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
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
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
us making us the objects of their griefe and thirdly he robs the Church and Commonwealth of us by making us unprofitable instruments and beloved if you looke into the world you shall find it true as for example looke unto young men they are busied in eating and drinking and rising up to play but never regard at all the strengthning of the inward man whereby they may become profitable unto all When the soule is unto some but as salt is unto meate onely to keepe it from Putrifaction and the body that is put into the soules place but what is the reason we put it thus doth not this prove that true which Salomon saith I have seene servants ride and Masters goe afoote When you imploy your selves and spend your time and paines in getting of outward dignity in decking the outward man and little regard the beautifying of the inward man you preferre drosse before Gold Copper before Silver you set the body in the soules place you set the servant on horsebacke but the Master must goe on foote in a word you doe not things like or beseeming Christians and on the contrary you doe things like your selves when you preferre the inward man first Fourthly consider that it is an immortall soule why doe you labour for the meat that perisheth in the use of it that is why doe you dote upon the outward man that perisheth in the getting which perisheth in the using that will stand you in no stead if you keepe it and why doe you not rather labour for the meate that perisheth not why doe you not labour to get the strength of the inward man which is of an immortall substance that will never fade nor perish in the use you have built a Temple heere which is in it selfe a good worke but I say except you build also in your soules the Temple of the inward man all your labour all your paines and all your cost is but lost labour it will perish and stand you in no stead when you shall need it And this is one maine drift of the Scripture to shew you the vanity of earthly things that you should not set your affections upon them because they perish in the use and that you should not lay out money for that which profiteth not as the Prophet speakes Consider therefore that it is a spirit and againe borne and infused into this body to beare rule there and the body to be but a servant to the inward man But that you be not deceived there is a naturall strength whereby some men will goe very farre and there is a morall strength and yet take heed you rest not in that not that I speake against naturall strength because it comes from God and is good For I say we doe not take away those affections but we alter and change them and therefore I beseech you looke that you doe not content your selves with them but labour to strengthen the Inward man And here a question ariseth seeing that there is a naturall and spirituall strength how shall a man come to know whether the strength which hee hath be a naturall morall or spirituall strength yet as I said we doe not destroy naturall strength but we use it as men doe wild Horses and beasts they tame them to make them fit for service so we should use these as meanes to carry us unto their right ends We will therefore come to shew the differences betwixt the naturall and spirituall strength The first difference is this The spirituall strength goes further then the naturall strength Looke what the naturall man with the naturall strength can doe the spirituall man can doe more he can goe further both in degree and measure and the reason is because grace elevates nature it brings it unto a higher pitch grace is unto the soule as a prospective glasse is unto the body it brings that which is a farre off to be as it were nigh at hand it turnes a man to see things in a more excellent manner for as water that is elevated by fire so is he that hath this strength that is he is abler to doe more then a naturall strength can doe this was that which made a difference betweene Sampson and other men he had a naturall strength and he had another strength to doe more then another man could doe and that this strength doth goe further then a naturall strength we will proove by these particulars First the spirituall strength enables you to see more and to prize grace more the naturall strength shewes you something in your journey but it shewes you not unto the end of your journey whereas the sight that the inward man brings unto the soule addes unto it Ieremy 31. 34. Then shall yee know mee that is they knew mee before but now they shall know mee in another manner then before grace presents things unto the soule in another hue Secondly in performances all naturall strength leads a man but unto a forme of godlinesse but this strength gives a man power and abilitie to doe good Labour therefore labour for this strength that your hearts may be in such a frame of godlinesse that you may doe Gods will in earth as the Angels doe it in heaven which the carnall man will never doe he that hath not this strength he will never labour to please God after that manner because hee cares not for grace if he can but escape hell but the spirituall man will not be contented to have the pardon of sinne except he may have grace and holinesse too Thirdly it inables him to goe further in Iudgement the naturall man he cares not if hee can get but just so much holinesse as will bring him to heaven but the spirituall man will not be contented with any answer but it is with the spirituall man as it is with the Sun the cleerest Sun-shine showes the most motes the cleerest glasse the best and best water is next the fountaine even so when the spirituall man is strong in the inward man it sees the more motes and bracks in the spirituall strength and labours for more strength against weaknesses which a naturall man cannot conceive of as 1 Pet. 4. 4. They thinke it strange that you run not with them into the same excesse of riot they know not the reason or they cannot conceive what should keepe you from loving such and such vices which they love like blind men they heare the pipe but they see not the persons that dance so they heare the pipe but they see not the rule by which the spirituall man goes as a countrey-man that comes and sees a man drawing the Geometricians line he marvels what he meanes to spend his time about such a thing when as hee that drawes it knowes that it is of a great use Fourthly in degree that is in the generality of the growth when you grow in every part proportionably a naturall man may grow in
he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a
regard of the qualitie and disposition to what it was and yet in substance remaines the same as for example put Iron into the fire the Iron is the same it was in substance before it came into the fire but now it hath another qualitie it was cold and stiffe and hard and unplyable but now it is hotte and soft and plyable and this change is throughout in every part of it and yet it is Iron still So it is with the Spirit when it comes into the heart of a Christian he mingleth and infuseth spirituall life into all the parts of the soule and therefore it is said if Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sinne but the Spirit is alive The body is dead that is as touching raigning sinne he is like a tree that wants both sap and roote or as a man that is dead that wants a soule hee is now dead whatsoever he was before but the spirit is alive to God Therefore examine if this thorow great change be in you see then what death there is in you to sinne and what life unto holinesse I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you in such a frame as to be fit for heaven And againe the Apostle calles it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. be you metamorphosed that is throughly changed new moulded againe in 2 Corin. 3. 18. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turne but it must bee a great change as the changing of Christs Spirit for your owne spirit which if you have then you shall come out of every affliction and every difficultie like gold out of the furnace like cloath out of the die of Lions you shall bee Lambes of Serpents you shall be Doves therefore see whether this change be in you or no if this change be in you then when your old guests that is your old lusts shall come and finde that his old companion is cast out of doores and that the soule is swept and cleansed hee will not stay but seeke abiding else-where but on the contrary if your opinions of sinne be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evill company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the Spirit and so long as you remaine thus doe you thinke that Christ will come and sup and dine with you and yet you will not erect a building for Him in your hearts therefore if you would have Christ and the Spirit then labour to get holinesse The fourth signe whereby you may know whether you have the spirit or no is this if it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will doe by you as the Angels doe by assumed bodies they take them up for a time and doe many things with them to serve their owne turnes but they doe not put life in them such is the common spirit but the sanctirying spirit puts life into the soule Wherefore examine your selves whether the spirit makes you living men or no for when the sanctifying Spirit shall joyne with the soule of a man it will make him to doe suteable things and bring forth suteable actions for as the body is dead without the soule so the soule hath of it selfe no spirituall life to good without the spirit wherefore as Paul speakes of unchast widdowes that they are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. vers 6. so I may say of every man that hath not the spirit they are dead men dead to God to good to grace to holinesse I say there is no life without the Spirit men are not living men because they walke and talke and the like but they are living men that live in the spirit and by the spirit and on the contrary there is no true life neither are men to bee esteemed living men that want the spirit Now for the examination of our selves by this rule consider First wee have but an assumed body of grace and holinesse when in the practice of life we assume unto our selves onely the outward forme of godlinesse but regard not the power cleaving in our affections to that which is evill and leaving the things that are truely good I doe not say when you hate good but when you preferre evill before it in your choise and set it at the higher end of the Table and serve it first and attend upon it most when that crosseth holinesse but you will not againe crosse it for the Love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you thinke of your selves you have not the sanctifying Spirit but a common spirit without life Secondly you have but an assumed body of grace if you have it not in a feeling manner the sanctifying spirit workes a spirituall sence and taste in the soule that is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste they will bee sweet unto you it will purge out that which is contrary to the growth of the inward man on the contrary the common spirit will never make you to taste grace as it is grace or because it is grace that is grace will not bee a dainty thing it will bee without a good savour Therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can rellish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying spirit but an assumed habit of grace that is a common spirit without the life of grace Thirdly as assumed bodies are unconstant that is walke onely for a time but they walke not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on the rule A man that is living in Christ you shall still find him living and moving and doing the actions of the new man a man that hath but a common spirit may do somethings that are good hee may keepe and presse downe some sinne awhile but not alwayes neither then because it is sinne but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some other thing Againe he may have some taste and rellish of spirituall things but hee is not purged and cleansed by them First he may walke as a living man walkes that is performe holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither doe they performe them in obedience but out of selfe love that is they are still ebbing and seldome flowing they omit ofter then they performe Therefore let me exhort you that are alive and have beene dead be you carefull to prize your life and you that have beene alive but now are dead that is you that have falne from your holinesse and zeale and have lost your first love and strength labour now to recover it againe And you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to dye if there bee any here
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
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