by pronunciation against him and your sinnes are as great and the same but you know them not and therefore let us compare them together and you shall see that they are the same and all one and that in these three particulers First Simon Magus thought that the Spirit might have beene had at any time for he neglected the meanes and despised that presuposing that at any time with a small reward hee might get it of the Apostles what shall I give thee c. Even so when you put off the spirit is not your sinne the same thinking that you may have him when you will that you can have him at your pleasure to mortifie a strong lust a sinne that you would be rid of and for a sinne that is pleasing unto your nature you can when you will subdue it you can when you will forbeare it and is not this one part of Simon Magus his sinne Secondly Simon Magus thought it was in the power of men to give the Spirit What shall I give thee Peter for the spirit and is not your sinne the same doe not many men thinke that it is in the power of men to give the spirit when all the time of their life they will neglect the calling of the Spirit but in some great affliction when they lye upon their death beds then they will send for the Minister but not till then as if it were in his power to give the Spirit O Sir what shall I doe to be saved can you tell mee of any hope of salvation and the like Thirdly Simon Magus hee desired the spirit to a wrong end namely for his owne advantage That upon whomsoever I shall lay my hands they may receive the holy Ghost and doe not men do the like they desire to have the spirit and they could wish with all their hearts that they had him but yet not for a right end for Gods glory but for some carnall end of their owne that they may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end For know that a man may desire grace but if the ayme of his desire be for his owne end the desire is sinne the same that Simon Magus was therefore I beseech you deferre not put not off the opportunity and remember what the Lord saith Hebr. 3. 15. to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts this is the day now you have the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your soule by it the Word is neere you Well light your candles by it you may now light them whilest the fire is here but if you will not now how will you when the candle is out when you shall be either taken from the meanes or else the meanes from you therfore labour to know the spirit and judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is to beleeve and the best meanes to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the Word preached the preaching of the Word is a meanes to get the spirit and therefore the Apostle saith received you the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith preached Gal. 3. You may know whether you have the spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten faith by the preaching of the Word our Saviour saith that the tree is knowne by his fruit the branch cannot beare fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the roote so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him wee shall never get the spirit therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soule and it will knit him fast unto the soule that he can never depart away from it faith will recover the Spirit if it seeme to want his power of working in the soule it will returne him if he seeme to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit be scanted in it it will widen the narrow bottle of your hearts and you know what Christ said unto the woman in the Gospell So be it unto thee according unto thy faith therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith in your hearts if you would get a large measure of the spirit then get a large measure of faith for what is the reason that men thrive not in the spirit but because they thrive not in faith The third meanes to get the spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer to desire and pray earnestly for the spirit is a meanes to get the spirit an instance of this wee have in Elisha servant to Eliah he earnestly desires and prayes that the Spirit of Eliah his master might bee doubled upon him not that hee meant that hee might have asmuch more againe but that hee might have a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets and hee did obtaine his desire for hee was indued with a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets were even so if you would but desire and pray earnestly for the Spirit you might get him Salomon desired wisedome and prayed for it and he had it and that in a larger measure then those that went before him so if you would pray for the spirit you have his promise Luke 11. 13. That he will give the Holy Ghost unto them that aske him and this hee doth speake by way of opposition if you that are evill can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit that is if a man will bee importunate for grace and the spirit as a child will be unto his father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if hee were my father and I his child then it is true he would give me his spirit but alas he is not for any thing I know neither my father nor I his child To this I answer suppose thou be not his child in thy owne apprehension yet looke backe unto the 8. verse and see what Importunity doth though hee would not open the doore and give him that which he would have yet in regard of the importunity of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have thus doe you though you may have a deniall sometimes no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no deniall and your importunity will at last prevaile with him and to incourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man Iames 1. 5. As no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any failing to shame him he gives unto all men that comes unto him without exceptions of person without any gift freely and reproaches no man that is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from
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
according to my uprightnesse according to the cleannesse of my hands in his eyes sight and then in the 25 26. verses both parts are clearely expressed that he will walke more frowardly with you as you walke more frowardly with him and againe as you walke more purely with him so he will show himselfe more gracious and loving unto you as for example goe thorow all the Iudges of Israel and you shall see this true looke to Gedeon one sinne was the destruction of him and his house looke to Sampson that sinne of fornication brought upon him shame imprisonment and death Againe goe through all the Kings of Iudah and you shall see that they prospered so long as they prospered in grace and when they fell into sinne then presently they fell into misery looke to David to Salomon to Rehoboam Ahab to Asa Manasses c. Againe looke amongst the Corinthians some were sicke and weake amongst them for not receiving the Sacrament worthily so all sicknesses in body breaches in estate ill hansels in businesses troubles from enemies griefes from wives children and friends they all even now in our dayes proceed from the sinnes which you have committed Againe as I said all the prosperity whether it bee outward in riches or honour or wife or children or friends or inward the saving graces of the spirit they all proceed from your uprightnesse of heart And needs it must be so because if God be the Governour of all the world then it must needs bee best with them that serve him best and worst with them that offend him worst this rule must bee understood of the Saints to comfort them and not of wicked men for they want afflictions and enjoy prosperitie in Iudgement but with the godly it is not so therefore they are like to taste of both in this life according to their thriving in sinne and going backward in holinesse let this moove you to hate sinne that you may escape these miseries The sixt Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is a vaine thing it can yeeld us no true comfort or content and this we may see in the vanitie and changeablenesse of earthly things when we make them our onely joy how soone are wee deprived of them for indeed what is our portion or what can yeeld us any sound and solid joy and comfort but God and Christ and so Iob reasoneth in Iob 31. 2. what portion shall I have with God Almighty it is no small portion but a great portion to have Communion with Him to be sure of Him for a refuge in all troubles a Counseller in all duties a helper in all wants to stand by us when all else forsake us he that knoweth the sweete consolations of the spirit will account sinne and the world but a vaine thing I say no man that knowes the sweetnesse there is in the Communion with God will loose it for all the pleasures of sinne Iob 14. hee showeth the vanity of earthly things some conceive the comforts of the Spirit but a vaine thing but this is because they never tasted of the sweetnesse of the spirit there is no man but he hath something that he resteth his heart upon as the Psalmist saith Some trust in Princes some in riches others in their friends but it is God that is the strength and prop of every sanctified mans heart on which every holy man and woman resteth now take from any man that which is his prop and stay and his heart sinketh and dyeth in him like a stone so will the heart of a childe of God when the assurance of the favour of God is taken away by sinne therefore as the favour of God is sweeter then life it selfe unto him so the very interruption and suspending of it is as bitter as death and therefore in this regard sinne is to be hated The seventh Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is restles if you doe but truly consider the restlesnesse of the heart till it be sanctified it will make you to hate sinne the heart is restlesse till it bee set in a good frame of grace Sinne is unto the soule as a disease in unto the body a man that is bodily sicke will never be at rest till he be well so a regenerate man is never at rest till sinne be healed in him wickednesse is of a restlesse nature according unto that measure it is found in any as the Prophet saith in Isaiah 57. 20 21. where he compares the heart of wicked men unto the raging Sea that still is in motion purging and cleansing it selfe so a holy man is not at rest whilest his heart is not cleansed from his sinnes let this therefore moove you to hate sinne because it is restlesse The eighth Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is not acquainted with God it hath no familiaritie with him it is not accustomed to stand or be in his presence it stands in such termes with him that the sinner dares not looke upon God or draw neere him without shame and feare no wicked man dares doe thus so long as any uncleannesse cleaveth unto him in any degree But grace breeds an holy acquaintance with God and doth beget in the heart a kinde of noble friendship and familiaritie with God which will make a holy man to abhorre sinne as a base thing which beseemeth not that purenesse of that friendship which hee hath with Christ hence is that speech of Ezra in Ezra 9. O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are gone c. that is because of my sinne I am ashamed to have any familiaritie with thee The ninth motive to move you to hate sinne is because if you live in sinne God will show you no mercy you shall find him not as a father but as a Iudge The mercy and kindnesse of God is a great and effectuall motive which God often uses in Scripture to move us from sinne thus the Lord dealt with David in 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. I gave thee thy Masters daughter and I made thee King in his steed and if this had beene too little I could have done much more wherefore then hast thou done thus and thus c. Againe in Micah 6. 4. 5 6 7. O my people what have I done unto you remember what I did for you when I brought you out of the land of Egypt remember what Balack King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Sittim unto Gilgall c. Againe in Deut. 32. 6. Doe you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not hee thy father that hath made thee and fashioned thee that hath bought and established thee c. Gods dealing with us being soundly considered how often hee hath spared us and borne with us how much hee hath loved us and
REMAINES OF THAT REVEREND AND LEARNED DIVINE JOHN PRESTON D. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne â—â—ntaining three excellent Treatises Namely IVDAS'S Repentance The Saints Spirituall Strength PAVLS Conversion HEBR. 11. Being dead hee yet speaketh LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke 1634. IVDAS HIS Repentance OR THE LAMENTABLE EFFECTS OF A STARTLED CONSCIENCE Delivered in eight severall Doctrines raised from the third fourth and fifth Verses of the 27. Chapter of the Gospell by St. MATTHEVV All the usefull and profitable Observations of that late Reverend Divine 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 JVDAS Repentance DOCTRINE I. SVch as a Mans life is such is his Name after death page 3 REASON I. God blessethor curseth man according to his workes p. 4 1 In regard of his Truth ibid. 2 In regard of his Glory ibid. REAS. II. Manappeareth like himselfe p. 4 REAS. III. Other men in the end speake truth without enuie or feare p. 5 USE I. Not to be secretly wicked for God is a publike rewarder of all ibid. USE II. To cleansethe heart from sinne by daily repentance left sin should rot the name p. 6 USE III. To encourage good men their ill reports shall soone vanish p. 7 To discourage wicked men their good reports shall not long last p. 7 DOCT. II. Sinne seemes small before it be committed after most vile and hainous p. 8 REAS. I. Lust blindes the eyes of our understanding p. 9 REAS. II. The Divell lessens the sinne before committed aggravates it afterward ibid. REAS. III. God leaves a man to himselfe ibid. Good men for sinne sometimes of God left to themselvs 1 For increase of Gods glory p. 10 2 For awakening their consciences ibid. The reason of insensiblenesse in grose sinnes p. 11 USE To beware of the Divels subtile temptations ibid. Satans deceits to draw man into sinne are 1 Promise of pleasure profit c. p. 13 2 Hope of escape and going to heaven p. 14 3 Hope of leaving it when we will p. 15 4 Neerenesse to vertue p. 16 5 Pronenesse of Nature ibid. 6 Turning away the thoughts to something else p. 17 7 Beginning by degrees ibid. DOCT. III. Tishard to discerne false Repentance Confession and Restitution from true False Repentance goes very farre both in respect of the Reasons drawne from the Grounds and Concomitants p. 19 I. The Grounds of false Repentance 1. Selfe-love p. 20 2 Common gifts of the holy Ghost to disapprove the foulenesse of Sinne. p. 21  Hate the uglinesse  3 Aiarnall apprehension of beautie sweetnesse and excellencie in Gods wayes ibid. 4 Good Education ibid. II. False Grounds of Confession 1 Passion p. 22 2 Evident discovery of sinne  3 Torture of conscience  III. False ground of Restitution is the burthensomenesse of sinne ibid. USE I. To shew the vanitie of Popish Doctrine ibid. USE II. To exhort men to try whether their owne Repentance be true or false p. 23 Two things hinder this judging of a mans selfe I. Vnwillingnesse to search the causes whereof are 1 Along perswasion of ones good estate 2. A desire to taine some delightfull sinne II. Inability to judge Helpes to judge whether ones Repentance be true or false are by I. Inward Differences five 1 An inward inclination to holy Duties p. 24 2 An abilitie to performe good purposes p. 25 3 A particular apprebation of holmesse p. 26 4 A detestation of all sinne ibid. 5 A love to God in his Attributes ibid. II. Outward Effects 1 Constancie p. 27 2 An uniformitie in life p. 28 3 Generalitie of obedience ibid. The godly man differs from the wicked in his Relapse 1 In using all meanes against his sinne and shunning all occasions p. 29 2 In not allowing himselfe in it ibid. 3 In labouring to overcome it ibid. 4 In increasing more and more in grace ibid. Differences betweene true and false confession are 1 Confession of the least and secretest sinnes p. 30 2 Constancie ibid. 3 A good ground namely Humiliation ibid. Differences betweene true and false Restitution is a cheerefull not unwilling restoring the things we love and delight in ibid. VSE III. To teach men what to judge of others Repentance p. 31 USE IV. To shew the wofull case of such as have not gone so farre in Repentance as Iudas did ibid. DOCT. IV. Good things are approved in wicked mens consciences whether they will or no. p. 31 REAS. I. Because it is not in mans owne power to iudge as he list but from the light of conscience p. 32 REAS. II. Because Godwill have glory from all his creatures p. 33 USE I. To teach us to thinke well of the waies of God ibid. USE II. Not to be discouraged with any opposition ibid. DOCT. V. Mans nature apt to excuse sinne after t is committed p. 34 REAS. I. Actuall sinneleaves darknesse in the minde ibid. REAS. II. It begets passion that corrupts the judgement p. 35 REAS. III. It weakens the faculties of the soule ibid. REAS. IV. It drives away Gods Spirit from us ibid. USE To flye sinne that blindes our eyes and binders our receverie ibid. USE II. Being falne to remember how apt we are to excuse sinne p. 36 DOCTR VI. Companions in evill least comfortable in times of extremitie p. 36 REAS. I. Gods justice who sets them one against another that joyne against him p. 37 REAS. II. Mans nature apt to love treason hate the traytor ibid. REAS. III. Their owne love being gaine or somebase end ibid. VSE I. To make us beware how we joyne with wicked men ibid. DOCTR VII The greatest comfort in sinne proves commonly the avost discomfortable p. 38 REAS. I. The Curse of God ibid. REAS. II. Sinne makes the soule sicke ibid. VSE I. To make men take beed how they turne from God to sinne p. 39 DOCT. VIII Gods wrath and sinne charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible and insupportable p. 39 What horror of conscience is shewed in six Questions QVEST. I. How horror of conscience wrought 1 By Gods Spirit p. 40 2 By the Divell ibid. Notes to discerne by which of these t is wrought are 1 By the falsehood mingled with the trouble of conscience 2 By the Affection it striketh in us 3 By the extremitie of anguish it causeth 4 By the manner of doing it p. 41 QVEST. II. What a condition such are in ibid. QVEST. III. Whether God sends it for a punishment or preparation of Grace ibid. QVEST. IV. What is to be thought of those that are in such trouble of Conscience p. 42 QVEST. V. How to be discerned from melancholly ibid. QVEST. VI. Whether it may befall the childe of God in the estate of Grace p. 43 As in joy A good thing  The conjunction of that to
us  The reflect knowledge thereof So in griefe A bad thing  The conjunction of that to us  The reflest knowledge thereof Reasons of the Doctrine I. Sin and Gods wrath in themselves the greatest evils p. 45 REAS. II. Gods presence is taken from them ibid. REAS. III. The sensiblenesse of Conscience p. 46 USE I. To labour to keepe a good conscience ibid. USE II. To shew the miserable condition of such as goe on in sinne altogether insensible of the burthen thereof p. 47 USE III. To teach us the way to obtaine pardon is earnestly to sue for it above all other things p. 49 The right way to get pardon is to labour I. For humiliation by the Law The Law humbles p. 50 1. By declaration of the fault  2. By Commination of punishment  II. For comfort by the Gospell The way to see the fault is 1. To looke on some particular grosse sinne p. 51 2. To consider the corruption of Nature ibid. Faith in Christ and a particular application of the Promises is the best way to be sure of mercy p. 52 Iudas Repentance Matth. chap. 27. vers 3 4 5. Then when Judas which betrayed him saw that hee was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thirty peeces of silver to the chiefe Priests and Elders Saying I have sinned in betraying of innocent blood and they said what is that to us see thou to it And when he had cast downe the silver peeces in the Temple he departed and went and hanged himselfe THese words doe containe the repentance of Iudas after his great sinne of betraying Christ The summe of them is to shew what Sentence hee had cast upon him The parts of the words are these five First a description of Iudas One who betrayed Christ. Secondly the occasion of his Repentance which is set forth by the circumstance of Time When he saw he was condemned Thirdly the Repentance itselfe in these words He repented himselfe and brought againe c. Of which Repentance there are three parts 1. He made restitution of that hee had taken hee brought againe the thirty silver peeces 2. He confesseth his sinne saying I have sinned in betraying innocent blood 3. Hee shewes himselfe sorrowfull so that if it were to doe againe he would not doe it which is another effect of his Repentance Fourthly the entertainment that hee had of the Chiefe Priests and Elders afterward Wherein observe 1. They excule themselves saying What is that to us although they had little reason to say so for if hee had sinned in betraying Christ then much more they who were the causes thereof 2. They lay more burthen upon him Looke thou to it Fifthly the issue of all this wherein is set downe 1. What comfort hee had of those thirty silver peeces He cast downe the silver peeces 2. What Judgement God inflicted on him hee made him his owne Executioner He departed and went and hanged himselfe These are the parts of the words First for the description of Iudas one that betrayed Christ. From whence observe the doctrine is this That looke what a man is in his life-time such shall bee his name in the end if their lives have beene bad their names at their death will be according if good their report shall be thereafter as it is here plaine in Judas hee hath his name according to his desert I deny not but for a time a good man may bee evill spoken of and an evill man may be magnified For the former wee may see it in many places Our Saviour Christ himselfe was little regarded of the Scribes and Pharises David may for a while be despised Paul may be reproached and so Ioseph and many others For the second wicked men for a while may have good report Iudas may so carry himselfe for a while that none of the Disciples would so much as suspect him for a traytorto his Master But behold the end of these men it shall surely bee according to their deeds Let Ieroboam carry a faire shew let Ahab have a good report for a while but marke the end of these men for Ieroboam who mingled his owne devices with the worship of God behold he hath his brand set upon him for his perpetuall infamy Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat who made all Israel to sinne 2 King 10. 29. and although Amazia made a great shew yet at last was marked for an hypocrite so Ahab at last was branded with a name of eternal disgrace On the centrary side good mens names shall flourish at their death though it may bee before disgraced David although hee had committed many grievous sinnes yet at the last his name was most honourable And thus is that verified God blesseth the righteous but the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10. 7. Now to come to the Reasons of this Doctrine why the Lord doth reward every man in the end according to their wayes in their life time The first reason hereof is taken from God himselfe he blesseth and curseth mens wayes according to their workes therefore needs must it bee that hee must blesse the godly but curse the wicked hee maketh their names to rot and rotten things soone stincke Hence is it that names of so many are so infamous after their death And this the Lord doth for two reasons First in regard of his truth he cannot be corrupted And therefore as men are indeed so hee blesseth or punisheth them and although men may be deceived yet he cannot For hee knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shall perish Psal. 1. 6. Secondly in regard of his glory I will honour them that honour me saith the Lord If those that dishonour God should be honoured or if those that honour God should be dishonoured it would be an impeachment to his honour but God is tender over his honour and therefore by no meanes will he suffer it so to be The second Reason is drawne from the men themselves ordinarily men will bee like themselves Feigned things quickly returne into their owne nature if good mettle be covered over with bad the bad will soone weare away and the good will appeare and on the contrary side if bad mettle bee covered with good the good will soone weare away and the bad will be seene so a godly man may have some slips but at the last it will appeare what he is and an hypocrite may have many a good fit yet sooner or later he will shew himselfe to be like himselfe The third reason is taken from other men at the end envy ceaseth and then their consciences that before did but whisper shall now speake aloud in their eares that they have beene good men on the other side for wicked men it may be they have beene great men and so they dare not speake as they thought but then feare shall be removed and then they shall use liberty of speech for why
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