performe holy duties strongly for then the meanes strengthen the inward man when they are done with strong affections when he useth them not remissely and coldly for remisse actions weakneâ—â— the habit as for example take water that is exceeding hot and put cold water to it and you will weaken it so performe holy duties and use the meanes of grace remissly and they will weaken the habit to good it will worke an Indisposition in the soule therefore doe them strongly with much zeale and strong
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
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
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
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
iudgements shall bee more if you be an example either of euill to others or evill to your selfe I say the greater you are in place the greater should be your care because the greater is your sinne Inferiors depend upon superiors consider I pray if you bee eminent in place what a good example from you will doe unto others that are under you and on the contrary what evill will follow from being carlesse and prophane they will marke you for an example to euill therefore you see that the greater conditions that you are in the more cause you haue to be humble The sixt meanes to get humiliation is this you must be earnest with God to get the spirit for this makes the law effectuall the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickneth the law and the letter of the law will not worke grace in you no more then the flesh will except the spirit goe with it It is the spirit that alwaies enlighteneth the minde and workes a change in the whole man and puts new habits on the faculties and objects sit for those habits and here now appeares the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell nothing will make a man truely humble without the spirit If the Lord should speake unto you this day as he spake heere to Paul yet if the spirit did not shine into your hearts it would not bee effectuall to humble you it is not the word but the spirit in the word that is able to change you and make you new creatures I say if Eliah should preach unto you or one in the spirit of Eliah hee would never humble you except the spirit accompany it it will be but like the shaking of the earth unto the Iayler Acts 16. but it must bee the spirit that changes your hearts but when the spirit comes and gives but a glimps of that light in the soule then hee can cry to Paul Sirs what shall wee doe to bee saued Felix at the preaching of Iudgement can tremble but it is the spirit that opened Lydias hart to beleeue I say if you had Paul and Eliah and Iohn Baptist that came in the spirit of Eliah yet it were nothing worth if you get not the spirit therefore be ye earnest with God to get the spirit and never rest till you finde him in your soule and remember that there was a time when the Angel stirred the water at the Poole of Bethesda that they that first stepped in were healed of what disease soeuer they had So there is a time when the Lord turnes and when the spirit mooues the heart to good let vs make vse of this opportunity and strike while the Iron is hott and grinde while the the windes blow and watch euery opportunitie because the spirit will come and mooue the heart as the Angel did the water that so wee may first steppe in and bee healed therefore if you would get humiliation bee earnest for the spirit and you may haue him for asking it is Christs promise to give him if you want him it is because you doe not aske him aske therefore that you may have him and be humbled The 7th meanes is this that as we must get the spirit so we must adde the word it is true that the spirit is the only meanes to make us humble it is the efficient meanes without which nothing will humble us it is as true also of the word because the spirit makes the word as the instrumentall meanes to humble us and therefore if you would be humble you must joyne with the Spirit the Word and that you may have the word effectually to humble you you must doe these things First you must labour to get the saving knowledge of the word because it is the meanes to humble you that is the Word with the Spirit inlightens the soule for as a man that is in the darke cannot see any thing till hee have a candle so he that is ignorant of the Word he is in darknesse and cannot see his sinnes in such a manner as to humble him or as a man cannot see the motes that are in the house till the Sunne shine into the house though they were in the house before so hee that hath not the saving knowledge of the Word in his heart cannot see the severall windings and twinings and corners corruptions of his heart till by the Spirit he come unto the saving knowledge of the Word Ahab saw not the chariots and Horsemen of Israel which Micha saw because he was Ignorant of the Word and therefore the Lord saith Ierem. 31. 34. they shall know mee from the greatest unto the least they thinke they do know me but indeede they doe not but then they shall know me that is when I haue giuen them my spirit and by the spirit they haue attained unto the true knowledge of the word then they shall know me they knew me before and they knew sinne before but now they shall know sinne by the word in another manner then they did so Paul Rom. 7. saith I knew sinne by the law that is I knew sinne before but now I know sinne by the word in another manner then I did I saw it but not with that hew as I did before the law had made mee to see things in another colour then afore Labour as to get the spirit so to get the sauing knowledge of the word The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 10. that the spirit searcheth the deepe things of God now these things are showne unto us by the word they are plainely discouered unto the soule in another manner then before Knowledge workes a deepe impression unto the soule of a Christian and searcheth into the corruptions of the heart into the diuers lusts of the flesh findes them poysonable and hence is humbled for where there is the greatest knowledge there is the greatest light and where there is the greatest light there is most filth seene and where there is most corruption seene there is greatest cause of humiliation therefore that the word may humble you labour to abound in knowledge Secondly as you must know the word so you must receiue the word as the word of God if you will haue the word to humble you you must receive it as Gods Word and from God for if it doe come unto you and be not received of you as the Word of God but as the word of man it will neither enlighten you nor humble you this is the difference betweene the word that is received as from God and the Word that is received as from men if you receive it as from God it will worke effectually in you it will make you to renounce the world it will worke feare and humiliation in you but if it come as the word of man it will be slighted by you it will take no solide roote in you it will wither and bring forth no fruite in you and therefore